WWE Holiday Shopping: WWE Home Video's 15 Greatest DVD Sets

The busiest shopping season of the year is just a couple weeks away and people are starting to prepare their lists and buy gifts for their loved ones.

There are many things you could get a wrestling fan for the holidays that would provide a great degree of entertainment.

WWE sells everything from shirts to coffee mugs to key chains and everything in between. I have even seen a Michelle McCooler beer cover before.

One thing that WWE does better than any other product is their home videos. The high level of production and quality of the matches chosen usually puts WWE DVDs at the top of a wrestling fans list.

There are videos about everything related to WWE. They have made documentaries, rankings lists and career retrospective videos for years about some of the biggest names in the business.

Owning the video libraries from numerous defunct promotions has also made it possible for people to buy DVDs featuring matches from NWA and WCCW.

With only a few weeks left before parking lots become crowded and normal people turn into monsters I figured I would list off the 15 best DVD sets released by WWE.

Jeff Hardy My Life My Rules

Matt and Jeff Hardy may have fallen from grace in the past couple years, but that does nothing to discount what they have done for the WWE.

They helped to innovate the tag team division during their run as one of the most popular teams of all time. Their high flying moves made them popular with fans of all ages.

I reviewed this DVD when it first came out and I stand by my opinion that is was the best WWE DVD that year. If you would like to read the full review I wrote in 2009 it can be found Here. 

Luckily for me WWE.com linked to my review and made it their official review of the DVD for their website.

The documentary included with the DVD was set up in the same way as some of the older boxing documentaries. It showed moments leading up to Hardy's final WWE match with other moments throughout his career cut in between to give context.

This is a must have for any Hardy fans and a great DVD for any wrestling fan to sit and watch.

On an interesting note, with WWE having released this and a DVD about both Hardys and TNA having just released their second Jeff Hardy DVD I think Jeff is the only person to have two different DVD sets with each company.

Royal Rumble: The Complete Anthology (1988–2007)

The Royal Rumble is WWE's first step on the road to WrestleMania, and one of the more entertaining WWE events all year.

The night is capped off with a 30 man battle royal to determine who the number one contender is for a world title shot at WrestleMania.

The first Royal Rumble was the only event where the winner did not receive a title shot, and unfortunately for Jim Duggan he never ended up winning a world title throughout his amazing career.

The rumble is a night of suspense because you never quite know who will take home the win and the title shot, plus it gives us a chance to see people mix it up who may never get to face each other in normal circumstances.

It is also a great time to see a few legends as they like to mix a couple in to entertain the fans. I think I may actually like the Rumble more than WrestleMania.

This video set includes every Royal Rumble event from the very start all the way through 2007. It is a hefty purchase but for any wrestling fan it will be a nice addition to their collection.

20 Years Too Soon: The "Superstar" Billy Graham Story

Billy Graham was larger than life and his image and style were way ahead of his time in the wrestling world.

At a time when most wrestlers would wear basic trunks and boots with maybe a vest on their way to the ring Billy Graham was decked out in crazy sunglasses and funky clothes.

The man was not all flash though as he was a powerhouse in the ring and could go toe to toe with just about anybody.

Billy Graham is someone who paved the way for the flamboyant personalities of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. He was the first one to call his arms pythons, not Hogan, and his promos were something to behold. Below is a quote from one of his interviews when he was with the WWF.

"

"I'm the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour. The women's pet, the men's regret. What you see is what you get. And what you don't see is better yet."

"

Rob Van Dam: One of a Kind

RVD may be with TNA right now, but he was a big part of WWE when he was with the company. As one of the few left from the original ECW RVD represented hardcore wrestling for certain fans.

This set was released in 2005 when RVD was at his height of popularity in WWE. I own this set and I would have to say that my favorite part is the segment where RVD and Eddie Guerrero compare their different styles of Frog Splash finishers.

This set includes matches from ECW as well as WWE and shows how RVD progressed from an acrobatic wrestler to one of the top performers in the business.

I hope to one day see RVD in a WWE ring again because I feel like he is treading water in TNA with bad story lines and worse feuds.

This is a good set for anyone looking for an older release they can find cheap at a used DVD store or on-line.

The Rise & Fall of ECW

As someone who grew up in a market where ECW was not broadcast I was elated to see this DVD come out. It highlights some of the best matches and moments from the entire run of ECW from when Shane Douglas declared the E stood for Extreme to the very end when they shut their doors.

Paul Heyman is the man behind ECW and his innovative booking added to ECW's violent image to create a wrestling promotion so vastly different from WWE you could not help but tune in.

With guys like Raven, Tommy Dreamer, Sandman and 2 Cold Scorpio ECW had some of the greatest talents this business had ever seen working for peanuts because they loved wrestling.

This is another great buy for someone looking for a more historical take on wrestling instead of just a lineup of matches.

This came as a part of two disc set with the first ECW themed WWE Pay Per View, but I bet if you tried you could find it by itself if you wanted to purchase it.

The Rise & Fall of WCW

I figured it was best to include this one right after the ECW title since they are similar in theme. WCW was the top wrestling company for a period of time in the late 90's, but eventually, like all the rest, the fell.

Vince McMahon is a genius business man when it comes to wrestling and he took the sport from regional promotions to a full scale world wide conglomerate.

Back when he wasn't on the top of the mountain alone Ted Turner was right there with him running WCW. With Eric Bischoff behind the wheel WCW started to chip away at WWE's fan base with it's first Nitro broadcast from the Mall of America.

This show was a huge risk for WCW as they were going up against WWE's flagship show on Monday's. They pulled it off by having their most popular wrestlers put on good matches while also having some surprises.

Lex Luger showed up on the show less than 24 hours after having appeared for WWE, which was a huge gain for WCW as Luger was a popular star at the time.

This set explores what went wrong with WCW and how egos and greed stopped the WCW train dead in it's tracks.

Viva La Raza: The Legacy of Eddie Guerrero

The anniversary of the passing of one of wrestling's greatest heroes just passed recently and I thought it would be appropriate to include this set as it is one of WWE's better superstar DVDs.

Eddie Guerrero was so beloved and respected that even today I can check Bleacher Report and find something about the man.

His charisma was his ticket to the top as no one could put on a show like Eddie. His interviews promos and exchanges with other superstars were always entertaining, and you could buy Eddie being both serious and funny because he was that damn good.

With his time being cut short many of today's younger fans may not have many memories of Eddie so this DVD set would make a perfect gift for any young fan of wrestling.

His charisma was not his only asset as he was one of the best in ring performers to ever step through the ropes. Whether it was on the mat or in the air Eddie could do it all.

I miss Eddie Guerrero and I hope his daughter is able to carry on his legacy by training hard in FCW and working to be the best like her father did.

Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology

The Hart family is the biggest and most well known in the world of wrestling. Their legacy stands up to any other groups and the quality of their work was unsurpassed.

Bret Hart may have been the most famous of the family, but there were many more Harts out there wrestling.

The set includes a documentary about Stu Hart and his struggles to raise a huge family on almost nothing. Stu helped to mold wrestling by running Stampede Wrestling as well as training some of the top names in the business.

Guys like Chris Jericho and Tyson Kidd came out of the Hart Dungeon knowing what it would take to be a success in the business through hard work and hours upon hours of grueling training.

Owen, Davey Boy and Family Friend Brian Pillman all suffered early deaths for different reasons and their memories live on through the rest of the family as they continue to contribute to the business.

There is no doubt that Bret is one of the best wrestlers of all time, but his extended and immediate family would be willing to give him a run for his money at any time I am sure.

This is one of my favorite releases from WWE as it is one of the only sets to feature Owen Hart, one of my favorite wrestlers of all time.

Unfortunately for wrestling fans Owen's widow does not want anything strictly about Owen released by WWE so we have to cope with this set as a way to go back and watch Owen again.

Macho Madness: The Ultimate Randy Savage Collection

The world lost Randy Savage this past year and he left it a better place than when he entered. Randy was a larger than life personality who was one of the few people able to excel during the era of Hogan's domination of the sports.

His trademark glasses and bandana were instantly recognizable as he came through the curtains and his beautiful wife Miss Elizabeth was right there by his side to offer support.

As one of the people who held world title in both WWE and WCW during their height of popularity Randy is undoubtedly one of the best of all time.

His match with Rocky Steamboat at WrestleMania 4 will forever remain one of the best in ring performances by two men of all time.

His technical prowess was amazing and his ability to leap from the top rope allowed him to create a unique style off offense few could defend against.

Whether he was snapping into a slim Jim or dropping an elbow on someone's rib cage Randy was always on and always giving fans what they wanted to see.

Luckily for Randy he was able to get out of the business while he still had a working body and he was able to eventually remarry and find peace in his new life after wrestling.

I am glad he was able to mend ties and be happy at the end of his life because we hear about far too many wrestlers who have died of drugs, alcohol and suicide.

While Savage's death was a blow to the wrestling world we know he went out having lived a long happy life while creating many great memories for both himself and for us.

Any fan of Savage needs to own this set as it is the best collection of his greatest moments you can get. OOOHHHH YEAHHHHHH!!!!!!

R.I.P. Randall Mario Poffo

Allied Powers: The World's Greatest Tag Teams

I am a sucker for tag team wrestling which is why this DVD set was one I had to go get the day it came out. From the Legion of Doom to The Hardys tag teams have always been the most entertaining to me.

Sometimes you will have a team of two similar people like LOD or Demoltion, and sometimes you will have a team of two totally different people like Batista and Rey Mysterio.

There is always a heightened level of excitement in tag team matches due to the fact that there are two more people who influence the decision of the match.

This set includes matches from some of the best tag teams of all time. The cover features three teams fans will be familiar with; DX, Edge and Christian and The Fabulous Freebirds.

These three teams each helped to innovate tag team wrestling in one way or another and each team also had their own brand of charisma and style.

There are so many teams in history that it would be impossible for WWE to feature them all on three discs, but I felt they did a very good job in taking the best ones and highlighting them.

The Hart Foundation, The Rockers and The British Bulldogs represented the first era of wrestling I got into and those three teams will always be special to me.

For any fan of wrestling this set is a must have, especially if you like tag team wrestling. This one is not too old compared to some of the other sets on the list so you may still be able to find it at a store like Best Buy.

Ladder Match Compilation

I firmly stand by my belief that the ladder match is the most exciting stipulation match in WWE. This is the second set in the list to feature Jeff Hardy doing a swanton bomb on the cover, but it is totally different from the other.

While the first set dealt with the Hardys, this set deal with all things ladder match related. From the first WWE ladder match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels the ladder match has always been popular among fans.

It was his match with Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X that helped propel Shawn Michaels to being Mr. WrestleMania, even though he lost the match.

The person who is arguably the most well known when it comes to ladder matches is Jeff Hardy. His willingness to put his body through hell for the fans has created some of WWE's most memorable moments.

The first time Jeff climbed a twenty foot ladder and did a swanton through two tables my jaw hit the floor. If there was ever a moment for the crowd to chant "Holy #$%&" it was that moment.

This set is not all about Hardy and HBK though as it features ladder matches from guys like RVD and Chris Jericho as well, including the match where Eddie and Rey fought over custody of Dominic.

Out of all the DVD sets released that focus on stipulation matches this is by far the best one, so good in fact they just recently released a sequel set featuring more great ladder matches.

WWE Legends of Wrestling Roddy Piper & Terry Funk

This DVD was released exclusively through Best Buy and it was a new kind of DVD for the WWE home video department to produce.

Instead of being just matches or just a documentary this DVD features a round table discussion with some of the greatest names in the business discussing these two great legends.

Roddy Piper and Terry Funk each left their own unique mark on the world of wrestling, and here you will get to hear from people who were right there for the action what they were really like.

Was Roddy really that nuts? Did Terry Funk have a death wish? these questions are examined during the discussion as well as other topics from their careers.

The round table is not the only part of the DVD though as some matches from each mans career were also included so you will get the chance to relive some great moments from their careers.

One match I suggest people pay attention to from this disc is Piper facing Paul Orndorff. It is a great example of how two guys can go in the ring and tell story with no words.

This is one you may have to scour Ebay for but I guarantee it is worth it if you can find it. I wish WWE would do more of these dvds because it is informative and interesting to hear guys like Jim Ross and Pat Patterson recount their experiences in the business.

The Shawn Michaels Story: Heartbreak & Triumph

Shawn Michaels left a void in the WWE when he left, but he left for good reasons. He wanted to make sure he could spend time with his wife and watch his kids grow up as well as not destroy his body any further.

Shawn was shelved for life when he suffered a back injury all those years ago, but he proved everyone wrong and came back to have one of the greatest runs in WWE history.

He went out on top and had one of the greatest matches of all time as his send off. This set goes back to the beginning and documents Shawn's journey through the life of a wrestler.

From his early days as a cocky upstart to his days as a backstage bully to his path to redemption this set tells it all while also showing some of his best in ring work.

HBK is someone who had universal appeal to men and women of all ages. His level of skill is unmatched when it comes to just about anything in the world of wrestling and his days as a part of DX changed WWE forever.

Going back and watching Shawn wrestle with Marty Jannetty as both a partner and an enemy was my favorite part of Shawn's career because it was such a tremendous storyline that was executed to perfection.

The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect

Another one of the wrestlers who I looked up to growing up was Curt Hennig, otherwise known as Mr. Perfect. The funny thing is that he almost didn't get the gimmick.

There was another wrestler named Terry Taylor, who some may know as TNA's current talent advisor, who was slated to be Mr. Perfect. Vince had come up with two gimmicks, the perfect gimmick and a character called The Red Rooster.

Taylor missed the call from Vince and the character ended up getting used by Hennig, and the rest was history. Hennig used his gimmick as a way of being one of the cockiest heels ever.

His signature towel may seem like a stupid prop to some fans, but it was something small that somehow added to his character.

He always put on high quality matches and despite never winning the world title in WWE he remains one of the most beloved superstars of all time to this day.

His IC title match with Bret Hart is still considered one of the greatest examples of technical work from any wrestler. He and Bret tore the house down and put on a better match than anyone else on the card, and you can rewatch that match on this set.

Hennig is yet another in a long list of wrestlers who passed before their time, but he left an impression fans will always remember.

This set is great and should be in any Hennig fans collection.

WWE: Greatest Rivalries: Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart

Last but certainly not least is WWE's newest project which highlights the long time rivalry between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.

This type of DVD is new for WWE as it looks at a specific feud instead of one superstar or a specific event. It contains matches as well as a no holds barred interview with the two men conducted by Good Ole JR himself.

Shawn and Bret have been going at it in the ring for years and this collections details that feud from beginning to end.

From their early days as tag team wrestlers in The Hart Foundation and The Rockers to their singles feud over the IC and WWF world championship to the controversial Montreal screwjob incident.

Since that night in Montreal Bret, Shawn and Vince have mended their relationships and have gone on to have a good business partnership.

Bret does occasional appearances for WWE now and Shawn will show up on occasion as well to promote a PPV or just have some fun.

It was a great moment when these two met in the ring to settle their real life feud and you could tell it was a real and emotional moments for both the superstars as well as the audience who was in attendance.

Shawn gave one of the most genuine speeches I have ever heard in my life that night and I am happy these two legends have set aside their differences enough to be able to call each other friends again.

I am hoping that at some point we may see Bret pop up on Shawn's outdoor show, but you never know with television what they will do.

This DVD set is a recent addition to the WWE library and it is a fresh new way for WWE to put out quality DVD sets that engage the audience and educate them on a side of the sport we normally don't get to see.

I would also like to give a little mention to the DVD Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows. It is a documentary that was being made around the time of Bret's departure from the WWF on his way to WCW.

It just so happened that they were there to cover the insanity of the Montreal Screwjob and the film took on a whole new life.

It takes a very personal look at Bret and how he dealt with the event as well as how his life was while on the road with the WWF. A nice scene in the documentary shows Bret's young children playing with Sunny backstage in a moment that makes you realize they really are like a family backstage sometimes.

So there you have it folks, 15 of the best DVD sets the WWE has ever produced, this should give you some good ideas for those WWE fans on you holiday shopping list.

As always please feel free to share you thoughts and any DVD sets you like that I did not include in the main article.