Welcome to the review for Ring of Honor’s return to the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for Death Before Dishonor VI. The show was great and a title changed hands, so let’s get right to the review.
Match 1: Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Jigsaw and Ruckus with Julius Smokes
They start off fliptastically here, with Jigsaw outwrestling and flipping Mark and Ruckus doing the same to Jay. Jig and Ruckus then go dive on their opponents to emphasize the point that if the pace is all the way up and they can keep the Briscoes separated, they’re ahead of the curve.
The Briscoes decide this one-on-one stuff isn’t going to do it, so they just decide to decimate their opponents using double teams. Jigsaw and Ruckus try to keep up, but the brother’s from Deleware hit the Springboard Doomsday Device to finish.
The Briscoes defeat Ruckus and Jigsaw (Pin, Springboard Doomsaday Device, ** ½)
A very fun spotfest to open the card.
Larry Sweeney comes out to try and recruit the Briscoes post match. He celebrates their entire catalogue, after all. They ignore him and walk away as he tells them to think it over.
Chris Hero cuts a promo about no longer caring for the fans and being the Young Knockout Kid. He wants Delirious now because he’s embarrassed Del pinned him because of Albright at the last Hammerstein show.
Match 2: Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney and Eddie Edwards vs. Delirious
Del gets a short shine period, but the rest of the match is Hero trying his hardest to knock Delirious out. Del kicks out of the roaring elbow (why, if they’re building it up as a killer?) and hits the panic attack. He goes for shadows over hell, but Hero catches him with an awesome elbow on the way down. Another roaring elbow and we’re done.
Hero defeats Delirious (Pin, Roaring Elbow, **)
A good face-heel match, but if the elbow is to be killer, it really mustn’t be kicked out of at this point.
Match 3: Eddie Edwards with Chris Hero and Larry Sweeney vs. Roderick Strong
These two had a solid match that established how similar they are early, but with Roderick a step ahead consistently, especially with strikes. This works until Roderick strikes his way back into the match. Edwards, of his own skill, retakes control and works Roddy until he’s baited into an elbow war. They trade near-falls as the crowd gets into it, but Sweeney distracts the ref as Hero knocks out Strong. Edwards nails the quebrada and shockingly defeats Strong.
Eddie Edwards defeats Roderick Strong (Pin, Quebrada, ***)
Edwards can really go far if he develops a bit of a personality. This was a solid match that dragged in a crowd that wanted no part of it.
Match 4: NWA World title Match: Adam Pearce © with Larry Sweeney and Sara Del Rey vs. Brent Albright
Pearce puts over the leather strap version of the belt he has as the one held by Harley Race, Jack Brisco and Giant Baba.
The early portion of the match was fairly slow and built around toying with fans’ expectations of a bullshit finish, whether it be countout or disqualification. Albright got a really good face shine at the early part and Pearce’s first major ploy was to bite Albright until he bled, immediately making a DQ seem likely. After more of a beating, Pearce nearly won on a countout as he had Albright set up for a piledriver on the floor, but Albright reversed into a slingshot and Pearce hit the ring post, drawing blood.
Albright makes it in as the ref renews his count and it looks like the bad. finish will hit just then as Sweeney makes his way in to hit Albright with a chair and Pearce will be counted out even if Sweeney misses. Out of nowhere, Roderick emerged to boot Sweeney in the face with the kick and then roll Pearce in as the crowd exploded.
Albright tries to knee Pearce to oblivion and claim the title, but Pearce after being on the floor is a bit rested and reverses to the figure-four. Albright reaches the ropes and they trade near-falls and counters for the next few minutes until Albright tries to go up top. Pearce is ready and throws Albright through a table at ringside and it looks like we may get that countout finish after all.
Albright makes it in the ring at 9, but immediately walks into a piledriver. Albright barely escapes and hits a desperation half-nelson suplex. He’s too tired to cover, but after a bit, he gets up and hits another. Somehow, Pearce kicks out of that! They slowly rise, brawling all the way and Pearce goes to the eyes, but it doesn’t succeed as Albright hits five rolling German suplexes! Even that isn’t enough to win the prestigious title.
Albright goes up top, but is caught in another figure-four. He refuses to tap and both men exchange counters into the crowbar! Pearce taps! New champ!
Brent Albright defeats Adam Pearce (Submission, Crowbar, **** ½)
If this happened in WWE, everyone would anoint it match of the year immediately. The drama here was incredible. They went a touch overkill on near falls, but when rebuilding the prestige of the NWA title, that makes sense. Brent desperately trying to overcome every big of heel sneakiness and some damn fine wrestling by Pearce made for the single best match I’ve ever seen by either man.
Match 5: Austin Aries vs. Necro Butcher vs. Jimmy Jacobs
Necro and Jacobs came out together. Aries got a very short shine, but Jacobs and Necro were too much for him. Aries then managed to eliminate Necro for a bit more offense, but then Necro returns and with a chair. Aries is beaten with it and Necro tries to pin. Jacobs freaks out and calls Necro his soldier and states that Necro is only here for Jacobs. He wants Aries hurt, not beaten and wants Necro to blind Austin. Necro and Jacobs argue and shove. During this Aries gets up and hits Necro softly in the back with a chair. Eddie Guerrero style he acts like he’s still down and throws the chair to Jacobs. Necro gets mad, hits Jacobs with a chair and leaves. Aries rises with a devious smile, dropkicks Jacobs in the corner and hits the brainbuster and 450 to finish!
Aries defeats Jacobs and Necro (Pin, 450 on Aries, no rating)
This was some great angle advancement as Aries continues to prove far smarter than the confused and angry Jacobs. Jacobs was originally the spokesman for the Age of the Fall and saying he’s a leader is either the sign of a breakdown or him showing his true colors. This isn’t much of a match, but it leaves me quite curious about where Jacobs character is going.
Delirious opens the second half to ask Daizee out again. Rhett Titus appears and says she’s used goods. He has Daizee on his tights, Rick Rude style. Delirious beats on him until he runs away. Daizee then says no to Delirious’s date and gives him clichés for why they can’t date. This draws huge heat on Daizee and she gets “She’s a cocktease†chants as she walks away from a devastated Delirious.
Match 6: Go Shiozaki vs. Naomichi Marufugi
This was a simple exhibition style match that a segment of the audience will love, while others will find it rather… lacking. Go spends the match showing that physically he is Marufuji’s superior, whether it be strength or matt wrestling. He even can answer Marufuji’s speed. Go controls until an error allows Marufuji to work the neck in an innovative fashion. This slows Go down enough to make the match competitive.
Neither man can put the other away as the story builds. Go’s Orange Crush and Dragon Sleeper don’t keep Marufuji down, while an array of superkicks and even the shiranui don’t finish Go. Marufuji eventually gets desperate and breaks out his killer finisher, the Pole Shift (A Fisherman’s Michinoku Driver) which finishes.
Marufuji defeats Go Shiozaki (Pin, Pole Shift, *** ½)
This was a very good exhibition meant to show how far improved Go is from his time in the states. It showed that and more as Marufuji had to use the rare Pole Shift to finish.
Match 7: The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
The main story here is Generico being beaten on and finding ways to survive, while Steen is a monster who cleans house. He constantly has battles over who is the bigger jerk with Shelley and even wins most of those. This took awhile to get going, but became great when it finally clicked. Steen locked Sabin in the sharpshooter while Generico hit Shelley, who was trying to save, with the top rope Braibustah! Sabin was forced to tap!
Steen and Generico defeat Shelley and Sabin (Submission, Sabin to the Sharpshooter, ****)
This fell short of expectations, but was still great. Generico being destroyed by The Guns was awesome, as was his timing his attacks so as to limit his vulnerability. This was on the short side, but still a great match. The Guns have put over the top three teams in ROH already, showing a great flair for the dramatic and having great matches every time out.
Match 8: ROH World Title Match: Nigel McGuinness © vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black
The early part of the match was filled with guys getting quick advantages only for Nigel to tag himself in and wear them down. This worked out great for the champion until he found himself face-to-face with Bryan Danielson who beat him about pretty badly, including a dive into the audience. Danielson then locked in the Cattle Mutilation and MMA elbows, only for Claudio to foolishly break that up with a German Suplex. He attempts to eliminate Danielson for a bit, but Danielson eventually counters a Riccolla bomb into a small package. That gets three and Claudio is eliminated as the crowd chants for him to leave.
Claudio shakes Danielson hand, but then in a fit or rage hits the bicycle kick, a Riccolla bomb and even stomps a chair in his face as the troops try and stop the crazed Swiss wrestler. Claudio, judging by tonight’s reaction, is immediately one of the biggest heels in the company.
Nigel quickly lariated and pinned Danielson, leaving only Nigel and Tyler left.
Tyler threw everything in his arsenal at Nigel, who spent the entire portion of the match on the defensive. He gained control and near-falls several times, but Tyler, learning from Take No Prisoners, was ready. Tyler eventually went for the Phoenix Splash, but went splat on the mat. Nigel hit two vicious lariats and got the win.
Nigel McGuinness wins the four corner survival (**** ¼)
The crowd was so into Danielson and Tyler and so against Claudio and Nigel. Every move in the match played beautifully off of that and both Claudio and especially Nigel were pelted with garbage for their heelish ways.
Post-match Nigel says he’s beaten everyone, but Marufuji stands on the entrance ramp and stares him down. Those two have only ever had one match and it was won by Marufuji!
What a show. Top to bottom this is one of ROH’s best efforts to date as everything fit in, creating a card with great variety and a near-perfect flow. Get this show.
