Andrew Crow
“Slow it down and tell a story.”
It’s an adage that veterans always tell the younger talent, one that has turned many fans off out of spite. Why would you tell young and extremely athletic talent to “slow down”? Jealousy? Seeing as how this phrase often comes from retired wrestlers and managers who, even in their prime, were never seen as being in the same sort of physical condition as many of today’s talents, it would at first appear so.
We’re focusing on the wrong aspect of that statement. “Tell a story.” That’s what wrestling is about. It’s not just the highspots, the stiff strikes, or the promos and angles, but the whole picture that forms when everything is put together. A death-defying spotfest can tell a story just as well as a technical classic can so long as it uses its time effectively and builds to a conclusion.
That’s the magic of professional wrestling and any other visual medium of storytelling.
And so, with this in mind, we hit up the randomizer and look at…
RING OF HONOR – DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR VIII
June 19, 2010. Ted Reeve Arena. Toronto, Canada.
This show has an odd feel to it. I’ve never been the most devoted ROH fan and I’ve let my following of the product lapse quite a bit over the years, but the Adam Pearce run as booker and when the HD Net tapings were a regular occurrence is a period that I felt, at the time, was one of the worst the company had ever seen. It’s not necessarily that the era was bad as much as it wasn’t what had come before it when the term “Cary owned, Gabe operated” was a true statement.
While I can’t exactly say that the final year or two under Gabe Sapolsky were stellar, I can absolutely say that the run from Reborn: Stage One in 2004 up to Final Battle ’08 is among my favorite in any company’s history. It was the epitome of what so many fans, jaded by the post-InVasion offering of WWE and not quite sold nor completely soured on TNA, wanted out of their product. It was a modern take on a classic wrestling product, not entirely too far off from the current NXT offerings, that understood the diehard fan. It appealed to older audiences that had been dismayed by the death of the territories and younger fans that had embraced the internet and found footage of companies from all over the world.
It was what many fans, including myself, felt the natural progression of American professional wrestling needed to be.
Maybe part of the company’s charm from that period was its schedule. You weren’t guaranteed a show every week and there was no way to see it as it happened unless you attended the event live. This was a novel approach to the modern fan who had grown used to seeing multiple promotions on their TVs and a harkening back to the pre-Rock N’ Wrestling era (though with a lighter schedule on the talent). Once the weekly television began, though, is when Ring of Honor started to become just another wrestling promotion, albeit one with an in-ring product far superior to that offered anywhere else in the United States.
After a falling-out with ROH owner Cary Silkin, Gabe was removed as the head booker of the company and was replaced by wrestler Adam Pearce. Pearce was a more old-school booker and his vision of Ring of Honor, though not a significant drift from Gabe’s, was differing from what the fans wanted. Live attendance dropped, as did DVD and other merchandise sales, and a major economic recession coupled with some of the company’s biggest stars leaving for WWE and TNA did him no favors, either.
And then, on June 19, 2010, in the city of Toronto, we were shown Death Before Dishonor VIII, and the growing volume of criticism plummeted, if only for a moment.
We open with a basic introduction to the event, and immediately Up in Smoke (Canadian independent wrestlers Cheech and Cloudy) begin to make their way to the ring. Rushing past them, though, is El Generico, and Up in Smoke make the decision to go backstage again. El Generico grabs a microphone, a total rarity for the French Canadian luchadore.
El Generico: “STEEN! NOW!”
Generico paces around, ready to fight former partner Kevin Steen right away, but Steve Corino comes out to beg his pardon. Corino explains that there’s no way in hell that Kevin Steen will ever wrestle in the opening match on a show again (because “he’s all about the main event,” says Steve).
El Generico: “STEEN…NOW!!!”
Corino reassures him that it’s not going to happen, and that his choice of attire, a black three-piece suit, is for Generico’s funeral.
El Generico: “NOWWW!!!!!”
Steen rushes out and the two come face to face as Corino pleads Steen to not do the match now.
Kevin Steen: “Steve, it’s time. THIS ENDS NOW!”
EL GENERICO -v- KEVIN STEEN
As soon as the bell rings the two men trade punches, and Generico tosses Steen to the floor and hits a topé con hilo. Even with a masked face, Generico’s emotions are clearly conveyed, and he unloads with chops and fists after sending Kevin into the barrier.
Generico takes Steen back in and hits a gorgeous high cross body for 2 before going back to the fists. Much like their meeting in NXT recently, though, the early work of the match says less “we hate each other” and more “we are rivals,” fitting for the first in a series that would shine so bright in 2010, the first time their feud will see major coverage outside of IWS in Montreal. They work a more modest pace that stands out now more than it did five years ago.
Generico goes for an armdrag after running up the corner ropes, but Steen catches him with a backbreaker and nails it in with a senton across Generico’s back. He stalls, taunting some of the fans, and a brief punch exchange ends when Steen rocks Generico down hard. Generico crawls to the corner and Steen stands on his neck, choking him across the bottom rope with such a casual demeanor that undersells the viciousness of his actions. He blows a few snot rockets onto his back as a “F**K YOU STEEN” chant breaks out and manages to hit the cannonball into the corner, looking directly into the camera with a wide smile as his former World Tag Team championship partner desperately tries to get up.
Steen absolutely ROCKS Generico with a forearm and then knocks him loopy with another big one. It’s important to note here that Generico’s selling is perfect and is definitely one thing that has made him so popular on NXT. He sells every major shot like death, aiding in his “David vs. Goliath” characterization and making any comeback instantly more important. Generico manages to fight back and hit a clothesline after no-selling a toss, but Steen gets an elbow up to block the Helluva Kick before charging into a Michinoku Driver for 2.
Generico goes for the lucha run-up armdrag, but Steen, knowing Generico all too well, trips him and crotches him on the top rope. A Package Piledriver on the apron is reversed into a back body drop, and Generico hits the diving tornado DDT on the floor through the corner ropes. He sends Kevin back in and hits a big splash for 2, immediately looking for a Brainbuster, but Steen surprises him with the pumphandle neckbreaker for 2. Amazed, Steen drags Generico to the center of the ring as he tries for a Sharpshooter, but Generico fights him off.
A ‘rana attempt is reversed into the lift-up powerbomb that Steen now uses a finish in NXT, but it only gets 2 here. An “olé” chant as Steen recovers from Generico’s earlier flurry, and then Steen throws in some punches, yelling at Generico to die, before Generico slaps him and calls him out. A brief strike exchange finds Steen getting the better of Generico with clubbing blows, but he eats a big boot after going for a lariat, leading into a trade of offense that garners a massive reaction (but now seems soured after having nearly every indy match of the past 5 years do the same).
To be fair, this kind of trade-off was a signature point of the major independent talent of the early ROH years, themselves having taken it from important All Japan and New Japan matches of the 1990s, but it’s odd how something you see every day now can affect the appeal of even older examples of it. It’s almost expected now for a big strike/move exchange to come on as a turning point in a match, just as the chinlock/three elbows/clothesline sequence was used in the majority of matches from the late ’80s into the late ’90s.
One thing to note here, though, is that this particular sequence serves as a sign of things to come between the two. The Generico/Steen feud will continue until Final Battle 2010 in ROH and translate over to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (and every other company the two would find themselves paired up in) for much of 2011 and 2012. As the feud intensifies in each company? So do the level of big spots and major sequences in the matches. The one thing that makes their series stand out over the majority of the work of their peers, however, is that the intensity grows logically as they continue to try to out-do their previous efforts.
Basically, what a good feud should do, match-wise.
Back to the action after that brief tangent, and Steen misses a moonsault, allowing Generico to lock him in a Sharpshooter. This not only works because the Sharpshooter is a submission move still so rarely used that it has a climactic appeal to it, but also because Steen often used it as a signature hold. Generico goes for the Orange Crush but Steen twists out and goes for the Package Piledriver. Generico reverses, though, and looks for a Brainbuster…but Steen lifts him up and slides him down into the Package Piledriver in an incredible sequence.
And it only gets 2.
Steen, dejected, casually drags Generico, who looks dead to the world, into the center of the ring, and makes his way up top. A Swanton bomb meets Generico’s knees, and Generico hits the Helluva Kick, whips Steen across, a SECOND Helluva Kick, and then takes Steen up top for the BRAINBUSTAAHHHHH…but Steen bites his thumb, drawing the ire of referee Todd Sinclair. Steen manages to blind Sinclair for a moment and pulls out the turnbuckle wrench, clocking Generico in the head, and then drills him down with an avalanche Fisherman Buster for the pinfall.
WINNER: Kevin Steen (via avalanche Fisherman Buster)
ANALYSIS: This match is the first major encounter between the two during this leg of their epic feud, and not only does it reinforce the familiarity they have with each other but it also allows Steen to earn both a legitimate and a moral victory. He may cheat, but he still does what he says he’s going to do: hurt Generico and beat him.
Another story told throughout the match is Generico’s inability to truly dig deep into himself to unleash his hatred for Steen and to fight fire with fire. Early on, after dazing him with a series of moves and a few stiffer-than-expected shots, Generico plays to the crowd. He treats this match, more or less, as just another exhibition, albeit one against a man that turned his back on him and attacked him. He has trouble really unleashing whatever evil lies within, however, and it costs him.
Steen, meanwhile, shows no issue with taking shortcuts, even letting Generico know that he isn’t playing around by hitting him with stiffer and stiffer strikes as the match progresses, almost as if he’s still holding back due to the championship history they have together and having both come up in the ranks of the industry near each other’s side. Interestingly enough, this makes the match take on a different narrative when viewed as not just a chapter of their ROH feud but as an entry into their career-spanning rivalry from IWS to CZW to ROH to PWG and, now, to NXT. He’s not at the point yet where he feels he needs to take the gloves off entirely, but he is definitely getting there.
RATING: ***3/4
We cut to pre-taped brief interviews asking various members of the ROH roster and office who they predict will win the main event, including a red-faced Jim Cornette (who, as an authority figure, refuses to take sides), Kevin Steen (who predicts that El Generico is going to die tonight), Eddie Edwards (who, as the tag partner of Davey Richards, is offended by the thought of asking him), and Austin Aries (who predicts that there will be a winner, that the winner will be World champion, and that they will still never be as great as he is).
THE ALL NIGHT EXPRESS -v- UP IN SMOKE
Cheech and Cloudy finally make their entrance, receiving a few streamers (some which nearly trip Cheech), and the ANX manager Austin Aries is absent from ringside. The Code of Honor is adhered to after the ANX both rub their hands on their genitals while their backs are turned. Kenny King takes control of Cloudy but tags in to Rhett Titus, and Cheech makes a blind tag, taking both down with a double armdrag. A pair of dropkicks by Up in Smoke send the ANX to the floor, but they move before a tandem dive can happen. Cheech answers by sending Cloudy over the top and onto them before bringing Rhett back in.
Tag to Cloudy and Rhett makes a tag to King, hitting Cloudy with an atomic drop into a King spinebuster. Tag back to Rhett for some stomps and then tag to King. Double stomps and they forget who’s legal after another tag but the ref lets Rhett know he’s in. Cloudy fights back with a missile dropkick but King cuts off the tag to Cheech, gets tagged back in, and then botches a bottom-rope springboard leg drop. “You fucked up” is, technically, an appropriate chant, but he recovers quickly and owns it, letting the chant die.
Cloudy reverses out of a Royal Flush by King and ducks a spinning wheel kick, tagging Chech in. Commentary puts over that the lack of Aries at ringside to give them advice (advice which helped the ANX defeat the Briscoes not long before this) is a factor in Up in Smoke getting the best of them, hammered home by Cheech not meeting much resistance in his attack on King. Up in Smoke go for a double team on King but Rhett trips Cloudy up and then nails Cheech when he turns, allowing the ANX to take control again. Turnabout is fair play, though, as Cloudy prevents King from springboarding long enough for Cheech to fight out of a powerbomb attempt. The ANX take Cloudy down and then go back on the attack, hitting a beautiful powerbomb/flipping neckbreaker combo for 2.
Rhett, perplexed at Cheech not falling to the same move that’s put so many other teams down, gets caught off guard long enough for Cloudy to swing momentum back in his team’s favor. Cloudy goes up top as Cheech looks to launch him, but King surprises him with running knees and sends him to the floor, allowing the ANX to hit Cloudy with the One Night Stand (swinging uranage backbreaker by King, Demolition Decapitation-style knee drop by Rhett) for the win.
WINNERS: The All Night Express (via One Night Stand)
ANALYSIS: Rhett Titus goes on to not matter much in ROH. Or anywhere else, for that matter. He is the wrong kind of talent for ROH as he works a very basic style and lacks the charisma or sense of psychology to truly stand out. He’s a guy who has a decent look and not much else. If there is one true positive to say about this, though, it’s that their introduction of Austin Aries post-match (thus leading into his own match) is fairly entertaining. They are little more than hype guys, and I can’t help but agree with A-Double’s very real feelings towards Pearce’s handling of him, as he deserves better than to be saddled with a manager-first/wrestler-second role with a one-man tag team.
RATING: **
A-Double, having caused chaos for Delirious over the last few months, reminds everybody watching that he tried to apologize. He does so in a very quality way, too, as he shows minor remorse over his actions, obviously fearing the upcoming attempt at retribution by his foe, but that he also isn’t afraid to fight. It seems all for naught, however, as Delirious makes his way to the ring.
DELIRIOUS -v- AUSTIN ARIES
Ring of Honor has never had great commentary. Never. Around this time, the team consisted of Dave Prazak and Joe DeGrowski, and neither man is particularly adept at conveying emotion or calling the excitement in a believable manner. Prazak goes between trying to “smark” it up and be the heel color commentator but fails at both (though not to epic Mark Madden levels), and DeGrowski at least tries to call this with some sense of urgency but both force it too much and neglect to properly call the action. I understand the belief of conveying the story as opposed to giving a move-by-move call, and I agree with it overall, but please at least call the action instead of arguing back and forth about the backstory. Case in point: Prazak letting us know that Delirious only dons the red gear when he feels the match is of the utmost importance, something that most fans of Delirious already know and is meant more as a subtle character bit in an otherwise over-the-top gimmick.
Delirious starts off with green mist to Austin’s eyes, leading to a fun spot where Aries tries to hook referee Paul Turner for the Brainbuster, but Aries finally gets enough of it out of his eyes to regain control on the floor. Aries lays Delirious throat-first on the guardrail and goes for a flying axehandle, the move that put Delirious on the shelf, but Delirious moves out of the way. Aries gets back inside and hangs Delirious throat-first over the ropes, following it up with chokes and kicks toward the throat. While this is a smart strategy, and thus a nice story worth following, neither man seems particularly motivated to deliver. This is being worked more like just another match, albeit a slightly heated one, as opposed to a lunatic out for revenge against a conniving arch enemy, which is what the booking and characterization of both men would dictate.
Delirious manages to reverse a top rope superplex attempt by biting Austin in the ribs, and then a second attempt with a headbutt. Delirious looks for Shadows Over Hell but Aries moves and forces Delirious to just leapfrog him, but Delirious nails a picture-perfect Cobra Clutch suplex. He rushes in as Aries rises back up, but Aries nails him with a surprise lariat to send both men down. Aries, still shaken by the Cobra Clutch suplex, goes to bring Delirious up, but gets tackled down and covered with punches. Delirious chokes him blatantly and tosses him across the ring, following it up with headbutts. Delirious begins making his trademark grunts to get the crowd going (going against the “Delirious hasn’t spoken since his throat surgery” angle), and then works over Aries’ back with repeated sentons.
Delirious, instead of going on with an unrelenting attack, measures Aries up, hits a kneeling reverse STO, and locks on a Cobra Clutch. Aries, though, quickly reverses it and sends Delirious to the floor, but the Heat Seeking Missile misses as Delirious moves and Aries just absolutely eats the barricade. Aries is barely conscious as Delirious sends him back in, but the All Night Express rushes in to pull Aries out and attack Delirious, drawing the disqualification. Delirious manages to pants Rhett and reveal his thong, but Titus starts dancing and Delirious kicks him low before nailing a somersault plancha onto Kenny King.
WINNER: Delirious (via DQ)
ANALYSIS: The fire that was shown after the bell? When Delirious was attacking Rhett Titus and Kenny King? It’s what should have been going all match, and it’s a damn shame it didn’t because solid, heated work could have saved this match and overcome the lame (but necessary to extend the feud) angle. Which is a big issue with Pearce’s run as booker, as every feud seemed to go on for too long without the kind of heat and intensity that was commonly shown during the company’s heyday.
RATING: **
A series of pre-tapes rolls as fans are asked who they feel will win the main event, and they seem split down the middle.
SECOND ANNUAL TORONTO GAUNTLET
EDDIE EDWARDS -v- COLT CABANA -v- RODERICK STRONG -v- SHAWN DAIVARI -v- STEVE CORINO -v- TYSON DUX
As a general rule? I don’t care for gauntlet matches. They’re often just condensed singles matches dumbed down into 3-5 minute sprints, and I’ve rarely seen one that keeps the action steady throughout or even tells a compelling story. With the promise of an opportunity at the ROH World championship being granted to the winner, however, we may be in for a treat.
Eddie and Tyson start off and Prazak argues with DeGrowski over Eddie’s win over Tyson the night before at Buffalo Stampede II. Prazak pulls the awful heel commentator trick of arguing about something that’s objectively true (Eddie cheating to beat Dux the night before) and I remember why Bobby Heenan, Jesse Ventura, and Paul Heyman are so great at the color commentator role. One fan keeps chanting “happy birthday” for Tyson, drawing considerably more than one other fan to finally snap and chant “shut the f**k up,” all while Tyson and Eddie work some crisp but superfluous (given the previous night’s event) chain wrestling.
Tyson looks like he could be the younger brother of Billy Gunn. He manages to out-chop Eddie, which is something that would be a bigger deal now given Eddie’s notoriety for the stiffness of his chops, but Eddie takes over with a boot to the head. Eddie tries to reverse a German suplex and Tyson slaps his ears before locking his arms for another German suplex and hitting it, but Eddie manages to toss him to the floor out of desperation and hit a topé suicida.
Prazak makes a surprisingly great call as both men are on the floor, pointing out that we could see the next two gauntlet competitors soon if both men get counted out, and Eddie takes Tyson out with a gorgeous Yakuza Kick against the barricade before sending him back in. A flying Double Stomp misses and Eddie catches Dux with a rolling Half Crab, but Tyson makes the ropes as the camera shows a nice gash across Tyson’s back from being whipped into the barricade.
Eddie locks on a Camel Clutch and then fish hooks his mouth, slowly torturing Tyson, and now the story starts to shine. Eddie, the Television champion, is notorious for offering potential title contenders the “10 Minute Hunt,” giving them a title shot if they can last 10 minutes with him. He’s used to drawing out the clock and it’s this strategy that is allowing Tyson to shine against him in a way he couldn’t the night before. Dux is looking for big bombs, knowing that if he beats Eddie then he has four more opponents to run through, and it seems Eddie suddenly realizes this once Tyson tries for a Death Valley Driver.
Eddie looks for a superplex but Tyson sends him off the ropes. Eddie comes back with a single-legged dropkick to rock him and goes for another superplex, but Dux counters with a sunset flip powerbomb and a lariat. He calls for the DVD and gets Eddie up, but Edwards breaks free and shoots him into the corner for the Piggyback Stuner. Dux reverses and Eddie hits a diving Codebreaker off the second rope before hooking him in another Half Crab but Dux, again, makes the ropes. Eddie drags him away and looks to re-apply it, but Dux cradles him in for the 3-count to a good-sized pop (as Tyson is the hometown hero tonight).
ELIMINATED: Eddie Edwards (via inside cradle)
Shawn Daivari (with Prince Nana and Necro Butcher) wastes no time and clips Tyson’s knee, working it over with a Stretch Plum-like submission. Dux shows why he deserves more work by throwing punches into Daivari’s leg, forcing him to break the hold by stomping on Dux to keep him down. Shawn goes for a spinning toehold and Dux shoots him into the corner. Daivari feigns injury and draws Todd Sinclair’s attention, allowing Necro to soften up Dux some more from the apron.
Daivari goes back on the attack to Tyson’s knee, locking in a Figure Four, but then goes up top and gets caught as Dux chops him and connects with a top rope superplex, selling the knee all the while (and clutching at it, giving him a reason not to cover and let Daivari recover). An enzuigiri by Dux is followed up with a backdrop suplex and a lariat for 2, so Dux goes for the DVD to end it.
His knee gives out, though, and Daivari throws some rights but Tyson muscles through and hits the DVD for 2. Daivari attacks the knee again but gets caught with a rope hanging swinging neckbreaker for 2 as Nana puts Daivari’s foot on the ropes. Dux brings Nana onto the apron and slugs him off, looking to suplex Daivari back in. Nana, however, hooks Tyson’s leg and Daivari reverses it into a crossbody for 3.
ELIMINATED: Tyson Dux (via crossbody block)
Colt Cabana out next, and Daivari attacks him right away. Cabana, though, sends him to the mat and then locks on the Chicago Crab for the quick submission.
ELIMINATED: Shawn Daivari
Steve Corino comes to the ring as Prazak and DeGrowski point out the history between both men and Cabana quickly hits a Bionic Elbow and an atomic drop before Corino knees him low. He tries for a go-behind and Cabana trips him up to lock on the Chicago Crab again, but Corino makes the ropes and bails to the floor.
Cabana follows him out with a pescado, and then unloads with overhand chops to the chest (taking breaks to high five the fans, as well). Corino manages to get back in the ring and digs a fork out of his boot in view of Todd Sinclair, utilizing the brief distraction of Sinclair tossing the fork out to the floor to hit Cabana low and hit a sliding lariat for 2.
Corino goes old-school heel on Cabana, raking the eyes and choking him over the ropes. Cabana gets some shots in, but Corino cuts him off with a cheap shot and slugs away. Cabana comes back again, and Corino jabs him in the eye before looking for the CB4 Driver. Colt reverses into a powerbomb attempt but Corino spins out into a lariat, and further hesitation allows Cabana to lock him in a crucifix for the 3-count.
ELIMINATED: Steve Corino (via crucifix pin)
Roderick Strong sprints out to the ring (with Truth Martini in tow) as Corino slugs away on Cabana, and Strong uses Cabana’s distraction to hit the Sick Kick for 2. He stomps away on Colt as Prazak hypes up Strong’s recent association with Martini and how it could lead to the ROH World title, which DeGrowski thinks is impossible. They argue statistics and, for the first time, I actually enjoy them as commentators.
Cabana barely mounts any sort of legitimate offense as Strong stomps and chops away, torturing him with a Camel Clutch before taking him down with a snap suplex. Colt starts getting back into the swing of things as Strong unloads with chops, and Colt knocks him goofy with a big slap before taking over with double-chops and a series of Bionic Elbows before the wind-up punch sends Strong reeling.
Cabana sends Strong into the corner and hits a pair of chops, but a whip across is reversed. All for naught, though, as Cabana rebounds with a forearm to the mouth. Strong manages to hit the rope-assisted enzuigiri and charges in for a lariat, but Colt connects with a springboard moonsault for 2. Strong looks to have hurt his ankle and bails to the floor, trying to walk it off, and Sinclair goes out to check on him. Truth sneaks in behind Colt and knocks him out with the Book of Truth, and Strong immediately dives in for the pinfall, once more gaining a shot at the ROH World title.
WINNER: Roderick Strong (via Truth Martini interference)
ANALYSIS: This gauntlet match started off much better than most that I’ve seen. Eddie and Tyson worked smartly in relation to their encounter the night before, the hometown hero managed to gut it out against the TV champion and only lost to Daivari because of Nana, and then we had a nice throwback and continuation of Corino/Cabana (who both played big roles in the early stages of Steen/Generico), wrapping it up with the obvious push of Roderick Strong toward the main event. Some of the early stages were wonky between Edwards and Dux, seeing both men work more exhibition-style as opposed to fluidly continuing from the night before, but it eventually played well into the story being told of Eddie underestimating Tyson Dux. The rest of the gauntlet was fairly paint-by-numbers, going from a resolution to a story that began the night before into advancements of others, and it never quite hit the same impact that it achieved halfway through the first fall. Overall, it was a fairly solid affair that touched upon a few feuds, but the final chunk was the weakest of all of them, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
RATING: ***
And here is where the show really turns into high gear. Not just because the final three matches each deliver in their own ways and cement this show as a must-see, but because of what happens during the intermission. If you were watching this live in the Ted Reeve Arena then you were likely checking out the merchandise, grabbing some food or a beverage, or maybe taking a trip to the bathroom. It’s the intermission, after all. What could happen?
Kevin Steen and El Generico could happen. Just as fans were filing back into their seats, Kevin Steen bursts out from behind the curtain, and El Generico is right behind him, firing away with shot after shot as he forces Steen to ringside, throwing him into the barricade hard enough to send it back a few feet. He blocks a chair with ease and sends Steen into the barricade a few more times before sending him into the ring.
Steve Corino comes out to make the save for his ward, attacking Generico from behind, and Colt Cabana comes out to even the odds. The ring crew rushes out to break the brawl up, but it’s no use as even Generico, normally the squeaky clean hero to one and all, has no issue throwing these innocent bystanders out of his way in ruthless fashion. He hits Steen with a Brainbuster as ring announcer Bobby Cruise calls for back-up, but Generico rips off his tie, proceeding to use it to violently choke Kevin Steen before enough security swarms him to force the two apart.
Now, picture this: not long before this show, the first season of NXT concludes, and the Nexus is formed on WWE television. During their introduction as a force, Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan in WWE) takes ring announcer Justin Roberts down and begins choking him with his own tie. Due to the Senatorial campaign being run by Linda McMahon, though, this incident is used to attack her leadership ability (because “fictional violence” means “bad leader” in the eyes of politicians), and thus Bryan has his employment temporarily terminated until the heat dies down, sending the masses (of fans aware of ROH and Bryan’s run there, which was a larger portion of the crowd than WWE would ever care to admit, though still nowhere near the majority) into an uproar over this perceived injustice.
This not only serves as an excellent mockery of “sports entertainment” sensibilities, further differentiating Ring of Honor to the diehard fan from the corporate environment of WWE, but it also shows that El Generico has realized his feud with Steen cannot end with just wrestling. He acknowledges that the only way to beat Steen is to get to his level, and this was the first step he could take to do that.
And he does it all without saying a single word.
Back to the show proper we go as ROH Executive Producer Jim Cornette comes down to the ring to make some announcements. He’s quickly covered in streamers (though not as much as El Generico, a talent he would later see no point in using), and then puts over the crowd, thanking them for coming out and supporting ROH. He thanks Toronto and the ROH fans as a whole for supporting the company before telling the fans that they “ain’t seen nothing yet” as a hype for the second half of the show.
(As an aside, it’s quite interesting how much Jim Cornette did legitimately love the product offered by Ring of Honor from his first interactions with the company in 2005/2006 until not long into his booking reign in 2011. Say what you will about the interference by Sinclair Broadcasting following their purchase of the company, but it’s hard not to point out that many of Cornette’s issues with talent and the company’s fanbase were very much so his own doing.)
PICK SIX CHALLENGE
CHRISTOPHER DANIELS (2) -v- KENNY OMEGA
The Pick Six Challenge was an interesting idea, at least on paper. Early on in the company, incredibly convoluted rulings were put in place to rank the top contenders to the ROH World title, abandoned off-and-on until evolving into this concept following the appointing of Jim Cornette as ROH Executive Producer on-air. In much the same vein as the Contendership Trophy from the company’s first year or two, anybody could challenge one of the top six ranked contenders for the right to take their spot in line at the cost of shoving anybody ranked lower down another tier. This concept will be done away with later in the year after having its rules revised too often to make coherent sense of (similar to TNA’s Bound For Glory Series but somehow more confusing).
Christopher Daniels is a stranger to nobody that has ever remotely followed Ring of Honor. His interactions with LowKi and Bryan Danielson cemented the company’s legitimacy at its onset and, despite a confusing legal mess involving TNA allowing its talent to work for both companies (and then not and then allowing again and then not and etc.), has always found himself at home within the confines of its ring. Due to the TNA issues, Daniels has never had any sort of run with a singles title in Ring of Honor, and this is his closest opportunity yet as he is currently on the outs with TNA. Kenny Omega, on the other hand, is a frequent worker of Japanese companies, most notably DDT and currently NJPW, with occasional spurts in ROH and PWG. His athleticism and eccentric personality have aided him in finding an appreciative audience in ROH, and it’s going to be interesting to see how Daniels, a part-timer in ROH only due to contractual issues with another company, fares against him.
Omega enters first and shows visible trepidation in spite of the audience welcoming him with a barrage of streamers, which contrasts perfectly with the swagger (and even greater welcome by the audience) of Daniels. The two men adhere to the Code of Honor with a pre-match handshake, and Daniels casually circles Omega as Kenny looks eager to strike first. Immediately, Daniels lets Omega know of his veteran status by taking him down with a headlock and refusing to let it up. Kenny fights out a few times but gets locked right back in it, and DeGrowski gives us the Fall Angel’s angle by pointing out his defensive strategy.
Omega takes over with armwork and goes for the Hadouken early but Daniels avoids it and backs off. A shoulderblock sends Kenny down and Daniels stands over him, casually reminding him who he’s dealing with, but Omega regains the lead with a flurry of running strikes before hitting a high crossbody for 2. Daniels bails to the floor to take a breather as Omega aims for a running springboard moonsault, finding himself cut off as Daniels takes control with a shot to the back (preventing the moonsault) and a neckbreaker onto the apron.
On the floor we go as Daniels hammers into Kenny’s neck before sending him and taking him down with a clothesline for 2. Rather than continue on with an unrelenting attack, though, Daniels picks and chooses his shots, focusing on Kenny’s neck with a half nelson chinlock. Daniels knows that Omega is the superior athlete and that, unlike constant rival AJ Styles, he can’t get into his head, so he slows the pace down and makes Omega exert as much energy as he can to kick out of constant pin attempts following attacks on the neck (a backdrop suplex is immediately followed by a cover, as well as an Eye of the Hurricane). A vertical suplex leads to an Arabian Press across Kenny’s back, and Daniels immediately locks on a Crossface, holding it on for a few counts as Kenny gets the ropes.
Daniels throws Kenny face-first into the top turnbuckle, even further weakening his neck (both to slow Kenny down and set up for the Koji Clutch), but gets caught as he goes up top. Omega looks for a superplex, but Daniels nails him with headbutts and looks for an avalanche Angel’s Wings, getting only a back body drop for his efforts. Kenny can’t capitalize soon enough, though, and barely dodges a running clothesline before a pair of Polish Hammers knocks Daniels down. The Fallen Angel ducks a third and gets turned around as Omega’s adrenaline surges, eating a dropkick to the knee and a leapfrog Rocker Dropper for 2.
Omega nails a springboard missile dropkick to the back of the head for 2 and looks for a Dragon suplex, but Daniels shoots him off and catches him with a reverse STO into the Koji Clutch. Omega makes the ropes, though, and Daniels is none too pleased with his own rookie mistake. He brings Omega up top and dazes him with the uppercut palm strike before connecting with the Fall From Grace for 2, quickly going back to driving elbows into Omega’s neck before hitting a running neckbreaker for 2.
Kenny staves him off with right hands but misses a spinning heel kick, and Daniels quickly locks him for the Angel’s Wings. Omega fights out, though, and connects with a belly-to-back piledriver out of desperation for 2. They trade strikes, with Omega getting the upper hand, but Daniels catches Kenny with a Uranage slam before going for the Best Moonsault Ever. Omega moves out of the way and catches Daniels with a 2K1 Bomb for 2, backing away and readying himself for the Hadouken. He misses and gets caught with the Angel’s Wings, but manages to kick out just before 3.
Daniels is beside himself, amazed at Kenny’s resiliency, and desperately tries to bring Omega to his feet. Omega manages to hit a surprise jawbreaker and a spinning heel kick before a Dragon suplex sets up the Hadouken for 2. Omega can’t believe that Daniels is still able to go, and openly calls for Croyt’s Wrath as Daniels claws his way to the ropes. Omega lifts Daniels up for Croyt’s Wrath but Daniels hammers some fists into his crown before dragging him down. They trade strikes, with Omega getting the advantage, but Kenny is caught with an STO. Daniels rushes to the corner and the BME gets the win.
Post-match, Daniels separates the man he is in 2010 from the man he was in 2002 by helping Kenny to his feet and shaking his hand.
WINNER: Christopher Daniels (via BME)
ANALYSIS: Not only is Daniels the veteran workhorse set on keeping his position in the Pick Six rankings against the younger, athletically superior Kenny Omega, but he also shows the calming effect of age and experience. The Christopher Daniels of 2002 would have spit in Kenny Omega’s face, slammed him into the barricade, and taken every shortcut he could find to not only win but to emphasize how over his head Kenny was. Christopher Daniels in 2010, though, has had career threatening injuries, has shed blood over ultimately inconsequential matters, and has seen his legacy swept aside without even so much as an opportunity to defend it via legal matters. He needs that opportunity to become ROH World champion again, if only to prove to himself that spending his entire life in the sport is worthwhile.
Kenny Omega, on the other hand, is desperate for an opportunity to prove he’s capable of being on top. He’s hungry, he’s young, and he’s virtually unstoppable, becoming his own worst enemy only by allowing a man with much more experience than he has dictate the pace and never truly catching up. He’s definitely a rookie in this regard (also in regard to long-term selling, as he neglects the work done on his neck once he goes back on offense following the Angel’s Wings), and pays the price for it by losing due to his own poor strategy.
RATING: ***3/4
Earlier in the night, it was revealed that the Briscoes were having issues at customs, and there was a possibility that they would not be able to get their revenge on the Kings of Wrestling and reclaim the ROH World Tag Team titles that they had become synonymous with just a few short years prior. Just as Daniels walks back through the curtain, Joe DeGrowski updates us that there are still no Briscoes in the building.
NO DISQUALIFICATION FOR THE ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES
THE KINGS OF WRESTLING (c) (W/ SHANE HAGADORN) -v- THE BRISCOES
The Kings of Wrestling make their entrance, smug with the likelihood that they may not have opponents to defend their titles against. Before Bobby Cruise can make an announcement confirming that Jay and Mark have yet to arrive, Shane Hagadorn confirms it with his clients, prematurely celebrating while Cruise draws the ire of the Toronto crowd for letting them know this. Claudio Castagnoli takes his microphone away, confers with Chris Hero, and politely thanks the country of Canada for not allowing the Briscoes into the country.
Claudio: “It is for reasons like that that the Kings of Wrestling love to come to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.”
Hero takes the microphone, sympathizing with the crowd over their dissatisfaction, because he was looking forward to proving the KOW’s dominance. Cary Silkin is at ringside arguing with Adam Pearce over it, but the Briscoes rush out from the crowd and immediately attack the Kings. Jay slams the belt over Hero as Mark sends Claudio to the floor, and Jay sends Hero out to meet him. Mark holds them in place and Jay nails a topé onto both men as the match is officially started.
Like most Briscoes matches, they start off with a flurry of offense on their opposition, quickly setting the pace and catching them off guard. Mark takes Hero down with a suplex and floats over into a flurry of punches, tagging in Jay to wail on Hero as well. Tag back to Mark as Claudio, already busted open, gets onto the apron, and Mark takes Hero down with an Exploder suplex before Jay sends Claudio back to the floor with a forearm. Both Briscoes stalk Shane Hagadorn around the ring, stopping only to continue their assault as they come back to the Kings.
The Briscoes send both Kings in and take Claudio down with a double flapjack. They whip Hero into Claudio, forcing him to back body drop his partner, and a double superkick sends Claudio into the corner. Jay hits a running facewash to Claudio as Hero pulls Mark to the floor, distracting Jay long enough for Claudio to send Jay out. Hero goes back on the attack to Mark, busting him open in the process, and then sends him to Claudio, who slows down the pace with a chinlock, allowing the match to go into a more straightforward tag team pace that favors the Kings over the Briscoes.
Claudio knocks Jay off the apron and stomps on Mark behind referee Paul Turner’s back as Jay tries to get in (forcing me to question why rules are being enforced in a match where the stipulation negates rules), and Mark manages to kick out of a double elevated slam at 1, immediately going on the offensive to Hero before Chris takes over with a thumb to the eyes and a chop. Tag back to Claudio, and he locks Mark Briscoe up to reign in with strikes to his headwound, covering himself in blood in the process (which is a sick visual).
Turner checks on Briscoe to make sure he can still go, and Mark takes advantage of a rare Kings miscue with a gamengiri to Hero that allows him to hit a crossbody to both men, looking in the wrong corner for his brother. He rolls under a double clothesline and tags Jay in, who takes control on both men in quick order. Claudio eats a DVD before Jay meets Hero in the corner, slamming his face into the top turnbuckle pad 30 times (busting him open in the process). Mark comes back in and goes after Claudio as Hagadorn gets on the apron, but Jay takes him down with a boot to the mouth. Hagadorn picks up a chair and threatens Jay, allowing Chris Hero to whip him into the ropes. Jay reverses and rolls him up in a prawn hold for 2, but Hero’s kick out sends Jay face-first into Hagadorn’s chair.
I’m going to pause right now to point out that while this is a perfectly fine match and I can even accept that the Kings would utilize better tag team strategy than the Briscoes (their styles conflict in ways that make them gel as opponents, with the Kings being a traditional tag team that exploits the rules of a match to their advantage and the Briscoes being more of a “pair of tough bastards” kind of duo), but it is in no way solid booking nor storytelling for a No Disqualification match to require tags, to have the referee enforce the rules, or to not have this as a pier six. The story heading in was simple, that the Briscoes wanted the World Tag Team titles that the Kings held, but things were made personal weeks before this event when the Kings attacked the Briscoes’ father, Mike. That is the very reason this match was made No Disqualifications in the first place. Kevin Steen and El Generico did less to them in 2007 and received worse punishment at the offset for just daring to challenge the Briscoes’ superiority.
So why is this match just a slightly more intense standard tag contest?
Back to the match, and Mark realizes what happened, backing off of Claudio to check on his brother. This opening is all Claudio needs, though, and a big lariat takes Mark down. Hero follows Jay to the floor as Claudio drives forearm after forearm into Mark’s forehead, stomping on him and driving his boot into his face before locking him in a Camel Clutch. On the floor, Hagadorn and Hero take some rope and tie Jay to the corner post by the throat, singling out Mark entirely.
Claudio drops Mark with a suplex and tags Chris back in, realizing what his partner and their manager have done. Hero calmly enters as Claudio lifts Mark up for a vertical suplex, stalling him up as Hero hits the ropes and connects with a backbrain elbow for 2. Hero heads up top as Claudio lifts Mark up for the Doomsday Device, one of the Briscoes’ signature moves, and the insult to injury only gets 2. The Kings aren’t happy with Turner’s officiating, though, and send him out of the ring before they take turns nailing boots to Mark’s face.
Outside, Turner unties Jay, and Hero toys with Mark as Claudio steadies him, allowing the Rolling Elbow to connect. Mark falls like a sack of bricks and Turner gets back into the ring, but the Rolling Elbow only gets a 2 count. Hero quickly locks Mark into a Stretch Plum and Claudio goes after Jay, but the elder Briscoe fires off a fire extinguisher into his face. Chris meets the same fate and Jay enters the ring, nailing a reverse STO to Claudio onto the middle turnbuckle. Mark introduces a table and it’s set up in the corner, and the Briscoes place Claudio against it before whipping Hero in. He Flair flops up Claudio, the table unbroken, and the Briscoes connect with a powerbomb/neckbreaker combo.
In perhaps the only part of the match truly referencing the kind of malice the Briscoes should have towards the Kings thus far, they look to inflict more harm upon the Kings instead of ending the match, looking for a double hip toss on Claudio through the table in the corner. Claudio flips to his feet, though, but turns to eat a double shoulderblock that sends him through the table.
Joe DeGrowski: “Old school justice, Briscoe-style!”
Jay covers for 2, and they look for the Doomsday Device but send Claudio out of the ring as Hagadorn gets on the apron. Hagadorn begs off but it’s for naught as he eats the Doomsday Device originally intended for Claudio. Castagnoli tries to drag Jay out of the ring, but Mark catches him with a somersault plancha as Hero gets back into the ring with his loaded elbow pad, nailing Jay with the Loaded Elbow Pad for 2. For some reason, though, Hero hides the pad in his trunks, despite it being a perfectly legal object in this match.
Mark sends Hero to the floor where a fan questions his sexuality, allowing Claudio to get Jay up for the UFO. Jay, though, reverses this into a crucifix for 2, perplexing Claudio. Claudio measures Jay and connects with a nasty European uppercut before going on to the move that helped make him a can’t-miss prospect in WWE (but it’s WWE so we know how it turned out), the Big Swing. Hero takes care of Mark on the floor and wraps the loaded elbow pad onto his boot, rushing into the ring to hit a loaded dropkick to the swinging Jay for the pinfall.
Mark comes in to check on his brother as the Kings of Wrestling celebrate retaining their titles, and I must say that it’s quite the visual seeing Chris Hero, Jay Briscoe, and Mark Briscoe all covered in blood, with a coagulated string of it hanging off of Mark’s nose in an unintentional but grotesquely beautiful throwback to the famous cage match between Samoa Joe and Jay Briscoe years before.
WINNERS: The Kings of Wrestling (via Big Swing/loaded dropkick)
ANALYSIS: I remember first seeing this match and being blown away by the intensity of it all and how it builds up to its finish, simultaneously continuing the story of the Briscoes gunning for both the World Tag Team titles and justice for the attack on their father. While the story is definitely continued, this entry starts to fall flat once actual logic is placed upon it. As noted above, why would rules be enforced in a No Disqualification atmosphere? Why would Chris Hero need to hide what was considered a foreign object from the referee’s view? The majority of this match is worked as a blowoff while glaring sections of it fit the actual placement of it in the feud between these two teams, and knowing now that this feud doesn’t get quite as hot again is a major factor in feeling this way.
RATING: ***
ROH WORLD TITLE
TYLER BLACK (c) -v- DAVEY RICHARDS
I’m going to preface this by saying that I have this match marked as my MOTY for 2010, narrowly beating Shawn Michaels vs. the Undertaker from WrestleMania 26. A major reason for it is that the match, if held today, would be considered just another forced epic from an independent promotion. It is filled with all of the traps and failings of later Davey Richards matches that polarized the ROH fanbase and it’s easy to see how this match ultimately provided the layout for much of Davey’s singles career moving forward.
Leading into this match, Tyler Black (the future Seth Rollins) survives the break up of the Age of the Fall and goes on to become the company’s top guy. However, a backlash is almost instantaneous, as though Black’s work ethic and the quality of his output are never truly in question, the handling of him in a booking sense makes him into ROH’s version of John Cena to its fanbase. He is given wins over talent that the audience either feels are superior in every which way (Roderick Strong, Austin Aries, and Chris Hero) or belong nowhere near the ROH World title (Kenny King). His is another reign that comes later than it should have, much like that of Nigel McGuinness, and he lacks the sense of readiness that most champions had before him.
That’s why this match is important. Davey Richards is on his ascension through the ranks as a singles star, still one half of the American Wolves with Eddie Edwards, and it’s clear why the fans take to Davey as hard as they do here. His demeanor as Tyler makes his entrance is that of a killer, setting out to both prove his own worth as a top-tier ROH talent and to expose Tyler Black for the joke that he is. He shows no fear as Tyler walks up to him, standing poised to strike on the middle rope with his gaze never leaving that of Black’s. Tyler, on the other hand, lets the audience get to him as they cheer for Davey, his pride obviously taking a bruising as streamers are replaced with rolls of toilet paper.
Jim Cornette: “It’s become fashionable to cheer against Tyler Black, for some reason.”
Tyler respects the Code of Honor, offering a handshake, and Davey studies Black’s hand, hesitating for a moment before spitting at it. The bell rings and Davey immediately hypes himself up, playing to the crowd, as Tyler stares him down, making it clear that Davey is starting to believe his own hype and Tyler is now determined to prove everybody wrong.
They trade arm locks but break on the ropes, and Tyler lets Davey know that he has no fear by slapping him across the face. Davey, laughing, slaps him back, and they trade slaps before Tyler takes him down with a head-scissors. Richards muscles out with ease, locking on a surfboard chinlock as Cornette (on commentary) points out that Davey is a man of his word and that neither Eddie Edwards nor Shane Hagadorn are at ringside. Davey willingly breaks the hold, taunting Tyler with the knowledge of how quickly Richards was able to take him down, and Black shoots him into the ropes. Davey shoulderblocks him down, quickly turning around after a leap frog and taking Black down into a modified surfboard (with Davey’s ego on great display as he shows no care over whether Tyler breaks free or not).
Black reverses it into one of his own before willingly breaking the hold himself before both men circle each other again. Davey, now, takes Tyler much more seriously. Another trade of arm locks before Davey takes Black down and cut-throats him, laying in a pair of crossface punches before transitioning it into a straight-jacket chinlock. Black reverses out into his own, however, and Davey muscles out before taking Tyler down with an armdrag. Richards lets Black go loose and looks for a casual crucifix but Tyler squirms away, only barely getting caught in it after Richards puts actual effort in for 2.
Off the ropes and Black misses a pair of dropkicks, rolling forward and nailing Davey with a third try for 1. Black slams Davey down and then stands on his throat, letting Davey know that he’s not to be taken lightly, and goes for a stomp that Davey avoids. Black, undeterred, shoves Davey back down after a kick to the spine and stomps his face for 2. Black goes for a springboard crossbody but Davey dropkicks him in the ribs to block it, the camera angle exposing an empty socket in his mouth from where Tyler’s stomp knocked a tooth out.
Davey hands the tooth to Bobby Cruise at ringside and business quickly picks up as he (rightfully) concludes Tyler is worth his full attention, nailing him with a kick to the chest, a stiff stomp, and then a Dynamite Kid-style hooking clothesline. Richards drags Black over by his arm and locks on a Tequila Sunrise-style Cloverleaf, immediately releasing the hold as Tyler gets to the ropes (showing that Davey, albeit heated over the tooth, still has some honor). A back suplex and a kick to the spine find Black slowly getting back to his feet, meeting a grinning Richards in the middle of the ring, and a palmface sends Davey into overdrive, backing Black into the corner with kick after kick to the chest.
Davey hits a running corner elbow and then hits the ropes, Black connects with a forearm, Richards with a rolling solebutt to the midsection, and Tyler nails him off the ropes with an enzuigiri. Tyler is in this to win, though, and reverses out of a clothesline into a back roll-up before lifting Davey up and throwing him to the floor with ease. Tyler measures it and connects with a topé before sending Davey back in.
Fans: “You still suck!”
Tyler shoots a glare that kills the chant and connects with a springboard lariat for 2. Davey hits a desperation forearm and hits the ropes but gets rocked by a forearm from Tyler, and Paroxysm gets 2. Black goes up top for the Phoenix Splash but Davey connects with a kick to the back and goes for an avalanche back suplex but gets elbowed off. Davey goes back up and gets elbowed off again, allowing Tyler to get all the way up, and Davey charges in for a Kurt Angle-style avalanche German suplex but Tyler flips out, lands on his feet, and calls for the end. Richards turns into a Yakuza Kick and then a reverse ‘rana, and Black lifts him back up to hit an Electric Chair Driver for 2.
Davey rolls out of the ring after barely kicking out, collapsing right to the floor, and Tyler argues with Todd Sinclair. Black follows Richards to the floor and jaws with him, reminding him that he deserves respect, and then follows Davey around the floor with chops at each corner of the barricade, both to show his worthiness as World champion to the fans and to weaken Richards even more. Back to the ring and Tyler covers but Richards gets his foot on the rope at 2. A Brainbuster gets 2, and Black reigns down with closed fists to Davey’s head before another cover gets 2. Tyler connects with a chop and Davey fires back with a kick to the chest, but Tyler nails a series of chops before looking for a back suplex. Davey flips out and Tyler charges but gets sent to the floor, and Davey rushes in with a topé con hilo through the ropes that sends him into the crowd.
It’s clear that both men are in full war mode by this point, and the fans chant for Davey as he brings Tyler back into the ring. Richards starts getting his adrenaline flowing and the two men trade forearms and then punches, with Tyler whipping Davey into the ropes only to eat the handspring roundhouse kick for 2. Richards, still rocked from the flurry from earlier, lets Tyler get to his feet across the ring and charges in but gets dumped to the apron. Richards catches a kick and Dragon Screws Tyler against the ropes, using the time bought to set up a missile dropkick. A kick flurry sets up a German suplex attempt that Black reverses, but a ‘rana attempt is met with a powerbomb followed up by a Texas Cloverleaf.
Davey loses his grip on Black’s legs as Tyler makes his way to the ropes, the hold breaking even before Sinclair would have forced it to, and Richards makes the mistake of calling for the Shooting Star Press. Tyler rocks Davey with a right hand and goes for a superplex but Davey shoves him off. Black recovers with a gamengiri and then transitions a superplex into an F5, but that only gets 2 with Davey barely kicking out and Tyler, stupefied by Davey’s resiliency, looking for the Phoenix Splash again.
Richards, though, follows him up and nails Tyler with some headbutts, fighting through connecting elbows by Black.
Davey Richards: “Come on, motherf**ker, come on and fight!”
Davey jaws too early, though, as Black elbows him off. It’s all for naught, though, as the Phoenix Splash misses, and Davey manages to roll Black up into an ankle lock that Black fights out of into a pinfall attempt for 2. They trade pinning maneuvers (in classic RVD/Lynn fashion, though a bit sloppier), and it ends with Richards grapevining Tyler’s leg into an ankle lock. The fans erupt, feeling the end is near, but Black makes the ropes. Richards pushes on with a leg-capture German suplex for 2.
Davey needs a quick breather after that, and slowly brings Black up to his feet, looking to suplex him out to the floor. Black fights off and charges in, eating a boot, and then Davey successfully suplexes Tyler over the top and to the floor, but Black drags him out with him. It’s worth noting that this sequence was still rather fresh at this point and, in the context of a match where both men are trying to get whatever advantage over the other that they can, it fits.
Richards sends Black into the barricade and then follows in close with a Yakuza Kick, sending Tyler into the crowd. Richards gets back into the ring and tries to catch his wind as Black fights to pull himself over the barricade. Sinclair checks on Davey and Shane Hagadorn comes to ringside, holding a chair. Hagadorn winds up to hit Black with it, but Davey rushes out and shoves Hagadorn away, taking the chair with him. They argue, with Davey sending his manager to the back, and Black takes advantage of Sinclair forcing Hagadorn back through the curtain by Superkicking the chair into Davey’s face. Black rolls back into the ring as Davey is loopy on the floor and Sinclair starts the count.
Davey gets back up and barely crawls onto the apron at 11 (important note: ROH utilizes a 20-count, much as they do in Japan), and Black, beside himself, drags Davey back in and looks for God’s Last Gift. Davey, though, shoves Tyler through the ropes and to the floor before collapsing. Black gets onto the apron and Davey follows him out, where they trade strikes, the time between each one growing with each shot, and Black gets the upper hand with a Paroxysm off the apron and onto the floor.
Tyler, having gotten the better of Davey there, barely crawls back into the ring, leaving Davey in a heap on the floor. Richards starts to stir as Tyler makes it to his feet in the ring but collapses himself just as Davey starts to get back in, but Davey falls down again as the very real possibility of a count-out ending (something used often during the second Austin Aries reign with the World title, thus a known possibility) becomes apparent. Sinclair makes it to 19 and Davey forces himself in as Black is in complete disbelief, asking Sinclair to stop the match for Davey’s own sake.
Davey tries to get to his feet but falls down, shoving himself up and slapping Tyler across the face. Black answers with a Superkick and God’s Last Gift for 2, and the cameraman does a wonderful job of closing in on Davey’s face as it contorts in agony. Black rushes around the ring, bewildered at Davey’s perseverance, and then hits Davey with the Buckle Bomb. He goes for the kneeling Superkick but Davey catches his leg, connects with a Dragon Screw, and then locks on a Texas Cloverleaf.
Tyler fights to the ropes, nearly making them, but Davey drags him back into the center of the ring. Black manages to fight up and to the ropes again, forcing Davey to loosen his grip to bring him back in, and Tyler proves his strategy true by bringing Davey into an inside cradle for 2.
Black tries to charge Davey but limps toward him due to the work on his knee, and Davey takes advantage of the stutter in momentum by connecting with a boot to his face. Tyler fires back with one of his own, and they soon trade boots to the face before another strike exchange (Tyler with a barrage of rights and lefts and Davey with Kawada-style step kicks). Black knocks Davey down to a knee and hits the ropes but gets caught with the Alarm Clock. Davey gets fired up and ready to kill, swatting away a Superkick before connecting with a spinning lariat for 2.
Richards calls for the end and lifts Black for a powerbomb but can’t quite muster him up, softening him up further with more Kawada step kicks before connecting a Buckle Bomb of his own. A Buzzsaw kick follows it up, and Richards nails the DR Driver for 2, falling back to the mat after Black kicks out. Davey screams in Tyler’s face and slowly tries to go up top for the Shooting Star Press once more, but Black catches him and follows him up, looking for a superplex out to the floor.
Davey fights out, looking for a DR Driver from the top to the floor, and Black fights out, booting Davey in the face and sending him onto the apron with his leg caught between the turnbuckles. Black flies off with a double stomp to Davey, both men spilling to the floor, and Black sends Davey in, covering for 2.
Tyler can’t believe it and muscles Davey back up for another Buckle Bomb, this time connecting with the kneeling Superkick, but it only gets 2.
Fans: “You can’t beat him!”
Tyler struggles to his feet, focusing on Davey, and brings him up to his feet again. Davey falls down to his knees, though, and another kneeling Superkick knocks him loopy enough for Tyler to drop him with a wrist-clutch God’s Last Gift for the win.
After the match, a few fans toss empty water bottles into the ring, and Tyler even picks one up and looks toward where it came from, flabbergasted. A small round of applause starts up and grows before quickly petering out. Tyler lays the World title on the mat and tries to help Davey to his feet but can’t, so he calls for help from the back, kneeling beside him until he sees Adam Pearce come out from the back.
As Richards starts to stir, Jim Cornette can be heard yelling at some fan.
Jim Cornette: “I don’t care who you are, those two are two of the best in the entire business.”
A “match of the year” chant breaks out (again) as Eddie Edwards comes out to check on his partner, who barely manages to get up to his feet. He calls for a microphone and, knocked goofy still from the entire match, nearly falls into Tyler Black.
Davey Richards: “Now you’re a champion.”
Davey collapses back to the mat as Pearce and Eddie check on him, and Pearce hands the microphone to Tyler. Black says that there were a lot of expectations going into the match and that he had no idea how things were going to turn out, but he says “thank you” to Davey. The fans start a “thank you both” chant that segues (abruptly) into an “ROH” one, and Tyler Black climbs to the middle ropes with the ROH World title held high.
WINNER: Tyler Black (via wrist-clutch God’s Last Gift)
ANALYSIS: The first time that I saw this match I hated it. I saw nothing but moves increasing in intensity and a delayed finish, the final 10 minutes or so just feeling entirely tacked on without any sort of merit. Then I rewatched it on a whim a few days later and found so many things that I missed, some subtle and some overt. The cold and calculating look of Davey Richards before the bell and the vicious self-confidence immediately after. How his facial expressions and body language changed the moment Tyler Black started to cut him off. The way the fans, initially in unison against Tyler, began to begrudgingly respect him and even cheer for him. The story that was unfolding, of the man that they had come to resent proving his ground and value against the man they wanted as champion, may have been told in a fairly drawn-out fashion but it was told consistently, highlighted by neither man ever truly being able to out-do the other in any particular manner and forcing each to change their game plan on the fly. It wasn’t the most effective way of telling the story but it wasn’t at all ineffective, and the fans’ changing of their opinion on Tyler Black throughout was entirely based on the work of both men.
Davey Richards would go on to become the ROH World champion in June 2011 and hold it for nearly one year. In that time, he would have many examples of the worse elements of this match while changing his character from a sadistic jackass to a generic honorable warrior that only served to harm the quality of his work. It wouldn’t have been out of the question for Davey to unseat Tyler on this night and, oddly enough, would have fit into the theme of ROH World champions of the past (with maybe LowKi, Homicide, and CM Punk being the only pure examples of first-time champions getting their title reigns when they were at their hottest). This is probably the peak era of his singles works so far, as well, allowing him to truly grow into his role as champion.
Not to sell the future Seth Rollins short by any means, though. While he would have much better work later on, his performance against Davey Richards is still a massive career highlight. That he is able to turn a crowd that is against him into rooting for him, even if it’s not done without forced restraint, is a testament to his own ability. He takes Davey to a level that only the likes of LowKi and KENTA had done before and shows his abilities to continue growing by quickly catching up to, and always surpassing, Davey at every step of his game. Even the extended finish, forcing Tyler to continue his assault non-stop so as to not allow Richards a chance to breathe, works in this regard.
Ultimately? This is a must-see match. It’s not going to amaze those who aren’t fans of Davey Richards on any level and you won’t see the best work of Tyler Black, either. What you will see, though, is a match that offers something new to it with each viewing, be it a pro or a con, and can be extremely rewarding if you give it a chance.
RATING: ****1/2
OVERALL THOUGHTS: Hindsight is definitely a funny thing. This show is still one of my favorites of 2010 and continues to stand as one of the strongest ROH shows to date. The show’s flow altogether has a major big-time event feel with only one match (the All Night Express vs. Up in Smoke) being an exhibition, and Generico vs. Steen opening the show is a brilliant move. It immediately adds unpredictability to the night, causing you to question any predictions you may have before it all starts. Staging the brawl during the intermission to really kick the feud into high gear was even smarter, building more anxiety for the final three matches. Whatever issues I may have with the World Tag Team title match’s booking are overshadowed by the quality of the work within it. Similarly, the World title match may be divisive but it also delivers what it needs to and gives the fans something they felt is worth their money. That WWE came calling to six people that worked high-profile matches within a few years says something.
RATING: 8/10
