Dark Pegasus Video Review: Ring of Honor — Revenge on the Prophecy

As we ended 2002, all hell broke loose among the heels in RoH at Final Battle 2002. Steve Corino, sick of his girlfriend, Simply Luscious’, association with the Prophecy dumped her and vowed to form his own group to combat the Prophecy. While it’s a decent idea in theory, some imagination could have been put into naming the group, which is simply titled “The Group.” (See, Corino thinks it doesn’t need a flashy name. Corino is wrong.)

Ring of Honor — Revenge on the Prophecy (01.11.03)

From West Mifflin, Penn.

Your hosts are Ray Murrow and Chris Lovey.

From Final Battle 2002, Steve Corino opens the show with the introduction of the first two members of his Group — Simply Luscious (having made up with Corino in the interim) and Samoa Joe. Well, there goes about half of the Prophecy.

In the locker room, the three members of the Group approach the Prophecy. Christopher Daniels chastises Luscious for leaving but then drops a bombshell — he’s already replaced her with Corino’s own sister, Alison Danger. HA HA! SCREW YOU, CORINO! I’M BONIN’ YOUR SISTER, DUDE! Daniels and Corino nearly come to blows before they are pulled apart.

Special K comes out to play to the crowd (which looks to be maybe 200-250 but maybe that’s just the different distribution in the building). They do some tomfoolery before Da Hit Squad and Los Maximos come out and clear the ring. Slugger catches one of his Special K homies, though, and takes him back to the locker room.

Earlier today, Alison Danger and Simply Luscious got into it like they were on an episode of Elimidate.

Paul London talks about how important it is that he get the crowd’s support. He wants to break into the Top 5 contenders.

Opening Match: Matt Stryker vs. Chad Collyer.
Heck ya! Stryker is making his debut. You may remember him from his few jobber appearances in the WWE. He’s the one with the unibrow, not the one with the teacher gimmick. These guys wrestle similar styles, so this should be interesting. They take it to the mat and head into the usual reversals early. The crowd is very appreciative but not necessarily buzzing like a normal crowd. It’s just back and forth for the first five minutes until Collyer gets a kneebreaker and works the leg in anticipation of the Texas Cloverleaf. Stryker comes back with a backdrop and a forearm. Collyer locks in the Texas Cloverleaf, but Stryker makes the ropes. Collyer tries another kneebreaker, but Stryker slips over him into a sunset flip for two. Stryker hits a leg lariat (grrr) and stays on top with a series of lariats. Stryker misses a quebrada, and Collyer rolls him up for two. Stryker boots him in the chest (grrrrrr) and slaps on an Anklelock. Stryker reverses another Texas Cloverleaf to a small package for two, but a third Cloverleaf gets the tap out at 10:47. There was nothing wrong with the execution, but when Stryker forgot about the legwork, it rendered the first six minutes of the match pointless. **1/2

CM Punk talks about the rage inside him since he lost to Michael Shane in his debut at “All-Star Extravaganza.” He had a plan to go through five guys and become the first ever #1 contender, but Shane ruined that. Since then, he’s had hatred in his heart.

CM Punk vs. Michael Shane.
This would be the last time Michael Shane meant anything to Ring of Honor. He would focus on TNA shortly after this, and a combination of injuries and general laziness — not to mention the loss of his cool name — led to the “Maverick” Matt Bentley you see on Impact. Intense handshake to start. A miscommunication nearly leads to them knocking heads Cactus Jack/Sam Houston-style. Punk takes him down into a headlock. They go into a series of rollups for nearfalls to get the fans involved. The announcers talk about CM Punk’s “straight edge” beliefs (no drugs or alcohol, but apparently it doesn’t extend to poon). A nice little psych battle over an overhand knucklelock leads to a Punk Shining Wizard attempt. Shane ducks and tosses him to the floor. Shane rips at Punk’s face while flirting with some hotties in the audience. Back in, Punk comes back with a springboard bodypress, but Shane counters to a gutbuster in midair. Punk fires back but runs into a lariat. Punk blocks a Shiranui, and they clothesline one another for a double KO. They slug it out, and Punk gets a backdrop. SHINING WIZARD! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! A spinebuster gets two more. Shane knocks Punk off the ropes. Punk sunset flips in, and Shane squats down with a handful of ropes in a play on the end of their first match. This time the ref catches him. Shane hits Sweet Chin Music, but it only gets two. They reverse each other’s whips, and Punk comes out on top with a double wristlock rollup for the win at 13:08. After the match, Shane reluctantly shakes Punk’s hand, but he’s not happy about it. More intensity pushed this ahead of their first match. Punk has avenged both of his losses now. ***

The Spanish Announce Team & Ghost Shadow vs. Konnan & Divine Storm (w/Trinity).
Well, at least it’s not ICP again. Konnan was nearly booed out of the building at Final Battle, but we’re in more liberal Pittsburgh here, so his reception is considerably warmer. He’s forgone his usual gangsta gimmick in favor of his old lucha outfit. He does, however, come out to L’il Jon, which makes him okay in my book. Ghost Shadow is replacing Red who is touring Japan. Shadow has an American Indian gimmick with a lucha libre style. They go into the usual lucha formula of each guy pairing off with a counterpart for a little sparring before the meat of the match. Joel has some awfully funky submissions. Divine and Ghost Shadow get pretty sloppy. They get all Galavision on us with a brief six-man dance sequence. No, I’m not kidding. They do one of those trainwreck spots where everybody dives out on top of the pile (even Trinity). Ghost Shadow actually hits the Muscle Buster on Quiet Storm. Storm hits a variation of the Storm Cradle Driver. Everybody starts making saves at the last second. Ghost Shadow kicks out of Konnan’s Splash Mountain and rolls away from Tequila Sunrise. Konnan wants to go home, though, so he hits an FU and locks in the Tequila Sunrise for the submission at 16:39. All lucha has a certain sameness to it. If you liked the minis match at the Royal Rumble 1998, you’ll probably like this. **1/4

Weapons Match: The Carnage Crew vs. Da Hit Squad.
Well, let’s see. We have a ladder, steel mesh railing, a hubcap, a cake pan, a lead pipe, and a rope. It’s like deranged “Clue.” The first sick spot (of many) is Mafia trying a tope only to have the CC block him with the railing. The railing gets set in the corner and Mafia goes through it. The Squad takes over again, and Mafia tries to rip out Loc’s Adam’s Apple. Monsta Mack goes up a ladder, but it bends under his weight. Damn, that’s a crappy ladder. What if he had been working on his house or something? The funny part is, he crossed himself and looked to the sky before falling, so I guess God was getting a massage or something. Loc avoids Mack’s falling body and grinds a cowbell into Mafia’s face. He would be doing a disservice to the whole building if he didn’t play the hell out of that thing! Mack hits a Clothesline from Hell on Devito. The Squad wraps a ladder around the heads of both Loc and Devito and smashes them with chairs. Sweet. The CC set Mack on a table and set up for a moonsault, but Mafia makes the save, and they powerbomb Loc onto Devito on the table for the win at 11:38. Wall-to-wall carnage. ***

On New Year’s Eve, Special K crashes and Slugger, the big black guy who appeared throughout the year, takes them and their skanky friends home.

Scramble Tag: Outkast Killaz & The Ringcrew Express vs. Hydro, Yeyo, Angeldust & Deranged (w/Slugger).
Special K hits a triple tope to start, and Deranged follows them out with a springboard rolling senton. Marcos and Angeldust wind up in there together. Marcos gets a nice rana into the turnbuckle. Hydro knocks Marcos out, so Diablo Santiago comes in and badly misses a seated dropkick on Hydro. Yeyo slips in and kicks Santiago out. Dunn comes in and gets the Gory Facebuster. He stops to celebrate, though, and gets hit with a rolling kick by Deranged. For those not aware, Deranged is the Special K member with the talent. Oman Turtoga comes in and drops Deranged with a reverse DDT. Slugger finally gets in and chokeslams everyone. Angeldust comes in and hits Marcos with a variation of a Storm Cradle Driver. Hydro delivers a Stretch Burning Hammer. Yeyo is comparatively boring with a head-and-arm brainbuster. Deranged gets a sunset flip bomb. Slugger comes back in and gives Marcos a Bodybag. All four (five if you count Slugger) members of Special K cover for the win at 7:06. Special K does have some cool moves, but the likely reason they’re always put in matches like these is because (outside of Deranged) they can’t work a normal match. **

Four Corners: BJ Whitmer vs. Colt Cabana vs. Paul London vs. Homicide.
This is Whitmer’s debut. He starts out with London. London gets a belly-to-belly, but Whitmer shows fighting spirit. Homicide and Cabana tag in and trade submission moves. Homicide zeros in on Cabana’s arm. They exchange armdrags, and Homicide gives him a stiff palm strike right to the eye to set up a running knee. Whitmer tags in and his Homicide with a legdrop on the arm into a cross armlock. London has to make the save. Cabana tags back in, but Homicide gives him a top-rope superplex. London blind tags himself in and hits a spinning wheel kick on Cabana. Cabana misses a clothesline, but London sells it anyway. London hits a twisting bodypress on Cabana for two. London dropsaults him, but he can’t tag out. Whitmer and Cabana have formed a bit of an alliance. London rolls into a tag on Homicide, and the match breaks down. Whitmer hits Homicide with the Exploder, but London makes the save. Cabana tries to whip Homicide, but Homicide sees Whitmer on the outside and hits a tope. Cabana wants to follow, but London cuts him off with the dropsault. London backflips onto Homicide and Whitmer. That *finally* gives Cabana the opportunity to hit a springboard corkscrew plancha. Back inside, Homicide hits Whitmer with the Super Ace Crusher. London makes the save but takes a Cop Killa (Vertabreaker). Cabana makes the last-second save. Cabana slips out of another Cop Killa and hits the Colt .45. Whitmer makes the save and hits Cabana with ROLLING DRAGONS! He winds up with a Bridging Dragon Pin, but London goes up and hits the Shooting Star Press on the exposed Whitmer for the win at 19:29. The fans give all four guys a standing ovation. ***1/2

Samoa Joe vs. Bryan Danielson.
These two were involved in the four-way draw at Final Battle 2002. Danielson has been very close to the #1 contendership twice, but he fell short to AJ Styles and Paul London. Danielson tries shoulderblocks early, but Joe just no-sells them and slaps him in the face. Danielson dropkicks him in the knee and gives him a Dragon Screw. That is at least a very sound strategy. Joe comes back with chops and a T-Bone suplex. Danielson goes right back to the legs with an Indian Deathlock. He even leans back and butterflies the arms for more pressure. Joe makes the ropes and hits a lariat. FACEWASH~! To the apron, Joe suplexes Danielson from the ring to the floor, and Danielson lands on his tailbone. Sick. Joe sets Danielson in the corner and hits the unnamed Olay Kick. Back in, Joe powerbombs Danielson into the STF and screams for him to tap out. Danielson avoids a charge and hits a running elbow. Danielson can’t get him up for a vertical suplex, so he has to settle for a snap suplex. The Swandive Headbutt gets two, and Joe starts unleashing the kicks. Danielson fires back with elbows, but Joe hits him with a surprise enzuigiri and the Island Driver for the win at 13:21. Good stuff, but way too short. Danielson came in with a decent gameplan — to take Joe’s legs out from under him and set up his later offense. Joe is seemingly invincible, though, and he has a variety of offense as we saw when he laid in the kicks at the end to set up the Island Driver. For the time they were given, this was really good. Thankfully, it set up a rematch at the 1st Anniversary Show. ***1/2

Low Ki and AJ Styles stand by for words for the Prophecy. One of his resolutions is to hurt Xavier.

No Holds Barred: Christopher Daniels & Xavier (w/Alison Danger) vs. AJ Styles & Low Ki
This, of course, has been brewing since the opening show. The Prophecy attacks during the intros, triggering a big brawl. Xavier gets caught in the face corner, and AJ gives him a roundhouse kick to the face. Styles holds Xavier while Low Ki dropkicks him into a powerbomb. Daniels finally gets sick of seeing his partner get his ass kicked and makes the save. Xavier is able to come back with a Press Gutbuster and make the tag. Xavier gets some shots in on Daniels before hitting Xavier with the Krush Kombo (series of kicks). Daniels catches AJ in the heel corner and boots him in the face. Low Ki takes Daniels to the floor and slams him. AJ gives Daniels a Triple Backbreaker and a Muta-style Indian Deathlock. The faces continue to work the back as Low Ki locks in a chinlock. Xavier tries to break up the hold with kicks, but Low Ki no-sells them and asks for more. Daniels avoids a charge and chokes Low Ki on the ropes, finally able to rest his back as Xavier comes in. The Prophecy takes turns choking Low Ki out. Even Alison Danger gets in on the act. Low Ki elbows out of a chinlock, but Danger trips him up, enabling Daniels to get Blue Thunder Driver fro two. Xavier stays on top with a Razor’s Edge into the turnbuckle pad. Low Ki gets a sleeper into a dropdown and gets the HOT TAG TO AJ! AJ cleans house, but Xavier clips his knee. AJ hits a desperate enzuigiri. Low Ki tags back in and hits the springboard kick on Daniels. The Kappou Kick takes out Xavier, and Ki Krush Rushes Daniels into him. Low Ki tries another springboard kick, but Xavier counters to a Michinoku Driver. Xavier goes up for the 450-splash, but Styles and Daniels are battling it out, and AJ handsprings off the ropes, crotching Xavier on the top. Low Ki climbs up and puts Xavier in the Dragon Clutch. Daniels makes the save with a Shoryuken (Dragon Uppercut). Daniels goes for the Angel’s Wings, but AJ saves and goes for the Styles Clash. Low Ki ducks an Xavier clothesline and hits a tope on Daniels. Xavier tries his own tope, but Low Ki blocks with a Kappou kick. Low Ki saves AJ after a Cobra Clutch Suplex, but Daniels jumps him, hits the Shoryuken and an Iconoslam. Low Ki comes back with the TIDAL WAVE! Alison Danger makes the save but takes an accidental forearm from Daniels. To the outside, Low Ki slingshots Xavier into the post. He grabs one of those crowd barrier concrete posts and a chair and returns the favor from “Unscripted!” There goes Xavier. Back in, Daniels hits the Angel’s Wings on AJ, but it only gets two! Frustrated, Daniels sets up a table on the outside. He tries to give him the Angel’s Wings through the table, but AJ counters to the STYLES CLASH THROUGH THE TABLE! Xavier crawls into the ring to see if Daniels is okay, so Low Ki sneaks up behind him and locks in the Dragon Clutch for the submission at 28:40. It was a solid formula match for the first twenty minutes, but once they started really going for the win down the stretch, it put the match over the top. Daniels has to be carried out. Actually, Xavier should have done the stretcher job as well, but that’s a minor quibble. ****

In the back, Alison finds an unconscious Daniels and gives him the belts. He wakes up and cuts a promo on AJ and Low Ki, saying that they just got lucky. He thanks Danger and says she earned her stripes tonight. He dares Steve Corino to cast the first stone, which is a little like that scene in the parking lot from “Swingers” where both guys just start calling each other “bitch,” but neither one does anything.

The 411: Ring of Honor entered a bit of a transition phase here as they found that many of the things they were trying weren't working (Insane Clown Posse, Konnan) and some of the people at the top weren't working out. Xavier as champ got old in a hurry. Donovan Morgan was an excellent wrestler, but his outside commitments meant he wasn't a great choice for a tag champion. So now we get a setup for the new generation of champions and an influx of talent to replace guys like Michael Shane and Spanky who moved on to TNA and the WWE respectively. The new talent certainly paid off as CM Punk, Colt Cabana, BJ Whitmer and Chad Collyer helped carry the company through the next few years. The show itself gets a pretty easy thumbs up for the wrestling and the angle development. No MOTYC, just top-to-bottom solid wrestling. Thumbs up here.

Final Score:  6.0   [ Average ]