Dark Pegasus Video Review: Ring of Honor – All-Star Extravaganza

Ring of Honor — All-Star Extravaganza (11.09.02)

From Philadelphia, Penn.

Your hosts are Jeff Gorman and Chris Levy.

In the back, Steve Corino tells Low Ki that Zero-One wants them to fight Tanaka and Otani tonight. Homicide, who was just chillin’ wants an explanation for last month’s doublecross and says Corino has a lot of balls showing up this month. Corino and Homicide get in each other’s faces and compare puro careers. Thankfully, they stop just short of whipping ’em out and measuring ’em. Low Ki tells everyone to chill.

In a rare miscalculation, the opening video package shows all the highlights from the show and spoils some key information.

Scramble Tag: Dixie & Joey Matthews (w/Izzy & Elax) vs. Divine Storm (w/Trinity) vs. The Maximos vs. Da Hit Squad.
The crowd is all over Joey Matthews before the match. I’m not sure if there’s a story behind it. Joey, btw, is replacing Izzy who’s injured. We don’t get a satisfactory explanation for why Matthews is with Special K, except for the fact we know they’re his source for bad “X.” Anyway, this is the usual scramble match, lucha train wreck. They bust out the OCTOPLEX (all 8 guys involved in a superplex/powerbomb/leg sweep off the top rope). Monsta Mack catches Joel Maximo going up and gives him a SUPER Fire Thunder Driver. Joey catches Jose Maximo with the reverse DDT, and the crowd HATES every fiber of his being! Quiet Storm sneaks in and hits Jose with a Spinal Shock, but Joel recovers and hits Storm with the Maximo Explosion (Axe Guillotine Driver). The Maximos start trading off German Suplexes and hit a moonsault/legdrop combo. Joey sneaks in and goes low on Jose. Dixie hits an elbow but winds up in there with the Da Hit Squad. They give him a figure-four/frogsplash combo. I remember when that would break your leg. Everyone makes the save, and the SAT powerbomb Quiet Storm into the turnbuckle, crotching Dixie on the top rope. SPANISH FLY ON DIXIE! That’s enough for the win at 10:12. Fun stuff, but all of the Joey stuff makes me feel like I’ve missed something between the last show and this one. ***

The Prophecy stands by in the back to re-introduce themselves. Samoa Joe is great here, trying to stay in character but cracking up at Simply Luscious’ ribbing of Xavier. Joe reminds Christopher Daniels that he’s just there because he’s being paid, not because he believes in the Prophecy.

#1 Contender’s Trophy Gauntlet:

This is to crown the first ever #1 contender, a title which serves much like the old NWA U.S. Title. The winner has to defend his #1 contendership just like a title until he receives his shot. Obviously, once he receives said shot, he forfeits the trophy. Of course, the whole thing stems from Xavier’s undeserved title win at “Unscripted.”

Gauntlet Match: Michael Shane vs. CM Punk.
CM Punk was signed by the WWE several months ago but has apparently been dogging it (and Maria Kanellis) since. He’s making his debut here after making a big name for himself in the Midwest. He’s already way over with the crowd. Mat stuff to start and Punk gets OLD SCHOOL with a ropewalk into a legdrop on Shane’s arm. He tries it again but Shane counters to a backdrop suplex. Shane grounds the match, drawing boos from the crowd (and also tipping me to the fact that he’ll be the one moving on). Shane spears Punk but winds up hurting his own arm. Punk pops up and dropkicks him in the arm, then hits a single-arm DDT and follows it up with a Senton on the arm. Sensing a pattern here? Shane catches him with a desperation enzuigiri for two. CM Punk goes for a split-legged moonsault, but Shane gets his knees up. Punk catches him with a jawbreaker but goes for a springboard crossbody, and Shane is able to hit him with the Superkick. The Picture-Perfect Elbow misses, and Punk gets two off the SHINING WIZARD! Punk rolls Shane up, but Shane rolls him over and grabs a handful of ropes for the win at 13:05. This was quite solid and not dependent on the crazy spots like a lot of other matches. Punk reluctantly shakes hands and storms out. **1/2

Gauntlet Match: Michael Shane vs. Paul London.
This has been an ongoing feud almost since the start of the promotion. Shane jumps on London right away, trying to gain some space to breathe after the last match. Shane whips him through the railing on the outside and gives him a BRAINBUSTER on the floor! Back in, Shane delivers a Canadian Backbreaker Drop for two. London takes a powerbomb but reverses a second to a sunset flip for two. Shane cuts off a comeback with a press gutbuster. London immediately clutches his ribs, rolling around on the ground in pain. The ref checks on London and decides to let the match go. Oh, but London was just faking, like Shane did a few months ago. He spikes Shane with a DDT and rolls through to a cover for the win at 4:38. Good but short. *1/4

Shane refuses to shake London’s hand because it was such a cheap win. He starts to walk out, but who should come through the curtain and block him but Tommy F’n Dreamer. Dreamer, of course, was in the WWE at the time just finishing up a minor push as “the guy who does sick stuff.” Dreamer cuts a promo about ECW being special and how RoH reminds him of that feeling. So, he’s not going to let Shane go without shaking hands. Shane shakes London’s hand but then suckers him with a clothesline. Dreamer waits for Shane to turn around and knocks him out with a DDT! Dreamer exits to “Man in the Box” as the crowd cheers him on. But the show must go on…

Gauntlet Match: Paul London vs. The Amazing Red.
Lots of the usual 90mph flippy-flop stuff to start from these two. Red hits London in the gut with a 718. London blocks a moonsault, but Red segues to a Tornado DDT on the floor! Red tries to follow up with a baseball slide, but London catches him and slings him into the guardrail. Back in, London drops Red with a Brainbuster DDT for two. Red hits him with a spinkick and then the step kick in the corner. They then go into a Crouching Tiger sequence ending with Red getting the Red Star Press for two. Red sets him up on top and delivers the SUPER HURACANRANA! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! It would have been a lot cooler if London didn’t have to compensate for Red’s lack of balance and height. London reverses a whip and hits the Rydeen Bomb and the SSP for the win at 5:44. Great moves (especially the Crouching Tiger sequence in the middle) but it lacked the intensity of the Shane match. *

Gauntlet Match: Paul London vs. American Dragon.
Dragon is just returning from New Japan, so he’s FEELIN’ IT! Both of these guys are graduates of the TWA, but Dragon was trained by Shawn Michaels while London was trained by Rudy Boy. They take it to the mat early, with Dragon dominating, of course. Dragon ties London in the ropes and peppers him with chops. London tries to fight back, but Dragon stiffs him goofy with a series of forearm uppercuts. London tries a moonsault, but Dragon catches him with a dropkick to the face. London just can’t get anything here, as Dragon is one step ahead every time. They trade forearms, and London gets a Tornado DDT to buy himself some time. The dropsault leads to a standing moonsault for two. London sets up for the SSP, but Dragon catches him and counters to a SUPERPLEX! ONE, TWO, THR-NO! London counters a Dragon suplex to a rollup, but Dragon hauls him up and finishes the move. That leads to Cattle Mutilation at 10:10. This felt a little like the Pegasus Kid vs. Great Sasuke match at the Super J-Cup 1994 with Dragon snapping off incredibly crisp and vicious moves while London tried to keep on top with the aerial stuff. In both cases, tight and grounded won out. Dragon will move on to face AJ Styles in the final match later in the show. **1/2

Six-Man Tag, RoH Tag Team Championship: Christopher Daniels, Donovan Morgan & Samoa Joe (w/Simply Luscious) vs. Low Ki, Doug Williams & Homicide.
All six guys rule the friggin’ world, rotating between themselves like some bizarre Volleyballocracy with a bicameral legislature made up of Kawada and Benoit. In other words, this should be good. The idea is silly, and thus fits right in line with the Prophecy. See, Ring of Honor didn’t give them two tag belt. Like in Japan, Daniels and Morgan were simply given a tag trophy that read “Prophecy.” Since there are more than two members of the Prophecy, Daniels decided they can defend them however they want. Hence, the six-man tag. The Prophecy offers a mock handshake and then get blitzed by the faces. Daniels narrowly ducks out of the way of a Low Ki buzzsaw kick meant to take his head off. Funny stuff follows as Joe blind tags himself in from Morgan so he can get a piece of Low Ki, so Daniels blind tags Joe and tags right back out to Morgan. Fine by me because Low Ki and Morgan start out with a nice alternating battle of matwork and stiff strikes. Low Ki gets a hanging armbar, but Morgan slings him aside. Williams and Joe go next, and it’s basically the same battle as Ki vs. Morgan only with the roles reversed. Daniels and Homicide go next, and it’s a little more of a faster-paced cruiserweight style. Daniels gets caught in the wrong corner, and all three faces take turns dismantling him. Williams locks Daniels and Morgan in a weird Gory Special/Half Crab, but Joe breaks it up with a boot to the face. That’s enough to turn the tide as the Prophecy takes over. Morgan gets two off a huracanrana. Now its Williams who’s getting taken apart. Daniels hits the uranage and Best Moonsault Ever for two, but Williams is able to tag Homicide. Homicide bursts in with a SUPER ACE CRUSHER on Daniels! Williams dives out on Morgan on the outside. Daniels sees them fighting and delivers an Arabian Moonsault. Homicide decides to even things up with a somersault plancha, but Daniels and Morgan catch him in mid-air. Low Ki sees them catch him and springboards into his own plancha, taking everyone out. Joe thinks about it for a bit before charging into a CORKSCREW PLANCHA! The crowd absolutely LOVES Joe. Back in, Morgan hits the Golden Gate Swing on Homicide, but Low Ki makes the save. Homicide locks Morgan in the STF, but Daniels comes off the top to save. Ki comes in and goes for the Ki Krusher on Daniels. Daniels avoids the Tidal Wave and takes him off the top with a super double-leg take down. Suddenly, everyone starts going for their finishers, which I won’t even bother trying to recap. Morgan saves Daniels from a Chaos Theory and hits another Golden Gate Swing. Homicide makes the save, but Joe comes in and gets STRONG STYLE on his ass! Homicide goes for a Cop Killa (Vertebreaker), but Joe stacks him up with a powerbomb and segues to the STF. He decides to really put Homicide out with the COQUINA CLUTCH! Low Ki tries to crawl in to save, but Morgan has his leg. Homicide passes out at 23:07. Great, great stuff. Very mid-nineties Michinoku Pro-ish by way of New Japan. Notice, though, that Joe was the one who saved the titles for the Prophecy. Joe is about to shake hands, but Daniels yanks him away and gets in his face. Man, that has good idea written all over it, doesn’t it? ****

Alexis Laree vs. Allison Danger (w/Mace)
See if this sounds familiar. Allison Danger professed her love for Laree (who you all know as Mickie James), but Laree took offense to it and refused her advances. Danger attacks Laree from behind and cowers. Laree slings her aside and hits a terrible baseball slide. Mace climbs on the apron but takes a forearm. Laree dives out on him from the top rope. We’re clipped to Allison hitting a chinlock neckbreaker and kissing Laree on the lips. Instead of finishing her, though, Allison slithers over her and stops to talk to Mace. Laree comes back with a spear and an Inverted DDT at 3:21. After the match, Mace attacks Laree from behind and hits a T-Bone on her. This was pretty bad, and you’d think Ring of Honor would differentiate themselves from the WWE by putting on good women’s matches. 1/4*

Bunkhouse Match: The Ring Crew Express vs. The Carnage Crew.
There are about four or five members of the ring crew, including Dunn and Marcos, but it doesn’t matter. Loc & Devito beat them down with their hubcaps. This is just legalized slaughter. The ring crew doesn’t even get a move in before the CC hit Marcos with a spiked piledriver off the second rope at 2:27. 1/2*

Gary Michael Capetta returns. Is he even invited, or is this like that episode of the Simpsons where Comic Book Guy can’t get Stan Lee out of his store? JT Smith, former member of the FBI, is his special guest. Joey Matthews and Special K interrupt, apparently while high, and start taunting Smith. Smith gets sick of him and fires away, but Special K outnumber him and beat him with a stick. A pair of unidentified guys make the save, but the Big Black Guy destroys them and shakes Smith’s hand. What?

Ring of Honor Championship: Xavier (w/Simply Luscious) vs. Jay Briscoe.
Jay Briscoe was supposed to be fed to Xavier at “Glory By Honor,” but Briscoe upset him with the Jaydriller in a non-title match. They take it to the mat early on with some decent give-and-take. The crowd gets on Xavier with an “AC Slater” chant. Xavier catches Briscoe with a spinkick that staggers him. Jay comes back with a Jaydriller attempt, but Xavier turtles and ducks out of the ring. Back in, the head back to the mat stuff for a bit before Briscoe busts out a huracanrana and a dropkick. Jay catches him trying to slip over and pancakes his face. Xavier is staggering, so Jay takes him to the floor with a Cactus Clothesline. Xavier whips Jay through the guardrails and rams him into the ringpost. Back in, Xavier splashes Jay against the ropes, but Jay comes back with a cannonball in the corner and a Sitout Gordbuster. Luscious pulls Jay to the floor, quelling his momentum. Xavier slingshots himself into a moonsault on Jay, then sets a chair against his head and boots it into him. Jay is busted open. Back in, Jay avoids a senton and goes for the Jaydriller, but Xavier slams him down with a Waterwheel Slam (Alabama Slam). Xavier sets Jay on top, but Jay counters with a SUPERPLEX! Xavier goes for the Pump-Handle Sl—no! Jay slips out and delivers a Death Valley Driver! A guillotine legdrop gets two. Xavier blocks another Jaydriller and tosses him aside with a Cobra Clutch Suplex. An Inverted Michinoku Driver gets two for Xavier. Xavier tries to finish with the X-Breaker, but Briscoe counters to a powerbomb and goes up. Luscious slips a chair in, forcing the ref to throw it out. That leaves him distracted while she sneaks up and crotches Jay on the top rope. Xavier recovers and hits the SUPER X-BREAKER (Rude Awakening) in the corner. That’s enough for the win at 20:48. Fans of the more up-tempo RoH style would probably hate this, but it was a solid main event-style match on par with your average WWE PPV title matches. After a string of supbar performances, Xavier looked right at home in the toned-down North American pro-style, which should make him a great heel for the Philly fans who prefer their state-of-the-art performances. ***1/4

Gauntlet Finals: American Dragon vs. AJ Styles.
AJ had already turned heel in TNA by this point, so he comes in a little cocky. Dragon takes it to the mat early on. By now, you should know that Dragon will likely keep it on the mat while AJ will want to break out the high spots. Styles manages to hang with Dragon on the mat, but Dragon is always one step ahead. AJ squirts out of his hold and nails Dragon with a dropkick. Dragon trips AJ up, sending him to the floor. AJ hurdles the guardrail and catches Dragon with a superkick. Back in, AJ hits a combo backbreaker into a gutbuster. They battle off a knucklelock, with Dragon unable to flip AJ over and unable to headbutt his way out, so he rolls to his back and wishbones AJ’s arm. Now, we get into the meat of the match as Dragon zeros in on that arm with everything he knows. Dragon is working considerably tighter here than when we last saw him. I suppose you can attribute that to his stint in New Japan. AJ rolls him into a chancery, but Dragon counters his Quebrada DDT to a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Dragon has somehow gotten busted open. AJ tries to throw an elbow, but Dragon returns the favor with a forearm that sends AJ through the ropes. AJ returns to the ring and drops Dragon with a brainbuster. AJ locks in an STF into a reverse neckbreaker, but Dragon ties him up and locks in the same hold, prompting the ref to rule the hold a stalemate and break it up. Dragon drops AJ with a snap DDT and a Diving Headbutt for two. AJ ducks a swing and gets a roundhouse kick, knocking Dragon’s messed up face into our living rooms. AJ tries to go aerial again, but Dragon crotches him and delivers a SUPER BACKDROP SUPLEX! AJ gets flipped all the way over on that one. ONE, TWO, THRE-foot on the ropes. Both guys trade strikes back and forth and take one another out with clotheslines. Now, they’re fighting from their knees! Dragon charges in the corner, but AJ blocks. QUEBRADA DDT! ONE, TWO, THR-NO! STYLES CLASH! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Dragon reverses to the DRAGON SUPLEX! ONE, TWO, TH-NO! CATTLE MUTILATION! Dragon feels it slipping and rolls back over into a pin. It only gets two. Dragon goes up, but AJ catches him and pulls him off. Dragon is still holding onto the ropes, so AJ starts ramming the crown of Dragon’s head right into the turnbuckle over and over again. This is just sick, and I love it. Dragon finally has to let go, and AJ drops him on his head with a powerbomb. That knocks Dragon loopy enough for AJ to hit the Styles Clash for the win at 22:30. This was another case of two guys who didn’t have to pull out the crazy, headdropping, dangerous moves to get the match over. They were content to work the mat and stiff the hell out of one another with forearms and elbows. Yet another Match of the Year Candidate, and I’d say the best non-gimmick one-on-one match of 2002. AJ becomes your #1 contender, but before he can face Xavier, he has to get past Christopher Daniels next week. Dragon shows class by presenting the trophy to AJ himself. ****1/2

In the back, the Prophecy attacks American Dragon as he goes through the curtain. They run down and triple team AJ, hoping to soften him up, but Jay Briscoe and American Dragon storm the ring to make the save.

Zero-One Main Event: Steve Corino & Low Ki (w/Samoa Joe) vs. Shinjiro Otani & Masato Tanaka.
You might remember Tanaka from FMW and ECW. Otani is probably the biggest dickhead in the world, and I mean that in a good way. Last time I remember him in the States is in Starrcade 1995. He’s bulked up significantly since then. Tanaka and Low Ki start, exchanging some pretty good counter wrestling as the announcers hype Konnan coming to town. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Otani locks Ki in the tree-of-woe and dropkicks him in the face. Corino tags in and chops away, but Tanaka pummels him in the corner. The gaijin doubleteam Tanaka. Otani tags in and tries to bite Corino’s fingers off. He busts out the foot scrapes and corner kick. No doubt there’s someone out there saying, “Hey, he ripped off Samoa Joe!” Corino avoids a corner kick and tags Low Ki. Ki gets the Hanging Dragon on Otani. TIDAL CRUSH on Tanaka! ONE, TWO, THR-NO! He tries another, but Tanaka friggin’ SPEARS him. Corino runs in, but Tanaka hits one man with a DDT and the other with an Ace Crusher. Tanaka hits Ki with a suplex into an Ace Crusher! The Japanese bust out dueling Tornado DDTs on Corino. Corino catches Otani with the Exploder and an Old School Expulsion for two. Corino drops Otani yet again with a Northern Lights Bomb, but his and Ki’s doubleteam goes awry. SPIRAL BOMB BY OTANI! That’s enough for the win at 15:30. Not what you’d call “epic,” but a nice dessert for the Styles/Dragon main course. ***1/4

In the back, Da Hit Squad finds Homicide sharpening his fork. Homicide has a meltdown because of Corino’s selfishness last month. The cameras follow him through the back as he takes his fork and stabs Corino’s eye out!

The 411: Very close to a perfect card from RoH. This even surpasses "Round Robin Challenge" as Ring of Honor's best show of the year. Not only are many of the matches "very good" to "great," but they are put in the right order with the right people going over in the right places. Very high recommendation for "Ring of Honor — All-Star Extravaganza."
Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]