Rasslin Roundtable: ROH All Star Extravaganza III Detroit MI 3/30 and Supercard of Honor II Detroit, MI 3/31
Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of A Modest Response here.
All Star Extravaganza III
Eight Man All Star Dragon Gate Rules Match
Austin Aries, Delirious, Rocky Romero, & Claudio Castagnoli
vs.
CIMA, Susumu Yokosuka, Dragon Kid, & Ryo Saito
Pulse Glazer: ROH has posted a great scouting report on the Dragon Gate guys here so go on and check that out. I think this match has the potential to be amazing, depending largely on what Romero is willing to do to keep up. Delirious has looked great in this type of match in both ROH and Chikara and Claudio is the preeminent launching pad in all of pro wrestling at this point. No heavy works luchadores better. Check his matches with Quackenbush from Chikara for proof. Austin Aries is just a fabulous wrestler and Dragon Gate vet. This should be great, but since I have ROH wining most of the undercard Dragon Gate encounters, this one is almost sure to go to the Dragon Gate regulars, although it will lead to Claudio being booked in DG.
Winners-CIMA, Yokosuka, Dragon Kid(!) and Saito
Eric Szulczewski: The key here is if the ROH guys can adapt to the DG rules aspect of the match. It’s going to be tough for them to overcome. CIMA will be the critical factor in this match. I also see a bit of “not being able to work together” going on with the ROH crew, enough to cost them the match. Are we going to see a new feud come out of this match? If so, let it be Aries/Claudio. They’d work so well together that it might elevate them both to main-event stalwarts.
Winners – the Dragon Gate crew
BigAndyMac: I already spoke at length about this match in My column. This could easily be the best match of the entire weekend. This will also most likely wind up being the rubber match in the RoH vs. Dragon Gate series. I think the RoH boys get the win here for coming up short against Dragon Gate in most of the other encounters.
Winners- Austin Aries, Rocky Romero, Claudio Castagnoli, and Delirious
Shawn M. Smith: The Dragon Gate Guys aren’t going to lose this one. It’s their rules, dude, their match. As much as I love “Team Personally Crazy Rott-MoneyDude/WWE Fired Guy,” there is no way that Dragon Kid comes to the US to LOSE!
Winner- Team Dragon Gate
Kace: The Japanese guys win…just because…
Winners- CIMA, Susumu Yokosuka, Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito
World Tag Team Title Match
Naruki Doi & Shingo defend vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe
Pulse Glazer: Since the Briscoes were shocked by Doi and Shingo this has been a must see match. I’d generally expect Doi and Shingo to successfully defend the belts, just to be able to have some sort of reign, but since they won’t be wrestling together the second night, I don’t see ROH allowing there to be no ROH title defended (The FIP belt will be defended) on the second night. This nearly stole the UK Fifth Year Festival shows and should do the same here.
Winner- Jay and Mark
Eric Szulczewski: I love the Briscoes. They’ve got everything going for them. That being said, I don’t know if there’s going to be a title switch. That tag match on the second night is going to kick fifteen major kinds of ass anyway. Making it for the title, though, might drive it into MOTYC territory. You know what? Why not?
Winners and New Champions – The Briscoes
BigAndyMac: Most people seem to think that this will be the beginning of the Briscoes dominance of the tag team division. I think that just the opposite will happen and Doi and Shingo will making the shocking title retention.
Winners (and still champions)- Shingo and Naruki Doi
Shawn M. Smith: This is crazy. How do the Briscoes finally get the titles only to lose them right away? Even Sydal/Daniels got some defenses, hell, Rinauro/Mamaluke got title defenses. I love Shingo’s mullet, so Mullet takes it.
Winner – Doi & Shingo
Kace: I like the Briscoes from what I’ve seen of ’em online. I’ll go with them if for no other reason than the hope that ROH decides to keep at least 1 of their Championships home.
Winner- The Briscoes
Former Partners Collide
Roderick Strong vs. Jack Evans
Pulse Glazer: This was arguably the best match in FIP history when it happened and Roderick put over Evans huge in our interview. That interview was right before Strong turned on Austin Aries, his former Generation Next leader and began the No Remorse Corps. This will be a coming out party for Roderick’s new heel character as the crowd will need to take note at the lack of chops and backbreakers teased, but not used. I’d predict a Strong victory, but I think the win does more for Evans who seems like the junior member of this feud. The FIP title not being on the line furthers my thought on the winner.
Winner- Jack Evans
Eric Szulczewski: A classic case of “who needs the win more?” At this point, Roddy’s so close to the main event that his position is pretty fragile. A win here might be the last boost he needs. Evans will stay over regardless of the result.
Winner – Roderick Strong
BigAndyMac: This is my pick for the best match of the night, if you read My column Then you would know my thoughts. I think Roderick Strong will lose to Evans here to set up an FIP title shot further down the road.
Winner- Jack Evans
Shawn M. Smith: This match is going to steal the show. MOTN…MOTYC for sure. Jack Evans is Plastic Man. Roderick Strong is my favorite ROH wrestler not named Davey Richards. Strong takes this after making Jack’s chest bleed and bending him into some God-awful positions.
Winner – Roderick Strong
Kace: Should be a fun match for the audience.
Winner- Roderick Strong
ROH vs. Dragon Gate
Davey Richards vs. Masaaki Mochizuki
Pulse Glazer: Heavy strikers collide here. Davey is being heavily pushed and likely should win here, but the NRC have not had a good record so far. That will change, but not until Night 2
Winner- Mochizuki
Eric Szulczewski: I don’t pretend to know jack about Mochizuki. However, if they’re going to give the eight-man to the DG guys, it’s only fair to give this one to Richards, who also needs the win for elevation purposes. It won’t mean much in the eyes of ROH fans, but it still helps.
Winner – Davey Richards
BigAndyMac: Masaaki Mochizuki has a strike heavy offense which will match up nicely against Davey Richards. Richards will get the win here and continue his push related to the No Remorse Corps.
Winner- Davey Richards
Shawn M. Smith: Davey is the man being groomed as ROH’s Star of Tomorrow. After a stint as KENTA’s protege, do you think he loses a match this big?
Yup, me too.
Winner – Mochizuki (only because KENTA will be back for the next Manhattan show, and I bet he expresses some concern)
Kace: I’ll go with the Japanese guy…just because…
Winner- Masaaki Mochizuki
Special Attraction
Christopher Daniels vs. Homicide
Pulse Glazer: Daniels and Homicide, for two guys in ROH for so long, have had surprisingly little contact with each other over the years. Daniels is over no matter what and it seems like Homicide is being protected since he lost the belt so that he can give a rub when the time is right and have it matter. This should be good, but slow. I really prefer both as heels. This match will likely showcase why. It will also showcase how much TNA is holding both back. Stay tuned.
Winner- Homicide
Eric Szulczewski: Pardon me while I wipe the drool off my chin and curse Jeff Jarrett for not giving this to us on free TV (of course, it’d need PPV time). Homicide, ROH Variant, has been spinning his wheels a bit since dropping the title. Daniels gets a make-up on Night Two when he teams up with Sydal to go against the Briscoes. It’s just strange to think that in ROH, this is a pure Respect Match, while in TNA it’s heel versus heel.
Winner – Homicide
BigAndyMac: This will be an awesome match. They have had great chemistry in TNA and their RoH encounters have also been good. I expect Homicide to get the win here, as he will most likely build towards a rematch with Morishima for the title at some point down the line.
Winner- The Notorious 187 Homicide
Shawn M. Smith: A meeting of Ring of Honor legends. Hard to believe that I have never really seen these two in the same ring, even when I have seen a buttload of ROH DVDs and shows. I want to cheer for Daniels, but I have to believe that Homicide takes this with a Cop Killa.
Winner – Homicide
Kace: *drools*
Winner- Homicide
Anything Goes Mixed Tag Team Match
BJ Whitmer & Daizee Haze vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Lacey
Pulse Glazer: These teams have almost killed each other in nearly every conceivable situation. The win here will go to a female competitor so as to keep both men strong for their feud concluding cage match the next day. The winner will likely be Daizee who has to get something back from Lacey.
Winners- BJ and Daizee
Eric Szulczewski: Whitmer’s been jobbing like crazy lately for some reason. I hope it’s Gabe’s idea of a Negative Push and not something we don’t know about, since he’s a great performer. However, Jacobs is on the cusp of greatness and Lacey draws heat like no other valet in ROH. I don’t see them losing this. BJ, though, will get a phenomenal pop when he bitch-slaps Lacey.
Winners – Emo and Whore
BigAndyMac: These matches are alwasy crazy and violent. I think that this is the arena where Daizee Haze will get her comeuppance against Lacey and she will pin the Lovely One. Jacobs and Whitmer will also get stupid violent.
Winners- BJ Whitmer and Daizee Haze
Shawn M. Smith: Daizee has a score to settle with Lacey after she received that nasty concussion. This is the biggest weekend in ROH history. Jimmy will find a way to steal this win to set up the match on Night Two.
Winner – Jacobs and Lacey
Kace: If I have to pick a winner, I’ll go with Whitmer, ’cause really who doesn’t like a good BJ?
Winners- BJ Whitmer & Daizee Haze
Four Corner Survival
Matt Sydal vs. Colt Cabana vs. Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney vs. Adam Pearce with Shane Hagadorn
Pulse Glazer: This will be a fun, hot opener. Cabana’s antics will be fun and Sydal should manage some craziness. That will keep both men over, so neither needs the win. Pearce never really wins without Hagadorn’s help and with all the different men in the match, that won’t be enough. That leaves Hero who needs momentum, just having returned from Japan.
Winner- Chris Hero
Eric Szulczewski: Has anyone said that Pearce and Hagadorn are possibly the most obvious gay couple in US wrestling today? I want Hepple to watch them together, because I trust his gaydar and I want to verify this. That being said, there’s an obvious winner here, especially since this is in Detroit and not Chicago.
Winner – Chris Hero
BigAndyMac: Four corner survivals are always good fun. I think Hero will get a win here, as they are probably building him towards a title shot against Morishima at some point.
Winner- Chris Hero
Shawn M. Smith: My heart says that Eric S’s favorite wrestler (Colt Cabana) should take this one, but I see Sydal taking this with some sort of crazy, flippy disastrous move.
Winner – Matt Sydal
Kace: Colt wins, announces he’s leaving for WWE and becomes known as Shooter Sanchez.
Winner- Colt Cabana
Plus: Nigel McGuinness, Brent Albright, Pelle Primeau, YAMATO & more!!!
Pulse Glazer: If forced to guess, I’d say Nigel and Pelle vs. Yamato and Albright, since the card looks fairly full to this point. I really hope for Nigel and Yamato in the same ring.
BigAndyMac: These guys could all be a part of a second Four Corner Survival, but I think we could see Pelle get a match with any of these three. The least likely scenario is Albright vs. Nigel because they would have hyped that encounter.
Supercard of Honor II
Dragon Gate Rules Six Man Match Of The Year Rematch
CIMA, Shingo & Susumu Yokosuka vs. Dragon Kid, Ryo Saito & Masaaki Mochizuki
Pulse Glazer: This always has a chance to steal the show, although I am greatly saddened by the lack of Genki Horiguchi in this match. Dragon Kid’s team won last year. It’s time for CIMA to get the duke.
Winners- CIMA, Shingo, and Yokosuka
Eric Szulczewski: Who cares? This sucker’s going to be so great that the Adjective Pool is going to be drained. CIMA and Shingo are gods, though, and I can’t root against them.
Winners – CIMA, Shingo, and Yokosuka
BigAndyMac: Read My column to see my main thoughts. This time I pick CIMA scoring the pin and his team winning.
Winners- CIMA, Shingo, and Susumu Yokosuka
Shawn M. Smith: Yay! This will be another ridiculous match, but nothing can top the surprise we experienced last year. That match caught us by surprise, so the bar has been set pretty high. I think it will be the best match of THIS night, that’s for sure.
Winner – CIMA, Shingo & Susumu Yokosuka
Kace: I would pick the Japanese guys, but both teams pretty much have that…so…
Winners- Susumu Yokosuka Shingo & CIMA
FIP World Heavyweight Title Match
Roderick Strong defends vs. Austin Aries
Pulse Glazer: The title being on the line here disappoints me as it foreshadows a win by Strong. Since Strong makes the rules for these matches, I think that this will be No Holds Barred so as to let the NRC become involved. This is the night I see the NRC going all nWo and taking folks out. I’d prefer they held off a bit until LI, so this could steal this show, but as the feud’s first major match, I don’t think it’s supposed to.
Winner- Roderick Strong
Eric Szulczewski: Is it fair to say that I prefer seeing them tag together? Yes, it’s going to be great. These guys know each other well, and I expect there to be at least two extended move/counter sequences. But Strong needs that strap right now, and a win against his old partner will assist him to no end.
Winner – Roderick Strong
BigAndyMac: This may be the match the match that steals the show as two other matches on the card are expected to be mindblowing. This one will also be extremely impressive as the storyline behind this one is awesome and intense. Strong won’t drop the FIP belt to Aries here, he will either win with help from the newest member of the No Remorse Corps, or some other form of chicanery.
Winner (and still FIP Champion)-Roderick Strong
Shawn M. Smith: Wow, I love this feud. I was there in Manhattan when Rod turned his back on Aries (after Austin nearly broke his neck on a botched Asai moonsault) and I have never been happier to see tag partners break up. Not since Shawn Michaels superkicked Marty Jannetty through the barbershop window have I anticipated a match between two former tag partners more.
Winner – Roderick Strong
Kace: Like TNA, only better I’m thinking. And no Starr stuff, either.
Winner- Austin Aries
Steel Cage Match
BJ Whitmer w/Daizee Haze vs. Jimmy Jacobs w/Lacey
Pulse Glazer: I would love to see this close the show. This has been the best booked feud in ages, even for ROH, which is really saying something. I’m looking for an insane, weekend stealing classic with a ridiculous bump and a Jacobs win that will catapult him to main event status. I believe in love’s victory
Winner- Jimmy Jacobs
Eric Szulczewski: Anyone else think that Whitmer’s going to try to redefine the Muta Scale here? He’s going to bleed so much and so quick that Flair will think he’s overdoing it. However, as with the first night, Whitmer’s your designated jobber. There’s no stopping the Power Of Emo.
Winner – Jimmy Jacobs
BigAndyMac: BJ Whitmer w/Daizee Haze vs. Jimmy Jacobs w/Lacey
This match will be off the charts in terms of insanity. Who knows how they will end this feud. Jacobs has referred to this one as his Prom Night. Jacobs will get the win, but the big question is, will he get the girl. I can’t decide how I feel on this one. Match of the night and match of the weekend, regardless.
Winner- Jimmy Jacobs
Shawn M. Smith: Whitmer and Strong will be feuding over the ROH title this summer, so it makes sense for him to finish Jimmy off for good. On the biggest weekend in Whitmer’s career, he with Wrist Clutch Exploder Jimmy through three tables and onto something painful for the win and begin his ascent to awesome!
Winner – BJ Whitmer (who doesn’t wash after using the Men’s Room)
Kace: See above match involving these 4.
Winner- BJ Whitmer
Fifth Year Festival Rematch
Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe
Pulse Glazer: I see this being a title match and it being very fun. Jay and Mark, two of the stiffest workers around, will do bad things to little Matt Sydal. Since this is the NRC’s nWo night, I’d see the Briscoes wining with Sydal turning on Daniels to join the NRC.
Winners- Jay and Mark
Eric Szulczewski: This one will be for the tag titles that the Briscoes will win on the first night. It deserves to be. Daniels and Sydal make for a phenomenal tag team, and putting them up against the Briscoes is a major treat. I expect MOTYC here, and I hope that it gets more attention for that than the Daniels-Sydal/Aries-Strong tag match last year did (God knows I tried to pimp it). No tag title change, but, damn, this is going to be one helluva match.
Winners – the Briscoes
BigAndyMac: If Jay and Mark lose at All Star Extravaganza III like I predicted then they will not lose here. The match will be awesome to boot.
Winners- Jay and Mark Briscoe
Shawn M. Smith: Sadly, this won’t be a title match. Sydal will get destroyed, and Daniels won’t be getting a win on WrestleMania weekend.
Winner – The Briscoes
Kace: For the tag belts, with the Briscoes winning.
Winners- Jay & Mark Briscoe
Special Challenge Tag Team Match
Jack Evans & Naruki Doi vs. Davey Richards & the newest member of the No Remorse Corps
Pulse Glazer: The NRC owns this weekend as Jack and Aries realize they need to step up their efforts to stop Roderick. If forced to guess, I’d pick Romero as the NRC’s new member here, but since that’s my guess, it’s likely to be totally wrong.
Winners- Davey and ????
Eric Szulczewski: I have no idea who Richards will choose. However, when there’s a mystery partner, it usually means that the team will go over. Again, Evans can’t be hurt by losses right now, so let’s get the No Remorse Corps a little promotion with the win.
Winners – Richard and Mystery Partner
BigAndyMac: Rocky Romero seems a prime candidate to be the newest member of the NRC but it could truly be anyone. Richards and his new partner will debut in style and they will get the win here.
Winners: Davey Richards and ???
Shawn M. Smith:I have no idea who they are going to introduce to the No Remorse Corps, so this pick is difficult. If it’s someone rad, Davey wins. If they are just anyone off the ROH roster, this goes to Team Rubber Band Man.
Winner – Jack and Doi
Kace: The newest member turns out to be Nora Greenwald, just before she makes the jump and becomes Molly Holly again. What can I say, I miss her…
Winners- Davey Richards & Mystery Partner Person
Grudge Match
Homicide vs. Brent Albright
Pulse Glazer: This match won’t have a finish that we like. Both guys are being protected right now. Albright has more to gain with a win, but if Homicide beats him and this builds, Albright can get far more with a win later than a win now.
Winner- Homicide
Eric Szulczewski: Albright’s found himself again after his near-tragic stint with WWE. If the TNA/NWA split goes through, he’s already being named as one of the faves for the NWA title. But Homicide needs the win here. He’ll make Albright look really good in the process, though.
BigAndyMac: This match dates all the way back to the late fall of last year when Albright tried to take out Homicide for Danielson to soften him up for the impending title match. Homicide will get his revenge.
Winner- Homicide
Shawn M. Smith: Brent Albright has been playing his role as “hired gun,” perfectly. My feeling is that he takes this win and claims number one contendership this weekend.
Winner – Albright
Kace: Violence!!!
Winner- Brent Albright
Plus more with Rocky Romero, Delirious, Colt Cabana, YAMATO, Nigel McGuinness, Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney, Adam Pearce with Shane Hagadorn, Claudio Castagnoli, Pelle Primeau and more.
Pulse Glazer: I’d guess at least 2-3 guys on this list turn heel and join the NRC. Nigel would be an important, major shock, and I think he will join the NRC, but not until after he loses to Morishima in Edison next month.
BigAndyMac: I can’t even begin to predict how the rest of the card will play out.
A final note from your friendly ROH reviewer, Pulse Glazer: If you’re in Detroit and not seeing these shows, you’re making a mistake. Go see them!
