ROH The Homecoming: July 23, 2005, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ROH … The Homecoming … July 23, 2005 … Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Top 5

JZ says: I’ve been using the top 5 as voted on by the ROH message board. Board member Lonewolf runs the top 5, and he does a fabulous job. After each show (or double shot weekend), go to The ROH Message Board and vote for the top 5.

ROH WORLD CHAMPION: CM Punk (since 6.18.05)
ROH PURE CHAMPION: Samoa Joe (since 5.07.05)
1) Austin Aries
2) Homicide
3) Nigel McGuinness
4) AJ Styles
5) Roderick Strong

Intro

BG says: Christopher Daniels, still in possession of CM Punk’s ROH World Championship belt, starts the show off with a message for Punk. If Samoa Joe or Austin Aries still held the belt he would have gone through the usual channels to get an ROH title shot, but CM Punk keeps threatening to go to the WWE as the ROH champion. He’s not going to let that happen.

Alex Shelley knows that everyone is wondering who his partner is going to be against Austin Aries & Roderick Strong tonight. He could have gotten Chris Sabin or Petey Williams from ROH’s past. He could have gotten Rhino or Sabu, who are now in TNA with him. Or he could have brought in Charlie Haas, a person who was just out of the WWE at the time. But loose lips sink ships, and Shelley wants to float.

JZ says: Allison Danger opens the show, holding the ROH World Title. Christopher Daniels comes out to cut a promo on CM Punk, the actual holder of the title. His facial hair is especially bizarre here.

Alex Shelley is here to talk about who his mystery tag team partner will be tonight to oppose Austin Aries and Roderick Strong. He goes over possibilities for his partner and gives away a bunch of people that it won’t be. “Loose lips sink ships,” according to both Alex Shelley and his tee-shirt.

MATCH #1: Four Corner Survival Match – Azrieal vs. Spanky vs. Nigel McGuinness vs. Deranged

BG says: CM Punk joins Dave Prazak on commentary here. Azrieal and Deranged start the match and do their usual over-choreographed stuff. Deranged slaps Nigel early on so Nigel takes cheap shots on him throughout the match and hits him with the Tower of London. Punk talks about Nigel being an illegal alien who lays low by not crossing international borders, but I would think that being on TNA’s last national PPV would be a bad way to lay low. Azrieal works over Spanky’s leg and Nigel snap mares the leg into the bottom rope in a cool spot. Everyone stays on Spanky’s leg until Spanky hits Azrieal with a flatliner into the turnbuckle. Nigel kills Deranged with the rebound clothesline and knocks Cheech out for good measure. Everyone dives onto everyone on the floor and Lacey flips out on Deranged after he tries to use her as a shield. Spanky hits a superkick on Nigel, kind of negating all that leg work. He hits Sliced Bread #2 on Deranged for the win while Azrieal nonsensically keeps Nigel from making the save. The action was fine but some of the logic was way off here, and in the end nobody is ever going to remember that this match ever happened, which is my main problem with these four ways.
Rating: **1/2

JZ says: This is Spanky’s first match since he lost a World Title match to Austin Aries at New Frontiers. He has a goofy new haircut. CM Punk is on commentary! Score! Former Special K members Azrieal and Deranged start it off. Punk once again claims that tonight is his last night. The Special K kids do some stuff, which I understand is their specialty. Nigel and Spanky end up getting involved, naturally. They pretty much outclass Deranged and Azrieal. This match is pretty much plodding along, yet another in the seemingly endless series of four-way matches. This wasn’t the real opener by the way. El Generico beat Kevin Steen in a match that apparently wasn’t good enough to make the tape. Given my feelings on Steen, I find that humorous. Spanky hits the Sliced Bread #2 on Deranged to get the victory at 16:07. That was fine but ultimately pointless.
Rating: **3/4

Gary Michael Capetta in the Ring!

BG says: The Scoopster brings Prince Nana to the ring to tell him that ROH officials are fed up with the way he’s been treating Jade Chung. They have decided that he may not physically abuse her in any way, under penalty of the entire Embassy being fired. Nana says that he will abide by this rule, just as he abides by all ROH rules. He tells Jade that if she wants to leave the legacy that the Embassy is building she can leave the ring and go back to Thailand and he’ll buy her a first class ticket. Jade (with no accent) doesn’t want to go back to her shitty life in Thailand, and chooses to keep her shitty life in the United States. Killer Kruel comes out with a shroud and covers up Jade, punishing the fans for complaining about Nana’s treatment of her. Kruel also pulls a leash out of his ass that Nana puts on Jade so that he can pull her around without actually touching her. Bastard.

JZ says: GMC is here to talk about Prince Nana’s treatment of Jade Chung. He calls Nana’s actions “disgusting.” Nana’s jacket is one of the best things ever. GMC says that he can no longer abuse Jade, and the crowd actually boos this. If he does not adhere to this ruling, he and the entire Embassy will be fired. Nana explains how lousy things are for her in her homeland, to which she agrees, and thus decides to stay with the Embassy. Nana calls out Killer Kruel, who is carrying something. Nana says that Jade is no longer allowed to show her beautiful body to any of the fans. They cover her up and then Nana puts a leash on her. GMC tries to intervene, but he’s GMC so what the hell is he going to do? The crowd chants “asshole” to end the segment.

MATCH #2: ROH Tag Team Title Match – The Carnage Crew vs. BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs

BG says: After a strong title win, the Carnage Crew went on to have an abomination of a match in Ultimate Endurance. Whitmer and Jacobs attack them from behind before the bell. Loc throws Jacobs into the barricade and Whitmer does the same to DeVito. In the ring Loc hits a side suplex on Whitmer. Jacobs runs in and hits him with a flying forearm. He hits a series of jabs but DeVito runs in and tosses him into a powerbomb from Loc. DeVito hits a dropkick for 2. Loc tags in and hits a leg lariat as Punk ridicules the Crew for wearing T-shirts in the ring. DeVito tags in and puts on a chinlock but Jacobs fights out and walks into a uranage. It gets 2. Loc comes in and puts on the chinlock. He tags to DeVito and they hit a superplex/flying elbow combo for 2. Loc goes to the eyes and smacks the back. DeVito tags in and the Crew go for a Doomsday Device but Jacobs gets a victory roll for 2. Whitmer tags in and cleans house. He hits a northern lights suplex on Loc for 2. He powerbombs Jacobs onto DeVito for 2. Loc hits him with a neckbreaker and climbs to the top. He hits a senton and DeVito hits a moonsault. The Crew go for the Carnage Driver but Jacobs catches DeVito with a hurricanrana. He hits Loc with the Contra Code for 2. DeVito clotheslines him and sets him on the top turnbuckle. Whitmer runs in and the challengers hit the super Contra Code for the win and the titles. Not as good as their first match, but close, and it’s worth something that the tag belts are back where they should be.
Rating: **3/4

JZ says: The epic rematch two weeks in the making! It would have been nice to maybe get a little feud between these two teams, instead of just two simple matches. It would have been a good way for the Carnage Crew to have some good matches on their way out. Punk asks if Jacobs is wearing glitter lipstick. I find that very funny. Whitmer and Loc dance inside the ring, and Jacobs comes in to throw jabs at Loc. Punk continues to make fun of Jacobs, calling him a woman. He also mocks the Carnage Crew, for the same stuff that I would say about them. The Crew takes advantage of Jacobs’s small stature by isolating him from his partner. I know their shirts say “Fat, Drunk, and Pissed Off,” but Loc and Devito are really just disgusting. Jacobs makes the hot tag and Whitmer is a house-a-fire. Super Contra Code by the challengers earns them the victory at 9:22, making them the two time ROH Tag Team Champions. That was a solid if unspectacular match, but at least the titles are back where they belong. I can’t imagine what The Carnage Crew does after this.
Rating: **3/4

MATCH #3: Six Man War – Low Ki, Homicide & Ricky Reyes vs. Samoa Joe, James Gibson & Jay Lethal

BG says: Everyone brawls to start and the babyfaces clear the ring. Joe and Reyes get the match going and Reyes takes Joe to the mat. He puts on a headlock but Joe comes back with a shoulder block. Reyes hits a dropkick but runs into the STJoe. Gibson tags in and puts on an armbar. Ki tags in and hits a stiff kick to the thigh. He hits the Rising Kick but Gibson comes back with a takedown for 1. He hits a neckbreaker and tags to Lethal. Ki chickens out and tags to Reyes. They trade strikes and Lethal hits a back suplex for 2. He hits a snap suplex for 2. Joe tags in and hits a dropkick to Reyes’ face while Lethal holds him upside down in the corner. Joe hits the Big Joe Combo for 2. Gibson tags in and hits a legdrop for 2. He hits a backbreaker for 2. Reyes comes back with a belly-to-belly overhead suplex. Ki tags in and hits a snap mare for 2. Homicide tags in and puts on a chinlock. He hits a belly-to-belly suplex and tags to Reyes. Reyes hits a vertical suplex and a kneedrop. Homicide tags in and they trade forearms. Gibson hits a dropkick and tags to Lethal. Lethal hits dropkicks on Homicide and Reyes and scares Low Ki into the corner. Homicide catches him from behind and the match breaks down. Ki hits Lethal with a back elbow for 2 and tags to Reyes. Reyes hits a bodyslam and a kneedrop and tags to Homicide. Homicide chokes away with the referee distracted. He hits a T-bone suplex for 2. Lethal blocks a blind charge but Homicide catches him with an Ace Crusher from the second rope. Reyes tags in and hangs Lethal on the top rope. Ki tags in and does the same. He hits a stiff kick to the chest and Lethal falls to the floor. J-Train hits Lethal with the baseball bat on the floor and Reyes rolls him back into the ring. Homicide tags in and hits a dropkick to the face. He puts on a camel clutch and Ki kicks Lethal in the face. That was seriously sick, and Lethal rolls to the floor. Back in the ring Homicide gets 2. Lethal hits the running suplex and tags to Joe. Reyes tags in but Joe cleans house. He hits a powerslam on Reyes and sweeps Homicide’s legs. He dumps Reyes to the floor and hits a senton on Homicide for 2. Gibson tags in and hits a crossbody. He hits a back bodydrop and a front forearm. He hits a DDT and puts on a double arm submission. Ki breaks it up with the Tidal Krush but Lethal rushes in and beats Ki down. Joe and Reyes fight to the floor as Lethal hits Ki with a leg lariat. He hits a gut wrench suplex and a missile dropkick. Homicide cuts off the dragon suplex and he and Ki hold him for Reyes to hit a dropkick to the face. Homicide and Ki go for the Cop Stomp but Gibson cuts it off. He pushes Homicide into a Ki dive and beats on Ki in the corner. The Rottweilers get dumped to the floor and our heroes follow them out with suicide dives. Joe hits the Ole Kick on Homicide and rolls him to Gibson in the ring. Gibson goes for the tiger driver but is distracted by J-Train. A random Rottweiler slips Homicide a chain with which he clotheslines Gibson to pick up the win. That was one hell of a chaotic match, and it all worked. The Rottweilers actually gave a lot away there but still came out looking tough.
Rating: ***3/4

JZ says: There’s a lot of history between all six of these men. This would have been a nice match to have in the Trios Tournament. Ironically, Low Ki returned after a six man match featuring Joe and The Briscoe Brothers against Homicide, Reyes, and Rocky Romero just over a year ago. Punk says that everyone on the heel team has beaten Joe, though I’m not sure when Reyes did that. As one might expect, there’s a ton of offense in this one and a lot of hard-hitting. I’m sure Brad has it covered pretty well in the play-by-play. Homicide and Ki go for the double stomp/cop killa combo on Lethal, but Gibson breaks it up. This one has turned into a big pier-six brawl. The babyfaces hit simultaneous dives the outside. A new thug hands Homicide a chain and he wraps it around his arm and nails Gibson with a lariat to get the win at 23:33. That was pretty much non-stop action and balls-to-the-wall effort from everyone.
Rating: ***1/2

INTERMISSION

BG says: The Scoopster shills the issue of Entertainment Weekly that had a little blurb about ROH in it. He’s also with Lacey, who is really upset with Deranged. She’s so frustrated that she suspends him.

JZ says: GMC points out that ROH was mentioned in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. He’s with Lacey’s Angels, where Lacey is yelling at Deranged and Cheech. She suspends them.

MATCH #4: Alex Shelley & A Mystery Partner vs. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong

BG says: Alex Shelley comes to the ring for his match, and to reveal the only sane (Delirious is obviously not sane) person who’d team with him against Generation Next. He emphasizes the business aspect of the wrestling business, and promises us that he didn’t sell out, he bought in. That can only mean one thing, Alex Shelley has joined the Embassy. See, Shelley pissed off a lot of people when he was leading Generation Next, so when he got kicked out of the group nobody wanted to have anything to do with him. Meanwhile, Austin Aries turned down a spot in the Embassy, so the planets all aligned and we have this magical alliance.

So we get a pretty successful double turn here, as Shelley is back where he belongs as a heel and Strong and Aries have become default babyfaces, which is probably better for them. Eddie and Aries start and Eddie attacks him from behind. Aries hits the rebound elbow and tags to Strong. Strong chops away and tags to Aries. They hit the Hart Attack for 2. Strong tags in and hits a dropkick for 2. He puts on a full nelson leglock but Shelley breaks it up. Strong hits a bodyslam and tags to Aries. Aries comes in with a splash for 2 and hits an Asai moonsault for 2. He hits a hammerlock side slam for 2. Strong tags and gets hit with a neckbreaker for 2. Shelley tags in and hits a kneedrop. He hits the Skull Fucker and tags to Eddie. Eddie hits a vertical suplex but Strong chops him in the face and tags to Aries. Aries cleans house and hits the power drive elbow. He goes for the 450 splash but Shelley shoves him off into a German suplex for 2. Shelley tags in and the Embassy hit a double backdrop. Shelley puts on a cravat but Aries fight out. Shelley hits a neckbreaker and knocks Strong off the apron. Eddie makes a phantom tag and hits a pair of neckbreakers for 2. He hits a vertical suplex into a neckbreaker for 2. Shelley tags in and keeps Aries in his corner. Eddie tags in and hits a stiff kick to the back. He puts on a chinlock but Aries fights out. He tags to Shelley and they go for a Doomsday Device but Aries hits a hurricanrana on Eddie and Shelley misses the clothesline. Aries hits a roaring forearm on Shelley and tags to Strong. Strong hits a uranage backbreaker on Shelley and a capture backbreaker on Eddie. Shelley tags him with a superkick and hits the Golden Gate Swing. Eddie hits him with a moonsault for 2. Aries hits the corner elbow and the corner dropkick on Shelley for 2. Strong hits Shelley with the stiff kick and the half nelson backbreaker. Aries hits the 450 splash but Eddie makes the save at 2. Strong dives onto the Embassy on the floor as Rave sneaks in and beats on Aries with a chair. Aries gets the chair but Rave hits it into his face with the running knee and Shelley gets the 3 count. Another chaotic tag match that was nonstop fun from beginning to end. Shelley finally gets a win over Generation Next and kicks off a new chapter in his ROH career.
Rating: ***3/4

The Embassy continues to beat on Strong and Aries until AJ Styles makes the save. He tosses everyone out of the ring and demands Rave get in the ring. Rave is reluctant, but there’s only the main event left aside from this so he really has no choice.

JZ says: Shelley is getting some good face heat here. He starts cutting a promo about how trying to be a good guy was getting him nowhere. It’s hard to argue with that. Shelley says that wrestling is a business in which the main goal is to make money. He says that he didn’t sell out, but he bought in. The Embassy’s music hits, and Prince Nana, Jade Chung, Fast Eddie, Jimmy Rave, and Killer Kruel make their way to the ring. I love this music. That was the usual good promo from Shelley. Jimmy Rave welcomes Shelley to the Embassy. Apparently Fast Eddie is going to be Shelley’s partner. I would have rather had it be Kruel. That was a good turn for Shelley, but Fast Eddie as the mystery partner couldn’t be any more underwhelming. Jimmy Bower is replacing CM Punk on commentary here. This one is also very fast-paced with a lot of offense. Eddie almost kills Aries with a German suplex. They do some more wrestling stuff, and Rave sneaks into the ring and hits Aries with a chair. Then Aries grabs the chair just so that Rave can hit the running knee into it. Fast Eddie gets the pin at 12:52. That was reasonably fun but nothing special.
Rating: ***

MATCH #5: Street Fight – AJ Styles vs. Jimmy Rave

BG says: This is part one of the homecoming, as it’s AJ’s first time in ROH in Philly in over 16 months. They slug it out and AJ knocks Rave to the floor. He rams his head into the barricade repeatedly and tosses him into the crowd. They brawl around the building and AJ knocks Rave into the merchandise table. He stops short when Rave tries to run him into the barricade and hits a spear. Rave goes low and DDT’s AJ on a set up chair. He clotheslines him over the barricade back to ringside and rams his head into the barricade. Rave spends what I consider to be a little too much time using the barricades to hurt AJ before rolling him back into the ring. He grabs a chair but AJ blocks the shot. Styles trips over the chair and Rave hits him with the running knee. Nice. Styles rapidly headbutts him all over the ring and busts him open. They fight to the apron and AJ tries to legsweep Rave through a table on the floor. Rave blocks but Styles hits him with a back suplex through the table. Back in the ring he goes for the Styles Clash on a chair but Rave blocks and hits a back suplex onto it. He stomps AJ’s head onto the chair and sets it up. Styles comes back and busts Rave’s brain on the chair. Kruel and Eddie run in and Styles takes them out. He dives onto the Embassy on the floor and pops right back into the ring. Jade Chung tries to slap him but AJ blocks and gently shoves her out of the ring. He goes for the Styles Clash but Shelley runs in and hits him with the Shellshock allowing Rave to hit him with the Rave Clash for the win. The finish felt like a bit of a rip off, but the rest of the match was some fine beating and brawling. Strong and Aries try to save Styles after the match but get beaten down. Styles forms a reluctant alliance with Generation Next after the Embassy leave.
Rating: ***1/4

JZ says: The Embassy continue to beat down Aries and Strong, until AJ Styles comes out to make the save and to start his street fight against Rave. It’s a straight up fight from the get-go here. It’s got brawling on the outside of the ring, chair shots, blood, the whole nine yards. The chair is brought into play, and AJ hits a sick brainbuster right on it. This prompts Kruel and Eddie to come out, and AJ disposes of them. Jade tries to interfere, but AJ has mercy on her. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Alex Shelley runs in and nails him with the Shellshock. This allows Rave to hit the Rave Clash to get the win at 12:51. That was a nice stiff street fight. The crowd is unhappy with the scene in the ring. Roderick Strong comes out to try and even the odds. He gets beat down, and Aries limps out to try and even it up. It’s a huge brawl now, and the Embassy stands tall.
Rating: ***

MATCH #6: ROH World Title Match – CM Punk vs. Christopher Daniels

BG says: For all the history on this feud, check out this page, where ROH put together a nice little page on the whole thing. Punk stalls to start as it becomes very obvious what kind of match this is going to be. They lock up and Punk forces Daniels to the corner. He hits a cheap shot on the break and bails. Back in the ring they fight over a front facelock and Punk walks over Daniels on his way to the floor. Back in the ring Punk gets a takedown for 1 and bails again. Back in the ring Punk puts on a headlock and hits a shoulder block. Daniels gets a drop toehold and Punk bails. Back in the ring Punk puts on a hammerlock but Daniels reverses to one of his own. Daniels gets a roll up for 2 and puts on an armbar. Punk gets out with a legvice but Daniels escapes and goes back to the headlock. Punk gets a takedown and puts on his own headlock. Daniels fights out but Punk gets a backslide for 2. Daniels gets the headlock on and hits a clothesline. He hits a series of headbutts for 2. Punk runs him into the corner and rams his head to the mat for 2. He puts on the headlock and the crowd gets on his case. Daniels fights out so Punk kicks him in the face for 2. Daniels comes back with mounted punches but Punk hits him with a Manhattan drop. He goes to the second rope but Daniels catches him with his own Manhattan drop. They trade forearms and Daniels dodges a crossbody attempt. He hits a neckbreaker for 2. He stays on the neck and hits a back suplex. Punk tries to bail so Daniels works his neck over on the apron. He slingshots Punk into the bottom rope and hits a back bodydrop for 2. He hits a vertical suplex and the Arabian Press. He puts on the crossface but Punk makes it to the ropes. Punk bails so Daniels follows him out with a forearm. He hangs him up on, and repeatedly bangs his head onto the barricade. Back in the ring Daniels goes back to the headlock. Punk comes back with a knee to the gut but collapses due to the pain in his neck. He hits a stiff kick to the back and a falling headbutt. He wraps his legs around Daniels’ torso and rolls him back for a 2 count. Daniels fights out and Punk misses an elbow drop. Daniels misses an Arabian Press and Punk gets 2. He slugs away and tosses Daniels to the apron. He brings him back in the ring with a neckbreaker and stomps away.

At around the thirty minute mark Punk puts on an abdominal stretch. Daniels slips out and puts Punk in the hold. Punk hiptosses out but gets rolled up for 2. He rushes back with another knee to the gut. He hits a backbreaker for 2. He goes back to the abdominal stretch but Daniels fights out and hits a flatliner. He hits a pair of clotheslines and a springboard moonsault for 2. He hits a falcon arrow for 2. He mounts and punches Punk in the corner and rams his head into the exposed turnbuckle. Punk sneaks behind him and dumps him to the floor. He follows him out and works over his torso, ramming him chest first into the apron and the barricade. He rolls him back into the ring and chokes him with his boot. He hits a gutbuster and a senton for 2. He kicks at Daniels’ chest and hits a boot to the face for 2. He hits a headbutt to the gut and hurts his neck, but manages to put on his rope submission until the referee calls for the break. He goes back to the body scissors but Daniels chops out. Punk goes for a hurricanrana but Daniels reverses to a powerbomb for 2. He hits a back bodydrop and a dropkick. He hits a clothesline and the STO for 2. He hits an enziguiri for 2. Punk blocks the Angel’s Wings and hits Welcome to Chicago for 2. He hits the mule kick and a spear for 2. Daniels dodges the Pepsi Twist and hits a DVD for 2. He sets Punk on the top rope and hits a palm strike. He hits another but Punk fights him off and goes for a dropkick but he misses and knocks out the referee. Daniels hits a blue thunder bomb but nobody is around to make the count. Punk comes back with the Pepsi Twist but there’s still no referee. Daniels hits a uranage and the triple jump moonsault and Todd Sinclair runs out to make the 2 count. They fight to the top rope where Punk hits a superplex for 2. Daniels comes back with the Koji Clutch but Punk makes it to the ropes. Daniels unloads with headbutts but walks into a big boot. It gets 2 for Punk. He goes for a split legged moonsault but Daniels gets his knees up. Daniels goes to the top rope and hits a crossbody for 2. Punk goes for a pin fall with hits feet on the ropes but Daniels kicks out at 2. He goes for a roll up with a handful of tights but it only gets 2. He gets another roll up for 2. Daniels hits a uranage and the triple jump moonsault but can’t cover because of his hurting torso. Punk catches him with the Anaconda Vice but Daniels makes it to the ropes. Punk puts it back on but Daniels fights out and hits an armdrag. He gets a roll up for 2. He gets another for 2. Punk gets a backslide for 2. Punk blocks the Angel’s Wings and goes for a roll up. He tries to get his feet on the ropes but they’re too far away and Daniels reverses to the Angel’s Wings but can’t get the pin before the time limit expires.

Word around the rumor mill is that this went to a draw because Punk didn’t want to job the title to Daniels after he ditched ROH for TNA in 2004. That’s just a rumor mind you, but if it’s true then it explains the structure of the match. To get to that draw they used long and drawn out submission holds in between spurts of faster paced action, which didn’t make for the most exciting main event. Furthermore, it never really seemed like either man had proven to the other that they couldn’t be beaten, and neither man seemed to be deliberately drawing out the time limit at any point in the match, which draws a suspicion about just what happened that made the match go that long. The last five minutes of the match were really something special, with the finish being really strong despite it ending in a draw. All things considered, a solid match, but not one worth going out of your way for.
Rating: ***1/2

Punk attacks Allison Danger after the match and Daniels comes to her rescue. Punk gets the better of him until James Gibson makes the save. Punk lays Gibson and Daniels out with the title belt and beats on them until Joe hits the ring. He puts his bare feet to Punk and then chases him to the back as the show comes to a close.

JZ says: They show a few clips of some events leading up to this huge match. They start off real slow, like they might be going long or something. Daniels dominates early on, using his guile to take the advantage. They trade control back and forth, and the crowd is pretty well with them the whole way. They really want to see Punk lose the title. I think they want to see Punk lose it more than they want to see Daniels win it, which is a testament to how awesome of a heel Punk is. I’m sorry that I don’t have much to say about this match. It’s good stuff, but nothing amazing as yet. We’ve passed the half-hour mark in this one. Bobby Cruise announces that five minutes are left in the match, pretty much guaranteeing that this will be a time-limit draw. Daniels gets the Angel’s Wings with mere seconds to go, and Daniels’s pin attempt goes nowhere, as Punk has retained the title due to the 60:00 minute time limit expiring. Bower and Prazak are nervous about the state of the ROH Title, as they believe that this is Punk’s last show. Punk punches Allison Danger for no good reason, and he and Daniels continue their brawl. James Gibson comes out, but Punk hits him and Daniels with the title. The crowd chants for Joe, who comes out after Punk. Punk runs away. That was a really good match, but it didn’t feel that special. It was a build up to an epic match and what we got was just very good instead. Brad covers the reasons for why it was just very good really well, so re-read that if you must.
Rating: ***1/2

MVP

BG says: Alex Shelley for having a successful heel turn and turning Generation Next babyface in the process. He also shined in what could have been the best match of the night.

JZ says: Since nothing really blew me away on this show, I’m going to have to give it to CM Punk for the sixth time in a row. He did have a very good main event match with Daniels and had very entertaining commentary in the first half, so I think it’s justified.
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You can pick up this show, as well as all other ROH shows at ROH Wrestling Dot Com.

Coming soon will be our review of Redemption!

Have any thoughts, comments, or concerns? Like how we’re doing our reviews? Let us know!

E-mail Brad at [email protected]
E-mail Jacob at [email protected]

The 411: BG says: A very solid show with some important story line advancements. The Embassy versus Generation Next feud kicks off here, and Punk's title reign begins to wind down. There's a tag team title change as well as a solid if drawn out main event. I give this show a mild recommendation based on those factors and good wrestling all around. JZ says: This wasn’t a blow away show or anything, but every match on here is at least good-ish, are some are very good, so this gets an easy recommendation. There’s some good feud progression with Shelley and the Embassy fighting Generation Next, and all the uncertainty over the World Title. The summer of 2005 in ROH might be remembered as their best time.

Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]