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ROH New Horizons PPV Report
by: Michael C. Grimaldi
http://www.carltonprescott.com
The opens with The ROH World Tag Team Champions, The Age of the Fall, Jimmy
Jacobs and Tyler Black, in the ring. Jacobs is sporting a mohawk and still has
that pink/red streak of longer hair in the front. Interesting look. The tag
champs say that since they have the belts, they have power. And they're going
to use that power by not defending the tag titles on PPV for the first time in
ROH PPV history (all the way back 14 whole months). Jacobs says there is no
competition since they took Mark Briscoe out and El Generico is no where to be
found.
The Briscoes come running out and clear the ring of Jacobs and Black who back
off to the ramp. They say they want a shot at titles right now. Jacobs and
Black tease they'll accept but quickly back off. Austin Aries comes out and
jumps The Age of the Fall and chases them off.
Dave Prazak after swearing he'd never go blonde again, enters the ring with a
newly dyed head (c'mon Dave...I love ya, but seriously...just grow it back
normal!) to ask the Briscoes why they're here since Mark is supposed to be
injured still. The speak some slower Delaware English and say they're back and
ready. Prazak informs them that there are opponents standing by (for a team
that isn't supposed to be on the show?) but first, let's go to the PPV opening
video.
-The opening video airs.
1. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Silas Young and Mitch Franklin-
A total squash to allow the Briscoes to do all their high impact offense. I
guess this was a tag match, though you'd never know because no one ever got out
of the ring nor did the ref ask them too (more on that at the end of the
report). The Briscoes finish off the former WWE Developmental guy (Young...I
still don't know why they ditched him) and the UWC United States Champion
(Franklin...cheap plug) hitting the springboard doomsday device on Franklin for
the pin.
Result- Briscoes via pin fall
-A video of the Briscoes in some wooded area shooting guns and drinking beer
airs. Classy.
2. Four Corner Survival: Delirious vs. Shane Hagadorn vs. Ruckus vs.
Erick Stevens- A total spot fest of a match, none of it really
standing out. Hagadorn played the chicken shit heel who tagged in when there
was someone down and tagged out when they got up. The match broke down while
Hagadorn and Stevens were the legal men, and the ref wouldn't allow a pin at one
point because Ruckus (trying to pin Hagadorn) wasn't legal. However, a minute
or so later, Delirious is getting near falls on Stevens. Seriously, ROH needs
to get a handle on their "rules" if this is really supposed to be a more "pure"
presentation of the "sport" of wrestling. Finish came after Ruckus "dropped the
bomb" (at least that's what 2 Cold called it; moonsault leg drop) on Delirious
(both not legal) for a 2 count. Hagadorn hit a tear drop belly to back suplex
on Ruckus, but was then posing and Stevens hit him with a clothesline followed
by the Doctor Bomb for the pin.
Result- Erick Stevens via pin fall (over Shane Hagadorn)
-Austin Aries is out and is calling out Jimmy Jacobs. While Aries talks, they
show a few clips (all way to short and not in any context) of the history of his
feud with Jacobs. Aries says that this is a "blood feud" and goes beyond just
wanting to beat each other up or win matches. Jacobs comes out from the
entrance way, but Tyler Black tries to come from behind and attack Aries. Aries
fights him off but is then attacked by the SHIMMER Champion, MsChif, who is the
newest member of the Age of the Fall. Jacobs comes down to the ring and takes a
metal hook and hits Aries with it. Jacobs then (almost) literally fish hooks
Aries with it. Referees and wrestlers come out to tend to Aries who is taken to
the back (MsChif disappears) and then Kevin Steen comes out to the ramp.
Steen says he deserves a shot because he and Generico have put on great matches
on ROH PPV, but Jacobs says he still needs to prove he's worth. Steen says
he'll take them both on if he has to, but is then jumped by Necro Butcher from
behind and Prazak tells us that "Artie" in his ear piece of telling him this is
an official No DQ match.
3. No DQ Match: Necro Butcher vs. "Mr. Wrestling" Kevin Steen-
They start by brawling around ringside. Steen uses the ring bell on Necro.
Steen hits on running powerslam up the aisle on the metal ramp on Necro. Steen
takes the match back into the ring but Necro gets the advantage throwing a bunch
of punches to Steen's head. Back to the outside Steen tossed Necro off the
apron on to a chair set up on the floor. Steen hits a frog splash off the apron
to the floor and throws Necro back in the ring. Steen goes for the swanton off
the top but Necro gets his knees up. More chairs as Necro bulldogs Steen onto.
Necro sets up a metal chair in the ring looking for the tiger driver on to it,
but Steen blocks and hits a Michinoku Diver dropping Necro head and neck first
on to the seat of the chair. Necro kicks out at 2, so Steen picks him back up
and hits the package pile driver on the chair and this time gets the pin.
Result- Kevin Steen via pin fall
-A promo with Adam Pearce airs. He references throwing a fireball at Brent
Alright and says not being on the PPV is his penance. He says that's okay
because he's not about the money, he's about making a mark...or a burn. Decent
promo by Pearce that just doesn't mesh with the way ROH PPVs are booked and
edited.
4. Go Shiozaki and Chris Hero (w/ Sweet and Sour Inc.) vs. Roderick
Strong and Naomichi Marufuji- Before the match, Larry Sweeney
offers Marufuji a spot in S&S Inc, but gets a middle finger instead. This was
the first part of the show I enjoyed. All four of these guys are real good. Go
and Strong are just such hard hitters. They're 3 way with Erick Stevens at "A
New Level" was really fun. Marufuji is just solid all around and Hero, while I
still don't know how I feel about his current incarnation as "That Young
Knockout Kid," generates good heat and does things a guy is size just shouldn't
be able to. After getting the fingers from Marufuji, Sweeney says he and S&S
Inc are leaving, but Lance Storm comes outs and says he's going to make sure
they stay and that Sweeney doesn't get involved. Early on, Strong and Go
exchange stiff chops. Nigel McGuiness then comes in on commentary for a few
moments to say his match is next. Hero comes in but Strong cuts him off with a
chop allowing Marufuji to tag in. Hero quickly gets back on the advantage and
hot shots Marufuji on the top rope before tagging Shiozaki back in. The two
Noah athletes then go at it for a bit which Marufuji gets the better. Strong
comes in and places Go on his knee while Marufuji gets a running start back and
forth across the ring a few times before nailing go in the head with a kick.
Strong is in and gets sent to the outside where Hero gets a few shots in before
tossing him back in the ring. Hero tags in and tosses Strong back to the floor
for S&S Inc to do some damage, but Lance Storms is there to prevent that for
happening. Go and Roddy go back at it with more stiff chops. Hero and Go tag a
time or two until Roddy finally makes the tag to Marufuji. Marufuji comes in
with some fast paced offense, taking out both Go and Hero. He tried to get the
shiranui a few times on Shiozaki, but was turned away each time. Hero tagged
in, Marufuji went for the shiranui on Hero and didn't get it, but it led to a
few cool quick roll ups and moves until Hero caught him with a big boot. Strong
came in to break things up and he and Marufuji hit a combo double knee gut
buster/code-breaker move but Go broke up the pin. Roddy was pitched out by Go
and Hero was left in the ring with Marufuji. Strong would make it to the apron
and make a blind tag while Hero set up and hit Marufuji with the roaring elbow.
Strong quickly came in with his flying big boot followed by a variation of the
half nelson back breaker for the pin.
Result- Strong/Marufuji via pin fall (Strong on Hero)
After the match S&S Inc went after Strong. Lance Storm made the save putting
Sweeney in the Canadian Crab, but Hero put an end to it. Sweeney told Hero to
knock Storm out, and he did just that with the roaring elbow.
-An interview with Brent Albright aired. Albright's faced was covered by gauze
to sell the fireball from Pearce. He says that his kids are afraid of him
because of how he looks now and his wife is worried how they'll get by if he
misses another pay day. Albright says he'll make Pearce's face look as bad as
his does.
5. ROH World Championship Match- (c) Nigel McGuinness vs. Claudio
Castagnoli- The announcers smartly pointed out the success CM Punk
and Samoa Joe have had after becoming ROH World Champion to play up that the
title's reputation. Claudio started out quickly hitting a bicycle kick and got
a quick two count. He then hit his finisher, the Ricola Bomb but only got a two
count there as well. Nigel took a powder and they brawled on the outside for a
few moments. Claudio went for a elbow suicida but Nigel nailed him before he
got through the ropes. Nigel set him up for a Tower of London to the floor
while Claudio's feet were draped over the middle rope, but that was blocked.
With both men back in the ring, Nigel applied a figure four head scissors and
then turned it over into Alex Shelley's "skull fuck," driving Double C's head
into the canvas again and again. Nigel applied a surfboard type move and then
a cravat to wear Claudio down further. Claudio got back to his feet and fired
away. Nigel went for a head stand in the corner, Claudio ducked under the
attempted mule kick and the came flying off the middle turnbuckle with a
European uppercut. Castagnoli fired away with European uppercuts from both
sides and then clotheslined Nigel over the top rope. Claudio went for the elbow
suicida again and this time connected. Nigel was tossed back into the ring and
Claudio went for a cross body off the top but Nigel moved. Nigel hit a
hammerlock divorce court for a two count and then hit the Tower of London for
another 2 count. Even though 3 years ago no one kicked out of that move,
Claudio was back up right away. Nigel crotched Claudio on the top rope and set
up to come off with a lariat, but Claudio stepped up to the top rope and hit an
enzuguri on Nigel, who was seated on the top turn buckle. Claudio then grabbed
Nigel's feet and got him in the "big swing" (I guess it's not Giant anymore) for
about 13 revolutions. After another enzuguri, Claudio hit a series of moves for
2 counts including a superplex, a German suplex and the Alpamare Waterslide.
After hitting Nigel with the pop-up European Uppercut, Double C hit the second
Ricola Bomb of the match but again only got a two. He held on and tried a
second, but it was blocked and he turned it into a backslide for a 2. Claudio
went for an O'Connor roll, but Nigel rolled through, Claudio kicked out, but the
momentum sent Nigel to the ropes and he rebounded with the Jaw Breaker Lariat
and got the pin to retain.
Result- McGuinness via pin fall
6. "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black (w/ Jimmy
Jacobs)- While Danielson made his way to the ring, Prazak
mentioned that in a 30 day span Danielson competed on a big card for NOAH in
Japan, at TripleMania in Mexico, won a dark match against Lance Cade at Raw and
also competed in Europe. Black was quick to get on the offense and showed early
on that he was going to be aggressive and use his athleticism to try and beat
Danielson. Danielson applied a sick looking ankle lock on Black. Nigel
McGuinness came back in on commentary to basically bash both competitors.
Danielson worked over Black wrist bending and stomping on it. He continued on
the wrist and then hit a butterfly suplex into a cross armbreaker but Black
wouldn't let him apply it fully. Dragon fired away with some kicks before going
back to the wrist. He applied a really sick wrist lock while bending both of
Black's arms back. The crowd chanted "this is wrestling." Yes...it was. A
very good wrestling. Moments later they were on the apron and Dragon tried to
hit a neckbreaker on the apron but Black held on to the rope and Dragon fell
back hitting the apron. When the got back into the ring, Black fired away with
punches from the mount position and then applied a sleeper. Dragon fought his
way out and then hit a missile dropkick off the top rope on Black. Tyler went
to the floor and Dragon came through the ropes with an elbow suicida. Black
made a come back and with Dragon on the outside, Black climbed to the to rope
and hit a moonsault on Danielson to the floor. Dragon came back though quickly
and hit a flying knee before applying "cattle mutilation." Black reached the
ropes to break the hold. They then did a fish out of water spot and Black
re-applied the sleeper. Dragon's arm fell twice but on the third raise he fired
up back to his feet, Danielson applied a sleeper of his own and then into the
cross armbreaker. You can see how much he learned early on from Regal as
Danielson just goes from one move to another so smooth. From the cross arm
breaker, Danielson applied a triangle choke, but Black picked him up from that
position and went to power bomb him in the corner. When Danielson hit the turn
buckles, the rope one snapped! Scary, but Danielson was okay. With out the top
rope, Black's Phoenix Splash was out of the equation. Black hit an F-5 followed
by a super kick for a 2 count. After realising he couldn't come off the top, he
hooked Danielson and hit "God's Last Gift" (small package driver) for a 2
count. The two exchanged forearms with Danielson coming out on top, and then
taking black down and pounding him with elbows until the referee called the
match.
Result- Danielson via ref stoppage
After the match, Austin Aries returned to attack Jimmy Jacobs. They brawled all
over at ringside. Aries went for a suicide dive but Jacobs moved and Aries hit
the concrete face first. Jacobs places Aries on a chair and tried to from the
inside of the ring to the floor with a cross body, but Aries moved. They then
brawled into the crowd and fought all the way to the far wall onto what looked
like some floor mats rolled up. Aires tried for the brainbuster but Jacobs
countered with "The End Time" guillotine choke. Aries got out, and Jacobs went
to spear Aries but Austin blocked it with a few short knees to the head and then
applied the "Last Chancery." After some more brawling, Aries got a ladder and
tried to place Jacobs on a table. Jacobs fought up and tried to put Aries on a
table and come off the ladder. Aries too got up and they both ascended the
ladder. Necro Butcher came out and Jacobs told him to get Aries, but Aries told
him not to listen to Jacobs. Necro said screw it and just dumped the ladder
with both men on it over and send them both crashing through tables to the
floor.
Thoughts on the show: The first half wasn't very good,
but the tag match was good and the final match was very, very good. Overall,
the pacing of these PPVs sucks. Nothing has a chance to settle in with viewer
and then you're right on to the next thing. I understand that Gabe sees himself
as someone who learned from Heyman, and every once in a while in ECW when 3
matches all flowed into each other it was good. But the entire first 40 minutes
of this show felt that way. Also, ROH needs some sort of authority figure. If
having belts means "power" than I've seen some fans in ROH crowds that much be
the President. Yes, authority figures are done to death in wrestling, but there
has to be someone paying attention if you want a believable product? No?
Also, I know it's a Briscoe specialty...but can they actually enforce tag team
rules in all tag team matches? And if you're going to not count a pin for one
illegal man, why count one for TWO illegal men? ROH continues to give effort
from all it's wrestlers, but there needs to be more accountability and attention
to the small details. Just because TNA does it and still draws a 1.0 every week
doesn't mean it's okay to do. While ROH has had some tremendous matches on
PPV...it still doesn't feel like a "show." The product is still best view live
or their normal DVD releases. I also have to say, they need to find a happy
medium with the cameras on too dark and totally washing out all the colour with
light. Your pupils shouldn't dialate when you watch a show and they switch
camera angles.
I know I'm picking ROH apart, but I have supported the company with my money for
a few years now and will continue to as for in ring action you won't get better,
but I's gots to calls 'em as I sees em.
Check CarltonPrescott.com tomorrow the "Spot Fest" where I will break down
Monday Night RAW
