Slap my credit card! I bought another wrestling DVD!
-Ring of Honor on HDNet has been a mixed bag. In some ways, the show has been successful because there have been a number of very good matches and minimal commercial breaks allow for uninterrupted action. However, the lack of crowd reaction to a lot of the show and the announcing prevent ROH on HDNet from becoming the best hour of wrestling on a weekly basis. Dragon Gate’s Infinity has that distinction in my view. Nonetheless, there have been some excellent matches, and ROH has finally released a volume of the best of the first three months. Since the term “Volume 1” implies more volumes, there is no doubt we’ll get a whole volume dedicated to the greatness that is the Necro Butcher vs. Embassy feud. For now…
-All matches are taped at The Arena in Philadelphia, PA
-The announcers are Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak
-Episode 1: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Tyler Black
Amazing to think this was just over a year ago. It seems like so much longer since Jimmy Jacobs was with ROH. This was the end of their feud and served as a logical main event for the first show. Lock-up with some intensity. Jacobs pushes Black. Black responds in kind. Another lock-up and knees by Jacobs. Forearm and a headlock. Black with a dropkick. Series of right hands sends Jacobs to the outside. Man, the ring was loud on the early shows. They brawl on the outside briefly. Black rolls back in, but Jacobs takes a walk. He throws two chairs in the ring. As Sinclair and Black take the chairs out of the ring, Jacobs attacks. Slam into the turnbuckle and a right hand in the corner. Choke on the apron. Black misses a flip, charges over the top rope, and gets a leg lariat. Bodyslam and a boot on the neck. Rights in the corner. He eats boot charging into Jacobs, but he gets an atomic drop as Jacobs comes off the top rope. Black tries to get Jacobs out of the corner, but gets sent into the middle buckle on a headscissors. Choke in the corner and boot to the midsection. Jacobs sends Black’s head into the mat. He blows a kiss to the crowd and hits a fistdrop from the second rope. Chinlock. Irish whip out of the corner. Black reverses and gets a backdrop. Bodyslams. To the top, but Jacobs pushes him into the barricade. Ouch. Jacobs hits an elbow off the apron. Jacobs sits Black in a chair. As he tries to punch Black, Sinclair stops him. That was odd. Jacobs continues working over Black inside the ring. Head to the midsection and a dropkick to the back of the head. More right hands. Black gets knees into Jacobs’ head. Jacobs with a sort of chokeslam and then into just plain choking. Jacobs with a series of double stomps before dropping an elbow. Black comes back with right hands. Off the ropes with a press slam. Black gets himself all fired up and hits a running forearm. He tosses Jacobs into the other corner. Black hits an enziguri to the back of the head. Springboard clothesline. Only a two. Lionsault misses. Standing shooting star doesn’t but only two once again. Black up top once again. Phoenix splash misses but he rolls through. Jacobs hits a spear. 1-2-NO! Waistlock reversals. Pele kick by Black. Jacobs throws Black outside again. Jacobs dives and hits Black. Back inside and Jacobs goes for the cover. 1-2-no dice. Jacobs goes to the top for a senton. Black lifts his knees. God’s Last Gift turned into the The End Time. Black slams Jacobs into multiple corners, but that doesn’t do much. Black does toss Jacobs. He misses a superkick. Jacobs with a roll-up for two. End Time once again. Black turns it into a roll-up for three. Cool finish.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Tyler Black/13:50/***1/4
-This was a better match than I remember. Jacobs is a guy that I still think ROH misses because he works as a heel so well and doesn’t necessarily need to do a bunch of MOVEZ to get heat. He also had good chemistry with Black as both an opponent and tag team partner.
-Episode 3: Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries
This match made a lot of sense to have in an early show because these two have a number of great matches against each other in Ring of Honor. This was shortly after Aries’ heel turn, so he was still working on his hijinks. We don’t even get a pre-match promo from Aries. Bit of stalling before the match by Aries. They go into the ropes early, and Aries breaks clean. Waistlock exchange. Test of strength doesn’t last as Aries switches to a headlock. Shoulder tackle. Off the ropes into a series of armdrags by Aries. He continues working the arm until Danielson rolls out and hits a dropkick. Danielson’s turn to work the arm now. They exchange holds. Danielson even counters the dropkick to the head. Danielson goes for a backslide. Aries tries a kick to the head, but Danielson dodges out of the way. Drop toehold by Danielson. Danielson tries the surfboard. Aries crawls to the ropes. Aries with a knee to the midsection. Elbow to the back of the head. Danielson hits a headbutt to the midsection. Danielson with a sunset flip. Aries tries to hold the ropes. Referee kicks his arms. 1-2-NO! Aries with the dropkick to the head. Shoulder tackle. Danielson gets a hiptoss and applies a cross armbreaker. Aries reaches the ropes once again. Aries clobbers Danielson in the back of the head. Elbow drop by Aries. Knees to the back. VULCAN NECK PINCH! Aries clearly watched some Yokozuna tapes before this match. Danielson with some kicks. Aries tosses Danielson hard out of the ring. Heat-seeking missile. Inside the ring for a pair of two counts. Fish hook. Aries telle the referee he has until five. Aries with some shots to the midsection. Splash to the corner misses. Aries places Danielson on the top rope. BACKRAKE! Aries misses the charging dropkick. Danielson with forearms. European uppercuts. Knee to the midsection and a kick to the back. Danielson flips over Aries and gets a flying clothesline. Butterfly suplex into a cross armbreaker. Danielson places Aries on the top rope. Aries rakes Danielson’s eyes across the ropes. Aries ducks out of a dive. Knee off the apron. Dropkick from the top rope. Running knee. Cattle mutilation but Aries ends up on top. 1-2-NO! Exchange of strikes and kicks. Flying knee by Danielson. Boot right in the face by Aries. Sounded nasty as hell. Aries with a charging dropkick. 1-2-NO! Brainbuster blocked with a knee. Danielson blocks it again. Aries with a gordbuster. Last Chancery. Knees to the face. Danielson applies a triangle choke. Aries has no choice but to tap.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Bryan Danielson/14:28/***1/2
-Another in their series of very good matches. Solid wrestling and that’s all you can ask for from these two.
-Episode 4: Austin Aries vs. Kenny Omega
The pre-match promos remind me of how dumb Smacktalk was. If you don’t know, don’t ask. This wasn’t a main event. Omega was basically a newcomer. Aries completely dominates the match to start as the crowd gets on his case. Omega comes back and finishes his flurry with a dropkick. Aries shoves Omega. Omega responds but gets a knee in the midsection. Omega hits a twisting kick. Omega flips out of the corner, does another flip out of the other corner but gets sent down by Aries. Series of chops in the corner by both men. Running elbow by Omega. Palm strikes sends Aries over the top. Omega tries a dive but Aries pulls Omega head first into the apron. Running knee. Foot in the corner. Double axe to the chest. Elbow to the head. Snapmare and for the second straight match, we get ourselves a nervehold. Gutbuster into an STO. Pendulum elbow. Knees to the back. Bow and arrow submission. Brainbuster attempt. Omega tries an O’Connor roll but gets a kick to the midsection instead. Standing enziguri. Polish hammers. Back body drop. Oklahoma roll gets a long two. Omega gets it again and almost gets two. Omega flips over and gets a faceplant. 1-2-NO! Aries doesn’t get an O’Connor roll and slams his head against the turnbuckle. Omega kicks him off the ropes and hits a moonsault to the outside. Omega gets two back in the ring. Aries clings to the ropes. Croyt’s wrath but Aries grabs the ropes. Up we go again. Aries rips the eyes. Shoulder first into the post goes Omega. Charging dropkick right to the head. Boot right in the face. Brainbuster. 1-2-3!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Austin Aries/11:26/***1/4
-With Omega being a newcomer, he needed to look strong. With Aries losing the previous week to Danielson, he needed a win. This match managed to get both points across well. Solid match, and they would top themselves a few months later.
-Episode 6: Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black
After having met numerous times at various ROH cities, they finally had their first HDNet match on the sixth episode. Notice I say first. Keep that in mind. Unlike a number of matches on ROH television, this one starts off much slower and feels more like an ROH house show main event. I think the other reason for a slower start is these two are babyfaces and don’t necessarily have some sort of major issue. Lots of mat wrestling in the first part of this match. Danielson plays the veteran role well by seemingly running away from Black. A European uppercut seems to turn the intensity up. Black immediately doesn’t break clean while both men are in the ropes and he takes control. More uppercuts leads to Danielson regaining the advantage. He rakes the eyes, locks in a surfboard, and finally ends with a dragon sleeper. Black refuses to tap. Series of kicks to the chest. A twisting anklelock. Strike exchange. Black gets an O’Connor roll for two. Uppercut by Danielson. Irish whip and a knee to the midsection. Big slap right to the face. Two more slaps and he comes off the ropes. Black comes back before getting clotheslined by Dragon. Danielson dives to the outside. To the top but he eats a dropkick. Pele kick by Black. Running forearm. Hurancanrana from the top rope. Black boots a charging Danielson in the corner. Dropkick and it’s Black’s turn to hit a dive. Springboard clothesline. 1-2-NO! Danielson fights out of God’s Last Gift. He flips over Black and grabs the ankle as Black tries another Pele kick. Black grabs the rope again. Black gets a hurancanrana. Danielson turns it into a sunset flip for two. Black with an F-5. Superkick but Danielson with another anklelock. German suplex. 1-2-NO! Slaps to the face. Danielson places Black on the top rope. Belly-to-belly suplex REVERSED! Forearm exchange. Big shot by Danielson. Black with a roll-up and a quick Pele. Peroxism. 1-2-NO! Ring announcer says one minute left in the time limit. Well, we know where this is headed. Black misses the Phoenix splash. Leg lariat by Danielson into the triangle choke, the same move that made Aries tap out weeks earlier. Black with a buckle bomb. Bell rings as both men are down.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Time limit draw/20:00/****
-Crowd chants for five more minutes, which is the dumbest chant ever. What happens if these two still can’t finish the match in those fives? They should be chanting about wanting a winner or something. Anyway, this was another excellent in a series of matches between these two guys. These two sold the physicality aspect of this match really well. Almost feels like they need another match though.
-Episode 7: Roderick Strong vs. Austin Aries
Generation Next EXPLODES! Aries controls the arm to start. Wrong arm if he wants to prevent himself from being chopped. Strong gets a headscissors on Aries. Don’t… he gets dropkicked in the face. Strong of all people should know better. Chop by Aries. Strong misses one of his own, and Aries flees outside. Chop exchange. Strong misses a bunch of chops. Aries goes outside and runs around like a complete jackass heel. Forearm off the apron by Strong. Aries into the barricade. Match becomes a chasing game. Strong still can’t hit chops. Forearm to the apron. Aries kicks Strong off the apron. Double axehandle off the top rope. Strong into multiple barricades. Cocky cover gets one. Pendulum elbow. Meager kicks by Strong. Crossbody off the second rope. Aries with a quick shot. Strong gets an enziguri out of the corner. Finally, Strong hits a series of chops. Dropkick hits Aries flush. Chops in the corner. Backbreaker number one gets two. Aries sends Strong outside and gets the heat-seeking missile. Aries with a twisting bodypress. Half nelson backbreaker. Aries gets his foot on the ropes. Chop in the corner.Running elbow. Enziguri. Off the ropes, but the sick kick misses. Aries applies Last Chancery. Strong quickly to the ropes. Forearms and even some biting by Aries. Aries runs right into a gutbuster. Sick kick sends Aries flying. Stronghold. Aries reaches the ropes. Strong brings Aries back to the center. They battle but Aries reaches the ropes yet again. Strong lets go. Aries rolls over and Strong is sent outside. Charging dropkick and Strong is down inside the ring. Stronghold applied again. Aries to the ropes. Aries hits a headscissors as Strong tries a Gibson driver. Aries uses a stronghold, but Strong with a roll-up. Kick to the face by Aries. They battle but Aries gets the brainbuster. 1-2-3.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Austin Aries/15:13/***
-Probably the weakest match on the DVD so far, but that’s no great insult since this was a solid match between these two. Didn’t like Aries winning the way he did, but a good match.
-Episode 8: Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black
A few weeks previous, these two went to a time limit. This week, there is no time limit. Feeling out process once again between the two babyfaces. Every time it goes to the mat, Black has no chance. Once the pace quickens, Black is able to take control. Danielson picks his own pace up with a dropkick. Series of headbutts as Danielson works over the head of Black. Danielson shifts to working the arm, hand, and fingers. Kick to the chest. After a cover, Danielson immediately goes to a twisting anklelock. Danielson teases a surfboard but he just drives the knees into the mat. Hard kick to the leg. He takes Black down and tries for the anklelock. Black to the ropes. Black with some punches, but Danielson takes out the leg. Kicks to the chest. Chop by Black. European Uppercut by Danielson. Series of covers but Black refuses to stay down. Danielson hits some forearms out of a test of strength. Black goes for an O’Connor roll but ends up outside. Danielson misses a dive. Flying forearm by Black. Neckbreaker. Pele kick. Springboard clothesline. Lionsault misses but Black gets the standing shooting star press. Shots to the chest by Black. Danielson flips over Black and rolls into a half crab. Danielson hits a dropkick from the top and comes off the ropes with a knee. European uppercuts. Black fires back. Danielson with some punches to the midsection. Dropkick into the corner. Danielson goes back to the crab, but Black gets a small package for two. Series of pinfalls. Neither can keep the other down for even a one count. Rolling elbow by Danielson. Pele kick by Black. Both men are down. Staredown. Kicks by Danielson. F-5 by Black. Danielson out of the buckle bomb into a triangle choke. Black appears to get out of it, but Danielson maintains the hold. Black reaches the ropes. To the top where Danielson goes for a belly-to-belly suplex. Buckle bomb. Superkick. 1-2-NO! Black goes for the Phoenix splash. Danielson launches Black into the crowd. Big dive by Danielson on to Black. Sweet Moses.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: No-contest/21:22/***1/2
-I don’t think this was as good as their first match on HDNet. Little something seemed to be missing from this one. Still a very good match though. I guess they’ll need a third match to settle this issue once and for all.
-Episode 9: Kevin Steen and El Generico (ROH World Tag Team Champions) vs. Rhett Titus and Kenny King
King comes out in some sort of mask. I guess to mock Generico. That wasn’t nice. Generico and Steen held the belts for quite a long time, but I never got the sense that they were emphasized nearly as much as other champions. Much of this had to do with the change in administration I’m sure. Generico takes control early and does the ten punches in the corner. Leg lariat. Steen and Generico double team Titus. Because they’re not women, Titus definitely doesn’t enjoy it. Steen with a chop in the corner. Titus gets the boot up. King in and he fails immediately. More double teaming by the champions. Steen distracts the referee. King and Titus take control. Heat segment on Generico.Generico with a kick and cross body on Titus. He waves around and begs the crowd to help him. Hot tag to Steen. Clotheslines and fists for everyone. Atomic drop on Titus. Back drop on King. Boot and a chop. Titus with a kick, but Steen responds by powerbombing. King breaks up a sharpshooter. King into the corner. Generico hits a boot in the corner and dives quickly on Titus outside the ring. Steen with a swanton. 1-2-NO! Steen is tossed out of the ring. Generico hits an atomic drop on Titus. King with a spinning kick as Generico goes for the running kick. King hits another kick on Generico. Coronation. Splash by Titus. Steen breaks the count just in time. Steen tries the package piledriver, but King comes back. Doesn’t last as Steen hits him with a DDT. Titus punches Steen on the top rope and does too much thrusting. Steen with an announcement on King. CANNONBALL! Generico dives across and kicks Titus. Package piledriver by Steen leads right into the BRAINBUSTAH! 1-2-3!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Kevin Steen and El Generico/9:17/***
-American Wolves attack the champions immediately after the match to send a message that they want the tag team titles. Match itself was solid. This is one of the first matches where I realized Titus could hang and didn’t completely suck. Generico and Steen always had excellent tag matches, and it’s sad they’re more known for their matches with the Wolves in 2010 than actually being the champions.
-Episode 10: Jay Briscoe (w/Mark Briscoe) vs. Kenny Omega vs. Kenny King
Omega and King had a running feud through the spring and summer of 2009. Briscoe was thrown in to spice things up a bit. Man, that sounds dirty after reading it back. Omega wants the match to be about sportsmanship, so Briscoe slaps him right across the face. Briscoe concentrates on King to start. Omega comes back and gets chopped by Briscoe. Omega dives on to King, who’s outside the ring not paying attention. Briscoe kicks Omega in the back of the head and beats up King. Omega joins him. King leaps on the apron and dives on both opponents. Kick to the face on Omega. Omega works over Omega in the ring. Briscoe boots Omega outside, and it’s his turn to beat up Omega. Omega drives Briscoe into the mat facefirst and gets two. King sends Omega back to the floor. King gets elbowed on a blind charge. Briscoe hits a flatliner on King into the middle turnbuckle. Briscoe clubbers away on King and tosses him. King with a kick to the back of Briscoe’s head. Omega comes in and gets pitched again. King pulls Briscoe out of the corner on his head. Strike exchange. Omega hits a crossbody on both men. Hurancanrana on both men. That was cool. Stopping enziguri on King. Crowd gets into him. Briscoe with a LARIAT on Omega. Omega hits a blockbuster on Briscoe, and Omega gets DDT’d in the process. King climbs the ropes but does too much talking. Omega climbs to the second rope. Briscoe knocks Omega down and sends him into the other corner. Omega dodges Briscoe and hits a lungblower on King. Briscoe sneaks in with a small package. Omega breaks the pin up. Spinebuster by Briscoe on Omega. Briscoe climbs to thetop. King hits a leaping kick. Briscoe ends up on the floor. King takes too much time with Omega. Omega reverses a Coronation attempt into a sunset flip bridge for the three count.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Kenny Omega/9:30/**3/4
-Pretty entertaining three way match. These matches are hard to execute well, but I think they did an admirable job. I also liked the story of Omega being the underdog and seemingly having to come from behind to beat his more experienced opponents.
-Episode 11: Tables Match- ROH World Tag Team Championship: Kevin Steen and El Generico (champions) vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards)(w/Shane Hagadorn)
The only way to win the match was pinfall or submission, so this wasn’t the typical tables match. No tags are necessary of course. Both teams brawl in and out of the ring. Action is too hard to call here. Crowd chants for tables pretty early on. Not sure what the point of simply having tables being legal was and not anything else. Steenerico work over Davey Richards once the bell rings. Edwards comes in and doesn’t do any better. Champions hit a backpack slam on Edwards. Steen brings a table out. Generico rams Richards’ head into it. Edwards is also sent in as well. Richards attacks the left knee of Steen. Double team alrm clock. Superkick by Edwards leads to a German suplex on Generico into the table. Sucker doesn’t break. That’s just nasty. Edwards sends Steen’s knee into the table. Richards and Edwards double team Steen’s leg. Another table is brought inside. Steen fights back with elbows. Generico with a crossbody on both Wolves. Michinoku driver on Edwards gets two. Richards kicks him in the back to break the count. He tries a DR driver. Generico takes the arm and hits a tornado DDT. Somersault on Edwards. Richards with a kick on Steen. Powerbomb into the table, and this one breaks. Swanton by Steen. Big splash by Generico. 1-2-NO! Edwards saves the day. Backfirst in the barricade goes Edwards. Steen and Generico set up a third table on the outside. A second table is brought, and we’ve got some stacking going on. Crowd chants “Kill the Wolves.” Steen tries to powerbomb Edwards into the tables, but Richards kicks the bad wheel. Double team by the Wolves. Table brought in the ring. Richards misses a shooting star press. For some reason, Edwards sets up a table outside. Generico comes out of nowhere with a tornado DDT. He splashes Edwards through the table as Steen cannonballs Richards. Sharpshooter in the ring. Shane Hagadorn comes out but gets hits with a package piledriver. Superkick on Richards. Steen with yet another table in the ring. Richards is laid prone. Steen to the top… but Richards puts him into the double stack of tables. Running boot by Generico. Brainbuster through the table? No. Edwards hits a low blow. Acecrusher through the table. Edwards covers. 1-2-3. NEW CHAMPIONS!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: NEW World Tag Team Champions- The American Wolves/13:25/****
-One of the best matches in the history of the show. An absolute insane and epic match. This also has to be considered the most important match in the show’s history since this has been the only title switch up to this point. Fascinating that Edwards has won both of his championships at HDNet tapings with him winning the television title in the first part of 2010. Great brawl in a series of them for these two teams.
-Episode 12: ROH World Championship: Jerry Lynn (champion) vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries
First man to get the pin gets the title. This is another one of my favorite matches from the first few months of the television show. Very fast-paced match. Because these four have worked with each other in various combinations, there’s very little awkwardness involved like you might normally see in a fatal four way match. Crowd clearly isn’t a big fan of Lynn holding and retaining the championship at this point. Not really all that jazzed about Aries being in the match either. I’m pretty convinced they wanted Black or Danielson to win the world title. Various finishers are used in the ending sequence. The ending is actually pretty ingenius too. Danielson tries to hook cattle mutilation on Aries, but Lynn hooks him in the cradle piledriver for three. Crowd does not like that ending.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Jerry Lynn/21:37/****
-Definitely a great match that I don’t think gets a whole lot of credit since it came shortly after the tag title switch and people not liking Lynn wearing the belt. Plus, people were very down on the company at this point, and that didn’t help.
Final Thoughts: Ten matches are on this DVD. I gave all but one three stars. That makes this one of the easiest recommendations ever. The television show has produced some boring matches, interviews, and squashes. However, it’s also produced a number of excellent matches that deserve to be seen by wrestling fans everywhere. I think this is well worth 15 dollars for sure, meaning it’s actually five dollars cheaper than a full show. I’m actually looking forward to volume two even more since that DVD will likely include some matches with KENTA. Volume one should be purchased immediately.
