411 Video Review: Ring Of Honor – Tradition Continues

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=8179 (VHS)
http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8337 )DVD)

Gaery Michael Cappetta runs down Maryland wrestling history. Prince Nana interrupts and bitches about the lack of a title shot. Samoa Joe comes out. Nana yells at him and demands a title shot.

Samoa Joe v. Prince Nana

Nana hits the ass to the face a couple times but Joe kills him and hooks the triangle choke for the win. DUD

Joe hypes the crowd and Jay comes out and boots him. They brawl and Mark holds Jay back.

Live from Chicago it’s GOOD TIMES GREAT MEMORIES with Colt Cabana with special guests- the Backseat Boys!! Colt brings the funny as usual.

Dunn and Marcos v. Danny Doring and Josh Daniels v. Slyk Wagner Brown and Sonjay Dutt v. Slugger and Grim Reefer (w/Julius Smokes)

Marcos and Doring start. Doring controls him and headlocks him. Marcos enziguris him but he gets clotheslined. Daniels and Dunn go. Daniels and Dunn battle on the mat. Daniels controls but gets rolled up for two. Dunn chops him but gets elbowed. Dutt and Reefer go. Dutt gets a headlock and takes him down. They do a very fast reversal sequence that’s too quick to call. Reefer smacks him. Dutt returns favour. Slugger and Brown go. Brown chops him but gets knocked out. Brown hammers away and dropkicks him. Slugger clotheslines him and stomps away. Brown gets a top-rope dropkick. Marcos hits Slugger with Sliced Bread #2. Dunn and Marcos beat on Doring and Daniels. Reefer takes them out and hits a Swanton for two. Dutt knees him in the head and hits an Ace Crusher. Dutt hits a Phoenix splash. Daniels Germans Dutt. Brown chops Daniels and does the press sault. Daniels hits him with the Bear Back as Slugger kills Dunn. Reefer hits the Frog Splash and Slugger gets a bodybag for the win. **1/2

Chris Sabin (0-1) v. Matt Stryker (1-0) in a Field of Honor Group A match

Lockup- Sabin gets a waistlock and they battle on the mat. Stryker knees him. Sabin takes Stryker down. Stryker stretches him and they face off. Lockup- Stryker works on his arm. Sabin reverses. Stryker kicks him down. Sabin goes to the arm. Stryker reverses. Sabin with a headscissors. They lock wrists and trade kicks. Sabin rolls him up for two. They trade pin covers. Lockup- Stryker forearms him and chops him. Sabin armdrags and forearms him. He enziguris him and covers for two. Sabin kicks him in the back. Sabin comes off the top and Stryker powerslams him but they fuck up the spot. Stryker kills Sabin with a European uppercut for two. Stryker stretches him and gets a back suplex for two. Sabin kicks him. Stryker screws up a powerbomb. Sabin boots him and gets a gropkick. Sabin with a top rope spin heel kick for two. Stryker blocks a DVD and hits a spinning neckbreaker for two. They trade chops. Sabin with a knee strike and he gets a flying DDT for two. Stryker throws him off the top rope. Sabin chops him and rolls him up for two. Stryker boots him but Sabin blocks a DDT and rolls him up for two. Stryker breaks it and gives him a SICK DVD (dropping him RIGHT on his face) for the win.

This was good but a bit too sloppy. Stryker in particular was really off his game botching a few spots including the end. Poor Sabin whose eye was badly busted up because of it. **3/4

Stryker apologises to Sabin and they make nice.

BJ Whitmer (1-0) v. Colt Cabana (1-0) in a Field of Honor Group B match

Lockup- Cabana pushes him back and high fives him. Lockup- Whitmer pushes him back. Whitmer high fives him and turns it into a test of strength. Whitmer armbars him and they trade armbars. Cabana nips up and gets an armbar. Cabana forearms him and chops him. Whitmer knees him and goes to the arm. Cabana elbows out and forearms him. Cabana with a headlock. Cabana takes him down but trips over Whitmer. Cabana bails and stalls. Cabana kicks him but walks into an elbow for two. Whitmer suplexes Cabana. Northern lights suplex gets two. Whitmer forearms him and chops him. Cabana gets a running knee and a fistdrop. Cabana chops him and hits a double knee for two. Cabana forearms him. Cabana suplexes him for two. Whitmer hammers away but walks into a BUTT BUTT!~ for two. Goldust lives! CM Punk (on commentary) is taken aback by that. Cabana then hooks the DREADED IRON CLAW!!~ CM Punk doesn’t know what to make of that so he goes back to ripping on Whitmer. Whitmer breaks. Cabana kicks Whitmer bur gets booted. Whitmer belly to bellys him into the corner. Whitmer rolls him up for two. Sunset flip-two. Whitmer forearms him and gets a forearm and a knee. Whitmer with an exploder suplex for two. Whitmer blocks a Colt. 45 but Cabana dumps him on his head for two. Cabana rolls him up for the win.

This had some nice comedy and some hilarious commentary by Punk (his ragging on Whitmer never gets old) but the match was really slow and both guys are capable of so much better. **

Cabana cuts a promo celebrating his victory while AJ is counseling Rave.

The Backseat Boys v. Izzy and Dixie (w/Special K) for the ROH Tag Titles

The Backseats and Special K have a long standing feud. At Epic Encounter Special K told the Backseats they were going to be their stepping stones to greatness. At Do or Die Jody Fleisch and Slim J represented Special K against the Backseats and lost. At Wrestlerave Special K jumped the Backseats, put them through a table and held a rave in the middle of the ring. At Bitter Friends Stiffer Enemies Dixie pinned Kashmere in a scramble match. At Glory by Honor 2 the Backseats became the new ROH Tag Champions by pinning Izzy and Dixie in the finals.

Pier-4 brawl starts us off. The Backseats clean house and they brawl. Acid powerbombs Dixie. Acid kicks and punches Izzy. Izzy drops Acid from the top. Kashmere dumps Izzy and Dixie. They drop Kashmere face first on the floor. Acid goes after both guys but the numbers take over and they work him over. Acid comes back but can’t tag Kashmere. Izzy hits him with a reverse hurricarana for two. Izzy sends him to the Special K corner and they beat him down. Miscommunication befalls Special K and Acid Yakuza kicks people. Hot tag Kashmere who cleans house. Lit runs in and gets killed. Elax and Hijinx get taken out. They hit the Dream Sequence on Izzy and then the T-Gimmick but Lit pulls out the ref. Izzy hits Acid with the belt….for two. Dixie hits a gordbuster. Izzy comes off the top with a springboard 450 and Special K are your NEW tag team champions. *1/2

Special K are fine when they’re kept in scramble matches but the guys seemingly have trouble working actual matches as they lack any transitions and just go from spot to spot to spot which hurts the overall match. The Backseats tried to keep it together and at least it was short but these guys just don’t seem to work well in real matches and they shouldn’t be given the ROH Tag Belts.

After the match Loc runs in but there’s one of him and a lot of Special K so he gets destroyed. I think the Carnage Crew enjoy proving my theory that they are the dumbest tag team ever. The Rottweilers save.

CM Punk v. AJ Styles

Punk cuts his usual straight edge promo. Way to endear yourself.

They trade waistlocks and battle on the mat as it’s time to go over the Code of Honor. I’m sure Punk is pissed about this. Styles works on the arm but Punk turns it into a front facelock. Punk and Styles continue to battle. They lock wrists. Punk headbutts him and gets an overhead wristlock. Styles goes to the arm and they continue to lock wrists. Punk gets on top and keeps him down. Styles chops him really hard. Styles somehow twists out and gets a headlock. Styles kicks him and goes back to the headlock. Styles kicks him but Punk suplexes him on his head. Punk elbows him down and kicks him. Styles dropkicks him and slams him. Drop on the knee gets two. Styles kicks him and chops him. Punk kicks Styles away and does a drop toehold into the head. Punk does a sliding kick and chops him. Punk blocks the Styles Clash but gets enziguried. Styles misses the inverted DDT and gets sent into the rail twice. Punk tosses Styles back in and hits him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Punk hits a standing suplex. Punk works on the back. AJ elbows him and does a moonsault kick. Punk comes back and slams him to the mat. Punk stretches him. Styles causes him to break but Punk works him over. Punk blocks the inverted DDT and backbreaks him for two. Punk slams him but a split legged moonsault ears knees. Punk clotheslines him but Styles gets a hurricarana. They trade forearms, chops and block and counter a bunch of holds in an AWESOME sequence. Styles suplexes him on his head for two. Punk comes back with a DDT for two. They head up and Punk powerbombs him from the top for two. Styles hits a discus lariat. Styles works him over and goes for a second rope Styles Clash! Punk blocks that and goes for a Shining Wizard. Styles blocks that and hits the Styles Clash for the win. ****1/4

This was just so much fun to watch as it was just beautiful back and forth wrestling for 20 minutes. Both guys are so fluid and it’s the little things they do that make watching their matches a pleasure. I liked Punk trying to do everything in his power to block the Styles Clash as AJ finally was able to catch him napping for one second and plant it. A great, great match.

Gary Michael Cappetta is with an unhappy Backseats. Kashmere walks off. I guess he realized months of crappy Special K matches wasn’t worth it anymore.

Special K celebrates their victory.

Jimmy Rave (0-2) v. Dan Maff (w/Allison Danger, 0-0) in a Field of Honor Group B match

Maff beats the hell out of him but Rave comes back with a desperation Shining Wizard into the rail. Maff feigns a neck injury and preps the Burning Hammer. A clothesline gets two. Maff keeps beating the hell out of him. Rave gets a desperation crossface but Maff powers out and hits the Burning Hammer for the win. This was just a squash. DUD

AJ is counseling Rave on his loss. Considering Rave hasn’t won since AJ started counseling him- maybe his advice just isn’t that good. Maff cuts a promo on his match.

Justin Credible v. Raven

Lockup- Credible pushes him back. Raven hammers away. Lockup- Credible pushes him back. Raven nails him and Credible bails and stalls. Raven whips him into the rail twice. Raven hammers away and suplexes Credible. Credible bails. Back in- Credible stomps away. Credible dumps out. Credible throws him into the rail and stomps away. Credible drops an axehandle for two. Credible works on his leg and hooks a figure 4. The crowd chants ‘X-Pac’s bitch’ thus causing me to like this match. They slug it out and Credible chokes him. Credible crotches himself on the rail. Raven clotheslines him and gets a knee lift and bulldog for two. The ref gets superkicked. Raven superkicks Credible but there’s no ref. Credible ballshots Raven. Credible gets a chair but Raven gets the drop toehold on the chair. He hits the Raven Effect for the win. *

If you like punching, kicking and choking- then this is your match. I understand both guys wanted to prove themselves by working an “old school match” but the sad truth is: Neither guy is really that good and they are both a lot watchable when they have toys to play with. And booking a match as an “old school match” and then having a chair and a ref bump negates the whole thing to begin with.

John Walters v. Homicide (w/Julius Smokes) v. Xavier v. Mark Briscoe

Xavier and Walters have issues with each other after Glory by Honor 2 where Xavier defeated Walters via cheating. Walters has vowed revenge.

Xavier smacks Homicide and they start. They do some chain wrestling. Xavier walks over Homicide and pie faces Walters. Homcide kicks Xavier’s ass. Walters tags in so Xavier tags Briscoe. Walters works on the arm. Briscoe reveres-Walters reverses-Briscoe reverses. Briscoe with a headlock. Walters gets hiptossed. Briscoe and Walters battle on the mat and trade moves and counters. Homicide tags in and knocks Briscoe down but gets armdragged. Homicide bails, only to eat a plancha by Briscoe. Back in- Homicide clotheslines him and gets a superplex. Walters saves. Xavier tags Homicide. Xavier works on Briscoe’s arm and hits a running baseball slide. Xavier throws him and strikes and chops him. Briscoe with a sunset flip for two. Briscoe throws Xavier outside. Xavier forearms Briscoe but Briscoe gets a spinkick. Briscoe suplexes him for two. Xavier tags Homicide. Briscoe drop toeholds him and tags Walters. Homicide kicks him but Walters fights back. Walters with a top-rope dropkick for two. Homicide kicks him and hits a Northern lights suplex for two. Tag Briscoe. Briscoe elbows Walters for two. Briscoe drops a knee for two. Walters with a powerslam. Xavier runs in and gets his ass kicked. Walters stretches both Briscoe AND Xavier. Homicide runs the ropes and does a double boot on everyone. Now that’s awesome. Homicide chops Walters and gets a top-rope hurricarana. Xavier spinebusters Homicide. Briscoe forearms Xavier but gets backdropped. Xavier knees him but gets dumped by Walters. Homicide back suplexes Walters and chops Briscoe. Homicide superplexes Briscoe. Walters slams Homicide and legdrops him- Xavier saves. Xavier and Walters go. Walters with a super jawbreaker for two as Homicide saves. Homicide dumps Walters and does a CRAZY TOPE. Briscoe then one-ups Homicide and does a SHOOTING STAR PRESS TO THE OUTSIDE. This match is insane, these guys all rule and I can barely keep up. Xavier then hits a springboard Arabian press onto everyone. Walters and Xavier go again. Xavier misses the 450 so Walters kills him with a clothesline. Homicide then kills Walters with a sick DDT. Briscoe hits a crossbody and lays out Homicide with a reverse leg lariat. Xavier takes out Briscoe and hits a Perfect plex. Walters saves. Walters and Xavier go again. Walters hits a Hurricane DDT- Homicide saves. Homicide hits him with an Ace Crusher for two. Walters blocks the Cop Killah and hits his double knee to the back. Briscoe takes out Homicide. Xavier comes in and powerbombs Briscoe. Xavier piledrives him forr two. Briscoe comes back with a powerbomb for two. Homicide kicks Briscoe and hits him with the COP KILLAH!~ Walters saves. Walters throws Homicide into the corner and plants him face first from the second rope. Xavier saves. Xavier rakes his eyes and hits Kiss Your X Goodbye on Walters to end the insanity. ****1/2

Man- I need to take a breath after watching that one. All 4 guys were great here. They kept a fast pace and never seemed to let up just hitting move after move after move. Unlike other 4-ways there were never any spots where it dragged for no reason everyone tagged in, did some crazy move and tagged out. Xavier played the heel perfectly here. He picked his spots and only seemed to want to attack when someone else was done. The match also helped continue the Walters v. Xavier feud. I had trouble keeping up with this match and it’s the best 4-way I’ve ever seen in ROH and one of their best matches ever.

Jim Cornette cuts a promo about 11.1.

Samoa Joe v. Jay Briscoe for the ROH World Title

Lockup- Joe beats on him and uses his size to control the arm. Briscoe with a headlock but Joe retains control. Joe with a waistlock and he controls. He smacks him around like a bitch for fun. Joe and Briscoe lock wrists and Joe kicks him. Joe drops a knee and kicks him. Joe stretches him and slaps and chops him. Joe kills him with a kick and hooks a Boston crab. Damn- this is just brutal to watch. Briscoe makes the ropes. Joe hits a running boot and he facewashes him. Joe with a BOOTSCRAPE! Briscoe comes back with two Yakuzas and hits a plancha to the floor and sends him into the rail. Briscoe forearms him and chops him. Briscoe dropkicks him and he suplexes him for two. Briscoe with a running kick. Briscoe charges at Joe and then gets him killed. So he makes Delaware Tech proud by doing smart and bails out. However, Joe follows him and sends him to the rail and it’s time for….OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY!!! Joe is then like:

Ring of Honor is debuting in a new city and I’m fighting some 19 year old punk kid. I must do it again.

So we get OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY OLAY #2. Back in- Joe powerbombs him and turns into an STF. Briscoe makes the ropes. Briscoe tries to come back with forearms but Joe is all: Fuck that shit- you must pay and he does the rolling cradles. Briscoe surprises him with a backdrop driver for two. Briscoe drops him in the mat again for two. Joe blocks the Jaydriller but gets DDTed. Briscoe hits a top-rope legdrop for two. Joe chops him and hooks an abdominal stretch. Briscoe powers out and gets a DVD for two. Joe blocks the Jaydriller and hooks a choke. Briscoe bites him so Joe dragon suplexes him for two. Joe then is all: No one bites me. You must pay and he makes him a bitch by slapping him and kicking him. The Island Driver…gets two. Briscoe fights back but Joe calmly kicks him in the face and puts Briscoe out of his misery with a lariat. ***3/4 Joe takes out Mark Briscoe after the match.

This was like watching Sting v. Vader from WCW. Jay just took a sick beating but he knew when to make his comebacks and was able to get the crowd behind him to make them think for a second that he could pull off the miracle upset since he’d done it before and he was able to catch Joe when he got too cocky. Joe was brutal here and he played his role as vicious monster perfectly by destroying the poor bastard. But instead of treating Jay like a joke- he sold for him and was able to make him seem like a threat for a few seconds. Just a fun match to watch- I always enjoy watching brutal asskickings.

Daniels cuts a promo on Joe, Corino and Punk.

Walters cuts a promo on Xavier.

Kashmere tells Acid that he needs some time to himself.

Xavier calls Walters a crybaby.

The Briscoes challenge Joe to a tag team match.

The Bottom Line- This is a great show and one you should go out of your way to pick up. Two **** matches and a hellacious asskicking with Joe v. Jay Briscoe always puts a smile on my face. This is a lot better then Glory by Honor 2 as it’s shorter, has better matches and is not a chore to sit through. So check out Tradition Continues- it’s an awesome show and one of ROH’s best for 2003.

Highly Recommended

http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8179 (VHS)
http://www.rfvideo.com/merchant/index.cfm?action=moreinfo&id=8337 (DVD)