The Best Of CM Punk Volume III
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The Final Fifteen Minutes
CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe
World Title Classic 2004
Joe scores with the snap powerslam and goes to a cross arm breaker but Punk rolls through and makes the ropes. Joe unloads with a combo of kicks to the face but Punk comes back with a victory roll for two. Joe comes back with the powerbomb for two, which he transfers into the boston crab and then the STF but Punk makes the ropes. Joe can't pull Punk out of the corner, Joe tries again and Punk flips up and scores with a running Yakuza kick. Punk scores with a Frankenstiener but it only gets two. Punk gets an arm wrench and mule kick and then a hammerlock backsuplex for two. Punk plays to the crowd and unoads with forearms before charging into a farewell. Joe gets the rolling sunset flip into a Oklahoma roll for two. Joe blocks a tired lariat and a crucifix gets two, Joe comes right back witha brutal closeline for two. Both men are down, Joe makes it to his feet first they trade standing switches, Punk comes back with a series of back elbows and a shinning wizard for a near fall! Punk misses a sloppy closeline and follows up with a low blow, Joe scores with a brutal looking knee breaker and then applies a half crab but Punk makes the ropes. Joe goes for a top rope muscle busters but Punk counters and slips out. They battle on the tope Joe goes for a superplex but its blocked and Punk scores with the Pepsi Plunge. Punk's knee buckles on the landing and he goes flying to the outside. By the time he makes it back to the ring Joe is up and they go straight to double closeline spot and the crowd errupt. Punk scores with a shinning wizard and a vertical suplex but in his rush Punk allows Joe to score with the dragon screw leg whip. We have two minutes to go and both men are down. Joe puts Punk on the top rope and scores with a Cobra bomb and both men are down again. Both men get to there hands and they exchange bitch slaps and Punk scores with a DDT but Punk collapses before he can crawl over and get the pin, he eventually crawls over and gets two as the time expires.
Well they were a strong final few minutes as part of a Sixty minute matches, of course both men where completely knackered so it was an odd choice to start a DVD but the action and near falls were intense, the sixty minute match would no doubt have been phenominal.
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Final Fifteen Minutes
CM Punk vs. Samoe Joe
Punk vs. Joe II 2004
Punk scores with an enzenguri and then with eight arm wrench mule kicks but he then charges right into Joe's snap powerslam and cross arm breaker. Punk crawls over and makes the ropes. Joe counters a power bomb with a ranna and then scores with a running Yakuza kick for two! Joe hangs Joe on the top rope and scores with a neckbreaker for two! Joe shoves Punk off a swinging DDT but misses a running closeline and then Punk gets the swinging closeline and locks in the anaconda vice but Joe makes the ropes. Punk says its over but Joe blocks his suplex attempt Punk gets a couple of knees to the gut before floating over a Joe suplex attempt, Joe promptly follows with a closeline for two. The crowd tap the CM Punk music. Joe gets a sloppy Gut buster and a running punt for two. Joe then scores with a lovely brainbuster for a near fall! Joe is frustrated Punk counters a closeline into a amazing hammerlock and legsweep DDT for a near fall! The crowd chant "ROH". Joe counters one of Punk's moves nicely into the powerbomb STF combo. Punk crawls toward the rope so Joe switches to the crossface but Punk makes the ropes. Punk blocks a dragon suplex and comes back with a drop kick to the knee, Punk then counters a spine buster with a sunset flip for two and a brutal shinning wizard where Joe just gets his hand on the rope at two! The fans bang out the Punk anthem. Punk gets his hammerlock closeline and a moonsault for two! Punk can't believe that wasn't enough. Joe comes back with an awkward slam but he misses a closeline as Punk jumps on his back with the rear naked choke. Joe manages to escape and then we go to the double closeline spot. Both men are down for the count as the crowd comes to life. Punk works the crowd and goes for the Plunge. Joe fights him off but Punk blocks being pressed off, both men battle on the top rope as the crowd go nuts. Punk nearly gets the hold but Joe just unloads and we have a top rope slugfest. Punk wins but Joe again blocks the Plunge with a shoulderblock and in the end scores witha superplex. They then battle on the top rope again and Joe scores with the top rope Muscle Buster but the time limmit expires.
That was a fantastic ending to a sixty minute match. The energy levels were insane and the action was incredibly dramatic. This again looked like an easy four star plus match. Again odd choice for a DVD collection, if your not gonna show it.
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Up next is a nice CM Punk promo saying that he knows he can beat Joe with his Pepsi Plunge but he doesn't know if Joe can beat him.
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No DQ
CM Punk & Ace Steel vs. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong
Weekends Of Thunder Night II 2004
Steel scores with a suicide dive on Strong on the Outside while Punk scores with a Michinuko Driver for two. Punk whips Strong into the gaurd rail but Aries comes flying out of nowhere with a suicide drive killing CM Punk. Aries gets some brutal shoulder charges on Ace Steel against the ring apron. Strong is beating the hell out of Punk he then gives a Punk a half nelson back breaker on a steel chair for the win. Back in the ring, Generation Next hit the catapult, forearm, slingshot corkscrew press back breaker combo for two. Generation Next then hit the double hanging vertical suplex. Punk pulls Strong to the outside to block a double team, and Ace and Punk hit a back breaker sling shot leg drop combo. The Saints then hit a double spinebuster and follow up with an absolutely brutal low blow.
Jack Evans comes to ringside with a ladder but Punk dropkicks it back into Evans and then follows up with a plancha onto the ladder. Steel gets a running corner dropkick on Strong. Steel then gives Strong a Bossman slam onto the ladder. Steel blocks a suplex from Aries but Aries counters a hip toss into a Russian leg sweep onto the ladder. Aries and Punk do a pin counter sequence ending when CM Punk scores with a powerbomb onto the ladder. Punk and Steel tehn see who can hit the most brutal chop on Evans. Strong makes the save and Strong and Evans get a doomsday flying cross body device for two. Aries then gets a frog splash for two. Aries whips Ace into the ladder they then follow up with a pair of corner dropkicks on Ace for two. Its turned into a beatdown on both sides. Strong throws a ladder on Steel and then Strong gives Evans a boost as he hits an incredible splash with too many flips to count. Ace escapes a hanging suplex with a fisherman's buster. Aries blocks a powerbomb by Punk and they trap Punk's leg in the ladder and beat it down with a steel chair. They then give Punk a knee breaker on the steel chair and that gets two. They then give Punk a back body drop on the ladder and Aries follows up with a elbow drop on the ladder. After a little bit of dead air Steel and Strong exchange chops. Strong hits a nice back suplex on Steel and Aries whips Punk back first into a steel chair and follows it with a corner dropkick. Steel comes back with a release northern lights suplex on Austin Aries into the ladder in a brutal spot. Steel gets a chair assisted second rope chair assisted elbow drop and Punk gets a running face wash on Aries. Strong recovers with a series of chops but Punk back body drops him throuhg the ladder in an absolutely brutal spot. Aries is laid on a table outside as Ace climbs the battered ladder. Strong gets a electric chair drop on Steel and then puts him in an STF. They lay Punk on the table and Evans totally fucks up a move off the ladder and lands hard on his chest. Aries then misses a Cactus Elbow drop and hits the table but it doesn't break, that whole spot was horribly botched. Strong hits a train wreck on Punk and then he catches Steel coming in with a vertical suplex. They try the Doomsday device again but Punk counters Evans on Roderick's shoulders with a powerslam onto the ladder, that was sick. They then give Strong a spiked piledriver on the ladder. Aries slips out of a Splash mountain bomb and gets a Finlay roll on the ladder. Aries eats ladder on a 540 attempt. Ace gives Evan's a sitout powerbomb from the apron through a table. Strong gives Punk a half nelson back breaker, Steel throws Aries hard into the gaurd rail. Punk ends the match with a nasty half botched Pepsi Plunge on the ladder.
I really hate hardcore matches like this there dangerous stupid and normally lead to alot of botches. This was a good No DQ match but had its sloppy moments, and two big fuck ups. This match wreaked of Indy which ROH normal avoid. (***1/4).
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ROH World Title Match
CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe
All Star Extraganza II
Punk misses a kick and Joe gets a headlock takedown and a stip chop. They trade wrestling holds and battle over a headlock neither man can lock it in and Joe scores with a big chop. Punk works the crowd into a frenzy. Joe counters the headlock with the headscissors and continues to avoid the headlock, Joe gets another chop and Punk bails frustrated. Punk asks for a hand shake and Joe challenges him to a chop battle. Punk winds up and does a pussy chop and challenges Joe to chop him. Joe hushes the crowd and then wildy swings and Punk counters into a backslide into the side headlock. Very clever stuff there. Joe slowly makes it to his feet as the crowd chant "Joe", he can't break the headlock and Punk gets a snapmare and a dropkick to the back of the head and the switches to the front face lock. Joe tries to spin out but can't escape. Again when Joe gets to his feet Punk gets a snapmare and two dropkicks to the back of the head and one to the face. Punk then gets a snapmare a knee drop, two big stomps and a dropkick to the back of the head. Joe comes back with a flurry of chops and a head butt. Punk is pressed to the apron where he gets a roundhouse and a springboard dropkick to the back of the head. Punk then returns to a facelock. Punk counters the STJOE with an arm drag but Joe counters the cradle by sitting down for two but Punk quickly works him into the side headlock. Joe tries to roll out of the headlock but can't. Joe gets a break in the corner and he absolutely unloads with a million shots on Punk, Punk comes back with a huge bitch slap and a big spinning back fist takes Joe down. Joe explodes with a flurry and a series of running knees and a brutal kick sends Punk to the outside, Joe rests in the corner. The kick seems to have drawn hard way blood on Punk. Punk eventually makes his way back to the ring and Joe unloads on Punk with elbows and then a fist drop. Joe gets a snapmare, the back chop, knee to face and then knee breaker for two. Joe then rips away at the face of Punk while Punk spits blood. Joe then goes to an arm bar half face lock. Joe goes to a more tradional crossface and Punk makes the ropes. Joe head puts Punk who bails and his face is a crimson mask. Punk reverse a whip but Punk runs straight into the STJOE for two. Joe gives Punk a brutal face wash in the corner for two. Joe then locks in the side headlock but Punk fights straight out of it unloading with a series of Roundhouse kicks. Joe shoots Punk onto the apron, Punk goes for a sunset flip but its met with a brutal kick and Joe follows up with a suicide forearm dive, that was a really brutal sequence. Joe then gives Punk a seat and scores with the Olle kick. Joe takes Punk in a headlock across and sets him up in a different chair but Punk cuts of the Ole kick with a running forearm and then a torpedo dropkick off the ring apron. Punk drops and elbow on the back of Joe's head and lays him on the apron he then hits a diving second rope knee drop. The crowd bang out the CM Punk anthem as they return to the ring.
CM Punk comes off top with a flying cross body for two. Punk gets two running lariats up Joe hulks up. Joe misses a wild closeline line and Punk scores with a run up swinging DDT. Punk works the crowd but Joe counters the shinning wizard with a snap powerslam for two. Punk counters the arm breaker with a roll up for two. Joe gets the powerbomb into a Randy Orton over the shoulder choke. Punk then counters a dragon suplex into the Hammerlock legsweep DDT for two! Then a lazy looking Anaconda vice but Punk breaks it. Punk hits the Pepsi twist and a moonsault gets two. Big "CM Punk" chant. Punk goes to the top rope but Joe catches him and they battle. Punk bites Joe's face. Punk slips out and Joe counters a powerbomb with a Ranna! The then burning lariat package gets a near fall! Punk comes back with the mule kick and the shinning wizard gets two! The crowd then sound the CM Punk anthem. Joe counters the Pepsi twist into a sleeper and Punk fades. Joe has this locked in pretty losely. The ref calls for the bell but Steamboat stops him because Punk's fingers where moving. CM Punk comes to life he tries two jaw breakers but Joe won't break it. A roll doesn't break the hold but the Bret Hart counter does for a near fall! CM Punk gets a school boy, crucifix and La Magistral for two. Punk falls on top of Joe for two. The crowd come to life. Both men trade forearms Punk has a flurry but Joe counters with his feet on the ropes for two! The crowd chant "Fuck You Joe". Joe shoves Punk off the Pepsi plunge, Joe then kind of fucks up a superfly press landing knee first on Punk's head. Joe counters Punk's roll up into the Kojima Clutch. Punk squirms out but Joe kills him witha german suplex and then Joe rolls into half nelson suplex and replies the clutch for the win.
Well that was a very dramatic match, it had its share of sloppy moments but on the whole was excellent, the finish was very brutal despite feeling a little anticlimatic, but that's only because you never expected either man to pin the other. (****1/4)
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Alex Shelley vs. CM Punk
Third Anniversary Part Two 2005
Punk takes Shelley down and says the handshake wasn't enough, if he wants to prove himself he can do it now. Shelley gives Punk a clean break in the corner. Punk grabs a side headlock but Shelley counters into an arm wringer, Punk counters back into a side headlock, Shelley counters into a front facelock. Both men then counter each other rolling into the ropes. Shelley applies a head vice which Punk counters into an arm bar with the knee on the face. Shelley takes Punks leg out and gets a roll up for two. Punk counters back into an arm bar. Shelley kips up but Punk works him back down working over the arm, Shelley again manages to kip up and wrestler into a hammerlock and then with a leg trip applies an arm bar of his own to a round of the appluase. Punk fights back and chokes Shelley with his foot before dropping a leg drop on Shelley's arm. Punk then locks in a cross arm breaker and then a headscissor. Shelley counters into a unique headlock. Punk spins off countering back into an arm wrench of his own. One guy shouts boring so the crowd chant "shut the fuck up". Shelley rolls out of the arm lock but Punk rolls through with him with a series of kicks to the leg and then a dropkick. Punk then unloads on Shelley in the corner and then rolls back into a hammerlock. Punk then scores with a nice hammerlock suplex. Punk unloads with chops and forearms but Shelley comes back with a flurry of his own. Punk then gets a wrist lock and an ropewalk leg drop on the arm. Punk then takes a bow. Punk gives Shelley a spinal tap. Shelley gets a headbutt to the gut but Punk just unloads with a flurry. Shelley gets a leg trip but he can't hold Shelley off. Shelley runs into a boot but Shelley counters a flying cross body with a gut buster that was nice. "Lets Go Shelley/Let's Go Punk" chant. Shelley front suplexes Punk onto the top rope and then weakly dropkicks Punk to the outside. Back in the ring Punk fights back, but Shelley scores with a shoulder block and a double stomp to the back. Shelley scores with a gut buster and Shelley applies a unique brutal verision of the STF. Shelley then scores with a nice back breaker. Shelley then counters a hip toss into an abdominal stretch which he turns into a seated stretch allowing him to wail on the ribs. Punk counters that hold into a crossface. Shelley regains control by stomping on the ribs. Shelley again goes back to the abdominal stretch to the thrill of approximetly no one. Shelley lays in some elbows to the ribs of Punk. Punk counters with a hip toss but Shelley counters that to a monkey flip and Punk lands on his feet. Punk gets some closelines and back elbows and a flying chop. Punk gets a leg lariat to the back of the head of Shelley. Punk then applie a rolling cross arm breaker but Shelley escapes and unloads with a flurry of transformers kicks to the gut. Shelley counters Punk in mid air with a spear, Shelley follows up with a huge splash and then a frog splash to the back. Shelley goes for the Border City Stretch but Punk falls back on top for two. Punk catches Shelley on the top rope and both men brawl. Shelley shoves Punk of top but Punk charges an gets a shinning wizard for two! Shelley counters the Pepsi twist into a really nice face crusher and Shelley tries to follow up but Punk catches him with the anaconda vice. Shelley makes the ropes and Shelley counters the Pepsi plunge with a superback body drop. Shelley then applies the Border City Stretch which Punk counters nicely into the Anaconda Vice for the win.
Well that was a pretty basic match, there were some clever exchanges early on but they were with the most exciting of holds. Oddly Shellley didn't get to show off his ridiculously large array of submission holds and sadly kept to the likes of the abdominal stretch. It seemed like an effort to conserve energy, the final minutes we're very strong and the end counter was very nice, but honestly I expect much better from these two. (***)
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Jimmy Rave (w/Prince Nana) vs. CM Punk (Traci Brooks)
Third Anniversary Celebration 2005
Rave attacks Punk in his entrance but Punk soon gains the advantage with a back body drop causing Rave to bail and seek refuge with Prince Nana. The crowd chant "CM Punk" and "Punk is gonna kill you". Rave gets in Punk's face and then unleashes a bitch slap on CM Punk. Rave cowers when Punk goes for a slap so Punk nails him in the back and CM Punk goes to the Rugged Ronnie Garvin stomp the crowd chant "Holy Shit". The commentators are saying Rave has no chance. CM Punk scores with a hanging suplex as the crowd count the seconds its at least thirty seconds, Punk then showboats. Punk then scores with the butterfly backbreaker as a fan shouts "Welcome to Chichago mother fucka". Punk stands on Rave in the corner and pulls muscle poses. Huge "CM Punk" chant as Punk scores with a snap mare and a dropkick on Rave for two. Punk unloads with a kick combo ending in a standing dropkick for two. Punk gets some weak forearms before Nana trips him. Tracy Brooks then returns fire tripping Jimmy Rave. Punk counters a shinning wizard with a half boston crab in a really nice spot. Nana distracts the ref and Rave blast Punk in the groin. The crowd then launch into a "Raves a faggot", classy bunch. Jimmy Rave unties his boot and then gives Punk a knee to the gut. Rave lights up Punk in the corner with a series of chops. Rave chokes Punk in the corner and then continues to loosen his boot. Rave follows up with a kitchen sink. Rave's offence is less than sparkling as he throws some weak punches and plays to the crowd. The crowd work themselves into a frenzy as Rave does nothing special. Rave gets a snapmare and then chokes Punk with his boot lace. When the ref comes to check on Punk Rave puts a chinlock over the top to hid the boot lace. Rave uses the boot lace to drag Punk down by the next. Rave puts the bootlace in his mouth when the referee checks. Rave continues choking Punk in the corner with the lace and then hands it to Nana. Rave distracts the ref allowing Nana to choke Punk in the corner. Rave mocks Punk who tries to make a comeback but a thumb to the eye cuts him off. Rave hits Punk with some crossface blows, Rave then uses the bootlace in a camel clutch like choke but while Rave tries to hide the lace Punk explodes with a shinning wizard. Huge "CM Punk" chant from the hometown crowd. Punk wins a slugfest, dodges a closeline and applies a sleeper hold, Rave shoots him off and applies a sleeper of his own. Rave then gets a Yakuza kick and then gets a lace assisted Sleeper and Punk fades and loses by Knock Out as the crowd chant bullshit. However while celebrating the Lace falls out of Rave's arms and the ref sees it, sends the managers from Ringside and restarts the match.
Punk gets a school boy for two and then unloads with five big chops. Punk then scores with a flying forearm and the crowd are going bananas. Punk closelines Rave over the top rope and follows right up with a front flip plancha. Punk then goes up top with a flying cross body but Rave rolls through for two. Punk scores with the mule kick but Rave comes back with a gut kick and Gonerehea gets two! Punk comes back with a lariat for two. The crowd start another big "CM Punk" chant. Punk puts Rave on the top rope and goes for the Pepsi Pluge but Rave blocks it and gets a sunset powerbomb and a running knee strike for a near fall! The crowd sound the CM Punk anthem. Jimmy Rave attempts the Pepsi Pungle but Punk counters with a super Samoan drop and locks in the Anaconda Vice but Fast Eddie distracts the ref and Nana slides Rave the air freshener and he sprays it in Punks eyes and wins with a school boy. After the Match Rave gives Traci the Styles Clash and mocks CM Punk.
Well Rave's offence wasn't exactly top flight but it told a nice story of Punk having a cake walk before Rave used every cheap trick he knew to even the playing feild. While it might not be a classic match it started a classic blood feud and really established Rave as a big heel threat. (***1/4)
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Dog Collar Match
Jimmy Rave vs. CM Punk
Manhatten Mayhem 2005
Rave jumps CM Punk from behind as Punk ties the dog collar. Rave tees off on Punk before the referee can force him to wear the collar. CM Punch comes back with an axe handle to the gut and a nice side Russian leg sweep. Punk then opts for the Ronny Garvin stomp and a dropkick to the head of Rave. Punk chokes Rave in the corner with the chain before putting him in the tree of woe. Punk gets a rather uninspire running knee before jarring with Nana. Punk goes to get a chair but Rave pulls the chain and Punk goes face first into the chair ringpost combo. Rave then introduces Punk into the guard rail. Rave then uses the chain to rip away at Punk's flesh and he's bleeding huge. Back in the ring Rave is wailing on Punk and ripping away at his flesh. Rave continues to mercilessly unload but suddenly Punk explodes with punches and chops he's selling brilliantly like he's lost alot of blood but a Punk groggily rebounds off the ropes Rave brutalizes him with a closeline. Rave then applies a chain assisted a camel clutch and he finishes the sequence with a curb stomp. Punk uses the ropes to block the Styles Clash and he kicks Rave accross the ring and follows up quickly with a shinning wizard. The crowd come to life as Punk tees off with big rights and lefts. Punk scores with running closeline, back elbow and then a nice leaping crescent kick. Punk is really wearing the crimson mask but it doesn't stop him nailing a superkick right on the money for two. Rave monkey punches to block a powerbomb, Rave then counters a tilt-a-whirl into a crossface with the chain accross Punk's mouth. Punk blocks Ghonerehia and Rave blocks welcome to Chicago with a back drop, Rave goes for the running knee strike but Punk counters into the half boston grab, nice sequence. Rave then low blows Punk with the chain and scores with a lighting running knee strike for two. Rave goes for the Pepsi Plunge but Punk backbody drops him off the top rope and follows up with a powerbomb. Punk then scores with another powerbomb and he plays to the crowd and he hits one final powerbomb but Rave kicks out at two and Punk turns it into the anaconda vice but The Embassy all run in and Punk cleans all there clocks. Rave tries a sneak attack but Punk counters into a sloppy Pepsi Twist but as the ref counts the three Fast Eddie comes off top with a moonsault but it nails Rave by mistake. Punk then runs up Rave's chest enroute to give Eddie a Swinging DDT. Prince Nana slides a chair in the ring and distracts Punk, Alexa Chung jumps on Punk. CM Punk dumbs Chung down hard on her back but turns round into a chair shot from Rave. Punk stands up and is met with another stiff chair shot, Punk drops to his knees and Rave hits him in the chest with a chair shot, then one to the back and then finish him with a brutal shot to Punk's ungaurded face. Mercifully that's gets the three count.
That was a nice old school intense blood brawl, brought back fond memories of Jerry Lawler, Roddy Piper and Kerry Von Erich. The chair shots at the end were done very safely and weren't dirrect shots but still managed to look brutal, wrestlers should take note. It's still not a classic match, was very overbooked but to dramatic effect and was a little sloppy in places, but a good bloody brawl. (***1/2)
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CM Punk vs. Roderick Strong
The Future Is Now 2005
The crowd can't for CM Punk and its not long before the crowd start chanting "Please don't go". There are a few people adding "sucks" onto the end of the CM Punk chant. Punk gives Strong a clean break in the corner to start. Roderick gives Punk a brutal chop to start the match. Strong tries the monster chop in the corner again but Punk dodges and laughs it off. Punk takes Strong down with a key lock and then works over the arm in an arm wringer. Strong lands on his feet off a monkey flip. Strong cartwheels out of a hip toss, Punk avoids the military press gut buster and then immediately locks in the Anaconda Vice and Strong makes the ropes and bails. Punk continues to work over the arm with a cross arm breaker but Roderick powers out. Strong goes for a shoulderblock but Punk stays on his feet and gets in Roderick's face. He tries it again and Punk still won't go down. Punk stays on his feet off four shoulder blocks and then Roderick misses a chop and Punk scores with two arm drags and then goes to a nicely applied arm bar. Punk scores with a dropkick to the back of the head. Punk leap frogs Strong and then gives him a brutal kick to the back of the head. Punk then scores with a hammerlock suplex. Punk then suplexes Strong in from the apron. Punk uses arm wrenches to avoid Strong's chops and then unloads with a flurry of his own. Strong sees a corner leap frog in the corner and finally unloads with a monster chop. Strong unloads with chops leading to a big chop battle that spills to the floor. Strong wins chopping the crap out of Punk against the barracade. Punk then avoids a big chop and Strong hits the ring post. Back in, Punk gets two hip tosses avoiding Strongs counters and then locks in a really nice key lock. Strong rolls over for a series of two counts but Punk won't release the hold. Strong then lifts Punk with one hand and powerbombs him out off hold. Punk scores with a back kick and goes up top but Strong cuts him off with a running Yakuza kick to send Punk down to the canvas. Strong scores with a back suplex and then a dropkick to the back of the head. Strong then applies the back breaker submission. Punk fights out of the hold with some knee strikes but Punk runs into a nice one arm suplex from Roderick Strong. Another chop battle errupts but Strong ends it quickly. Strong lifts up Punk but drops to his knees for a nice over the shoulder back breaker. Punk gets some shoulderblocks on the apron but he charge right into a knee strike. Strong then scores with a double arm suplex. Roderick locks in a full nelson with his legs and then rolls it over for a pin for two, Strong rolls through the kick out and has Punk locked in the Stiener Recliner. Punk manages to break the hold making the ropes. Strong scores with a hard Irish whip. Strong then scores with a hard Irish whip sending Punk shoulder first into the ring post. Punk tries to come back with chops but Strong cuts him off with an eye gouge. The crowd sound the anthem. Punk is pressed onto the apron where he scores with a big roundhouse kick and a springboard dropkick to the back of the head for two. Both men are down and the crowd again sound the CM Punk anthem. Both men are exhausted as they unload with monster chopes. It gets brutal as both man asks the other to quit. Punk spins Roderick Strong of a half nelson and gets a series of back elbows and the an running leg lariat for two. Some one in the crowd chants "We be seeing you On Velocity Punk". Punk lays some verbal bitch slaps on the fans. Punk scores with a brutal mule kick, Strong counters Welcome to Chiacago with a back body drop but Punk rolls through into a sunset flip for two. In an astoundingly brilliant spot Punk counters the half nelson Back Breaker into a crucifix but Strong counters that into the military press gut buster, awesome!!! Strong then ups the awesomeness with a brutal running Yakuza kick for a near fall! Strong is frustrated. "CM Punk" chant. Strong scores with his awesome release suplex Punk counters the Strong hold into a roll up for two! Punk goes for the Shinning Wizard but Strong counters into a POWERBOMB BACK BREAKER THAT WAS FREAKIN' SICK! Strong then locks in the Strong Hold but Punk slowly crawls to the ropes. Strong goes for a superplex but Punk counters with a super front suplex and CM Punk follows up with a Guillotine Leg Drop for two and when Strong kicks out Punk counters into the Anaconda Vice but Strong makes the ropes. Strong slides under Punk and uses Punk's arm to low blow Punk. Punk flips out of a Pump Handle Slam and Punk scores at last with a lovely Shinning Wizard and the Anaconda Vice gets the win.
The tap out seemed a little anticlimatic but that's hardly a complaint as the story of the match was all about Punk trying to nail the Shinning Wizard and Punk trying to avoid the chops and limmit the back breaker offence. Great Stuff. (****1/4)
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After the match the crowd chant "Thank You Punk" and Punk does his big dramatic celebration dropping to his knees as the crowd give him a standing Ovation. Punk asks for a minute of the crowds time. He wants the three guys who hate CM Punk to stand up. He says he respects them for paying for their ticket so that's their right but he has the microphone. Punk says that's their right but he's glad they paid to boo him because that puts more money in his bank account and his face on your T-Shirt. He then turns to Roderick and says he will win the belt from Aries because he's part animal, part machine. Punk then says he says you've doubted me but it gives him the power to be better than you (points to boo boys). Punk then says he's off to be a superstar and win the ROH title. Punk then says you should cheer for the future of this company, cheer for Roderick Strong, "Roderick Strong" chant rings out. As Punk leaves the ring the crowd chant ROH and Punk shouts "You Damn Right. Really great final promo, looking back if it weren't for Vince's size issue its not really a suprise Three years on he's your WWE Champion.
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Steel Cage Match
Jimmy Rave vs. CM Punk
No Where To Run
The crowd sound the Punk anthem and chant "Die Rave Die" over the top but that makes way for an even larger "CM Punk" chant and "Punk's Gonna Kill You". The crowd are going legitimately nuts for Punk. Punk and Rave stare each others down. Punk grabs Rave by the throat and blocks a punch from Rave. Rave tries to run up and other but Punk catches him, he then tries to door but that's blocked too. Punk has hardly moved from his spot adn he simply tells Punk to bring it. Rave then offers Punk a handshake but CM Punk spits in his ace. Rave avoids going into the cage but Punk simply decides to lift Rave and bounce him off the cage into a double A spinebuster. Punk just unloads with a never ending flurry from a mount. Punk then bounces Rave face first of all four sides of the cage. Rave has done what appears to be a total pussy blade. Punk then gets a corner mount and a ten punch. Punk then drops Rave throat first over the top rope. Punk then launches Rave face first into the cage from a snake eyes. Punk then lays in the cross face blows on Rave, who has done the worst blade ever considering the occasion. Punk rakes Rave's face accross the cage finally openning up the blade a little more. Punk then scores with a snapmare and a dropkick to the back of the head. Punk fakes walking out the door and instead asks for a chair. He then hits Rave in the gut with the chair and then the back and just kills Rave before posing to the crowd. Rave can't even manage to stand up. So Punk throws the chair nonchalantly on Rave and thinks about walks out the cage. Chung tries to slam the cage door on his face but Punk catches it and calls him "a Stupid bitch" but Nana suddenly throws powder in Punk's eyes. Rave oblitterates Punk with a chair shot and Nana tries to pull Rave out of the cage but Punk holds him back by his foot. Rave unloads from a mount and Punk is now busted wide open. Rave introduces Punk to the steel and then rakes away at Punk's face on the cage and with his hands. Rave stands over Punk as the crowd chant "Die Rave Die". Rave lays Punk on the ropes and spits in his face. Rave chokes Punk with his boot as Nana pulls Punk's hair from outside the cage. Rave decides to climb out of the cage. Rave has trouble with his footing and Punk catches him on the top rope. Rave tries a Russian Legsweep but Punk blocks and they have a slugfest on the top rope. Both men slip and then crotch each other. Slugfest, it goes on for a while as neither man will go down, Punk slowly gets the better of the exchange and scores with a series of closelines and a leg lariat. Punk then plays to the crowd. Rave sees a back drop coming and kicks Punk off and tries to escape. Both men battle ontop and this time Rave scores with the top rope Russian Leg Sweep and Rave floats over into the shoe lace assisted Crippler Crossface. Punk fades like the first match but this time he makes the super man come back kicking the crap out of Rave. Punk scores with a brutal open kick to the face for two. Punk scores with the farewell and a shinning wizard for a near fall! The crowd start the Punk anthem as he climbs up the cage. Jade Chung gets in the ring and hangs onto Punk's leg. Chung slaps Punk and jumps on his back. Punk dumbs her on her arse and Rave tries to suprise Punk with a spear but he nails Chung by mistake. Rave hits the Styles Clash for two! Nana pulls Chung out the cage and just dumps her on the floor. Punk and Rave battle atop the cage, Punk unloads with headbutts. Rave has Punk in the Styles Clash on the top rope but Punk kicks his way out. When Punk lands Rave murders his with a diving Yakuza kick for two! That was utter brutality. Punk and Rave do the Bret and Owen Hart style diving escape attempts. Then its time to say Welcome To Chicago Jimmy Rave. Punk finally gets his hand on the shoe lace and he hangs Rave in the corner with the shoe lace and Punk shouts "Your Gonna Die". Rave manages to escape but just as Punk is about to hit the Pepsi Plunge Nana runs in. Punk see's him coming, Rave nearly Spears Nana by mistake and Punk gives Nana a brutal enzenguri and a superkick for Rave. Punk then throws Nana into the cage and unloads with a ten punch. Rave tries to escape while Punk is distracted and the two men battle atop the cage. Punk then grabs Rave standing on the top of the cage, the crowd chant "Please Don't Die" and the Punk scores with a superplex off the top of the cage for the win.
That was the ideal time for the cage match, even if it didn't stop the interference. It was the perfect end to a brutal fued playing up all the previous aspects of the feud including the shoe lace and Punk finally being able to bloody Rave for the first time. We also got the big happy ending celebration with Cabana, then atop the cage singin AFI. Brilliant payoff, great moments. My only critique was the usual sloppiness between these two, but they made up for that with intensity, and the fact that they made it abduntantly clear that Punk was superior from the word go. (***3/4)
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Overall Thoughts: Well its impossible not to recommend a DVD with two ****+ matches and where the worst match on the disk is ***. If your looking for classic ROH style matches this might not be for you but the overall quality of the disk is strong and it aptly summerizes Punk's final year before leaving for the greener grass. Perhaps best to watch this in several sittings rather than one extended one but a s hearty recommendation.
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