Column of Honor: 12.29.08: Final Column 2008 Part Three

Posted by Ari Berenstein on 12.29.2008

411 staff awards for ROH and then...the 2008 Top 100 Matches of the Year in Ring of Honor, counting down from numbers 100-16…and it’s an awesome list to be sure.

Well...it's time for the main event of the proceedings, a list so large it actually takes two parts to contain it!



Ring Toss
-Awards from the 411 Staff & Friends
-Outside Looking In: #110-101
-The Top 100 ROH Matches of the Year 2008: #'s 100-16

Awards from the 411 Staff & Friends

Every year I invite 411 staff writers to contribute their own awards and thoughts on the year that was in ROH. Michael Bauer (ECW on SciFi reporter, 411 Buy or Sell Editor and ROH fan) and Theo Fraser (Nintendophiles writer and ROH fan) were kind enough to contribute their time. I'd like to thank them for their efforts here and encourage everyone to check out their work on 411!

Wrestler of the Year

Michael Bauer: Nigel McGuinness – He has held the title for all of 2008, something nobody would have thought of with his slow start due to injuries. (Runner up: Tyler Black)

Theo Fraser: Nigel McGuinness – Nigel has been totally underrated as a champion thus far, in my opinion. He's managed to get the majority of the crowd to legitimately hate him, which is no easy feat when you consider how many great title matches he's had this year (bearing in mind the smart mark crowd the company mostly caters for). Jacobs has often been referred to as ‘the promo guy' of ROH, but McGuinness has given him a run for his money this year, most likely because he has really settled into his character and is above all else enjoying himself. Nigel clearly takes pride in all aspects of his performance, whether it be the little character traits such as wearing the belt backwards, or the periodically-used ‘cheap' victories to put him over as a chickenshit heel who always barely escapes with the title. Nigel has been an absolute pleasure to watch in 2008, blossoming into one of the company's strongest ever champions. (Runner up: Bryan Danielson)


Tag Team of the Year

Michael Bauer: Steen-Erico – There is no question about what Kevin Steen and El Generico brought to the table this year. They finally claimed the RoH Tag Team Titles and had the fans couldn't be happier. (Runner up: The Age of the Fall)

Theo Fraser: Kevin Steen & El Generico – Steen & Generico made waves last year with the Briscoes feud, but in 2008 they really stepped up their game and became a totally cohesive unit, making them one of the finest tag teams on the independent scene today. (Runners up: Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black))


MVP of the Year

Michael Bauer: Bryan Danielson – Let's face it, no wrestler fought in more money matches with money results in 2008. (Runner up: Tyler Black)

Theo Fraser: Nigel McGuinness – Nigel's title reign has consistently provided some of the best matches on each card, and his promo work has been second-to-none. He's been a terrific foil to the company's top babyfaces, and his lengthy reign has boosted interest recently, as fans are absolutely desperate for someone to knock him off his perch and dethrone the cocky, brash, British-born champion.


Debut of the Year

Michael Bauer: Kenny Omega – It's hard to come up with anyone else, plus Omega has done some good stuff the past couple of months. (Runner up: Jerry Lynn)

Theo Fraser: Kenny Omega – Omega is a guy I can see settling into the upper midcard in no time. He brings with him an intriguing character, and his dose of charisma inside the ring is a welcome breath of fresh air.


Comeback of the Year

Michael Bauer: N/A (I honestly can't think of people outside of one or two shot deals.)

Theo Fraser: Jerry Lynn – No question about this one. Lynn returned to ROH competition (after a brief stint in 2004 at the At Our Best event) at Vendetta II this year with a match against World Champion Nigel McGuinness, and many questioned whether or not Lynn still had it in him to hang with the younger guys. With that one match, Jerry proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he belonged on the roster, and has gone from strength to strength since then. So far, they've used him brilliantly, mixing it up between having a couple of dream matches (i.e. Danielson at ASEIV) and helping younger talent (such as his GBHVII match against Kenny King). With talk of the booking committee running an angle involving Lynn based on the movie ‘The Wrestler', it looks like Lynn is well on the way to being a prime player in ROH in 2009.


Breakout Star of the Year

Michael Bauer: Tyler Black – This is the easist award of the year. Tyler Black was not only RoH's breakout, but the breakout of the entire industry. (Runner up: N/A)

Theo Fraser: Tyler Black. Nigel's contributions to the company were greater, but Tyler Black has had a phenomenal 2008. Without discrediting his work prior to signing an ROH contract, Black joined the roster as a relative unknown, and within 3 months was main-eventing arguably the biggest event on the ROH calendar (Final Battle), winning the prestigious tag team championships with partner Jimmy Jacobs. And whilst Black has had some tremendous matches alongside his Age of the Fall stablemate, his real success this year has been in singles competition. The aptly named ‘Breakout' was where we first witnessed signs of greatness, in the first of his stellar contests with Danielson, and it was his PPV main event World title shot against McGuinness at Take No Prisoners that really put him on the map. Since then, Black has cemented his spot in the upper echelon of the roster with a stack of tremendous performances, and his run as FIP World Champion will allow us to see if he can take the strain of being a champion. Expect more singles gold around his waist in the very near future.


Match of the Year

Michael Bauer:
There is too many to go with here. But I'll give my Top 5 in no order.
- Fight Without Honor: Roderick Strong vs. Erick Stevens
- The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
- ROH Take No Prisoners: Nigel McGuinness vs. Tyler Black
- ROH Driven: The Age of the Fall vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
- 6th Anniversary Show: Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuiness

Theo Fraser:
10. Go Shiozaki vs Naomichi Marufuji - Death Before Dishonor VI
9. Roderick Strong vs Erick Stevens – Supercard of Honor III
8. Bryan Danielson vs Claudio Castagnoli - Northern Navigation
7. Nigel McGuinness vs Tyler Black – Take No Prisoners
6. Nigel McGuinness vs Bryan Danielson – 6th Year Anniversary
5. Bryan Danielson vs Tyler Black - New Horizons
4. Motor City Machine Guns vs Age of the Fall - Tag Wars 2008
3. Age Of The Fall vs Danielson & Aries - Respect is Earned II
2. Nigel McGuinness vs Bryan Danielson vs Claudio Castagnoli vs Tyler Black - Death Before Dishonor VI
1. Nigel McGuinness vs Austin Aries - Rising Above


Worst Match(es) of the Year

Michael Bauer: N/A

Theo Fraser: Abstain. I focus on the good!


Promos of the Year

Michael Bauer:
-Jimmy Jacobs: Getting ready for Nigel in Japan
- Jimmy Jacobs: The Story of Eric
- Nigel/Danielson: 6th Anniversary Show

Theo Fraser: The Nigel McGuinness sit-down interview (03.12.08 VideoWire). This was absolutely fantastic. Nigel had only been in full-blown heel mode for a couple of weeks, so this was his opportunity to really act like a total ass and get the ROH faithful to hate him. What really stood out about this was the fact that ROH had never properly done this kind of promo before. Prazak was perfect as the instigator for Nigel's comments, and Nigel's responses were just gold, mocking ‘Prozak', taking offense to the McLariat nickname, and, my personal favorite, Nigel's utterly serious enquiry to Prazak; "Do you want a punch in the face?" Not to mention the line, "I'mafuckingmark.com". Nigel was glorious in the promo, plain and simple.

Honorable Mentions:
-Jimmy Jacobs' break down at Return Engagement
-12.10.08 Videowire – Danielson & Lynn show respect towards each other
-Danielson at 6th Anniversary Show


Funniest Moment(s) of the Year in ROH

Michael Bauer: There is but one… Larry Sweeney gets Bobby Dempsey on top of Alison Danger.

Theo Fraser:
-Aries & Danielson re-do entrance at Fuelling the Fire after their music cuts out.
-Aries describing Jimmy Jacobs as being "what I ate a whole load of last night" (referring to his ‘rendezvous' with Lacey) – Return Engagement


The "You Fucked Up" award

Michael Bauer: Mark Briscoe – I hate to, but the guy has had more injuries during parts of this year that I can count.

Theo Fraser:
-Necro Butcher's booking in Steel Cage Warfare
-The Larry Sweeney Show at 6YA- Bobby Dempsey simulated rape of Allison Danger


Most "Honorable" Wrestler of the Year

Michael Bauer: El Generico – I was gonna do a tie, but let's face it. Kevin Steen would turn heel in a finger snap given the chance. (Runner up: Bryan Danielson)

Theo Fraser:
-Bryan Danielson (Consistently followed Code of Honor, didn't go for Nigel's head at 6YA)


Best Heel

Michael Bauer: Nigel McGuinness – Is there a doubt? Nigel as a heel champion has been nothing short of classic. (Runner up: Jimmy Jacobs)

Theo Fraser:
-Nigel McGuinness (Cheating to win via low blow, tight-grabbing, holding the ropes etc)
Honorable Mention - Rhett Titus (‘Cock-blocking' Delirious, showing everyone the Haze video)


Top 3 Shows of the Year

Michael Bauer:
(in no order):
- Take No Prisoners
- Supercard of Honor III
- Respect is Earned II

Theo Fraser:
3. Northern Navigation
2. Death Before Dishonor VI
1. Supercard of Honor III


Prediction(s) for 2009

Michael Bauer:
I've got five for you.
- Tyler Black will win the RoH World Title, but not be the one to beat Nigel McGuinness.
- Bryan Danielson will leave for the WWE.
- The Young Bucks will debut in Ring of Honor.
- Adam Pearce will return to a Ring of Honor ring.
- Paul London will return to Ring of Honor.

Theo Fraser:
-Tyler Black for World Champion
-A Chris Hero face turn
-The return of Low Ki
-Debut of Joey Ryan


On the Outside Looking In: #110-101

These matches just missed the top 100 cut:

110. No DQ Match: Jimmy Jacobs vs. The Necro Butcher—Night of the Butcher II (Chicago Ridge, IL 8/16/08)

109. Roderick Strong vs. El Generico—Proving Ground (Boston, MA 1/11/08)

108. Erick Stevens vs. Bryan Danielson—Battle For Supremacy (Dayton, OH 6/27/08)

107. ROH World Title Match: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. El Generico—Glory By Honor VII (Philadelphia, PA 9/20/08)

106. Falls Count Anywhere Match: Necro Butcher vs. Delirious—Tag Wars 2008 (Detroit, MI 4/18/08)

105. Kensuke Sasaki vs. Roderick Strong—The Tokyo Summit (Tokyo, Japan 9/14/08)

104. Mark Briscoe, Jack Evans & Jigsaw vs. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs, Tyler Black, & Necro Butcher)—Transform (Edison, NJ 1/12/08)

103. Ultimate Endurance, ROH World Tag Team Titles The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) (c) vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Brent Albright & BJ Whitmer vs. The Vulture Squad (Jack Evans & Jigsaw)—Proving Ground (Boston, MA 1/11/08)

102. Number One Contender's Tournament, First Round: Bryan Danielson vs. Rocky Romero—Eye of the Storm (Deer Park, NY 2/22/08)

101. Ultimate Endurance Qualifier: Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson vs. Erick Stevens & Jay Briscoe—Without Remorse (Chicago Ridge, IL 1/26/08)



*******The Top 100 ROH Matches of the Year 2008*******


Notes:

-Includes matches from Reckless Abandon through Ring of Homicide 2 . List includes matches from ROH's fourth PPV show Undeniable since its first showing was in January of 2008. This represents a cycle of matches from November 3rd, 2007 through October 25th, 2008 in Ring of Honor, thus almost a year of wrestling action (the next show took place on November 7th, 2008, after the timeframe of this cycle).

-Excludes matches from November 7th, 2008 (The French Connection) onward, including 11/8, 11/21 11/22 (Rising Above '08 PPV tapings), 12/05, 12/06, 12/26 and 12/27. All of the matches for these shows will be eligible for next year's list.

-Based on a number of factors including match quality, importance (i.e. a title vs. non-title match, a match that has an important sea change in ROH history), atmosphere, crowd reaction and personal taste. As a matter of disclosure I prefer one on one matches to tag and multi-man matches and I place more emphasis on the psychology of the overall storyline of a match (i.e. David vs. Goliath, veteran vs. rookie) as opposed to the psychology of move to move selling.

-Based on 38 shows from 2007-2008 (counting Double Feature as two shows) on compared to 41 shows from 2006-2007,

For your consideration:


*******The Top 100*******


(*** matches)


100. Six Man Mayhem: Davey Richards vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Hallowicked vs. Ruckus vs. Jason Blade vs. Rhett Titus
—Ring of Homicide 2 (Edison, NJ 10/25/08)

A fun and nearly uncontrollable six way match that went from beat to beat to beat. The easy going commentary helped put focus on the efforts of the wrestlers, especially Hallowicked. You'd think four heels and two faces would offset the balance of this match, but heels beat down on heels just as easily because everyone wanted to get the pin.

99. ROH World Tag Team Title Tournament, Round 1: Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Nigel McGuinness & Go Shiozaki—Up For Grabs (Hartford, CT 6/6/08)

98. The YRR (Kenny King, Jason Blade, & Sal Rinauro) vs. El Generico, Delirious, & Mike Quackenbush
—Transform (Edison, NJ 1/12/08)

Quack's only appearance in Ring of Honor this year came right at the beginning as part of a wonderful babyface trio. It was the brash heels going to town on the good guys, who then responded in kind and humiliated the bad guys.

97. Four Corner Survival, Non-Title: Claudio Castagnoli vs. ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness vs. Erick Stevens vs. BJ Whitmer
—Double Feature (Dover, NJ 3/14/08)

The fans had to wait for a long time between matches during taping for "The Wrestler" movie, but they were given a treat early on when Claudio Castagnoli (at the peak of his popularity) pinned the ROH World Champion in this multi-man match. It was the first match after McGuinness's heel turn and the first time during McGuinness's title run that he had been pinned or submitted and the crowd loved it. This was a quick but real good match for the time given.

96. Joey Matthews vs. Jigsaw
—Tag Wars 2008 (Detroit, MI 4/18/08)

The former member of MnM in WWE brought something a little bit different to ROH—heel psychology grounded in slowing down and milking the crowd heat. He had some so-so outings in his run with ROH but this and his match with Mark Briscoe represented some of his sharper efforts. Not coincidentally both matches involved him looking like he was beating the crap out of his babyface opponent, who would come roaring back on the back end of the match and pull out some fantastic moves in giving hope he would win. Briscoe beat Matthews in their match, but Matthews got the duke on Jig in their encounter.

95. No DQ: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Jay Briscoe
—Southern Navigation (Manassas, VA 5/9/08)

This was a bloodbath of a battle, intense and violent. Jay was intent on making Jacobs pay for spiking Mark and putting him out of action (in storyline anyway) and that plus a new crowd kept up the pop for this match. This was a good brawl but not the most memorable one between AotF and The Briscoes.

94. Mark Briscoe vs. Joey Matthews—Without Remorse (Chicago Ridge, IL 1/26/08)

93. Jerry Lynn vs. Chris Hero
—Driven 2008 (Boston, MA, Taped 09/19/08, Aired 11/14/08)

Lynn's appearance popped the crowd something fierce—it was his first match back since his first match back in ROH. The "you still got it" chants are definitely warranted because Lynn kept up with a young lion in Hero in the ring and got the fans right on his side. That is ever impressive, even in a loss.

92. Tables Are Legal: Hangm3n Three (Adam Pearce, Brent Albright & BJ Whitmer) vs. Delirious, Kevin Steen, & El Generico—Final Battle 2007 (New York, NY 12/30/07)

91. FIP Heavyweight Title: Roderick Strong (c) vs. Erick Stevens vs. Go Shiozaki
—A New Level (New York, NY 5/10/08)

Some of the sickest chops in Ring of Honor history can be found in this short but exciting bout. I mean we're talking snapping rubber bands on your chest sickening. A few fans (including 411 alumni Nick Marsico) almost got caught in the crossfire of chopping. All three men went full sprint to open up ROH's first show downstairs in the Hammerstein Ballroom.


(***1/4 matches)


90. ROH World Tag Team Title Tournament, Round 1: Bryan Danielson & Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong & Davey Richards—Up For Grabs (Hartford, CT 6/6/08)

89. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Jigsaw
—Undeniable (Edison, NJ 10/6/07)

For someone low on the card, Jigsaw did have some memorable singles matches this year, mask or no mask. This one was a bonus match on the card but an incredibly fun one, as Claudio (in baby face mode) worked the magic he has with high flying athletes. Jigsaw has some moments where he could have won, including breaking out a sick double stomp.

88. Non-Title, ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness vs. Delirious
—Dragon Gate Challenge II (Orlando, FL 3/28/08)

87. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
—A New Level (New York, NY 5/10/08)

This match pales in comparison to the New Horizons match (later on the list), but while it had an awkward beginning (and the lack of crowd reception to it didn't help) it really picked up by the end with the Ricola Bomb sequence. Noteworthy for being the main event to the first show in the larger Hammerstein Ballroom in front of a record crowd and the importance of that alone helps push it up to this position.

86. Austin Aries vs. Tyler Black—Unscripted III (Chicago Ridge, IL 12/1/07)

85. ROH World Tag Team Titles: No Remorse Corps (Rocky Romero & Davey Richards) (c) vs. The Vulture Squad (Ruckus & Jigsaw)—Sixth Anniversary Show (New York, NY 2/23/08)

84. Number One Contender Status, Four Corner Survival: Tyler Black vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Go Shiozaki vs. Delirious
—Take No Prisoners (Philadelphia, PA Taped 03/16/08, Aired on 05/30/08)

I really enjoyed this match and how it was divided into two major segments. You had the comedy interactions between Claudio and Delirious while Black and Shiozaki mixed it up strong style. Black's win was a major upset (I and others figured it would be Claudio) but the strongest visual for me was Go Shiozaki's sickest looking superkick ever.

83. Roderick Strong vs. Davey Richards
—Battle of the Best (Tokyo, Japan 9/13/08)

Strong and Richards were former partners in the NRC and this was their first bout against one another after Richards joined The Inc. The wait of nearly four months was worth it, because these two turned out a very effective grudge match. They conveyed palpable hatred and that even translated across language barriers. The highlight visuals for me would be Richards dropping Strong on the guardrail (actually almost launching him into the steel), doing his tope con hilo into the crowd and onto a Japanese woman (a reprise from his match vs. Marufuji at Final Battle '07) and then Strong's rush of finishing moves at the end that earned the victory.

82. Steel Cage Warfare: The Briscoes & Austin Aries vs. The Age of the Fall (Tyler Black, Jimmy Jacobs, & Delirious) vs. Necro Butcher
—Glory By Honor VII (Philadelphia, PA 9/20/08)

Viewed as a flawed match by some, I really appreciate the finer points of the match, that coming when everyone was entered into the match and we had a seven man brawl all over the ring, in and out of the cage. I liked the drama of Delirious spiking Daizee Haze and how that played into Delirious being eliminated by The Briscoes. This brought the Briscoes vs. Age of the Fall feud full circle with a clear win for the Southern Delawarians, although as even former booker Gabe Sapolsky confessed, the match would have worked better had it focused on Necro Butcher overcoming six to one odds to win the match.


(***1/2 matches)


81. Street Fight: Necro Butcher vs. Kevin Steen—Proving Ground (Boston, MA 1/11/08)

80. Steel Cage Match, ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness vs. Chris Hero—Breakout (Dayton, OH 1/25/08)

79. Bryan Danielson vs. Brent Albright
—Proving Ground (Boston, MA 1/11/08)

This was a combination I was particularly looking forward to seeing on an ROH show entering into 2008 and I thought it lived up to expectations. I liked the psychology of Danielson having to work around an early shoulder injury, allowing Albright to set up for the crowbar and Danielson having to adjust his MMA elbows in order to secure the win. Albright also shows some moxie by stealing the Cattle Mutilation on Danielson, and that's unique (not quite cliché compared to when opponents of Ric Flair would use the Figure Four against him).

78. Tyler Black vs. Jerry Lynn
—Ring of Homicide 2 (Edison, NJ 10/25/08)

I had visions of RVD vs. Jerry Lynn for this match, especially when Lynn busted out the superman plancha into the fans (terrific camera angle for that one as well). This match was a sprint from the get go, but while it an early wrestling sequence wouldn't have hurt, it didn't need it since the excitement of these two going move for move held up. Lynn tried to insert some psychology with the ankle injury from the night before, but Black didn't focus on it too much, using his big impact moves (including getting a ton of distance on the Phoenix) for the win. Really this was "New F'N Show" vs. "Newer F'N Show"…and the newer model came out on top.

77. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Go Shiozaki Respect Is Earned II –Philadelphia, PA (Taped 06/07/08 Aired on PPV 08/01/08)

76. Taiji Ishimori vs. El Generico
—The Tokyo Summit (Tokyo, Japan 9/14/08)

A fun match with some early comedy and surprising characterization from Ishimorii reacting to a Japanese crowd being almost unanimously partisan for the foreigner in Generico. When these two got down to the action, we had smoothly performed and exciting sequences that kept the crowd pumped and popping—not always so easy for a Japanese crowd.

75. ROH World Tag Team Titles: No Remorse Corps (Rocky Romero & Davey Richards) vs. The Vulture Squad (Ruckus & Jigsaw)
—Supercard of Honor III (Orlando, FL 3/29/08, Aired on Take No Prisoners PPV 05/30/08)

ROH has since stopped taking matches from one show and placing them onto the PPV, but this was a pretty good one to use. The NRC's only two defenses came against The Vulture Squad, but they were quite entertaining efforts. Ruckus and Jigsaw worked quite well with the NRC and their air game really took center stage for this one. I loved the simultaneous coast-to-coast dropkick from Jig and Ruck in this one.

74. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Bryan Danielson
—Vendetta II (Chicago Ridge, IL 6/28/08)

A much hyped match when it first occurred, but it's clear looking back on it now that the Northern Navigation rematch far surpassed this one. Though as a first act it's a good one, because there is no animosity between these two but you could see hints of the disparity between the two when it came to crowd reaction. Danielson stopping Claudio from giving Todd Sinclair the big swing (after Danielson had already done the airplane spin) because "it's too much" was a cute bit of levity. This was a huge win for Claudio at the time, but it was quickly taken away with the loss to Danielson in the rematch.

73. No DQ: The Briscoe Brothers & Austin Aries vs. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs, Tyler Black, & The Necro Butcher)—Northern Navigation (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7/25/08)

72. 30 Minute Iron Tag Team Match, Non-Title: LAX (Homicide & Hernandez) vs. ROH World Tag Team Champions Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. Sweet & Sour Inc. (Davey Richards & Chris Hero)
—Return Of The 187 (Danbury, CT 10/24/08)

This was a great concept but the parts didn't quite add up to a cohesive whole. I enjoyed the body of the match, with the returning Homicide interacting with all of the other wrestlers in the match (he was involved in three of the four falls) and Hernandez somehow not being tagged in until late in the bout and then laying waste to everyone, including using the Border Toss on Tyler Black onto everyone else and then taking off with his trademark dives over the ropes to the floor. This was LAX's playground and even Steen & Generico, the ROH World Tag Team champions, took a backseat to their act.

71.Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima
—Rising Above (New York, NY 12/29/07)

It was the shortest match of their set of four from late 2007. However, it was just as much fun to see these two throw down against each other. Danielson knocking Morishima out of the ring and diving onto him (and Mori almost squashing a fan in the process) was an awesome "did you just see that?" moment. The DQ finish was disappointing to the fans in attendance, but the chaos of the post match with Bryce Remsburg leveled with a backdrop driver and Danielson going after Morishima's eye with the ring bell almost made up for the lack of a clear winner.

70. Three Way Elimination Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Go Shiozaki—Driven 2008 (Boston, MA, Taped 09/19/08, Aired 11/14/08)

69. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito—Dragon Gate Challenge II (Orlando, FL 3/28/08)

68. Bryan Danielson & Austin Aries vs. ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness & Go Shiozaki—Double Feature (Dover, NJ 3/15/08)

67. Kota Ibushi vs. El Generico
—Return Engagement (Chicago Ridge, IL 4/19/08)

I enjoyed this match a lot, but felt like most of Ibushi's matches it missed something in the execution, akin to when Jack Evans used to wrestle and hit his big moves, but seemed to be more about the stunt show than about the wrestling show. That's not a terrible thing, but you have to remember this was the fourth match on DVD that fans saw of Ibushi (live fans were seeing him generally for the first time) and his trademark moves were now predictable if you saw them coming. This match is notable for Generico being more serious and more intense against a junior heavyweight as well as the crowd going nuts, insane and wacko for a sequence where Ibushi ducked the Yakuza kick and launched Generico into the air with a perfect German Suplex.

66. Davey Richards vs. Kota Ibushi
—Bedlam In Beantown (Boston, MA 4/11/08)

I actually liked this one more than the Ibushi vs. Generico match due to Davey being overtly heel (and doing an awesome job of it) and then Ibushi coming back with his matrix and kick sequences in order to give it right back to him.

65. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Bryan Danielson
—Unscripted III (Chicago Ridge, IL 12/1/07)

The best match on the third makeshift ROH show was a match that if saved for later on down the road could have and should have been a much bigger deal. However, the key notable for this one was that Jacobs got the semi-upset over Danielson with his End Time finisher, which fans definitely didn't expect at the time.


(***3/4 matches)


64. ROH Tag Team Title Tournament Finals: The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico
—Up For Grabs (Hartford, CT 6/6/08)

I loved the story of Steen and Generico each suffering an injury but Steen firing himself and Generico up before every match to go after the big W. Generico got taken out early on in the bout and was taken to the back, but Steen fought on, making his own comebacks but being beaten down repeatedly. Finally Generico came out and got the biggest tag of the night (the crowd exploded knowing this was the big moment), fired up a few rounds on Jacobs and Black…and then proceeded to lose to a roll up pin. This was a show where the fans were dying to see Steen & Generico finally win the titles, but it was taken away from them. The fans showering AotF after the match with trash shows the extent to which Steen and Generico touched the emotions of the fans rooting them on. Very genius booking in hindsight.

63. ROH World Title: Takeshi Morishima (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness
—Undeniable (Edison, NJ Taped 10/6/07 Aired on PPV 1/18/08)

Their two previous title fights were better in terms of the story being told and the artistry behind the fight (both matches ended up making the top eleven matches of '07). However, this title match has two things going for it—one, this is the one where Nigel finally wins the damned things; two—lots and lots of lariats. If you love Nigel's lariats you'll probably love this match and if you hate them, well, vice versa. Me, I thought the whole idea of landing that "home run swing" was a great idea wrapped in a match that was a bit more jagged around the edges than the earlier bouts. This is still a very important moment in ROH history and needs to be discussed just because of the major impact the title change had on the main event scene in the company during the past year.

62. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico
—Death Before Dishonor VI (New York, NY 08/02/08)

This one got swallowed up by all of the hype for the Albright vs. Pearce and the 4 Way Elimination match, but it should be recalled that this was the match around which the entire show was being advertised. The match didn't live up to the massive amount of "dream match" hype building up to the match, but it was really, really good. In particular the back and forth of the teams and the last several minutes of build to the finish (Generico with the KTFO BRAINBUSTAH off the top rope) are very memorable. If nothing else, the mutual admiration snot blowing spots rank up there as some of the more disgusting moments of the year.

61. FIP World Heavyweight Title: Roderick Strong (c) vs. Erick Stevens—Final Battle 2007 (New York, NY 12/30/07)

60. ROH World Tag Team Titles: No Remorse Corps (Rocky Romero & Davey Richards) (c) vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe
—Injustice (Edison, NJ 4/12/08)

The Briscoes' title win was less than well received by fans who thought ROH was going back to the well once too often, but this match has actually fared better in the overall perspective of the year…and even perhaps because they soon had to vacate the titles due to injury. Despite the quiet crowd this was a rock solid match that was much better than the two of three falls bout the teams had at Final Battle '07.

59. Anything Goes Match: Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Jacobs
—Ring of Homicide 2 (Edison, NJ 10/25/08)

A late entry onto the list saw Aries and Jacobs get right to it as the opening match on a very strong card. They brawled into the crowd and dived over and on top of each other in some exciting and different moments for that kind of brawl. Jacobs made it look brutal when he caught Aries with the chair after the attempted heat seeking tope suicide. Both men mastered the reversals between The End Time and the Last Chancery submissions in their first bout at Vendetta II and they bring it again with the reversals this time around. Then you have the unexpected debut of Brodie Lee here, joining in with AotF and taking out Aries. Put it all together and you've got a memorable grudge match.

58. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kota Ibushi--Injustice (Edison, NJ 4/12/08)

57. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Davey Richards & Rocky Romero
—A New Level (New York, NY 5/10/08)

I said then and I still believe now that this would have been great as an ROH World Tag Team Title match, but c'est la vie. This was a great undercard match that helped to set the tone for the debut Hammerstein Ballroom show. Steen & Generico's excellent chemistry as a team and the interaction of their personalities are the focus, but Richards in particular commands attention during his heat segment on the faces in the middle of the match.

56. El Generico, Shingo, & Dragon Kid vs. Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino & BxB Hulk—Battle of the Best (Tokyo, Japan 9/13/08)

55. Non-Title: ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness vs. Jerry Lynn
—Vendetta II (Chicago Ridge, IL 6/28/08)

I read quite a few reviews of this match where the writer expressed surprise that Jerry Lynn was still performing at such a high level. I always had faith that Jerry Lynn would come through on this latest run in Ring of Honor, even in his first match back. I freaking loved that Lynn outsmarted McGuinness at every turn, frustrating him and making him desperate even early on in the match. Lynn kept up with McGuinness in the wrestling, speed and storytelling of the match and fans were rewarded with a memorable non-title encounter. Lynn was rewarded with the tacit "you still got it" chant.

54. Team NOAH (Takeshi Morishima, Naomichi Marufuji, & Go Shiozaki) vs. No Remorse Corps (Roderick Strong, Davey Richards, & Rocky Romero)
—Southern Navigation (Manassas, VA 5/9/08)

There were quite a few prominent multi tag matches in ROH this year and I think because this one came in the middle it may have been overlooked. That may be because the NRC didn't have a deeply detailed feud with anyone on the NOAH side, rather it was more of a "pride" issue with them losing to a NOAH team during ROH's stay in Japan in '07. This was the main event of the first ever ROH show in Virginia and it lived up to the billing of "main event" in terms of non-stop action and taking the crowd on an entertaining ride. The standout spots of the match was when each team took turns isolating someone from the opposing unit and combining all of their weight on top of him. When you think of Morishima stepping on top of you, combined with two other decently built and bulked wrestlers, OUCH.

53. FIP World Heavyweight Title: Erick Stevens (c) vs. Austin Aries
—Proving Ground (Boston, MA 1/11/08)

One of the few matches where a restart finish actually helped to add to a match, as when Stevens refused to accept a count out, both men actually stepped up their intensity in trading forearms and chops. Stevens' push wasn't quite as effective as ROH probably hoped it would be, but this match and specifically his efforts in showing babyface fire and honor really hone in on why Stevens definitely has the potential to become what they're looking for in him.

52. ROH World Tag Team Titles: Jay Briscoe & Austin Aries vs. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black)—A New Level (New York, NY 5/10/08)

51. Non-Title: ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay & Mark Briscoe (c) vs. Austin Aries & Kota Ibushi—Tag Wars 2008 (Detroit, MI 4/18/08)


*******The Top 50*******


50. Fight Without Honor, Non-Title: FIP Heavyweight Champion Roderick Strong vs. Erick Stevens
—Respect Is Earned II (Philadelphia, PA Taped 06/07/08 Aired on PPV 08/01/08)

One of the most painful matches to watch because it seemed like (and probably was so) that these two were really laying it into each other. Chops and strikes and wicked kicks and the use of weapons like ladders and tables told the tale of these two men putting everything into their offense in order to win the ever-important finale grudge match.


(**** matches)


49. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Davey Richards
—Final Battle 2007 (New York, NY 12/30/07)

This was an excellent undercard bout that the NYC crowd really got into the whole way through. Both of these men actually make their mark on a number of matches on this list…and that's no surprise because both men are incredibly consistent. They are also both surprisingly charismatic in the ring, even though upon first look they both don't appear to have that kind of ability to use characterization that effectively. Yet Marufuji gets the fans behind him with his deadly offense and daredevil attitude, and Richards can get the fans to love him or hate him in a match—witness his crowd popping tope con hilo into the crowd in this match as well as his spitting at his opponent whenever possible.

48. Roderick Strong & Naomichi Marufuji vs. Chris Hero & Go Shiozaki
—New Horizons (Detroit, MI Taped 07/26/08, Aired on PPV 09/24/08)

These four put together a more traditional tag match with a logically progressive shine-heat-comeback build. It resulted in the match peaking at the right time, with the right comeback from the faces. There weren't a ton of crazy moves but what was done was excellently well done and the finish was simple but believable. The appearance of Lance Storm and his interactions with Sweeney as well as his celebrating with Strong and Marufuji help to put this one over the top and into the top 50.

47. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. El Generico
—Age of Insanity (Cleveland, OH 8/15/08)

This one had the crowd popping like crazy and took what could have been a throwaway card in Cleveland and made into something special. This match likely rates higher on other people's lists, so why low forties on mine? I understand the idea behind it but don't like to sit through the kind of match they put together here. It makes sense for the dominant heel beating up and beating up the underdog good guy for an extremely extended period of time and even provides drama live, but it can get a bit tedious and overblown to see through the magic of DVD. Yet I cannot deny the awesome last five minutes, those McGuinness Five Minutes where he pours on his offense and hits some massive lariats and finishers, but the hero survives and gives it right back to him. Generico could have believably won the title by the end of this bout and when the crowd buys in on that level for what they shouldn't, that's when you know a match is successful.

46. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs. Bryan Danielson—The Tokyo Summit (Tokyo, Japan 9/14/08)

45. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Kevin Steen—Return Engagement (Chicago Ridge, IL 4/19/08)

44. CIMA, Erick Stevens, & Go Shiozaki vs. No Remorse Corps (Roderick Strong, Davey Richards, & Rocky Romero) —Dragon Gate Challenge II (Orlando, FL 3/28/08)

43. Ultimate Endurance, ROH World Tag Team Titles: The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. No Remorse Corps (Rocky Romero & Davey Richards) vs. Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson vs.Brent Albright & BJ Whitmer
—Without Remorse (Chicago Ridge, IL 1/26/08)

The shocker of The Age of the Fall losing the first fall in the match (and in under ten minutes as well) put the fans on notice. Danielson and Aries were the fan favorites and made it to the final fall but the NRC were the smartert team and not only just sat out the second elimination but took advantage of Aries' losing streak and got him to win the titles. Very cool character moments in this one with Rocky Romero being made fun of and then Richards' post match reaction to winning a championship.

42. Non-Title: Bryan Danielson vs. ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness—Battle of the Best (Tokyo, Japan 9/13/08)

41. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli
—Northern Navigation (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7/25/08)

Best remembered for the finish, which saw Danielson reverse the press European (which Claudio used to win the first match) into a backslide in mid-air. It was smooth and fluid and if you would have asked me if it was possible even to do such a thing in the first place I'd say you'd be out of your mind. It put the capper on a nice back and forth match whose tone, like their first encounter, went from light and humorous (Danielson stealing Claudio's "Hey!" and being apologetic for it) to deadly serious in its competitiveness.

40. Tag Team Scramble: Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. The Vulture Squad (Jack Evans & Ruckus) vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Hangm3n (Adam Pearce & BJ Whitmer)
—Rising Above (New York, NY 12/29/07)

ROH sometimes gets criticized for its spot fests (come on already, it's not every match like some might think) but a great spot to spot match is sometimes very welcome. Eight men in a scramble match and you're going to have some excellent sequences of back-to-back-to-back moves and Steen & Generico were the focus point of many of them in this one. Jigsaw and Jack Evans were also right at home in this style of match, and were near the apex of their being over as a unit.

39. Bryan Danielson & Austin Aries vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
—Fueling The Fire (Manassas, VA 8/1/08)

Austin Aries and Alex Shelley in opposite corners of the ring one more time…it was a Generation Next fan's dream come true. The twenty minute time limit that was announced was a bit of a buzzkill, as that telegraphed the draw finish. However, the double teams on both sides and the isolation work done really helped keep the match going. Since both teams were faces, five more minutes wasn't a problem, and then when that also went to the limit, The Age of the Fall interrupted the proceedings to ensure there wasn't any more overtime periods. Shelley and Aries teamed up to ward off their attacks, but it wasn't until later in the night that both came to reconciliation.

38. ROH World Tag Team Titles: The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji & Go Shiozaki
—Fueling The Fire (Manassas, VA 8/1/08)

The other feature attraction tag match on the FTF card featured just a touch more action and was once again one of those bouts that made the fans forget that Shiozaki and Marufuji had no chance of winning. The excellent sequencing of double teams, superkicks and finishing moves told them otherwise. Then The Age of the Fall came roaring back at the end to win.

37. Bryan Danielson vs. Naomichi Marufuji—A New Level (New York, NY 5/10/08)

36. Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black
—Southern Navigation (Manassas, VA 5/9/08)

I loved this match because it followed up on the tone and context of their first encounter at Breakout. I rank that match a little higher because Black's attitude and reactions were fresh and really defined their series of matches right out of the gate. Here we see Black taking it to Danielson without fear, but Danielson using a tactician's strategy to wear down Black with holds and submissions. This time when Black slaps Danielson, the reaction isn't amusement but rather anger and fury. This match is a more decisive win for Danielson, as the submission work pays off.

35. #1 Contender's Four Way Elimination Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima vs. Austin Aries vs. Chris Hero
—Final Battle 2007 (New York, NY 12/30/07)

An incredibly fun match where we got to see "wacky" Hero at his best, juking and jiving around when everyone else is killing each other and then taking credit for eliminating Morishima when all he did was dog pile on at the end. Fantastic characterization moments like this keep a match that is a year old up high on the chart. We also were able to get a bit of reprise of the Danielson vs. Aries trilogy of matches that occurred at the tail end of the year…also a foreshadowing of their forming a tag team in 2008. Danielson won this match to earn number one contender status, which he cashed in at Sixth Anniversary Show, so this one is important because it helped give Danielson the leverage needed to put him in the position that would help to change everything for both he and McGuinness in 2008.

34. Erick Stevens vs. Roderick Strong
—Supercard of Honor III (Orlando, FL, 3/29/08)

Last year BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs tore at each other in a fight around the ring that didn't involve a bell ringing to demarcate an official beginning and ending to the match. This year we saw that happen with Stevens and Strong, and believe it or not, it was more brutally violent and intense a scene than Jacobs and Whitmer, who freaking stabbed each other repeatedly with railroad spikes. No Strong and Stevens were content merely to chop each other half to death….and crash a couple of chairs right onto each other's heads. Strong didn't so much as win a match as survive a fight…and what an awe-inspiring fight it was.

33. FIP World Heavyweight Title: Roderick Strong (c) vs. Erick Stevens vs. Necro Butcher
—Sixth Anniversary Show (New York, NY 2/23/08)

Just a few weeks earlier Strong and Stevens found themselves in a hardcore style brawl that also involved Necro Butcher. These guys threw each other through and into the guardrail and barricade, crash some more chairs into each other and basically cause a wild ruckus that the New York fans ate up. They wanted blood, and they got it, because Stevens and Necro bled like geysers. Roderick Strong unleashed some Ganzo-Bomb looking Tiger Drivers on Necro Butcher through a table to win the match and while it likely wasn't supposed to be that dangerous for Necro, it was one of those final touches that made this one stand out at the end of the year.


(****1/4 matches)


32. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Roderick Strong—Without Remorse (Chicago Ridge, IL 1/26/08)

31. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. LAX (Homicide & Hernandez)
—Ring of Homicide 2 (Edison, NJ 10/25/08)

A dream match that fans had been thinking was the logical main event once LAX was announced as appearing in ROH. It lived up to its billing, with Homicide being naughty and stirring up some shit (and there is history) between he and The Briscoes to make this more or less a "beat me to the punch" tag match. Hernandez shined in the power man role, but The Briscoes were the ones that proved triumphant by getting the big man off his feet with the doomsday device.

30. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Roderick Strong
—Driven 2008 (Boston, MA, Taped 09/19/08, Aired on PPV 11/14/08)

29. ROH World Title Match: The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) (c) vs. Bryan Danielson & Austin Aries Respect Is Earned II
–Philadelphia, PA (Taped 06/07/08 Aired on PPV 08/01/08)

The previous night Aries and Danielson were eliminated from the tag tournament when they were disqualified after Aries used a chair one minute into the match. We got a repeat of that scenario, but instead of the match being over like would happen 99.9 out of 100 times in a wrestling, the referee said if you behaved really nicely, we could start it over. I got a good kick out of seeing Danielson and Black calm their partners down…and in fact this match at times was more about Danielson vs. Black than Aries vs. Jacobs…likely by design. The stretch run with Danielson and Black fighting it out was great stuff and actually led to the end of the match and Black getting his first win over Danielson in any situation. This was AotF's first defense of their second run and the main event of a PPV, certainly important and noteworthy achievements.

28. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe
—Supercard of Honor III (Orlando, FL, 3/29/08)

Mark Briscoe uses a trampoline. Mark Briscoe jumps off the edge of the entrance enclosure and puts Milo Beasley through a table. Mark Briscoe is certifiable…and I love him for it. This is also the match where Jimmy Jacobs borrows from the Briscoes vs. Marufuji / Suguiera match and literally hits The End Time guillotine flipping out of mid air after the doomsday device. INSANE. One of my favorite brawls of the year and one of the best filmed too, as there was literally no down time due to smooth camera work and everything flowed from one moment to the next.

27. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Roderick Strong—Northern Navigation (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7/25/08)

26. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Go Shiozaki
—Death Before Dishonor VI (New York, NY 08/02/08)

Marufuji's four show run in the late Summer proved very fruitful as he hit an amazing stride and it can be argued he stole the show every time out. His bouts against Strong and Shiozaki were hard hitting matches where Marufuji used both the angles of the ring and leverage to get the advantage of his opponents. I still am in awe of the Flipping Snapmare Driver he pulled out against Shiozaki. Some of each men's superkicks echoed louder than gunshots on the city street. If these were the epic conclusions to grudge matches or title situations, these would be even higher on the list. As it is they are excellently executed contests that show Marufuji is a world class wrestler. And Strong and Shiozaki ain't half bad either…

25. GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title: Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima
—Glory By Honor VII (Philadelphia, PA 9/20/08)

I'd wager not too many Philly fans had seen Nakajima in action, but they got plenty of what he was all about in this one. True, Danielson dominated the match, but Nakajima's kicks and relentlessness impressed many. Danielson had to use some unique moves (like his leg pick up German) and once he got the situation under control, he went to his ending chain sequence of suplexes and Cattle Mutilation attempts to get the win. An impressive match for the young protégé of Kensuke Sasaki and I wouldn't mind a rematch between the two either in NOAH or in ROH.

24. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Kevin Steen
—Injustice (Edison, NJ 4/12/08)

This was the first singles match and Steen's first major chance to prove he was main event potential as a singles wrestler. This match had some eerie connections to the McGuinness vs. Morishima title match that took place one year before it in the exact same location. Both McGuinness and Steen were on hot streaks at the time and it seemed plausible (but not likely) a title switch could happen here. It is also interesting to note that after winning the ROH World Title in Edison as a face in October and not defending it in January, McGuinness was now a heel here. What a world of difference a few shows make. What I loved about this series was Steen mocking McGuinness unmercifully, including doing the "swing on the ropes" taunt to make fun of the Jawbreaker Lariat. Steen wanted to get under McGuinness's skin in the match and it worked, but it was McGuinness who laughed last and hardest when he used the ropes to roll up Steen for the win and title retention.

23. Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black
—Breakout (Dayton, OH 1/25/08)

Tyler Black set the stage right away by refusing to honor Danielson or respect his reputation in any way. He slaps Danielson over and over again to show his opponent and the crowd he doesn't fear what he faces—and it worked because from that moment on the crowd bought into Black as the upstart who could seriously take on the tough challenge ahead of him. They may not have liked he was slapping Danielson, but they must have hated that for much of the match he was actually taking the offense. Black led and controlled much of the match and it was only by Danielson's veteran instincts (a great touch of wrestling psychology) that he was able to pull out the win. And Black still disrespected Danielson after the match.

22. BxB Hulk & Shingo vs. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black)
—Dragon Gate Challenge II (Orlando, FL 3/28/08)

This was the first time U.S. fans could see BxB Hulk for themselves and despite his seemingly ridiculous ring outfit, the man absolutely did impress. He flew around the ring and hit spin kicks and springboards while SHINGO backed up his air game with an incredibly improved power and overall offense. They set themselves apart with unique double team moves like a dropkick into a backdrop driver. It didn't hurt that the crowd loved them immediately and that their opponents were extremely hated. This was the only Dragon Gate win in the four match series.

21. Austin Aries vs. Go Shiozaki
—Sixth Anniversary Show (New York, NY 2/23/08)

One of my favorite moments from this match comes when Go lifts Aries up and looks like he is about to lose the move, then drops down to one knee and "finds" his balance in order to complete the Orange Crush. It was an impressive display of strength and power. Aries led this match and really helped to create the possibility that Shiozaki would win even though he was relatively new at that time.

20. The Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
—Tag Wars 2008 (Detroit, MI 4/18/08 ****1/4)

Jacobs needed the big win against Alex Shelley, former travelling buddy and nemesis in Ring of Honor. He finally had the right back up in Tyler Black to get that done. Meanwhile Chris Sabin doesn't get lost in this match as he is the focus of much of the first half as the Machine Guns dominate. Their stringing together tag moves is a sight to behold, but even their best moves can't deter Jacobs from shifting the momentum of the match slowly but surely and then locking on The End Time on Shelley for the win. I placed this match lower than several other key tags just by comparison and the natural development of this list. Still, seeing these two teams go at it was an enjoyable experience and one that incorporates old ROH history to make new history.

19. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Kevin Steen
—Northern Navigation (Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7/25/08 ****1/4)

These two had known each other well after two singles matches, so this was the time to pull out a few new tricks. McGuinness slammed Steen down on the edge of the ring apron, which looked like maybe there would be a few new bills from the chiropractor coming for Steen. Then Steen took one of his biggest risks of the year when he launch into a tope con hilo OVER the turnbuckle corner down to the floor. It could have killed both he and Nigel but somehow they took the move properly, popped the crowd something fierce and were able to continue onwards. The bigger story of the match had been that Steen had not been able to successfully execute the package pilderiver in one of their matches, while McGuinness used cheating tactics to get by Steen in the previous two efforts. Would McGuinness fall prey to that move? Well, it was one of the closest three counts of the year, but he did in fact kick out. Steen later kicked out of the Jawbreaker but would fall victim to another one and took the clean pin right in the middle of his home country. Steen would be back later in the year as a tag champion to redeem himself.

18. Austin Aries vs. Roderick Strong
—Undeniable (Edison, NJ Taped 10/6/07 Aired on PPV 1/18/08 **** ¼)

Aries and Strong had been feuding for eight months, with Aries winning their first fight against each other but Roderick Strong dominating the battle of the stables leading his NRC to triumph over Aries' Resilience. NRC vs. Resilience was a focus of the first four Pay Per Views and it all led up to this conclusion. Aries and Strong created a fitting climax to their feud (at least as far as PPV was concerned). They exchanged chops, suplexes and back breakers, but it was Aries who had the small margin against Strong during this one. A wicked brainbuster through a table outside and Aries rolling in an absolutely knocked out Strong finished the match on one hell of a strong note.

17. ROH World Tag Team Titles: Jay & Mark Briscoe (c) vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black
—Final Battle 2007 (New York, NY 12/30/07 **** ¼)

I enjoyed the psychology of one man on each side being wiped out and on the floor near the stage. First it was Jimmy Jacobs who wiped out on a big and impressive biel OUT of the ring by The Briscoes. Then later on the tide turned toward The Age as The Briscoes were isolated and victimized. One of the most inane moments of the match (and one of the most memorable spots of the year) came when The Briscoes hit the Doomsday Device on Black and Black tumbled over the ropes and out to the floor. WOW. Overall, this was a cohesive match with The Briscoes and an important moment in the feud between the two groups. This was the last match of the year and it sent the fans home wondering what would happen now that The Age of the Fall held the power that they obsessively sought for the past four months. That, the quality of the match and the significance of a title change places this show inside the top twenty where it holds up with the best of what came after it.

16. ROH World Title: Nigel McGuinness (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
—New Horizons (Detroit, MI Taped 07/26/08, Aired on PPV 09/24/08 ****1/4)

These two had feuded over the Pure Title in back in late 2005. Claudio had been unsuccessful then and had also failed to win the World Title from McGuinness in May. This was the best match out of any in their history in ROH. I think they really figured each other out, had learned from their mistake in the last match as far as pacing and gave the crowd in attendance what they wanted to see. From the early moments where Claudio almost shocked the world by winning to the European uppercut brawl on the outside to the final moments where Nigel again escaped by the thinnest of margins, this was a lesson in doing a title match the right way.

And we'll continue with #'s 15 -1 on the list, plus results from Final Battle 2008 and much more today with PART FOUR!