WWE: US Championship – A Legacy of Greatness DVD Review: 14 Interesting Observations
It used to mean something, you know...
Brace yourselves, this one is a long one.
If, like me, you were expecting a 90 minute documentary about the history of the United States Championship followed by two discs worth of matches you could enjoy at your own leisure, think again.
WWE have thrown together a mountain of content that provides a whistle stop tour through the ages of what used to be one of the biggest titles on the wrestling landscape - this is the biggest thing you learn throughout the course of this DVD, and just goes to show what a mess WWE are making of it today.
Trying to cram over 41 years of history into one film means that certain periods on the title's lineage are completely skipped over or just feel rushed.
With JBL struggling to read the autocue in giving the most brief overview of the key milestones in the championship's history, this DVD is all about the matches - and what a selection WWE have provided here.
There are a number of matches that a couple of generations of fans will never have seen before from the NWA days, while there are a couple of more modern classics that are greats in their in own right.
All in all this DVD is a little bit aimless in how it's put together but more than does the job in giving you a foundation of knowledge about the US Title.
Here are 14 interesting observations from The U.S. Championship – A Legacy of Greatness...
14. The Origins Of The Title Are Questionable
The Mid-Atlantic territory of the National Wrestling Alliance introduced the United States Championship and crowned its inaugural champion on January 1, 1975 in Tallahassee, Florida.
Harley Race won a tournament to become the first champ, apparently...
There's no photographical evidence of Race, or anyone else for that matter, performing for the right to be called the first US Champion, so JBL puts across that the inception of the belt is going off the word of one man.
He also makes the very valid point that nobody in their right mind would question Harley Race, or their teeth and consciousness would instantly be put at severe risk.