The Furious Flashbacks – Best of the American Super Juniors TournamentThe idea behind this show was that Ring of Honor had contacted New Japan and they wanted to do something in ROH that would lead directly into a New Japan show. The idea here being that the winner of the BOTASJ would go into the BOTSJ tournament in New Japan thus making ROH feel all special and the fans think they’re seeing history in the making. BUT New Japan actually had no intention of using the winner of the tournament on their cards so they sent over Dragon Soldier B, possibly their worst junior worker, to compete and win before deciding they didn’t want him in the Super Juniors tournament anyway. Kind of a “you’re just bush league, call us when you have TV” jibe for Ring of Honor. But then their shows are better than New Japan’s anyway so it’s hard to go along with the whole approach from the big boys. They’re always happy to send over job guys for TNA for example and there’s not a whole lot of difference between ROH and TNA. It’s just TNA have more money and thusly paid for a TV deal and PPV’s and whatnot. I think a lot of where you stand comes down to what you like. I’m personally not a fan of either TNA or New Japan but I am a fan of Ring of Honor. So for me it just looks petty and unnecessary.
We’re in Asbury Park, New Jersey at the Convention Centre. That’s the biggest venue they’ve ever run. Hosts are Jimmy Bauer and Mark Nolte. 2nd April 2005.
Spanky v Bryan Danielson
These guys were both trained at Shawn Michaels’ TWA and have history as a result but haven’t wrestled each other in some time. Bauer points out this is under New Japan rules and regulations. They start really slowly with Danielson getting the better of the mat basics. They trade standing where Spanky stands more of a chance but he runs right into a big knee strike. It’s clear by this point where Spanky is outsized, can’t compete with aggression and is generally outskilled. Danielson hooks up a suplex for 2. Danielson with a standing dropkick to the face. MEXICAN SURFBOARD! Danielson throws kicks in the corner and Spanky is still desperately hanging on rather than competing. Spanky hits a flying Jalapeno and he’s finally found a way to use his speed to his advantage. Leg lariat scores but he’s still way behind on points. Big boot gets 2. Spanky goes for a tornado DDT but Danielson just throws him over the ropes. Danielson misses him on the ropes though allowing the sprite Spanky to hit a tope. Spanky dives at Danielson coming back in, FUJIWARA ARMBAR INTO THE CATTLE MUTILATION. Spanky doesn’t panic though and finds the ropes with his feet. Danielson hits a back suplex for 2 but he’s damaged Spanky’s arm now and he works that over. More kicks from Danielson and the European Uppercuts. He’s looking really good here. Spanky looks for a rana but gets caught and Danielson just manhandles him into a capture suplex for 2. Danielson with a TWENTY-SIX rotation Airplane Spin. He’s so dizzy he misses with the Flying Wolverine though only for Spanky to do the exact same thing. Spanky hits a superkick into SLICED BREAD #2…for 2. FROGSPLASH gets 2. Spanky is just throwing everything at Danielson now. Danielson wants to slow him down ASAP and hooks him up in the Sharpshooter. Spanky sneaks out but Danielson blocks that and gets the hold back on. Spanky finally gets the ropes but his legs are knackered now cutting off most of his offence. BACK SUPERPLEX gets 2. That Spanky, he’s resilient. CATTLE MUTILATION but Spanky knows how to get out sideways into a roll up for 2. Spanky has to trade on strikes because his legs are screwed and Sliced Bread doesn’t work as a result. Spanky can’t get Sliced Bread off the top and Danielson catches him in the REGALPLEX for the pin at 23.59. ****. Slow to start but this ended up as a great opening match.
Here’s the bracket…
Bryan Danielson
Black Tiger v Alex Shelley
Dragon Soldier B v Matt Sydal
Roderick Strong v James Gibson
BACKSTAGE Prince Nana has his entire Embassy here bar John Walters who’s now living in Ghana apparently. Nana says he’s bought some security tonight after the last show.
Matt Sydal v Dragon Soldier B
Bauer doesn’t even know what B is doing here because he’s not American. B goes for the handshake to try and endear himself to the crowd but does so in somewhat insulting fashion. They mat wrestle and that’s decent with some counters on the legs. B doesn’t break on the ropes and stamps on Sydal’s ankle. I have no problem with that but it’s a bit of a faux pas in an ROH ring. Sydal hits a great rana and B is left prone for Sydal to go airbourne. MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR! B sandbags Sydal but he still gets a front slam for 2. To the ropes and Sydal hits a super rana and adds in a springboard corkscrew moonsault for 2. Sydal is looking like a very accomplished flier here. Sydal goes for another super rana but B just shakes his head and holds the ropes. What a dick. He chokes Sydal around the ropes and then uses the ropes on a roll up at 7.44. HEEEL! **. A bit too short to go anywhere really classic but I was seriously digging B’s blatant cheating and sly digs at the ROH code of conduct. All other ROH heels tend to be very angry anti-code whereas this was more of a classic heel approach.
Alex Shelley v Black Tiger
I don’t even know who Black Tiger is now. It used to be Eddie Guerrero and before him Marc Rocco. Some nice mat counters to start with Tiger doing normal stuff but in slick fashion while Shelley goes for the innovations. Russian legsweep leads to a reverse full nelson Mandela with a neck crank. Shelley’s leapfrog gets cut off by Tiger grabbing one of his legs. That was keen. Tiger kicks the spine. Shelley is all “FU” and returns it. Tiger goes after the cross armbreaker but Shelley blocks it and gets the ropes. Tiger wins an abdominal stretch duel and turns it into an Octopus. Shelley reverses into his own version of the Octopus. Back to the mat and Tiger gets the Oriental Crossbow. Tiger’s focus has moved about a bit but generally he’s been on the arms. Tiger with kicks but Shelley dragon screws his leg. ENZUIGIRI! Knee off the ropes gets 2. Superkick gets 2. Standing switches though and Tiger comes out of that with the TIGER SUPLEX for the pin at 8.33. **1/2. Lots of interesting innovation between them but not great chemistry.
Roderick Strong v James Gibson
Bauer says that Dragon Soldier B wasn’t up to much and whoever wins this should beat him easily. The former Jamie Noble has a title shot on the next show so it’s a bit odd seeing him competing here unless they had him down to win and it got changed late on. Strong meanwhile is here to soften up Gibson for Aries at the next show unless Homicide wins but then Strong softened him up too. Strong does a lot of wearing down stuff but Gibson hits hard always looking for a KO. Outside and Gibson hits a tope to demonstrate his sense of urgency. Gibson dropkicks the knee but runs into the HATEBREAKER. Strong hurts his own knee but Gibson has a big back problem. Outside Strong uses a chair to grind at the back before running him into the ring post three times. Back in Gibson goes for a slam and Strong falls on him because of the weakened back. Back suplex gets 2. Strong is UBER focused here. Gibson tries to fire up but Strong dropkicks him for 2. Now Strong has more energy all round thanks to Gibson suffering from that back injury. Camel clutch is on. Gibson manages to get out into a back suplex. He hurts himself in the process. Swinging neckbreaker but Gibson lands on his back again but he’s hitting enough to keep Strong on an even keel. Running knee involves no back problems and a brainbuster gets 2. To the ropes with Strong trying to strike the back but Gibson manages a Super Rana for 2. Too many Super Rana’s tonight. Gibson looks for the Tiger Driver but it’s blocked and Strong hits a backbreaker. He then throws Gibson into the buckles and hits a lariat for 2. Gibson gets a crucifix for 2. Strong hits a double knee gutbuster as Gibson was protecting his back leaving his front wide open. Gibson with a DDT into the Guillotine Choke. Gibson doesn’t have the back strength to hold him down and Strong gets out into the Liontamer. That back must be giving Gibson hell but he manages to roll up Strong into a pin at 14.16. ***1/4. Great match with Strong looking better than ever as he dominated the popular Gibson throughout and only fell foul to a lucky roll up. Gibson sold the back really well and he’ll need to continue that later on tonight.
Second City Saints v The Embassy
Punk & Cabana take on Jimmy Rave and Fast Eddie Vegas in this no DQ contest. Punk chases Rave around but Eddie trips him up. Mike Kruel is the bodyguard for Nana. I knew I recognised him. Oman Tortuga just jumps into the ring to attack Punk as the no DQ rule allows that. Punk clotheslines him back out but Eddie jumps him again. They run a horrible spot where Rave just stands behind Eddie all the time to avoid Punk’s offence. Rave tries for a sunset flip but Punk blocks and pounds his face. In comes Tortuga again but Davey Andrews gets in there to stop him. This is a goddamn mess. Cabana and Eddie disappear off into the crowd for a brawl. It’s with this little trip, which is very ECW, that we get a sense of the size of the building where I believe ECW ran shows. So this is an ECW tribute of sorts, which explains why it’s such a mess. Punk & Rave follow out as well and go onto the stage where Rave hits a Russian legsweep. The brawl heads back to ringside with the Saints taking charge. They screw something up on the floor. An ECW crowd would be all over this. Back into the ring Rave tries to steal the Pepsi Plunge so Punk superplexes him. Tortuga and Andrews are back in there again. Seeing as that brawl involves Eddie Vegas as well Cabana wipes out everyone with an Asai moonsault. Punk & Rave are way overselling the superplex meanwhile. Cabana and Kruel brawl to the back leaving Punk on his own. Nana decides it’s time to come in as Punk hits the Shining Wizard for 2. Anaconda Vice is on but the valet runs in to grab Punk’s hair. Punk goes ALL ECW by going for the Tommy Dreamer showing the crowd pre-piledriver spot but Nana is in there and he bashes Punk in the head with an International Object allowing Rave to pick up the win at 12.27. *1/2. What a mess that was. It was certainly different and a definite ECW tribute match but it wasn’t well executed and most of the spots were either contrived or badly set up.
POST MATCH Nana reveals the weapon to be a steel pipe, which explains why Punk is still unconscious. Rave beats on him even though he’s still out. Rave has a cheese grater and he tries to scrape off the straightedge tattoo. Eww.
INTERMISSION – BJ Whitmer is on hand with GMC. He says management gave him the first shot at the vacant tag titles. He has selected his perfect tag partner – Jimmy Jacobs. That would be because he’s double tough. We’re about ready for the second half but James Marquez comes out here to tell us that Gibson is injured and therefore won’t continue in this tournament. He comes out anyway to be seconded/helped to the ring by Spanky.
James Gibson v Dragon Soldier B
B jumps him coming into the ring and goes after his back. That’s so shambolic we cut away to CM Punk cutting a promo in the back saying he’s planning on sending Rave to hell on April 16th when he kills him at ROH Stalemate. Back in the ring Gibson is struggling around but he still hits a leg jam for 2. B uses the ropes choke again and that makes Gibson’s back worse. Roll up with the ropes but the ref spots it. Gibson returns the roll up for 2. Stalling suplex and Gibson is walking wounded. Powerplex gets 2. Nolte calls it unnecessary but it didn’t finish him so it obviously was. Inverted DDT and the crowd is actively turning on B at this point although he’s not that bad. Dragon sleeper is hooked on then the hanging inverted Gory Special. Gibson is virtually out as Spanky throws in the towel at 6.21. ½*. The injury focus made the match painful to watch. It didn’t need to go as long as it did to make the point it was making the finish wasn’t even that brutal.
POST MATCH Gibson is predictably pissed off with Spanky for quitting for him.
Bryan Danielson v Black Tiger
Tiger starts really fast and kicks at Danielson in the corner. Tiger doesn’t give him space to breath but Danielson avoids the Mexican Surfboard and kicks the shit out of Tiger. Danielson double stomps the knees into the Mexican Surfboard. He turns it into a vertical chinlock but Tiger rakes the eyes to get away. Danielson gets thrown outside and Tiger heads up top for a seated senton dive. Tiger hits a suplex with floatover for 2. Danielson keeps blocking the Octopus so Tiger goes to choke but Danielson throws him off to block that. Tiger isn’t phased and goes for a Rings of Saturn instead. Danielson refuses to quit. We go lucha with Tiger doing some trademark Rey Jr spots. Danielson goes after the neck…CRAVATPLEX! That gets 2. I’ve always loved that. Danielson decides to go after the mask to find out who he’s wrestling. Slingshot suplex gets 2. Danielson looks to break Tiger’s neck with a Figure Four around his head. Tiger goes for a sunset flip but Danielson just sits on him for 2. CATTLE MUTI…Tiger is in the ropes before it’s even on. Danielson goes back to the neck with a cranking chinlock. He cranks so far back he nearly pins himself. Tiger gets out and hits a great springboard dropkick to Danielson’s neck. Someone in the crowd thinks it’s Mysterio himself but he’s got no tattoos. Tiger with the ROLLING PRAWN HOLD…for 2. To the ropes where Danielson hits an almighty superplex. FLYING WOLVERINE…gets 2. Bauer compares this to Benoit v Guerrero. They trade on kicks and other strikes. Danielson wins that with a massive Rolling Elbow for 2. Danielson looks for the Regalplex but Tiger knees him in the face and hits the TIGER SUPLEX to get the huge upset win at 13.29. ***. It would have made more sense for Tiger, whose neck had been worked all match, to not win with a bridging move. Psychologically speaking Danielson should have won but then if that was the case he’d win almost every time out because he’s so good.
Ring Crew Express v Dixie/Azrieal v Lacey’s Angels v Generation Next
SCRAAAAAAMBLE. Jack Evans was going solo but Strong went out in the tournament in the first round so he’s back. Marcos looks plucky and impressive against Strong, who is the star of this match. Marcos takes it to the floor where Strong hurls him into the rail. Dunn and Dixie try some ambitious stuff at speed and mess up most of it. Alison Danger is out here scouting for the Prophecy. Izzy armdrags Az around for a while before they goof on a few other things. Deranged flies in with a springboard dropkick to Az’s face. Evans gets up a head of steam for the SPACE FLYING TIGER DROP. Strong in to powerbomb Dixie over his knee. Strong uses Evans as a weapon as he just chucks him at Az. Ode to the Bulldogs leaves both former Special K members lying. RCE are back in. Stage Dive Senton gets 2. Izzy hits a double Sliced Bread #2. Lacey’s Angels pick on Marcos. Moonsault kick w/Code Red gets 2. Izzy only glanced with that kick. Evans hits a reverse rana on Izzy. Dunn in with a Cutthroat bomb for 2. Electric Chair on Dunn gets 2 from Az. Strong gets him with the pumphandle backdrop. Deranged goes low and hits the Diamond Cutter. Marcos in with a swinging neckbreaker and a DDT. Dixie lifts the Seventh Circle on Izzy. Strong boosts Evans into a flippy thing and he gets the half crab with extreme crank over some more by making Dixie tap out to it at 9.07. *1/4. Just a bunch of spots. Some of them were good, some of them were not.
ROH tag titles – Samoa Joe/Jay Lethal v BJ Whitmer/Jimmy Jacobs
Joe & Lethal got a title shot at the last show but then Maff got kicked out the company so the titles are vacant and Whitmer has had to select a partner of his choosing to go after the belts. Jacobs over the top rope entrance always cracks me up. He’s somewhat intimidated by Joe. Huss v Joe chants. Nolte talks about the advantage now being with Joe & Lethal seeing as Maff has gone. Jacobs-Lethal is mostly just armdrags. Jacobs does a great praying multiple rotation headscissors. Jacobs calls for Joe suggesting he’s a little dizzy from that last move. Joe ignores a chop. Joe nearly kills him in return but Jacobs doesn’t fall. Whitmer is hussing. Jacobs tags out. HAHAHA. Traditionally Whitmer is Joe’s bitch. He continues that trend with some crossface punches. Joe thinks that’s enough and tags Lethal in to prove himself. Jacobs tries for a corner move, which gets him back suplexed for 2. Joe comes back in with the kick, chop and kneedrop. Lethal back in with a snap suplex for 2. Jacobs misses with a missile dropkick and gets pinned again for 2. Jacobs is set up upside down for the BOOOOOT SCRAAAAAPES for 2. Joe nearly kicked his face off there. Joe hooks on the Samoan crab but Jacobs won’t quit to that. Lethal in with a powerbomb for 2. Lethal brings Whitmer in but Jacobs double dropkicks his opponents. Joe stops the Contra Code but the tag partners collide. Hot tag to Whitmer who cleans house. Whitmer powers Lethal up into a brainbuster for 2. He goes for the Wrist Clutch but Lethal gets out. Diving DDT from Lethal gets 2. Joe in but Whitmer superkicks him. Whitmer runs into the S.T.JOE for 2. Joe clubs away but Whitmer catches him in the EXPLOOOOIIIDAAAAAAAA! Joe landed hard on his neck there. Tags made as both men are down. Lethal looks for the Dragon Suplex but Jacobs gets out into a bulldog. DOOMSDAY RANA on Lethal gets 2. Hey, that’s what Bauer called it too! Lethal is so hurt he has to tag Joe in. Snap powerslam on Whitmer gets 2. Jacobs tries to break it up but Lethal catches him and throws him out of the ring. Back suplex/lariat on Whitmer gets 2. Jacobs distracts Joe by letting him beat the shit out of him. This allows Whitmer to set Lethal up on the ropes – SUPER WRIST CLUTCH EXPLOIDAAAAAAAA! Lethal is DEAD at 18.03. ***1/2. That was a lot of fun. Jacobs unreal ability to absorb punishment helped Whitmer pull the upset out of the bag.
Best of the American Super Juniors – Black Tiger v Dragon Soldier B
New Japan canvas on the ring. B chokes with his boot before a rolling cradle gets 2, eventually. B rolls up the referee because he’s so dizzy. That’s BRILLIANT. Bauer gets all over his case for it. Fisherman suplex from Tiger gets 2. Tiger hits a dropkick to knock B out of the ring and he follows with a somersault senton. Nolte and Bauer start absolutely ragging on B as Tiger hooks up a front chancery. The commentating bias is actually making me route for Dragon Soldier B although the crowd is chanting “USA”. That’s amazingly ignorant for ROH fans but there ya go. Tiger goes for a cross armbreaker and the crowd is demanding a tap out. Boy, are they not going to like the finish. Tiger missile dropkicks the referee after B pulls him in the way. TIGER SUPLEX. It would be over but we have ourselves a ref bump. Everyone hates ref bumps. Tiger with a brainbuster for 2. B doesn’t get the best kickout there. B reverses a Tombstone but it goes into the ropes. Springboard rana gets 2 for Tiger and the crowd just totally turn on this. Tombstone from Tiger gets 2. “BOOOO” – New Jersey. B starts no selling and he armdrags Tiger off the top into a cross armbreaker for the tap out at 7.16. *3/4. The crowd’s negativity towards the whole angle probably didn’t help matters but I thought Dragon Soldier B was great. He deliberately wrestled the opposite of what the crowd wanted just to piss them off and it worked. For those saying that ROH fans always boo the rule breakers that’s simply not so. How long did it take to get them to actually turn on Homicide or Low-Ki. It just strikes me as xenophobia. “Don’t come back” chants the crowd. It’s not like it’s Konnan. Come on!
Austin Aries title history –
Final Battle 2004. Defeated Samoa Joe to win ROH title
It All Begins. Defeated Colt Cabana in a continuation of that feud to defend.
Third Anniversary Show Part I. Defeated Cabana in a cage for his second defence.
Third Anniversary Show Part III. Defeated Samoa Joe in his re-match to retain.
Trios Tournament. Pinned in losing effort by Homicide thus setting up tonight’s match.
ROH title – Austin Aries (c) v Homicide
By putting the title on Aries this was the kind of main event they were opening themselves up for. It’s taken them some time to get there though. Aries is defacto babyface because the crowd hates Homicide so much. Aries is even prepared to uphold the beloved Code of Honor but Homicide spits on it. They run through some basics with Aries generally being more in control on the mat. Homicide gets frustrated and bails to throw crap into the ring. They have the odd timing issue so Homicide takes out his frustration by throwing Aries out of the ring and through the timekeepers table. He tries to do it again but Aries hangs on and hits a slingshot corkscrew splash for 2. Homicide goes for the Ace Crusher but Aries throws him off and hits a snap side suplex for 2. Homcide takes it up top so Aries hits a Super Rana (another one?) for 2. Homicide catches him with a great belly to belly for 2. Aries gets tied up in the ropes but hangs onto Homicide and hits a swinging Diamond Cutter. Running corner dropkick gets 2. Fireman’s Backbreaker gets 2. Cobra Backbreaker and a Power Elbow gets 2. Aries is actually working the back after Strong worked Homicide’s back over at the last show. Homicide grabs him though and hits a piledriver for 2. Julius Smokes thought it was all over. Aries throws Homicide outside and follows with a tope. It’s been tope’s and super rana’s all night. Homicide tries to go up top coming back but gets planted with a LIGERBOMB for 2. “Right into the New Japan canvas” sayeth Bauer. Homicide uses the ropes to assist on a DDT for 2. Homicide calls for the lariat but Aries ducks it into the CRUCIFIX BOMB for 2. Homicide escapes the brainbuster into the YAKUZAAAA KIIIICK for 2. Aries gets a cheeky roll up for 2. Homicide looks for a powerbomb but Aries gets out. Cop Killer is avoided into the BURNING HAMMER…FOR ONE! KICKOUT OF EXTREME DISRESPECT! EXPLOIDAAAAAA! BRAINBUSTAAAAA! Homicide has snapped though. See, Dan Maff used the Burning Hammer as a finisher and he got kicked out of ROH after an argument with Homicide. He puts Aries on a table – TOPE CON HILO. It’s clear that Homicide took the use of the Burning Hammer as a personal affront. Hence the instant kick out. I think the crowd got it though. Both guys stay down for ages. Aries sets up the 450 SPLASH…for 2. Smokes pulled him off the cover but here’s Bryan Danielson to kick his ass. Now Homicide is still down and Aries is up top but Homicide is up – ACE CRUSHER OFF THE TOP. LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOO…FOR 2! Aries escapes another move and hits the BRAINBUSTER. 450 SPLASH…misses. COP KI…blocked. ROLLING BRAINBUSTERS! Homicide is limp by the end of them. 450 SPLASH and you’d better believe this is over at 25.35. ****1/4. It didn’t start out well but it sure kicked into an entirely different gear with the Burning Hammer. I like the layered booking with that. Some of the crowd didn’t get it but it really stood out for me. The Joe match was probably better but this is a really good sign for the Aries title reign.
The 411 – 8.0
Two great matches with Danielson-Spanky at the start and Homicide-Aries to finish. Roderick Strong also turned in a solid performance in a losing effort. That’s two straight shows where he’s shone. Previously he’s been playing second fiddle to an assortment of others so he’s on the up as suggested by many during 2005. The only downside is ROH having a show revolving around this Super Juniors tournament, which had a pay off that the crowd hated. Still it has it’s moments and it’s a good show around it. Thumbs up. It’s the best ROH show since the 3rd Year Anniversary stuff. The whole company still needs a boot up the arse like the Foley-Joe feud gave it but until that happens there’s still great wrestling going on. Can’t really complain about that.
