ROH – The Chicago Spectacular Night One DVD Review

ROH – The Chicago Spectacular Night One – Chicago Ridge, Illinois – December 8, 2006

Introduction

BG says: ROH wants you to watch the video wire before watching the main program. Samoa Joe is the host and he has a message for Bryan Danielson. When they get into the steel cage Danielson won’t be able to evade Joe, and when he’s done with Danielson he’ll put down Ring of Homicide in his hometown of New York City. Next up are clips of the brawl between BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs at Dethroned. Both men bleed and Lacey slaps Whitmer around. Daizee Haze runs out and takes her down. Joe comes back with another message. This time he slapped KENTA so that he’d go back to NOAH and let everyone know that ROH isn’t a vacation spot. He wants them to send somebody over to respond to the slap. Homicide comes in and brags about beating the Briscoe Brothers with Joe. He tells Adam Pearce that he’s going to break him down on the way to the title. He then confronts Joe about the possibility of them wrestling each other for the title at Final Battle. He looks forward to bringing it to Joe like he did in 2003. We then get clips of Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal beating the Kings of Wrestling for the tag titles at Dethroned. The new champs cut a promo bragging about winning the belts until the former champions Roderick Strong & Austin Aries challenge them to a match for the titles. Daniels agrees since Aries and Strong once defended the belts against them. The wire wraps up with some clips of the Nigel McGuinness/Jimmy Rave match from Dethroned, along with the post-match angle where Nigel threw toilet paper at Rave and Rave flipped out. The rematch will be the first night of the Chicago Spectacular.

For the umpteenth time Brent Albright tells us what his name is, but this time he’s sitting in the ring before the show! He’s done messing around. He’s not just fighting to amuse himself, he’s here to make money.

Bryan Danielson just got back from putting down half the Pro Wrestling NOAH roster and he gets thrown right into a cage match for the title. He’s going to debunk the Samoa Joe myth. He has to pick partners for his six-man tag match tomorrow night and his first pick is Jimmy Jacobs. He picked him because of what he did to BJ Whitmer on the last show. Lacey tells Jacobs to forget about tomorrow right now and think about destroying Colt Cabana. He’ll do anything for her.

JZ says: Do we have to open with yet another Brent Albright promo? They’re all the same, and they’re all lame. He says that tonight he’s here to make money.

ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson has just returned from his tour with NOAH. He promises to end the myth of Samoa Joe inside the steel cage. He then announces that tomorrow night he will be teaming with Jimmy Jacobs. This leads into Lacey demanding that Jacobs destroy Colt Cabana tonight.

MATCH #1: Kikutaro vs. Tank Toland

BG says: This is a pretty strange match up. Toland reminds me of the meathead from the Fall Out Boy cell phone commercial. Kikutaro is just as tall as Toland, but half as wide. They lock up and Toland overpowers Kikutaro. Kikutaro bribes the referee with fun times but makes a fool of Toland. He pokes Toland in the eyes and puts on a headlock. He challenges Toland to an arm wrestling match but stomps his back when he gears up for it. Kikutaro hits an elbowdrop for 2. Toland comes back with a clothesline and a kick to the back. He hits a back elbow and chokes Kikutaro with his boot. He puts on a chinlock and hits a spear for 2. He hiptosses Kikutaro out of the corner and boots him in the chest for 2. He puts on a modified cobra clutch but Kikutaro fires up and hits a back elbow. He hits a dragon screw and the Shining Wizard for 2. He puts on a front facelock and addresses the crowd. His speech goes on too long and Toland hits him with a vertical suplex and a spinebuster for the win. The finish was cute but the rest of the match was dullsville.
Rating: *

JZ says: Dave Prazak and Jimmy Bower are the hosts tonight. They start it off with some hilarity, with Kikutaro getting the better of Toland. He challenges the muscular Toland to an arm-wrestling contest. He balks so the crowd calls him a pussy, to which he takes offense. Kikutaro and the referee get into a little battle and that allows Toland to take control and dominate with his boring, boring offense. Come on, let’s enjoy pro wrestling. Kikutaro finally comes back with a dragon screw and the shining wizard for two. He then takes a time out to advertise for Ring of Honor and Toland hits a slam of some kind to get the unceremonious victory at 7:50. I like Kikutaro but Toland just isn’t going to cut it.
Rating: *¼

MATCH #2: Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Irish Airborne

BG says: Mark and Jake start. Jake puts Mark on the mat but Mark comes back with an armbar. Jake hits a springboard hurricanrana and tags to Dave. Mark hits a northern lights suplex for 2. Jay tags in and hits a back elbow for 2. He hits a hurricanrana and rams Dave into the turnbuckle. Mark tags in and hits a gutwrench suplex. He hits a kneedrop for 2. Jay tags in and the Briscoes hit a side slam/legdrop combo for 2. Dave hits a leg lariat and tags to Jake. Dave hits a dropkick and Jay bails. They toss Mark to the floor and dive out onto the Briscoes. Back in the ring Jake gets 2. The Briscoes block the Irish Airraid and Mark hits a springboard Ace Crusher on Dave. Jake hits a neckbreaker on Jay and trades forearms with Mark. Jay hits a Yakuza kick on Jake for 2. He hits a neckbreaker off of Mark’s shoulder for 2. He catches Dave in midair and hits a DVD. Mark hits a slingshot double stomp on Dave and then helps Jay hit the springboard Doomsday Device on Jake for the win. This was pretty much just the Briscoes running through their offense in a squash, but it was fun.
Rating: **¼

JZ says: It’s hard to believe that the Crist Brothers once beat the Briscoe Brothers. For the record, I think the Briscoes are the best thing going in wrestling today, ROH or otherwise. This match is being taped for the video wire, so I don’t see it going a very long time. Jake and Mark start it off and the Irish boys are able to control the first minute or so. Mark comes back with a modified Northern Lights suplex and tags in Jay. He hits a few moves on Dave and then Mark gets tagged back in. Dave comes back with a leg lariat and tags in Jake. He hits a springboard dropkick and then dumps Jay outside and the Airborne live up to their name with simultaneous dives to the floor. They try the Irish Air Raid but it gets blocked. They Briscoes hit a few of their moves and finish it off with a springboard Doomsday Device. That was a fun little sprint, and it reinforces my statement at the beginning of this review.
Rating: **¼

Pre Show Happenings

BG says: On the pre-show Pelle Primeau had some words for the crowd. Apparently he won his pre-show match because he says he feels bad for not crowd surfing. But he’s too preoccupied with Shane Hagadorn hogging the Top of the Class Trophy by using brass knuckles in his matches. Tomorrow night he wants a trophy shot. A quick check of a live review reveals that Primeau had indeed won a pre-show match over old geezer Angel Armoni.

JZ says: Pelle Primeau is in the ring, and he’s pissed that Shane Hagadorn holds the Top of the Class Trophy. He challenges Hagadorn to a match tomorrow night. It sounded like he was doing that promo in a voice not his own, but he’s new so I’ll cut him a break. I already like him tons better than Hagadorn.

MATCH #3: Homicide vs. Brent Albright

BG says: The crowd chants “next world champ” at Homicide, showing how they really feel about Samoa Joe’s chances tonight. Albright wants a handshake but Homicide won’t give it to him. Albright takes offense and attacks Homicide from behind. Homicide hits a hurricanrana and a monkey flip. He hits an ugly dropkick and Albright bails. Homicide hits a baseball slide and slams Albright into the barricade. The commentators are still talking about Albright having to prove that he belongs in ROH but he’s won most of his matches in under ten minutes. What more is it going to take? Homicide tries to use a chair but the referee won’t let him. Albright jabs Homicide with a chair and the referee reprimands him but he again physically stops Homicide from using it. Back in the ring Albright misses an elbowdrop. Homicide hits his running knee in the corner. Albright hits a back suplex and a neckbreaker. He hits a legdrop for 2. He hits a vertical suplex for 2. He hits the 918 for 2. He puts on a camel clutch but Homicide comes back with a sunset flip for 2. Albright hits a clothesline for 2. He dumps Homicide to the floor and follows him out with a double axe handle. Homicide goes to the eyes but gets rammed into the barricade. Back in the ring Albright gets 2. Homicide comes back with a DDT. He hits a back elbow and a clothesline in the corner. He hits a bulldog for 2. He hits an overhead suplex for 2. He clotheslines Albright to the floor and goes for a crossbody from the apron. Albright catches him and rams his shoulder into the post. He drags Homicide by the bad shoulder and rolls him back into the ring. Homicide hits the Three Amigos and slowly climbs the ropes. Albright pulls him down with an armbreaker for 2. Albright blocks the lariat and hangs Homicide on the top rope. He hits the half nelson suplex and puts on the Crowbar. Homicide gets to the ropes but Albright won’t release the hold and gets disqualified. The match was solid and the finish was logical given the angle to follow.
Rating: **¾

Albright keeps the hold on long after the bell is rung until Samoa Joe makes the save. Albright meets Danielson on the entrance ramp and Danielson pays him off for the attack. Joe can’t believe what he sees and promises to take the title from Danielson later tonight.

JZ says: Homicide refuses to shake hands with Albright for some reason, so Albright attacks him from behind and the brawl is on. Homicide is able to knock Albright to the floor and hits a baseball slide on him. The fight continues outside the ring, where Homicide abuses Albright’s head, and then Albright returns the favor. Homicide uses a chair, and referee Todd Sinclair chastises him. Back in the ring Homicide is in control and tries the Cop Killa, but Albright reverses it to a suplex. Albright stays in control now, but Homicide will barely sell for him, as usual. Jimmy Bower announces that Jared David has to step down as commentator, and that they are trying to get Lenny Leonard back. David was alright, but I much prefer Leonard so that’s good news. Homicide makes his comeback with a DDT and both men are down. Back up Homicide hits a bulldog for two. Homicide clotheslines Albright over the ropes and the Tope Con Hilo seems imminent. Instead he tries a cross body block but Albright catches him and drives the shoulder into the ringpost. Homicide of course decides not to sell that after about 30 seconds and he hits the Three Amigos on Albright. Albright recovers and keeps going after the arm and shoulder. Homicide actually tries the lariat with his injured shoulder, and people wonder why I say he doesn’t sell? Albright hits the half nelson suplex and locks on the Crowbar but Homicide is able to reach the ropes. Albright refuses to break at five and the referee disqualifies him at 12:57. Samoa Joe comes out to break it up. Albright slaps hands with some fans, which is kind of contrary to his character. Bryan Danielson appears on the ramp to give Albright some cash, making it evident just why Albright didn’t break the hold and accepted the DQ loss. The finish seemed lame at first but then made sense with the payoff, so I like it. This is a good role for Albright, but no more slapping hands with the fans, because if you’re there just to make money, you shouldn’t care what the fans think about you. Either way this was a solid match, but I grow weary of Homicide’s refusal to sell.
Rating: **¾

MATCH #4: Four Corner Survival – Davey Richards vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Matt Cross

BG says: Daniels and Richards start. They trade holds and quick roll ups as is typical in the beginning of these Four Corner Survivals. Daniels starts striking and tags to Whitmer. Cross tags in for Richards and hits a springboard stomp on Whitmer’s arm. He trips Whitmer up and hits an elbowdrop. He dodges a blind charge with a cartwheel but Whitmer hits a big boot and tags to Daniels. Cross hits a satellite head scissors so Daniels tags to Whitmer. Whitmer hits a leg lariat for 2. Daniels tags in and hits a double shoulder tackle with Whitmer. Cross gets a sunset flip for 2. Daniels comes back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2. Whitmer tags in and hits a snap suplex for 2. Daniels and Whitmer keep the Prophecy reunion going with frequent tags and abuse on Cross. Cross hits an enziguiri on Daniels and tags out. Richards and Whitmer come in and Richards hits the head scissors. He hits a hurricanrana on Daniels and unloads with kicks on Whitmer. He hits a German suplex for 2. He hits a falcon arrow on Daniels for 2, showing legal man rules have been thrown out. Cross hits a springboard double stomp on Richards for 2. Richards dumps Whitmer to the floor and hits what Jimmy Bower insists is called the Alarm Clock on Cross. He dives onto Whitmer on the floor. Cross goes for a dive but Daniels blocks it with a kick. Daniels hits an Arabian press on Richards and Cross hits the Space Flying Tiger Drop into a hurricanrana on Whitmer. Jack Evans vs. Matt Cross has to happen now. Daniels hits the uranage and the triple jump moonsault on Richards for 2. Richards rolls Daniels up for 2 and hits a gutbuster. He hits a sit-out powerbomb for 2. Richards and Whitmer counter each other’s offense but neither can pick up the win. Cross hits a DDT on Whitmer and climbs the ropes. Richards cuts him off. Daniels brings Cross down with a reverse hurricanrana that springs him into a splash on Whitmer. Daniels rushes down and locks the Koji Clutch on Whitmer. Cross breaks it up with a senton and hits the Cross Crusher for 2. Richards dropkicks Daniels down but Cross catches him with a backslide for 2. Richards comes back with 14:59 but Whitmer breaks it up and hits the Owen Driver ’97 on Cross for the win. Cross is a good addition to the roster, and really its nice to see guys like Cross and Albright and Shingo coming in more consistently to change things up. It was kind of annoying to see the legal man rules thrown out at the first sign of confusion and there were some awkward moments but they threw in enough high impact and uncontrived innovative offense to make this an above average four way.
Rating: ***¼

JZ says: Daniels is carrying both the ROH World Tag Team Title belt and the TNA X-Division Title belt. Allison Danger is with him too, and I guess dressing in a skimpy cheerleader outfit is a way to get people to notice you as something more than just T&A. Daniels and Richards start it off, with Daniels controlling the arm in the early going. They exchange some holds and counter holds and Richards winds up controlling the arm this time. Daniels tags out to Whitmer, and Richards stays in. Whitmer and Richards go for about a minute and then Richards tags out to Cross. He does some acrobatics but Whitmer boots him in the face and tags Daniels in. Daniels and Cross have a nice exchange and then Daniels tags Whitmer back in. Daniels and Whitmer continue working as a team to soften up Cross. After a few minutes of beating, Cross hits a kick to Daniels’ head and both men make tags and Richards in a house-a-fire. Everyone gets into the ring and it’s a big brawl between all four guys. We wind up with Richards and Cross in the ring. He hits a running forearm on Cross and then hits a dive on Whitmer, who appears to be bleeding from the nose. Cross tries a dive but Daniels kicks him down and hits an Arabian Press of his own. Now Cross is free to hit the Space Flying Tiger Driver into a rana on Whitmer. Back in the ring Daniels hits a uranage on Richards and follows with the Best Moonsault Ever for a near fall. The action comes really fast now and it’s hard for me to call. Cross hits a DDT on Whitmer and goes to the top but Richards stops him. Daniels then comes in and hits a reverse rana on Cross, who lands perfectly on Whitmer for a near fall. Daniels then puts the Koji Clutch on Whitmer but Cross breaks it up. Cross hits the Cradle Shock for two. Richards hits a missile dropkick on Daniels. Richards puts an arm submission on Cross but Whitmer breaks it up and hits a Rikishi Driver on Cross to get the pin at 16:53. That was a ton of fun and one of the best four corner survival matches they have run in a long time. I really hope they find something for Matt Cross.
Rating: ***½

MATCH #5: Nigel McGuinness vs. Jimmy Rave

BG says: Maybe I was wrong about Rave’s new music because it still hasn’t caught on. Maybe when it starts making a second appearance at certain venues. Rave attacks Nigel before the bell and pounds him down. Nigel comes back with a running European uppercut and a superkick. He hits a wristlock suplex and keeps pressure on the arm. He hits a short arm clothesline for 2. He snaps the top rope into Rave’s eyes but Rave comes back with the STO on the apron. Nigel hits a clothesline on the floor and rolls Rave back into the ring. His ankle is messed up and he can’t do his handstand in the corner and he can’t get enough momentum going to hit a running European uppercut. Rave comes back with a leglock but Nigel gets to the ropes. Rave hits a dragon screw and goes back to the leg but Nigel gets back in the ropes. Nigel bails so Rave follows him out and slams his leg into the barricade. Back in the ring Rave gets 1. He keeps pressure on Nigel’s leg with leglocks and a dropkick. He hits a dragon screw but Nigel ducks a second attempt with a headbutt. Nigel hits a back bodydrop but Rave cuts off his momentum with a spear for 2. He hits the running knee for 2. He hits Ghanarrhea for 2. He gets a double leg takedown and puts on the heel hook we’ve heard so much about. Nigel gets to the ropes. He hits the Pedigree for 1. Nigel is all fired up. He jabs Rave into the corner and hits a running European uppercut. His injured running is hilarious looking. He hits the corner combo without the handstand prologue and then sets Rave up top. He hits the Tower of London for 2. He goes for another but Rave fights him off and hits a missile dropkick. He blocks the rebound lariat with a spear and puts the heel hook back on for the win. Had they kept the intensity they had in the opening minutes of the match this would have been a great short match. As it was Nigel’s selling was fantastic and the psychology was there, but like their last match it just wasn’t that exciting.
Rating: **½

Rave gets on the microphone and reminds Nigel that he disrespected him at Dethroned by throwing toilet paper at him. Tonight he made him tap, “like a little bitch.” Nigel responds with what I assume are some harsh words but he’s pretty much whispering and I can’t understand him. When Nigel turns his back Rave shoves him down and puts the heel hook back on. Nigel obviously went to the Kurt Angle school of selling a submission because that’s the most convincing display of pain I’ve seen in a while.

JZ says: There is a house in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun. And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God I know I’m one. My mother was a tailor, she sewed my new blue jeans. My father was a gamblin’ man down in New Orleans. Now the only thing a gambler needs is a suitcase and trunk. And the only time he’s satisfied is when he’s on a drunk. Oh mother tell your children not to do what I have done. Spend your lives in sin and misery in the House of the Rising Sun. Well I got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train. I’m goin’ back to New Orleans to wear that ball and chain. Well there is a house in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun. And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God I know I’m one. Rave wins with his new ankle submission at 12:04.
Rating: **½

INTERMISSION

BG says: Dave Prazak asks Bryan Danielson backstage during intermission if he paid off Brent Albright to injure Homicide. Danielson won’t answer that question and he isn’t worried about Samoa Joe. He announces that Jimmy Rave is his other partner for the six-man tag match tomorrow night. He likes Rave’s new vicious streak, and Rave is eager to finish Nigel off for good.

JZ says: Dave Prazak foregoes any kind of objectivity and yells at Bryan Danielson. The Champion sets Prazak straight and adds Jimmy Rave to his team for the six-man match tomorrow night.

MATCH #6: Delirious & Ace Steel vs. Adam Pearce & Shane Hagadorn

BG says: Pearce brings a strap with him to the ring. Steel immediately annoys me by messing with and trying to talk to Delirious during his pre-match sit n’ stare. Steel and Pearce start. Pearce grabs a headlock but runs into a hiptoss. Steel misses a dropkick and Pearce misses a series of elbowdrops. Todd Sinclair cheats in Steel’s favor by kicking Pearce’s hands off the ropes and into a sunset flip from Steel. As I’ve said before I’ll say again here; the rules of wrestling dictate that Sinclair should have told Steel to break his hold on Pearce since he was in the ropes. Why do all the annoying elements of wrestling (the rope spot, Steel and Sinclair in general) have to come together in this one moment! Steel bits Pearce’s ass (sigh) and he falls to the floor. Hagadorn and Delirious tag in and my stress level immediately falls. Delirious slams Hagadorn to the mat but misses the soccer kick. He puts on a full nelson and drops Hagadorn from the top turnbuckle. Steel tags in and hits an elbowdrop for 2. Hagadorn blocks a blind charge and Pearce hits a clothesline from the apron. Pearce tags in and hits an elbowdrop. Hagadorn comes in illegally and hits a vertical suplex for 2. Pearce tags in and hits a second rope elbowdrop for 2. Delirious tags in but the referee doesn’t see it and decides that this time he won’t let a tag he doesn’t see stand, despite not seeing a ton of the Pearce/Hagadorn illegal exchanges. Sinclair simply isn’t effective at working these spots. Hagadorn hits a kneedrop on Steel for 2. He puts on a chinlock and the crowd must be as bored as me because someone’s hat gets thrown into the ring. Hagadorn hits a knee to the gut and tags to Pearce. Hagadorn hits a guillotine elbowdrop for 2. Pearce and Steel bump heads, which allows Delirious to make the tag. The crowd is silent through his big comeback. Steel and Delirious hit a double back bodydrop on Pearce. They slingshot Hagadorn into the ring and ram him into Pearce. Pearce and Hagadorn fall into the gay spots you’ve seen on WWE TV over and over again. Delirious hits Pearce with the Panic Attack and the heels fall into another gay pose. Delirious hits Pearce with a leaping clothesline and Steel hits the Widow’s Peak on Hagadorn. Delirious follows up with the Cobra Stretch on Hagadorn for the win. I spent most of the match trying not to have a nervous breakdown. I gave the reasons why during the play-by-play. Fast forward through this for your own sanity.
Rating: DUD

JZ says: The sound of Ace Steel’s music makes me want to rip my ears off. I really don’t get why Steel has spades on his tights. He does the same old shtick, and he adds barking in Delirious’ ear for some reason. As one would imagine, they do a lot of goofy stuff in between stalling. Delirious seems to be the only one interested in doing anything, as he works on Hagadorn. Steel gets tagged back in and soon the heels take turns beating on him. Delirious finally makes the hot tag and Steel is immediately recovered to help his partner double team Pearce and Hagadorn. They have to do the “heels fall in gay positions” spot that was played like three years ago. Delirious then puts the Cobra Stretch on Hagadorn to get the win at 11:11. That was a whole lot of nothing much.
Rating: ½*

MATCH #7: Colt Cabana vs. Jimmy Jacobs

BG says: Cabana talks trash about Lacey before the match, which draws slaps from Jacobs. Cabana fires back and they slug it out. Cabana suplexes Jacobs to the mat a couple of times so Jacobs bails. Cabana pulls Jacobs back into the ring and slugs him down. Lacey trips Cabana up but it doesn’t stop him from hitting a back elbow. He goes after Lacey and catches Jacobs with a right hand on the floor. He chases Lacey into the ring and catches Jacobs coming of the top with a punch to the gut. He sends Jacobs into the post and forces Lacey to hump Jacobs’s butt. See, now that’s a NEW twist on the tired old shtick. That’s why Cabana is funny and Ace Steel is the Carrot Top of comedy wrestling. He hits the Flying Asshole on Jacobs and then punches him in the ropes. They fight on the apron where Lacey successfully trips Cabana. Jacobs hits a series of double stomps and an elbowdrop. He rams Cabana into the barricade and hits a forearm off of it. The brawl slows down as Jacobs appears to be injured. Cabana throws Jacobs head first into the barricade and rolls him back into the ring. He climbs the ropes and hits a crossbody. He hits a powerbomb and puts on the Chicago Crab. Lacey gets in the ring and tosses powder into Cabana’s eyes, drawing the disqualification. This took a dip in quality after they went to the floor and never had a chance to recover.
Rating: *½

Daizee Haze runs out and hits Lacey with the heart punch. Jacobs pulls her off and Lacey catches her with a neckbreaker. She tells Jacobs to hurt her so he spears her across the ring. Cabana gets back to his feet and goes after Lacey but Brent Albright runs out and suplexes Cabana off of her. Albright and Jacobs hold Cabana’s legs apart and Lacey stomps on his groin with her high-heeled shoe. BJ Whitmer makes the save after the fact. Delirious comes back out and asks Whitmer to be one of his partners in the six-man tag match tomorrow night. Whitmer will take any chance he can to get his hands on Jacobs so he accepts. Nigel McGuinness staggers out and asks to be on the team as well so that he can get some revenge on Jimmy Rave. The match may not have been much but the angle got a lot accomplished.

JZ says: The crowd gives Lacey the Hacksaw Jim Duggan treatment. This feud is the most entertaining thing ROH has going right now. Cabana correctly calls Jacobs pussy-whipped, and Jacobs gets pissed. Cabana overpowers Jacobs to start while Lacey screeches on the outside. Jimmy Bower succinctly sums up the feud as the battle spills to the floor. Cabana brings Lacey into the ring as Bower can’t help but ogle her. Cabana tosses Jacobs shoulder first into the ring post and simulates Lacey doing something not very nice to Jacobs. Cabana continues to dominate until Lacey trips him on the ring apron and Jacobs recovers and hits the repeated double stomps and an elbow drop. They keep fighting on the floor and Cabana regains control and throws Jacobs into the barricade. Back in the ring Cabana channels Jimmy Snuka and hits a high cross body block and a powerbomb into the Billy Goat’s Curse. Lacey comes into the ring and throws powder in Cabana’s eyes, drawing the DQ at 7:22. Daizee Haze comes out and takes Lacey down. Lacey commands Jimmy to “get her” and he spears Daizee out of her shoes, literally. That’s a cool spot. Cabana goes after Lacey, which brings out Brent Albright, who suplexes Cabana. Albright and Jacobs pull Cabana’s legs apart and Lacey kicks him in the nuts with her high heel, which looked absolutely intensely painful. BJ Whitmer comes out for the save. The match wasn’t much, but it wasn’t intended to be; it was all for the angle and it did its job perfectly. Delirious then comes out to the ring to add BJ Whitmer to his team for tomorrow night. Nigel McGuinness then comes out and he gets added to the team as well. So tomorrow night’s main event is Bryan Danielson, Jimmy Jacobs and Jimmy Rave versus Delirious, BJ Whitmer, and Nigel McGuinness.
Rating: *½

MATCH #8: Austin Aries & Roderick Strong vs. Matt Sydal & Shingo

BG says: This is under Dragon Gate (scramble) rules and is happening because ROH loves Dragon Gate style matches. Strong and Sydal start. Sydal is limping already. He hits a pair of armdrags but Strong comes back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Aries and Shingo come in and Shingo hits a bodyslam. Aries hits the basement dropkick and tags to Strong. Sydal tags in and slingshots into a boot. Strong blocks a blind charge but runs into a leg lariat. Sydal hits a legdrop for 2. Strong launches Sydal across the ring and tags to Aries. Aries hits a slingshot splash for 2. He hits a springboard moonsault for 2. Strong tags in and hits a butterfly suplex for 2. Aries tags in and hits a slingshot elbowdrop for 2. Strong tags in and they hit a double atomic drop and a double back suplex for 2. Strong puts on the leggy nelson before rolling Sydal up for 2. After Todd Sinclair confuses the hell out of everyone Aries tags in and misses a senton after Strong hits a slingshot suplex. Shingo runs in and hits a clothesline on Aries. He hits a bodyslam and a fistdrop for 2. He puts on a chinlock and tags to Sydal. Sydal gets a roll up for 2. He puts on a seated abdominal stretch and my mind wanders to thoughts of the tater tots I want to make tonight. Sydal gets another roll up for 2. He hits a dropkick in the corner but gets cocky and Strong nails him with a big boot. Sydal hits the slingshot dropkick in the corner for 2. Shingo comes in and hits a kneedrop and a giant swing for 2. Sydal comes in and hits a pair of nice double-team moves with Shingo for 2. He sets Aries up top but Aries blocks the hurricanrana. He fights Shingo off and goes for a sunset flip. Shingo rolls through but gets caught with a hurricanrana. Strong tags in and hits an enziguiri. He hits a dropkick on Shingo and a back bodydrop on Sydal. He hits the falcon arrow on Shingo for 2. Shingo forces Strong to powerbomb Aries and Sydal hits a standing moonsault for 2. That was a bit contrived. Sydal dives onto Strong on the floor and Aries hits a forearm on Shingo. Shingo comes back with a gutwrench throw for 2. He climbs the ropes but Strong cuts him off and hits a superplex. He hits the uranage backbreaker for 2. Sydal hits the shoulder-based DDT on Strong for 2. That is always impressive. Aries blocks the Slice and hits a back suplex. He hits the corner dropkick and a super brainbuster for 2 when Shingo saves. Shingo hits a lariat on Strong for 2. Sydal gets a roll up on Strong for 2. Aries and Strong come back with a soccer kick-spinebuster-450 splash sequence for the win. Confusion, general awkwardness and Sydal’s injury brought this down a lot and it gets all its points solely for innovation. I expected a lot more from this.
Rating: ***¼

JZ says: Strong and Sydal start it out, and this one should be fast-paced, so I might have trouble keeping up. Strong knocks Sydal outside the ring and follows him out, so Aries and Shingo come in. Allison Danger accompanies Matt Sydal to ringside, since he is the Tag Team Championship partner of Christopher Daniels. Sydal is showing a bit more of a heelish edge, perhaps picked up while teaming with Shingo and others in the Blood Generation faction in Dragon Gate. Danger’s incessant screeching is almost as bad as Lacey’s. Like Sydal needs her to tell him to get his foot on the ropes. Strong and Aries are just laying the abuse in on Sydal. Since this is Dragon Gate Rules Sydal just rolls out of the ring and Shingo comes in. He beats on Aries for a bit and then tags out to Sydal, who abuses Sydal while Shingo mocks Strong. Strong gets tagged in and he’s on fire but the crowd for some reason is not. They do some stuff and Sydal busts out that awesome DDT from the shoulders of Strong and Aries has to break up that pin. After a bunch more moves Aries hits Sydal with the 450 and it’s over at 19:22. They did some really cool stuff but for whatever reason could never sustain any crowd heat and the match kinda fell flat in that respect.
Rating: ***¼

MATCH #9: ROH World Title Steel Cage Match – Bryan Danielson vs. Samoa Joe

BG says: A video hyping up the World Championship main event is shown while the cage is being set up. It’s a decent video, but I’ve seen better from ROH.

It’s going to kill me to hear Jimmy Bower say “excape” over and over again during this match. Considering the amount of times these two have interacted in ROH and how long they’ve both been in the company it’s weird to think that this is only the third time they’ve fought over the World Championship. They lock up to start. Danielson tries to ram Joe’s face into the cage but Joe blocks. They trade headbutts and Danielson goes down. Danielson tries to escape but Joe slaps him down. Joe hits a powerslam and a low blow. Danielson tries to go out through the door but Joe drags him back in. Danielson hits a roaring forearm and tries to go over the top again. Joe brings him down with a backdrop. Danielson tries to run over the top again but Joe brings him down and forearms his head into the cage. Joe stomps Danielson’s head and Danielson bleeds. Danielson blocks Joe from attacking the wound and tries to avoid the challenger altogether. Homicide runs out and throws Joe the ghetto fork. Joe tries to jab it into Danielson’s wound but he blocks the attempt and lays in some forearms. Joe gets a running start and rams the fork into the wound. He pounds Danielson over and over with the fork and then puts it up his butt. That was unnecessary. Joe rams Danielson’s head into the cage and then puts the fork back into Danielson’s forehead. The referee tries to get the fork so Joe gets in his face. Joe hits an enziguiri on Danielson and chops him down for 2. Both men climb to the top rope where Joe hits a big kick to the ribs. Danielson falls to the mat and Joe gets 2. Joe hits a powerbomb for 2 and puts on the STF. He puts his fingernails into Danielson’s wound and then locks in a crossface. Danielson rolls back for 2. Joe sets him up top and goes for the Muscle Buster but Danielson fights him off and tries to escape. Joe knocks him off the top and starts to climb himself. Danielson brings him off the top with a back superplex. He climbs the ropes and hits a diving headbutt for 2. He tries to go out through the door but Joe drags him back in. Danielson hits the Regalplex for 2. He climbs the ropes again and hits Joe with a dropkick. He puts on the crossface chicken wing but Joe escapes by shoving Danielson into the cage. Danielson tries to escape again but Joe brings him down with a Manhattan drop. He hits a big boot and a senton for 2. Danielson gets a roll up for 2 but Joe counters to the choke. Danielson goes for the Bret Hart corner counter and gets 2. He gets another roll up for 2. Joe gets a roll up for 2. He gets the rolling cradle for 2. He hits a lariat for 2. Danielson hangs him in the Tree of Woe and elbows his knee and head relentlessly. He goes to escape as Todd Sinclair cheats by pulling Joe out of the Tree of Woe. Danielson gets over the top of the cage but Joe grabs him in the choke. Danielson passes out but never taps and his body weight pulls him to the floor and he retains.

This was a pretty redundant cage match. For a match that’s supposed to be a violent feud-ender they pretty much gave up on the big time violence after Sinclair got pissy about the fork. The finish was cute but not satisfying in any way. This was pretty mediocre as far as ROH cage matches go.
Rating: ***½

JZ says: We get a short video package before the match, showing highlights of all of their past matches together; it’s well done. Danielson has been the champion since 9.17.05, and this is his astounding thirty-eighth defense. The winner of this one will face Homicide at Final Battle, but all eyes are on this cage match for the time being. Danielson foolishly tries to headbutt Joe; he must have forgotten that he’s Samoan. It’s all Samoa Joe in the early going, as Danielson keeps trying to escape. Danielson gets busted open. Joe continues to control the match and Homicide comes down and gives Joe a ghetto fork. That seems highly unfair. Joe continues to work on the head of Danielson, making him bleed more. Joe then sticks the fork in his ass, which makes me a bit uncomfortable. Joe continues to abuse Danielson, hitting some stiff kicks and locking on an STF. Danielson finally comes back and hits a superplex, his first offense of the match. He follows that with a diving headbutt. He hits an impressive Regal Plex for two. Joe comes back with one of his combos for a near fall. Danielson didn’t learn his lesson from the street fight because he tries an Ohkana roll and Joe gets the choke on. Danielson tries the Bret Hart pin out of the sleeper but it gets two. Joe comes back with the rolling cradle, which I don’t think I’ve seen in a while, but it gets two. A big lariat gets two. Danielson climbs to the top of the cage and Joe follows him and locks the choke on while Danielson is hanging above the floor. He slips out of Joe’s grasp and falls to the floor to win the match and retain the title at 20:42. That was a good intense match, but the result was never in question. Still, it’s always fun to watch these guys go at it.
Rating: ***¾

Aftermath

BG says: Davey Richards is pretty upset with BJ Whitmer for helping Cross escape his submission hold and then winning the Four Corner Survival match. Richards now realizes that something is missing and that something is keeping him from success. He vows to win tomorrow night.

Adam Pearce wasn’t upset when he lost to Homicide and Samoa Joe when teaming with Steve Corino. He should have been upset for letting Corino and Jim Cornette down but instead he had a moment of clarity. The fans cheer Homicide even though he’s convinced that Homicide doesn’t care about them. Homicide only helped ROH when they were going to give him three wishes and then asks for things he knew shouldn’t be granted. Homicide deserved to be whipped at Cage of Death and he deserves to get whipped tomorrow night. One day Homicide will turn his back on ROH, so even though nobody thinks he can win he needs so he needs to whip Homicide because that’s all he has left. Good promo.

JZ says: Davey Richards is here to cut another boring promo that makes me wish he didn’t get to do these anymore. He promises to win tomorrow night (he faces Jay Briscoe).

Bryan Danielson makes Bobby Cruise announce him as “still the best wrestler in the world.”

Adam Pearce is backstage to talk about his strap match with Homicide tomorrow night. He says that Homicide claims to be a man of the people, but he actually doesn’t care about them. He proceeds to cut the best promo I’ve ever heard him cut, and it made me kind of excited to see the match.

MVP

BG says: Honestly I don’t think anyone stood out on this largely disappointing if solid show. I guess I’ll give it to Albright for effectively delivering his great new gimmick.

JZ says: I’m going to say Matt Cross again, just for being so darn impressive.

You can pick up this show, as well as all other ROH shows at ROH Wrestling Dot Com.

Coming soon will be our review of THE CHICAGO SPECTACULAR NIGHT TWO!

The 411: BG says: A lot of the matches were decent but the show as a whole is very disappointing. Both the main event and the tag match that preceded it should have been a lot better given the talent involved. The stuff that tried to be funny (Toland vs. Kikutaro, Steel/Delirious vs. Pearce/Hagadorn) flopped big time. Albright’s new character, the four way and the Jacobs/Cabana angle were nice surprises, but not enough to save this show. Hopefully night two will be better. JZ says: This was a bit underwhelming as far as ROH shows go. Looking at my match ratings, that shows how good ROH usually is, because if this were a TNA or WWE show it’d be silly good. ROH still seems to be in a holding pattern in terms of building up to Homicide’s big title win at Final Battle, and since I’m not much into that it’s hurting my enjoyment of some of these shows.

Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]