Welcome back to the Pulse! I just checked my driver’s license, and I am indeed Kyle Sparks, and I am your host for this week’s ROH on HDNet! Just like last week…and the week before…and…well, you get it. This week’s ROH preview advertises a mere 3 matches, one of which is likely to be a squash. So that means that we’ll either be looking at a recap filled show of DOOM or our main event of Tyler Black facing Christopher Daniels is set to get a LONG time. I would be SO on board with the latter.
This week’s plugs are once again on the short side. As always, a plug to the Indominable Mr. Ricardo Rochetti.
Chris Biscuiti puts together a great column as always, looking at the possible TNA futures of some of the “Don’t-Call-Us-ECW” refugees. I won’t comment significantly here, but as with most of these things, there’s some I agree with, some I don’t. Regardless, Chris is always a good read.
**We open with the video package that can be found on the ROH preview page, and open directly to the Arena, with Jim Cornette and Tyler Black in the ring. This video has been making the rounds on ROH’s website too. Tyler basically breaks down the ROH fans into 3 groups since he won the title. The people who supported him, who he thanks. The people who aren’t fans of his (perhaps Davey or Roderick fans) who he says he is fine with. After all, it’s a free country and you can cheer who you want. However, there’s a third group who aren’t fans of anyone else, who apparently just buy tickets to boo the hell out of Tyler Black. That seems like a bit of a waste of money in a recession, but okay. Those people can apparently kiss Tyler’s ass. Well that was succinct. Tyler says since they don’t respect him, he doesn’t feel any need to respect them. Doesn’t that kind of fly in the face of the previous point? Ah well. No doubt you’ve been paying attention to the news and it’s not like he’s ROH’s problem for long anyway.
And oh my God, don’t look now but, here comes the rush!
Your Hosts are, as always, Dave Prazak and Mike Hogewood.
**And we open IMMEDIATELY in the ring with Necro Butcher (with a shaved head!) and Rasche Brown in the ring ready to go, no ring announcements, no anything!
**Necro Butcher (w/ The Embassy) vs. “Skullkrusher” Rasche Brown (w/ anger) – Butcher’s Rules Match
I personally question the logic of making a big deal on the preview page of this being Butcher’s Rules when you’ve also made a point to say that ALL of Necro’s matches are “Butcher’s Rules.” But whatever. They’re exchanging strikes early, and Necro goes to the eyes. Brown blocks a chop and rips off Necro’s wife beater and chops him back into the ropes and hits the KOBASHI CHOPS~! Irish whip and a big chop drops Necro, and Brown then charges him in the corner and follows up with a big boot and a clothesline to send the new Crown Jewel to the floor, where Mr. Ernesto Osiris slips Necro a chair. Brown charges and gets introduced to it in short order. Necro climbs back in and goes for a jackknife pin for 2, followed by a swinging neckbreaker for another 2. Necro goes up top and comes down with a CLUBBERING blow and a running foot to send Brown to the outside, where Nana and Osiris lay the boots in. Nana hands in the chair as Brown stalks Nana. Necro tries to attack from behind but Brown cuts that off, and tosses Necro off the apron military press style to the floor. Ow. Now Rasche has the chair, and Necro grabs one of his own. The two men stare down in the ring as Erick Stevens and Shawn Daivari hit the ring and we…call for the bell?!
Necro Butcher vs. Rasche Brown went to a No Contest in 3:58.
Well, that was certainly anticlimactic. Beyond that, I question the logic of announcing that this is Butcher’s Rules and then ending in a no contest due to copious interference. I thought it was No DQ? I mean, one could argue that the match was thrown out when virtually the entire locker room emptied, but referee Paul Turner actually called for the bell very quickly. What little there was was pretty average brawling, really. I assume there’s more coming down the line. Perhaps Steel Cage Warfare? I could see Rasche, The DCFC & Grizzly Redwood vs. Necro, Erick Stevens, Daivari & Osiris. (*)
**Post-match, literally every jobber in the locker room hits the ring as Necro and Brown continue to pound on each other, and the Dark City Fight Club helps clear the ring. Rasche and the DCFC stand tall as The Embassy escapes to the aisleway.
**Backstage, Christopher Daniels is with Kyle Durden. Daniels says the only things he and Black are battling for tonight are pride and respect. Respect is very important to Christopher Daniels, you see. Daniels takes Tyler’s belief that the champ will beat him tonight as something that reeks of disrespect, and he will not stand for it. Daniels pledges that tonight he will take Tyler Black’s respect, and when they do meet for the title he’ll take that as well.
**Now we get a brief video package of Roderick Strong winning the 2nd Annual Toronto Gauntlet at Death Before Dishonor VIII. That night, Roderick won a World Title match whenever he wants it. But apparently, that title match is up for grabs next week when Roderick Strong faces Davey Richards. Ooooh. Me likey. I watched them go for 20 minutes of awesome in Chicago at Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. Anyway, this segues into an interview with Davey Richards who doesn’t call his match with Tyler at DBD VIII the Match of the Year, because he didn’t win it.   He discusses the situation with Tyler, and his feelings on Roderick Strong leading into the match next week. It’s going to be something else, I’m sure. Already looking forward to it. Good job, ROH.
**Colt Cabana vs. Alex Anthony
Dave Prazak rightly points out that Anthony looks like a cross between Little Richard and Sabu. Picture that how you will. If you don’t have any idea how this will end, turn in your fan card. Now. Colt’s strength advantage and general silliness is evident immediately. He even manages to switch places with Todd Sinclair after backing Anthony into the ropes. Between his strength advantage and the european wrestling skill, this is just rough. But the crowd’s enjoying it. Anthony shoves Colt, and tries to grab a waistlock, but Colt breaks that with two butt-butts and then it’s flying “apple,” bionic elbow, Billy Goat’s Curse, and SLAP THE PORPOISE, this one’s over.
Colt Cabana def. Alex Anthony via Billy Goat’s Curse in 2:25.
It was a squash to remind us that Colt still exists. What are you looking for, Steamboat/Flair? Colt got to do his shenanigans, the crowd popped, he got the win. (3/4*)
**Post match, it’s Kevin Steen with a chair! As Colt stares down Steen, there’s Steve Corino with a chain! Corino drills Cabana from behind and just chokes him out with the chain until El Generico is out to save with a chair! The heels run off, and Steen uses a security guy and the downed Alex Anthony as human shields as he backs off. Tremendous.
**After a “ROH on Tour” package, and some MMA commercials, we get the “Best Tag Team Wrestling in the World” video package from last week. I am so on board with this announcement still. Love it. Apparently next week, the Kings will discuss the match. Looking forward to it. From here, we head back to the studio, where Mike Hogewood is shocked…SHOCKED I SAY, that Corino would engage in such dastardly deeds.
**From here, we send it back to Kyle Durden with Roderick Strong and Truth Martini, who is reading The Book of Truth, mouthing words to no one in particular. Love it. Martini cuts a solid little promo, but when Roderick gets back on the mic, he claims he’s never had any hardships and that he’s always been a success. So…why did you need Truth Martini? Sigh. I hope I’m not alone when those plot holes bug me. Ah well, next week should still be epic.
**Tyler Black (w/ attitude) vs. Christopher Daniels (w/ guyliner)
The announcements are starting at 8:25. Good sign. Staredown to start, and the Philly crowd is SOLIDLY Pro-Daniels. At least his supporters are louder. Lockup goes nowhere in particular. Another lockup, and Daniels wrings the left arm. Black rolls through and kips up to counter into the hammerlock. Daniels counters again, grabbing a drop toe hold and working back up to the arm. Daniels wrings the arm again and whips him into the corner, Black springboards out, and a quick sequence ends with Black snap maring Daniels over and kicking him in the back, as the two stare down again. Dueling chant again from the crowd. Black grabs a headlock off the lockup, and Daniels shoots him off, but gets bowled over with the shoulder block. Daniels trips him coming off the ropes and grabs a 3/4 nelson to get up, snap mares Tyler over, but gets dropkicked for his trouble. For his part, Daniels seems impressed.
Black takes down Daniels, but falls prey to a couple deep arm drags and Daniels goes into the armBAR again. Black tries to wrestle his way out, but Daniels is able to counter the counter, and when Black strikes his way out, Daniels is still able to keep up with the quickened pace with a springboard leapfrog back into the arm drag and back into the arm bar. Black backs Daniels into the ropes and does not break clean, but gets caught in a Northern Lights Suplex for 2 and a sort of inverted cross arm breaker until he reaches the ropes. Daniels takes down Black and goes off the ropes but Daniels cartwheels over Black’s dropdown. Black tries to kick off, but Daniels still is able to hit the running STO, although he doesn’t go for the cover. Daniels runs Black into a corner, shoulder first, and is able to hold off Black who tries a grounded MMA striking approach as a defensive move. Daniels makes the mistake of charging Black, who backdrops him to the apron and hits Daniels with a pele kick followed up with a no hands somersault plancha. Black drapes Daniels off the apron and just boots his face off only for 2, though. Scoop slam and the leaping throat stomp, as Black is heeling it up a bit here tonight. Interesting. Black gets 2 off the delayed cover.
Daniels starts to fight back with strikes, but Black reverses the irish whip and drops Daniels with a running double axe for 2, and Black is starting to get rattled. Black cinches in a stretch plum/neck vice combo, eventually broken with elbows by Daniels, who fights to his feet and breaks free, only to get backdropped and kicked in the back again. Black just stands over Daniels before choking him over the middle rope, and firing off a couple of chops. Daniels reverses and fires off chops of his own, but drops his head off an irish whip and gets kicked in the face for two 2 counts. Black continues to get frustrated, and when a backdrop suplex gets 2, he’s really beside himself, getting in Todd Sinclair’s face. Black figure fours the head to wear down Daniels further. Daniels escapes, but Black is able to take him back down with the double axe, and just mounts and whales away on Daniels as the fans continue to support Daniels more vehemently. Black pulls out his backflip out of an attempted dropkick, but Daniels boots him in the face off the subsequent charge anyway, and drills him with the Blue Thunder Driver (THAT’S how you do it, John Cena!), but is too tired to cover. Daniels counters an irish whip into a series of strikes and drops Black with a step-up enzugiri and hits an Arabian Press for 2.
Daniels psyches up in a neutral corner and charges with a forearm and hits a death valley driver for 2. Daniels signals for the Angel’s Wings but Black counters, and rolls up Daniels for 2 and kicks him in the head for another 2. Black goes for the Buckle Bomb but gets countered and Daniels hits his 3/4 nelson into the second buckle, and sets up for the Fall From Grace, which gets 2. Daniels goes to move Black into position for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Black catches the ankle as he walks by and gets a small package for 2. Black whips Daniels into the corner and gets backdropped off a charge, but lands on the apron, hits the jumping enzugiri and a springboard clothesline for 2. Black goes up for the Phoenix Splash, but gets cut off. Black elbows him off, but misses the splash. He rolls through and hits a SWANK superkick, hits Daniels with a corner charge forearm and gets Peroxysm for a long 2. Black is in disbelief. Black with a couple of forearm strikes, but Daniels fires back, and Black punctuates it with a running kick to the head, but he misses the Pele kick and Daniels catches him on the way down into the Koji Clutch! Awesome! Black pulls Daniels to his feet, hanging off his neck and runs him into the corner! Good show of strength by Black. Black fires up and misses the superkick! O’Connor Roll gets 2 for Daniels. Black with a schoolboy for 2. Countered by Daniels for 2! Malenko/Guerrero sequence! Dueling small packages! There’s the bell! Sinclair talking to Bobby Cruise and we get the explanation. The crowd is a little deflated, to say the least, but a damn good match, considering.
Tyler Black & Christopher Daniels went to a Time Limit Draw in 20:00.
Disappointed over the lack of a finish, but it was really a case of booking into a corner. With the 20 minute time limit announced before the match, the finish was SORT of given away as main events usually go with “TV time remaining,” and in retrospect, it seemed clear they were holding things in, which hurts the rating slightly, but it was still a great back and forth match that saw Tyler’s actions reflecting the slight attitude change we experienced in the interview to open the show. (***3/4)
**Post-match, Roderick Strong comes down. Since Daniels couldn’t get the job done, he wants his shot. Strong is interrupted by Davey Richards who says NOT SO FAST, and reminds us that he’s facing Roderick for that title shot next week. Daniels gets back on the microphone, as Black just looks exasperated with it all, and lets everyone know that he’s the only one of the three potential challengers that Black hasn’t pinned yet. Good point. All four men argue as we fade out.
Let’s add up the numbers. On a 50+ minute show, there was 26:23 of wrestling. The recaps were kept to a bare minimum, which I appreciate, but the first two matches were thoroughly unimpressive and lacking. However, the main event was tremendous, and well worth trying to find on YouTube later this week. The end of the show also very nicely set up next week’s Davey Richards vs. Roderick Strong match, it put on a great match without sacrificing anything to Tyler vs. Daniels, and really, any one of the three guys would be a viable new ROH World Champion in the next month or so.
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!
