It's the night after "Joe vs. Kobashi," and Kobashi is no big hurry to leave, so we get a dream tag match in the main event. Yay us!
Not only do we get a huge main event, but ROH will also be announcing their first ever commissioner.
October 2, 2005
From Philadelphia, Penn.
Your hosts are Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard.
A frustrated Prince Nana feels betrayed by Jade Chung just because she didn't want to crawl around like a dog and act as a footstool for a glorified jobber.
THE Claudio Castagnoli brags about what an asset he is to ROH. It would be a lot more convincing if his tie wasn't crooked.
Opening Match, ROH Tag Titles: Tony Mamaluke & Sal Rinauro vs. Dunn & Marcos.
Mamaluke and Rinauro won the titles the previous night from BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs. That turned out to be a mistake, not so much from a wrestling standpoint because Mamaluke and Rinauro are just fine, but from a booking standpoint because Whitmer and Jacobs were over while Mamaluke and Rinauro weren't. See, now these guys should be called "Milano Collection." This feels a bit like those old Rockers vs. Rougeaux matches with lots of cool doubleteams and athletic spots. I know "Kevin Dunn" and "athletic" in the same sentence probably seems foreign to you, but it works. Marcos plays face-in-peril for most of the match. Dunn gets the hot tag, and the match breaks down pretty quickly. The RCE do a do-si-do into a double schoolboy for two. The Electric Chair Senton gets two before Mamaluke makes the save. The Italians finish with the double Electric Chair drop at 4:04. Not as bad as rumored, but it was too short and the finish was badly botched. *3/4
Jade Chung complains about how she's was treated by the Embassy. Now it's payback time!
Four-way Survival: Nigel McGuinness vs. Jay Lethal vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Davey Andrews.
Nigel's Pure Title is not on the line. Nigel and CC start out, which makes sense because they both have similar styles (of wrestling, not personality). They start with the human chess game of counter moves before Lethal and Andrews come in. Lethal starts hitting everyone with chops as it turns into a comedy match. Lethal cleans house on everyone and moonsaults all three of the other guys. TONIGHT…WE'RE PLAYING BY JAY LETHAL'S RULES! They all catch him on a tope, but Lethal armdrags Claudio to the barrier. It's "team up on the black guy" time as Nigel, Davey and Claudio make nice and triple-team Lethal. Claudio gets a delayed inverted suplex, holding Lethal up for a near 30-count. Davey comes in with a delayed bodyslam. Yeah, that's why he's a rookie. Claudio and Nigel get into a shoving match that carries over to the apron and then to the floor. Pretty funny, actually. That allows Lethal to come back on Davey with a diving chop. Claudio takes the starch out of him with a springboard uppercut, though. Davey hits the Eye of the Hurricane but gets dropped on his head on a Dragon Suplex at 9:53. Claudio and Nigel were a lot of fun in this one, setting up their feud later on. Andrews was just there because they didn't want to job anyone else out, but he made a pretty good Barry Horowitz. **3/4
Matt Sydal vs. Jimmy Rave (w/Prince Nana).
This is an extension of the GenNext/Embassy feud. Sydal is GenNext's newest member, but he's comparatively low on the food chain. These two faced off at "The Final Showdown," in a kind of tangential feud as Sydal's partner, Fast Eddie, turned on him and joined the Embassy. Sydal was just a bit player, then, so he's much more of a threat now. They trade armbars early before Sydal says "to hell with it" and busts out the highspots with a moonsault onto Rave and Nana. Back in, Rave reverses a whip to a backdrop suplex. Rave takes over on offense. He hits a spinning neckbreaker and then locks in a Full Nelson just to piss off the fans. You know, Matt Sydal is probably the one guy who could realistically fight from underneath against Rave without any kind of shenanigans. He comes back with a spinning front kick. He gets two off the Here It Is Driver (Pump-handle Michinoku Driver). He goes up for something, but Rave spears him on the way down for two. Sydal counters Ghanarrhea but takes a brainbuster. Nana thinks that should be it and argues with the referee. Rave unlaces his boot, preparing to strangle Sydal, but Jade Chung runs in from the audience and takes the lace away from him. Rave is so shocked that Sydal is able to roll him up at 10:03. Hate the finish. Hate it with all of my soul, and it's the third time in two nights that they've used it. **1/2
Ricky Reyes (w/Julius Smokes) vs. Derrick Dempsey.
Dempsey looks like Curt Hennig and Van Hammer had a kid. Either that or Sammy Hagar. Whichever you prefer. Reyes hits him with the sitout spiral bomb and finishes with the Dragon Sleeper at 0:28. 1/4*
Actually, the match just served to set up the next segment. Bobby Dempsey comes out and says (with all the acting talent of a third-string porno actor), "I-I-I think you killed him…line!" Okay, he actually calls for an undertaker. Of course, that brings out…Paul Bearer. Bearer says he's not an undertaker, but he's the new commissioner. *Groan* That brings out Jim Cornette to put over Ring of Honor and the old school of wrestling. He gets Bearer to forsake the sports entertainment gimmick and return to "Percy Pringle." Corny corrects Percy and announces he is the new commissioner. His first act is to ban Julius Smokes from ringside during the main event. Bearer/Pringle was just there to hype his shoot interview, and his involvement here was pretty cheesy. I get the idea of separating yourself from sports entertainment, but Percy is even more over-the-top than Bearer, so it didn't come off as well as they probably hoped.
James Gibson (w/BJ Whitmer) vs. Roderick Strong.
This would be Gibson's last match before returning to the WWE. Gibson is Strong's mentor, so both guys are from the Malenko school of wrestling. BJ is friends with Gibson, hence his presence at ringside. Cautious start for both guys. Gibson takes him to the mat and goes after the leg, but Roddy bails. Back in, Roderick whips Gibson hard into the buckle. They trade counters, and Roderick hits a backbreaker. Gibson comes back with a neckbreaker and grabs a chinlock. He sends Strong to the floor and tries a pescado, but Strong catches him and slams him into the barrier. They slug it out furiously, won by Strong. Back in, Strong puts him in a chinlock and hooks the mouth (in a spot borrowed from his stablemate Austin Aries, which is lost on the announcers). Gibson counters to a Full Nelson Leglock and then a Mexican Surfboard. Gibson's shoulders are down, so he drops it and reapplies it with a bridge so that Roderick's shoulders are down instead. Nice. Strong slips out and surfboards him. He hits a regular backbreaker and goes back to neckvise. Gibson elbows out, but Strong anticipates him and SNAPS off a dropkick that nearly knocks Gibson cold. Strong picks him up and goes for the press gutbuster, but Gibson lands on his feet and counters to the Texas Cloverleaf. Sweet! Strong makes the ropes. Gibson can't get him up for the Tiger Driver, so he knees him in the side of the face and knocks him into next week with a running knee to the temple. Strong pops up and catches Gibson with TWO cradle backbreakers. Jamie wriggles to the ropes to avoid the Stronghold. They head to the outside, and Roderick works in that spot where he misses a chop and hits the post instead. And the post lightens up! Gibson smashes Roderick's hand into the barricade and then stomps on it. Back in, Gibson tries to break Strong's fingers. Strong tries to fight back with a chop, but it hurts his hand. Jamie hits a high knee for two and goes for the Tiger Driver. Strong powers him into the tree-of-woe and hits a pair of dropkicks. A superplex gets two for Roddy. He tries another superplex, but Gibson drops him to the canvas and hits a Tsuruta-like jumping knee. Gibson reverses a whip to the DDT and into the Guillotine Choke. Strong powers up in a hurry, but Gibson hits ROLLING GERMANS! These are actually much more intense than either Benoit or Angle. ONE, TWO, THREE! NO! The timekeeper thinks referee Todd Sinclair is signaling for the bell, but Strong kicks out at the last split second. They recover, and this time Roderick reverses a whip, hitting the Half-Nelson Backbreaker. He tries another, but Gibson counters to the crucifix! ONE, TWO, TH-NO! Strong charges recklessly, and it's Gibson who catches him with a backbreaker. Irony! TIGER DRIVER! ONE, TWO, THRE-NO! Gibson takes things up top for a Super Tiger Driver, but Strong counters to the Super Press Gutbuster! STRONGHOLD! Gibson has to tap at 28:53! On par with anything either guy had done all year, and it's nice to see one friend putting over another on his way out. They always seem to go that extra mile for someone they care about. ****1/4
The fans chant, "Thank you, Gibson." A tearful Gibson thanks everyone for resurrecting his career. He says he hopes to come back and wrestle for them again one day. He puts over the remaining talent, especially Strong. They all head to the back where Roderick is attacked by Jimmy Rave and Prince Nana. Gibson makes the save and calls for a doctor. Gibson actually would get a mild push in the WWE as one half of the Pitbulls before getting screwed over by Kid Kash's attitude problems.
Gary Michael Capetta gets a word with the new tag champs, apparently in the men's room.
Jimmy Bower announces Steve Corino will be facing the winner of Aries vs. Danielson for the ROH Title.
Colt Cabana vs. Jack Evans.
This is the perfect match to have after a classic like Strong vs. Gibson. When you eat a nice juicy steak, you don't order another one for desert…unless you're Rosie O'Donnell. No, you want something light and frothy. Remember that, future bookers. Not much of an issue here other than Colt helping Jack get a win over Homicide the previous night. Evans works in his dance routine early. Colt trying to work the cruiserweight style is pretty funny, especially when he can't do a kip up. He asks for Evans help in getting up and then kicks him in the head. A boot knocks Evans for a flip. Evans comes back with the handspring elbow. He wants to hit a highspot, but Colt won't cooperate by standing still, so Evans goes for broke with a rana attempt and gets slung into the post instead. Crazy. Back in, Colt grabs a sickening reverse crab. I'm Gumby, dammit! Evans tries a Tarantula, but Colt counters to the Gory Special and pushes Jack's head down until it touches his own foot. The crowd chants, "That's disgusting!" Jack slips out of an Airplane Spin and hits a blockbuster neckbreaker. Evans sweeps the leg and hits his corkscrew SSP. A Falcon Arrow sets up something off the top, but Cabana crotches him. Evans knocks him back down but misses the 630-senton. Colt pops up and knocks him silly with the lariat at 10:10. Highly entertaining stuff as Evans has a great career as a jobber lined up for him with his crazy bumping ability. He needs better offense to climb much higher than that, but it's fun watching him get killed night in and night out. Julius Smokes reappears and gives Colt a pass tonight, but he promises Homicide will settle up with him later. ***
Christopher Daniels (w/Allison Danger) vs. Jimmy Yang. Catchin' bullets…with his teeth?! Quick reversals to start. Some fan makes a comment about Allison Danger, so they all stop to see what her reaction will be. She wisely no-sells it. Yang grabs a hammerlock for a spell, but Daniels comes back and whips him hard into the corner. Lenny Leonard makes the mistake of hyping the main event by saying they're "throwing storylines out." I realize ROH targets the whole "postmodern" analytical crowd and invites scrutiny for scrutiny's sake, but it's that kind of comment that just takes you out of the show. Yang comes back with a spinning wheel kick off the top and hits his corner leg lariat into a skin-the-cat move. Daniels goes for a crossbody but gets dropkicked in mid-air for two. Daniels comes back with the backbreaker and Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Yang avoids the BME and hits his own moonsault block for two. Daniels tries to springboard, but Yang hits him in the head with a jumping heel kick. He breaks up Yang Time with a backdrop superplex for a double KO spot. The Angel's Wings only gets two, so Daniels segues to the Koji Clutch. Yang refuses to tap, so the ref calls for the bell for his own safety at 12:05. Fun match, but Daniels has lost direction. I still have a hard time taking Yang seriously, given his time in WCW, TNA and the WWE. **3/4
Lacey says the ROH fans always jerk off to her, which would probably be more likely if ROH didn't put her in a room with fluorescent lighting. She fires the existing Lacey's Angels on the spot and has the new Angels, BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs lay them out. She makes fun of Whitmer's outfit and says she'll have to dress them from now on. Well, that's a lateral move, at best, for Whitmer and Jacobs.
International Dream Partner Match: Samoa Joe & Low Ki vs. Kenta Kobashi & Homicide.
They truly do drop the storylines here. Ki and Homicide are stablemates, but for this match they basically pretend the Rottweilers don't exist. It's kind of odd because Joe & Kobashi earning each other's respect and going after the evil Rottweilers is such a traditional booking move. You won't hear any complaints from me, though, because it really does make for a fantastic matchup. Even the pre-match handshakes are intense. Joe and Kobashi renew acquaintances. Joe teases slapping him before giving a clean break (unlike their singles match). Kobashi doesn't budge on a shoulderblock, so Joe boots him in the face and hits a tope. Back in, Joe lays in a series of chops and jabs, but Kobashi no-sells. The look on Joe's face is so funny — kind of like "this is gonna suuuuuck!" Ki tags in but gets powered to the corner by Kobashi. Ki busts out the Tarantula Triangle, so Kobashi tags in Homicide. This is the first time Homicide and Ki have gone at it in ROH. They do a brief little sequence to a stalemate before Joe tags in and gets face to face with Homicide. 'Cide goes to the eyes and tags Kobashi back in. Kobashi grabs a neckvise for a bit before letting Homicide come back in. Ki blocks Homicide's sunset flip and hits the double-stomp. Ouch! Joe hits Homicide with a DVD for two, and he and Ki team up to batter Homicide with kicks. Homicide puts Ki on top, but Ki knocks him back into the tree-of-woe and hits the GHETTO STOMP! ONE, TWO, THR-NO! Homicide crawls to his corner and gets the hot tag to Kobashi. Kenta hits Joe with the machine gun chops and then gives a few to Low Ki when he tries to interfere. Prazak was keeping track and comes up with 71. The Millennium Plex puts Joe down, and Kobashi tosses Ki aside with another suplex. Joe recovers, though, and hits Kobashi with a snap powerslam for two and segues into the cross armlock. Homicide breaks that up, but Joe hits the Backdrop Driver. ABUNAIIIIIIIII! The crowd is going nuts at this point. Joe hits the Muscle Buster, but he only gets TWO! Blasphemy! Ki misses Kobashi with the Ghetto Stomp and the Shinning Wizard but hits a back kick on the rebound. You know it's a good match because I'm getting lost in it and forgetting to recap. Ki puts Kobashi in the Hanging Crucifix Armbar, but Homicide ends that with a crazy DDT. Joe and Ki try to team up for a springboard kick, but Ki takes out Joe instead. That leaves Ki alone with Joe. Ki goes for the Tidal Wave, but Kobashi keeps his pimp hand strong and just swats him out of the air. The Jackknife gets two, and Kobashi gets the Orange Crush. Joe makes the save, but Homicide knocks him out of the ring again, allowing Kobashi to finish with the Burning Lariat at 24:34. The fans chant "Thank you" and "Arigatoo" after this, ahem, great akusen (hard-fought battle). If you can get over the fact that they dropped kayfabe, this is actually lived up to the chant "this is awesome!" ****1/2
The 411: They certainly made the most of guest star Kenta Kobashi, and both Joe and Ki came out of the weekend looking better for their losses. How often can you say that? I actually like this show even more than "Joe vs. Kobashi" because it has two outstanding (and very different) wrestling matches. Definitely go out of your way to pick up both, though.
