A2Z Analysiz – ROH Briscoe Brothers: Since Day One (Briscoes, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries)

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~Disc One: The Early Years~

MATCH #1: Jay Briscoe vs. The Amazing Red, The Era of Honor Begins, 2.23.02

This is the first official Ring of Honor match. The crowd is hot before anything even happens. It doesn’t take long for the pace to quicken and Jay sends Red to the floor. Jay tries a house show dive but Red avoids him and then throws him back in the ring. Red goes to work and Jay cuts him off with a leg lariat. Red comes back with a dropkick. He offers another handshake and Jay punches him right in the mouth. Good, you only shake hands before and after the match Red you dummy. Red hits an enziguiri for two. He tries to follow with a tornado DDT but Jay sets him on the top rope and hits a Muscle Buster! Take THAT Samoa Joe! Amazingly that only gets a two-count. Jay goes up top for a cross body block but Red kicks him out of the air and hits a brainbuster for two. Red hits a couple of kicks but Jay counters with a huge boot to the face. Jay goes for the Jay Driller and after some difficulty is able to hit it. That only gets two when Red gets his foot on the bottom rope. I call bullshit. Jay goes back up top and Red knocks him down. They execute Terminal Velocity, which I won’t explain other than to say thanks Bobby Bambino. Jay hits Red with a release Tiger Suplex. He goes up top a third time but misses the cannonball senton. Red hits the Red Alert and then the Red Star Press to get the pin at 8:27. This was a really good first official match to have. The only thing I would change would be to not have Red kick out (or get his foot on the rope) after the Jay Driller. I understand they wanted to hit all their moves, but that one should have been built up as a match killer. Other than that this was fun.
Rating: **¾

MATCH #2: Jay Briscoe & The Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels & Mark Briscoe, Scramble Madness, 11.16.02

Mark was too young to wrestle in Pennsylvania when ROH started, so he could only compete on the Boston events. At the first Boston show on August 24, 2002, Mark defeated Jay in a wild singles match. ROH returned to Boston in November for a tag team match. ON this show Mark was revealed by Christopher Daniels as the newest member of the Prophecy, much to his brother’s chagrin.

Mark attacks his brother before the bell, which is such a dick move. Jay fights back and makes the tag. Red and Mark tear into each other at a fast pace. Daniels tags in and Red hits him with a headscissors and a dropkick. Jay tags in and hits a dropkick for two. Mark gets tagged back in and Jay takes him down to the mat. The momentum continues to shift as neither team has held an advantage for very long. Daniels interferes from the apron, backdropping Red to the floor and then throwing him into a chair. Now the Prophecy isolates Red in their half of the ring. Red captures Daniels in a small package but Mark keeps the referee distracted so he can’t count. That’s just good teamwork right there. Daniels hits the Best Moonsault Ever but the cover is sloppy so Red kicks out. Mark hits Red with a springboard Super Ace Crusher for another two-count. Red finally comes back with a tilt-a-whirl inverted DDT on Daniels and both men are down. A disoriented Red goes to the wrong corner and tags Mark, so Mark illegally enters the ring and drops him with a hard powerbomb. Red is able to go to the second rope and hit Daniels with a hurricanrana, and this time he tags the right brother. Jay is a house afire, hitting a gourdbuster on Daniels for two. He follows with a Fisherman Buster for another two-count. Mark again illegally enters the ring and Jay hits him with a DDT. Jay goes for the Jay Driller but Daniels stops him with an enziguiri. The Briscoes tumble to the floor as Red hits Daniels with a nice missile dropkick. Red then hits an enziguiri for two. He hits Code Red but again only gets two. Red goes for another rana off the top rope but Daniels catches him and hits the Last Rites for the pin at 15:48. That was a solid formula tag match and a good way to introduce Mark as a member of the Prophecy. Red plays a great Ricky Morton that’s for sure.
Rating: ***

MATCH #3: Jay Briscoe vs. Mark Briscoe, One Year Anniversary, 2.8.03

This match is dedicated to one of Mark’s best friends, who was killed in an automobile accident. Mark doesn’t care about the Prophecy anymore, and this is the last time these two will have a singles match before forming a tag team.

Jay and Mark take it down to the mat for some chain wrestling. Mark tries a cross armbreaker and Jay counters it. Jay hits a huge kick to the face and Mark may be knocked out. It turns out that mark was playing possum! Mark attacks the leg and tries to keep his brother on the mat. Jay fights back with a headscissors. They continue trading moves back and forth, neither brother really sustaining an advantage for too long. Jay goes for a Jay Driller but Mark bridges out of it. When Jay tries it again Mark reverses to a hurricanrana. Jay then hits a uranage slam and a big mafia kick. Mark catches Jay with a belly-to-belly suplex and then goes back to work on the leg. The crowd chants “Briscoe,” which is cute. Jay comes back and clotheslines Mark to the floor. He ends up on the floor too. Things get heated and it turns into a slugfest. Mark goes up and hits a springboard somersault plancha as we see that Jay is busted open. He goes back up and hits a moonsault! Back in the ring Mark tries another springboard but Jay slices him out of the air with a superkick. Jay hits a torture rack backbreaker, which looked sick. He follows with a Death Valley Driver for a two-count. Mark comes back with a climbing shining wizard in the corner. He follows with a springboard super Ace Crusher for two. Mark tries the Cutthroat Driver but Jay slips out. Jay tries the Jay Driller but Mark counters with an Alabama Slam. Mark puts Jay up on the top rope and tries the Ace Crusher again but Jay hits one of his own instead! They get up and trade chops. Jay takes his brother’s head off with a big mafia kick. He follows with a sitout powerbomb. Jay goes up top and hits the cannonball senton but it only gets two! Mark catches Jay with a uranage slam. He hits the Jay Driller! Jay kicks out! Mark goes up top and misses a moonsault. Jay then hits three rolling Jay Drillers to get the pin at 16:39. That was definitely better than their first match, with a little more structure and a little more selling. That goes a long way.
Rating: ***½

MATCH #4: ROH Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. AJ Styles & The Amazing Red, Night of the Champions, 3.22.03

Styles & Red have been the Champions since 3.15.03, and this is their first defense. They have Alexis Laree in their corner. This is the first time Jay and Mark have teamed together. Red and Jay start the match with some fast-paced back-and-forth. Mark tags in and the pace continues to be frenetic. They wrestle to a standoff. Style tags in. He wrestles Mark on the mat and then drills him with a release German Suplex. Mark rolls to the floor and Jay comes in illegally and gets the same treatment, plus a superkick form Red for an assist on the move. The champions hit stereo dives to wipe the Briscoes out! Back in the ring Mark catches Styles with a belly-to-belly throw. Now the challengers take control and isolate Styles in their half of the ring. Styles fights back with a Phenomenal Combo. Red tags in and goes right up top to hit an elbow drop for a two-count. Mark makes a blind tag and Jay comes in with a springboard missile dropkick. Red comes back and hits Brain Damage, which is a move someone needs to start using again. Styles tags in and hits a nice brainbuster for a two-count. He continues the abuse but tries a rana and Mark catches him in a powerbomb. Mark dropkicks Styles on the turnbuckles and tries the springboard super Ace Crusher, but Styles catches him in a back suplex! That’s ridiculous. Red tags in and hits the Red Star Press but Mark kicks out. Jay clubs Red from the apron and Mark hits a lariat. The tag is made and Jay goes to work now, slowing Red down. Jay hits a huge Mafia Kick. Red tries to come back but Jay clobbers him with a lariat. After some more abuse Red is able to take both Briscoes down and make a tag. Styles is a house afire, throwing both Briscoes around the ring. The referee loses control as all four men are in the ring at the same time. Jay and Styles tumble to the floor, leaving Mark and Red in the ring. Red hits a spinning kick and tries Code Red but Jay comes back in and catches him with a DDT! Styles comes back in and hits a simultaneous inverted DDT/DDT on the brothers. The referee still has no control over the contest. Jay hits Styles with a Falcon Arrow for two. Red gets Jay on the top rope and hits a super Code Red! Mark breaks up that fall. Styles puts Mark up on the top rope. He hurls Red up for a hurricanrana and Mark lands right in position for the Styles Clash! That’s enough to get the pin and the champs retain at 16:44! That finish was absolutely incredible and the match leading up to it was balls to the wall action the entire time. These teams had great chemistry.
Rating: ***¾

MATCH #5: ROH Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. Special K (Izzy & Dixie), Main Event Spectacles, 11.1.03

Izzy & Dixie have been the Champions since 10.16.03, and this is their second defense. The Briscoes are managed by Jim Cornette. They attack right away, eager for their shot at the belts. Izzy and Dixie fight back with their high-flying antics. They can’t stay focused though and Jay makes Izzy pay for it. Izzy returns fire with an enziguiri and makes the tag. Dixie doesn’t fare too much better, as the Briscoes go right to work on him and keep him in their half of the ring. Some miscommunication allows Dixie to finally make the tag. Izzy is a house afire and Dixie dives to the floor to wipe out Jay. Mark wants to get in on the dive action but Izzy kicks him off the top rope. Izzy then hits a dive over the top rope. Mark goes back up top and this time hits the Shooting Star Press – on his own brother! Dixie throws Mark into the guardrail. Back in the ring Mark hits Dixie with the springboard Super Ace Crusher. They try the springboard Doomsday Device on Izzy but Izzy ducks. Izzy hits a reverse hurricanrana on Jay and an Asai DDT on Mark for two. The Briscoes are quickly all like “eff that” and grab Izzy for the Death Sentence but it only gets two. They follow that with the Doomsday Device. Mark dives to the floor to take out Dixie while Jay hits Izzy with the Jay Driller to get the pin and win the titles at 9:56. The Briscoes winning the belts finally brought stability and relevance to the ROH Tag Team Division. As for the match, it was the usual Special K fare with little selling or story, but Jay and Mark played that game too.
Rating: **¼

MATCH #6: ROH Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. Samoa Joe & AJ Styles, The Conclusion, 11.28.03

The Briscoes have been the Champions since 11.1.03, and this is their first defense. Mark and Styles start the match with chain wrestling. Styles takes control of the leg and tags Joe. Mark quickly tags Jay and they wrestle on the mat. Things get heated and they trade some strikes. Joe wins that battle and brings Styles back in. Styles hits The Dropkick for two. The challengers work Jay over in their half of the ring, which is always good tag team strategy. Mark gets a blind tag and hits Joe with a springboard flying knee. He then runs into an STJoe in the corner. Joe and Styles show some impressive teamwork in sending the Briscoes running to the floor. The challenges hit stereo dives, and then take turns delivering Ole Kicks to the brothers from Delaware. Back in the ring Styles covers Mark for two. Jay interferes from the floor to give his team the advantage. The Briscoes hit a Decapitation Knee Drop on Styles for two. They keep Styles isolated in their half of the ring and wear him down while Joe gets frustrated. Styles fights back with a spin kick and a brainbuster for a two-count. Joe busts in and actually distracts the referee, allowing the Briscoes to pull the ole switcheroo. Even so Styles is able to catch the brothers in a simultaneous inverted DDT and DDT before making the tag. Joe is a house afire, hitting Mark with a powerbomb and turning it into the STF. Mark reaches the ropes. Joe catches Mark with a snap powerslam for two and then puts on a cross armbreaker. Jay breaks that up. Styles tags in and hits a McGillicutter for two. Jay comes in the ring illegally and Mark backdrops Styles into a powerbomb. That was neat. Mark covers for two. Jay tags in and Styles hits him with the hammerlock back drop driver for a two-count. Joe comes back in and tries the Island Driver but the Briscoes use some creative double-teaming to avoid that. The Briscoes both go to the top rope but Styles knocks Mark down. Jay is able to connect on Joe with the guillotine legdrop, and then flattens Styles with a lariat. Joe pops up and hits Jay with an enziguiri. All four men are down. They rise and start trading strikes. Joe grabs Jay in the Choke while Styles tries the Styles Clash on Mark. Jay is able to kick Styles in the face to break it up and then hits Joe with a chinbreaker. Mark hits Joe with a uranage slam. Joe gets pissed and hits Mark with a German Suplex and a Dragon Suplex. He goes for the Chimera Plex but gets accidentally clotheslined by Styles. The Briscoes send Styles to the floor. Jay holds Joe down and Mark hits the Shooting Star Press to get the pin and retain the titles at 15:52. That was pretty much balls to the wall action for over 15 minutes, and the Briscoes went over super clean. Joe really made them look great in 2003-2004.
Rating: ***½

MATCH #7: ROH World Title Match – Mark Briscoe vs. Samoa Joe, Final Battle 2003, 12.27.03

Joe has been the Champion since 3.22.03, and this is his eleventh defense. Mark earned this title shot by pinning Joe in a tag title match at The Conclusion. Joe attacks right away and we’re off and running. They go right to the floor and Joe tries an Ole Kick but Mark wisely rolls back inside. The match calms down a little bit but they are still aggressive in their chain wrestling. They wrestle to a stalemate. Mark then takes control and gets quite a bit of offense in. He even utilizes the Face Wash, which just angers the Champ. Joe slaps Mark back to the floor and goes for the Ole Kick again but this time Jay pulls his brother out of harm’s way. Joe is rightfully pissed. Back in the ring Joe hits the STJoe and the Big Joe Combo for a two-count. Joe is dominant now, working Mark over with a variety of offense. Mark comes back with a uranage slam from out of nowhere for two. He follows with a back elbow and a vertical suplex for another two-count. Joe comes back with the snap powerslam and a kick that sends Mark to the floor. He follows him out with the Elbow Suicida but actually hits Jay with it! That allows Joe to finally hit the Ole Kick. Joe grabs a cell phone to tell someone all about it. That’s awesome. Back in the ring Joe covers for two. Joe executes the rolling sunset flip for another two-count. He hits a powerbomb and quickly turns it into the STF. Mark reaches the ropes. They get up and trade some strikes, and Joe emphatically wins that battle. Joe covers for two. Mark hits a release German Suplex for two. He follows with a Back Drop Driver for another two-count. Mark tries the Cutthroat Driver but Joe slips out and hits a series of knees and a kick to the chest for a near-fall. Joe follows with a bridging Dragon Suplex for two. He unloads with a series of strikes and locks on the Choke. Mark passes out at 14:43. This started off strong but lagged by the end. Mark was also hardly a threat to the title at this point, so this was just a placeholder title defense for sure. A well executed one, but still.
Rating: ***

MATCH #8: ROH Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. Samoa Joe & Bryan Danielson, The Battle Lines Are Drawn, 1.10.04

The Briscoes have been the Champions since 11.1.03, and this is their fourth defense. This is the first ROH show I ever attended live, and the second for Brad Garoon. Danielson and Mark start the match and they clearly do not like each other. Brad and I actually couldn’t find seats at this show and stood for the whole thing, which turned into a colossally bad idea. We also learned this night to trust the road. After some back-and-forth, Jay tags in to reprise the opening match from Final Battle 2003. Danielson stretches Jay in unnatural positions. Joe tags in and the crowd gets happier. Jay wants nothing to do with Joe so he tags Mark back in. Joe and Mark chain wrestle, in another rematch from Final Battle 2003. The champ gets the advantage and works on the arm. Danielson tags in and follows suit. Mark forces Danielson back into the corner and tags his brother. When Mark tags back in Danielson is able to reclaim the advantage and go to work on Mark’s arm. Joe tags in and follows suit. Jay kicks Joe from the apron and Mark kicks Joe in the ring to give the champions control. Momentum continues to shift and no one has control for a long period of time. Danielson executes the airplane spin on Mark. He turns it into a Finlay Roll and then hits the diving headbutt for a two-count. Danielson goes for the belly-to-back superplex but Jay breaks it up and the Briscoes hit the Doomsday Device! It only gets two because the Briscoes hadn’t started using it as a finisher yet. Now the Briscoes are able to control Danielson, isolating him in their half of the ring. Some miscommunication by the champions allows Danielson to make the hot tag. Joe is a house afire, throwing both Briscoes around. He hits Mark with the powerbomb and turns it into the STF. Mark reaches the ropes. Then it’s Rolling Cradle time by Joe for a two-count. Joe puts on the Choke and Jay makes the save. Danielson tags in and locks on Cattle Mutilation but Jay breaks that up too. The Briscoes go back on offense now and try the Doomsday Device again but Danielson ducks and traps Jay in a victory roll for two. Jay goes for the Jay Driller but Danielson avoids it and hits a Dragon Suplex with a bridge. Mark breaks that up with a double stomp. Joe comes in and hits mark with an enziguiri that sends him to the floor. He then hits Mark with two Ole Kicks. Back in the ring Danielson puts Jay on the top rope and hits the belly-to-back superplex for a two-count. Jay comes back with a Mafia Kick and the Jay Driller to get the pin while Mark is holding Joe back at 23:57. This felt really long and they never really told any kind of story, they just did some moves and then some more moves. You’d think these four would do better, but they didn’t.
Rating: **½

MATCH #9: ROH World Title Steel Cage Match – Jay Briscoe vs. Samoa Joe, At Our Best, 3.13.04

Joe has been the Champion since 3.22.03, and this is his fifteenth defense. You can win this match by pinfall, submission, knockout, or escape. Jay goes for the door right away but Joe is all like “eff that!” Joe is aggressive with the challenger, but even so Jay is able to hit a big Mafia Kick. Jay continually goes for the door as brother Mark encourages him, but Joe is able to keep him in the cage. Joe rams Jay into the cage wall and then chains the door shut! Jay is busted open something fierce. Joe executes the Big Joe Combo for a two-count. The Champ is looking like a monster here, throwing the bloody Jay around the cage. Blood is literally pouring out of Jay’s head, but amazingly he is able to fight back with some kicks. Jay tries to climb out of the cage but Joe brings him down with a Super Back Drop Driver! The massacre continues but Jay hits his own Back Drop Driver from out of nowhere! They fight up near the top of the cage again and Jay hits a Super Ace Crusher! Both men rise and start throwing strikes. Jay hits a low blow and a big lariat. He tries to escape but Joe joins him up on top. Jay boots Joe down but then loses his balance and crashes down as well. Joe hits a modified Ole Kick against the cage and the wall breaks! Mark tries to pull the cage wall out so Jay can crawl to the floor but Joe fights to pull him back in. That’s a great spot. Joe hits the powerbomb and turns it into the STF. Referees are arguing with Mark on the floor. Jay will not quit despite the massive blood loss. He’s even able to hit a Jay Driller! Mark climbs up on the side of the cage but AJ Styles comes out to the rescue, pulling Mark down into the Styles Clash on the floor! That’s sick. Jay tries to escape but Joe grabs him and hits a Super Muscle Buster to finally put Jay away and end the feud at 14:15. What a spectacle. The Briscoes feud with Joe definitely made them in the eyes of ROH fans, and they’re still one of the most over acts in the company eight years later. This match in particular is a fantastic monster versus underdog fight, but with the usual heel and face roles reversed. Both guys did it perfectly and Jay’s effort considering the blood loss is insane.
Rating: ****¼

MATCH #10: Mark Briscoe vs. Low Ki, Death Before Dishonor II Pt. 2, 7.24.04

Ki is accompanied by Julius Smokes, Homicide, and Rocky Romero. He slaps Mark rather than shake his hand and we’re underway. They take it to the mat and wrestle for control. Ki hits a kick to the arm and they’re at a standoff. The crowd is split down the middle, which is a shame since the lines are pretty clearly drawn. Ki offers himself up in the down position, and Mark outwrestles him so he takes a powder. Back in the ring Mark goes right after Ki and once again sends him to the floor. Once again Mark takes control and Ki bails. Ki grabs a chair to distract the referee, and Smokes pushes Mark off the top rope, allowing Ki to take control. Even though he’s in control Ki feigns an injury, which the crowd doesn’t buy for a second. Ki throws the referee into Mark and then hits a springboard kick to the face for two. He works Mark over, unleashing kicks and chops. He locks Mark in a headscissors. Mark tries to fight back but Ki cuts him off and continues dissecting him. Ki hits a double stomp off the top rope for two. Does anyone else think it’s as funny as I do when Nulty calls a bodyslam “crotch hold left into a slam?” Mark comes back by reversing a whip and hitting a spinning heel kick. He throws Ki into the corner and hits a clothesline and a dropkick. He hits a Fisherman’s Buster for a two-count. Mark goes for the Cutthroat Driver but Ki avoids it and hits a Back Drop Driver for two. Ki tries the Dragon Clutch but Mark escapes it. He tries a springboard kick but Mark avoids it and hits an electric chair drop for a two-count. Mark gets an O’Connor Roll for two. Ki cleverly reverses that to the Dragon Clutch, but Mark escapes again and finally hits the German Suplex he had been looking for but his arm is too injured to maintain the bridge. Mark goes for the Cutthroat Driver again and Smokes throws a chair in the ring. The referee removes the chair but that allows Smokes to take a cheap shot. Ki hits the Krush Rush and then locks on the Dragon Clutch. Mark taps out at 16:40. After the match the Rottweilers humiliate Mark and Ki slaps him in the face. The match was decent but seemed to go on forever.
Rating: **¾

MATCH #11: The Briscoes vs. Low Ki & Homicide, Testing the Limit, 8.7.04

This one starts off as a big brawl with Homicide and Jay fighting in the ring and Mark and Ki fighting on the floor. They trade places and the referee is having trouble controlling this one from the get-go. The Briscoes hit Ki with the Decapitation Knee Drop, and then nail Homicide with the Sidewinder. Ki is able to weather the onslaught and fight back with some strikes but the Briscoes aren’t intimidated by him or Homicide for that matter. Julius Smokes interferes and the Rottweilers use all kinds of cheap tactics to take the advantage. Ki and Homicide keep Jay isolated for several minutes and wear him down in their half of the ring. Jay is able to hit a Mafia Kick on Ki and a superkick. The hot tag is made and Mark is a house afire. Mark handles both Rottweilers but can’t put one away. The Briscoes try the Doomsday Device on Ki but Homicide breaks it up. The referee loses control. Mark takes Ki down with an exploder. He goes up top but Homicide pushes him down. Homicide gets in the ring with Jay and levels him with a lariat, but since he’s not legal the referee won’t count the pin. Jay comes back and hits the Jay Driller on Homicide, but Ki is the legal man. Ki grabs Jay and tries the Ki Krusher but Jay is able to turn it into a Small Package to get the pin at 12:43. That was a lot of fun, an intense brawl all the way through.
Rating: ***

~Disc Two: Man Up~

MATCH #12: The Briscoes vs. AJ Styles & Matt Sydal, The 100th Show, 4.22.06

The Briscoes try to attack right away but Styles and Sydal were ready for them and thwart the recently returned brother duo. Styles and Jay start the match proper, and it doesn’t take long for Styles to hit the big dropkick. Jay fights back with a couple of forearms and makes the tag. Mark tries a springboard dropkick but Styles avoids it and makes a tag. Styles and Sydal double team Mark for a two-count. Mark blocks a knee strike and unleashes a vicious chop on Sydal. Jay tags in and they hit the double shoulder tackle for two. The Briscoes work Sydal over in their half of the ring now. Sydal comes back with a headscissors and a dropkick on Jay, and then tags out. Styles hits a bodyslam and a knee drop. The Briscoes quickly take over and work on Styles. Styles comes back with the surprise rana on Mark, sending him to the floor, and then knocks Jay off the apron. Sydal then joins him for stereo dives to the floor. Back in the ring Sydal tries a sunset flip but Mark rolls through and hits Styles low. Jay then comes in and the Briscoes throw Sydal up in the air and he crashes down to the mat. The Briscoes now use some heel tactics (remember when they did something different?) to work Sydal over. After several minutes Sydal makes the comeback and the tag. Styles is a house afire, hitting the flipping inverted DDT on Mark and the German Suplex /Facebuster combo on Jay. He goes for the Styles Clash on Jay but Mark breaks it up. An angered Styles grabs Mark and tags Sydal, and they hit the Skull and Bones for a two-count. Then they hit a nasty double-team neckbreaker on Jay. Mark and Styles battle on the floor, and Mark throws him into the guardrail. Sydal tries a headscissors but Jay reverses it and puts Sydal in perfect position for an awesome springboard Doomsday Device but Styles breaks up the cover. Jay obliterates Styles with a Yakuza Kick. Sydal comes back with a kick to Mark’s head, and then avoids the Jay Driller and hits a standing moonsault. Mark hits Sydal with a forearm to the back of the head from the apron, and the Briscoes hit the Spiked Jay Driller to get the pin at 12:42. That was short and sweet and had tons of action. It reminds me of when the Briscoes weren’t boring to watch.
Rating: ***¾

MATCH #13: The Briscoes vs. KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji, Glory By Honor V Night 1, 9.15.06

This match came about after the Briscoes and KENTA got into skirmishes at both Throwdown and Chi Town Struggle in Detroit and Chicago, respectively, in June. The Briscoes then defeated KENTA & Davey Richards at Time to Man Up in Long Island on August 4.

Marufuji starts the match with Mark. They start with some mat wrestling and wrestle to a standoff. Mark targets the leg and Marufuji counters by going after the arm. Jay and KENTA tag in and KENTA hits a back elbow for a two-count. He starts in with the kicks and then locks on a front facelock. Jay forces KENTA back to the Briscoe corner and makes a tag. KENTA fights back and makes a tag of his own. No team has gained a sustained advantage in the early going. Both teams just take turns beating each other up for a while. The Briscoes take control of Marufuji about 10 minutes in. After a few minutes Marufuji comes back with a drop toehold and makes the tag. KENTA hits a hard kick to the back for a two-count. Now the NOAH team works Jay over for a bit. Jay fires back and trades strikes with Marufuji and then they clothesline each other. Tags are made and Mark hits KENTA with a Northern Lights Suplex for two. The referee has completely lost control of this match. Bodies are flying all over the place and the offense is coming fast and furious. The referee gains a control and tags are being made, but the pace has hardly slowed down. Marufuji blasts Mark with a clothesline and then makes the tag. KENTA and Mark battle in the ring while Jay and Marufuji fight on the floor. Jay comes back in and hits KENTA with a pop-up Death Valley Driver, and then Marufuji comes in for a superkick on Jay. Marufuji then hits the Shiranui but Mark hits him with a springboard missile dropkick, and KENTA follows with the Busaiku Knee Kick and all four men are down. Back on their feet KENTA hits Mark with a big running boot in the corner and then goes up top with him. Jay breaks it up and puts KENTA on his shoulders, but KENTA slips out and hits Jay with a Tiger Suplex. Mark still tries the springboard move but KENTA kicks him out of the air. KENTA and Marufuji hit Poetry in Motion and then kick his head off but Jay breaks up the cover. Moments later KENTA hits Mark with the Go 2 Sleep for the pin at 20:25.

They didn’t quite establish a rhythm in the early parts of the match – it was all just moves, moves, and moves. But when they got to the home stretch they rocked it, and KENTA getting a good clean pin was necessary since he challenges for the title tomorrow night. The other NOAH guests come out to celebrate with their countrymen.
Rating: ***½

MATCH #14: 2/3 Falls Match – The Briscoes vs. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong, Dedicated, 1.26.07

Strong and Mark start the match with some chain wrestling. After some back and forth Strong takes the early advantage and he tags in and out with Aries. They work on Mark’s leg and keep the fresh man in the ring. It doesn’t work for too long before Jay tags in. These two teams have wrestled each other several times before so there’s a definite feeling out process happening in the early going. Jay and Strong get the tempers flaring first. Momentum shifts back and forth several times in this first fall. The referee loses control a little bit and both Briscoes get sent to the floor. Aries hits both of Dem Boys with the Heat Seeking Missile. Back in the ring Strong hits the first backbreaker of the match on Jay. Now Aries and Strong are firmly in control. Aries puts Jay in the Last Chancery but Jay fights his way out of it. Finally Jay makes the hot tag and Mark unleashes his Redneck Kung Fu. Mark hits Strong with a gutwrench superplex (don’t see that every day) and a springboard knee drop for a two-count. The referee loses control and all four men are brawling in the ring. Jay gets knocked out of the ring and Mark goes for the springboard super Ace Crusher but Strong catches him in a gutbuster! That was cool. Aries hits Mark with a lariat and Strong covers but only gets two. Jay comes back in the ring and gets greeted by a brainbuster. Aries goes up top and Mark shoves him down. The Briscoes then hit Strong with the Spiked Jay Driller to capture the first fall at 20:14.

The Briscoes quickly pounce in the second fall, hitting the double-team neckbreaker on Strong for a two-count. They follow up with a Flapjack and then Total Elimination! Aries gets dumped to the floor so Strong is on his own. The Briscoes go for the springboard Doomsday Device but Aries knocks Mark off the top rope. Strong hits a half-nelson backbreaker and then makes the tag! Aries is a house afire, throwing dropkicks at everyone in the match from Delaware. He takes Mark to the apron and hits a Death Valley Driver! Aries and Strong try to double-team Jay but it backfires. Jay has Aries for the Jay Driller but Strong breaks it up with the Sick Kick! Mark misses a springboard cross body block. Strong catches him with an Alabama Slam and Aries follows with the 450 Splash and Jay breaks up the cover. Aries and Jay trade shots and Jay is able to catch Aries in the Jay Driller and Mark spikes it to pick up the second fall at 25:15. It was pretty surprising to see the Briscoes go over in two straight falls, but there you have it. This one took a little time to get going but the second fall was a lot of fun. These four are probably incapable of having a bad match together but this wasn’t quite up to their earlier standards.
Rating: ***¼

MATCH #15: ROH World Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. Naruki Doi & SHINGO, FYF: Liverpool, 3.3.07

The Briscoes have been the Champions since 2.24.07, and this is their first defense. Shingo and Mark start the match on the mat. Mark gets an early advantage and tags his brother, so Shingo responds by tagging Doi, who is not his brother. Jay and Doi start slugging right away and Jay gets the better of it. Doi perseveres and takes Jay down. Shingo tags in and Jay reveres a suplex on him. Mark tags in and hits a knee drop off the second rope for a two-count. Shingo fights back as the momentum continues to shift back and forth. Mark slips out of a suplex and hits a leg lariat. He makes the tag and Jay comes charging in. The Briscoes unload on Shingo with a flurry of offense. They keep him in their half of the ring and pour on the pressure. The referee looks a little like Andy “Right Leg” Ridge. At any rate, Shingo catches the Briscoes with a simultaneous DDT/Flatliner and makes the tag. Doi sends Mark to the floor and wipes him out with a dive. Shingo hits Jay with a spinebuster for a two-count. Apparently the referee cares not about the legal man. Shingo stacks the Briscoes up in the corner and Doi comes flying in with Dai Bosou. The challengers are firmly in control now. Shingo holds Jay up on the ropes and Doi flies off the top rope with a senton for a two-count. Moments later Jay comes back with a neckbreaker and makes the tag. Mark unleashes his Redneck Kung Fu on Doi and also hits a Michinoku Driver for two. He spots Shingo on the floor and pops up to the top rope for a Shooting Star Press. Shingo didn’t really catch him at all. Jay and Doi trade forearm shots now and neither man will give an inch. Doi ups the ante to a flying forearm and gets a two-count. He follows up with the Rydeen Bomb for two. Shingo tags in and hits a Back Drop Driver with a dropkick assist from Doi for two. This is getting really hard to keep up with. The Briscoes hit Shingo with the Sidewinder for a two-count. Jay goes outside to battle Doi and gets thrown into the barricade. Doi and Shingo double-team Mark now but can’t put him away. Mark fights back and goes up top but Doi takes him down with a German Superplex for two. Jay hits Doi with a gourdbuster. The Briscoes go for the simultaneous guillotine legdrop and shooting star press but Shingo breaks that up. Doi hits Mark with Doi 555, Shingo hits Jay with a superplex, and then Doi hits Jay with a Frog Elbow off the top rope for two. Shingo accidentally hits Doi with the Pumping Bomber, and Jay boots Shingo to the floor. The Briscoes hit Doi with Total Elimination and the double-team neckbreaker for two. They go for the springboard Doomsday Device but Shingo breaks it up and Doi gets a victory roll for two. Jay hits Doi with a Stunner, Mark follows with an exploder, and then Jay hits a Death Valley Driver for a near-fall. He goes for the Jay Driller but Doi blocks it and Shingo levels him with a Pumping Bomber for two. Mark tries a springboard but Shingo lariats him out of the air. Shingo hits a TKO for two, and then Doi hits the Bakatare Sliding Kick for another near-fall. Mark goes for the Cutthroat Driver but Shingo slips out and hits the Last Falconry to get the win and take the titles at 22:40. I did not expect the Dragon Gate duo to win the titles, but I think it’s awesome that they did. The match was phenomenal, with a ridiculous pace and lots of awesome stuff from everyone. Doi and Shingo are amazing.
Rating: ****

MATCH #16: Jay Briscoe vs. Mark Briscoe, FYF: Finale, 3.4.07

Jay and Mark were mad at each other for losing the belts so they decided to fight about it. That makes sense to me. Jay is dressed in black shorts while Mark is in white. This is their first singles match since 2003, so this feels like a pretty big deal. They take it to the mat and exchange holds. Things get heated and they trade slaps. Jay catches Mark with a clothesline and they both tumble to the floor. They fight on the floor and Jay bodyslams Mark hard on the wood floor. Mark reverses a whip and sends Jay crashing into the guardrail. He jumps up on the guardrail and hits a moonsault. The brothers trade strikes and Jay throws Mark into the guardrail. They fight up on the entrance ramp and Mark hits a vertical suplex. Back in the ring they continue trading moves and shrugging off each other’s attacks. Mark goes for the springboard Super Ace Crusher but Jay chops him out of the air. Mark perseveres and hits a slingshot double stomp instead. Jay fights back with a ridiculous DDT and both men are down. Back on their feet Jay takes control and starts pounding on his brother. Mark reverses a whip into the corner and runs in with a dropkick. He follows with an exploder suplex for two. Jay hits a stunner and a Mafia Kick for two. They trade slaps again and then upgrade to forearms. Mark tries a springboard move but Jay dropkicks him to the floor and follows him out with a somersault dive. Back in the ring Jay hits an awesome Frog Splash for two. Mark fights back with Redneck Kung Fu and this time connects on the springboard Super Ace Crusher for a near-fall. He keeps up the pressure, going for a superplex but Jay reverses it to a super gourdbuster! Jay follows with a Falcon Arrow for two. He levels Mark with a huge lariat for another two-count. Mark hits a couple of Saito Suplexes for a near-fall. He shoves referee Todd Sinclair down and then jumps off his back to try and take Jay down with a headscissors but both men crash hard to the floor. That looked nasty. Back in the ring Mark covers for two. Both men rise and trade blows. Jay then hits the Jay Driller! Both men are down and barely make it back to their feet by the count of nine. They trade punches again and knock each other out. Back on their feet Mark is able to hit the Cutthroat Driver! This time neither man answers the 10-count and the match is over at 27:04. Maybe that went on a little too long but it was unique in the sense that they really just wanted to fire each other back up to reclaim the tag team titles. Neither man needed to win to prove anything to the other, so the finish makes sense too. There was little selling, but in its own self-contained universe I really enjoyed this match.
Rating: ***¾

MATCH #17: ROH World Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico, Driven, 6.23.07

Brad Garoon and I are somewhere in the crowd for this one too. The Briscoes have been the Champions since 3.30.07, and this is their seventh defense. Jay and Generico start the match. They chain wrestle a bit and the crowd is pumped up for both teams. Generico forces their way back to the corner and Steen aggressively tags into the match. The Briscoes use some teamwork to take Steen off his feet. They keep Steen isolate in their half of the ring. Steen fights back and hurls Jay into Mark on the apron. He takes control and tags Generico into the match. The challengers cut the ring in half and isolate Jay from his brother. Jay fights back with a chinbreaker and a swinging neckbreaker. He makes the tag and the Briscoes go to work on Generico now. That doesn’t last too long before Generico dumps Jay to the floor and Steen follows him out with a dive! That was cool. Mark and Generico battle in the ring now but Mark decides to attack Steen with a dive! Jay goes back in the ring just to clothesline Generico to the floor! The Briscoes double-biel Generico over the guardrail and into a stack of chairs! Steen charges in with a shoulderblock on Jay, sending him into the barricade. He then powerbombs Jay into the crowd! This one is getting wild. Jay and Steen make it back to the ring and start slugging at each other. Steen catches a sitout powerbomb for a two-count. He goes for the Package Piledriver but Mark makes the save. Generico pitches Mark to the floor and wipes him out with a springboard moonsault! Back in the ring Generico hits the running Yakuza Kick! Steen hits the Pumphandle Neckbreaker and a Swanton Bomb but Jay kicks out! The referee totally loses control and all four men are in the ring. Generico hits Mark with a huge swinging DDT. He goes for another running Yakuza Kick but Mark blocks it with his own boot. Mark then wipes Steen out with a double stomp through the timekeeper’s table! Jay hits Generico with a military press into a Death Valley Driver for two. The Briscoes then hit the Spiked Jay Driller to get the pin and retain at 16:06. That was a wild, crazy brawl and just the tip of the iceberg between these two teams, if you can believe that.
Rating: ****

MATCH #18: ROH World Tag Team Title 2/3 Falls Match – The Briscoes vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico, Manhattan Mayhem II, 8.25.07

The Briscoes have been the Champions since 3.30.07, and this is their twelfth defense. Steen and Generico attack right away and away we go. Everyone goes right to the floor, with Generico battling Mark and Jay fighting Steen. Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard put over how the Briscoes have won six straight falls in two-out-of-three falls matches. Mark gets busted open early by the steel barricade. Those things are dangerous man. The Briscoes use the barricades to take Steen out, and then they throw Generico in the ring to double-team him. Order is finally restored and the Briscoes are kicking Generico’s ass legally. Steen enters the ring illegally and that allows Generico to make the tag. The challengers work on Jay for a few minutes until the elder Brisco catches Steen with a flipping neckbreaker out of the corner. Mark gets the hot tag and he is a house afire. The momentum continues to shift back and forth between these evenly matched teams. Mark hits Generico with a moonsault and then wipes out Steen with a somersault dive to the floor. Jay follows with a Frog Splash on Generico and the Briscoes win their seventh consecutive fall at 11:03. The entire fall was pretty much non-stop action.

Right at the start of the second fall the Briscoes double-biel Generico over the top rope to the floor, right on top of Steen! Back in the ring Steen is going solo and the Briscoes take advantage of it. Generico battles his way back to the apron and pulls the ropes down to send Mark crashing to the floor. Jay takes offense and boots Generico off the apron, and then hits Steen with a Death Valley Driver on the apron! Generico then hits Jay with a Tornado DDT on the floor. Mark then hits an insane hurricanrana over the top rope to Generico on the apron that sends them both crashing to the floor. Back in the ring Mark and Steen trade strikes. Mark hits a leg lariat and both men make tags. Jay hits a gourdbuster and goes up top. Generico pops up (I hate that) and goes for the Super Brainbuster but Jay fights him off. Mark sneaks in with the Springboard Super Ace Crusher and Jay follows with a guillotine legdrop for a two-count. The Briscoes go for the Doomsday Device but Steen saves his partner and Generico gets a quick victory roll for two. Generico hits the running Yakuza Kick and rolls Jay up but can only get two. Steen tags in and goes for the Swanton but Jay gets his knees up. Mark tags in and they immediately go to the floor. He tries a hurricanrana off the apron but Steen catches him and powerbombs him onto the apron. Steen then grabs Jay and powerbombs him into the barricade! Generico throws Mark back in the ring and hits a Superfly Splash. Steen follows with the Swanton but still they only get two. The referee loses control and bodies are flying all over the place. Steen hits Mark with a lariat and goes up top but misses the moonsault. Mark hits an exploder suplex but Steen shrugs it off and they trade kicks. The Briscoes double-team Steen and hit the springboard Doomsday Device but Steen kicks out! Generico boots Jay in the back of the head to send him to the floor. Steen traps Mark in the Tree of Woe and Generico flies in with a coast-to-coast flipping dropkick. Then Steen this the Package Piledriver and Generic goes for the Brainbuster but Jay makes the save. Jay hits Steen with the Jay Driller and Mark nails the Cutthroat Driver and that’s enough to get the pin and keep the steak alive at 8 at 24:44. These guys are absolutely nuts. They went balls to the wall for 25 minutes and they had a great storyline thread going with Steen and Generico trying to be the first team to take a fall from the Briscoes in a two out of three falls match. This is an overlooked gem for sure.
Rating: ****¼

Man Up!, 9.15.07

The Age of The Fall, a group consisting of Jimmy Jacobs, Tyler Black, and Necro Butcher made their debut by attacking the Briscoes after their brutal Ladder War with Kevin Steen & El Generico. Jacobs tied a bloody Jay to a chain and had him hang from the ceiling while he cut a promo about the group’s intentions and purpose. The image of Jacobs in a white jacket standing underneath Jay’s blood dripping onto him is memorable and sick. The most notable part of this angle is that Brad Garoon and I got to be on a Ring of Honor pay-per-view.

MATCH #19: ROH World Tag Team Title Match – The Briscoes vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black, Battle of the Best, 9.13.08

Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black have been the champions since 6.6.08, and this is their third defense. They attack the Briscoe Brothers from behind while they’re making their entrance, and the fight begins on the floor. Mark hits a pretty sweet belly-to-belly suplex on Jacobs on the entrance ramp. Black and Jay are fighting in one part of the arena while Jacobs and Mark are in another part. Jacobs busts out his spike early. The Briscoes are able to take control of both champions and throw them around the building. They make their way back toward the ring and Jacobs begs for mercy from an impending double-team. He of course gets none, and takes a tremendous beating from both challengers. The Briscoes go for the springboard Doomsday Device but Black finally makes his way to the ring to save his partner and their titles. Jay and Black trade shots in the ring now. Black hits a kick to the head and Paroxysm for two. Jay has been busted open. The champions hit a double team super Contra Code on Jay and he actually kicks out. Mark comes back in the ring and drops Jacobs on his head. The Briscoes hit a double-team neckbreaker on Black. Mark hits the Cutthroat Driver on Jacobs but Black pulls Mark to the floor and powerbombs him into the audience. Jay looks to be setting up a super Jay Driller on Jacobs, but Black stops him. He throws Jay off the ropes right into Jacobs’s End Time and Jay passes out at 12:35. That was a fun brawl but not nearly as good as some of their past matches. Jacobs promises to win the ROH World Title tomorrow night at The Tokyo Summit.
Rating: ***

The Pulse: Fans of the Briscoe Brothers will find a lot to like about this set. Fifteen of the 19 matches reach three stars or higher, and four of them are at four stars or more. This is a good representation of the Briscoes run in ROH up to the fall of 2008, with some big ROH names scattered throughout. The matches against Steen & Generico are definitely a highlight, but this is overall another really good compilation from Ring of Honor. You can purchase it at the ROH Shop.

I grew up and now I write for Inside Pulse. Oh, and one time I saw a blimp!