Ring of Honor brings us Driven via InDemand in my area, with a price of $14.99. The show debuted on Friday night, but if you missed it, check with your cable company for replays throughout this week.
ROH! ROH! ROH! And away we go…
We open with Austin Aries in the ring to tell us how he wants to get Jimmy Jacobs and Age of the Fall and he calls Jacobs out. Jacobs complies but does not come near the ring, giving new AOTF member Delirious a chance to blindside Aries. And we have a match.
Austin Aries vs. Delirious, representing Age of the Fall
Delirious is fired up and seems to have slid into his heel role nicely. Austin comes back and goes for a cover, getting two. Jimmy manages to interfere and Aries misses a dropkick in the corner. Delirious delivers some stomps to the back that looks extremely painful with Austin’s head on the bottom buckle, goes for the cover and gets two. Delirious goes for the cobra clutch but Austin counters, Delirious has a submission hold applied but he can’t maintain it. Delirious bites Austin in the forehead and delivers boots to the midsection. Aries delivers Last Chancery but Delirious rakes the eyes and goes for the cobra clutch. Austin sends him out to the floor, comes out with a suicide dive and sends Delirious and Jacobs to the floor. Aries is using numerous knee strikes in this match but can’t get the three. Delirious delivers a cobra clutch, but changes it to a suplex and then delivers numerous knees to the head. Delirious pulls Aries out of the corner for a pin but Jimmy demands further punishment so Delirious makes a bad mistake and gives Aries time to make a comeback. Austin delivers the Last Chancery and gets the three and the win.
Winner: Austin Aries with the Last Chancery.
Although this match was more of a brawl and I prefer to see Austin wrestle, he can do both. Delirious seems to have reached a new level in his role with AOTF and this match was a great opener.
After the match, Jacobs is in the ring, taking down Aries and calling for Tyler Black from the back. Jimmy makes sure Austin is busted open, bites him, smears around a little blood, puts him on a table outside the ring and climbs to the top but Black tries to stop him. Jacobs sends Aries through the table, but nails his own hip on the floor in the process. Tyler does not look happy as he and Delirious help Jimmy to the back. Black and Jacobs have to defend their title belts tonight.
We now see the opening video for Ring of Honor’s “Driven†from Boston with Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard as our ringside announcers. We return to Larry Sweeney with his Sweet ‘n Sour, Inc. stable, consisting of Sara Del Rey, Chris Hero, Shane Hagadorn, Adam Pearce and Eddie Edwards. Sweeney announces a women’s match and calls a wrestler out from the back.
Sara Del Rey vs. Toots?
The opponent is not introduced but Larry did call her Toots. As Prazak said, this was nothing more than a public work out for Del Rey and it certainly was not what I would consider a match. As much as I like ROH, I would appreciate seeing the women on the roster actually wrestle.
Winner of If You Call That a Match: Sara Del Rey.
Sweeney is back in the ring to set up the next match,
Tag Team Match: Adam Pearce and Eddie Edwards vs. Brent Albright and Erick Stevens
Pearce has the mic but not for long as Stevens and Albright charge in to deliver a double back body drop. Pearce sends Brent over the rope and Erik is alone in the ring. Adam misses a squash and Albright gets the tag. Stevens and Albright have some great teamwork going and the action is certainly fast paced considering the size of the men involved. Outside, Adam sends Brent shoulder first into the metal guardrail and the shoulder appears to be injured. Eddie and Erick are the legal men in the ring, a power slam and Stevens goes for the cover but Pearce breaks it up, gets the tag, goes for the cover but Stevens kicks out. Brent and Stevens deliver what Dave calls a double noggin knocker and the match moves outside, with Adam and Erick moving back inside. Stevens knocks Cheerleader Shane off the apron, then Chris and then sends Edwards over the top onto both of them. Pearce is back on his feet, Stevens goes out to take out the guys on the floor but Albright has made a blind tag and he’s got Adam, delivers a half nelson suplex, with a bad arm and shoulder no less, and gets three!
Winners: Brent Albright and Erick Stevens with a half nelson suplex.
This was not a wrestling match but I certainly didn’t mind. Albright, Stevens and Pearce are all decent brawlers and Edwards held his own. Recommended for fast paced action with a few neat suicide dives (and tosses) and to watch how well Albright works with one arm. Oh look! Erick and Brent are chasing Sweeney to the back. Here’s hoping they catch him! Hero, Edwards and Hagadorn head to the exit but are cut off by Jerry Lynn! This is better than Sweeney getting caught by the big boys. Lynn doesn’t like the fact that Chris delivered a cheap shot to Lance Storm and he’s there for a little payback.
â€Young Knockout Kid†Chris Hero vs. Jerry Lynn
I don’t know about anyone else watching this show, but I just died and went to heaven. Jerry charges to the ring, rolls in, rolls out to avoid an elbow drop and pulls Hero out to begin the match. Lynn is on fire but comes over the ropes and gets caught by Chris’s knees. Hero uses a few wrestling moves but only in order to attempt to damage Jerry’s arm. Chris is working with those elbows but Lynn comes back with fists until he is caught by a kick but he catches Hero with a flying head scissors. Jerry comes off the second rope with a cross body block that was as perfect as perfect could get, goes for the cover getting a two. Chris is back in charge and keeps the elbows coming, sending Lynn to the mat and then tossing him outside. Hero pulls up the mat and as much as I hate to say it, the body slam he delivered was just lame. Chris stops to ham it up for the camera before rolling Jerry back into the ring. Lynn delivers a springboard dropkick off the ropes then comes off the apron to nail Hero again. Back in the ring, Chris delivers a Senton, tosses Jerry on his tailbone, goes for the cover, getting two. Lynn delivers an inverted DDT and both men are down. Jerry comes up going for Hero’s eyes and he’s fired up again, nailing Chris with fists to the head. Hero misses a kick and Lynn delivers a swinging DDT off the second rope, covers and gets two. Cheerleader Shane is bouncing around and shouting, Hero delivers the rolling elbow and Jerry gets a shoulder up at two. Lynn tries for a cradle pile driver but Hagadorn causes a distraction, tosses an elbow pad in, Hero nails Jerry with the elbow pad, covers and gets the three and the win.
Winner: Chris Hero with a loaded elbow pad.
I’d watch an entire pay per view just to see Jerry Lynn in action and this match worked for me. I’m not overly fond of Hero but he worked well against Lynn and both men kept the pace up throughout. We see a recap of ROH Champion Nigel McGuinness telling “American Dragon†Bryan Danielson that he must beat everyone Nigel has beaten in order to get another title shot.
3 Way: Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Go Shiozaki with Larry Sweeney
Claudio has had some anger issues lately and they seem to be spilling over into this event. Danielson hits the ring and goes after Castagnoli while Go hangs outside. Shiozaki finally enters the ring and Claudio ends up outside but as Bryan delivers a surfboard, Castagnoli enters the ring to deliver a boot. Go goes for a roll up on Claudio and gets a two. Shiozaki is down but Danielson is back in the ring, Go is back to his feet, Castagnoli sends him outside and goes back after Danielson. Shiozaki is back in the ring, delivering chops to Claudio, but catches a book from Bryan. Go is back outside, Danielson goes for a cover, getting two. Bryan is hit but a European uppercut and the camera pans to Shiozaki still on the floor. Castagnoli has Danielson backed up and is delivering a flurry of fists, but as the referee attempts to intervene, Claudio shoves the ref to the mat and continues to pummel his opponent. The ref gets between the two and Castagnloli suplexes the ref then goes right back after Bryan to deliver the Ricola bomb but it is announced that Castagnoli has been disqualified and eliminated, making this a one on one match between Danielson and Shiozaki. Claudio grabs a chair and goes back after Bryan but people from the back hit the ring, which takes his attention away from Bryan but everyone else is getting beat up by a hostile Castagnoli. We have a new ref in the ring and with Bryan still out of it, Go should be able to get a win. Shiozaki delivers loud chops to the chest and then a knee to the head, covers and gets two. Bryan is taking a beating at the hands of Go and again Shiozaki covers to get the two. Go dives off the second rope and is greeted by a European uppercut. Danielson is back in the game and he goes for the cross arm breaker but can’t lock it in so he delivers elbow strikes and applies cattle mutilation. Go breaks out, Bryan tries again, Shiozaki gets a foot on the ropes. Go delivers strikes, covers and gets two, Danielson back on his feet delivers a kick, Go delivers a kick, comes off the ropes, Bryan goes for the triangle choke, the ref calls for the bell.
Winner: Bryan Danielson with a triangle choke.
I dislike trying to cover 3 way dances even when I like everyone involved. This was a fast paced match with not as much focus on wrestling as Danielson generally delivers but a good match and worth the watch. Claudio is in obvious need of something to calm him down before he gets back in the ring. Dragon has the mic to tell everyone that no matter who wins the title match, he will get a shot at the ROH World Title on pay per view.
Tag Team Scramble Match: Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Ruckus and Jigsaw vs. Jason Blade and Kenny King vs. The Necro Butcher
A 3-way match is nothing compared to the action this match will contain. I am catching the highlights, anything else will be impossible. Blade and Jigsaw begin the match with Jigsaw attempting a submission hold Jigsaw has the advantage until he catches a boot on the back from King. Ruckus gets the tag and Kenny is in the ring. King has some nice kicks but the Briscoes are in and it becomes a beat down on Kenny. Necro is in and he goes after everyone he get his hands on. Everyone is battling on the floor as Necro comes off the top to take out everyone. The match moves back in the ring with the exception of the Briscoes and Butcher. Necro goes for a cover but one of the Briscoes dropkicks a chair into the side of his head before sending him out onto a pile of chairs. The Briscoes deliver the Springboard Doomsday Device, getting the three and the win.
Jay and Mark Briscoe with the Springboard Doomsday Device.
This match was not one of the better matches of the night although it was entertaining and fast paced. That many tag teams and that much confusion isn’t my favorite form of wrestling but the fans in attendance loved it.
ROH World Championship Match: Roderick Strong vs. Nigel McGuinness ©
The two actually shake hands before the match but when the bell rings, they are all business. The first part of the match consists of good holds and counters until Strong delivers a cross body block, goes for the cover and gets two. McGuinness stops the ref showing him that his tongue is bleeding. Nigel goes for a little rougher tactics but Roderick matches him blow for blow. Strong’s chops are on target and loud, he goes for a cover, gets two. Nigel picks Roderick up pulls his arm behind him and slams him to the mat and Strong rolls out to the floor, grabbing his left arm. McGuinness follows him out, continuing to work on the arm and shoulder. Leonard and Dave remind us there is no count out outside the ring and Nigel takes full advantage. Back in the ring, McGuinness continues the assault on Strong’s arm and shoulder. Roderick attempts a comeback but Nigel encourages him to bring it on and then slams him back down to the canvas on the bad arm. Again Strong tries to come back but McGuinness doesn’t appear to be affected by anything that comes at him. Roderick delivers chops to the chest, Nigel drops him with a hard elbow to the side of the head. Strong comes off the second rope, delivers a dropkick, sends McGuinness to the outside then dives off the apron. Back in the ring, Roderick goes for a cover, gets two, delivers a backbreaker, gets two, one more and another two. McGuinness recovers, delivers a clothesline, goes for the cover and gets two. Strong hits the gut buster, goes for the cover and gets two! Nigel comes back with a hard lariat, covers and gets two. McGuinness attempts the Tower of London, Roderick breaks free, Nigel nails him with the lariat, covers but Strong’s shoulder is up after two. McGuinness delivers the Tower of London but Roderick gets a foot on the rope. Strong delivers a slingshot power slam and gets two. Back to his feet, Roderick delivers a backbreaker on the top buckle, Nigel lands on the mat, Strong covers, another two! Roderick catches him in a backbreaker, covers, again McGuinness kicks out. Strong comes off the ropes, Nigel nails him with a lariat, delivers a lariat off the top, covers and Roderick kicks out at two. McGuinness delivers a Tower of London on the apron, rolls Strong back in the ring, covers, and again Roderick kicks out. Strong catches Nigel in a Gibson Driver, covers but McGuinness kicks out at two. Roderick sets Nigel up on the top, McGuinness fights back and delivers a lariat that sends Strong halfway across the ring, covers and gets two! Nigel comes up pounding on Strong, delivers the Tower of London and gets the three.
Winner and still ROH Champion: Nigel McGuinness
There were so many near three counts in this match and it certainly appeared that Strong was going to take the title. This match was not as fast paced as some of the earlier matches but definitely worth the watch. The more I see of Roderick Strong, the better I like him.
ROH Tag Team Title Match: Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs © vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
Jacobs comes to the ring still holding his lower back and wincing in pain. Tyler and Kevin have words before the match begins, which escalates into a shoving match, Black attacks Steen, Jimmy attacks Generico but the champions are sent out of the ring. The match is finally underway with Jacobs and El facing off, Tyler gets the tag, Steen gets the tag and the match slides into wrestling holds but Kevin grabs a handful of hair go force Black to break a headlock. Tyler delivers a fist to force Mr. Wrestling to break a wristlock but a forearm sends Black to the mat. El gets the tag and we have a forearm competition until Tyler goes for a choke. Jacobs gets the tag, comes off the top and gets nailed in the gut on his way down. Kevin gets the tag and he goes after the back, eggs Black on to get into the ring and tags in Generico. Steenerico does some nice teamwork and Generico covers but the ref’s back is turned and he only gets two. Jimmy tags in Tyler who goes for a cover but El kicks out. Generico delivers a back suplex and covers getting two but he follows up with fists to the head before tagging in Kevin who comes out with forearms and a kick to the head, covers and gets two. Steen tags in El who comes out with fists, a body slam, goes up to the top, Jacobs grabs his foot, and he gets caught when he goes for a cross body block. Black throws Generico over the top rope to the floor, Jimmy sends him back into the ring, Tyler covers and gets two then tags in Jacobs and it’s two on one as Steen tries to enter the ring and is stopped by the ref. Jimmy delivers knee strikes, Black enters the ring and nails Mr. Wrestling, gets back to his corner so that Jacobs can tag him in. Tyler covers for two, tosses El out on the floor, Jimmy delivers a few hits, sends him back into the ring. Black tags in Jacobs who keeps Generico away from a tag, goes for the cover, gets two, tosses El out to the floor so that Tyler can slam him into the guardrail before rolling him back into the ring. Black gets the tag, Generico is again tossed out to the floor, Jacobs goes after him, Generico fights back and takes Jacobs down, Black comes out and he gets caught by El, El rolls back in and gets the tag, Steen charges across the ring and down onto Jimmy and Tyler. Kevin sends Black into the ring and Mr. Wrestling delivers a neck breaker, covers and gets two. Steen goes for a moonsault and misses, Jacobs gets the tag and applies the End time, but Generico hits the ring to break it up. Steen goes for a roll up and gets two. Great teamwork by Black and Jacobs but Black can’t get the three. Tyler sets Kevin on the top, but Black gets knocked down. Jacobs goes after Steen, biting, but he gets sent to the mat, Tyler nails Kevin. Generico is back in the ring breaking it up. Generico stops Jacobs, Steen delivers the gut buster to Black, a Swanton, covers and gets two! I have no idea how Tyler kicked out of that. Kevin goes for the package pile driver, but Black counters, covers and El breaks it up. Tyler comes off the top for the Phoenix splash, and it’s nothing but mat as Steen rolls out of the way. I don’t even know who the legal men are supposed to be anymore. Kevin delivers a cannonball to Black, locks in the sharpshooter, Jacobs comes off the top but catches Steen’s elbow, El sends Jimmy out and follows him, Tyler can’t reach the ropes, Jimmy makes it back in and goes after Mr. Wrestling’s eyes, breaking the hold. Jacobs gets the tag, Generico gets the tag, Jacobs goes for the End Time, but El is back to his feet, Tyler comes off the top, misses Generico and catches Jimmy with a clothesline. Generico delivers a kick, the brain buster, covers Jacobs and gets the three count and the win!
Winners and NEW ROH TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Kevin Steen and El Generico
No matter how you look at it, this match was awesome from start to finish. All four men gave it all they had and all four of them deserve respect for working a match that kept everyone glued to the action.
Driven is highly recommended for any Ring of Honor fan and especially for anyone who has yet to taste the full flavor of a Ring of Honor pay per view. I tried to get all the action but it just isn’t possible!
