ROH: Death Before Dishonor III – June 18, 2005 Morristown, New Jersey

ROH … Death Before Dishonor III … June 18, 2005 … Morristown, New Jersey

Review by Brad Garoon and Jacob Ziegler

Top 5

JZ says: I’ve been using the top 5 as voted on by the ROH message board. Board member Lonewolf runs the top 5, and he does a fabulous job. After each show (or double shot weekend), go to http://www.rohwrestling.com/MessageBoard/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=5 and vote for the top 5.

ROH WORLD CHAMPION: Austin Aries (since 12.26.04)
ROH PURE CHAMPION: Samoa Joe (since 05.07.05)
1) Homicide
2) CM Punk
3) James Gibson
4) Azrieal
5) Colt Cabana

Intro

BG says: Colt Cabana starts the show off from the Good Times Great Memories studio and gets a little emotional about his history with CM Punk, whose last match is occurring tonight. Cabana wants to make sure that CM Punk will be on GTGM before he goes so finally we will have that elusive Punk appearance. Except that Punk is nowhere to be found, but Cabana promises him for later in the show.

Austin Aries, with Generation Next, talks about all the nasty moves he’s taken and how they’ve affected his neck. But everyone’s necks get sore in wrestling, so Punk has no edge going into their ROH title match. Evans and Strong are confident going into their number one contender’s match tonight as well.

Paul London’s farewell speech from the first Death Before Dishonor is shown. I guess we are to assume Punk will be making a similar speech later in the evening.

JZ says: First off, I’m going to go ahead and change my rating of a match from The Final Showdown. I gave the four-way with Jack Evans, Ebessan, Delirious, and Samoa Joe ***** based on entertainment value. I still think that it’s an entertaining match and I greatly enjoy it, however, I feel that a *** rating is much more appropriate. Also, I have some stuff for sale so if you’re looking for anything, e-mail me.

Mr. Cabana is on the phone as Good Times, Great Memories kicks off our show. He talks about the history he and CM Punk have together, since Punk is wrestling for the title tonight. Cabana says he is finally going to have Punk on GT, GM, but Punk is nowhere to be found. He’ll be here later though.

Austin Aries, with HORRIBLE facial here, cuts a promo about tonight’s title match. Roderick Strong and Jack Evans flank him, of course. Aries talks about the devastating Super Sliced Bread #2 that he kicked out of and recovered from in about five seconds. Strong and Evans are facing Izzy & Deranged tonight.

We get a clip of Paul London’s farewell speech from the inaugural Death Before Dishonor on 7.19.03. He had a really good match against Samoa Joe that night. Then he kisses the mat. There are probably so many germs there.

MATCH #1: ROH Tag Team Title Match – Jimmy Rave & Fast Eddie vs. Tag Team Champions BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs

BG says: Rave seems to be having a hard time getting out of the opening match slot. Nana gets mad at Jade for only helping Rave into the ring and not kneeling down for Eddie. He also warns AJ Styles that he won’t be able to get past the Embassy’s mystery opponent tonight. Jacobs and Rave start the match. They lock up and Jacobs gets an armdrag. Rave misses a chop and gets armdragged into an armbar. They do a goofy and contrived looking chop spot in the corner that ends with Rave back in an armbar. Whitmer comes in and goes to work on Rave’s arm. Jacobs tags back in and comes off the top with a tomahawk chop on the arm. The champions clobber Rave down. Rave takes Jacobs down by hair but Jacobs makes the tag to Whitmer. Whitmer cleans house on the Embassy but gets distracted by Nana and clotheslined by Rave. Eddie tags in and chokes Whitmer with his boot in the corner. He hits a fireman’s carry onto his knee and gets 2. Rave tags in and pounds on Whitmer. He sends Whitmer to the floor where Mike Kruel beats him up. Back in the ring Rave gets 2. Eddie tags in and hits a stiff kick to the back for 2. He runs at Whitmer and gets hit with an exploder suplex. Rave and Jacobs both tag in and Jacobs hits a dropkick on both opponents. He hits a neckbreaker on Eddie and springboard forearm on Rave for 2. Whitmer tags in and Rave hits him with Ghana-rea. He hits the running knee for 2 but Jacobs breaks it up with a top rope senton. Eddie and Jacobs tag in and slug it out. The champions go for the doomsday hurricanrana but Eddie slips away and hits a Russian legsweep on Whitmer. He crotches Jacobs and hits the fall-away slam-sault for 2. Whitmer catches Rave with a clothesline and gets Eddie up for the doomsday hurricanrana to retain. This picked up a little bit at the end, but it was pretty rough and disjointed for the most part.
Rating: **

JZ says: Jade Chung is responsible for assisting not only Jimmy Rave into the ring on this night, but Fast Eddie as well. Jacobs coming out with the extra-large hoodie sweatshirt is funny stuff. Their little man/big man act is really starting to get over. Jimmy Bower and Dave Prazak are our hosts this evening. Bower is very emotional about tonight being Punk’s last night. Jacobs and Rave do some really goofy looking chop/duck spot in the corner but Jacobs rescues the segment with a nice armdrag and tags to Whitmer. The champs do some clubberin’ to really make Dusty Rhodes proud. The Embassy take their heat on BJ Whitmer; normally Jacobs takes the heat. Jacobs gets the hot tag and hits a really nice missile dropkick on both guys. His fire is really good here and the crowd responds in kind. Rave hits the running knee but Jacobs breaks up the pin with a senton. Then he hits Eddie with some nice jabs. Jacobs is on fire in this one. Doomsday Rana finishes Fast Eddie at 10:02 and the champs retain. I liked that match.
Rating: ***1/4

Supplemental Material

BG says: CM Punk leads us through some of his favorite ROH memories, starting with his debut in ROH at Unscripted in 2002. His debut was interrupted by the debut of Colt Cabana, who was not so chummy with Punk at this point in their careers. Punk was just glad that the East Coast fans knew who they were. Punk looks pretty different, a good deal smaller, but Cabana looks mostly the same.

Speaking of Cabana, he’s still waiting to get Punk on Good Times Great Memories. He probably should be getting ready for his Pure title match against Samoa Joe. Nigel couldn’t beat Joe for the title, so Colt’s going do it to show up the British bastard. Still no Punk, but Cabana’s not worried.

AJ Styles is in front of Old Blue, and he’s back for good. And that’s bad news for Jimmy Rave. AJ says some things I don’t understand, but one thing I did understand was that after he’s done with Rave he’ll have to come up with his own moves.

Punk’s first match in ROH against Raven at Expect the Unexpected in 2003 is shown. This feud was really pretty great and changed ROH from a strictly work-rate based promotion to one that could have very entertaining blood feuds. They go into their Death Before Dishonor dog collar match, which was probably the best match in the feud. I’d like to see Raven back in ROH, at least one more time.

JZ says: I’ve heard that all “CM Punk Memories” segments were taped earlier this week at the ROH Studios. The first one is when he came out for his debut at Unscripted on 9.21.02. He didn’t actually wrestle on the show, but he cut a promo to announce his arrival. Punk commentating over this is pretty cool, and I’m looking forward to this being a running gimmick throughout the DVD.

Cabana is back, but still no CM Punk. Cabana says he is going to win the Pure Title from Samoa Joe tonight, because Nigel McGuinness couldn’t do it last week.

AJ Styles says he is back in Ring of Honor for good. That’s bad news for Jimmy Rave, who AJ thinks should come up with his own moves.

CM Punk Memory #2 is from Expect the Unexpected on 3.15.03, Punk’s first match against Raven. I really enjoyed this match, as well as this entire feud. Next we see clips from the dog collar match on 7.19.03, which is tremendous.

MATCH #2: Anything Goes – Carnage Crew vs. Dunn & Marcos

BG says: At night one of the Third Anniversary Celebration Dunn & Marcos pinned Loc and DeVito to kick them out of ROH for 90 days. At Manhattan Mayhem, the Carnage Crew returned and beat up Dunn & Marcos, taking them out of their scheduled match. At the Future is Now the two teams met in a violent match that saw the Carnage Crew pick up the win. Dunn and Marcos rush the ring and beat on the Carnage Crew. They double team DeVito and Marcos hits a DDT on Loc. The RCE beat on the Carnage Crew with trash cans. DeVito blades on camera as Dunn and Marcos rock like hurricanes. Marcos hits Loc with an enziguiri but gets launched into the guardrail. DeVito nails Dunn with a chair and he bleeds. Loc suplexes Marcos onto a pair of trash cans for 2. Marcos places a trash can on Loc and hits him with a second rope senton as DeVito tosses Dunn onto a trash can on the floor. He pours whisky on Dunn’s forehead as Loc chokes Marcos with a rope. DeVito hits an elbow drop on the floor on Dunn and Marcos tries to fight back against Loc. DeVito suplexes Dunn onto the ramp as Marcos and Loc get back in the ring. DeVito runs in and sends Marcos into a chair in the corner. Marcos catches him with a hurricanrana into the chair for 2. Dunn gets up as if nothing had happened to him. The RCE go for the assisted sliced bread but DeVito blocks it. Dunn gets sent through a table on the floor and Marcos gets nailed with a chair. The Carnage Crew set up a table in the ring and hit Marcos with the splash mountain/neckbreaker combo through it for the win. This was the same match as the week before, with table spots instead of a ladder spot. DeVito nails ring attendant Pelle Primo with a trash can after the match.
Rating: *1/4

JZ says: The Carnage Crew killed The Ring Crew Express last week at The Future is Now, thus necessitating the resurrection of Dunn & Marcos for this match. Punk is here to do commentary for the last time with Dave Prazak. Dunn & Marcos are the aggressors early on in this one. They do some brawling and fighting, everybody bleeds, you know the drill. The fat guys get the win with a splash mountain/neckbreaker through a table at 8:35.
Rating: 1/4*

Lacey defeats Cindy Rogers

BG says: A clip is shown of Lacey defeating Cindy Rogers. Her match didn’t make the tape in its entirety, but Lacey at least gets a promo. Making money in wrestling is very easy for her, and she’s going to show us how she does it. At the ROH offices some guy in a car hits on her and she goes off on him. Up in the office Lacey negotiates some kind of deal with ROH official Syd, and then flips out on him when she catches him staring at her tushy. She talks about exploiting men’s weaknesses, but the connection between her flipping out and her taking advantage of people is never really explained. She also beats Shane Hagadorn in a match at the ROH wrestling school. He taps to an armbar, and the match gets 1/4*.

Punk vs. Homicide from Round Robin Challenge 2 is shown. This was the first and probably the best match these two had against each other.

JZ says: With this being a two-disc set and all, I don’t see why the full match couldn’t be on here. Well, perhaps it’s to make room for this promo that she’s cutting talking about being a great businesswoman. She says all guys are scumbags. This man-hating thing is already getting old and we’re not even out of the segment yet. Now we go to the gym where some of the ROH students are working out. They stop to admire her, with Shane Hagadorn being the most vocal of the bunch. Lacey, disgusted by his behavior, challenges him to a match. The guys balk, until Lacey slaps Hagadorn hard across the face. They actually proceed to have a match that Lacey wins with a cross-armbreaker.

CM Punk Memory #3 is from Retribution: Round Robin Challenge II, the first match between Punk and Homicide. I think this is my favorite of their matches.

MATCH #3: ROH Pure Title Match – Colt Cabana vs. Pure Champion Samoa Joe

BG says: At Death Before Dishonor 2 these two wrestled for the world title in a match that I loved. One year later I’m hoping they can bring the magic back. During the opening handshake Cabana grabs a wristlock and runs to the ropes forcing Joe to use his first rope break. Cabana celebrates by running circles around the ring. Joe pushes the referee and earns a warning. He puts on a wristlock but Cabana reverses to his own. Joe gets a fireman’s carry to escape. He gets a double leg takedown but Cabana crawls away. On commentary Punk says that the reason he hasn’t shown up for GTGM is because he has the ROH title match on his mind. Cabana puts on a surfboard stretch but Joe reverses to his own and Cabana flips away. Joe goes for a rollup and Cabana crawls away again. They knuckle up and Cabana maneuvers his way into an armbar. Joe reverses to a leg vice but Cabana jumps out. Joe gets tripped and in his frustration clocks Cabana and loses his second rope break. Cabana goes for the thousand hand slap but realizes that it’s not getting the affect he desires and gets a double leg takedown for 2. Joe puts on an armbar and Cabana uses his first rope break. Joe hits the Big Joe Combo on the arm. He hits an armbreaker and puts on an armbar. He headbutts the arm and hits the divorce court for 2. He stays on the arm and caps off a series of strikes with a big boot to the arm for 2. Cabana smacks his legs against Joe’s face but ends up getting kicked to the floor. Joe goes for the suicide dive but Cabana runs in with a sunset flip for 2 into an STF. Joe uses his last rope break. He hits a weak powerbomb on Cabana who crawls away and hits an Asai moonsault for 2. Cabana hits a butt-butt and a clothesline for 2. Joe hits another powerbomb and puts on a crossface. Cabana uses his second rope break. Joe hits a running knee in the corner and sets Cabana on the top. Cabana fights off the muscle buster and hits a missile dropkick for 2. Joe hits an enziguiri and goes for the muscle buster again but Cabana fights out. Joe gets a roll up and Cabana crawls away. Joe hits a powerslam for 2 and puts on a cross armbreaker for the win. Nigel comes out and taunts Colt after the match. The psychology was solid, but the match was missing that spark that their previous match had. I’d even go as far as saying that not only was this not as good as their last match against one another, but that it wasn’t even as good as Joe’s defense against Nigel McGuinness at the show prior to this.
Rating: **3/4

JZ says: This is Joe’s third Pure Title defense, after successful defenses against James Gibson at New Frontiers Nigel McGuinness at The Future is Now. Cabana screws Joe out of a rope break out of the handshake in a pretty funny moment. Joe doesn’t find it so funny though. Joe is going for rollups but Cabana is able to crawl out of them. Cabana’s shenanigans are angering Joe, who responds with a punch to the face to lose his second rope break. Cabana gives Joe a sunset flip a la Survival of the Fittest, and Cabana turns it into an STF on the kickout, Samoa Joe style. Joe gets Cabana to tap out to a cross-armbreaker to retain at 14:05, thus making two matches in a row that ended with that move, if you count Lacey versus Shane Hagadorn. That was pretty slow going and not as good as these two are capable of. But still, it’s Joe and Cabana so it’s not bad. Nigel is out to taunt Cabana about losing.
Rating: ***

Backstage

BG says: James Gibson, in front of Old Blue, says that Homicide can’t stop him from becoming the ROH champion. Tonight, in their four-way, Homicide’s ass is his.

Punk versus Steve Corino from Empire State Showdown is shown. This match was the sixth anniversary of Punk’s first match. Punk says that if you squint they almost look like twins, except that Punk works out. This was a fun and unique match that’s worth checking out.

Jay Lethal embarrasses Old Blue by delivering one of his standard constipated promos.

JZ says: Gibson says that Homicide made a huge mistake in crossing him. They are one-half of a Four Corner Survival match tonight.

CM Punk Memory #4 is from Empire State Showdown on 10.25.03. Punk says that people think he looks like Corino, except that he works out. I enjoyed this match as well.

Jay Lethal’s promos are the most unintentionally funny promos I believe I have ever seen. He rivals Chad Collyer for that title, really. Or maybe Collyer’s are intentionally funny.

MATCH #4: Prince Nana’s Mystery Man vs. AJ Styles

BG says: The Embassy comes out to the ring to introduce AJ Styles’ mystery opponent. Nana rambles on for a while about the impact that this wrestler will have, when all of a sudden “Disposable Teens” plays and Allison Danger makes her way to the ring. The Scoopster comes out to the ring to, well, get the scoop. Danger warns that Christopher Daniels will be returning on July 8 in Long Island, and at that time the Prophecy will come back and reign terror on ROH. She asks Nana to destroy AJ Styles once and for all and cements an unholy alliance between the Embassy and the Prophecy. And without further ado, Nana presents the mystery opponent!

Williams and Styles had competed against each other many times in TNA, so he is a natural choice here. Also he was rockin’ an awesome beard at the time. NWA Champion AJ Styles brings his belt back to ROH for the first time in about two years. He lifts Williams up and places him on the apron to start. They lock up and Styles takes Williams to the mat with a headlock. Williams reverses to an armbar and Styles goes to the corner to break. Styles gets a pair of armdrags but Williams gets a crucifix pin for 2. He puts on an armbar but AJ forearms out. He blocks an armdrag and kicks Williams in the gut. He slides to the floor and tries to pull Williams out but Williams blocks. Back in the ring Styles hits a dropkick for 2. He hits a backbreaker and a bodyslam. He hits a pair of knee drops for 2. He hits the nip up hurricanrana for 2. Petey blocks a blind charge but AJ comes back and dumps him to the floor. Styles tries to powerbomb Williams onto the floor but Williams blocks and hits a legdrop. He comes out of the ring with a hurricanrana on the floor. Styles misses a roundhouse kick and Petey dumps him onto a chair. Back in the ring Williams gets 2. He hangs AJ up in the ropes and distracts the referee long enough for Nana to hit him. Petey, being either a moron or trying too hard to be cute, calls Nana Scott, as in Scott D’Amore, his manager in TNA. He sends AJ back first into the turnbuckle and gets 2 as Nana abuses Jade Chung at ringside. Williams puts on a stranglehold but AJ fights out. Petey hits a back elbow and a suplex. He hits a back suplex for 2. AJ comes back with punches to the face and a roundhouse kick. He hits a clothesline and a pumphandle gutbuster. He hits the moonsault DDT for 2. Petey reverses a suplex to a swinging neckbreaker for 2. He goes for the Canadian Destroyer but AJ rolls through for the Styles Clash. Petey blocks and hits a DDT for 2. AJ sends Petey to the apron and hits a back flip kick. They fight to the top rope where Petey goes for the Canadian Destroyer. AJ blocks it and comes off the top with the Spiral Tap but Petey moves. They trade roll ups until Petey puts on the Sharpshooter. AJ powers out and rolls Petey up for 2. Petey calls for the Destroyer but AJ rolls him up for 2 and then rolls right into the Styles Clash for the win. The match started really slow and spotty. By the end it sped up, but it never became anything special.
Rating: **3/4

After the match Nana tells Jade to get in the ring and smack AJ up. Styles gets distracted by Nana and Jade low blows him. Rave runs out and nails him with the Rave Clash. I should note that the house lights were on during the beating and the crowd looked very big, especially with the more stadium-esque seating there.

JZ says: Nana is trying to introduce the man who will be challenging AJ Styles tonight, but Allison Danger interrupts him. Never fear, because GMC is here. Danger actually looks pretty hot. Though in real life the one time I saw her up close she looked tremendous. She announces that Christopher Daniels will return on July 8 in Long Island. Danger wants Nana’s assurances that AJ Styles will be destroyed tonight. The mystery man is revealed as Petey Williams, who comes out to Rage Against the Machine’s “Calm Like a Bomb.” AJ comes out with the NWA World Championship; this should have been a defense, since Petey is a TNA regular. These two have wrestled many times in TNA. Punk asks what title it was that AJ came out with, and when Prazak tells him he says he never heard of it. That’s cute. Hey, and Petey hits a nice hurricanrana to the floor on AJ. Petey’s long hair makes him look like Chris Sabin a bit. He goes for the flippy piledriver but Styles reverses, and then Petey reverses into a nice DDT. They do some more stuff-stuff-stuff and AJ gets the win with the Styles Clash at 16:35. That’s a good solid match right there. Nana is pissed off about the loss and says he has another surprise. He tells Jade to get into the ring and slap AJ. She is hesitant but then gives him a low blow when he turns his attention to Nana and Jimmy Rave runs in and hits the Rave Clash.
Rating: ***1/2

INTERMISSION

BG says: The tag team champions and the Scoopster report from Old Blue. Whitmer starts talking, prompting Jacobs to complain that BJ gets to do all the cool stuff, including talking. He tries his hand at a promo, but only comes up with… huss? Whitmer finishes up with nothing of interest.

The Second City Saints v. the Prophecy from the Battle Lines are Drawn is shown. More specifically it’s Punk putting Christopher Daniels through a table with the Pepsi Plunge. Daniels hasn’t been seen in an ROH ring since. They also show Punk & Cabana winning the tag team titles from the Briscoe Brothers at Reborn Stage 2. Punk says he misses the Briscoes, which just makes me think of how much I miss those ugly bastards.

Cabana tries to run GTGM from the arena rafters. Cabana is unhappy with his match and Nigel’s post-match antics. Just to add to the bad news, CM Punk is still nowhere to be found. He does however GUARANTEE that Punk will be on the show by the end of the night.

JZ says: The Scoopster is with the Tag Team Champions. BJ steals Jimmy’s thunder by talking first in the promo. He says that BJ gets to do all the cool stuff, and suggest that Whitmer does the Rana next time. Jacobs tries to talk but can only come up with “Huss.” What is with that ridiculous sweater that he’s wearing?

CM Punk Memory #5 is when the Second City Saints eliminated Christopher Daniels from Ring of Honor back at The Battle Lines Are Drawn on 1.10.04. Next up is when Punk and Cabana won the ROH Tag Team Titles from The Briscoe Brothers at ROH Reborn: Stage Two on 4.24.04 in their hometown of Chicago. Punk puts over the Briscoes big time, and mentions their 2/3 falls tag team match in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin on 7.23.04. Apparently Ricky Steamboat said that was one of the best matches he’s ever seen live. Sure thing, Rick. Punk also talks about the brutal Chicago Street Fight from 7.24.04.

Cabana is continuing his Good Times, Great Memories quest to get Punk on the show up in the rafters. Punk however, has disappeared again.

MATCH #5: Izzy & Deranged vs. Roderick Strong & Jack Evans

BG says: The winners get a shot at the tag team titles on the next show. This show displays just how much more well developed Ring of Honor’s tag team division is than say, the WWE’s as this is the third tag match of the night and all three matches featured well established teams that people care about. Evans & Strong appear to be the de facto babyfaces. Evans and Deranged start things off. Evans serves Deranged and then stomps on his nuts when he tries to serve him back with a headstand. Deranged hits a mule kick but Evans blocks a Code Red and hits a hurricanrana. Evans starts dancing again so Deranged returns the favor to his crotch. Evans trips Deranged up and hits a dropkick. He tags to Strong who ties up Deranged’s appendages in a modified abdominal stretch. Deranged goes to the eyes and kicks Roderick away before making the tag to Izzy. The Angels try to double-team Strong but Deranged ends up getting suplexed onto Izzy. Evans comes in with a springboard dropkick on Izzy sending him to the floor. The Angels brawl with Strong on the floor so Evans dives onto everyone. Back in the ring Evans gets 2 on Izzy. Strong nails him with a forearm and tosses Evans onto him in the corner. He suplex splashes Evans onto Izzy for 2. Evans misses a heel kick but hits a dropkick and a senton, but the moonsault hits knees. Izzy comes back with a DDT. Deranged tags in and the Angels hit a double suplex for 2. He spits at Strong and chokes Evans out in the corner. Izzy tags in and the Angels hit a doomsday Ace Crusher for 2. Evans catches both opponents with an Asai moonsault. Strong comes in and cleans house on Lacey’s Angels. He hits the half nelson backbreaker on Izzy but Deranged catches him with a dropkick. Evans hits a reverse hurricanrana on Deranged. Izzy catches Evans with a nasty piledriver for 2. He dumps Evans to the floor and dives onto him as Deranged dives onto Strong. Back in the ring Strong sets Deranged up in the corner and flips Evans into a double stomp onto him for 2. Generation Next hit Skipping a Generation but Cloudy pulls the referee out at the count of 2. Evans climbs back to the top rope but gets crotched. Izzy and Deranged bring him off the top with a double reverse suplex for the upset win. Like most matches tonight, this was pretty disappointing. Like most Lacey’s Angels matches it felt rushed and rehearsed, but in this case it seemed like the rehearsal and the big debut didn’t synch up.
Rating: **1/4

JZ says: Evans and Deranged start and do some goofiness. Evans steals the tripping spot from Colt Cabana, and Punk calls him on it. Punk then declares Roderick’s nickname to be “Short Bus.” They do a bunch of stuff to each other, because if there’s anything that Izzy, Deranged, and Evans can do, it’s stuff. Izzy & Deranged do their Doomsday Ace Crusher, which really could be a finisher and not just a move they do. Lacey’s Angels get this sick flippy bomb on Evans off the top rope to get the win at 12:31. That wasn’t so much a match as guys doing stuff to each other, and every once in a while it hit. Punk takes his leave to go get ready for his World Title match, and says “God willing” he’ll see Prazak with the title at the end of the night. I don’t think Punk believes in God. That one time, he said “there is no God. And that cage was not 30 feet high.” That’s the best thing he ever said.
Rating: **

CM Punk Memory #6

BG says: CM Punk’s face turn at Reborn Completion is shown. Here he ended his rivalry with Ricky Steamboat by defending him against the attack of Generation Next. Looking back on it, Punk is one of the only ROH wrestlers who has had very distinct heel and face turns. Punk explains that he helped Steamboat mostly because he didn’t like Generation Next stealing his thunder.

JZ says: This is from ROH Reborn: Completion on 7.17.04, where Punk finally turned full babyface when he saved Ricky Steamboat from Generation Next.

MATCH #6: Four Corner Survival Match – James Gibson vs. Nigel McGuinness vs. Homicide vs. Azrieal

BG says: This match appeared to be ROH’s response to complaints that the four corner survival match had de-evolved into jobber matches on each show. Problem here is that putting big names in there only solves half the problem, as there’s still no reason to care when nothing is on the line. At least here Gibson and Homicide have an issue with each other. Homicide and Azrieal start the match with a lockup. They fight it out on the mat where Azrieal comes out with a headlock. They fight to Gibson’s corner where Homicide pie faces him. Azrieal takes Homicide to the mat with a hammerlock and then takes him back to Gibson’s corner. Gibson tags Azrieal out and Homicide bails. Gibson blinks first and tags Nigel in. They fight to Azrieal’s corner and he tags in for Nigel. They fight fast to a stalemate and Azrieal tags to Gibson. Homicide quickly tags out to Nigel. They knuckle up and then do some cool chain wrestling to a stalemate. Nigel grabs a cravat but Gibson reverses to a wristlock. Nigel tries to escape but Gibson keeps it locked in. Nigel uses the ropes for leverage and hits a back elbow. Homicide tags Nigel out when he thinks Gibson is beaten down but Gibson catches him in an armbar. Gibson hits a bodyslam and an elbow drop for 2. He hits a backbreaker for 2. He puts on a surfboard stretch and starts working over the back with strikes. Homicide breaks away and tags to Azrieal. Azrieal comes in with a bodyslam and an elbow drop for 2. He hits a back suplex and puts on a sleeper hold. Gibson escapes with a jaw breaker and tags to Nigel. Nigel puts on a sort of hammerlock bear hug into a spine buster for 2. He puts on a cobra clutch and smashes Azrieal with a lariat for 2. He puts the clutch back on but misses a second attempt at a clothesline and gets hit with a flapjack. Homicide tags Nigel out and gets caught in a sleeper by Azrieal. Homicide hits a jawbreaker to escape and kicks at Azrieal’s back. He hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2. Azrieal comes back with a dropkick for 2. Nigel tags Homicide out and hits Azrieal with a superkick for 2. Homicide hits Nigel with a suplex so Gibson runs in and sets Homicide on the top rope. The following spot occurs and is awesome: Azrieal powerbombs Gibson off the second turnbuckle while at the same time Gibson superplexes Homicide who’s feet smack Nigel down. And it didn’t look at all contrived. Azrieal gets 2 on Gibson and then Homicide and then Nigel. This referee is just no good. Nigel runs the headstand game on Azrieal and goes for the hanging Ace Crusher but Homicide spears Nigel and Azrieal hits a crossbody on Homicide. Gibson hits Azrieal with a German suplex for 2 when Homicide punts him in the berries. Nigel starts beating on Homicide but Gibson shoves him out of the way and attacks Homicide himself. Nigel goes after Gibson and ends up getting his knee kicked out from under him. Gibson catches Azrieal with the tiger driver. He hits Homicide with a neckbreaker for 2. Gibson blocks a low blow but Nigel takes him out. Homicide dumps Nigel and then follows him out with the tope. Gibson dives onto Homicide with a plancha. Azrieal climbs to the top and comes off with a moonsault onto everyone. Back in the ring Homicide crotches Nigel around the post and Azrieal hits him with the double stomp. Homicide nails Azrieal with a clothesline. Gibson goes for the tiger driver on Homicide but Homicide reverses it to a Cop Killer attempt. Nigel blocks it and hits Gibson with the hanging Ace Crusher for the win. I ended up liking this match a lot. It kept the Homicide/Gibson feud going strong, it helped greatly to elevate Azrieal, and gave Nigel a nice heelish win. The action was good, and everyone adapting to their opponents more and more as the match went on was cool too.
Rating: ***1/2

JZ says: Azrieal is really moving up in the world. Gibson is still stewing over the low blow Homicide gave him to win their singles match six days prior to this at The Future is Now. Azrieal is hanging tough with McGuinness and Homicide before tagging out to Gibson so that he can take his shot at Homicide. But Homicide chickens out and tags Nigel. Man, Homicide is a great heel, one of the few in ROH these days. Gibson and Nigel do some nice chain wrestling. Everyone wrestles everyone and they all do stuff. Gibson gives Azrieal a nice German suplex and Homicide runs in and drills Gibson with the most blatant and awesome kick to the nuts of all time. They do some more stuff, and Nigel hits the elevated chin breaker to get the win at 20:26. There was nothing wrong with the match, it just didn’t seem to go anywhere and just felt like four guys doing stuff to each other.
Rating: ***

CM Punk Memory #7

BG says: Punk’s post-match promo after the hour draw against Samoa Joe at World Title Classic is shown. Aside from Chris Jericho v. Chyna at Survivor Series 1999, I’ve never marked out harder for a match live. Punk gives some insight on the trilogy with Joe as a clip of the hour draw from Chicago plays. It’s going to be really difficult for anyone to top this match. The final match in the trilogy plays, from All Star Extravaganza 2. Punk mentions Steamboat’s presence at ringside, which lead to what I believe was a goofy and unnecessary spot on the match. Punk calls these matches the highlight of his career thus far as disc one comes to an end.

JZ says: This is Punk’s promo after the first one-hour draw with Samoa Joe at World Title Classic. They follow it up with the second match between Punk and Joe from Joe vs. Punk II. Man that is the worst name for a show ever. A clip from All Star Extravaganza II follows, in which the Punk/Joe trilogy concluded.

END OF DISK 1

MATCH #7: Low Ki vs. Jay Lethal

BG says: These two wrestled in a great match at Midnight Express Reunion. At Trios Tournament 2005 Lethal was blindsided in the backstage area. At Manhattan Mayhem, Low Ki revealed that he was the man who attacked Lethal. At that same show Ki and Homicide hit Lethal with a double stomp/Cop Killer combo that put Lethal out of action. Now Lethal has come for revengeance! Ki goes after Lethal on the floor. They run into the ring where they slug it out. Lethal hits a series of back elbows and a springboard dropkick sending Ki to the floor. He follows him out with a suicide dive. Back in the ring Lethal gets 1. He hits a snap suplex for 1. He hits a backbreaker for 1. He hits a modified suplex for 2. He hits a leg lariat for 2. Lethal misses a dropkick, so Ki responds with one of his own for 2. He nails Lethal with a clothesline in the corner for 2. He pulls Lethal around by his hair and chops him down. He hits a European uppercut for 2. Lethal starts to fight back but Ki chops him down again for 2. He puts on a Mark Nutly Special but Lethal makes the ropes. Ki gets a snap mare for 2. Who gets 2 off of a snap mare? Lethal gets dumped to the floor where J-Train stomps on him for a bit. Back in the ring Ki gets 2. Ki starts working over the neck until Lethal catches him with a dragon suplex attempt. Ki blocks it but stays stuck in the full nelson. He goes to the corner to break and then slams Lethal down by his hair for 2. Lethal gets a sunset flip for 2 and then fakes a punch to get another one for 2. Ki blocks a third and hits a double stomp for 2. He hangs Lethal up in the Tree of Woe and goes for the double stomp but Lethal yanks him off the top rope. He goes after Ki with a back elbow, a clothesline and a back bodydrop. He starts unloading with stiff chops and hits an atomic drop. He hits a gut-wrench suplex for 2. He hits a knee to the back of the head and a neckbreaker for 2. He goes for the running suplex but Ki blocks and hits a double stomp as Lethal charges past. It gets 2. Lethal reverses the Ki Krusher to a small package for 2. Ki blocks the running suplex again and hits a dropkick for 2. He sets Lethal on the top rope but Lethal fights him off and hits the diving headbutt for 2. J-Train gets on the apron and Lethal gets distracted with him. Low Ki grabs the Rottweilers? bat and tries to use it but Lethal dodges it and hits the dragon suplex for 2 when J-Train runs in and breaks up the pin. The referee throws the match out, even though it was pretty clear that J-Train acted on Ki’s behalf. At any rate, this was a very intense and fun match that was almost as good as their match from Midnight Express Reunion.
Rating: ***1/4

JZ says: This feud began at Manhattan Mayhem when Low Ki and Homicide injured Jay Lethal with a brutal Cop Killa/Double Stomp combination. Lethal gained a small measure of revenge at The Future is Now, and that brings us to where we are today. The fans actually chant for Low Ki. Jeez, just boo the heels, I dare you. Bower points out that the feud actually began at Midnight Express Reunion, a match I greatly enjoyed. Ki dominates the early portions of the match, while the commentators talk about how Ki never loses. That’s interesting on several levels. Ki continues to dominate as Lethal gets in a few hope spots here and there. Ki goes for his brutal double stomp but Lethal counters it. Lethal gets the Dragon Suplex but Julius Smokes interferes and breaks up the pin. For some reason the referee declares this to be a no-contest at 15:10. I don’t understand why that decision wouldn’t be Lethal getting a win by DQ. In fact, that’s incredibly stupid. The match was pretty solid though.
Rating: ***1/4

MATCH #8: ROH World Title Match – Austin Aries vs. CM Punk

BG says: Punk’s entrance is pretty phenomenal, as the crowd is just 100 percent behind him with this being his last night with the company. Punk himself is near tears. Aries’ entrance isn’t too shabby either, but then he doesn’t get lost in a sea of streamers the way Punk does. Punk got this title shot by winning his feud against the Embassy by beating Jimmy Rave in a cage at Nowhere to Run. At the Future is Now he got past Aries’ road block Roderick Strong in a really good match and then gave what could be considered a pre-going away going away speech. For his part, Aries is wrestling with a messed up neck. He’d taken on challengers for his ROH title in many promotions all over the world, and the damage caught up with him. Samoa Joe hit him with a muscle buster at Nowhere to Run, and then Spanky hit him with Sliced Bread #2 at New Frontiers. To make matters worse, Low Ki nailed him with a Ki Krusher off the top rope at the Future is Now, so it’s safe to say that if Punk can manage to hit the Pepsi Plunge then the belt is his. This is actually a rubber match for these two, each of them having picked up a win over the other in the second half of 2004. Neither of those matches were anything to write home about. For once, the majority of the crowd is booing Aries, and pretty much everyone is heavily behind Punk.

Standing switches are plentiful early in the match, as each man tries to size the other up. Aries pushes Punk to the corner where Punk slams his arm down on the back of Aries’ neck, letting him know that he knows about the injury. Aries hits Explosive Elbow #4 and then puts on a headlock. Punk tries to escape but Aries does everything he can to keep the headlock on. Punk puts on the leg scissors. Aries tries to get out with the headstand and dropkick as he always does, but Punk has it scouted and nails Aries with a dropkick of his own. Punk puts on a headlock, wrenching it in to take advantage of the injury. Aries tries to suplex out but Punk holds on. Aries makes it to the ropes and Punk breaks, but then drags Aries over the top rope with the headlock. As Punk starts to lose control he compensates by nailing Aries with a bulldog for 2. He hits a kneedrop for 2 and a kick to the back of the head. He hits a fisherman’s suplex for 2 and a backbreaker into a chinlock. Aries blocks a suplex but gets caught with a neckbreaker. Punk stays on the neck and puts on a nerve hold. He blocks Explosive Elbow #1 and kicks Aries to the floor. He follows him out with a suicide dive. Punk gets back in the ring and tries to suplex Aries back in. Aries pulls Punk out to the apron and gives him a DVD on it. Apron moves are the latest craze you see. Aries tosses Punk into the guardrail and kicks him in the chest. He tries to send him back into the guardrail but Punk reverses and Aries gets launched into the barricade. Aries lays Punk on the apron and hits him with a knee to the side of the head. He comes in with a slingshot splash and a springboard moonsault for 2. Punk starts to fight back as the crowd gets behind him. They get into Canadian Stampede territory, cheering for every move Punk hits and booing everything that Aries does. Aries hits Punk with the shinbreaker/back suplex combo for 1 when Punk gets to the ropes. He throws Punk shoulder first into the turnbuckle a couple of times for 2. Aries hits the chinlock and the crowd lets him have it. Punk fights out but Aries hits him with a side slam for 2. The turnbuckle gets exposed and Punk goes into it back first. He blocks a blind charge and sends Aries chest first into the steel and hits him with a clothesline to the back of the neck. Punk hits a flying forearm and a clothesline. He hits a back elbow and a back bodydrop. He hits Welcome to Chicago for 2. He climbs to the top rope and hits a crossbody for 2. He hits the mule kick but Aries blocks the Pepsi Twist and hits a clothesline for 2. Aries hits a dropkick in the corner and gets a roll up for 2. Punk comes back with a backslide for 2. Aries quickly hits him with a piledriver for 2. Aries hits the fireman’s carry slam and calls for the 450 splash but Punk tosses him off the top. He hits the Shining Wizard for 2. He calls for the Pepsi Plunge and the crowd begs him for it. Aries blocks it and hits a super brainbuster for 2. He goes for the 450 splash but Punk cuts him off. He goes for the Pepsi Plunge but Aries blocks and hits the Plunge himself. Punk kicks out and one and goes crazy, to the surprise of the crowd and Aries. Aries hits a roaring forearm and a kick to the face. He hits the 450 splash but Punk turns him over into the Anaconda Vice. Aries makes the ropes. He goes for it again but Aries rolls him up for 2. Punk turns the crucifix bomb into a TKO and hits the Shining Wizard again. He sets Aries on the top rope and hits the Pepsi Plunge for the win and the title.

Well, if you ever want to feel like you were watching wrestling in the 80’s then this match is for you. The crowd was Punk’s corner man here, making him pretty much invincible and firing him up when the finishers started flying. This was very exciting and action packed throughout, and a great way for Punk to go out of the company.
Rating: ****

JZ says: Punk is just slightly over at this point. He also gets one or two streamers, this being his last match in ROH and all. The crowd actually boos Aries for a change. Wouldn’t that have been great if he had acted like a heel throughout his championship reign? Punk goes for headlocks early on, because that was his strategy with Samoa Joe, and since Aries is smaller than Joe it seems like a good idea. Wow, Aries actually just hit a Death Valley Driver on the apron to Punk. The crowd is heavily into Punk, cheering every punch of his while booing everything Aries does. I seriously LOVE that this crowd is booing Aries so heavily. Aries hits the Pepsi Plunge on Punk, but Punk Hulks up out of it. Punk then also no-sells the 450 Splash and reverses it into the Anaconda Vice. You know, killing your own finisher when you’re on the way out is one thing, but I’m not sure how I feel about Aries’s finisher being killed there too. Punk then gets the pin with the Pepsi Plunge at 30:26. I know I didn’t say a lot about a match of that length, but it’s one every ROH fan should see regardless. It’s a really good match and a great moment to see Punk win the title.
Rating: ****1/4

Post Match

BG says: Aries does the classy thing and congratulates Punk on winning the title. The crowd thanks him as he walks away and then turns their attention to Punk. Punk gets on the microphone and begins to give his farewell speech. He talks about how much the belt means to him. He starts talking about how much better he is than everyone else, and then reveals that he was using the fan’s support to help him win the belt, and now he doesn’t need or want them anymore. He related this to the story of the man who nurses a snake back to health, only to be bitten and killed by the snake when it is well. He says that he’s taking the belt with him when he leaves, and nobody in the locker room can stop him. Well, unfortunately for Punk, someone from a different locker room wants to stop him as Christopher fucking Daniels hits the ring and proclaims that he’s back to avenge the 16 month absence that Punk forced him into. They slug it out and Punk takes a powder. Daniels and the fans challenge him to put the belt on the line right there, but Punk says he’ll have to wait another 16 months to get a title shot. He escapes through the crowd leaving Daniels alone in the ring.

Daniels goes through his history with CM Punk and TNA. He talks about his history in ROH as well and runs through all the people he wrestled in an ROH ring. He puts over the new stars of ROH and says that now, those men will have to deal with him. Just because he was gone doesn’t mean that he forgot what he destiny was, and that is to be the ROH World Champion. He was gone because he had to be, and now he’s back because he wants to be. Nice promo there.

JZ says: The crowd goes nuts for Punk but shows Aries some love too. Then they ask Punk for a speech. Dance monkeys, dance. Punk cuts an awesome heel promo, completely turning on the crowd, who don’t quite get it yet. Punk says he’s leaving with the belt and that no one in the locker room can stop him. MOTHERFUCKING CHRISTOPHER DANIELS runs in through the crowd and challenges Punk. The crowd is chanting “CM Pussy” on Punk’s way out. Talk about a 180 degree turn. He actually calls the fans “ROHBots,” thus becoming my personal hero. Daniels cuts an awesome promo basically about how awesome he is. You know, I met him at an IWR show in Detroit back in May, and his “Hi, I’m Chris Daniels” was captivating. He really has that much charisma in real life.

Aftermath

BG says: Strong and Evans are with Old Blue, but Aries isn’t around because he lost the most precious thing he had. Jack Evans feels like he has to disappear for a while because he’s been dropping the ball lately. He tells Strong that when he comes back he’ll be on his game. Strong seems upset.

Dunn and Marcos take down the ring and warn the Carnage Crew that they’re going to make them once bitten, twice shy.

A distraught Colt Cabana desperately tells CM Punk to come on out, once and for all, for Good Times Great Memories. When Punk doesn’t show up Cabana seems very upset.

JZ says: We’re backstage with Roderick Strong and Jack Evans, who inform us that Aries does not want to talk to the camera. Jack Evans then says that he needs to disappear for a while, much to the chagrin of Roderick.

Dunn and Marcos say that Loc & DeVito are running scared, and that they will be once bitten and twice shy.

Cabana is back with Good Times, Great Memories, and maintains that Punk will be his guest. He looks distraught over Punk’s actions tonight.

Call 215-781-2500 or go to www.rohwrestling.com for all kinds of merchandise.

The ROH training school looks pretty nice.

Taped Several Days Later

JZ says: Aries is here a few days later to respond to losing the title to Punk. Aries is angry that Punk pissed on the World Title and that he’ll have to answer to the locker room at some point. Aries says that Evans is taking time off and that Generation Next is going to re-tool. Ha, he said tool. The close-up of his eyes at the end is kinda lame.

BONUS CM PUNK FEATURE – FIP FLORIDA RUMBLE, 12.17.04

BG says: They show clips of the Punk/Gibson interaction from the Florida Rumble match, and then we get the actual match. From my review of FIP Florida Rumble: Punk chokes Gibson out with his ring jacket before the bell. Gibson dodges a blind charge and rams Punk’s shoulder into the turnbuckle. He puts on an armbar and turns it into a hammerlock. He elbow drops the arm and then ties it up in the ropes. He stays on the arm but Punk tosses him into the turnbuckle. He hits a back suplex and a legdrop. He hits a backbreaker for 2. He hits a snap mare and a kick to the back for 2. He hits a swinging neckbreaker for 2. He calls for another kick to the back but opts for a sleeper hold. Gibson fights out and hits a crossbody for 2. He puts on the figure four head scissor lock, called by Mark Nulty. Gibson rolls over and gets a roll up for 2. Punk whips him hard into the turnbuckle and then puts on a chinlock. Gibson comes back with a roll up for 2 and a swinging neckbreaker. He levels Punk with a pair of forearms and hits a knee to the head for 2. Punk comes back with Welcome to Chicago for 2. Gibson blocks a vertical suplex but gets clotheslined down for 2. Punk puts on a cross armbreaker but Gibson reverses to a Texas cloverleaf. Punk makes the ropes. He crawls to the apron and hangs Gibson up on the top rope. He goes for a clothesline but Gibson reverses to an armbar. Punk gets to his feet but Gibson gets la Magistral for the win at 11:27. Ended hot, but didn’t have much going for it leading up to the finish. I was expecting more of a brawl considering the animosity between them stemming from their Florida Rumble interaction.
Rating: ***

JZ says: Oh crap, it’s Mark Nulty and Dave Prazak on commentary. I really haven’t missed Nulty at all. And he’s still trying to get “IT … IS … ON!” over as a catchphrase. Give it up dude. James Gibson has drawn #1 in the Florida Rumble and Punk supposedly drew #2, but he says Azrieal is #2 and he’ll be in at #19. We cut to the end of the match where Punk comes out and gets tossed out Bushwhacker Luke style, and Gibson gets tossed right after that. Gibson came out wearing jean shorts but is no in his orange Dukes of Hazard tights, very much confusing me. Anyway, this sets up for a 1-on-1 match, the first ever between them. They do some of that wrestling stuff. Nutly keeps rambling on an on about wins and losses and backstage politics and I’m really tuning him out. They do some stuff and Gibson gets the win with a rollup at 11:27. That was really nothing of note.
Rating: **1/2

MVP

BG says: CM Punk. Come on, it couldn’t be anybody else. I mean, he called the fans ROHbots. That’s enough to make me love him forever right there.

JZ says: CM Punk, duh.
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You can pick up this show, as well as all other ROH shows at www.rohwrestling.com.

Coming soon will be our review of Sign of Dishonor!

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The 411: BG says: This was a tough show. The first disc is mostly disappointing, with potentially good matches that didn't hit levels that they could have. Once you get to the four-way match things pick up, and everything involving Punk is pretty much must see for any ROH fan. Hard call here, but I'll give this one a recommendation for the Punk stuff alone. JZ says: The match quality isn’t always there, but it goes by fast and it feels like a big show, so there is something to be said for that. The main event is phenomenal, and the promos afterward make it even better. The belt is really treated like it’s the most important thing ever, and I really appreciate that. Plus, Christopher Daniels came back. This show is a must-see.

Final Score:  7.8   [ Good ]