Another in our regular 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're covering "Final Battle 2003" from December 27th, 2003. Having addressed the American half last night in Pt. 1, it's time for Pt. 2!
We left off with Samoa Joe having successfully backed down CM Punk, more or less telling him to leave "his ring" before something bad happened to him. Punk reluctantly obliged and was immediately addressed by the ROH faithful with chants of "CM Pussy!" Having proved his point Joe left, at which point Punk immediately jumped back into the ring. That's where we pick up this recap - Punk starts to call out Christopher Daniels and before he could even finish Daniels and his Prophecy crew head to the ring meaning Fallen Angel, Allison Danger and Dan Maff. Joe was on his way to the back as they came in, Joe and Daniels have words, and it quickly dissolves into a brawl. Daniels gets away, hits the ring, and starts brawling with Punk. Punk is whipped to the corner but gets a knee up. High back bodydrop by Daniels, followed by an enzuguiri. Daniels gets a pop from the crowd and calls for Angel's Wings but Colt Cabana hits the ring to make the save. Allison Danger tries to help Daniels but Punk chokes her with a towel and then she gets thrown hard into the turnbuckle. Cabana works Daniels on the ropes while Punk continues to choke Danger out. Chris Lovey begs for help but none is forthcoming. Punk actually threatens to kill Danger unless Daniels answers who attacked "Lucy."
Obviously I missed this storyline during the 8 month gap in my DVD collection, but Daniels admits the Prophecy did it as BJ Whitmer comes out decks Cabana with a chair and hits the ring. Daniels' introduces him as the newest member and says HE is the one who attacked Lucy. Whitmer: "Punk don't think I forgot you trying to put me through a table in Philadelphia." Daniels: "Now in 2004 we are poised to rule Ring of Honor once again!" Daniels invites Dan Maff to hit the ring and join the celebration. Maff wants to know what the hell's going on. "On two occasions, I swore on my father's memory that the Prophecy - meaning you, Allison and myself had nothing to do with Lucy's disappearance. Now what the hell is this SCUMBAG..." but Daniels tells him to cool off. "I didn't mean to make a liar out of you but this was in the cards from day one. The plan was always for you and Whitmer to be part of the Prophecy, this was all in the gameplan. Be a team player because with both of you as main parts of my gameplan let's rule ROH in 2004, let's run this place!" Whitmer puts his hand up, but Maff is still upset and he's screaming "BULLSHIT! DID SHE KNOW ABOUT THIS - BULLSHIT!" Daniels keeps telling him not to be selfish and they all put their hands up - Maff reluctantly joins and puts his hand up to a chorus of boos, then poses with the Prophecy.
We go to Gary Michael Capetta backstage with the Briscoe brothers. There's not to say about this - they put over Jim Cornette as their manager and challenge Samoa Joe to take the belts from them. Carnage Crew interrupt and still want to know where Special K is. Briscoes accept Carnage Crew's apologies and "no disrespects" and Capetta says Special K is on their way to Chicago to film an interview with Colt Cabana. Carnage Crew says that's BS, it's not filmed in Chicago, it's done right in this building and we're gonna find him AND them. Time for our next match!
* Second City Saints (CM Punk & Colt Cabana) v. Tomiaoki Honma & Kazushi Miyamoto
It's time for the second half of our show, ROH versus All Japan. The Saints come out to "Copa Cabana," possibly the most appropriate entrance of all time for Cabana. Meanwhile Dunn & Marcos try to cut their usual "Ring Crew Express" promo backstage but The Great Muta scares them out of their shoes and socks. Back in the ring Colt Cabana pumps up his sneaks just like John Cena used to do and he locks up with the buzz cut golden-haired member of his Japanese opponents. Turns out it's Miyamoto. The two wrestle to a standoff and applause. Miyamoto kicks him in the gut and goes to chops, Cabana hits some of his own and celebrates early, so M dropkicks him in the back. Punk tags in as does Honma. They feel each other out, H works Punk's arm over, Punk gets the advantage back and flexes his Pepsi bicep right at the camera. H puts him in the corner, charges the other corner, Punk moves and he baseball slides under, so H drags him out to the floor for some brawling. Punk counters and whips him into the barricade. Both men get back in the ring and M tags in. Punk shoots in and gets the leg and pulls him to the corner for a Cabana tag. Cabana works his left leg over but M punches out and is ping-ponged with blows between both Japanese men. The announcers put over what a coup it is to have All Japan stars here as Cabana and Punk do a double team Boston crab before Punk gets a dropkick in the mouth that knocks both men down. Cabana becomes the legal man and drops an elbow. Snapmare and a boot to M's face as Punk comes back in. Punk is admonished for closed fists before tagging Punk back in. Cabana is whipped across the ring for double knees but M crossblocks out. Punk tags in and goes for 3 rapid covers, all 2 counts.
Punk goes to the RKO chinlock but Miyamoto hits a jawbreaker and crawls for the tag. Punk drags him back to Cabana for a tag and they're effectively cutting off the ring. Miyamoto tries to come back with chops so Cabana just thumbs him in the eye and brings him back to Punk for a tag, who screams "BRAINBUSTAHHHH!" Miyamoto blocks with a suplex and both men crawl for a tag. Punk tries to grab a leg but M kicks him off and Honma is finally in! Running forearm and a bulldog as he rolls over Punk for 2 before Cabana makes the save. Honma drills BOTH of the Saints into the mat on a double team attempt and goes out to the apron. Punk catches him on the top rope and hits a big body slam. Punk tags to Cabana but Honma hits him with a power slam. Cabana is shot off the ropes but comes back with a knee to the back of the head and a 2 count. Honma fights up with punches, C hits forearms, H with a DDT and Cabana is woozy. Cabana hits Miyamoto with a 'rana right after he tags in for a near fall. Palm strikes, whip to the corner by M, lariat, scoop slam and M is pumped up! Top rope, swanton, 2.5. Double lariat in the center fails, enzuguiri for M is more successful and both men crawl for their partners.
Two tags are made and Punk unloads on Honma with chops - and vice versa. Honma is scooped up, dropped on his head, and rolls outside. Punk hits the ropes to do a topei but Miyamoto spears him to block it. Cabana takes exception and hits M with a laria. Honma comes off the top rope with a springboard elbow on C. Punk with a missile dropkick on H! All four men down. Punk and Honma to one corner, then the other, Honma with a big boot, to the top rope, blockbuster connects! Two count and Punk kicks out. Double team by All Japan, Punk is set on the ropes, Honma is on Miyamoto's shoulders and they hit a SUPER-superplex on Punk. Honma rolls over but only gets 2 before Cabana makes the save. Half the men spill out to the floor while Punk and Honma still duel. Punk hits a DDT and gets 2. Punk with a lariat for 2 before M makes the save, and Cabana throws him right back out to the floor again. 2 on 1 advantage for the Saints, Pepsi Plunge is hooked and connects, THREE COUNT! WINNERS: SECOND CITY SAINTS. Awesome match! Punk cuts a promo declaring war on Daniels afterwards before all four men pose together to a huge "R-O-H" chant followed by another for "All Ja-pan."
* Kaz Hayashi v. AJ Styles
The only bad thing about these DVD's is they cut the entrances short, because I love hearing Styles' "you are, I am" theme music. Both men respectfully shake hands as the commentators say that Kaz Hayashi was the first person to ever be hit with the Styles Clash, way back in WCW. ROH 101 to start. Things don't pick up in the match until about the point CM Punk returns to commentary, and he declares himself "a happy-go-lucky guy" now that he knows what he has to do to get revenge for Lucy. Punk even takes credit for singlehandedly giving ROH a 1-0 lead over All Japan. Hayashi hits Styles with two dropkicks, the second taking him out to the floor. Hayashi follows him out and whips him to the barricade, but Styles just leaps over the barricade out into the crowd. HA HA~!
Styles gets back in, Kaz admonishes him for his craftyness, Styles shoves him, the two engage in a chop war, and Hayashi gets rocked. Hayashi is stunned but he comes back with forearms, Styles gets the better of it again and this time finishes with a kick to the face. I could swear to Cthulhu that Kaz screams "FUCK YOU" in english at Styles at this point, but there's no mistaking the spinning leg kick and brainbuster he follows it with! The crowd's going nuts for it either way and so am I. Hayashi grounds Styles and the match slows down a bit. Styles fights out of the headlock and tries to hit a Styles Clash but it's blocked and Kaz dropkicks him in the face. Punk brags that All Japan had no idea what they were in for and didn't take ROH seriously enough, and by doing so they could end up on the wrong side of many three counts tonight. Kaz works over Styles with blows to the back of the head, follows up with a piledriver, and gets 2.
Dueling chants break out as Punk says ROH fans respect pure wrestling regardless of who comes through the curtain. Styles misses with a lariat but hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Both men are in pain and slow to get up but Styles recovers first and unloads with chops. Backbreaker follows as Styles winces and holds his neck, before a kick to the back a scoop slam and a knee to Kaz' face for 2. Other All Japan wrestlers are at ringside as Styles goes for the bow & aarow, then when Kaz escapes he posts him into the turnbuckle and kicks his back. Drop toe hold response and an over the top rope DDT for 2 on Styles. Kaz pulls him up, Styles counters a whip into a gutbuster and a backbreaker and Styles covers for 2.
Punches and a back handspring kick by Kaz, and a double clothesline leaves both down. Back to their feet, Kaz blocks a Styles Clash and turns him inside out for a two count. He signals for a finisher and puts Styles into a crossface, then a dragon suplex, but Styles gets out before 3. Another crossface attempt is locked in. Styles gets a boot over the ropes for the break. Scoop slam by Kaz and he goes to the top rope. Styles knocks him down pulls him off rolls through and hits the Styles Clash, it's 1-2-3! WINNER: THE PHENOMENAL AJ STYLES. Not as good as the tag match earlier but still pretty damned good. Hayashi and Styles shake hands and briefly hug, showing each other the Code of Honor respect you would expect.
* Satoshi Kojima v. Homicide
Homicide is accompanies to the ring by Julius Smokes AND Low-Ki. Damn, why couldn't this have been a three-way match with Low-Ki in it too! Kohima slaps Homicide right in the face early in the match. 'Cide comes back with a big chop and the two stand off, respecing each other's gangsta. The two collide in the ring, neither able to knock the other down with shoulder blocks, and I might be mistaken but it looks like Kojima actually dusts his shoulder off a la Jay-Z. 'Cide finally knocks him down, dropkicks him down, K rolls to the outside and Kojima gets out of the way of a suicide dive then pulls out a folding chair to sit down for a break. Okay I'm not mistaken - Kojima is something of a comedian! He's got the crowd all the way behind him now, they're popping for his antics and chanting for him. Homicide tries a go behind when K comes back in but Kojima wrenches the arm. Homicide sweeps the leg, works the arm, kicks his back and works the arm again. K finally breaks free and the two stand off before Kojima looks at Julius Smokes in disgust and starts hitting DX crotch chops, swear to fucking Cthulhu, crotch chops! I love this man.
The crowd's going nuts for Kojima, so he does another crotch chop in Homicide's direction, just to make his point abundantly clear - all the while the announcers discussing whether or not Smokes can "suck it." 'Cide and K go for chops, Kojima hits the thumb to the eye, and then Kojima flaunts a bow to the boys from Brooklyn before turning around and slapping his ass - inviting them to cordially kiss his backside. Why hasn't some American gaijin promoter signed Kojima to a contract! Kojima even pretends not to understand the ref when he calls for the break on the 4 count in the ropes, and he screams at the ref "HEY I'M JAPANESE GOD DAMNIT!" This gets fucking funnier by the minute, I'm almost crying tears of laughter writing this. Homicide finally has had enough and starts chopping the crap out of K, but Kojima comes back with right hands. Homicide finally gets K back with a thumb to the eye of his own, a stiff kick to the back, and a two count. "THIS IS AWE-SOME!" That's not the ROH crowd, that's my own chant.
Homicide dropkicks Kojima to the floor and hits a suicide topei out on top of him, which has both his Brooklyn boys and the people in the crowd going nuts. Kojima is whipped into the rail but he gets a boot up to block and then hits a belly to belly suplex right on the floor! Both men are dazed and the announcers sell it as 'Cide cracking his head into the concrete floor. Kojima pulls 'Cide up and tells the crowd to take pictures as he throws 'Cide back into the ring. Homicide is selling the belly to belly like hell. 'Cide comes back and hits a lariat to the corner and a shining wizard to a slumped Kojima in the corner, and then takes off his headband. 'Cide hits a snapmare for 2. More chops by 'Cide. K whips him to the corner, 'Cide gets a boot up, 2 count. 'Cide whipped to the corner, running smash. Top rope elbow drop, 2 count. Crowd's starting to get behind both men now with dueling chants. Kojima charges, catches a boot, 'Cide hits a swinging DDT for 2. Smokes is screaming "BROOKLYN STYLE" on the outside but Kojima plants him on his head JAPAN STYLE. Kojima calls for his signature lariat, which Punk claims was taught to him by Stan Hansen. K misses and 'Cide hits a DDT followed by an ace crusher for a near fall.
Both 'Cide and K are dizzy on their feet as Kojima hits a cutter and takes off his elbow pad. He's looking for the lariat again, 'Cide blocks with a big boot and a Koji cutter of his own, then crawls over for a near fall. The boys from Brooklyn are slapping the canvas to get 'Cide up, but Kojima hits the lariat anyway. 1-2-HOMICIDE KICKS OUT! 'Cide gets up slow and Kojima hits a SECOND LARIAT and that's all she wrote! WINNER: SATOSHI KOJIMA. Now THAT was my favorite of the All Japan matches thus far in the second half - comedy, hard-hitting action, an electric crowd and some freaking awesome wrestling. **** minimum. Kojima offers the handshake afterwards, Homicide gets a pop from the crowd, and then 'Cide finally accepts the handshake. Kojima respectfully raises Homicide's hand afterwards and then takes the mic to cut a promo: "Sank you very much. I love wrestling. I love combat style. Thank you very much!" At least that's my best interpretation of what he said to me. Jerry Lynn cuts a promo afterwards for no reason that's over before I can even consider what he said or why.
* The Prophecy (Christopher Daniels & Dan Maff) v. Great Muta & Arashi {C} (All Japan Tag Titles)
Even though Prophecy comes out first to Daniels' great music, the crowd is absolutely going nuts for Muta even BEFORE the champions get their entrance. When Great Muta comes out they start chanting all over again. "MU-TA! MU-TA! MU-TA!" The ring is covered in colored streamers, a tradition I'm becoming very familiar with from attending ROH shows. The entrances alone seem to take up five minutes, but that's the way you want to do it to put over how big and important this main event is. God damn, Arashi is one fat motherfucker - he's like a half sumo on his way to being the full-sized Akebono size sumo. Punk starts attacking "Hillbilly Jesus" BJ Whitmer as the match gets underway. Arashi locks up with Dan Maff and starts throwing him around with ease. Chris Lovey hits the announce table for SCOOPZ~! He says Low-Ki and Homicide reconciles, and that the Second City Saints must face Maff, Daniels and Whitmer on January 10th. Daniels tags in and he wants Great Muta. The crowd goes balistic when when Muta finally tags in!
Muta and Daniels lock up for a bit. Daniels gets the upper hand working the arm, Muta works his left arm in kind, Daniels takes a kick to the gut. Test of strength but Daniels psychs him out and gets smug so Great Muta steps back and lets the trademark green mist fly! Daniels steps out to the floor to get distance and then comes back in. Muta takes control, Daniels comes back with a choke in the corner, Muta comes back and tags in Arashi. Holy crap is Arashi one big bastard. Scoop slam on Daniels. Daniels bulls him into the corner and tags in Maff. Arashi chops the hell out of Maff so Maff responds with a finger to the eye and chops before throwing him to the corner for Fallen Angel to tag back in. Muta is upset and tries to step in which of course only plays to the heels advantage, but Arashi makes a comeback and tags in Muta.
Muta comes in on fire and hits his trademark driving elbow and the ROH crowd is absolutely on fire. Danger tries to interfere and she nearly gets a face full of mist. Maff and Daniels cut off the ring and work on Muta. Maff throws crazy stiff forearms into the side of Arashi's head. Daniels and Maff continue the quick tags while Punk continues to claim he and Colt Cabana are the best of friends and always get along. Arashi makes the save for his team. Snapmare on Muta. Daniels works him over on the mat and according to my DVD there are about ten minutes left in this match. Daniels hits an elbow to Muta's face and sucker punches Arashi. Maff drops an elbow and goes for a near fall on Muta. Muta ducks him, hits a dropkick and tags Arashi. Arashi throws a dropkick of his own! Arashi is a HOUSE OF FIRE. Belly to belly on Maff (a belly LITERALLY) for a near fall.
Maff and Arashi start to slug it out in the ring. Daniels tags in. The Prophecy hit a cool combo move that had Daniels hitting Arashi with the STO while Maff nailed a shoulderblock at the same time, so Muta comes into the ring and hits a dragon screw on Daniel. Muta applies a figure four as the crowd goes "WOOOOOO" like he's Ric Flair. Dan Maff makes the save but gets thrown out by Arashi. Dan Maff grabs a chair to nail Muta in the back, but when Maff gets in the ring for another he was hit RED MIST! Daniels tries to attack Muta but the B.M.E. misses and Muta hits the shining wizard for 1-2-3!! WINNERS AND STILL CHAMPIONS: MUTA & ARASHI.
Very nice main event to finish out the second half of the card. Instead of handshakes, the Prophecy all bow to the wrestlers from All Japan - a nice touch! There's a backstage segment afterwards with Colt Cabana interviewing Special K. Becky Bayless joins the action late and Cabana starts making wisecracks about her boobs before Carnage Crew interrupts and Special K flees in terror. Loc to Special K: "We are going to kill you!" Maff is still made at Daniels in a backstage segment, but Daniels says screw that, I never told you to make any promises - just follow my lead and do what I tell you to do. Daniels huddles up the crew to cut a promo, claims they tossed Steve Corino and his group with ease, and the word of the Prophecy is being spread around the world. Daniels starts putting over Maff like a million bucks, dismisses Xavier as being nothing compared to BJ Whitmer, and Whitmer says Prophecy will take him to the next level. Whitmer once again promises to deliver pain and punishment to Punk, leaving him in a puddle of his own blood. "That's the gospel according to the Prophecy." That's where we end. DVD HIGHLY recommended.