100 Percent Fordified: Ring of Honor Japan’s Finest

Disc One

The Amazing Red vs. Ikuto Hidaka
“Glory By Honor” – Philadelphia, PA – 10.2.2002

A stalemate is reached after the opening exchange. Hidaka shoulder blocks Red to the mat and then cartwheels into a low dropkick. Red misses a spinwheel kick. They evade each others’ attacks and exchange chops. Hidaka throws Red to the floor where the chop battle continues. Red gets them back in the ring. They both spring off the ropes. They snap off stereo armdrags and stand-off after throwing simultaneous dropkicks. Red tilt-a-whirls into a DDT. He trips Hidaka off the ring apron. He goes for a pescado but Hidaka dropkick him in mid-air. Hidaka targets Red’s knee back in the ring. He misses a cartwheel back splash in the corner. Red delivers a spinwheel kick. Hidaka tries for a tornado DDT. Red blocks it, so Hidaka utilizes a regular DDT. Red tornado kicks Hidaka to the floor. He grazes Hidaka with a tope con hilo and flies into the barricades! Red gets a cross armbreaker on. Hidaka gets the ropes. Red gets two with another tornado kick. Hidaka misses a corner splash. Hidaka pops up Red when he charges, dropkicking him on the way down. Red tries for a DDT. Hidaka drives Red’s knee into the mat. Hidaka springboard dropkicks Red’s knee out. Red gets the ropes to break a grapevine stretch. Red hits an enzuigiri to block a dragonscrew leg whip. They trade some nearfalls before knocking each other down with stereo clotheslines. Hidaka gets two with a torture rack spun out into an Ace Crusher. Red catches Hidaka with a Tiger Feint Kick. He slingshots in with the Code Red for two. Hidaka dropkicks Red as he goes up top. Hidaka tries for a sunset bomb. Red counters on his way down with an inverted legdrop. The Infrared and a standing shooting star press get Red the win at 13:31. That had some fun spots and was good for the sake of novelty, but neither guy truly put their best foot forward. ***

All Japan Double World Tag Team Championship
The Great Muta & Arashi (Champions) vs. The Prophecy (Christopher Daniels & Dan Maff)
“Final Battle 2003” – Philadelphia, PA – 12.27.2003

Allison Danger is in the Prophecy’s corner. Arashi’s size wins out over Maff, who is sizeable himself. He avoids Arashi’s corner splash and tags in Daniels. He wants to tangle with Muta. They go after each others’ arms. Muta lightly kicks Daniels in the ribs. Daniels tries some mind games but is thrown off when Muta spits green mist into the air. Muta blocks a punch and hits one of his own. Daniels has trouble moving Arashi. Maff comes in to help back Arashi to their corner. The Prophecy take turns throwing punches while Arashi hangs out against the corner pad. Arashi catches Daniels with a clothesline and tags in Muta. He delivers his signature elbow drop. He heads up top for the moonsault. Danger distracts and Daniels forearms him from behind. The Prophecy chokes Muta on the ropes and then take turns attacking him. Muta finally escapes when he hits Maff with a dropkick. Arashi tags in and throws his own dropkick. He lariats Maff in the corner and gets two with a belly-to-belly suplex. Maff throws some strikes. Daniels tags in. Maff shoulder blocks Arashi into Daniels’ STO. Arashi powerslams Daniels and tags in Muta. Muta kicks out Daniels knees. He gives him a dragonscrew leg whip and locks on the figure four. Maff stomps Muta to break it. Arashi takes Maff to the floor as Daniels rolls up Muta for two. Maff hits Muta with a chair as he hits the ropes. Muta blows red mist into Maff’s face to block a chair shot to the face. Daniels uranage slams Muta. He misses the BME. Muta hits the Shining Wizard for the pin at 16:05. Arashi was too large to do much of anything. Muta got in his signature spots to pop the crowd and get their energy up while The Prophecy did a great job playing foils. This wasn’t anything memorable, but it gave the fans exactly what they wanted to see. ***

Kenta Kobashi & Homicide vs. Samoa Joe & Low Ki
“Unforgettable” – Philadelphia, PA – 10.2.2005

Joe and Kobashi had their legendary encounter the night before. They start out the match here. Joe backs Kobashi to the ropes, but unlike last night, he backs away cleanly. Joe walks through a chop and shoulder blocks Kobashi to the mat. He kicks Kobashi to the floor and dives out with an elbow suicida. A chop battle breaks out in the ring. Joe forearms Kobashi to the corner and tags in Ki. He’s able to put on a cross armbreaker in the ropes for a few seconds. He headstands into a chest kick. Homicide tags in. He and Ki go back and forth until Ki pulls Homicide to his corner and tags in Joe. Joe drops a knee across his chest. Homicide goes to his eyes and drops his own knee on Joe’s temple. Kobashi drives his knee into Joe’s chest a few times. He gets two with a falling chop. Joe snapmares Homicide and dropkicks him to the corner. Ki stomps Homicide’s bad shoulder. Homicide fires up and enzuigiri’s Ki. Homicide throws Ki to the floor so Kobashi can lay in some chops and suplex him on the entrance ramp. That makes it easy for Kobashi and Homicide to take control of the match. Ki shows glimmers of hope when throwing an enzuigiri from the floor. He stomps Homicide’s chest in after avoiding a sunset flip. When Kobashi stops him from tagging, Joe comes in and knocks down Kobashi in the corner. Homicide tries an Ace Crusher. Joe blocks it and hits a Death Valley Driver. Kobashi breaks the cover. Ki double stomps Homicide in a tree of woe for two. Homicide drops Joe with a swinging DDT and tags in Kobashi. He chops up Joe in the corner. Ki comes in, but Kobashi just chops him up instead. He pitches Ki out and goes back to chopping Joe. A spinning chop leads to a sleeper suplex. Ki lunges at Kobashi and also gets suplexed. Joe powerslams Kobashi into a cross armbreaker. Homicide breaks it up. Joe throws him out. He powerbombs Kobashi into the STF. He then drops Kobashi with a Backdrop Driver. Joe follows with the Muscle Buster. Kobashi kicks out! Ki comes in with a double stomp. Kobashi avoids it. Ki however successfully pulls of Black Magic. He attempts the Ki Krusher. Kobashi escapes but gets dropkicked to the corner. Ki puts on a standing armbar. Homicide uses an Ace Crusher to stop him. Joe cuts off his lariat attempt. Ki goes for the Tidal Wave and it ends up hitting Joe and sending him to the floor. Homicide tope con hilo’s after him. Kobashi swats away the Tidal Crush and powerbombs Ki for two. Kobashi hits the Orange Crush. Joe dives in to break the pin. Homicide takes Joe back to the floor and sentons off of the apron. Kobashi lariats Ki inside out for the pin at 26:22. That was quite the spectacle. Everyone was on point, the crowd was rocking and Joe/Homicide/Ki mixed a little bit of their history with each other in there. Obviously this does not get the recognition the Joe/Kobashi singles match does but it’s still pretty awesome. ****

AJ Styles & Matt Sydal vs. Do Fixer (Dragon Kid & Genki Horiguchi)
“Dragon Gate Challenge” – Detroit, MI – 3.30.2006

Horiguchi and Sydal exchange holds on the mat. Horiguchi shoulder blocks him down. They armdrag one another and stand off. Styles tags in. After they armdrag each other, Styles points to Kid. He tags in. Styles size does him well until Kid sends him to the floor in a headscissors. In comes Sydal who gets put in Christo. Horiguchi drop toe holds Styles into a surfboard, a remnant of his old surfer gimmick. Kid dropkicks Styles in the corner. Horiguchi comes off the top with a stomp to Styles’ stomach. Styles pulls his hair to escape a leg hold. He carries Horiguchi to the corner and Sydal clotheslines him. He and Styles hit a backbreaker/cannonball legdrop combo for two. They continue to wear Horiguchi down until he catches Sydal with an enzuigiri. He reverses Sydal’s suplex attempt and tags in Kid. He springboards in with a dropkick to Styles. He spinwheel kicks Sydal. He tries for Déjà vu on Styles and ends up throwing him to the floor. Kid follows with the Bermuda Triangle. Horiguchi tope con hilo’s onto Sydal. In the ring, Kid gets caught by Styles with a wheelbarrow suplex. Horiguchi kicks Sydal while giving Styles a tornado DDT. Styles blocks his moonsault. Sydal hits a standing moonsault of his own. Horiguchi drop toe holds Sydal to the corner. Kid comes in with Jesus Walks. Styles punches Kid and German suplexes Horiguchi. He slams Horiguchi chest first. Kid breaks the pin. He hits the Dragonrana! Styles breaks up the pin. He drives Horiguchi into the mat with a standing legdrop. He neck-tie headscissors Kid to the floor and Fosbury Flops onto him. Horiguchi gets two on Styles with the Backslide from Heaven. Styles rolls him into the Styles Clash for the pin at 12:31. Aside from Kid and Styles’ having a major moment of awkwardness, this was a lot of fun. The crowd was really into everything and both teams just gelled. This is a forgotten gem of the Milestone Series. ***1/2

Do Fixer (Dragon Kid, Ryo Saito & Genki Horiguchi) vs. Blood Generation (CIMA, Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino)
“Supercard of Honor” – Chicago Ridge, IL – 3.31.2006

Yoshino backs to the ropes after being armdragged by Horiguchi. Kid and Doi tag in. Doi initially knocks Kid down but ends up being headscissored to the floor. Horiguchi and CIMA tag in. CIMA dropkicks him to his corner. Doi holds Horiguchi but CIMA accidentally knocks Doi to the floor. Horiguchi sends CIMA out. Saito and Yoshino come in. Yoshino runs the ropes lightning fast. He gets dropped with a side slam. Saito holds Yoshino so Kid can forearm him in the back. Saito and Horiguchi give him the Maraha Isappa sequence. Kid gets backed to the Blood Generation corner. He’s much smaller than the rest of the crew, so it’s easy for them to bully Kid. He manages to give CIMA a spin kick to his chest and tags in Saito. He slams CIMA into a legdrop. Doi breaks the hold. Saito wins an overhand chop exchange with him. He assists Kid with a 619. Doi gets triple dropkicked for two. CIMA and Yoshino pull Horiguchi to the their corner. Blood Generation take turns throwing Horiguchi by his hair. Yoshino puts him From Jungle, then sunset flips him for two. Doi hits the Dai Bosou. CIMA and Yoshio hold Horiguchi so Doi can somersault senton onto him. CIMA dropkicks his buttocks, sending Horiguchi’s neck into the middle turnbuckle. CIMA puts on an abdominal stretch. The fans’ “H-A-G-E” chant give him the energy to hip toss his way free. Horiguchi suplexes Doi and tags in Saito. He overhead suplexes Doi out. Kid Déjà vu’s Yoshino to the floor and Horiguchi tope con hilo’s onto Doi. Kid flies out onto Yoshino with the Bermuda Triangle. CIMA and Saito trade chops. Saito blocks a huracanrana with a powerbomb. He gives CIMA the Fisherman Express for two. CIMA O’Conner rolls him into a double stomp. Blood Generation all attack Saito in the corner. CIMA bulldogs Kid off of Saito’s shoulders for two. Yoshino Sling Blades Kid and heads up top. He comes down with a shotgun dropkick. Kid kicks out. Kid blocks a suplex with the Dragon Stunner. Doi plants Kid chest first. Horiguchi dropkicks Doi in the corner. He goes for a moonsault. Doi gets his knees up. Horiguchi gets two with an inverted DDT. Doi drops him with Doi 555 and gets two. Saito catches Doi on the top rope. Kid brings him down with the Skyscraper Huracanrana. Saito follows with a big splash. Kid goes for a huracanrana. Doi holds on so that Yoshino can dropkick him. Horiguchi missile dropkicks Yoshino. CIMA superkicks him. Horiguchi drops CIMA with a DDT. Doi gives Horiguchi a Rydeen Bomb. Saito huracanrana’s Doi and German suplexes Yoshino. Kid comes in with the Dragonrana. Doi breaks the cover. Kid goes up top. CIMA catches him with Venus. Kid however assists Saito with a German suplex to CIMA. Horiguchi drops him with the Beach Break for two. Yoshino and Doi crotch him in the corner. They hold up Saito. CIMA double stomps Saito, then rolls forward to give Horiguchi a Superdrol. Dragon tries the Dragonrana. CIMA catches hit and drops him with the Schwein. Kid kicks out! Doi hits the Bakatare Sliding Kick. Horiguchi breaks the pin. Doi brings Kid to the top rope for a super Doi 555. Kid blocks with a super Ace Crusher. The Dragonrana follows for the pin at 20:29. It’s been years since this match received heaps and heaps of praise. I’m happy to tell you this still holds up and is quite a jaw dropper. I’m a huge Dragon Gate fan, so for me watching this again made me appreciate it even more. Were it not for this match, DGUSA would not exist and many fans like myself would have never followed the promotion. Not only it is a fantastic match but very important to the landscape of independent wrestling today. ****1/2

Colt Cabana vs. Kikutaro
“Ring of Homicide” – Edison, NJ – 5.13.2006

I expect this to be VERY serious. They both do a little strutting. Cabana breaks a lock-up and double high and double low fives Kikutaro. Kikutaro is proud of himself for his “up high, down low, too slow” gag. Kikutaro fails to roll out of a wristlock. They do a little dancing before standing off. Cabana drops down. Kikutaro kicks his head and asks if he is stupid. He baits Cabana into trying to stomp him. Cabana sends him to the floor. Kikutaro gets back in the ring to avoid a baseball slide. Kikutaro kicks the middle rope into Cabana’s groin. The referee comes out to check on him and gets a groin full of rope too. Kikutaro tries to walk the top rope and ends up crotching himself. Cabana gives him a bionic elbow. He offers a hand to keep him steady, then pulls it away. The Flying Asshole and running clothesline get him a two count. Kikutaro dragonscrews Cabana and hits the Shining Wizard for two. Kikutaro whips the referee to Cabana. Cabana do-si-do’s and sends the referee into Kikutaro. He powerbombs Kikutaro into a folding press for the pin at 6:58. That was some fun, comedic relief. It was the opener on this show but for this DVD it was a nice cool down from the trios match. **

ROH World Tag Team Championship
Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal (Champions) vs. Blood Generation (CIMA & Shingo Takagi)
“International Challenge” – Hartford, CT – 12.22.2006

This is interesting, because Sydal is actually also a member of the Blood Generation faction in Dragon Gate. Shingo and Daniels feel each other out. Shingo shrugs off a shoulder tackle and takes Daniels down with a few of his own. Daniels slips out of a suplex and finally shoulder tackles Shingo down. Sydal controls Shingo’s arm. He takes him down with a spinwheel kick. CIMA tags in. He and Sydal evade each others’ offense. Sydal tags out when CIMA misses an elbow. Daniels and CIMA engage in some Lucha. CIMA scrapes his feet across Daniels’ eyes and stomps on his chest. He and Shingo go after Daniels’ neck. Daniels gives CIMA a backbreaker and tags in Sydal. He throws a few kicks before snapmaring CIMA into a back stretch. He and Daniels slam CIMA for two. Sydal misses a cannonball legdrop. CIMA stomps on his face. He throws Sydal into Shingo’s boot. Now the Blood Generation keep Sydal in their half of the ring. Sydal finally escapes their grasp by turning one of Shingo’s slams into a DDT and avoiding CIMA’s frog splash with a mid-air dropkick. Daniels cleans house. He forces Shingo to DDT CIMA by delivering an STO. Daniels then crossbody’s onto Shingo for two. He throws Shingo to the floor. Shingo pulls him down too. Sydal goes for a dive. CIMA trips him and hits a slingshot senton. He then suicide dives onto Daniels. Sydal moonsaults out onto Blood Generation. Sydal drives CIMA into the mat with a standing legdrop. Shingo blocks a huracanrana so that CIMA can dropkick Sydal. Sydal sunset flips Shingo. Shingo rolls through and powerbombs Sydal into the turnbuckles. He gets two with the YO Throw thanks to Daniels breaking the pin. CIMA drop toe holds Daniels into a key lock. He snaps back on the leg, including suplexing Sydal while keeping the lock on. Daniels gives Shingo a lungblower. He holds him so that Sydal can come in with a splash. Daniels palm strikes CIMA on the top rope. He tries the Iconoclasm. CIMA blocks it. He hits the Venus and successfully pulls off the Iconoclasm. He gets two with the Perfect Driver. Daniels blocks a springboard attack with a Death Valley Driver. He STO’s Shingo into the Koji Clutch. CIMA frog splashes Daniels to stop the hold. Sydal flies in with a DDT. Shingo hits the Pumping Bomber on Sydal, leaving all four men laying. Shingo clotheslines both opponents. He assists CIMA with a Doomsday Crossbody. Shingo drops Daniels with the Original Falconry. Sydal breaks the pin. CIMA accidentally superkicks Shingo. Daniels hits the BME. Sydal follows with a shooting star press for the pin at 23:38. You put four guys of this caliber in the ring and you know you’ll get a quality bout. I didn’t realize how similar some of CIMA and Daniels’ offense was until their awesome exchange. Sydal’s leg selling came and went, but other than that this was far and away Daniels and Sydal’s best title defense in their short reign as champions. ****

Austin Aries, Claudio Castagnoli, Delirious & Rocky Romero vs. Typhoon (CIMA, Dragon Kid, Ryo Saito & Susumu Yokosuka)
“All Star Extravaganza III” – Detroit, MI – 3.30.2007

Delirious freaks out at the bell. Saito kicks away at Romero’s leg. Romero goes for the cross armbreaker but Saito gets to the ropes immediately. Saito tries luring Romero in. Romero however gets him in a Bow and Arrow. Saito escapes and tags in Kid. Claudio mocks Kid with his height. It’s Kid who has the last laugh, sending Claudio to the floor with Déjà vu. Delirious stands tall from CIMA’s shoulder block attempts. CIMA pokes him in the eyes. Delirious leapfrogs CIMA a few times, but CIMA eventually catches him with a dropkick. Aries armdrags Yokosuka twice, then everybody else on the Typhoon team. He delivers the Heat Seeking Missile to them all as well! Aries gets two on CIMA with a slingshot splash. He goes for a quebrada but Yokosuka trips him. Typhoon works over Areis in the corner, distracting the referee at times to illegally gang up on him. Aries manages to escape by landing a quebrada press on Yokosuka and CIMA simultaneously. Delirious tags in and gives Saito a leaping clothesline. He trips Kid to the corner and allows the ROH team to attack him. Delirious gets two with the Panic Attack. Claudio uppercuts Kid and throws him in a fallaway slam. CIMA breaks the cover. ROH gives Typhoon a taste of their own medicine by working over Kid and teaming up whenever possible. Claudio holds Kid for Aries. Aries accidentally forearms Claudio. Kid gives him a Tiger feint Kick and missile dropkicks Aries. Yokosuka holds Romero so CIMA can give him a lungblower. He key locks Romero’s legs and suplexes Delirious. Aries and Saito trade chops. Saito overhead suplexes Aries into Romero. CIMA dives out onto Romero while Yokosuka helps Kid with a Tiger feint Kick on Aries. Kid follows Aries to the floor with the Bermuda Triangle. Yokosuka ducks Swiss Chin Music. Claudio however connects with a diving European Uppercut. Yokosuka gives Claudio an exploder suplex. Delirious tries breaking the count with a legdrop but ends up giving it to Claudio. He does however give Yokosuka a Cobra Clutch backbreaker. He snapmares Saito into a crucifix pin. Saito pops Delirious up into a German suplex. Romero enzuigiri’s Saito. CIMA crotches Romero on the middle rope and brings him down with the Superdrol. Romero blocks the Schwein and gets two with a fisherman’s buster. He rolls CIMA into an ankle lock and CIMA rolls it into a jackknife cradle. Romero kicks him in the head for two. CIMA gets two himself with the Perfect Driver. Romero brings CIMA off the top with the Diablo Armbar. Yokosuka breaks the hold. CIMA strings Venus, the Iconoclasm and the Mad Splash together. Romero however gets his knees up. Aries Finlay Rolls CIMA into a frog splash. CIMA gets his knees up, but then takes Shadows Over Hell from Delirious for two. Delirious sets up for Chemical Imbalance II. Kid dives in to stop it, but Delirious notices and headbutts him in the stomach. Kid puts him in Christo. Claudio breaks it, then gets put in Christo himself. Aries suplexes Kid to the corner. Claudio uppercuts Kid for two. Yokosuka gives Aries the Jumbo no Kachi! but then is taken down by Romero. Saito takes out Romero, but falls to Claudio’s Alpamare Water Slide. Kid gives him the Dragon Stunner. Delirious slams Kid on his stomach. Delirious gets trapped in the Dragon Gate corner. CIMA double stomps Romero off of Yokosuka’s shoulders into Mugen. He hits Delirious with Venus before Kid brings him down with a Skyscraper Huracanrana. Saito follows with a splash. Aries kicks him in the head and delivers a brainbuster. The 450 splash is only good for two thanks to CIMA. Delirious puts CIMA in the Cobra Stretch. CIMA escapes and hits a superkick. Schwein gets him two. He puts Delirious down with the Crossfire at 27:54. Really crazy stuff from everybody involved. It was not as crisp as the Supercard six man and ran just a bit long, but it was extremely fun and echoed back to the six man from Final Battle 2006 with the finish. ****

Typhoon (CIMA & Susumu Yokosuka) & Shingo Takagi vs. Typhoon (Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito) & Masaaki Mochizuki
“Supercard of Honor II” – Detroit, MI – 3.31.2007

CIMA and Saito start off. Saito suplexes his way out of a test of strength. CIMA and Saito stand off after going for some quick pins. Shingo and Mochizuki tag in. Mochizuki kicks out his legs. He snapmares Shingo into a back kick. Shingo fires up and absorbs a few chest kicks. He slams Mochizuki and tags in Yokosuka. He gives Kid a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. A Lucha sequence ends with Kid sending Yokosuka out with a headscissors. Saito and CIMA end up in the ring. Saito back elbows him for two. CIMA grabs Saito’s leg so Shingo can kick it. Saito backs Shingo to his corner where Mochizuki throws some kicks. Shingo holds Mochizuki and Yokosuka comes off the top with a double axe handle to his back. Mochizuki slams Yokosuka. Kid and Saito work over Yokosuka’s arm. He forearms Saito to the corner. CIMA comes in with a slingshot senton. CIMA gets the better of Saito for a bit. Saito blocks a corner knee attack. He, Kid and Mochizuki help each other wear CIMA down. CIMA’s back takes a serious beating in the process. CIMA manages to stomp Mochizuki and Saito simultaneously. He gives Kid a tombostone piledriver onto Saito’s mid-section. He tags in Yokosuka. Mochizuki gets in some offense before taking an exploder suplex. Kid flies in with a springboard headscissors. Shingo blocks his sunset flip with a modified powerbomb, then puts on a half crab. He and Yokosuka wish bone Kid’s legs. Kid’s opponents work over Kid’s legs and groin in attempt to neutralize his high flying offense. They crotch Kid in the corner. They knock Mochizuki off the apron and drag Saito into the ring. CIMA stomps Saito into Yokosuka’s Mugen, then rolls to Kid for the Superdrol. Kid kicks out. After CIMA stretches Kid out in a Cerebral Lock, he bulldogs him off of Saito’s shoulders. Kid blocks a powerbomb with a huracanrana. He tags in Mochizuki who kicks CIMA in the chest. Saito blocks Shingo’s lariats and overhead suplexes him. Kid sends Yokosuka out with Déjà vu and a follows with a slingshot huracanrana. Mochizuki Sankakugeri’s CIMA off the ring apron. Mochizuki and Shingo throw strikes until Mochizuki Judo throws Shingo into a cross armbreaker. Shingo lifts him up into a powerbomb. Saito breaks the pin. He gives CIMA the Fisherman Expres for two. CIMA counters a suplex with the Nakayubi. Saito blocks Venus with a dropkick. Kid locks CIMA in Christo. Yokosuka breaks it with a dropkick. Kid uses the Dragon Stunner to counter a suplex. Yokosuka blocks a headscissors with a Yokosuka Driver. Kid sets Yokosuka up for a Skyscraper Huracanrana. CIMA stops it with Venus. Shingo and Yokosuka hit the Doomsday Device on Kid while CIMA takes out Saito with the Tokarev. He follows up with Schwein for two. Mochizuki gets two on CIMA with a chest kick. He springboard dropkicks Shingo when he and Saito are in the ring. Shingo gets mauled before following to Kid’s Messiah. Shingo fires up from Mochizuki’s chest kick, so Mochizuki hits another for two. Kid snaps off a standing Dragonrana. CIMA picks him up for a Schwein. Mochizuki roundhouse kicks CIMA but then falls to Yokosuka’s lariat. Saito pops him up for a German suplex. Shingo YO Throws Saito and lariats Kid. He gets two on Kid with the Last Falconry. Shingo then lariats Saito. Saito fires up and gives him a Dragon suplex for two. CIMA and Yokosuka take him out. Yokosuka drops Mochizuki with the Ashi Yokosuka. CIMA goes for another Schwein on Kid. Kid counters with Bible. Yokosuka breaks the pin. Kid gives him a Yoshi Tonic, followed by Mochizuki hitting him with a Sankakugeri. Kid tries the Dragonrana on Yokosuka, but he he counters with the World Liner and pins Kid at 27:08. It was harder to get into this match than last years, mostly because the last year had two dueling factions while this had guys from the same unit on either side. It was more of a move exhibition with some storytelling moreso than two heated rivals going at it. It was an impressive display to be sure, but I can’t say how deflating that finish was after all the action we saw. It wasn’t as good as the previous year’s six man Dragon Gate match but was still a worthy successor. ****

ROH World Championship
Takeshi Morishima (Champion) vs. Shingo Takagi
“Good Times, Great Memories” – Chicago Ridge, IL – 4.28.2007

This is a NOAH vs. Dragon Gate match for the ROH World title. Pretty cool if you ask me. Shingo has vowed to leave ROH if he is not successful in this match. Shingo fails to knock him down with some shoulder blocks initially. After gaining some momentum from hitting the ropes, he’s able to send Morishima to the floor and follow him with a pescado. He digs a chair into Morishima’s throat and dries his back into the barricades. Shingo gets two with a senton splash. Morishima fires up from Shingo’s chops. He hip attacks Shingo while he’s coming off the ropes. He dives off the apron with a shoulder tackle. Morishima throws Shingo in the barricades a few times and uses a hip attack to send him into the barricades too. He chokes Shingo across the second ring rope. Morishima steamrolls over him with a rolling senton. Morishima misses a corner splash. Shingo tries a suplex but it gets countered. He does however catch Morishima with a Manhattan Drop. That allows him to successfully pull off a suplex. Shingo brings Morishima to the apron and gives him a DDT. He drops Morishima on the floor with a Death Valley Driver! Shingo hits his own Backdrop Driver back in the ring. Morishima is able to kick out of his own finisher. Morishima gives Shingo an open hand strike to the face and rocks him with right hands in the corner. He big boots Shingo and heads to the top rope. Shingo brings him down with a superplex. Morishima is up! Shingo’s Pumping Bomber leaves Morishima standing. He hits the Last Falconry for two. Another Pumping Bomber has the same result. Shingo throws some lariats to the back of Morishima’s head. Morishima hits a lariat of his own. A uranage suplex and a lariat get him a two count. Shingo tries for a sunset flip but Morishima sits down on his chest. He lariats Shingo for two. The Backdrop Driver finally puts Shingo away at 15:14. Shingo really put in an incredible effort in his final match as an ROH regular. This was a match where Morishima seemed like an underdog for a portion of the contest because Shingo was fighting for his spot in ROH and could take an excessive amount of punishment. If Morishima had more charisma this would have been even better, but as it was this was a great way to send Shingo home. ***3/4

Disc Two

Mitsuharu Misawa & KENTA vs. Takeshi Morishima & Naomichi Marufuji
“Glory By Honor VI, Night One” – Philadelphia, PA – 11.2.2007

This match has a 30 minute time limit. Marufuji and KENTA rock each other with forearms. After they each miss some strikes they start over their exchange. KENTA gets the ropes to escape a cross armbreaker. Morishima and Misawa tag in. Misawa gets control on the mat. KENTA throws some kicks when Morishima is backed to his corner. Morishima places KENTA onto the top rope where Marufuji dropkicks him. KENTA gives him a belly-to-back suplex. He and Misawa spend some time wearing down Marufuji in their half of the ring. Marufuji eventually escapes by tripping Misawa and tagging in Morishima. He cartwheel splashes Misawa and missile dropkicks him for two. Misawa spinwheel kicks Morishima to the mat. KENTA throws some boots which Morishima absorbs. A third one knocks Morishima off his feet. KENTA dropkicks Morishima at the matches halfway point. Morishima is too heavy for KENTA to slam. He crashes down on KENTA’s chest, then Marufuji comes in with a splash. He whips KENTA into the barricades before he and Morishima isolate him. KENTA avoids a sit down splash for Morishima a little after the 20 minute mark and tags in Misawa. He comes off the top rope with a diving forearm to Morishima. Morishima knocks him down with a hip attack and steamrolls over him. Marufuji dropkicks Misawa’s knee out and gets two with a running elbow strike. He tries for the Shiranui. Misawa blocks it with a butterfly suplex. KENTA nails a springboard dropkick on Marufuji. He then slams Morishima onto Marufuji. KENTA accidentally boots Misawa to the floor. He goes to German suplex Morishima suplex but Morishima sits down. Marufuji superkicks Misawa as Misawa comes back into the ring. KENTA gives Marufuji a Tiger suplex but Morishima breaks the pin. We’re given the 25 minute warning. KENTA gets two with the Busaiku Knee. Marufuji comes back with a Shiranui. Misawa hits the Tiger Driver on Marufuji, then takes Morishima’s Backdrop Driver. KENTA nails the Busaiku Knee leaving all four men laying. Marufuji drives KENTA’s face into the mat with his foot. He tries for the Shiranui. KENTA counters with the Go 2 Sleep. Marufuji gets his foot on the ropes to stop the pin attempt. Marufuji takes him down with a Dragonscrew leg whip. Both guys go for some desperate pin attempts. Misawa and Morishima tag in and trade forearms. Morishima hits a lariat for two. Just as Misawa looks to bring Morishima to the top rope, the 30:00 minute time limit expires resulting a draw. What an underwhelming finish to this match. I’m sure politics played a role, but even before the finish the match was nothing to impressive. If you’re into Misawa this may have done a lot more for you than it did for me, but I saw it as four NOAH guys phoning it in. ***

Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. New Hazard (Shingo Takagi & BxB Hulk)
“Supercard of Honor III” – Orlando, FL – 3.29.2008

Hulk gets in a few armdrags after feeling out Generico on the mat. Hulk dropkicks him after taking a shoulder block. Steen takes Hulk down with his own shoulder blocks. Hulk hits Mouse and a leg lariat before Shingo tags in. They get in a shoulder tackle battle seeing who will go down first. Steen ends up throwing Shingo to the floor and forearming Hulk. Generico hops the ropes and somersault sentons onto Shingo! Generico however ends up in New Hazard’s once coming back into the ring. Hulk dropkicks Generico across the ring where Steen is able to blind tag in. He back elbows Hulk for two and throws him face first into Generico’s boot. Steen and Generico take turns wrestling abusing Hulk. Steen is much more mocking in his approach. Hulk dropkicks Steen falling into a moonsault on Generico. He tags in Shingo. Initially Generico and Steen catch him, but Shingo drops them with a Complete Shot/DDT combo. He sends Steen out with an exploder suplex. Shingo lifts up Generico from the mat for a spinebuster. Hulk gets two with a BxB Star Press. Steen superkicks Shingo and powerbombs Hulk. He gives Hulk a pump handle neckbreaker across his knee. Steen goes up top. Shingo holds onto his leg so Hulk can give him a spinwheel kick. Generico sends Hulk out. He walks the ropes and comes off with a tornado DDT. Hulk and Shingo whip Generico to the corner. Generico accidentally assists Hulk with dropkicking his partner. Shingo YO Throws Generico for two. Hulk gets two with the EVO thanks to Steen breaking the pin. Hulk fights out of the Package Piledriver. He comes back with Mouse but takes a clothesline. Shingo gives Steen the Pumping Bomber before being taken out by Generico’s crossbody. Steen Cactus clotheslines Shingo and himself to the floor. Generico yakuza kicks Hulk before giving him a half-nelson suplex. Steen Swanton Bombs in and Generico gets a two count. Steen misses a moonsault. Shingo drops him with the Blood Fall. Generico breaks the pin. Hulk gives him the FTX for two. Hulk spinwheel kicks Generico off of Shingo’s shoulders and Steen stops the pin again. Hulk moonsaults onto Steen on the floor. Shingo brings down Generico with STAY DREAM but Generico kicks out! Generico takes two Pumping Bombers and the Last Falconry for the pin at 17:48. These teams worked together perfectly. You had the smaller, flashy athletic guy partnered with the bulkier bad ass dude. They meshed so well together, built the match tremendously and had Steen and Generico look strong even in a loss. Terrific match. ****

Typhoon (CIMA, Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito) vs. Muscle Outlawz (Naruki Doi, Masato Yoshino & Genki Horiguchi)
“Supercard of Honor III” – Orlando, FL – 3.29.2008

This is a rematch from the inaugural ROH Dragon Gate six man, except CIMA and Horiguchi are on opposite sides. Former Maraha Isappa partners Saito and Horiguchi start. After reaching a stalemate they tag in CIMA and Doi. They each snap off an armdrag and stand-off. Kid and Yoshino tag in. Kid gets in a quesadora armdrag before sending Yoshino out with a satellite headscissors. Horiguchi comes in and gets sent to the Typhoon corner. Saito back elbows him for one. Horiguchi rakes his eyes, forcing Saito to the Muscle Outlawz side of the ring. Saito slams Doi and tags in Kid. He headscissors CIMA into Doi for two. Yoshino tags in and gets his arm wrung by CIMA right away. Kid stomps the arm as Saito clears the apron of Yoshino’s partners. Yoshino eats dropkicks from all of Typhoon. Yoshino rakes Kid’s eyes. Now he eats triple dropkicks from the Outlawz as a measure of payback. Kid forearms Doi and delivers a sole butt. Saito holds Doi on the ropes so that CIMA can double stomp him. Doi ends up picking Kid up and bringing him to his corner so the Outlawz can pick him apart. Saito tries to save his partner but ends up taking the Dai Bosou (so does Kid). Horiguchi back elbows Kid and powerbombs him. CIMA breaks the pin. Kid gives Yoshino a Tiger feint Kick and Horiguchi a spinwheel kick to give him some room to tag in Saito. He fights Doi and gives him a huracanrana. CIMA hits Venus and the Iconoclam on Horiguchi. He key locks his legs and suplexes Doi at the same time. Kid Déjà vu’s Yoshino to the floor and follows with the Bermuda Triangle. CIMA rolls through Horiguchi’s DDT and double stomps him for two. He goes for the Mad Splash. Horiguchi gets his knees up and then gets two with a brainbuster. Saito crotches him on the middle rope. CIMA stomps Doi off of Kid and Saito’s shoulders, rolling into the Superdrol on Horiguchi. Saito overhead suplexes Doi. Doi gets two with a backbreaker. The Outlawz attack Saito in the corner. Yoshino missile dropkicks Kid into the Doi 555 while also landing on Saito with a senton. Yoshino dropkicks Kid after Doi blocks his huracanrana. Kid comes in with a slingshot Diamond Dust for two. Yoshino gets two with the Sling Blade. Kid cascades up Yoshino for a huracanrana. Doi breaks the pin. Yoshino puts CIMA in From Jungle while Kid has Doi in Christo. Horiguchi and Saito break them up. Saito catches Horiguchi with a German suplex. CIMA helps Saito give Horiguchi a second one. He then hits the Perfect Driver for two. Horiguchi DDT’s CIMA. Dragon gives him a Dragon Stunner before Yoshino dropkicks him. Saito rids of Yoshino but gets Rydeen Bombed by Doi. Doi counters Kid’s Skyscraper Huracanrana with a top rope powerbomb! Kid kicks out! Yoshino brings Kid off the top rope with a Sling Blade. The Lightning Spiral gets him a two count thanks to Saito and CIMA. Horiguchi huracanrana’s Saito to the floor and follows with a tope con hilo. CIMA gives Yoshino a super Neji to Hashi for two. He goes for the Crossfire. Yoshino counters with a sunset flip. He drops CIMA with the Torbellino before attempting Sol Naciente. CIMA however picks him up for Schwein. Saito gives him the Premium Bridge leading into Kid’s Dragonrana. Yoshino kicks out of all that! Doi stops Kid on the top rope. He brings him down with super Doi 555. The Bakatare Sliding Kick gets two due to Saito making the save. Horiguchi gives Kid the Beach Break. Doi finally puts Kid away with the Muscular Bomb for the pin at 25:45. Not only was that crazy and so much fun to watch, both teams showed growth from their first encounter, showed they had developed counters and awareness of their opponents move sets all which lead to an angle in Dragon Gate (which Brad Garoon describes very well here). This is just as good as the two other Mania trios matches and arguably better. ****1/2

Austin Aries & Kota Ibushi vs. The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe)
“Tag Wars 2008” – Detroit, MI – 4.18.2008

Ibushi ends the opening sequence by nailing Jay with a dropkick. Aries comes in with a double axe handle. He armdrags Jay and bars the arm. Mark tags in and hits a springboard elbow. He puts on a bodyscissors. When Aries escapes, he tags in Jay who back elbows Aries down. Aries sunset flips Mark and throws some overhand chops. Aries sends Jay to the floor, rolls under Mark’s punch and tag in Ibushi. Ibushi throws somes kicks to take Mark down. He hits a standing moonsault for two. He and Aries throw stereo kicks to Mark’s chest/back for two. The Briscoes end up trapping Ibushi in their corner, starting with Mark giving him a neckbreaker to counter a suplex. Ibushi catches Jay on the top rope with a cartwheel double kick to the shoulders. Aries tags in. He Finlay Rolls Jay and wipes out Mark on the floor with a Heat-Seeking Missile. He hits the IED on Jay back in the ring for two. Aries drops both Briscoes in a Complete Shot/DDT combo. Ibushi fights out of a Doomsday Device. He gets two with the double jump moonsault on Mark. Mark forearms Ibushi from the apron. He springboards in with a knee drop to Ibushi across Jay’s knee. Aries back elbows Mark in the corner a few times. Mark then dumps Aries to the floor. Mark whips Ibushi to the corner. Ibushi wipes out Jay on the floor with a moonsault off the second turnbuckle. Aries rolls through Mark’s backslide and kicks him in the head. He sets up for the brainbuster but eats a big boot from Jay. Everyone gets knocked down. Against Ibushi’s best efforts, the Briscoes successfully hit the Doomsday Device on Aries. Ibushi does an admirable job fighting off the Briscoes by himself but ends up taking the Spike Jay Driller for the pin at 17:37. I had some doubts about this match at first because the crowd was so quiet, but by the end though they had put together a lot of cool sequences and really got the crowd whipped into a frenzy. This ended up being a lot of fun. ***1/2

Takeshi Morishima, Naomichi Marufuji & Go Shiozaki vs. The No Remorse Corps (Roderick Strong, Davey Richards & Rocky Romero)
“Southern Navigation” – Manassas, VA – 5.9.2008

Richards and Shiozaki trade control of each others’ arms. Richards slaps him in the face and bails to the floor to avoid being chopped. He snapmares Shiozaki into a back kick. Shiozaki finally chops him after telegraphing a leapfrog. Strong hops off the apron to avoid tagging in. So, Richards tags in Romero instead. He calls in Morishima despite the size difference. Morishima rocks him with forearms. Romero kicks out his legs and dropkicks him in the head. ¡Azúcar! Morishima dropkicks Romero himself and does the Rick Rude hip swivel! Strong and Marufuji tag in. They go back and forth until Marufuji dropkicks Strong to the corner. Shiozaki and Strong trade chops. Strong rakes his eyes and throws multiple chops. The other Corps members join in. Richards is taken to the floor where Morishima sends him into the barricades with a hip attack. Marufuji dropkicks him from the floor as he dangles on the second rope. All three NOAH wrestlers pile their body weight on Richards in the corner. The Corps try to do the same to Shiozaki but don’t have the same coordination. Romero gets taken to the NOAH corner, but brings back Marufuji to his own corner. Marufuji back elbows Strong in the corner. He tries the Shiranui but ends up taking a back breaker. Romero dropkicks Marufuji in a tree of woe and Richards…taps him in the groin. The Corps keep on Marufuji until he evades Richards’ Alarm Clock and dropkicks him in the side of the head. Morishima suplexes Strong and Romero simultaneously and cartwheel splashes Richards in the corner. Morishima hits him with a missile dropkick for two. His teammates help out with a suplex. Richards hits a diving headbutt for two. Morishima side slams Strong and tags in Shiozaki. Shiozaki clubs him with a falling chop. Strong boots him in the face twice. Shiozaki chops him down. Strong superplexes Shiozaki. Shiozaki fires up, so Strong delivers a pumphandle backbreaker. Romero crossbody’s in. He throws a couple knees to the face. Shiozaki chops his knee out. Marufuji is taken down by Romero’s back kick. He then hits a clothesline for two. Marufuji dragonscrews him off of the second rope. Morishima steamrolls over him. Romero catches Marufuji with a diving DDT as everyone else fights on the floor. He rolls Marufuji into a cross armbreaker. Shiozaki breaks it up. The Corps all attack Marufuji in the corner and Richards dives onto Morishima. Romero gives Marufuji a Doomsday Knee and again Shiozaki saves him. Romero knees Marufuji to the floor. Shiozaki cuts off his dive. Romero slingshots Romero’s face into Shiozaki’s groin. Strong lifts up Morishima for a gut buster! Romero tornado DDT’s Marufuji. Marufuji avoids a Tiger Suplex. He stomps Romero’s face into the mat and nails a superkick for two. Marufuji hits a Shiranui for the pin at 27:47. This had more humor in it than I anticipated, which I think was a plus. They didn’t sacrifice any of their excellent in ring work for it either. It was an exciting, engaging trios match and a great main event for ROH’s debut in Manassas. ****

Roderick Strong & Brent Albright vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima
“All Star Extravaganza IV” – Philadelphia, PA – 12.26.2008

Nakajima and Strong reach a stalemate when neither guy is able to deliver any offensive moves. Strong gets one with a crossbody. Nakajima sweeps out his legs but then eats a leg lariat. Sasaki tags in and absorbs Strong’s chops. Sasaki shoulder tackles Strong to the corner where he tags in Albright. They chop each other when nobody gets control in a lock-up. Neither man can knock the other down with shoulder blocks. Albright takes Sasaki off his feet with a dropkick. Sasaki responds with a powerslam. Nakajima missile dropkicks him for two. Albright spins him out into a backbreaker. Strong and Albright beat down Nakajima until Nakajima hits a Sankakugeri on Albright. Sasaki suplexes Albright for two. He throws some clotheslines at his chest and back. Nakajima dropkicks Albright in the corner and steps on his throat. Albright gets teamed up on by the NOAH contingent for a bit. Strong tries to save Albright but gets trapped by Nakajima. Strong picks up Nakajima and drops him onto Sasaki who has Albright tied up. Sasaki puts Albright in a Boston Crab. He escapes, and both he and Sasaki knock each other down with stereo clotheslines. Strong tags in. He clotheslines Nakajima in the corner and gives him a dropkick. He gets two with a backbreaker. Nakajima comes back with a bicycle kick. Sasaki chops up Strong in the corner. He Judo Throws Strong and gives him a one-armed powerbomb. He puts Strong in a neck and arm submission until Albright breaks it. Strong drops Nakajima into Death by Roderick. He helps Albright deliver an Air Raid Crash to Sasaki. Nakajima breaks the pin. Sasaki clotheslines Strong and Nakajima superkicks Albright three times. He and Sasaki throw kicks and chops. Sasaki assists Nakajima with a kick to Albright’s head. Strong breaks the cover. Nakajima pescado’s onto Strong on the floor. Sasaki lariats Albright for two. He gets the pin with a Northern Lights Bomb at 16:00. This was quite disappointing. The hard hitting got repetitive and there was no flow to the action. The fans got into it by the end but this is truly nothing special from anybody involved. **3/4

Austin Aries vs. Jushin “Thunder” Liger
“SoCal Showdown” – Los Angeles, California – 1.29.2010

Aries makes fun of the fans and makes some racist comments. Liger calls him an asshole, so Aries throws some punches before the bell. He stomps Liger down in the corner and chokes him with his furry pink jacket. Aries hits the ropes and gets sent out with a shotei. Liger then baseball slides Aries into the barricades. He gives Aries a brainbuster on the floor! He returns to the ring busted open. Liger tosses him into the corner and grasps at his wound. He puts him in a modified surfboard stretch until Aries bites his fingers. He rolls Aries into a parachute stretch. He turns that into a seated abdominal stretch. Liger palm strikes Aries in the corner. He brings Aries to the top rope. Aries fights back and dumps Liger to the floor. Aries follows out with a double axe handle. Aries throws him into the barricades. He tries for the IED back in the ring but Liger gets his boot up. He gives Aries a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Liger comes off the top for a splash. Aries gets his knees up to block. Liger gets thrown to the floor. Aries goes for the Heat-Seeking Missile but Liger moves and he crashes into the barricades! Liger splashes Aries successfully for a two count. Aries sends Liger out and connects with the Heat-Seeking Missile into the aisleway. When he only gets a two count, he transitions into the Last Chancery. Aries goes for a brainbuster. Liger reverses it into his own brainbuster for two. He only gets two with a Liger Bomb! Liger wants a superplex. Aries counters with a sunset bomb. Aries puts on the Last Chancery once again. When Liger doesn’t tap, Aries picks him up and strings together a knee breaker and suplex. The IED connects. He puts down Liger with a brainbuster but only gets a two count. He misses a 450 splash. Liger goes for a palm strike. Aries pulls referee Paul Turner in the way. While he’s down, Aries low blows Liger and drops him with a brainbuster. Turner recovers to count the pin at 15:26. This was a smart back and forth match. I really liked how some of their bigger moves initially didn’t work out, so they knew to wear down their opponent further before trying it again. The finish was actually good in protecting Liger and showing how big of a dick Aries was as champion. ***3/4

Sara Del Rey & Serena Deeb vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Ayumi Kurihara
“Honor Takes Center Stage Chapter 1” – Atlanta, GA – 4.1.2011

Deeb goes to work on Matsumoto’s arm. An armdrag exchange leads to Deeb tagging in Sara. Matsumoto wants a test of strength. Sara kicks her in the stomach instead. Matsumoto kicks Sara and tags in Kurihara. She drives her knees into Sara’s chest. She gets one with a bridging suplex. Sara kicks her down and axe kicks her in the head. Deeb tags in. Kurihara immediately dropkicks her and puts her in a modified Anaconda Vice. Sara kicks her free and also boots Matsumoto off the apron. Matsumoto helps Kurihara avoid a spear. She gets Sara and Deeb together on the floor so that Kurihara can come off the top rope onto both of them with a crossbody. In the ring, Kurihara puts Deeb in an armbar in the ropes. Sara kicks Kurihara from the ring apron to break the hold. Sara slams her chest first in a reverse butterfly. Deeb drives her knee into Kurihara’s back. Kurihara gives Sara a lung blower and tags in Matsumoto. She shoulder blocks Sara and Deeb a couple of times. Matsumoto breaks through a double clothesline and crossbody’s them both for two. She drops Sara off her shoulders into a gut buster. Deeb breaks the pin. Sara catches her with a Koppu Kick. Kurihara missile dropkicks Sara and uranage suplexes Deeb on her head. Matsumoto pins Deeb after a Backdrop Driver at 9:02. This was a fun match to establish the Japanese girls the night before their tag title shot. **1/2

SHIMMER Tag Team Championship
Daizee Haze & Tomoka Nakagawa (Champions) vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Ayumi Kurihara
“Honor Takes Center Stage Chapter 2” – Atlanta, GA – 4.2.2011

Haze and Nakagawa will not obey the Code of Honor. Matsumoto puts Nakagawa in a side headlock. She shoulder blocks Nakagawa multiple times. Nakagawa pretends her back is hurt so that Haze can attack Matsumoto from behind. Matsumoto breaks through their double clothesline and crossbody’s them both for two. Kurihara tags in. She clotheslines Nakagawa into a leg submission. Haze kicks Kurihara to break it. Nakagawa rakes Kurihara’s eyes before tagging out. Haze attacks in the corner but gets caught with an armbar in the ropes. When Kurihara releases, Haze tumbles to the floor. Nakagawa spits water in Kurihara’s face as she goes to the top rope! Haze knocks Matsumoto off the apron so Haze and Nakagawa can attack Kurihara uninterrupted. They’re successful for about a minute before Kurihara dropkicks Nakagawa and tags out. Matsumoto fights them both off. She wheelbarrows Nakagawa into a suplex. Haze puts on a sleeper. Kurihara then wraps herself around Matsumoto and Haze. Matsumoto drives all of their body weight into Nakagawa’s chest. Matsumoto drives her knees into Nakagawa’s chest and dropkicks her through the bottom two ropes. Nakagawa rolls through a suplex and tags in Haze. Kurihara catches her with a backbreaker. Matsumoto splashes Haze against the ropes. Nakagawa takes her out but then gets missile dropkicked by Matsumoto. Both her and Kurihara suplex Haze but Nakagawa grabs Todd Sinclair’s foot to stop his pin count. Haze hits the Heart Punch and a yakuza kick on Matsumoto. Nakagawa kicks her into Haze’s bridging Tiger suplex. The champions retain their titles at 7:38. They fit a lot of action into a short period of time. I appreciated the unique style the Joshi talent were able to bring to the shows that weekend. They would be a nice special attraction if ROH ever has any interest in building a women’s division of their own. **3/4

The 411: Yeah, this set kind of rules. All the Dragon Gate six mans? The other Kobashi match? Liger vs. Aries? All essential to any ROH collection. Not to mention a bunch of other awesome Dragon Gate matches, a forgotten gem of a main event from Manassas, and some other specialty bouts. This is a very, very easy recommendation. You can pick up this DVD from Ring of Honor's store. You can check out all of my ROH, DGUSA, and other reviews over at the 100% Fordified blog.

Final Score:  9.5   [  Amazing ]