Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
On Friday, December 22, 2006 at 11:37 PM EST

Considering I will be in attendance for my first New York City indy show tomorrow night for ROH's Final Battle 2006, I guess it's only fitting I come out with a preview column with opinions and picks for the card. With Samoa Joe not competing tomorrow night, there is a lot of speculation as to what role he may play, and what will happen involving Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli for Claudio's last official day in Ring of Honor before going to the developmentals for WWE.

Let's talk about Nigel's situation first before the true debate in ROH. It's been said that there will be no additional talent signed for the card, and that Nigel will get an opponent from the five remaining matches. The scenario I posted on the ROH message board I am going to post here, because, it may be a long shot, but it appears to be the most sensible one I can think of from a storyline standpoint.

Both Homicide and Danielson are coming in to the World title match here far less than 100%. A 3 way dance would significantly reduce the wear and tear on both the champion and the star challenger from New York City. I also think with Samoa Joe on site saying he wants to watch the world title match, along with the fact that he already has a beef with Nigel, Danielson, and some relationship, both good and bad with Homicide, that putting Nigel in the world title match would make sense.

Now I was told on the message board that Nigel can't get another title shot while Danielson holds the strap, and I guess that's legit, since he had his run with the Dragon in the UK and soon afterwards. However, when emergencies hit, some rules are made to be broken. Nigel gives both men a chance to rest their shoulders slightly while still putting on a top flight product, you know in some way, shape, or form, Joe is going to get involved in the match, and by adding Nigel with the expected interference from Joe, it continues to build to an eventual program with Joe and McGuinness when Joe is cleared to return to active combat in Ring of Honor.

Does that make sense, ladies and gentlemen? In my demented head, it does. Does that mean it's going to happen? Probably not, but hey, its a thought. Another opinion I got on the board is that ROH is always good at making sure that secrets remain and making sure that the unpredictable happens. So, you can't really try and hypothesize a way that the bookers of ROH are going to get out of this mess except to be there in person.

Which, thanks to the powers of a man who I will not name for privacy reasons, I thank immensely for giving me the opportunity to attend this experience first hand.

Moving on to the other debate before giving out my picks, (or truth be told, waiting for my ridiculous dial up connection to refresh the message board so I can look at the card again), Homicide vs. Danielson. Take out the theory I just discussed above and say the match goes as is, Dragon vs. the Notorious 187 for the ROH World title or Homicide's ROH career.

Put all the eggs in a basket. You have Danielson on the cusp of breaking Samoa Joe's record for a reign as champion. You have the virtual perfect tweener champion, can be a face, can be a heel, and is perhaps one of the most, if not the most technically sound combatants on the planet. Then you have Homicide, a founding father of ROH, loved by the world, mostly, with a resume that has all glowing remarks on it sans one, the victory in a big match for an ROH Championship.

But, if you take the negatives now, both men are virtually coming in to the match with one arm apiece. Danielson's shoulder injury has been well chronicled, and this past week, news broke out on ROHwrestling.com that 'Cide's shoulder is killing him. Neither one of these men are going to be 100%, or even close to it when they lock horns. Is that going to be a factor in the match? Not from the standpoint of entertainment by any stretch, but perhaps by the sense of the structure of the match itself, referring back to my eariler hypothesis.

Anyway, I'm beating around the bush to the obvious question. Who wins? Danielson or Homicide. Will I walking out of Final battle and heading for Penn Station be able to say that I was in attendance for Danielson's first day as champion, winning the title vs. James Gibson at Glory By Honor IV and when he lost the title at Final Battle 2006 vs. Homicide? Or Will I be walking out of Final Battle thinking about how Danielson is on the virge of breaking Samoa Joe's record for longevity as champion and grumbling as to how TNA may have snatched another Ring of Honor combatant right out from under the company's nose.

Enough talk. The card finally came up in my browser. Let's go to work.

JAY & MARK BRISCOE vs. ADAM PEARCE & SHANE HAGADORN

Now, I am not going to ask here whether or not the Briscoes are faces or heels, because frankly, who cares? They are a tremendous tag team to watch, and one of the hardest hitting tandems I have ever seen. I do have to question why Shane Hagadorn, a ROOKIE in every sense of the word, has a slot in this card over some of the other talent that could be placed in this match, or maneuvering this match entirely. In simpler terms, I think this match does not belong on THIS card for one reason. One of the competitors is not ready for this type of stage. And it ain't the Briscoes or Pearce.

WINNERS: The Briscoe Brothers

CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. JIMMY RAVE vs. DAVEY RICHARDS vs. EL GENERICO

Rave and Richards rekindle a mini-feud like they had when Richards came in to ROH and Rave was still the crown jewel. Daniels has his on again off again deal as one half of the ROH World tag team champs go off again as Sydal is involved elsewhere in this card, and quite honestly, I have never seen Generico compete live myself. I am looking forward to seeing the masked man take to the mat in this four corner match.

Rave is the obvious choice because he is on the biggest roll. I would suspect Rave & Richards to dominate the action in this match, because there is a little bit of history between them. Daniels has zero to lose with not being involved in this decision, and Generico needs to be booked more consistently in ROH before he starts seeing notches in his victory column on this night. I expect good talented competition, but I also expect the push for the former Crown Jewel to continue.

WINNER: Jimmy Rave

BJ WHITMER & COLT CABANA vs. BRENT ALBRIGHT & JIMMY JACOBS

We all know Cabana can go physical with his past feud with Homicide, and he's going to need to bring up the violence in this one, because there is going to be a lot of intensity here. Albright is super intense in all of his combat, and I like the idea of being a hired gun trying to take out targets on the ROH roster. Makes him a little more unpredictable. Jacobs is just nuts, and with what happened to Lacey, I would suspect not much more difference in how Jacobs competes throughout this contest. Whitmer will bring his intensity here, but Cabana best be ready for a fight, because it will be coming, 10 fold. I think Albright & Jacobs will take it, but this one will definitely be dangerous to watch.

WINNERS: Brent Albright & Jimmy Jacobs

CHRIS HERO's FAREWELL to CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI

Now, if Hero was a class act, he would take the time that ROH has given him, say goodbye, shake the man's hand, and walk out. That would be a classy thing to do, and a hell of a nice way for Claudio to leave Ring of Honor and the independent scene heading for I believe OVW.

And then I woke up.

I suspect Hero will turn on Claudio, like the rest of the ROH board pretty much does, and we'll have an impromptu matchup between the Kings of Wrestling. If PWG has the guts to book Hero vs. Claudio for CC's final go round on the left coast, then ROH has to have the same amount of guts to pull it off here, one way or another. Not to mention the fact that this card needs some volume to it. Six matches is a bit light on a volume standpoint. Anyway, expect a match between the KoW and expect Hero to go down so that Castagnoli can get his victory and his applause prior to leaving. It won't be on the emotional sentiment ala James Gibson or CM Punk, but it may shed a tear or two.

Or not. Who knows?

NIGEL McGUINNESS vs. ??????

Like I said eariler, I think that Nigel will go in the match for the world title, but I guess I have to come up with a secondary option. As much as I think I, and from what I have read don't want to see it happen, I would not be too surprised if they broke up the next match I am going to discuss to put one of those six men in this matchup with Nigel. Most likely would be Delirious, but Sydal does have a beef with the green and black clad lunatic, and that could prove awkward.

Although, as I am thinking about it, there is a chance that if Shingo and CIMA win the titles tonight in Hartford, then they can return to New York with the belts, and put them on the line vs. Aries & Strong, therefore freeing up Sydal, who is not 100% with his knee, and allowing Delirious the chance to compete in a singles match with Nigel. This one is a bigger long shot than my previous thought, so instead of continuing the speculation, let's move on.

Dragon Gate Rules
AUSTIN ARIES, RODERICK STRONG & DELIRIOUS vs. CIMA, SHINGO & MATT SYDAL

A little comedy. Every time I see the name CIMA mentioned in an article, I think of the movie Mission to Mars, and how Jerry O'Connell and Gary Sinise are talking about the Saturn Imaging Rocket and how they can use that to photograph, nevermind, I guess you had to be there.

Ok. Back to business. I have little to zero knowledge on Dragon Gate, or Dragon Gate rules. Truth, the only thing I know on Dragon Gate is Shingo from seeing him at Black Friday Fallout. From there, we know that Roddy wants a piece of Shingo's hide for costing he and Aries the tag titles against the KoW. There's also some history between the former GenNexters, although it's not tremendously heated. The obvious rivalry is between Sydal and Delirious, and the only question here is, how hurt is Sydal's knee, and will he be able to compete at the level he is going to have to to perform to the standards set by the others in this match? Only time will tell.

Never seen CIMA compete. Only saw Shingo once. I wasn't too impressed with Shingo, although he did beat a pretty damn good combatant in Mark Briscoe back on Long Island in late November. If CIMA competes at the level KENTA can when I saw KENTA & Richards vs. the Briscoes from Time to Man Up, then this match will be a barn burner from the word go. Due to my lack of knowledge on two of the three competitors on one team, and due to the fact that I am an Aries, Strong, and Delirious fan, I am going to pick them, but this match is, I suspect, the dark horse MOTN.

WINNERS: Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, & Delirious

ROH World Championship
BRYAN DANIELSON vs. HOMICIDE

You could go down the line in this matchup, and there are a million reasons why Danielson wins, and a million reasons why Homicide wins. This is as close to a pick 'em match as you can possibly get. I think physical conditioning will play a role in this match, meaning the conditions of both combatants shoulders will be the primary factor as to who comes out with the belt. The true question on the mind of ROH is, can it afford to lose a founding father like Homicide? The answer, I think, is no. Danielson has given a hall of fame effort in his run as ROH champion, and I believe this is going to be his swansong. It may be only temporary, and that wouldn't surprise me in the least, but the fact remains, the fans are calling out for a new champion. Danielson needs the time off to recover from his nagging shoulder, and Homicide's committments to TNA can be altered to allow him to maintain a run as the top dog in Ring of Honor. I thought initially that Homicide's committment as one half of the NWA World Tag Team Champions would seal his fate in this match, but let's be frank. If the Fallen Angel can be the X Division Champion and one half of the ROH World Tag team champs, then Homicide can reverse that with the ROH World title.

I want to be able to say that I was there for the Dragon's win, and the Dragon's loss in his title reign. I want to say I've been there for day one, and for the end. That's my dream.

WINNER: Homicide

I'll be back on saturday night late or early sunday morning with a big recap from the show. In the meantime, look for the dude in General Admission with the glasses, the jersey, and the steno pad writing notes, and come over and say hi.

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