100 Percent Fordified: Ring of Honor Colt Cabana – Chicago’s Favorite Son

Disc One

CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana
“Night of the Butcher” – Philadelphia, PA – 12.7.2002

Punk knocks Cabana down with a shoulder block. After some leap frogging, Cabana sends Punk to the corner with a Japanese armdrag. Punk gets in a satellite headscissors. Both snap off an armdrag and take their opponent down with a headlock takeover. They stand off after Cabana lands on his feet from a monkey flip. Punk walks the ropes while holding onto Cabana’s arm. He jumps off and snaps it across the top rope. Punk works over the arm. He goes for a facewash kick and gets clotheslined to the floor. Cabana then follows with an Asai moonsault. In the ring he hits a frog splash for two. Punk catches him with a boot in the corner. Cabana blocks his tornado DDT and gives him a tornado snap suplex. Punk gives him an uppercut and a crossbody from the second turnbuckle for two. He tries for Welcome to Chicago but Cabana throws him overhead. Punk then successfully hits the move for two. Cabana comes back with a lariat. He tries for a second lariat. Punk ducks it and spikes Cabana with a reverse huracanrana. He gets two with a dropkick. Punk shrugs off an O’Conner Roll and hits the Shining Wizard for two. Cabana drives his elbow into Punk’s head when he ducks down. He tries for the Colt 45. Punk counters it twice, but the third time Cabana is able to pull it off for the win at 12:28. It was so smart programming these two together right from the get-go. Their familiarity with one another allowed them to put their best foot forward right off the bat and leave a good impression in front of a new audience. ***

CM Punk & Ace Steel vs. Raven & Colt Cabana
“Night of the Champions” – Philadelphia, PA – 3.22.2003

Some pre-match jabber turns this into another Raven’s Rules bout. Punk avoids Raven in the beginning. Steel becomes frustrated that Raven is able to outwrestle him. Cabana tags in and comes off the second rope with a double axe handle to Steel’s arm. He snaps off a couple armdrags and a dropkick. Raven smacks him in the head with a trashcan lid. Cabana backs Steel to his own corner. Punk tags in and hits a leg lariat. Cabana drives his knees into Punk’s chest in the corner. Raven tags in causing Punk to bail to the floor instantly. Steel is able to attack Raven with a chair from behind and send him into the barricades with a side Russian leg sweep. Now that Raven is hurt, Punk is willing to beat him down in the ring. Raven gets the ropes to break the Devil Lock. Punk backs Raven to the corner to stop the Raven Effect. Raven does however drop toe hold him into a chair. Cabana clotheslines Punk to the floor. Punk trips Cabana from the floor and Raven Cactus clotheslines Steel out. Raven hits Punk with a chair from the floor. Cabana hits the Colt 45 and Steel breaks the pin. Punk gets two with Welcome to Chicago on Cabana. He and Steel hit the King’s Swing also for two. Punk blocks Steel from being whipped to the corner. Steel dropkicks Cabana into a Blockbuster from Punk. Cabana catches Punk coming off the top rope. He turns him from a Royal Butterfly into a body slam. Raven tags in and cleans house with a trashcan. Raven clotheslines Steel and bulldogs him out of the corner for two. Punk springboards in only for Raven to meet him with a trashcan shot. Raven drop toe holds Steel onto Punk on the floor. He then dives after him. Cabana moonsaults after them but lands badly on his knee. Back in the ring Steel stops Raven from giving Punk the Raven Effect. Punk misses an elbow drop through a table. Raven tries to cover but Steel is there to stop him. Raven gives Steel the Raven Effect for the pin at 15:52. This was a fun way to incorporate Punk’s beef with Raven and Cabana together. It adds an interesting new twist to the feud and this match was a nice way to solidify the Second City Saints as heels. ***

ROH Tag Team Championship
The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe) (Champions) vs. CM Punk & Colt Cabana
“Reborn Stage 2” – Chicago Ridge, IL – 4.24.2004

Mark elbows Punk in the face after breaking a lock-up against the ropes. Punk comes back with a series of chops. Out of a double knuckle lock they each try some quick roll-ups. Punk does some damage to Mark’s arm. Cabana and Jay then tag in. Jay’s first shoulder tackle fails. Cabana tells Jay to go for it again and trips him. He then takes Jay to the corner with a headscissors and an armdrag. Cabana cranks his neck with his feet. Punk comes in with a slingshot senton. He and Cabana drop tandem elbows, then put him in a Billy Goat’s Curse/Camel Clutch combo. Mark comes in. Punk uses him to stomp on Jay’s nuts. Punk and Cabana then put them in stereo Camel Clutches. Punk hits the Welcome to Chicago on Jay for two. Mark blind tags in when Punk has Jay in a headlock. He comes in with a springboard dropkick and the Briscoes take control. They choke him many times when the referee is tied up. Punk fights his way out of the corner, ducks two clotheslines, and tags in Cabana. He throws fists before taking both Briscoes down with a quebrada press. He hits double knees on both Briscoes in the corner, then gives Jay an Air Raid Crash across the back of his leg. Punk and Cabana try a Doomsday Device, but Mark blocks it with a reverse huracanrana for two. Punk mule kicks him and then hits an enzuigiri. He gets two with a DDT. Jay gives him a Gourd Buster and a Death Valley Driver for two. The Briscoes try their own Doomsday Device. Punk catches Mark mid-air with a powerslam. Cabana feed Mark to Punk for a Pespi Plunge. Jay and Cabana fight on the floor while Mark backdrops Punk off the top. He dives after with an enzuigiri. All four men end up knocked down in the ring. Cabana tries for the Colt 45 on Mark but settles for a butterfly suplex. Mark brings Punk off the top rope with an Ace Crusher. Jay gives Cabana the Jay Driller for two. The Briscoes try to superplex Punk. Cabana pulls himself up by the ropes which crotches Mark. Punk shoves Jay to the floor where he hits the guardrails. Punk pulls Mark into the Pepsi Plunge for the win and the titles at 19:39. That was top shelf tag team wrestling with an awesome crowd. Of course they were totally behind the hometown heroes, so when they won it came off like a major deal. Definitely the right way to cap off ROH’s Chicago debut. ****

ROH World Championship
Samoa Joe (Champion) vs. Colt Cabana
“Death Before Dishonor II, Part Two” – Chicago Ridge, IL – 7.24.2004

They each back one another into opposite corners and break away cleanly. Cabana is unable to lift Joe for a slam. He eats a forearm but it only fires him up. It takes him three tries, but he is able to take Joe off his feet with a running shoulder block. He twists up Joe’s neck with his feet. He misses a hip attack and gets forearmed to the floor. Back in the ring Cabana goes for double knees in the corner and gets caught with the STJoe. When Joe goes for the Combination, Cabana rolls him up for two. Joe comes back with the facewash knee. Joe lights Cabana up with strikes when Cabana tries ascending the ropes. Joe gives him a belly-to-back suplex for two. Cabana fires back after sitting in a half crab. Cabana gets in his double knee strike in the corner. He goes for a moonsault but Joe shoves him off the top and into the entrance aisle. Joe goes for the Ole Kick. Cabana blocks the Ole kick with the chair he is sitting on. He hits the Ole kick himself! Back in the ring however, Joe gets in a powerslam for two. He also gets two with a lariat. Cabana hops over Joe in the corner and gives Joe his own slam. He gives him a Saito suplex for two. Same goes for a frog splash. He sunset flips Joe into the STF. Joe escapes. He nails two enzuigiri’s. Cabana rolls Joe over to avoid a choke. Joe lariats him for two. The Muscle Buster puts Cabana away at 17:22. I don’t know if this would have had the same heat in front of another crowd, but the Chicago crowd was rooting for their hometown boy and it made for a good dynamic. The spot where Cabana hit the Ole kick himself was a really fun one and I’m surprised it wasn’t done more often. ***¾

We’re brought to “Scramble Cage Madness” in Braintree, MA on 8.28.2004. There, Cabana wrestled Generation Next member Austin Aries and lost when he passed out in the Rings of Saturn. Cabana went it with an injured arm which was attacked by the other members of Generation Next after the match. Aries trapped Cabana’s arm between two chairs and delivered the 450 splash to it. Cabana’s partners CM Punk and Ace Steel ran out to clear the ring but the damage had been done.

This attack is still on Colt Cabana’s mind come “All Star Extravaganza II” in December. He’s looking for revenge. However, his guest on “Good Times, Great Memories” is Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Heenan’s hits it off with Cabana during the segment. Later that night, Heenan and Jim Cornette have a Managerial Debate. Cornette starts off being polite but devolves into anger when he admits that he’s tired of being called the second best manager of all time since most people consider Heenan the greatest. Cornette admits that he has too much respect for Heenan to attack him. This brings out Generation Next members Roderick Strong and Jack Evans. They put their hands on Heenan which brings Cabana and Jacobs out with chairs to even the odds. Heenan says he’ll manage Cabana and Jacobs while Cornette manages Generation Next and they can truly see who the best manager is.

Colt Cabana & Jimmy Jacobs vs. Generation Next (Roderick Strong & Jack Evans)
“All Star Extravaganza II” – Elizabeth, NJ – 12.4.2004

Cabana and Jacobs slingshot Strong and Evans into the ring. Generation Next accidentally clothesline each other and get sent out with double dropkicks. Heenan pokes them both in the eyes. Cornette gives them a group hug. Jacobs discreetly punches Strong with a chain that Heenan slipped him off camera. Sinclair gets rid of it. Heenan slips Cabana another chair which Strong discreetly punches Strong with. Cornette pitches a fit but Cabana is able to hide the chain well. Evans tries showing up Cabana with a backflip, but Cabana’s forward roll gets a bigger pop. Heenan does a small moonwalk and crotch chop to shove it in his face. Cabana embarrasses Evans some more to the point where Cornette gets in the ring and asks for Heenan to come in. Heenan lays down. Cornette goes for an elbow and of course Cornette moves. Cabana embarrasses Evans with more slaps to the face. He uses Jacobs as a battering ram to send Evans out. Strong takes the battering ram as well. Cornette and Generation Next threaten to leave. They think better of it and come back. Jacobs fires up from his head being rammed into the top turnbuckle and spears Evans. Evans blocks the Contra Code and hits a moonsault into an inverted DDT. Generation Next isolates Jacobs. Cornette gets in a shot here and there. Jacobs escapes when he catches Evans coming off the ropes and drives his head into the mat. He ducks Strong’s clothesline and tags in Cabana. He moonsaults off the second rope onto Strong. Evans goes for a standing corkscrew moonsault and lands on Strong. Cabana gives Evans an over the shoulder piledriver. He and Jacobs twist him out into a slam. As referee Todd Sinclair deals with Strong and Jacobs, Cornette nails Cabana with his tennis racket. Heenan than hits Cornette with the tennis racket! He places Cabana onto Evans and he gets the pin at 17:15. That was a very fun segment. For the amount of flack Cornette received in his tenure as part of the ROH office, he did a tremendous job in his role managing Generation Next. The people ate up everything he and Heenan did. It was also a nice way for Cabana to get a measure of revenge against the other members of Generation Next before gunning after Austin Aries. This was, in fact, a good time. **¾

Cabana was Aries’ first challenger when Aries won the Ring of Honor World championship. They faced each other at “It All Begins” in January 2005, back in Braintree, MA where Aries hurt Cabana months before. Aries had the match won by throwing Cabana head first into the barricades and then giving him a brainbuster on the entrance ramp. However, Cabana crawled back and used his last bit of strength for a small package. Aries kicked out, gave Cabana another brainbuster and a 450 splash to retain the title.

ROH World Championship – Steel Cage Match
Austin Aries (Champion) vs. Colt Cabana
“Third Anniversary Celebration Night 1” – Elizabeth, NJ – 2.19.2005

Aries goes for the cage door right away. Cabana stops him from exiting. Cabana shoulder blocks Aries down and tries to climb the cage. Aries pulls him down. Cabana stops Aries from throwing him into the cage. He tries a sunset flip but Aries dropkicks him in the face. Cabana throws Aries into the cage. When Aries tries throwing Cabana into it, Cabana hops off the second rope and delivers a forearm to the face. Aries dropkicks his legs out when he begins to ascend the ropes. He dropkicks Cabana’s face into the cage twice and gives him a springboard axe handle. Cabana is now busted open. Aries rakes his forehead against the cage. Cabana hangs Aries in the tree of woe and tries escaping the cage. Aries grabs his legs to stop him and gives Cabana a rope assisted Ace Crusher. Aries punts him in the forehead. Cabana fires up when Aries throws some strikes at him. He throws Aries into the cage multiple times. Cabana comes off the top of the cage with a moonsault! Aries and Cabana fight on the top rope. Aries brings him down with a Frankensteiner. Cabana lands closer to the door and goes for it. Aries stops him. He dropkicks Cabana, which almost backfires because Cabana falls through the door. Aries holds onto his legs and drags him back in. Once again they fight on the ropes with both guys crotching themselves. Cabana spins Aries around in a Razor’s Edge. He drops him and goes for the pin. When Aries kicks out Cabana goes for the door. Aries tries climbing over him. He then goes to climb the cage. Cabana stops him. Aries goes onto Cabana’s shoulders and spikes him with a reverse Frankensteiner for two. Cabana suplexes Aries into the side of the cage twice before hanging him up on the wall. He gets in some strikes and then gives Aries his own brainbuster. Aries kicks out. They fight on the ropes once more. Cabana knocks Aries down and climbs the cage. He’s almost to the floor when Aries dives out of the door and to the floor to retain the title at 20:35. This was one of the more creative uses of the steel cage I have seen. I give Aries and Cabana a lot of credit for optimizing its usage. This also had a lot of drama and a sense that Cabana actually had a chance to win. I also loved the ending. I had completely forgotten Aries and Cabana’s mini “feud” from this time period; it was executed very well. ***¾

Colt Cabana vs. Nigel McGuinness
“Third Anniversary Celebration Night 2” – Dayton, OH – 2.25.2005

We start with some chain wrestling. Cabana is able to crawl under McGuinness’ legs when he goes for a kneeling press. He goes for a headlock. McGuinness turns it into a double arm submission where his feet are pressed into Cabana’s shoulders. Cabana’s rolls up from it. They trade some clever pin attempts. McGuinness’ shoulder block attempts do not work. He’s able to avoid being tripped by Cabana. We get some more pin attempts being countered. Cabana holds onto McGuinness’ right arm. He turns it into a courting hold. McGuinness uses the referee to flip out of it and drop Cabana with a divorce court. He applies a figure four arm scissors. Cabana escapes and catches McGuinness with a modified victory roll for the pin at 12:07. This was a sign of things to come, as here we just saw two great mat wrestlers go at it for 12 minutes. It would be another match or so before things really got heated up, but this first encounter was really fun to watch. ***

ROH Pure Championship
Samoa Joe (Champion) vs. Colt Cabana
“Death Before Dishonor III” – Morristown, NJ – 6.18.2005

Each guy has three rope breaks only to stop submissions and pinfalls. There’s a twenty count on the floor and strikes can be given which deduct rope breaks. After they shake hands, Cabana brings Joe’s hand over to the ropes to cost him one rope break. Joe is livid with referee Todd Sinclair. Joe putting his hands on Sinclair earns him a warning. Joe takes Cabana to the mat only for Cabana to further frustrate him. Joe ends up catching him with a closed fisted punch. That costs him his second rope break. Cabana’s flurry of strikes does Joe no harm. Joe goes for a Fujiwara armbar. Cabana gets to the ropes. Joe headbutts Cabana’s arm. Cabana responds with some European uppercuts. Joe blocks one and drops Cabana in a divorce court for two. Cabana throws some chops. Joe boots him down. He puts on an arm hold. Cabana clasps his legs against Joe’s head to free himself. Joe kicks Cabana to the floor. He’s poised to dive but Cabana sunset flips back in. Cabana puts Joe in an STF. Joe uses his third and final rope break to escape. He powerbombs Cabana. Cabana escapes a pin and moonsault presses off the second rope for two. The Flying Asshole and a leaping lariat warrant the same result. Joe avoids another sunset flip and applies a crossface. Cabana uses his second rope break. He surprises Joe with a missile dropkick. He comes out of the corner and is caught with an enzuigiri. Joe powerslams him for two. He then applies a cross armbreaker causing Cabana to tap out at 14:06. This was different than many of Joe’s defenses as no one was able to get into his head as quickly as Cabana did. He was able to get Joe off his game but was not able to overcome his power. Everything made sense and there was much creativity which I appreciate. Obviously Samoa Joe’s World title reign gets a lot of praise, but his short lived Pure title reign deserves some love as well. ***¼

2 out of 3 Falls
CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana
“Punk: The Final Chapter” – Chicago Ridge, IL – 8.13.2005

The two embrace before the bell. After feeling each other out they engage in a double knuckle lock. Punk shoulder tackles Cabana three times. Cabana trips him to avoid a fourth. He takes Punk down with an armdrag and headscissors him to the corner. Punk headscissors Cabana into an armdrag to show him up. He comes off the second rope with a crossbody for two. Punk keeps armdragging Cabana and Cabana keeps putting him in a headscissors. They criss-cross the ropes. Cabana tries his old face slapping gag but it doesn’t work. Cabana stomps on both of Punk’s feet instead. Punk low blows Cabana behind the referee’s back in retaliation. Punk gives Cabana the Colt 45 to pick up the first fall at 12:41. Punk catches Cabana in an Anaconda Vise in the ropes. After releasing the hold he comes in with a missile dropkick. Cabana catches Punk with a lariat to pick up the second fall at 16:06. Both guys talk some trash as they exchange chops. Cabana fires away with some chops and strikes to the chest. Punk goes for another Anaconda Vise but Cabana simply dumps Punk to the floor. They go in and out of the ring until finally Punk comes off the apron with a Frankensteiner. Back in the ring he goes for an underhook maneuver. Cabana counters with a butterfly suplex for two. Cabana forearms Punk off the apron and follows with an Asai moonsault. Back in the ring Punk gives Cabana a Frankensteiner. Cabana rolls through and applies a Boston Crab. Punk escapes and spikes Cabana with a reverse huracanrana. Punk hits him with a running knee. Cabana brings Punk off the ropes with belly-to-back suplex that sees Punk land on his head. Punk kicks out. When he and Cabana recovers, Punk applies the Anaconda Vise. Punk brings him to the top with a Pepsi Plunge. Cabana brings him down with a Samoan Drop. Punk crucifixes him for two. He also gets two with a running knee strike. Punk and Cabana switch position in a roll-up until Cabana catches Punk with a three count at 27:46 to win the bout. This was a fun way for Punk to leave the company, but not the best match in the world. They had it under the right circumstances (in Chicago in a 2 out of 3 falls match which made their name in the area) and in front of the right audience but it certainly isn’t memorable for being a classic match. It will be remembered for being a fun farewell for one of the best wrestlers to grace the Ring of Honor ring. ***

Disc Two

Soccer Riot Rules
Nigel McGuinness vs. Colt Cabana
“Night of the Grudges 2” – Morristown, NJ – 8.20.2005

Cabana was able to name the stipulation for this feuds blow off. It was not the European Rules or technical match McGuinness was expecting, but rather a Soccer Riot bout. Cabana is wearing a soccer jersey and has a soccer ball in hand. He headbutts McGuinness to start the bout. He lists off a bunch of moves and things that are legal (which essentially translates this into a Falls Count Anywhere match). Hey, there’s Larry Dallas in the front row! Cabana throws multiple chairs at McGuinness. Cabana is in control as they fight up into the crowd. McGuinness delivers a low blow but Cabana comes back pretty quickly and crotches him on the stair railing. McGuinness escapes a potential dive from Cabana. Cabana however clothesline him over a railing and back onto the floor of the building. Cabana throws back into forth into some fans chairs. McGuinness gets in a chair shot before throwing Cabana back to ringside. He throws Cabana into the barricades. In the ring, McGuinness sets up the soccer ball and accidentally punts it into the crowd. Cabana boots McGuinness in the chest. The fans throw the soccer ball back to Cabana. He throws it right at McGuinness’ crotch. Cabana gives him Shattered Dreams. Cabana misses a pescado. McGuinness kicks him low and sets up the timekeeper’s table. Cabana and McGuinness fight it out on the ring apron. Cabana hits a missile dropkick for two. Cabana gets two with a moonsault. Cabana picks up the iron McGuinness brings with him to the ring. McGuinness low blows Cabana before he can use it. McGuinness sets up two chairs in the ring and goes for a superplex. Cabana fights McGuinness off. McGuinness grabs his iron, clocks Cabana with it and it sends Cabana through the ringside table. McGuinness quickly goes for the pin but only gets two. As it turns out, Cabana brought his own iron to the match. He blasts McGuinness with it but only gets a two count. McGuinness goes for the Rebound Lariat, only for Cabana to counter with his own lariat for the pin at 17:37. This was fun but sort of all over the place. Cabana winning with a lariat out of nowhere was cool, but also a bit underwhelming considering everything else that took place before it. ***

At “Dragon Gate Invasion”, Colt Cabana had Homicide as a guest on his “Good Times, Great Memories” talk show. Homicide gets offended when Cabana tries to relate to his hard life but it just turns out that Cabana is a spoiled kid with first world problems. He doesn’t think Cabana takes him seriously.

ROH World Championship
James Gibson (Champion) vs. Colt Cabana
“Dragon Gate Invasion” – Williamsville, NY – 8.27.2005

Cabana controls Gibson by his left arm. Gibson gets on a neck-tie headscissors. Cabana maneuvers his way out of it. Gibson applies a headscissors. He has control of Cabana until Cabana sends him to the floor. Gibson gets angry and throws some strikes in the corner. He slams Cabana and does some damage to his arm. Cabana blocks a headscissors with a roll-up for two. Gibson goes for the Tiger Driver. Cabana picks him up to block and dumps him back to the floor. When Gibson comes back in he focuses his attack on Cabana’s neck. Cabana comes back with some elbows. He’s sent to the floor where Gibson follows with a suicide dive. Cabana however crotches him on the top rope and brings him down with a spin-out Razor’s Edge. After sending Gibson out he hits an Asai moonsault. Back in the ring Gibson puts Cabana in a Koji Clutch. Cabana gets the ropes. They fight to the top rope where Gibson brings Cabana down with a neckbreaker. Gibson puts on a Guillotine. Cabana escapes. Gibson DDT’s him and re-applies the move for the submission victory at 28:21. That was sound wrestling overall but it went way too long. It didn’t pick up truly until the end, but they made the most of Cabana’s neck work and the quiet crowd came alive at the right moments. ***

After the show, Homicide attacks Cabana in the parking lot. He says some nasty things and compares him to a lot of late night comedians. Again, Homicide does not appreciate the perceived disrespect Cabana gave him.

Colt Cabana vs. Homicide
“Glory By Honor IV” – Lake Grove, NY – 9.17.2005

After some stalling Homicide throws punches in all four corners. Cabana backdrops him out of the corner. He slingshots Homicide into the ropes and has him land back first across his knees. Homicide sends Cabana to the floor where Julius Smokes gets in a few shots of his own. Cabana comes back in and gets dropkicked right back out. Homicide suicide dives after him. He clotheslines Cabana into the barricades. Back in the ring he nails a tornado DDT for two. He blocks a diving headbutt and suplexes Homicide back into the ring. Cabana throws some elbows and punches. Even though the Flying Asshole misses he hits a clothesline. Homicide baits him into an Ace Crusher. He brings a chair into the ring. He misses an elbow attack with it. Cabana gives him a cradle suplex for two. Julius Smokes distracts Cabana to stop the Colt 45. Homicide throws the chair into Cabana’s face, giving Cabana the DQ win at 14:30. Everything important about this feud came after the match where Low Ki and Samoa Joe became involved in a brawl. Otherwise, the match itself was only a decent way to follow up from “Dragon Gate Invasion.” You kind of figure Cabana would be more upset about being jumped in a parking lot, but I guess not. **½

Colt Cabana vs. Low Ki
“Buffalo Stampede” – Buffalo, NY – 10.15.2005

Ki refuses to shake hands. Cabana backs him to the ropes. Ki applies an armscissor in the ropes. Cabana cleanly breaks another lock-up in the corner. Ki kicks Cabana in the chest from the mat to break a wristlock. Ki takes control of a wristlock by biting Cabana’s fingers and stomping on his head. Cabana sends him away. Ki also punches him in the groin to apply a chinlock. Cabana controls Ki’s right arm. Ki backs him to the ropes an goes for a chop. Cabana blocks it with a tango dance that pisses Ki off. Cabana stretches out Ki’s legs with his feet and digs his face into the canvas. Ki grabs at his face. Cabana continues to frustrate Ki with his shenanigans. He ends up dropping Cabana across the top rope. Ki applies a bodyscissors and transitions into a headscissors. He transitions back into the bodyscissors after grabbing the ropes. Cabana pushes Ki’s knees apart. Ki kicks him in the stomach. He lights up Cabana up with chops. Cabana throws a series of elbows to Ki’s head. He hits the Flying Asshole and a clothesline for two. He stops Cabana on the top rope and double stomps his side. He kicks Cabana in the side of the head. Ki comes off the top rope only to be caught with a Manhattan Drop. He spins Ki out into a Razor’s Edge for two. Homicide makes his way ringside. He talks some trash which distracts Cabana and allows Ki to shotgun dropkick. He follows with a top rope double stomp for the pin at 19:32. There wasn’t a lot going on and too much goofiness for this to feel like anything but a place holder match in Cabana and Homicide’s feud. Especially with the ending we got, there was absolutely no reason for this match to go nearly 20 minutes. It wasn’t bad, just pointless. **¾

These two fought unofficially at “This Means War” on 10.29.2005 and “Vendetta” on 10.5.2005. The first time they brawled into the crowd and the battle eventually ended with Cabana putting Homicide through the ringside table. The second time Homicide tied Cabana to the ropes and bloodied him up with a fork. He threatened to cut Cabana’s tongue out but Ace Steel made the save.

No Disqualification
Colt Cabana vs. Homicide
“A Night of Tribute” – Lake Grove, NY – 11.19.2005

Both men wildly throw punches at each other. Cabana clears Homicide and Julius Smokes from the ring by pulling out a fork. The Grim Reefer interferes but is taken out relatively easily. Homicide tries a sneak attack. Cabana catches him with a knee lift. He tries digging the fork into Homicide’s face. Homicide rakes his eyes to stop him. Cabana elbows him down and twists on his chin. Homicide sends him to the floor and follows with a tope suicida. They send each other into the barricades. Cabana takes Julius Smokes baseball bat away from him. It backfires as Homicide chokes him with it. In the ring he drop toe hold Cabana into a steel chair and dropkicks it into his face. He busts Cabana open by digging his fork into his forehead. He further bloodies Cabana with the chair. Cabana won’t stay down. Homicide kicks him in the groin. Cabana throws a chair at Homicide’s head to stop him on the top rope. Cabana superplexes Homicide onto the chair. He gets two with a lariat. Homicide low blows Cabana and hits his own lariat. Cabana kicks out at one! They knock each other down with stereo clotheslines. Cabana gets two with an over the knee Air Raid Crash. Homicide kicks out, so Cabana goes under the ring and pulls out a pipe. Julius Smokes runs in to stop Cabana from using it. Cabana notices Homicide has retreated to the floor so he dives after him. Cabana positions the timekeeper’s table. He brings Homicide up the ropes, but it’s Homicide who puts Cabana through the table with an Ace Crusher. Reefer throws Cabana back into the ring. Homicide pins him but Cabana kicks out! Homicide chokes Cabana with a coat hanger! Cabana passes out at 19:08 giving Homicide the win. Homicide won’t let go until multiple officials come out to stop him. This was the right kind of match to have to really make this feud feel real. The two unofficial fights were good in that aspect, but this match really escalated things to the next level. ***¼

At “Final Battle 2005” Steve Corino had a match with Alex Shelley. Shelley won, and right after the match Homicide attacks Corino who has been his longtime rival in ROH. When Homicide pulls out a container of Drain-O, Cabana comes to Corino’s rescue. Julius Smokes attacks Cabana from behind. He holds onto Cabana so Homicide can pour the Drain-O down his throat! Cabana makes himself puke so he won’t get poisoned. Many ROH students and officials help Cabana out.

Ghetto Street Fight
Homicide vs. Colt Cabana
“Fourth Anniversary Show” – Edison, NJ – 2.25.2006

This match actually starts with Cabana whooping Homicide down the aisle. He throws Homicide into the barricades and into the audience. When Cabana brings Homicide into the ring the match officially begins. Homicide hits a jumping back elbow. Cabana delivers a boot and reigns down with punches. Homicide dropkicks cabana to the floor. He throws Cabana head first into the barricade. Cabana jabs him in the mid-section with a chair. Homicide shoves Cabana into the ring post. Again Cabana goes head first into the barricades. Homicide throws a chair at Cabana who is now busted open. Homicide throws a barricade sheet on him as well. He sets the metal barricade sheet in the corner back in the ring. Julius Smokes hands Homicide a razor that he digs into Cabana’s head. He whips Cabana into the barricade sheet. Cabana throws some chops but gets promptly poked in the eyes. Homicide misses a corner splash, allowing Cabana to hit the Flying Asshole. Homicide elbows Cabana and hits a tornado DDT. Cabana refuses to tap out in an arm-capture half crab. Homicide misses a diving headbutt. Homicide slips out of the Colt .45 but eats a clothesline. Cabana put on a modified straightjacket choke. He releases and heads up top. He misses a moonsault. Homicide hits the lariat. Homicide puts him in a Camel Clutch. Julius Smokes then tosses him a coat hanger. Homicide chokes him with it! Even though Cabana refuses to give up, referee Todd Sinclair mercifully calls for the bell at 11:15. Homicide and Smokes are celebrating in the aisle when Cabana grabs the microphone. He says he never gave up and that Homicide better kill him if he wants the match to end. He re-starts the match, ringing the bell himself. Homicide can’t believe this, but goes back anyways. Homicide gives him an Ace Crusher. Homicide goes for the Cop Killer. Cabana drives Homicide’s shoulder to the mat to block it. Cabana bites and claws at Homicide’s shoulder. Julius Smokes distracts Cabana so Homicide can smack him in the back with a chair. Smokes, Homicide and Ricky Reyes tape Cabana in the corner so that he is helpless. Homicide throws a chair at him and slaps him across the face. Sinclair calls for the bell at 4:10 after Homicide throws the chair again. Cabana once more grabs the microphone once he is freed. He tells Homicide to come back and finish him off. Cabana fights of Smokes and Homicide. He and Homicide fight on the apron. Smokes pours a bottle of rubbing alcohol on him. Homicide piledrives Cabana through the table and the bell is called for again at 1:08, officially putting this match to rest. This was a fantastic way to elevate this feud to the next level. Cabana looked like a glutten for punishment who would do anything to defeat his rival. Homicide on the other hand looked like a monster who was happy to give Cabana what they wanted. This was a tremendous set-up for their feud ending battle. ***½

Chicago Street Fight
Homicide vs. Colt Cabana
“Better Than Our Best” – Chicago Ridge, IL – 4.1.2006

Homicide fails at jumping Cabana at the bell. Cabana chokes him with his ring jacket. He throws Homicide to the floor where he keeps control. Back in the ring, Cabana punches Homicide to block a hip toss. He misses the Flying Asshole but connects with a boot. Cabana pounds on Homicide in the aisleway. Back in the ring Homicide leg lariats Cabana. Back on the floor he whips Cabana into the barricades. Homicide brings back the coat hanger for the 4th Anniversary match. This time around however it’s Cabana who does the choking. Homicide throws Cabana to the floor and tope suicida’s after him. Cabana takes control on the ring apron. He brings a ladder out from under the ring. Cabana waterwheel slams Homicide before see-sawing him into the ladder in the corner. Cabana dumps the ladder on top of him. Homicide recovers and gives Cabana a tornado DDT onto the ladder. On the floor Homicide sends Cabana into the ring post. Cabana lands on the timekeeper’s table. Homicide splashes Cabana through the table. Julius Smokes gets in his own headbutts. Homicide pulls out a barbed wire board from under the ring and slides it into the ring. Homicide slams the ladder onto Cabana. Cabana suplexes Homicide onto it, bending the ladder in half. The fight over who will go into the barbed wire board. Nobody does…for now. Cabana becomes fired up from Homicide’s punches. He throws his own punches while Homicide covers up. Cabana pulls Homicide’s fork out of his boot and digs it into his forehead. Cabana wipes some of his blood on his face. He even goes after Homicide’s eye. Homicide manages to pitch Cabana to the floor. He grabs Draino from under the ring, which he poured in Cabana’s throat at “Final Battle 2005.” Cabana sees it and begins throwing punches to Homicide in the corner. Cabana gives him a rope-assisted TKO. Cabana pours rubbing alcohol into Homicide’s wounds, causing Homicide to lose his mind on the floor. Homicide begs for mercy when he gains his bearings. Cabana refuses, so Homicide kicks him low. Homicide tells the fans to throw their chairs in the ring, causing the ring to be filled with them. Both guys stupidly get hit with chairs. Cabana brings Homicide to the top rope. Cabana superplexes him into the sea of chairs for a two count. Back on the top rope they go. Homicide gives Cabana the Pepsi Plunge onto the chairs. Cabana kicks out. Homicide gets two with a lariat. Homicide holds Cabana for Julius Smokes. Smokes ends up body blocking Homicide. Cabana takes Smokes down and suplexes Homicide. Smokes gets tied to the ring ropes. Both Homicide and Cabana brings tables into the ring. Cabana sets his up on top of the barbed wire board. Homicide throws a chair at Cabana. He brings Cabana to the top rope. Cabana blocks a Frankensteiner and powerbombs Homicide through the table and onto the barbed wire board! Homicide kicks out. Cabana gets two with a lariat also. The Colt 45 puts Homicide away at 26:33. That was a perfect finish to this blood feud and one of my favorite ROH rivalries of all time. This had elements from all their other matches, including Cabana using some of Homicide’s old tactics against him. I personally thought the powerbomb through the table should have been the finish but Cabana winning with his own move was pretty nifty too. Definitely one of my favorite ROH street fights. ****¼

The 411: This set shows that Cabana was a man of many hats in ROH career. He brought the humor, the violence, the technical wrestling, and wonderful tag wrestling whenever the situation called for it. These are all highlighted throughout this set. The matches may not have some the high ratings other sets do, but it does include the important parts of his feud with Homicide and has a lot of diversity. This is an easy recommendation for big Cabana fans and those who didn't see much of ROH's earlier years. You can pick up this DVD from Ring of Honor's store. You can check out all of my ROH reviews over at the 100% Fordified blog. Be sure to follow me on Twitter as well!

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]