The premise of the content below has been designed to serve as a match by match preview of Ring of Honor’s Final Battle 2011, cultivating from the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on December 23. Via creative influence, I have attempted to swiftly analyze what is booked for the event. Finally, via creative influence, I have placed each match preview in an order suggesting what I believe, to be most beneficial for the overall delivery of the promotions largest show the year.
Triple-Threat ROH World Television Championship Match – Jay Lethal defends against El Generico and against Mike Bennett
Will December 23 mark the night Mike Bennett comes to the instant realization that the television title he has been carrying is imaginary? The irregular story-plotting surrounding Lethal and his most-noted television championship competitors should finalize at Final Battle. To make the most sense of how this triple-threat match has developed, the draws and all of the shenanigans, Lethal is being forced to defend the title in a rarely seen Ring of Honor triple-threat match. With Bennett promising to bring all of his dirty tactics to the ring as usual, he is also guaranteeing to bring something unusually naughty at the very same time; hence the conclusion to his most recent Prodigy Service Announcement. If Bennett’s dirtiness has proven to fail him in the past, perhaps a little naughty influence will authorize new-found success.
Tommaso Ciampa against Jimmy Rave
A former highly regarded and coveted member of the Embassy, returns to challenge Prince Nana’s most currently coveted, Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa remains undefeated in singles action since debuting in Ring of Honor but what could be considered his most significant test to date is scheduled for December 23 when Jimmy Rave returns to ROH. Expectations aside, the undefeated streak is becoming a good-looking suit on the most dominant male Ring of Honor has to offer. If Rave is ready to hang around with the ROH locker room again, rather than expecting him to truly understand how to defeat The Embassy’s most modern jewel, expect this to be, or better yet to become, a highly-anticipated showcase for Ciampa.
Michael Elgin against T.J Perkins
With both men in possession of an offensive and defensive arsenal that completely oppose one another, this bout should offer the best from both Perkins and Elgin. More often than not, styles clashing that are widely contradictory can have negative effects. However, in this particular scenario I am not the only Ring of Honor supporter who knows this match-up will not likely correspond with anything considered negative. Perkins is looking to make the largest impact he has made throughout 2011 while competing inside of an ROH-ring. For the final time in 2011 he will battle a worthy commodity in the promotion. His most anticipated test in 2011 will be against Elgin. Elgin may have no merchandise available but his value strictly comes from successful performance. Even though this match can easily be listed one of, if not the only, meaningless contest booked for Final Battle 2011; but don’t sleep on it.
No Disqualification Grudge Match – Steve Corino against Kevin Steen
The specific implications of the grudge match of the year featuring Jimmy Jacobs as Special Guest Referee and Jim Cornette and Cary Silkin as Ringside Enforcers, allow breathing room for the very important element of surprise. The background and story-plotting driving this match to its ultimate boiling point, also allows for a never-ending range of a climatic state of affairs. If one match can define revelation, it will be this one. Deciding to follow close-suit to last year’s Fight without Honor between Steen and El Generico, the promotion is planning a similar creative direction for this match. This warrants the expectations for something brutal to occur, but most importantly, it has warranted an outburst of general interest in the promotions largest show of the year. (If this match is placed after the main event, suddenly we have the clearest picture of what could take place).
Five Team Gauntlet Match – The All Night Express against Future Shock against The Bravado Brothers against The Young Bucks against Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander
Perhaps one of the largest tag-team matches in the history of the promotion is also set for Final Battle 2011. Selfishly, I desire for it to NOT be booked as the opening match-up. Should the majority of ROH fans have the same desire? An opening bout may not provide the time needed to display the talent each athlete is capable of providing here. The above perception is attached to high expectations; and the same applies for the majority of, Young Bucks, Future Shock, The All Night Express, Bravado Brothers and the C & C Wrestle Factory’s, performances this year. If you are more than conscious of the names involved, and rather more alert of the talent, skill and nature of the five tag-teams set to be featured in this match-up; your view of what should take place between these five teams must be nothing other than professional tag-team wrestling at its finest. You can predict the five team gauntlet match as a somewhat of an out of the ordinary four-star’ish indy tag-team spot-fest, or you can predict the match as a definitive platform designed for superior tag-team talent. Regardless, picture this match as the one and only way to finalize the company’s opinion of who is most deserving of obtaining a future Ring of Honor World Tag-Team Championship Match.
Roderick Strong Invitational Challenge – Roderick Strong with Truth Martini against an opponent yet TO BE ANNOUNCED.
There is no debate whatsoever that should follow after this next sentence. To foreshadow the element of surprise will overwhelmingly be detected throughout the entire event, makes complete sense. This considering what type of card the company has put before us. The Roderick Strong Invitational Challenge could pump the element of surprise through the ballroom like no other match booked for December 23. Since his opponent has yet to be named and it appears as if his opponent will not be named until he has made his way to the ring; the core reason for predicting hyper-active elements of surprise needs no further explanation. Strong has made it clear, that no matter what occurs at Final Battle, he plans to be noted as the man who stole the show. If the ballroom suffocates in that one very element, stealing the show may happen; but only if the venues vocal-cords excessively exacerbate upon the discovery of Strong’s opponent.
Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship Match – Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin defend against The Briscoe Brothers, Jay and Mark Briscoe.
One of the most successful ways to, or at the very least, attempt to, wrap-up a hate-driven rivalry in Ring of Honor is to have one last match at the annual Final Battle event. The feud between the Briscoe Brothers and Hass and Benjamin has been brewing in a cauldron of extreme dislike since June 2011. However, very recently it has simmered to the point of disgust and revulsion. This is where I need Benjamin to step in and say, “What he said!” There are rumblings that point towards the future being unclear for Wrestling’s Greatest Tag-Team inside Ring of Honor, but what is more clear than words can explain is what the future holds for the Briscoe Brothers inside Ring of Honor.
Ring of Honor World Championship Match – Davey Richards defends against Eddie Edwards
Slowly but surely, Ring of Honor has given each match booked for Final Battle 2011 on December 23 a fair shot at earning and deserving a spot on the largest card and show of the year. If there is one match on this card defining the exact product Ring of Honor is exclusively known for, the ROH World Championship Match is that one and only match. The significant build-up to Richards vs. Edwards II at the Best in the World iPPV six months ago at the same venue was met with significant results. The most precious quality about this company can be explained through the following: The semi-significant build-up to Richards vs. Edwards III at Final Battle 2011 will be met with significant results. One simple theory proves the entire premise to this match. Finding out who the BETTER professional wrestler is will not suffice this time around. Discovering who the BEST professional wrestler is just might do it. The current relationship status between Edwards and Richards has called for their Final Battle well ahead of its scheduled date. Exactly as it happened six months ago at the Best in the World 2011 iPPV event, in the very same building, both Richards and Edwards have agreed to share the same thought process; but perhaps it will be for the final time.
ROH has a somewhat disappointing history of mystery opponents. I want to say Low-Ki, BJ Whitmer, or Jack Evans, but fear we’ll see Grizzly Redwood. nice article.