Column of Honor 12.31.05: Final Column 2005 Part Two
Posted by Ari Berenstein on 12.31.2005
A column with so much HONOR that it needed a second part to fit it all in!
And now… My Column of Honor ROH Awards for Final Column 2005
Wrestler of the Year—James Gibson
source: gerweck.net
(Note that I voted Samoa Joe as the # 1 Wrestler of the Year during the 411 year end awards. I consider that award to be an overall award for the entire industry, as Joe has been huge for TNA as well as ROH. AJ Styles was # 2 and Gibson was # 3 on that list This "Wrestler of the Year" is specifically for Ring of Honor ONLY )
From the 10/08/05 edition of Column of Honor: In the nearly eight month long stint he had with the company, Gibson managed to completely resurrect his career by putting on match after quality match. His debut match at the "Third Anniversary Celebration Part 2" event against former WWE talent Spanky began a run of matches that would show Gibson as someone with a huge amount of talent to offer, far beyond the glimpses of genius shown in some previous matches during his WCW days or in WWE. The ROH fans greeted both competitors with a "Smackdown Sucks" chant as a way to both show their derision towards that company and also to encourage both men to lay it all out on the line. And they did so. By the end of the night, both men had given the crowd a great and memorable match, and the emotion that Gibson had for a successful debut were visually palpable. He shook he head and his fists in a way that said "Yes, I'm back. And I'm proving a point." That point being that Gibson was one of the best wrestlers around today. The ovation became even stronger. You could say that it was love at first sight for the ROH audience.
Gibson would continue to have quality matches against quality opponents such as Roderick Strong, Austin Aries and Homicide. In the spring and summer months Gibson stepped up his efforts even more, with a memorable showing against Samoa Joe in a Pure Title match, and the 7/16 title match against CM Punk. Gibson so completely impressed the fans and the company itself that when he won the ROH World Title at the 8/12/05 event, "Redemption", just shortly after having resigned a contract with the WWE (around the same time as Spanky), he received possibly the loudest ovation ever for a match. The fans realized the effort that Gibson gave in the ring every night and for sure he deserved respect and recognition.
It's hard to argue with the body of evidence James Gibson leaves behind—a list of matches that tell the story of a wrestler trying to rebuild his career and succeeding. In the ring, Gibson used moves he had not attempted in years and gave us a few new ones in the process (the front guillotine easily comes to mind). Not only did ROH and the independent scene allow James Gibson the opportunity to recapture the creative essence of his craft, but it gave us match after match of in-ring grace and intelligence. He was a great addition to the ROH roster in 2005 and his absence is certainly felt. The fact of the matter is, Gibson deserves the recognition for his efforts in ROH because they amount to a statement, a statement people in WWE still seem to ignore—professional wrestling can never die, so long as there are wrestlers like James Gibson. Column of Honor recognizes James Gibson as the ROH Wrestler of the Year for 2005.
I don't want to neglect to mention the efforts of many of ROH top stars, all of which at one point or another could have been my choice for wrestler of the year. CM Punk had an amazing run of matches in the first half of the year, and his final few months proved that he has the talent to make people love him or hate him at a whim—which is what any wrestler needs to succeed for a long period of time. Roderick Strong gets my nod for the Most Improved Wrestler of the Year, someone who at the beginning of the year was slowly starting to make a mark for himself, but really started to put the pieces of the puzzle together once given a spotlight in the singles division. Roderick has quickly become one of ROH's top fan favorites, showing that there is no one mold for this company, no one true "style" that MUST be followed in order to succeed. Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson and Christopher Daniels are all equally heart, mind and soul of ROH and each has done great things this past year. Joe's popularity has increased even beyond his reign as ROH champion and his run as ROH PURE champion restored prestige to a division that was at that point a bit shaky on its own. Danielson's current run as champion is heading into very interesting territory; already our preconceptions of Danielson as a "goodie goodie" have been shattered, who knows what direction his reign will take. Christopher Daniels's return was a huge wish for the ROH faithful and while he hasn't had a clear cut direction since August, 2006 may hold more of an answer for his future. Austin Aries had a successful run as ROH champion, and his six month reign at this time still stands as the second longest for the company's history. It was as much Aries' year as anyone else's; as the success of his run in ROH and other independents no doubt put him on the list of talents TNA wanted for its roster.
Tag Team of the Year—BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs
-BJ Whitmer has been dominating the tag team division for most of 2005, first with Dan Maff and then with Jimmy Jacobs. At first, the big man-small man combination seemed to be too small to work out. With a huge win over Joe and Lethal to reclaim the ROH Tag Team titles from vacancy and constant work at being a good team, Whitmer and Jacobs won over the crowds. They had unique chemistry that played off of the big-small combination. Whitmer was the bruiser of the team, while Jacobs was often used as a projectile weapon against other opponents. They had a great finisher in the Super Hurricanrana move and their Killer finisher, the combination Contra Code / Powerbomb. They even aped the Diesel-Shawn Michaels "Two Dudes with Attitude" Pose, but with the roles reversed, and it worked. Even considering the weaker state of the tag division in 2005, Whitmer's three tag wins, two with Jacobs, cannot be overlooked or undervalued. This award is well deserved for both of them. Now can I get a HUSS!
MVP of the Year—James Gibson
-With all due respect to Roderick Strong, who made a strong (no pun intended) late push for this prize, this award is rightly James Gibson's, not just for his in-ring work but for his overall impact on the Ring of Honor company. First, when you take a look at the body of work Gibson has accomplished in the eight months in Ring of Honor, you see that he has not only brought a standard of high quality to his in ring actions, but that each match has a certain idea or story to go along with it—from his debut showcase in February to his showdown for the PURE title against Samoa Joe to his reunion with Jimmy Yang all the way to his last match against Strong. Secondly, Gibson had a great impact as a draw and a fan favorite for the company. People could always be certain that when Gibson was on the card, you were going to get a good, good match. It speaks highly about Gibson's willingness to give to the company and to his fans that his last match was probably his best match. He also had a certain genialness and genuineness that the fans latched onto immediately. Gibson made it a point to walk around before and usually after the match to slap hands ALL over the front rows, creating a very close connection to the fans in attendance. He had a ton of heart and a ton of impact on the boys in the back in the small time he was here. Fans at the Joe vs. Kobashi event chanted "MVP" at him and I believe it to be true. Even though Strong defeated Gibson at Unforgettable, James Gibson is my MVP of the Year.
Most Honorable—Samoa Joe
-When I was looking to select the man most fitting for the title of "Most Honorable" I had to think about whom best fit the qualifications of the title. It would have to be someone who stood behind the company and tried to protect it from harm; someone who stood behind his fellow wrestlers during the worst of misfortunes; someone who had strength and courage; someone who was both inwardly and outwardly honorable. The man who fits all those descriptions is none other than Samoa Joe. Joe has represented ROH and its ideals above and beyond the call of duty. He had a great regard for giving the right impression about what a wrestler, what a Ring of Honor wrestler should be all about. In the ring, Joe has stood behind his fellow wrestlers such as Bryan Danielson, James Gibson and even his protégé Jay Lethal. He was with Jay Lethal all the way in his month's long feud against The Rottweilers. Joe was the backbone of the anti-CM Punk contingent set to stop CM Punk from leaving the WWE; while he was not the one to take the belt from his former rival, he certainly was the one who helped to form ranks against him. Outside of the ring, Joe was the perfect spokesman for the company—his interviews with the wrestling media were exceptionally positive and gave ROH a ton of attention and plugs. Joe may not even know the extent of his inner honor, but it is certainly recognized and appreciated by many of his rabid fans in the wrestling world.
Most Dishonorable—(tie) Homicide and CM Punk
-Homicide was a virus of violence in 2005 and he spread his unique brand of hatred and anger onto several victims. Bryan Danielson was forever changed thanks to the hatred of their bitter rivalry; Homicide knew just how to get under American Dragon's skin. He and The Rottweilers then focused their attention onto Jay Lethal and renewed a rivalry with Samoa Joe. Finally Homicide took a simple misunderstanding from Colt Cabana and turned it into the latest crime blotter; Homicide has taken his sick actions to a new extreme, coming close to permanently injuring Cabana several times during their feud. While this was going on he even had time to revisit and reignite his hatred towards Steve Corino. Four rivalries, the same bitter hatred spread throughout the landscape of the promotion. The only conclusion you can reach as to why is simply that Homicide is one of the most dishonorable men in the company. Then again, for Homicide, that's probably a compliment.
-When word went around the internet that CM Punk was leaving ROH and was going to sign a contract with the WWE imminently, the ROH fans cried out in agony. Punk was one of the most polarizing figures of the promotion with fans and detractors, but his fans loved him dearly and almost worshipped him and anyone else could still understand his importance to the company. CM Punk knew that and ever the opportunist, decided to use his fan base for one last push to the top of the promotion. At Death Before Dishonor III, he got what he wanted and in the process turned his back on his fans and the company that made him one of the biggest free agents in the wrestling world. The disrespect CM Punk then held for ROH, the fans and the title was galling. He had the title and he said he was going to take it with him to WWE. He signed his WWE contract on top of the ROH World belt, which was one of the most revolting and perverted actions anyone could have done to disgrace the company. Even more upsetting was that no one could seem to stop Punk's title reign; not upstarts such as Jay Lethal or Roderick Strong; not experienced veterans such as James Gibson and Christopher Daniels. Every week Punk would rub it in fan's faces that he was leaving with the title. These actions made him one of the most dishonorable men of ROH, at least for a short but important period of time during the summer of 2005.
The "You Fucked Up" Award—
Buffalo, NY
-From the online reports of the three shows held in Buffalo, there were several incidents of annoying and / or instigating fan behaviors (no, I mean even MORESO than normal for wrestling fans). From belt marks who yelled and catcalled the wrestlers, to one fan who wanted to throw toilet paper and stopped by Samoa Joe (dude, what were you THINKING?) to another fan who actually hit the wrestlers (it didn't make the tape), the crowd at the Buffalo shows will certainly have their spot in ROH infamy. Now, I'm not saying that all of Buffalo was a bad crowd, but there was a very vocal and very physical minority that ruined it for everyone else. And despite getting somewhat involved with clapping for wrestlers and banging on the rails for support, the venue always seemed dead to me. There wasn't a lot of outward enthusiasm or joy involved during these shows (although maybe that was a function of the venue more so than the fans). Then again, ROH certainly should take a bit of the responsibility—they certainly didn't help the crowd by promoting big and high profile main events for that area (like say, the big main events in New York). Danielson vs. Corino and Spanky vs. Austin Aries, while fine matches are in my eyes "B level" main events when compared with some of the HUGE main events on other cards in 2005. Now that's not to say the in ring quality wasn't there, because it generally was on those shows—with such highlights as the Six Man War between Generation Next and The Embassy, Roderick Strong vs. Alex Shelley and the aforementioned Aries vs. Spanky. Ultimately ROH in Buffalo came up with less than hoped for results.
Dan Maff
-Don't ever EVER get Homicide pissed off at you. EVER. Especially by doing what (allegedly) Dan Maff did (which I won't mention because I heed my own advice). Goodbye Captain Dan.
European Rules Match
-Those wacky Brits. American crowds have trouble understanding your culture as it is, but to try to import this British rules match, even to a wrestling-centric organization such as Ring of Honor, carries with it a lot of risk. To do this more technical match in a violence /action oriented New York crowd, right after intermission, well that's just down right foolish. It was bad enough that many fans missed or didn't follow the rules, but Colt Cabana and Nigel McGuinness went on to have the worst encounter in their series. It was sloppy, disorganized and not well presented, Here lies the European Rules match, may it rest in peace, never to be heard from again.
Dragon Soldier B
-The Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament—in which the Juniors winner was neither the best, American or super, discuss. Now the opening round of the tournament was pretty good actually, but Dragon Soldier B…was not. The fact is that Dragon Soldier B won the thing and then was not actually seeded into the main Super J tournament, when the whole damn idea was spawned by NJPW and Simon Inoki to push this guy in the first place. Stupid. Next time Gabe hosts this kind of tournament, dude better get some damned creative control over it.
Shows of the Year
1. Manhattan Mayhem – From top to bottom the greatest assembly of ROH action this year. Everyone was on the mark, from the wrestlers to the crowd, who knew how important this show was. The show to show someone who is interested in the ROH product.
2. Joe vs.Kobashi – The main event was magic but the rest of the card was almost as well built and paid off as Manhattan Mayhem. Claudio Castagnoli's return, Daniels vs. Sydal vs. Azriael, a tag title change, and Gibson vs. Jimmy Yang all are highlights of the special final show at The New Yorker Hotel.
3. Punk: The Final Chapter – Saying goodbye to the Punker was the original reason for getting this show, but the card is so strong that almost every match is worth the purchase of the DVD.
4. Nowhere to Run – CM Punk's most emotional win to that point is the exclamation on one of the most solid "wrestling" shows of the year. Danielson vs. Aries for the title is still memorable, and Gibson vs. Whitmer is the surprise of the show.
5. Unforgettable – Another top to bottom wrestling centered show that held some of the most intriguing match ups in the Kobashi tag team main event and the Gibson-Strong match. Jack Evans-Colt Cabana is a fun little comedy match that suits both men, Daniels vs. Yang is an intriguing first time match up and the Four Corner Survival is one of the more fun encounters of its kind this year.
Worst Shows of the Year
1. Trios Tournament 2005—A flat crowd, owed perhaps to the squash nature of most of the opening round of the six man tournament. Jay Lethal's PURE title win, which had been building up over the past few months to good response, lost momentum thanks in part to the lack of response to the match. A heel vs. heel main event between Generation Next and The Rotweilers just doesn't catch the imagination as well as it should (although now that GNext is face, a renewed rivalry would be great). The fact that ROH followed through on the "three wishes" aspect of the tournament was great; the winners calling their own shots is something that could really be intriguing if the concept is repeated. But the tournament needs to be better seeded if there's a next go around.
2. Best of American Super Juniors Tournament—Not to beat a dead horse, but a tournament that did not deliver on its promises. The event is bookended by two great matches and the wrestling (besides DSB) is good, but the event did not live up to expectations.
3. Dragon Gate Invasion—not for any particularly bad match; in fact the main event of Gibson vs. Cabana was pretty good—but upon further review, nothing really stood out except for the DEBUT of Curry Man~! No stories were really advanced. CIMA and Shingo Takagi's appearances were upon further review over hyped a good deal.
Worst Matches (Main Show): not in any particular order
-European Rules Match: Nigel McGuinness vs. Colt Cabana (New York, NY 7/9/05)
-Matt Stryker vs. Masked Chicago Superstar (Dayton, OH 5/13/05)
-Dragon Soldier B vs. James Gibson (Asbury Park, NJ 4/2/05)
-Homcide vs. Kevin Steen (Buffalo, NY 6/4/05)
-Dunn and Marcos vs. Mikaze and Blade (New York, NY 12/3/05)
-Austin Aries vs. Azriael—(Long Island, NY 9/17/05)
-Vordell Walker vs. Nigel McGuinness (Long Island, NY 7/8/05)
The Best Match Not Many Will Ever See
-Matt Striker vs. Mike Kruel (New York, NY 7/9/05)
I still don't know why the heck this match was cut from the tape; it's a damned shame too because I think it would have impressed the ROH faithful. Striker would go onto WWE and newfound job security (for now), while Kruel hasn't been seen with The Embassy in quite the while. Weird.
Funniest Matches / Moments
1. Alex Shelley meets Delirious in the Bathroom (5/13/05)
2. Ebessan as Cactus Jack (2/19/05)
3. Samoa Joe vs. Delirious vs. Evans vs. Ebessan (5/14/05)
4. Spanky skateboards into ringside (with Jade Chung pulling the reins), dances with Alex Shelley and Jimmy Rave during his last appearance (8/27/05)
5. Colt Cabana attacks the "ass region" (as announcer Dave Prazak put it) of Spanky during their match on 8/12/05
6. "... and I'm left standing there with my dick in my fucking hand!" –James Gibson (Stalemate, 4/16/05)
7. Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Evans and Austin Aries (the first ten minutes anyways) (2/25/05)
8. Curry Man appears to fight Shingo Takagi (8/27/05)
9. Dunn and Marcos vs. Golden Vampire and Delirious (2/26/05, found on Do or Die IV)
10. Corino's Entrance as CM Punk (complete with "I Like Beer" stomach tattoo) and speech with five bell salute (because WWE owns the ten bell salute) at Enter the Dragon (10/14/05)
11. Adam Pearce's reaction to being called gay ("So?")- Glory By Honor 4, (9/17/05)
12. Dragon points out that he is wearing a "Top Gun Talwar" T-Shirt (10/15/05)
Predictions for 2006
-Jimmy Rave-gets a huge run for the ROH World title and may very well win it.
-Christopher Daniels-starts a new group called The Destiny with Lethal, Whitmer and Jacobs as his back up, with the goal of winning all the ROH titles not for control but for themselves.
-Samoa Joe- continues to kick ass, eventually wins the tag team championship with the help of AJ Styles
-Nigel McGuinness-the longest PURE title reign is in sight and I think he'll get there
-The ROH fans-will continue to support the product loyally,
-The ROH message board-will continue to be a source for some great and also some infuriating wrestling debate. They will also continue their habit of turning their back on some of their anointed heroes. I expect Claudio Castagnoli and Milano Collection AT to be ripped for their shortcomings and limitations by June, thus causing their heel turns (that's a habit you know).
-The Round Robin Challenge—will return this year and I'll even predict that it will involve ALL three original participants.
-ROH's show in Chicago before Wrestlemania 22 will outdraw even the huge number of fans at At Our Best (which was before Wrestlemania XX).
-Finally, two words: SUPER DRAGON!
Finally, we finish our major award features up with my own list for matches of the year, but quite frankly, I couldn't keep myself to just five or ten choices. No see, I'm a freaking anal retentive kind of guy, so I had to go out of my way and do a top 20 list. But then, even 20 choices didn't seem to be enough, so 20 became 25 and 25 became 30, a well, sooner or later I decide to go all Baskin Robbins because I had a Top 31 Matches of 2005 list. Wow, either I am a geek or there were just that many awesome ROH matches this year. Maybe it's both. Yeah, its both.
Ring of Honor Top 31 Matches of 2005
-Excludes 10/29, 11/4, 11/5 and 11/19 shows as I have not seen these in full as of the publication of this column. I'm sure that if I did, the two Roderick Strong-Bryan Danielson matches would be here somewhere.
-Based on 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, personal taste and live reaction (if applicable).
Star ratings have been omitted for everything except the top 5, but as a whole we pretty much start at a base level of three stars.
For your consideration:
-Spanky vs. Alex Shelley (It All Begins Cambridge, MA 1/15/05)
-Steel Cage Match: ROH World Title Colt Cabana vs. Austin Aries (c) (Third Anniversary Celebration Part 1 Elizabeth, NJ 2/19/05)
-Spanky and CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal (Back to Basics Woodbridge, CT 3/12/05)
-Dog Collar Match: CM Punk vs. Jimmy Rave (Manhattan Mayhem New York, NY 5/7/05)
-Austin Aries vs. Samoa Joe vs. Homicide vs. James Gibson (Sign of Dishonor Long Island, NY 7/8/05)
-Matt Hardy vs. Christopher Daniels (Fate of an Angel Woodbridge, CT 7/16/05)
-ROH World Title: Christopher Daniels vs. CM Punk (c) (The Homecoming, Philadelphia, PA 7/23/05)
-Matt Hardy vs. Roderick Strong (Punk: The Final Chapter Chicago Ridge, IL 8/13/05)
-Low Ki vs. Jay Lethal—both times (Glory By Honor IV Long Island, NY 9/17/05)
-Survival of the Fittest 2005 Finals (Survival of the Fittest 2005 Boston, MA 9/24/05)
- ROH World Title: Roderick Strong vs. Bryan Danielson (c) (This Means War Woodbridge, CT, 10/29/05)
-Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels (Vendetta Chicago Ridge, IL, 11/5/05)
- ROH World Title: Roderick Strong vs. Bryan Danielson (c) (Vendetta Chicago Ridge, IL, 11/5/05)
-Steve Corino vs. Homicide (Steel Cage Warfare, New York, NY, 12/3/05)
- ROH World Title: Naomichi Marifuji vs. Bryan Danielson (c) (Final Battle 2005 Edison, NJ 12/17/05)
All those are solid to very good or even great matches that some may place on their own lists but did not make it onto mine for one reason or another. Without further ado, we begin the list with number thirty one:
31. Colt Cabana vs. Nigel McGuiness-Third Anniversary Celebration Part 2 (Dayton, OH 2/25/05)
-This began the rivalry based on pure wrestling and technical excellence. This match in particular was a breath of fresh air at the time and was well received by the crowd. However, repeating the match up multiple times over the Spring and Summer made this match lose some of its flavor and freshness.
30. CM Punk vs. Alex Shelley-Third Anniversary Celebration Part 2 (Dayton, OH 2/25/05)
-A match that closed out the Second City Saints vs. Generation Next issue. Shelley had been kicked out of that group and was looking for redemption. CM Punk challenged him right off the bat on that notion. A nice paced technical challenge developed and at its conclusion, respect had been earned.
29. Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Evans and Austin Aries Third Anniversary Celebration Part 2 (Dayton, OH 2/25/05)
-The first ten minutes of this featured a three way dance contest between Evans, Joe and Danielson; Jack Evans doing his best impression of The Karate Kid and then getting kicked out of his shoes; Samoa Joe using said shoes to break up attempted pinfalls. When the match got serious, the action was fast and intense. A match that showed that ROH could incorporate comedy moments into their style.
28. Six Man War: Generation Next (Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and Jack Evans) vs. The Embassy (Jimmy Rave, Alex Shelley and Abyss) Enter the Dragon (Buffalo, NY 10/15/05)
-As the pace between these two groups escalated, so too did the fury of their actions. This match lived up to the billing—it was a war that went all over the building. The three biggest spots of the match: Jack Evans performing a 630 splash through a table onto Abyss from the top of a batting cage (has to be seen to be believed); Alex Shelley performing a Shellshock onto Roderick Strong through two tables, taking both men out; Austin Aries destroying himself on a ladder as he missed a 450 splash onto Jimmy Rave, Rave and Prince Nana use the ladder to pin down Aries for the three count. The crowd's attention was often split three ways and hurt the heat for the match, but it wasn't for the wrestler's lack of effort.
27.Steel Cage Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Homicide (Match 5 in the Best of 5 series)--The Final Showdown (Dayton, OH 5/13/05)
-Tied at two matches apiece, Danielson completes the miracle comeback in a bloody and violent encounter. The use of the ghetto fork always makes me squirm, and did I ever during my viewing of this match. While some fans felt the near one hundred airplane spins that ended the match was goofy, I thought it was a legitimate way to end a match; the feud at that point may have come to an end, but Homicide ensures there will always be lingering hatred when he Ace Crusher's Danielson after the match.
26. Steel Cage Match: CM Punk vs. Jimmy Rave-Nowhere to Run (Chicago Ridge, IL 5/14/05)
-The last match in their rivalry turned out to be the one with the most emotional ending. Punk took the fight to Rave for all the months of abuse and victimization The Embassy had done to him. The steel cage enclosure did not stop Prince Nana and Jade Chung from interjecting themselves, but Punk persevered through it and delivered a heart stopping superplex off the top for of the cage for the win. As Punk intensely embraced his brothers in arms, Colt Cabana and Ace Steel, the emotion was all too apparent. Punk climb to the top of the cage first pumped in the air and shouted the lyrics to Miseria Cantare in time with his fans. An extremely emotional and memorable moment that showed the beloved stature of CM Punk in his hometown.
25. Two Out of Three Falls: CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana-Punk: The Final Chapter (Chicago Ridge, IL 8/13/05)
-The last match for the Punker in his Ring of Honor career and once again it was his great buddy Colt Cabana staring across the ring to fight him. This wasn't their greatest match against each other, but it was a very fitting farewell match. The emotional reaction of the crowd before and after the match of course needs to be noted-they went wild during these moments but then unusually silent during most of the actual ring work. I think they were just trying to take in the entirety of moment, what it meant for the company as a whole, but especially in Chicago. Punk took the first fall with Cabana's own trademark move, the Colt 45, but the next Dave Coulier won the second fall with a clothesline and the third with a roll up. Then it was all over but the shouting, "YOU.ARE NOW. ONE.OF US!"
24. Alex Shelley vs. Roderick Strong-New Frontiers (Buffalo, NY 6/4/05)
At the time the match took place I would consider this one of the damndest ringside brawls of the year (little did we know so much more of this style of match was to come). The first half of this match was all outside brawling, with both men flying at each other into the crowd, fighting into the hockey glass and causing intentional acts of violence to each other. When the match settled in to the ring, it became a back and forth encounter that showcased Shelley's anger and desire for revenge against Generation Next members. Too bad he was stretchered out after this one and then knocked down, several times.
23. ROH World Title match: Alex Shelley vs. Austin Aries (c)-Manhattan Mayhem (New York, NY 5/7/05)
-The climax of the first part of the Shelley vs. Generation Next saga, with Shelley as the babyface looking for vindication against a bitter and brutal Aries looking to remain the top man of the company. Well, at least that is what it was supposed to be, but a big criticism of this match is that these two men did not fulfill those roles as well as they should have. Another criticism of this match was the uneven selling, with Shelley looking like death after everything Aries had hit while Aries seemed to shrug off Shelley's offense and didn't carry over the sell. The crowd was evenly split, with maybe just a slight edge to Shelley (but I'd also take into consideration that fans wanted to see a title change). I really enjoyed this match and thought the fast paced match worked on several levels. First I thought the hatred of the rivalry was well presented early on in the spit and nose blowing moments. Then there was the mirroring and deflecting of each other's offense. Finally there were those "throw everything out there in order to win" moments. Aries was the one who had the final run. Ultimately this was a big swing match in the history of their rivalry in 2005.
22. James Gibson vs. Black Tiger-Manhattan Mayhem (New York, NY 5/7/05)
-Gibson was continuing his roll of putting on tremendous match ups and this one continued the streak. There was a nice story to this match with Tiger's ankle lock and Gibson trying to work a counter-move style against Tiger's offense.
21. ROH World Title Match: Spanky vs. Austin Aries (c)-New Frontiers (Buffalo, NJ 6/4/05)
-Spanky's first chance to win the ROH title since he returned to ROH action this year had the perfect storyline going for it-Aries's neck had been injured thanks to a Samoa Joe musclebuster, and Spanky's finish focuses on the neck. By the end of the match when he hits Sliced Bread No.2, everyone buys that the title is going to change. The piledriver onto the balsa wood chair is still insane. This match is probably the climax of Spanky's 2005 run with the company.
20. Soccer Riot Match: Colt Cabana vs. Nigel McGuiness-Night of the Grudges II (Morristown, NJ 8/20/05)
-GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL! Flying soccerballs, flying chairshots, a brawl into the upper decks, Colt and Nigel went all out and all over the place in this blow off match for their rivalry. Cabana provided a nice touch of fashion with his football uniform-and he and Nigel brought the comedy with the opening mic work that introduced the concept of the match. Basically this was just a soccer themed Falls Count Anywhere match, but the combination of absurdist nature and the violence along with Prazak and Leonard's commentary put this match over the top.
19. ROH World Title Match: James Gibson vs.Austin Aries (c)-Stalemate (Dorchester, MA 4/16/05)
-It's rare that a match ending in a draw between two wrestlers is as good as the rematch that gives us the decisive finish, but with Aries and Gibson as the two participants, it is basically the case. Great wrestling in this match, with Gibson initially trying to out wrestle the champion, but when that results in deadlock, he decides to throw everything that he can to get at Aries. This results in trading high impact blows, until the sum is that both men are pinned simultaneously.
18. CM Punk vs. Roderick Strong-The Future Is Now (New York, NY 6/12/05)
-The future was now for Roderick Strong and if the match these two had at this show didn't convince you, CM Punk certainly was going to give it his best shot. He turned his (supposed) farewell speech to New York into an opportunity to put over "the future of this company" Roderick Strong. This match and all that followed basically propelled Roderick Strong into the forefront of ROH fan's attention to the point that he is now a bonafide draw and valid ROH World Title contender. This match was a slow burn that exploded in several moments in Kobashi-Sasake like chop exchanges. The highlight was a fast and furious battle that lasted for over a minute, becoming a battle of wills and endurance. Punk trapped Strong with the Anaconda Vice after nearly thirty minutes of wrestling, afterwards telling Strong to "tell Aries I'm coming for him!"
17. CM Punk vs. Roderick Strong-Escape From New York (New York, NY 7/9/05)
-As great as their first match and even better, these two topped their efforts under different circumstances. Punk was the cocky and arrogant heel, respecting Roddy enough to give him a shot in the main event slot, but not enough to make the match for the ROH World Title. That is, until Mick Foley practically threatened to kill him unless he made it for the strap. Instead of flurry of chop exchanges, this match was built around Punk avoiding all of Strong's chops and patented backbreakers. When Strong finally hit these moves, the crowd exploded, ready to see Punk suffer. They chanted "Break his Back!" and he did so. Punk had to win via roll up to escape with his title, but Strong left New York with even more respect and adoration from the fans for standing up to the rule breaking and dishonorable Punker.
16. ROH World Title Match: James Gibson vs. Austin Aries (c)-The Final Showdown (Dayton, OH 5/13/05)
-The rematch had higher stakes for both men, as Gibson had at the time his last opportunity for the ROH World Title. He had brought in his trainer Danny Ray Nelson for guidance and support, and it seemed to provide him an extra lift during this match. This match had more of a specific focus, with both men working the back (and Gibson had injured his back in a match with Aries' Gen Next lieutenant Roderick Strong, so in this case the injury was even more relevant). Gibson thought he had outmaneuvered Aries by using the Guillotine from the top rope, but it was a tactical mistake as Aries used his own momentum to drive Gibson forward and pin his shoulders to the mat. This was at the time a devastating loss for Gibson, whose obsession with winning titles in ROH sometimes bordered the line of sanity.
15. ROH World Title Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries (c)-Nowhere to Run (Chicago Ridge, IL 5/14/05)
-Just a tremendous match that feasibly could have ranked higher if not for just the sheer number of other incredible matches that have taken place this year in ROH. This is one of Aries toughest defenses, coming up against an opponent he knew very well at the time (coming off their notable matches at Survival of the Fittest I and their 2/3 Falls match at Testing The Limit). This match has Aries ingeniously using the Danielson's hobo beard against him and Danielson busting out the Earthquake splash for the first time in ROH! Danielson does the airplane spin, but Aries turns it into his crucifix driver, an example of how well both men know each other's strategy. The Aries combo finishes things, and Danielson would be gone from the company for four months due to the frustration. This match both continued the Aries-Dragon rivalry, but also played off previous encounters, created some fresh new moments to history between the two and also played into the storyline of Danielson's return to the company to capture the ROH title.
14. ROH Pure Title: Samoa Joe vs. Jay Lethal (c)-Manhattan Mayhem (New York, NY 5/7/05)
-I love teacher vs. student matches, and this was a great one that demonstrated the power and ability of Joe but also showed the determination and heart of Lethal. Jay put up a ton of offense on Joe, surprising his (now former) teacher and rocking him on several occasions. Joe would not be denied however and his last run of offense demonstrated that as far as Lethal had come, he did not have an answer to some of Joe's biggest offensive maneuvers-the Joe Suplex Combo cannot be stopped. This is the only Pure title match on the list, mainly because it is the match that best incorporates all the rules and strategies of the pure division during the match. In addition, the great atmosphere and support of the crowd in The New Yorker makes this a memorable encounter and one I always show to people to get them interested in the product.
13. ROH Tag Team Title: Jack Evans and Roderick Strong vs. BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs (c)-Manhattan Mayhem (New York, NY 5/7/05)
-Yes, Manhattan Mayhem WAS really so good that I have another match from the event on the list. This was possibly the best tag team spot fest of the year, and if it weren't for several other grudge match style tag matches, it would have been the best tag team match of the year, period. As it stands, it certainly is the best title match, with both teams just going nuts on offense, throwing different high risk and high impact offense against each other. Jack Evans becomes a human speedball as he as Strong team up for the classic X Men style "Fastball Special", with Evans being FLIPPED AND THROWN onto his enemies. The match is so hard to win that Whitmer and Jacobs have to use their super deadly super dooper finisher, the combination Contra Code / Powerbomb that lands Evans directly on his head. Insanity.
12. AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong-Fate of An Angel (Woodbridge, CT 7/16/05)
-Styles and Strong find a great pace for their match here, combining chain grappling early on with their more well known high impact and fast paced offense. AJ Styles does the standing somersault jump during one sequence, and even Strong has his jaw dropped in amazement. This was one of Styles best matches in ROH this year, as he's flying all around crisply and cleanly and from all angles. Strong more than held his own in this match, and coming one week after his great encounter with CM Punk it really sold me on Strong as the "it" guy for the company.
11. Bryan Danielson vs. Spanky—Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament (Asbury Park, NJ 4/2/05)
-The best opening match on any card this year and one with a ton of history at that. ROH fans had been waiting for a rematch of Danielson and Spanky for over three years. Their last match was on the third ROH show and a proposed two out of three falls match never came to pass. This match showed that over the course of three years each had grown into their roles and improved in the ring. This was one of the first singles matches that showed that there were changes in Danielson's personality due to his rivalry with Homicide; these changes carried over even into his current reign as ROH champion. Spanky plays his part perfectly in this match, timing come backs and quick movements in the ring. Danielson's strikes are very effective in this match; plus we get the debut (I believe) of his "Tiger Mask" flip. The dodge out of the second Sliced Bread into the Regal Plex was a great and climactic finish.
10. James Gibson vs. Spanky-Third Anniversary Celebration Part 2 (Dayton, OH 2/25/05)
-This might be a bit high for some people, as this was an impressive match but perhaps some feel that other Gibson matches were better. Yet this match is exceptionally important for several reasons, even besides the great in ring wrestling action. This was James Gibson's debut match for the company and he was welcome with open arms by the fans. This was also Spanky's second match since coming back to the fold in ‘05, and the fans were behind him as well. This was not just a wrestling match but for both men a statement that they could not be held back from showcasing their talent; for both men it was that important to have a great match here. This encounter also began the year long storyline of Gibson and Spanky being good friends from their time together in WWE. Both men would continue to support each other, and Spanky was the first one out to celebrate with Gibson when he won the title. Of course, Spanky would later turn on Gibson for title shot. All that history begins right here in this match.
9. Steel Cage Warfare: Generation Next vs. The Embassy—Steel Cage Warfare (New York, NY 12/3/05)
-A culmination of months' long war between these two factions that lived up to the title billing and then some. Almost everything from this stable war was tied together and used-from Shelley's hatred of Generation Next to Abyss's bullying around all the smaller guys to Jack Evans almost killing himself several times in his kamikaze like effort to take out the opposition. There were huge moves off the cage, Roderick Strong's insane back breaker medley, Jade Chung's ultimate revenge and Prince Nana paying the price; the baby faces go over—all you could ask for and more in this one. The best cage match of the year.
8. ROH World Title: CM Punk vs. Austin Aries (c)—Death Before Dishonor III (Morristown, NJ 6/18/05)
-Thanks to almost all the fans being suckered (in a good way) into believing this was CM Punk's last match, the crowd heat was off the charts for this one. The fans cheered everything Punk did and booed everything Aries did—even if he moved just a bit, they were all on him. Everyone questioned whether or not this would follow the guidelines of the Samoa Joe-Paul London match from Death Before Dishonor I, when everyone knew London was leaving for WWE. Or would this match be a little bit…different? We got our answer when Punk kicked out of Aries's use of the Pepsi Plunge at 1 (a bone of contention for some who analyze the match), absorbed the blow of the 450 Splash and turned it into The Anaconda Vice and then finally made the comeback with The Pepsi Plunge to get the three count. The storyline of Aries defending the belt too many times in too short a period of time as well as his neck injury from previous matches comes to its inevitable end, so there's another storyline paid off. Then a new storyline begins, with Punk's perfectly executed heel turn and the return of Christopher Daniels to ROH to exact revenge. With so much going on in and out of the ring, this match became a pivotal turning point for the direction of the company for the rest of 2005.
7. Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal vs. Low Ki and Homicide—Punk: The Final Chapter (Chicago Ridge, IL 8/13/05)
-The match is brutal and insane and even though the match ends in a double disqualification the post-match chaotic brawl is even more brutal and insane and worth the non-finish. During the match Homicide and Low Ki are total dick heels, unleashing cruel offense onto Lethal and antagonizing Joe at every chance. After the match, we get the return of Joe and the shoe attack, Joe becoming a rocket launcher of chairs, Low Ki Ghetto Stomping OFF the bleachers onto Jay Lethal and more. The intensity and adrenaline flowing during this entire encounter is what I take away from this match. There are also a number of memorable visuals: Joe triumphant with a chair and moments later Low Ki spoiling it all with his shotgun dropkick; Low Ki a bloody mess but the last man standing. As it stands this would have been the best tag match were it not for appearance of Kenta Kobashi and an incredible dream tag match.
6. Samoa Joe and Low Ki vs. Kenta Kobashi and Homicide—Unforgettable (Philadelphia, PA 10/2/05) ****1/2
-The most honorable international chop artist of his time teaming up with a bad ass American gangsta? Two members of the same stable, fighting against each other? Two mortal enemies teaming up for the common goal of being able to have bragging rights over a Japanese star? The answers to all three questions are "Yes", "Damn Straight" and "That's why this match is number six on this list." Homicide and Low Ki are a bit sloppy against each other, but the other three combinations of Homicide-Joe, Ki-Kobashi and Joe-Kobashi are all aces. Joe and Kobashi continue the format from their first match, but with the added variables thrown in the match quickly evolves into a faster paced, more high spot oriented action. Homicide shows great respect for Kobashi here and their Odd-Couples team up works pretty well. There is also a little bit of room to play around with for the future, as the Ki-Joe miscommunication spot may eventually come back and tie into a future match. Kobashi's appearances were extremely successful, both financially and creatively—and while this match may have been somewhat overlooked in the wave of accolades for the one on one encounter, this match can easily stand alongside the Joe-Kobashi singles match as a standard bearer for high quality in ROH.
5. ROH World Title: Four Way Elimination Match—James Gibson vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (c)—Redemption (Dayton, OH 8/12/05) ****1/2
-CM Punk had outrun and outsmarted every opponent he faced in his championship run. How could ROH respond and get the title off of him before he left for good? Put him in with the three guys who wanted at him the most. But even with those odds against him, Punk used time (a 60 minute time limit which when reached would mean Punk would still be champion), his smarts (pitting Daniels and Joe against each other, then finally pinning Samoa Joe) and his ruthlessness (injuring Gibson and putting him out of the match) to use. It looked like Punk was going to do it again, but he made one critical mistake and that was in underestimating James Gibson's resolve to win the ROH World Title no matter what the cost. Gibson fought the loss of blood and the dwindling clock to pull out the emotional win. Gibson had redeemed his career and FINALLY fulfilled his goal of winning the ROH title.
4. James Gibson vs. Roderick Strong—Unforgettable (Philadelphia, PA 10/2/05) ****1/2
-This was quite the going away present for the ROH fans (and for Roderick Strong as well). This was ostensibly a fight to determine the MVP of the company for the year, but both men had gone beyond any expectations by that point. This was such a fantastic match that only a day removed from Joe vs. Kobashi there was a vocal section of fans who said that THIS match was the true match of the year. This contest had some of the harshest chops ever thrown by Strong and some brilliant maneuvering and strategy by Gibson. It went to such a fever pitch that the bell rang on a two and 9/10 count. These men left it all in the ring and by the end of this match, both men had shown just how far they had come in 2005.
3. ROH World Title: Bryan Danielson vs. James Gibson (c)—Glory By Honor IV (Long Island, NY 9/17/05) ****1/2
-Why does this match rank just a bit higher than Gibson's title win or Gibson's goodbye match with Strong? The fact that Bryan Danielson, a founding father of Ring of Honor, the technical equal of Gibson, was returning after a months' long absence specifically to win this title—and then he actually won the title! This was one of the most important matches of the year, a true ROH dream match encounter. It was teased earlier in the year during the BOASJT, but this was the one and only time these two men fought in ROH. The importance of the title switch, coupled with one of the most climactic finishing sequences in any ROH title match where Dragon brilliantly chained together submissions and suplexes until Gibson has no answer for them places this a notch above the Gibson-Strong match.
2. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title: Low Ki vs. KENTA (c)—Final Battle 2005 (Edison, NJ 12/17/05) *****
-Low Ki and behold, the angels sent down a spoiler of a match just in time for Christmas. Whoever said that you should save the best for last pretty much knew of which he or she spoke. Comparisons to Joe vs. Kobashi are inevitable but wholeheartedly appropriate. This WAS the Joe vs. Kobashi of the Junior Heavyweight division, with the added importance of the GHC title on the line. Low Ki and KENTA put on an amazing clash of the titans style match, matching strike for strike and blow for blow, these two had the crowd going crazy. Low Ki showed a side of himself he hadn't shown in ROH since his initial amazing baby face run in 2002. He flew with grace and struck with stiff intensity (my apologies to Kawada) and KENTA did the same. KENTA's offensive flurries were truly special to watch, and there was some crazy, physics defying shit I can't even really do justice in describing.
1. Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi—Joe vs. Kobashi (New York, NY 10/1/05) *****
-What makes KENTA vs. Low Ki # 2 and Joe vs. Kobashi # 1? Well a number of reasons; one being that the former match has probably only been seen by the people who were in New Jersey, so the Joe vs. Kobashi match has been seen by the larger number of audience. The general consensus has been tremendously positive for Joe vs. Kobashi. The amount of hype coming out before, during and after the match, then before during and after the release of the show on DVD has been out of this world; not even Joe vs. Punk 2 matches up in terms of attention and publicity. And as for the match itself, let's go to some of my previous comments: From thewrestlingblog.com: No, its not EASY match of the year, but it IS match of the year.
Saying this match was a lot of chopping and a hot crowd is like saying "A Few Good Men" was a lot of talking and Demi Moore. You have to realize the meaning and importance behind each chop and what those chop were doing for the match as a whole.
First off, I don't EVER remember watching a match with such HARD, wicked, sick chops in my life. Even when considering recent Roderick Strong matches, there has just been no chopping like those used in this match. The THWACK sound, not to mention the VISUAL evidence of Samoa Joe just getting tenderized over and over again is awe inspiring. Yes there were a TON OF CHOPS, but consider who was giving them, the intent of each chop, and the fact that the finish, the burning lariat to Joe's chest, totally followed through all of that insanity and was the reason Joe was too worn down to fight back.
Second off, this was a dream match for ROH fans, a dream scenario come true. This was the equivalent of importance for ROH fans as it was for WWE fans to see Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels square off. More fans than ever now know that Samoa Joe is special, and Kenta Kobashi, while maybe not in the top 10 of all time for Japan, is certainly one of the best in recent history. These were modern day living legends fighting it out, heroes of the day. Just like Angle and Michaels at WM21.
Third off, and I'll defend this to the dying day—the match WASN'T JUST CHOPS. Joe unloaded MAJOR offense onto Kobashi, his trademark moves and combos, his suicide dive, his ole kick. He even powerbombed Kobashi into the turnbuckle, which was new for Joe. Kobashi didn't do as much, but he did do stretches, his half nelson suplex, the sleeper suplex and the lariat. The match built around the main theme of who could best cope with the pain each was dealing out to the other. Joe has a few major moments of control but by the end of the match, Joe was getting routed by Kobashi's chops and tried but failed to make a desperation comeback. Kobashi outlasted Joe. Compare that to Angle-Michaels and you'll find similar themes.
I'm not going to deny that Angle-Michaels is the mainstream choice for MOTY. For me, Joe vs. Kobashi is my choice and this year I've seen more wrestling across more wrestling companies than any other time before as a wrestling fan, so I say that with utmost confidence.
**The Independent Buy In** Final 2005 LIST
Support independent pro wrestling, ROH or non ROH, I don't care. But if you out there are spending so much time complaining about how WWE sucks, then dammit, spend some money so you won't have to spend so much time complaining. This list stays in the column and will be added to as the year goes on. Remember: don't bow out, BUY IN!
Recommended for purchase:
**IWC No Excuses (Styles vs. Matt Hardy, John McChesney vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Jason Gory vs. Shima Xion)
**FIP New Years Classic (Strong vs. Joe, Homicide vs. James Gibson)
**Hardcore Homecoming (2 Cold Scorpio vs. Kid Kash, 3 Way Dance Barbwire Match Funk vs. Douglas vs. Sabu)
**TNA Lockdown (AJ Styles vs. Abyss, Daniels vs. Skipper, Lethal Lockdown 6 Man Tag, AMW vs. Team Canada + Bonus Chris Candido tribute)
**ROH Fate of an Angel (James Gibson vs. CM Punk, Christopher Daniels vs. Matt Hardy, Roderick Strong vs. AJ Styles, Samoa Joe vs. Jimmy Rave)
**TNA Anthology: The Epic Set (available only through Walmart and Walmart.com at a ridiculously cheap price) (Victory Road 2004, Turning Point 2004, Lockdown 2005)
**ROH Redemption (4 Way Title Elimination—Punk vs. Gibson vs. Joe vs. Daniels, Matt Hardy vs. Homicide, Gen Next of Aries, Strong and Sydal vs. The Embassy of Rave, Shelley and Abyss)
**ROH Punk: The Final Chapter (CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana plus post match celebration, Matt Hardy vs. Roderick Strong, Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal vs Low Ki and Homicide, Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Rave)
**IWC Summer Sizzler 2 (AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe, Steve Corino vs. Shirley Doe, Glen Spectre vs. Chad Collyer, Shima Xion vs. Nigel McGuinness)
**ROH Glory By Honor IV (Dragon vs. Gibson, Styles vs. Rave, Low Ki vs. Jay Lethal) **ROH Joe vs. Kobashi (Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi, Christopher Daniels vs. Matt Sydal vs. Azriael, Gibson vs. Yang)
**TNA Best of the X Division MATCHES Volume 1 (Joe vs. Sabin, Ultimate X AJ vs. Williams vs. Sabin, Ironman match: AJ vs. Daniels)
**FIP Bring the Pain (Punk vs. Danielson 2/3 Falls, Aries vs. Strong)
**OVW October 2005 Television Showcase (Ken Doane vs. Brent Albright III, Johnny Jeter vs. Matt Cappotelli, and CM Punk, CM Punk, CM Punk, CM Punk)
**OVW November 2005 Television Showcase (CM Punk vs. Ken Doane (c)—TV Title, CM Punk vs. Brent Albright, Matt Cappotelli vs. Johnny Jeter (c) II-Heavyweight Title) **ROH Unforgettable (Samoa Joe / Low Ki vs. Homicide / Kenta Kobashi, Dragon vs. Strong, Daniels vs. Yang, Cabana vs. Evans) (NEW ADDITION)
Show JT some Byte This love or he may hang up on you, call you a retard and criticize you for having a television show on a bad time slot.
J.D. Dunn has one more WWE video review before he's done for the New Years.
Hope you made it down here okay. Once again, so many thanks to Steve, Mike, Brad, Jacob, Stu, and Chris for their contributions to this year end column. It was as much their column as it was mine. All praise mail and hate mail will be forwarded accordingly.
Thank you to ROH for a year that no amount of superlatives could even do justice to…you guys have time and again saved my interest in wrestling, something I've grown up with ever since I was a child. I don't know if I'd still be watching right now if there was no ROH in existence today and that's the damned honest truth. From the workers to Gabe to Cary to the techs and the merch guys, you are all class acts that know how to treat the customers right.
Here's to a great new year of ROH action!
Here's to a great new year of wrestling action!
Here's to a great new year to each and every one of you out there!
Now let's go out and party…Fire in the disco! Fire in the Taco Bell!
Brooklyn!
--Ari--
