ROH on HDNet Recap
January 25, 2010
ECW Arena, Philadelphia
Commentators: Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak
Report by: Anthony J. Valvo of WrestleView.com
Kidd Russell’s music hits, and we are on!
Later tonight will be a Pick 6 Contenders Series Match between Kenny King and El Generico.
And after that announcement, let’s go to the first match that features the Ring of Honor tag champions!
Match #1: The Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark) vs. Up in Smoke (Cheech and Cloudy)
After both teams abide the Code of Honor, the match begins.
We start the match with Jay Briscoe and Cheech in the ring. They start with a tie-up and Jay applied the headlock on Cheech. Jay then landed a shoulder tackle on Cheech, and then Cheech took Jay down with via a flying head scissors takedown. Jay got back up, went off the ropes and forearmed Cheech to the ground. After an attempted pinfall victory, Jay brought Cheech to his feet and gave him a chop. Mark Briscoe is now tagged in and he executed a belly to belly suplex on Cheech. After again a failed pin attempt, the lights are out at the Arena! After a few seconds, the lights come back on and Mark had Cheech in a waistlock position. Cheech stomped on Mark’s feet and tagged his partner Cloudy.
Cloudy goes off the ropes and Cheech lifted him up into a Tornado DDT on Mark. Cloudy went for the pin attempt, but only got a two count. Mark got back up and whipped Cloudy to the corner. Jay is tagged in and punched Cloudy. Cloudy then attempted a waist takedown?
Before I go on, a lot of you are asking the question ?Who are Cheech and Cloudy?. I came up with the answer. They are a tag team that wrestles dominantly outside of ROH. Cheech is a tall, lanky kid that kind of resembles the Briscoes far away and Cloudy looks like he is 100 pounds soaking wet. Now picture Cloudy picking up a 220 pound buy in Jay Briscoes. It was not going to happen. Moving on?
Jay was too big for the takedown and almost connected with an elbow. Cloudy punched Jay a few times, but Jay lifted Cloudy up into a Spinebuster! After an attempted pin victory, Mark is tagged in and launched Cloudy half way across the ring. Mark failed to secure a pin, but lifted Cloudy up and dished out a suplex. Mark once again tried to pin Cloudy, but the resilient toothpick with hair kicked out at two! Jay is tagged in and both men cornered Cloudy. The Briscoes then did a double chop and then a double-team hiptoss. Jay then took out Cheech. Jay with the pinfall attempt but no dice. Mark is tagged in again and Jay drilled Cloudy with a back suplex! Mark attempted the senton, but Cloudy got out of the way. Cloudy escaped Mark’s clutches and tagged Cheech, who is now at the top turnbuckle and did a top rope crossbody on Mark! Then Cheech went back up top and hit a missile dropkick on Mark. Cheech continued the moves when he punched Mark and hit a Springboard Moonsault. Cheech tried to pin, but Mark kicked out at two! Cloudy is tagged in at this moment. Mark is whipped into the corner. Cloudy did a running knee splash on Mark and then Cheech ran his shoulder into Mark’s stomach. Cheech then set up Mark into a slingshot, Cloudy then hit the leaping reverse STO (similar to Dolph Ziggler’s Zig Zag). Jay had enough and tried to enter the ring, but the referee backed him into his corner.
Cheech and Cloudy then attempted another double team tactic, but Mark countered it by holding on to Cheech, kicking Cloudy out of the way, and hit the Saito Suplex on Cheech! Cloudy got punished with Mark’s Enzugiri. Mark continued the attack on Cloudy at the corner, but Cloudy tried to fight it off. However, Mark threw Cloudy down with an overhead throw from the corner to the middle of the ring and tried an attempted pin. Cheech blocked the pin. Jay is tagged back into the ring and they attempted the Doomsday Device on Cloudy, but Cheech grabbed a hold on Mark from outside the ring and Cloudy did a Hurricanranna into a pin attempt on Jay. From the outside, Cheech was whipped to a barricade by Mark and Jay finished off Cloudy?
Finish: Jay Briscoe with a Press Slam into a Death Valley Driver on Cloudy! Jay got the three count via pinfall.
Winners by pinfall: The Briscoe Brothers
Grade: C+
Kyle Durden runs to the ring from his week off and got a quick interview with the Briscoes. He then asked what it felt like to be a 6-Time ROH Tag Champion. Jay told Durden that though it is a new year, it is the same old story. Mark then interrupted and called out the Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli). Jay did not appreciate being attacked by them at Final Battle 2009. Right after that comment, the American Wolves entered this segment with Davey Richards hold on to the microphone. Richards told the Tag Champs that if they wanted to see the Kings, well they are right here (declaring that the Wovles are the ?Kings?). Eddie Edwards grabbed the mic and said that the Briscoes are dumb and that the Wolves are entitled to a rematch. Edwards then told them champs that the hunt is on. The Dark City Fight Club then enter the ring without music nor words. Now all six men are in the ring and encountered in a shoving match. This was broken up quickly by the ROH personnel.
Earlier tonight, Jim Cornette told Tyler Black and Austin Aries that their reputations are on the line. So, on February 13, 2009 at the Manhattan Center ROH will present another ROH Title match between Aries and Black. However, there is a catch. If the match is not decided after the time limit, then Aries? title will be at the mercy of three individuals. Cornette told both men to find a judge and meet him back in the ring after the show.
So, tonight Austin Aries and Tyler Black will announce their picks.
We get the same Final Battle highlight package where Kevin Steen delivered both a low-blow and a chair shot on his former tag team partner El Generico.
Kyle Durden is backstage with El Generico right now. Durden asked how Generico is feeling and his thoughts on Steen and his match tonight with Kenny King. Generico had nothing to say and Colt Cabana came to Generico and appeared to console him. Now let’s get back to ringside.
Match #2: ?Skullkrusher? Rasche Brown vs. Bobby Shields
Shields got no ring entrance, Brown looks dominant. This should be a quick match.
No code of honor here, as Bobby Shields punched away on Rasche Brown. Brown sort of laughed it off, then got a hold of Shields and delivered an overhand chop! Brown then hit a dangerous spear, knocking the wind out of Shields. We then look towards the ramp and Prince Nana and Mr. Ernesto Osiris are taking notes on Brown’s match. Brown the made Mike Hogewood ?Slap the Porpoise??
Finish: Rasche Brown did a little torture rack on Bobby Shields and then laid down The Burning Hammer! The match did not last more than two minutes.
Winner by Pinfall: ?Skullkrusher? Rasche Brown
Grade: D
Now we finally get to see Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak with a NEW ROH dropback! Hogewood mentioned that he was having fun and loved how Jim Cornette will make sure there is a winner at the Manhattan Center on February 13, 2010. Prazak plugged the NEW ROH Application for the iPhone. You can download that FOR FREE!!! Ugh, I don?t have an iPhone!
Mike Hogewood announced that in TWO weeks, The Young Bucks will be wrestling The American Wolves (who in the picture posed with the ROH Tag Titles, I assumed it was an error on HDNet).
And Now, Your Main Event of the Evening!
Pick 6 Contender’s Series Match
Match #3: Kenny King vs. El Generico
Kenny King teased the Code of Honor Handshake, and when he went back to his corner the match began. On a side note, I think El Generico is their best storyteller in the mid-card. He does have to say a word and you know he is in a depressed kind of mood.
Also, I spotted a guy who looked to be in his mid-30s wearing an old school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-Shirt chanting ?Ole?! I could not make this stuff up and I go to Wal-Mart almost every single day. You would think I saw it all, but I did not. Back to the match.
King attacked Generico from behind and put in a couple of stomps to the back. Generico slowly got back up on his feet, only to see King taunting a bit. King then got in a kick to the gut and a headlock. King then hit the shoulder tackle and then King went off the ropes to execute a head snap and chinlock combination. Generico got his foot on the rope and the hold was broken. We then get another tie-up, and King once again cornered Gernerico. However, Generico collected his thoughts and got in some punches and kicks while at the corner. After a few of those Generico armdrags (last one with a little bit of theatrics), King was whipped to the corner and Generico got in some punches from the corner. After the ninth punch, King picked up Generico and did an inverted atomic drop. King then went off the ropes, only to be introduced to the heel of Generico’s foot after the spinning heel kick.
King got back up and argued with the referee a little bit, but it was all a ploy as King kicked the stomach of Generico and stomped on the shoulder. King then did an original suplex/press punches combination and attempted a pinfall cover. King continued to kick and slap around Generico. King whipped Generico to the turnbuckles and before he did anything else he had to dance a little bit. King attempted to cover for the victory but the ref only got to the two count. Both men then exchanged punches, and Generico got the advantage with a body slam. However, Generico’s back is injured and finally collected his thoughts with a cover on King. Generico then executed a solid backbreaker on King, but when he covered him he could not get the three from the ref. King grabbed a hold of the rope and the ref asked if King was alright to continue. King quickly got back up on his feet and neck snapped Generico off the top rope! After some dancing, King attempted the pinfall victory but failed to win the match.
King then slammed Generico to the corner of the ring, and then did a springboard leg drop down on Generico’s throat. King then attempted to win by pinfall, but again did not secure the victory. Generico got back up on his feet, but King punched Generico with a closed fist (don?t worry King was warned afterwards) and once again the Generic Luchador is cornered. King then stomped Generico at the corner a few times until the rep broke the offense. King then whipped Generico onto another corner. King stalled a little but, and that was enough for Generico to connect with some forearms. Generico then dumped King outside the ring area. Generico got the fans to rally for him and then Generico leaped over the top rope and flip-landed onto King from the outside! As both men got up from the high-risk move, King raked the eyes of Generico. King then attempted to do a running knees move, and finished nicely as Generico was shoved to the barricade. King then took way too much time, and tried to do that same move again only for Generico to get out of the way and King’s knees hit the ring post! Generico then noticed that King is out of it and runs through the ring and hit a beautiful Tornado DDT on King!
Both men are now back in the ring (Generico pushed King in the ring while Generico got back in himself) and Generico attempted the pinfall cover. King fought off Generico for a little bit, but Generico countered any more offense with the scoop slam piledriver (better known as Michinoku Driver II)! Generico still failed to secure the pinfall victory. Gernerico attempted the Ole Kick, but King connected with a spin kick. King then covered Generico, but only got the two count. King now has Generico up on the top tope and started to punch him. Generico fought off a high-risk move by King and now it is King that is dizzy. Generico then went high-risk himself, but landing on the shoulders of Kenny King and King hit the Royal Flush! Still, Generico has something left in the tank as King failed to cover him long enough for the win.
King is now on the top turnbuckle, but Generico fought him off. Generico shoved King to the corner and hit the Ole Kick! Generico did a roll-up cover, but failed to win. Generico then got King up with an overhand chop, then did a balancing act on the ropes to then hit the Tornado DDT. But King countered the move and did a suplex, with Generico landing on the corner of the ring! King then whipped Generico at another corner and hit a back corner splash. King danced a little bit, Generico whiffed on an Ole Kick, and King hit a corner enzugiri to the back of Generico’s head. This set up the final finish of the evening?
Finish: Kenny King set up and destroyed El Generico with The Coronation! After the pinfall victory, King earned himself $2500 and took Generico’s spot in the Pick 6.
Winner by Pinfall: Kenny King
Grade: B-
Coming up next: The judges for the 2/13 title match between Austin Aries and Tyler Black.
We then saw a mini video package of how Austin Aries ran around the ring during the sixty minute match with Tyler Black at Final Battle 2009 for the ROH Title.
Jim Cornette is now in the center of the ring with Austin Aries and Tyler Black. Cornette talked about Final Battle and that on February 13, it will be a different story. Cornette reminded the crowd that he made Aries and Black pick one judge and announce it to him right now.
Aries went first and said that he had a lot of names on his cell phone list and called Judges Judy and Joe Brown, but they did not reply to the voice mail. Aries decided to go a step higher and said that he got a judge that can bring ?royalty? into the title match. With that said, Aries? selection for a judge was?Kenny King! Cornette was not surprised by that decision and King told Cornette that he will call the match down the middle (like what a good heel is supposed to say).
Cornette then turned his attention to Tyler Black and asked how his choice for a judge was. Black said the decision was difficult, but it came down to someone who Black respected. Tyler Black’s selections was?Roderick Strong! Cornette wanted to know why Strong accepted this invitation to be a judge. Strong’s answer was because Black promised him the moment he won that ROH Title that the first title defense for Black will be against him. Somewhere in between this, Strong called Aries a weasel.
Jim Cornette concluded the show by announcing the third judge for the Title match. It will be none other than?himself! He issued a piece of advice for the two men competing for the title. He said the only way to be in control of this match is when that person beats that other man. Cornette said may the best man win and he left the ring. The four remaining wrestlers exchange words with each other (Strong talked to King while Black talked to Aries).
Quick Results
The Briscoes Brother def. Cheech and Cloudy via Pinfall
?Skullkrusher? Rasche Brown def. Bobby Shields via Pinfall
Kenny King def. El Generico via Pinfall to earn a spot in the Pick 6 Bracket.
Mike Hogewood’s Slap the Porpoise Move of the Night: Brown’s Burning Hammer on Shields!
Overall Thoughts
This was not the usual ROH program, with only three matches (one being a squash) and a main event storyline attached to it. I don?t know if I truly liked the program, but I think I have to type it all out before I make a final verdict.
On the ?wrestling side?, I just was not feeling this from top to bottom. The Briscoes looked strong against Cheech and Cloudy tonight, but there was something missed from a creative standpoint. I thought that it would have been better (in my view) to see The Briscoes fight a team like the Dark City Fight Club rather than these two occasional ROH talents. I am not taking anything away from Cheech and Cloudy, as I thought they put forth their best effort since debuting on HDNet. I think Cheech really stood out with his top rope moves on Mark Briscoe. But just that kind of team does not seem to fit on a main stage. I would work for CHIKARA or other Philly promotions, but just not in this stage.
?Skullkrusher? Rasche Brown is a BEAST!! He threw around Bobby Shields like a rag doll in under a minute. WWE and TNA can have their Ezekiel Jacksons and Rob Terrys. Ring of Honor has a bonafide brute in Brown. If the Embassy end up adding him to the faction, then I fear for anyone would challenge the Embassy.
The Main Event match to me had a mid-card feel, but with a great performance by El Generico. Kenny King may be in the Pick 6 and he has the talent to be a champion one day in ROH, but he is not even close right now. El Generico though was ok in the ring, but the story he told during the match and in his little segment with Kyle Durden was great. He felt like someone just told him someone close to him died, and it made me in a way feel sorry for Generico. However, this match was good, but it did not have the feel of a main event.
From a segment standpoint, I like it. I can?t stand all these ?Final Battle clips?, but I guess one needs to show them in case you added more viewers to a show. They way they are building up the Tyler Black and Austin Aries title match is not bad. Aries cowardly retained his title and Cornette now appointed himself and two other judges to make sure it won?t happen again. I like the story, but again I must state again that Tyler Black should not be in this level right now. An upper-mid card wrestler, yes. Not right now at the main event level? I disagree. He does not work the mic well. Unlike Aries, who can actually cut a hour-long promo and still present himself well. I like what they are doing here when it came to setting up a story.
The tag team division shoving match was not good in my opinion. If it was just the American Wolves and the Briscoes arguing, it would be fine. The Wolves want their titles back. But to now add the Dark City Fight Club to the mix is confusing. They are a good tag team, but what did they do recently on HDNet to be in the title mix?
Hogewood called moves by their name for once! After eight months doing this he finally got it!
Overall Grade: C
So, overall I came to a conclusion that it was an average show. The wrestling was not really that satisfying, but the segment with Aries and Black was a good start to their title match. Also, El Generico was perfect in the role he is playing. In all, it was the first time in a LONG time that the storylines in ROH was better than the wrestling it presented the viewer.
-Mr. V’s Pick Three of the Week-
Wrestler of the Week: Kenny King
He was in the first ROH show ever and King reminded me of an earlier version of Shelton Benjamin. Now, he still reminds me of Benjamin, but with way more charisma. His victory over El Generico not only put him in line for a title shot, but helped him lay the foundation of a solid high-mid card performer. Only when he gets away from Aries will be when we see if he has some staying power. Also, to be a part of the ROH Title match (as a judge) really proved to me that ROH is planning on doing more things with King.
Disappointment of the Night: Bobby Shields
When someone wants to start something, make sure you can handle the pressure. I just love when jobbers attack before the bell rings and then get totally devastated by the more dominant wrestler.
Surprise of the Night: El Generico’s character
I don?t plan on sounding like a broken record anymore. But the best thing for El Generico right now is what their creative team is doing. Generico did not even say one word in his interview and during the match. He looks like something was empty inside and he just lost his passion. He wants the fans to believe that this is happening, and he is doing a tremendous job at that! Outside of Aries, he is the best storyteller in Ring of Honor right now.
Well, that does it for me tonight. I wish you all a pleasant week and I thank you for reading this recap. I will provide another one for you sometime over the weekend. Take care everyone!!
E-mail: mistervwv@hotmail.com
Facebook: Anthony J. Valvo (Pittsburgh, PA)
Thanks for reading and I will be back on Sunday with ?Predictions From The Faculty: Royal Rumble Edition?.
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