ROH on HDNet Recap
October 11, 2010
The Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Commentators: Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak
Report by: Anthony J. Valvo of Wrestleview.com
My apologies for the late recap. I was honestly busy from literally celebrating a birthday week. Well, now that it is uber early in the morning and I have my coffee in hand…
The following is an exclusive presentation of Ring of Honor Wrestling…on HDNet!
The show began with a clip from the August 16th edition of ROH. Shane Hagadorn told Davey Richards to let him do his job or Richards would never be the best. Richards responded by punching Hagadorn in the face and at that time told Hagadorn that “they are history”. Last week’s edition showed Eddie Edwards displeasure towards Hagadorn. Hagadorn said that Edwards would fight whoever he assigned him to fight. Edwards balked at that idea and told Hagadorn to stay off of this discussion between him and ROH Executive Producer Jim Cornette. Moments later, it was Hagadorn that stormed out of the ring area and into the locker room. So long story short, it appeared that The American Wolves (Richards and Edwards) are disassociating themselves with Hagadorn.
To the ROH backstage area! Shane Hagadorn is there with a mic. Hagadorn called out Davey Richards and said between his stubborn refusal and Eddie Edwards, it was time to have it out…right now!
But before that, the music and opening titles reminded us that we were watching ROH on HDNet! Kidd Russell’s theme is still awesome.
Shane Hagadorn is now in the ring. Hagadorn said that he was tired of waiting for Davey Richards. He wanted to have words with Richards. Hagadorn then told Richards to get his ass in the ring. Davey Richards entered the ring and the crowd chanted for him. Hagadorn was very upset, yelling back to the fans “you would not chant his name if it was not for me” and thought that Richards would agree. Hagadorn then told Richards that without him, he still would not be the best in the world.
Hagadorn continued by confronting Richards for “threatening his life” and then told the fans to shut up. Hagadorn then mentioned that Richards wants to be between him and Eddie Edwards. Hagadorn said if Edwards listened to Richards, then Edwards would fail as well. He told Richards that there is still a chance and that he would forgive Richards. Hagadorn demanded to be Richards’ manager or Richards would “get his ass beat”.
Richards just smirked and asked Hagadorn if “he was going to beat his ass?” Hagadorn replied with “you will get your ass beat”. Richards said if he was going to do the right thing he might as well make the first move. Richards then cornered Hagadorn and attacked him. At that very moment, the ROH World Tag Team Champion The Kings of Wrestling (Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero) ran into the ring and attacked Richards. ROH Television Champion Eddie Edwards then ran in to save his fellow Wolf. Edwards cleaned out, and Hagadorn is outside the ring arguing with his former associates.
Then we go back to the ROH Backstage Studio where Christopher Daniels has the mic. Daniels admitted to his mistakes. He admitted that he underestimated ROH World Champion Roderick Strong and Truth Martini. Daniels said that it all ends. He said tonight, the non-title match that was booked is fine with him. Daniels said that he would teach a lesson to Strong and earn a title shot. Daniels said that he would beat him 1…2…3 and that was not a threat nor promise, but the gospel according the The Fallen Angel.
MR. V SCRATHING HIS HEAD TIME: Seriously, why did TNA let this guy go? I won’t complain, because he is getting the storylines and respect that he deserves in ROH.
ROH then plugged their Fall Tour. Check www.rohwrestling.com for tour dates and matches. I wish they came to Pittsburgh.
The viewers then saw a clip from the 9/20 Edition of ROH on HDNet. It was the aftermath of the Steel Cage Match between Austin Aries and Delirious. After Delirious won the match, The All-Night Express (Rhett Titus and Kenny King) stormed in the cage and hit the Spike Piledriver TWICE on Delirious, thus knocking him out of action for an extended time.
Earlier today, Austin Aries, Rhett Titus, and Kenny King were backstage with Aries on the mic. Aries was very impressed with what his associates accomplished. The accomplishment was something that Aries could not do, and that was to take out Delirious. Aries then said good-bye to Delirious. Aries then said for a while they have been entertaining, but now they are ready for the top and will become the ROH World Tag Team Champions. Aries declared that Titus and King are the fastest up-and-comers and will win the titles. King then grabbed the mic and told Aries that he turned “sex machines” into “killer machines”. King said that he and Titus used to have contests on who would get laid more, but now they were ready to lay out tag teams in ROH and they will do it (in synch with Titus) All……Night……Long.
Match #1
Tag Team Match
The All-Night Express (Rhett Titus and Kenny King w/Austin Aries) vs. Dark City Fight Club (Kory Chavis and Jon Davis)
Before the match, Austin Aries provided advice for Titus and King. All four wrestlers shook hands before the match.
Notes on All-Nighters: Kenny King began the match and twisted the arm of Davis. But that was all he did as the DCFC controlled him early. When Rhett Titus did a cheap shot during the DCFC program (clothesline), King attacked with punches. Titus was then tagged in and Titus slammed Chavis down. Titus and King then did a leg drop/splash combination move. Titus then hit Chavis with a punch, and then raked his eyes along the top ring rope. Titus kicked Chavis at the corner and King got in a cheap shot. I liked their Inverted Atomic Drop/Lariat combination move. Titus then executed a nice snap suplex and then applied the chinlock on Chavis. They were good at distracting the opposition, as King pulled Chavis back into the action. The DCFC then had the hot tag, and it ended when King punched Davis a bit. Titus then connected a bit later with a Chinbreaker. When King was tagged back in, they did an amazing Springboard Blockbuster/Backbreaker combination. King near the end was a bit off on his double knee strike to the corner on Davis. Titus connected with a picture perfect dropkick on Davis that was money.
Notes on DCFC: John Davis started the match for DCFC. After King’s initial attack, Davis executed some arm drags and then clobbered King with the shoulder tackle. Kory Chavis then tagged in and both shoved King to a corner. Chavis then hit King with the corner splash, and the DCFC followed that up with a Backbreaker/Leg Lariat combination. After a pin attempt, Chavis crushed King with a chop. Chavis then dropped Titus down with a knee. Chavis then delivered a huge punch to King to send him off the ring. Chavis did a nice job selling when the All-Nighters worked on his back and upper body. When Chavis was down-and-out, he had enough energy to catch King and deliver a Sidewalk Slam and managed to tag in Davis. When Davis got the hot tag, he took out Titus with punches, a back drop, and a couple clotheslines. Davis then caught King and destroyed him with the powerslam. Davis then hit the Spinebuster on Titus. After administering further punishment on King, the team focused on Titus and hit a combination style cutter. Chavis near the end took out King for a moment with another Spinebuster.
Finish: After everyone hit one of their signature moves in which the sequence ended with Kory Chavis delivering The Pounce to Titus, Kenny King rolled up Chavis for the pinfall victory.
Winner via Pinfall: The All-Night Express
Grade: B-
After the match, Aries was pleased with his associates. Don’t know what happened the rest of that way though.
Kyle Durden was backstage with Truth Martini and the ROH World Champion Roderick Strong. Durden asked Martini about his thoughts regarding Strong’s match. Martini then asked what happened at Roswell? Who shot JFK? Also, why doe Strong have to fight Daniels tonight? He called this an “evil conspiracy”, but Strong will overcome this. Strong asked Daniels why he blamed Martini for losing. Strong said that he was the one that beat Daniels. Strong then ended the interview by stating that Daniels will never get the championship belt.
Later, it will be Roderick Strong vs. Christopher Daniels in a non-title match.
But FIRST, El Generico picks Kevin Steen’s poison. Remember, Generico had to fight Davey Richards last week (Steen picked Richards as Generico’s “poison”).
Match #2
Pick Your Poison Match (Generico picks Steen’s opponent)
Kevin Steen vs. ?????????
Before the match, Steen was welcomes inside the ring with a couple streamers. Steen said that he was not scared of his upcoming opponent. El Generico and Colt Cabana (Mike Tedesco’s favorite ROH wrestler) then entered the ring area and Colt Cabana was about to talk. Everyone listens…
Cabana said that this was a special week. Cabana mentioned that Steen chose Richards and it was a decent move. Cabana said that one of us could have wrestled him, but they made their choice. Cabana said that El Generico’s choice for Steen’s opponent is…Steve Corino!!
Cabana said that he and Generico would take a front row seat for this match. Corino is arguing with the ref that he was dressed in his Sunday’s Best (suit and tie). Colt Cabana rang the bell and I guess it was official
Kevin Steen vs. Steve Corino
Colt Cabana provided some jokes, but Steen demanded that Cabana “shut his mouth”. Steen then shoved the referee down…
No Finish. The match never took place.
Steen said that he was sick of this. Steen said that HDNet is a great platform, but ROH is cutting him and Corino out. Cabana yelled “Shut up and wrestle!” Steen asked the crowd and Cabana if they wanted this match, and then said that he would never wrestle Corino. Corino asked if they thought this was a game. He said that they were drawing money for ROH and that they get no respect from Jim Cornette or the ROH management team. Steen then said that someone is going to leave…The Golden Boy. Steen said it was not Tyler Black, but himself! Steen yelled to the crowd that he quit! Corino and Steen walked away from the arena, while Cabana and Generico looked confused and upset.
More ROH’s Fall Tour hype. Again, check www.rohwrestling.com for information
Moments ago, Kevin Steen and Steve Corino walked out of their match. Mike Hogewood at the undisclosed ROH Studios said that he was not surprised by this and said “good riddance” to the departure of Steen and Corino. Dave Prazak said that this was terrible and that ROH would not be the same. Hogewood said that ROH will move on without Steen and Corino. My Take on this storyline? ROH needs them!
The viewers were treated to Tyler Black’s “I’m taking the title to WWE” promo from a month ago and then they showed clips of the Glory by Honor IX World Title match in which Roderick Strong defeated Tyler Black to win the ROH World Title for the first time!
And now…THE MAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIN EVENT! I know because The Voice of Bobby Cruise told me!
Main Event
Match #2 (since Steen vs. Corino never took place)
Non-Title Match
ROH World Champion Roderick Strong (w/Truth Martini) vs. Christopher Daniels
Strong was in the ring without an introduction. Daniels was welcomed with streamers. Both refused to shake hands, so there was no Code of Honor
Notes on Strong: He started this match with a headlock to Daniels. After a tie-up to the corner, Strong began one of many chops across the chest. He followed it up with more chops at the corner and punches. He then delivered three more chops and then did one more chop at another corner. Outside of the ring, he got out of trouble with punches at the barricade and more chops. After many exchanges, he ended that segment with an Enzugiri on the ring frame, and then drilled Daniels to a post that had Daniels laid out on the ring floor.
The action continued out of the ring, and Strong kicked him and then drilled him to the ring frame back first. He then chopped Daniels down again while Martini was heeling it up with the fans. Strong then go the action in the ring and applied the reverse bear hug. Once broken, he came back with a backbreaker (is ain’t called “The Messiah of the Backbreaker for nothing). Strong slowed the match down by holding Daniels down with the Body Scissors while Martini read a page out of “The Book of Truth” (brilliant). Strong then drove Daniels to the corner later during the match and delivered a chop followed by a suplex. Strong then grounded Daniels with a low abdominal stretch. Once the hold was broken, he was able to corner Daniels and made Daniels’ chest pink with chops. After some more exchanges and rollups, Strong applied the Strong Hold.
Daniels broke the hold and attempted The Angel’s Wings, but Strong got out of it with a backdrop. A moment later, he connected with his Ura-Nage/Backbreaker combination and followed it up instantly with a Gutbuster. Later on during the match, he almost finished Daniels off with a Super Side Slam but did not get the victory. The ending was interesting; I will get to that later.
Notes on Daniels: He began the match with a corner attack after one of Strong’s chops. He then stomped Strong at the corner. He then took Strong down with a Snap Mar and punched him some more. When Strong was outside the ring, Daniels connected with a Suicide Dive. He then clubbed Strong across the back and whipped him to a barricade. He then drilled Strong’s head against the table outside the ring. Once at a barricade again, Daniels delivered some forearms.
Once the action for Daniels went back into the ring, he drilled Strong’s head to the corner and then delivered a kick to the back. He did a rollup counter to prevent a backbreaker which was done nicely. For a while, Strong applied the Strong Hold on Daniels, but he grabbed the ropes to break the hold. After a little bit of selling, Daniels got back in control of the match with palm strikes, punches, and a kick. Daniels then grounded Strong with an STO and punches. Daniels also hit a Blue Thunder Bomb during this offensive flurry. Daniels then did a beautiful Moonsault into an Inverted DDT. He then took himself and Strong out of the ring with a clothesline over the ropes.
Finish: The House of Truth (Christian Able and Josh Raymond) ran in to help Strong out. Truth Martini entered the ring and tried to hit Daniels with “The Book of Truth”. However, Christopher Daniels threw him out of the ring. Roderick Strong then connected with The Sick Kick (the same move that got him the ROH Title) and covered Daniels. The referee got to 2, but then saw that “The Book of Truth” was near him and stopped the count. While Strong argued with the ref, Daniels took out Strong and finished him off with the Best Moonsault Ever (B.M.E.) and it was Daniels that won the non-title contest.
Winner via Pinfall: Christopher Daniels
Grade: B (leaned toward a B+)
After the replays of the match, Daniels celebrates with the front row crowd. Daniels then went to the camera and said that “he was next”.
Next Week will be Tyler Black’s last official ROH match on HDNet. Tyler Black will go one on one against Davey Richards.
-End of Show-
Quick Results
* The All-Night Express def. Dark City Fight Club via Pinfall
* Steve Corino vs. Kevin Steen never took place
* Christopher Daniels def. Roderick Strong via Pinfall in a non-title match.
The Porpoise can swim free this week! Mike Hogewood did NOT slap the porpoise.
Thoughts on the non-wrestling segments
Hagadorn’s calling out Richards – Honestly, I thought that Hagadorn had too much power. He manages The Kings of Wrestling and that should honestly be enough for him. Richards and Edwards do not fit with Hagadorn (and in my opinion, never did). I am happy to see The American Wolves break from Hagadorn. The way the ended the alliance was done well. Richards got his licks on Hagadorn, The Kings of Wrestling saved their manager, and then Edwards ended the segment by saving his tag team partner. Now The American Wolves can be dominant in both Singles and Tag Team Wrestling. I think it was the best case scenario for everyone involved. It was well done.
Daniels’ non-title match hype – It was a good rundown on the events between him and Strong. The most recent matches Daniels underestimated Strong, and he was right that Martini cost him his last two matches (first with by clobbering Daniels with his book and the second match Martini held his leg). The result in the main event puts Daniels in the mix as a top contender for the ROH Title. Excellent booking this near the start of the show.
Aries and All-Nighters backstage segment – I am sad to see their entertainment is over. The team looks serious and if booked properly, I can see them being one of those “almost but not Tag Title winning” teams. Aries is a master on the microphone, while King has improved. Titus did not speak during the segment until the end, so that was a bit confusing.
Strong and Martini backstage hype – Martini was excellent with his heel work tonight. He blames ROH for their conspiracies, and in this storyline it is working very well. Again, this is a good example of helping a guy get over with a manager. Without a manager, Strong was not nearly as a good storyteller. Adding Martini was perfect! Strong was short on words, but they meant something. Once again, good hype to the main event.
The Corino/Steen match that never was (with a little bit of Colt and Generico) – I had a feeling that the match would never take place, but Steen again was very passionate in his mic work and showed how much he valued his friendship with Corino that he would rather quit ROH than wrestle him. Cabana adds so much to this feud as well, as he was really egging this match on and livened up the crowd. In my honest opinion, this Generico vs. Steen feud is STILL the best feud of the year. However without Steve Corino and Colt Cabana, this would have been flat quickly. You can see how quickly the characters of Steen and Generico improved with those wrestlers. Also, this was perfect putting this in the middle of the show.
Thought on the Wrestling Matches
All-Nighters vs. DCFC – This was a good way to start the wrestling portion of the show. The DCFC did a good job selling many of the attacks, especially Chavis. It was nice to see that element for the DCFC. The match also flowed very well. Although The All Night Express won this match, I expect the DCFC to get a win the next time they battle each other.
Daniels vs. Strong – This was a move for move match to start, but they have been feuding very well. The match told a great story in the ring, and at times outside of it. The intensity in this match showed how much they wanted to win. Daniels was aggressive with his punches and kicks, but Strong was stiff with those chops. Look, I know wrestling is not real, but those chops had to hurt the next day! Honestly, I think this was the most chops I have seen from Strong since his match with KENTA.
I really enjoyed the ending to this match. It was a bit surprising to see the ref stop a pin count, so that was different. To me that made the match more entertaining. Again, Daniels winning was excellent. No one would be harmed win or lose because it was booked perfectly as a non-title match.
I seriously want to know why TNA fired Daniels. Seriously, what was wrong? Was it because the new regime at TNA did not like him? Well again, TNA’s losses (Daniels and Homicide) is definitely ROH’s gain.
Overall Thoughts and Grade
I pretty much went all out on my thoughts. All I will say is they had all their champions on their show this week, which is a rare feat for them being a one hour program. I enjoyed the storylines, as they built all of them up great. The matches were pretty solid as well. Even though they only had two wrestling matches, they gave each one the proper amount of time to keep me satisfied. I would definitely have non-ROH fans give this show a look. They will thank you later.
Overall Grade: A-
-Mr. V’s Pick Three of the Night-
Wrestler of the Night: Christopher Daniels
Again, a very smart wrestler that is aware near 100%. His match with Strong and his promo before the match was excellent. Some say Davey Richards will be the next champion, but ROH could do no wrong if Daniels was next.
Disappointment of the Night: No one
I rarely give a show or a match an “A” in my grade book. Everything was done well.
Surprise of the Night: The ref’s decision to stop a count on Roderick Strong
I was very shocked to see how the main event was finished. Give credit to whoever booked this ROH match (I think it was Delirious), I enjoyed that. And having Daniels win (even with Martini’s interference) boosted Daniels a good bit.
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