Ring of Honor is one of the few places in the world that tag team wrestling still comes to the forefront. In the WWE and TNA it is at best an afterthought. It is not uncommon for the RoH tag team titles to main event a show over the world titles, and occasionally RoH will present an entire show focused on the art of tag team wrestling. One such show is Tag Wars 2008. Does it present tag team wrestling at its best? Read on to find out…
The show starts with the Age of the Fall outside the Detroit Arena as Jimmy Jacobs tells his troops what they need to do for the night before dismissing all but his tag team partner Tyler Black. He then cuts a promo on the history that he shares with one Alex Shelley. Promos like this are precisely why Jimmy Jacobs is establishing himself as one of the best backstage promos in the business.
We go to the ring with Dave Prazak hyping the main event, but he is interrupted by Shane Hagadorn. Hagadorn bashes Detroit, Michigan. I drifted off there for a bit. He gets run off by the student team of Pelle Primeau, Ernie Osiris, and Mitch Franklin leading to…
Six Man Tag Match: Ernie Osiris, Mitch Franklin, and Pelle Primeau vs. Michael Nakazawa, Michael Elgin, and Danny Daniels
Elgin is a local from the Detroit area who frequently competes in IWA: Mid South, Michael Nakazawa is appearing sans baby oil (watch the Chikara King of Trios 2008…trust me), and Danny Daniels has had a couple of RoH shots as part of the New and Improved Carnage Crew. This match is a pretty standard Six man fair. Not surprisingly, the students play the underdogs. But after some fun back and forth wrestling, Pelle steals a win with a roll up on the rotund Michael Elgin. This was fun short and inoffensive.
Winners: Pelle Primeau, Mitch Franklin, and Ernie Osiris via pinfall; **
Rhett Titus vs. Silas Young
This is Rhett before he became “Addicted to Love,†and Silas Young who gets over huge for coming out to Journey. This was right before Titus made the gimmick change so you can see the groundwork laid here. The match itself is pretty basic, but nothing is wrong with that. For its simplicity, Titus looks very good on offense. This was one of the first times that he started to set himself apart from the rest of the students. Silas gets the win after a Finlay Roll into a headstand Arabian Press. This was fun.
Winner: Silas Young via pinfall; **
We go to the back and see Chris Hero doing swoop pushups while Sweeney looks on. Hero looks for someone to spar with. Sweeney says he is going to go find Bobby Dempsey. Hero chops the wall a few times. These guys have great timing with each other.
Jigsaw vs. Joey Matthews with Allison Wonderland
This was during a period of time when Joey Matthews was just on an unbelievable streak of perfect midcard matches. They served their purpose so well that, unfortunately, they went largely unnoticed. This match is a whole lot of Matthews putting the hurt on Jigsaw with some very basic punching and kicking. It may be simple, but it works and gets the crowd into it when executed as well as Matthews does. They go really old school with ref distractions and cheating from Allison Wonderland, but the match stays over with the Detroit crowd. Jigsaw is eventually able to steal the win with a crucifix rollup. Joey Matthews is NOT happy. This match did everything it set out to do and filled its spot on the card perfectly. This is what a three star match looks like, and I mean that as a compliment.
Winner: Jigsaw via pinfall; ***
We see Delirious cut an impassioned gibberish laden promo about, I am assuming the Necro Butcher, then Daizee Haze comes out and he gets stunned by her “beauty.â€
Kevin Steen and El Generico vs. Nigel McGuinness and Claudio Castagnoli
This is part of the feud between Steen and Nigel over the RoH World Title. McGuinness had to resort to cheating at Injustice. Steen has a shot at Nigel on the next night as well. Before the champ and his partner, his future challenger Claudio Castagnoli, are introduced Steen makes fun of Nigel. Nigel tries to retort but gets mocked by Generico. That is a sad state of affairs when a guy who doesn’t even talk gets one over on you. This jaw jacking goes on slightly longer than it probably should have, but it is still pretty funny.
The match gets underway, and Claudio and Generico hearken back to their great previous encounters. This match has an interesting dynamic of hatred between Nigel and Steen and a battle of continued respect between El Generico and Claudio. The dynamic of the match makes things a bit disjointed, but the talent in the ring makes it work. The match works as a great way to continue the Nigel/Steen feud as well since both men seem more intent on softening up their opponent than winning the match. That is why Claudio is able to get the win with a Ricola Bomb while Nigel continues his assault on Kevin Steen. Claudio grabs the belt and celebrates which makes Nigel none too happy. This match told a good story and was entertaining along the way.
Winners: Nigel McGuinness and Claudio Castagnoli via pinfall; ***1/2
We go to the back where Chris Hero takes some shots at a shirtless Bobby Dempsey. Poor Bobby Dempsey.
Falls Count Anywhere Match: Delirious vs. the Necro Butcher with Zach Gowen
If you guessed that this match would be the “brawl through the crowd extravaganza,†you guessed correctly. You win…nothing. Necro does his usual stuff: stiff punches, the chair body slam, throwing chairs et al. The lighting on this match is pretty bad and it is very hard to see at points. The match makes its way back to the ringside and Delirious best efforts are pretty much cut off by the Necro Butcher. The match takes a unique turn as the ringside attendants get caught in the crossfire and pretty much get the crap beaten out of them. The match is fun, but it goes on a little bit long. Necro Butcher gets the win after a backbreaker on two upright chairs.
Winner: Necro Butcher via pinfall; **1/2
We go backstage for intermission. Dave Prazak is with Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. They hype their match.
Sweet and Sour Inc . of Chris Hero and Brent Albright with Larry Sweeney, Shane Hagadorn, and Bobby Dempsey vs. The Vulture Squad of Jack Evans and Ruckus
Hero and Evans start things off in a surprisingly great technical wrestling sequence. Jack Evans tries to dance, Hero cheap shots him and Evans gets his revenge and the Vulture Squad run through a series of flips and double teams. Rather than settling into tag formula the match features a series of fast exchanges on both sides. A swing into the barricade gives an extended advantage to the Sweet and Sour team, though. Jack’s flippies are just not enough, and Hero and Albright actually work pretty impressively as an old school style team. This match is really all Hero and Albright, their offense and pacing is great and their selling makes the ridiculous offense of the Vulture Squad look pretty good. Some miscommunication leads to a sky twister press from Ruckus onto Hero for the win. This match was good mainly because of Albright and Hero.
Winners: Jack Evans and Ruckus via pinfall; **1/2
Austin Aries and Kota Ibushi vs. Jay and Mark Briscoe
This is Kota’s penultimate match in RoH and he teams with the man he was supposed to face in Edison against the most popular tag team in RoH the Briscoes who are fresh off of their 5th tag team title win. Not surprisingly Aries’ exchanges with the Briscoes are nothing short of awesome, but the Ace of Ring of Honor has a history of great chemistry with the Delaware boys. Ibushi is able to hold his own quite well, too. Ibushi’s offense is as impressive as anyone’s, but if you watch several of his matches in succession you see a lot of repeats. This is one of the most pure babyface matches that Ring of Honor has put on in a while, and it works excellently. The fans are absolutely electric throughout this match and the near falls are built perfectly towards the finish. The Briscoes score with a crazy Spike J Driller to end an awesome match.
Winners: Jay and Mark Briscoe via pinfall; ****
Prazak asks Austin Aries into the ring to ask him what has happened since Aries and Lacey left together from the Orlando shows. Lacey comes to the ring and plants a big ole kiss on Austin Aries. Prazak ask what it means, but receives no answer.
We go to the back and Daizee Haze tries to hype a SHIMMER four corner survival match while Delirious tries to stutter through asking Daizee out. She leaves to wash her hair.
The Age of the Fall of Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs vs. The Murder City Machine Guns of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin
Besides being a match between two of the best teams of 2008, this match, this match is a chapter in the long professional rivalry between Shelley and Jimmy Jacobs. This match uses that rivalry as the centerpiece to the match. The interactions between Jacobs and Shelley are heavily teased and well constructed throughout. Jacobs selling that he cannot best Shelley just shows how far he has come as a storyteller. They do not cut a lightning quick pace in this match, but every move, every step, every exchange has a greater meaning. This match is all about storytelling. Both teams are trying to prove themselves, and more importantly Jacobs is trying to prove that he is better than his Detroit brethren. The finishing sequence may go on a bit long in this match, but it never seems like overkill, that and there are about two dozen super kicks. Jacobs eventually exorcises one of his major demons by forcing Alex Shelley to tap out. The Detroit fans are not happy to see their local boys lose to another local boy and they pelt the ring with garbage. That’s heat ladies and gentleman. The Machine Guns get a standing ovation for their efforts. This was just an awesome match.
Winners: Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black via submission; ****1/2
In the back Jimmy and Tyler celebrate their win, but Joey Matthews has to rain on their parade slightly by informing Jimmy Jacobs what Lacey did with Austin Aries.
Big Andy Mac’s Big Andy Final Thoughts: The title of the show is definitely fitting. This is a showcase of amazing tag team matches highlighted by the main event between the Age of the Fall and the Murder City Machine Guns. The rest of the show has some fun surprises like Joey Matthews vs. Jigsaw and the amazing teamwork of Brent Albright and Chris Hero. It is the last two matches that make this DVD must buy. This is the type of DVD that is one of your first three selections in a Buy 3 get 1 free sale, not that last free selection.
I’ll see you next time…
