411 Video Review: Main Event Spectacles

As usual- thanks to ROH for sending me this tape. You can pick it up here-

http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8195 (VHS)
http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8399 (DVD)

CM Punk hypes up Cabana before his match.

Colt Cabana (2-0) v. Dan Maff (1-1, w/ Allison Danger) in a Field of Honor Block B match

Maff chops him so to retaliate Cabana forces a handshake with him. Cabana clotheslines him out and dances with Allison Danger. Cabana tries to dance with Maff but gets chopped. Maff dumps Cabana out but Cabana comes back in with a clothesline. Cabana hits a Russian leg sweep and then scissors him. Cabana headscissors him but then makes the mistake of chasing Danger and gets attacked by Maff. Maff sends him into the rail twice. Cabana retaliates and sends him into a rail. Cabana drops an elbow for two. Cabana blocks a suplex but can’t block a half nelson suplex. It gets two for Maff. Maff chops him but eats boot. Cabana gets a small package for two. Cabana gets a drop toehold for two. Cabana misses something in the corner and Maff hits him with the cannonball! Cabana blocks a Burning Hammer and Maff blocks a Colt. 45. Cabana hits his knees into Maff’s neck but misses a moonsault. Maff hits a SICK BURNING HAMMER! for the win. **3/4

Samoa Joe runs in and takes out Maff. Cornette come out and the crowd explodes. Danger goes after Cornette and Joe kicks her. Daniels tries to save but fails. Cornette cuts a promo (mentioning Russo and Ferrera) and the Briscoes come out. Cornette then turns on Joe and a Briscoes beatdown results. Cornette then explains himself saying he wanted to manage future champions and not current champions.

Special K is trying to party but Izzy and Dixie are worried about having to face the Briscoes.

Xavier and Nigel McGuiness v. The Purists

Walters and Xavier have developed a serious rivalry in ROH. At Glory by Honor 2 Xavier defeated Walters via cheating and Walters said he didn’t respect him. They were both involved in a 4 corners match at Tradition Continues and Xavier once again pinned Walters. At Empire State Showdown Walters and Xavier again got into it. This time they both decided to pick a partner. Nigel McGuiness really has nothing to do with any of this but according to the commentators he just wanted a spot in ROH and jumped at the opportunity.

McGuiness and Walters start. Lockup- Walters takes him down and locks in an armbar. Walters works on the arm. McGuiness rolls out and Walters and McGuiness battle on the mat trading counters and reversals. Walters works on his arm. McGuiness takes him down and now Xavier wants in. Xavier chops him but Walters kills him with a clothesline for two. So he tags back out. Mamaluke is also tagged in. Mamaluke gets a front facelock but McGuiness takes him down and works on the leg. Mamaluke gets a dragon screw and he works on the knee. McGuiness goes back to the headlock but Mamaluke reverses. Mamaluke works a headlock. McGuiness counters and gets a hammerlock. Mamaluke and McGuiness trade holds and Mamaluke gets a headscissors. Xavier breaks it up and takes out Mamaluke. Xavier gets a clubbing forearm and chops and knees Mamaluke. Xavier gets a running knee to the face for two. Xavier with a hair toss. Mamaluke goes to the arm but Xavier fights back. Mamaluke boots him and gets a cross armbreaker. Xavier is able to counter and pulls him up using one arm and dumps him out. Xavier taunts Walters and drives Mamaluke into the rail. He covers him but Walters saves. Tag McGuiness. They whip Mamaluke into the corner. McGuiness works on his arm and gets several near falls. McGuiness hooks a camel clutch and the arm drops twice- but it doesn’t drop thrice! Mamaluke gets a chinbreaker and makes the hot tag to Walters. Walters beats on Xavier. He blocks a Kiss Your X Goodbye and hits a Hurricane DDT and the double knee to the back. A pier-4 brawl results. Xavier takes out Mamaluke as McGuiness takes out Walters. Mamaluke spears McGuiness as Xavier sneaks in and covers Walters for the win. Fun formulaic tag team wrestling. Xavier has been awesome throughout this whole feud. ***1/2

Matt Stryker v. Justin Credible

THE REMATCH THE WORLD…DEMANDED is the last match on the tape. This is a different kind of rematch. Stryker beat Credible clean at Wrath of the Racket and for some reason we get to see the match again.

Credible tells him to suck it! Lockup- Stryker works on the arm. Credible reverses and Stryker reverses back. Credible takes him down but Stryker ends up on top. Credible goes to the ropes. Lockup- Stryker takes him down. Credible goes to the headscissors. Stryker nips up. Stryker gets a hammerlock. Credible reverses and Stryker reverses back. Credible goes to the hair and gets a headlock. Credible knocks him down. Stryker gets La Magistral and works on the arm. Stryker armdrags him and works on the arm. Credible knees and chops him. Credible misses a splash and gets crotched. Credible dumps him outside and sends him in the rail. Credible stomps away as the crowd chants ‘X-Pac’s bitch.’

Justin Credible matches become a lot more tolerable with that chant. Just something I’ve noticed.

Credible stomps away and chokes him. Credible elbows him and does his series of suplexes for two. Credible then locks in a chinlock. Stryker’s arm drops twice but not thrice. Stryker finally eblows out and slingshots him. Stryker crotches him in the post since Justin Credible must end up with his balls on a ringpost in every match. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Stryker hammers away and elbows him. Stryker clotheslines him and gets a neckbreaker. Powerslam-two. A quebrada attempt eats knees. A Credible superkick gets two. Stryker rolls through on a crossbody for two. A DVD gets two. Stryker brings the European uppercut and chops him. Credible gets a That’s Incredible for two. Stryker boots him and hooks the Stryker lock for the win.

With Stryker’s lack of charisma and Credible’s lack of talent you’re pretty much guaranteed a bland match. The work was okay and they tried to generate interest with the kicking out of big moves but nothing will change the fact that the match was Matt Stryker v. Justin Credible. **1/4

Izzy and Dixie (w/Special K) v. The Briscoes (w/Jim Cornette) for the ROH Tag Titles

These two teams faced off in the tag team gauntlet at Glory by Honor 2 and Special K won thanks to their usual nefarious means.

A pier-4 brawl starts us off- Special K clean house. Izzy controls the Briscoes but Jay runs in and kicks his ass. Jay chops him but gets enziguried. Tag Dixie. Jay boots him and chops him. Dixie fights both off but Mark tags in. The Briscoes double team him for two. Mark beats on Dixie and tags Jay. They beat on Dixie and hit a double boot on him. Jay beats on Dixie as the Briscoes work him over. One odd thing:

Special K are heels and the Briscoes are faces. But for some reason Special K is working as the faces here (I guess Cornette turning was supposed to make people boo Jay and Mark) and it’s really bizarre since the crowd hates Special K and won’t cheer them on. I don’t mind tag team formula but this is just ass backwards.

Miscommunication befalls the Briscoes and Izzy is tagged in and cleans house. Izzy kicks Mark off the top rope and dives to the floor. Mark does his trademark SHOOTING STAR PRESS TO THE FLOOR but gets sent into the rail. Mark comes back with a springboard Ace Crusher. The Briscoes miss the springboard Doomsday Device and Izzy hits Sliced Bread #2 for two. The Briscoes hit the Veg-o-Matic for two and then hit the Doomsday Device. Mark takes out Special K and Jay hits a Jaydriller for the win and the titles. Even though the tag team formula was a bit wacky the Briscoes were able to keep this together and it ended up being a fun little match. **1/2

Jim Cornette pays tribute to Hawk after the match.

Homicide (w/J-Train) v. BJ Whitmer in a “Fighting Spirit” match

A Fighting Spirit match is basically a normal match but with a 20 second countout rule.

They lock wrists and lockup. Homicide and Whitmer trade waistlocks. Whitmer goes to the arm but Homicide reverses. Whitmer and Homicide battle on the mat. Lockup- Homicide gets a headlock but Whitmer gets two armdrags. Homicide gets armdrags of his own. They battle on the mat with Homicide controlling. Whitmer comes back with a back suplex. Homicide bails. Whitmer follows with a tope. Whitmer hits a high knee back in. Whitmer hits a running high knee and a windmill suplex gets two. Whitmer facewashes him and kneescrapes him. Homicide chops him and hits a running forearm. Homicide hits a SICK running knee and then chops him. He murders Whitmer again with another sick running knee. Homicide chops him and gives him a ballshot for fun. Homicide hits a double knee and Whitmer bails. Homicide follows with a CRAZY TOPE and J-Train gets jiggy wit’ it. Back in Whitmer gets a superplex and hooks a surfboard for two. Homicide gets an overhead suplex for two. Homicide then gets a top-rope overhead suplex for two. Homicide hooks an STF and then drops him right on his head with a suplex. Whitmer pops right up and levels him with a forearm. This is just brutal- but in a good way. Homicide KILLS him with a headbutt and then kicks him. Whitmer is busted open. Homicide chops him but Whitmer gets a corner German. Whitmer hits a German suplex, a dragon suplex and a powerbomb. It gets two. Whitmer hits a headbutt and Homicide bails. Whitmer misses a tope and goes splat. It gets two for Homicide. Whitmer gets a backdrop and a forearm but Homicide catches him with THE COP KILLAH! It only gets two as Whitmer kicks out!

Considering that the Cop Killah is one of the sickest moves in wrestling and that this wasn’t even a ‘big’ match…it’s kind of pointless to have Whitmer kick out of the Cop Killah. Save it for something important. The Cop Killah to me is one of those moves that no one should ever kick out of.

Anyway Whitmer is dead and he falls out of the ring. The refs go and check on him. Whitmer gets rolled back in for two. Homicide chops him. Whitmer blocks Cop Killah #2 and kicks him. A wrist clutch exploder…gets two. Whitmer elbows him but Homicide gets a top rope Ace Crusher and a vicious lariat to end the massacre.

This was a brutal match that was hard to watch- but in a good way. The punishment that Whitmer took was unreal and you could tell that ROH was trying to get him over big time with this match. Whitmer kicking out of the Cop Killah was really the only thing that bothered me. I thought Homicide could’ve given him a bit more offence but that’s just nitpicking. A great stiff match that reminded me of Homicide v. Joe from Do or Die. ****1/4

After the match Steve Corino and Guillotine LeGrande attack and work over Homicide’s ear.

Gary Michael Cappetta is with a very pissed off Samoa Joe.

The Backseat Boys v. Jack Evans and Teddy Hart v. The SAT v. The Carnage Crew v. Hydro and Angeldust in a scramble cage match

The Backseats were riding high after Glory by Honor 2 where they became the NEW Ring of Honor tag team champions. In their first title defence they lost to Special K. A despondent Johnny Kashmere walked out on Trent Acid but they made up and are now back and ready to kick some ass.

The Carnage Crew are still mad at Special K for the events that have been going on since the summer- and they’d like to get some revenge.

Two teams start off and then every couple of minutes another team enters. The cage has platforms on it.

The Backseats and Evans and Hart start. Acid and Hart go. Acid hits a bulldog type move after they trade reversals. Evans does two crazy backflips onto Acid. Evans and Hart hit a blockbuster onto Kashmere. The Backseats take out Evans and Hart with a double backdrop driver. Evans and Hart bail out of the cage because Evans is hurt. The Carnage Crew come out. Evans is chucked into the crowd. The Carnage Crew and the Backseats brawl. Carnage Crew send them into the cage. They give Kashmere a Carnage plex and Acid eats cage. Acid comes back and they send the Carnage Crew into the cage. The SAT come in and beat on Acid. DeVito gigs. The SAT hit the Washing Machine into the cage on Kashmere. Loc gigs and he continues to get sent into the cage. Hydro and Angeldust come out as Evans climbs the cage. Hart hurricaranas Evans into the SAT. Everyone is brawling now. Angeldust does a tope onto DeVito. Special K beat on Loc and Evans. Joel Maximo takes out the members of Special K as Hijinx gigs. Joel works over Hart. Hart comes back but DeVito kills him with a Ki Krusher. Acid falls off the side of the cage. The SAT then hit Hydro with A SPANISH FLY OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE. That was insane. Special K run in and attack the SAT. Hart and Evans then do these INSANE dives off the top of the cage to the floor. Has to be seen to be believed. Loc beats on Angeldust and the Carnage Crew hit him with a spike piledriver. The Backseats save and take out the Carnage Crew and hit Hydro with a T-Gimmick for the win. ****

It was a spotfest- but what a spotfest it was. My PBP doesn’t do the insanity justice since I could barely keep up with it. A Spanish Fly off the top of the cage, Jack Evans and his many backflips and just everything that was going on had me marking out the whole time. You really have to see this match to witness the carnage that takes place.

Samoa Joe v. Steve Corino (w/ Simply Luscious, Bobby Cruz and Guillotine Le Grande) v. Christopher Daniels v. CM Punk

Here’s the issues between the wrestlers:

Joe v. Corino: Corino and Joe have a friendship dating back to their days in Japan. Corino recruited Joe to join his Group with the hope that it would lead Corino to the title. That never happened and Joe ended up being the one holding gold when the Group was disbanded. At Glory by Honor 2 Corino reminded Joe of this fact which didn’t sit well with Joe.

Joe v. Daniels: I documented their feud in my Glory by Honor 2 review. At GBH2 the two guys faced off in a heated match for the World Title. Joe escaped with his belt even though Daniels gave him a hell of a fight. Earlier in the show Joe beat on Daniels and took out Allison Danger.

Corino v. Daniels: At Final Battle 2002 Corino announced he was forming his own stable to compete with the Prophecy and stole Joe and Simply Luscious away. Corino was inactive for much of the Group v. Prophecy feud and didn’t return until August. At Glory by Honor 2 Corino tried to make nice with Daniels even though at Bitter Friends Stiffer Enemies- he told Punk that Daniels took out Lucy.

Corino v. Punk: I detailed their feud in my Empire State Showdown review. At ESS they battled to a time limit draw. Even though it seemed like they were in an alliance Punk was quick to remind him that ‘straight edge means I’m better then you.’

Daniels v. Punk: Ever since Punk formed the Second City Saints- he has been at odds with Daniels. At Do or Die they got into it on the mic after they were both involved in a 4-way. At Wrestlerave Daniels teamed with Raven to take on the Second City Saints but the SCS won and bloodied up Daniels along the way. At Wrath of the Racket Punk’s valet Lucy was taken out. Punk immediately fingered Daniels for the attack which Daniels denies.

Corino’s extended intro is every NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion of all time since that’s a belt Corino currently holds. Cruz gets a massive ‘Shut the fuck up’ chant and Guillotine tells the crowd to shut up. Samoa Joe gets a camera and films this as a boring chant goes up. Joe takes shots of the crowd.

Daniels and Corino start. Stalling results as Daniels won’t shake hands. Punk takes out Daniels. So Joe and Punk start. They trade boots and Joe slaps him. Punk takes out Daniels again but eats a boot from Joe. Punk, Joe and Corino face off. Daniels takes down Punk and clotheslines him. Daniels hammers away and hits a Davey Boy suplex for two. Tag Joe. Punk headbutts Daniels and Joe chops Daniels. Joe gets a Davey Boy suplex of his own. Tag Corino. Lockup- Corino gets a headlock takedown. Daniels rolls him back for two. Corino knocks Daniels down and offers a handshake. Lockup- Daniels with a headlock but he can’t knock him down. Daniels knows Corino down and Corino bails. Punk cheapshots Daniels. Corino covers him for two. Corino chops Daniels. Daniels hammers away and hits a running clothesline. Suplex and Daniels legdrops him. Punk saves. Corino offers a handshake and dumps Daniels out. They brawl on the outside and Corino eats rail. Daniels hits an Arabian press to the floor. Punk hits a tope onto everyone and Joe does his BIG MAN TOPE and it’s time for OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY on Daniels. Joe goes to Olay Corino but Punk ruins everything by trying to hurricarana Joe. Joe is all: No one ruins the Olay kick and he chucks Punk into the rail. With Punk out of the way it’s now time for OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY on Corino. Back in Joe chops and kicks Daniels. A kneedrop gets two. Joe hits a back suplex. Daniels forearms him but gets suplexed for two. Corino tags Joe. Corino suplexes Daniels for two. Daniels sunset flips him for two but gets punched. Corino tags Punk. Punk stomps away and forearms him. Punk gets a suplex and hooks a chinlock. Daniels breaks with a jawbreaker and gets a boot. He neckbreaks him and now it’s Joe v. Corino. Joe boots Punk and plants Corino into the mat. BOOTSCRAPES FOR EVERYONE! Joe Germans Corino for two. Joe chops Corino and forearms. Corino gets into a chopping and forearming contest with Joe which is pretty stupid. Punk knees Joe and Corino gets a neckbreaker. Tag Punk. Joe clotheslines them both. Tag Daniels and he cleans house on everyone. Miscommunication befalls Corino and Punk and Daniels takes them both out. He hits Punk with a Blue Thunder Driver and then a Picture Perfect Moonsault but Joe saves. Joe powerslams Daniels for two. Corino boots Joe and gets a DDT. Joe no-sells an STO and powerbombs him. Punk saves. He hooks an STF on Corino but Punk saves. Joe hooks an STF on Punk but Corino saves. Daniels hits Corino with an enziguri and hits Corino with a urinage. Guillotine LeGrande runs in and Daniels hits him with Picture Perfect Moonsault. Corino then takes out Punk, Joe takes out Corino and Daniels takes out Joe. Daniels backdrops Punk and dumps him. Daniels and Corino superplex Joe. Punk covers Daniels for two. Punk covers Corino for two. Daniels STOs Punk. Corino and Daniels slug it out. Corino hits a Northern lights bomb for two. Daniels rolls on top of Corino but Punk saves. Daniels dumps Punk. Corino superkicks Joe. Daniels hits Angel’s Wings and Joe bails. Corino takes out Daniels. Daniels rolls up Corino but Punk saves. Daniels for Last Rites on Punk but Corino saves. They both hit Daniels with a Northern lights bomb and both cover him for the win. A fun match that dragged at times. The goofy double pin also bothered me since it rendered the whole thing pointless. ***

Stryker and Xavier stare each other down and offer words for each other. Xavier turns right around into Walters who demands one more match.

Rob Feinstein announces Raven v. Punk for 11.28 and Homicide v. Corino for 11.29.

Bryan Danielson v. AJ Styles for the #1 contender

They lock wrists and lock up, battle on the mat and trade off. They lock up and Danielson gets a waistlock and they tradeoff. They battle on the mat and it goes all the way to the outside and a stalemate results. They lock wrists and Danielson bends his arms back. Styles turns it around and pushes him against the ropes. Lockup- Danielson gets a wristlock and Styles goes into the ropes. Lockup- Styles pushes him into the ropes. Danielson forearms him and suplexes him. Styles bails. Danielson brings the European uppercuts. Danielson whips him towards the rail but Styles jumps over, lands on his feet and then enziguris Danielson! Styles kicks him and chops him. Danielson forearms him. Styles dropkicks him for one. Danielson headlocks him, boots him and tosses him across the ring. Danielson hooks him in the ropes and kicks him. Danielson with a divorce court and he gets into it with hecklers. Danielson with an overhead suplex for two. He keeps trying to cover him but Styles won’t go down. Danielson flips him over and works on the arm. Styles kicks and chops him which just pisses Danielson off. Styles backdrops him and bridges up which gets three two counts. Danielson knees Styles and gets a butterfly suplex for two. Danielson taunts the crowd and kicks Styles. Danielson destroys his arm. Styles blocks a suplex and suplexes him to the floor. Styles kicks at his knee and drops it on the floor. Styles drops him on the rail. Styles drives his knee into the post and rail. Styles throws him back in and locks in a leglock. Danielson turns it into a half Boston crab. Styles kicks him and twists his arm which takes him down. Styles gets a figure four. Danielson turns it over- Styles goes into the ropes. Styles works on the leg. He ducks an enziguri and stays on the leg. Styles turns it over and kicks it. Danielson taunts him and gets the shit kicked out of him for his troubles. It gets two. Styles headbutts him and chops him. Styles works on the leg and elbows him. Danielson boots him and gets a middle rope forearm. Danielson uppercuts him twice and knocks him down for two. Danielson hits a diving headbutt for two Danielson uppercuts him but eats a Styles elbow. Danielson blocks Styles’ inverted DDT and knees him a bunch of times and throws him. It gets some two counts. Danielson places him on the top and goes to suplex him off but Styles falls on top of him. Danielson crotches Styles and back suplexes him for two. Danielson hooks Cattle Mutilation but Styles makes the ropes. Danielson clubs him and brings him down. He hooks Cattle Mutilation and rolls him up for two. Styles elbows out and hits a back flip kick that dazes Danielson. Styles nails him and forearms him. He hits a discus clothesline for two. Danielson blocks the Styles Clash with a headbutt and he hooks an armbar. Styles Styles Clashes out of it for two. One more Styles Clash wins it for Styles.

I loved this match. This is what happens when you give two of the best workers in the world 25 minutes to just wrestle. The lack of commentary didn’t hurt the match at all since it let Styles and Danielson tell the story themselves and let the viewer figure it out and then get into the match. The psychology was excellent for the most part and it meant that every move meant something and there were no wasted moments. Danielson played the cocky heel very well and I loved how kept baiting AJ but did it one too many times and got caught with the Clash. A fantastic match that is well worth going out of your way to see. ****1/2

It’s time for Good Times Great Memories w/ Loc and DeVito. Cabana actually calls them on their stupidity. The Carnage Crew cut a promo on Backseats and Special K. Carnage Crew talk about the nudie bar leading to a poem by Cabana about the nudie bar. Great stuff.

Corino cuts a promo on Homicide and 11.29. After 11.29- he’s gone from Ring of Honor.

Gary Michael Cappetta is with the Briscoes and Cornette. Cornette cuts his usual great promo. Cornette ripping on Joe is funny stuff. Cornette kicks Cappetta out. Joe comes in and closes the door. He then walks out and closes the door again.

The Bottom Line- A fantastic show from top to bottom with three **** matches that appeal to everyone. A fan of spotfests? There’s the scramble cage. Do you like hard hitting incredibly stiff wrestling? There’s Homicide v. Whitmer? Enjoy watching two men engage in a game of human chess? AJ v. Danielson. Don’t mind watching a Justin Credible singles match? Then you need help.

But all kidding aside this is one of my favourite ROH shows ever. What other company offers you Jim Cornette and a Spanish Fly off the top of a cage?

Highest Recommendation

http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8195 (VHS)
http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8399 (DVD)