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ROH – Fifth Year Festival: Chicago DVD Review

June 9, 2007 | Posted by Garoon & Ziegler
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ROH – Fifth Year Festival: Chicago DVD Review  

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ROH – FIFTH YEAR FESTIVAL: CHICAGO – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 24, 2007

Introduction

BG says: Everything in the Video Wire was on the NYC and Philly DVDs, so I’m not going to recap it here in detail. Because I love all of you I’ll let you know that it simply has clips of everything Takeshi Morishima has done in ROH so far and all of the events in the No Remorse Corp/Austin Aries/Jack Evans feud to date.

The DVD picks up where the last one left off. It turns out Aries was talking to Trik Davis, CJ Otis and Matt Cross. He’ll be scouting them in their match tonight for possible membership in his group.

JZ says: Austin Aries reveals that he was talking to CJ Otis, Trik Davis, and Matt Cross, who will compete along with Shingo in a Four Corner Survival Match tonight. He will be scouting them.

MATCH #1: Brent Albright vs. Claudio Castagnoli

BG says: The way Claudio has been booked since breaking up with Hero has been very strange, as he wrestles like a heel but is booked against heels as though he was a babyface. Before the match Claudio declares that he knows it was Larry Sweeney who offered Albright money to wrestle him tonight. Claudio will double what Sweeney paid him if he’ll go after the Sweet N’ Sour man. Sweeney comes out and reminds Albright that he entered into a contract and will be sued if he breaches it. Albright tries to sound tough while basically admitting there’s nothing he can do about it and then attacks Claudio before the bell. Claudio fights back by ramming Albright’s head into every turnbuckle. He hits a backdrop and a seated European uppercut. Albright bails so Claudio rams his head into Sweeney’s head. He goes after Sweeney and Albright hits a clothesline. Back in the ring Albright gets 2. He puts on a cravat and then hits a gutwrench suplex for 2. He goes back to the cravat but Claudio fights out and hits a sunset flip for 2. Albright dumps him to the floor where Sweeney gets a few shots in. Back in the right Albright gets 2. He hits a clothesline for 2. He pitches Claudio to the floor again but gets rammed into the barricade when he goes out after him. Back in the ring Sweeney helps Albright regain control. Albright hits a dropkick for 2. He puts on a chinlock as the whistles from the volleyball game on the other side of the building prove louder than the ROH fans. Claudio fights back with European uppercuts and the Match Killer for 2. He hits the Alpamare Waterslide for 2. He goes for the Ricolabomb but Albright counters to the Crowbar. Claudio gets to the ropes but Sweeney knocks the foot away. Claudio grabs the ropes again to escape. Albright hits the 918 and a neckbreaker for 2. He hits a springboard European uppercut for 2. They trade strikes and Albright counters a backslide to the Crowbar. Claudio escapes and hits the Ricolabomb for 2. Sweeney distracts Claudio long enough for Albright to hit him with the half nelson suplex for the win. This was a dull and awkwardly executed match until the hot home stretch. The cheap finish wasn’t a great way to start the show.
Rating: **

JZ says: Castagnoli gets on the microphone to offer Albright more money than Larry Sweeney is paying him. He can do that because he’s the most money making man. This brings Sweeney out, and he warns Albright of the possible ramifications if he voids his contract with him. Albright says he is a man of his word, but also that in the future he will do things his way. He punches Castagnoli and the match is on. Sweeney stays at ringside and interferes early on to give Albright the advantage. Castagnoli gets momentary advantage but Sweeney interferes again. Albright uses his power to keep cutting off Castagnoli as well. Swiss-O comes back with some European uppercuts, loses the shirt, and hits the Match Killer, but we know that never actually lives up to its name. He follows with the Alparmare Water Slide but that only gets a near fall as well. He tries the Ricola Bomb but Albright reverses it to the Crowbar. Castagnoli reaches the ropes with his leg, and Sweeney takes it off, so he has to grab the ropes with his arm too to break the hold. Albright comes back with the 908 and a spinning neckbreaker for two. Castagnoli comes back with a European uppercut. They trade strikes and Castagnoli tries a backslide, but Albright nicely reverses it to the Crowbar. Castagnoli escapes that and hits the Ricola Bomb for a near fall. I wish he didn’t yell it out before hitting it. Albright has now kicked out of all of Castagnoli’s finishers. Sweeney interferes and Albright hits a half nelson suplex to get the pin at 11:37. That was a technically solid match, but Albright needed a lot of help from Sweeney to get the win, and this would have been a great match to finish with the Crowbar since it was used earlier in the match a few times.
Rating: **¾

MATCH #2: Sara Del Ray & Allison Danger vs. MsChif & Serena

BG says: Deeb and Del Ray start. They fight on the mat until Del Ray gets 1. Del Ray hits a shoulder tackle but Deeb comes back with armdrags. Deeb hits a monkey flip so Del Ray tags out. Danger puts on a wristlock but Deeb comes back with armdrags again. MsChif tags in and stays on the arm. They trade strikes and Danger hits a neckbreaker for 2. Del Ray tags in and gets rolled up for 2. She boots MsChif down and hits a short-arm clothesline for 2. Danger tags in and whips MsChif into the bottom rope. She hits the Curb Kick and then spears MsChif against the ropes for 2. Del Ray tags in and gets hit with the Code Green. It gets 2 for MsChif. Deeb tags in and hits a dropkick. Del Ray hits a Samoan drop for 2. Danger takes out MsChif and Del Ray hits the Royal Butterfly on Deeb for the win. Until the spear spot this was yucky stuff, but it picked up some after that.
Rating: *½

JZ says: This is my first experience with Serena, I think. MsChif beat me up for no good reason one time, along with Mickie Knuckles. Then I got lectured about it in the locker room. Do I have to review these matches if they’re under the SHIMMER banner rather than ROH? I guess I do. I’m not sure if we’re recognizing Serena’s last name as Deeb or not, since the DVD box doesn’t list it and Bobby Cruise didn’t say it, but the graphic at the beginning of the match said it and Prazak is saying it. Anyway, Serena and Del Ray chain wrestle for a few minutes, with Serena using a lot of armdrags. Danger comes in and Serena handles her before tagging out to MsChif, who is very over with the Chicago crowd. Danger and MsChif slug it out before Danger hits the Lovelace Choker for two. She tags out to Del Ray, who dominates on MsChif and acts like a jerk. Danger tags back in to continue the beating on MsChif. The Dangerous Angels tie her up in the ropes in a pretty creative way to do some more damage. MsChif comes back with a Code Green for two, and then makes the tag to Serena. Del Ray delivers a nasty looking Samoan Drop on Serena for two. She follows that with the Royal Butterfly into the powerslam to get the three count at 7:27. That was a solid outing, but it’s not like I’ll want to go back and watch it over and over again.
Rating: **½

Windy City Death Match Hype

BG says: Colt Cabana cuts a good but somewhat long promo about trying to do a mitzvah by helping Jimmy Jacobs only to have his groin and throat abused as a result. This is another one of the looking-away-from-the-camera promos, but Cabana’s tone is such that it doesn’t come off as awkward. Also he’s looking out a window at his hometown of Chicago, so it works better. He finishes up by looking into the camera and shouting and Jacobs and Lacey about how he’s going to finish things tonight. The quiet portion was great but the shouting portion was filled with clichés that didn’t fit at all. When did Jacobs ever try to be the master of Cabana’s domain?

JZ says: Colt Cabana is standing by a window looking out over the snowy city of Chicago, his hometown. You can see his face in the window, which is kind of cool looking. He cuts a good and serious promo about his feud with Jimmy Jacobs, and what he’s going to do to him tonight in the Windy City Death Match. After speaking in a regular voice for most of the promo, he turns to yelling for the last part and it loses a little bit of its effectiveness. It was still pretty good, but not as good as the promos Jacobs has been giving lately.

MATCH #3: Four Corner Survival – Shingo vs. Matt Cross vs. CJ Otis vs. Trik Davis

BG says: Cross has a Cobra Kai clip preceding his entrance music now. Why would a good guy use the bad guy’s words to inspire him? Cross and Davis start. Davis gets a roll up for 1. Cross can’t hit his flippy offense so he tags to Shingo. Otis tags in as well and hits a series of slams on Shingo. Cross tags Otis out and hits a dropkick for 2. He hits a back suplex for 2. Davis tags in and gets rammed into Cross. Shingo hits him with a DDT while hitting Cross with the Complete Shot for 2. Otis tags in and hits a running forearm on Davis. He hits a fisherman suplex for 2. Shingo tags in and knocks Cross off the apron before chopping Davis down. He hits a spinebuster for 2 and puts on the half crab. He switches to a crossface and then tags to Otis. Otis hits a northern lights suplex for 2. He puts on a chinlock and tags to Shingo. Shingo hits a clothesline in the corner but then runs into an inverted lungblower. Cross and Otis tag in and Cross hits a dropkick. He hits a clothesline and Otis bails. Davis hits a hurricanrana on Cross and puts a butterfly lock on Shingo. Shingo counters to a hanging facebuster and the gutwrench toss for 2. Davis hits a bulldog as Cross rams Otis into the barricade. Cross goes back into the ring and tosses Davis to the floor. He dives out onto everyone with a Space Flying Tiger Drop. Back in the ring Otis hits a side suplex. Shingo and Otis double-team Cross until Shingo keeps Otis from getting the pin. Shingo hits a Ki Krusher on Cross but his pin is broken up by Otis. Davis dropkicks Shingo into Otis but Shingo comes back with a lariat. Cross hits Otis with a springboard double stomp for 2. Shingo hits Otis with a lariat but Davis sends him to the floor. He follows him out with a suicide dive so Cross takes the opportunity to hit a shooting star legdrop on Otis for the win. It was more like a shooting star kick, but that’s not really important. What is important is that Cross and Shingo both looked great while Otis and Davis failed to impress.
Rating: **¼

After the match Aries comes out and invites Cross to be tag up with him later tonight against the No Remorse Corp. Otis, Shingo and Davis had already left the ring, as if they knew Aries only wanted to talk to Cross. Fishy business. Cross accepts Aries’s offer. Strong and Richards attack but with the help of Delirious they’re chased into the crowd.

JZ says: I’d say Shingo is slumming here. Cross is already over, drawing an “M-Dogg 20” chant. He and Davis go for the first minute with some athletic stuff. Then Otis and Shingo tag in and it’s more of a brawl. Shingo actually gives Otis quite a bit. The crowd doesn’t stay with it very much though, and we soon arrive at the “four-way with guys just doing stuff to each other for no reason” zone. CJ Otis uses Morishima’s finisher. They do stuff for a while, and the finish comes when Davis and Shingo are outside the ring, Cross hits the Shooting Star Leg Drop on Otis to get the pin at 11:03. That was pretty dull and sloppy, and while I’m glad Cross went over I didn’t really think much of the match.
Rating: **

Austin Aries comes down to the ring, looking ridiculous as usual. He says that he is impressed with Cross, and he wants him to be his partner for the tag team match later on. Cross enthusiastically accepts. This brings Strong and Richards out, and it’s a quick brawl before Strong notices Delirious and has to run away from him.

MATCH #4: Jimmy Rave vs. BJ Whitmer

BG says: This match comes as a result of Rave making Whitmer tap out to the heel hook in Chicago in December. ROH loves running city-specific angles. Rave attacks Whitmer on the apron before the match. He rams Whitmer into the barricade and chokes him with his own vest. Back in the ring Whitmer hits a backbreaker for 2. He hits a snap suplex and a northern lights suplex for 2. Rave hits a knee to the gut and stomps Whitmer’s face for 2. He puts on a chinlock and a side Russian legsweep. He gets a crucifix pin for 2. Whitmer comes back with an exploder suplex and a leg lariat. He hits a back bodydrop and a spinebuster for 2. He sends Rave to the floor and follows him out with a suicide dive. There’s a dive to the floor in so many matches in ROH. Whitmer pulls the mat off the floor and goes for a piledriver. Rave counters to a backdrop and rolls Whitmer back inside. Whitmer dropkicks the leg but runs into a spear. Rave gives Whitmer Ghanarrhea for 2. Rave comes off the top with a double axe handle but Whitmer counters to another exploder suplex for 2. He hits a powerbomb for 2. Rave goes for the heel hook but Whitmer gets to the ropes. Rave gets a roll up with his feet on the ropes for the win. This felt a lot like your average Smackdown match and accomplished nothing in terms of in-ring quality or storyline progression.
Rating: *¾

JZ says: Rave attacks right away just to be a dick. He’s stealing Morishima’s gimmick! Prazak explains the back story to this match, dating back to The Chicago Spectacular Night Two in December. Rave controls the fight outside the ring, but when they go back inside Whitmer takes the advantage. Rave soon takes over and goes to work with his usual boring offense. Whitmer comes back only get cut off. He makes another comeback and hits a nice dive through the ropes onto Rave. Whitmer tries to piledrive Rave on the floor, but he gets backdropped instead. They trade some big moves inside the ring and Rave tries the Heel Hook. A rollup out of nowhere and Rave sort of gets his feet on the ropes to get the pin at 10:53. Well that was pretty dull and didn’t do much for either guy. I know they both have feuds going right now (Rave with Nigel McGuinness and Whitmer with Jimmy Jacobs), so they both needed to be kept strong, but it didn’t make for a very satisfying match.
Rating: *¾

MATCH #5: ROH World Tag Team Title Match – Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe

BG says: Daniels and Jay start. Jay hits a hurricanrana and a leg lariat. Sydal comes in and runs into a backdrop. Daniels hits a bodyslam and an elbowdrop. Everyone armdrags everyone until the referee regains some order. Back to Jay and Daniels. Jay grabs a headlock but then walks into a leg lariat. Sydal tags in and they make a wish. Sydal hits the cannonball legdrop for 2. He hits a clothesline in the corner and tags to Daniels. Daniels hits back elbow but Mark trips him up and Jay hits a legdrop. Mark tags in and hits a vertical suplex for 2. He puts on a chinlock and hits a legsweep. He hits a fistdrop for 2. Sydal tags in and hits a dropkick to the face for 2. Jay tags in and hits a back elbow for 2. He hits a dropkick for 2. Mark tags in and hits a belly-to-belly suplex for 2. Sydal hits an enziguiri and tags to Daniels. Daniels hits a knee strike and a neckbreaker for 2. Jay tags in and gets his head rammed into Mark. The Briscoes come back with some beautiful double-teaming. Mark finishes it off with a double stomp and Jay puts on the Stretch Plum. Mark tags in and they hit the double shoulder tackle for 2. Mark hits a gutwrench suplex and a kneedrop for 2. He puts on the Mark Nulty Special but Daniels gets to the ropes. Jay tags in and hits an elevated legdrop for 2. He puts on a chinlock but Daniels fights out and hits an enziguiri. Sydal tags in and hits an enziguiri on Mark. He hits the standing moonsault on Jay for 2. He dives out onto Mark on the floor and hits a side kick on Jay back inside. He puts on a seated abdominal stretch and then switches to a headlock. Daniels tags in and they hit a double bodyslam. Daniels slams Sydal onto Jay. He hits a gutbuster and tags to Sydal. Sydal hits an elevated cannonball legdrop for 2. He goes back to the seated abdominal stretch and tags to Daniels. Daniels puts on a standing abdominal stretch and then hangs Jay on the top rope. He brings him down with a legdrop off the top and illegally switches with Sydal. The crowd completely turns on the champs after that. Sydal hits a back elbow and another clothesline in the corner. He showboats and Jay hits a suplex. Sydal keeps Jay from making the tag and tags to Daniels. Daniels hits a gutbuster for 2. He puts on a chinlock and then sets Jay up top.

Things start to pick up now as Daniels hits the palm strike but Jay blocks the Iconoclasm. Sydal goes for a hurricanrana but Jay blocks that too and brings him down with a super X Factor. Mark tags in and hits a yelping dropkick. He hits a leg lariat and a springboard moonsault press. He hits an enziguiri to Sydal and a Michinoku Driver on Jay. He hits the yelping splash for 2. Daniels hits a clothesline while tripping Mark over Sydal and then hits the Arabian press for 2. Sydal tags in and elbows Daniels by mistake. Jay tags in and cleans house. He hits Yakuza kicks on both opponents and sets up Sydal for the Ace Crusher from Mark. It gets 2. The Briscoes toss Sydal across the ring and Mark hits a T-bone suplex. Sydal hurricanranas Daniels off the top rope into a double clothesline on the Briscoes. Daniels holds Jay over his knees and Sydal stand on Jay’s back to hit a standing moonsault for 2. Daniels tags in and holds Jay for the Slice from Sydal for 2. Sydal climbs the ropes and Daniels hits Jay with the uranage. Jay dodges the triple jump moonsault and hits a chinbreaker on Daniels. The Briscoes pull Sydal off the top and toss him into the air. Daniels and Sydal block the Doomsday Device with a DVD on Mark and a hurricanrana on Jay for 2. That would have been a cool finish. The champs hit the double-team Angel’s Wings on Jay for 2 when mark saves. The crowd is on fire for the Briscoes. Mark hits the cutthroat driver on Daniels. He blocks the standing moonsault and hits Sydal with the cutthroat driver. The Briscoes finish Sydal off with a top rope legdrop and a shooting star press on Sydal for the win and the titles. The champs managed to use cheap tactics to keep in control most of the match without resorting to tired tricks we’ve seen time and time again. For their parts the Briscoes shined like they always do and looked like wrestlers deserving of the titles. The last ten minutes of this match were phenomenal, and made the now former champs look great on the way down. The finish was a little messed up the beauty of that combo is that even if mistimed it still looks devastating enough to put an opponent down.
Rating: ****

After the match the former champs look like they might be sore losers, but decide to respectfully put the belts around the Briscoes’ waists. Jay is excited to party in Chicago tonight.

JZ says: Daniels and Sydal have been champions since 11.25.06, and this is their fourth defense. Daniels and Jay start it off with some chain wrestling. It doesn’t take long for all four men to get involved and the pace to quicken. We get back to just two guy in the ring at a time, and the champions take the advantage on Jay. After a brief beating Jay makes the tag to Mark and the challengers are in control of Daniels now. The champions take control and this continues to be a back and forth contest. The Briscoes show off some new cool double team sequences. I really don’t know what to say for play-by-play anymore. I think that’s why I’m always behind where Brad is in doing the reviews, because I know he’s doing PBP so I don’t know what to say anymore. Sydal acts like a cocky jerk and the crowd is booing him, so that seems to be working. The crowd is really behind the Briscoes here as the match goes on; they want to see a title change real bad. A combination guillotine legdrop from Jay and a shooting star press by Mark sees exactly that happen, as the Briscoes get the pin on Sydal and become the ROH Tag Team Champions for the third time at 24:55. I probably would have trimmed a few minutes, but the action was great and the crowd was with it through the last 10 minutes or so. The now former champs Daniels and Sydal, despite acting like heels throughout the match, personally put the belts around the waits of the Briscoes. Now I know everybody loves the mutual respect stuff, but if you’re heels, act like heels.
Rating: ***¾

INTERMISSION

BG says: Rebecca Bayless is backstage with Lacey and Jimmy Jacobs. Lacey reminds Jacobs about all the exciting things she’s been whispering into his ear the last few weeks. She actually doesn’t care if he wins or loses, but as long as he hurts Cabana he’ll get what he wants. Jacobs is creepy in his excitement but it doesn’t scare Lacey off at all. This angle is starting to go in a scary direction.

JZ says: The useless as always Rebecca Bayless is backstage with Jimmy Jacobs and Lacey, who are getting psyched up for the Windy City Death Match tonight. Jacobs says some creepy stuff and Bayless looks disgusted. Seriously, do I have to keep seeing her on these shows?

MATCH #6: Roderick Strong & Davey Richards vs. Austin Aries & Matt Cross

BG says: The brawl starts before the bell so Strong and Richards bail. Strong tricks Richards into getting back into the ring first and Cross hits him with a standing moonsault. Cross hits Strong with a dropkick on the floor and the Flagpole Press. Back in the ring Richards hits Aries with a dropkick. He hits a bodyslam and tags to Strong. Aries chops Strong down so he tags out. Cross hits Richards with a dropkick and Aries gets 2. Cross tags in and hits a leg lariat for 2. Richards and Cross trade kicks in an exchange that Cross surprisingly wins. Aries tags in and hits the corner elbow. He rolls into a forearm and Cross hits a legdrop on the apron. Cross tags in and out and holds Richards over his knees as Aries comes in with a slingshot elbow. It gets 2. Aries hits a bodyslam and tags to Cross. Cross climbs the ropes but Richards dodges his dropkick. Richards hangs Cross on the top rope and kicks him to the apron. Strong tosses Cross into the post and rolls him back into the ring where Richards gets 2. Strong tags in and hits a bodyslam and an elbowdrop for 2. He hits a butterfly suplex for 2. Strong tags Richards in and tosses Cross into the air. Richards kicks Cross on the way down and mocks Aries before hitting an elbowdrop for 2. Strong tags in and puts on a chinlock. He hits a dropkick for 2. Richards tags in and kicks Cross down for 2. He puts on a seated abdominal stretch and hits a knee to the gut. He kicks Cross’s head for 2. Strong tags in and goes to the eyes. He hits a side slam for 2. Cross comes back with a tornado DDT and tags to Aries. Richards tags in but Aries is on fire. Aries hits a springboard back elbow on and a clothesline on Richards and the Heat Seeking Missile on Strong. He hits a slingshot splash on Richards for 2. Strong blocks the moonsault and hits a backbreaker on Aries. Richards hits the handspring kick for 2. He hits a hanging DDT off of Strong on Aries for 2. Cross sends Richards to the floor and Aries hits a roaring forearm on Strong. Cross climbs the ropes but Richards knocks him to the floor. Aries hits a back suplex on Strong and crotches Richards up top. Cross hits a springboard corkscrew plancha on Strong on the floor and Aries hits a brainbuster and the 450 splash on Richards for the win. Richards is now eight matches into a losing streak. The match was surprisingly dull.
Rating: **½

After the match Strong and Richards beat up Aries and Cross. Strong exposes the barricade and tosses Cross onto it with a tiger driver. The crowd is dead for all of this, which is a shame. Delirious makes the save and nobody notices.

JZ says: Aries and Cross don’t wait to start the match, attacking the No Remorse Corps right away. For the record, I really like Matt Cross and I’m glad he’s getting a shot in ROH. I also really like Strong and Richards as heels and think this group could get really big. This is a pretty good tag team match, with the NRC using all kinds of cool double teams and Cross busting ass to prove his worth. Richards using the handspring spin kick while Strong holds the guy is infinitely preferable to Richards hitting it while the guy stands there waiting for it. Cross executes an awesome spinning plancha on the outside of the ring on Strong and takes a nasty bump in the process. Back in the ring Aries hits the brainbuster and the 450 splash on Richards to get the win at 14:39. I really like Cross and this feud is going to have some legs. Cross is cut open in several places. Prazak mentions in passing that Strong will make the FIP Title a World Title next week in England. Strong and Richards attack Aries and Cross as soon as they pass through the curtain. Strong delivers the Tiger Driver to Cross on the guardrail, just like he did to Delirious.
Rating: ***¼

MATCH #7: Windy City Death Match – Colt Cabana vs. Jimmy Jacobs

BG says: A video recapping the Cabana/Jacobs feud is shown. It’s one of the better put together videos ROH has produced, mainly because it has quotes from promos and sound effects from throughout the feud instead of just music.

This isn’t actually under Death Match rules, so it’s actually more of a street fight. Jacobs dodges wild chair shots from Cabana to start. They brawl and Jacobs goes to the eyes. Cabana whips Jacobs with his ring jacket and tosses him to the floor. He rams Jacobs into the barricade and beats him onto a table. He climbs the ropes but Lacey keeps him from diving out. Cabana brings Lacey into the ring and puts her in sexually suggestive positions. Jacobs runs in and hits a chop block. He holds Cabana’s legs open for Lacey to hit a low blow but Daizee Haze runs out and hits her with the Mind Trip. Lacey and Haze brawl to the back as Cabana hangs Jacobs in the Tree of Woe. Cabana tries to bring a ladder into the ring but Jacobs dropkicks it into him. Cabana busts Jacobs open with an elbow because he had scissors in his elbow pad. Cute. Cabana pulls the scissors out and jams them into Jacobs’s forehead. The scissors get stuck in the turnbuckle and Jacobs hits Cabana across the back with a chair. He goes to pull the spike out of his boot but Cabana has already stolen it. Cabana jabs Jacobs with the spike and then jams that into Jacobs’s forehead. They fight to the floor where Cabana hits Jacobs with a Chicago flag. Jacobs crotches Cabana on his way back into the ring and then rips the flag off the flagpole. He breaks the flagpole over Cabana’s back and rams the broken piece into Cabana’s forehead, busting him open. He wipes the blood out of his eyes with the flag, infuriating the fans. He chokes Cabana with the flag and jabs him with the spike. He hits Cabana with a chair and then sets it on his stomach before hitting double stomps and an elbowdrop. Cabana blocks the Contra Code and pulls the scissors out of the turnbuckle to hit Jacobs with them. He smacks Jacobs with the chair and goes for the Colt 45. Brent Albright runs out and hits Cabana with the half nelson suplex. He puts Jacobs on top of Cabana for 2. Whitmer runs out and tosses Albright to the floor. He clotheslines Jacobs to the floor and holds the bad guys for Cabana to hit an Asai moonsault. Cabana rolls Jacobs into the ring and gets a hammer from under it. He goes to hammer the spike into Jacobs head but actually hits Jacobs square in the head with the hammer itself. He hits the Flying Asshole and throws a chair at Jacobs. He hits a bodyslam and sets a chair on Jacobs. He hits a moonsault for 2. He sets up a table on the floor and lays Jacobs out on it. The legs of the table give out so Cabana drapes the ladder between the apron and the barricade. Jacobs brings out a new table but gets laid out on it. Cabana climbs the ropes but Lacey runs back out and crotches him on the top rope. That whole bit took too long to set up. Lacey keeps Cabana on the table as Jacobs sets up the ladder in the ring. He climbs the ladder and dives out onto Cabana with a senton. Back in the ring he gets 2. He sets up a table in the corner and tries to spear Cabana through it. Cabana dodges the spear and sends Jacobs through the table. Lacey goes after Cabana with a her shoe but Cabana grabs it and hits Jacobs with it. He hits Jacobs with a lariat and the Colt 45. He hits Lacey with the Colt 45 and holds her over Jacobs for the win. The match was violent and the spots were fun and creative but some of them took a long time to set up because of hardware problems. Not the fault of the wrestlers but it did hurt the match some. It was a fantastic end to the feud though; as Cabana was able to get Jacobs back for all the crap he pulled and get revenge on Lacey for possibly taking away his ability to have children.
Rating: ****

JZ says: I think this has been one of the best feuds in Ring of Honor history, they’ve never really done anything like this. The crowd is really hot for Cabana in this one, since he’s the hometown boy and the quintessential babyface. Lacey interferes early on, but there are no disqualifications here, so there’s nothing the referee can do. But Daizee Haze can do something about it, so she comes out and drags Lacey to the back. Cabana busts Jacobs open with an elbow, and then reveals that he had a scissors in there. He uses it to make Jacobs bleed even more. Jacobs comes back and busts Cabana open, and uses the Chicago flag to wipe his own blood and to choke Cabana. Both guys are bleeding hard now. Cabana reintroduces the scissors. Cabana tries the Colt 45, but Brent Albright runs out and delivers a half-nelson suplex. BJ Whitmer comes out to take care of Albright. Everyone goes to the floor and Cabana tries the Asai Moonsault but he kind of eats it. Cabana finds a hemmer under the ring, and he’s got the Spike in the other hand. He uses the hammer to pound the spike into his head. Leonard ruins it by saying Cabana missed. Cabana tries to set up a table but is having some issues. They finally get one set up and Cabana goes to the top rope, but Lacey comes back out and tosses Cabana off. Jacobs sets up the ladder and delivers the senton through the table on the floor. That only gets a two count though, as the crowd chants “Colt.” Jacobs sets up a table inside the ring and goes for a spear through it, but Cabana moves. Lacey tries to motivate Jacobs, but Cabana takes her high heel shoe and gives Jacobs his receipt. He gives Jacobs the Colt 45, and then gives one to Lacey and puts her on top of him and pins both of them to end the feud at 22:52. They had some issues with the table late in the match, but this was a good, hate-filled brawl with a lot of creative spots and was a fitting end to an intense feud.
Rating: ****

5TH YEAR FESTIVAL: GREAT MOMENTS

BG says: This DVD’s Fifth Year Festival video highlights the greatest moments of the year. Included are Mark Briscoe’s shooting star presses off the truck and the entrance way. Jack Evans and Jerrelle Clark hitting stereo 630 sentons, Joe hitting a top rope enziguiri. Evans wiping out in his match against Ricky Reyes, Matt Sydal and Davey Richards hitting stereo shooting star presses, highlights from the Homicide/Cabana match from Better than our Best, Christian’s debut, Lance Storm’s debut, AJ Styles’s farewell match, Jim Cornette’s banishment and Konnan’s involvement, Pelle Primeau’s crowd surfing, the last appearance of Generation Next as a whole, Homicide joining ROH’s side in the feud against CZW, Homicide winning the World Championship, Do Fixer celebrating, JJ Dillon’s debut, ROH’s celebration after beating CZW in Cage of Death, the first appearance of Takeshi Morishima and Mohammed Yone and Takashi Sugiura, Bruno Sammartino’s debut, Joe’s brawl with Morishima at Glory by Honor, highlights from the Whitmer/Necro Butcher barbed wire match, the Briscoes ruining Christmas and finally ROH champ Danielson and NOAH champ Naomichi Marufuji posing with Bruno. The video says “to be continued,” but unlike the greatest matches video I can’t think of too many omissions here.

JZ says: This is just a smattering of little moments from many of the great matches held in ROH during the past year. A lot of cool stuff happened during ROH’s fifth year. I know I gave a lot of matches **** or higher, so for those who say I’m too hard to please, you can eat it.

MATCH #8: Takeshi Morishima & Nigel McGuinness vs. Samoa Joe & Homicide

BG says: Joe gets to be introduced last even though Morishima is the champion because it’s his last ROH match in Chicago. I think that’s kind of silly, but he does get a huge ovation that makes him cry. Nigel and Homicide start. Nigel powers Homicide to the corner and then puts on a cravat. Homicide gets a wristlock but Nigel comes back with a European uppercut. Homicide hits a dropkick so Nigel tags to Morishima. Morishima overpowers Homicide so Joe tags in. Joe has more success power-wise but walks into a butt butt. Morishima hits a handspring clothesline but Joe hits a sloppy STJoe. He kicks Morishima to the floor but Nigel cuts off his dive with a knee to the face. Homicide knocks Nigel to the floor. He and Joe hit stereo dives onto their opponents. Joe and Morishima brawl to the merchandize table where Joe hits Morishima with a table. Homicide hits Nigel with a chair and Joe hits Morishima with the Olé Kick. Joe punts Nigel on the apron and Homicide hits him with a clothesline back in the ring. He hits his running knee in the corner and tags to Joe. Joe hits an enziguiri for 2. Homicide tags in and hits a dropkick to the face for 2. He puts on a hammerlock and tags to Joe. They make a wish on Nigel and Joe puts on a chinlock while flipping off Morishima. He hits a Manhattan drop and a big boot. He hits a senton for 2. Homicide tags in and hits a vertical suplex for 2. Nigel hits a short-arm clothesline and tags to Morishima. Homicide comes off the top but Morishima catches him with an overhead suplex. He hits his seated butt splash and Homicide bails. Nigel gets in a few shots on the floor and rolls Homicide back into the ring. Morishima hits a legdrop for 2. Nigel tags in and hits headbutts to Homicide’s shoulder. He hits a brainbuster and tags to Morishima. Morishima hits a huge powerbomb and a big boot in the corner. Nigel tags in and gets a hammerlock takedown. He puts on the modified Rings of Saturn but Joe breaks it up. Morishima runs in to keep Homicide from making the tag and puts on an abdominal stretch. Nigel helps out with a tug on Homicide’s foot but Joe keeps that from going on too long. Nigel tags in and walks into the Ace Crusher. Joe and Morishima tag in and Joe cleans house. He hits a Samoan drop on Morishima for 2. Morishima blocks a powerbomb and sits on Joe’s chest. Nigel tags in and hits a running European uppercut. He hits the corner combo for 2. Joe ducks a clothesline and tags to Homicide. Homicide comes off the top with an ugly hurricanrana and then hits a DDT off the second rope. He climbs again and hits a flying elbow for 2. He hits a pair of neckbreakers and a piledriver for 2. Morishima tags in and hits a missile dropkick. He hits a shoulder tackle and tags to Nigel. Nigel sets Homicide up top but Homicide fights him off and hits a forearm. Nigel hits the Tower of London for 2 when Joe saves. Joe tags in and walks into a short-arm lariat. Homicide hits a lariat on Nigel so Morishima hits one on Homicide. Joe hits a lariat on Morishima and everyone is down. Joe counters Nigel’s handstand with a boot to the face and Homicide puts a sleeper hold on Morishima. Morishima counters with the backdrop driver and hits a sidewalk slam on Joe. He climbs the ropes but Joe catches him with the Muscle Buster. He goes for the Muscle Buster on Nigel but Nigel escapes. They counter each other’s offense a little longer until Nigel hits his second attempt at the Rebound Lariat for the win. This match was heatless when Joe wasn’t in the ring. The finish was really good but most of the match leading up to that finish was incredibly disappointing given the talent involved.
Rating: ***

After the match Nigel challenges his partner Morishima for a shot at the title. He gives Joe credit for putting up a good fight and gives him the microphone so he can say goodbye. The locker room empties and everyone takes a knee as Joe says goodbye to ROH in the United States. I HATE that Brent Albright is kneeling next to BJ Whitmer, that Sweeney is so close to Claudio and that Aries and Delirious are in the ring peacefully with the No Remorse Corp at all. Why have angles if someone’s farewell is going to throw them out the window? Joe’s promo does more to put over ROH than put over himself, which is always nice.

JZ says: The crowd is just molten for Joe’s last ROH appearance in the United States. Nigel and Homicide start it off with mat wrestling. Joe and Morishima soon get tagged in and the crowd is SO behind Joe. Both teams get some offense in for a while, and I’m struggling to find meaningful things to say about this match. The only really interesting thing about this match is that Nigel pins Joe with the Rebound Lariat at 23:09. It’s not that it was a bad match, it was just not very engaging and seemed very going through the motions. It could have been much better.
Rating: ***

Aftermath

BG says: Roderick Strong and his FIP Heavyweight Championship are backstage. He’s not saying who attacked Jack Evans, but maybe next week he will. Right now he’s only concerned with making the FIP Heavyweight Championship into a world title when he defends it in Liverpool.

JZ says: McGuinness challenges Morishima to a Title match, and then turns it over to the Man of the Hour. The locker room empties to pay respect to Samoa Joe, as the crowd chants “Thank You, Joe.” Joe cuts an emotion goodbye promo, and the crowd just loves it. That was a good speech by Joe there.

Roderick Strong, wearing ridiculous sunglasses and the FIP Title on his shoulder, tells us that he’ll reveal who attacked Jack Evans next week. His main concern now is making the FIP Title a World Title.

MVP

BG says: Tough call this time around, but I’m going to give it to Cabana for gutting through a violent match, winning his feud and getting revenge on just about everyone who’s wronged him.

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 FIFTH YEAR FESTIVAL: LIVERPOOL!

The 411BG says: The show features two **** matches, one of which featured a title change so for me that’s enough reason to go out of my way for a show. However, the rest of the show ranged from disappointing to outright boring. I call this one a buy based on the reasons stated above, but as a whole the show fails to deliver.

JZ says: The Windy City Death Match and the ROH World Tag Team Title match delivered in a pretty big way, so that’s pretty much enough to recommend the DVD right there. However, there’s really nothing else worth going out of your way for. Most Chicago shows are better than this.
 
Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]  legend

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