We enter the second month of the year with my first live show experience for 2010! It’s Ring of Honor’s “8th Anniversary Show” (2/13/10) from Manhattan, NY. These annual celebrations of ROH’s existence have always been a highlight, so let’s see if that trend is kept alive!
-Brian Kendrick makes his one-night-only return to ROH in the opener against Roderick Strong. Kendrick is once again becoming the wrestler I was a huge fan of before, and that is splendid to see. He more than keeps up with Strong and the two put together a great little bout. Really solid way to start the show, I only wish we had more Kendrick in our ROH future.
-The Kings of Wrestling vs. The Bravado Brothers has SQUASH written all over it. Indeed, the finish is never really in question. But the match itself is pretty fun! Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli are fantastic as a team, and they’ve added a ton to their tandem arsenal since they last paired a few years ago. Getting to see them show off these fancy new moves is enjoyable. And truthfully, the Bravado Brothers look good too! They get some decent offense in at times, and take a beating pretty well when they need to. Overall this is good stuff.
-Here is the first “uh oh” moment for me regarding this DVD. Eddie Kingston and Necro Butcher vs. Joey Ryan and Erick Stevens. At the show, I recall being basically entertained by this no disqualifications match. It isn’t a wrestling clinic or anything, but it isn’t meant to be. Upon re-watching the bout, I really have a hard time seeing anything that can be described as enjoyable. Really, this is just kind of there, with four guys doing a whole lot of nothing to take up time on the card. The big spot of the match still comes off as crazy, and for some reason Joey Ryan is particularly amusing to me, but overall this is as middle of the road as it gets.
-And now for the second, much larger “uh oh” of the night. El Generico vs. Davey Richards. I loved this match live. Absolutely adored it. And yet here on DVD, I find myself lukewarm to a lot of it. Things like Generico being psyched out by his current situation with Steen and Richards’ interactions with the crowd came across great in person, but here they are mostly lost on me. And the in-ring work takes a really long time to get going. Once the bout jumps into second gear, things pick up amazingly and the action becomes intense. By the finish, this definitely felt like a really good match, but not quite the blow-away contest I remembered. May have to watch this again at some point, but right now my thumb is up without being ecstatic over it.
-The Dark City Fight Club has the potential to be one of the best teams in the industry today. Truly I believe that; however, they won’t get to that point with matches like the one they have here against the Briscoes. This should have been a great clash of powerful teams. Instead, it is boring. There really is no other word for it. Nothing exciting happens at all, and this will go down as one of the more forgettable tag title contests in ROH history. At least the post match developments are pretty entertaining.
-Decent match between Delirious, Kenny King, Steve Corino, and Rasche Brown. Basically about as good as I was expecting from this group. Corino isn’t a favorite of mine, but I can see why people like him. He definitely tries hard to keep things going. Kenny King continues to be solid even though he seems like he should be superb; Delirious is Delirious, there’s really nothing new to report; and Rasche Brown continues to make me scratch my head by how much I like the guy. Every fiber of my being says don’t be a Brown fan, and yet once he gets going, I can’t help but be entertained. Forget it, I’m not going to fight it or be ashamed anymore, consider me on the Rasche Brown bandwagon!
-It is a bit odd looking back at the Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen bout from this show. The Steen vs. Generico feud has shaped into one of the best in ROH history, but the developments here were weird. Or at least they played out very oddly. Can’t really explain it, as I’m ultimately glad Corino and Cabana became involved in this multilayered story, but seeing how that happened on this show, it feels completely off the mark. So Steen’s working for Corino, or something, and Cabana needs to mind his own business, and...yeah, I don’t even know what they’re trying to do here. I’ll just be glad that things develop nicely past this show and forget this mess ever happened.
-And then there’s the main event. Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries for the ROH World Title, and there must be a winner. Overall this is a good match, though again one that I enjoyed more live than on DVD. There is some decent action between the two, but nothing as great as some of their matches from back in 2008. The story line involving the three judges at ringside – Roderick Strong, Kenny King, and Jim Cornette, there in case the match goes to a draw and a winner needs to be decided on – came off better in person than on video. Again, this may be one of those matches that need another home viewing to reconcile with my initial feelings, but for now my heart is more mild than wild for this contest.
Overall it was an okay show that benefitted greatly from the live event buzz and atmosphere that ROH does so well. A factor that, often times, does not translate well to the filmed product. Unfortunately, it seems this DVD is one of those times.
Showing posts with label Ring Of Honor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ring Of Honor. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
2010 – ROH: SoCal Showdown
We’ve evolved, we’ve opened the gate, and now we’ve head to California for Ring of Honor’s first DVD release of the year, “SoCal Showdown” (1/29/10). This is also the first of two major wrestling cards held during the 2010 WrestleReunion convention weekend. The second show, brought to us by our friends at Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, will be discussed later. Right now it’s all about ROH!
-Good opener with Colt Cabana and El Generico taking on Scott Lost and Scorpio Sky. It is thrilling to see Lost and Sky getting a shot in ROH, and they intend to impress without question. This is entertaining stuff and a spot-on way to start the night.
-The Erick Stevens vs. Necro Butcher “Anything Goes” bout didn’t quite click. Neither man does anything to look especially strong or cover any new ground. Won’t call it a waste per se as I don’t know that these two could have been better used on this card, but this is forgivably forgettable fare if I’ve ever seen it.
-Really wanted to like the Roderick Strong vs. Delirious match, but from early on they lost my interest and never gained it back. Yes Strong is great, and yes Delirious is better than he is often given credit for, and yes they have had some good clashes against each other before. Heck this may even be a really well wrestled contest, but I couldn’t tell you because I just wasn’t engrossed enough to care. Sorry.
-Consider me a number of years too late for this, but I’m officially starting to explore the option of jumping on the Joey Ryan bandwagon. The work I’ve seen from Ryan in PWG has always been good, and at times even great, but it is his match here against Tyler Black that really has me taking notice. Ryan works the crowd perfectly, his in-ring style shines, and overall he builds a great story with Black. Speaking of Tyler, let’s not take anything away from the man here, he is definitely a big part of why this match is so good. It takes two to tango, and while Ryan can probably make up for a less than stellar opponent if need be, the need does not exist at all here.
-This is what bothers me about Jerry Lynn sometimes. We have Kenny King cutting a promo about wanting to cripple Lynn. Wanting to end his career and his ability to walk; this is vicious stuff. So Lynn comes out and he hits the ring like a man possessed to fight for his right for mobility. Well, actually no, he doesn’t. Instead he enters the arena and takes time to pose for the customers. Huh? Way to kill the fire that should be in this battle from the start. It takes awhile before the heat builds back and the two actually go after each other in a manner fitting of a grudge match. The post match events are pretty good as well. Overall it is a fine contest, but that little bit at the start really took it down a notch before things were even underway.
-Kevin Steen and Human Tornado have easily the most entertaining encounter of the evening. This is Steen’s first post-turn performance in an ROH ring, and he is beyond on top of his game. Everything about Steen’s work here is gold. Not to be outdone, Human Tornado gives us a fantastic showing against the evil antagonist. The energy is high and overall this is a whole lot of oomph added to the show.
-As a Jushin “Thunder” Liger fan from childhood, it is an awesome treat to see the Japanese superstar come into ROH and wrestle one of the best members of the roster. ROH World Champion Austin Aries is definitely more than qualified for the role and the two have a fun little bout. It is definitely enjoyable, if not something that you need to seek out or risk your life being incomplete without seeing.
-For some reason, on paper, the idea of the eight man tag team main event with The American Wolves and The Kings of Wrestling against The Briscoe Brothers and The Young Bucks did nothing for me. Maybe I have a prejudice against multi-man tags as headlining attractions, but never the less my anticipation for this contest was pretty low. Glad to say the match definitely exceeded every expectation and delivered a thrilling contest all the way around. What most strikes me is how this almost feels more like a four-way between four teams as opposed to an eight-man tag. The heels and the faces are separate, yes, but there is a lot of focus on individual teams and the myriad of great double team maneuvers available in their repertoires. Things build nicely and reach an exhilarating pace that is just awesome to watch. This could be argued as the best match of the show, and it definitely leaves a lasting memory.
-Good opener with Colt Cabana and El Generico taking on Scott Lost and Scorpio Sky. It is thrilling to see Lost and Sky getting a shot in ROH, and they intend to impress without question. This is entertaining stuff and a spot-on way to start the night.
-The Erick Stevens vs. Necro Butcher “Anything Goes” bout didn’t quite click. Neither man does anything to look especially strong or cover any new ground. Won’t call it a waste per se as I don’t know that these two could have been better used on this card, but this is forgivably forgettable fare if I’ve ever seen it.
-Really wanted to like the Roderick Strong vs. Delirious match, but from early on they lost my interest and never gained it back. Yes Strong is great, and yes Delirious is better than he is often given credit for, and yes they have had some good clashes against each other before. Heck this may even be a really well wrestled contest, but I couldn’t tell you because I just wasn’t engrossed enough to care. Sorry.
-Consider me a number of years too late for this, but I’m officially starting to explore the option of jumping on the Joey Ryan bandwagon. The work I’ve seen from Ryan in PWG has always been good, and at times even great, but it is his match here against Tyler Black that really has me taking notice. Ryan works the crowd perfectly, his in-ring style shines, and overall he builds a great story with Black. Speaking of Tyler, let’s not take anything away from the man here, he is definitely a big part of why this match is so good. It takes two to tango, and while Ryan can probably make up for a less than stellar opponent if need be, the need does not exist at all here.
-This is what bothers me about Jerry Lynn sometimes. We have Kenny King cutting a promo about wanting to cripple Lynn. Wanting to end his career and his ability to walk; this is vicious stuff. So Lynn comes out and he hits the ring like a man possessed to fight for his right for mobility. Well, actually no, he doesn’t. Instead he enters the arena and takes time to pose for the customers. Huh? Way to kill the fire that should be in this battle from the start. It takes awhile before the heat builds back and the two actually go after each other in a manner fitting of a grudge match. The post match events are pretty good as well. Overall it is a fine contest, but that little bit at the start really took it down a notch before things were even underway.
-Kevin Steen and Human Tornado have easily the most entertaining encounter of the evening. This is Steen’s first post-turn performance in an ROH ring, and he is beyond on top of his game. Everything about Steen’s work here is gold. Not to be outdone, Human Tornado gives us a fantastic showing against the evil antagonist. The energy is high and overall this is a whole lot of oomph added to the show.
-As a Jushin “Thunder” Liger fan from childhood, it is an awesome treat to see the Japanese superstar come into ROH and wrestle one of the best members of the roster. ROH World Champion Austin Aries is definitely more than qualified for the role and the two have a fun little bout. It is definitely enjoyable, if not something that you need to seek out or risk your life being incomplete without seeing.
-For some reason, on paper, the idea of the eight man tag team main event with The American Wolves and The Kings of Wrestling against The Briscoe Brothers and The Young Bucks did nothing for me. Maybe I have a prejudice against multi-man tags as headlining attractions, but never the less my anticipation for this contest was pretty low. Glad to say the match definitely exceeded every expectation and delivered a thrilling contest all the way around. What most strikes me is how this almost feels more like a four-way between four teams as opposed to an eight-man tag. The heels and the faces are separate, yes, but there is a lot of focus on individual teams and the myriad of great double team maneuvers available in their repertoires. Things build nicely and reach an exhilarating pace that is just awesome to watch. This could be argued as the best match of the show, and it definitely leaves a lasting memory.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Paint Your Wagon...With Blood!
Continuing down the 2009 Ring of Honor road, we arrive in Dayton, OH for “A Cut Above” (4/24/09), a show named for the gushing gash atop Roderick’s Strong head that appears during the main event. More on that later, let’s go match by match through the entire night.
-Decent opener between Eddie Edwards and Bryan Danielson. The goal here is obviously to make Edwards stand out as a singles competitor against one of the best ROH has to offer, and it works. Definitely a nice thing to see as a new star is built before our eyes. Good mat work from both men. Nothing spectacular per se, but it is solid enough to keep the match entertaining.
-Rasche Brown doesn’t have the look of an enjoyable wrestler, but man, when he gets in the ring, the personality turns on and the fun begins. Brown is highly amusing to watch, and is definitely the best part about the four-way between him, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Cross, and Silas Young. All of the men look good, but it is Brown’s show, without question.
-A match as short as Jimmy Rave vs. Grizzly Redwood can hardly call for any reaction really. The post match antics, on the other hand, are completely hilarious in a now I’ve seen it all in pro wrestling sort of way. Consider this a spoiler warning, though I don’t know how disappointing a spoiler this would constitute – “Dirty” Ernie Osiris literally steals the shoes off of Grizzly Redwood’s feet. Off of his feet! His stinky, nasty feet! Times are tough, yes, but nothing will ever make that okay! If this is the start of a feud, well, I don’t even know what to say as a follow up to that.
-Pretty good tag bout with Austin Aries and Rhett Titus against the Phoenix Twins. The dynamic between Aries and Titus is particularly interesting, and Titus has really come into his own as a major talent in ROH. The Phoenix Twins look good as well, thus overall making this a fair outing for everybody involved.
-At first, the idea of seeing another Chris Hero vs. Colt Cabana match so soon after their Pro Wrestling Guerrilla encounter had me none too excited. Luckily, these two competitors put on a completely different show from that PWG bout. A much more entertaining show, frankly. Lots of humor and lots of great mat work from both men. Definitely a more enjoyable contest than I was expecting.
-Refreshing to see Jimmy Jacobs taking on somebody so different than his usual mix of ROH enemies in Egotistico Fantastico. The bout is good. Fantastico hits his entire repertoire of star worthy spots and generally has a good showing. And Jacobs benefits from having some fresh blood to work his act against.
-Hey look, another match Pro Wrestling Guerrilla just treated me to a few shows ago! And technically speaking, this is the third time I’ve watched Tyler Black and Davey Richards clash in the ring in 2009. Fortunately, their interactions are always strong and seem to get better with every outing. Their battle here is quite the sprint of great action that comes together perfectly. The climax of the contest is especially thrilling. Overall it is a really good bout, perhaps the best on this show.
-Wanted to enjoy Kevin Steen and Jay Briscoe vs. The Dark City Fight Club, I really did, but the match did not connect with me at all. Not a bad contest really, just nothing that held my interest long enough to warrant a fully positive response.
-Main event time with Jerry Lynn defending the ROH World Title against Roderick Strong. As mentioned earlier, the memorable moment of this bout is Strong bleeding buckets and yet continuing even though it legitimately looks like he will pass out at any given moment. The performance is noteworthy and respectable, but the match overall is only good at best. Without the accidental moment, there wouldn’t be a thing to remember here. Lynn and Strong work well together and put on a solid bout, but I do expect a bit more with the world championship up for grabs.
-Decent opener between Eddie Edwards and Bryan Danielson. The goal here is obviously to make Edwards stand out as a singles competitor against one of the best ROH has to offer, and it works. Definitely a nice thing to see as a new star is built before our eyes. Good mat work from both men. Nothing spectacular per se, but it is solid enough to keep the match entertaining.
-Rasche Brown doesn’t have the look of an enjoyable wrestler, but man, when he gets in the ring, the personality turns on and the fun begins. Brown is highly amusing to watch, and is definitely the best part about the four-way between him, Claudio Castagnoli, Matt Cross, and Silas Young. All of the men look good, but it is Brown’s show, without question.
-A match as short as Jimmy Rave vs. Grizzly Redwood can hardly call for any reaction really. The post match antics, on the other hand, are completely hilarious in a now I’ve seen it all in pro wrestling sort of way. Consider this a spoiler warning, though I don’t know how disappointing a spoiler this would constitute – “Dirty” Ernie Osiris literally steals the shoes off of Grizzly Redwood’s feet. Off of his feet! His stinky, nasty feet! Times are tough, yes, but nothing will ever make that okay! If this is the start of a feud, well, I don’t even know what to say as a follow up to that.
-Pretty good tag bout with Austin Aries and Rhett Titus against the Phoenix Twins. The dynamic between Aries and Titus is particularly interesting, and Titus has really come into his own as a major talent in ROH. The Phoenix Twins look good as well, thus overall making this a fair outing for everybody involved.
-At first, the idea of seeing another Chris Hero vs. Colt Cabana match so soon after their Pro Wrestling Guerrilla encounter had me none too excited. Luckily, these two competitors put on a completely different show from that PWG bout. A much more entertaining show, frankly. Lots of humor and lots of great mat work from both men. Definitely a more enjoyable contest than I was expecting.
-Refreshing to see Jimmy Jacobs taking on somebody so different than his usual mix of ROH enemies in Egotistico Fantastico. The bout is good. Fantastico hits his entire repertoire of star worthy spots and generally has a good showing. And Jacobs benefits from having some fresh blood to work his act against.
-Hey look, another match Pro Wrestling Guerrilla just treated me to a few shows ago! And technically speaking, this is the third time I’ve watched Tyler Black and Davey Richards clash in the ring in 2009. Fortunately, their interactions are always strong and seem to get better with every outing. Their battle here is quite the sprint of great action that comes together perfectly. The climax of the contest is especially thrilling. Overall it is a really good bout, perhaps the best on this show.
-Wanted to enjoy Kevin Steen and Jay Briscoe vs. The Dark City Fight Club, I really did, but the match did not connect with me at all. Not a bad contest really, just nothing that held my interest long enough to warrant a fully positive response.
-Main event time with Jerry Lynn defending the ROH World Title against Roderick Strong. As mentioned earlier, the memorable moment of this bout is Strong bleeding buckets and yet continuing even though it legitimately looks like he will pass out at any given moment. The performance is noteworthy and respectable, but the match overall is only good at best. Without the accidental moment, there wouldn’t be a thing to remember here. Lynn and Strong work well together and put on a solid bout, but I do expect a bit more with the world championship up for grabs.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Double Feature DOS!
Two shows for the price of one (sort of) as Ring Of Honor presents “Double Feature II” (4/17/09 and 4/18/09).
First up we have “The Hunt Begins” from Montreal, Quebec:
-Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs should hate each other. HATE. In fact, Black spends an entire interview segment before the match talking about essentially maiming Jacobs first chance he gets tonight. So why is it that when these two meet in the ring, their disdain seems to be gladly put aside in the name of a fair and proper pro wrestling contest? It feels unnatural and frankly comes off as disappointing. The first half of the match feels slow; it is as if neither man is in any particular rush to finish the other off. The second part picks up quite a bit. There is some really good work from both guys, but again, no passion or desire to destroy one another like there really should have been. I was generally let down by how vanilla this contest ended up being.
-Austin Aries singling out Kenny Omega and telling him to prove his worth during their four-way against Roderick Strong and Jay Briscoe is a truly great booking move. It draws attention early on to Omega, who is fairly new in the ROH ring, and who could be a huge star for the company if given the shot. The match essentially comes down to four great workers busting out some fun things to entertain the crowd, which is fine in my book. Lots of entertaining stuff, especially the moments shared between Strong and Briscoe.
-Can’t say a lot about Claudio Castagnoli and Jimmy Rave vs. Colt Cabana and Brent Albright. It is a perfectly acceptable match and keeps you fairly amused while it is on, but then it is also the kind of match you could go make a sandwich during and really not miss a thing. Not bad, just not essential.
-Main event time as Kevin Steen, El Generico, and Bryan Danielson take on The American Wolves and Sylvain Grenier. Actually a pretty enjoyable match! Can’t say that was expected, especially with Grenier involved. Everybody works really hard and puts on a good showing. Again, it is nothing must see or can’t miss, but it is interesting enough if you do check it out.
Now onto “Tag Title Classic” from Markham, Ontario:
-Colt Cabana has been really enjoyable in his post-WWE indie scene run so far. He isn’t lighting the world ablaze with five-star matches or anything, but he’s been showing some really solid in-ring prowess. Cabana and Claudio Castagnoli mix really well together here and do quite a bit of interesting chain wrestling that wasn’t expected of either man. Good match.
-In some ways, the Austin Aries, Rhett Titus, and Kenny King vs. Kevin Steen, Kenny Omega, and Player “Generico” Dos six-man is even better than the tag main event from the night before. Okay, maybe not better, but more entertaining? I don’t know, I just liked it! It is especially nice seeing Dos stand out among these competitors. Again another up and coming star that deserves some special attention paid to him by the audience.
-Definitely found the Jimmy Jacobs vs. Delirious Markham Street Fight to be better than Jacobs vs. Black from the first half of this DVD. A bloody brawl is exactly what these two should be having, and they do a pretty good job of it.
-Unfortunately, Roderick Strong vs. Jay Briscoe did nothing for me here. On paper, the rematch from their awesome encounter at Stylin’ & Profilin’ earlier in 2009 sounded quite exciting, but in execution – not so much. Can’t really say what it is that didn’t work here, but there a big disconnect for me from the bout. Not bad, just not as captivating as I was hoping for.
-Not quite a “tag title classic,” but The American Wolves vs. Bryan Danielson and Tyler Black is a pretty good match. The name of the show could be something of a spoiler, but let’s avoid that and simply say that the opening of the bout drags a bit, which starts things off on the wrong foot. Eventually though the action gets way more involved and things become quite enjoyable, even if the finish can be seen coming from a mile away, especially if you know your ROH history. In some ways, that may do the match a disservice, as being able to guess what the conclusion of the contest will be takes away a large part of the drama; however, overall the action gets quite good and ends the night on a strong note.
First up we have “The Hunt Begins” from Montreal, Quebec:
-Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs should hate each other. HATE. In fact, Black spends an entire interview segment before the match talking about essentially maiming Jacobs first chance he gets tonight. So why is it that when these two meet in the ring, their disdain seems to be gladly put aside in the name of a fair and proper pro wrestling contest? It feels unnatural and frankly comes off as disappointing. The first half of the match feels slow; it is as if neither man is in any particular rush to finish the other off. The second part picks up quite a bit. There is some really good work from both guys, but again, no passion or desire to destroy one another like there really should have been. I was generally let down by how vanilla this contest ended up being.
-Austin Aries singling out Kenny Omega and telling him to prove his worth during their four-way against Roderick Strong and Jay Briscoe is a truly great booking move. It draws attention early on to Omega, who is fairly new in the ROH ring, and who could be a huge star for the company if given the shot. The match essentially comes down to four great workers busting out some fun things to entertain the crowd, which is fine in my book. Lots of entertaining stuff, especially the moments shared between Strong and Briscoe.
-Can’t say a lot about Claudio Castagnoli and Jimmy Rave vs. Colt Cabana and Brent Albright. It is a perfectly acceptable match and keeps you fairly amused while it is on, but then it is also the kind of match you could go make a sandwich during and really not miss a thing. Not bad, just not essential.
-Main event time as Kevin Steen, El Generico, and Bryan Danielson take on The American Wolves and Sylvain Grenier. Actually a pretty enjoyable match! Can’t say that was expected, especially with Grenier involved. Everybody works really hard and puts on a good showing. Again, it is nothing must see or can’t miss, but it is interesting enough if you do check it out.
Now onto “Tag Title Classic” from Markham, Ontario:
-Colt Cabana has been really enjoyable in his post-WWE indie scene run so far. He isn’t lighting the world ablaze with five-star matches or anything, but he’s been showing some really solid in-ring prowess. Cabana and Claudio Castagnoli mix really well together here and do quite a bit of interesting chain wrestling that wasn’t expected of either man. Good match.
-In some ways, the Austin Aries, Rhett Titus, and Kenny King vs. Kevin Steen, Kenny Omega, and Player “Generico” Dos six-man is even better than the tag main event from the night before. Okay, maybe not better, but more entertaining? I don’t know, I just liked it! It is especially nice seeing Dos stand out among these competitors. Again another up and coming star that deserves some special attention paid to him by the audience.
-Definitely found the Jimmy Jacobs vs. Delirious Markham Street Fight to be better than Jacobs vs. Black from the first half of this DVD. A bloody brawl is exactly what these two should be having, and they do a pretty good job of it.
-Unfortunately, Roderick Strong vs. Jay Briscoe did nothing for me here. On paper, the rematch from their awesome encounter at Stylin’ & Profilin’ earlier in 2009 sounded quite exciting, but in execution – not so much. Can’t really say what it is that didn’t work here, but there a big disconnect for me from the bout. Not bad, just not as captivating as I was hoping for.
-Not quite a “tag title classic,” but The American Wolves vs. Bryan Danielson and Tyler Black is a pretty good match. The name of the show could be something of a spoiler, but let’s avoid that and simply say that the opening of the bout drags a bit, which starts things off on the wrong foot. Eventually though the action gets way more involved and things become quite enjoyable, even if the finish can be seen coming from a mile away, especially if you know your ROH history. In some ways, that may do the match a disservice, as being able to guess what the conclusion of the contest will be takes away a large part of the drama; however, overall the action gets quite good and ends the night on a strong note.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
La-Z-Booking
Supercard Of Honor IV left me feeling quite good about the Ring of Honor product and wrestling in general. What an unbelievable event that was, and surely the follow-up, Take No Prisoners 2009 (4/4/09), should be just as good, right?
Let’s go match by match through the show and find out:
-Actually really like the opener between Colt Cabana and Ace Steel. The student vs. teacher vibe is in full effect, and both men play it up very well. Good way to start the night.
-Remember that time I swooned over the six-man tag that pit Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe, and Magno against Eddie Edwards, Chris Hero, and Incognito? The eight-man tag here, which adds El Generico and Davey Richards respectively to each team, didn’t quite elicit my love anywhere near as much. The contest comes off as common and uneventful. And short. Basically if you want to see most of these men do battle, go back and watch Supercard Of Honor IV where they did it right the first time.
-Have to admit, I really enjoyed Jimmy Jacobs vs. Necro Butcher here. There is lots of blood, lots of crazy spots, and lots of chemistry between the two that ties the match together.
-Not to undersell Claudio Castagnoli, Brent Albright, or Blue Demon, Jr., but if you were going to remove one element from the entertaining four-way from SOH IV to make it a three-way, El Generico should not have been it. Not much of anything happens between Claudio, Albright, and Demon, making for a completely forgettable match. But hey, you could just go watch the aforementioned bout from the night before! Common theme alert!
-Roderick Strong vs. Alex Koslov should be a much better contest. It is good, but it needed way more time to develop. Things feel rushed and overall not focused. Had the story been given a chance to grow, it likely would have been a highlight of the weekend as oppose to a mostly unremarkable outing. Both men were WAY better the night before.
-On paper, the four-way world title match between Jerry Lynn, Bryan Danielson, Erick Stevens and D’Lo Brown hardly sounded exciting. In execution, the bout plays out as mostly enjoyable. They pack a lot of action into a short period of time, which is nice, and everybody is allowed a spot or two to let them stand out. Good stuff.
-Tyler Black and Austin Aries standing on opposite sides of a tag team contest is nothing new to this weekend, but pairing them with KENTA and Katsuhiko Nakajima certainly keeps it from feeling like a repeat of the night before. The real story here is the competition between KENTA and Nakajima, two men who light up the ring every time they go kick-to-kick against each other. Black and Aries are both on top of their games here as well, but it is KENTA and Nakajima that bring this one to the next level. This is definitely the best match of the show. Great stuff.
Overall Take No Prisoners 2009 is a bit of a disappointment as much of the card feels hurried through and rehashed from literally the night before. This final taped pay-per-view effort from ROH feels lazy, and that is frustrating. If it weren’t for KENTA and Nakajima in the main event, there wouldn’t be a single “pay-per-view” quality bout to this pay-per-view show. That bothers me.
Let’s go match by match through the show and find out:
-Actually really like the opener between Colt Cabana and Ace Steel. The student vs. teacher vibe is in full effect, and both men play it up very well. Good way to start the night.
-Remember that time I swooned over the six-man tag that pit Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe, and Magno against Eddie Edwards, Chris Hero, and Incognito? The eight-man tag here, which adds El Generico and Davey Richards respectively to each team, didn’t quite elicit my love anywhere near as much. The contest comes off as common and uneventful. And short. Basically if you want to see most of these men do battle, go back and watch Supercard Of Honor IV where they did it right the first time.
-Have to admit, I really enjoyed Jimmy Jacobs vs. Necro Butcher here. There is lots of blood, lots of crazy spots, and lots of chemistry between the two that ties the match together.
-Not to undersell Claudio Castagnoli, Brent Albright, or Blue Demon, Jr., but if you were going to remove one element from the entertaining four-way from SOH IV to make it a three-way, El Generico should not have been it. Not much of anything happens between Claudio, Albright, and Demon, making for a completely forgettable match. But hey, you could just go watch the aforementioned bout from the night before! Common theme alert!
-Roderick Strong vs. Alex Koslov should be a much better contest. It is good, but it needed way more time to develop. Things feel rushed and overall not focused. Had the story been given a chance to grow, it likely would have been a highlight of the weekend as oppose to a mostly unremarkable outing. Both men were WAY better the night before.
-On paper, the four-way world title match between Jerry Lynn, Bryan Danielson, Erick Stevens and D’Lo Brown hardly sounded exciting. In execution, the bout plays out as mostly enjoyable. They pack a lot of action into a short period of time, which is nice, and everybody is allowed a spot or two to let them stand out. Good stuff.
-Tyler Black and Austin Aries standing on opposite sides of a tag team contest is nothing new to this weekend, but pairing them with KENTA and Katsuhiko Nakajima certainly keeps it from feeling like a repeat of the night before. The real story here is the competition between KENTA and Nakajima, two men who light up the ring every time they go kick-to-kick against each other. Black and Aries are both on top of their games here as well, but it is KENTA and Nakajima that bring this one to the next level. This is definitely the best match of the show. Great stuff.
Overall Take No Prisoners 2009 is a bit of a disappointment as much of the card feels hurried through and rehashed from literally the night before. This final taped pay-per-view effort from ROH feels lazy, and that is frustrating. If it weren’t for KENTA and Nakajima in the main event, there wouldn’t be a single “pay-per-view” quality bout to this pay-per-view show. That bothers me.
Friday, July 2, 2010
SOH IV
There are times when I question why I am watching so many wrestling shows from the same year. And then there are times when I watch a few shows in a row that are all excellent, and really I can’t complain at all. Missing any of these events would have been a severe disservice to myself!
Ring Of Honor’s Supercard Of Honor IV (4/3/09) marks the fifth show in a row that I’d argue as being brilliant. As the first half of the ROH WrestleMania Weekend tradition, SOH IV sets out with an epic card full of potential show-stealing bouts. Of course they can’t all steal the show, but that doesn’t stop them from adding up to a show that steals the year!
Let’s go match by match through the night:
-Have to admit, Rhett Titus wowed me a little in his meeting with Erick Stevens. Some of Titus’ weaknesses were still apparent, like his overuse of posing, but his work was generally more crisp and flawless then I can ever recall seeing from him before. Rhett has come into his own as a solid grappler. Stevens looks good too, making this an overall really strong opener.
-Wasn’t expecting much out of the six-man tag pitting Chris Hero, Eddie Edwards, and Incognito against Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe, and Magno, but holy cow did it turn out to be amazing! I love unexpected moments in matches, and there’s a big one here that leads to lots of clever improvisation. An entertaining, exhilarating, and overall tremendous contest!
-Again, wow. Just WOW. Roderick Strong and Katsuhiko Nakajima follow up the six-man with an incredible, hard-hitting bout that is full of so much intensity and excitement that it basically leaps off of your TV and dropkicks you in the chin with awesomeness! I love the zeal these two have and how they completely go for it the whole match through. Fantastic!
-There really isn’t much to talk about with Bobby Dempsey vs. Kamala, but that’s not a complaint. The segment is entertaining and a nice break after the two previous matches.
-There must have been a box of Wheaties getting passed around the locker room before this show, because everybody is more than on their game tonight! Another superb contest with El Generico taking on Claudio Castagnoli, Blue Demon, Jr., and Brent Albright in a four-way! Everybody looks like a star in this thrilling bout!
-Bryan Danielson and Alex Koslov have an amusing, well paced match that really shows off Koslov’s strengths. Danielson’s too, but when doesn’t Danielson remind us of how great he is? Koslov is an ace at selling, has some really clever spots, and more than keeps up with Danielson in the ring. Really good stuff, and another strong part of this blow-away show.
-A nice change of pace and style to the night with Colt Cabana vs. D’Lo Brown. They work what we’ll call a “heavyweight” style, for lack of a better term, and together they work it very well. There is great chemistry between the two men. Good match.
-A lot has been said about Davey Richards vs. KENTA. It is possible that no other match on the indie scene in 2009 received more instant praise and adoration than their encounter here. It has been called Match of the Year, and labeled with five stars by those that trust in the star rating system. From where I sit, Davey vs. KENTA was great, really great, but excellent? Not quite.
It could be that there has just been too much hype surrounding the bout, or perhaps other viewers were pulled in more by these two athletes. Having watched this contest three times now, wondering what I was missing after the first two times, I have to simply assume that this is a case of me disagreeing with everybody else. And that’s okay.
I do respect KENTA and Davey for their remarkable showing. Their flow is fantastic, and the way they build the match to the point where every move could be the last is quite the sight. I just didn’t get as much story out of this as say Strong/Nakajima. Nor did I get the same level of intensity, or at least the selling of said intensity.
Davey vs. KENTA is without question immense and a big part of making this overall night outstanding, but it isn’t my favorite bout on the card, let alone of the year. Good stuff though, I do want to stress that.
-There are some really enjoyable moments with Austin Aries and Jimmy Jacobs vs. Tyler Black and Necro Butcher. I especially liked the constant teasing and build-up of big spots that paid off huge when they were finally achieved. The four keep it interesting if nothing else.
-We’ve hit the end. Nigel McGuinness vs. Jerry Lynn. ROH World Title on the line. The match is high-quality, particularly considering Nigel’s multitude of injuries. He shouldn’t be able to pull off half the things he does with a body as beaten down as his. In some ways, this match follows a similar story to that of KENTA vs. Nigel from the previous ROH show. It doesn’t quite match up – the KENTA contest had many unexpected spots and moments that really blew me away – but that isn’t to say that Lynn and McGuinness don’t go all out to really put a final exclamation point on the night.
Another really good bout, which I know I’ve said a lot of times throughout this review but hey, that just shows you how unbelievable this event is.
Ring Of Honor’s Supercard Of Honor IV (4/3/09) marks the fifth show in a row that I’d argue as being brilliant. As the first half of the ROH WrestleMania Weekend tradition, SOH IV sets out with an epic card full of potential show-stealing bouts. Of course they can’t all steal the show, but that doesn’t stop them from adding up to a show that steals the year!
Let’s go match by match through the night:
-Have to admit, Rhett Titus wowed me a little in his meeting with Erick Stevens. Some of Titus’ weaknesses were still apparent, like his overuse of posing, but his work was generally more crisp and flawless then I can ever recall seeing from him before. Rhett has come into his own as a solid grappler. Stevens looks good too, making this an overall really strong opener.
-Wasn’t expecting much out of the six-man tag pitting Chris Hero, Eddie Edwards, and Incognito against Kevin Steen, Jay Briscoe, and Magno, but holy cow did it turn out to be amazing! I love unexpected moments in matches, and there’s a big one here that leads to lots of clever improvisation. An entertaining, exhilarating, and overall tremendous contest!
-Again, wow. Just WOW. Roderick Strong and Katsuhiko Nakajima follow up the six-man with an incredible, hard-hitting bout that is full of so much intensity and excitement that it basically leaps off of your TV and dropkicks you in the chin with awesomeness! I love the zeal these two have and how they completely go for it the whole match through. Fantastic!
-There really isn’t much to talk about with Bobby Dempsey vs. Kamala, but that’s not a complaint. The segment is entertaining and a nice break after the two previous matches.
-There must have been a box of Wheaties getting passed around the locker room before this show, because everybody is more than on their game tonight! Another superb contest with El Generico taking on Claudio Castagnoli, Blue Demon, Jr., and Brent Albright in a four-way! Everybody looks like a star in this thrilling bout!
-Bryan Danielson and Alex Koslov have an amusing, well paced match that really shows off Koslov’s strengths. Danielson’s too, but when doesn’t Danielson remind us of how great he is? Koslov is an ace at selling, has some really clever spots, and more than keeps up with Danielson in the ring. Really good stuff, and another strong part of this blow-away show.
-A nice change of pace and style to the night with Colt Cabana vs. D’Lo Brown. They work what we’ll call a “heavyweight” style, for lack of a better term, and together they work it very well. There is great chemistry between the two men. Good match.
-A lot has been said about Davey Richards vs. KENTA. It is possible that no other match on the indie scene in 2009 received more instant praise and adoration than their encounter here. It has been called Match of the Year, and labeled with five stars by those that trust in the star rating system. From where I sit, Davey vs. KENTA was great, really great, but excellent? Not quite.
It could be that there has just been too much hype surrounding the bout, or perhaps other viewers were pulled in more by these two athletes. Having watched this contest three times now, wondering what I was missing after the first two times, I have to simply assume that this is a case of me disagreeing with everybody else. And that’s okay.
I do respect KENTA and Davey for their remarkable showing. Their flow is fantastic, and the way they build the match to the point where every move could be the last is quite the sight. I just didn’t get as much story out of this as say Strong/Nakajima. Nor did I get the same level of intensity, or at least the selling of said intensity.
Davey vs. KENTA is without question immense and a big part of making this overall night outstanding, but it isn’t my favorite bout on the card, let alone of the year. Good stuff though, I do want to stress that.
-There are some really enjoyable moments with Austin Aries and Jimmy Jacobs vs. Tyler Black and Necro Butcher. I especially liked the constant teasing and build-up of big spots that paid off huge when they were finally achieved. The four keep it interesting if nothing else.
-We’ve hit the end. Nigel McGuinness vs. Jerry Lynn. ROH World Title on the line. The match is high-quality, particularly considering Nigel’s multitude of injuries. He shouldn’t be able to pull off half the things he does with a body as beaten down as his. In some ways, this match follows a similar story to that of KENTA vs. Nigel from the previous ROH show. It doesn’t quite match up – the KENTA contest had many unexpected spots and moments that really blew me away – but that isn’t to say that Lynn and McGuinness don’t go all out to really put a final exclamation point on the night.
Another really good bout, which I know I’ve said a lot of times throughout this review but hey, that just shows you how unbelievable this event is.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
And now the BIG one...
At last we’ve hit the first milestone on the annual Ring Of Honor calendar year with the 7th Anniversary Show (3/21/09). While I plan to discuss every match on this massive card, there is one bout that must be discussed at the forefront. It is a contest that can easily be described in such clichés as “instant classic,” “epic encounter,” and “match of the year.”
Nigel McGuinness vs. KENTA. ROH World Title on the line. You know from the start that these two will stop at nothing to get the victory; however, the story that develops is something quite unexpected. McGuinness has spent over a year as champion and he has dominated many a challenger in that time. Now Nigel is in a much different position. He is broken and worn, signs of a long title reign finally catching up. Tonight he not only battles the Japanese star in the opposing corner, but also his own body.
For KENTA, this is the perfect opportunity to at last reach the top of this promotion. He pulls no punches, or more accurately kicks, in his quest to capture the prize. But Nigel is wounded and desperate, and willing to go for the gullet with every move he is able to struggle through and pull off.
The intensity between them is off the charts, and the action is at times ferocious. It is a truly blockbuster clash that goes beyond all expectations and becomes something completely unique. All clichés aside, this match is brilliant.
Now on to the other eight bouts on the show:
-Really fun opener pitting Roderick Strong and Erick Stevens against Rhett Titus and Kenny King. These are two of the best tag parings around right now, and their skills shine here. Good times.
-Claudio Castagnoli and Brent Albright have reached a point where their chemistry is a science (see what I did there?) The two have their best battle yet, though once again we are left with a finish that isn’t the most desirable. It would have been nice, especially on this big stage, to have a better ending, but thankfully it isn’t so much of a let down that it takes away from the overall proceedings.
-Greatest Bobby Dempsey match ever! Short, simple, and fun. That’s all I ever asked for! And now I’ve gotten it.
-Jerry Lynn vs. Mike Quackenbush didn’t come off well to me live, but on DVD a lot of the intricacies between the two really shine. Not quite the technical masterpiece of Quack/Danielson from the show prior, but a pretty darn good pure wrestling contest in its own right.
-Fun brawl between the Age Of The Fall with special guest Austin Aries and Age Of The Fall Wolfpac. Any excuse to see these guys dive at each other, a lot, is fine by me. The match really picks up once the numbers dwindle down to the final three. Overall good stuff, the one elimination by disappearance call aside.
-Considering the back of the DVD cover spoils this, I will give the slightest spoiler warning now and then go for exactly what I want to say...okay, good, for those of you who made it to the other side of the ellipsis, here we go – two of the biggest moments of the night come in the ROH returns of Jimmy Rave and Colt Cabana, as they team with Bison Smith and Bryan Danielson, respectively. The contest is a ton of fun, and the excitement in the air almost overshadows any actual wrestling going on.
-My initial fear with Jay Briscoe vs. D-Lo Brown was that this would be another “good competition” bout where there’s really no story to tell but just a friendly contest. Happy to report that sociable is tossed aside for fierce as D-Lo pulls out dirty tactics to try and win his first contest as a regular roster member. The two mix well and the narrative they play through is just right, making for some really good stuff.
-Nobody brings the battle to a tag team war quite like Kevin Steen and El Generico, and here they clash with the American Wolves in another exceptional chapter in their feud. So many fantastic spots and such great work from everybody involved. The match just needs to be seen. This is definitely one of the best feuds of the year, and this will show you why.
Nigel McGuinness vs. KENTA. ROH World Title on the line. You know from the start that these two will stop at nothing to get the victory; however, the story that develops is something quite unexpected. McGuinness has spent over a year as champion and he has dominated many a challenger in that time. Now Nigel is in a much different position. He is broken and worn, signs of a long title reign finally catching up. Tonight he not only battles the Japanese star in the opposing corner, but also his own body.
For KENTA, this is the perfect opportunity to at last reach the top of this promotion. He pulls no punches, or more accurately kicks, in his quest to capture the prize. But Nigel is wounded and desperate, and willing to go for the gullet with every move he is able to struggle through and pull off.
The intensity between them is off the charts, and the action is at times ferocious. It is a truly blockbuster clash that goes beyond all expectations and becomes something completely unique. All clichés aside, this match is brilliant.
Now on to the other eight bouts on the show:
-Really fun opener pitting Roderick Strong and Erick Stevens against Rhett Titus and Kenny King. These are two of the best tag parings around right now, and their skills shine here. Good times.
-Claudio Castagnoli and Brent Albright have reached a point where their chemistry is a science (see what I did there?) The two have their best battle yet, though once again we are left with a finish that isn’t the most desirable. It would have been nice, especially on this big stage, to have a better ending, but thankfully it isn’t so much of a let down that it takes away from the overall proceedings.
-Greatest Bobby Dempsey match ever! Short, simple, and fun. That’s all I ever asked for! And now I’ve gotten it.
-Jerry Lynn vs. Mike Quackenbush didn’t come off well to me live, but on DVD a lot of the intricacies between the two really shine. Not quite the technical masterpiece of Quack/Danielson from the show prior, but a pretty darn good pure wrestling contest in its own right.
-Fun brawl between the Age Of The Fall with special guest Austin Aries and Age Of The Fall Wolfpac. Any excuse to see these guys dive at each other, a lot, is fine by me. The match really picks up once the numbers dwindle down to the final three. Overall good stuff, the one elimination by disappearance call aside.
-Considering the back of the DVD cover spoils this, I will give the slightest spoiler warning now and then go for exactly what I want to say...okay, good, for those of you who made it to the other side of the ellipsis, here we go – two of the biggest moments of the night come in the ROH returns of Jimmy Rave and Colt Cabana, as they team with Bison Smith and Bryan Danielson, respectively. The contest is a ton of fun, and the excitement in the air almost overshadows any actual wrestling going on.
-My initial fear with Jay Briscoe vs. D-Lo Brown was that this would be another “good competition” bout where there’s really no story to tell but just a friendly contest. Happy to report that sociable is tossed aside for fierce as D-Lo pulls out dirty tactics to try and win his first contest as a regular roster member. The two mix well and the narrative they play through is just right, making for some really good stuff.
-Nobody brings the battle to a tag team war quite like Kevin Steen and El Generico, and here they clash with the American Wolves in another exceptional chapter in their feud. So many fantastic spots and such great work from everybody involved. The match just needs to be seen. This is definitely one of the best feuds of the year, and this will show you why.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tales from the Steel City
Time for the less-big half of Ring of Honor’s first big weekend of the year with “Steel City Clash” (3/20/09).
-I can’t explain what it is about Sterling James Keenan’s look that I like. It should come across as awful and yet he makes it work. Go figure. But past look, Keenan doesn’t strike me as anything all too special. His match with Delirious is basic and unmemorable. If anything leaves a lasting impression, it is the crowd that was seemingly served warm milk before the show and is now ready for nap time. Why so quiet? This is wrestling. Not golf. Not art. Not reading. Wrestling! Make some noise!
-Fantastic storyline development prior to the Rhett Titus and Kenny King vs. Erick Stevens and Matt Cross match, but the bout itself is only okay at best. Again, the crowd is dead, which for me takes away from the ability to be engaged by what is supposed to be thrilling interaction.
-Okay, so it turns out maybe we are watching art here, since the only way to describe Bryan Danielson vs. Mike Quackenbush is as a technical masterpiece. Both men are so skilled and know very well how to infuse their personalities into the subtle strokes of mat wrestling. It is truly a treat to watch. And it was the perfect match for this audience, as the general silence only adds to the incredible mood here. Who saw that coming? Great stuff for sure.
-Props to Jerry Lynn, Claudio Castagnoli, and Brent Albright for following up the intense mat display of Danielson and Quack by going in a different direction and delivering something completely exhilarating. They have lots of thrilling spots and use of the triple threat situation well, which all together makes for a first-rate contest!
-I really have to commend the progression of this card, as it has been a shining example of how using different styles to follow each other can make for a strong, interesting show. After a technical clinic and a spot-filled frenzy, we are now treated to an all-over-the-arena brawl that is so much fun to watch. Tyler Black, Necro Butcher, Jimmy Jacobs, and Brodie Lee all work really hard to give us something we haven’t seen yet tonight, and it pays off completely. Very entertaining, far more so than I was expecting an Age of the Fall vs. Age of the Fall Wolfpac match to be.
-It is such a simple thing, but using Austin Aries avoiding Roderick Strong’s chops as the narrative of their match completely hooked me. It is such a brilliant story, especially considering how well known Strong has become for his forearm strikes, and it makes for a kind of different game being played between the two than one might have expected.
-You know, at the start of this show, I really wasn’t feeling it. Quiet audience, Sterling James Keenan, yada yada. But now that we’ve reached the end I must say wow. Especially wow to the main event, which is loaded with a ton of intensity. Having KENTA and El Generico on one side of the ring and Nigel McGuinness and Davey Richards on the other promised to be something special, but I wasn’t expecting so much electricity and so many exciting moments to happen. That there were stories born here that will follow through to the next show only adds to the overall awesomeness.
-I can’t explain what it is about Sterling James Keenan’s look that I like. It should come across as awful and yet he makes it work. Go figure. But past look, Keenan doesn’t strike me as anything all too special. His match with Delirious is basic and unmemorable. If anything leaves a lasting impression, it is the crowd that was seemingly served warm milk before the show and is now ready for nap time. Why so quiet? This is wrestling. Not golf. Not art. Not reading. Wrestling! Make some noise!
-Fantastic storyline development prior to the Rhett Titus and Kenny King vs. Erick Stevens and Matt Cross match, but the bout itself is only okay at best. Again, the crowd is dead, which for me takes away from the ability to be engaged by what is supposed to be thrilling interaction.
-Okay, so it turns out maybe we are watching art here, since the only way to describe Bryan Danielson vs. Mike Quackenbush is as a technical masterpiece. Both men are so skilled and know very well how to infuse their personalities into the subtle strokes of mat wrestling. It is truly a treat to watch. And it was the perfect match for this audience, as the general silence only adds to the incredible mood here. Who saw that coming? Great stuff for sure.
-Props to Jerry Lynn, Claudio Castagnoli, and Brent Albright for following up the intense mat display of Danielson and Quack by going in a different direction and delivering something completely exhilarating. They have lots of thrilling spots and use of the triple threat situation well, which all together makes for a first-rate contest!
-I really have to commend the progression of this card, as it has been a shining example of how using different styles to follow each other can make for a strong, interesting show. After a technical clinic and a spot-filled frenzy, we are now treated to an all-over-the-arena brawl that is so much fun to watch. Tyler Black, Necro Butcher, Jimmy Jacobs, and Brodie Lee all work really hard to give us something we haven’t seen yet tonight, and it pays off completely. Very entertaining, far more so than I was expecting an Age of the Fall vs. Age of the Fall Wolfpac match to be.
-It is such a simple thing, but using Austin Aries avoiding Roderick Strong’s chops as the narrative of their match completely hooked me. It is such a brilliant story, especially considering how well known Strong has become for his forearm strikes, and it makes for a kind of different game being played between the two than one might have expected.
-You know, at the start of this show, I really wasn’t feeling it. Quiet audience, Sterling James Keenan, yada yada. But now that we’ve reached the end I must say wow. Especially wow to the main event, which is loaded with a ton of intensity. Having KENTA and El Generico on one side of the ring and Nigel McGuinness and Davey Richards on the other promised to be something special, but I wasn’t expecting so much electricity and so many exciting moments to happen. That there were stories born here that will follow through to the next show only adds to the overall awesomeness.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Getting your head kicked in by a one legged man
Seems like just yesterday we were discussing Ring of Honor’s first shows for 2008; a weekend highlighted by a fun-but-messy main event from the second show, “Transform,” that had a third of the roster involved to entertain the crowd in Edison, New Jersey. The initial cards of the year are often not designed to be the most awe inspiring or direction setting. Most of the matches are one offs, random pairings, and loose ends hanging on from the previous calendar pages.
To start 2009, ROH presented a weekend of shows that actually seemed to aim higher than usual. Two nights full of interesting bouts that set up stories for the months to come. Definitely a change from the previous year...even if the main event from the second show once again featured a third of the roster coming out to entertain the crowd in Edison, New Jersey.
First an admission - this is the second time I have watched “Full Circle” (1/16/09) and “Injustice II” (1/17/09), and that’s a good thing. The first spin these shows received in my DVD player left me somewhat disappointed, especially with Injustice II and its “boring card” and “plodding world title match.” Consider that opinion null and my love for the shows to officially exist.
It took a Saturday afternoon to watch the two shows; viewing them back to back was a great idea. Story lines flow from one night to the next, and it comes across especially well when watching in one long sitting.
Our first stop is Manassas, Virginia, where ROH gives us a truly solid night of action with Full Circle. What struck me initially about this show, and still does, is how strong the top half of the card is. We are presented with three singles matches involving the clearly identified six top tier talents in the company today, and all three bouts deliver everything you can hope for.
Austin Aries vs. Jerry Lynn gives us a look at the “new” Austin Aries, which ends up being a ton of fun. Bryan Danielson vs. Jimmy Jacobs is pure brilliance as a wrestling match, with a story that is as solid as any I’ve ever seen in the squared circle. This battle makes Jacobs look amazing, and keeps Danielson’s moniker of “Best in the World” sounding completely valid.
The top bout of the night is a one-on-one non-title meeting between Nigel McGuinness and Tyler Black. While I loved their first singles meeting and the subsequent times the two have clashed in multi-man matches, this round of their feud feels brand new. Suddenly Tyler Black looks like he belongs in there with Nigel, and doesn’t seem quite like the underdog. If anything, Black comes off as the up-and-comer who has arrived, while Nigel, who previously looked like the unstoppable champion, now looks worn and desperate. This leads to a much different battle between them than ever before, with both men looking to try something new for the victory. A really good match, second only to Jacobs/Danielson for the night.
The rest of the card is solid as well, with the Roderick Strong and Jay Briscoe vs. American Wolves tag match being noteworthy alone for the intensity all four wrestlers bring to the bout. Overall a well-built show completely worth repeat viewing.
Full Circle aside, the highlight of the weekend is definitely Injustice II, which features a couple of great matches and some really fun promo work by the likes of Austin Aries and Bryan Danielson.
Match of the night honors go to the ROH World Title bout between champ Nigel McGuinness and Tyler Black. The first time I saw this match, I hated it. The booking seemed overdone and the wrestling predictable. Luckily, nobody ever said first impressions had to be everlasting. This time I saw what the match set out to be from the get-go – a fun, almost epic war between two of the top stars in the company. The big match feel was there, and it was earned. To be fair, I wasn’t totally wrong before, there is more going on booking-wise in this one match than some entire ROH shows have had, but it all adds up to something quite entertaining. That’s what matters, and that’s what I somehow missed before.
Jerry Lynn and Bryan Danielson worked their magic earlier in the night. At first I didn’t think this match was as good as their encounter last December, but now I’m positive it is better than that previous meeting. When they’re on their game, Lynn and Danielson are among the best in the business, a theory made very much apparent here. The technical work is incredible, and the animosity and drama they build is fantastic. Great bout.
Props also go to the three-way dance between Austin Aries, Jimmy Jacobs, and Jay Briscoe. The plot points leading up are perfectly executed, and the three deliver a great match once the bell sounds. If there is one misstep on the card, it would be the Roderick Strong and Erick Stevens vs. American Wolves tag contest, which never seems to get out of second gear. Overall though, this is a great show that ends a great weekend of pro wrestling.
Looks like we’re off to a good start!
To start 2009, ROH presented a weekend of shows that actually seemed to aim higher than usual. Two nights full of interesting bouts that set up stories for the months to come. Definitely a change from the previous year...even if the main event from the second show once again featured a third of the roster coming out to entertain the crowd in Edison, New Jersey.
First an admission - this is the second time I have watched “Full Circle” (1/16/09) and “Injustice II” (1/17/09), and that’s a good thing. The first spin these shows received in my DVD player left me somewhat disappointed, especially with Injustice II and its “boring card” and “plodding world title match.” Consider that opinion null and my love for the shows to officially exist.
It took a Saturday afternoon to watch the two shows; viewing them back to back was a great idea. Story lines flow from one night to the next, and it comes across especially well when watching in one long sitting.
Our first stop is Manassas, Virginia, where ROH gives us a truly solid night of action with Full Circle. What struck me initially about this show, and still does, is how strong the top half of the card is. We are presented with three singles matches involving the clearly identified six top tier talents in the company today, and all three bouts deliver everything you can hope for.
Austin Aries vs. Jerry Lynn gives us a look at the “new” Austin Aries, which ends up being a ton of fun. Bryan Danielson vs. Jimmy Jacobs is pure brilliance as a wrestling match, with a story that is as solid as any I’ve ever seen in the squared circle. This battle makes Jacobs look amazing, and keeps Danielson’s moniker of “Best in the World” sounding completely valid.
The top bout of the night is a one-on-one non-title meeting between Nigel McGuinness and Tyler Black. While I loved their first singles meeting and the subsequent times the two have clashed in multi-man matches, this round of their feud feels brand new. Suddenly Tyler Black looks like he belongs in there with Nigel, and doesn’t seem quite like the underdog. If anything, Black comes off as the up-and-comer who has arrived, while Nigel, who previously looked like the unstoppable champion, now looks worn and desperate. This leads to a much different battle between them than ever before, with both men looking to try something new for the victory. A really good match, second only to Jacobs/Danielson for the night.
The rest of the card is solid as well, with the Roderick Strong and Jay Briscoe vs. American Wolves tag match being noteworthy alone for the intensity all four wrestlers bring to the bout. Overall a well-built show completely worth repeat viewing.
Full Circle aside, the highlight of the weekend is definitely Injustice II, which features a couple of great matches and some really fun promo work by the likes of Austin Aries and Bryan Danielson.
Match of the night honors go to the ROH World Title bout between champ Nigel McGuinness and Tyler Black. The first time I saw this match, I hated it. The booking seemed overdone and the wrestling predictable. Luckily, nobody ever said first impressions had to be everlasting. This time I saw what the match set out to be from the get-go – a fun, almost epic war between two of the top stars in the company. The big match feel was there, and it was earned. To be fair, I wasn’t totally wrong before, there is more going on booking-wise in this one match than some entire ROH shows have had, but it all adds up to something quite entertaining. That’s what matters, and that’s what I somehow missed before.
Jerry Lynn and Bryan Danielson worked their magic earlier in the night. At first I didn’t think this match was as good as their encounter last December, but now I’m positive it is better than that previous meeting. When they’re on their game, Lynn and Danielson are among the best in the business, a theory made very much apparent here. The technical work is incredible, and the animosity and drama they build is fantastic. Great bout.
Props also go to the three-way dance between Austin Aries, Jimmy Jacobs, and Jay Briscoe. The plot points leading up are perfectly executed, and the three deliver a great match once the bell sounds. If there is one misstep on the card, it would be the Roderick Strong and Erick Stevens vs. American Wolves tag contest, which never seems to get out of second gear. Overall though, this is a great show that ends a great weekend of pro wrestling.
Looks like we’re off to a good start!
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