ROH – Throwdown DVD Review

ROH – THROWDOWN – DETROIT, MICHIGAN– 6.23.06

Review by Brad Garoon and Jacob Ziegler

Honor Roll 61 (as voted on by The ROH Message Board)

The first number in parentheses represents the position each wrestler was in on the last Honor Roll, and the second number represents how many consecutive Honor Rolls they have been listed.

This is the same Honor Roll as In Your Face

ROH WORLD CHAMPION: Bryan Danielson (since 9.17.05)
ROH PURE CHAMPION: Nigel McGuinness (since 8.27.05)
1) Colt Cabana (3, 3)
2) Christopher Daniels (4, 6)
3) Austin Aries (1, 13)
4) Homicide (2, 2)
5) Roderick Strong (5, 19)

Tag Team Honor Roll 1

The ROH Message Board finally got it together and started a Tag Team Honor Roll. This is the first edition.

This is the same Honor Roll as Destiny

ROH TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Austin Aries & Roderick Strong (since 12.17.05)
1) Jimmy Rave & Alex Shelley
2) Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli
3) The Briscoe Brothers
4) Irish Airborne
5) Homicide & Ricky Reyes

Introduction

BG says: ROH reminds you to watch the ROH Video Recap on the main menu before watching the event. It features a tease of the Jacobs/Whitmer fall from In Your Face and hype for the elimination three way match on this show. It also features hype for KENTA’s match on this show and the one following, Colt Cabana talking about his match in FIP against Bryan Danielson for the title and the match they’ll have in Chicago as a result of the controversial finish. You can watch this video for free on ROHVideos.com.

Shane Hagadorn kicks off the show with a little promo time. He says he’s the best graduate from the ROH Wrestling School because he’s the Top of the Class Trophy holder. ROH let him choose any partner from the training school that he wants, but Rhett Titus, Bobby Dempsey and some other third guy don’t cut the mustard.

JZ says: Shane Hagadorn starts off the show with promo time, because according to him he’s earned it. The other students are behind him, as Bobby Dempsey’s continued existence continues to irritate me. Hagadorn says he is on the main show tonight, and he gets to pick his own partner. He refuses to pick any of the other students, and I can’t say I blame him out of that lot.

MATCH #1: Irish Airborne vs. Shane Hagadorn & Keith Walker

BG says: Walker is a NOAH wrestler, probably just visiting with KENTA. Dave Crist and Hagadorn start. Dave starts in control and gets a roll up for 2. He puts on an armbar until Hagadorn hits a cheap shot to gain control. Dave hits a springboard armdrag and then jumps around on the ropes to hit another armdrag. Jake tags in and they hit a double spinebuster. Dave hits a moonsault press getting 2 for Jake. Jake hits a leg lariat but Hagadorn tags out to Walker. Walker hits a spinebuster and an overhead suplex from one corner to another. He hits a clothesline and a running forearm. He squishes Jake’s head against the post and then punts it from the floor. Back in the ring he gets 2. Hagadorn tags in and hits a knee to the gut. He runs over Jake’s back to stomp his head for 2. Jake blocks a blind charge and hits a facebuster and a neckbreaker. Dave tags in, knocks Walker off the apron and dives out onto him. The Irish Airborne follows up with the double stomp/DVD combo on Hagadorn for the win. The match didn’t flow well but that finisher is a great way to end an opener.
Rating: *¾

JZ says: I see that Keith Walker is gigantic. That’s the extent of my knowledge about him. Irish Airborne is extremely over here. Dave Prazak is joined by Jared David to call this event. One of the Crist brothers (Dave I think) looks like Randy Orton. Prazak calls Walker “the human massacre,” and apparently he’s worked for NOAH. The brothers show some good teamwork and dominate Hagadorn in the early going. When Walker tags in it’s a different story, as he takes immediate control. As soon as Hagadorn gets back in the Irish go back on offense and Jake makes the hot tag to Dave. The Crist brothers hit a double stomp to the back of the head / Death Valley driver on the knees combo to get the win at 7:03. That was a good little opener, as I like that they’re not rushing things with the Irish Airborne.
Rating: **

The Embassy

BG says: Daizee Haze tells Jimmy Rave to forget about Samoa Joe in the four-corner survival match tonight. Rave isn’t thinking about Joe or Delirious, he’s only focused on Davey Richards. He’s going to make the black eye he gave him in New York look like a little boo-boo compared to what he’ll do to him tonight.

JZ says: Prince Nana is excited about the four corner survival tonight. Daizee Haze says not to worry about Samoa Joe, and Rave agrees. He’s worried about Davey Richards, because I guess he gave him a black guy last week.

MATCH #2: ROH Pure Title Match – Nigel McGuinness vs. Conrad Kennedy III

BG says: As a way to further prove that he’s every bit the champion that Bryan Danielson is Nigel put out open contracts for his Pure Title. Much like Chris Sabin did last time ROH went through Detroit, local boy CK3 took advantage here. Nigel powers CK3 to the corner to start and then goes after the arm. CK3 grabs a hammerlock but Nigel reverses to a wristlock. Nigel hits a hammerlock DDT and keeps the hold on. CK3 puts on a modified stranglehold and turns it into a Sharpshooter. Nigel uses his first rope break to escape. He hits the punt/elbow combo out of the corner for 2. He puts on a cobra clutch and unwinds CK3 into a lariat for 2. He suplexes CK3 by his arm but CK3 comes back with a hammerlock lung blower for 2. That was neat. He hits a forearm and a clothesline for 2. Nigel hits a chinbreaker but CK3 hits a hammerlock neckbreaker for 2. Nigel hits the rebound lariat for 2. CK3 chops him out of the handstand and climbs the ropes. Nigel crotches him and hits the Tower of London for the win. There wasn’t much going on here outside of some of CK3’s unique offense.
Rating: **¼

JZ says: I’m a big fan of CKIII, and since Alex Shelley stole a lot of stuff from him I would guess he is too. Nigel is sporting a nice shiner. He has been champion since 8.27.05, and this is his thirteenth defense. CKIII earned this shot by answering Nigel’s open challenge, which was made to try and one-up ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson, who also has open contracts out. They trade armlocks and hammerlocks early on, because that’s what they do. Nigel further mocks Danielson by noting that he has till 5 to break a hold. CKIII takes control and works on the legs, putting on a sharpshooter. Nigel uses his first rope break. Nigel fights back out of the corner with European uppercuts and slaps the challenger around. Headstand in the corner bears fruit for Nigel, but it only gets two. CKIII comes back with a modified lung blower. Clothesline gets two. Nigel comes back with a big lariat but it only gets two. Nigel hits the Tower of London finally go get the three-count at 9:39. That was a pretty mediocre match, but I would still like to see more of CKIII.
Rating: **½

MATCH #3: Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Colt Cabana & Ace Steel

BG says: The Saints attack before the bell. They dump Jay and clobber Mark. Steel hits a dropkick and Cabana hits the Flying Asshole. Steel hits a dropkick to the back for 2. Steel hits a backbreaker on Mark and puts on a double-team pendulum with Cabana. Jay breaks it up. Steel hits a back suplex on Mark for 2. Cabana tags in and hits a back elbow for 2. Mark hits a forearm and tags to Jay. Jay hits a hurricanrana and a dropkick. He hits a running forearm and a fisherman suplex for 2. Cabana blocks a blind charge and tags to Steel. Steel comes off the top with an elbow to the face. He this a stiff kick to the back for 2. Mark makes a blind tag and this a springboard dropkick to the back. He hits a vertical suplex for 2. Jay tags in and gets hit with a series of forearms. Cabana tags in and gets 2. Jay drop toeholds him onto the second rope where Mark hits a knee strike. He tags in and hits a slingshot double stomp for 2. Jay tags in and hits a second rope Rocker Dropper for 2. He hits a dropkick for 2. Mark tags in and they hit a double shoulder tackle for 2. Cabana fights back and tags to Steel. They knock Jay off the apron and Steel hits a back suplex. Mark bails so the Saints hit stereo baseball slides. Steel goes out with a suicide dive as Cabana flies with a plancha. Back in the ring Steel hits a cannonball and a kneedrop off the top. He hits a senton for 2. Mark hits him with a side suplex for 2. Jay tags in and hits a Yakuza kick for 2. Steel ducks the Doomsday Device and tags to Cabana. Cabana moonsaults onto both Briscoes for 2. He this the Flying Asshole on Mark and a tornado suplex on Jay for 2. He hiptosses Mark out of the ring and tags to Steel. Steel hits an elevated top rope bulldog for 2. Things get a little sloppy just before Jay hits the Jay Driller on Steel. It gets 2 when Cabana saves. Mark knocks Cabana to the floor and the Briscoes hit the spike Jay Driller on Steel for the win. They struggled through this match and as usual Steel added nothing, but at least the right team went over.
Rating: **½

Jay gets on the microphone and says the Briscoes are better than ever and the tag belts aren’t safe around the waists of Strong and Aries. It’s time to man up boys.

JZ says: These two Saints haven’t teamed together in a long time. Steel and Cabana attack right at the bell and toss Jay outside the ring. Mark gets beat up for a few minutes with some solid teamwork. Mark makes the hot tag and Jay comes in and kills Cabana with a hurricanrana, a dropkick and a fisherman’s suplex. Ace Steel comes in and he gets beat up by the brothers from Delaware as well. Steel makes a comeback and tags Cabana in, who executes a few pinning combinations. That doesn’t last long though, as Jay decides to go back on offense. Cabana fires back with a series of chops and his Dusty Rhodes tribute. He makes the tag to Ace, who hits a super duper contrived back suplex. You tell me what the FUCK Briscoe was going for there. Cabana come back in and hits a tornado perfect plex for two. Top rope bulldog by Ace also gets two. Ace says someone is going to die, and he almost kills Jay seconds after saying that. Jay hits the Jay Driller though, and Cabana has to break it up. A moment later the Briscoes hit a Spike Jay Driller to get the win at 13:20. That had a lot of stuff in it, but it was lots of “you do this and I’ll do this,” and I got tired of it after a while. That was probably my least favorite match of the Briscoes’ since their comeback. To make things better, they get on the microphone to say something. It sounds something like they’re going to win the tag team titles from Austin Aries and Roderick Strong.
Rating: **¼

MATCH #4: Four Corner Survival Match – Jimmy Rave vs. Samoa Joe vs. Delirious vs. Davey Richards

BG says: In the hot building a match that went as long as this made me want to pass out. This is one case where not doing play-by-play for four corner survival matches is really going to pay off. The opening moments of the match see Richards dominating Delirious and asking for Joe to come in so he can prove himself. Joe tags in but Rave spoils the party by tagging him out. Joe gets back in but now Delirious wants the tough competition. Joe shows him why it’s a bad idea. Richards tags Delirious out and Joe dominates him with chops. Every time Joe knocks Richards out Rave runs in and takes a cheap shot. Joe gets tired of Rave picking up his scraps and knocks him down with an enziguiri. The match goes on without much of note happening until Delirious starts to dominate Joe. Joe eventually cuts him off with a Manhattan drop, a big boot and a senton. Richards starts springing all over the ropes and ring to put all of his opponents down in impressive fashion. He starts kicking at Rave’s eye but Delirious keeps him from getting the win. Richards unloads on Joe with kicks and gets a near fall with a German suplex. Nana gets in Joe’s face and ends up eating his boot. Joe puts the choke on Rave but Delirious breaks it up with Shadows Over Hell. He puts the cobra stretch on the unconscious Jimmy Rave immediately after for the win. This was a lot less boring than I remembered it being, but I have the added benefit now of sitting in an air-conditioned room rather than a sweltering field house.
Rating: ***¼

JZ says: Rave, Nana, and Daizee get the usual toilet paper treatment, so Nana gets on the mic to calm Rave down and get him psyched up for the match. I don’t like Davey Richards’s entrance music or his sissy little robe. Joe doesn’t look intimidated by anyone out there, which makes him the most badass. Joe’s various handshakes with the other three guys are all great. Richards and Delirious starts it off, and Richards foolishly asks for Joe. Delirious takes over with some cool mat wrestling. Richards does an unnecessary neck bridge, a la Bryan Danielson. Joe tags in to go against Richards, but Rave tags himself in before Joe can kill him. Delirious and Joe end up in the ring together, a prelude to their singles match that will take place tomorrow night in Chicago. Joe dominates, going to work on the arm. He also convinces Delirious to take an ill-advised dive off the top rope. Joe of course moves out of the way. Richards and Joe finally get in the ring with each other, and Joe proves that he’s tougher. Rave tries to intervene but that is short lived. Joe kills both Richards and Rave. Rave finally tags in and he goes to work on Richards. Everyone pretty much gets a turn with everyone, with most of the focus going on Rave and Richards. Joe and Delirious go at it for a while until Rave breaks it up and hits a big spear on Delirious. He follows it with a nice gutbuster / DDT combination for two. Richards comes in and goes for the butterfly brainbuster which gets reversed, so he hits his ridiculous springboard spinning kick. He goes nuts on everyone and kicks Rave in the face. Richards and Joe go at it again and Richards hits a bunch of kicks and a German suplex that gets two despite Joe’s shoulder not being down. Delirious comes in and delivers a crossbody and him and Richards spill outside. Nana comes in and challenges Joe and eats a kick to the face for his troubles. He pie faces Daizee Haze and puts the Choke on, allowing Delirious to hit the Shadows Over Hell and lock the Cobra Stretch on Rave to get the win at 22:27. That was much better than I remember it being live, but it was still a typical ROH four-way.
Rating: ***¼

Intermission

BG says: Dave Prazak catches up with the Briscoes at intermission. The Briscoes feel like the night is young and they need to do more to earn their pay.

An advertisement for FIP’s Big Year One Bash is shown. It doesn’t get all the way through as Claudio Castagnoli and Necro Butcher invade the building and Jimmy Bower demands the camera show that. You can see a full review of those FIP shows right here.

Claudio starts cutting a cookie cutter heel promo but it doesn’t last long before Adam Pearce runs out to take him out of the ring. Necro Butcher attacks Pearce from behind and their match is on.

JZ says: Dave Prazak is with the Briscoe Brothers, who are bragging about their victory earlier tonight, and it seems like they have more in store for tonight.

Full Impact Pro DVDs are available at ROH Wrestling Dot Com. We hear Jimmy Bower calling for Artie, and apparently Prazak and David are needed back at ringside, because Claudio Castagnoli and Necro Butcher are making their way in from the crowd before intermission is even over. Claudio cuts a promo about how great he is and how CZW will win the war against ROH. He also degrades the fans. He introduces Necro Butcher, and Adam Pearce has had enough. We’ve got a match!

MATCH #5: Falls Count Anywhere – Adam Pearce vs. Necro Butcher

BG says: Pearce starts things off with a delayed brainbuster. Necro bails and Pearce follows him out with a suicide dive. He hangs him on the barricade and smacks him with a chair for 2. Claudio gets involved and rams Pearce into the barricade. He throws Pearce into Necro who dumps him into the crowd. Necro starts throwing chairs at Pearce and then hits him with the chair-assisted bodyslam for 2. They slug it out and Pearce goes down. Necro throws another chair at him for 2. He puts on a figure 4 leglock but Pearce hits him with a chair to escape. Pearce bleeds from the back of the head as they fight to ringside. Pearce punches a chair into Necro’s face for 2. He goes for a piledriver but Necro counters with a backdrop. Necro wraps a chair around Pearce’s throat and rams him into the post. That was sick. Pearce hits a powerslams Necro onto a pile of chairs in the crowd. He brings him back to ringside with a bodyslam and then gets back into the ring. Necro comes back with a back suplex but ends up taking a backbreaker on the hard end of two chairs. That looked worse than the backbreaker that Bane used to defeat Batman. Pearce sets a chair across Necro’s chest and climbs the ropes. He hits the big splash for 2 but Claudio runs in and breaks up the pin. The referee throws out the match as a result. That’s a total bullshit call in a match without disqualifications. I’m especially disappointed because they were drawing me in with the mounting violence. I was pleasantly surprised with this because my memory of it live was nonexistent.
Rating: ***¼

Claudio and Necro continue beating on Pearce after the match until Homicide predictably but no less excitingly makes the save. He sure has bailed Pearce out a lot in this feud.

JZ says: Pearce dominates to start, and it looks weird because the house lights are still on fro m intermission. Pearce hits a … interesting dive on the floor. He drapes him on the guardrail and goes for chair and nails Nero with it. Claudio breaks it up, so Pearce goes after him and beats him up too. Butcher recovers and starts beating up Pearce. They start trading punches to the face. Necro knocks Pearce down and puts on a figure-four leglock on the floor. The back of Pearce’s head is busted open now. They head back toward the ring with Necro mostly in control. He continues to dominate Pearce with the help of a chair. This one still hasn’t gotten back in the ring. Pearce comes back and launches Necro onto a pile of chairs at ringside. They get back into the ring, and Necro takes the nastiest looking backbreaker I’ve ever seen. He lays the chair across Necro and goes for the big splash and hits it. Claudio breaks up the pin attempt though, and the referee calls for the bell at 9:19. I hate disqualifications in falls-count-anywhere or other no-rules type matches. That was a pretty fun little brawl though. Claudio and Necro continue to beat up Pearce until some familiar music hits and our next match is on.
Rating: **½

MATCH #6: Homicide vs. Claudio Castagnoli

BG says: Claudio attacks before the bell but Homicide comes back with a head scissors takedown. He hits an armdrag and a dropkick and Claudio bails. Homicide follows him out and rams him into the barricade. He jabs a chair at Claudio’s face and then smacks him with it. He puts up some sheet metal in the corner of the guardrail and tosses Claudio into it. Back in the ring Homicide hits an overhead suplex. He hits a back elbow or leg lariat (I’m not sure which) for 2. He puts on a crossface but Claudio gets to the ropes. Claudio bails so Homicide follows him out with his tope. Back in the ring Homicide comes off the top rope with a crossbody for 2. He sets Claudio up top but Claudio fights back and drives his knee into Homicide’s chest. He hits a European uppercut and a snap mare for 2. He hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2. He puts on a chinlock but Homicide fights out and puts on a sleeper hold. Claudio cuts him off with a scary back bodydrop. He hits a vertical suplex and a second rope elbowdrop for 2. He climbs the ropes but Homicide brings him down with a hurricanrana. He hits a back bodydrop and climbs the ropes. He comes down with a bulldog for 2. Claudio sets Homicide up top but gets brought down with a DDT. It gets 2 for Homicide. Homicide hits an Ace Crusher for 2. He climbs the ropes but Claudio cuts him off with a kick and brings him down with a modified Iconoclasm for 2. He hits the Alpamare Waterslide for 2. Homicide blocks the Ricola bomb and goes for the Three Amigos. He only hits two suplexes before Claudio blocks. Homicide comes back with a hiptoss and a frog splash for 2. Claudio unloads with European uppercuts but Homicide blocks one and hits the lariat for the win. This didn’t even come close to Homicide’s match against Hero from In Your Face but was a decent match none the less. Homicide has now beaten CZW’s three major players single handedly.
Rating: ***

JZ says: Homicide dominates to start, but the battle soon spills to the floor. Homicide nails Claudio with a chair and removes one of the guardrails. By the way, Homicide has already beaten Necro Butcher and Chris Hero. He tosses Claudio into that barricade he set up. Back in the ring and Homicide is still in control. Every time Claudio tries something Homicide is able to counter it. Claudio finally comes back with his favorite maneuver, the European Uppercut. Claudio continues to control the match and gives Homicide a very scary looking back body drop. Claudio goes up top but Homicide knocks him down and hits a hurricanrana. Bulldog off the top gets two for Homicide. Ace Crusher gets two. Iconoclasm by Claudio gets two. Alpamare Water Slide gets two as well. They trade moves for a while until Homicide gets in a tribute to Eddie Guerrero. I kinda feel like that sort of stuff should be reserved for Chavo or people who were actually friends with Eddie. Homicide nails the lariat to get the pin at 15:53. He has now beaten Chris Hero, Necro Butcher, and Claudio Castagnoli. He’s the CZW killer! Match was okay but nothing memorable. Homicide didn’t seem much interested in selling.
Rating: **¾

MATCH #7: ROH World Title Three-Way Elimination Match – Bryan Danielson vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Jimmy Jacobs

BG says: The number one contender’s match on In Your Face went to a no contest so now we have this elimination three way dance for the title. Danielson goes after Jacobs at the bell. Whitmer goes after Danielson and Jacobs picks up the scraps. Jacobs slaps Whitmer and they trade strikes. Danielson hits a dropkick on Whitmer and the airplane spin on Jacobs. Whitmer dropkicks Danielson to stop the spinning. He hits a leg lariat but Danielson goes to the eyes. Danielson puts the Mexican surfboard on Whitmer and Jacobs runs in and chops him. Danielson lets Whitmer down so Jacobs dropkicks Whitmer’s face. Jacobs this a seated dropkick on Danielson for 2. He hits a double stomp for 2. Danielson dropkicks Whitmer to the floor and hits a backbreaker on Jacobs for 2. He sets Jacobs up top but Jacobs fights him off and hits a dropkick. Whitmer hits a back elbow on Jacobs for 2. He hits a snap suplex for 2. He dumps Danielson to the floor as Lacey hogs all the heat. Danielson hits a German suplex on Whitmer who at the same time hits an exploder on Jacobs. Whitmer hits a back suplex on Danielson and follows up with a knee to the face for 2. He hits a German suplex but Danielson comes back with a dragon suplex for 2. He puts on the Cow Killer as the crowd demands Jacobs get back in the match. Jacobs heeds their call by breaking up the Cow Killer with a top rope senton. It gets 2 on Danielson. He hits a DVD on Whitmer for 2. Whitmer blocks the Contra Code but helps Jacobs hit the doomsday hurricanrana on Danielson for 2. That was an excellent touch. Whitmer hits a lariat on Jacobs for 2. He goes for the powerbomb into the crowd but Jacobs blocks it and hits a powerbomb/super Contra Code combo with Danielson to eliminate him. How poetic that Whitmer would be eliminated by a move he used to perform with Jacobs when they teamed.

Danielson congratulates Jacobs for not HUSSing at the crowd’s request but then hits a cheap shot. He hangs Jacobs on the top rope and dropkicks him to the floor. He follows him out and rams him into the barricade. He sets a chair on Jacobs face and stomps it. Back in the ring he works over Jacobs’ nose, drawing blood. He hits a kneedrop for 2. He punts Jacobs low in the abdomen and hits a snap suplex. He climbs the ropes and hits the headbutt for 2. He puts on the Cow Killer but Jacobs gets to the ropes. The crowd gets behind Jacobs as Danielson opens up with forearms. Jacobs counters the roaring forearm with a spear. He hits an enziguiri and a fisherman neckbreaker for 2. Danielson blocks a blind charge but falls into another spear. It gets 2 for Jacobs. Danielson blocks the Contra Code and hits the Regalplex for 2. Jacobs sits down on a sunset flip attempt for 2. He hits the Contra Code for 2. The crowd totally bought that as the finish and rejects the two count. Jacobs puts the Cow Killer on Danielson and the crowd tells him to tap. Danielson powers out and hits a powerful armdrag. He hits the roaring forearm and a series of elbows. He locks in the crossface chicken wing and Jacobs taps. Well that was hands down Jacobs’ best match ever and a great effort from all three men when it was a triple threat match.
Rating: ****¼

JZ says: Whitmer and Jacobs had a #1 Contender’s match last week at In Your Face, where Whitmer powerbombed Jacobs into the crowd and the match was declared a no-contest. Thus they both get the title shot in this elimination match. Danielson is introduced as “the most heterosexual man in this ring.” Jacobs refuses to shake hands with Whitmer, because Lacey would disapprove. They do some cool mat wrestling amongst the three of them to start. Danielson reverses Jacobs’s headscissors into the airplane spin in a cool spot. Whitmer breaks it up with a dropkick and he goes to work on the champion. Danielson comes back and puts on the surfboard. Jacobs takes the opportunity to chop Whitmer a few times in a cool spot. Then he takes the opportunity to go to work on Danielson as an audible “Jimmy Jacobs” chant breaks out. He takes the champion down with a missile dropkick. Whitmer comes back in and knocks Jacobs down and gets a two count. Whitmer hits an exploder on Jacobs while Danielson hits a German Suplex on Whitmer and Jacobs rolls to the floor. Whitmer and Danielson exchange holds until Danielson locks on the Cattle Mutilation. Jacobs hits a senton to break it up. He follows that with an impressive Death Valley Driver on Whitmer. He goes for the Contra Code but Whitmer blocks it. Danielson knocks Whitmer down and goes for the super back suplex but Jacobs elbows out of it. This leads to the former tag team champions hitting the Doomsday Hurricanrana for a very close near fall. A pissed off Whitmer kills Jacobs with a lariat. Whitmer sets Jacobs up in the same corner where they almost died back in March. Thankfully Jacobs blocks it and goes for the Super Contra Code. Whitmer reverses that to the powerbomb position again, but Danielson breaks it up. He assists Jacobs in nailing the Contra Code this time and Whitmer is eliminated at 13:24. Both Danielson and Jacobs are hearing their names chanted. Danielson offers a handshake and says they don’t have to do this anymore, but he was just kidding. Danielson goes to work and dismantles the challenger. Jacobs is getting some really good underdog babyface heat here. In case you forgot, Danielson has till 5, referee. The champion puts on Cattle Mutilation but Jacobs reaches the ropes. Danielson is just murdering Jacobs here. He comes back though with a flurry ending with a nice step up enziguiri and a spinning suplex. Danielson goes up to the second rope but Jacobs hits a spear. Danielson comes back with a Regal-plex for two. The champion sets up for the super back suplex, but Jacobs goes for the Contra Code, and Danielson throws him over his shoulder. Danielson delivers a sunset flip off the top and Jacobs falls on him Davey Boy Smith style for an awesome near fall. The Contra Code a few seconds later leads to another awesome near-fall. The crowd chants “bullshit” at that one. He puts on the Cattle Mutilation, but Danielson knows his own move and counters out of it. Danielson hits the elbows to the face and cinches in the cross-face chicken wing and Jacobs taps out at 24:47. That was a terrific three-way match, on par with the one from the week before with Joe and KENTA and Danielson, but in a very different way. Jacobs has the underdog babyface thing really down to a science, and the ruthless champion just took it to him. When Whitmer was there they did cool three-way spots that didn’t look too contrived, as many three-ways tend to do. If this doesn’t get Jacobs a full-time spot, I don’t know what will.
Rating: ****¼

MATCH #8: KENTA vs. Roderick Strong

BG says: Strong powers KENTA to the ropes and then makes a mark where he intends to chop him. He puts on a wristlock but KENTA goes after the leg. KENTA opens up with kicks until Strong hits the mark he made with chops. Strong puts on a hammerlock abdominal stretch but KENTA reverses to a headlock. KENTA hits a powerslam and puts on the Mark Nulty Special. Strong escapes and stomps the back. He hits a bodyslam and a backbreaker. He hits a back suplex for 2. He puts on the leggy nelson but KENTA rolls back for 2. Strong gets a roll up for 2 and puts on a camel clutch. KENTA gets to the ropes. He hangs Strong on the top rope and punts his chest. They fight to the floor where KENTA’s kicks and Strong’s chops make me cringe as they compete for who is stiffer. Back in the ring KENTA hits a pair of kicks to the back and then whiffs on the afterthought kick. He hits a back elbow for 2. He puts on a camel clutch but Strong powers out. Strong hits an enziguiri and gets a roll up for 2. He hits a back elbow and a leg lariat. He hits a dropkick for 2. He this a back heel kick but jumps into an Ace Crusher. KENTA hits a big boot and hangs Strong up in the corner. He hits another big boot and then hits a dropkick for 2. He hits a springboard dropkick but gets caught with a butterfly backbreaker. It gets 2 for Strong. Strong hits the uranage backbreaker and a tiger driver for 2. They trade strikes when they can’t hit their finishers and Strong hits an overhead suplex. KENTA hits a fisherman suplex and they clothesline each other down. KENTA counters the half nelson backbreaker to a German suplex for 2. He blocks the gutbuster and puts on a cloverleaf. Strong gets to the ropes. They fight to the apron where Strong hits a back suplex. Back in the ring he gets 2. He sets KENTA up top and hits a dropkick. He hits a superplex for 2. He puts on the Stronghold but KENTA gets to the ropes. Strong hits a second rope knee strike for 2. KENTA hits a second rope fisherman suplex for 2. Strong hits the gutbuster off the second rope for 2. He puts on the Stronghold but KENTA reverses it to a roll up for 2. KENTA hits a Rikishi Cutter and the Busaiku knee kick. He follows it up with Go 2 Sleep for the win. A lot of the match had no heat but even those portions were extremely hard fought. The match peaked in the middle instead of at the finish causing the finish to fall a bit flat. The move itself hit Strong in the chest not in the head and made Strong look weak in my opinion. All quibbling aside they still get a ton of credit for hitting each other so hard.
Rating: ***¾

The Briscoe Brothers run out and “earn their pay” by beating on Strong after the match. KENTA, possibly feeling guilty for allowing Joe to strike Danielson after their match the show before this, makes the save.

JZ says: They throw streamers for KENTA, so quick, someone on the message board analyze their choice of color and technique, because that kind of stuff is worth starting a thread about. They start off nice and slow, with both men playing mind games. KENTA goes to work on the leg. They trade a few holds and KENTA locks Strong in a headscissors. Strong comes back and starts working on the back. He throws in a few chops for good measure. The battle spills to the floor and Strong gets tossed into a barricade. Back in the ring KENTA puts on a painful looking camel clutch, but Strong breaks it. KENTA continues to control the action. Strong fights back with an enziguiri. He gets a rollup and hits a few moves, culminating in a wicked dropkick for two. KENTA comes back with his own kicks to the face, and he gets a near fall. Strong his a uranage backbreaker and a tiger driver (which I won’t call by the name Prazak calls it by). KENTA fights back and tries Go 2 Sleep, but Roderick blocks it, so KENTA blocks that, so Roderick chops him. They exchange slaps, which Strong wins, and then he delivers a belly to belly suplex. KENTA no-sells that and delivers a fisherman’s suplex, which Strong no sells, so each guy gets up ant they hit a double clothesline. Why should they sell? Strike combo by KENTA and he blocks a gutbuster and puts on the Texas Cloverleaf. Strong delivers a ridiculous belly to back suplex on the ring apron. That was cool. It only gets a two count though. Strong delivers a superplex, which gets two. The Strong Hold follows, then a Boston Crab. KENTA reaches the ropes. Strong goes for a super gutbuster, but KENTA blocks it but eats a big forearm and a flying knee to the face. They go back up for the super gutbuster, and this time it connects. The Strong Hold follows, and KENTA gets a rollup out of that. Big knee to the face by KENTA, who hits Go 2 Sleep right to Strong’s sternum and he gets the win at 21:30. The Briscoe Brothers come out to attack Strong, so KENTA fights them off. Call me crazy, but that match was nothing special, with a really slow beginning and a bunch of big moves piled on top of big moves with no rhyme or reason. Granted, it’s still Strong and KENTA, but this was not the amazing match both guys are capable of.
Rating: ***¼

Aftermath

BG says: Colt Cabana is fired up for his title shot tomorrow night in Chicago. He says that everything has lead up to that match, but as he said in the video recap this is already his third shot at the title against Danielson.

JZ says: Colt Cabana talks about driving down 94 to get to Chicago tomorrow night. An exit to that highway is RIGHT by my house! He says he’s coming for Bryan Danielson’s gold.

MVP

BG says: Jimmy Jacobs for getting the crowd to believe that he could win the title from Danielson and being an important part of the match of the night. What makes that great is that he’s actually the least likely person to put an end to Danielson’s reign but was still more believable in the role than guys higher up the card (Rave, Shelley, Romero) have been in the past.

JZ says: Jimmy Jacobs gets it for having the best match of his career and turning in to a believable threat. Like I said, if that doesn’t get him a full-time spot I don’t know what will.

THE FOLLOWING MATCH IS NOT ON THIS DVD

BONUS MATCH: Four Corner Survival Match – BJ Whitmer vs. Tony Mamaluke vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Alex Shelley, ROH Wrestlerave ‘03, 6.28.03

BG says: This was the debut match for both Jacobs and Shelley. Shelley and Mamaluke start things off. They fight on the mat until Jacobs tags in for Shelley. Mamaluke dominates on the mat until Shelley tags him out. The commentary is awful as Chris Lovey wrongly says that Jacobs had only been wrestling a year at this point. Jacobs and Shelley run through a lucha sequence that ends with Jacobs holding an armbar. Whitmer tags Jacobs out and hits an exploder on Jacobs and Shelley at the same time. Mamaluke comes in and takes out Whitmer’s leg. Whitmer uses his power to counter Mamaluke’s shooting. The commentators talk about the Pure Wrestling division as something unofficial at this point. Shelley hits a big boot on Mamaluke only to get hit by Jacobs with the same. Whitmer boots Jacobs out of the ring and hits a back elbow on Shelley for 2. Jacobs hits a big neckbreaker on Shelley and tags to Mamaluke. Mamaluke hits a scary side suplex on Shelley for 2. Whitmer tags in and continues the beat down on Shelley, hitting a vertical suplex for 2. Shelley blocks a hurricanrana from Jacobs by dropping him face first on the top turnbuckle. Mamaluke puts the Koji clutch on Shelley but Whitmer breaks it up with a diving headbutt. He hits a brainbuster on Mamaluke for 2. Jacobs hits a senton on Mamaluke for 2. Whitmer hits a blue thunder bomb on Jacobs for 2. He hits a lariat on Shelley for 2. Jacobs breaks up a Mamaluke cross armbreaker with a double stomp. Mamaluke puts an armbar on Jacobs but Shelley breaks it up with a frog splash. Whitmer hits a lariat on Mamaluke but Shelley rolls him up for 2. Whitmer hits the wrist clutch exploder on Shelley. He hits a scary exploder suplex on Jacobs for the win shortly after that. The match was quite spotty and the tags were ignored for a majority of it, but it was a heck of a lot of fun and it’s interesting that Jacobs lost his first match to Whitmer.
Rating: ***½

JZ says: Shelley and Jacobs are making their ROH debuts in this match here. Jacobs is doing the HUSS gimmick here. This is the first time he and Whitmer faced off on ROH, which is why we selected it for our bonus match review. Mamaluke trying to look tough is extremely irritating. Shelley and Mamaluke start with some wresting. Jacobs tags in and then he and Mamaluke trade holds. Commentator Jimmy Bower notes that Jacobs is 19, and only been in the business for about a year. That’s half true, as he was 19, but he had been wrestling about four years at this point. He and Shelley get in the ring together and show what they can do. They were wrestling each other every night in IWA-Mid South around this time. Whitmer tags himself in and hits a double exploder on both guys. Mamaluke comes in to take him out. Bower mentions the unofficial Pure Wrestling division that Mamaluke is a part of. Whitmer and Shelley work together on Mamaluke. Jacobs comes in and hits a huge boot on Shelley, so Whitmer comes in and knocks him to the floor. Whitmer tags in officially and goes to work on Shelley. Whitmer gives Jacobs a hiptoss into the ring, so he’s the legal man now. That’s foreshadowing! Mamaluke drops Shelley on his head for a two count. Whitmer and Mamaluke work as a team on Shelley as Bower talks about Bill Watts. That’s more foreshadowing! Shelley drops Jacobs head first onto the top turnbuckle in a cool spot, and the crowd chants “Holy Huss!” Mamaluke has a submission on Shelley, so Jacobs hits a senton to break it up. Blue Thunder Driver by Whitmer on Jacobs gets two when Shelley breaks it up. Whitmer CLOBBERS Shelley with a lariat but Mamaluke breaks up the pin. Everything breaks down and Mamaluke puts submissions on everyone. Mamaluke has Shelley in a submission, but Whitmer kills Jacobs with an exploder to get the win at 14:34, the same time Shelley taps out. Whitmer’s win stands though. That was a killer four-way with good action and contained two impressive debuts from these two kids named Jacobs and Shelley.
Rating: ***¾

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 CHI-TOWN STRUGGLE!

Have any thoughts, comments, or concerns? Like how we’re doing our reviews? Let us know!

E-mail Brad at [email protected]
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The 411: BG says: The show starts off in really rough territory but once you hit the four-corner survival it’s all golden. The title match is great stuff from guys who are really breaking out in ROH right now. KENTA’s match is what the Low Ki match probably would have been like without heat but its still a fun time. Homicide seems to be firmly back on the ROH side in the CZW war, but who knows what the future will hold. This gets a solid recommendation. JZ says: I wasn’t overly impressed with the main event, and Homicide versus Hero left a lot to be desired. That’s two top matches that didn’t rock my world, but the World Title match did, and a few pleasant surprises (Necro versus Pearce and the 4-way) make up for it and make it good enough to warrant a mild recommendation.

Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]