ROH on HDNet
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (ECW Arena)
May 16, 2009
Commentators: Mike Hogewood & Dave Prazak
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
The show starts off with our normal entrance video and then we cut to Hogewood and Prazak hyping up the show. Flair will announce the #1 Contender for the ROH Title tonight.
Brent Albright vs. Claudio Castagnoli
This feud just won?t die. They show highlights from their match a month ago with Claudio getting the pinfall with his cheating ways. No promo from Claudio but Brent has a short one and pretty much says his American foot is going to kick Claudio’s Swedish a**. Brent jumps right into the ring and goes right after Claudio with a double leg takedown and rights and lefts reigning down on the Swede. Claudio comes back with a takedown but Brent counters with a body scissors into several right hands. Claudio goes for a leg scissors but Brent won?t allow it and they wrestle around on the mat before getting to their feet and Brent lighting up Claudio with chops. Albright attempts to whip Claudio into the ropes but he reverses it and lays out Brent with a back elbow. Claudio with vicious European Uppercuts but Brent comes back with chops of his own. Brent whips Claudio into the ropes and hits a powerslam for a one count. Brent and Claudio trade uppercuts and forearms but Claudio decides to bail out to the floor. Brent follows and nails Claudio with forearms and chops and then throws Claudio into the guardrail. Brent with a snapmare on the floor and then a big kick to the back. Brent and Claudio trade uppercuts and forearms again until Brent gets the upperhand and throws him back into the ring. Brent gets a nearfall and then follows up with more forearms. Claudio with a kick to the gut and then slams Brent repeatedly into the top turnbuckle and then raking Brent’s eyes across the top rope. Claudio with another European Uppercut and then he whips Brent into the corner. Brent nips up and over a charging Claudio and then hits a belly-to-belly suplex followed by a German Suplex! Brent climbs up to the top rope and goes for a Missile Dropkick but Claudio moves and then hits a Bicycle Kick, 1?2?NO Brent kicks out! Claudio mounts Brent and reigns down right hands on Brent and then hits an Elbow Drop. Claudio stalks Brent and then hits a running knee followed by another European Uppercut. Claudio chokes Brent in the corner and then more European Uppercuts. Claudio with a overhead Gutwrench Suplex for another nearfall. Claudio with knees to the back of Albright and then he kicks Albright out to the floor. Claudio slams Albright headfirst into the guardrail and then taunts Brent. Claudio throws Brent back in the ring and then throws more uppercuts and everytime Brent fires back with forearms of his own. Finally Claudio pokes Brent in the eye and hits another European Uppercut. Claudio whips Brent into the ropes but he reverses it and then goes for a backdrop but Claudio counters it and goes for the O?Connor roll, but Brent holds onto the ropes and then monkey flips Claudio over the top rope to the floor! Brent then hits a slingshot cross body over the top onto Claudio on the floor! Brent tosses Claudio back into the ring and climbs to the top. Brent dives off with a Flying Cross Body, 1?2?NO Claudio kicks out and Brent transitions right into the Crowbar! Claudio fights to the ropes and then comes back with a hot shot sending Brent throatfirst onto the top rope. Claudio goes for the Ricolla Bomb but Brent blocks it. Claudio goes for a springboard cross body but Brent catches him in midair and hits the Air Raid Crash! 1?2?NO Claudio kicks out! Brent goes for the Half Nelson Suplex but Claudio blocks it and goes for another Bicycle Kick, but Brent avoids it and then goes for a German Suplex. Claudio counters into a rollup and he holds onto the ropes for leverage just like their last match on this program, 1?2?NO the referee sees Claudio holding onto the ropes! Claudio is pissed at the referee and Brent turns him around. Claudio goes for a kick but Brent catches his foot and spins him around. Claudio goes for a clothesline but Brent ducks and then hits a tilt-a-whirl right into the Crowbar! We see Prince Nana and Ernie Osiris come out to ringside and Osiris throws a shoe and hits Brent in the face with it causing him to break his hold! Claudio then low blows Brent as the referee was throwing the shoe to the floor, 1?2?3 and Claudio gets another cheap win!
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli via pinfall (low blow)
After the match Claudio grabs a chair and places his head inside the chair but Colt Cabana comes out and makes the save! We see a replay of what just went down.
In the back El Generico and Kevin Steen both holding the ROH Tag Titles (wait didn?t they just drop the belts to the American Wolves a few months ago? See that’s the problem with them taping this damn shows so far in advance). Steen tries to calm Generico down and he doesn?t want Generico to piss his pants. Steen tells the American Wolves to pay attention to their match because their going to do to them what they do to Rhett Titus & Kenny King tonight.
Dark City Fight Club vs. Grizzly Redwood & ?Sugar Foot? Alex Payne
DCFC says if you don?t like them then do something about it. Payne and Chavis will start the match off. They lockup and Chavis slams Payne to the mat and then they lockup again. Chavis goes for a right hand but Payne ducks and hits several forearms to no affect. Payne attempts to whip Chavis into the ropes but he reverses it and Grizzly blind tags himself in. Grizzly hits a flying chop off the top rope on Chavis and then hits more chops and a dropkick to the knee. Grizzly then comes off the ropes but eats the mat as Chavis picks him up and drops him in a press slam. Chavis then knocks Payne off the apron and tags in Davis. Chavis whips Grizzly into the ropes and then Davis picks him up in a tilt-a-whirl right into a Diamond Cutter from Chavis! Davis covers, 1?2?NO Payne comes in and breaks it up. Davis then throws Grizzly over to Payne and dares him to tag in. Payne does so and ducks a clothesline and then hits a forearm to Chavis in the corner, but when he turns around he eats a nasty running shoulder block from Davis. Chavis tags back in and the DCFG hit a double team hiptoss into a Powerbomb/Neckbreaker combo. Chavis covers Payne and that’s it.
Winners: Dark City Fight Club via pinfall (Powerbomb/Neckbreaker combo)
Necro and Delirious do the buzz words for the week. Necro’s is chair swinging and Delirious is some weird crap. Necro says staple gun shooting and Delirious says more weird stuff. Now Jimmy Jacobs and Brodie Lee do their buzz words. Next week Delirious and Necro Butcher will face Brodie Lee and Delirious.
Ric Flair makes his way out to the ring as Hogewood claims that Flair will be a part of ROH’s next TV Tapings in the next few weeks, but Ric just returned to WWE tonight at the WWE PPV so I wonder what that means for Ring of Honor? Flair tells somebody at ringside that when he gets in the ring, somebody holds the rope for him. Flair talks about controversy and he says that it excites the fans and there is a lot of controversy surrounding who will get the title shot for the first ROH World Title Match on HDNet. A fan screams that Ric should get it and he agrees. Ric tells the fan that the thought has definitely crossed his mind but he has a big decision to make tonight. He asks Jerry Lynn to make his way out to the ring and Lynn obliges him. Ric tells Lynn that to be the man, he has stay the man. Tyler Black’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring and climbs in and shakes Lynn and Flair’s hands. Then, Dragon’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring as well. He shakes their hands as well but then Austin Aries? music hits and he makes his way out to the ring also! Someone does open up the ropes for Aries. Aries thanks Ric and says that he’s the only person in ROH to even come close to having the style of the Nature Boy and he says that Ric may be the greatest Champion ever but he is the greatest man to ever live. Flair expresses how much he’s been impressed by the men in the ring and he shakes all their hands but HDNet wants something special so the first World Title Match on HDNet will be Jerry Lynn vs. Austin Aries?vs. Tyler Black?vs. Bryan Danielson! Four Corner Survival baby! Flair wishes luck to them all and then shakes their hands once more.
In the back Kyle Durden is with Kenny King and Rhett Titus. Rhett says everyone knows that he’s addicted to love but what most people don?t know is that he’s addicted to success as well. King drops a nice rhyme about the match: ?its real simple, on this side of the ring ya got Kenny King/the millionaire, the mansion, the yacht, along with Rhett Titus who makes the girlies hot/and on the other side of that ring, you got the palest Mexican in the world: Generico and the fattest, most greasest champion in the world: Kevin Steen?. King says they are the future of ROH and they are going to stick a knife in the tires of the short bus that Steen & Generico rode in on.
We see a replay of the huge announce Flair just made and Hogewood says that match will take place in 3 weeks!
Sami Callihan vs. Jay Briscoe
I?m guessing more people have thought that Sami Callihan’s nickname was the new whore because Prazak spells it out and Hogewood tells him that he’s glad he spelled it out because he thought he said something else. Jay locks Sami in a side headlock as the bell rings and then hits a big shoulder block. Briscoe with a hard hammer fist and then a stiff chop. Jay hits a scoop slam and then a double foot stomp! Jay whips Sami into the ropes and hits a big double forearm for an early nearfall. Jay talks smack to Sami and then lights him up with chops. Jay attempts to whip Sami into the corner but Sami reverses it. Jay nips up in the corner but Sami didn?t charge in and when Jay lands he slams Jay into the corner. Sami then hits a headbutt and a chest. Sami whips Jay into the corner and hits a running elbow and then charges at Jay, but Jay catches him and hits a flatliner into the corner! Jay then charges Sami but Sami hits a back kick to the gut. Sami then hits the sliding clothesline, 1?2?NO Jay kicks out! Jay and Sami trade stiff forearms but Jay gets the advantage with a huge running front kick and then a lariat. Jay then picks Sami up and hits the Jay Driller! Slap the porpoise, it’s over! I hate you Mike Hogewood.
Winner: Jay Briscoe via pinfall (Jay Driller)
After the match Kyle Durden gets in the ring and asks Mark how his knee is. Mark says he’s healing up and he?ll be back soon and Jay says he’s only got two words and the fans begin chanting ?Man Up!?
Main Event Non-Title Match
Kenny King & Rhett ?Addicted To Love? Titus vs. ?Mr. Wrestling? Kevin Steen & El Generico
King came out to the ring wearing a lucha mask to mock Generico. That didn?t exactly help Bobby Lashley’s opponent this weekend in his MMA fight. They follow the Code of Honor and Generico and Titus will start the match off. Titus does the thrust and then Generico does the Oh-lay! They finally lockup and Titus gets the advantage with a side headlock but Generico shoves him off and Titus hits two straight shoulder blocks. Titus then comes off the ropes again but Generico hits him with a lucha arm drag followed by another one and then a beautiful corkscrew arm drag. Generico mounts Titus in the corner and reigns down punches and then lets Titus go. Titus charges Generico but eats a back heel kick. 1?2?NO Titus kicks out! Steen tags in and hits a scoop slam and then puts Generico on his back and hits a double team backsplash senton! 1?2?NO Titus kicks out! Steen with chops and then whips Titus in the corner and charges, but Titus gets a boot up and tags in King. King charges at Steen but he eats a powerslam! Steen then tags Generico back in and he whips King into the ropes and hits a drop toe hold followed by a somersault leg drop from Steen! 1?2..NO King kicks out! Generico with kicks and right hands and then attempts to whip King into the ropes but King reverses it and Titus puts a knee into the back of Generico as he hits the ropes. King then hits a running bulldog slamming Generico’s head across the top rope (while leaping over it and landing on the floor on his feet). King then covers and gets a nearfall. King tags Titus back in and he drops a double axe handle on Generico and then hits a snapmare. Titus mounts Generico and throws repeated right hands to Generico’s face and then does the thrust. King tags back in and Titus whips Generico into the ropes and hits an Atomic Drop followed by a running Lariat from King! 1?2?NO Generico kicks out! Titus chokes Generico in the corner while King distracts the referee. Generico tries to fight his way out of the corner but the numbers game stops that. Titus back in now and he hits a gorgeous dropkick, 1?2..NO Generico kicks out! Titus then does the thrust into the face of Generico and pretty much humps Generico’s head. Titus whips Generico in the corner and then charges but Generico hits a back elbow and then springs to the top and hits a Flying Cross Body! King and Steen tag in. Steen with clotheslines for Titus and King and then an Atomic Drop on Titus and a back body drop on King. Steen lights up Titus with chops and then whips him into the ropes and hits a vicious Powerbomb! Steen then goes for the Sharpshooter but King stops that and attempts to whip Steen into the ropes but he reverses it. Steen charges at King but he backdrops Steen over the top to the apron and Generico comes charging out of nowhere with the Yakuza Kick to the side of King’s head! Generico then hits a suicide dive over the top onto Titus! Steen comes off the top with the Senton Bomb on King! 1?2?NO King kicked out! Generico tags back in and Steen goes for the Package Piledriver but King blocks it and backdrops Steen over the top rope as Titus runs in and jumps Generico from behind! Titus dives off the top but Generico catches him in midair with an Atomic Drop! Generico goes for the Yakuza Kick but King nails him with a nasty spinning heel kick! King puts Generico up on the top rope and then climbs up with him. Generico pushes King off but he lands on his feet and then kills Generico with a running, leaping Enziguri in the corner! King then puts Generico up on his shoulders and hits a swinging side slam and immediately after Titus dives off the top with the Splash! 1?2?NO Steen breaks it up! Steen drags Generico over to their corner and tags himself in. Steen then goes for the Package Piledriver on King again but King blocks it once again and hits repeated nasty forearms and then comes off the ropes but Steen catches him with a kick and then plants him with a DDT! Steen climbs to the top but Titus crotches him and then does the thrust on Steen but that gave Steen enough time to come back and crotch Titus on the corner. Steen then hangs Titus in the Tree of Woe as King lays motionless in the opposite corner. Steen hits the Cannonball Splash on King in one corner and Generico hits a disgusting springboard somersault Van Terminator to the damn face of Titus as he was hanging in air! That guy is dead! Steen grabs King, Package Piledriver! Steen rolls King right into a Brainbuster from Generico! 1?2?and you damn right it’s over!
Winners: Steen & Generico via pinfall (Package Piledriver/Brainbuster combo
The American Wolves run out and jump Steen & Generico with chairs! Edwards puts Steen in the Sharpshooter as Hagadorn and Richards set up a table in the ring. Edwards puts Generico up in the Electric Chair and Richards dives off the top with a Diamond Cutter sending Generico through the table! The Wolves pick up Steen & Generico’s belts and taunt them with the belts.
Final Thoughts
Damn good show this week. One of the better Main Events, both teams busted their a**es and put on one hell of a show. That finish was just sick and that somersault Van Terminator was just crazy. One of the better matches ROH has had on HDNet as of yet.
The rest of the card was good as well. I hate the Claudio/Albright feud and I wish it would just end but their match was still decent.
The DCFC match was of course a squash again, they are powerful as hell and have some good double team moves but come on, put them in there with somebody or just don?t put them in there at all.
Briscoe and Callihan was a decent little match but I?m ready for Mark to come back and them go after the Tag Belts again. Though I wouldn?t mind a short feud between Lynn and Jay over the ROH World Title.
The biggest and best thing we can take from this weeks show is that they are at least now building towards something big each week now. They are giving themselves ample time to build up towards what is a pretty damn big match and for the next 3 weeks they can hype up the match and I?m sure probably at least half of the entire show we will be that match.
I?m really wondering if Ric Flair is done with ROH now with him making the appearance at Judgment Day and supposedly be scheduled for RAW. If that’s the case he’s really kind of screwing ROH over with them building him up as kind of the authority figure in ROH right now and just bail on them pretty quickly. Now, Flair’s appearance in WWE could just be a short term thing and maybe he?ll still be working for ROH but who really knows at this point. Though if that’s the case having a guy that works for your company also appearing for WWE isn?t really a bad thing.