Csonka’s Top 24 ROH Matches of 2017

WELCOME back, back to the column that makes lists and hopes that you enjoy them. This week’s column will look back at the best of ROH matches from 2017. I always hear a lot of people saying that they can’t decide what to watch because they do not have enough time to follow everything, so maybe this will help those of you short on time find some stuff to check out. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy today’s preview, and feel free to share your thoughts. It’s wrestling, we love it and will disagree. The only rules are “have a take, be respectful of other’s opinions and don’t be a dick.”

* 24. From ROH Winner Takes All (15th Anniversary PPV) – ROH TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll vs. Lio Rush [****]
* 23 From ROH BITW – ROH TV Title Match: Champion KUSHIDA defeated Marty Scurll @ 14:55 via pin [****]
* 22]. From ROH Manhattan Mayhem – Dragon Lee vs. Will Ospreay [****
* 21. From ROH TV 9.13.17 – Jonathan Gresham, Alex Shelley, Jay White, and Chris Sabin defeated Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson @ 11:50 via pin [****]
* 20. From ROH TV (6.14.17) – Roppongi Vice & Chuck Taylor defeated The Young Bucks & Hangman Page @ 13:00 via pin [****]
* 19. From ROH Supercard of Honor XI 4.01.17 – Will Ospreay & Volador Jr defeated Dragon Lee & Jay White @ 14:06 via pin [****]
* 18. From ROH Supercard of Honor XI 4.01.17 – Texas Bullrope Match: Jay Lethal defeated Cody @ 17:30 via pin [****]
* 17. From ROH Honor Rising (Night Two 2.27.17) – CHAOS (Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe) vs. Bullet Cub (Nick Jackson, Matt Jackson, Cody & Kenny Omega) [****]
* 16. From ROH Death Before Dishonor – Last Man Standing Match: Silas Young defeated Jay Lethal @ 21:25 [****]
* 15. From ROH Death Before Dishonor – Las Vegas Street Fight: Punishment Martinez defeated Jay White @ 13:55 via pin [****]
* 14. From ROH Global Wars Chicago – Bullet Club defeated Search & Destroy @ 14:40 via pin [****]
* 13. From ROH Global Wars Columbus – Jay Lethal defeated Hiromu Takahashi @ 16:01 via pin [****]
* 12. From ROH Global Wars Pittsburgh – Jay Lethal defeated Jay White @ 20:14 via pin [****]
* 11. From ROH Global Wars Pittsburgh – ROH Tag Team Title Match: Champions The Motor City Machineguns defeated The Young Bucks and The Kingdom @ 15:32 via pin [****]
* 10. From ROH TV 12.20.17 – The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson) defeated Trent, Chuckie T, & Rocky Romero @ 20:56 via pin [****]
* 9. From ROH Final Battle – Jay Lethal defeated Marty Scurll @ 15:55 via pin [****]

8. From ROH Death Before Dishonor – ROH TV Title Match: Kenny King defeated Champion KUSHIDA @ 16:40 via pin [****¼]: This was a great back and forth match, and a performance that King really needed. Not only was this great, but it was easily the best singles match from King I have ever seen. I said in my preview that if he couldn’t step up and have a great match with KUSHIDA that he wasn’t ready, but he more than held his own, and not only won, but we got a cool moment as he celebrated with his daughter. KUSHIDA is so great, King stepped it up big time, they worked a great match that had an excellent closing stretch and peaked at the right time, and most importantly it didn’t overstay its welcome.

DOUBLE SUPERKICK'S!!! @MattJackson13 AND @NickJacksonYB RETAINS THE @ringofhonor WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP!!! #ROHBITW pic.twitter.com/qDoFAR2X3Z

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) June 24, 2017

7. From ROH BITW – ROH Tag Team Title Tornado Tag Match: Champions The Young Bucks defeated War Machine and The Best Friends @ 12:27 via pin [****¼]: The Best Friends being added did make sense as they did beat the Bucks on TV, but it was very obvious that ROH (and likely NJPW) didn’t want to burn the Bucks/War Machine match with a clear loser. The good news is that by announcing a tornado tag, it allowed them to work an absolutely fun, and great balls to the wall sprint, that kept the crowd engaged the entire time. This was the most over thing on the show, and the timing and execution were excellent from all six men involved. This was beautiful insanity, everyone worked hard, everyone got time to shine and everyone was insanely over. If you’re into just balls to the wall tag team sprints, this is your bag.

6. From ROH Winner Takes All (15th Anniversary PPV) – Top Contender’s Match: Jay Lethal defeated Bobby Fish @ 15:30 via pin [****¼] : This was rather tremendous, it was worked like it meant something, with a Japanese vibe to it with Fish utilizing a lot of limb/MMA style work. It also felt like that not only all of the work had a purpose, but that the win meant something; it had a big-time match/main event feel. Hell, this could have main evented a lot of shows. The home stretch was particularly strong with some great near falls.

5. From ROH Supercard of Honor: ROH TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll defeated Adam Cole @ 13:10 via submission [****¼]: This was a tremendous match, worked in front of a hot crowd with some excellent near finishes. Scurll has been really great for ROH, especially as of late, delivering great matches with Dijak, Rush and now Cole. The “botched” tombstone spot played well, because commentary used it, claiming that Cole was too overconfident and should have covered and gone for the win. With Cole exiting, him putting over Scurll like this was the best use of him.

THAT WAS AWESOME! THAT WAS AWESOME! #ROHWOTW pic.twitter.com/8i2RG2pUaO

— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) May 13, 2017

4. From ROH War of The Worlds – Will Ospreay defeated Jay White @ 13:25 via pin [****½]: This was an absolutely awesome match, with great timing, a super hot crowd and both guys going all out for the win. More importantly, White came across as on Ospreay’s level and finally had that “Great Performance” many have been waiting for. He’s had a lot of very good matches, but this was on a completely different level. Go out of your way to see this one.

3. From ROH Global Wars Chicago: Non-Title Match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay defeated Flip Gordon @ 15:19 via pin [****½]: This was set up as an attempted showcase for Flip Gordon, and not only did they steal the show, but they stole the whole weekend. This was an awesome, back and forth match that portrayed Gordon on Ospreay’s level and was the breakout match he needed in ROH. Both guys do some awesome and at times unbelievable things, the crowd loved it and the final few minutes were awesome, almost making the fans believe Gordon could win. Excellent stuff. Not only was this the match Gordon needed, but it was the match ROH needed him to have. They put him in position to succeed, giving him time, the right opponent and in the right city with the right crowd. In my preview, I said, “I am really looking forward to this one, because if ROH is looking to give Gordon a chance to break out, pairing him with Ospreay here is the right call. Plus, if Gordon impresses, he could end up with some NJPW bookings.” He took the ball, he ran with it and they not only stole the show, but stole the whole weekend.

2. From ROH Winner Takes All – Las Vegas Street Fight (ROH Tag Team Title Match): Champions The Broken Hardys vs. The Young Bucks vs. Roppongi Vice (Romero & Beretta) [****½]: In 2017, Beretta has been the best and craziest guy in every match he’s been in, dude is an unsung hero and a shining example of finding success post-WWE. This was a beautifully insane and violent match, and considering it was made late (due to the Hardys title win), but not only was the action great, but this had a ton of heat and they more than delivered on the stipulation. The Hardy’s short ROH run has been underappreciated by many, but I absolutely loved it.

1. From ROH Supercard of Honor: ROH Tag Team Ladder Match: The Young Bucks defeated Champions Matt and Jeff Hardy @ 25:25 [****¾]: The Hardys short ROH run was fucking great, with a very good match at Manhattan Mayhem with the Bucks, a good TV match with the Briscoes on ROH TV, the awesome street fight with the Bucks and Roppongi Vice, helping to draw this huge crowd in Florida and then, one last time, taking a trip in the way back machine to recapture some of their old magic in this match. This had all of the wild and crazy spots you’d hope for, some great drama and the Hardys pulling off another big-time performance, and the Bucks doing everything in their power to help them do so. This was four guys, killing themselves for 25-minutes to steal the show and WrestleMania weekend.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”