Column of Honor Presents: The Top 100 ROH Matches of 2010: #20-1

Posted by Ari Berenstein on 12.25.2010

The absolute best of the year for Ring of Honor! Featuring the end of Austin Aries run as ROH World Champion, The Youngbucks, the last of Kevin Steen and El Generico as a tag team and their most bitter grudge bouts, Davey Richards and Kenny Omega’s epic encounter, the debut of Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin, The Briscoes vs. The Kings, Tyler Black’s final effort on HDNet and an expected but much-deserving number one.


Welcome back one more time to the biggest countdown of the year for Column of Honor. It's time to finish up the list and find out the top twenty matches in ROH's comeback year.

CLICK HERE to read part one and the full descriptions for matches # 100-51.
CLICK HERE to read part two and the full descriptions for matches # 50-21.




Ring Toss
- The Top 100 ROH Matches of the Year 2010: #'s 20- # 1
- Previous Winners

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One more time, here's how I came to decide on this list:

Notes:

-Placement is based on a number of factors including in-ring match quality, match psychology, the finish to the match, overall importance (i.e. a title vs. non-title match, a match that has an important effect or sea change in ROH history), crowd reaction & atmosphere, as well as personal taste.

-Based on 29 DVD shows (including 4 internet Pay Per Views) and 17 HDNet Tapings with shows that ran as Episodes 37 through 84 (48 episodes total) from 2009-2010. This is as compared to 38 DVD shows and 12 HDNet Tapings (36 episodes total) in 2008-2009.

-Includes matches from Survival of the Fittest 2009 (10/10/09) through Richards vs. Daniels (10/16/10) and is thus a true year of wrestling action. The list includes all HDNet shows running through airdates from December 1st, 2009 through on November 30th, 2010.

-Excludes the following DVD shows: Survival of the Fittest 2010 (11/12/10), Fate of an Angel II (11/13/10), as well as Plymouth, MA (12/17/10) and Final Battle 2010 (12/18/10). This also excludes the HDNet Tapings that took place on 12/09/10 & 12/10/10. All of the matches for these shows will be eligible for next year's list.


Previously:

50. Non-Title Special Attraction: ROH World Champion Austin Aries vs. Jushin "Thunder" Liger
—So Cal Showdown (Los Angeles, CA 01/29/10)
49. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Davey Richards & Chris Hero
—Boiling Point (Edison, NJ 11/07/09)
48. ROH World Tag Team Title Match: The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) w/ Shane Hagadorn & Sara Del Rey (c) vs. "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels & Davey Richards
--Allied Forces (Dayton, OH 10/15/10)
47. ROH World Title Match: Tyler Black (c) vs. Roderick Strong
—Supercard of Honor V (New York, NY, 05/08/10)
46. Double Chain Match: El Generico & Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen & Steve Corino
—Glory By Honor IX (New York, NY 09/11/10)
45. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
—Bluegrass Brawl (Louisville, KY 07/22/10)
44. Pick Your Poison: Roderick Strong vs. El Generico
—Pick Your Poison (Dayton, OH 04/23/10)
43. No Disqualification Match: Jerry Lynn vs. Kenny King
—From the Ashes (Phoenix, AZ 03/26/10)
42. American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. Generation Me (Max & Jeremy Buck)
—Hate: Chapter II (Collinsville, IL 07/23/10)
41. Number One Contender's Match: The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe) vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico
—ROH on HDNet Episode 37 (Taped 11/05/09, Aired 12/07/09)
40. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
—Aries vs. Richards (Novi, MI 11/13/09)
39. Pick 6 Match: Kenny Omega (3) vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima
—Aries vs. Richards (Novi, MI 11/13/09)
38. ROH World Title Match, Steel Cage: Austin Aries (c) vs. Colt Cabana
—Reverse the Curse (Chicago Ridge, IL 12/05/09)
37. Six-Man War: The Briscoes & Amazing Kong vs. ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) & Sara Del Rey
—Hate: Chapter II (Collinsville, IL 07/23/10)
36. Fight Without Honor: Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Hero
—Final Battle 2009 (New York, NY 12/19/09)
35. Non-Title: Christopher Daniels vs. ROH Television Champion Eddie Edwards
—Supercard of Honor V (New York, NY, 05/08/10)
34. ROH World Title Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. Kenny Omega
—The Omega Effect (Mississauga, ONT, CN 11/14/09)
33. ROH World Title Match: Jay & Mark Briscoe (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
—ROH on HDNet Episode 48 (Taped 01/06/10, Aired 02/22/10)
32. Pick 6 Match: Roderick Strong (2) vs. Tyler Black (3)
—The Omega Effect (Mississauga, ONT, CN 11/14/09)
31. No Disqualification, 34th Street Death Match: Kevin Steen vs. Colt Cabana
—Supercard of Honor V (New York, NY, 05/08/10)
30. Number One Contender's Match: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
—ROH on HDNet Episode 46 (Taped 01/05/10, Aired 02/08/10)
29. Hate: Chapter II: El Generico vs. Kevin Steen
—Hate: Chapter II (Collinsville, IL 07/23/10)
28. ROH World Title Match: Tyler Black (c) vs. Chris Hero
—Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2 (Chicago Ridge, IL 04/24/10)
27. Pick 6 Contender's Series: Davey Richards vs. Kenny King (5)
—The Big Bang (Charlotte, NC 04/03/10 on iPPV)
26. Non-Title: Davey Richards vs. ROH World Champion Tyler Black
—Tag Wars 2010 (Charlotte, NC 08/28/10)
25. Finals, ROH Television Title Tournament: Eddie Edwards vs. Davey Richards
—ROH on HDNet Episode 55 (Taped 03/06/10, Aired 04/26/10)
24. ROH World Tag Team Title Match: Jay & Mark Briscoe (c) vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) w/ Shane Hagadorn
—From the Ashes (Phoenix, AZ 03/26/10)
23. Six Months in the Making: Davey Richards vs. Christopher Daniels
—Richards vs. Daniels (Chicago Ridge, IL 10/16/10)
22. Pick 6 Contender's Series: Roderick Strong (1) vs. Davey Richards (4)
—Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2 (Chicago Ridge, IL 04/24/10)
21. Non-Title: ROH World Champion Tyler Black vs. "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels
—Fade to Black (Plymouth, MA 09/10/10)


We continue:


=*******The Top 20*******=



(****1/4 matches)

20. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico
—Final Battle 2009 (New York, NY 12/19/09)

The final match of The Bucks / Steenerico series was as sweet and fitting a farewell for fans of the latter duo possible (though they didn't know it at the time) and also has become one of the more important matches of the past year because of the Steen heel turn. Before that though, Kevin Steen brought everything he had to portray the good guy cheering on Generico in his final babyface performance, running up and down the apron and playing to the fans (which makes it only that much more meaningful to know he was in fact just "playing the part", waiting to drop the axe on his partner). Steen's behavior here was so brilliant, because every though he acted like a heel with biting the ear and giving The Bucks the middle finger, the fans loved him and were eating up everything he did. It made sense in storyline too since Steen still wanted to win and put the hurt on The Bucks at the same time. Steen kicked out of More Bang for Your Buck to a huge pop. However, even with all the bitterness creeping into his heart Steen could not sustain his energy against the force of five superkicks to the head and jaw, the last two synchronized to land and knock Steen out for the win. This was as flashy as the first two matches, but it was the best of the series between the two teams because of the extra added care towards wrestling psychology, from the use of the Steen's chronic knee injury and when The Bucks focused on Steen to the emotions running through Generico and even the fans' perception. The prevailing feeling before the turn was that this was to be Steen's last match before taking time off to heal that injury. If only they knew… well, actually, after this one ended and Steen revealed his ruse, they did.

19. Eight-Man Tag War: The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) & The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) vs. ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay & Mark Briscoe & The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson)
—So Cal Showdown (Los Angeles, CA 01/29/10)

Four of the most talented tag teams of the year 2010 in one match battled it out, using a gunslinger mentality and putting out their best shot against their opponents. As well, this is the first official match with Hero and Castagnoli together as The Kings of Wrestling and the last appearance for The Bucks in ROH for six months. The Kings had just reformed in the attack on The Briscoes at Final Battle 2009 and The Wolves had just lost the belts and a number one contender's match on HDNet that was to air in the weeks after this bout. So, plenty of stories and many grudges between the teams are woven into this one. Eight-men at ringside meant constant action, constant tags and literally zero downtime. In fact, there are several moments where it all breaks loose for crazy tag team combinations, visually-pleasing double teams (and variations on the theme such as when The Kings stop The Bucks synchronized flip dropkicks with synchronized double boots), fighting in and out of the ring and super dives from many of the participants.

Really, each team did what they did best-The Briscoes struck hard and brawled, The Bucks used their speed and agility. The Kings and Wolves used their mean streak to take control and their power to dominate the smaller opponents. Everything is spot-on and there are no missed high spots, which is an impressive achievement for a high-traffic bout like this one. Edwards taps Nick Jackson as retribution for the loss on HDNet with the Achilles Lock while Richards blocks Matt and The Kings hold back The Briscoes from entering the ring. It would be far from the last time he would make opponents tap with that hold. A non-stop, action-filled, must-see main-event with everyone at their best and setting up a lot of what was to come in ROH for the coming year.




18. ROH World Title Match: Tyler Black (c) vs. Kevin Steen
—Salvation (Chicago Ridge, IL 07/24/10)

In many ways Kevin Steen was the perfect maniacal heel foil to a fiery babyface Tyler Black as champion and it's a shame we never were able to see a full run of matches between the two…but this match will have to do as a statement to what could have been. From the October 23rd Column of Honor: "There are so many great little stories in the ring during this match, from Steen's "respect" for Black and how he lulls Black in, the basic aspects of an intense brawl between the two, the timing of submission moves (especially at the finish with the sharpshooter) and even the superkick fight towards the end of the match. Everything ties together and everything fits." Steen's ghoulish behavior in bloodying up Black and reveling in the chaos he created is another example of why he was the best heel in the company. The blood loss has a real and definitive effect on the action here, with both men selling it by becoming more unsteady by the minute. It's rare to see that kind of attention-to-detail, but those are the sorts of extra steps taken that place it in the top twenty. Black placing the sharpshooter on a bloodied Kevin Steen is just desserts for Steen doing the same to him early in the match. He retains the title, but was forever changed by Steen in the following months of storyline, not just because of the physical element in this defense, but also because of the psychological effect Steen had on Black's mental frame of mind for the remainder of his time in ROH.

17. Survival of the Fittest Finals: Tyler Black vs. Roderick Strong vs. Chris Hero vs. Delirious vs. Colt Cabana vs. Claudio Castagnoli
—Survival of the Fittest 2009 (Indianapolis, IN 10/10/09)

Strong versus Black is the best "final two" showdown in any SotF finals since the original twenty-minute Aries versus Danielson tournament finish. These two just blasted each other with their hardest and biggest kicks, with neither man wanting to go down. The battle of wills and demonstrations of fighting spirit captivated the audience and brought them to frenzy when it took four superkicks to barely keep Strong down for the three. This battle foreshadowed several follow ups throughout the next twelve months. Before the final pairing the other participants had some fun opening action and served their purpose of keeping things interesting. Hero and Claudio's tease of working together paid dividends in the Kings of Wrestling reunion just two months later.




16. Grudge Match: Kevin Steen vs. El Generico
—Death Before Dishonor VIII (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 06/19/10)

The opener to the best Pay Per view of the year and the first one-on-one between two now mortal enemies lived up to expectations. There was much to sink one's teeth into, from the white-hot pre-match confrontation where Generico demanded the match begin immediately through the finish of Steen blasted Generico in the head with a wrench and plummeting to the canvas with a super fisherman's buster for the win. The raucous Toronto crowd witnessed their two countrymen in a straight-up fight for dominance, cheering Generico on with every ole boot to the face and booing Steen for every time he maligned his former partner. Generico as, expected, played the underdog, but he was also the picked-on kid who had enough and was ready and willing to fight back. His pressure offense worked well, plastering Steen with those boots and flustering Steen by taking to the air with dives to the outside, flying crossbody attacks and more. Generico fighting back against the bully was edge-of-your-seat drama and spine-chilling to the core. A grudge match done right every step of the way, even leaving room for more down the line.

15. Four Corner Survival, ROH World Title Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. Davey Richards vs. Roderick Strong vs. Kenny Omega
—ROH on HDNet Episode 37 (Taped 11/05/09, Aired 12/07/09)

One of the rare times that the ROH World Title was put on the line on HDNet television and in fact I believe the title hasn't been defended on TV since. There just seems to be a lot of good fortune when it comes to Four Corner Survival ROH Title Matches on HDNet, as last year's Aries vs. Black vs. Lynn vs. Danielson bout was my pick for best HDNet match, placing eight overall on the top 100 of 2009. This one had a fast tempo and great effort from all involved. There was constant action inside and outside the ring, mostly splitting into Aries / Omega (which had been a mini-feud for Aries at the time) and Strong / Richards (the constant combination for hard-hitting exchanges and presenting wrestling as a physical battle of one-upsmanship).Aries, like in the previous Four Corner match, did his best throughout the match to put the kibosh on others winning, whether it be breaking up pins, getting in the way of other's mano-a-mano fights, throwing men out of the ring, cheating and when necessary putting his body on the line with huge moves like the IED and frog splashes.

Aries' determination to keep his title, sometimes with desperation, gave this match a steady beat from which to work around all the crazy physical sequences. Meanwhile, Richards and Omega provided the flash (Richards with the physicality, his kicks and an aggression that drove the fans wild, Omega with his speed and babyface fire), Strong provided the glue (with his storyline connections to both Aries and Richards and being there to tie many of the sequences together). There was a slight dip near the end when Omega didn't look all that great on offense, but the final Richards / Strong face-off was crazy great and had the fans biting on every near fall. Strong looked to have the win with the Gibson Driver, but Aries, who had been out of the ring for the final sequence, punted Strong and stole the pinfall on Richards to retain. Then Tyler Black returned to HDNet (after being burned by Aries in an angle that took place a month early) for a show-concluding stare down with the champion. This title match and Briscoes vs. Steenerico (number 41 on the list) ran together on one episode of HDNet, creating a special hour, maybe the best hour of that show to date. If you haven't seen them, pick up The Best of ROH on HDNet Volume 4 and see for yourself.

14. Non-Title Match: ROH World Champion Tyler Black vs. "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels
—ROH on HDNet Episode 69 (Taped 07/16/10, Aired 08/09/10)

A twenty-minute draw that was comparable to Black's series with Bryan Danielson last year (which also included a twenty-minute draw)-technically excellent chain wrestling combined with well-built and dramatic nearfall after nearfall via impact moves at the finish. This match continues Black's dipping his toes in the heel pool by choking Daniels on the ropes and taking the heat / middle portion of the match while Daniels makes the comeback sequence. Here is what I wrote about the finish in my August 14th, 2010 Column of Honor: Daniels gets a CRAZY block and reversal of the Pele kick into the Koji Clutch that I don't think I've EVER seen from him or anyone else (not even in any of his matches against AJ Styles)! WOW. Daniels has him dead-center but Black picks him up and dumps him into the turnbuckle. That was damned impressive. A Black killer superkick is avoided, spun around into an O'Conner roll up for a close two, and both men exchange the rolling pin attempts for a bit, with the bell ringing as both men get into the small package to signal the twenty-minute draw. What a match—easily one of my favorite HDNet matches of the year and a sure-fire must-watch for any ROH fan. Four months later, the match still holds up as one of the best wrestling contests of the year in the promotion.




13. ROH World Tag Team Title Match: The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) w/ Shane Hagadorn & Sara Del Rey vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
—Supercard of Honor V (New York, NY, 05/08/10)

After it was over, I labeled Kings versus Machine Guns an "imperfect perfect" match because the exceptional first twenty minutes of this dream bout had been spoiled by ten seconds of interruption from The Briscoes to attack The Kings of Wrestling that led to a disqualification finish (a result necessitated when TNA gave word they didn't want their team losing). One can try to spin it as much as possible, but at the end of the discussion, it is true that those ten seconds did some irreparable harm to the viewing experience and it led to the match falling from my top five to number 13. It all started out so brilliantly, with The Machine Guns being hailed by the fans and The Kings entering to a goose-bump inducing ceremonial round of Queen's "We Are the Champions". When the bell rang, it was the finest in twenty-first century, state-of-the-art tag team wrestling. The Guns stayed one step ahead of The Kings not just with the expected speed, but also with technical proficiency, searing tag team moves and even using mind-games to upset the new champions. Castagnoli and Hero struck back with their power and height advantages when they could (check out the height and the angle Claudio gets on his pop-up European on Sabin, the snap of Hero's KO elbow on Shelley or the speed Claudio is able to achieve on his UFO airplane spin). The big things were noticeable, like the disrespect game played by The Guns to put the champs on edge, but so were the little things, like Sabin coming in on the assist to help Shelley take Hero down, or Shelley holding the ropes for a Sabin dive to the outside, or Sabin juking and jiving away from an irritated Castagnoli, using the turnbuckle corner in ways no one else had thought of. The pace didn't let up for the entire match and if anything, kept speeding up with thrilling hot tag sequences from Sabin and Shelley, using leaping DDTs inside and out the ring, springboard planchas and more. If the finish could have been excised and forgotten about, this might have been the best tag team match of the year. Unfortunately it will always have an asterisk of "what could have been" in regards to the finish.

12. Pick 6 Contender's Series: "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels (2) vs. Kenny Omega
—Death Before Dishonor VIII (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 06/19/10)

It was their first-ever match anywhere, but Daniels and Omega put on such a grand show one would think they'd been wrestling against each other for years. This was a back-and-forth match focusing on athleticism and control of momentum, with both men being very over with the fans, Daniels with his resurgent return to ROH and Omega with home country support. There was such impressive technical work done here especially from Daniels when he worked the headlock early and transitioned a quebrada moonsault into a crossface. The tease of the Hadouken early on paid off huge dividends later when Omega finally slammed it into Daniels' face. It looked real because it was real, injuring Daniels legit but also providing the defining moment of the bout. There were also some real unique evasions, such as Daniels' implementation of a judo escape and leg roll to create distance and get back to offensive higher ground. Omega uses springboards and the ropes to create different height levels so well and like only a few others can. It creates a one-of-a-kind special attraction bout that I could watch over and over again and never get bored of it. Daniels picks up the win and placement on the Pick Six with a counter-STO and a Best Moonsault Ever for the pinfall.




11. Davey Richards vs. El Generico
—8th Anniversary Show (New York, NY 02/13/10)

It's one thing to have an amazing ROH Style battle that is action packed and filled with physical moves and compelling momentum changes, but another to be able to do it under a different context than the standard indie dream match format or main event situation. Richards vs. Generico from 8th Anniversary Show accomplished this in spades. This was one of El Generico's first major matches after the betrayal of Kevin Steen and a post-script of the Steenerico / American Wolves feud from 2009. Generico had to portray the scars and damage done from Steen's attack at Final Battle in the first half of this match—how it added to his depression and his lack of confidence—while still putting up a good fight against Richards. Indeed, the more the fans cheered him on, the more Generico would portray confidence in himself and would press the offensive advantage, bringing the fight to Richards. Meanwhile, Davey had to do his best to be aggressive in a way that didn't unwittingly turn the crowd heel on him and so they did not also favor him more than Generico. His arm-work throughout the match was smart—it was offense-minded in the beginning, and then used in defense and counter-hold to evade and negotiate past Generico's air game.

When Generico had that moment of questioning faith, Colt Cabana hit ringside to fire up Generico and restore his confidence. Generico was back in the game and rocked Richards at several points with his DDT, ole boots and brainbusters. Here is the description of the finish, as I wrote in my February 22nd, 2010 Column of Honor: Richards worked the arm in some massively excruciating looking ways, setting up the finish. They also battled back and forth over the brainbuster, with Generico looking to hit it to the end the match but Richards actually landing one of his own for a near-fall. Then when Generico attempted the turnbuckle variation of the brainbuster (to which the crowd went ape-crazy), Richards fought like hell several times to block it, trying the sunset flip power bomb, which Generico blocked, only for Richards to come running back and hit his flying overhead flip German from the top (which Generico took the bump on his head and neck, which looked sick and impressive at the same time) and another bridging German for a very close two. After another exchange in the turnbuckles teasing the brainbuster, Generico trapped Richards in a tree of woe and nailed one of the most beautiful looking coast-to-coast flip dropkicks. Richards eventually won the match with the kimura armbar and while Generico fought valiantly, eventually he had to tap out. Generico slapping Richard's face after the match demonstrated that Generico had regained some of that fighting spirit and toughness. Richards didn't attack him after the match, but simply nodded his head out of respect. This one just barely missed the top ten, but it is certainly one of the can't-miss undercard bouts of all of 2010.



=*******The Top 10*******=






10. Non-Title: ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) vs. Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin)
—Glory By Honor IX (New York, NY 09/11/10)

This was the first appearances for Haas and Benjamin in ROH and both were super motivated to prove to ROH fans and reprove to the wrestling world at large their abilities and skills as professional wrestlers. They came through with flying colors. Benjamin and Haas rarely teamed up in the past few years, but when they got together it was like they never lost a step. The extra motivation and clear joy they had in wrestling this match for ROH shined through—Benjamin loved mixing it up against Castagnoli (check out the great monkey flip exchange where Shelton stuck the landing and then threw the Swiss strong man high up in the air with a monkey flip). Haas was having a blast as well, and his German Suplex medley is a stand-out of the match.

Of course, The Kings of Wrestling more than held their end of things—using their size and double teams to take advantage. The double heat segment demonstrated that The Kings could control the match, but it led to Benjamin's huge comeback with the Dragonwhip and leaping super belly-to-belly suplex. The Kings though, had to be themselves and once again used the golden elbow pad while Shane Hagadorn provided the distraction for the win. Kudos to the fans for supporting the match with a raucous reaction for both teams. In many ways this felt like a "major league" showcase match because of The Kings being such an amazing independent wrestling team matching up against former WWE wrestlers.

9. ROH World Title Match: "A-Double" Austin Aries (c) vs. Davey Richards
—Aries vs. Richards (Novi, MI 11/13/09)

A thirty-five plus minute "Big Match" showdown between the then ROH World Champion and the new "Best in the World" of Davey Richards. Aries has one of his best matches of his title run as a result of getting away from the cheating and over-the-top antics and returning to more of his "Wrestling Machine" persona. There are some comparisons to make between this match and Samoa Joe vs. Bryan Danielson from Midnight Express Reunion--two major components of the promotion going head-to-head in a longer, more scientific based match that heats up towards the finish with some heavy impact and submission sequences. Richards had most of the first half of the match, but the more it wore on the more Aries took control until he had taken took much out of the challenger for him to respond. Some major highlights including Richards having Aries in trouble with strikes, German Suplexes, pulling Aries off the top rope into the Alarm Clock kick as well as using the Maple Leaf single leg crab and Texas Cloverleaf for submissions. Aries focuses on the knee for submission work of his own, as well as blasting Richards with a brainbuster on the apron and Richards making it in just before the twenty-count. The match continues with Richards' kawada kicks being stopped with a single leg and transitioned into the knee blasts and Last Chancery, Richards' suicide dive into the crowd and the finishing onslaught from Aries that included the crucifix driver, IED dropkick, brainbuster, Last Chancery, brainbuster, knees to the head and a final Last Chancery until referee Todd Sinclair has no choice but to stop the match. An exhausting effort from both men that was recognized by Aries after the match (and visible to everyone by the amount of sweat poured out by both men). Richards was a beast in his efforts but Aries knew how to contain him, then overwhelm him, then win; a great wrestling title match story.

8. ROH World Title Match: "A-Double" Austin Aries (c) vs. Tyler Black
—8th Anniversary Show (New York, NY 02/13/10)

Twenty-two minutes that went an incredibly long way towards redeeming the sixty-minutes from December and a sign that ROH could still come through with well-paced action and the kind of dramatic storytelling in an ROH World Title match that in the past had driven the ROH fans wild (ala Joe / Aries, ala Punk / Aries, ala Danielson / Homicide). The match did not go to the three judges (King, Strong and Cornette) and while they were involved in the finish, it was well done and didn't take away from the final sequence (as opposed to Black vs. Strong from GBH IX). Truth be told, Aries had his share of fans in the beginning, and he did not die easily in this one (it was actually fifty-fifty through the first half and he had his best chance to win late in the match with a back-to-back brainbuster sequence). It was when Black began to unload the heavy offense, including the Rubix Cube Driver and a springboard splash into the crowd that the New York audience turned almost unanimously in his favor the rest of the way through. Black managed to escape Aries' best offense, including dodging out of the suicide dive (and Aries plastering himself on the guardrail), getting up the knees for the 450 Splash and later block a brainbuster with God's Last Gift for a near-fall.

The final five minutes, where Black said "to hell with it" and the superkick volley from Black onto everyone and everything that moved drove the fans to that point of euphoria. Black nailed the buckle bomb, superkick combinations and had Aries loopy. That Black went for and finally landed the Phoenix Splash (which he hadn't successfully converted in over a year) for the win added another layer of depth to the finish. As I wrote in my February 22nd, 2010 Column of Honor: " The finish recalled the closing moment of the Samoa Joe vs. Austin Aries title change from 2004 in that there was a tight sequencing of major moves used in combination to end the match and bring about a new champion." The fans felt the title change coming and they reveled in the moment—I'm not sure the DVD even did it justice for how it came across live and in person. It was one of the most important title matches of the year and certainly the biggest match of Black's career to that point. Everyone involved lived up to the moment and made this both a great last-stand for Aries' second-title reign and the best foot forward possible for Black's first championship after all of the criticism and controversy.




7. ROH World Tag Team Title Match: Jay & Mark Briscoe (c) vs. The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli)
—The Big Bang (Charlotte, NC 04/03/10)

A half-hour battle for supremacy between two major rivals of the tag division in a title bout that had been expected and anticipated for four months. Hero impressively wrestled this match while recovering from the after-effects of a back injury sustained the week before at the Phoenix shows. The Briscoes scored early with double chops, double biels and double shoulderblocks that unsettled The Kings, but Hero and Castagnoli backed-off and reasserted themselves through a deadly combination of brawn (huge strikes) and brains (for instance, pulling The Briscoes away from tagging out). This became a 65 MPH match early on with both teams unleashing the stiffest strikes from their arsenal, The Briscoes jumping and diving all over the arena onto Hero and Castagnoli and both teams utilizing almost their entire bank of tag team combination moves and even the utilization a few new ones such as Hero's amazingly impressive running and jumping KO elbow smash from the outside of the ring to the apron and later on a Doomsday European Device from The Kings.

In a match with some impressive big moments, tough shots and crowd-pleasing combinations, it was a Claudio powerslam counter off the shoulders on an attempt at the Doomsday Device that was the most thrilling. It was clear after superkicks, pop-up European uppercuts, super ace crushers and Jay-Drillers that this one was not going to end until one team was utterly decimated. It just so happened to be The Briscoes who were on the losing end. Impressively, Mark Briscoe survived the KRS-1 super bomb, which everyone bit on as a finish, but it was distraction from Shane Hagadorn to stop a second attempt at the Doomsday Device leading to a Chris Hero KO elbow with the loaded pad that ended the match and led to the title change. The bottom line was that these two teams had been a physical stalemate, but that The Kings' willingness to cheat to win turned the bout in the favor. It was the constant (heated) action overwhelmed the senses and compels one to remain watching in awe of the fight. However, there is an overarching story being told here in The Briscoes having control and slowly losing their grip on the momentum until they are dominated by The Kings' attacks and fighting back as best they can to stay in the match. Then when it seemed like they could get back to the win, it was taken away from them. As amazingly excellent as this match was, The Kings and The Briscoes would be able to top it later in the year.


(****1/2 matches)


6. Davey Richards vs. Kenny Omega
—Epic Encounter III (Mississauga, ONT, CN 03/20/10)

Living up to the namesake of Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London's epic bout from 2003, this was an thrilling one-on-one competition that for a long time was at the number one spot. Only five other matches that took place afterwards bettered it for breathtaking action, emotion and drama. The punches land flush, the kicks have a sickening snap to them and of course both Richards and Omega have no problems using every part of the ring as a tool for enacting their offence. The pace has the ebb-and-flow of the best kinds of wrestling matches. This match realizes both the idea of "wrestling as sport" and "wrestling as art". It is also one of those matches that you show to someone if you want to show them the best of what ROH can represent and why you are a fan.

More from my review of the match published in the May 22nd, 2010 edition of Column of Honor: "I liked Richards attacking Omega with a high kick before the bell, as it came off as unexpected by Omega and the fans. Then Richards immediately lands his suicide flip dive to the outside, incorporating the fans into the match right away. Every kick that Richards throws is fast and strikes flush or hard (you'll be screaming "ouch" to yourself a few times in this one). … As Prazak terms it, Omega's offense is unique and his own. Sometimes that can mean it becomes too goofy or self-indulgent ("the rocket punch" for instance). Thankfully, every time Omega's offense looks like it can veer too far in that direction, Richards pulls it back to a more realistic sense. …Omega's high flying and athleticism is also highlight with one of the crazier flying moves I've seen in quite a while, a running springboard moonsault into the crowd landing on both Richards and Shane Hagadorn. It takes some pinpoint precision to land that and Omega did it. Another must see moment is when Omega flips out of the top rope German that Davey always lands…this is the FIRST TIME that someone is able to get out of it and even Sinclair is open-jawed. Davey doesn't let it get to him—he just kicks Omega's f'n head in. … The match centers around Richards attacking the arm and going after the submission through his repertoire of submissions including the cross-armbreaker (built up as incredibly effective during the HDNet Television Title tournament) and the kimura. Omega is able to fight it off, but it does damage with every application … Omega doesn't tire in this one (no gaffes due to gassing out as with his match against Nakajima in November). They work in the finish from their first match (Clash of the Contenders) where Omega rolled up Richards in a unique small package variation for the three, but this time Richards is able to kick out of it. He is still working hard with a late match rush that includes an awesome looking Croyt's Wrath into the turnbuckle, followed by another reverse hurricanrana into the Croyt's Wrath for a close two, which Richards floats right into the kimura and Omega has no choice but to tap to the kimura after Richards traps him such that he can't get to the ropes or break out of the hold." Of course, the punchline to the entire match is that it wasn't supposed to main event as it was originally a "fans choose the stipulations" match with Tyler Black & Roderick Strong vs. Austin Aries & Kenny King. Instead, Omega and Richards held the weight of the promotion and gave the fans in Mississauga something truly special.

5. Three-Way Elimination ROH World Title Match: Tyler Black (c) vs. "A-Double" Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong
—The Big Bang (Charlotte, NC 04/03/10 on iPPV)

If The Briscoes versus The Kings from this event reached speeds in excess of 65 MPH, then this match was going at terminal velocity. How else can one understand and appreciate the constant frenetic pace of this three-way dance? Everyone kept throwing their best shots as hard as possible. These massive attacks were almost overkill, but never a spot-fest for spot-fest sakes. Rather, this was the story of all three men wanting to endure and persevere, to the brink of their abilities, for the sake of winning (or in Black's case, retaining) the ROH World Title. It was an awesome story and an awesome match filled with many mark-out moments, both in terms of action (like Aries' hurricanrana reversal of the Buckle bomb to an IED to Strong on the top rope or Black's combination superplex to God's Last Gift or Strong's Gibson Driver-to-Stronghold) and the interaction between Aries, Black and Strong. This is a match that truly benefitted from the previous matches each had against each other at shows like Survival of the Fittest 2009 and 8th Anniversary Show. They knew each other so well and they knew what to do to get the best out of each other in this triple-threat environment.

Austin Aries tried to manipulate Strong and Black against each other, taking the mic to declare Strong and Black should fight each other, ducking out of the action early. While Aries "sat out", Black and Strong put on a wrestling clinic of hold and counterhold. When Aries teased getting involved in the action (holding Black's leg on the apron), he was forced to reckon with both men and paid for his treachery.

Aries also did not want to give the other two the benefit of victory over the other. While the match was elimination rules and breaking up some pin attempts does fly in the face of that psychology, for this one match it worked simply because the animosity between Aries and the others was too much to bear. Pride (and bad feelings) got in the way. The crowd didn't seem much to mind, because the match kept moving and generated too much excitement for that lone gaffe in match psychology to sink in.

In the opening minutes, Tyler Black would demonstrate he could cope with a two-on-one disadvantage, especially using his athleticism to attack (a beautiful springboard closeline over on Aries and a quebrada on the floor) and separate so that he could maintain a one-on-one situation. Black also benefitted from a crowd that was mostly supportive of him, especially when matched against Aries.

Above all else, Roderick Strong was the star of the first-half of the match, unleashing sickening chops (with loud "bangs" from his hand hitting chest and sweat visibly flying off both opponents) and his crowd-pleasing combinations of flying enziguiris (sounding like a gunshot went off), backbreakers and gutbusters. He stood toe-to-toe with the ROH champion and punched his way to an advantage. He would also withstand more punishment than perhaps anyone who has fought in a ROH World Title match, being blasted with hit after hit from Aries and Black and refusing to die. Strong's will to win was so much that it took two superkicks from Black and two consecutive brainbusters from Aries to finally eliminate him.

From there, it was a reprise of Aries against Black and neither man slowed down the action and brought the fans off their seats with compelling near-falls. King's interference was a sound idea that wasn't as smooth as planned, but Aries improvised well made Black come across as even more deadly with multiple strikes of the superkick to the front and back of the head and a God's Last Gift to win the match. In a story about wrestlers giving everything to win, Black had given the most.

4. Davey Richards vs. Tyler Black
—ROH on HDNet Episode 78 (Taped 08/21/10, Aired 10/18/10)

It's incredible that these two could go out and in three matches within two months time have two completely believable match of the year candidates. Black and Richards did it again here in this, the last Tyler Black match to air on HDNet. In some ways, the dynamic of Richards as the bad-ass hero running the villain out of town and Black as the departing heel going through a last stand works even better than the loved ‘tweener-disliked face dynamic from Death Before Dishonor VIII.

From the October 30th, 2010 Column of Honor: "What so impressed me about this match was just how much effort both men brought to the bout. Both men wanted to make that statement about their wrestling ability. The impromptu set-up helped to establish this was a special match from the start, but in the end it was up to both men to deliver on this unique scenario. … As far as the in-ring action, the match became a deep-rooted fight between the two, with both men pulling out all of their most vicious moves. There was no mercy and no hesitation in inflicting that hurt on the other. The kicks from Richards throughout the match were so impressive and the chopping from Black to set up the double stomp make my own skin hurt. That's another huge component of why the match was so great, because it completely drew the audience in and caused those sympathy pull-back reactions for those huge strikes and marquee moves, like when watching a great movie and experiencing one of those exciting action sequences or even a sickening horror show. …This final bout in the series was different enough from the first bout to so that it stood out on its own despite both men using familiarity spots here and there as well as using each other's finishers. The borrowing each other's moves worked and I enjoyed the variations on the superkick in this one—not overdone, and each one looked killer. The alarm clock kick from Richards was something else and then later I was freaking out when Black got one of his own. … I liked that Black didn't go down without a fight and could have won at several moments. … All told, this match that is going to be remembered as one of the shining moments of the year in Ring of Honor and in professional wrestling as a whole—and any and all praise that it has received is well-deserved and not hyperbole."

Like in the second bout, Davey Richards taps Black out with the cloverleaf and along with the win sends Black on his way out of the promotion. An indelible moment for Ring of Honor on HDNet and it was treated as such every step of the way on this episode of the show.

3. No-Disqualification ROH World Tag Team Title Match: The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) (c) vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe
—Death Before Dishonor VIII (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 06/19/10)

Tag team brawls with physical as well as emotional twists and turns are difficult to accomplish in professional wrestling these days, but ROH seemingly has a knack for it, as seen by the second and third best matches of the year on this list. It was teased on commentary that The Briscoes had been delayed at the border and wouldn't be able to make it to the show for this title bout. The Kings of Wrestling taunted the fans in the ring about this situation and demanded the match be ruled a forfeit. Yet The Briscoes came charging out of the crowd in an ambush attack on the hated Kings and brought the fight to them.

Multiple participants bled, the worst (best?) being Chris Hero, who paid for the sin of blasting Papa Briscoe on HDNet. The Briscoes were fired up and ready for payback. The resulting match was a brawl with a twist-The Briscoes routed the champions until The Kings snared Jay in a trap. They tied him to the corner post on the outside, leaving Mark isolated and outnumbered. The two-on-one situation put The Briscoes in danger of losing the title and the fans' reactions to this was obvious and emphatic—they wanted dem boys to come from behind and continue to lay the whup-ass. When the referee was able to free Jay from the post, The Briscoes were back on track—blasting The Kings with a fire extinguisher and even a hubcap that a fan brought to the show! There were also impressive highlights throughout the match, some of the very best of the year from both teams. Claudio landing on his feet after a biel was superb, but then The Briscoes topped him by hurling him into a propped table with the double shoulder block.

The Briscoes got that payback and vindication for their father through all the damage and carnage they caused, but they didn't leave with the ROH World Tag Team Titles. Hero once again used the loaded elbow pad (a referent to how they won the titles in the first place) but this time Jay kicked out. It took extra effort, with Hero placing it on his boot and he and Claudio using a combination big swing / dropkick to knock out Jay for the pinfall. No doubt, this was the most important tag team title defense of the year and that is owed to the all-out effort from both teams to make this both about personal issues and about the need to win.

2. "Come As You Are" Chicago Street Fight: El Generico & Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen & Steve Corino
—Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2 (Chicago Ridge, IL 04/24/10)

At the heart of it, professional wrestling is about competition and most of the time it's about the competition of good guys against bad guys, with justice or retribution in the balance. This match is about those things, but it is also about the severe measures of violence men will go through to portray and live out that battle. Not violence for the sake of violence or blood for the sake of blood—but because the story being told about the actions both of righteous and heinous men demand it.

By this point, (in storyline) Kevin Steen and El Generico outright reviled each other, but Generico was no longer afraid to fight back against his former tag team partner. Colt Cabana and Steve Corino were their enablers. This was the stand-off, four months in the making. This was a war that released all of that pent-up hatred all over the Chicago Ridge building. It was an expression of the base human emotions that have always been a part of the "frontstage" performance of professional wrestling—the ones that made people fans of wrestling in the first place; the ones that keep them coming back for more. Kevin Steen, Steve Corino, El Generico and Colt Cabana put their body on the line, flew in the air, threw each other through chairs and tables and ladders, bled and sweated in order to give Ring of Honor and its fans this match and play out this story. And it is appreciated.

More about this match from the July 3rd, 2010 Column of Honor: "There were several times when I leapt out of my seat for this one, or shouted "wow", or just screamed. When a match gets those kinds of reactions from me, there's no doubt about its quality, but this one isn't just about being a great wrestling match; this is a wrestling war. It's by far the most-hardcore ROH has been since Ladder War 2 in September 2009. By the end of this match, Corino is a freaking bloody mess; Steen has been busted open, Cabana too. People have gone through tables, double stacked tables, taken chair shots in the head and even one on the ass (from Cabana to Steen), been run into chairs, suplexed onto chairs, run down, run over, driven headfirst through ladders, ole kicked to hell and maybe even had a kitchen sink thrown at them (my head was turned for half a second, so it is possible).

The little touches at the beginning also go a long way, like Corino wearing an all-white suit (because he has been shown wearing a suit on HDNet, but also because red-on-white looks even more brutal) and Generico pacing back and forth while waiting for Cabana to accompany him down to the ring. Steen is just as violent and repugnant as ever, from taunting Cabana with his own chant to biting Generico in a very naughty place.

My mouth was wide open when Generico used the scaffolding structure as his own personal jungle gym, running into and through it to deliver his swinging DDT onto Corino, both landing on the arena floor. Then Generico swiftly bounds up the scaffold to do one-on-one battle against his former tag partner. The fans go apoplectic. Then Steen flat out kills him with a Michinoku Driver on the wooden palette-the heavy thunk sound can be heard by everyone. Those are but two of the sickening yet riveting moments of this tag brawl, but perhaps the sickest one involves Corino jabbing Cabana in the head with a broken beer bottle. That and what follows in the seconds afterwards from Corino and then Steen probably amounts to the craziest, most out-there moment in ROH this year. It's definitely not PG.

The finish involves Corino, head entrenched in a baseball bat spooled with barbed wire, with Generico standing above him and holding a steel chair. I'll let you use your imagination and connect the dots.

This is a must-see match for any Ring of Honor fan, no doubt about it. It will go down as one of the most memorable matches of the year."


(***** matches)




1. ROH World Title Match: Tyler Black (c) vs. Davey Richards
—Death Before Dishonor VIII (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 06/19/10)

Not a surprise but definitely worthy of its placement, there was simply no other match that could better the effort, suspense, crowd reaction and importance of Tyler Black's most-challenging defense of the ROH World Title, against Davey Richards at Death Before Dishonor VIII. Chanting "five star match" and "match of the year" as the match was occurring is a bit presumptuous, but in this case, the Toronto audience had it exactly right. This was a five-star match. This was the match of year in Ring of Honor.

There are main-events in name-only. There are main-events that transcend and will become memorable and praise-worthy. Then there are the main-events that one realizes as they are happening that one is watching history unfold. There are some matches that take on a life of their own. Black versus Richards is the latter. It was the match that defined the promotion in 2010. For thirty-five grueling minutes both men poured their sweat, their soul and their own story in professional wrestling out on the canvas. Tyler Black—the young prodigy who followed ROH and then joined the promotion, working hard to finally become champion. Davey Richards—the man who from his childhood had lived, breathed, ate and slept with the idea of not just playing a wrestler, but being a wrestler.

Yet as much as the wrestlers informed the match with their history and with their immense and praise-worthy physical efforts, the fans also informed the wrestlers about how they perceived their roles. Tyler Black had undergone problems with the fans—despite putting in the time and the quality effort and retaining the championship through several hard-fought defenses, they still didn't believe he was championship material and they certainly didn't approve of him being their champion. Davey Richards—who ROH founding father and legend Bryan Danielson had passed the mantle of being the next best technical wrestler in the promotion back in September 2009…and who the fans from that point on bought into being the real "best in the world". It was clear: the Toronto fans lived and died with Richards on this night, while they just wished Tyler's run with the title would die.

From the July 3rd, 2010 Column of Honor: "The match itself was an instant wrestling classic—both men using the very best of their strengths as professional wrestlers to create a thirty-five minute breathtaking ride. It started with technical wrestling exchanges, with Richards looping around Black and tying him up in various stretches and holds, but Black holding his own and reversing out of them. Pretty soon though the match developed into a battle of survival, each ramping up the offense with more powerful strikes. Several volleys of slaps and kicks from Richards were flat-out disgusting in their intensity and full-on contact with Black's body. The high-risk / high-reward aerial offense also played a role, with Richards losing big on a suicide dive, while Black rolled the dice and missed with a Phoenix Splash, but then scored with a jumping double stomp off the top rope to the outside late in the match.

An interesting little side story told was the involvement of Richards' manager Shane Hagadorn. Richards had told Hagadorn and tag partner Eddie Edwards during the contract signing for the match that both should stay away and let Richards prove he was the better man on his own. Hagadorn did not seem pleased with these instructions at the time. About three-quarters of the way through the match he made his way to ringside with a chair in hand. Richards saw Hagadorn about to smash Black with the chair on the outside (and this would have caused a disqualification loss). Richards rolled out of the ring to tell him to back off. He snatched the chair, but was too slow to drop it and Black caught him with a Van-Daminator-esque superkick with the chair to the head. Richards was never the same and Black soon smothered him with high impact offense. Richards was able to withstand a bucklebomb and superkick combination and even a God's Last Gift."

The fans had let Black have it with both barrels throughout the match, cursing him…and later outright mocking with "you can't beat him" chants. Unfortunately for the fans, their timing was off, because thirty seconds later Black shoved all of that vitriol back in their faces by doing exactly that. He unleashed a wrist-clutch variation of the God's Last Gift small package driver, a first-ever-appearance-in-ROH. It was deadly nuclear bomb that wiped away the last vestiges of Richards' stamina and endurance. Black won the match and no mistake about it; he earned every bit of that pinfall.

After the bout, Richards, waking up from the stupor of the impact, sweating, stumbling and breathing heavily, presented the ROH World Title belt to Tyler Black. It was his statement, "now you're a champion", which legitimized Black's title run, perhaps more than Black ever could on his own. The fans had no problem expressing their love of the match and of the effort of both men. They had no choice but to respect the champion on that night. That respect never did translate to love and admiration, but circumstances would intervene and make that moot, changing the course of Black's wrestling career and ROH's incredible 2010 season.

Tyler Black would soon be leaving for WWE. ROH would turn that dislike (and in some cases, hatred) for Black in their favor. In many ways, both Black and ROH have this match of the year to thank for how everything shook out.



=*******Previous Column of Honor Match of the Year Winners*******=

2009: GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title Match: KENTA (c) vs. Davey Richards—Supercard of Honor IV (Houston, TX 4/3/09)
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 8/02/08)
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)

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Thanks to all for reading and following along. Be sure to read the Column of Honor: Final Column year-end series beginning on Monday, December 27th!

BROOKLYN!
--Ari--