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Csonka Reviews This Week’s ROH Free Matches (Vol. II)

May 28, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
The Briscoes ROH TV - Mark Briscoe
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Csonka Reviews This Week’s ROH Free Matches (Vol. II)  

Csonka Reviews This Week’s ROH Free Matches (Vol. II)

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Cheeseburger & Will Ferrara defeated The Fraternity (Channing Decker & Trent Gibson) @ 6:45 via pin [**¾]
– The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Vinny Marseglia) defeated The Tempura Boyz (Sho & Yohei) @ 7:04 via pin [**½]
– Kevin Steen & El Generico defeated The Young Bucks @ 13:45 via pin [***½]
– ROH Tag Team Champions The Briscoes defeated Samoa Joe & AJ Styles @ 15:45 via pin [****]


The Fraternity (Channing Decker & Trent Gibson) vs. Cheeseburger & Will Ferrara: The Fraternity are a couple of wacky party boys. Cheeseburger wanted the handshake, but the Fraternity offered him a drink and Cheeseburger chugged it and then misted Decker. Ferrara in and they work some double teams. Ferrara then refused the tag, continuing the issues between the two. Cheeseburger then wipes out the Fraternity with an assisted high cross to the floor. Decker then cuts off Cheeseburger, allowing Gibson to attack and the Fraternity took control. They lay the boots to Ferrara, and then work the fake tag and double teams to keep the heat. The double team neck breaker gets 2, as the Fraternity works rally string and clean tag work, keeping Ferrara isolated. Ferrara finally gets the rolling tag, and Cheeseburger runs wild with chops and then slams the Fraternity together. A bulldog and superkick follows for a near fall. The Fraternity hits the drop out kick, and hits the keg stand (magic killer) but Ferrara makes the save. Ferarra runs the Fraternity together, Shotei by Cheeseburger and he picks up the win. Cheeseburger & Will Ferrara defeated The Fraternity (Channing Decker & Trent Gibson) @ 6:45 via pin [**¾] Despite the fact that ROH seemingly wants to break up Cheeseburger & Will Ferrara, they continue to be a really fun undercard team that the crowds are into. I felt the Fraternity did well here, looking good in the loss. Pretty good stuff overall.

The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Vinny Marseglia) vs. The Tempura Boyz (Sho & Yohei): This was most certainly a dark match, because there is almost no one in the damn crowd. The injured TK O’Ryan is out with the Kingdom. Marseglia’s face is still green from the previous show, where BUSHI misted him. Sho and Marseglia worked a fast paced beginning, with Sho gaining the early advantage; Marseglia tagged out. Taven and Yo in now, Yo controls, working into a cradle and then hitting a dropkick. Sho and Yo picked up the pace, working double teams. Taven and Marseglia quickly cut off Sho, who got his mouth busted open. O’Ryan gets involved, hitting Sho with his crutch. Double corner dropkicks followed by the Kingdom, they then worked through a series of double teams, ending in a slingshot elbow and Taven covering for 2. Sho hits a desperation spear; Yo gets the hot tag and runs wild. Yo then does the fucking deal and hits a falcon arrow for a near fall. Taven runs into a 3D variation for the near fall. Sho gets low bridged to the floor, but recovers and crotches Marseglia up top. Taven cradles Yo and uses O’Ryan’s crutch for leverage to pick up the win. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Vinny Marseglia) defeated The Tempura Boyz (Sho & Yohei) @ 7:04 via pin [**½] Average match overall, and it was nice to see Sho & Yohei, who were favorites of mine when they were young lions in NJPW. They are on their learning excursion, and should watch the tape back to prepare for the metric fuckton of Suzuki-gun bullshit when the return to Japan. I just can’t get into the Kingdom, they’re fine, but Taven is a Dollar Tree Kenny Omega, and they just have no buzz or do anything I would consider exciting.

The Young Bucks vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico (Contention 2009): I miss that nice young lad Generico, I hope all is well with the orphans in Mexico. The Bucks had just made their ROH debuts shortly before this. Generico and Matt start off, working some basic back and forth, they were looking to keep it grounded, but Generico hit a leg lariat and tagged in Steen. Steen outwrestles Nick, but gets cut off with a RANA. They then work a test of strength, Steen gets a monkey flip and stomps the hell out of Nick and covers for 2. Generico tags in, works a fun back and forth with Nick, Nick picks up the pace and hits the lucha arm drag. Steen in, it breaks down with the Bucks working double teams until Steen slammed them together and took out Nick with the cannonball. Steen yells at Generico a bit, tags him in and they work double teams, leading to a near fall. Steen instructs Generico on how to beat on Matt, telling him body slams always work. The crowd chants for snap mares, and Generico hits one and covers for 2. Generico & Steen work quick tags; Steen hits the snap mare and running uppercut for 2. Steen follows with a suplex, flips off the crowd, and covers for 2. Generico & Steen continue to work double teams, but Generico is favoring his knee (he’s wearing a brace due to the Wolves injuring him). Steen stays a step ahead, constantly cutting off Matt’s comeback attempts. Matt finally hits Generico with a wheelbarrow driver and Nick gets the hot tag. He knocks Steen to the floor, runs wild on Generico and hits the slingshot x-factor and then moonsaults to the floor onto Steen. The Bucks follow with a splash/moonsault combo onto Generico, scoring a near fall. Nick up top, has to roll through on the 450 attempt and eats a superkick from Steen. Steen then powerbombs Matt, and Generico gets the tag, Steen up top and hits the swanton for 2. The pump handle neck breaker follows for another 2. Matt saves Nick from the piledriver, and superkicks follow and the Bucks score a near fall. They toss Generico, Steen tries to fight them off and Nick wipes out Generico with a tope. Matt then hits a blockbuster on Steen for 2.Steen slams the Bucks together, YAKUZA from Generico and Steen then hits the double Samoan drop. Generico up top and host the coast-to-coast dropkick. The package pile driver/brainbuster combo to Matt finishes it. Kevin Steen & El Generico defeated The Young Bucks @ 13:45 via pin [***½] This was a very good and fun tag match, coming from a time where the Bucks were just starting to become the team they would turn into and when Steen & Generico were an awesome (and honestly the better) team.

ROH Tag Team Champions The Briscoes vs. Samoa Joe & AJ Styles (The Conclusion 2003): My God everyone is so young here. Joe had been feuding with the Briscoes, and got booked to face them here and brought in Styles to be his partner. Styles had owned the Briscoes in tag competition in the early days, so it was a smart choice even if they were going to be opponents the next night. Styles completely outwrestles Mark to begin, most don’t think about it, but while Styles evolved into an amazing all around performer, he was so far ahead of the curve in terms of sheer ability. Styles and Joe control with ease, with them working together effortlessly and taking out the Briscoes with DDTs and STFs. They then follow with stereo dives. Joe sets up Mark and allows Styles to hit the OLE kick. The Briscoes finally took control, isolating Styles and working double teams. Styles tries to make a comeback, but the Briscoes work double teams and as Joe argues with the ref, they switch out without tagging. Joe gets in a cheap shot on Jay, allowing Styles to DDT the brothers and tag in Joe. Joe gets the hot tag and just starts wrecking dudes with ease. Styles tagged back in, but the Briscoes cut him off with a cool backdrop into a powerbomb spot. Styles fought back, hitting a backdrop hammerlock suplex, dropping Mark on his head. Joe tags in, but eats a dropkick into a German combo. Jay hits the leg drop off the top, but Styles trips up Mark so that he can’t hit the splash. It breaks down; they beat the hell out of each other. The Briscoes work over Joe with a jawbreaker and uranage slam, but Joe is PISSED and fires up. He beats the hell out of jay, hitting Germans and dragon suplexes. Styles then accidentally hit the lariat on Joe, Styles is tossed to the floor allowing Mark to hit the shooting star press for the win. The Briscoes defeated Samoa Joe & AJ Styles @ 15:45 via pin [****] Styles was still so raw in terms of overall psychology, but in terms of athletic ability and smoothness in the ring he’s on another level here. Joe was in his give no fucks era as ROH champion, with amazing swagger and confidence. At this point, the Briscoes were a good tag team, but still in their infancy. This was a great match, featuring some really strong teamwork and great athleticism. It also continued Joe’s feud with the Briscoes, and set the stage for the next night’s title match between Joe & Styles.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.5
The final score: review Good
The 411
This is an overall good batch of matches, with the throwbacks being the stuff you need to see.
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