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Column of Honor: 12.31.09: Final Column 2009 Part Six – Top 100 ROH Matches of 2009 # 30-1
Ring Toss
-The Top 100 ROH Matches of the Year 2009: #’s 30-1
#30 – #1
One more time, here’s how I came to decide on this list:
–Based on 38 DVD shows from and 12 HDNet Tapings (36 episodes) from 2008-2009 (counting Double Feature II as two shows) as compared to 38 DVD shows and PPVs from 2007-2008.
–Includes matches from The French Connection (11/07/08) through Clash of the Contenders (10/09/09).The list also includes matches from ROH’s Rising Above 2008 PPV show since its first airing was in January of 2009. The list includes all HDNet shows taped through September 11th 2009, running through airdates on November 30th, 2009.
–Excludes matches from the November 5th & 6th 2009 HDNet tapings as well as DVD programs from Survival of the Fittest 2009 (10/10/09) onwards, including 11/07 (Edison, NJ), 11/13 (Novi, MI) , 11/14 (Mississauga, Ontario), 12/5 (Chicago Ridge, IL) 12/18 (Manassas, VA) 12/19 (Manhattan, NY). All of the matches for these shows will be eligible for next year’s list.
–Based on a number of factors including match quality, importance (i.e. a title vs. non-title match, a match that has an important sea change in ROH history), atmosphere & crowd reaction, as well as personal taste.
We continue:
30. Non-Title, ROH World Tag Team Champions American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson & Roderick Strong
—ROH on HDNet Episode 33 (Philadelphia PA, Taped on 09/10/09, Aired on 11/09/09)
Danielson and Strong proved to be a more cohesive team (at least on HDNet television) against the Wolves than the tandem of Danielson and Black. You had the fantastic Richards-Danielson exchanges in the beginning (a preview of their one-on-one showdown from The Final Countdown Tour: Boston), the long standing grudge between Richards and Strong, and Eddie Edwards continuing to demonstrate his improvement by being able to tap out Strong with the half-Boston Crab. There was a hell of a run to the finish with massive kick and backbreakers, with Strong’s sick kick looking like it could get the W. Everyone involved held nothing back and the result was another successful main event on HDNet.
29. “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen & Lance Storm vs. Chris Hero & Davey Richards
—Death Before Dishonor VII Night 1 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 07/24/09)
The first in-ring meeting and teaming of two popular Canadian wrestling stars—both with a common enemy in the former members of Sweet & Sour Incorporated. Storm came out of retirement for two shows only this year—this being the first. Not only did we get to see two unique combinations in Storm vs. Hero and Storm vs. Richards, but Storm looked like he hadn’t lost a step both physically and with his movement and work in the ring. This match could have been a good match just on these factors alone, but everything clicked, the crowd loved the double teams between Storm and Steen and the run to the finish was entertaining. The Double Sharpshooters and Hart Attack as tribute to Bret Hart (making his first special appearance for ROH on this show) ended this one on a very positive note.
28. Chris Hero vs. Lance Storm
—Death Before Dishonor VII Night Two (Markham, Ontario, Canada 07/25/09)
When Storm unexpectedly decided to return to in-ring action for ROH, it was only natural that he would be booked against someone with whom he had recent history. Hero knocked him out one year previous at the New Horizons Pay Per View in Detroit. Storm wanted payback in the form of a straight-up one-on-one match. In this match, Storm didn’t do anything crazy or out of his wheelhouse, but he did give an excellent performance. Everything he did in the ring against Hero was proficient: well-timed and well-executed. Hero was able to look dominant with his elbow attack, and Storm was valiant in his return volleys and how close he came to winning. Hero gained a feather in his cap from the win against a big name from wrestling’s past, while Storm was able to give back to his home country fans one more time.
27. Davey Richards vs. Kenny Omega
—Clash of the Contenders (Collinsville, IL 10/09/09)
Wow, was this match awesome—every minute just got better and better with the strike exchanges between the two, counters that happened at just the right time and perfect execution on everything. THIS is the kind of match ROH should have in its featured and marquee positions—well paced but constantly engaging the audience. Add a hot crowd popping for everything Omega and Richards did as icing on the cake. Best moments were Omega using his speed to throw off Richards, the double fall-over to the outside of the ring (a spot that’s been used in other matches before but looked amazing here and really worked up the crowd), the shooting star press that hits knees and then the finish with Omega wrapping up Richards for the win. This is a match that completely solidifies and legitimizes Omega’s presence in the upper card of any ROH show.
26. “The Final Countdown”: “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness
—Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown (New York, NY 09/26/09)
Not their best match against each other, but perhaps the most emotional and the most satisfying to the fans watching in attendance, or even to the wrestlers who participated. Neither man proved to be a lame duck—ram-headbutting each other and posting yourself on the side of the turnbuckle pole does not constitute “playing it safe” in my book—and the fans could tell that much, which further brought them into story of the match. The reversals and counters also demonstrated how well each knew the other—McGuinness couldn’t quite use his arm submissions and Nigel had both the Cattle Mutilation and Triangle Choke well scouted and easily countered them until he was overwhelmed with elbows and discombobulated. Danielson and McGuinness put the best strikes, exchanges and counters of their past matches, combined it with a few tricks they learned against other opponents during 2009 and topped it off with a clean finish and a ton of sportsmanship. It was a celebration of their long series against each other over the past four years and a fitting close to the end of their careers in ROH.
25. Submissions Match: ROH World Tag Team Title Match: American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) (c) vs. “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen & El Generico
—Manhattan Mayhem III (New York, NY 06/13/09)
Just because this was labeled as a “submission match” doesn’t mean this wasn’t a physical and taxing encounter. No, these men chose to make this match into a no-disqualification brawl all around the ringside area. They used the no-disqualification rider of the stipulation to their advantage and when someone was down, that is when the focus of the attacks switched to the legs and knees. Steen and Generico managed a measure of revenge by using chairs to pinpoint those joints and lower limbs, even getting the Wolves in a double submission with simultaneous sharpshooters. However, The Wolves turned the match to their favor and got the tap out. Each match in the Wolves-Steenerico rivalry continued the trend of intensity, hatred and violence. Here they managed to maintain suspension of disbelief of the blood feud in a context that usually doesn’t allow for it (the only match that comes close would be D-X vs. Legacy from WWE Breaking Point which was submissions rules and managed to involve a backstage brawl before getting back to the ring to complete the finish according to the rules of the match).
24. Number One Contender’s Match: Austin Aries vs. Tyler Black
—Final Battle 2008 (New York, NY 12/27/08)
One of the most effortless performances from Black—he looked so great in the ring here, moving fast, hitting moves with precision, doing insane dives like the fosbury flop! He was looking to impress here. Aries for his part manned up and took some risky moves, including a brutally impressive Black TKO to the apron. A divided crowd moved more and more to Black’s side as Aries began to act more like a heel. Jimmy Jacobs interferes to distract Black and put the eighty-six on the Phoenix Splash. That allows Aries to get his special three-move combo, the kick and brainbuster followed by the 450 Splash for the win. You know the rest. Jacobs’ interference was probably unnecessary (do the angle after the match!) and a bummer for me and so while I loved the in-ring action I can’t bring myself to put this one higher.
23. ROH World Title Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
—ROH on HDNet Episode 30 (Philadelphia PA, Taped on 08/15/09, Aired on 10/19/09)
Aries and Danielson—one more iteration of their years-long rivalry, but this time it would be Danielson’s final title shot on HDNet. It was a fantastic wrestling match—technical wrestling, chain wrestling, strategy and a late surge of dramatic impact moves that give the impression the challenger can win. Reading the initial spoilers that had Aries winning with the IED dropkick in the corner was shocking, but it made complete sense given the constant attack to the head and neck and the fact that Danielson was trapped in the corner and dropkicked into an exposed turnbuckle. Aries was in need of some strong title defenses at this point in his run and this clearly was a match result that showed Aries could win and retain his title in different ways. This was such a smartly wrestled match by both men and perhaps the subtle touches throughout are why it isn’t receiving all that much attention. However, it certainly got mine and lands in the upper tier of this year’s best matches.
22. ROH World Tag Team Title Match: American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
—ROH on HDNet Episode 35 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 9/11/09, Aired on 11/23/09)
This is as action-packed as you can get in a twelve-minute match and maybe more so given The Bucks propensity for completing complicated combinations in rapid succession. They gave the Wolves a huge run for their money and in fact had the advantage throughout much of the match. The Wolves had to rely on their ruthlessness and a bit of cunning in cutting off an attempt to break up the submission at the end of the match. Even Davey Richards had to admit, through his body language—hard breaths and head nods—that the Bucks stole the show and proved to them they belonged in the discussion of top talent in the ROH tag team division.
(****1/4 matches)
21. Chris Hero vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
—The Final Countdown Tour: Dayton (Dayton, OH 9/18/09)
Just two weeks earlier PWG shocked the independent wrestling world with Danielson defeating Hero for their Heavyweight Championship on Danielson’s last night with their company. It was a terrific match and a very emotional moment for the West Coast fans. There was no title on the line in Dayton and it was just the beginning of The Final Countdown Tour for Danielson, but both wrestlers still gave a fantastic effort and by the end had built up a match that at least in the ring was almost the equal of what they did during that PWG Title bout. Hero was relentless in his pursuit of the knockout on Dragon, with each shot being that much more devastating. Danielson’s selling of every shot was as realistic as the world of professional wrestling could provide. It was almost a master class in the art of selling. There were multiple exciting near falls and desperation comebacks by Danielson, with Hero’s heightened facial language at Danielson refusing to die. In the end though, Danielson put over Hero, his lights going out and his body going limp thanks to the KO elbow.
20. No Disqualification, ROH World Tag Team Title Match: “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen & El Generico (c) vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
—Seventh Anniversary Show (New York, NY 03/21/09)
The Wolves had attacked Steen & Generico’s knees, and now you were telling them they could use weapons to do even more damage? Both teams smashed each other with chairs to the knee throughout the match and it played in greatly to the moves that Generico could or could not do—ultimately sacrificing his body to the cause of destroying his enemies. I loved the babyface retribution aspect of the match, with Steen and Generico using the weapons and each other as projectiles to attack The Wolves and gain the advantage. You can’t ask for more fire and brimstone when Kevin Steen is psyching himself up—and his comeback late in the match is one of the highlights of the year for me—ALMOST as good as when he made his comeback during the Ladder War 2. Davey misses the shooting star press and hurts his knee. Steen is right there to take advantage, pulling the “Steve Austin Wrestlemania X7” Special on Richards with a chair, then hooking him in deep with the Sharpshooter in order to tap out. The champions retain in n especially meaningful and emotional match. They had seemingly gotten even and put The Wolves behind them…until a vicious post-match attack made Steen & Generico rekindle the embers of the feud.
19. ROH World Title Match: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji
—Final Battle 2008 (New York, NY 12/27/08)
Marufuji was using unusual moves not often seen in ROH or by the audience in attendance, (even though he may have used them in Japan on a regular basis by that point) surely wowed the crowd in NYC. The blitz of fast-paced “blink and you miss it” moves like the push-down stomp in the turnbuckles and the “Mindtrip”-like snapmare driver helped to put McGuinness at a disadvantage throughout much of this match. Those lightning-fast moves and a few nice tributes to their past match in NYC (Glory By Honor V Night 2) push this match into the upper tier of McGuinness’ title defenses.
18. Four Corner Survival, ROH World Title Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Tyler Black vs. Nigel McGuinness
—Death Before Dishonor VII Night 1 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 07/24/09)
Aries wrestles this match under protest, which might be a first. He is very loud in his opening promo and in the lead-up to the opening bell. There’s a lot of continuity in this match (much like there was for last year’s Four Corner Survival at Death Before Dishonor VI). This would be Jerry Lynn and Nigel McGuinness in the ring against each other for the first time since the title switch, Aries, Black and Lynn rematching after the Manhattan Mayhem III title match, Lynn’s first official rematch since then, McGuinness and Aries had just wrestled for the title a few weeks before and of course you have a long history between McGuinness and Black as well. The match itself played off all that history and as usual when you do that, you get a match that not only has great in-ring action but means much more to ROH history in the long run. Moments like the Lynn vs. McGuinness face off and Black stomping down Aries felt more intense and with more of a purpose than any regular match. You get good “previous knowledge” spots like when Aries and Black trade headscissors and when Aries blocks the bucklebomb into a sunset flip. Also, Aries’ springboard sideheadlock just has to be seen to be believed—yes, I write that facetiously. Actually—he is just fantastic in this match, maybe one of his best heel performances of the year. The match gets real sick at the end with all sorts of combinations being down with all four men, including Lynn somehow maneuvering Aries into a cradle piledriver off of a Last Chancery attempt on Nigel. Unfortunately McGuinness suffered a stinger off a Lynn piledriver soon after. The finish sees Kenny King out to push Black off the top ropes into the guardrail (he is very smoothly in and out of the line of sight) and Austin Aries retains with a weird 360 into a leg drop onto McGuinness (that was probably supposed to be a 450) for the pinfall. Wonky move at the finish aside, there’s a ton to love about this match.
17. Tables Are Legal, ROH World Tag Team Title Match: “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen & El Generico (c) vs. American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
—ROH on HDNet Episode 11 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 04/30/09, Aired 05/30/09)
This was the first title change in ROH on HDNet history and a turning point in the Wolves vs. Steenerico feud. For the first time, the Wolves were able to get the better of Steen and Generico inside the ring. A great brawl preceded some damned impressive table breaks, including Steen going over the ring and through two tables. Generico had been isolated and preyed upon for much of the match, and in the end he was sent crashing through another table via a doomsday ace crusher. The Wolves were triumphant. Really one of the first memorable moments of the HDNet television series, evidenced by the multiple times the finish to the match has been shown on replay in the following episodes.
16. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong
–ROH on HDNet Episode 34 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 9/11/09, Aired 11/16/09)
An appropriate farewell match for the Danielson vs. Strong series, which has been based on technical and submission exchanges, intermingled with moments where each has become angry and vindictive on the other through chops and wicked kicks. Strong actually outwrestles Danielson through much of this one, putting the pressure on Dragon to make the comeback. Danielson’s last few teases of winning the match are especially emotional, but Strong has too much left in him and Danielson not enough. I felt the win sequence was slightly anti-climactic, that perhaps it should have taken more than what Strong unleashed in order to put Danielson away. However, the excellence in skill combined with the emotion each put in helps this match rise to the occasion.
15. Chris Hero vs. KENTA
—ROH on HDNet Episode 29 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 08/15/09, Aired 10/12/09)
I loved this match and clearly so did the fans in attendance because the HDNet audience which early on in the run of tapings has often come across as quiet even amidst the best main event matches were marking out hard and cheering like crazy for this one. The spotlight shone brightly on Hero and he responded by delivering one of his most memorable performances in ROH and certainly thus far in his appearances on HDNet. Back and forth forearm exchanges, Hero attempting to knock out KENTA with strikes, and one of the craziest Yakuza kick exchanges in years. Now, the finish of the match is a touchy subject as some would say the interference by Eddie Kingston is problematic to the overall grading of the match. However, I would say that Kingston’s timing in removing the elbow pad was so perfect that it actually added to the end of the match and didn’t take away from it. Kingston was actually preventing Hero from cheating in using the loaded elbow pad, so in my mind Hero had it coming.
(****1/2 matches)
14. “I Quit” Match: Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Jacobs
—Rising Above 2008 (Chicago Ridge, IL, Taped 11/22/08 Aired 01/16/09)
When I watched this match back a few months ago I found it to be far slower paced in telling the story of the match, which eventually dropped it from the top ten. However, the drama of the match still works now just as much as it did then, more so because you can see the gears in both Aries’ and Jacobs’ head turning as they decide what to do next and how to best inflict damage upon each other. It also featured some clever usage of the dog collar and chain, with Aries being wrapped around but a reversal of fortune allowing him to trap Jacobs and unleash hell on him to his heart’s content. Both men bleed a good deal and it looks like hell (in the best possible way, of course) especially the gory spiking at the end. The bit with Lacey coming out to stop Jacobs from beating down Aries works as a great surprised return (her first appearance since Jacobs did whatever it was he did to her) and also ties into the angle in June of 2008 when she stopped Jacobs from killing Aries the second time. It is clear from Aries’ reaction that she is working on her own agenda. Still, Aries is able to manage a measure of closure for himself as this situation works out so that Jacobs is forced to say “I Quit”, the most humbling phrase he knew. He takes out his frustration immediately on Tyler Black, who was prevented from throwing in the towel by Lacey, thus foreshadowing their feud in 2009.
13. KENTA & Tyler Black vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima & Austin Aries
—Take No Prisoners 2009 (Houston, TX Taped 04/04/09, Aired 06/12/09)
From my 06/13/09 Column: What a hell of a match and a fantastic run down the stretch to the finish. Aries was excellent in this one, using his heel antics to mix and match with KENTA’s serious ‘I’m going to kick your ass” philosophy. Aries sneaking in and out of those attacks and tagging in Nakajima to do the damage early on was brilliant, although he doesn’t shy away from the action, especially at the end. The Black vs. Nakajima segments were fresh and unique, although I’d say the KENTA vs. Aries segments were done better. KENTA vs. Nakajima was rock solid—these guys don’t miss a beat against each other. Aries and Black were off for one short segment, but the run to the finish made up for it and then some.
12. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black (III)
—ROH on HDNet Episode 18 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 05/30/09, Aired 07/25/09)
After two inconclusive matches, Danielson and Black fought once last time on HDNet. The storyline behind the match was that their tag team fizzled because they couldn’t trust each other (not really one-hundred percent true since they teamed up more than once on house shows against the Wolves) and that Black couldn’t win the big one against Danielson. Black played the comeback kid in this one, after being dissected and picked apart by Danielson in the early going via technical and submission wrestling. Black used his impact and flying offense and finally won the match with two massive superkicks and a God’s Last Gift. Danielson played the subtle heel (though the crowd was split, leaning many times more for Danielson rather than Black). The huge spot was Danielson launching Black way deep into the crowd and then launching the springboard dive as well. This led to a tease of a count-out (the finish of the second match), but Black made it in this time. In the end though, Danielson put over Black, which in retrospect was the right move, considering Black was staying and Danielson was on his way out.
11. Dog Collar Match: Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Jacobs
—Bound By Hate (Markham, Ontario, Canada 11/08/08)
Quite honestly, this one should have been the blow off to the entire feud. It was filled with the appropriate elements-the hate, the intensity and the physicality between the two warring parties. From my review in the 01.17.09 edition: Right from the start when Jacobs ambushes Aries this is just a brutal and bloody occasion, one you can’t turn away from. I loved the strategy of Jacobs not putting on the dog collar and using it to drag Aries all over. He eventually ties Aries to a turnbuckle post and leaves him in a completely vulnerable position, one he uses to press the advantage. Aries then makes the come from behind rally and bloodies Jacobs to even the score. Jacobs is brilliant in wrapping the chain around Aries throat before he goes to the End Time—it’s the little touches like that which make all the difference in presenting a dog collar match. These two were clearly thinking about how to use the gimmick to their best advantage. Later, Aries wraps the chain around his knee, gets the brainbuster, brutal knees and the Last Chancery to finish it.
=*******The Top 10*******=
10. Roderick Strong, KENTA and Bryan Danielson vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) & Chris Hero
—ROH on HDNet Episode 26 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 08/14/09, Aired 09/21/09)
The team of Strong, KENTA and Danielson is just a damned cool babyface dream grouping. KENTA’s second time against The Wolves & Hero (on the build to Hero vs. KENTA) proves to be far more successful than the first (teaming with Steen & Generico). Some real good team strategy on each side, and many of them fitting of the wrestlers involved such as when you get the babyfaces playing “ping-pong” of Edwards and Danielson and Strong chop away, but KENTA adds in his spin kicks. Later on Danielson holds Richards back from interrupting the Stronghold and when Hero comes into stop it, Strong holds on long enough for KENTA to get in there and put on an octopus hold. Also late in the match you see Hero add in his trademark elbow to the Wolves’ Orient Express-combo for a devastating effect. While Edwards spends most of the time in ring for his team you do get great teases of Danielson vs. Richards and Hero vs. KENTA, which both pay off later in the year. I also should note the great camerawork in this one, really nailing all the right angles throughout the match, including some great close ups during the heat segment on Danielson. KENTA gets the hot tag and impresses everyone with his offensive repertoire, really putting it to Richards (a revisiting of their singles match). Hero lands a number of sick elbows and the best part is the immediacy to which he goes for the cover. KENTA also sells the impact of these blows (well most of them anyway) very well, immediately crumbling down. The gutbuster into a hurricanrana by Edwards makes me leap out of my feet—that’s how great it’s done. After a Strong superplex, Danielson super back suplex, KENTA leaping Falcon Arrow and a series of dives by Danielson and KENTA, it’s all down to Edwards and Strong. The final minute is back-and-forth but finally Strong gets the advantage with his leaping corner enziguiri, sick kick for two and a Gibson Driver for three. All throughout this match you get a true sense of team warfare, that each side does not like the other and will do whatever possible to ensure they win and the other side doesn’t. Every move looks crisp, sounds crisp—the crowd is hot, the action is great—this is just a top notch effort from everyone involved.
9. Ladder War 2, ROH World Tag Team Title Match: The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) (c) vs. “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen & El Generico
—Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown (New York, NY 09/26/09)
The greatest ROH rivalry in 2009 comes down to this—the second-ever ladder war in ROH history. Steen & Generico had participated in the first such match and paid the price with their bodies crashing through ladders and tables. They also came up short in that match, and unfortunately for them they would also lose this one as well. While the first ladder war match had a number of dangerous spots, this one had many insane high-risk moments as well, but saved most of them for the end. It also told a unique story due to Edwards’ elbow injury. The opening of the match is all Steen & Generico as Edwards is impeded by the injury, and then Richards and Edwards manage to handcuff Steen and isolate Generico. The match is hurt slightly by a slower section in the middle of the bout after Steen is freed of the handcuffs and spends a lot of time with Generico setting up the furniture that would be used during the stretch run. Instead Steen and Generico perhaps should have had a longer segment where they fired back at The Wolves before setting up the tables.
I still can’t quite believe that Edwards went through with the match (or that they kept the titles here with an uncertain knowledge at the time of how badly it was broken) but he did as much as he could and perhaps more than should have been expected of him. Meanwhile Steen may have had the biggest bump of the match when he went over the ring and through a table propped up by a ladder. As I wrote in my 10/03/09 Column: By the end of the match, Generico had killed Richards with Super Sunset Flip Power Bomb from the top of the super ladder and smashing straight through a table; Edwards back body dropped Generico from the top of the ladder down through the other table; Richards pushed Steen off another ladder through the table / ladder bridge in what was THE most insane spot I’ve seen anyone take when it comes to these sorts of matches—and that is no hyperbole. I think I must have screamed for about thirty seconds in abject horror, having thought that I had just seen someone become paralyzed. Steen was, of course, out for the rest of the match. I would have been out the rest of my life. I don’t know if you could ask for more than what these men gave the fans—it was violent, nasty and befitting of the year-long feud in every imaginable way.
8. Four Corner Survival, ROH World Title Match: Jerry Lynn (c) vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries vs. Tyler Black
—ROH on HDNet Episode 12 (Philadelphia PA, Taped 04/12/09, Aired 06/06/09)
A combination of the principle characters involved in the main event of the first several editions of the HDNet series get together to fight in the first ever ROH World Title match on television and the result is a hell of an encounter. The best moments are when each wrestler incorporates his personality into their actions during the match—Aries’ arrogance (such as when he preens in front of the camera or puts on a camel clutch on Lynn and screams out “humble you!”), Jerry Lynn’s surprising aerial theatrics and veteran wile, Dragon’s technical excellence (his submission game in this one is top notch) and Black’s fast-paced attack from different angles. Some interesting quadruple spots mid-way through, but even better is the closing moments when Aries tries to clear the ring for himself in order to win the match only for that to ultimately backfire when attempting to use the missile tope to the outside and all three men come back for vengeance. Then you have one of the more unique, mark-out sequences when Danielson and Lynn are set for a bridge-up and Black springboard moonsaults onto both to pop them down…only for Dragon to power back up with the weight of both Lynn AND Black on top of him! Now that’s impressive. That Aries could have won the title on a count-out is a bit of genius for this specific context (but I’m sure glad they didn’t actually go through with that as a finish). Then we get some crazy implementation of combinations of moves (and dodges of moves) based on body positioning—the Buckle Bomb of Aries onto Lynn, Danielson superbackdropping Black onto Aries and Lynn, Black breaking up the Triangle choke by power bombing Danielson onto Aries who had Lynn in the Last Chancery. Just insane stuff you wouldn’t normally think of in a wrestling match and when done had incredible timing and reaction from the crowd. The finish sees Lynn convert to the Cradle Piledriver on Danielson and both Aries and Black being a hair touch too late to break up the fall. Basically you had so much greatness coming out of this match and but for the greatness of all the other matches on this list, this could have been the number one selection. However, in my opinion, it certainly was the greatest TV match for ROH on HDNet this year in a group of plenty of able choices.
7. ROH World Tag Title Match: The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) (c) vs. Roderick Strong & KENTA
—Violent Tendencies (Detroit, MI 06/26/09)
There has been criticism that ROH can’t do the hard hitting, fast-paced style anymore, but that criticism would be wrong. All you’d have to do is watch this match and realize that when it counts, ROH can bring the best of that style. The false finishes in this match are so close that even though it’s on DVD and most would know the result by now, you’d swear that the title could change hands at any moment. Strong and KENTA make an awesome pair and a tremendous parallel to Richards and Edwards. The best part is becoming immersed in the heat of their battle and just going batty freaking out along with the crowd to the strikes and back-to-back combinations done by all four men.
6. World Tag Team Title Match: The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) (c) vs. Tyler Black & Bryan Danielson
—Tag Title Classic (Markham, Ontario 04/18/09)
You have the best tag match involving a rivalry at number nine, the best tag match involving heart-stopping false finishes at number seven, but this is ROH’s best all around tag team match of the year. IT is a “classic” in every sense of the word, featuring terrific classic tag team action, technical wrestling excellence, strategy and in the end, a fiercely contested battle where the challengers almost but not quite get the best of the champions. Danielson and Black started off the match with the advantage, but The Wolves prove why they’re the best tag team of the year by isolating Black, then Danielson and then Black again. This match ends in a draw after Danielson and Black put Richards and Edwards in simultaneous Cattle Mutilations and MMA elbows. Black gets the God’s Last Gift but the bell rings before a three-count can be converted—it’s as close as you can get to winning without winning. The Wolves stand tall, still the tag team champions.
5. ROH World Title Match: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
—Rising Above 2008 (Chicago Ridge, IL, Taped 11/22/08 Aired 01/16/09)
This match had been built up for the better part of nine months, with Danielson having to prove himself to McGuinness by defeating everyone the champion had defeated on Pay Per View. These two proceeded to put on yet another amazing match in the pantheon of their great matches. Here is a wrestling match with the best that Danielson had to offer up against the best of McGuinness. It’s not the fastest paced match, but it does pick up as McGuinness throws the works at Danielson. Claudio’s interference on the stage is fitting because they were feuding at the time and the count-out tease works very well here. Danielson roars back, using his strikes to throw off McGuinness and has a bead on the lariat, countering it or ducking it several times, including one time where he transitions it into his version of the fujiwara armbar. Danielson gets the triangle choke and uses the elbows (which is what he promised he wouldn’t do during their match at Sixth Anniversary Show, but there is no such promise to protect Nigel’s head this time). When McGuinness does get the jawbreaker lariat, Danielson does his awesome flip over sell (first seen against Homicide at Final Battle 2006 and brought back for this and his matches against Morishima). He can kick out of one, but not a second lariat and McGuinness not only defeats Danielson decisively, he does it via pinfall as well.
4. ROH World Title Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
—The Final Countdown Tour: Chicago (Chicago Ridge, IL 09/19/09)
Aries and Danielson have been brilliant in their series of matches against each other, going all the way back to 2004. Collectively they may even be better than the Danielson vs. McGuinness series in terms of technical excellence, albeit that feud was played up as far more of a personal issue that brilliant matches were built around. This last match in their rivalry was a hell of a number to go out on. There are numerous counters and chaining out of signature moves, as fans have come to expect out of their meetings, yet even in this last one, they continue to use new reversals, dodges and limb manipulation escapes in order to establish that they are working their way through this great wrestling rivalry. The chain sequences are even lengthier and at a faster pace than the Take No Prisoners 2008 match. Even the more impactful moves like the IED dropkick in the corner mean more because of the reversal work to get to that point (as well as it being the finish to their HDNet match and that would still be fresh in the mind of people who watch both the television shows and watch the DVDs). This may be Danielson’s farewell tour, but he is not going to go down easy at all. He is sent into near-unconsciousness several times by Aries’ big moves like the punt kick, but he keeps coming back. It takes everything Aries has and more to win this one, including the Last Chancery and attempting the three-move combo, only Dragon brilliantly reverses the 450 Splash into the triangle choke! This move was a masterstroke—I have no idea who thought of it when, but it was only fitting to have it happen in their last match. This sequence really gets the crowd buzzing although they were somewhat muted through most the match since they figured that Danielson wasn’t winning the belt here. If he wasn’t leaving I would have loved to see that be the finish of the match. Instead, Aries breaks the hold. The champion has to go big or go home, so what does he do? He levels Danielson with the superbrainbuster (Cripes!) and wipes him into unconsciousness and the Last Chancery to force the referee to stop the match. Genius.
A final, perfect touch to the Aries-Danielson saga comes in the aftermath, as Aries very humbly puts Danielson over…only to blast him down with the microphone. Aries gets the final say in the five-year series.
3. Davey Richards vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
—The Final Countdown Tour: Boston (Boston, MA 09/25/09)
It was “Best in the World” versus the possible “New Best in the World” in a forty-minute wrestling match, spelled W-R-E-S-T-L-I-N-G. No run-ins by Shane Hagadorn or Eddie Edwards. No disqualifications. No time limit draws. Simply Danielson vs. Richards, one-on-one, may the better man win.
It was the arm versus the leg in a battle of which limb goes out first. Therein is the smart psychology of technical wrestling done by two of the best at doing that sort of match. Richards picked apart Danielson’s arm to set up the kimura armbar. Danielson showed he still has all sorts of tricks up his sleeve by setting up the ankle pick and using the anklelock to hurt Richards’ feet and thus prevent him from using the dangerous kicks he has in his arsenal. The strategy worked for both men—Danielson showed extensive damage to the arm and it made him take too much time to set up big moves like the super backsuplex on the top turnbuckle. Richards couldn’t complete his back handspring kick because the leg gave out on him.
It was the sacrifice both men put into their effort here to perform for the crowd. Richards is dumped headfirst with an overhead suplex from the apron to the floor. Richards unleashed his suicide flip dive into the crowd—he flies so fast that it’s a wonder both he and anyone in his vicinity make it through that moment. Danielson responds the high-risk with his own, the trademark springboard diving press into the crowd. At the finish, Richards uses his shooting star press and it just looks perfect. Even better—the SSP hits the arm, which Richards had worked on all match. That leads to the kimura for the submission win.
There are a few nitpicks here and there—I would have liked Danielson to spend more time on the leg late in the match and I think watching with the commentary on dilutes the crowd reaction too much (an important intangible that can’t be overlooked). However, the intensity was there, the selling was there and the execution of the moves was spot-on. These guys didn’t hold back, even though both had important matches the next night in New York. For both men, this was as important as any match they would have in 2009. This certainly would have been number one, that is, if each of these men didn’t give one better match during the timeframe of this list.
****¾ matches
2. Fight Without Honor: “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima
—Final Battle 2008 (New York, NY 12/27/08)
One of the first memories I have about this match is about how loud the fans shouted and cheered for Danielson throughout the match. I’m talking huge response from before his intro, through his huge comebacks against Morishima and then the post-match celebration after finally besting the behemoth Morishima. The best matches are the ones that have a special bond between the wrestler and the crowds, where the crowd reaction spurs on the performance of the wrestlers, which further propels the crowd to cheer on.
The bond of performer and audience pushing the performance forward was present here with Danielson and the fans in New York—that bond is that last part of the explanation as to why Dragon has been so respected throughout his ROH career beginning in 2002 and just how much he has been revered these last few years. The fans wanted him to win on this night—and they were going to get him there, come hell or high water, with their claps, stomps, cheers and chants.
Craftily, Danielson jumped Morishima before the match even begun, using his theme song and the cover of darkness to surprise his adversary. In time with the words and the music, Danielson launched himself into the crowd and onto Morishima with the springboard plancha and then recovering just in time for the fans to chant the last words of the chorus along with him. There was a certain magic to this match that carried through and I think it all started with that opening minute.
It had been over a year since the last meeting between the two, but this match still uses moments and spots from those matches, including the throws into the guardrail, the ring bell hammer to the eye, and the stomps into the groin. Through the lariats and backdrop drivers, Danielson persevered. Through the shots with chain link, including a lariat with the chain, Danielson persevered.
Danielson came back from a bloody beat down, wrapped the chain up and smashed Morishima with the elbows. Morishima powered out and broke free from the chain, so Danielson did it again. Morishima wouldn’t stop coming, but then Danielson wrapped the chain around his elbow and blasted the big man with twenty elbows with the chain attached. Danielson reapplied Cattle Mutilation and finally the referee saw Morishima was unconscious and stopped the match in favor of Danielson. It was vicious retribution but Danielson did what was needed to get the job done. Finally he proved to the world he could defeat Morishima and in doing so created one of the greatest matches in ROH history, bettered only by one other in 2009…
1. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title Match: KENTA (c) vs. Davey Richards
—Supercard of Honor IV (Houston, TX 4/3/09)
Think about the best martial arts movies and the fight sequences—back and forth strike and kick attempts, blocks and counter attacks, counter blocks and hits, the struggle for positioning, to find a weak spot and then to capitalize. There is a showdown between the two rivals, perhaps one a teacher and the other a protégé. There can be only one winner, one survivor. Davey Richards and KENTA was the best martial arts fight to take place in the form of a wrestling match this year in Ring of Honor and likely any other.
This was a perfectly imperfect match, which is why it’s fitting as the number one choice for Ring of Honor’s match of the year for 2009. What I mean by that is that amidst a barrage of ups and downs, criticisms about booking decisions and finishes to certain matches, Ring of Honor still had an amazing year in terms of providing in-ring action in the main events that meet and exceed expectations.
For all but the last thirty seconds for those who saw this match live, KENTA vs. Richards was about as close to a perfect wrestling match as possible. For those who saw the match on tape and may not have known about the mistake at the end due to the good editing, this match may just as very well have been perfect.
What happened was that Richards bounded into the ropes for his handspring kick, but KENTA stopped it by using Richards’ momentum and lifting him up into a torture rack position. From there KENTA was supposed to flip him over into the fireman’s carry and get Richards with the Go To Sleep. The fans in Texas instead saw KENTA drop Richards, not once, but twice, before successfully converting a regular Go To Sleep for the three-count. A very unfortunate case a great match ruined by the ending, right? Not quite so fast. Thanks to editing and a well-timed switch of camera angle, those who saw the match via DVD never saw the two botches. Instead, what they saw was the original intended idea executed completely to finish what had been up to then, a breathtaking and exhilarating thrill ride.
What to do about the botched ending then? Was it enough to derail the entire twenty minutes of action that came before hand, at least enough to disqualify it from the number one slot on a list of top matches of the year? Or was there something else in or about the match that could justify the placement of it as top dog (or in this case, wolf) of 2009?
I thought about these questions for a good long while. I think the answer is in the build of the match from one minute to the next—with both Richards and KENTA taking their battle up a notch in intensity, effort and precision every time. I think the answer is in the fun I had watching these guys exchange kicks about half-way through, one –for-one and then simultaneously to the head, only to come back for more. It’s not quite as fast as The Matrix Minute from Low Ki vs. Amazing Red, but it is as intense and as much a rush to watch, plus it’s five times as long. I think the answer comes in the genuine excitement that I feel when I watch this match and watch it over and over again. Like that great action movie, I know the blow-by-blow and move-for-move of the big showdown and I still get that feeling in my gut while watching it all happen on my television screen one more time.
Then, I thought about if I hadn’t been spoiled about the events that led to the finish to the match and only watched straight through, would it be my match of the year? My answer would be yes. This year’s decision making process for ROH match of the year was the most difficult yet, but I have my answer, and it’s Davey Richards vs. KENTA.
Previous Column of Honor Match of the Year Winners:
2008: Four Way Elimination Match, ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Tyler Black—Death Before Dishonor VI (New York, NY 08/02/08)
2007: # 1 Contender’s Match: “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness—Driven (Philadelphia, PA taped 6/09/07, aired 9/21/07 & 9/28/07 on PPV)
2006: ROH World Title: Bryan Danielson (c) vs. KENTA—Glory By Honor V Night Two (New York, NY 9/16/06)
2005: Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi—Joe vs. Kobashi (New York, NY 10/01/05)
If you haven’t checked out the previous parts of Final Column 2009, here are some handy links for your reference:
Part One: ROH Yearbook
Part Two: ROH Yearbook Part Two
Part Three: The Voice of the People
Part Four: Year End Awards
Part Five: Matches of the Year # 100 – 31
That will call it for 2009 in Ring of Honor, in the wrestling world at-large and for Column of Honor. Thanks to everyone for reading this multi-part feature. Thanks again to the ROH message board, Pro Wrestling Ponderings and 411Mania’s staff for participating in the “Voice of the People” feature. I hope the best for everyone out there in the New Year, stay healthy and safe.
BUT WAIT! I’M NOT DONE YET! You see, there was so much stuff that I wrote for this year-end feature that not all of it could be fit in before the turn of the calendar sends us into the next decade! So join me back here in 48 hours for the Column of Honor’s regularly scheduled Saturday slot for the first-ever “First Column 2010”! There you’ll find my year-end thoughts on a whole slew of promotions and my fave five wrestlers of the year from 2009!
BROOKLYN, WE DID IT!
–Ari–
