411 ROH Roundtable Preview: Dayton & Chicago Ridge - 6/22 & 6/23
Posted by Samuel Berman on 06.21.2007
The 411 staff comes together for a look at this weekend's ROH shows, featuring the stars of Pro Wrestling NOAH, two huge challenges for the Briscoes and Ring of Honor's second Pay-Per-View Taping!
Hello and welcome to 411Mania's Ring of Honor Roundtable Preview. This week we're going to be taking a look at ROH's upcoming shows from Dayton and Chicago Ridge, including the company's second Pay-Per-View taping coming up on Saturday. There are high expectations heading into this weekend with three of Pro Wrestling NOAH's top stars on American soil once again. Naomichi Marufuji, KENTA and ROH World Champion Takeshi Morishima will all be in action, including the much-anticipated rematch between KENTA and former ROH World Champion "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson. Before we get to the preview, here's a look at this week's contributing staffers:
Now that we've been properly introduced, here are our predictions for this weekend's shows. Cards are current as of Monday, 6/18.
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2007 – DAYTON, OH
Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Irish Airborne
Michael Bauer: This is your typical build the guys up before their title shot the next night match. It should still be an interesting match for a squash.
Winners: Steen-erico
Matt Adamson: Steen and Generico are a hot commodity these days. The Irish Airborne shouldn't stand a chance. I'm hoping that some shenanigans goes down as ROH seems to be void of shenanigans these days.
Winners: Steen and Generico
Stuart Carapola: Steen and Generico are getting a bigger push than I ever expected either of them to get in ROH and they have impressed me to say the least. Irish Airborne? Sorry kids, you're the appetizer before the main course the following evening.
Winner: Kevin Steen & El Generico
Ari Berenstein: Steen & El Generico have my permission to maim and to slander Irish Airborne. Maybe not in that order.
Winner: Kevin Steen and El Generico
Jacob Ziegler: With Steen & Generico getting a title shot the next night and Irish Airborne being, well, Irish Airborne, I don't see the result of this one in too much doubt. I thought they weren't booking Jake and Dave Crist anymore?
Winners: Kevin Steen & El Generico
Brad Garoon: I don't think I'll be saying anything here that everyone else participating in this roundtable missed. Steen & Generico have their big title match the next night and the Irish Airborne have been jobbers a long time. Easy call. Unless of course Steen and Generico are booked to win the tag titles in Chicago, then having an upset win the night before would set them up with new challengers. Of course I don't think that'd happen so still, easy pick.
Winners: Steen & Generico
Samuel Berman: Steen & Generico take on the Briscoes in Chicago Ridge for the belts. Drive through.
Winners: Kevin Steen & El Generico
411 Staff Picks: Kevin Steen & El Generico (7-0)
Gauntlet Series: Delirious, Chris Hero, Adam Pearce, Pelle Primeau & Jimmy Rave
Michael Bauer: Well, let's start with the obvious. Pelle is not winning. That leaves us four people who all could believably win this match. Jimmy Rave shouldn't though as he pretty much is in booking limbo. Adam Pearce is in the same boat ever since Homicide was forced to leave the company. Chris Hero and Delirious are almost always over, but I have to go with Delirious here for reasons stated later on.
Winner: Delirious
Matt Adamson: It's almost impossible to pick something from a gauntlet as there are a thousand excuses that can be made why somebody won and didn't win by the promotion, so I decided to go with Jimmy Rave and please, bring back Prince Nana.
Winner: Jimmy Rave
Stuart Carapola: Well, let's rule out the people who definitely won't win: Adam Pearce and Pelle Primeau. Any of the other three could conceivably win it, but since Gabe hasn't seemed big on getting behind Hero, that leaves Delirious and Rave, so I'll go with the one who could use the win more and give it to Rave.
Winner: Jimmy Rave
Ari Berenstein: It's hard to pick against a proven winner in Chris Hero, especially when the other wrestlers are stuck in traction. Rave may get a lucky draw and be the dark horse, or Delirious may surprise everyone to win. I'm sticking with a winning weekend for Hero.
Winner: Chris Hero
Jacob Ziegler: The last gauntlet series in November was pretty well put together, and I hope for the same here. It's hard to pick a winner because no one knows exactly what matches will make up the gauntlet, but I get the idea that Chris Hero will win. He has a big match with Nigel McGuinness the next night, and he seems like a good challenger for Morishima at some point.
Winner: Chris Hero
Brad Garoon: This one is quite tough to call. Pearce and Primeau really don't have a chance as Primeau is still too low on the card to be a candidate for winner and Pearce is lost in directionless land. Hero has a big match with Nigel the following night, and although it's not going to be on PPV it's still a big blowoff match which means Hero could use the heat. Rave is still on the comeback trail after his injury. Delirious is the only strong babyface in this match and could win on that basis alone. I don't believe they've announced a reward for the winner, which makes this even more difficult to pick. I'll go with Delirious because the amount of heels in this match makes me think he'll be in the bulk of it.
Winner: Delirious
Samuel Berman: Pelle's out. Hero's probably out. Rave's a lost cause at this point in my mind. Pearce winning a match this full of heels is counterproductive. That leaves Delirious, which is fine on my end.
Winner: Delirious
411 Staff Picks: Delirious (3-2-2-0-0)
No DQ: BJ Whitmer vs. Brent Albright
Michael Bauer: This will be a slugfest, plain and simple. Whitmer and Albright are possible the hardest hitters in the RoH today and it will show here. Whitmer needs some momentum right now, so I'll go with him.
Winner: BJ Whitmer
Matt Adamson: This match is the perfect match for both of these guys. If you're gonna put Whitmer in a match, might as well be a No DQ match since that kind of chaos is what he does best. That still doesn't mean he is going to win.
Winner: Brent Albright
Stuart Carapola: I talked about it more in this week's Buy Or Sell, but BJ Whitmer is stuck on the Treadmill Of Death in ROH and there is nothing to be gained by putting him over Albright, who has a bright future in ROH and is a certain future ROH World Title contender.
Winner: Brent Albright
Ari Berenstein: My guess is that Albright picks up the win here in Whitmer's hometown. Thus Whitmer becomes further out of control, maybe even snapping for good.
Winner: Brent Albright
Jacob Ziegler: Whitmer could use the momentum going into his huge match with Naomichi Marufuji, and Albright just earned a title shot for August, so he doesn't need the win as badly at this juncture.
Winner: BJ Whitmer
Brad Garoon: Their table match was great and I'm sure the match that ended in a DQ for Whitmer was quality as well. I think these two have really good chemistry and this could be a real surprise hit. The angle is around Whitmer but Albright has an upcoming title match, so it could go either way. I'll flip a coin.
Winner: BJ Whitmer
Samuel Berman: Whitmer losing and then absolutely snapping would be a good character move for him. He could use some sort of new direction, as he's been kind of listless since the end of the Jacobs feud (but then, who can blame him after how emotional and extended that issue was…). Hopefully him losing it will be worth this series of losses, because otherwise his credibility may be beyond recovery.
Winner: Brent Albright
411 Staff Picks: Brent Albright (4-3)
Roderick Strong & Davey Richards vs. Erick Stevens & Matt Cross
Michael Bauer: This has to be the last stand for the Resilence, who have lost match after match after match to the No Remorse Corps. They should get a win here, but the way they have losing matches, I'm just not sure they can.
Winner: No Remorse Corps
Matt Adamson: Really, I can't see this match going any other way but in the favor of Strong and Richards. They are both being pushed well, so a loss here would in fact devalue their pushes.
Winners: Strong and Richards
Stuart Carapola: The Resilience are the NRC's bitches. Unless somebody else interferes, I have no confidence in Stevens and Cross when it comes to beating Strong and Richards.
Winner: Roderick Strong & Davey Richards
Ari Berenstein: Erick Stevens and Matt Cross really need a leader as Strong and Richards have proven to be too much for them to handle alone. Even the wins from two weeks back aren't enough to prop The Resilience up to an elite team. They don't win this one.
Winner: The NRC
Jacob Ziegler: Strong's group has pretty soundly defeated Stevens & Cross in the absence of Austin Aries (except the match where Delirious joined them), and I really think that if they're going to be taken seriously at all, they need to get a win here. And it will be a huge upset!
Winners: Erick Stevens & Matt Cross
Brad Garoon: When this angle started I thought it was fantastic, but since Aries left it has gotten very stale. Granted I haven't been to any live shows since Stevens joined the Resilience, but nothing has changed storyline-wise in forever and the matches have just been different pairings of the same five guys (and sometimes Delirious). It's time for this to get put to bed or for something to change drastically. Here's hoping it happens on this night.
Winners: Stevens & Cross
Samuel Berman: I keep thinking that Stevens & Cross are going to get their big, defining win, but they keep coming up short. I'm just going to pick against them here in the hopes that some reverse psychology will get them the win. I don't like the No Remorse Corps, by the way, and that's not a kayfabe comment where I'm saying how great they are as heels. I mean I think the whole faction is dumb, especially Roderick Strong as a heel.
KENTA vs. Rocky Romero
Michael Bauer: Nice little warm up for KENTA here before he faces Danielson in Chicago. Romero may be getting better as a singles guy, but he is way out of his league here. KENTA will make this one look easy.
Winner: KENTA
Matt Adamson: If you can't see the writing on the wall, either you're crazy or I am. KENTA is an international main eventer, Romero a mid-carder. This should be a match to make KENTA look awesome. If not, call me crazy.
Winner: KENTA
Stuart Carapola: I think there's an unwritten rule that KENTA doesn't job to anyone in ROH not named Bryan Danielson. If Romero's dropping pinfall losses to Delirious, I don't see him going over KENTA.
Winner: KENTA
Ari Berenstein: Lots of kicks, strikes and OOOOOO SNAP HE DID NOT JUST DO THAT moments in this one. It's going to be good. Davey Richards chooses a side here; it won't be with KENTA.
Winner: KENTA (post match NRC beatdown)
Jacob Ziegler: I can already hear the kicks echoing throughout the arena. This looks like a losing night for the No Remorse Corps, as I just don't see KENTA dropping a match to Rocky Romero.
Winner: KENTA
Brad Garoon: I get the feeling we're going to see a repeat of KENTA vs. Davey Richards here. Lots of kicking, not much else in the way of substance. Romero usually brings his A-game to singles matches, but KENTA isn't known for bringing the best out of one-dimensional opponents. To be fair Romero is nowhere near as one-dimensional as Richards, but I don't see this match stealing the show as many have predicted.
Winner: KENTA
Samuel Berman: This suffers from the ‘Samoa Joe vs. Davey Richards' syndrome, where I think it could be a fun match, but there's just no way that Romero is on KENTA's level in terms of the booking. That's not to say that I don't like Romero, because I REALLY do, just that he's not going to be the second guy to get a singles victory over KENTA in ROH. Think about it this way: if Low Ki didn't get to pin KENTA, then Rocky Romero's not going to get to pin KENTA. At least not yet.
Matt Adamson: Wha? Where is Chris Hero? Why can't The King of Wrestling be getting this shot. I could see them wrestle the Briscoes 100x over and not tire of it. Nothing against Sydal, he is very capable and will make this match that much more interesting, but the history just isn't there, which leads me to believe The Briscoes reign of awesome continues.
Winners: The Briscoes
Stuart Carapola: The Briscoes are building a reputation for beating people in two straight falls in these three falls matches. They've already done it twice, and I don't see them breaking that streak one night before their big title defense against Steen & Generico.
Winner: Jay & Mark Briscoe (two straight falls)
Ari Berenstein: These two teams tore the house down in NYC for the first pay per view. However, the last two 2 out of 3 falls matches were not as well done as their singles predecessors. If the timing is right and the crowd is hot enough, this match can probably snap that streak. However, The Briscoes' streak of winning multiple fall matches does continue.
Winner: The Briscoes (win two straight falls)
Jacob Ziegler: I heard great things about the match taped for pay-per-view, and the Briscoes are on some kind of streak in these 2/3 falls matches, so this one should probably rock the house. No way are the best thing in wrestling dropping the ROH World Tag Team Titles though.
Winners: Jay & Mark Briscoe
Brad Garoon: The real angle is between the Briscoes and the Canadian Cripplers, so Sydal and Claudio don't have a chance here. What I'm wondering is if the Briscoes will win two straight again. The Kings of Wrestling reunion is already a bust in my mind as it didn't seem to lead to an extended return for the team nor did it lead to the anticipated feud between Hero and Claudio. Sydal and Claudio have fantastic chemistry, especially as opponents so I'm hoping that this match leads to a feud between them.
Winners: The Briscoes
Samuel Berman: There's a huge buzz over the match from the PPV taping, so this should be close to as good just on reputation, but the result isn't exactly in doubt as far as I can see. Jay & Mark have a date with Steen & Generico and it would be foolish to move the titles here with that matchup on the horizon. I like the champs in two straight falls, continuing their streak of dominance. When someone finally unseats them, whoever it ends up being, they're going to instantly gain loads of credibility just because they beat the Briscoes. Now THAT'S a great title reign.
Winners and STILL ROH World Tag Team Champions: Jay & Mark Briscoe
411 Staff Picks: Jay & Mark Briscoe (7-0)
Bryan Danielson & Nigel McGuinness vs. Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji
Michael Bauer: Match of the night anyone? Danielson needs momentum heading into KENTA and Morishima really can't lose clean to anyone unless he is losing the belt. Likewise, Nigel needs to be kept strong, but I'm not really sure about Marufuji. This is a tough one to call, but with KENTS winning earlier, I'll go for the same formula as most tag matches. Danielson defeats Marufuji.
Winners: Danielson and Nigel
Matt Adamson: Absolutely bitchin'! I don't even sound like a nerd do I? I'm so excited about this match as I will be buying this DVD for this match alone. Morishima will be found out by either Danielson or McGuinness and will become vulnerable to one of the two down the road. Marufuji will make this match awesome as his chemistry with the others in the ring will be something to behold. The Trans Atlantic Connection should be picking up the "upset" here.
Winners: McGuinness and Danielson
Stuart Carapola: OOOOOOH, tough one. On the one hand, Morishima and Marufuji are two serious names and Morishima is the ROH World Champion, but on the other hand I've got either Danielson or Nigel pegged to take the title from Morishima in Japan. I think Danielson and McGuinness are going over and Morishima's going to take the fall, and I'll make a sub-prediction that whoever beats Morishima gets the title in Japan.
Winner: Bryan Danielson & Nigel McGuinness
Ari Berenstein: Danielson and McGuinness don't like each other and I don't think they can put their negative feelings aside for an all-stars match, even if they have a common enemy in Morishima. The NOAH side should be much more unified (nice choice of words there given Danielson and McGuinness's history). That said, I think Danielson gets a pinfall win here against Morishima to set up a future title shot down the line.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness & Bryan Danielson
Jacob Ziegler: They're building to the Danielson vs. Nigel match that will be a part of the next night's PPV (even though it was taped weeks ago), so it seems as though some miscommunication between the two will lead to a victory for the ROH World Champion and Naomichi Marufuji.
Winners: Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji
Brad Garoon: A Danielson vs Morishima match has money written all over it (as far as ROH goes) and I still think Nigel is winning the belt from Morishima in Japan . That makes this pick easy for me, as they both need a catalyst to get them those matches. The real question is how Danielson and Nigel will get along given that they beat the tar out of each other a couple weeks ago. Morishima has been doing a lot of this type of tag match as champion, something we didn't really see much from Danielson when he was champ. I wasn't wild about the Joe/Homicide vs. Morishima/Nigel match from Chicago , but I think Danielson and Marufuji are a vertical move in terms of replacements. Here's hoping the main event delivers.
Winners: Danielson & McGuinness
Samuel Berman: This is pretty much as big as it gets. Consider this an updated version of the Best in the World main event. That one ended with the ROH World Champion taking the fall, but it also ended with the visiting team picking up the win. Now that the ROH World Champion IS on the visiting team, it's going to take some lateral thinking to figure this one out. If Nigel or Danielson were to pin Morishima here, they'd be the first in line to take a shot at him in Japan. I think they're leaning towards Nigel in that case. However, the problem here is that because of the PPV non-continuity issue, the 6/9 Danielson vs. McGuinness match has "yet to take place" in the ROH canon. That fact leads me to believe that they'll lose the match either because one man turns on the other or due to some miscommunication on their parts. That leaves us with a win for Team NOAH, but Danielson taking the loss.
SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2007 – CHICAGO RIDGE, IL (PPV TAPING)
Naomichi Marufuji vs. BJ Whitmer
Michael Bauer: It's a PPV taping, so it would make sense to put over Ring of Honor guys. That point made, is Whitmer the guy worth putting over here? As much as I like the guy, I just don't see NOAH taking a full nose dive on the Pay per View.
Winner: Naomichi Marufuji
Matt Adamson: Well, this should wind up a bit of a clash of styles, but Marufuji in ROH always gets my $20, so I guess I'm a huge sucker. I don't see him losing here either. Marufuji should be a champion everywhere he goes.
Winner: Marufuji
Stuart Carapola: Did you read what I said about Whitmer against Albright? Read it again, but substitute "Marufuji" for "Albright". Incidentally, I don't know who thought this would make a good match, but I think it'll be a little bit of a clash of styles.
Winner: Naomichi Marufuji
Ari Berenstein: I think this is going to surprise a lot of people. Marufuji is out to impress the fans and the PPV audience and this will probably be a part of the PPV taping. Whitmer delivers in hard hitting battles and I think if both men are motivated this could be exactly that.
Winner: Marufuji
Jacob Ziegler: This is an interesting clash of styles, and it's a match that Whitmer asked for in an article on the main page of ROH Wrestling Dot Com. I assume this will be on the pay-per-view, so both guys will be busting ass (as Whitmer always, always does) to put on a really good match.
Winner: Naomichi Marufuji
Brad Garoon: This seems like a clash of styles up front, but I think there's a lot of promise here. A while back I reviewed a match between Marufuji and Tatsuhito Takaiwa and it was stellar. Takaiwa wrestled a style similar to Whitmer's in that match, so that gives me hope for a fantastic showing here. Marufuji has already been to the main event in ROH and Whitmer could really use a big win over a big Japanese name to catapult him in that direction.
Winner: BJ Whitmer
Samuel Berman: So a lot of people think this pairing looks strange, but I actually gave Whitmer & Marufuji an extended run as ROH World Tag Team Champions in my ROH Circuit on TNM7, so I'm used to seeing their names together. If you don't know what that is, just don't worry about it. Anyway, I think this match could be a lot of fun. It probably won't be on the level of Nigel & Marufuji from last year, but it could certainly surprise a lot of folks, as it's going to be on PPV and Whitmer always busts ass in big spots. Marufuji wins, but BJ looks good in the loss.
Winner: Naomichi Marufuji
411 Staff Picks: Naomichi Marufuji (6-1)
Nigel McGuinness vs. Chris Hero
Michael Bauer: This might be the sleeper match of the card, regardless of what matches we don't know about. Nigel needs to be kept strong, but I think Hero needs the momentum even more. The problem is that Ring of Honor goes to Japan soon and if Nigel is to beat Morishima there, he needs the win here.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness
Matt Adamson: This match should be pretty great. If the writing truly is on the wall as I suspect then McGuinness will be picking up the win here. A win, which in my mind is fairly important if he is to eventually be the ROH champion.
Winner: McGuinness
Stuart Carapola: If they are going to build to Nigel getting the title in Japan, it wouldn't do for him to lose to Hero who, again, hasn't exactly been getting the push of a lifetime lately.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness
Ari Berenstein: While this is not a pay per view match, these two have plenty of heat going for their feud and I actually think it may be one of the underrated programs going into the summer. I like these two against each other. Hero rarely wins a singles match but I think for this rivalry to continue he's going to need to pick up the win here.
Winner: Chris Hero
Jacob Ziegler: I see Nigel as the heir to the ROH throne (maybe even as early as Japan), so a win here for him seems likely. Perhaps Hero will gain revenge from the loss in Detroit, but I think Nigel will just have too much for him.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness
Brad Garoon: This big blowoff match is DVD exclusive, which brings me to the following question; What will the DVD for this show look like? Since Nigel vs. Danielson will likely be on this DVD, will both this match and Danielson vs. KENTA be on it as well? Gabe Sapolski said the reason the Nigel/Danielson match was being pushed back to this DVD release was for continuities sake, but unless this is a two disc release or in fact two separate releases I don't see how continuity is followed. It's early in the ROH PPV game so I'll cut them a break, but they should work those kinks out of the system soon. Nigel is the new ace for the company and Hero can excel as a heel without a win.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness
Samuel Berman: I seem to like Hero a lot more than post people, and I've been more than surprised with his lack of success in singles contests in ROH. If I were in charge, he'd get a win here leading to him getting into the title hunt, but Gabe runs things, so Nigel will probably win to keep him strong for his showdown with Morishima.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness
411 Staff Picks: Nigel McGuinness (6-1)
Takeshi Morishima will defend the ROH World Title
Michael Bauer: Ok, this is a total stab in the dark here. Regardless of who he faces, the title can't switch hands on a card that enough top notch matches on it where it might not even be the main event. And if you think that sounds like gibberish, just think of the guy who I think will face him.
Morishima faces: Delirious
Winner: Morishima
Matt Adamson: I can't really say who he will face, but the lack of Roderick Strong makes me think it may be him. It's risky to do things this way as it is a PPV taping, but they did it last time. I'm hoping that it's some big surprise and that I'm just blown away by whoever it is. Regardless of who it truly is, Morishima will remain champion.
Stuart Carapola: I'll just throw out a guess based on whoever's left that isn't already booked and say that Morishima would get a fun match out of Davey Richards. I don't think Richards would have a hope in hell of beating Morishima, but it'd be fun.
Morishima faces: Davey Richards
Winner: Takeshi Morishima (no matter who he faces)
Ari Berenstein: I think your prime suspects will be Roderick Strong, Delirious or maybe Claudio Castagnoli getting an early chance to win the title before his official shot on August 10th. Either way, no way Morishima coughs up the title on the second PPV much less before he reaches Japan.
Morishima faces: Roderick Strong or Delirious
Winner: Takeshi Morishima to retain.
Jacob Ziegler: I'm pretty stumped as to who Morishima will make his tenth ROH World Title defense against, so I'm just going to go ahead and pick Matt Sydal because I think that match would be fun and Sydal has never gotten a shot at the title. No matter who it is there's no way Morishima drops the belt before Japan, so this one is a no-brainer.
Morishima faces: Matt Sydal
Winner: Takeshi Morishima
Brad Garoon: Looking at the name of wrestlers yet to be booked Rave and Delirious pop out as the greatest possible candidates here. I say that because either of them could win the gauntlet match the night before and use that win to claim a shot at the belt. Since I think Delirious will win that match I'll give him the edge here. Of course he won't beat Morishima, but the match could be fun.
Samuel Berman: I'd like to see Delirious get the shot, if only because I'm a huge mark for him and I'll be sitting ringside. Chicago was the sight of his biggest ROH moment (when he submitted Danielson last December), so the crowd would certainly be behind him, but as you can imagine, he'll just be overmatched by the champion. Morishima retains in a surprisingly competitive matchup.
Morishima faces: Delirious
Winner and STILL ROH World Champion: Takeshi Morishima
Matt Adamson: Oh sweetness this match has MOTYC written all over it. If there is a reason to want to see this show besides the OBVIOUS puro involvement, it is this match. We've seen it before and it was awesome, but the Briscoes are better now and the two teams know each other better. I am going to take a shot in the dark and say that Generico and Steen pull off some shenanigans to get the titles, though I'm pretty sure I'm wrong. It's like gambling, but all I lose is a fraction of my fraction of a reputation.
Winners: El Generico and Steen
Stuart Carapola: I think that Steen & Generico have been getting a great push and all, but as great as the build to this match has been, I don't see any way they get the titles. The Briscoes are just too dominant and it wouldn't make sense to take the title off them at this point.
Winner: Jay & Mark Briscoe
Ari Berenstein: It's a bit early for a title change, but if they wanted to do it for the PPV show they could very well do it. As it is I imagine this will be a great to awesome match and given the past history between the two teams, it will be stiff.
Winner: The Briscoes to retain.
Jacob Ziegler: This has been a nice little feud, and it's good to see new people like Steen & Generico getting over and being big contributors to the roster. However, there is just no stopping the juggernaut that is the Briscoe Brothers at this point.
Winners: Jay & Mark Briscoe
Brad Garoon: This match has been a long time coming. Steen has done a great job in making me want to see him get murdered by Mark. Their first match was good-not-great but this match will more than likely have a much better story to it. The Canadian Cripplers can work over Mark's head like it's a punching bag and when the Briscoes come back at the end with the Legdrop Driver (I'm claiming creators rights on that name right now) on Steen the crowd will explode.
Winners: The Briscoe Brothers
Samuel Berman: So in their last two trips to Chicago the Briscoes have won the titles and put on a MOTYC (against Sabin & Shelley). Think they'll be over? Anyway, I don't see the titles switching here, because unlike in WWE or TNA, ROH rarely feels the need to pull a title switch just because an issue has gone on for three months. The Briscoes winning here doesn't preclude Steen & Generico from getting another shot at them (especially because I'm pretty sure there's already a Street Fight between the teams on the books for August). If Steen & Generico were to win the belts, I'd imagine it'd be then and not this weekend. Plus, I'm not sure that they're confirmed for the Japan tour, but Jay & Mark are. Either way it goes, can't wait to see this one live.
Winners and STILL ROH World Tag Team Champions: Jay & Mark Briscoe
411 Staff Picks: Jay & Mark Briscoe (6-1)
Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA
Michael Bauer: Bold prediction – This will end up being a match of the year candidate. It's Danielson and KENTA facing each other for crying out loud, we know they have the ability to pull it off as they have before. On any other card, I would say KENTA wins. However, this is a Ring of Honor Pay Per View and Danielson is their biggest non Japanese star. There is no way in hell he is losing here.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Matt Adamson: I'm really hoping KENTA gets the win here. I really like the guy and would love for him to get the big win in ROH. Danielson I'm sure is a huge part of the future of the company, but KENTA is KENTA for goodness sake! I'm still picking KENTA, because afterall, he is KENTA!
Winner: KENTA
Stuart Carapola: Well, Danielson beat KENTA in their last two encounters, so normal wrestling logic means that KENTA gets his win back here. However, I think that Danielson is going to be a force in the World Title picture for some time to come, so even though I have no doubt that this will be a great match, it wouldn't make sense to have Danielson do the job when KENTA's going back to Japan, especially if they DO end up giving Danielson the nod as the guy who takes the title from Morishima. Then again, they could have KENTA go over and have them rematch in Japan. yes, that sounds more likely. I'll go with that.
Winner: KENTA
Ari Berenstein: Well this seems to be the main event of the second half of the show (the non PPV taping section) and it's a great choice at that since Danielson-KENTA I in NYC was blow the roof off the top action. I think KENTA gets the win here since not only did Danielson beat him in that match but he also tapped him out for the Respect is Earned PPV. KENTA heads back to Japan with a huge win, and conveniently the next series of shows will be in...Japan. Do you think this sets up KENTA as a number one contender to the ROH World Title to in his home country? Morishima-KENTA II in an "ROH" show in Japan. Works for me.
Winner: KENTA
Jacob Ziegler: The last time these two guys fought it was voted Match of the Year by many respected writers, not the least of which is 411's own Brad Garoon. This should be an amazing match as well, and I assume will be the main event. I think Danielson is more important to ROH since he's on every show and is probably going to get pushed back towards the ROH World Title, so I see him going 2-0 against KENTA in singles matches.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Brad Garoon: This match has a lot to live up to. After having the best match of last year in New York they failed to recapture that magic in a rematch in Japan. This time around however Danielson is less battered so they can move at a faster pace. Like I said before I don't understand how this will fit into ROH chronology, nor do I really understand what they've been going for with Danielson since his return. At any rate, this should be a great match but I'll give the edge to KENTA because lets be honest, he doesn't lose unless he has to.
Winner: KENTA
Samuel Berman: Danielson had to lay down twice for KENTA during his title reign, so I think he gets to win both of their singles contests. Regardless of who walks out the winner, this one is pretty much guaranteed to live up to the hype. If you're within driving distance of Chicago this weekend, come in to see this match. It will be worth the price of admission all on its own.
