Welcome back to Pulse’s ROH Report for this 2010 Wrap-Up! I’m Kyle Sparks, and tonight will be the last show of 2010. As such, Ring of Honor has decided to dedicate this show to the best of 2010 on HDNet. As listed on their preview for tonight’s show they’ve promised looks back at the following matches from the year that was:
- Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards – ROH World TV Title Finals (4/26/10)
- Kings of Wrestling vs. Briscoe Brothers – ROH World Tag Team Championship Match – Briscoe’s Last Chance (10/25/10)
- Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Kevin Steen & Steve Corino – Street Fight (7/19/10)
- Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards – Tyler Black’s Final Match on HDNet (10/18/10)
Links open in new windows to my original reviews. I’d add about another 1/2 to 1 star to Kings vs. Briscoes, and I joined the Pulse team just a week after Davey vs. Eddie. I’ve seen it though, so trust me, it’s amazing. All good stuff, and any one of the three could be considered my ROH on HDNet match of the year. So, that said, let’s just get to the plugs!
Reading is FUNdamental
*Ricardo Rochetti may or may not have 10 thoughts on this show. I’m honestly not sure, but I’d assume he will. Even so, you should read his stuff. It’s tremendous.
*Pulse Glazer‘s Monday Morning Backlash starts a list of the Top 100 matches of 2010. Ballsy, no?
*Will Pruett offers a wish list for WWE and TNA for 2011 (and possibly beyond).
*Finally, Steven Gepp checks in with his PPV of 2010. It’ll make more sense once you see it. And I would pay $40 for that show in a heartbeat.
*This week’s ROH on HDNet Report is brought to you once again by Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown Ale. You should be able to have more luck finding that near wherever you are, dear readers. Of course, if you’re under 21, do disregard.
HERE COMES THE BEST RUSH OF 2010!
**We open up with a special “Best of” logo, before cutting to the Pink Studio OF DOOM with Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak. We open by discussing the TV Title tournament as a highlight of the year, and that leads us into our first clip, from the TV Title tournament finals!
Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards – ROH World TV Title Tournament Finals
Since I didn’t get to recap this one, I’ll do what they’re giving me here:
We join the action with Eddie hitting a running forearm in the corner and a suplex on Eddie Edwards. Richards quickly transitions into a cross-arm breaker, buT Edwards counters into a pin com for a 1 count before powering up Richards and seating him up top. Richards fights him off for a moment, but Edwards responds with a kick. Richards knocks him off again, but Edwards returns with a running high knee, and he hits a standing top rope hurricanrana. Edwards powerbombs Richards for 2, but transitions right into the Achilles Lock! Richards is able to escape and segues into a cross-arm breaker, wihch Edwards counters with a roll through for 2. Edwards runs into the Alarm Clock, but counters a second kick with one of his own. Richards lands on his feet off a German Suplex attempt, and the two of them trade reversals until Edwards scores with a superkick, only to have Richards respond with a lariat putting both men down. Both men roll to the apron and make their way to their feet. Forearms are traded on the apron, and Ricahrds backs Edwards into the corner with roundhouse kicks, but Edwards ducks one and Richards hits the ringpost! Edwards follows up quickly with a dropping shinbreaker onto the apron. Trying to get back into the ring, Edwards gets his arm caught in a dragon screw over the top rope by Richards, but Edwards responds with a dragon screw through the ropes on Richards. Edwards comes off with a top rope knee and the achilles lock again, but Richards escapes. Edwards misses a corner charge, as Richards goes to the apron and hits a nasty top-rope dropkick to the arm. Richards goes up top again and hits the Shooting Star Press for 2, but Richards locks in the Kimura on the kickout! Edwards counters into a roll-up for 2, but Richards switches off to the cross-arm breaker. Edwards counters to the Achilles Lock again, and Richards taps!
Eddie Edwards def. Davey Richards in 6:14 (shown) via Achilles Lock to win the ROH World TV Title
Having seen it before, I can safely say it was a good **** to ****1/2 affair. In addition to its historical significance, it’s an incredible match to boot, well worth your time to seek out.
**We then cut to the post-match where Davey Richards puts over Edwards, putting the belt on him and raising his hand. Back in the studio, Prazak notes that while the Wolves did well this year, they lost Shane Hagadorn who led the Kings of Wrestling to the Tag Team titles. Nice segue, as we’ll discuss them right after the break!
**Back from MMA commercials, we see a clip of Austin Aries and the All-Night Express taking out Delirious after his cage match with Austin Aries. This was a great way to get Delirious off of television and to put over ANX as killers, and I loved it. The Aries/Delirious feud didn’t always produce great matches, but it was solid stuff overall.
**Finally a clip from The Young Bucks against the Briscoes from the Young Bucks’ last night in ROH. I…don’t remember this match. The graphic says it was from February 22nd. That predates my arrival here at the Pulse by about 2 months. Video is again joined in progress.
The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark Briscoe – C) vs. The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson)
Not a significant amount of time alloted to this recap. Kind of like most of the Bucks’ tenure in ROH. After a pretty typical Bucks/Briscoes closing sequence, the Briscoes score with their Splash Mountain/Neckbreaker off the second rope no less, and score with the Doomsday Device for the 3 count.
The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark Briscoe) def. The Young Bucks via Doomsday Device.
I can’t in good conscience say anything about this, because I never even saw the original. But given the match they put on at Glory By Honor VIII, it’s hard to imagine this not being as good, if not better. A hot finishing sequence makes this a likely strong recommendation.
**After this, we cut to a clip of the Kings of Wrestling winning the titles from the Briscoes at The Big Bang, clips of their bloodbath at Death Before Dishonor VIII, and the Kings/Briscoes video package. Now, we go to a clip from the Briscoes’ last chance match. From my recap, and we’re unfortunately joined in progress (JIP):
The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli – C) w/ Shane Hagadorn & Sara Del Rey vs. The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark Briscoe)
Hero back in again, and fires off a chop and a series of knees. Hero sends Mark outside, where Claudio adds a suplex on the floor, as Hero taunts Jay. Hagadorn even gets in a shot or two.
Back in, the Kings tag again and execute a wishbone on Mark. Mark fires back with a couple desperation rights, but Claudio hits a european uppercut and puts up Mark in the UFO but only gets 2! An angry Claudio tags in Hero, and the Kings hit a double team lift for 2 off a Hero folding press. The Kings bait Jay in, but Mark ducks a Hero elbow and hits a saito suplex on Hero. Mark rolls under the charging Kings and tags! Jay hits a double crossbody and a series of clotheslines and a superkick on each man, before laying a big dropkick on Hero and a charging clothesline to send Hero out. Jay goes for his death valley driver but Claudio counters, only for Jay to hit the Jay Driller for a 2 count broken up by Hero. Mark back in now starts hitting the thrust strikes to Hero and tosses him again, as the Briscoes signal for the Doomsday Device. Claudio goes up, but Hero crotches Mark allowing Claudio to slide out and hit a release german. Hero distracts the official as Hagadorn tries to hit a piledriver (nice nod to Adam Pearce), but Jay backdrops out of it and is about to unleash hell on Hagadorn, when Shane knees him low, allowing Claudio to pin Jay!
The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli (W) def. The Briscoe Brothers (Jay (L) & Mark Briscoe) in 4:08 (shown, of the original 18:22) via low blow.
My original rating of this was ***1/4, but upon further reflection after the fact, I’d probably bump that up to ***3/4. These 4 minutes didn’t exactly exemplify that, but it was a great Tag Title match. Maybe I’ll just say the original was a typo. Yeah, let’s go with that…
**They even include the post-match angle when Papa Mike Briscoe runs into jump Hagadgorn. As well as including Mike Briscoe on the mic cutting easily the greatest promo of all time, where he calls Shane Hagadorn a peckerhead. Chris Jericho could learn a thing or two.
**Back in the studio, we discuss the massive rift between Kevin Steen and El Generico, in a likely segue to the promised look back at the Street Fight. And sure enough, we go right to it! Again, from my recap (and again, JIP):
Colt Cabana & El Generico vs. Steve Corino & Kevin Steen – Street Fight
Corino pulls out a couple of real tables and the crowd approves heartily. There are now two tables in the ring and one on the outside, as Steen snot rockets Generico and mocks the crowd. Corino sets up tables in 2 adjacent corners and Colt tries to fight back, but Steen stops that with a lungblower. Steen charges Generico but Generico pulls a low bridge, and hits Corino with a half nelson suplex onto the table–that does NOT break–and another one into the ring for a 2 count. Steen comes back launching a chair at Generico to take some starch out of the masked man and is about to do something dastardly through two chairs. Cabana breaks it up and Steen takes a half nelson suplex THROUGH the chairs, for 2 broken up by Corino. Corino takes a flying asshole (chair assisted, natch), but Generico eats a powerbomb and a Steenalizer (pumphandle neckbreaker) THROUGH A CHAIR for 2. He shouldn’t have kicked out of that. Corino now brings in another piece of guardrail as Steen spreads a table out over the top turnbuckle. Corino is setting up three chairs and keeping Cabana out of the ring. Steen buys time by murdering Generico with a chairshot. The guardrail portion is bridged over the seats of four chairs, perpendicular to the table over the top turnbuckle. Steen was going to climb up onto the table but Cabana broke it up. Cabana fires away on Corino but takes a lariat. Generico decks Corino and puts him up on the guardrail portion. Generico up top. No way. Steen breaks it up. SUPERPLEX ONTO THE GUARDRAIL HOLY SHIT. Cabana saves Generico at 2. What the hell. Steen takes a Faarooq spinebuster through a chair and Colt just drills Corino with 3 chairshots to drop him. My God, what’s going to end this thing. Colt sets up a table now as Steen is crawling into the ring to revive Corino. Cabana sets Corino on the top rope table and goes up with him but Steen saves with a chair to the knee. Generico sends Steen into the guardrail. Cabana and Corino pound away as the table shakes and the Philly crowd pleads with them to not die. I agree. Corino superplexes Cabana off the top rope table through the table on the mat for the 3 count!
Steve Corino(W) & Kevin Steen def. Colt Cabana(L) & El Generico via top rope superplex through a table in 8:16 (shown, of the original 17:15).
In the original rating, I had this at **** and I stand by that. This was an impressively brutal street fight with minimal blood, but some just sick spots and Generico taking a beating like no one I’ve ever seen.
**We include the post-match brawl in the parking lot that featured Steen powerbombing Generico on the hood of the car. Then we cut to the Steen/Generico feud video package. Unfortunately, not the super-awesome video package to pimp Final Battle 2010, which was among the best I’ve seen. Regardless, the package takes us to commercials.
**Back from the break, we cut to Davey Richards’ decision from Glory By Honor IX, where he reveals that he’s not leaving ROH. Back in the studio, we discuss the returns to ROH of Homicide and Christopher Daniels. If Low Ki does, in fact, come back, we’re building a VERY interesting main event scene all of a sudden. Anyway, my editorializing aside, we take this opportunity to show bits and pieces of Christopher Daniels’ interview on his signing a long term contract with ROH.
**After the interview, back in the studio, we discuss the reign of Tyler Black and how it transitioned to the reign of Roderick Strong. This lets us reminisce about Tyler’s last night in ROH when he and Davey Richards were given nearly a half-hour to ply their craft, and it resulted in a classic. From my recap (JIP again):
Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards – Tyler Black’s Last ROH Match
With both men on the apron, Davey fires off a kick, Tyler responds with a punch. They repeat and Davey responds with a rough series of kicks drawing big cheers from the crowd. Davey hits a suspended DDT from the top rope to the ring apron (which is apparently also steel, re: Hogewood and Prazak). Is anything in a wrestling ringside area NOT steel? Sinclair’s count is up to 15 as Davey recovers in the ring. Tyler teases leaving before rolling back into the ring at 19. Davey hits a saito suplex for 2, then a buzzsaw kick and a german suplex for 2, as the commentators speculate on what Tyler’s new name will be. Prazak suggests “Blackie McTylerson.†Classy. Davey misses the Shooting Star Press, allowing Tyler to hit the Buckle Bomb/Superkick combo for 2!
Tyler now locks up the Texas Cloverleaf—a move that works much better for Tyler with his longer arms and legs—but Davey is able to counter into a small package for 2. Tyler charges into a boot, and then another, but Davey ducks a kick and winds up getting alarm clocked into a superkick! Tyler follows it up with God’s Last Gift for a long 2. Tyler looks to go back up again for the Phoenix Splash, but Davey counters again. The two trade strikes on the buckle until Davey gets hung up in the Tree of Woe. Black adds a series of chops to the midsection and adds the double stomp into the Van Terminator for another long 2.
The crowd again chants Davey Richards as Tyler goes up again. Phoenix Splash hits knees, and Davey charges into a boot and a superkick, but Davey hits a discus lariat and the DR Driver for 2.75! Davey hits the Buckle Bomb now, and a buzzsaw kick, and then God’s Last Gift on Tyler for 2! Back into the Cloverleaf and Black taps!
Davey Richards def. Tyler Black in 7:07 (shown, of the original 27:16) via Texas Cloverleaf.
On first viewing, I gave this ****, and again, I’m hard pressed to argue. The only argument would be 1/4 star here or there. And since Glazer hates arguing over 1/4 stars, why should we?
**Back from more advertising from HDNet, we’ve got a highlight package from Final Battle 2010, including Roderick Strong defending the title against Davey Richards, Papa Mike Briscoe hitting the Doomsday Device on Shane Hagadorn in the 6 man tag match, and the positively EPIC war between Steen and Generico. Back in the studio again, Prazak busts out the Gold Boat again since it’s time to celebrate! Slap the Porpoise, we’re out!
**As you know, this is where I traditionally discuss how much wrestling existed in the 50+ minute show. This being a recap show, this is rendered pretty much useless. All four of these matches were among the best free TV matches you’ll find anywhere in any promotion, and are well worth trying to hunt down. Many of these will (hopefully) be on a future “Best of ROH on HDNet” DVD release, the first four of which are currently available on ROHwrestling.com. Thanks for an amazing 2010, and I look forward to bringing more ROH action to you great readers in 2011!
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!
