A2Z Analysiz: ROH Glory By Honor IX (Tyler Black, Roderick Strong)

Wrestling DVDs

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Manhattan Center – New York, New York – September 11, 2010

The opening video package focuses on the Kings of Wrestling versus Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas, the chain match between Kevin Steen & Steve Corino and Colt Cabana & El Generico, and the ROH World Champion Tyler Black defending his title against Roderick Strong.

Kevin Kelly and Joe Dombrowski are on commentary.

MATCH #1: Jay Briscoe vs. Kenny King

The tension between these two is palpable as they aggressively chain wrestle in the early going. They quickly start trading slaps and Jay takes control, unloading on King with a flurry of offense. King comes back with a hard clothesline for two and goes to work now. A beautiful leg lariat gets a near-fall. King goes for the shotgun knees in the corner but Jay catches him and drops him dangerously on his head. Jay follows up with a hard spinebuster for two. He continues on offense, hitting a huge boot to the face for two. King’s partner Rhett Titus makes his way out to ringside to distract Jay. That gives King the chance to miss a clothesline as Jay takes Titus out with a somersault dive over the ropes! That was neat. Back in the ring a series of reversals ends with King hitting an enziguiri and the Royal Flush to get the pin at 7:39. That was a good choice for an opener.
Rating: **¾

Titus and King continue beating on Jay after the bell, so brother Mark runs out and the Briscoes go nuts. Referee Paul Turner is able to get the match under control and the next match is underway!

MATCH #2: Mark Briscoe vs. Rhett Titus

The partners remain at ringside as Mark controls the early part of the match. Titus comes back with a dropkick and ditches the bowtie, so you know he means business. He keeps Mark on the canvas for a few minutes before drilling him with a big kick to the face and then the Zack Attack for a two-count. The fight spills to the ring apron, and Mark knocks Titus to the floor and then follows him down with a somersault senton off the second rope! Mark is crazy. Back in the ring he gets a two-count. Mark goes up top and Titus joins him, only to take a super Ace Crusher and both men are down. They get up and trade strikes until Mark wins that battle with a t-bone suplex. Titus recovers and they trade a bunch of pinning combinations for a series of two-counts. King tries to interfere so Jay takes him out. Mark drills Titus with a Superkick and the Cutthroat Driver to get the pin at 9:30. That was even better than the opener. These four have great chemistry.
Rating: ***

MATCH #3: Ballz Mahoney & Grizzly Redwood vs. Erick Stevens & the Necro Butcher

The Embassy team is accompanied by Prince Nana and Ernesto Osiris. They take it right to the floor as the crowd chants “ECW.” Mahoney hits Stevens with beer cups while Butcher and Redwood fight on the other side of the ring. Back in the ring Redwood and Mahoney continue to work together on Stevens, showing impressive cohesion for a first-time team. Redwood tries a cross body block off the top rope but Stevens catches him and pitches him to the floor, and Butcher punches him in the face on the way down! That was neat. Now the Embassy takes over on Redwood, which is good strategy. Nana and Osiris get their shots in outside the ring as well. Butcher hits Redwood with multiple chokeslams and a clothesline for two. Stevens tries a suplex but Redwood is able to slip it into a Sleeper. Redwood hits a rana off the second rope and makes the hot tag. Mahoney is a house afire and the referee quickly loses control. Redwood and Stevens take it to the floor, and Mahoney lands a Superfly Splash on Butcher and Nana has to physically stop the referee from counting to three. Mahoney pulls Nana into the ring and the distraction allows Stevens to hit Mahoney with Ghanarrhea to get the win at 7:45. That was brisk and fun enough. This was the end of this version of the Embassy.
Rating: **½

MATCH #4: Double Chain Match – Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana

Cabana and Generico win the coin toss and get to decide who is chained to whom for this match. The babyfaces dominate the early going with some synchronized offense. Steen and Generico battle in the ring while Cabana and Corino fight outside the ring. They trade places and it looks like Steen is the first one busted open. It doesn’t take much longer for Corino to join Steen in the bloody forehead club. All four men brawl in the ring as Generico and Cabana continue to control. They focus too much on Steen though, and that gives Corino the chance to hit both of his opponents with the chain and now Corino and Steen take control. Cabana is busted open, and Corino throws him to the floor while Steen chokes Generico with the chain. This is getting pretty nasty. Steen hits Generico with a superkick and then locks on a chain-assisted Sharpshooter! That’s cool. Cabana makes the save and all four men are in the ring again. Generico and Cabana come back, and Cabana traps Corino in the Tree of Woe for Generico to hit the Coast to Coast dropkick into a chair but Steen blocks it so Generico wipes him out with a somersault dive instead! Cabana instead dropkicks the chair into Corino’s face but it only gets two. They go back to the floor, where Cabana and Generico set up a table. Unfortunately for Generico, that backfires when Steen pulls him off the top rope and through the table! Cabana takes control of Corino while Generico uses everything in his power to hold Steen back. Steen calls for Colby Corino, who comes out and cuts Steen’s chain loose. Back in the ring Steen hits Cabana with the Pumphandle Neckbreaker. Corino frees himself as well, and they use the chains to tie Cabana to the ropes with his arms outstretched. Steen hits a superkick and Corino goes for a chair shot but Generico has recovered and he breaks it up! Generico tries to untie Cabana but can’t do it, as Steen pulls him to the floor and powerbombs him onto the apron. Corino again ties Cabana up and signals for the chair shot, but Generico covers his partner up to a chorus of boos. Finally Steen blasts Generico with a chair shot to the back but they still can’t hit Cabana. Generico will not stay down, and while the referee unties Cabana, Generico knocks Steen to the floor and wipes him out with a dive. Cabana recovers and sets up the steel chair for a powerbomb, and then locks Corino in the Billy Goat’s Curse to get the win at 19:45. The fight continues after the bell and Steen is able to pull Generico’s mask off! Cabana hurries Generico to the back so that no one sees his face. The match was a pretty brutal brawl, though I think they teased Cabana getting hit with the chair a bit too long. But it was a good idea for a spot and the rest of the match was really intense and the crowd heat was with them the entire time.
Rating: ****

A few days ago, Jim Cornette sat down with Davey Richards, who is about to leave on a tour for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Cornette asks about the comments Richards made in regards to retiring at the end of this year. Richards talks about his life and his history with wrestling, and gets deep into details about his family. He says that he is not going anywhere because being a wrestler is what he was born to do, that wrestling chose him, stuff like that. Richards says he needs the ROH World Title. Cornette thanks him for his time and we head back to the ring.

MATCH #5: World TV Title Match – Eddie Edwards vs. Shawn Daivari with Prince Nana

Edwards has been the TV Champion since 3.5.10, and this is his sixth defense. Daivari is also accompanied by Ernesto Osiris. They trade chops and strikes in the early going, with Edwards appearing to have the upper hand. That lasts until Edwards charges Daivari in the corner but misses and he crashes into the ring post and down to the floor. That looked like a hard fall. Daivari follows the champion out to the floor and continues the punishment. Back in the ring Daivari wisely follows up on the shoulder injury. Daivari goes up top and Edwards knocks him down with a kick to the head and then follows him up for a huge superplex. Edwards sends Daivari to the floor and follows him out with a dive. Back in the ring Edwards stays in control, unleashing a flurry of his signature offense. Edwards hits a superkick but then runs right into a clothesline for two. Moments later he comes back and locks on the Achilles Lock so Nana gets on the apron but is quickly knocked off. Edwards then puts on the Achilles Lock again to get the submission win at 7:42. That was a decent back-and-forth title match, but I don’t see what anyone ever saw in Daivari. Nana’s dreams of gold have been put on hold.
Rating: **½

MATCH #6: Battle of the Best – Austin Aries vs. Christopher Daniels

As is his tradition, Aries cuts a promo before the match, spouting off the usual, and then proposes that he and Daniels “steal the show” and “may the best man win.” They start off with some chain wrestling and Aries is in control. Daniels fights back as the crowd chants for both men. They continue to go back and forth, showing how evenly matched they are. Aries knocks Daniels to the floor and follows him out with an elbow off the top rope. Back in the ring Aries goes to work on Daniels. The crowd works in a “F#ck TNA” chant for some reason, and then chant a more appropriate “ROH.” Meanwhile Daniels fights back with a neckbreaker, and then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two-count. Daniels clotheslines Aries to the floor and tries the Arabian Press but Aries avoids it and hits the Heat Seeking Missile. That’s a good spot. Back in the ring Daniels goes right back on offense. Well that spot on the floor was sure a waste then. Aries fights back with a crucifix bomb and a Brainbuster for two. He goes up and hits the 450 Splash but Daniels kicks out! They battle up on the top rope and Daniels is able to hit a super Angel’s Wings to get the pin at 13:06! That was a fun back-and-forth with a great finish.
Rating: ***½

MATCH #7: Non Title Special Dream Tag Team Match – The Kings of Wrestling with Shane Hagadorn vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas

Haas comes out wearing a skullcap, so you know he’s cool. Benjamin and Haas are just announced by their names, not yet “Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team,” and they come out to “TNT,” which is pretty bush league. Get some real music. The crowd dishes out dueling chants before the match even begins. Claudio Castagnoli starts the match with Benjamin. They lock up intensely and Benjamin wins that battle with a vertical suplex. Chris Hero tags in and they take it to the mat. More tags are made and momentum shifts back and forth multiple times. The Kings try an early KRS-One but that gets countered to that one signature move WGTT have, but Castagnoli pulls Hero to the floor to avoid that. Good spot there. Back in the ring the champions take control and wear Haas down in their half of the ring. Haas fights back with a t-bone suplex and makes the tag. Benjamin appears to be on fire but Hero immediately low bridges the ropes to send Benjamin crashing to the floor. That’s awesome. Now the Kings work on Benjamin, showing supreme tag team skills. Finally Benjamin makes the hot tag and Haas is all over the Kings. Referee Paul Turner loses control and all four men are brawling in the ring. Castagnoli launches Benjamin right into an elbow strike from Hero but that only gets two. The crowd bought that one hard. Hero hits another elbow strike to the back of Benjamin’s head but once again it gets only two! Benjamin fights back with the spin kick and makes the tag to Haas. This time Benjamin and Haas hit that one move (someone give it a name) but it only gets two. Hero comes back and blasts Haas with an elbow to the face. The match breaks down again and Benjamin hits Castagnoli with the pop-up super belly-to-belly suplex. Haas then locks Castagnoli in the Haas of Pain. Hagadorn distracts the referee while Hero puts on the loaded elbow pad and knocks Haas out with it. Hero rolls Castagnoli on top to get the pin at 20:41. The finish was a little lazy, but the work leading up to it was fantastic. I think it’s actually clear how much better the Kings of Wrestling are than Benjamin and Haas. After the match Benjamin and Haas get their heat back by stripping Hagadorn and whipping him with his belt.
Rating: ****

MATCH #8: ROH World Title No-Disqualification Match – Tyler Black vs. Roderick Strong with Truth Martini; Terry Funk is the special ringside enforcer!

Black has been the champion since 2.13.10, and this is his eighth defense. He of course is greeted with a chorus of boos, since he’s on his way to WWE (FCW). The crowd chants “NXT” at him, which is pretty clever actually. This is Strong’s sixteenth chance at the ROH World Title. Jim Cornette joins the commentary team. These two have had awesome matches in the past, so I’m excited for this. Despite Black’s impending departure, he still has enough supporters for a dueling chant early on. They trade holds and Strong hits a leg lariat to send Black to the floor. Strong follows him out and continues the abuse. Black counters and drops Strong chest-first on the ring apron. Back in the ring Black maintains control and the crowd stays hot. Momentum shifts back and forth several times as Martini tries to encourage Strong from ringside. Black controls for several minutes before Strong can fight back with a Falcon Arrow for two. Momentum continues to shift, and Black takes control with a gutbuster. Black tells the crowd that They Can’t See Him and then locks on the STFU! That’s awesome. Martini tries to interfere but Funk backs him off as Strong breaks out of the hold. Black hits superplex and tries to roll through for God’s Last Gift but Strong counters with a vertical suplex into a backbreaker for a near-fall! The crowd is hot. Strong hits a gutbuster and goes for the Sick Kick but Black pulls referee Todd Sinclair in the way and Sinclair gets blasted! What a bump. Funk comes in the ring and throws Sinclair to the floor, officially taking over as referee. Black hits Strong with the Book of Truth and then god’s Last Gift but it only gets two! They fight up to the top rope and Black hits the Warrior’s Way but Strong catches him and locks on the Stronghold! Black counters with an inside cradle for two. Strong immediately kills Black’s face with a superkick but it only gets two! House of Truth members Josh Raymond and Christin Able come running out in their wrestling gear for some reason, and Funk easily dispatches of both of them. Martini gets in the ring and Funk throws him back to the floor. Black hits Strong with a superkick and two Buckle Bombs, then two more superkicks, and then Strong spits in his face so Black gives him another one! He goes up for the Phoenix Splash but misses and Strong hits an enziguiri, a torture rack backbreaker, a gutbuster, and the Sick Kick to finally win the ROH World Title at 15:04. That was phenomenal, great stuff from both guys again. They’re great opponents.
Rating: ****¼

The crowd chants “Thank You Tyler” and Strong extends his hand, but Black gives everyone the finger and walks away. Then the lights go out in the building and Homicide’s music hits, and the crowd goes BALLISTIC. Strong gets in his face and they yell at each other to close the show.

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