Another in our weekly series of reviews covering RING OF HONOR DEE-VEE-DEEZ! For more information visit www.ROHWrestling.com and don't forget to buy a few DVD's of your own while there. This week it's Final Battle from December 28th, 2002 - the last ROH show from their first year in operation. Incidentally the cover of my DVD looks only vaguely like the "Remastered" one shown above, but it doesn't appear to be from the shitty Takedown Masters series either. We're picking up here where Part 1 left off, which was right after a slightly dissapointing Jody Fleisch v. The Amazing Red match. After the match Special K made their point by having Fleisch dance with them in the ring as they continued to beatdown Red. Quite frankly not only does it suck but the damn timekeeper won't stop ringing the f'n bell, so if you watch this DVD just chapter ahead or fast forward through this part. Now on to the final two matches of the card!
* Xavier {C} v. Paul London (ROH World Title)
Xavier cuts a promo before the match with the belt around his waist noting that all he's heard ever since winning the belt is how he's not championship material. The crowd starts chanting "A.C. Slater!" His response: "You can call me anything you want, but you have to call me your champion." Xavier, your wrestling is far superior to your promos. X jumps London before he can even get in the ring, which of course means the Code of Honor is broken and there is no handshake to boot. London gets an early two count and goes on offense with kicks and elbows. Series of arm drags toss X around the mat. London hits a 'rana and X rolls out of the ring in pain. London hits the ropes and teases a suicide dive, but X walks away from the potential spot and London pulls up. Well I have to admit, denying the crowd their spot got Xavier some heat. London knocks him off the apron each time he tries to get back in. He finally gets in and goes for a monkey flip but London gets out of the way. X crashes and London gets a few quick 2 counts. The action slows down a little as London works a headlock, hey end up in the corner, and Xavier gives London a cheap shot while the ref is checking their ring gear. London comes back with a forearm and a spinning head kick. X responds by slamming London down face first then stomps on his head. Knee lifts by Xavier as the crowd boos. War of chops breaks out. Xavier with a clothesline and a running fist to the back of the head. 2 count. X is dominating to the point he starts making lazy covers, pinning him with a knee instead of hooking the leg. 2 scoop slams. Knees to the back.
The ROH fans start a dueling chant for Xavier: "Move to Jer-sey" and "WE DON'T WANT HIM!" X pulls London up by the hair but London starts to come back with forearms. X cuts him off with a knee. Knees to the head from the left and the right. London responds with some of his own but Xavier catches him and dumps him in the corner for shoulders to the gut. X sets up a powerbomb, PL fights out but ends up throat first on the ropes. German suplex for 2. X goes to the top rope and hits London with a reverse hanging neckbreaker. Clubbing blow to the back of the neck gets 2. X signals for the 450. London cuts him off. London goes top rope with Xavier and the fans start chanting please don't die. Naturally he does, X knocks him off and London hangs himself on the top rope as he falls to the floor. London responds by knocking X down and he crotches himself. X does a 'rana attempt. X misses with an enzuguiri. Atomic drop and dropkick by London for 2.5. Elbow to the head by London. London nails a powerbomb and both men are down. London up first, bosy slam, signals for the shooting star press... Xavier rolls out of the ring to escape. London turns around and decides to hit it on X to the floor! This breaks out a "HOLY SHIT" chant, then a "PAUL! PAUL! PAUL!" chant. London throws X back in and goes to the top rope. X gets out of the way of the in-ring SSP and then tries to roll up London for a pin but he kicks out. London gets another near fall and the crowd chants that was three. London sweeps the leg for a DDT but Xavier gets his foot on the ropes as the hand was coming down for 3 - DAMN. Fans chant "BULL-SHIT," they are very passionate about London. London goes for some sort of sliced bread but only gets two. Xavier hits a cobra clutch suplex and the X Breaker and gets the pin. WINNER AND STILL ROH CHAMPION: XAVIER.
Afterwards Capetta interviews Special K but I couldn't care less so I'm fast forwarding through it. The key here is that the large black man with dreads we saw in the crowd at Night of the Butcher turns out to be a security enforcer for Special K, and he keeps Mafia and Monsta Mack from going in the lockerroom. Then Steve Corino comes out to the ring to cut yet another promo, and he even gets a folding chair and sits down in the middle of the ring while he blabs on and on repeating the phrase "you can't have a main event without Steve Corino." Now officially Corino is not in this match and Homicide is, but that'll change in a few minutes.
* Steve Corino v. Samoa Joe v. Bryan Danielson v. Low-Ki (45 Minute Time Limit for #1 Contender's Trophy)
Homicide hits the ring first and Corino gives him three piledrivers before the match even officially gets underway. Joe's music hits and he comes out to the ring but he doesn't interfere in the beating in any way. Low-Ki's music hits and Corino bails out of the ring. Danielson is the last to come out and he's yelling at Samoa Joe, and he gets up on the apron and gets right in Joe's face. Meanwhile Pedo Rob has hit ringside to consult with the officials, and RF says that if Corino wants in the main event so bad screw it put him in the match. Corino gloats and the announcers put it over like he's just taken Homicide's spot. Well the Code of Honor has been all shot to hell on this show, far more than Fallen Angel ever did not shaking hands with people. Officials roll 'Cide out of the ring and help him to the back.
The big spot as the bell rings and the handshakes go around is Low-Ki offering one to Corino. Initially Corino refuses, finally he just slaps Low-Ki's hand hard. Ki throws a right hand at him that misses as Corino runs, Joe in turn throws a right elbow that connects with Ki. Dragon throws one that connects with Joe! Both Joe and Corino are on the outside as Danielson and Low-Ki do a test of strength. Since neither SJ or SC interfere it appears that this is a four-way with tag rules. This match goes to the time limit so my apologies if I miss a few moves here and there. Low-Ki and Danielson do mat wrestling for the first 5 minutes, hold for hold and move for move. At one point Dragon goes to tag in Joe but then pulls his hand back at the last second to sweep his hair. Joe finally blind tags in on Low-Ki. Joe and Danielson spill to the floor. Danielson tags out to Corino. Joe and Corino start out showing each other respect and end up slapping each other in the face. Corino can't do a damn thing to him, Joe manhandles him with ease hitting all the kicks, enzuguiris and suplexes he wants. Corino rolls outside for a time out. Back in the ring Corino goes for an ankle lock and Joe kicks him off to the floor. Low-Ki blind tags in on Joe. Corino works submissions. Low-Ki kicks his way back to his feet shoots Corino off the ropes but gets knocked down hard. Ki comes back with a running elbow. Danielson blind tags in on Corino. Dragon was holding Low Ki and hitting him with some stiff knees to the head following up with a neck crank suplex for two. Danielson keeps hammering Low-Ki in the face with strikes. Mongolian Chop by Ki but Ki gets cut off with a knee off the ropes. Scoop slam and elbows. Corino breaks up a three count. Joe tags in off Danielson. Joe works Ki with knees. Corino tags in and they fight out to the floor. Back in the ring Corino puts Low-Ki in an arm submission. While his arm was being worked over, Ki kicks Corino in the face repeatedly. Finally Ki gets back on offense and starts doing martial arts kicks to Corino like only he can. Ki leglocks the head and drives elbows into Corino's forehead. Joe breaks it up, Corino works on Low-Ki's face some more. Joe gets tagged in. Danielson blind tags in on Low-Ki but that doesn't stop Ki from hitting a tidal wave. Joe starts with a resthold on Dragon, shoots Dragon off, and Dragon hits him like a brick wall. 2 count. Joe ends up chopping the hell out of Dragon's chest, but Dragon keeps getting back up for more. We're over 20 minutes in and there's no clear favorite to win. Joe tags out to Low-Ki. Ki works over Danielson with chops too. Danielson whips him off for a forearm and a fallaway slam bridged into a pin. Corino breaks up the pinfall. Now Dragon chops Ki and hits a European uppercut before tagging in Corino. Corino locks on a head scissors. Ki gets out and goes back to stomps, kicks and chops. Big boot to Corino's face. 2 count. Corino fights off a dragon clutch and DDT's Ki. 2 count. Corino with an ab stretch. Ki kicks his way out and tags Dragon. Joe blind tags in on Corino. Dragon locks Joe in the Cattle Mutilation. Low-Ki comes in to break the hold by jumping on Dragon's stomach but Danielson is stoic and won't budge. Low-Ki ends up standing on Dragon while he's doing a bridge until Corino comes over to give Ki a clothesline. Tags and more tags, eventually it gets back to Joe and Danielson againa nd Joe has a half crab, but Low-Ki breaks it up. Joe with a European uppercut and kokina clutch. Dragon fights back to his feet. Joe hits a back suplex for 2 and we're just coming up on 30 minutes, damn.
Joe tags Low-K, Low-Ki goes for the dragon clutch, Dragon gets out. Ki Crusher turned into a running crush and a two count. Dragon clutch countered into a fisherman buster for 2. Dragon splashes Ki in the corner and rolls him for 2. Dragon goes for a vertical suplex but Ki counters into a brainbuster. Danielson falls out to the floor. Ki follows him out. They brawl and brawl before Ki gives Dragon a vertical suplex on the floor! Danielson sells as Ki has to drag Dragon into the ring like he's dead weight. Joe breaks up a pin attempt by Ki. Ki tags out to Joe. Joe with the running knee drop. Joe with a release overhead suplex for 2. Dragon fights out with elbows. Corino clotheslines Dragon right into a Joe suplex for 2.5. Corino comes into the match off Joe's tag and gets a chorus of boos. Slaps and a back elbow to the throat. 1-2. Corino responds to the fans by putting Dragon in a chinlock. Ki casually walks over and stiff kicks Corino right in the face to break up the boring spot. Corino pulls Joe to his feet and tags out to Dragon. Danielson ducks the clothesline. Danielson tags out to Ki, so now it's Ki and Joe. Joe nails him with a chop and tags Corino. Chops and punches by Corino to Ki before choking him on the ropes for 4. Facewash on the ropes by Corino. Ki comes off the ropes with a forearm and chops then goes for a tarantula armbar on Corino's body. Ki counters a finisher and hits the tidal wave on Corino but falls out to the floor exhausted. Corino tags out to Joe. Joe tries to attack both Corino and Low-Ki but it backfires when Corino puts Joe in a figure four, only broken up when Low-Ki and Dragon went to the opposite sides of the ring and both hit flying headbutts off the top! 40 minutes in and still no consensus favorite.
Joe locks the STF on American Dragon not once but twice, but the second time Low-Ki gives a dropkick straight to Joe's face. Ki then hits Corino with the kick off the second rope. Dragon and Low-Ki throw STIFF elbows to each other's face but Dragon gets the better and hits the roaring elbow. Joe kicks Ki hard while he's down but Ki got up and put Joe on the mat to deliver some stiff kicks too. Joe won't stay down. Low-Ki and Joe start taking the tape off their wrists and start hitting each other with punches and elbows. Corino breaks it up and then suplexes Ki off the top rope. Joe gives Corino an Ace Crusher off the top rope in return! Clusterfuck as all four go after each other and we're running out of time. Ki hits Joe with the Ki Crusher! He puts Steve Corino in a dragon clutch... Corino taps right as time expires. What's the ref's decision? NO WINNER - IT'S A DRAW. That's a fucking BULLSHIT ending to an otherwise great match. I give this ROH DVD a mild thumbs up, more like a thumbs in the middle. Special K and Steve Corino were supposed to be annoying, but they were so annoying they made the DVD less enjoyable, and it really felt like they blew their wad filming a vignette for Punk and Cabana then jerking the curtain with it. Tune in next time to see if they've figured out who the #1 Contender to the ROH Title is right here in our reviews of RING OF HONOR DEE-VEE-DEEZ~!