Glory By Honor VII
2008
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Kevin Steen and El Generico are backstage basking in the glory of their newly won tag team titles. Steen says his shoulder is feeling a little empty so he's gonna win the FIP Heavyweight Title to even things up Generico is gonna defeat Nigel McGuinness for the ROH World Title. Steen says there’ll be no weaselling out this time for Nigel this time.
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Kenny King vs. Jerry Lynn
Lynn gets a huge pop and a big round of “Welcome Back” chants as he waits for his opponent. They shake hands and then Jerry makes fun of “crazy” hip hop culture. Big “Jerry Lynn” chant followed by “New Fucking Show” and then “Fuck ‘em Jerry” as the two posture and play to the crowd.
Jerry gets an arm drag and then plays to the crowd, Kenny gets a hammerlock and mocks Jerry but he’s taken down with a headlock takeover. King tries for a dropkick but Lynn sidesteps it Kenny King counters a hammerlock with a Japanese arm drag and he kips up to a round of applause. Lynn comes back with an arm wrench and then rolls over Kings back and scores with a pair of arm drags. Lynn holds King down with an arm drag but King takes Lynn to the corner to break the hold. Lynn gets a leap frogging sunset flip for two. King tries the same but Lynn reads it and is waiting with a school boy for two.
Lynn locks in a side headlock and King powers out and counters with a snapmare and a stomp before getting in the crowd’s face. King unloads on Lynn with knee strikes but then Lynn floats over King and scores with a headscissors, Lynn then slides between Kings legs and gets a leg trip and elbow drop. Lynn does Jumping Jacks to mock King, King isn’t happy and charges with a plancha but Jerry casually sides steps and scores with a cannon ball off the ring apron. King gets a burst of strength and rams Jerry back first into the ring apron. Not a bad start at all.
Back in the ring, King drops a knee to the back before hitting a snapmare and going to a chinlock. Jerry fights out and counters a kitchen sink with a school boy for two. King sends Lynn into the turnbuckle and then hits the double knees to the back and then the Arn Anderson spinebuster for a two count. King then slaps on a camel clutch which Lynn quickly fights out of and gets a small package for a near fall. King then gets a sloppy break dancing kick and then the Blue Thunder Bomb gets a nearfall. King then bitch slaps Lynn around and throws him down to the mat hard. King goes for a springboard leg drop but King rolls out of the way.
Lynn unloads with a pair of mat slams of his own. Lynn then rubs Kenny’s eyes across the top rope and scores with a nice swinging DDT and calls for the Cradle Pile Driver but Kenny counters to the Emerald Fusion which Lynn then slips out the back off. Lynn charges into a pair of boots and gets a near fall with him feet on the ropes. King gets distract by the ref and Lynn pops up with a top rope Frankensteiner and follows it with the Craddle Pile Driver for the 1-2-3. The crowd chant “You Still Got It”.
That was fine for what it was, got the crowd going nicely to start the evening with the old time crowd favourite. Lynn look okay, he’s still got alot of what he had but his offence didn’t seem hugely credible in this match up. King as per usual got his character over nicely but couldn’t deliver a really good match. Too much stalling and unimaginative wrestling in this one. (**1/2)
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NWA World Heavyweight Title
Adam Pearce (w/S’n’S Inc.) vs. Brent Albright
They both play to the crowd with the title belt to start the match and of course Brent is greeted with a huge round of cheers. Brent gets a spear and both men unload until Brent secures a mount and pounds the crap out of Pearce. Brent gets a shoulder tackle and lines up a big right hand but Pearce bails. Pearce and Sweeney say there too clever for that. Albright sneaks in behind Pearce and throws him into the barricade and then into a chair before walking up the isle and giving Pearce a body slam on the outside. Intense start.
Pearce begs off and offers a hand but Brent bitch slaps him. Pearce does the back flip spot but when he lands Brent kills him with a brutal lariat. Hagadorn gets on the apron to distract the ref and Pearce tosses Brent over the top rope (which should be a DQ). Pearce then takes Brent to the outside and suplexes Brent on the ramp. Pearce lays on the top rope and mocks Brent which cause Brent to unload and both men have a slugfest on their knees until Pearce bites Albright and then spits on the official. Pearce slugs down Brent and then shows off his muscles. Pearce distracts the ref allowing Sweeney to get a bitch slap in. Pearce scores with a body slam and cockily heads up top and scores with a big splash off top for a near fall. That’s got to be the least credible spot ever. Pearce then tries to use his tape but the referee takes it off him and while he’s distracted Hagdorn placed a chair in between the top and middle turnbuckle. Pearce charges but is leap frogged and goes headfirst into the top turnbuckle and both men are down.
Brent explodes with two closelines and an exploder for a two count. Brent then counters a crossbody into a swinging back breaker. Pearce goes for a figure four but its countered into a small package for a near fall. Pearce runs into a boot and then goes for a leap frog which Brent counters nicely into the Air Raid crash. Pearce counters an Irish whip and goes for the half nelson suplex but Brent counters and goes for one of his own but the ref is out of position and Pearce counters with a low blow. Pearce then drops Brent right on his head with a half nelson suplex for a near fall. Brent counters a piledriver and rolls through into a piledriver of his own and that gets a near fall. Brent can’t believe it.
Pearce cuts Brent off with a thumb to the eyes and goes to the top rope, Brent catches him on top but Pearce shoves him off, Brent runs back up and they battle over a superplex. Sweeney distracts the referee and Hagadorn shoves both men backwards off the top rope to the outside. That was a big impressive spot. Both men answer the count after nine. Both men are slow getting to their feet and we then get a double closeline spot.
Both men answer the count and Albright unloads with rights but when he goes for a back body drop Pearce goes for the Piledriver but Brent counters that with the Crowbar and Pearce thinks about tapping before rolling to counter the hold. Brent goes for the half nelson but Pearce fights that off. Pearce then takes Albright down with a Crowbar of his own and the crowd chant “Please don’t tap”, Pearce nearly makes the ropes but Pearce pulls him back to the centre of the ring and reapplies the hold. Brent has no choice but to tap out and the crowd are not happy bunnies.
Started intensely but quickly simmered out and was very sloppy and poor for a good portion of the first half but then they suddenly kicked up through the gears and had an exceptional second half. The second half was a really good back and forth power match up. Really good finish that put Pearce over strong. (***1/4)
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Bryan Danielson cuts a good money promo setting up his first GHC Junior title defence later tonight.
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FIP Heavyweight Title
Kevin Steen vs. Go Shiazaki (w/S’n’S)
Steen offers Go a handshake to start the match but Go cockily kicks it away. They then jokingly play to the crowd. Steen powers Go to the corner and tricks Go into shaking his hand. Go then wipes his hand clean on the referees shirt. Steen then powers out of a top wristlock but before he can counter the hold Go shoves him down hard. Steen then grabs a side headlock and mockingly pulls Go’s hair. Steen goes for a shoulder tackle but Steen won’t budge, Go tries but Steen won’t budge, they then trade eleven shoulder tackles before Steen side steps and tosses Go to the outside. Steen the does a slightly sloppy but absolutely incredible fake dive and landing on the apron and then killing Go with a cannon ball before playing to the crowd. Steen then whips Go into the guard rail before unloading with some monsterous stiff chops.
Steen is distracted getting back into the ring and Go gives Steen a figure four in the ring ropes. Go then works over Steen on the apron, before grabbing Hagadorn by the head and throwing him headfirst into the Steen’s knee. Go then works over Steen’s near on the ringpost, Go applies a step over toe hold before dropping a splash on the knee. Steen tries to fight back but Go just floors him with a single knife edge chop. Go then works Steen in the corner before hanging Steen in the tree of woe in the corner and chopping the crap out of Steen. We then get a monster bitch slap and chop battle but Go thinks quickly and cuts Steen off with a basement dropkick. Steen then bitch slaps Shane Hagadorn through the ropes.
Steen blocks punches and unloads with a flurry of his own before hitting his patternted front flip leg drop. Steen follows that up with a second rope torpedo dropkick for a near fall. Steen charges but runs straight into a lethal chop. Go comes off top with the knee strike but Steen dodges scoring with flying overhand chop. Steen gets a single leg trip and kicks away at the leg. Steen then follows that up with a dragon screw leg whip and a cannon ball in the corner for a near fall. Steen goes for the package piledriver but it’s blocked and Go scores with a Fisherman’s buster. Go goes for the moonsault but Steen rolls out the way. They then go for double closelines but no one goes down, double enzenguris and Steen gets the best of it and runs up top and scores with a moonsault for a nearfall.
Steen is frustrated and heads up top for the Swanton but Go gets the knees up and slaps on the Dragon Sleeper. Steen struggles and slowly makes the ropes. Steen and Go exchange strikes until Steen kicks the leg away of Go but Charges right into two brutal lariat for a near fall. Go then mounts Steen and beats the out of Steen with chops to the throat before going for a suplex both men block until Steen floats over with the release German suplex but Go no sells and charges into a Sky High for nearfall and immediately applies the sharp shooter but Go manages to crawl to the ropes. Go then counters a closeline into the Go Flasher and pulls Steen straight back up and scores with a Go Flasher closeline combo for the victory.
That match was a lot of fun. Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination but they worked hard and put together an entertaining match for the crowd full of good counters and hard hitting action with a nice story of two cocky gits who wouldn’t back down. (***1/2)
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Nigel then runs in and DDTs Steen face first onto the title belt and makes fun of Steen, Generico and Bryan Danielson before saying he might go after the tag team titles next and walking to the back.
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GHC Junior Heavyweight Title
Katsuhiko Nakajimi vs. Bryan Danielson
The crowd chant “Best in the World” right off the bat in Danielson’s direction, after Tokyo summit I’m really looking forward to this one. The crowd now inform Nakajimi that “you’re gonna get your fucking head kicked in”. We get a break in the ropes to start but Nakajimi throws a big roundhouse kick and Dragon dodges and looks impressed. They go to a test of strength and Danielson gets a takedown and tries to break Nakajimi’s bridge before going for the triangle choke but Nakajimi scrambles and we have a standoff. Nakajimi rolls and kips to reverse an arm wrench Danielson fakes a roll slides between Nakajimi’s legs and boots him across the ring. Nakajimi fakes a chest of strength and floors Bryan with a big kick to the chest. Danielson replies with two over the shoulder arm breakers a twisting arm drag and then key locks the arm and stomps on the elbow. Dragon drives Nakajimi down in a hammerlock and drops down into a deathlock on the arm and Nakajimi has to scramble to the ropes. Good start.
Danielson hits Nakajimi with a hard European uppercut, Nakajimi replies with a big kick to the chest which staggers Danielson who replies with another huge uppercut. Danielson then drives Nakajimi down with a hammerlock and then gets a brutal stretch where he stands on the other arm bending it out of shape and into a pin for a two count, the crowd where oooohing in shocki with that one. Danielson then gets the Woah Woah Woah Mexican surfboard, Nakajimi blocks the slide with a bridge and makes the ropes, where the crowd remind the ref that he has until five.
Danielson runs into a pair of boots but side steps a torpedo dropkick but he can’t avoid a enzenguri. Nakajimi gets a running forearm strike in the corner and a head and arm suplex for a two count. Nakajimi works over Danielson in the corner before Dragon back flips over him in the corner and hits a big lariat sending Nakajimi to the outside. Dragon then hits a baseball slide and tosses Nakajimi into the front row. Danielson then hits the springboard diving tackle into the front row of the crowd. Very good stuff.
Back in the ring Danielson scores with torpedo dropkick and kips up as the crowd go bananas. Nakajimi dodges a blind charge and scores with a hard kick and runs off top, Dragon tries to shove him to the outside but Nakajimi lands on the apron and hits a dragon screw leg whip in the ropes. Nakajimi hits shinbreaker on the outside and then runs along the apron and hits a brutal kick to the chest of Dragon. Nakajimi kicks away at the leg and hits an elbow drop on the leg and goes to a leg wrench. Danielson manages to struggle to the ropes. Nakajimi hits a stiff kick to the leg of Danielson and then works over Danielson’s leg on the ring rope before hitting a running basement dropkick to the knee. Nakajimi then locks in a nice figure four variant and the crowd come to life. Danielson begins to make his way to the ropes so cleverly Nakajimi adds a front facelock to the hold. Eventually however Dragon manages to crawl to the ropes. Nakajimi hits a series of stiff kicks to the knee but Dragon explodes with a Kitchen sink.
Danielson unloads with nine hard and fast European uppercuts. Danielson then scores with the butterfly suplex crossarm breaker combination and Nakajimi has to struggle to the ropes. Danielson goes for a closeline but its blocked with a boot to the arm and then Nakajimi scores with a DDT. Nakajimi then gets a flurry of kicks to the chest and back. Danielson then side steps a pump kick and scores with a German suplex for a near fall. Nakajimi then hits a stiff kick to the chest and then runs up top with the enzenguri to the back of the head. Nakajimi immediately follows that with a back drop driver but Danielson no sells and hits a back drop driver, Nakajimi no sells ang goes for a German suplex, Dragon lands on his feet, sells the foot and then hits the running knee strike and both men are down.
Nakajimi and Danielson trade open hand chops and European uppercuts but Nakajimi kills dragon with a reverse legsweep, Nakajimi then hits the kick to the gut, the downward roundhouse to the back of the head, then a strike to the chest to floor Dragon. Nakajimi charges but is met with a bossman slam back breaker, that hurt Dragon’s knee. Dragon goes for a stiff kick but its countered with a dragon screw and immediately followed by the kick off death and the ankle lock. Dragon tries to crawl to the ropes but Nakajimi switches to the heel hook before Dragon desperately makes the ropes. Great stuff.
Dragon fights off with a series of forearms and goes up top but is caught with a spinning heel kick sending him back into the ring hard and then a brainbuster for a near fall. The crowd come to life and Nakajimi scores with the German suplex for a near fall. Dragon is on his knees and Nakajimi just kills Dragon with four brutal kicks to the chest and Nakajimi tells the ref to count him out but Dragon answers the count at eight. Nakajimi goes for a running leg strike but Danielson counters to the Small Package of Death for a near fall. Nakajimi tries again but Dragon gets an ankle lock German suplex combination. Danielson then gets the Stomps of Death and the triangle choke and Nakajimi fades but falls towards to ropes for the break.
Dragon puts Nakajimi on the top rope but Nakajimi fights him off so Dragon then hangs him in the tree of woe and gives him the stiff kick to the chest and a basement dropkick before scoring with the Super Back suplex for nearfall. Dragon goes for Cattle Mutilation but Nakajimi rolls on top for a near fall, Dragon won’t let go of the arms and rolls into the Elbow strikes of certain death and then rolls into a Tiger suplex for a nearfall and then finally the Cattle Mutilation forces Nakajimi to tap.
Another show, another brilliant Danielson match, Nakajimi wasn’t as good as at Tokyo summit but still put on a really good show with some brilliant stiff and brutal offence. Danielson just brings it every single time and in a nice touch sold the leg for the whole match and all the way to the back (note to the rest of the lockeroom, long term selling is awesome). The finale was classic Danielson overcoming everything Nakajimi had and then beating the living crap out of him with his Cattle Mutilation combo. (****1/4)
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Jerry Lynn then cuts a promo about all the sacrifices he’s made and how he now knows he’s got it in him to have one last great run and tells Nigel to watch out.
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Rhent Titus vs. Erick Stevens
Titus’s entrance is comedy gold for the most part but in the laugh out loud moment he kicks a ticker tape roll out of the ring and it blasts someone in the front row right away. Titus grabs a side headlock, they then do a shoulder tackle block spot. Titus stomps on Steven’s face and grinds his cock in Steven’s face, Erick kills him with a shoulder tackle and a big samoan drop. Titus then replies a flying knee strike and its more playing to the crowd from Titus. Stevens unloads with some big strikes on Titus before spitting blood on Titus’s face. Stevens goes for a Choo Choo but it’s countered with a dropkick. Titus applies a chinlock and pounds away on what looks like a broken nose. Titus then gets the crotch grind in the corner, Stevens is pissed and gets an overhead release German suplex, A Choo Choo, a killer Lariat and a Choo Choo for the win.
Well that was basically an extended squash to get Titus’s gimmick over and set up the next angle. (1/2*)
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Sweeney comes to ringside, and says when he first saw Stevens he wasn’t impressed, originally he thought he was worth a nominal fee, but since then Steven’s has been a thorn in Sweeney’s side and that’s impressed him. Sweeney says he wants Stevens on his side, an guarantees him a contract and a move somewhere bigger and better. Stevens says he likes money a whole lot but he won’t work with Sweeney. Sweeney tells him that it’s not a question and tells him to read the contract and sign. Stevens blows his nose on the contract and Sweeney bitch slaps him, Stevens goes after Sweeney but all of Sweet and Sour run out and beat the crap out of Stevens. They put Stevens head in a chair and then Go drops a knee off the second rope. Roderick Strong dives into the ring to make the save with the Vulture squad to start and importune match up.
Roderick Strong & The Vulture Squad vs. Sweet And Sour Inc.
Jigsaw and Ruckus hit double twisting planchas onto most of S’n’S. Strong gives Hero a back breaker before Jigsaw and Ruckus hit two impressive twisting splashes. Ruckus hits Shane Hagadorn with a running spinning kick before tagging Strong back into the ring. Strong hits Shane with a stiff chop and a Yakuza kick. Jigsaw tags in and scores with a springboard double stomp and then cinches in the Gory Speacial, Strong tags in lays in a stiff chop before tagging in Ruckus who scores with a leg lariat for two. Strong then hits a back suplex on Hagadorn before tagging in Jigsaw and suplexing him into a shooting star press in an impressive spot.
Eddie Edwards finally manages to tag in but is met with an armdrag and a dropkick. Edwards presses Jigsaw onto the apron where Sweeney can hold Jigsaw still for the big running Yakuza kick. Hero tags in and hits the body slam back senton combo for a two count. Hagadorn tags back in with a second rope fist drop before bringing Edwards back in. Jigsaw tries to crawl for a tag but Eddie catches him in a half boston crab. Jigsaw struggles to the ropes but when he gets there Hero meets him with a slingshot stomp. Hero then scores with a big forearm strike for a two count. Jigsaw gets a creative spinning small package for two before scoring with a diving ranna off the second rope.
HOT TAG! Roderick scores with a leg lariat, a dropkick before killing Hero with the Gut Buster. Hagadorn charges right into a half nelson leg drop. Ruckus gives Hagadorn a spinning leg drop, that is impressive athletically but very silly. They sandwich all the heels in the corner and give them a series of moves ending with Ruckus’s razzle dazzle. Roderick then hits a wheel barrow bomb on Hagadorn onto Jigsaw’s knees while Rukus hits a enzenguri, in the same motion he pulls Hagadorn back up and hits another half nelson back breaker, that was impressive. Hero makes the save to avoid the three count. Edwards misses a blind charge and takes an Enzenguri but when Roderick goes up top Eddie replies with an enzenguri and the back back. Hero tags in and unloads with a series of forearms and a big roaring forearm. Strong counters a second roaring elbow with a school boy for a near fall but Hero counters a big boot with a roaring elbow and gets a sit out powerbomb for a near fall. Sweeney throws Hero the loaded elbow pad but Strong dodges the Roaring elbow and kills Hero with the Diving Yakuza kick, Hagadorn then kills Strong with a STO, Jigsaw then gives Hagadorn a Snow Plow. Ruckus then hits a shooting star press off the apron to the outside. Eddie then gives Jigsaw a back suplex bomb but when he’s goes for a lionsault Strong kills him with a diving Yakuza. Hero then slides back into the ring and kills Roderick with the Loaded roaring elbow for the 1-2-3.
Standard ROH chaotic six man with lots of big spots, little selling and even less psychology. The ending had some creative moment but this was very indy and very much amateur hour. (**1/2)
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Post match Sweet and Sour isolate Strong and give him a beat down ending when Larry Sweeney hits a picture perfect elbow drop to a chorus of “Larry Sweeney” chants.
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Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kensuke Sasaki
Sasaki may be a legend in Japan but he sure didn’t look impressive at the Tokyo Summit. Claudio thinks about giving Sasaki a clean break before hitting a European uppercut and locking in side headlock. Castagnoli can’t knock over Sasaki with two shoulder blocks so he tries a dropkick, Sasaki however no sells and kills Claudio with a giant shoulder tackle. We then go to the test of strength it looks like Claudio will win until Sasaki powers up and shoves Claudio down hard. Sasaki unloads with a series of stiff chops and Claudio is forced to bail.
Claudio returns to the ring and they battle with European uppercut and stiff chops until Claudio looks like losing and he opts for an eye poke. Claudio slaps on a side headlock but Sasaki hits a back suplex to counter and follows it with two corner closelines and follows that with a vertical suplex for a two count. Sasaki shows off a couple of big chops before charging into a boot and that allows Claudio to reply with a European uppercut and a flapjack onto the top rope. Sasaki tries to fight out of a front face lock but Claudio scores with a gut wrench suplex to avoid that. Claudio hits a reverse elbow for a two count and then an elbow drop for a two count. Sasaki fights out of another chin lock but he’s met with a European uppercut and then a diving European uppercut to the back of a seated Sasaki. Claudio decides to break a chinlock thankfully and scores with four elbow drops for a two count. Claudio hits two of the worst knee strikes and Sasaki starts a comeback.
Sasaki powers Claudio to the corner and gets the Kobashi chopathon in the corner and then hits the running headpound and closeline combo. They go to another Uppercut/chop exchange, Claudio gets the better off it but runs straight into a Judo throw and then a power slam gets two. Claudio blocks a closeline and then nails the Water Slide for a near fall. Claudio goes for the Ricolla bomb but Sasaki drops. Claudio scores with an inverted atomic drop and a big running European uppercut for a nearfall. Sasaki misses a blind charge but catches Claudio on the top rope with a Frankenstiener and heads to the top rope. Sasaki scores with a diving lariat off top for a near fall. Claudio scores with a pump kick and goes for a second but its countered with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Sasaki locks in a head and arm lock but Claudio manages to make the ropes. Claudio avoids a lariat combination and scores with a springboard diving European uppercut. Claudio then hits a terrible diving knee off the second rope. Claudio waits for Sasaki and kills him with a pump kick for a near fall, Claudio then hits the Ricolla Bomb but gets a 2.99999. Sasaki blocks a roaring uppercut and hits a hammerlock and half nelson suplex for near fall. Sasaki hits a Lariat combo for a near fall before finishing Claudio with a northern lights bomb.
Well that was again nothing special, Sasaki is clearly over the hill, he’s by no means bad but it just doesn’t seem worth bringing him in. This is a match where they did all the right things with the movers and near falls but the timing and energy just wasn’t there. This was all kinds of sloppy but still a decent match. (**1/2)
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ROH World Heavyweight Title
El Generico vs. Nigel McGuiness
The crowd start a huge “ole” chant to start the match. Nigel powers El Generico to the corner and gives him a clean break before reminding the referee that he has until five. Generico takes Nigel to the ropes and gets a knife edge chop before playing to the crowd. That inevitable led to a shoving contest and a stiff chop and European uppercut to take Generico down. Nigel then takes Generico down with a double chicken wing but Generico makes the ropes. Nigel then gets an arm wrench and stomps down on the arm of Generico before giving Generico a bitch slap and giving Generico a hard Irish whip into the corner. Nigel then gets a quick two count. Nigel gets a snapmare and shoulder block before mocking Generico, Generico then response with a high leg lariat and the Ten count in Spanish. Nigel charges into a boot and then Generico fires off a springboard ranna for a two count triggering a big “Ole” chant.
Generico whips Nigel into the corner but runs into a back elbow and the headstand a mule kick that the crowd greet with a “same old shit” chant. Nigel then hammerlocks the arm and throws Generico hard into the turnbuckle. Nigel follows that up with an arm wrench suplex and follows that with a hammerlock and leg trip combo before cockily tossing Generico to the outside. Nigel hammerlocks the arm of Generico against the barricade and then gives him a hard Irish whip into the barricade. Nigel whips Generico into the barricade and makes fun of the crowd before charging Generico. Generico tries to get the boot up but Nigel catches it and hits the lariat regardless. Nigel then rams Generico’s shoulder into the ring post before returning to the ring.
Nigel mocking no sells Generico’s offence before Generico hits a stiff, Nigel then gets an arm wrench takedown and then drops an leg drop and then a knee drop on the arm. Nigel then gets the hammer lock and bridging double arm stretch. Generico rolls away and tries to fight back. Nigel hits a big European uppercut, before daring Generico with a chop battle, Nigel gets a couple of throat thrusts before running into a dropkick. Which Nigel sells horribly falling to the outside. Generico makes up for it with a lovely springboard moonsault plancha before playing to the crowd.
Back in the ring Generico scores with a big flying crossbody for a two count. Nigel avoids the running Yakuza kick and hits the back kick and lariat combo before drilling Generico with the running European uppercut for a two. Nigel then quickly applies the London Dungeon but he’s way to close to the ropes and Generico makes the ropes immediately. Generico slips out of the Tower of London and dodges a closeline scoring with a roll up for a near fall. Generico then scores with a blue thunder bomb and both men are down.
Generico counters two closelines and goes for the arm wrench and rope walk but Nigel counters crotching Generico and scoring with the London Dungeon for a near fall. Nigel gets some bitch slaps and a pair of back elbows before Generico replies with a big boot. Nigel sucks it up and kills Generico with a lariat before putting Generico on the top rope and scoring with the Tower Of London on the ring apron for a mega near fall. Nigel then locks Generico in the London Dungeon right in the middle of the ropes, Generico thinks about tapping and crawls backward to the ropes.
Nigel throws Generico to the outside and heads to the top rope but Generico recovers runs into the ring and to the top rope and goes for the brain buster but Nigel blocks and a throat thrust sends Generico crashing. Generico hits Nigel with a Yakuza kick that hands him in the tree of woe and El Generico scores with a front flip Van Terminator for a near fall. Nigel counters the brainbuster with an arm wrench takedown and then runs right into a forearm but he rebounds going for the Jaw Breaker Lariat but Generico wonderfully counters into the Brain Buster for a 2.8889. Generico can’t believe that wasn’t enough.
The crowd start an “Ole” chant and Generico tries to lift Nigel to the top rope but Nigel counters and crotches Generico on the ropes before killing him with the diving second rope Lariat for a near fall. Nigel slaps on the London Dungeon but Generico counters with a nice roll up for a very near fall. Nigel then lays out Generico with a DDT and he takes the turnbuckle pad. The Referee picks it up and struggles to put it back while Nigel gets the ROH belt. Steen slides into the ring and shouts a Nigel, Nigel turns and has the belt superkicked back into his face. Generico crawls over and makes the cover for a 1-2-2....9999. Steen plays cheer leader at ringside as Generico hits the running corner Yakuza kick and goes for the corner brainbuster but Nigel blocks and swings away, Generico hangs on and goes for it one more time, Generico lifts and Nigel very nearly goes over but unfortunately they both slip off top and Nigel gets a very nice Jacknife pin to cover up and secure the victory.
It’s a real shame about that finish being slightly blown, you could see Generico was supposed to bang his head on the exposed Turnbuckle on the way down but when they slipped they had to call an audible. It didn’t really detract from the match that was very very good. I unlike most others preferred it to their other encounter, I like the story that Generico had learnt from his mistakes and really believed in himself this time. The near falls were spot on and while Nigel was a bit too plodding in places they really turned it up when they needed to. Generico plays his roll absolutely to a tee. I thought the Steen run in was pulled off brilliantly and I like the story that because Generico had learnt his lesson and had answers for Nigel, McGuinness was forced to cheat. (***3/4)
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Steel Cage Warfare
Austin Aries & The Briscoe Brothers vs. The Age Of The Fall vs. The Necro Butcher
Austin Aries and Tyler Black are the first two entrants. They brawl at the entrance to the cage and Aries knocks Tyler to the outside and follows up with the heat seaking missile suicide dive and then a hard Irish whip into the barricade before dropping a nice elbow drop off the guard rail. Aries throws Black back into the cage and the match is on. Aries is hangs onto the ropes to avoid a Dropkick but Black casually back flips and lands on his feet before he’s sent head first into the cage by Aries. Aries then takes Black down hard with an overhand chop before biting away at the skull of Black. “Austin Aries/Tyler Black” chant off erupts from the crowd. Aries hits a running closeline and then a kitchen sink and a stretch in the corner. Aries works over Black in the corner before hitting another running knee to the gut. Aries chokes away on Black. Black shoves down Aries.
The Next Entrant is Jimmy Jacobs. Jacobs begins a double team beat down and Tyler holds Aries as Jimmy wraps a chain around his first and unloads on Aries. Black then gives Aries a stomp to the sternum before Jacobs wraps the chain around Aries Skull drawing more blood from his forehead. The Age of The Fall then get a double choke in the corner before whipping Aries face first into the cage. They hang Aries in the tree of Woe and Jimmy gets a running knee strike before they hit stereo basement dropkicks. Jimmy then plays with the blood of Aries and the beatdown continues.
The Next Entrant is The Necro Butcher. The Age of The Fall try and overwhelm him but Necro is throwing big fists and then Hobo boots. “Fuck ‘em Necro” chant rings out as Necro hits a atomic drop on Jacobs and boots for everyone. Necro slugs the crap out of Aries and throws him into the steel cage. Necro goes after the ref before playing to the crowd and throwing everyone head first into the cage. Necro chases the ref out of the ring and then gives Tyler Black a straight head butt. He licks the blood of the face of Aries and that draws a “you sick fuck” chant. Necro then bites the forehead of Jacobs and tossing Black to the outside.
The Next Entrant is Jay Brisco. He throws a series of chairs into the ring and Necro hides under a chair in the corner. Jay nails everyone with chairs and wraps a chair around the head of Necro Butcher but that angers who throws a chair at Jay and digs blood out of the forehead of Jay with his fingernails. Aries hits a double axe handle to the outside on Jacobs. Jay hits a snap mare and running basement leg lariat. Necro Butcher then gives Black a spinning chair body slam on Black. Necro and Jay then play ping pong with Tyler Black.
The Next Entrant is Delirious. Delirious drills Necro into the back of the head sending him crashing into Jay, Delirious then hits Jay with the Panic Attack. Necro blocks a chair shot and drills Delirious in the back. Necro floors everyone with chair shots to the ribs and then in the stupidly dangerous moment of the night (so far) Jacobs and Aries gives Necro six stiff unprotected Chair shots to the Skull without him going down, Jacobs then nails a spear taking him off his feet. Aries follows up with a kick of death and a Brainbuster, Jacobs and Aries both jump on Necro for the 1-2-3. Team Necro is Eliminated. The crowd chant Bullshit. Jay is bleeding a gusher as Aries and Jacobs unload on each other.
Mark Briscoe is the Final Entrant. Mark brings a barbed wire table into the ring. Mark cleans house and comes to the rescue of his brother. Jay throws a chair into the face of Delirious, Mark then throws Black face first into the cage. Mark then throws a chair in Black’s face. Delirious and Jay brawl to the outside and Delirious works over his cut but Jay responds whipping Delirious into the guard rail, cutting Delirious arm open. Black hits a suplex on Mark as Jay lays Delirious on a table a ringside. Delirious pops up and scramble up the cage throwing Jay off the cage hard through a table. Black avoids a cut throat Driver and powerbombs Mark through the barbed wire table. The Age Of The Fall work over Aries as both Briscoes are down on the outside. This is an absolute mugging as Age of the Fall play to the crowd. Aries fires back with big forearms for everyone. Aries gives Black the shin breaker back suplex combo and then kills Delirious and Jacobs with corner dropkicks. He tries one on Black but he counters with the F-5 and Delirious then hits a cobra clutch suplex and three panic attacks an Aries is dead. Jimmy Jacobs then locks Austin Aries in the End Time and Aries is eliminated.
The Age of the Fall isolate Jay Briscoe now and give him a pounding. Jacobs gives Delirious the spike and they hold Jay back. Daizee runs out and tries to reason with Delirious. Daizee says Jimmy speaks bullshit and Delirious doesn’t know who believe and then he absolutely kills Daizee with the spike and Delirious is in absolute shock and the crowd start a huge “Holy Shit” chant. Jacobs praise Delirious and as the Age Of the Fall celebrate Mark comes off the top of the cage with a diving front flip Senton onto everybody. Jay kills Delirious with a closeline and then they finish him with the doomsday Device. Delirious is eliminated.
The Briscoes then give Black a double hiptoss high into the cage before give Jacobs a chair assisted dropkick in the corner. Black then throws Mark face first into the cage and the Age of The Fall beat down with chairs. Jacobs works over the face of Jay with the spike while Black chokes Mark in the corner. They give the Briscoes two unprotected chair shots but the Briscoes MAN UP and kick the shit out of the Age of the Fall and massacre Black and Jacobs with Lariats before hitting simultaneously the Cut Throat Driver and the Jay Driller for the Stereo 1-2-3.
Well that was an intense bloody old school brawl. It was garbage wrestling for the most part but they kept the intensity levels really high. There was a lot sloppiness and stupidness but it was a fitting tribute to the ECW Arena that they gave the fans an overbooked, multi storyline Gorefest to end the show. That hulk up finish was tremendous. However in this day and age those unprotected chair shots are sicking these guys aren’t getting paid anywhere near enough money to be risking there well being like that, the big stunts are enough. This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and for the most part it wasn’t mind but it felt like a big finale to the show and was just so right for setting (***1/4)
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Overall Thoughts: There is plenty of really good wrestling on this show so it’s a definite recommendation. I will say it’s a very long show and did burn the audience out and will burn the viewer out so I recommend watching it in two chunks. It’s been a great Seven Years of ROH here’s to seven more!
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