Dark Pegasus Video Review: Ring of Honor – Night of the Butcher

Ring of Honor — Night of the Butcher (12.07.02)

From Philadelphia, Penn.

Your hosts are Jeff Gorman and Chris Levy.

In the locker room, Divine Storm and Trinity catch up with Da Hit Squad and ask them if they want to go spar as a warm-up. Special K waits until they’re gone and uses the empty locker room as their rave space.

Elsewhere, Michael Shane talks about how great the Code of Honor is. After all, he gets off on humiliating his opponents — opponents like tonight’s Jeremy Lopez. He bitches about the cliques in Ring of Honor and how he has to associate himself with some winners (goodbye, Biohazard, ya loser).

Da Squad and Divine Storm come back to the locker room and find Special K using their locker room for an orgy. Special K clears out before their buzz wears off.

Opening Match: Michael Shane vs. Jeremy Lopez.
Lopez dominates early with a wristlock and then a front facelock. Shane tries to walk up the ropes to counter a Full Nelson, so Lopez just drops him on the mat. Shane complains to the ref and then grabs a dogged headlock. They do the Jeff Jarrett spot where Lopez whips Shane into the corner, and Shane tries to slip over him, but Lopez stops and gives him a Roaring Elbow. Shane goes to the eyes to take over and slows the match down with a chinlock. Lopez gets a nice Crucifix into a Crippler Crossface, but Shane is in the ropes. We’re clipped ahead to Shane hitting a Canadian Backbreaker Drop (Derailer) for two. Lopez comes back with a Tornado Kobashi Driver into a Tiger Bomb. Nice. Shane avoids a Handcuffed Impaler and hits Sweet Chin Music. Lopez breaks up the Picture Perfect Elbow, but Shane shoves him off and hits the PPE for the win at 10:50. Okayish opener. Nothing too exciting. Just solid. **

Colt Cabana vs. CM Punk
These two guys are like Flair-Steamboat in terms of times they’ve faced each other. This is the in-ring debut for Cabana. He’s trying to prove himself because Punk is always the one who gets the press. Punk started out a few shows ago with a loss to Michael Shane. They do a bunch of armdragging to start. Punk ropewalks from one corner to another and drops the arm across the top rope. Show off. Punk goes to work on the arm, slingshotting himself into a Senton on the arm. He gets a Facewash in the corner, but Cabana clotheslines him over the top and quebradas out on top of him. Back in, Cabana gets two off a frogsplash. Cabana pushes off the ropes into a snap suplex. Punk goes for a standing Pepsi Plunge (Pepsi Free?), but Cabana backdrops out. He catches Punk in mid-air and counters to a Fisherman’s Exploder. Cabana knocks Punk out with a Midwestern Lariat. Punk comes out of nowhere with a Dark Frankensteiner (like a huracanrana only from behind). Cabana tries a Roaring Elbow, but Punk blocks with a dropkick. SHINING WIZARD BY PUNK! It only gets two. Punk slips out of the Colt .45 twice, but Cabana finally gets it for the upset win at 12:29. It was too exhibitiony in the opening and then Punk’s arm work was ignored for the rest of the match. **3/4

After the match, Gary Michael Capetta gets in the ring and says the two will have a rematch at Final Battle. Winner will get a contract with RoH. Punk says if he wins, he’ll still ride with Cabana. Cabana is like “screw that, I’m flying in.”

#1 Contender’s Tournament: Paul London vs. EZ Money.
Because AJ is using his title shot tonight, he gives up the #1 contender’s trophy, so we get this little four-man tournament to crown a new #1 contender. EZ Money was a mainstay in ECW and had a brief run at the end of WCW before they went under. Lots of RVD/Lynn flippy flop to start, but it looks like their timing is off. Money gets a Pendulum Rock, but London blocks a hiptoss. Money slingshots into a lariat (the Money Clip). Money misses a charge to the corner and crotches himself, so London dropkicks him in the back. Money bails to the floor, so London comes off the top with a somersault plancha. Back in, the dropsault gets two. The Saving Grace gets two for money. London tries a sunset flip, but Money blocks into the EZ Driver (Axe Guillotine Driver into a cover). Money does the Terry Funk-sell off an enzuigiri, but he avoids a moonsault. HANDSPRING ELBOW BY MONEY! Money blocks a spinning wheel kick and counters to the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. London slips over his shoulder, though, and hits the Legsweep DDT for the out-of-nowhere win at 7:27. Outside of a few spots, it felt like EZ Money dominated this bout. London’s offense kept getting reversed time after time down the stretch. Booking him to hit a flukish move for the win lets him maintain his underdog popularity and puts EZ Money over as a potential player as well. **

#1 Contender’s Tournament: “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Chad Collyer.
Now *this* should be good. Danielson was one of the best wrestlers in the world at this point (and still is). Collyer is another Dean Malenko trainee. The odd thing is, though, that Collyer looks and moves just like Malenko. In fact, I’d say Chris Benoit is to Dynamite Kid as Chad Collyer is to Dean Malenko. They start out with, what else, mat wrestling. Quite literally, these guys exchange counters with no one gaining a clear advantage for about six minutes. Danielson can’t quite power out of a keylock, so they roll to the floor for a quick brawl before Collyer shoves him back in. Dragon seems to mess up his knee on a Butterfly Suplex, so he rolls to the outside for a brief respite. Of course, once he gets back in, Collyer goes to work on the knee in pure Dean Malenko jackal-like style. Danielson blocks a single leg crab, so Collyer changes up to a side figure-four. Danielson tosses Collyer into the corner and moves in on him, but Collyer kicks him in the knee. Danielson comes back with a backdrop and clothesline. He makes the mistake of kneeing Collyer in the gut and hurting himself. Collyer blocks a Victory Roll and drops Danielson on his face. Danielson desperately counters the Texas Cloverleaf to a small package for two, but Collyer powerbombs him and gets the hold for real a few seconds later. Danielson makes the ropes. They fight on top, and Danielson pushes Collyer off. The Dragon Suplex finishes moments later at 19:33. This felt a lot like the London/Money match with Collyer dominating in the last ten minutes only to have Danielson hit his finisher. I’ve heard this generously labeled a MOTYC by some, but it doesn’t quite rise to that level. It did feature some good matwork in the beginning and smart legwork by Collyer, but it was really just more of a showcase match to introduce Chad and move American Dragon on to the finals. It did make me miss Dean Malenko, though. ***1/2

#1 Contender Scramble Tag: Joey Matthews & Deranged (w/Izzy, Angel Dust, Dixie) vs. Jay Briscoe & The Amazing Red vs. The Spanish Announce Team vs. Da Hit Squad.
Joey Matthews (Mercury) and Deranged are representing Special K as the announcers once again call them a bunch of ravers living off their parents. I think we get the point after the eight or ninth show. Briscoe and Jose Maximo start out in a surprisingly grounded match until Maximo fires off a springboard rana and a hanging crucifix. Matthews and Monsta Mack go next, with Joey foolishly mocking him. Deranged tags in and flips off Mafia instead of shaking his hand. Mafia no-sells everything and gives Deranged a Chimeraplex. Matthews pulls him out, and Deranged talks trash. Joel and Amazing Red go next, and now we hit the fast-paced spots. Special K trips up Joel from the outside, so Trinity comes down and tries to keep them from interfering. Instead, Angel Dust and Izzy jump her and give her a Snake Eyes on the ring railing. Angel Dust drags her to the back. Back in, the Maximos bust out a *sick* Reverse Pendulum hold into a slingshot legdrop. Briscoe tags in and hits a really nice dropkick on Jose. He and Red team up for a Doomsday Flatliner, which is an awkward spot. Briscoe and Mafia slug it out. Both members of Special K try to break it up, but they get taken out, and Jay and Mafia go back to what they were doing. Red comes in and goes for a huracanrana, but Monsta Mack powerbombs him onto Jay who was tied in the tree-of-woe. We head to the conclusion as everyone gets knocked to the floor. Red waits for Deranged to go up to the top and superplexes him onto the pile of brawlers below. That’s different. Mafia nearly takes out an eight year-old kid with his tope. Back in, Mafia misses a Frogsplash Headbutt. Jay misses the top-rope senton. Jose misses a top-rope senton. Deranged mocks the Hardy Boyz and misses a Swanton. Joe misses a rolling senton off the top. Red misses a frogsplash. That just leaves Joey, who misses a Lawler fistdrop. Funny stuff. Monsta Mack becomes the first person to hit one as he squashes Joey with a Frogsplash and drops him on his head with an Orange Crush. Deranged comes back with a nice Tornado DDT on Mafia. Jay lifts Deranged up for the Jaydriller, but Mafia spears them both! Cool. Joel blocks the 718 from Red, but Red counters to an F5! Even the announcers are laughing at that one. Jose grabs Red and hits ROLLING PILEDRIVERS! Okay, I have specifically never seen that before. Joel hits the Firestarter on Joey, and the SAT locks in the Taffy Machine on both members of Special K for the submission (in a Scramble Match!) at 23:33. Some wild, innovative stuff here, and some awkward stuff. Mostly entertaining, though. After the match, the Unidentified Black Man comes through the crowd and beats up the referee. ***

Highlights of the TV taping as Paul E. Normous beats Mace Mendoza. How is “Paul E. Normous” any better than “Hugh G. Rection” or “Isaac Yankem, DDS?” Besides, he looks like Test and Kevin Federline had a kid. We also have Dunn threatening to rock Danielson like a hurricane (kickass Dokken shirt, btw). Instead, it is Danielson who brings on the heartbreak with Cattle Mutilation. Later, London powerbombs the crap out of Angeldust to pick up a win. Da Hit Squad brings more violence against the Outkast Killaz. Sorry, Miss Jackson. AJ Styles beats Jimmy Rave after what looks like a really good match. After the match, Mark Briscoe and Xavier attack AJ and lay in the beatdown. Danielson and London make the save.

Divine Storm vs. Jeff Starr & Shockwave.
Has Shockwave ever taken on Seth Skyfire? If not, they should. I’m personally waiting for Jimmy Megatron. Indy wrestlers, if you’re reading this, you will make a ton of money if you change your name to Jimmy Megatron. This is a tryout match for Starr and Shockwave. Divine Storm kick the ever-loving hell out of them early on, including Divine getting a Tarantula Crossface on Shockwave. Divine gets a Top Rope DDT on Starr, but Shockwave makes the save and hits an Ace Crusher. Quiet Storm comes in and finishes Shockwave with a Spinal Shock (Widow’s Peak) and a Storm Cradle Driver at 3:40. 1/2*

They then work a “shoot” angle where C.W. Anderson runs in and destroys Starr and Shockwave. Anderson announces he is back in Ring of Honor after being fired. By way of explanation, C.W. actually appeared on “Round Robin Challenge” in a match that is excised from the Takedown Masters DVD where he turned on Elax and was fired for no-showing and heading to Japan. He calls out booker Gabe Sapolsky for burying him on internet commentary. Da Hit Squad and Joey Matthews come down to escort C.W. out of the building. Normally, I’d be against a non-performer booker putting himself in angles (Russo/Ferrara, Rob Black), but in this case it was in order to show Anderson has a big problem with Ring of Honor. Hmm, if only there was a group he could join.

#1 Contender’s Trophy Finals: Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London.
These two also faced off in the original #1 Contender’s Gauntlet, but that was after London had already wrestled twice. They exchange chops early and get in each others faces. After trading counters, they start slapping each other in the face. Ooh, things are getting chippy. Danielson rides London down and forearms him in the side of the head. London outquicks him, so Danielson gets pissed off and lays in the chops to the chest. London just collapses after about ten of them, so Danielson drags him up into an Abdominal Stretch. London armdrags him away and hits a pair of dropsaults. London starts to build momentum, but Dragon catches him with a Straitjacket Suplex. Dragon hits a Diving Headbutt for two, but London ducks a Roaring Elbow and drops Danielson with a neckbreaker. To the outside, Danielson breaks up an Asai Moonsault with a superkick. Back in, they chop it out from their knees, and London gets a 3/4-Nelson rollup for two. Danielson catches London going up and gives him a SUPER BACKDROP SUPLEX! Danielson apparently reaggravates the knee injury from the earlier match. He still gets Cattle Mutilation, but London is able to squirm his foot over to the ropes. Dragon tries another Super Backdrop Suplex, but London elbows out of it. SHOOTING STAR PRESS! London picks up the win and the #1 contender’s trophy at 18:40. This is the usual London formula — he gets the crap kicked out of him in between highspots then desperately hits his finisher. After the match, London calls Danielson the best wrestler in the business and wishes that they could have two #1 contender trophies. Danielson says London had more heart than he did. London says it’s between him and AC Slater now. ***3/4

Ring of Honor Championship: Xavier (w/Simply Luscious) vs. AJ Styles (w/Alexis Laree).
Xavier nearly slaps the gum out of AJ’s mouth, but AJ catches it. He’s tough. He’s a wrestler. AJ waits for him to turn his back and then attacks him from behind. AJ hits the Styles Clash twenty seconds in, but Luscious puts Xavier’s foot on the ropes. Luscious gets in the ring and yells at AJ, so Alexis jumps in and gives her a reverse DDT. Mark Briscoe comes down and helps Luscious to the back. Things finally calm down, and Xavier takes it to the mat with a headlock. Xavier tries a bulldog by climbing the ropes, but AJ gives him a sick backdrop and dropkicks him to the floor. Back in, Xavier blocks a spinkick and reverses to a backdrop for two. Back to the floor, Xavier jaws with the fans, so AJ hits him with an enzuigiri and a running dropkick. AJ catches Xavier on top and gives him a superplex. They tease a double countout before chopping it out. AJ blocks Kiss Your X Goodbye and hits the Quebrada DDT for two. Xavier blocks the Styles Clash and counters to a Waterwheel Slam (Alabama Slam) for two. They go into the sunset flip/roll series of covers. Xavier stays on top by spearing AJ in the corner. AJ blocks another Waterwheel Slam and counters to a piledriver for two. Xavier finally does hit Kiss Your X Goodbye, but it only gets two. Xavier tries another one of his finishers — in this case, the 450-splash — but AJ avoids and superkicks him. They battle on the top, and AJ hits the SUPER STYLES CLASH! AJ hurts his knee, so he can’t cover immediately. ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Xavier gets his hand on the ropes. Xavier dropkicks AJ in the knee and rolls him up with the Figure-Four Jackknife for the win at 17:06. Fans are not impressed. The booking was smart as Xavier’s more conservative pro-style counteracted AJ’s up-tempo style, and he just waited for AJ to slip up and make a mistake, which AJ did with the Styles Clash off the top. If anyone ever wondered how AJ would work in the “WWE Style,” this is a good example. ***1/2

Bunkhouse Match: Abdullah the Butcher & Homicide vs. The Carnage Crew.
And we take a 180-degree turn. The story goes that the CC’s HC Loc was a referee at “The Era of Honor Begins” and disqualified Homicide’s tag team, the Natural Born Sinners. The CC attacked the Sinners backstage and ended Boogalou’s career, so Homicide is out for revenge. Abby looks horrible here. I guess I don’t have to tell you this is just a bunch of chaotic mess. Forks, hubcaps, chairs, chains, tables — they all get involved. We get a close-up of Abby forking Loc above the eye and Loc screaming like a bitch. This is pretty sick. Homicide tries to tope Loc against a table, but Loc moves out of the way, sending Homicide crashing into the table. Loc slips out of the Cop Killa and hits a Backdrop Suplex. Loc hits Abby with a chair, but Abby just swats it away and stabs Loc in the head with the fork again. Homicide finishes Loc with the Cop Killa at 9:19. After the match, Homicide strangles Loc with a piece of rope and claims he’s going to kill him over the house mic. The ring crew runs in to save Loc’s life, but Homicide and Abby fight them off. Da Hit Squad runs down and actually helps Abby and Homicide beat back the ring crew. By now, Loc and Devito have gotten the hell out of there. Abby freaks me the hell out by stabbing a random person in the face with his fork; then he goes to the entrance area, sits in a chair and stares straight ahead. If you’re into the whole carnage for carnage’s sake, this is the match for you. I’m not, so this gets *1/2.

In the back, Homicide says he proved himself the king of the Bunkhouse Match, next month he’s going to prove himself the king of Strong Style.

Elsewhere, Loc and Devito shrug off their injuries and talk about how stupid Abby and Homicide are. Loc tells us that brawl was their idea of fun and runs down internet “smarts.” Wow, how fuckin’ original guys. “YOUR LOCAL SPORTS TEAM DOESN’T WIN OFTEN!” “I DON’T LIKE AMERICA!” “YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL FAT!” “PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET ARE LAME!” “WHY DON’T YOU PAY YOUR TAXES!” Cheap heat is cheap heat, fellas.

We catch up with Cabana and Punk in the car. Cabana has an unfortunate case of motormouth, pissing off Punk to no end. Punk gets out of the car in the middle of downtown Philly and tells Cabana to drive himself back home. Cabana was pretty funny here.

Christopher Daniels and Donovan Morgan stand by with Simply Luscious to run down the Maximos. The Prophecy is upset that they have to face unworthy challengers like the SAT. Luscious, who apparently doesn’t get the idea of confident promos, wonders what will happen when the SAT bust out their creative moves.

The 411: The usual problems that crop up with an indy promotion are evident here as Low Ki, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels and Steve Corino's other commitments mean they're MIA. As a result, it felt a little like a "No Way Out" show ("just get us to WrestleMania"). The influx of new talent (Cabana, Punk, Collyer, Money) looked good, but RoH was forced to put many of their angles on the back burner. The action was good, for the most part, with only the Bunkhouse Match and the Divine Storm squash falling below the "average" marker. There was just nothing that really stood out, and the crowd was dead most of the way, possibly due to weather. Very mild thumbs down.

Final Score:  5.0   [ Not So Good ]