Daniels vs. Richards DVD Review

Here we go with another Ring of Honor DVD review. I am experimenting with a new format for the remaining 2010 shows. Consider this a reminder or explanation for those who did not read my Allied Forces review.
Match Listing: Fairly self-explanatory and not much of a change from what I used to do.
Match in Five Words or Less: Something I’ll be trying out as I ever so briefly look at the match. Frequent phrases will include “Nothing to see here” or “Match of the year candidate.  I’ll try and come up with some witty ones as well.
Match Summary and Analysis: While I’m stepping away from play-by-play, I’m going to talk about the story or purpose of the match. I’ll talk about some highlight moves and give the finish. I’ll also give my opinion on the match because that’s how I roll. Snarkiness is sure to follow as well.
Winner/Time/Rating: Again, this isn’t a change from what I used to do, but for people who like to skim or find out immediately what I thought of a match, this is a convenient way to organize things.
Any compliments or insults about the format? Leave a comment or e-mail me. Otherwise, it’s been over 300 words. Let’s get to the reason you actually clicked the link.
-All Night Express (Kenny King and Rhett Titus) vs. Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole
Match in Five Words or Less: Showcase Of Two Young Teams
Match Summary and Analysis: Battle of two young teams here with King and Titus actually having more experience.  A very enjoyable opener that actually got the show off to a hot start. O’Reilly hit a double dragon screw legwhip. Cole hit a nasty DDT on Titus. ANE looked as sharp as I’ve ever seen them although no particular spots stick out. The Chicago crowd very much fell in love with the new guys by the end of the contest. Titus drives O’Reilly into his knee after a series of double teams to get the win. Good win for the team who’s getting a shot at the belts at the following Chicago show, coming to IPPV in February. O’Reilly and Cole made excellent accounts for themselves.
Winner/Time/Rating: All Night Express/11:01/***1/4
-Andy Ridge vs. Ricky Reyes
Match in Five Words or Less: Ricky Reyes Sucks
Match Summary and Analysis: I like Ridge. I really do. He’s someone trained by ROH who has hope to one day be a superstar within the next few years. But this trial series? First, you had Colt Cabana in the first match. Cabana made a complete mockery of Ridge. Now he’s got a man who hasn’t wrestled for ROH in Chicago since April Fool’s Day 2006, my very first ROH show. I was hoping Reyes being on the card was a sick joke by ROH. Sadly, it was not. Reyes dominates most of the match in a very boring fashion. Crowd doesn’t care a lick about him, but they at least try to get behind Ridge. Reyes almost drops Ridge on his head after a powerbomb before hitting the swinging neckbreaker for the win. Reyes is 2-0 for the weekend. That’s right. RICKY REYES IS UNDEFEATED THIS WEEKEND! Embarrassing. Then he grabs the microphone. LOUD “PLEASE DON’T TALK” and “SHUT THE FUCK UP” chants. Never let this man in an ROH ring again. He says Ridge won’t be anything in this business. So much like him. Ridge kicks him in the face to at least somewhat redeem this segment.
Winner/Time/Rating: Ricky Reyes/8:48/*
-Adam Cole cuts a great promo about this weekend not being a sign of things to come for the duo. I sure hope not. Kyle O’Reilly does a great job standing there.
–Daizee Haze & Jamilla Craft vs. Lady JoJo & Nevaeh
Match in Five Words or Less: Just Another Women’s Match
Match Summary and Analysis: The same “fan” who heckled Ricky Reyes throws water at the chest area of Lady Jojo. Know why I keep using quotes. Because it’s not a fucking fan. It’s some moron being paid by Ring of Honor and TruTv for some garbage reality show. Ring of Honor exposes itself every time they allow this camera crew and that “fan” to be a part of the show. Garbage like that encourages real fans, and there’s always a chance someone will copy cat. And Ring of Honor will have no one to blame but themselves. The match itself is fine. Nothing special but nothing offensive. I take real offense at Ring of Honor taking subtle shots at the girls of WWE. Everyone in the world knows they’re not real wrestlers who toil and struggle like a Daizee Haze or Sara Del Rey. But to hold them to the same standards is ludicrous. I’d also like to point that the real women’s wrestle make about 1/25 what the divas make. Fair or unfair, that’s the reality of the situation. Lady Jojo makes another good showing here. If Ring of Honor is serious about a women’s division, then they should bring her back again. Faces hit a combination of double team moves on Naveah. Lady Jojo breaks the count. Haze dives on top of her.  Naveah rolls Craft up for a three count. Nice to see women who weren’t Haze or Del Rey pick up the victory.
Winner/Time/Rating: Lady Jojo and Naveah/8:57/*1/2
-King wants to know what they have to do to get some respect. Keep doing you do this weekend. Very simple. Threatening words are directed at the Kings of Wrestling.
-Homicide vs. Kevin Steen
Match in Five Words or Less: Most Disgusting Match EVER!
Match Summary and Analysis: These two met many a year ago when Steen was actually svelte. I know some people won’t enjoy this match because it doesn’t have a lot of spots nor does it contain a lot of psychology. What does it have? Spitting. Steen spits on Generico’s mask before the bell rings. Fisticuffs exchanged immediately. There’s spitting by Homicide. Biting by Steen (Homicide tastes great). Choking. Eye gouging. Then Homicide snaps and tosses chairs in the ring. He teases bringing a barricade and table inside. I love the random insanity of the match. Brawling continues. Steen tries to toss a barricade in the ring fails. He responds by dropping two elbow drops and blowing a snot rocket. More punching. They pick each other’s noses. Steen wipes his own blood and spit on his face. While I’m enjoying this spectacle, I never want to witness this exchange of bodily fluid ever again. Very competitive one-on-one match as they approach the ending. Homicide comes out of nowhere with an acecrusher. Lariat gets a nearfall.  He goes for a copkiller, but Steen uses his weight to get out of it. Pumphandle neckbreaker for two. Steen goes for a package piledriver off the top. Homicide bites Steen one more time and gets an acecrusher. This gets Homicide a hard earned victory. I can understand why some people wouldn’t like this match or could even get offended, but I enjoyed it for what it was. Very unique from anything this company has put forth for quite some time.
Winner/Time/Rating: Homicide/14:44/***1/4
-Homicide is glad to be back in Ring of Honor, and he’s missed everyone. Awwww. That’s sweet. Steen comes back for more. Usual band of idiots breaks it up. Barely. I wish these two could have a full blown feud.
-The Metal Master vs. Mike Mondo
Match in Five Words or Less: Useless
Match Summary and Analysis: The announcers talk about Chris Hero’s elbow pad. Why? Because no one cares about this match. Crowd amuses themselves by saying Mikey has spirit. Hardy har. If Mondo did more to change his image and was a better wrestler, I’d try to defend him. But come on. It’s so easy. This is at least better than the match which came after intermission in Dayton. Mondo is at least better than Ricky Reyes. Not sure what that says. Metal Master hits a brainbuster before going to the crossface. It’s like a best of Steenerico compilation of moves. Mondo taps. Metal Master celebrates to… apathy. A few cheers sprinkled in. Not an awful match but not anything special either.
Winner/Time/Rating: Metal Master/7:23/*
-Non-title Elimination Match: Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnioli w/Shane Hagadorn)(ROH World Tag Team Champions) vs. The Briscoes (Jay and Mark Briscoe)
Match in Five Words or Less: These Four Have Done Better
Match Summary and Analysis: I feel like they ROH couldn’t think of any stipulations or were just trying to get creative. Particularly since the titles no longer in this feud as absurd as that sounds. This match has nowhere near the intensity or heat of previous encounters. Brawl to start before heading back in the ring and having what almost came off like a feeling out process. See, even the structure came off weird.  Claudio hands Hero the lucky pad. Hero nails Mark coming off the top rope in a sweet move. Claudio takes Jay out of the ring leading to Hero getting the first fall on Mark. Then it’s 2-on-1. Again, there is nowhere near the drama of previous matches. I’d have much rather seen the Briscoes wrestler Claudio and Hero in individual competition. The same could have been accomplished, and you could have one of the useless midcard matches, say Mike Mondo vs. Metal Master for instance. Jay hits a jaydriller to eliminate Claudio as Hagdorn puts the pad back on Hero. Jay blocks the elbow pad shot and gets a backslide for three.  Jay came off as being more lucky than good with that finish. Very disappointing. Not much else to say.
Winner/Time/Rating: Jay Briscoe/13:51/**1/2
-Referees and numerous students try to get Steen in the straightjacket. Cabana and Steen yell at each other. Steen decides he wants the jacket on. This man can be legit scary times.
-I Quit Match: Colt Cabana vs. Steve Corino (w/Kevin Steen in a straightjacket)
Match in Five Words or Less: A Second Straight Disappointment
Match Summary and Analysis: Look everyone. It’s Colt Cabana wrestling in Chicago and not getting a title match. Corino and Cabana have been such a huge part of the rivalry involving Steen and Generico that it’s fitting they get their own blowoff. Unfortunately, something was missing from the match. Can’t quite put my finger on it. I think the shenanigans involving Steen had something to do with it. The lack of El Generico at ringside (particularly with Steen there) probably had something to do with it. Speaking of odd, Steen literally kisses a fan at ringside. Wow. That fan should have run out and gotten a shot of some sort. It almost felt like Steen’s presence overrided the effect of the “I Quit” match. If it had just been a one-on-one battle, I think the match would have turned out better. Some weirdness occurred toward the end of the match. Steen becomes more physically involved, and the straightjacket is removed. As Steen is about to nail Cabana in the head with a chair shot, a number of students and officials come out to stop Steen for whatever reason. I guess Steen did technically break the stipulation, but there are also technically no rules for the match. My theory is Homicide was supposed to interject himself but couldn’t because of injury or another undefined reason. Steen yelled at the fans about Homicide being at the hospital.  Whatever happened, this felt like a TNA moment in Ring of Honor. Definitely not a highlight for what was the best feud of ROH in 2010. Cabana fights Steen once and for all with the chair. Cabana takes the straight jacket, puts it on Corino, and nails him with a chair. Powerbomb through the table. Cabana takes a piece of the table and jams it into the forehead of Corino. Corino says “Fuck you,” so Cabana jams the table into his eye. Well, that was a pleasant. Great ending to a bleh match.
Winner/Time/Rating: Colt Cabana/16:59/***
-Davey Richards vs. Christopher Daniels
Match in Five Words or Less: Worth The Wait
Match Summary and Analysis: Christopher Daniels literally walked into Ring of Honor back at The Big Bang to confront Davey Richards about being the best in the world. Because of schedule conflicts, it’s taken six months to get these two men in the ring. It’s amazing to see where Richards was when Daniels left in April 2007. Now Richards is arguably the best wrestler in the company. We’re only talking about a 3 ½ year difference. A good old-fashioned feeling out process occurs before the match ever so slowly builds to the crescendo. Anyone who thinks Daniels is taking it easy or not giving these matches his best shot should watch this main event.  This is easily his best match since coming back to Ring of Honor. He has a wonderful sequence of missing a baseball slide dropkick, nailing Richards trying to dive outside, and then landing on his feet after an asai moonsault. Just his movement and the way he handles himself is a step above so many other wrestlers.  Richards is pretty great too. He really needs to stop the howling and performing the big stupid back that practically impales his back. The howling is just annoying as hell. The diving is going to leave Richards in a wheelchair. Even on a relatively cool October evening, these two are completely drenched in sweat by about the 15 minute mark. A great moment happens when Richards misses a shooting star press, and Daniels immediately locks in the koji clutch. Crowd bought that false finish. I know cause I was there. Daniels nails a death valley driver on the apron, and it appears neither man is going to be able to get back in the ring. Richards crawls in at 19.999999. Angel’s wings gets 2.999999. Daniels comes off with  BEST. MOONSAULT. EVER. Richards CATCHES HIM and gets the anklelock. They march on after Daniels rolls Richards up.  Finally, Richards applies an ankelock one more time. Daniels has no choice but to tap. What an incredible war. Easily one of the best matches in Ring of Honor this year.
Winner/Time/Rating: Davey Richards/29:02/****1/4
-Daniels (very emotional) and Richards put each other over. They put Ring of Honor. Richards thanks the fans. The usual. Ironic that Daniels gave such an emotional speech in Chicago considering the vitriol that he spewed out of his mouth on his way out of ROH back in 2007.
-Davey Richards talks about the irony of watching Christopher Daniels and now tapping him out. He talks about it being his time and his journey.
-Shane Hagadorn mentions the Briscoes won’t get another tag team title shot even though they won a non-title match. He does seem concerned, perhaps about the match at Final Battle?
Bonus Features
We get words from six of the competitors who are participating in Survival of the Fittest, ironically the next show I’m reviewing. It’s one of my favorite tournaments of the year, and I’m looking forward to the 2010 version a lot.
Best Line: Kevin Steen to Colt Cabana in the back, “I’m going to eat your goddamn corpse.” Not really the line but the delivery sold it. It’s both funny and disturbing at the same time.
Best Finish: Not as definitive as the previous night, but Cabana’s vicious destruction of Corino was the best ending on this show.
MVP: I was close to giving it to Steen again, but I feel like he hurt the “I Quit” match more than helped it. Therefore, the award goes to a guy who takes a lot of guff and crap from a lot of indy fans. Christopher Daniels has been accused of half assing it or not producing the kind of matches we’re used to from him. I think this evening shows Daniels is absolutely capable of still delivering consistently great matches. Maybe he’s not going balls to the walls every time out, but when the time is right, Daniels can still be the man.
The Verdict: The main event made the show a thumbs up. If not for the disappointment of the two matches prior, I’d say the thumbs up would be even stronger. Thanks to the opening tag match and the wackiness before intermission, Richards vs. Daniels becomes a solid show for Chicago and Ring of Honor. My concern is that these main events are becoming the only thing worthwhile on the non IPPV shows. I hope this isn’t a trend that continues.
For more information on ROH and their upcoming shows , check out ROH’s Website. To buy this and many other ROH DVDs, check out their store. To watch all of the videowires that are included as bonus features and check out the tremendous video packages which hype various matches and iPPVs, check out ROH’s Youtube page.. Below is a list of contact information for both the website and me.
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