Rolling Germans Review: Ring Of Honor – Scramble Madness

RING OF HONOR 11/16/2002: SCRAMBLE MADNESS

FINALS ARE DONE! FUCK, SCHOOL IS DONE! My parents are going on about something called “the real world” and “a real job” but I’m not ready to listen just yet. So I’m working the hell hole, made all the worse with this SARS garbage the media is just loving and people coughing in my face all day. SCORE! My 23rd birthday is about a month away and after I get over the inevitable hangover that’ll come with it, I’m actually going to find a full time job and enter the crapfest that is the working world. SAVE ME PLEASE! Ah well… I’ll still be doing reviews (just not as often) and The Hangout Reports (thanks to everyone that emails me about those things, I can’t understand the mentality of liking them more than SK’s rants though when half the time I don’t even talk about the matches) so I’m not going anywhere. On that note, we’ve got some more Ring Of Honor to look at. I’ve got this show and “Night Of The Butcher” up next but after that I’m out of ROH for the time being. Complications with my source and customer complaints have forced me to re-consider my relationship with my distributor. Of course if someone else has ROH and wants to comp me, please Drop Me A Line because I’ll tell ya right now, my current source has absolutely no complaints with the business I’ve brought in for him.

I should also get this out of the way while I’m here, I’M GOING BACK TO PURO! In between this review and “Night Of The Butcher” I’ll be taking a look at New Japan’s annual January 4th Tokyo Dome Show supplied courtesy of Rob Hunter over at Golden Boy Tapes – HE’S GREAT! GO NOW!. I also (get ready for this ) PAID FOR PURO as I’m getting in NOAH’s last two major shows (I’m dying to see Kobashi vs Misawa 3/1 along with Lyger/Kanemoto vs Kikuchi/Kanemaru 1/26) along with some Toryumon and New Japan. I’m not giving up on US Indies so don’t have a freak out, just returning to my reviewing roots.

On a side note, if you’re big of early 90’s dance music and rap like me, then download “You and I” by J.K. I heard it on the radio last week and forgot how AWESOME this song is. I got the euro remix of it and keep looping it because it owns so hard. Of course if you’re not into early 90’s dance or any dance music at all then disregard this message.

This review is brought to you by three Girl Guide Cookies. OK, I know that’s fucking pathetic but I bought a box from a friend last week ($4? WHAT… THE… FUCK?) and was dying for a snack. The box was slowly being wittled down by my dad and I until last night when I won the cookie war and snagged the last three. OWNAGE!

WE’RE BACK IN BOSTON IN SOME PLACE I CAN’T REMEMBER!

JAY BRISCOE/THE AMAZING RED vs MARK BRISCOE/CHRISTOPHER DANIELS (Dream Partner Tag Match)
This is another chapter in the ongoing feud between The Briscoe brothers. They last hooked up at “Honor Invades Boston” in the best match of the night but haven’t been able to go at it since due to Mark being underage in Pennsylvania. We’re back in Boston (well Wakefield) so we get another match in the feud. This is Dream Partner rules so Jay picks Red and to the surprise of everyone, Mark picks Daniels. Then we get the MEGA SHOCK of Daniels telling everyone that Mark is the newest member of The Prophecy (OH NO! HIDE THE CHILDREN!). Mark flip flops with both guys and then WORKS DA MAT with his brother. Just beautiful chain wrestling, I love every second of it. Jay manages to take control and tags in Red for a DOOMSDAY SATELLITE DDT! WOW! Red tries to fuck up Daniels on the apron, thus turning on the neon sign that says “I’m going to get fucked over” and the sign tells all as he’s backdropped to the floor and worked over. The commentary team puts over Mark’s NEFARIOUS CHEATING that he obviously never would have done before becoming evil. The heat up segment feels more like waiting for the oven to pre heat. SOOOOO LONG! Daniels pulls out his Soviet Slam into The Triple Jump Moonsault for 2 and ѕ. Double teaming leads to a SWANDIVE ACE CRUSHER for 2 and ѕ. Daniels back in but Red reverses a Slam into a Satellite Reverse DDT and makes the hot tag. Jay with a Split Legged Face Buster for 2 and ѕ. Fisherman’s Buster for 2 and 9/10. He looks for The Jay Driller on Mark but Daniels stops that cold with both brothers falling outside. Red’s in with The Hurricane Combo for 2 and 9/10! CODE RED! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! Huracanrana is blocked and Daniels turns it into LAST RITES for the victory. Great moves from both teams and the crowd was into it, but the heat segment took FOOOOOREVER! **1/2

MACE (w/Allison Danger) vs Alexis Laree
This is supposed to be the final chapter in the Laree vs CSC feud. Laree takes it to Mace with a Satellite Headscissors and a Tope Suicida. Mace comes back with crappy offense until Laree comes back with The Tornado DDT for the finish. WHAT… EVER! ј*

Steve Corino cuts a promo bitching about Ring Of Honor’s lack of honor. So Homicide stabbed in the eye with a fork? BIG FUCKING DEAL! The guy’s name is “Homicide,” YOU’RE LUCKY YOU’RE NOT DEAD! Anyway, he’s going back to Japan where they respect wrestling. Of course this whole interview was rendered completely useless by the commentary team later on pimping Homicide vs Corino for the Anniversary Show.

JEREMY LOPEZ vs XAVIER (Non Title Match)
Lopez is a graduate of Malenko’s school in Florida so you know he can work the mat. He’s mostly made his name in NWA Wildside taking the Junior Title on a few occasions. They play the ground game leading to Xavier working the left arm. He opens up with Muai Thai Knees and an Overhead Belly to Belly for 2 and Ѕ. Brainbuster gets 2 and Ѕ. The X-Slam (Argentine Backbreaker turned into a Samoan Drop) gets 2 and ѕ but Lopez kicks out into an Ankle Lock only to have Xavier make the ropes. They go back and forth until Lopez goes on the attack with a Mafia Kick followed up with a Neckbreaker for 2 and ѕ. He hits a Tornado Hotshot (NICE!) for 2 and ѕ. Lopez keeps it coming with a DOUBLE UNDERHOOK TORNADO DDT followed up with a Tiger Driver! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! He looks for a High Cross Bodyblock but Xavier catches him with A GARGOYLE SUPLEX! RIGHT ON HIS FUCKING HEAD! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! He looks for The X-Breaker but Lopez reverses into a CHICKENWING DDT! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! He looks for a Brainbuster but Xavier slips out and hits The X-Breaker and puts it away with The 450 Splash. This didn’t start out very well but it gained steam quite nicely as time went on and we were treated to some innovative offense from Lopex down the stretch. Not bad, but not great either. *3/4

TONY MAMALUKE/MATT THOMPSON vs DA HIT SQUAD
Thompson is about as green as you’re going to get considering (up to this point) he’d only worked five matches. The selling point is the guy is a legit six feet eight inches tall but works moves like a Cruiserweight for the freak factor. It’s like watching Sean Bradley work a wrestling match (weight wise, not height wise. DUH!). Basically Mamaluke works the majority of the match taking a shit kicking from DHS with Thompson getting in a Springboard Cross Body and a Satellite Headscissors near the start. Mamaluke gets back in and dies for your viewing pleasure. The crowd is DYING to see Thompson by the end so they EXPLODE when he gets the hot tag He fires off a Mafia Kick on Mafia (har har) and hits a FUCKING QUEBRADA! HE’S SIX EIGHT! WOW! He misses a Lariat and Mafia looks for a German Suplex but Mamaluke comes from behind with a Dragon Sleeper only to have Monsta Mack save. Thompson heads up for a Moonsault Bodyblock but Mafia cuts that off and it’s THE MOTHERFUCKING BURNER HAMMER! Fun little match with a great build up for Thompson. He’s got a long way to go before he graduates to anything above “tall guy that can do stuff.” *1/2

JOEY MATTHEWS/IZZY/SLIM J/ANGEL DUST/DERANGED (w/Dixie) vs DIVINE STORM/THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE TEAM/THE AMAZING RED (Scramble Match)
Oh man… ten guys about to find new ways to kill themselves. The faces are all students of Mikey Whipwreck and I’ve talked about them at length over the last few months. The other five are members of Special K. I’ve never seen Angel Dust before. Izzy and Deranged work out of Jersey All Pro Wrestling. Slim J is a mainstay of NWA Wildside and is their current Junior Heavyweight Champion. Matthews of course left his partner Christian York a couple of shows back and is the old kid hanging with the young kids. We get the requisite pair offs to start with everyone bringing the flip flop. The faces end up on the floor and we get our first HOLY SHIT moment as Special K hits DOLGY DIGITAL 5.0 PLANCHAS! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! Back in the ring where The SAT’s get NUTS as Red hits a Missile Dropkick on Slim J that turns him into a Styles Clash position, where he’s thrown onto Jose Maximo and then lifted into 3D! 3D! 3D! WOW! Storm tags in and puts Deranged in The Tree Of Woe giving the Whipwreck Crew back to back to back to back to back Baseball Slides and then a QUINTUPLE BASEBALL SLIDE! OH MY GOD! Divine hits a FUCKING SICK BRAINBUSTER for 2 and Ѕ. He looks for a Powerslam but Deranged reverses into a Tornado DDT for 2 and Ѕ. Matthews comes in and works Divine over leading to Special K hitting a QUADRULE ENZUGIRI! INSAAAAAANE! Slim J comes in with a Climbing Frankensteiner for 2 and Ѕ but then Red comes in and hits a ROLLING CRADLE DRIVER! HOLY FUCK! Then Izzy jumps in and hits a Backflip Giri but Jose comes in with a PYRAMID FACEBUSTER but Deranged comes in with a Reverse DDT but Joel stops him with a run of the mill Lygerbomb but Matthews comes in with a Reverse DDT but Storm saves and hits THE SPINAL SHOCK for 2 and ѕ. Matthews heads out and Red smokes him with a Tope Con Hilo while all four members of Special K get caught on the top and Team Whipwreck hit STEREO SUPER LYGERBOMBS! FUCK ME THAT’S AWESOME! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! Matthews comes in and lays out everyone with low blows leading to Special K hitting QUADRUPLE MOONSAULTS! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! Red comes in and smokes everyone with kicks and nails Slim J with the 718 leading to THE STORM CRADLE DRIVER! IZZY SAVES! Divine hits a Gory Special Facebuster but Matthews saves but now Joel comes in and hits a QUADRUPLE POWERBOMB! MAXIMO EXPLOSION! ANGEL DUST SAVES! He heads up but the SAT’s cut him off and hit a DOOMSDAY DDT! RED WITH THE INFRARED! IT’S OVER! THIS KICKED SOOOOOO MUCH ASS! Don’t think of it as a match because it’s just a super big mess. It’s a spotfest, a huge spotfest, AN AWESOME SPOTFEST and as a spotfest I give it ****

THE RING CREW EXPRESS vs SAMOA JOE (Handicap Match)
Joe smokes them both, ending the match with an Island Driver on Dunn. DUD!

PAUL LONDON/RUDY BOY GONZALEZ vs BIOHAZARD/MICHAEL SHANE (Street Fight)
This is supposed to be the final chapter in the feud that started between Shane and London/Rudy Boy back in April. I think I re-capped it in the “Unscripted” review so you can check that out for the lengthy backstory. We get some basic brawling until Shane and Biohazard go on the attack on the floor. This is not good. We get into the “that’s gotta hurt” stuff as Shane falls from the top through a table on the floor and London gets crotched trying a Shooting Star Press from a ladder to the floor. Biohazard hits Rudy Boy with a Fisherman’s Buster on a ladder and looks to follow up with a Senton Atomico on the ladder but that misses by a mile so London nails him with a Standing Moonsault on a chair (UGH! NOT NICE). He looks for the SSP but Shane cuts him off looking for a Superplex but gets thrown off into a Rudy Boy Superkick (how a guy that fat fires off a Superkick is beyond me) leading to THE SHOOTING STAR PRESS! 1… 2… 2.999999! They double Clothesline Shane to the floor and then take out Biohazard with an assisted Superbomb and a London SSP for the victory. Bah… this was all over the place and NOT in a good way. Disorganized as all hell with a crowd that could care less outside of the holy shit spots. Definitely not as good as it could’ve been. *1/4

THE CARNAGE CREW vs ALEX ARION/DON JUAN/FAST EDDIE
The Carnage Crew have added a tall guy by the name of Masada. I’ve never seen him before so I can’t really give you any information. Arion is one of the top Indy workers in the area, mainly working out of New England Championship Wrestling. Juan and Eddie are both students of Rudy Boy, working out of Extreme Texas Wrestling. Random offense from everyone leads to TCC outside and Eddie hitting a gorgeous Quebrada. Back in the ring where TCC kill Arion with a Double Spinebuster into a Double Crab with Masada hitting a Basement Dropkick. NICE! Arion manages to tag Juan but he gets killed with all sorts of stuff leading to YOUR heat up segment until Arion gets the hot tag. He cleans house and the match falls apart (what a surprise). Juan hits a Pommel Horse Rana on Masada leading to a Superfly Splash by Arion but Loc comes in with a chair for a near fall. Eddie gets in a blind tag and nails Loc with a Swandive Dropkick but Masada takes him out (where the hell are the rules?) and TCC hit a SUPER SPIKE PILEDRIVER for the victory. That move is SICK! This wasn’t bad, just wasn’t anything I’ll remember after I finish typing this sentence. *1/2

SAMOA JOE vs HOMICIDE
There’s actually a backstory to this match. Back at “Glory By Honor,” Homicide teamed up with surprise partner Corino against The Backseat Boyz. There was a miscommunication leading to Corino turning on Homicide and costing him the match. Then at “All Star Extravaganza,” Joe went over Homicide in the six man tag with a Rear Naked Choke. At the end of that show, Homicide attacked Corino with a fork, stabbing him in the eye (thus the promo I covered earlier). Joe is a good friend of Corino’s as they both work out of Zero One and is looking for revenge on behalf of his friend. Joe goes on the attack working over Homicide’s taped up arm. We open it up as Joe BRINGS THE BOOT SCRAPES! OOOOOOHTANIIIIIIII SHIIIIIINJIROOOOOO! Irish whip is reversed and Homicide hits a Flying Forearm into an STF but Joe makes the ropes. He heads out and Homicide hits The Somersault Suicida. Back in the ring where Homicide returns the favour with RUNNING KNEES TO THE FACE! SICK! Homicide looks for another Flying Forearm but Joe FUCKING DRILLS HIM with a Soviet Slam. DAMN! DRAGON SUPLEX! 1… 2… 2 and ѕ. Joe looks for a Tornado DDT but Homicide blocks and hits a Top Rope Frankensteiner followed up with a Back – Front Lariat for 2 and ѕ. He charges but Joe catches him in a Death Valley Driver and follows up with THE LARIATOOOOOO! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! He looks for another Lariat but Homicide ducks and hits THE BAAAAAACKDROPPAAAAAAH! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! Homicide looks for a Yakuza Kick but that’s thrown off into a Powerbomb for 2 and 9/10 and turns the kickout into a Rear Naked Choke (nice touch, using the move that beat Homicide last month) but Homicide makes the ropes. Now they go back and forth with SUPER STIFF SLAPS! JESUS! Joe gains the advantage and looks for another Lariat but it’s BLOCKED! GANNOSUKE CLUTCH! THAT’S IT! NICE! I really enjoyed this match. It was laid out very well, getting over Joe’s dominance while also showing Homicide can hang in a singles setting (he’d only worked tag matches in ROH up to this point) if need be. Good layering of moves leading into the heavy stuff down the stretch but none of the outright finishers, lending one to believe they’ll re-match with all the big firepower coming out. Nice playing off the 10/5 finish as well. No complaints. ***

CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs AJ STYLES (#1 Contender’s Trophy)
These two have already met before in an ROH ring as they were in the last match at “Road To The Title” back in June. They put on a great show and the match was **** by my count (probably drop it ј* now but I’ll stick with the rating). We get some great counter wrestling to start leading into a fun sequence where they pull out every variation on the arm drag you can possibly think of. You could probably chalk it up to wasted flip flop but it was at least creative instead of the usual fare. Styles gains the advantage with a Backflip Dropkick and an Inverted Neckbreaker for 2 and Ѕ. He looks for a lariat but that’s blocked and Daniels hits a MONKEY FLIP INTO THE TURNBUCKLE! OUCH! We end up outside where Styles is thrown into the rail but he actually hops the railing and comes back with a Superkick (I LOVE IT!). Back in the ring where Styles hits The Stroke segued into a Muta Lock (bridging Indian Deathlock) turned into an Inverted Muta Lock (turned over so the attacker is on his back instead of the opponent, ugly variation) but Daniels makes the ropes. Styles heads up but Daniels crotches him only to have Styles BOUNCE OFF THE TOP INTO A RANA (WOW!) but Daniels blocks that and turns it into a DDT! CRAAAAAAZY! Flatliner gets 2 and ѕ. Backdrop is telegraphed and Styles hits his trademark Vertical Neckbreaker for 2 and ѕ. DELAAAAAAYED BRAINBUSTAH gets 2 and ѕ. He tries to get fancy pants with the Tajiri Handspring but Daniels cuts it off with Blue Thunder. STO! TRIPLE JUMP MOONSAULT! 1… 2… 2 AND 9/10! Irish Whip is blocked and Styles looks for The Quebrada DDT but Daniels reverses into Last Rites only to have Styles counter into a Reverse DDT for 2 and 9/10! You know you’re coming down the stretch when they pull out every kind of cradle and roll up possible until Daniels hits The Sunset Flip only to have Styles roll through and hit THE STYLES CLASH! GOOOOODNIGHT! This was above average fare, which by most counts would be a good thing but considering these two represent some of the best in US Indy Wrestling, I was a tad disappointed. After the fun flip flop at the start, they had a good match but it came off like it was moving just slightly slower than it should have been. I guess I set expectations a little high after their far superior match at “Road to The Title” but thems the ropes sometimes. Very good, just not great. ***1/4

THE AMERICAN DRAGON vs DOUG WILLIAMS (30 Minute Iron Man Match)
The art of mat wrestling is something that seems lost on the current viewer. Having watched only WWE over the years, there are only rare glimpses of mat wrestling on a high level. For many, it is seen only as the foundation of what could be a great match; establishing a possible basis for the story of the match. For others, mat wrestling is but the calm before the storm, that which must be watched before being treated to an assortment of innovation and reversals that people are “really” interested in. Then there is the minority, fans like myself that can watch mat wrestling whether its length be one, ten, twenty, or however minutes. Brian Danielson and Doug Williams are two such wrestlers so talented in the art of the ground game that they can put on an enjoyable match for one, ten, twenty, or in this case thirty minutes.

Their match at “Road To The Title” was mat based but not to the extent I would have liked. They worked a typical match where the mat work was a step rather than the match. I know these two could put on a better match but using a completely different style. This was that match.

Dragon enjoys working the mat game. He has worked that mat game in viable MOTYC’s twice in 2002. Once against Low Ki (****3/4 IMO) and AJ Styles (****1/4 IMO). There’s a stark difference between those matches and this one though. Dragon was dominant on the ground. It was his job to take both men (both capable mat wrestlers mind you) through the ground game leading to the heavy hitting offense down the stretch. Doug Williams represents the equal (some might argue superior) mat wrestler. There is no need for either man to carry the other, they are both capable of working the mat equally, neither giving the other a true advantage. That back and forth provides the simple story of two men working a wrestling chess match. For every move a counter. For every counter another counter. A counters counter resulting in a stand off and both men back to square one.

Amidst the back and forth mat work from both men, the second layer of the story is laid down. The American Dragon provides this layer. The commentary team was smart in how they put over Dragon’s offense in emphasizing that The Dragon Suplex and The Cattle Mutilation were his primary finishers. Dragon has a vast arsenal but those two moves were integral in helping his story along. Dragon’s mat work, while varied for the mostpart, was also focused on Williams neck. Never at a point of saying “I’m gunning for this bodypart” like so many other matches you may have seen over the years but just enough to let the viewer know that the work can lead to a payoff. So as both men work back and forth, Dragon takes his small opportunities of offense to wittle down the neck and when the time is right, just passed the midpoint, the side story reaches its climax and conclusion with The Dragon Suplex taking a fall.

This of course opens up the second story; Williams is now fighting against the clock. The mat work continues but Williams offense is opened up. The moves tell you that the mat game, while a big weapon in his arsenal, is being matched by Dragon and won’t win him the day. He needs something more. Williams spends the rest of the match unleashing heavier offense leading up to what many thought would be an even fall as The Chaos Theory is unleashed. The move put Dragon away back at “Road To The Title” but it is not enough as Dragon has ascended a new level and kicks out of this impressive move. Williams again elects for it, this time successful in execution but with lady luck frowning upon him with a rope break saving Dragon. A prone foot doing what neither of his shoulders could have done in saving him.

The final seconds of the match prove suitable for the strong mat based story told throughout the thirty minutes. Its climax comes in the form of a submission. Both men exhausted, who would prove to have the resolve? Does Williams chase have a satisfying reward or does Dragon cement his victory 2 – 0? Definitely worth checking out for the answer. ****

Final Analysis: As per usual, Ring Of Honor put on a very strong show. It’s great to see that the two strongest matches on the card were complete contrasts as The Scramble Match was the epitome of a spotfest while The Iron Man Match showcased how great a mat match could be. The rest of the matches ranged from OK – very good but won’t be anything that sticks out in a person’s mind after watching this show. Forgettable matches don’t help sell a tape but two **** matches make a strong case for a purchase. Take your risks with this one as the two strong matches may just be personal preference but I’d still mildly recommend Ring Of Honor: Scramble Madness.

Justin Baisden
Rolling Germans Wrestling