Miss me?
1. The intro video is really well-done, but, why is it all red? It makes it extremely difficult to see who’s who. Also, why the highlights for Bison Smith? I mean, he’s big and all, but he isn’t a regular and isn’t that impressive.
2. Please change your hair Dave Prazak. It looks ridiculous in high definition.
3. Delirious being the first wrestler promo at the very least makes ROH stand out. Putting him against a familiar face to television audiences, Jerry Lynn, is a great move. The match is fun and fast paced- something you’d get in early X-Division, another good decision.
4. The ECW Arena (New Alehambra) looks nothing like it does from within. Since you feel like you might get tetanus from just walking around in there, this is absolutely a good thing for ROH’s production values.
5. Tyler needs to work on his intensity for promos. His hatred for Jacobs really didn’t come off. They should have just let Jacobs sell this- he’s great at promos and his was absolutely great. The announcers can get over Tyler’s side by disagreeing with Jimmy until he’s ready to talk.
6. Sami Callihan couldn’t look more indy, but that actually works in that King comes off like a complete star both in his promo and during their match by being next to Sami. King reminds me of a very young RVD.
7. The Ring of Honor introduction video with stars of the past was absolutely perfect and really should have gone on first. Awesome spots, big names, intensity and a well-thought out narration- again, just perfect.
8. What a wasted opportunity in not having him wear the hangman’s mask. The mask looks cool and really makes Albright stand out.
9. Jacobs vs. Black should have been built here and had the match on the second show to create tension with a bigger name (Danielson or McGuinness) headlining the show. The highlight of the show though is new announcer Mike Hodgewood talking about Tyler’s great attitude and never quitting as they show the man blowing his brains out on the back of his tights.
10. Seriously though, if you’ve heard of, but not seen, ROH, you’ve heard of Bryan Danielson being the Best in the World. He wasn’t even mentioned here. If you don’t follow ROH, you’re left to wonder if he even wrestles here anymore.
Star Ratings:
Lynn vs. Delirious (** ½) – A fun opener with an awkward spot or two. The pacing really made it stand out.
King vs. Callihan (** ½) – Another good introductory match.
Albright vs. Titus (Dud) – Essentially an extended squash to make Albright look good. He probably should have gotten someone who sells better and needed less offense, but at least Albright looked like a killer when he controlled.
Tyler vs. Jacobs (*** ½) – They really held back on both the hatred and just the sheer quality each can bring to give a good introduction to their stuff.
Peak Performers: 1. Kenny King gave perhaps the best promo of the show, looked like a star, and showed great athleticism. 2. Delirious looked and acted different than anything you’d see on TV. His movements were smooth and if only he was a bit more over as a heel, he’d have come off nearly as well as King. 3. Jimmy Jacobs will always be a bit let down by his size, but his promo and character shone through better than anyone’s all night.
