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100 Percent Fordified: Ring of Honor Glory By Honor XI – The Unbreakable Hope

January 10, 2013 | Posted by Kevin Ford
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100 Percent Fordified: Ring of Honor Glory By Honor XI – The Unbreakable Hope  

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Misissauga, ONT – 10.13.2012

Championship Rundown
ROH World Champion: Kevin Steen
ROH Television Champion: Adam Cole
ROH World Tag Team Champions: S.C.U.M. (Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs)

Commentary is provided by Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness.

Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. The Bravado Bros. (Harlem & Lancelot Bravado)

This is a rematch from “Caged Hostility.” Harlem and Alexander are poised to lock up. Lancelot forearms Alexander from behind. He hits a dropkick so Harlem can get a two count. Alexander responds with a satellite headscissors and a rolling sole butt. Coleman comes in with a slingshot senton. Alexander then hits an Arabian Press for two. A spinebuster/Rough Ryder combo gets them two as well. Lancelot distracts Alexander so that Harlem can trip him off the second rope. The Bravados wear down Alexander both in and outside of the ring. Alexander avoids a corner splash from Harlem and clotheslines Lancelot so he can tag in Coleman. Coleman cleans house with clotheslines. He rolls under the Bravados tandem clothesline and dropkicks them both. He blocks Harlem’s tornado DDT with two Northern Light suplexes and a third that also includes Lancelot! The Bravados roll out. Lancelot stops Coleman from diving onto them but Alexander successfully tope con hilo’s out. Harlem moonsaults off the second turnbuckle onto him and his own brother. Coleman finally doe springboard splash onto everybody. Back in the ring, Lancelot Angel Slams Coleman into a neckbreaker. He gets two with a lariat. Coleman crossbody’s him from the second rope. Alexander busts out a Sankakugeri for two. Coleman gives Lancelot a Death Valley Driver onto Alexander’s knees for two. Lancelot suplexes Alexander out of the corner. The Bravados use the Quebec Crash. Alexander kicks out at the last minute. Harlem bicycle kicks Coleman. The Bravados hit the Gentleman’s Agreement and a German suplex on Alexander. He also finds the strength to kick out of that. Coleman drops down the top rope to get rid of Lancelot. Coleman and Alexander hit Harlem with a modified Total Elimination. The Overtime (Leap of Faith/Frog Splash) puts Lancelot away at 12:17. That was a incredibly hot opening match. They managed to almost match their incredible show stealing match from Septemeber. The rest of the card has a tough act to follow. ***1/2

Mike Mondo vs. Mike Bennett

Maria Kanellis is in Bennett’s corner. Mondo knocks down Bennett with a couple of punches at the bell. After some more strikes in the corner he takes Bennett down with a Thesz Press. Maria distracts Mondo. He slides through her legs and goes under the ring. When Bennett goes looking for him, Mondo checks him into the barricades. Bennett powerslams Mondo on the floor with Mondo’s elbow hitting the concrete. He then whips Mondo into the barricades. Bennett keeps control in the ring. He shoves Mondo back to the floor and Mondo lands poorly onto his ankle. He gets dropped back first on the ring apron before Bennett brings him back in. They crash into one another with stereo crossbody’s. Bennett wants to powerbomb Mondo on the entrance ramp. Mondo counters with a back drop on the concrete. He throws Bennett into the barricades repeatedly. Mondo blocks the referee from counting Bennett out. He tries crotching Bennett onto a barricade. Bennett tears it down and causes it to crash onto Mondo’s legs. Mondo climbs up to the entrance way! He dives off onto Bennett! When they get back into the ring, Maria gets on the apron seemingly impressed by Mondo’s death defying act. Of course it’s all a rouse, but Mondo isn’t falling for it. He side steps Bennett attack and O’Conner Rolls him for two. Maria slaps him on the floor. Bennett drops him with a TKO for the pin at 10:51. That was a heck of a battle, one I did not expect. I said in my “Killer Instinct” review how much Mondo has improved and this match was another example of that. Bennett too has improved, and I think they used the Maria storyline in a way that added to the match without being overbearing. Kudos to both guys. ***

BJ Whitmer & Rhett Titus vs. Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin

Benjamin and Hass jump Titus and Whitmer in the aisle. They slam Whitmer onto the entrance ramp. In the ring Haas gives him an atomic drop before Benjamin superkicks him. They set Whitmer up for a double powerbomb. Titus runs in to make the save. He sends Haas to the floor and Whitmer suicide dives after him. Titus gets two on Benjamin with the Thrust Buster. Haas backdrops Whitmer onto the barricades. Haas brings Titus onto the apron. Titus fights both Haas and Benjamin off. Haas throws him into the top turnbuckle where Benjamin meets him with a superkick. Titus becomes isolated, though Whitmer has recovered and awaits a tag. He gets it after Titus and Benjamin clothesline each other at the same time. Whitmer gets two suplexes in on Haas for a two count. An exploder suplex gives him the same result thanks to Benjamin breaking the cover. Haas and Whitmer throw a bunch of F Bombs as they throw boots at one another. They also trade German suplexes. Haas gets in an Angle Slam when Titus dives in to prevent him from getting a pin. Titus and Benjamin fight on the floor while Whitmer gives Haas a fisherman’s neckbreaker and suplex. Benjamin comes in at the last minute. Titus dropkicks him to save Whitmer from a suplex. Haas shoves Whitmer to the corner to crotch Titus. He and Benjamin double powerbomb Whitmer for the pin at 10:11. Haas and Benjamin have problems deviating from their usual arsenal and keeping things interesting. I don’t think this is doing any favors for them, Titus, or Whitmer. I’ve just lost all interest in just about everything these guys do together. **1/2

Clips from the Jay Lethal/Kevin Steen match from “Killer Instinct” are shown, as well as Lethal attacking Jim Cornette backstage. Lethal comes out and tells ROH to kiss his ass. He has a lot of respect for his opponent, Davey Richards, but since he has some much pent up anger he will unleash it upon him.

Jay Lethal vs. Davey Richards

This is billed as a rematch from “Survival of the Fittest 2012”, since Richards and Lethal were the final two men in the elimination match. They get in a shoving match which ends with Lethal punching Richards in the face. After going to the mat, Richards gets two with an O’Conner Roll. He immediately turns Lethal into a parachute stretch and then into a Gedo Clutch. Lethal turns that into his own parachute stretch. Richards rolls into a Trailer Hitch but Lethal makes it to the ropes right away. Lethal hip tosses him into a cartwheel dropkick. Richards locks up his arm with his leg and leans back to add pressure. Lethal enzuigiri’s Richards to the corner. He gets two with a chop and then applied a headscissors. Richards escapes and dropkicks Lethal to the floor. From the apron he kicks him in the chest. He then boots Lethal into the barricades. Back in the ring he gets two with a snap suplex. Richards applies his own headscissors. He turns that into a skullf*ck. Lethal elbows his way out of a side headlock, but then takes a spinwheel kick. Richards headbutts him from the apron. Lethal throws Richards into the corner and dropkicks him to the floor. A suicide dive follows. He tries for an Ace Crusher on the apron. Richards blocks it and kicks Lethal back to the floor. Lethal ducks a chest kick and jumps up to successfully pull off his apron Ace Crusher. Back in the ring they throw kicks at one another, including the Alarm Clock from Richards and a superkick from Lethal. Lethal takes Richards down with a Lethal Combination and puts on a Koji Clutch. Richards puts his foot on the bottom ropes. Richards German suplexes him for two. Lethal slams him onto his face and chest. Richards and Lethal fight on the top rope. Richards superplexes Lethal, though lethal small packages Richards right after. Richards kicks out of that and blocks an O’Conner Rolls. He delivers his own Ace Crusher and a brainbuster. Lethal kicks out. Richards double stomps him and again Lethal kicks out. Richards applies the ankle lock. Lethal kicks him away. Richards kicks him in the chest. Lethal kicks out at one. Lethal throws two superkicks, one to the face and one to the chest. Richards kicks out of those. Lethal tries to sunset bomb Richards through the ringside table. When that fails, Lethal simply bicycle kicks him off the top rope which causes Richards to crash through the table. Richards comes back in. Lethal gives him the top rope elbow smash. Richards kicks out of that and a Dragon suplex that follows. Richards blocks the Lethal Injection and puts on an ankle lock. Lethal reverses it into a key lock parachute stretch. Richards turns him over into a Kondo Clutch. Lethal rolls forward to escape. He superkicks Richards in the back of the head before putting him down with the Lethal Injection. Richards kicks out! Lethal puts the Koji Clutch on right away. Richards’ arm drops three times, giving Lethal the win at 23:31. That was quite the spectacle. Richards and Lethal made this seem like a really important, hard fought bout. The finishing stretch had the fans buying into everything and peaked at the right time. I think this would have been even better had the Lethal Injection been the finish, but this was still one heck of a match. ****

Tadarius Thomas vs. Roderick Strong

Roderick Strong comes out in a sweater and jeans with Truth Martini. He’s not happy that he’s scheduled for a match that’s right after intermission. He officially quits the House of Truth. He plans to take a seat in the crowd, drink some beer, and watch Michael Elgin lose to Kevin Steen in the main event. Martini chases after him. The bell rings and referee Brian Gory starts counting. Martini stops the count and brings Rhino with him. He will be facing Thomas instead. Rhino does not look pleased by this as it caught him totally off guard and he is not fully in “work mode.”

Tadarius Thomas vs. Rhino

Thomas is not intimated by Rhino. Thomas kicks away a wristlock. He takes Rhino to the corner with some punches. Thomas sweeps out his legs which causes Rhino to roll out. He comes back in and gives Thomas a TKO for two. Martini tosses Rhino his wrist and hand tape to put on. He also uses the tape to choke Thomas. Martini kicks Thomas on the floor which Rhino does not approve of. Back in the ring Thomas backflip kicks Rhino in the face. With a little help from Martini, Rhino sneaks in a belly-to-belly suplex. Martini trips Thomas as Rhino sets up for the Gore. Rhino tells Martini off. He goes for the Gore and gets caught with a kick. Thomas gets in him in a Magistral Cradle for the pin at 5:55. Not much of a match. It was moreso angle driven, but still allowed Thomas to show off his unique style. After the match, Rhino tosses Martini into the barricades. That throw actually cut open Martini’s pants and his leg. Gross. **

ROH Television Championship
Adam Cole vs. Eddie Edwards

This match has a 30 minute time limit, unlike the usual 20 minute time limit most TV title matches have. Neither man can get control in the early going. They get in a double knuckle lock. Cole bridges Edwards to the mat. They hold onto the knuckle lock when Edwards monkey flips him. They trade various pin attempts to no avail. They each stop each other from locking on their signature submissions (Achilles Lock and figure four) in the process. Stereo dropkicks bring them back to square one. They go punch for chop. Edwards sends Cole to the floor. When he tries a suicide dive, Cole hits him with a jumping enzuigiri. Edwards kicks Cole back to the floor and successfully scores with a suicide dive this time around. They fight back in the ring. Cole enzuigiri’s Edwards and then slingshot DDT’s him onto the ring frame! He follows up with a Superfly Splash for two. He also gets two with a brainbuster across his knee. Edwards comes back with the Chin Checker. Cole sends him to the apron. Edwards ends up giving him a dragonscrew leg whip in the ropes. He double stomps Cole’s back for two, then turns him into the Achilles Lock. He kicks Cole’s head a few times. Cole kicks back and gets Edwards to release the hold. Cole puts on the figure four leg lock. Edwards escapes. Both guys fight on the ropes until they crash to the floor. Edwards goes for a lariat. Cole blocks it. Edwards superkicks him twice. Cole responds with a brainbuster across his knee and a superkick to the back of Edwards’ head. The Florida Key follows and gets him the pin at 19:09. The one thought I had watching this match was that everything came off extremely choreographed. Because of that, it was really tough to buy into anything they were doing. I won’t deny that the wrestling was good, but it was very “connect the dots” style and there was nothing to hold it together. ***

ROH World Tag Team Championship
S.C.U.M. (Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs) vs. The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe)

This is a rematch from “Boiling Point 2012” where The Briscoes defeated S.C.U.M. The Briscoes beat down S.C.U.M. right after the ring introductions. Mark follows Corino to the floor with a plancha. He suplexes Jacobs onto the ring apron. Corino whips Jay into the barricades twice. Mark does a Swanton off the apron onto Jacobs. He throws some Mongolian Chops while Corino jabs Jay in the stomach with a chair. He sets up the chair in the aisleway. Mark gives him a dropkick before it can be utilized. The Briscoes beat him down while Jacobs recovers. Corino catches Mark with the Colby Shock. Jacobs knocks Jay off the apron. Mark flips out of a double suplex and tags Jay in. He throws boots and punches. Mark tries to do an elbow drop from the second rope but Corino nails him with a fist full of coins. With Mark knocked out on the floor, Jay is left to be picked apart. Jay is able to block a punch from Corino and send him into the second turnbuckle with a Complete Shot. Mark is now recovered. Jay flips out of a suplex and tags him in. He throws Redneck Kung-Fu to take control. A Jon Woo dropkick on Jacobs gets him two. Corino breaks his pin after he hits an Iconoclasm. Jay tosses him to the floor. The Briscoes get two with the Sidewinder on Jacobs. Corino throws Jay into the barricades to stop he and Mark from giving Jacobs the Redneck Boogie. Jay drops Corino with some punches back in the ring. Jacobs catches him with a spear, then eats a missile dropkick from Mark. Punches are thrown from all four competitors. After assisting Jay with a Death Valley Driver, Mark hits the Froggy Bow on Jacobs for two. The Briscoes set up for the Doomsday Device. Corino shoves referee Paul Turner into the ropes to crotch Mark, then punts Jay in the crotch. Jacobs rolls Jay up for the pin at 13:58. I really don’t know what to say here. These guys produce similar matches whenever they’re with together, and it’s good, but never anything that really sticks out. ***

Kevin Steen comes out for the main event. He reveals that due to his negotiations with ROH management, Jay Lethal’s parents are banned from attending ROH live events and that as long as he is champion, Lethal will never get another title shot against him. In addition to that, the Package Piledriver has been unbanned. He promises that “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin will be broken. As promised earlier in the evening, Roderick Strong is in the front row drinking beer for this contest.

ROH World Championship
Kevin Steen vs. Michael Elgin

A mocking Code of Honor offer from Steen turns into a forearm exchange. Each guy remains steadfast from the others shoulder blocks. Elgin gives Steen a Bossman Slam, causing Steen to hit the floor. Elgin follows and ends up being thrown into the barricades. Steen chokes Elgin with a fans Canadian flag. Elgin then sends Steen into the barricades and chokes him with the flag. Back in the ring he impressively gets two with a delayed vertical suplex. Steen counteracts with a rope-assisted DDT and a powerbomb onto the ring apron. He then delivers a frog splash from the apron to the floor. Back in the ring he knees Elgin in the gut and sentons onto his back for two. Elgin gets up an elbow to block a corner attack. He evades an F-Cinq and delivers an enzuigiri. Another forearm exchange ensues. Steen holds the ropes to block a dropkick. He goes for a sharpshooter but Elgin kicks him away. Elgin delivers a rolling forearm to his neck before dropping him with a Blockbuster. Elgin counters a Package Piledriver attempt with an Air Raid Crash for two. Steen gets him down in the corner for a cannonball senton. He crotches Elgin on the top rope. He tries for a belly-to-back superplex and gets elbowed down. Elgin tries a tumbleweed Swanton but Steen gets his knees up. He drops down the top rope when Steen charges and follows him out with a twisting splash. Strong is not pleased at the fans next to him cheering for Elgin. Elgin drags Strong from the crowd, tosses him twice into the barricades, then to the backstage area. Elgin then powerbombs Steen into the ring post! The tumbleweed Swanton connects but Steen still manages to kick out. Elgin goes for another powerbomb. Steen trips him and puts on a sharpshooter. Elgin escapes. He puts on a crossface. Steen gets his foot on the ropes. They fight on the ring apron. Steen wants a sleeper suplex. Elgin instead runs off the apron and tosses both himself and Steen through the ringside table. They make it back in the ring before the twenty count. Steen powerbombs Elgin, almost onto his head, for two. Elgin reapplies the crossface after blocking another F-Cinq attempt. Steen rolls Elgin over for a two count. Elgin deadlifts Steen into a German suplex! Steen kicks out. Elgin holds onto Steen’s head so he can throw multiple knee strikes. Steen sneaks in a Code Breaker, but Elgin lariats him right after that. Elgin gives Steen a Buckle Bomb. Steen explodes out of the corner with a clothesline, leaving both he and Elgin laying on the mat. Elgin throws more knees. In mid-sequence, Steen picks him up for the F-Cinq. He hits hit and gets a two count. Elgin for the third time tries the crossface. Steen makes his way to the ropes. Elgin pulls Steen up. Steen swings around for a sleeper suplex. He drops Elgin with the Package Piledriver. Elgin kicks out! Steen is so angry that he shoves referee Todd Sinclair. Elgin rolls him up for two after Sinclair shoves him back. Steen hits a cannonball senton. However, Elgin catches him in his arms and lifts him up for a powerbomb. He Buckle Bombs Steen again before giving Steen his spinning piledriver for two. Elgin puts Steen up top. Steen is able to fight him off and hit a super Package Piledriver! That’s enough to get him the win at 31:30. That was maybe the fastest half hour I have ever experienced watching a match. Everything here was damn near perfect: the pacing, the emotion, the story, and the escalation of moves until the huge climax. The fans and commentators’ excitement was infectious and made for a terrific atmosphere. This definitely rivals Elgin and Richards’ match from “Showdown in the Sun” weekend. Must see stuff. ****1/2

As officials are helping Michael Elgin up, Roderick Strong runs out and gives Elgin a Sick Kick. At the same time, referee Paul Turner runs out with a box. He hands it to Nigel McGuinness after whispering to him. Nigel says that he was informed that he was instructed to personally deliver the box to Steen were he to retain the World title. Both Nigel and Steen look confused. Inside the box? El Generico’s mask. THINGS JUST GOT REAL FOLKS.

The 411: Unquestionably the best show ROH has done this year. The opening match, Lethal vs. Richards, and the main event make this an easy thumbs up and a must see show. I have a very good feeling about the overall product after watching it. You can and should 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.
411 Elite Award
Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]  legend

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