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 we'll be covering One Year Anniversary Show from February 8th, 2003 which was also their first show OF 2003. No bullshit, let's get right down to business.
We open with a birthday cake spinning out of control reading "ROH 1st Anniversary" and Low-Ki walking around outside in a snowy parking lot. "One year ago, Ring of Honor was born. One year ago a new style of American pro wrestling was set to take off. And one year ago Low-Ki implement four characters: respect, honor, discipline, and dedication. In that year a lot has happened. In that year many things have happened to each individual who stepped foot into Ring of Honor. A new year is upon us. And for everyone who stands before me, as well as these fans here, all you can do is BE READY." Awesome. I'm already glad to be watching this show. A promo package follows with highlights from many of the first year DVD's we've reviewed on the website. What follows is a black and white flashback to the first encounter between American Dragon, Low-Ki and Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels from The Era of Honor Begins. Coincidentally we reviewed that DVD on February 23rd of this year, which was five years to the day ROH was born. My how time flies.
Paul London arrives at the building. "Tonight Low-Ki, AJ Styles, really nothing I can say to make these guys sound greater, everybody knows who they are. Final Battle 2002 I almost had that title in my mouth, I let the people down, but tonight's going to be a different story, I'm walking home with some gold."
* Chad Collyer v. EZ Money v. Colt Cabana v. Michael Shane
Right away I notice Shane coming out to the TNA music I knew and loved in TNA, but this show was four months before I bought my first Wednesday night (and many more to come). Of course that was also before they changed his name to Matt Bentley, then to Maverick Matt, then to one of Raven's flunkies... who the fuck is he now? Cthulhu damn it is there anyone in TNA who has been more buried than Michael Shane? I wish he'd fucking break his contract and sign full time with ROH. Anyway we're at the Elk's Lodge in New York, infamous for many independent wrestling shows (good and bad) and at least one incident where I thought somebody would jump off the upper balcony just to get to the Dudley Boyz. Handshakes all around to begin. EZ Money and Chad Collyer to start but Money distracts him by getting the crowd to do an R-O-H chant. The first 90 seconds are generic wrestling 101 with lock-ups and reversals. EZ Money tags out to Cabana so Collyer tags out to Shane. Shane gets a huge boo. Leapfrog by Shane but a springboard lionsault by Cabana for a two count. Shane works an arm but gets caught in a roll-up for two again. Shoving ensues, Cabana slaps him in the face, grabs the arm to ground him. Cabana begs Shane for a punch and applies a wristlock to block then tags in Collyer who kicks the arm. Shane tags Money. Money with the scoop slam and a pendulum on Collyer. Elbow to the neck for 2. Money applies a back stretch. Collyer reverses and gets billed master of a thousand reversals - I wonder if Dean Malenko would sue. Malenko er Collyer gets double boots to the chin and an arm drag from Money. Money gets whipped to the ropes, Shane cheapshots him with a knee to the back, Money turns around to yell at him and gets clotheslined. Shane blind tags on Collyer for a beatdown on Money. Money flapjacked into a 2 count. Shane punches Cabana then puts an STF on EZ Money (no U at the end). Shane tags back to Collyer and they're working like a tag team even though it's every man for himself. Collyer applies a rest hold, Money fights to hs feet, gets whipped to the corner, blocks with a big boot on the charge and hits a flying clothesline. Money crawls over to Shane and Shane feeds him a hand for the tag then pulls away right when he goes for it. Shane blind tags Collyer and puts a small package on Money for 2. Money gets boot stomped in the corner to the ref's dismay. Money comes back with an enzuguiri and both men are down. Cabana's dancing around on the apron begging for a tag.Shane cuts him off, EZ Money goes for a reverse springboard off the ropes but DDT's HIMSELF in the process. Ouch. Shane has to stand there waiting for the elbow and it's painfully obvious that was botched, so the unsympathetic New York crowd starts a YOU FUCKED UP chant. Shane puts Money on the top rope but Money drops him down onto a knee and Money crawls over to tag Cabana and gets it. Collyer's in too and Cabana cleans house and gives him a high back bodydrop and a dropkick. Cabana reverse neckbreaker gets 2, Shane tries to jump in and gives the elbow to his erstwhile partner by accident. Shane tries to go top rope on Cabana, who catches him and locks on the double underhook for a powerbomb, but EZ Money makes the save before 3.
Tornado rules must have took affect because I see no tags. Money in the Bank is hit but Collyer makes the save for Cabana. Shane with a powerbomb Collyer makes the save. Collyer goes for a monkeyflip, Cabana sets him on the ropes and slaps him, goes up top, gets knocked off to the floor, and Collyer does a topei onto Cabana on the outside. Money goes top rope and clotheslines them. Michael Shane does a flipdive over the top onto Money. All four men are down! Back in the ring it's Cabana and Collyer. Collyer suplexes Cabana on his head and gets 2.9. Shane tries to come off the top but gets RKO'd by Cabana, Collyer falls on top of Shane and gets 2. EZ Money hits the Money Clip on both Collyer & Cabana but Shane gives him a roll-up for 2.9. Shane gets Money off with a shortarm clothesline, goes top rope, but MISSES with the picture perfect elbow. Cabana kicks him in the gut and sets up the Colt 45 but Collyer saves Shane and Shane hits a superkick on Cabana. Collyer goes for the Texas Cloverleaf on Shane but he grabs the ropes for the break. Money runs over and CHA-CHING nails Collyer for the three count. WINNER: EZ MONEY. All of the men exchange handshakes, even Shane and Money.
Money points to his www.EZTights.com trunks as the camera gets a close-up before we go to an ROH flashback with Tommy Dreamer getting in the ring in Philly to a huge ovation, and he compares ROH to that "special something I used to be a part of." Michael Shane and Paul London both offer him handshakes, and then to each other, but Shane breaks the code by cheapshotting London with a clothesline. In response Dreamer gives him a DDT and strikes a pose, helping London up and raising his hand. Next we get a video of AJ Styles arriving. "Gotta go through Low-Ki, Paul London, it ain't gon' be easy, but I ain't gon' lose. My whole objective is to get that ROH Title away from the Prophecy."
* Fast Eddie, Don Juan, Hotstuff Hernandez (Texas Wrestling Academy) v. Loc, Devito, Masada (Carnage Crew)
Holy shit, Hernandez from LAX~! ROH always manages to surprise me on these early DVD's. I'll be honest though, I can barely identify the guys in Carnage Crew as it is, and of the Academy guys Hernandez dwarfs his artners and makes the other two more vanilla by comparison. You can also assume this match is second on the card in New York for a reason. Rudy Boy Gonzalez hangs out at ringside watching his boys as they put over Fast Eddie for being legally blind and Carnage Crew as guys who just want to get away from their nagging wives. Commentary: "These New York fans have never seen any of these guys except for Loc & Devito." Well they wouldn't be the only ones. Devito drops Don Juan on his head - ouch. Carnage Crew light him up like a Christmas Tree with a 3-on-1 rudo beatdown worthy of CMLL. Devito signals for a top rope moonsault but misses completely. Juan tags Hernandez and he hits forearms and chops and gets the Godzilla monstahhhh push as he destroys everything in sight.
Fast Eddie tries to go for a moonsault off the apron but Loc nails him with a hubcap. More hubcaps come into play and the ref calls for the bell. TEXAS WRESTLING ACADEMY WIN BY DQ.
Well as if this wasn't already shit on by being second on the card, the fuck finish makes it worse. Carnage Crew give Eddie a piledriver off the top rope and Rudy Boy comes in the ring for the save but they crack him with a chair. Christopher Street Connection's music hits, Buffy and Mace come out, and we get a wisecrack from the announcers that "the queens are back in Queens." Even though it's 2 on 3 CSC use streamers, confetti, a thumb to the eye, kisses (yes a la Maximo) and bronco busters. This has the crowd treating them like conquering heroes, although I'm not sure that the sight of them making out in the ring after vanquishing the Carnage Crew can keep them babyfaces in front of an already hostile New York crowd. Fortunately we quickly cut away to flashback footage of the war between Jay and Mark Briscoe, with Mark beating him in his debut match. This leads us to...
* Mark Briscoe v. Jay Briscoe
Who's going to MAN UP in this match? Both Briscoes have dedicated the match to Mark's friend Brock, who apparently died in a tragic accident several months back, and they've also stated that this is the last match they are going to have against each other and then put their feud to rest. It's MMA style early as Mark tries to pull Jay's arm out of the socket but Jay counters with forearms to the head as Mark turtles up like Ortiz did fighting Liddell. Jay kicks him in the face and he might be out cold. The ref's checking to see if he's knocked out and is signalling like the match should not continue, Jay comes over to check on him... SWERVE~! Mark jumps up and starts working over the leg. Mark goes for an arm but Jay leg scissors out of it. Back and forth, reversals and counters, the crowd pops for the action. Jay unloads on Mark with chops. Snap suplex by Jay for 2. Jay with right hands and a big dropkick for 2. Jay with the delayed vertical suplex and another 2. J-Driller is blocked twice and the second time reverses into a 'rana.
Jay still stays dominant, whipping Jay to the corner for a clothesline and hitting a big mafia kick. Mark managers to counter with a snap suplex for 2 and a half Boston crab. Jay gets the ropes. Chant of "BRI-SCOES" breaks out but it's rather anemic, much like Mark's first nearfall after all. The backbridge suplex pin attempt was a little better. Jay clotheslines Mark over the top and both men are down on the floor.It turns into a war of roaring elbows and fisticuffs when both get to their feet. Mark jumps to the apron and hits a springboard somersault plancha, Jay is busted open. Mark follows up with a moonsault from the top rope to the floor and Jay is all kinds of fucked up. Jay is thrown back in, Mark tries to come off the top, but Jay nails a superkick in mid air. Jay takes Mark from a fireman's carry into a backbreaker, hits the death valley driver as a follow-up, and gets 2. Mark thrown into the corner for chops. whipped to the other, Mark gets out of the way and hits a starstep shining wizard. Jay set on the top and Mark gives him a springboard RKO off the top rope for 2.9. Jay is blocked in the J-Driller attempt and dropped on his head. Mark sets him on the top rope and a war of punches and chops ensues. Mark goes for the ace crusher RKO or whatever you want to call it but Jay counters and hits Mark with one of his own. Both get up slow and go to chops. Jay with a HUGE mafia kick, "HOLY SHIT" chant. Jay gets up slowly, pulls Mark up and nails the Liger bomb. To the top rope, Jay hits the senton for 2.5. Mark drops to a knee to avoid the J-Driller. Mark throws Jay over, picks him up, and nails the J-Driller on his brother. 2.9!!! Mark is stunned Jay kicked out and so am I. Mark misses with a moonsault, Jay hits the J-Driller not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES and the crowd goes FUCKING INSANE~! Uno, dos, TRES! WINNER: JAY BRISCOE.
Afterwards ROH does what TNA is never smart enough to do after a big match - they let the cameras linger on the ring for a LONNNNNNNNG time... showing Jay slowly getting up, showing him coming over to hug his brother, letting you soak in the moment. Hit Squad promo on the roof of some building follows and the wind keeps fucking up their mics. It's all to plug a 13 man scramble match later on and how happy they are to be back in their hometown. Somebody should have white balanced the camera for this segment. This segment even has an encoding error where the screen pixellates, so really the whole fucking thing should have been axes. The black & white flashback to June 22nd, 2002 though is just fine. Afterwards we get a Homicide promo: "My hometown, Hit Squad's hometown, Low-Ki's hometown. Corino I feel sorry for you. I got my ghetto thugs out there. You goin' to the hospital tonight, you ain't goin' to Pennsylvania. Bring your thugs, cause I got my crew out there."
* Steve Corino (with Samoa Joe & Simply Luscious) v. Homicide
There are no shortage of negative Corino chants implying that he not only sucks but that perhaps he sucks Joe off to cement their relationship. Joe gets in Homicide's face and starts talking smack while Corino grabs a mic. "Easy there Homicide, easy there." 'Cide doesn't care and gets in Joe's face as the crowd chants "SHUT THE FUCK UP" at Corino. Corino: "I would, but no crackhead in here has the guts to shut me up." He dares some fan in the balcony to fall off. "I am a major international superstar! I don't have to tell you how this works. When I have the mic, all of you sit down and shut the hell up. Let me be the one to introduce you to my group. First the loveliest lady in professional wrestling, Simply Luscious. Secondly, pound for pound the toughest man to ever walk in the squared circle, Samoa Joe. Next a man, a young man that reminds me of a young King of Old School; ladies and gentlemen Michael Shane!" If they didn't hate Shane before they're absolutely going to DESPISE him now. Corino: "Feinstein, Gabe, you need to understand something. You two may think you call the shots, but I call the shots here. I'll tell YOU who I want in my group. Ladies and gentlemen, the enforcer, CW Anderson!" The announcers are flipping out that CW is even in the building. Corino: "We are the best professional wrestling group, but we need one more. I've got my eye on you Low-Ki!" Homicide: "Low-Ki is not down wit'chu. As a matter of fact, these punk ass bitches, I ain't scared of NONE OF Y'ALL, cause I got all of New York City. Where's my people at!" Crowd hits an "N-Y-C" chant. Homicide starts cutting another promo but swerves Corino and decks him with the microphone. Mafia kick and a one count and the match is underway.
T-bone suplex by Homicide and a two count. Corino avoids a dropkick but gets put in an STF and Joe screams for Corino to get to the ropes, which he does. Both get back to their feet, Homicide hits a chop and a clothesline for a two count. Back slam by Corino and 'Cide is down. Corino pulls him back up by his shirt and hits a leg lariat. Corino school boys him for two then rolls through into a front facelock. Homicide gets a foot on the ropes to force the break. Homicide comes back with right hands as people in the crowd mouth off to CW Anderson. Corino puts 'Cide in the corner, whips him across, Homicide drop toe holds him into the turnuckle and goes for the facewash and a running knee. Joe encourages him to get back in and keep fighting. Homicide misses a top rope 'rana and Corino bulldogs him to the mat for 2.8. Neckbreaker by Homicide as Joe argues with the crowd. Corino climbs to the second rope with Homicide but 'Cide hits the ace crusher for two and CW tries to cheer Corino back to his feet. Corino with a boot to the head. Second boot blocked and 'Cide clotheslines for 2. Scoop slam and Luscious puts Corino's boot on the ropes. 'Cide hits a reverse DDT but the ref catches a boot from Corino in the process. 'Cide hits a shining wizard off the downed ref's back and gets a very slow near fall. Joe is still jawjacking with the crowd. Corino spills out to the floor and Homicide gets a chair. Joe tries to intimidate him but 'Cide ignores him and throws the chair at Corino. Joe doesn't jump him: "You're lucky this is Ring of Honor motherfucker!" 'Cide tries to run the ropes and jump onto Corino but Corino gets out of the way and 'Cide takes the chair and is down hard. CW Anderson is goading the crowd as the ref seems to be signaling that 'Cide is out cold. Corino and his crew throw him back into the ring. 'Cide still kicks out before 3 even though he seems to be dead weight. Old school neckbreaker is a near fall too. 'Cide weakly tries to fight back but Corino hits a northern lights bomb for 1-2... no! 'Cide kicks out again. Corino puts on a cobra sleeper but 'Cide gets the ropes. He drags 'Cide back to the center and locks it on again, wrapping his legs around him MMA style. The ref picks up the arm once, twice, three times and that's it. WINNER: OLD SCHOOL STEVE CORINO.
Homicide gets over as the valiant babyface and Corino's crew gets over as even bigger heels than the Prophecy, spitting on a New York jersey and rubbing it on their crotches. "Fans" rush the ring - I suspect every single one of them are plants particularly when Joe purposefully picks the biggest one he can find and jumping on him to attack him. The camera is shaking up and down to give us the impression it's more chaotic than it probably is, and "the lockerroom" hits the ring. Rest assured if any of this was a legit riot ROH would have been sued and none of this footage would be on the DVD. The shaky camera footage is giving me a headache so I think this is a good place to end part 1, and I'll close with the note that Don Callis seemed to come out of nowhere and appear at ringside, but if it's not him it damn sure looks like Cyrus the Virus to me, and we get to hear Feinstein scream like a bitch again. Part 2 when we return!