Adam Pearce has left Ring of Honor. He was a solid hand and very good for live shows where, while not being in the best matches, his act got over with the crowd. At his early spot in the card that was his role: to keep the crowd alive without stealing the show. That said, he had to be regularly flown in and as NWA Champion doubtless had his price rise. There are local talents worth at least a shot who can likely accomplish many of the same things and even if they are not quite as good at their role will cost enough less to offset that slight quality drop (assuming there is one at all). I’ve enjoyed Pearce mostly as NWA Champion, particularly against Brent Albright and really wish the best for him. Let’s honor Adam, reviewing his very best ROH match and the rest of that show with it.
ROH Review: Death Before VI
Manhattan, NY
9/2/08
The show begins with a promo by Ring of Honor World Champion Nigel McGuinness about eliminating everyone in his elimination match with Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, and Tyler Black tonight since he’s “in it to win it.â€
Match 1: Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Ruckus and Jigsaw
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a spotfest! It starts fast and gets faster, with hard hitting, a great pace and good spots. This one keeps a hot crowd going, bringing them up to a frenzy, exactly its job. The Briscoes win with a Springboard Doomsday Device.
The Briscoe Brothers defeat Ruckus and Jigsaw (Pin, Springboard Doomsday Device, ** ½)
A perfectly acceptable spotfest at the perfect point on the show.
Larry Sweeney is out to tell us he celebrates the Briscoes whole catalogue in a fantastic line. He tries to give Jay and Mark his card, but they walk away. They should so join Sweet n’ Sour for beer money.
Chris Hero cuts a promo about being all about knocking people out. This feels really forced. He calls out Delirious and we’re on.
Match 2: Chris Hero vs. Delirious
Delirious plays the underdog role and Hero gives him a decent bit before regularly overpowering Delirious. The Hero strikes look good, but plenty of people on the roster’s look just as good or better, so I’m having trouble buying the knockout thing. Using the loaded pad is great for heat and adds another level, but given how good he is in PWG, IWA-MS and WXW as a normal wrestler, this feels tacked on and unnecessary.
Delirious offense as the match went on consisted entirely of his trademark offense. That was rather dull and they never succeeded in making me think he’d win before Hero elbowed his face off.
Hero defeats Delirious (Pin, Knockout Elbow, **)
If Del did more than cycle through his standard offense this would be more.
This leads straight into…
Match 3: Roderick Strong vs. Eddie Edwards
Straight wrestling done well. The crowd wasn’t in love with it to start, but a good simple build with Edwards trying to improve during the match and keep up with the established upper-card Roderick Strong slowly dragged the crowd into the match. Good selling and a smart use of moves helped draw the crowd in as well. Whenever Roderick’s skill threatened to overwhelm Edwards, Sweeney’s interference makes an appearance.
Edwards becomes a full threat on his own by the finish but Roderick is just a bit better when Hero integrates himself into the match with a big elbow. A quebrada later and Edwards scores the upset win.
Eddie Edwards defeats Roderick Strong (Pin, Quebrada, ***)
That was a really fun build and a good, smart match. I liked it more than I had any right to.
Sweeney calls out Pearce, who then cuts a promo about the belt he has being the one held by Harley Race, Jack Brisco, and Giant Baba. Well, and no offense to Adam, that’s one hell of a step down for the belt. Pearce mocks Albright who comes out to get the match on now.
Match 4: NWA World Title Match: Adam Pearce © vs. Brent Albright
The mat wrestling early is awesome in that it isn’t the usual exhibition stuff guys do. It’s filled with personality. Pearce shows that he has no interest in winning fairly, taking cheap shots to gain any advantage, while Albright is showing greater skill than Pearce, but has no shame in hitting him as hard as he an at every opportunity to put over the hate. Pearce, for all his weaknesses, is great at showing no positive qualities and making his advantages seem like either cheating or flukes to really put over a face. Biting Albright then spitting in the ref’s face was pretty goddamn awesome too.
Pearce’s early match control is pretty slow, but full of heelish goodness and Albright’s color really help add to the intensity of this. Albright is excellent at taking a beating and giving token “still has fight in him” hope spots so the crowd doesn’t get bored. Sweeey’s random interference and the Roderick save work out so perfectly in the match, changing gears and making it clear that interference from SnS will not be tolerated, nor will we get a screwjob. That realization actually fires up both Albright and the crowd as business picks up.
The crowd is in a frenzy for Albright’s big knees, so Pearce’s counter has to be big to keep them up and pointedly stop Albright’s momentum before the match ends. Well, this being an NWA title match, what better move to do that and play off history than the figure four? So much for the knee strikes, but even after this, the challenger won’t stay down.
Pearce begins to chain up the attacks of former big names- a back drop (Jumbo Tsuruta), a splash from the top (Superfly or, given NWA ties, Dusty), and an STF (Thesz and Chono)… (all put over by the history referenced pre-match). Albright is still better than Pearce and he quickly has a counter into the crowbar. Pearce is incredibly lucky, however, and as Albright goes up, Pearce throws him off and he crashes through a table, barely getting in the ring before the 10 count, but no time for cheering as he gets hit with the devastating piledriver immediately upon re-entering. Albright kicks out and Pearce is stupefied.
Albright out of desperation gets a counter and a half-nelson suplex but has nothing left to go for the pin. He tries to fire himself up and get up, but its slow going for both men. He gets a second half-nelson suplex upon rising, but Pearce, in control much of the proceeding time and just laying there for quite awhile after, is able to kick out without looking strong in the process with some great timing. Both men are even in energy left now.
They begin to battle on their knees up to their feet (YAAAY, BOOO!). Pearce tries a shortcut but Albright is ready and chains German suplexes together. Pearce tries to grab Del Rey to stop it, but again his shortcut is cut off. After five German suplexes Albright goes for a cover and a nearfall results. Again Albright was too slow in going for the cover and unable to hook the leg due to the energy he has expended.
Albright goes up again, but Pearce is up, so Albright changes to a sunset flip. Pearce is ready and goes for the figure-4 and we have a counter sequence into a near fall. Albright continues to show his mat advantage and locks in the crowbar, forcing Pearce to tap.
Brent Albright defeats Adam Pearce to become the new NWA Heavyweight Champion (Submission, Crowbar, **** 1/2 – **** ¾)
Nothing here didn’t pay off and nearly everything occurred more than once, with the reincorporation leading to it getting a bigger pop the second time around. They played off the NWA title’s history, both men’s character, and moves from earlier in the match. The selling and intensity were top notch. Pearce selling a beating a time or two when he didn’t recently take one hurt, as did a slight overkill on the near falls, but the first goes to put over how much energy is being expended in Pearce’s attempts to kill Alrbight while the second puts over the importance of the title.
The Briscoe Brothers cut a little promo about being back when Rhett Titus comes up show a cell phone picture to Jay and Mark. Jay and Mark get upset and Rhett walks away.
A camera man busts in on Claudio Castagnoli who is upset at his focus being interrupted on a huge night.
Match 5: Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Necro Butcher
This is to play off Aries trying to drive a wedge between Necro and Jacobs, but that seemingly backfires as Necro and Jacobs come out together. Early in the match it’s Aries trying to fight both off as well and mostly failing against both. When he isolates one, however, he’s fine. Some miscommunication between Necro and Jacobs adds tension, but they mostly remain united wrecking Aries. Aries even gets wrecked with a chair a bit, but when Necro goes for a pin Jacobs says its all about him and he wants Necro as his soldier, not his own man.
Jacobs tells Necro to hurt Aries by ripping his eye out. Necro turns away and Aries smacks Necro weakly in the back with the chair before tossing it to Jacobs and acting hurt. Necro thinks Jacobs hit him with the chair. Naturally this gets a huge “Eddie†chant. Necro punches the chair out of Jacobs hand, then attacks Jacobs. He gives him a wicked chair shot before walking away.
Aries calmly gets up with a smirk and hits the brainbuster and 450 for the win.
Aries defeats Jacobs and Necro Butcher (Pin, 450 on Jacobs, no rating)
This was angle advancement, not much of a match, but what great angle advancement it was. This forwards Aries as up to par with Jacobs at mind games and the Eddie Guerrero style shenanigans were great.
Backstage Daizee Haze talks about training when the Motor City Machine Guns come up and hug her. They say she has a twinkle in her eyes they offer to sleep with her at the same time and hit on her awkwardly and hilariously. Daizee walks away. They turn this into a promo about being better than Kevin Steen and El Generico because they beat the Briscoe Brothers. They’re taking aim at the tag titles and “Steenerico.â€
Bryan Danielson cuts a promo about wishing his match were one-on-one, but since he’s beaten all of these guys and all have beaten him so he’s really excited for the unpredictability of the match. Good, intense promo.
Delirious comes out to ask Daizee Haze out again. Rhett Titus interrupts again and says Delirious doesn’t want anything to do with Daizee because she’s used goods. He has Daizee on his tights Rick Rude style. Delirious bets the crap out of Titus for his disrespect. Daizee says she views Delirious as a friend. She gets massive heel heat for this and Delirious is heartbroken.
Match 6: Go Shiozaki vs. Naomichi Marufuji
What a way to put Go over as an absolute beast. He crushes Marufuji early, physically outclassing Naomichi to the point where Marufuji, out of desperation, tries to do everything he can on the apron to break Go’s neck. Go can’t strategically keep up with Marufuji, but he gives it a hell of a shot, while physically outclassing Marufuji at every turn and even showing he can keep up in speed. Marufuji gets so desperate he even has to bust out the Pole Shift to put him away before Go can connect with a killer move… which Marufuji knows is a matter of time.
Marufuji defeats Go Shiozaki (Pin, Pole Shift, ****)
The arm work to stop the chops fails, but the neck work works out well for Marufuji who relied of superior skill to take out a physically dominant opponent. Go looked like a star here.
Tyler Black gives his usual strange promo, this one about losing the title shot and how that made him heartbroken. He decided to rebuild himself and get stronger even though he has three opponents, he wants it the most.
Match 7: Kevin Steen and El Generico vs. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley
The entire match is built around the following: Generico can’t hang with MCMG, so they stretch the hell out of him. Next, Steen is too strong for MCMG individually. MCMG have a huge double team advantage, but Steen’s power sets up Generico sneaking in with huge moves perfectly. Lastly, who’s a bigger prick, Steen or Shelley?
After Generico plays Ricky Morton, the hot tag leads to the usual melee, but underestimating Generico allows him to sneak in for the Brainbustaaaaaaaaaaah on Shelley, as Steen is using the sharpshooter on Sabin for the win.
Steen and Generico defeat Sabin and Shelley (Submission, Sharpshooter, ****)
They were very clearly saving for a rematch here, which is just crazy given the overkill here.
The Briscoes backstage drinking cut another promo, this about going back to their roots. Daizee Haze comes by to say “hello†and offer help to even the score against MsChif who’s with Age of the Fall. Jay and Mark act awkwardly and go get more beer.
Steen and Generico are happy about their big win. Steen wants the ROH World Tag Team Titles since he apparently isn’t ready for the singles title yet. Steen will deliver on his title promise for the tag titles, but he needs Generico to be a killer to get there. Intense and awesome.
Match 8: ROH World Title Elimination Match: Nigel McGuinness © vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Tyler Black
The early part of the match was everyone trying to get their hands on Nigel, who just kept escaping. Claudio’s focus was, however, off, as he kept aiming for Danielson. Nigel had no intention of being caught against anyone, especially Danielson, so he focussed on cheap shots and being out of the ring. This went on at a slow escalation until Danielson pinned Claudio who then went insane and killed Danielson, leaving him easy pickings for Nigel.
Part two of the match saw a hyped, but worn down (from the first part of the match that Nigel avoided) Tyler Black take it to Nigel for numerous near falls. If you liked Take No Prisoners, you’ll love this. Ultimately, Tyler was unable to finish with his Phoenix Splash (it missed) leaving Nigel a shot to lariat him to death.
Nigel McGuinness wins the Four Corner Survival (**** ½)
Nigel’s character absolutely carried this entire match. His timing and sneakiness were impeccable, as was his turning it up to another level to survive against Tyler Black. Black continues to show he’s a future star, while Claudio had the best executed ROH heel turn since Roderick Strong’s in early 2007. Danielson is, as always incredible and everything came together for a great, great match with amazing heat.
Post-match Nigel brags that he’s beaten everyone as Naomichi Marufuji, a man he’s never defeated comes out for a staredown.
Four ****+ matches, two major angles advancing, and a molten hot crowd make this one of the best ROH shows ever. You can imagine how great the main event is, but the NWA Title match defies reason by its absolutely incredible quality. Get this DVD now!
