Ring of Honor on HDNet Recap
December 7, 2009
ECW Arena, Philadelphia
Commentators: Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak
Report by: Anthony J. Valvo of WrestleView.com
We start off with some new intro music for the show! They actually read my recaps! They REALLY do!!
We enter The Arena with the entire ROH roster around the ring (sans Austin Aries) as Jim Cornette has a little meeting with the roster about how business is going to pick up. As we should know now, Cornette is the NEW Executive Producer for Ring of Honor and he calls ROH the wrestling of the future. He also had a special announcement. The announcement was the ?Pick 6 Contender Series?. Now Cornette goes on by saying that the rules are simple, but when Cornette says ‘simple?, it means comples. So, Mr. V will give you the rundown?
1) There will be six one-on-one matches.
2) If a wrestler wins that match, they are part of the ?top six? that get a title shot and also receives a $2,500 bonus for the win. If a wrestler loses, they are out of the title shot and out of the money.
There, I think it was simple how I typed it. Moving on?
Cornette then held a piece of paper with the wrestling in which he thought were the top twelve in the ROH roster. He goes over each match (he announced five future matches, the sixth one will be announced by Dave Prazak later). Here is the list of future matches that will be aired on ROH in the future as a part of the Pick 6 Tournament
Delirious vs. Kenny King
Colt Cabana vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Roderick Strong vs. Davey Richards
Sonjay Dutt vs. Tyler Black
Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Briscoe
**Kenny Omega vs. Chris Hero
** – Cornette did not announce this one, but Prazak did later on during the program.
Cornette concluded by wishing all twelve of the wrestlers good luck and good competition. Finally, Austin Aries enters the ring (as he called it being fashionably late). He accused Cornette of have an ego (which is what the ?E? stands for). Aries accused Cornette of screwing him over, but Aries warned Cornette that he was smarter than him. Cornette stated the reason for this was because of his ?bum of the month? Lucky Lottery. Aries then stated that Alex Payne and Grizzly Redwood might be offended by those remarks and he does not care who would be his next opponent.
Cornette concluded the conversation by issuing a Ring of Honor Title Match tonight! Tonight, it will be?Aries vs. Kenny Omega. Aries was fine with that. Cornette was not done. It would be??Aries vs. Omega?.vs. Davey Richards?vs. Roderick Strong in a four corner survival match! Jim Cornette then walked out of the ring and left Aries looking around a locker room full of wrestlers.
We are told that Tyler Black will be back tonight.
Coming up next we have the Briscoe Bros. vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico. The winner gets a shot at the ROH World Tag Team Championship held currently by The American Wolves. They show a video package of Jay Briscoe and then Kevin Steen stating the titles means so much to them. Both guys believe that they have what it takes to win the match and the titles.
Match #1: Kevin Steen and El Generico vs. Mark Briscoe and Jay Briscoe
Winners would face The American Wolves for the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Titles at Final Battle.
No code of honor (that I had seen) right now as Mark Briscoe and Kevin Steen begin the contest. We start the contest with a tie-up. Steen started the contest with a waistlock hold, and then Mark reversed this with a knucklelock/hammerlock hold. Steen came back with a headlock takedown. Mark counters with a leg scissors hold. Steen broke the hold and started off a boot kick. Steen continued the offense with a shoulder tackle and then a chop. Mark fought this off and went off the ropes and got in a dropkick. Jay Briscoe is tagged in and he got in a knucklelock. Steen went to the corner and El Generico was tagged in. Gernerico got in an arm twist hold. Jay turned this hold into a headlock. Generico finally in a few armdrags along with an arm hold. Generico continued to control the match with a kick, but Jay reversed the offense with a head scissors takedown. Jay got in a chop and tagged in Mark. Mark delivered a chop and covered Generico for a two count.
Mark rammed Generico to a buckle. Mark then got in a nice belly to belly suplex and once again covered his opponent for a two count. Jay is tagged in and flew Generico with a double b-line off the corner. Jay took out Steen and scoop slammed Generico. Jay then hit a leg drop and covered for two. Mark is in and nailed Generico with a punch and a basic suplex for a cover of two. Mark got right back on his feet and put a chinlock on Generico. Generico ends the Briscoes momentum by a countered back suplex. Steen is finally tagged in. Steen attempted the Swanton Bomb, but Mark got his knees up and blocked the move! Mark appeared to injure his knee as he tagged back in Jay. Jay chopped Steen. Mark is tagged back in and punched Steen on the corner. Mark attempted a slam, but his knee buckled. Steen took the opportunity to deliver the Dragon Screw Leg Whip and tagged in Generico. Generico worked a bit on Mark’s knee. Generico executed the leg lock. Mark got a hold of the ropes and the hold was broken. Steen is back in with a book to the knee. Steen delivered a Knee-D-T on Mark, then continued to work on the knee of Mark Briscoe. Mark for a brief moment broke the hold, but Steen dropkicked to the knee and clubbed Mark’s knee as well.
Mark is back up and exchanged punches with Steen, but once again Steen kicked the knee. Generico is tagged in and delivered a nice standing moonsault on Mark’s knee. Generico held Mark down, yet Mark was trying to fight. Steen tagged back in and worked on Mark’s knee. After all this offense on Mark’s knee, Mark finally got in some offense and hit a beautiful T-Bone Suplex on Steen. Jay is back in the ring (not sure if he tagged or not) with a couple corner splashes and chops. Jay delivered a dropkick and delivered a Death Valley Driver on Generico. Mark then applied some chops on Steen and as they were about to set up a double shoulder tackle on Steen, Steen stopped. Steen dumped Jay onto the floor and nailed Mark with a Codebreaker. Mark is now on the corner, and Steen hit Mark hard with a cannonball to the corner! Steen covered Mark for two. Steen is now up to the top rope, but Jay is back and breaks the attack. Jay then neck snapped Steen with the top rope! Generico then ran off the ropes and leaped over the ropes onto Jay in a brilliant showing!
Steen set up Mark with a shoulder breaker, but only was able to get a two count cover. Generico missed on the Ole Kick, as Mark countered this with a kick on the way. However, Generico hit the Michinoku Driver on Mark, but only got a two count. Generico tried for the brainbuster, but was cut off. Still, Generico got the upper hand with an enzugiri kick. Steen then applied the Sharpshooter on Mark. Jay broke this up with a super kick. Then the Briscoes set up Generico for the Doomsday Device, and they nailed it perfectly. Generico is out on the floor now. Steen came back with a modified powerbomb on Mark, and followed this up with another Sharpshooter on Mark! Mark was able to once again get a hold on the ropes. Steen attempted the Package Piledriver, but Mark countered this with a cutter! Jay clotheslined Steen and we get our first?.
Finish: Jay Briscoe concluded this match with the Jay Driller on Kevin Steen.
Winners by Pin: The Briscoe Bros.
Grade: B+. I loved this contest, absolutely loved it. The only reason why I graded this contest lower than an ?A? is because I was not sure about the finish. Did Jay Briscoe tag in? I did not see one hence why I did not like the finish.
However I had to be impressed with Mark Briscoe. Mark not only executed well, but he sold better than any wrestler on the roster! By far this was Mark’s best showing since ROH appeared on HDNet. Generico was good and his flip off the top rope was done perfectly, but nothing else truly stood out. As for Steen, he showed signs of brilliance. I am a big fan of Steen as you can tell. He continues to impress me as a wrestler and I think is a complete package for any organization. He has speed, power, and finesse. You can?t train Steen’s intangibles inside the ring. Overall, I thought this was a great match until the last minute or so.
We then are presented with another segment featuring a newly signed ROH talent, former ECW Champion Steve Corino. He mentioned that he wanted to be on TV and to be a champion, one must be on TV. He wanted to be a champion for ROH and has his eyes on the talent. A nice little interview segment in my opinion.
Later, we will have our four corner survival match.
Kyle Durden was backstage with Davey Richards at this moment. Durden mentioned that he got a title match tonight. Davey then gave us a dose of reality. Many guys in professional wrestling act, walk, and talk like a wrestler. However, Davey mentioned that he ?is? a wrestler. He has been a champion since he was twelve years old. Sure, his opponents have credentials, but Davey said this is the year of the wolf. The hunt will continue. I thought this segment was excellent. Davey had a little ?Kurt Angle meets Randy Orton? in him.
Hogewood and Prazak graced our computer sets (or for those with HDNet, their TV sets). Hogewood said that Jim brought in passion to ROH. Prazak mentioned that Cornette was too excited that he forgot to announce one more ?Pick 6? match, which will be Omega vs. Chris Hero. Hogewood mentioned that next week we will get two of the six matches since this show was loaded (and I agree). Next week, we will have Tyler Black vs. Sonjay Dutt and Delirious vs. Kenny King. The winners become top contenders for the ROH World Title and earn a nice check for $2,500.
We have a promo for ROH’s Final Battle. For those that are going, I think you are very lucky.
And now?.For the MAIN EVENT!!!!
Match #2: Austin Aries vs. Kenny Omega vs. Davey Richards vs. Roderick Strong
Four Corner Survival for the ROH World Championship.
Richards had Shane Hagadorn and Sara Del Ray at ringside. Spoiler Alert, they did nothing. But kudos to them for being in one of the most read ROH recaps on the Internet.
Roderick Strong and Kenny Omega did the code of honor. Austin Aries then shook Omega and Strong’s hands light-heartedly. Aries tried to shake Davey Richards? hand, but Richards kick his hand out of the way. Aries stepped back, poked the eyes of Omega and Strong and the match begins.
Davey attempted to get a hold of Aries, but Omega rolled up Richards for a two count. Aries dumps Omega onto the floor. Strong rolled up Richards for a two count. Strong then hit a back heel kick on Richards. Aries worked on Omega from the outside, while Strong chopped Richards in the ring. Strong then tried to pin Richards again for a two count. Richards finally got on the offense with some strikes from his feet. Richards then tried for the handspring enzugiri, but Aries clubbed him in the back from the outside. Aries then shoved Richards to the barricade, and Strong followed this by kicking Aries to a barricade. All men were outside now as Strong whipped Aries to the barricade, while Omega was punching away on Richards. Richards came back from this and executed a beautiful snap suplex on the outside on Omega. Strong at this time was chopping away on Aries, but Aries later on got the advantage by poking the eyes of Strong. Aries then gave Strong a neckbreaker off the ropes. Omega is seen at the top rope and went big-air with the dropkick on Aries. Omega continued to punch away on Aries. Omega set up a suplex, but Aries escaped and ran to the ropes. Omega in the middle of the ring says STOP!, but Aries did not listen. He kicked Omega’s hand and delivered a inverted atomic drop/low dropkick combination. Omega regained his composure by countering any of Aries? attacks with a face-first leaping bulldog.
Now outside of the ring, Strong whipped Richards to the barricade. Omega clotheslined Aries over the ropes and Aries is now out of the ring. We see now that Richards had the advantage over Strong yet again. Omega went for high-risk, but Richards is back in the ring with a kick. Richards then hit another kick and taunted a bit inside the ring. Richards then hit the back suplex and covered Omega for a two count. Omega and Richards then exchanged attacks back and forth. Meanwhile outside the ring, Aries and Strong exchange chops. In the ring, Richards cornered Omega with strikes. Outside the ring, Strong slammed Aries to the floor with a scoop slam. Omega started kicking away on Richards, but Davey came back with a strike. Richards attempted to cover Omega, but got a two count. Strong is back in the ring and exchanged some vicious chops with Richards (I mean very strong!). Richard gained the advantage with chinbreaker and slam. Richards is now on the top rope, but Aries shoved him down to the floor. Richards is now down and Aries is on the top turnbuckle. Aries executed a textbook Frog Splash, and then covered to only a two count. Aries is now on Strong with a Russian Leg Sweep. Aries tried to cover but only got a two count. Aries then did one of those corkscrew ground elbows (looked interesting) and tried to pin Strong, but Omega broke it at the two count.
Omega is now dumped by Aries onto the floor and Strong is at the corner. Aries tried to get in the IED on Strong, but Strong got out of the way and nailed Aries with a corner kick. Omega is in the ring and chopped Strong, but Strong no-sold this. Omega with a kick on Strong, but Richards whipped Omega to corner. Omega got out of this dilemma and jumped on the shoulder of Richards and delivered a hurricanranna. Omega attempted a kick on Strong, but Strong blocked it and hit the enzugiri on Omega. Aries, being the elusive champion, spotted Strong at the corner and hit the IED on Strong! Richards is back in the ring and attacked Aries, but Aries rolled up Richards for a two count. Aries then set up the brainbuster finisher, but Richards kneed the head and kicked Aries. Aries then punched Richards and Richards is outside the ring. (Move of the Match moment here)?as soon as Richards reached the floor Aries set up the Heat Seeking Missile, but when Aries went for the dive Richards KICKED Aries when Aries was about to hit the missile! Now outside the ring Aries and Richard exchange blows. Then out of the blue Strong does a corkscrew splash from the top! Omega now got warmed up and does a Beautiful top rope suicide flip, landing on all three wrestlers!
Omega then placed Aries in the ring for a cover for a count of two. Omega with a knee strike afterwards. Omega then tried to set up a signature move, but Aries countered with a rake to the eyes. Omega shoved Aries off, and then tried to do the move again. Aries countered this and Omega is on the mat now. As Aries goes to the top turnbuckle, Richards leaped to the middle turnbuckle and delivered a German Superplex on Aries! HOLY COW (copyrighted by Harry Carey)!!! Richards then kicked Aries and hit another German Suplex/Bridge Pin for two. Omega then attacked Richards and they go back and forth, and concluded with Omega’s reverse hurricanranna. Omega got Richards on his shoulder and Omega delivered a Great Electric Chair German Suplex. As soon as Omega attempted a pin, Strong broke the pin at the count of two. Strong and Omega battle each other. Aries then kicked Omega to the floor. Strong the caught Aries from behind and set him up for the Gutbuster! Strong then got Aries with a dropkick and covered, but Richards broke the pin up at two. Aries is now out of the ring and Richards and Strong are in the ring exchanging shots. Omega comes up with a crossbody on both Strong and Richards!
Omega was fighting off both men. Richards? leg was caught by Omega and Richards hit the enzugiri?on Strong (thought meant for Omega). Omega then executed the TK-1 Bomb on Strong, but appeared that Richards broke the pin cover. Richards and Omega battle right now, which concluded with Richards hitting Omega with the Alarm Clock finisher! Omega is now out of the ring. That left Richard and Strong in an ultimate staredown. These two men exchange spit, punches, chops, and kicks (very intense stuff). Strong then hit the running enzugiri on Richards. Richards maintained composure and got in a clothesline. He set up for the D-R Driver, but Strong countered this with another Gutbuster! Wait! This was countered in mid-move by Richards applying the Texas Cloverleaf! Strong then rolled up Richards for two. Strong then set up and executed the Gibson Driver on Richards, but Austin Aries broke up the pin at two. Aries was ready to?.
Finish: Aries broke up the pin and got the pin on Richards, and retained his ROH World Title.
Winner by Pin and STILL ROH World Champion: Austin Aries
Grade: A. Ring of Honor months ago had an amazing four way between Jerry Lynn, Bryan Danielson, Austin Aries, and Tyler Black. Though this match was not as good as the first one, it was a fantastic contest! Counters, a few holds, high-risk, and exchanges. Words can not express this contest. A great story told in the ring, a heated exchange delivered by all four men, and an all-around good match. Please check this match out, students. You will not be disappointed, and I should know.
After the match, Tyler Black appeared on the ramp and this show is over!
Quick Results
Mark and Jay Briscoe defeated Kevin Steen and El Generico
Austin Aries defeated Davey Richards, Kenny Omega, and Roderick Strong to retain the ROH World Championship
Overall Thoughts
From top to bottom, this was Ring of Honor’s best show since debuting on HDNet. Sure, the card only had two matches. However, it was booked beautifully. Every man on TV appeared stronger after these contests.
Jim Cornette as Executive Producer for Ring of Honor’s show. I don?t know if this is real or kayfabe, but I enjoyed it. His apperances can only make the show stronger, and his first impression to me is a guy that took this by the horns and will run with it from all ends. Something a big signing in TNA has yet to do in person at the Impact Zone. As for the meeting, it was spirited and informative. This was nothing like the Dixie Carter mumbo-jumbo that we saw a few weeks ago. This was well done and I had no complaints. During that segment, I noticed a couple things that were a bit humorous. Sonjay Dutt wore a Pittsburgh Pirates hat, Colt Cabana wore a Kosher Ham shirt that I may buy, and Claudio Castagnoli was dressed very nicely drinking a Starbucks. That was Very European!
Davey Richards backstage segment was VERY impressive. He knows how to talk and act in the ring. To me, if you want to compare a guy like Davey, you can?t. I will say he is a blend of Kurt Angle from TNA, Randy Orton from WWE, and at times Evan Bourne. He is probably the most outstanding wrestling out there right now and definitely one of the best not in the ?Big Two? of professional wrestling.
Tyler Black’s brief appearance was ok I guess. I for one am not totally for this push, but if it gains support then why not?
To see my take on the matches, check out the grades after each contest. It is easier for me.
Overall, I won?t lie to you. It takes a lot to earn an ?A? in my Gradebook. TNA never did got one. Superstars never got one. Smackdown only had two shows I gave a solid ?A?. Raw got one. ROH did not have one??.until now!
Overall Grade: A (for the record the first ?A? a wrestling show received since Monday Night Raw with Bob Barker).
-Mister V’s Pick Three of the Night-
Wrestler of the Night: Austin Aries
He did not do much in this match, but he really re-invented himself with this gimmick and the way he acts as ROH Champion. Though Richards, Strong, and Omega shined well in their title match I will give the edge to Aries for retaining his championship. Close second would go to Davey Richards though for a good performance from top to bottom.
Disappointment of the Night: No One
When you have two matches that got a B+ or higher in my gradebook, no one should be chose here.
Surprise of the Night: Jim Cornette
When they brought in Ric Flair for a handful of shows, he looked bored and was only there to get some money that he probably spent quickly. Jim Cornette shows that he enjoys wrestling. He enjoys competition. He is a perfect fit for Ring of Honor. I am going as far as saying Cornette kicked off the show very strong. I hope that Cornette keeps this intensity, as it is something HDNet was lacking with an authoritive figure.
Well, I hope that you enjoyed my recap this week. If you want me to continue the recaps or want to talk wrestling, please send me a line at mistervwv@hotmail.com. I bid you good night and I hope you have a nice weekend.
Thanks for reading this recap. See you next week.
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