Reviews from Across the Pond: ROH Death Before Dishonor IX

ROH DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR IXface size=4>

We are on the road to Death Before Dishonor (approximately the 63rd most exciting road in all of pro wrestling,) so I thought I’d take a look at the 2011 iteration of one of ROH’s trademark events to see how it holds up a year on. I’ve become quite alienated with ROH in recent times, owing mostly to lacklustre booking and the stench of Davey Richards overwhelming the majority of shows. As such, I might awkwardly shoehorn in a few anti-ROH/Davey Richards jokes here and there. Such as this one!

Davey Richards walks into a bar. He threatens the barman, spits in the faces of a few of the customers, and pours himself free drink after free drink before fleeing into the night. But it’s OK, because he sends the drinks back in the mail a few days later.

I hope that joke is still topical by the time this is posted to 411.

We are live on iPPV (if we travelled back in time to a year ago,) from New York City. Kevin Kelly and Dave Prazak are your commentators.

MATCH 1- THE EMBASSY VS. HOMICIDE & JAY LETHAL

Rhino and Tommasso Ciampa represent the Embassy tonight, with Nana, R.D. Evans and Mia Yim accompanying them. Ciampa’s vomit coloured trunks are a sight to behold.

This is a fine opening match, if not particularly inspiring. Lethal and Ciampa have quite a nice wrestling sequence to begin with, underlining that ‘the Sicilian Psychopath’ is more diversely talented than you might think upon looking at him. Homicide’s skirmishes with his foes are predictably more brawl based. In a weird spot, Ciampa’s chops to the chest of Lethal only serve to fire up the ROH TV Champion, but when the smaller Jay responds in kind Tommasso appears agonised. After a short heat sequence Lethal brings Homicide in with a hot tag, and the Notorious 187 deals with both his opponents in impressive fashion, ducking under a Ciampa lariat and flowing through into a Tope Con Hilo onto Rhino! He returns to the ring, only to get dumped with a Northern Lights Suplex from Ciampa for two. Running knees to the face in the corner! Project Ciampa is attempted, but Homicide wriggles free and lands the Ace Crusher. It gets two before Rhino breaks it up. Lethal deals with him with a huracanrana to the floor. The former World Champion attempts the Cop Killer on Ciampa, but he can’t quite hoist the big man up, and Tommasso is able to counter with Project Ciampa! That’s enough for the three count. ** ¾- No complaints with this as an opening match. They crammed some enjoyable action into the relatively short amount of time they were allotted, and put over Ciampa very effectively with his emphatic, clean pinfall over an ROH legend in Homicide, despite having perhaps allowed Lethal and Homicide to cope too easily with him earlier in the match. Not bad at all.

MATCH 2- MIKE BENNETT VS. SHELTON BENJAMIN

I’d argue that Mike Bennett has contributed much more to ROH during his run with the company than Shelton Benjamin has. I would never have thought I’d be saying that when both men started to make regular appearances with the company.

Predictably Benjamin gets the better of the early scientific exchanges with Bennett. It’s interesting to see that ‘the Prodigy’ garners the ire of the fans so easily with tactics as simple as constantly bailing to the floor in the early going. The fans chant ‘you suck dick,’ and ‘you’re a faggot’ because they’re awful. Once it actually gets going the match is unremarkable, if entirely competent. Benjamin busts out a BK Bomb for the first close near fall of the match. A leaping DDT is countered into a Roddy Strong-esque backbreaker though, getting Bennett a two count. Oddly, he then opts to go to the top rope, and even more surprisingly succeeds with a missile dropkick for another two. Lariat is ducked, and Shelton lands a biiiiiig German suplex! He gets two before Brutal Bob puts his trainee’s foot on the ropes. Benjamin chases him into the ring, decks him with a Superkick, and lands Paydirt on Benjamin for two. ** This was alright. Bennett’s heel tactics and mannerisms were the highlight of the match, underlining what a underrated talent he really is. Benjamin entered his usual passable but uninspiring performance. The result was an OK match, but nothing more substantial than that.

MATCH 3- THE YOUNG BUCKS VS FUTURESHOCK VS THE BRAVADOS

This match will be contested under elimination rules with three men in the ring at once. If one member of a team is eliminated so is his partner.

The Bravados attack Futureshock off a handshake to start the match. That’s pretty much all I can type before the match devolves into a bevy of dives and double teams thrown at far too quick a pace to keep up with. Todd Sinclair does his job and restores order, but it doesn’t last long. The Bucks dazzle with some magnificent tandem offence. I know their aerial based offence isn’t always the most realistic, but it’s so beautifully executed I don’t really care. An Enzuguiri-German Suplex combination almost sees Adam Cole eliminated by the Bravados. Kyle O’Reilly breaks up the cover though. Nick Jackson stands on the apron, preparing for some death defying attack, but gets hoisted onto the shoulders of Kyle O’Reilly on the outside. Cole then flies through the ropes to execute a Doomsday Device onto the outside! Crazy stuff. Back in the ring, Harlem Bravado falls victim to Total Elimination from FutureShock, and that’s enough to take the Bravados out of the match. Not that the match becomes any less frenetic with only four guys. Matt Jackson nails two powerbombs on Adam Cole, and then a Bucklebomb! Kyle O’Reilly takes out both Young Bucks with a Dual Dragon Screw Leg Whip, the first spot of the night to look just a little too choreographed to be believable. Cole hooks Matt Jackson in a Standing Guillotine Choke as O’Reilly locks in a Guillotine Choke on Nick! Matt breaks it up by driving himself and Cole into O’Reilly and Nick. Everyone then just starts hurling superkicks and lariats at each other until no-one is standing. I’d complain about the lack of selling, but that’s not really the point of this match I feel. Adam Cole gets caught with More Bang For Your Buck, Nick covers, Matt prevents O’Reilly from saving, and that will does it. *** ¼ This was nothing more than a collection of spots loosely spun into a vaguely coherent match structure, but it was wonderfully entertaining while it lasted. I think if I was to watch the match again I would start noticing more holes in selling and logic that would be significant enough to detract from my enjoyment of the match, and I certainly wouldn’t be particularly interested in a rematch, but it succeeded as a one off encounter. The wrestlers put in a heck of an effort, the length of the match was perfect and the crowd were red hot; you can’t ask for much more than that. Post match FutureShock offer a handshake, but get rejected. Boooo!

MATCH 4- EL GENERICO VS JIMMY JACOBS

The original plan for this match was Generico-Corino, but the King of Old School requested not to be put in the match, as he feared wrestling Generico would jeopardise his attempts at becoming a better person. Corino’s friend Jimmy Jacobs offered to step in despite being in a similar situation, and thus we have this match.

We get a sporting start; a handshake, followed by some clean breaks from Jimmy Jacobs. Things stay clean even as the match heats up, which is commendable. Generico garners the first near fall of the match with a nasty spinning sit out powerbomb for two. It’s not particularly treated as a big move though, and neither is a Spike Michinoku Drive from the Luchador which follows. A little odd. Generico tries for a running Yakuza Kick but Jacobs grabs him mid-charge with an End Times! It doesn’t get the submission though, and an Ace Crusher is equally unsuccessful. Generico quells Jacobs’ momentum by getting the Running Yakuza Kick. He tries for a Top Rope Brainbuster, but Double J is able to resist it and force his opponent onto the apron, where he crashes into him with a spear! Back in, Jacobs heads up top but gets stopped by another Yakuza. Again Generico tries for the Brainbuster, but again Jimmy counters, this time with a running Tornado DDT. That keeps both men down on the mat long enough for a certain Kevin Steen to make his presence felt. He hops the guardrail, grabs a microphone, and launches into a profanity filled rant decrying Generico, Jacobs, Corino and Ring of Honor in general before somebody from the technical crew silences him. Steen still keeps rambling to anyone who will listen until a bevy of security and wrestlers race down to ringside to usher him away. Before Steen can leave though, Jimmy Jacobs jumps into the fray, and the two men furiously exchange punches. Steen gets the better of the exchange, and folds his smaller foe in two by powerbombing him across the ring apron! Generico tries to take him out with a dive to the floor but Steen dodges into the ring, and the Generic Luchador only succeeds in taking out most of the security crew. Cary Silkin tries his best to reason with Steen, but only gets dragged into position for a Package Piledriver! Thankfully he’s dragged away before ROH’s mild mannered boss can get dumped on his head. Jim Cornette even seems on the verge of assaulting Mr. Wrestling! Steen finally is ejected from the building, although both Jacobs and Generico have to be prevented from following him. I think it’s safe to declare this a no contest. ** ½ The match itself was progressing reasonably well until it’s interruption, with some slick sequences and a fair bit of intrigue as to whether Jimmy Jacobs would keep it clean as the match wore on, but the invasion from Kevin Steen was undoubtedly the highlight of this portion of the show. It felt genuinely unpredictable, and probably the highlight of a disappointing angle overall. Generico, Jacobs and Steen were all commendably convincing in their roles. It perhaps would have been better if the fans had been booing Steen rather than greeting him like a returning hero, but you can’t have everything. Definitely a worthwhile addition to the show.

MATCH 5- CHARLIE HAAS VS MICHAEL ELGIN

Elgin impressively hangs with Haas during the early mat wrestling exchanges. Truth Martini yanks Haas to the floor and slaps him around, but it doesn’t really have much of an effect, and the former WWE Tag Champion has no problem stalking the manager around ringside. Thankfully for Truth, Elgin curtails the chase with a massive flying shoulder block off the apron, crashing into Haas with some force. Back in the ring, the two exchange clotheslines until both of them are down. It’s Haas that has the advantage when they return to their feet, firing off a series of strikes before taking Elgin off his feet surprisingly easily with German Suplexes. Not enough for a three count though. Neither is a powerslam. Haas dropkicks Elgin to the floor and follows himself. He tries to whip his opponent in the barricade, but the H.O.T member reverses, sending Charlie crashing into the steel. He then tries for a running powerslam, but Haas slips out the backdoor and back suplexes Michael across the barricade! Nasty. They head to the top rope, where Elgin lands a superplex for two. Enzuiguri gets the same. He heads back to the top rope, but Haas races up to meet him with a Super German Suplex! Lariat! Deep hook of the leg! Three count! ** ½ This could have been an interesting battle of technical and power wrestling, but instead they sort of just did a normal match, and the crowd were quite disinterested. Elgin looked impressive as usual though and Charlie put in a solid shift, so I won’t complain too much.

MATCH 6- RINGMASTER’S CHALLENGE- EDDIE EDWARDS VS RODERICK STRONG

The Ringmaster’s Challenge is essentially a jazzed up two out of three falls/toned down three stages of hell match. You win the first fall by pinfall, the second by submission, and the third is a fifteen minute ironman match.

The match starts off nice and cagily, as a two out of three falls match should. Things heat up when they get a chop exchange going, which starts in the ring and then heads to the floor, where it turns into a forearm based mauling from Strong. The striking continues in the ring until Double E brushes a couple of forearms away and sends Roddy head over heels with a German Suplex. Missile dropkick gets two. Strong roars back with a suplex into a backbreaker, which turns out to be enough for the three count and the first fall. Theoretically, with the Stronghold in his arsenal, Roddy now has the firm advantage in this one. It takes Eddie a while to get back into the contest, but he does so in impressive fashion with a TKO. He tries for an STF, but Strong inches his way to the ropes and out to the floor. EE tries to follow with a dive, but Roderick darts out the way and crashes into his foe with a knee. He then slams the American Wolf hard into the barricade, and Edwards looks in trouble. He looks in even more trouble after a back suplex through a chair! Back in the ring Roddy applies a nasty Stronghold, but Edwards is somehow able to make the ropes speedily. Strong pulls him back into the middle and sits down deeper, but once again Eddie quickly makes the ropes. The House of Truth member tries for a Uranage Backbreaker, but Edwards slips out, sweeps Strong’s legs, and cinches in the Achilles Lock! Strong gets inches from the ropes before getting dragged to the floor, and he resigns to tapping out. The fifteen minute Ironman match begins with Edwards crashing into Strong on the floor with a Suicide Dive! And a snap suplex on the floor! Business is picking up! Back in the ring, Edwards lands an enzuiguri to the back for two. Double E heads to the top but gets briefly distracted by Truth Martini, allowing Strong to crack him with a kick to the head and follow him up top. He hoists Eddie up as if for a back suplex, but instead just drops him across the top turnbuckle! Still only two! Running forearms! Backbreaker variation #324! Only two. He tries for the Stronghold but Edwards edges to the ropes before he can actually lock it in. Pump-Handle Backbreaker for two. Strong drags his opponent out of the ring, and dumps him with a Gibson Driver onto the entrance ramp! That dazed Double E for a long, long time, but he breaks the count-out at 19 and breaks Strong’s cover at two. Frustrated, Roddy tries for the Stronghold once more but is fended off with a few chops to the head. Strong heads to the top rope but gets caught with a Chin-Checker for two. Saito Suplex from Edwards, but Roderick gets his foot on the ropes. Superplex! One, two, not three! They trade roll-ups for a little longer than necessary, ending with Strong getting a backslide, Martini adding some extra leverage, and Roderick getting the pin. Edwards has one minute left to secure two pinfalls. He gets halfway there fairly easily as Strong accidentally gets decked by the Book of Truth and dropped with a Fisherman’s Buster, but neither guy has the energy to finish the match, and the bout goes to a draw. But here comes Jim Cornette! And he wants sudden death overtime! And so do the wrestlers! So here we go! With another strike exchange! Hooray! Eddie ends it with a Tiger Suplex for two. Chop to the face gets two. Achilles Lock is prevented with kicks to the head and a knee strike. Sick Kick! Only two! Gibson Driver! Still only two! Roddy tries for a backbreaker from the top rope, but Eddie counters with a huracanrana! He lands a gutbuster, but Strong comes back immediately with another Sick Kick. Back to the top rope they go for more jockeying for position. Roddy gets knocked to the mat and Edwards flies into him with a double stomp for two. Powerbomb! Sit out powerbomb! No. At this point, I’m starting to get a little bored. But thankfully, the end is near, as Eddie nails another 2K1 bomb for the pin! *** ½ This wasn’t quite the classic they and the crowd wanted it to be, thanks to an over-reliance on strike exchanges, fighting for position on the top rope, and other time filling devices. Typically, it actually outstayed it’s welcome a little bit; if they’d cut out the filler and kept the more worthwhile moments, a much better bout would have been the result. Still, there were a fair few exciting exchanges, the stipulation worked quite well and the crowd were really into it (aside from chanting “TWINKIES!” during Todd Sinclair’s counts) which all made for a generally satisfying encounter, and probably the best on the show up to this point.

MATCH 7- LADDER WAR III FOR A SHOT AT THE WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS- THE BRISCOE BROTHERS VS THE ALL NIGHT EXPRESS

The Briscoes wear gasmasks down to the ring. as this was during their brief but memorable stint playing time travelling World War Two evacuees.

Dem Boyz attack before the bell to get this match underway, a match from which the New York crowd demand blood. After a relatively even start, the Briscoes gain the advantage when Kenny King gets backdropped through a table at ringside. Jay then leans a ladder from the apron to the barricade with a plan to punish Rhett Titus presumably in mind. Titus resists long enough for them to scrap that idea. Rhett takes two chair shots to the head but shakes them off by Hulking up in a silly spot. He can’t shake off an STO into the chair though, and the New York crowd now do indeed have their wish for blood. Mark Briscoe tries to backdrop Titus onto the aforementioned ladder bridging from apron to barricade, but Rhettski lands on his feet, and turns the tables with a suplex onto the ladder! Jay Briscoe gets caught with an aggressive tope to the floor from Titus. Kenny King is now back in the equation as well, which is bad news for Jay Briscoe particularly. He is seated down in the corner and has a ladder dropkicked into his groin. It’s not all good news for the ANX though; Titus is an absolute bloody mess. The fan favourites place a ladder round the head of JB and hurl him into the corner in a headache inducing spot. Kenny King tries to take out Mark Briscoe with a tope to the floor but gets intercepted with a shard of broken table. Jay Briscoe is now also busted wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide open. In the ring, Titus bounces a ladder repeatedly off the skull of Mark Briscoe. This is enough to cut him up as well. The match spills completely to the floor, where Kenny King flies onto Mark with a Springboard Moonsault off the barricade. Jay throws a ladder in the general direction of Titus, cracking him across the back. He props a ladder up between two chairs, drapes Rhett across it, and crashes into him with a Senton! In the ring, Mark Briscoe and Kenny King dare to have a wrestling sequence. Jay puts a stop to that nonsense by slamming a chair across Double K’s back. Double Biel into the Ladder! Vicious! Disappointingly, the crowd are intent on seeing Kenny King bleed, which is not the reaction you want in this sort of match. It’s also a bit disconcerted to have these fans so desperate to see someone else’s blood spilled. Despite the Briscoes, dropkicking a chair into his face though, no claret is forthcoming. Interestingly, nobody has attempted to climb the ladder yet. Mark Briscoe ascends to the top rope but Titus lunges towards him and shoves him off the top and through a ringside table! Rhett brings another table into the ring. Powerbomb-Blockbuster combination drives Jay through it! So now everyone is down aside from Rhett Titus, who understandably decides that this would be a prime opportunity to climb the ladder. He gets about halfway up before Mark dropkicks it out from underneath him. Mark takes both his foes out by helicoptering the ladder from around his head. The Briscoes then retrieve a super-duper ladder in a nice call-back to the first Ladder War, positioning it in the entrance way. Titus is placed on a table in front of it, and Mark SOARS off the top with a splash right through it! Crazy. Jay decides to try and set up the big ladder in the ring but King prevents him from doing so with a spinebuster. He starts to climb, but Jay Briscoe chooses to join him. They slug it out fifteen foot off the ground. It’s Kenny that wins that, grabs the contract, and takes the Ladder Match! **** Aside from Rhett Titus shaking off chair shots like they were punches early on, this was a thoroughly professional, smartly worked ladder match, with the focus firmly on hatred and intensity rather than guys falling from ridiculous heights (Mark’s leap off the ladder notwithstanding.) It wasn’t quite as creative or adrenaline pumped as the first two, and the finish was a bit anticlimactic, but it was still a satisfying, engrossing blow-off to a good feud.

The 411: The undercard is consistently solid and the main event delivers in spades, which is pretty much all you can ask for from a show. It's not a hugely memorable or historically significant card, but it is very much a worthwhile one. Get it from Ring of Honor's on demand service though, rather than shelling out extra for a DVD.
Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]