Column of Honor 07.26.08: ROHbot Cares

Posted by Ari Berenstein on 07.26.2008

For the price of a cup of coffee, you can save an internet wrestling fan. Plus, results from last night’s show in Toronto, a preview of tonight’s PPV in Detroit and next week’s show in Manassas and a new edition of Chris Miccio’s My Two Cents.

Hey everyone, welcome to what should be a life affirming, life-changing column. Details below.



Ring Toss
-ROH Results: Toronto, Ontario, Canada: July 25th, 2008
-ROHbot Cares
-ROH Call
-ROH News
-My Fave Five
-Honorarium
-ROH Preview: ROH PPV Taping in Detroit, Michigan, July 26th, 2008
-ROH Preview: ROH in Manassas, Virginia, August 1st, 2008
-My Two Cents
-Honor System
-Independent Buy In
-Get with the pROHgram
-ROH @ 411


ROH Results: Toronto, Ontario, Canada: July 25th, 2008

Matches

-Chris Hero defeated Ruckus via pinfall with a big boot to the face.
-Delirious defeated Kenny Omega via submission with the Cobra Stretch.
-Sara Del Rey defeated Jennifer Blake via pinfall after an ax kick to the head.
-Erick Stevens & Go Shiozaki fought to a fifteen minute draw.
-Bryan Danielson defeated Claudio Castagnoli via pinfall by reversing the releasing mid air European uppercut into a backslide while in mid-air (!).
-Naomichi Marufuji defeated Roderick Strong with the Shiranui.
-ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness retained his title by defeating challenger Kevin Steen via pinfall with a lariat while Steen was positioned on the ropes.
-Austin Aries & Jay Briscoe defeated ROH World Tag Team Champions The Age of the Fall of Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black in a non-title no-disqualification match. Jay Briscoe with the Jay Driller on Tyler Black


Angles & Issues

-No Pre Show this time around.

-Please Sara, Don't Hurt Em: Sara Del Ray was going to break Jennifer Blake's neck after their match, but Daizee Haze came to put the block on that and ran Del Ray off.

-No Time and a Half for Shiozaki: The crowd asks for five more minutes after the fifteen minute draw with Go vs. Stevens. Sweeney puts the kibosh on that as he says Go was only paid for a fifteen minute match. Lance Storm comes out, and the first thing he says is "If I can Be Serious for a Minute". Chris Hero waylays him but Storm and Stevens fight back and ends up with both putting on Canadian Maple Leaves on members of Sweet & Sour Inc. for a little bit of payback..

-Haze and Delirious, sitting in the ring, H-O-L-D-I-N-G (hands): Rhett Titus comes out after intermission, but Haze follows behind him. Sara Del Ray attacks Daizee and Titus runs off, but Delirious comes out for the save. He won't attack a woman (Del Ray) but does take several shots to protect Haze. The segment concluded with Delirious and Haze holding hands.

-To Butcher or Not To Butcher, THAT is the Question: Necro Butcher saw fit to interfere in the no-DQ match main event. Mark Briscoe then came out to clear some of the Age of the Fall. Mark was sent to the back. After the match, Jacobs wanted Necro to blind Aries with a piece of broken table and Necro refused to do so, leaving the ringside area.

Return Date: November 8th, 2008


ROHbot Cares

You know, I think we got off on the wrong foot here. Somewhere along the way, Ring of Honor fans, the hardest of the hardcore whom are collectively known as ROHbots, well, we've become the scourge of the internet wrestling community. We are reviled for being "smart marks", well, when of course everyone on the internet is by the very nature a smart mark. We are thought as being obnoxious on the internet forums (especially the official ROHwrestling.com board), that we overhype and overate ROH matches while looking down on other companies. We are thought to be too much into getting ourselves as fans over and not just having fun at the shows.

All of these complaints have been generalized and spread from ocean to ocean and server to server.

Jerry Lynn just did a shoot interview complaining about how the ROH acted during his debut for that company in 2002. Yes, the same Jerry Lynn who wrestled in front of ECW fans for many years, who had notorious reputations of their own. The same Jerry Lynn who came back to wrestle for ROH earlier this year.

Did you know that, emo teenagers are one of the most hated and discriminated against minorities in Mexico? Sometimes, I feel that ROH fans are treated like emos, hated and discriminated against for what they are, and what others think they act like because of who they identify themselves with. When even Jerry Lynn has derogatory words about the fans, maybe its time to take a good hard look.

Well, I think taking a good hard look is too late. We are known to be whom we are at this point, and there's no going back. I prefer to go forward and take action! What does that mean? Well, if we can't erase the reputation of ROH fans as obnoxious smart marks, we can change our reputation for the better! And how do we do that? We start by showing the internet wrestling community at large that we care!

That's why at this point I can announce that I am starting a charitable and good works foundation named "ROHbot Cares". ROHbot Cares is a not-for profit, but maybe for free ROH DVDs through TrialPay organization dedicated to helping needy internet wrestling fans, ROHbots and other smart marks alike. It is the first such program of this nature, but I hope one that will inspire other ROH fans out there to start their own outreach programs to help the wrestling fans in need of help. That way, one day very soon, the ROHbot's reputation of selfishness and oversensitivity to criticism can end and we can be thought of to be good, hardworking and decent citizens of the wrestling planet.



Let me describe some of the upcoming events through the ROHbot Cares initiative:

-ROHbot Internet Addiction Hotline: For those message board posters who spend almost all of their time on the internet either supporting ROH or spending every waking minute finding something to complain about ROH and its fans. We especially concentrate on "epic fail" posters and the indigent, mom's basement dwelling pre-teen set.

-Adopt a Smark Mark: We are in contact with some African countries just beginning to have internet access and therefore becoming exposed to the internet wrestling community. We want to deliver these burgeoning wrestling fans into families and homes that can help guide and mentor these fans about such things as "workrate", who "deserves to win" a match, and how to avoid getting a wedgie in school.

-ROHbot Celebrity Golf Clap Tournament: See 18 rounds of golf at the local course with some of your favorites ROH wrestlers! Since ROHfans have such great golf claps that we use for acknowledgement of nice spots in wrestling matches, I thought we could put it to good use. Hey, we're already like the crowds in Japan, so now we can be quiet and clap appropriately on the golf course too! Scheduled celebrities include Pelle Primeau (almost always bogeys out) and Bobby Dempsey (he's one hell of a driver for Sweet & Sour Inc.)

I've also heard that Jim Cornette and Chris Hero are in negotiations to do a Charity Tennis match. Hero has a hell of a forearm smash.

-ROHbot soup kitchens: Feeding cardboard pizza and Philadelphia style pretzels to the homeless and the starving ROHbots out there who have traveled long and hard to see ROH shows.

-Column of Honor Writing Championship Series: I'm currently in negotiations with G4 to bring this special television program to their network. It's a combination reality show with ROHbot fans, as eight fans are picked to live in a house and spend all of their time on their computers writing essays about how ROH is the greatest wrestling company around today. The winner gets their own column, right here at 411Mania!

All these programs and much more are on their way. So as you can see, we are not unthinking and unfeeling ROHbots. We Care. Please show us that you care too and help us to stop suffering around the wrestling world. Give us a call and donate your time and money to ROHbot Cares. Thank You.


ROH Call

ROH Champions—As of 07/26/2008

ROH World Champion—Nigel McGuinness (champion since 10/06/07, 21 successful defenses)
-defeated Takeshi Morishima in Edison, New Jersey to win the championship.

Next Defense: vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Detroit, MI, 07/26/08

V.1 defeated Jay Briscoe, wristlock submission (10/21/07 San Francisco, CA)
V.2 defeated Chris Hero, wristlock submission (11/02/07 Philadelphia, PA)
V.3 defeated Austin Aries, Jawbreaker Lariat (12/29/07 Manhattan, NY)
V.4 defeated Go Shiozaki, London Dungeon (wristlock submission) (01/20/08 Tokyo, Japan,)
V.5 Steel Cage Match: defeated Chris Hero (01/25/08, Dayton, OH)
V.6 defeated Roderick Strong, Jawbreaker Lariat (01/26/08, Chicago Ridge, IL)
V.7 defeated Bryan Danielson, London Dungeon (02/23/08, Manhattan, NY)
V.8 defeated Tyler Black, London Dungeon (03/16/08, Philadelphia, PA)
V.9 defeated Larry Sweeney, Jawbreaker Lariat (03/22/08 Crystal River, FL)
V.10 defeated Austin Aries, Jawbreaker Lariat (03/29/08 Orlando, FL)
V.11 defeated Erick Stevens, London Dungeon (04/11/08 Boston, MA)
V.12 defeated Kevin Steen, roll up holding the ropes (04/12/08 Edison, NJ)
V.13 defeated Kevin Steen, Jawbreaker Lariat (04/19/08 Chicago Ridge, IL)
V.14 defeated Claudio Castagnoli, London Dungeon, (05/10/08, Manhattan, NY)
V.15 defeated KENTA and BJ Whitmer, Jawbreaker Lariat to Whitmer (05/15/08, Tokyo, Japan)
V.16 defeated Go Shiozaki, London Dungeon (06/07/08, Philadelphia, PA)
V.17 defeated Vic Viper, London Dungeon (06/14/08, Tallaght, Ireland)
V.19 defeated Keith Myatt and Lionheart, (06/20/08, Doncaster, U.K.)
V.20 (title for title) defeated NWA Champion Adam Pearce, Jawbreaker Lariat (06/27/08, Dayton, OH)
*match later reversed via DQ, both men keep their respective titles.
V.21 defeated Kevin Steen, Lariat off Turbuckle, (07/25/08, Toronto, ONT, CN)

**

ROH World Tag Team Champions—The Age of the Fall (champions since 06/06/08, NEW Champions)
-won an eight man, single elimination tournament on June 6th in Hartford, CT to determine new champions

Next Defense:vs. Go Shiozaki & Naomichi Marufuji, Manassas, VA, 08/01/08

V.1 defeated Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson (06/07/08, Philadelphia, PA)

**

Sweet & Sour Incorporated Presents The Intergender Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Of The World—Chris Hero & Sara Del Rey (champions since 01/12/08, 2 successful defenses)
Belt Re-recognized in this column as of 06/07/08 as both Hero & Del Rey are bringing them to ROH events.

V.1 defeated Ernie Osiris & Alexa Thatcher (01/12/08, Edison, NJ)
V.2 defeated Kyle Durden & Alex "Sugarfoot" Payne (01/26/08, Chicago Ridge, IL)

**

FIP Heavyweight Champion: Erick Stevens (since 07/19/2008)
-defeated Roderick Strong via pinfall to win the title in a strap match.
SHIMMER Champion: MsChif (since 4/26/2008)
-defeated Sara Del Ray via pinfall with the Descrator DDT to win the title
Top of the Class Trophy (for ROH Students): Rhett "Addicted to Love" Titus (since 06/07/2008)
-defeated Ernie Osiris via pinfall to win the trophy.

**

Top Feuds & Pairings:
-Bryan Danielson's road to an ROH World Title Shot
-Nigel McGuinness defends the belt against top contenders
-Kevin Steen & Claudio Castagnoli receive title shots
-ROH and the NWA Heavyweight Title
-Austin Aries / Jimmy Jacobs
-Austin Aries attempts to convince Necro Butcher to leave Age of the Fall / Is Jimmy Jacobs afraid of Necro?
-The Age of the Fall vs. The Briscoes
-Sweet & Sour Inc. "Corporate Takeover"
-Brent Albright vs. Sweet & Sour Inc.
-Roderick Strong wants payback on Sweet & Sour Inc. for Richards' betrayal of the NRC


ROH News
(via the ROHnewswire… and other sources when attributed)


Detroit Rumble City

THIS SATURDAY IS ROH'S LAST SHOW IN DETROIT IN 2008. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts ROH will not be able to return to Detroit until 2009. Don't miss your last chance to see ROH this year in Motown. We plan to go out with a bang with the PPV taping.

The unpredictable nature of ROH's PPVs and the uncertain status of the World Title since it will be defended in Toronto does not make it possible to announce more matches for ROH's pay-per-view taping on Saturday in Detroit.

The main event will also be another non-PPV match and it will be something unique. The first ever Honor Rumble will take place!!! It will have a very similar format to WWE's Royal Rumble. The fans of Virginia will have to watch this Detroit main event closely…The winner of the Honor Rumble this Saturday in Detroit will get a World Title Match on 8/1 when ROH returns to Manassas, VA. Who will the challenger be and who will be World Champion after this weekend? There is no telling what World Title Match will take place when it is defended for the first time in Virginia.

If ROH can't run anymore this year in Detroit, then at least they have the PPV to go out on a high note in 2008. The hold on announcing matches for the event is the largest hold since the original Respect is Earned PPV last year, which had no matches announced before the event. At least there are five matches known about for the show tonight and interesting ones at that. The title match could be a realistic spot for a change in champion. The first ever Honor Rumble seems smart as a main event that could hold fan attention after a fast paced and high quality taping…although Rumbles (especially on the indie scene) can become sloppy and chaotic if not planned right. The good thing is that literally anyone can come out of that rumble the winner and receive a title shot in Virginia. ROH could make a real big star during this moment, or reinforce someone's momentum if necessary.


Endurance Factor

Ultimate Endurance will make its return to ROH on 8/2 in Manhattan, NY. Fans who have watched "A New Level" on DVD and who were there live knows that there is nothing like ROH in the Hammerstein Ballroom. Now ROH will make an even bigger impact in the Hammerstein on August 2nd in an Ultimate Endurance pitting Jimmy Jacobs & Necro Butcher vs. Jay Briscoe & TBA vs. Ruckus & Jigsaw vs. Pelle Primeau & Mitch Franklin. It is elimination rules and every fall has a different stipulation. The first fall can only be won by getting your opponent to tap out. The second fall is a Tag Team Scramble. The final fall is No DQ.

Its going to be hard to compete with the Ultimate Endurance matches earlier in the year, which were largely well received and had a huge slate of upper card talent to help get the action over. This one is a lower tier UE so far, unless the team to be announced is some main event talent. There is the intrigue of Jacobs and Necro on the same team since they've had problems and are slated to fight in Chicago.


The King Has Returned

Kenny King of The YRR returns to ROH on 8/15 in Cleveland and 8/16 in Chicago.

Jason Blade and Sal Rinauro have yet to be announced for these shows, but it's still early and they could be added on. If not, King will be solo for the first time in ROH.


ROH Home Theatre Station

ROH Videowire: July 24th, 2008



Kenny Omega:
If you're looking to see a little bit about what's up with the guy debuting for ROH this weekend, here are a few videos I found along the way. The first video is a highlights package that is about four years old, so obviously he has improved from this point, but I have to say I liked what I saw, especially the leg drop bulldog.



And then there's this…which just defies description. Just watch and enjoy:



Giving true meaning to the term "backyarder".




1. CM Punk & Batista: I came home on Monday just in time for their main event match. I was surprised that Punk got in so much offense, although it was mitigated by the chokeslam from Kane. I suspect these two will wrestle to a conclusive finish next week in Batista's hometown of Washington, D.C. and that we may indeed have a new champion by the end of that show.
2. Beth Phoenix & Santino Morella: I also caught their little tete-a-tete. Man, wrestling makes for strange bedfellow doesn't it?
3. Delirious: As always, the character is entertaining and ties together the vignette done on the new videowire. Just how do the ROH students understand what he's trying to tell them anyway?
4. D-Lo Brown: You're LOOKING AT THE REAL DEAL NOW! It was great to see D-Lo on WWE television again as I always thought he was a very good wrestler and someone who you could do a lot with in angles and storyline. The running closeline to a seated Santino was awesome. YOU BETTER GET YOUR SORRY ASS OFF THE STREETS!
5. Guy at Keyspan Park who recognized my ROH hat: There are fans everywhere! So shout out to that guy and hopefully he enjoys the show at Hammerstein.


Honorarium

-Did you know you were selected to win a FREE Nintendo Wii? All you have to do is click on that link above and BASH THE HELL OUT OF YOUR COMPUTER TO STOP IT FROM SPEAKING!

-Ahem…

-When Delirious wakes up, does he have morning lizard breath?

-Everyone seems to be making vows these days. Kevin Steen has vowed to win a ROH World Title. Claudio Castagnoli has vowed to leave ROH if he doesn't win the ROH World Title tonight in Detroit. Erick Stevens has vowed to do better on his second FIP Heavyweight Title run. I hope these guys don't run for office, because they could have an even harder time fulfilling campaign promises than vows to win wrestling matches.

-I never thought I'd see the day that Hulk Hogan would be featured on the ROH website, but he's right there on the "Who Is This Wrestler?" B.S. advertisement. Unreal.


ROH Preview: ROH PPV Taping in Detroit, Michigan, July 26th, 2008

Michigan State Fairgrounds & Expo Center "Michigan Mart"
7:30pm belltime
1120 W. State Fair Ave.
Detroit, MI 48203

ROH World Title Match
Nigel McGuinness defends vs. Claudio Castagnoli

The angle between these two has always been that McGuinness wants Castagnoli to prove his worth. A win against Bryan Danielson helped to prove that Castagnoli deserved another title opportunity. Will there be a title change? There is indeed a possibility, as Nigel has already had a very lengthy run as champion and has been successful in several PPV title defenses. However, Bryan Danielson still waits in the wings for his rematch against McGuinness and that is likely the direction that they will go in the future. A great match here will help to sell the Pay Per View and Nigel has not yet disappointed in that capacity.

Special Challenge Match
Bryan Danielson vs. ROH World Tag Team Champion Tyler Black

"American Dragon" needs to start breathing fire again after several losses. He won the rematch against Castagnoli and that will help gain back some momentum, but the key is a win here on PPV against Tyler Black in order to get one step closer to receiving a title shot. The good thing is that Danielson has won both of their previous matches. The bad thing is that every time out Black had looked like a formidable opponent and has been very close to ending the match in a win. If Black gets over the hump this time around he will reposition himself for another shot at the ROH World Title….and heaven knows the reaction Danielson will have because he lost.

Tag Team Grudge Match
Chris Hero & Go Shiozaki with Larry Sweeney vs. Roderick Strong & Naomichi Marufuji

Shiozaki aligned himself with Sweet & Sour Inc. and now he fights against a contemporary in NOAH and the man who rejected Sweeney's offers. Strong and Marufuji beat the heck out of each other last night, as expected. Let's hope that they have some fuel left in the tank to take on Hero & Shiozaki.

Special Non-PPV Match
The First Ever Honor Rumble for a future World Title Shot

I'd expect a lot of the ROH talent to be in the rumble, even those who wrestled on the PPV taping. With a title shot on the line, anything is possible. It could go to a young wrestler in an upset or it could go to a wrestler already booked in a match as a way to shake up the card. It should be interesting to see how ROH books a rumble style match, but the downside of having this on a PPV card is that fans in attendance won't be able to see it for at least three to four months.

Plus much more with:
-Special guest Lance Storm (he will be available for autographs)
-ROH World Tag Team Champion Jimmy Jacobs & The Necro Butcher of The Age Of TheFall
-SHIMMER Champion MsChif
-Austin Aries
-Jay Briscoe
-Delirious
-Erick Stevens
-Ruckus Of The Vulture Squad
-Sara Del Rey
-Daizee Haze
-Rhett Titus
-Shane Hagadorn & Bobby Dempsey of Sweet & Sour Inc.
-Silas Young
-Kenny Omega
-Mitch Franklin
-Plus others!!!

Predictions!

I always do some predictions for matches on PPV not yet signed. My record isn't all that hot but I did get one match each on the last two PPV shows. Let's see if I can continue that abysmal record via these fearless prognostications!

For PPV: No DQ: Jimmy Jacobs & Necro Butcher vs. Austin Aries & Jay Briscoe; FIP Heavyweight Title Match: Erick Stevens vs. Delirious; SHIMMER Title Match: MsChif vs. Daizee Haze

For DVD: Kenny Omega vs. Silas Young; Rhett Titus vs. Mitch Franklin


ROH Preview: ROH in Manassas, Virginia, August 1st, 2008

Sports Network and Fitness Inc.
8:00pm belltime
8320 Quarry Road
Manassas, VA 20110

Dream Tag Team Main Event
Bryan Danielson & Austin Aries vs. The Motor City Machine Guns of Alex Shelly & Chris Sabin

The Machine Guns are back in Ring of Honor for two shows and the deal is they are looking to win the number one contender spot for the ROH World Tag Team Titles. They face stiff competition each night, but the beauty of it is that if they win these matches, their title shot is undeniable. Danielson & Aries have not teamed up recently but were working really well in the middle of the year as a tandem. They can easily regain their form considering their individual talents and their cohesiveness the last time they tagged. They also have another motivator in this match and that is they too would want a shot at the ROH tag titles, currently held by Aries' rival Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black, a man whom Danielson has clear cut history with these days. I'm sure both would love the opportunity to take away what The Age of the Fall so highly values. In order to do that they have to go though the Machine Guns. This is the main event match of the evening so I'm thinking all four will go out there guns ablazing and looking to impress.

World Tag Team Title Match
Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black defend vs. Naomichi Marufuji & Go Shiozaki

While others fight for the right to fight The Age of the Fall (you know what I mean), Jacobs and Black will put the belts on the line for their second defense. They do it against formidable opponents in NOAH's super team of Marufuji and Shiozaki. However, these two do have chinks in their armor. Their weakness isn't in the ring, but rather in their ability to work together. Shiozaki has signed with Sweet & Sour Inc. for the money and for the opportunities ahead of him and one has to wonder if this means the young wrestler will also undergo some attitude changes that could get in the way of his team-up with Marufuji? Not to mention that these two are already scheduled to fight each other the next night in Manhattan and you have the recipe for potential disaster and a team that could fall apart before they even begin to wrestle. AotF may have lucked into a great situation where they can keep the belts with minimum in ring effort and maximum mind games.

Grudge Match
Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney vs. Brent Albright

Brent Albright resurfaces for the first time since having a fireball thrown at him by Adam Pearce. He comes back for revenge against those who have wronged him, starting with Chris Hero. Albright has the physical tools necessary to pay back Hero and The Inc. However, he has to remember he is walking in outnumbered…and that Adam Pearce's one month suspension will be up. The man who injured him will be nearby and could help to cost Albright the match…and maybe a lot more than that.

Special Attraction
Roderick Strong vs. Ruckus

The Vulture Squad has been flying low these last few months and could really use a win to pick them back up into the spotlight. Roderick Strong is trying to redeem himself after the NRC collapsed and his subsequent loss of the FIP title. He will be working harder than ever to win this match and re-establish himself in Ring of Honor.

Already signed: ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness; NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce with Larry Sweeney; The Necro Butcher; Jigsaw; plus more to be added!!!


My Two Cents with Chris Miccio:

So, it's been two weeks since I last wrote? Wow. It feels like it was just yesterday, but I guess that's what happens when you have school 4 days a week, and then try to squeeze in as much of a social life as possible in between. When I wasn't hanging out with friends and family, I was at my second home during the summertime, Keyspan Park, here in Coney Island, Brooklyn, cheering on the Cyclones, who are the Single A affiliate of the New York Mets. Ari and I had the pleasure of taking in a game this week, and hopefully, we'll be able to hit the park again, but I took things to another level, hitting 4 games this week. I need help and sleep. With that in mind, I still have a bunch of things that I want to discuss this week, both from the world of Pro Wrestling and MMA, so without further ado, lets get it.

1. ROH's big weekend in Toronto and Detroit – So, it seems so far that the inaugural show in Toronto was a big success, and for that, I am greatly relieved, after thinking about the 36 PPV buys they supposedly got in Canada that one time. I had heard that ticket sales were brisk for the event, and as of this point (late Friday night) from all accounts, it seems that the Canadian crowd was really hot for ROH, and that can only be a good thing for the company. Now that they have reached out into new markets successfully (Florida, Virginia, Toronto), in my opinion, they should hold off on any more expansion and keep building the fan bases in the new cities to a point where they rival those of New York, Boston, Philly, Chicago and Detroit. Sure, I know they do other sites, but those are the model locations, and there is really no reason why at least one of the three new cities can't become one of the key ROH locales for shows. I really think that Toronto is the obvious choice, as it's not too far from Detroit, and makes a great partner for a double shot weekend. If I were running things though, I'd move out of the Manassas location in Virginia, and try to find something in D.C. or maybe even Baltimore. I've been in Manassas, and it's not a place that I really see ROH bursting out from. However, maybe someplace in Northern Virginia (NoVa, for the uninitiated), like one of the NoVa Community College Athletic Centers or even George Mason University's Gym would be a better place for shows, but I digress, so lets get back to this weekend's activities. I was glad to see that Nigel defended his title against Kevin Steen, setting up what should be a great match, pitting Nigel against Claudio Castagnoli, in what has been hyped as potentially Claudio's "last match" in ROH if he loses. I've always loved the angle like that, where one competitor is "laying it all on the line", and has said that if he loses, he has to leave because "there's no reason left to stay." I really do hope that Double C is victorious in Detroit tonight, mainly because he has been such a good worker and "company man" for the last 3 years. We all know that he has generated interest from wrestling organizations all around the world, and I don't want to see him leave, so let's all get behind Claudio and pray he wins that strap. I know that's a bit kayfabe for me, but I'm sorry. I really like Claudio, and I think he deserves the belt.

2. CM Punk's Title Reign – Well, that's lasted a bit longer than I thought it would. I'm pretty sure that almost all of us figured that Punk would drop the strap to Batista at the GAB PPV a few weeks ago, but boy was I surprised when I read the results of the show online. Sure, he only held onto the belt because of outside shenanigans, but hey, a win is a win, and our boy continues to hold the "Belt of Flair", so it's all good. Yes, I know that in some ways that the booking of his title reign makes him look, well, less than championship-like, I almost like the fact that he keeps on winning, even if it's not because of anything he does, but just because. I never thought that I would see the day that ROH's CM Punk would be a real title holder in the "E", so let's just stop complaining about the booking and whatnot, and just enjoy the fact that Punk's the champ. Hey, you never know what might happen if the ratings keep going up when he's on TV. Maybe they'll let him hold the belt for a bit longer than they originally intended for him. Come on, WWE, let a new guy be a draw for a little while. If it doesn't work out, give the belt to one of the usual suspects, but if it does, look at it like this: you have now created a new superstar that you can add to the list of draws and money makers. There's no hurt in trying, right?

3. Y2J's Promo on Monday Night Raw – Jericho has done so many great spots over the years, from straight comedy to real drama, but on Monday night, he took the cake, and in my estimation, cut one of the finest promo's of all time. I truly worship at the feet of Y2J at this point, and if you don't see just how good he is, you better get yourself some glasses.

4. The Debut of Affliction MMA on PPV – now, last weekend, Ari and I got together and watched the first Affliction fight card, and you know what? I wasn't disappointed. From the overall cool look of the graphics to a nice first time presentation, I was pretty stoked by the show. Oh yeah, and a few of the fights were actually pretty good too! It was amazing to see Fedor fight in the United States, and his quick and brutal win over Tim Silvia was unreal. For a guy who looks as if he's just been awoken from a deep sleep, Fedor sure knows how to get the job done in a lickety-split kind of way. I was also impressed by Josh Barnett's KO of Pedro Rizzo, even if Rizzo is beyond his prime. I really love Barnett, and I would like to see a lot more of him here in the U.S., as well as Matt Lindland, who is one of the most technical fighters in the world today. He looked sharp as well, and all I know is that if I lived in Oregon, I'd vote for him come November. I was also really impressed with the clear improvements in the stand up game of Andrei Orlovsky. Was it me or did his hands look like something out of a Street Fighter video game? I was half expecting to hear him scream "RYUKEN!!" or something along those lines. However, there were still a few things that I would have to put on the negative side of the docket. Megadeth, for starters. I know that there is a notion that fighting and heavy metal go together, and to some extent, that's true, but not a live metal show in the midst of a fight card. Sure, for entrance music its just fine, but not to kill the flow of an MMA PPV. Also, it was sometimes obvious that the production team was somewhat green, and made some oddball cuts and showed shots that shouldn't have been seen (i.e. Jay Glazer getting his make-up put on). With some time and work, they could be okay, but with the early financial reports starting to surface, I don't know if they will get that time. I really hope that they make some money and continue to put on shows, because a little competition is a good thing, you know?

5.Anderson Silva's Light-Heavyweight Debut – the man is unreal and quite possibly unbeatable in two weight classes now. As Stan Lee said "'nuff said!"

So, that's it for this week. I'll be back in two with a whole new crop of observations on the world of Pro Wrestling and MMA. Now, I can finally get some rest, maybe watch a movie or two, play a video game or spend some quality time with that someone special. And on that note, I'll take my leave. If you liked what I had to say or not, feel free to let me know what you think. Email me at [e-mail]. Have a great two weeks, and I'll catch you next time.


Going Home

Honor System: following what's naughty and what's not in ROH:

Honorable
|
saving a fellow lass from getting her neck broke by one of the best wrestlers in the world.
|
taking one for the girl you like…and ending up holding her hand.
|
refusing to blind a man just because someone orders you to do so.
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attacking a famous Canadian wrestler from behind out of jealousy for his talent and interesting internet commentary (or something like that).
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reveling in throwing a fireball at another man, while stomping referees in your path.
|
proving Austin Aries right about the way you treat Necro Butcher.
|
Dishonorable



The Independent Buy In

2008

**CHIKARA "Cibernetico & Robin" (Torneo Cibernetico: Kings of Wrestling vs. Dorado's Luchadores, The Olsen Twins / Cheech & Cloudy, Quackenbush / Donst, The Colony / BLK OUT ) High Recommendation
**CHIKARA "Brusied" (Kingston / Donst, Campeones de Parejas: F.I.S.T. vs. Incoherence / Castagnoli / Taylor, The Colony / Brodie Lee & Olsen Twins, Cheech & Cloudy / Osirian Portal ) High Recommendation
**Pro Wrestling NOAH "Special Budokan Double Shot"7/15 & 9/9/07 (Determination League Semi Finals & Finals, NTV Cup Finals)High Recommendation
**PWG Battle of Los Angeles Night 1 (Castagnoli / Williams, Evans / Pac, Black / Shelley, Aries / Strong, PWG Tag Titles: Generico & Steen / Dragon Kid & Susumu Yokosuka)Medium Recommendation
**PWG Battle of Los Angeles Night 2 (CIMA / Tornado, Steen / Butcher, McGuinness / Richards, Kid / Yokosuka) Low Recommendation
**PWG Battle of Los Angeles Night 3 (the entire show) High Recommendation
**Shimmer Volume 11 (Sarah Stock / MsChif, Sarah Stock / Cheerleader Melissa, Sara Del Rey / Cindy Rogers, Nikki Roxx / Lacey, Daizee Haze / Malia Hosaka, Allison Danger / Hosaka)High Recommendation
**SHIMMER Volume 12 (Del Rey / Lacey, Del Rey / Sarah Stock, Haze / Lacey, Portuguese Princess Ariel / Josie / Nikki Roxx / Portia Perez, Melissa & MsChif / Lexie Fyfe & Hosaka)High Recommendation
**SHIMMER Women's Athletes Volume 13 (Melissa / Portuguese Princess Ariel, "Dark Angel" Sarah Stock / Daizee Haze, Portia Perez / MsChif, Del Rey & Roxx vs. Rain & Lacey, O'Neal vs. Melissa) Medium Recommendation
**SHIMMER Women's Athletes Volume 14 (SHIMMER Title: Del Rey / Lacey, Nikki Roxx / Amazing Kong, Two out of Three falls: Allison Danger / Cindy Rogers, Portuguese Princess Ariel / Amber O'Neal) Medium Recommendation
**CHIKARA The Battle of Who Could Care Less (Incoherence & Tim Donst / BLK OUT, Claudio Castagnoli & Equinox / Hero & Hawke, Lince Dorado & Pantera / Olsen Twins, Quackenbush & The Colony / F.I.S.T. / Osirian Portal) High Recommendation
**CHIKARA The Sordid Perils of Everyday Existence (Campeones de Parejas: Incoherence / Cheech & Cloudy, Lucha de Apresta: Chris Hero / Equinox, F.I.S.T., Ellis, Ryder / Quack / Donst / Super Smash Bros.) Medium Recommendation
**CHIKARA Chapter 11 (Hallowicked / Kingston, Colony / Super Smash Brothers & Shane Storm, Tex-Arkana Title Match: Alvarez / Sweeney, Quack, Trik Davis & Helios / Shayne Hawke & The Osirian Portal, MIYAWAKI, Hasegawa & Pantera / Cheech & Cloudy & Delirious) High Recommendation
**SHIMMER Women's Athletes Volume 15 (SHIMMER Title: Sara Del Rey / Amazing Kong, Daizee Haze / Sara Stock, Cheerleader Melissa / Alexa Thatcher, Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew / Ariel & Josie, Sereena Deeb / Jetta) High Recommendation
**SHIMMER Women's Athletes Volume 16 (SHIMMER Title Two Out of Three Falls: Sara Del Rey / Sara Stock, Amazing Kong / Cheerleader Melissa, Daizee Haze MsChif & Eden Black / Lacey, Rain & Jetta, Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews / Ariel & Josie, Sereena Deeb / Jetta) High Recommendation
**CHIKARA Two Eyebrows Are Better Than One (Castagnoli, Lince Dorado & Ophidian / Quackenbush, Donst & Amasis, Kingston / Storm, Colony / F.I.S.T., Moravian Greyhound / Zombie Plantain / Hydra)Medium Recommendation
**CHIKARA King of Trios Night One (Colony / Go, Nakazawam Shimizu, Osirian Portal & Mecha Mummy / Quackenbush, Storm & Skayde, Cheech & Cloudy & M.C. KZ / Quackenbush, Storm & Skayde, Delirious, Hallowicked & Helios / The Cartel) High Recommendation
**CHIKARA King of Trios Night Two (Player Uno, Stupified & El Generico / Cannon & North Star Express, Lince, Pantera & Incognito / Los Ice Creams & Glacier, Sweet & Sour Inc. / F.I.S.T. & Taylor, Donst, Gulak & Sumner / Fabulous Three / ) Medium Recommendation
**CHIKARA King of Trios Night Three (KOT Quarter, Semi Finals & Finals, Tag Team Gauntlet) High Recommendation
**CHIKARA Deuces Wild (NWA Jr. Heavyweight Title: Mike Quackenbush / El Pantera, UltraMantis Black / Tim Donst, Young Lions Cup: Helios / Lince Dorado, Colony / Osirian Portal, Robbie Ellis / Ice Cream Jr.) Medium Recommendation
**CHIKARA Passion and Persistence (Brodie Lee / Claudio Castagnoli, Campeones de Parejas: Incoherence / F.I.S.T., Quackenbush, Shane Storm, Cheech & Cloudy / Mitch Ryder & Shayne Hawke, Larry Sweeney & Robbie Ellis, Hydra / Chuck Taylor)High Recommendation
**CHIKARA Grit & Glory (Castagnoli, Sonjay Dutt & Pantera / Quackenbush, Jorge Rivera & Turbo, Campeones de Parejas: Incoherence / Osirian Portal, Storm / Kingston, Vin Gerard/ Lince Dorado, Colony / Fabulous Three, Hydra & Tim Donst / Super Smash Brothers, Gran Akuma / PSYCHO, Daizee Haze & Chuck Taylor / Sara Del Ray & Bobby Dempsey)High Recommendation
**CHIKARA AniversarioMA (Atomicos Increibles: Mike Quackenbush, Cheech, Stupified & Worker Ant / Cloudy, Player Uno, Soldier Ant & Shane Storm, Brodie Lee, Mitch Ryder & Shayne Hawke / Incoherence & Claudio Castagnoli, Chuck Taylor & Gran Akuma / Turbo & Lince Dorado, El Pantera vs. Jorge Rivera , Osirian Portal / 2.0) Medium Recommendation
**CHIKARA AniversarioCT (Osirian Portal / Shane Storm & Mike Quackenbush, Super Smash Bros. / Cheech & Cloudy, Hydra & Tim Donst / Los Ice Creams, F.I.S.T. / The Colony, Brodie Lee / Claudio Castagnoli) High Recommendation
**FIP Cage of Pain II (Cage of Pain II, Roderick Strong/Larry Sweeney, Delirious & Hallowicked & Jigsaw/BxB Hulk & YAMATO & Jack Evans, Erick Stevens/Necro Butcher) High Recommendation
**FIP Redefined (Erick Stevens/Roderick Strong in their best encounter in FIP or ROH, Austin Aries/Davey Richards, Nigel McGuinness/Necro Butcher, Shawn Murphey/Heartbreak Express, Sal Rinauro/Tyler Black) High Recommendation
**CZW Deja Vu 3 (No Rope Barbed Wire Match: JC Bailey/Necro Butcher, El Generico/Super Dragon, B-Boy/Nate Webb, Ruckus & Mike Quackenbush/Kings of Wrestling) High Recommendation

This section needs your help! If you want to recommend some good independent wrestling to your fellow internet readers out there, drop me a line for the column.


Get With the pROHgram:

Now Available: ROH Up For Grabs: ROH's World Tag Team Tiles are on the line in a single elimination eight team tournament.

August 1st, 2008: "Respect is Earned II" PPV: The seventh PPV offering from Ring of Honor features McGuinness vs. Shiozaki for the ROH World Title and Age of the Fall vs. Danielson & Aries for the ROH World Tag Team Titles. From Philadelphia.

August 16th, 2008—Chicago Ridge, IL: Its Jacobs vs. Necro Butcher in a No DQ match and everyone is asking, just what is going to happen?


ROH @ 411

Chris Lansdell has another take on the show from Toronto with his results and thoughts. From the looks of it, it seems that Danielson vs. Castagnoli, Steen vs. McGuinness and Strong vs. Marufuji were the highlights of the night.

Chris also reviews ROH Breakout with the first Danielson vs. Black match!

Get the 411 staff's thoughts and predictions on the PPV in Detroit with this week's ROH Roundtable! Then 411's Buy or Sell examines this weekend's ROH and independent issues in-depth.

You can also catch my limited series in the Music Zone, The iTune In, right here!

Next week will be a stacked column as we have results and news from the PPV taping and the Manassas, VA show, as well as a preview of the Hammerstein Ballroom show! Plus the return of the ROH Stockmarket for June and July and much more! Be There!

BROOKLYN! DA EM BAH SEE!
--Ari--