Dark Pegasus Video Review: Ring of Honor – Glory by Honor II

Ring of Honor — Glory By Honor II

From Philadelphia, Penn.

Your hosts are Chris Lovey and CM Punk.

This is Ring of Honor’s last event at the Murphy Rec Center because they’re movin’ on up. We get highlights from RoH’s first 18 months at the Murph.

Colt Cabana thinks he’ll be the biggest thing since Steve Guttenburg’s double-disc.

Danny Maff convalesces and reminisces about the first “Glory By Honor” where Da Hit Squad and the Carnage Crew turned that mutha out. He blames Low Ki for putting him out and promises revenge. He adheres to Prophecy policy by keeping a cellphone nearby to get updates from Alison Danger. No word on if it’s Koji Kanemoto’s phone.

AJ Styles catches up with Jimmy Rave and advises him to work the arm tonight. “DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!” “No sensei.”

Showcase Match: The Outcast Killaz vs. Slyk Wagner Brown & April Hunter.
Capital knockers on April there. Brown totally dominates Tortuga. Hunter botches a double ax-handle, and the crowd never lets her recover after that. The Killaz take turns working her over until she gets a spear and makes the hot tag to Brown. Brown gets a lot of moves in starting with the word “springboard,” and they work in a Taffy Machine spot. Brown goes up top and gets crotched. The Killaz finish Hunter off with a Missile Dropkick/Guillotine Suplex at 6:25. The crowd was in love with Brown coming in but turned to Killaz fans when April got in. 1/2*

Showcase Match: Angel Dust (w/Special K) vs. Joey Matthews.
Matthews apparently entered rehab a few months ago and thus is not a member of Special K. A lot of our time is spent on the outside watching Hijinx’s…well, his hijinx. That’s okay, because it’s mostly just armbars being exchanged back inside. Dust messes up a springboard forearm. The finish sees Angel Dust reverse a rollup and grab the ropes to pick up the win at 7:25. This was sloppy and deserving of its exhibition status. 3/4*

Showcase Match: Roderick Strong vs. Alex Shelley vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Josh Daniels.
Jacobs enters to Stan Bush’s “The Touch” from Transformers: The Movie and does his Bruiser Brody/Berzerker routine. Obviously, he’s immediately over with the crowd. This is a rather inauspicious debut for Shelley and Strong as some woman screams “Who are you?!” at Strong. None of these guys outside of Jacobs has a personality yet, so this is basically just a series of holds to show what they can do. Shelley does impress with a rollthrough Indian Deathlock. He sets Jacobs up for a stiff kick to the back but decides on a chinlock instead. Strong comes in and displays his plethora of backbreaking moves. Daniels does a lot of Dynamite Kid-ish stuff (looking even more like Dynamite than Benoit does). They all start trading finishers. Shelley gets a cross-arm Northern Lights Bomb, but Jacobs boots him in the face and picks up the win at 13:16. This was a perfectly booked exhibition contest that gave good wrestlers Strong, Shelley & Daniels a chance to showcase their stuff and gave Jacobs a chance to show his character and take a beating. The fans give the match a standing ovation. **3/4

Opening Match, Field of Honor (Block B): Jimmy Rave vs. BJ Whitmer.
We don’t get any helpful graphics, but Lovey informs us that Rave is 0-1, and this is Whitmer’s first match. Punk, of course, buries Whitmer on commentary…all night. Even when he’s not wrestling, Punk will segue back to ripping Whitmer. In fairness, Punk actually buries both guys. Rave actually does heed AJ’s advice and goes after the arm. BJ is tough, though. He’s a wrestler. Whitmer dominates the first minutes of the match with a series of suplexes and strikes. Rave goes back to the arm and fires away with forearms. Punk on Rave: Man, he’s pissed! Rave hits Divorce Court (single-arm DDT) on the apron and hits Whitmer with a Flying Shining Wizard. Back in, Rave hits a rana and goes after the submission with a cross-armlock. He can’t quite get it on yet, though. Rave sets him on top, but Whitmer fights back and hits a SUPER POWERBOMB! DANGEROUUUUUS! That’s enough for Whitmer’s first Field of Honor win at 9:24. **1/4

In the back, Whitmer says he thinks the Field of Honor is going to *make* somebody.

Elsewhere, Rave is still out of it when AJ finds him again and asks him why he put Whitmer on the top rope instead of going after the submission again. AJ’s the kind of guy you want around on September 12.

Samoa Joe talks about Destiny (as a concept, not a person). He made his debut a year ago at this very event and Destiny took a hand, showing everyone he was championship material. Steve Corino interrupts to complain about CM Punk putting him in a match with Raven. Corino reminds Joe that the idea was for *him* to be champion and Joe to be the enforcer, not for Joe to be champ.

In the weight room, Lollipop comes in and watches Xavier work out. That’s like the beginning of a porno movie.

Field of Honor (Block A): Xavier vs. John Walters.
Lollipop comes out to observe and gets into an argument with Alison Danger. Xavier sends Danger to the back, apparently breaking away from the Prophecy. Lots of blowjob “you-trip-me-I’ll-trip-you” stuff to start. I hate that because it’s so meaningless. The crowd is firmly behind Walters. He controls early until Xavier gives him a belly-to-belly over the top and hits a 450-splash to the floor. As Xavier dominates, he actually begins to develop a following in the crowd. Xavier springboards off Walters’ back into an Arabian Moonsault and then hits a handspring kneedrop. Walters catches Xavier going up and hits a Super Backcracker. He follows up with a rolling spear, which is a stupid move, and Walters’ execution shows why. They exchange nearfalls, with Walters getting a Hurricane DDT for two. Xavier comes back with a Super X-Breaker, but Walters gets his foot on the ropes. Walters gets two off a Billy Robinson backbreaker. Xavier goes low and rolls Walters up for the win at 10:44. Both Walters and Lovey are incensed. Walters promises that he will teach Xavier the meaning of respect next time. Xavier had some interesting moves, and the match was a little more intense than the opener, but it didn’t really feel like it was going anywhere. **

Christopher Daniels takes credit for Samoa Joe’s success. Steve Corino interrupts (lot of that going around tonight). He admits that Daniels *is* number one and wishes him luck. Daniels is as puzzled as we are.

TJ Wilson vs. Ted Hart.
Bringing Teddy in must have seemed like a coup at the time. Both guys are from Stampede Wrestling. Wilson is actually the champion at this point. Not much of note to start until Teddy counters a boot choke to a rollup. Wilson gets a boot up to counter a charge. Punk is so disinterested, he starts talking about Terry Funk. He promises to end his career and break his legs, joking that he doesn’t even remember who Funk lost to at New York Knockout. Sadly, Punk was 10 years old at the time. Hart gets a bad DDT and finishes with the Shooting Star Press at 7:42. This wasn’t bad, so much as it had no…heart. Yeah, I wasn’t planning on punning when I started that sentence. *1/2

In the back, Special K deride Hart’s high-flying skills, but they invite him to party with them anyway.

Elsewhere, Raven is puzzled as to why CM Punk would chose Corino for him to wrestle when he’s never lost to Corino. Raven wants to make it “Raven’s Rules.”

Raven’s Rules: Raven vs. Steve Corino (w/”Simply Luscious” Ronnie Stevens & Chuck Legrande)
The imported Zero-One ring announcer goes through an entire list of the people Corino has beaten over the years. It’s pretty funny, actually, especially when he has to stop for a drink of water. Lots of shoulderblocks to start with Corino rolling over Raven, and Raven returning the favor. Raven brawls to take control but runs into a boot. Corino sets up a chair in the corner and whips Raven into it. A running forearm puts Raven down, but Raven ducks a lariat and hits a thrust kick. Raven makes the big comeback with the corner clothesline and bulldog. Punk expresses his disgust at Raven’s “cheating.” Raven drop toeholds Corino into the chair, but Stevens makes the save before the three count. Corino locks in the shinni no make, but Raven makes the ropes. Raven drops Corino with the Raven Effect, but Punk pulls the referee out before the count. Raven is confused, so Corino superkicks him and falls on top for the win at 13:08. After the match, Corino tells Punk that he doesn’t need his help and slaps him in the face! Punk ducks out because Corino has the numbers, but we obviously haven’t heard the last of this. **

Four-Corners Survival Match: Colt Cabana vs. AJ Styles vs. Matt Stryker vs. Chris Sabin.
Punk returns to the announce position and asks Lovey if he missed anything while he “went to the bathroom.” Lots of feeling out stuff to start. Cabana is hugely over with the crowd, if the chants are any indication. Punk goes into a description of which Second City Saint member compares to which Freebird. Funny spot as Cabana sprints for a tope but stops at the ropes, calmly crawls through and hits a simple double ax-handle. Everyone hits a springboard move, and everyone goes for a pinfall. Sabin and AJ trade counters until Cabana tags himself in and hits Sabin with a Butterfly Twist. Striker and Cabana form a bit of a silent partnership, working over Sabin. Sabin gets a top-rope side effect on Cabana to get out of trouble. Sabin repays AJ for saving him by hitting him with an enzuigiri and a pumphandle uranage. Stryker blocks a monkey flip and tosses AJ overhead. Stryker and Cabana go back to their tentative partnership. They all do one of those silly fourway submission spots, and AJ cleans house. Stryker hits the Austin-style Thesz Press on Cabana and gets two off a quebrada. Sabin lands on Cabana’s shoulders and drops him on his head with a reverse rana. Everyone starts hitting big spots until Cabana catches Stryker with the Colt .45 for the win at 18:55. **3/4

In the waiting room, Maff gets an update from Danger. Whitmer’s up, Xavier is a wild card, and Maff may be replaced in the Field of Honor. Maff is not pleased.

Tag Team Championship Gauntlet: HC Loc, Devito & Justin Credible vs. Deranged, Angel Dust & Hydro (w/Special K)
Amazing Red is severely injured, so he and AJ were stripped of the titles. This is to crown new champions. It’s a grudge match, so we get a six-man just for this match. Special K attacks from behind, but the Carnage Crew loves brawls, so they come out on top of that little battle. Under the “Punk is so Awesome!” banner, when Justin Credible is delivering the Rolling Vertical Suplexes, Punk counts along, imitating the Count from Sesame Street. The Carnage Crew dominates all over the place until Becky trips up Justin Credible. Shockingly, Punk maintains his persona by hating both teams (the Carnage Crew drinks, and Special K does drugs). Funny spot as Deranged sets up Justin and sprints back and forth gaining momentum for…a chinlock. The crowd gets into it with a “Holy Shit!” chant. The Carnage Crew clean house and powerbomb Angel Dust, but Justin wants to break his neck instead of getting the win. Of course, the other Special K members stop them and introduce straps to the match. The Carnage Crew take the straps away and start whipping everything in sight. That’s enough for the DQ at 9:06. **

Tag Team Championship Gauntlet: The Briscoe Brothers vs. Deranged & Hydro.
The Carnage Crew chases the rest of Special K to the back, making this a fair fight. Deranged hits a series of ranas, but Mark hits a springboard Ace Crusher. The Briscoes hit a springboard spiked Jaydriller on Hydro for the win at 2:46. 1/4*

Tag Team Championship Gauntlet: The Briscoe Brothers vs. The Ringcrew Express.
The RX stops things to inform the Briscoes that they are about to be rocked like a hurricane. Dunn nearly gets his head taken off with a Yakuza Kick, but he and Marcos team up for a doubleteam Shiranui. The Briscoes hit a springboard Doomsday Device to move on at 1:42. 1/2*

Tag Team Championship Gauntlet: The Briscoe Brothers vs. Dixie & Izzy (w/Special K).
Dixie and Izzy are yet another Special K team. They try to attack early, but the Briscoes are ready for them. The Briscoes team up for a springboard Knee Decapitation. Punk leaves the announce position because Lovey won’t shut up about Lucy getting knocked out. Dixie gives Mark a thumb to the eye to take over. Mark comes back with a springboard crossbody and gets the hot tag to Jay. Jay hits everything with Yakuza Kicks and plants Izzy for a Mark moonsault. Dixie makes the save and distracts Mark long enough for Angel Dust to springboard in with a flipping Ace Crusher. Izzy covers and gets the upset win at 5:16. *

Tag Team Championship Gauntlet: Dixie & Izzy (w/Special K) vs. The Backseat Boyz.
The backseats hit the ring immediately and hit Dixie with High Times. Dixie cuts off Acid’s dive but takes the Dream Sequence for his troubles. Izzy springboards back in with a 360-splash. Special K calls for the T-Gimmick, but Kashmere saves Acid with the spear. The Backseats finish with the real T-Gimmick at 3:52. Special K breaks up the celebration by attacking the backseats, but The Briscoes return and make the save. Teddy Hart also comes out and springboards onto Special K, setting up the infamous scramble tag. 1/4*

The whole thing tells a good story with the Briscoes being so dominant and then getting cheated. See how easily it sets up the Briscoes vs. the Backseats with a few matches in the interim?

Homicide joins us from Japan to voice his support for Julius Smokes. He also blames Low Ki for disrespecting him and costing him the title.

Alexis Laree, who is departing to join the WWE in a developmental contract, comes out to the cheers of the crowd and gets a hug from Gary Michael Capetta. She thanks everyone in the crowd and the locker room. Special K interrupts and surrounds her, but Joey Matthews (Alexis’ real-life boyfriend) makes the save. She gives him a big kiss, so Matthews CLOTHESLINES HER! Matthews rejoins Special K and prepares to knock her into next week when Slugger, Julius Smokes and Benny from Da Bronx come out and make save for real. Julius offers to referee a match between Hijinx and Laree.

Alexis Laree vs. Hijinx
Laree hits a rana and avoids a springboard senton. Hijinx lifts her up, but Alexis slips over his shoulder and finishes with the reverse DDT at 1:15. Slugger hoists Alexis up on his shoulders to send her off. Short, harmless match to send Lexi out. Nice moment. 1/4*

Jim Cornette gives a promo (as only he can) about coming back to Ring of Honor to get even with the Prophecy.

CM Punk vs. Terry Funk
Punk gets on the mic before the match and says he was 4 when Funk first retired. He mocks Terry’s famous “forever” retirement speech. Of course, that makes both guys fan favorites with the Philly fans. Funk tries to wrestle to start, but Punk turns it into a Hardcore match. Literally, he gets on the mic and says it’s now a hardcore match. That backfires early as Funk just destroys him with a chair. Punk smashes Funk head into the table and hits him with a chair. Funk’s main defense is to mock Punk by asking him if he can hit any harder. Terry blocks a swing and suplexes Punk from the ring through a table! Back in, Funk goes up for a moonsault, but Punk rolls out of the way. Funk messes up his knee, so Punk dives right on top of it and wrenches at it. Funny how that’s exactly what he said he would do. Funk calls Punk a prick and a bastard. Funk buys time with a Stunner, but Punk jumps right back on it with Funk’s own Spinning Toe Hold, and then a figure-four (on the wrong leg). Terry rolls it over and makes the ropes. Punk drags him back in and reapplies the hold. Funk makes the ropes again, but this time Punk is reluctant to break to the hold. He finally does to avoid getting disqualified. He does it a few more times before Referee Paul Turner has to stop the match and disqualify Punk to save Funk. (15:48). Colt Cabana runs in to pull Punk off of him, and then Cabana locks in the figure-four on Punk! Raven and Tommy Dreamer make the save. This was a good match more from a drama and storytelling standpoint than an actual wrestling aspect. **1/2

Ring of Honor Championship: Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels (w/Alison Danger).
This one goes back quite a bit. Daniels brought Joe in to be his hired gun, but Joe’s friendship with Daniels’ rival Steve Corino put an end to that. Joe left the Prophecy and took the title from Xavier a few months later. Joe nearly gets the win off the bat with a stiff kick, and now Daniels is forced to play defense. Daniels gets two off an Arabian Press, but this is Joe we’re talking about, so he comes right back with the Facewash. Joe locks in the Boston Crab. Daniels makes it to Danger, but Joe pulls them both in. He decides to give Danger a Facewash for fun, but Daniels cuts him off. To the outside, Daniels tries the Olay Kick and pays for it by taking one in the face. Back in, Joe actually brings back the Rolling Cradle to North America to disorient Daniels further. Daniels gives him a German Suplex but runs right into a powerslam for two. Daniels hits a pair of enzuigiris and a Samoan Drop to set up the Best Moonsault Ever for two. Joe comes right back with the STO. He tries a lariat, but Daniels drops him down with the Flatliner into the Koji Clutch! Joe gets his foot on the ropes. BLUE THUNDER DRIVER! ONE, TWO, THR-NO! Daniels sets Joe up for the Iconoclasm, but Joe blocks. Daniels has to settle for the huracanrana. ANGELS WINGS! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! The timekeeper thinks that’s it and rings the bell. The ref says it was just two, though. Daniels picks Joe up for the Last Rites, but Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch. Daniels makes the ropes, but Joe scoops him up into the Island Driver for the win at 15:00. This was Joe’s first title defense against what you’d call a truly cerebral opponent. Even that didn’t expose any chinks in his armor. Daniels was hugely over as a babyface here too. ***1/2

Maff congratulates Daniels on his effort and says he thinks he got screwed. Maff also promises to win the Field of Honor. Finally, he promises revenge on Low Ki. Low Ki isn’t the most popular individual, is he?

The Carnage Crew complains about their lives and threaten Special K again.

The Backseat Boyz gloat about their tag title win and say they’re off to the VIP lounges to get some hookers and room service.

Colt Cabana opens his own talk show from the hallway. His first guest is Julius Smoke. Colt asks if Rob Feinstein is holding Smokes down since Rob is “the man.” This was like “The Daily Show” meets “In Living Color.”

The 411: This is less known for its wrestling than its progression of the various storylines. Maff vs. Low Ki, Homicide vs. Low Ki, the elevation of the Briscoes, Punk & Raven. They all get some kind of advancement here. Punk/Raven is particularly good storytelling, and it's amazing how they were able to stretch it for 8-9 months in today's wrestling atmosphere. Plus, it has Punk on commentary, which is always a plus. I wouldn't say that you should go out of your way for it, but it's worth your money to fill in the storyline.

Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]