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Csonka’s ROH/NJPW War of The Worlds Review 5.12.17

May 13, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
7.2
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Csonka’s ROH/NJPW War of The Worlds Review 5.12.17  

Csonka’s ROH NJPW War of The Worlds Review 5.12.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Dalton Castle defeated Silas Young, Bobby Fish & KUSHIDA @ 8:30 via pin [***]
– Adam “Hangman” Page defeated Frankie Kazarian @ 6:00 via pin [**]
Non-Title Match: IWGP Tag Team Champions War Machine defeated EVIL & SANADA and Jonathan Gresham & Chris Sabin @ 9:00 via pin [***½]
– Will Ospreay defeated Jay White @ 13:25 via pin [****½]
ROH Six-Man Title Match: Champions Bully Ray & Briscoes defeated Hirooki Goto, Rocky Romero & Beretta @ 13:00 via pin [***½]
ROH TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll defeated Matt Sydal @ 12:00 via submission [***]
ROH Tag Team Title Match: Champions Young Bucks defeated Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI @ 13:45 via pin [***]
– Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Adam Cole @ 13:40 via pin [**¾]
ROH Title Match: Champion Christopher Daniels defeated Cody and Jay Lethal @ 13:40 via pin [**½]


– During the pre-show, NJPW United States Ambassador George Carroll announced the company was introducing the IWGP United States championship and the first champion would be crowned at the July New Japan G-1 Special events in Long Beach, California. The championship will be determined through a round robin tournament held over the two nights; Jay Lethal was confirmed as a participant. The IWGP & IWGP IC titles will be defended on those shows.

– Kevin Kelly, Ian Riccobani, & Colt Cabana are on commentary tonight.

KUSHIDA vs. Dalton Castle vs. Silas Young vs. Bobby Fish: The Beer City Bruiser is out with Young, the Boys are with Castle. The crowd loves Castle, but pre-match, Young runs down KUSHIDA for pandering with a Yankees jersey and attacks. Castle makes the save, and Fish is in and rolls up KUSHIDA, and then Castle looks for a roll up. Young returns and everyone brawls, with KUSHIDA sending Young to the floor. Fish cuts him off, and then he and castle return to the ring. Young quickly takes out Fish, but Castle dumps him to the floor and Young attacks Fish. Castle teases a dive, but Young attacks and KUSHIDA then returns and works him over with elbows and hip tosses. KUSHIDA then hits a swanton to the floor onto the pile of bodies. Back in and KUSHIDA locks in the arm bar on Castle; Young breaks it up with a moonsault and Fish then rolls him up for 2. Back rake by Young, but Fish looks for the ankle lock, but Young counters with an enziguri. Fish takes control with kicks, running wild and then takes V to the corner. XPLODER on Young, sending him into Young. Castle looks for bangarang, but Fish locks in the Fishhook. KUSHIDA hits a moonsault to break that up. KUSHIDA attacks the arm of Fish, locks in the hover board lock, but Young stops that. Young back in, KUSHIDA counters misery, Castle in and Young takes him out. Big right by KUSHIDA to Young, rights to Castle and Young then knocks KUSHIDA to the floor. Fish back in and runs into bangarang, allowing Castle to pick up the win. Dalton Castle defeated Silas Young, Bobby Fish & KUSHIDA @ 8:30 via pin [***] Good opening match, as they kept a great pace and worked in some great near falls. Castle winning was the right call to get him some much needed momentum back.

Adam “Hangman” Page vs. Frankie Kazarian: Kazarian hits a dive as Page makes his entrance and they brawl on the floor to begin. Kazarian then hits an overhead belly to belly, sending Page into the barricade. Back in and Page battles back, sending Kazarian to the floor and follows with the shooting star press off the apron to the floor. Page then posts Kazarian and rolls him back in and hits a lariat for 2. Page takes control, teases the rite of passage, but Kazarian escapes and hits a backstabber and unprettier for the double down. Page slaps Kazarian and then Kazarian spits at him. Page spits back and then they brawl. They trade running forearms, Page hits the boot but Kazarian then hits the slingshot cutter for 2. Page pulls the ref away, low blows Kazarian and rolls him up for 2. Page counters a sunset flip, sits down and grabs the ropes and picks up the win. Adam “Hangman” Page defeated Frankie Kazarian @ 6:00 via pin [**] This was solid, with great intensity to begin, and the right man winning. The feud will continue.

IWGP Tag Team Champions War Machine vs. EVIL & SANADA vs. Jonathan Gresham & Chris Sabin: EVIL teases starting off, but we get Gresham and Rowe. SANADA then tags himself in and attacks Gresham. Gresham picks up the pace, hitting arm drags, a RANA and dropkick. EVIL pulls Gresham to the floor and slams him to the barricade before rolling him back in. SANADA ties him up into a ball, Sabin in an SANADA ties him up. SANADA then dropkicks both in the ass, EVIL in and they double-team Gresham. Gresham fights back and tags in Sabin, he hits a high cross onto both members of LIJ, clotheslines follow and then a tornado DDT connects. Gresham back in and they work over EVIL for a bit, but he fights back and tags in Hanson. He runs wild with corner clotheslines, and then takes out EVIL and SANADA. More clotheslines follow by Hanson, the crowd loves it and he works over LIJ; Rowe then picks up Hanson, slamming him onto EVIL & SANADA. Sabin in and hits an enziguri; SUPER RANA by Gresham in Hanson as he and Sabin take control. Rowe fights them both off with head butts, and then hits an overhead belly to belly on both Sabin & Gresham. SANADA back in, EVIL brings in the chairs and wraps one around Hanson’s head, and knocks it off with another. Gresham and Sabin hit dives, and SANADA follows with a great dive, wiping out the pile. Hanson up top, Sabin stops him and Rowe cuts him off with a knee strike, the pop up powerslam finishes Sabin as Hanson hits a suicide during the pin. IWGP Tag Team Champions War Machine defeated EVIL & SANADA and Jonathan Gresham & Chris Sabin @ 9:00 via pin [***½] This was a very good match, with a great pace and everyone getting some time to shine; the champions won cleanly as they should have.

Will Ospreay vs. Jay White: White is sporting some new gear here tonight; rocking all white, shedding the young lion black. They brawl at the bell, Ospreay fires up with kicks but White levels him with the clothesline and chops. Ospreay then sends him to the floor with the head scissors, teases the dive and hits the superhero pose. Ospreay to the floor, hits the bicycle kick and then goes for a suicide dive, but White catches him and powerslams him to the barricade. White then slams Ospreay to another barricade. Back in and White hits the running uppercut and then follows with the dropkick for 2. White then works the reverse Muta lock, but Ospreay makes the ropes. Ospreay then battles back with a back handspring into a head kick. Ospreay then follows with the springboard forearm, and running shooting star press. White cuts him off with a running back elbow, and follows with rolling suplexes. He then suplexes Ospreay to the buckles, they trade strikes, uppercuts by Ospreay and White then counters the RANA into a Liger bomb for 2. They trade strikes center ring, Ospreay fires up and dares White to hit him. Ospreay then hits rapid-fire forearm strikes, but White drops him with vicious forearms and then lays the boots to him. they work into a great series of counters, White looks to take control but runs into the Spanish fly for the double down. Ospreay up top now, misses the 450, rolls through but then hits the destroyer for a near fall. Ospreay then sends White to the floor, but White catches the Sasuke special and DESTROYS Ospreay with a slam onto the apron; missile dropkick by White follows, he counters the reverse RANA and hits a cobra clutch suplex and as he goes for a suplex, Ospreay hits the OsCutter and spin kick. White then catches the springboard OsCutter, lays in elbow strikes and hits the butterfly buster for a GREAT near fall. White sets Ospreay up top, he follows and they battle for position but Ospreay hits a head butt and then back to the mat, hits the trapped superkick. Ospreay then hits a shooting star press to the floor, back in, OSCUTTER and White is finally done. Will Ospreay defeated Jay White @ 13:25 via pin [****½] This was an absolutely awesome match, with great timing, a super hot crowd and both guys going all out for the win. More importantly, White came across as on Ospreay’s level and finally had that “Great Performance” many have been waiting for. He’s had a lot of very good matches, but this was on a completely different level. Go out of your way to see this one.

– Post Match, Punishment Martinez arrives and lays out White with a chokeslam. White beat Martinez in Hopkins so that was done to continue the feud.

ROH Six-Man Title Match: Champions Bully Ray & Briscoes vs. Hirooki Goto, Rocky Romero & Beretta: Bully Ray got to have a special entrance through the crowd. He cuts a promo and makes the match a NO DQ match. The Briscoes attack and run wild with dives. Mark hits the Cactus jack elbow on Beretta, Bully joins the fray and we have the mass brawl at ringside. Bully the hits a high cross onto CHAOS, and then works Roppongi Vice over with chops. He grabs a chair, but Goto hits a head butt and we get some chair shots on the Briscoes. CHAOS clears the ring ad isolates mark, working double-teams with the chair and Romero hits a German for the near fall. Goto works over Bully on the floor. Beretta then clears the Briscoes to the floor and follows with a dive. Beretta then throws a chair into Mark’s face, covering for 2. Mark tries to fight back, but Goto cuts him off, allowing Roppongi Vice to work double teams on Mark, using the chair again. Goto hits the Saito suplex for2 as Bully makes the save. They brawl to the floor as the Briscoes and Roppongi brawl back in the ring. Roppongi run wild until Jay takes out Romero with a chair shot. It is down to Goto and Bully again, they brawl center ring, Bully looks to fire up and Goto hits the ushigorishi but Jay returns, elbows to Goto and lays in uppercuts. Roppongi returns, hits double knees but Mark cuts off strong zero. Red neck kung fu follows, but Romero fires up with forever clotheslines until Mark hits a PELE and a rolling DVD; Beretta cuts off froggy bow, Roppongi up top with Mark but Jay and Bully attack, double doomsday device! Goto back in, but wazzup elbow drop by Mark follows on Goto. Table time, Bully then hits the superbomb through the table and Romero hits the triple team 3D for the win. Champions Bully Ray & Briscoes defeated Hirooki Goto, Rocky Romero & Beretta @ 13:00 via pin [***½] Bully and the Briscoes have been having really fun brawls as the trios champions, and this was no different. Beretta continues his run of being the best guy in every match he’s in so far in 2017; he’s really great. This was really good, they played to the stipulation well, and I think they needed it after Ospreay vs. White.

ROH TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll vs. Matt Sydal: Scurll refused the handshake. They work some really solid and clean counter work early on. Sydal picks up the pace, hits a head scissors and then avoids the chicken wing. Sydal dropkicks Scurll to the corner and follows with the running dropkick. Scurll then attacks the arm, and stomps away at it. Sydal with a leg sweep and standing moonsault; Scurll bails to the floor, but quickly fights back and hits the superkick off the apron. Scurll then goes back to the attack on the arm. Good control by Scurll here, as he is really focused on the arm and keeping Sydal grounded. Sydal slowly fights back with kicks, hits a modified pump handle driver and covers for 2. Scurll up top and Sydal hits the RANA, he heads up top and hits meteora for 2. Scurll lights into Sydal with strikes, Sydal fires back with kicks. Scurll then fakes out Sydal, hits a superkick, but then runs into a spin kick by Sydal. Brainbuster by Scurll, but Sydal counters the chicken wing into the standing leg drop. Scurll then grabs his hand, does the finger break spot; Sydal then hits a RANA into the roll up for 2. Knee strike and lariat by Scurll, but Sydal hits the vertebreaker and heads up top. The shooting star press eats knees, chicken wing by Scurll and Sydal taps. Champion Marty Scurll defeated Matt Sydal @ 12:00 via submission [***] Scurll is crazy over, and had the crowd in his hands as soon as he made his entrance, he’s done a great job of getting himself over since his ROH arrival. Good back and forth match, but it lacked in the drama department, and I never bought Sydal winning. Scurll has been great and I can’t wait to see him in the BOTSJ this year.

ROH Tag Team Title Match: Champions Young Bucks vs. Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI: Naito is of course tranquilo early, Nick tells him to suck it so Naito spits at him and they brawl. Naito then hits the corner dropkick combo early, and BUSHI takes out Matt with a dive. Naito teases a dive, but poses instead. BUSHI then works over Nick, hits a RANA but Nick cartwheels out and Matt returns so that they can work double teams on BUSHI; they then send Naito to the floor. Nick then takes then out with the dive. The Buck then take the heat on BUSHI for a bit, but BUSHI cuts that off, tags in Naito; they work some double teams, Naito runs around a bit and teases something big, but imply stomps on Matt. Matt makes the comeback, hitting sliced bread and then tagging in Nick. Nick runs wild with kicks and clotheslines. Nick dropkicks BUSHI to the floor, x-factor on Naito and they then double-team Naito on the corner. Double teams on BUSHI follow, they hot the double team double stomp on BUSHI, and then the back stabber on Naito. Nick then his the swanton on Naito, but BUSHI makes the save. the missile dropkick follows, tornado DDT by Naito but Matt cuts him off with a superkick, but Naito comes back and hits the reverse RANA, which looked rough. Naito and Matt fire up, trading strikes center ring. Matt firs up with punches and telling Naito to suck it; Naito scores with a low blow but Matt counters destino, but BUSHI stops the Meltzer driver. MIST by BUSHI leads to a near fall, Matt hits blinded superkicks, including one on Nick and then the ref. Matt washes his eyes out with some water. Naito and BUSHI then hit the code breaker and destino for the near fall. the Buck spick up the pace, running wild and Matt planting Naito with a DDT onto the apron. The 450/moonsault combo gets a near fall on BUSHI. Nick wipes out Naito with a great dive to the floor; Meltzer driver on BUSHI and the Bucks retain. Champions Young Bucks defeated Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI @ 13:45 via pin [***] Good match, it was a lot of fun overall and all action; they tried to create some drama with the shenanigans to make you feel Naito & BUSHI could win, but while entertaining, without a real sense of drama of a title change, the match suffered and could have been way better.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Adam Cole: They worked back and forth, and then both pulled the hair. Tanahashi then took control, working an abdominal stretch. Cole then took control, sending Tanahashi to the floor and then slammed Tanahashi to the barricades repeatedly. Back in and Cole took the heat, choking out Tanahashi in the corner. Tanahashi tried to fire up, but Cole raked the eyes and hit a suplex. Cole then did some air guitar to mock Tanahashi, but Tanahashi fought back, hitting a forearm strike off the ropes. The senton then hit for Tanahashi, covering for 2. Cole then hit a big boot, and an ushigoroshi for the near fall. Tanahashi avoids the destroyer, but then misses the senton off the ropes and Cole hits a shining wizard for the near fall. Cole took the time to celebrate, but that allowed Tanahashi to hit a straightjacket German for the near fall. They trade strikes center ring, uppercuts by Tanahashi and then Cole hits the enziguri and a superkick and another. Tanahashi blocks the third and hits the neck breaker and sling blade for 2. Tanahashi up top, but the high fly flow eats knee; last shot by Cole connects and he covers for 2. Cole up top, he hits the high fly flow and gets a near fall. Cole then looks for the last shot, but Tanahashi hits the superkick and then jumps off the ropes into the superkick and Cole hits the shining wizard for a near fall. Tanahashi then takes Cole down, up top, high fly flow connects and Cole is done. Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Adam Cole @ 13:40 via pin [**¾] The match was pretty good, but with Cole on the way out and Tanahashi about to challenge for the IWGP IC Title, the outcome was never in doubt and that lack of drama really hurt the match. Tanahashi was not exactly in big match mode here either, he felt like he was there to play the hits and not much more. This was the most under whelming Tanahashi singles match I’ve seen in some time. The post match was excellent, easily overshadowing the match.

– The Young Bucks arrive and give hugs to Cole. The lights drop out and Kenny Omega appears on the big screen. He says this is Adam’s big moment, and say he wishes he could be there. Omega says he’s a bit disappointed in the Bucks considering Cole tried to fire then two months ago. Omega says Cole is done with Bullet Club, and Marty Scurll appears with Omega! Back in the arena, the lights come back on and Scurll is in the ring and reveals he has joined Bullet Club! The Bucks then superkick Cole out of ROH and all the way to NXT; can’t wait to see Cole in the crowd at Takeover: Chicago. Scurll stands tall as the Bucks give Cole one last kiss goodbye. Great post match angle to write out Cole and add a new face to Bullet Cub in Scurll just prior to the BOTSJ, which is huge for Scurll.

ROH Title Match: Champion Christopher Daniels vs. Cody vs. Jay Lethal: Cody immediately bails to the floor, forcing Daniels and Lethal to fight. Lethal then took out Cody with a dive and then hit a dive to both men. Lethal tweaked his knee and commentary played it up. Daniels fought off the lethal injection, and they traded strikes but Cody flies back in to break that up. Cody then works the figure four on Daniels. Lethal in to make the save, and slams Cody into Daniels, who falls to the floor. Cody then crotches Lethal on the post, but Daniels spears him to the barricade. Daniels then works over Lethal, hits the Arabian moonsault, covering for 2. Daniels counters the STO, Cody is back and attacks the knee of Lethal. Cody blocks the Daniels moonsault with the knees, and he then attacks the knee again and makes sure to knee Lethal on the floor. Cody then hits Daniels with the disaster kick for 2. Mounted rights by Cody follow, back to the floor and clears off the timekeeper’s table. Lethal and Daniels suplex Cody back into the ring, leading to Cody and Lethal did a double down spot. STO by Daniels on Cody, blue thunder bomb on Lethal and they go the floor and Daniels hits an Arabian moonsault to both on the floor. Back in and lethal cuts off angel’s wings, but Lethal hits the lethal combo on Daniels, they work into some rapid-fire offense and everyone is down. Cody then sends Daniels to the floor, Cody takes out Lethal’s knee but he then misses a moonsault. Lethal slowly climbs up top, but Daniels crotches him and we get a tower of doom tease, Cody hits a sloppy ass cross Rhodes on Daniels but Lethal makes the save. Lethal slams Cody into Daniels, who flies through the table. Ref bump, low blow by Cody. Lethal manages to hit a cutter, but Cody counters the lethal injection into cross Rhodes. Cody then locks in the figure four, but Daniels returns and hits the BME on Cody and covers for the win. Champion Christopher Daniels defeated Cody and Jay Lethal @ 13:40 via pin [**½] This was an average at best main event, with a largely burnt out crowd and the guys feeling as if they were killing time for 10-minutes. The finally few minutes were good, and I liked the creative finish, as most thought Cody was a lock to win the title.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

 photo fe36ffd0-0da4-4e3b-a2d3-b026b341dd87_zps41ef5d61.jpg
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.2
The final score: review Good
The 411
The 2017 ROH/NJPW War of The Worlds PPV was a good show that peaked too early, and as hurt at times by the lack of drama in some of the matches. It was an overall enjoyable show, and gave us one must see match in Ospreay vs. White. What you need to see: Ospreay vs. White, Bully & The Briscoes vs. CHAOS, War Machine vs. EVIL & SANADA vs. Jonathan Gresham & Chris Sabin, Adam Cole’s exit.
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