The Guns are out, LAX is in and some people are really mad. Personally, I love the substitution. The Iron Team match seems a little goofy and will be high octane regardless of which team is in there, and while I will miss the Generation Next reunion, LAX breaking the ice in ROH is just as exciting. If they put in A-list performances that weekend they could start a run just like the Guns did.
A couple of people have told me this was a bad trade, but it’s important recognize that it’s not a trade at all. Shelley and Sabin were suddenly unavailable for whatever reason, and as TNA serves as an agent for its wrestlers, they provided possible replacements. I can’t think of a TNA tag team that would be as fun as LAX, and certainly none that would be in their price range (sorry to those dreaming of Angle and Joe taking ROH by storm). The Murder City Machine Guns will be back later, they simply had a conflict this one weekend. If LAX catches fire in Connecticut and New Jersey, they may even get to wrestle the Guns in ROH some day in the quality of match TNA has never seen fit to let them have.
If ROH wants to make this up to us, give us the Generation Next reunion next time. If ROH wants to make it up to me, book more trios tags in the future. You don’t have to coast on Dragon Gate visits. Between Aries, Richards, Castagnoli, Black, Jacobs, the Briscoes, Generico, Jigsaw, Steen and Strong, they have plenty of ingredients to make exciting trios matches that sell shows and build up bigger 2-vs-2 tags and singles matches for later shows. And how great would it be for one of these surviving stable units, like Jacobs, Black and Delirious, to fine-tune their triple-team offense like the Muscle Outlaws used to and claim themselves unbeatable as a unit?
A column for another day.
On the 24th in Danbury they’re taking Shelley and Sabin’s spots in the Iron Team Match. The line up is Homicide & Hernandez Vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black Vs. Davey Richards & Chris Hero Vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico, with a half an hour to score the most pins and submissions. When you consider that just a one-fall match between the Age of the Fall and Steen & Generico went almost half an hour at Driven 2008, it’s kind of a silly match type, but it will probably be full of heavy bombs and drama. The tag titles are not on the line making this a match one of the challengers should win to set up an early threat to the belts. It’s a heck of an ‘in’ for LAX if ROH wants to give it to them.
Looking at the eight guys, you’ve got a lot of volatile pairs. Can you wait to see Hernandez toss around Generico? Or lay the beating on Jacobs he so richly deserves? What about Steen tossing attitude in Homicide’s face? And how do Hero & Richards make themselves worth the spot? With a little planning, you’re looking at something fun, and something with a crazy ending.
On October 25th LAX will face the Briscoes. That’s the match almost everybody wanted, and there’s no better team for LAX to face. If they hit it off this weekend and start a semi-regular gig, then they shouldn’t wrestle the tag champs in singles. Similarly if they are to return later and do something with substance, a feud over ideals with the Age of the Fall can begin in the Iron Team match and percolate later, rather than detonating it now.
The Briscoes aren’t champs but are pushed so heavily that they could win this match. Furthermore, they take advantage of their opponents. For the people concerned about rumors of how Homicide and Hernandez treat their opponents, really there’s no worry here. Everyone will get what they have coming to them. But the real meat lies in Hernandez providing a presence bigger and stronger than either Briscoe, and seeing how he responds both to their brawling and their flying.
Meanwhile, Homicide’s return to ROH in New Jersey should be on fire. It will be a special moment when the Kill Bill sirens hit in that building. The excitement for Homicide in ROH in New Jersey makes this plausible as the main event, even over a title match. Given how few match-ups Nigel McGuinness has left, ROH may save a title defense altogether. Certainly between this match, the strike-fest of Go Vs. Necro Butcher and the possible greatness of Lynn Vs. Black, they’re shaping things up to satisfy with or without belts on the line.
Also around the net:
-As always, there’s www.johnwiswell.blogspot.com
-Big Andy Mac reviews Take No Prisoners and Dragon Gate Challenge 2, two of the better ROH DVD’s of the year so far. And thank goodness somebody else liked Danielson Vs. Aries better than Black Vs. McGuinness.
-My review of Supercard of Honor 3. The question isn’t whether ROH fans would enjoy it, but which match would be their favorite.
-David Wells is back with the Independent Rundown.
-Pulse Glazer rants until his spleen gives out. It’s all about the four juices, and advertising.
-David Ditch looks back on four years of Japanese wrestling coverage. Congratulations on four years, my man!
