ROH: Reborn Stage One

Archive

Hello my name is Brad and I am the other member of “Team ROH”. So let’s get some quick stuff out of the way you might be wondering.

How old are you? 15
Where do you live? Australia
How long have you been watching wrestling? Since 1998
Who’s your favourite wrestler? Toshiaki Kawada, yet Hayabusa, Jushin Liger, Jumbo Tsuruta and Chris Benoit follow.
Are there any wrestlers you like now that could become favourites? A lot, but Low-Ki, Homicide, Bryan Danielson, Chris Hero, Alex Shelley, El Generico, Kevin Steen, Minoru Tanaka, Takehiro Murahama and Sexxxy Eddy are the main ones.
What kind of wrestling do you like? Puroresu and US Indies (especially ROH and CZW).
So you don’t like WWE and TNA? No, because they is evil.
What will you be doing here? Mostly DVD Reviews (not just of ROH, as I’ll pop in with something else every now and again).
Have you written anywhere else? Yes, I did (and still do) tape reviews for Rolling Germans.
Do you I know you from anywhere? I post at boards under the name “Crippla”.
Now finally, why are you doing this show when Tom is doing 2004 shows? No reason really but other to get my stuff from Rolling germans onto Inside Pulse.

Now we have that all out of the way, what I’m presenting to you is a simple C&P job from Rolling Germans. This was my first review and it wasn’t really the best, as I got better as I went along, so don’t expect this style from me each review, as I developed a more Mike Campbell style. So without further ado, read as ROH enters the first stage of being reborn (note: some ratings of matches of been changed as my feelings of them since reviewing have changed).

This was the first post-Feinstein show for ROH. Guys like Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles were not allowed on the show by TNA (and haven’t been allowed since), so the result was major feuds being shook up, Styles’ feud that had just started the show before with Joe and Daniels’ feud which had been going for a while with the 2nd City Saints and Daniels’s Prophecy. ROH decided to make the best of the bad situation but giving guys who had not had the chances more of a chance. ROH is also debuting in the Mid-West for this double shot weekend, this event in St Paul, Minnesota and the next nights’ show in Chicago, Illinois.

Homicide cuts a promo hyping his World Title match with Joe tonight. He talks about not respecting Joe anymore after his attack on J-Train at the previous show and the reason he let go of the noose at Empire State Showdown was because he wanted to beat show. So tonight, not only will he beat Joe for the title tonight, but he’s going to kill him, Ichiban Mother Fucker. Great promo and hype from the Notorious 187.

Loc and Devito talk about they’re struggle in ROH, then finally they get to the main event of the last show and the biggest show in ROH history, but somebody shit in their bags. They’re going to find who did and they’re starting with Dunn and Marcos tonight.

In Samoa Joe’s Ring tonight he talks about chokes. Bryan Danielson then interrupts and informs Joe that chokes are illegal and that the only reason they lost they’re tag title match to The Briscoes at Battle Lines Are Drawn is because Joe was too busy punishing Mark. His match took place about 6 months later, but is a MOTYC.

Outside, Dunn and Marcos inform us that they’re gonna rock you like a hurricane and they’re not gonna take it anymore.

Matt Stryker vs. Nigel McGuinness

This is not for Stryker’s #1 Contenders Trophy. To get this out of the way, if Joe retains, he faces Stryker for the belt, but if he loses he faces Stryker for the trophy. They work the mat to start with Nigel using his British style to get the advantage on Stryker and Stryker uses simple counters. Nigel locks Stryker in the cravat and Stryker tries to counter his way out but is unable to. Stryker works his way out and locks up the leg of Stryker, but it gets reversed quickly and his arm gets locked up. They work the mat with counters until Stryker locks Nigel in an ankle lock. Nigel tries to reverse several times but Stryker continues to hold onto it. Nigel finally reverses out by flipping out of it. Both men hit each other with shots until Stryker takes Nigel down with a Dragon Screw and then locks in the Stretch Muffler. The ropes save Nigel. Stryker hits a backbreaker and goes up top. Stryker gets crotched up there. Nigel goes up top, but Stryker comes charging up and hits him with a judo toss off the top for 2. Both men get up and Nigel hits a Sweeping Keylock gets 2. Stryker hits him with a Devils Lock DDT (CM Punk’s DDT) and the ropes save Nigel at 2. Punk notes that’s the cowards way out to which Lovey disagrees, so Punk wants to name him 15 times he’s done it. Nigel hits a single arm DDT and locks in his short arm scissors, but can’t hold it properly because of his knee. Gotta love that psychology. Flipping pin by Stryker which Nigel tries to bridge out but can’t because of his leg, so Stryker simply hooks the legs so he can’t kick out for 3. ***1/4. Great opener. Even though the finish made Stryker seem smart, it would’ve been better to have him win with the Strykerlock since he was facing Joe the next night. (10.10).

Backstage, Ricky Steamboat informs us that he’s been assigned to over-see the Saints/Prophecy feud in order for there to be a winner.

Ring Crew Express vs. Carnage Crew

The ‘We’re not gonna take it anymore tour 2004’ hits St Paul. Punk refers to the Ring Crew as “God’s special little children”. Loc schools Marcos to start, using some pretty good mat work. Loc and Marcos trade arm drags and hip tosses as Punk gets the names of the RCE mixed up and says all these Special K members have funny names. How can you not love Punk? Duelling dropkicks leaves us at a stand off. Marcos slaps Loc because they’re not gonna take it anymore, but that gets him killed with a lariat from Loc. Devito tags in and in comes Dunn. Devito pounds on Dunn but gets arm dragged. Devito fights back with jabs and hits Dunn with a dropkick. Devito hits some crossfaces on Dunn. Devito whips Dunn into the corner. Devito charges in but gets head scissored to the outside. In comes Loc but he gets hit with a series of kicks from the RCE. Carnage Crew run away from the Stage Dive, so RCE opt to play air guitar instead. The Crew aren’t happy with this, so they come in and hit them with vicious suplexes. Carnage Crew then hits the Carnageplex on Dunn for two. Dunn fights back with chops but gets hit with a facebuster/swinging neckbreaker combo from Loc. Dunn hits Devito with a Gory Bomb and he gets the hot tag to Marcos. Marcos in and hits a shining enzuguri on Loc and a swinging DDT on Devito. RCE then hit the Electric Chair/Seton combo on Loc for two. RCE hit the double team Sliced Bread #2, which Punk dubs “Every Rose Has a Thorn”. Loc hits Marcos with a military press into a sidewalk slam for two. Dunn tries the swinging DDT again, but Devito learned from last time and northern lights suplexes Dunn into the corner. They hit the Carnage Driver on Marcos for the 3. **. Boy was that a sick finish. Much better than what I expected. (8.17).

Good Times, Great Memories

Colt Cabana has an opening monologue and informs us that the Locker Room Scoops at rohwrestling.com have become the Newswire and we just log on and we find out Allision Danger had her period today. “Allision got coloured the hard way and we all got to know”. Cabana moves onto the tag division and informs of the arrival of the Havana Pitbulls. Cabana talks about banging their mother’s while smoking Cubans. This brings in the Pitbulls and they’re pissed. Colt makes them his guests and the Pitbulls inform us that they’re here for the money and to get to the top. Colt then brings in Becky Bayliss and she doesn’t know where Special K is. Colt his impressed by Becky’s use of the word flabbergasted, so Colt tricks her into doing the touching the elbows behind the back trick. Colt then gets her to do jumping jacks. Great show as usual.

John Walters vs. Justin Credible

Justin is still over from ECW. They lock up and Walters works Credible’s arm. Credible stalls which pisses me off. They lock up again and Walters goes back to the arm. Credible stalls again. Walters hits Credible with a blockbuster for 2. Walters goes back to the arm. Credible gets whipped into the corner Flair style and gets knocked off the apron into the rail. Walters to the outside and gets hit with a drop toe hold into the rail. Credible then whips Walters into the rail. Back inside and Credible hits a stalling vertical suplex and goes to the chinlock. Walters fights out but gets back dropped and gets locked into the chin lock again. Walters fights out and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Walters knocks Credible down with a pair of lariats and goes up top ad hits a missile dropkick for 2. Walters blocks a weak superkick from Credible and locks in a Muta Lock. Walters goes back up top and misses a splash. Credible now goes up top and gets his crossbody rolled through for two. Credible hits the superkick for two. Credible tries for That’s Incredible but Walters slips out and hits the Double Knees Neckbreaker (I love that move) for the 3. *1/2. Not much here, but it’s Credible ’04 so what can ya do? (8.52).

Six-Man Mayhem: Alex Shelley vs. Jack Evans vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Jimmy Rave vs. Danny Daniels vs. Masada

Evans makes sure to tell us that he’s the greatest mother f*cker we’ve ever seen and he serves all the men in the ring. Six-Man Mayhem has the same rules as Tag Team Scramble where no tags are necessary. Rave and Shelley start with Shelley working the arm of Rave. Shelley tags in Jacobs. HUSS. Rave tags in Daniels. They go with the basic headlock take overs, which ends with Daniels hit a spinning gut buster and senton for 2. Jacobs is pissed does smacks his head off the turnbuckle Samoan style, but Daniels simply ends that with a poke to the eye. Jacobs avoids Daniels and hits a middle rope hurricanrana. Jacobs hits a dropkick which takes Daniels to the outside which brings Masada in. Jacobs goes to dive but Masada hits a lariat. Masada with a huge big swing and Evans head Jacobs in the head with a dropkick mid-swing. Evans hits Masada with a dropsault after many reversals from each other and then a neckbreaker across the knee from Masada. Masada goes to dive but Shelley cuts him off Low-Ki style. Shelley comes in and blocks a rope walk rana from Masada by crotching him. Rave in and hits Shelley with chops but he gets stopped by a hard neckbreaker. Rave then hits a STO backbreaker and then locks in a grounded octopus. Jacobs locks in a Camel Clutch on Daniels and Evans locks in an arm lock on Masada. Rave whips Evans into the corner and Jacobs hits him with a clothesline, Rave hits a shoulder block, Shelley hits double knees, Daniels hits a forearm. Masada comes charging but Evans moves, so we do the same but Daniels hits a dropkick. Double onto Rave and Daniels and from Shelley and Jacobs. Evans springs in with a double dropkick. He charges at Shelley but gets killed with a spinebuster and then a hooked stunner. Masada comes in and hits Shelley with a fishermans buster across the knee for 2. Rave in and tries his tilt-a-whirl crossface, but Masada is too big so he hits a Shining Wizard for 2. Jacobs in and hits Sliced Bread #2 on Rave and then crotches Evans up top and hits a reverse DDT. Daniels in and kills Jacobs with a Rubix Cube for 2. Evans in and hits Daniels with a spin kick, Hayabusa style and then hits a springboard Phoenix Splash to the outside. Shelley in and locks the fallen Jacobs in the Border City Stretch for the win. ***1/2. Great fast paced spotfest. The finish adds an interesting story as Shelley made his partner tap who is going to be his partner the next night in the Tag Team Scramble match. (11.04)

Colt Cabana vs. BJ Whitmer

Steamboat is special referee here and he gets a huge ovation. Cabana brings a Cabbage Patch Kid to the ring. He calls it Little Cabana, mocking Steamboat. Punk cuts a promo running down the crowd, Steamboat, Daniels, The Prophecy and his opponent tonight Bryan Danielson.

Code of Honor is waved here. As the match is starting, Punk trips up Steamboat and kicks his ass, taking him out of the equation. No Maff tonight btw. Cabana and Whitmer trade slaps as Punk returns to announcing. Whitmer gets taken down with a head scissors from Cabana. Cabana’s gloating costs him as he calf kicked to the outside. They trade pinfalls back in the ring. Cabana charges at Whitmer but gets taken to the outside. They whip each other into the rail before going to the crowd. They whip each other into chairs, taking out sections of the crowd. They get back into the ring after being on the outside for a while. Cabana tries his Tornado Suplex but gets reversed into a Russian Leg Sweep for 2. Whitmer blocks the Colt 45 but gets hit with a backdrop driver for 2. Cabana pulls down the knee pads and charges at Whitmer in the corner but takes a sick belly to belly overhead into the corner. Cabana fights off the Wrist-Clutch Exploder and goes up top. Whitmer follows up top and hits the Wrist-Clutch Exploder off the top for 3. **1/2. It was a fun match but too much brawling in the crowd stopped me from going any higher. (11.35).

Delirious vs. Matt Sydal

They start by countering each other on the mat. Punk arrives to the announcing position once again. Delirious fakes an arm injury and hits Sydal with a lariat and then a rana. That was odd. Sydal takes Delirious down with a headlock take over and then hits a lariat and a dropkick. Punk once again leaves the announcing position. They argue over who’s going to run the ropes, so Delirious ends up doing and roles Sydal up for two. Sydal hits Delirious with a spin kick and then a big monkey flip as Punk returns once again. Delirious takes Sydal down and locks up the arm. While the arm is still locked up, Delirious face washes Sydal. Cool stuff. Sydal takes Delirious over with a head scissors and hits a version of a reverse DDT. Sydal lands on his feet off a SSP attempt, but gets hit with a powerbomb into a side facebuster for 2. Delirious goes up top but gets caught with a flip belly to belly suplex for 3. **1/2. Both are capable of much more as they basically just went through the motions. (6.24).

The Briscoes vs. Havana Pitbulls

This is not for the Briscoe’s Tag Titles. The Briscoes were the best tag team in North America. The reason why I say were is because nobody knows when they’ll be back after Mark’s motorcycle accident. Hopefully he can get better soon. I have a love-hate relationship with the Pitbulls. I like Romero’s work, as I love wrestlers who combine stiff strikes with submissions, but Reyes pisses me off sometimes. No matter what, this proves for an interesting match.

Romero starts with Mark and they trade arm and leg locks and it ends with Romero trying the juji-gatame but Jay gets into the ropes. Jay and Reyes tag in and do the same but with Reyes trying the heel hook, but as with the previous sequence, Jay quickly gets into the ropes. Romero tags in and hits a lightning stiff kick to Mark’s leg after backing him into the ropes. Jay and Reyes tag in and Jay peppers Reyes with stiff forearms and hits a calf kick to send Reyes to the outside. Jay takes over with a snap suplex on Reyes and tags into Mark. Mark hits Reyes with a charging clothesline in the corner and Jay hits a charging forearm. The Pitbulls try to take over with cheap tactics, but jay hits Romero with a Yakuza Kick. The Pitbulls regroup on the outside and spit on the Briscoes. Jay and Reyes trade stiff forearms and Mark and Romero brawl on the outside. The Pitbulls take over and Romero tags in and hits a knee drop for two on Jay. Mark blind tags in and connects a springboard knee to Romero. The Briscoes hit a double team running face wash. Mark hits a Northern Lights Suplex for 2. Mark tags in Jay and they hit Romero with a knee/dropkick combo for two. Jay tags Mark back in and the Pitbulls take over with cheap tactics. Romero hits Mark with a rush of stiff kicks for two. Mark is able to fight back and hit Romero with a Fishermans Buster and he tags in Jay. Jay superkicks Romero down but gets taken down from behind by Reyes. The Pitbulls try to double team but Jay hits Romero with a Yakuza Kick and Reyes with a backdrop driver. The Briscoes hit a backbreaker/leg drop double team for 2. Mark gets back dropped over the top rope and the Pitbulls hit Jay with a backbreaker/knee drop double team for 2. Mark is back up and hits a springboard dropkick and urinage suplex for 2. The Briscoes try the Doomsday Device, but Romero pulls Mark off the apron and the Pitbulls hit their high knee/lariat combo for 2. Mark takes out Romero and they hit a Spike Jay Driller on Reyes for the 3. ***1/4. Good match but they forgot about the tags at the end and that hurt the match a bit. (18.23).

“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. CM Punk

“I Must Break You” – Danielson’s shirt. Awesome. Steamboat is out and says that he was paid at officiate a match tonight, so he’s going to referee this match if everyone agrees. He asks the crowd, Danielson and the original referee for the match and they all agree. Did he forget anyone?

Both men start off by playing to the crowd to see who the fan favourite is and it’s Dragon. They finally lock up about 2 mins in and Punk gives Danielson a cheap shit and bails. Crowd gets going with some “Olay Olay” chants and Lovey explains that it is because of Punk’s early days of wrestling but doesn’t tell us how these chants came about, so I’ll have to take his word for it. The match remains methodical with both men locking up and Steamboat and Punk getting into confrontations. Around 6 mins in Danielson starts to work over Punk’s arm and shoulder. A couple minutes later he switches is focus to the abdomen of Punk after getting his knees up from a slip legged moonsault attempt from Punk. He stretches Punk in all sorts of different ways and making them look very painful. Danielson tries to lock in an abdominal stretch but Punk continues to spin out and backdrops Danielson over the ropes. It took about 14 mins for Punk to get his first real offensive manoeuvre but the match has still been kept interesting. The match progresses with Punk working Danielson’s back and Danielson’s offence is cut off by pokes to the eyes and other shady tactics. Danielson is able to come back, turning a cannonball to the back from Punk to a low blow. Danielson hits some signature offence with his European Uppercut off the middle rope and the Aeroplane Spin. With comedic selling, Dragon goes up top but misses the flying headbutt. Danielson tries for Cattle Mutilation but Punk reverses with an Ace Crusher type move and then hits a shining wizard for 2. He goes up top and tries to finish Danielson off with the Pepsi Plunge but Danielson is able to fight off and hit a superplex. After trading a few strikes, Punk is able to lock in the Devils Lock, but Danielson’s leg slips out, so Punk settles for a half crab. After Danielson makes the ropes, Punk goes up top but gets caught right in the gut with a dropkick from Danielson. That looked painful. Danielson hits a Dragon Suplex for 2. He then locks Punk in an abdominal stretch and grounds him. He twists and stretches and is able to make Punk tap. ****. Normally an abdominal stretch as a finish seems weak, but Danielson made it look painful, just like any other hold. This was a heel/face match that you don’t usually see in ROH and was very methodical. It would’ve gotten a better rating if Punk didn’t forget about selling the ribs in parts of the match. (26.09)

Post-match Punk gets in Steamboat’s face and in comes Cabana. Steamboat obviously doesn’t hear the “Look behind you” chants and gets his ass kicked. He tries several comebacks, but the numbers game is too big. The Briscoes run in to make the save. You know this Punk/Steamboat situation isn’t over.

ROH World Title: Samoa Joe vs. Homicide

This is number 4 of the 6 matches these two have had in their feud. Homicide defeated Joe way back in 2002. At Scramble Madness, in the old ROH (Ki, Styles, Homicide, London and others) vs. Prophecy (Daniels, Joe, Xavier and Morgan) feud, Homicide defeated Joe with a roll up in a great 10 min match. We fast forward to 2003 at Do or Die and Joe’s ROH World Title is on the line. If not for Ki and Julius Smokes arguing at ring side, Homicide had the match won. Joe put Homicide away in that match with a top rope Muscle Buster. At Empire State Showdown, in a No DQ non-title match, Homicide defeated Joe by choking him out with a noose. So Homicide is 2-1 up, but his wins were non-title, can he realise his dream tonight?

Homicide is pissed that Joe gets the streamer treatment. They try for STF’s, but neither man can get an advantage. Homicide bails to the outside and throws a chair into the ring. Homicide goes after the fans but stops. Back in the ring, Homicide tries to cover up, but Joe hits him with some crossfaces and rakes his eyes. Joe locks in an awesome submission hold but Homicide won’t give it up. They get into a slap fest and Homicide comes out hitting chops and slaps, but makes the fatal mistake of headbutting Joe and gets booted down. Homicide once again tries to headbutt Joe but it doesn’t work again. That’s one of the problems Homicide had and continued to have in this feud, he was too stubborn. Homicide charges at Joe but gets hit with the STO Slam. Homicide bails and Joe hits an Elbow Suicida. Backbreaker from Joe back in the ring and then locks in a Boston Crab. Joe then scoops up the legs to add leverage, but Homicide is able to kick away. Joe with the face wash to the crowds pleasure. Homicide is able to hit a knee to the head and then a neckbreaker for 2. Piledriver gets 2 for Homicide. Joe takes some pretty sick bumps for a man his size. Homicide tries to choke Joe out with a Dragon Sleeper but Joe is able to make the ropes. Homicide is able to slip out of an Island Driver attempt and hit an enzuguri. To the outside and Homicide hits the Tope Con Hilo. Both men recover on the outside and Joe is able to hit Homicide with 2 Olay Olay kicks. Back inside and Homicide is able to take over with a diving swinging DDT for 2. Homicide tries again but gets suplexed into the corner. Homicide gets nailed with a powerbomb, but is able to sneak out of the STF. Joe hits a Dragon Screw and then goes into the STF. The ropes save Homicide this time as he is unable to escape. Homicide ducks a lariat and hits an Ace Crusher and Joe pops up so Homicide nails a lariat for 2. Joe blocks another lariat and hits Homicide with a bunch flurry of knees to the face. Homicide is able to roll up Joe for the closet thing to a 3 count that you’re ever going to see. Homicide is happy as he thought it was a 3 and decks the referee. The lights go out and Homicide Fire Balls Joe. That was the single best Fire Ball ever. It was just pitch black and then you see Joe getting fire balled. Homicide laughs at this and continues to lay out referees. The match ends in a DQ ending. ****. Great match and the DQ ending doesn’t detract from the match as it started Homicide’s heel turn and added to the feud even more. (19.51).

POST MATCH the locker room stops Homicide from getting back into the ring at Joe, so Punk and Cabana see this as an opportunity to attack the Briscoes. Mark escapes and hits a perfect SSP to the floor. Cabana with a Quebrada, which is as pretty as usual. Dunn and Marcos hit the Stage Dive. Devito hits a Moonsault off the top (!?). Now Evans is up and hits a beautiful Corkscrew Moonsault. Steamboat is out and chops and arm drags Punk, sending him to the outside. Homicide is tearing up the backstage area, so all promos are cancelled.