The Top 12 Breakout Talents on the Indies concludes with the Top 3 and 14 full, brand new match reviews. Enjoy.
3. Davey Richards – A former KENTA clone who then went heel and began aping Benoit and Dynamite, Davey Richards, a man with all the tools to work any style, has finally put it together as a heel. A fantastic seller, Davey’s stiff work and ever improving timing can’t help but leave him at the top of any future star list.
IWA-MS Ted Petty Invitational 2006: Davey Richards vs. Low Ki
This is from the second round of the 2006 TPI, a very prestigious indy tournament. This match got a lot of hype at the time, but has been overlooked in time because it went on right after a must-see Quackenbush vs. Claudio match.
The crowd is amped. Davey won several tournaments to this point and Ki was undefeated in IWA. The crowd is clapping Low Ki’s theme as the match starts.
They go at it on the mat early, and though Ki is underneath, he is in control. When they rise, Ki almost immediately gets a Judo takedown. Ki then gets up and runs the ropes, knocking Davey over. The feel out continues and Ki wins all the exchanges until a horsecollar out of nowhere into an STF by Davey. They’re fighting through every hold and it’s really impressive. Davey rides his success into a strike series and gets control!
Davey begins working over Ki, mixing strikes with holds to keep him grounded. Eventually Ki gets cranky and just kicks his way back intro control. He attacks Davey the same way Davey had attacked him, and Davey gets mad. Both men go strike war and Ki wins pretty easily, but now they’re trading control every few moments. Davey is working a lot like Ki, with a focus on the back. Davey ends up controlling this way for awhile, and it becomes a long workover on Ki, which is rare.
Cranky Low Ki breaks out all his big chops and, if his offense is tiered, is well into the second tier that softens for the finish. Davey is prepared and does a Ki-eque sweep, but that pisses Ki off and he goes with Kawada kicks. They go strike war and Ki wins with the capo-kick!
The match continues to be a war, with each man struggling to hit his big moves as Davey manages the Key Lock. Ki gets the ropes, but Davey goes for the kill with the shooting star. He gets knees in the gut for his trouble. Ki capitalizes with the ghetto stomp. Davey is done.
Ki defeats Davey Richards (Pin, Ghetto Stomp, ****)
Davey spent the match trying to out Ki Low Ki. It worked out mostly great for him, but he didn’t have the big moves to keep Ki down long enough to finish him. Ki did and a momentary advantage proved to be enough to get the big finish.
ROH Fifth Year Festival: Dayton: Davey Richards vs. Samoa Joe
This is during Joe’s farewell tour. Davey is newly heel and the young gun getting his one ROH shot at beating Joe on his way out the door.
Davey tries to work a leg immediately, but Joe shows he can handle it. Davey kicks his way free and tries to kick the leg of Joe into submission. This pisses off Joe who slaps Davey, so Davey kicks his head off with an enziguiri. Davey has been all business and come in with a plan.
Joe gets annoyed and strikes Davey who’s immediately nearly knocked out. Davey just gets smashed bad. Davey tries counters, but all his effort is for naught as Joe casually retains control with his usual offense. In a memorable spot, Joe kicks Davey in the back of the head as hard as he can.
Davey finally begins using his speed and gets a series of moves on Joe, from a springboard dropkick, a baseball slide, and a dive to the floor. Davey sets Joe in a chair and kicks him, but when he tries to throw him into the guardrail, it’s reversed and we go Ole Kicks.
Joe is slow getting in the ring, so Davey manages a tornado DDT onto the ring apron. Davey tries a Lyger Bomb for some reason, but gets it blocked. They fight over a move on the ropes and Davey gets a sunset bomb. Davey finally tries to use his speed and runs right into a powerslam. Joe goes into his combos and Davey is in trouble again.
Davey manages a handspring kick, which stuns Joe enough for a big German suplex. Davey tries again, but falls into the choke. Davey gets out and Joe goes back to it…and Davey won’t tap. Davey is desperate and goes with a low blow to get out of the move. Joe comes back for control, so Davey goes low again.
Davey hits a shooting star press for two and Richards isn’t happy. Davey tries another apron tornado DDT, but takes a muscle buster on the apron for three.
Samoa Joe defeats Davey Richards (Pin, Muscle Buster on the apron, *** ½)
Joe didn’t give Davey a lot here. Davey came in with a strategy that Joe proved too strong for and tried to improvise with everything he could. His speed worked until Joe adjusted and then Davey became desperate with the low blows. Even that wasn’t enough as Joe was just too strong for the rookie. I’ve rated this higher in the past and have no idea why.
ROH Fifth Year Festival: Finale: Davey Richards and Roderick Strong vs. Naruki Doi and SHINGO
Doi and Shingo are the tag champs, while Davey and Roderick have just formed the NRC.
Shingo and Davey go to war with hard hitting and showboating early. It’s absolutely awesome. Shingo wins the strikes. Doi and Strong have a far more Dragon Gate-esque
Doi ends up worked over and this is the awesome. Davey demands cheers, he’s still in overbearing heel mode at this point. He gets killed by the DG guys for not paying enough attention and they beat on him for a bit. Roderick gets in and the champs whup him too. The new team of Davey and Strong are trying, but are no match for how smooth and fluid the Dragon Gate team are early. They’d better figure something out soon.
Richards distracts the ref while Strong attacks Shingo on the floor and they have a workover on Shingo. Ah, good, old fashioned heeling it up. Shingo eventually takes both men out and makes the hot tag. Doi cleans house on Richards and Strong and nails Davey with an elbow suicida. Shingo is back in and has Strong on the defensive.
Strong traps Shingo up top and Roddy hits the superplex. Shingo no sells and goes with lariats! Big two count off of that. Shingo and Doi rock Roddy, but Davey saves. Doi and Richards go to war. Doi wins with his speed, but can only get two. Davey fights back and kicks the crap out of Doi. He and Strong attack, but Shingo saves. Doi goes to work on Davey and Shingo help. They cannot but away Davey, who has a lot of fight left in him, but handsprings in a series of big moves.
Strong finally saves and he and Davey have their way with Doi. They then attack Shingo. Their lack of focusing on one opponent, the way Doi and Shingo have Davey will cost them. The four men battle and Davey hits a DDT on the apron to Shingo then a shooting star onto Doi’s knees. F5 from Doi gets a huge near fall! Davey is showing huge toughness here.
Davey is caught again on the ropes and Doi hits a super-F5 and the match is over.
Doi and Shingo defeat Davey and Roderick (Pin, Super-F5, ****)
The ROH team, particularly Davey, showed huge toughness here, taking huge maneuvers and giving them back just as well. Davey and Roderick’s inexperience as a team cost them, however, as they failed to focus on one opponent. Davey was the recipient of all the big moves in this match, so the last kill move left him no escape. It’s also worth noting how much heat this had and how much of that was due to Davey’s early antics.
PWG European Vacation 2: England: Davey Richards and Super Dragon vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
Davey and SD are the young gun and vet former tag champions. Steen and Generico are the new champs seeing if they can face down what might be the best team in PWG history. Steen and Super Dragon also had an insane blood feud for a while in PWG.
Davey ends up worked over before SD ever gets in, but can fight back quite well and basically makes his own comeback by pretzeling Generico. Naturally Generico ends up worked over. SD gets him on the floor and destroys him, even doing a senton on a table. The workover moves to the ring and Generico continues to take a whooping.
Steen makes the hot tag and quickly disposes of Davey and SD. He then dives onto SD! And finally is kicking Davey’s ass again. Generico finally rises to aid Steen and takes out SD and himself. Super Dragon and Generico in the ring as Generico tries his speed, fails, and gets curb stomped. Steen is in for destruction, but misses the moonsault and SD destroys him. Everyone goes back and forth with huge moves until they are all down and we get the 10 count.
Generico is up first with Davey, who hits the floor. Generico dives onto him and the champs are in good shame. Generico does the roll through DDT on the floor to Super Dragon and Steen swantons Davey. Generico follows with a splash, but it’s only two. Steen takes out Davey, but the package piledriver is reversed and Davey and SD manage to regain momentum.
Steen sets up Davey, while Generico is down and he takes a sunset flip bomb and psycho driver, but Generico saves. He gets a psycho driver on the floor for his trouble and Davey nails a shooting star on Steen for the win.
Davey and Super Dragon defeat Steen and Generico (Pin, Shooting Star, **** ¼)
Great match with a good, standard tag formula. When they went overkill, it really worked as they built to that level well, and it didn’t last too long.
ROH Final Battle 2007: Davey Richards vs. Naomichi Marufuji
They immediately go on the mat and work at a high quality. Davey can hang, but Marufuji is better. Davey ducks from the ring. As he gets back in, Davey overpowers Marufuji into the corner and slaps him. Marufuji slaps back and they hit the ropes. They’re even on speed and stalemate out.
Marufuji, seeing a problem, attacks the leg. We have a medium length workover and Davey’s leg is destroyed. Davey comes back with awesome strikes and an STO, careful to only strike with his good leg while showing awesome selling, limping around. Davey takes control and sets Marufuji in a tree of woe, then does a running nut tap and dances around. Marufuji retaliates with a punch to the balls, showing he will not be showed up and making me crack up in the process.
Marufuji uses the nut shot to establish control. His speed is now greater than Davey’s and he uses that to initiate his offense. Marufuji tries to take him to the top, but is knocked off and eats a missile dropkick. They go to war with strikes and Marufuji’s speed again gets the advantage.
They end up on the apron and Marufuji hits the floor first. Davey hits a crazy dive and ends up in the third row in a sickly cool dive. As Davey limps in Marufuji nails a springboard dropkick into his head. Marufuji tries to use his speed again, but Davey is now ready (and his knee hasn’t been attacked in quite awhile), so he’s a step ahead. Marufuji tries to strike, and Davey is better at that, wins, and nails a high angle German suplex near fall. A kick and another get yet another nearfall and Davey locks in the kimura.
Marufuji escapes and desperately attempts the Shiranui to finish before the match gets away, but Davey counters into a tombstone and finally hits the Shiranui, escaping with the victory.
Marufuji defeats Davey Richards (Pin, Shiranui, **** ¼)
Marufuji spends a lot of his matches trying to one up his opponents. Davey here would simply not be one upped. Everything Marufuji brought, he had an answer to and it was by the thinnest of margins (Marufuji’s superior counterwrestling) that he escaped with the win.
Outlook: Davey will remain a major player in the ROH and PWG tag title pictures this year, while putting on better singles matches higher up the card. He’s still awaiting the uber-push he’s owed, but given his skill level, that’s a question of when, not if. He’s only so low on the list (for a talent like Davey, third is low) because I’m not sure this is the year he puts it all together. He really might be the next pure wrestling superstar.
2. Erick Stevens – The rare pure power man on the indies, Stevens started in FIP and rose to ROH fame. He’s been dominant everywhere, with a stiff power game and awesome selling, there’s no reason to think that his ascension will stop.
FIP Unfinished Business 2007: Erick Stevens vs. Steve Madison – This is the match that must be done to begin talking about Stevens as a threat, but, unfortunately, I don’t have it at the moment. Within the next two weeks I’ll have this review, but for now, I’ll say this of the match. Stevens walked into this a regional wrestler; put on, by all accounts, a classic, heated dog collar match. Shortly thereafter he was in ROH with a push and battling Strong for the Florida Heritage title. That’s what you call a breakout!
FIP Battle of the Belts: Roderick Strong vs. Erick Stevens
This is the finals of the Florida Heritage Title Tournament. Stevens is trained by Strong. In FIP, at this point, they’re both faces and rivals.
They start off on the mat before Roderick gets impatient and strikes the crap out of Stevens. Stevens tries to fight back, but it happens so fast he’s off guard and on the defensive. Strong controls a lot early. Beating on Stevens on the mat and with strikes. There’s a surprising lack of back work at first, then Strong throws Stevens back into the steel ring post . Strong fights back, throwing Strong’s back into the ring and using chops of his own. Stevens back is now weak though and he takes a supelx on the floor. Strong tries a dive, but Stevens catches him and slams his back.
Stevens and Strong are both using back work so far and while Strong can out chop and maybe out-wrestle Stevens, his power is just too much for Strong. Strong’s advantages allow him to control longer, but Stevens can dish out bigger punishment more quickly.
Strong gets annoyed at the back work, Stevens using his strategy against him, so he kicks Stevens in the head, hard. Stevens is back in control. Stevens eventually chops his way back into the match, surprisingly out-chopping Strong and using his power to inflict big damage. The power moves begin to come in combination and Strong is in trouble, but Stevens is nearly out of energy from his long beating.
Strong manages to get up and run over Stevens. Strong chops the tired Stevens to jelly and hits a huge superplex. Stevens is just barely kicking out now. Strong goes up top and hits a big elbow, but even that won’t finish. Strong slows a bit, figuring out how to attack Stevens, but he takes too long and Stevens chops him as both are on the middle rope. Strong still wins and gets the backbreaker on the turnbuckle. Strong is too hurt to pin quickly and that costs him a three. Strong hits the Gibson Driver, but even that isn’t enough! Stevens can barely move, but hasn’t lost.
Strong goes for a top rope Gibson Driver, but no, a top rope powerslam by Stevens and Strong gets out of that pin! Strong gets desparate and tries a roll up, taking a page from Joe vs. Punk 3, grabbing the tights, but all that does is light a fire under Stevens, who hits a huge German Suplex, a big lariat, and a Doctor Bomb to win the belt and tournament!
Stevens defeats Strong (Pin, Doctor Bomb, **** ¼)
Stevens took an awesome beating to set him up as a monster who can take anything. Strong, in FIP, had credibility to spare, and even he tried to cheat to beat the unbeatable monster. Stevens drew so much sympathy that his comebacks were awesome. This was an awesome war, less stiff than their ROH encounters, but slightly better than either as well.
ROH Motor City Madness 2007: Erick Stevens vs. Takeshi Morishima
Morishima was the World Champion at this point and Stevens won a big four way earlier in the night to earn this match.
Morishima and Stevens battle using their power and Morishima wins, but Stevens fights back and hits a big forearm to the floor on Morishima. He can’t keep control with power and Morishima beats on him, while Stevens sells like crazy. Occasional hope spots keep the match moving, but Stevens gets stiffed when they go on for a bit, though the Choo Choo on the floor is awesome. That’s his longest offensive sequence, but it ends when Morishima drops on his chest after a Doctor Bomb attempt. Stevens fights back with a TKO. A big German suplex and lariats aren’t enough, nor is the Doctor Bomb!
Stevens tries another German suplex, but Morishima falls on him, boots him… and the backdrop driver is countered. Stevens runs into a lariat. Backdrop driver and Morishima wins!
Morishima defeats Stevens (Pin, Backdrop Driver, *** ¾)
This was pure Morishima formula, raised up by Stevens awesome selling of the beating and beautiful timing of the power comebacks. This is where Stevens punched his ticket as a future star.
ROH Final Battle 2007: Erick Stevens vs. Roderick Strong
Strong is a heel here and this is for the FIP Title. Strong spits in Stevens face and out strikes him, but Stevens shows he can bounce Strong off him at well on a shoulder block. They work the mat, where no one has had an advantage thus far. That stalls out so Stevens goes right back to power and takes out Roderick. They go to a striking war and Strong takes a shortcut, attacking the eyes. Looks like Stevens is the better man, but Strong is willing to take shortcuts. Will they be enough?
They strike again and Strong boots Stevens’ face off to control. Strong sends Stevens to the floor and works his back over. Between the hurt back and big strikes, Stevens is in trouble two ways. Strong continually also tries for the countout win. Stevens selling is great. And that’s the match. Strong BEATS on Stevens bad with a few cool hope spots. The comebacks naturally are all about power and Strong has no answer for them, but Stevens is so worn down, he can usually cut him off before the finishing blow.
Eventually Strong hits a Gibson Driver on the steel ramp. Roderick gets in the ring and waits for his countout win, but Stevens eventually barely makes it in at 19. The beating on Stevens continues until he gets a release German suplex, a lariat, and Doctor Bomb to win the title!
Erick Stevens defeats Roderick Strong (Pin, Doctor Bomb, ****)
This was basically a particularly well done Hogan match. It has nothing really in common with the first, which is to say it’s impressive Stevens and Strong had two totally distinct **** matchups. Stevens selling carried this and the crowd chanted his name at his victory.
ROH Proving Ground: Erick Stevens vs. Austin Aries
This is for Stevens’ FIP Title. This is Stevens revenge for Aries breaking up the Resilience.
They begin with some technical wrestling, won by Aries handily. Aries shows the first of his veteran wiles, convincing Stevens to run to the ropes, then cold clocking him and taking the match back to the mat. Stevens is strong enough to overcome this and shoots Aries to the ropes, hitting the shoulder tackle and establishing a power advantage. Aries hits the floor to frustrate Stevens, taking his time out there.
Aries comes back in with a shoving match as he keeps trying to get in Stevens head. This leads to a Stevens chop and he goes for two more big strikes, but Aries moves, building momentum, and takes Stevens down with a shoulder block. Aries is thinking far ahead of Stevens in this match. Stevens tries to score one big move, but Aries has counters and ideas planned.
Aries again has control on the mat and Stevens, again, powers out. Aries now has a plan for that and gets control on Stevens. Stevens uses his power to again stop Aries control. They repeat it again and finally Aries heat period sticks.
That doesn’t last long and Aries runs into a powerslam and Stevens gets a short period of control, which he does with high impact moves. They begin countering each other at much greater frequency, neither man able to get anything going, with Aries counters matching Stevens power.
Aries eventually uses the top rope and goes after Stevens neck, setting up the Brainbuster and Horns of Aries. Aries slingshots onto Stevens neck that’s hanging out of the ring. Back in and Aries runs into a back drop. Stevens then grabs a bearhug. Everything Stevens does hurts the back. He then goes with a huge overhead belly-to-belly.
Stevens is in control with a sequence of big power moves. Aries gets desperate and rolls through a German suplex attempt, dumping Stevens to the floor. Aries follows with his heat seeking missile. Aries gets Stevens in and throws a ton of back elbows, but stops to taunt and so gets dropped to the floor. Stevens power is such than at any opportunity he asserts himself with it.
Stevens dives from the apron to tackle Aries. Stevens tries the Choo Choo on the floor, but is elevated into the crowd, where Aries dives on him from the top rope. Both men struggle to get back to the ring and are counted out. Stevens refuses to take a victory that way and restarts the match.
Aries attacks and immediately tries to finish. Stevens fights him off, but Aries is in full counter mode and a lariat becomes the crucifix bomb. Aries manages to hit the brainbuster, but the 450 hits knees as Stevens steps up his game! He hits a German, but Aries see’s the Choo Choo coming and nails another counter with the lariat. Aries tries the Horns, but Stevens with a huge counter now into a TKO!
They battle over the Doctor Bomb, trading elbows, but Aries takes out the legs and nails the kick, brainbuster… no… Stevens gets Aries up, but Aries knees him in the air to escape and it’s the Horns of Aries. Stevens fights out straight into the clubbing lariat! Stevens tries a Doctor Bomb again, but this time Aries hits a hurricanrana. Aries hits a roaring elbow, but Stevens turns with a lariat. Doctor Bomb hits and Aries is done!
Erick Stevens defeats Austin Aries (Pin, Doctor Bomb, **** ½)
And Stevens proves himself both kayfabe and non-kayfabe with a fantastic match. They did a ton of Aries veteran vs. Stevens rookie stuff, with Aries thinking so far ahead of Stevens that had an answer for literally everything Stevens tried. Of course, Stevens is the Resilience, so despite his beating, and due to his awesome power, he can withstand Aries stuff just enough to finish him off. Worth getting the DVD for this. Better than any Stevens vs. Strong match or Stevens vs. Danielson. Stevens is the Resilience.
ROH Transform: Erick Stevens vs. Bryan Danielson
This is for the FIP Title.
Danielson immediately grounds Stevens, who shows his power in his escapes. Stevens shows he can hang on the mat a bit, but Danielson is able to escape the chops he was trying to set up. This continues Danielson’s long running hatred of chops (see also Strong, Roderick and Shiozaki, Go).
They go on the mat and Stevens actually controls then runs Danielson over with a shoulder tackle. Stevens looks legit thus far against the Best in the World.
Danielson gets in the ring, attacks quickly and leaves. He’s trying to get in Stevens head, since Stevens is too on his game at the moment. Danielson goes with strikes and it works, making it appear that he has thrown Stevens off a bit. Danielson works over Stevens on the mat. Stevens tries to come back, but Danielson, having control, won’t relinquish it. Stevens selling in submission holds is freaking great.
Danielson makes the mistake of a chop and Stevens gets a big comeback with a ton more chops. Danielson is in trouble and has trouble derailing Stevens momentum, as his counters give him a moment’s control, but Stevens keeps fighting back. Danielson makes a big dive on Stevens. Stevens and Danielson fight to get back in the ring as Stevens slams Danielson into the guardrail. Stevens wins by countout!
He refuses to take the win and we’re back. He and Danielson go at it in the ring. Stevens shows his power, destroying Dragon and hitting the corner Choo Choo splash. Danielson gets a momentary advantage, but can’t get anything going. Stevens locks in the horsecollar on a leg of Danielson’s that is hurt (going into the match). Danielson gets the roles, but Stevens control looks complete.
Danielson grabs the Cattle Mutilation position, but it won’t work, so he hits a dragon suplex then locks the submission in. Danielson smashes with MMA elbows, but Stevens gets up and TKO’s out of it! Both men are down as the big Danielson move has put him back into the match.
Stevens tries to the Doctor Bomb, but he can’t hit it and Danielson gets the triangle choke. That doesn’t finish and Danielson attacks the arm. Stevens gets the ropes and Danielson finally has ‘til 5, late in the match. Danielson is now confident in control and grabs the small package, but that isn’t enough as Stevens is powerful enough to roll it into his own. They begin clubbing each other and Danielson ends up smashed by a combination into a Doctor Bomb for the finish.
Stevens defeats Danielson (Pin, Doctor Bomb, *** ¾)
The false finish and restart weren’t needed here as they really added nothing and it felt contrived. Beyond that, there was a good, if surprising story told. Stevens controlled more here than he often does, as riding his hot streak Danielson was trying to figure out a way he could derail Stevens momentum. Stevens had too much power and the Doctor Bomb is now absolutely a killer finisher.
Outlook: I can see Stevens dethroning Nigel. He’s near guaranteed another FIP title run as well. He’s continuing his feud with him and this is the type of blood feud that demands a face win. He’ll have a huge 2008 and beyond, but given he’s a power wrestler and kind of small, his success will remain in the indies. Still, it seems his immediate success is secured.
1. Tyler Black – The Age of the Falls nominal number two man, Tyler has exploded onto the scene in ROH, putting on memorable matches, breaking out far more than even those who followed his exploits in PWG and IWA-MS expected. Tyler will main event the sixth ROH PPV in a classic match and has several others to his credit already, while being immediately pushed to the moon, a rare feat in ROH. His very good AOTF promos put him above a close field ranked one through three.
PWG: All Star Weekend IV Night 1: Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs vs. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin
This is for the Machine Guns Zero-1 Junior Tag Titles and is a battle of major Midwestern teams. This is from late 2006 and is kiss to kill era Jacobs, so you know this is Do it for Her (DIFH), not yet Age of the Fall (AOTF).
Shelley starts with the man he came up in the business with, Jimmy Jacobs. They work on the mat and Jacobs somewhat surprisingly holds his own. Shelley wins the exchange and now it’s Tyler and Shelley.
Shelley wins chain wrestling again and tags in Sabin. Sabin and Black work on the mat and Sabin controls. Black manages to get Sabin to his corner and makes a tag. Sabin fights his way out, winning a slugfest with Jacobs. Jacobs gets up and they resume their beating, but Lacey grabs Sabin’s leg, allowing Jacobs to knock him out of the ring and score a plancha.
Jacobs and Black work over Sabin for a bit, until Sabin uses his speed to tag Shelley. Shelley’s comeback is stunted by Black’s speed, but the Guns teamwork keeps Shelley out of trouble. Black is worked over fluidly by Shelley first, then Sabin and finally, both. Tyler finally gets a desperation dropkick and the hot tag to Jacobs, who cleans house.
Shelley uses his mat skill to get Black in a compromising position and beats on him for a near fall. Lacey distracts Shelley and a missed dive allows a Tyler moonsault into a Jacobs senton for a near fall. Contra Code is hit on Shelley into several combinations for a near fall by Black. The torture rack senton combination is broken and Sabin and Shelley work as a unit. Ode to the Bulldogs with the stomp on the head lead to a DVD and Sliced Bread #2 for the MCMG win.
Shelley and Sabin defeat Jacobs and Black (Pin, Sliced Bread #2, *** ½)
This is about as good as it could be for heel vs. heel. Black and Jacobs showed emerging talent as a team, while MCMG are always world class. It’s amazing how much better Jacobs moved prior to his injury and how little presence Black had compared to now. The tools were there and DIFH almost rose to the level of Shelley and Sabin.
ROH Unscripted 3: Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries
In a show where the announced card is scrapped due to weather, Aries puts out an open challenge, answered by Black.
Tyler outbrawls Aries immediately with good intensity. Aries is stronger and uses that for a momentary advantage, but it doesn’t last. Every time Tyler falls into any kind of pattern, Aries is there with a series of big moves to put him down, but Tyler is still the one who ultimately regains control, this time by dropkicking Aries in the head of fthe top rope. Aries lands hard on his back and Tyler takes him out, attacking the back.
Aries continually tries to come back, while Black gets more and more desperate stopping him, even going with the old standby, the sleeper. Aries finally gets his big comeback with the stroke on yet another reversal. In a nice turn, Aries tries his predictable running dropkick and Tyler has learned, steps up and counters, regaining control momentarily, but taking too long on a charge himself and letting Aries hit his running dropkick.
They break down and battle on the mat, Aries going for the kick, but Tyler gets one instead. They fight over package buster and brain buster, then go to striking as neither succeeds. Tyler hits a pelle, but leaves himself open to the kick, brainbuster and 450 to finish.
Aries defeats Black (Pin, 450, *** ¾)
Black was just on here. He showed a good young buck story trying to take out the vet, whose experience led to counters that Black’s physical superiority was unable to match. Black came off looking like a young stud here who could hang with the main eventers. What was really impressive is that he was as talented as Aries without being as flashy. Aries still came off like a conquering hero and Tyler like a sniveling loser. That takes talent and skill.
ROH Final Battle 2007: Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs vs. The Briscoes
This begins a wild, sprinting brawl won by the Briscoes. Tyler ends up taking quite an early beatdown and is worked over. The Briscoes go for a springboard doomsday early, but Jacobs spears Jay out and Tyler dropkick’s a diving Mark.
Tyler steps up and works over Jay Briscoe since Jacobs is still hurt. Jacobs gets in and they go to work with double teams on Jay. Tyler consistently handles the majority of the workover here. I’d guess Jacobs has a concussion. Jay is able to escape Tyler and makes a hot tag. Mark gets in and he’s quickly taken out by the Age of the Fall. The Age has the Briscoes number solo, but as a team Jay and Mark are too much.
Jay goes for a top rope Jay Driller on Jacobs, but ends up taking a doomsday hurricanrana instead. The Age go with a senton into a burning hammer and the End Time is grabbed by Jacobs. Mark hops over Tyler, springboarding to a double stomp to make the save.
Jacobs is set for the Cutthroat driver and kneestomp combination, but Tyler breaks it up and causes a lot of damage. Tyler gets isolated for his trouble and takes a Doomsday device off the apron to the floor. Jacobs takes out Jay, but Mark gets the Cutthroat driver for two. Jacobs is dead and the AOTF title hopes are in shambles.
The Briscoes hit the Springboard Doomsday Device and Black makes the save out of nowhere, showing amazing resilience. Black on the floor powerbombs Jay into the guardrail. He interrupts a top rope Cutthroat driver and gets a top rope, super Contra Code. Tyler follows with a phoenix splash and the match is over!
Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs defeat Jay and Mark Briscoe (Pin, Phoenix Splash, ****)
The AOTF tailored everything they did to matching the Briscoes sprint style, which worked, mostly because Tyler was amazing in this match. He kept managing to be in the right place at the right time, breaking up the big pin, taking the crazy doomsday to the floor, and stopping the super Cutthroat driver. The Briscoes are tough, 99mph, beat you down southern badboys and Black matched them here blow for blow.
ROH Breakout: Tyler Black vs. Brlan Danielson
This is the last match to review. It’s 2am after Wrestlemania and I’m beat. The review will be in ROH Weekly on Friday, I promise.
ROH Take No Prisoners: Tyler Black vs. Nigel McGuinness
Immediately prior to the match Nigel sends Tyler into the guard rail, shoulder first, and spends the entire first portion of the match beating Tyler’s arm into mush. Tyler’s selling is great. Eventually Nigel takes him on the floor to beat on Tyler some more, but Tyler finally manages offense that leaves Nigel in the crowd.
Tyler goes for a huge dive, but Nigel was waiting with a chair and teed off. Nigel gets Tyler back in and Tyler barely escapes. The match is looking like an extended squash.
From here the match picked up in a huge way as Nigel tried everything he could from the Tower of London to the London Dungeon to the entire array of lariats (in order as a nice f-u to fans) to put Tyler down, but simply could not. As Nigel got more frustrated, Tyler began to step up his offense, even hitting the vaunted Small Package Driver for a near fall, but unfortunately whiffing on the Phoenix Splash. There were an absolute ton of near falls in this match, and while that won’t always work, it was absolutely perfect for the underdog. After a Jawbreaker Lariat escape, though, Tyler had nothing left and no way out of the London Dungeon.
Nigel McGuinness defeats Tyler Black (Submission, London Dungeon, **** ¼)
A strong early MOTYC, this one was all about Tyler arriving. He’s as tough as anyone and has the athleticism and skill to beat anyone. We were a Phoenix Splash from a new champion, and no one kicks out of the Jawbreaker lariat, yet Tyler did. Huge showing that made Tyler into, at worst, an upper carder and at best a star.
Outlook: At one point, pre-ROH, the entire indies were basically built around a phenomenal talent named AJ Styles. Tyler Black has that kind of earth shattering talent. That he mixes in a bit of a CM Punk-esque personality and look to this make him the best talent around. He can and will become more comfortable on the mic and if Stevens doesn’t, should dethrone Nigel. Either way a ROH title run seems inevitable, as does his leaving for greener pastures.
