This week, according to ROH’s preview, we’ll see Christopher Daniels make his HDNet debut, the Briscoes in action, Colt Cabana vs. Steve Corino, and a special interview with the Briscoe’s father. I’m sure that’ll end well. Oh, and the contract signing will take place for Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards at Death Before Dishonor VIII this coming Saturday from Toronto! Not bad for an hour of wrestling, right? Right. Well without further ado, awaaaay we go!
Your Hosts are, as always, Dave Prazak and Mike Hogewood.
**Tonight! Colt Cabana versus Steve Corino in the main event! I just said that! Jerks…but hey, no time for that, we’re going RIGHT to the ring, with Christopher Daniels’ “Disposable Teens” rip-off music. But hey, it’s identifiable, so I can’t complain.
**Christopher Daniels vs. Bobby Shields
No opening bell to speak of, and they fight over a lockup and a side headlock, and Daniels takes controls with a couple of hip tosses. I am an unabashed Daniels mark, so I’m glad to see him on HDNet, and hope this means he stays in ROH for awhile. While I’m having that thought, Daniels unleashes a hell of a flurry of offense on Shields, and finishes with the uranage slam and Best Moonsault Ever.
Christopher Daniels def. Bobby Shields via Best Moonsault Ever in 2:22
Well, like usual with their opening matches, there really wasn’t much to it, it was very short, and it just served to get over Daniels’ key moves and get him on the mic to establish himself in the pecking order to those who are (unlikely) new to him. (1/2*)
**Post match, Daniels gets on the mic, and says he returned because he took exception to Davey calling himself the Best in the World. The crowd confusingly answers with a “Best in the World” chat. I don’t get it either. Daniels says it wasn’t just a challenge to Davey, but to a whole roster of talented individuals, and puts over ROH as the home of the best wrestlers in the world. He doesn’t have something to prove, but he has something to teach. “When you talk about the best in the world, the name you mention is Christopher Daniels.”
**Backstage, Kyle Durden is with Steve Corino, who wants to educate Durden about his “List.” He then pulls out a list of people he doesn’t like. Also on the list is Keanu Reeves, JD Drew, Chipper Jones and Phillip Brooks. I wonder who that last guy is…probably some Punk. Corino pledges to beat Cabana tonight, etc. “And you know who else is on my list?”
**”El Generico.” Durden and Corino pull aside as the camera zooms in on Steen sitting heretofore unseen in the background. And he cuts a phenomenal heel promo promising to detach Generico’s spine from his body among other atrocities. One of the best promos I’ve seen him deliver, because he looked like he was almost in tears during it, and the fact that his voice never raised. Perfectly measured and perfectly emotional.
**After this, we cut to the same hype video we’ve seen for the last couple of weeks for Steen vs. Generico at Death Before Dishonor VIII.
**We cut to Durden ringside with Mike Briscoe. Who, wow, it’s pretty clear how the Briscoes turned out the way they did. He says being there is part of his Father’s Day present, and the second part will be when the Briscoes kick the “King of Wrestling’s ass” (sic) in Toronto. Why not.
**The Briscoe Brothers vs. Bob Evans and Sid Reeves
Yes, his name really is Bob Evans. Somehow I don’t think these boys have much of a shot. Evans even looks in bad shape for a 1980’s Superstars jobber. And that’s saying something. Well, that and he makes Danielson look tan. Of course the Briscoes take control right away on Evans, and this is just total exhibition territory. A few quick tags before the Briscoes hit their double team shoulder block. Evans manages a clothesline and tags out to Reeves, who is wearing the singlet I assume Sheamus would be wearing if he was an independent talent.
The Briscoes def. Bob Evans & Sid Reeves via Jay Driller on Reeves in 2:31. Wow. There are squashes and there are SQUASHES. The jobber offense literally consisted of a clothesline. (1/2*)
**We cut to Durden asking crowd members who they think will win the title at DBD. The vote is 5-3 Tyler. When we come back, Chris Hero has got a microphone, and he and Claudio are right in front of Mr. Briscoe. This isn’t going to end well for him, I imagine. Sure enough, when he’s had enough, he hops the guardrail, security tries to stop him and he throws them off, lays out a stiff slap to Hero, who answers with a nasty elbow strike, dropping him like a bad habit. The Briscoes run in to run off the champs and swear more times per minute than I thought possible before we go to “commercial.”
**We return and recap the incident with Mr. Briscoe, and Hogewood and Prazak debate the merits of what just happened, especially since the Briscoes attacked Sara Del Ray first.
**Then we cut to predictions from the roster. The faces say Tyler. The heels say Davey. Jay Briscoe also says Davey, Rhett Titus says Austin Aries will wind up with the belt no matter who wins. Well, except for Kevin Steen and Steve Corino. Steen just says Generico is going to die in Toronto, and Corino can’t be bothered to get off the phone. Interesting segment.
**Colt Cabana vs. Steve Corino
Cabana jumps Corino in the entranceway before the match starts, and runs Corino all around the ringside area, but makes the mistake of throwing him in the ring first, allowing the King of Old School to take control. Colt hits a few signature moves, only for Corino to bail and pull out a table a minute in. Cabana answers by pulling out another one. I can’t imagine Paul Turner is going to let this stand. Corino misses a lariat into the ringpost, and Colt attacks the arm. Psychology~! Corino reverses things and sends Cabana to the outside. Corino tries to hit the Expulsion through a table on the outside, only for Colt to throw him into the third row. Literally. But Colt takes too long getting back into the ring after throwing Corino back in and meets a boot and an STO for his trouble. Corino remains in control until Cabana is able to halt the momentum with a powerbomb and a baseball slide to the outside. Bit of a contrived spot sees Cabana trap Corino between two tables on the outside and horse collars him with a chair. When Turner gets too much in the way, Cabana shoves him aside for the DQ, and slides a second chair into Corino.
Steve Corino def. Colt Cabana via DQ (Referee Abuse) in 6:46.
Well, that was a cluster. No real flow to it, really it seemed to only be there to justify the cluster afterwards. They threw out some plundah because of the well known nature of the rivalry, but it just didn’t come off that well. (*3/4)
**Post match, Corino is busted open in the ring as Cabana sets up another table in the cornerand sets up for what appears to be the Colt .45 or something, only for Corino’s son to run out to distract Cabana. Steen follows in short order and decks Cabana with a superkick for the 2-on-1, before Generico’s music hits. He hits the ring, drills Steen with the corner Yakuza, Corino with the half nelson suplex and sets up for the corner brainbuster before Corino intercepts. He sends Generico to the floor, and Colt grabs Corino setting him up for something into the table, only for Steen to spear him twice into the table. The table, however, did not break either time, making for a little bit of an awkward situation. Generico saves again, running Corino out, hitting the somersault senton to the outside on Steen, and almost hitting a splash through one of the floor tables before Corino drags him out and the faces stand tall.
**Now, Kyle Durden asks Roderick Strong about his opinion. Yeah, this won’t end well. Roderick goes on about how the entire company drags everyone through the mud and hurts everyone involved with it.
**And now, contract signing time! Jim Cornette is in the ring to emcee, and nicely, just before each man comes out, we get a mini Tale of the Tape, giving both men’s age, height, weight and hometown.   It’d be better if it was something a little more unified, actually showing the stats side-by-side or something, but hey, I appreciate any little touch I can get.
**Davey signs the contract and gives a short statement saying that he’s the best in the world, the same sort of thing we’ve heard. And after Tyler signs, he says that the belt is all the proof he needs that he is, in fact, the best. Davey says there’ll be no doubt about it, and to prove it, he requests that Hagadorn and Eddie Edwards stay in the back for this one.
**But here comes Christopher Daniels! Daniels apologizes for the intrusion, but says that he’s out there to challenge both the winner *and* the loser of the match at Death Before Dishonor. He wants a piece of Davey because he has the “popular sentiment” as being the best in the world, which Daniels wants. Tyler also has the World Title, which is a tangible symbol of that claim. Daniels says he’ll take both men out and prove that he is the best in the world, once and for all. As Daniels leaves, Black and Richards shake hands and continue to talk smack to each other as we fade out to another Death Before Dishonor video package hyping the Tag Title match, Steen vs. Generico, and the World Title match.
Overall, I’m definitely a little bummed about the fact that there was only 11:39 of wrestling on a 50+ minute show, and most of it was just squash-tastic. The contract signing was what it was, and I was glad that it wasn’t the typical WWE signing. So that was nice to see. Unfortunately, Daniels mic work blew both men right out of the water, and that kind of put the chill on the whole thing. The match should still be lights out, and I’m definitely looking forward to it, but perhaps moreso to the continued involvement of Christopher Daniels in the company.
As always, thanks for reading, never hesitate to hit me up with any comments questions or anything else and I hope to see everyone next week!
