Recap of ROH's "Man Up" PPV

ROH IS ON THE AIR! The following event is copyrighted and intended for private use, yadda yadda. ROH in association with G-Funk Sports & Entertainment is live once again from Chicago, Illinois! We are welcomed by Lenny Leonardo and Dave Prazak and starting things off with an ROH signature. Naomichi Marufuji and Nigel McGuinness are already out to the ring for a "four corner match." Nigel comes over to take the mic: "My dream of holding the ROH World Title is not dead, it starts in this ring tonight!!" The crowd chants his name. "I hear ya! I hear ya. I've got three very tough opponents, but I can beat 'em, because I'm Nigel McGuinness, and I'm in it... to win it!" Dave Prazak tries to promote the first match until a masked man takes his mic and starts screaming "AGE OF THE FALL! AGE OF THE FALL!" Prazak gives up and screams "GO TO THE OPEN!!!"

We come back and Claudio is at the mic. "I want to give a warning, Chris Hero, in this match I'm coming straight for you. And Larry Sweeney, I'll get my hands on you too. I'll win this match and be in world title contention." He throws his hands in the air and everyone screams "AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Larry Sweeney comes out leading his Sweet 'n Sour team to the ring, talking on a cell phone and waving off the camera. "Listen up now, all of you bums on PPV, Sweet 'n Sour Incorporated is here." The crowd chants "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Sweeney: "It's your PRIVELEGE, to listen to me, Larry Sweeney and my melodious voice, as I present to you the greatest athlete in Ring of Honor history - Chris Hero! Dave Prazak I know why you're here, it's a crime against humanity, why don't you give me your card and I'll give you a call. A-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

* Four Corner Survival: Chris Hero v. Nigel McGuinness v. Naomichi Marufuji v. Claudio Castagnoli

We start with Nigel and 'Fuji in the ring as four corner ROH rules is only two men in the ring at a time. The two wrestle to a stalemate and Hero begs Nigel for a tag, which he begrudgingly gives to him. Hero and 'Fuji circle. Hero takes the left am but 'Fuji spins out and takes the left himself. Hero spins out, pushes 'Fuji away, and starts his usual routine of breakdancing and flips. 'Fuji gets tired of this and tags in Claudio, and Hero runs away in a panic. Sweeney and the crew check on Hero as S'n'S screams at the camera: "I hope the officials are watching the transgressions in the ring, they should not be allowed!" Hero steps in the ring only long enough to tag out, leaving 'Fuji with Castagnoli. Claudio gets a one count, 'Fuji gets the arm, Claudio counters and snapmares him and covers him for 1.5 about five times before finally getting a 2 count. 'Fuji goes top rope, old school style, gets pushed off, then jumps back up and grabs Claudio's head. Claudio grabs his in return and they attempt to claw each other to the canvas. 'Fuji kicks out, catching the thigh (not the balls) and tagging out to Hero. Hero sweeps the leg and starts stomping on his former partner from the Kings of Wrestling. Naturally once Claudio gets the advantage in Hero tags out and quickly runs away.

Now it's Nigel and Claudio in the ring. Nigel cartwheels away and offers Claudio a handshake, Claudio takes it and responds with an uppercut. A series of back and forth uppercuts then back and forth rolling near falls ensues, and when they break away the crowd erupts in applause. Another handshake and the two men circle. Collar and elbow tie-up, Hero blind tags in from the corner, then kicks Claudio in the head several times, proud as always of his heelish means and ways. He sets Claudio on the rope, hits a running boot, then pulls Claudio down for one. "You're kidding me! That's only one!" Yes Hero, only one. Back senton on Claudio from each side, and he holds Claudio down for two. Kick to the back of the head. Pounding fists to the back. Hero charges off the ropes and gets caught in a high back bodydrop. Scoop slam and a double legdrop. Hero rolls out to get away and Claudio follows him out with a double axe to the floor. Marufuji does a flip dive onto both men and wipes them out on the floor! Nigel looks around in the ring, climbs up to the top rope, and crossbodies the entire pile OVER THE BARRICADE! They're all down in the crowd now and the place is going NUTS.

McGuinness and 'Fuji get back to the ring. Nigel gives 'Fuji judo thrusts and punches in the corner but misses on a charge to the corner when 'Fuji gets a boot up, then 'Fuji goes on offense. Superkick and sliced bread but Hero makes the save before three! 'Fuji unloads with chops but Hero gives him a driver and a cover for two. Hero starts chopping Claudio as 'Fuji is down on the apron. Claudio picks him up in a fireman's carry and slams him down before Nigel makes the save. Nigel hits his lariatoo of doooooooom but 'Fuji makes the save! Even the announcers admit the rules for only two men in have basically been through out by "referee's discretion" at this point. McGuinness does a headstand in the corner and mule kicks 'Fuji in the chest. 'Fuji stomps his head into the mat in response and gives him a kick right on the button but at 2.9 McGuinness kicks out! 'Fuji to the top rope, McGuinness knocks him down to crotch himself and hits the Tower of London but Hero makes the save!

Hero and McGuinness battle, Hero hits the cravate cutter and the double stomp to McGuinness but Castagnoli gives him a backbridge suplex for 2 before he can get to 3. Hero staggers to his feet, Claudio picks him up and gives him the huge airplane spin forever and ever and EVER and finally releases him across the ring. Hero staggers around in a daze, Castagnoli nails him, Hero still kicks out before 3! 'Fuji chops Castagnoli, Claudio gets him in position for the Ricola Bomba, but 'Fuji counters him into a roll-up or 2. Superkick but the finisher is blocked. 'Fuji sets him up on the top rope and puts him in the tree of woe. It must be time for the coast to coast dropkick! Nigel McGuinness blocks it, 'Fuji ducks the lariat. Hero eats the lariat instead, then 'Fuji eats one too! Top rope diving uppercut from Castagnoli, who gives Marujuji the Ricola Bomb, and Hero dives onto the ref to make the save! Hero claims he tripped on the ropes. He smiles smugly and turns around just in time to avoid Claudio, but Claudio follows up with a bicycle kick. McGuiness rebounds off the ropes on Castagnoli and hits the jawbreaker lariat for three! FOUR CORNER SURVIVAL WINNER: NIGEL MCGUINNESS. Castagnoli vows revenge on Chris Hero. Nigel: "One more time I proved it. Listen to the people, that belt's mine!"

Bryan Danielson cuts a promo saying Marufuji hit him so hard in the face his retina was damaged and the orbital bone was broken. He talks about how his mom and his family can't take what he does to himself as a wrestler. "The injuries, the toll it takes on your body and your family, made me rethink things. Then I went and saw my dad. We were talking about the options I had, but right before he got up to make me a tuna sandwich, he said 'This is the life you always wanted.' Wrestling is everything I always loved. All the deattached retinas and seperated shoulders, this is everything I wanted my entire life. So tonight, Morishima, I'm going for that ROH Title, because this is the life I always wanted, and you're not gonna take it away from me, not now, not ever! I may no longer be the best wrestler in the world but I'll prove that I have more heart than anybody in this sport."

* The Resilience v. No Remorse Corps (Best of 3 Series)

* Match One: Matt Cross (Resilience) v. Rocky Romero (NRC)

Chop war right at the start. Romero gets the better and gets a side headlock. Head scissors responds. Big boot right back but Cross stays on his feet then gives Romero a spinning chest first slam. Romero falls out to the floor so Cross fakes a suicide dive, then a baseball dropkick, then cartwheels over Romero on the apron before driving Romero shoulder first into the ringpost on the floor. He does a flagpole press and drops down on Romero on the floor. Cross is in control! He throws him back in and gets a cover for 2.

Romero responds by getting a cross armbreaker but Matt gets to the ropes for the break. Romero struts and shimmies in the ring, enjoying himself, and then unloads with a chop and a punch. Romero tosses him high in the air then puts a boot to his jaw afterwards. Cross fights back out of the corner, hits a reverse heel kick then a split-legged press for a two count. Punch war follows, Cross hits an enzuguiri, whips Romero to the corner but gets gloated over. He gets a springboard double stomp for a two count! He does another twisting press but nobody's home so Romero gets a German suplex and a kick to the side of the head and picks up the pin. THE WINNER FOR THE NO REMORSE CORPS: ROCKY ROMERO.

Match Two: Austin Aries (Resilience) v. Davey Richards (No Remorse Corps)

Roderick Strong baited Aries into coming in the ring and announcing he was next, then stepped out to let Richards take his place. Aries takes control early with a series of armdrags. Davey tries to go for a wristlock but just gets hiptossed into one on him. Richards tries to bridge himself through it so Aries just chops him back down and goes to a side headlock. Takeover, neck crank, and we've got a rest spot for the crowd to clap the man to their feet. Aries winds up in a headscissors but is able to escape, and then he rolls through a sunset flip attempt for a dropkick. Richards scissors Aries and hits a running knee, and Aries is down.

Richards stomps on his back as the NRC look on and the crowd clap him back in, prompting Richards to yell "Shut up!" Aries hits the ropes and comes flying in for a dropped elbow for 2. Richards mocks the Aries swinging elbow but he takes too long and misses it completely. Aries on the other hand sweeps him down and hits it perfectly! Aries sets Richards on the top rope but Richards hits headbutts and tossess Aries outside to the floor, then comes down off the apron with the double sledge. Aries gets throw back in and attacked some more. Aries fights back to his feet with chops but Richards rakes the eyes and gets him back down. He pulls him up by the hair for a headbutt, whips him chest first into the turnbuckle, but misses on the German suplex when Aries lands on his feet. Richards knocks Aries down with a kick to the chest and strolls around cockily before making a cover for 2.

Richards wants the DR driver but Aries fights it off and the two begin exchanging punches, before Aries hits the roaring elbow and does a suicide dive through the bottom ropes driving Richards into the steel barricade! Richards is thrown back in. Aries vaults and twists over the ropes for two. 'saults off the ropes for two, sets up for a brainbuster but misses when Richards blocks. Clothesline misses but handspring kick by Richards connects! Brainbuster, two count. Richards pulls Aries up, trying to butterfly the arms, kicking Aries in the head repeatedly, but Aries catches a leg and dumps him with a suplex. Two count only! Aries goes up to the top, 450 splash may be coming, Richards hits a kick to block it and goes up top behind him. Aries frees himself with back elbows but Richards charges over and yanks him off with a release German - but still only gets 2.9!!

Aries shoves Richards into the corner when he goes for the butterfly underhooks. Elbows to the head left and right and a series of punches slumps Richards down in the corner! Aries goes for the running flying dropkick and Richards moves. Davey hits the flying forearm with more success and a clothesline takes Aries down. German suplex misses, roll up only gets 2, DR driver turns into a backslide for 2. Headkick by Aries, brainbuster connects! Aries to the top rope and they're going nuts! 450 SPLASH!!!! 1-2-3. WINNER FOR THE RESILIENCE: AUSTIN ARIES.

Match Three: Erick Stevens (Resilience) v. Roderick Strong (No Remorse Corps)

The series is tied up 1-all as Stevens goes on offense early and the mohawk'd warrior gets Strong up on the ropes for some chops. Running slam gets two. The announcers put over Stevens as being more stout and stocky, which may help him counteract Strong's experience edge. Stevens gets another two count, hits chops, a scoop slam, and drops an elbow across the chest for two. Stevens hits a hard series of forearms, Strong tries to answer, but Stevens hits a release suplex and Strong rolls out to the floor. Stevens goes to the apron to follow up but Strong counters and drops him back first across it. Stevens is down on the floor selling it hard as Strong pulls him up for chops and whips him hard into the barricade. Strong is told to throw Stevens back into the ring, which he does but only for long enough to pull his ribs across the ringpost to the outside and kick him in the face. He comes back in for a cover but it's only a 2 count.

Strong pulls him up by the mohawk then chops him right back down to the ground. Strong stands on his face until the 4 count is reached and he breaks. Stevens gets back up and hits chops but Strong knocks him back down with a dropkick. Strong pulls him away from the ropes and covers for 2 as an ER-ICK STE-VENS chant breaks out. Strong pounds away on his back but Stevens desperately tries to get back to his feet.. and fails. Strong picks him up and hits a release fallaway slam for 2. Backbreaker by Strong, then Stevens is stretched out as Strong pushes his face away with a forearm over his knee. He lets go only to work Stevens over front to back with kicks. The RO-DE-RRRRICK chants have finally begun. Hard chops by Strong in the corner. Whip to the opposite site, Stevens blocks the charge with an elbow, then hits a shoulder tackle followed by the choo choo and a TKO. He sells his back before going for the cover and only gets 2.

Stevens gets back up and just ends up getting overcome by Strong again. The crowd mocks Strong as he goes to pick up Stevens, but Stevens blocks and hits a powerslam for 2!. He's going for a gutwrench into a powerbomb but Strong blocks and hits an enzuguiri followed by a fireman's carry into a gutbuster. Pump handle slam folds Stevens in half! Strong covers, and only gets two. Strong stands up, Stevens looks up slowly, Strong sets up for a Gibson driver but Stevens blocks. Exchange of chops ensues. Roaring elbow from Strong, Gibson driver blocked, Stevens hits a sitout pumphandle slam for 2.9!! Crowd approves with applause. Stevens gets back to his feet first but Strong counters him into the corner and rakes the eyes. Stevens is set up on the top rope, Strong goes up, superplex connects but Stevens stands up! Strong kicks him and hits a half-nelson backbreaker but Stevens kicks out at 2.9! Strong pulls him over to the corner by his ahir, climbs up to the top, pulls him up for a possible driver off the ropes, Stevens blocks with a headbutt then dives off the ropes with a powerslam for 2.999999!

Stevens gets back up, staggering around and selling his back, and he sets Strong up in the corner again. Stevens goes outside, maybe he wants a Dr. bomb off the top, Strong blocks and goes out himself. Forearms and clubbing bows as they fight standing on the second rope and leaning over the top one. Stevens with reverse right elbows knocks Strong away but Strong comes right back over, takes the arms and gives him a Razor's edge out of the corner followed by a Gibson driver. 1-2-3 it's all over! WINNING THE MATCH AND THE SERIES FOR NO REMORSE CORPS: RODERICK STRONG. Now that was a war! That's a great series of matches, I want to watch the whole thing again from start to finish. Erick Stevens gets a standing ovation from the fans.

Next we see highlights from a four-corner match in Hartford where Delirious was making fun of Adam Pearce in a match that included Nigel McGuinness and BJ Whitmer. Delirious ended up saving Whitmer just in time for McGuinnes to get the rebound lariat on Scrapiron Pearce and pick up the win. Pearce took out his frustrations on Delirious afterwards, Hagadorn came in to lend a hand, but Brent Albright finished it by giving Delirious a half-nelson suplex. Albright holds him down as Pearce mocks him for hiding behind a mask. "As a result, we're going to make it permanent." Hagadorn hands him a staple gun and just as he's about to staple it to his head BJ Whitmer steps into the ring. Pearce: "I've talked about reaching deep into your soul, and the concept of need, so who's doing who a favor. Do you want the approval of all these idiots, huh, do you want to attack me well go ahead BJ." Whitmer shoves Pearce away, Delirious starts talking to him, but in the end BJ still gives him the Adrenaline spike, causing the crowd to all chant "FUCK YOU BJ!" Afterwards they stapled the mask to Delirious head in a spot considered too graphic for PPV (they do a freeze rame). The "Man Up" Briscoes music plays as we get the screen telling us to visit www.ROHWrestling.com for more information.

* ROH World Title Match: Takeshi Morishima {C} v. Bryan Danielson

Danielson comes out wearing a pirate patch over his right eye, and as he gets into the ring the crowd floods him with streamers and sings along... it's the FINAL COUNT-DOWWWWWWWWWWWN! Morishima comes out and he too is hailed with streamers. Prazak reminds us that Danielson is very angry and very determined to make a statement and win this rematch. Danielson charges him in the corner right away and tries to take a leg but Morishima just kicks him away and stomps him right out of the ring. Skipping ahead a little in the action after Morishima has been in control; Danielson goes for a small package attempt, Morishima scoops it and slams him down. Morishima goes for a running kick, Danielson avoids it and sets him on the rop rope, then goes up for a belly to back suplex and connects! Cover.. 1-2-NO!!

Danielson gives Morishima repeated elbows to the side of his head and then hits the tiger suplex for another near fall. Danielson keeps control of the arms and bridges through for the CATTLE MUTILATION. Morishima manages to roll out of it so Danielson surfboards him and stomps on the head, then puts him in a triangle choke and gives him elbows to the head. Morishima stands up with him around his neck and powerbombs him! Danielson gets to his feet but Morishima hits a big lariat and gets a two count. Backdrop driver, but Danielson gets his foot on the ropes! Morishima gets back up and walks away slowly as Danielson is slumped in the corner and the fans hit dueling chants. Chicago is electric! Morishima hits a running clothesline and rips off Danielson's eyepatch! Danielson rolls him into a small package for 2. Morishima responds with a backdrop driver for the second time and peppers his broken orbital bone with elbows, forcing referee Paul Turner to call a stop to the match! WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION BY TKO: TAKESHI MORISHIMA. The crowd chants "BULLSHIT" but they babyfaced Danielson like crazy and made a hell of a monster out of Morishima.

A Ring of Honor promo package follows where the Briscoe Bros. threaten all sort of violence and bodily harm on Kevin Steen and El Generico as we see all of the brutal matches where the Briscoes have "MANNED UP" on them. Steen responds: "We enjoy kicking the holy hell out of you rednecks!"It's time for the main event of MAN UP!

* ROH Tag Title Ladder Match: The Briscoes v. Kevin Steen & El Generico

There's a ladder on the rampway which all of the teams must navigate around as they come out. The heels at least navigate around it, whereas the Briscoes just pick it up and toss it into the ring before they can even finish announcing the champions to the rings. The fans throw their streamers anyway even though nobody ends up in the ring. Steen launches Mark Briscoe into the crowd in a pile of chairs. Mark hits him with a steel chair and says "MAN OVERBOARD" as he pulls him across the barricade. Generico clocks Jay with a chair twice while Steen and Mark exchange punches and headbutts against the guardrail before Mark spears him into the chairs. Generico is snapped into the chairs himself and this is a brutal crowd brawl with no end in sight! Bad for the people on the other side of the ring who can't see anything (been through that at several ROH shows) but it's making for a hell of a main event on camera.

Jay Briscoe is bleeding while Kevin Steen goes out to steal some popcorn from the crowd. El Generico waits to clock Jay with a chair and succeeds while Steen throws Mark into a seated chair headfirst. Mark runs and jumps off the barricade to give Steen an ace crusher to the floor. El Generico tries to go up the ladder, Mark comes in, Mark gets tossed out. Jay comes in, Jay gets thrown to the corner, Generico tries to charge him with the ladder, Jay counters, chops Generico in the corner, calls for a whip to the other corner but Generico puts on the brakes and blocks it then dropkicks Jay out to the floor. Mark tries to come in and gets knocked down too, as the announcers say he's risking another concussion. Jay comes in to stop Generico and gives him a facebuster. He climbs up but Steen comes in to stop him. Steen blocks the J-Driller by hoisting him up on his back. Jay goes for it a second time and is dropped neck first on Steen's knee. Mark flies off the corner with a dropkick to knock Steen off!

Mark climbs up to pull the belts down, but Steen manages to pull him down and punch him loopy through the ropes, then throws the side of the ladder into his head as he's brely hanging onto the apron. Generico gets back in the ring as Mark grabs ahold of him and Mark whips him into the corner before Jay joins him and they give Generico a double beal into the ladder in the corner! The ladder is now crumpled beyond use and the crowd is chanting "HOLY SHIT!" The broken ladder is being left in the corner as a weapon as an even taller ladder is set up. Mark Briscoe is pulled out and as Jay is climbing up Steen shoves the ladder over and he crashes into the ladder he left there as a weapon! If it wasn't broken before it DAMN SURE is now!

Kevin Steen flattens out the taller ladder on the canvas and hits a belly to back suplex onto Jay. Mark charges in and Steen keeps kicking him in the head, and Mark just keeps begging for more, but Steen finally slows things down with a low blow. Generico is clutching at his back as he picks up the ladder and throws it at Jay's back. He too lays it flat and snapmares Jay onto it, then does the split-legged moonsault onto Jay. This is one brutal, beautiful match. Steen pounds on Mark, picks him up, Mark lands on his feet and gives Steen a spinning heel kick into the ropes. Generico comes over to help as we see a replay of the double beal from earlier. Jay is punching Steen for all he's worth but Generico throws a ladder at him repeatedly. Generico sets up for a running yakuza kick into the ladder, and connects! Steen gives Mark Briscoe an awesome bomb over the ropes onto the broken ladder on the floor. Holy fuck!

Steen sets up the ladder, Generico holds it steady for him, Steen slowly but surely works his way up and then the ladder is knocked out from under him by the Briscoes. All four men are down in the ring. "R-O-H! R-O-H! R-O-H! R-O-H!" Jay swings the ladder around in a circular motion knocking down his opponents until Steen grabs ahold of it. This doesn't stop Jay Briscoe from picking Steen up and giving him a death valley driver on the ladder... the EXPOSED side of the ladder, not the flat. Mark crawls slowly towards his brother. Jay is out on the floor bleeding. Both Briscoes are in the ring now and Steen tries to get to his feet but gets stomped on instead as the ladder is moved away and the smaller ladder is set up across the ropes. Mark picks it up and puts it on Generico after a scoop slam, goes top rope, and does a shooting star press onto the ladder! Jay goes up too, turns around and splashes Kevin Steen through a table on the outside! Another R-O-H chant breaks out.

Mark sets up a very wobbly ladder and tries to climb to the top to get the belts, but Generico runs in and knocks the ladder out from under his feet. Jay climbs onto the barricade and calls for the "maintenance ladder" in the back of the building, and the crowd surfs it to him. The announcers not he's having a hard time lifting or carrying it as it's too big for one man, but he manages to get the giant orange ladder into the ring and set it up before Generico waylays him. Jay picks him up and puts him on his shoulders and Mark dives THROUGH the ladder to hit him with a springboard Doomsday Device! Holy hot fucking damn that was cool. The ladder is pulled to the center of the ring and positioned underneath the belts but Kevin Steen knocks both Jay and Mark off before they can get up with a smaller ladder. He bridges that ladder to the apron onto the maintenance ladder, which gives Mark time to recover and kick him in the face. He starts to climb up over the smaller bridged ladder, Steen stands on it, picks him up, and hits a package piledriver through it! HOLY FUCK!!! That ladder is DEFINITELY crushed.

El Generico climbs to the top of the maintenance ladder and at the last second Jay throws a ladder at him to slow him down. Jay bridges a ladder on the other side just like Steen did, climbs up behind Generico... oh God this is going to be stupid too... Generico blocks and sets up for the brainbuster... Jay counters and sets up for the J-Driller... J-DRILLER CONNECTS! And THAT ladder is now useless. Steen is climbing up the other side, but Jay climbs up the opposite side and the two start exchanging right hands at the top of the ladder. They each get a hand on the belts, Jay overpowers Steen with the rights and gets a step higher, Steen knocks him back down a peg, but Jay finally punches him so hard he falls off through the broken and bridged ladder. Jay is so exhausted and woozy he's got the belts unsnapped but can't pull them off! He climbs a step up to get them untied, but Steen is coming back up the other side to stop him. Jay is trying like hell to get them before Steen can get there... AND HE DOES!! WINNERS OF THE LADDER WAR AND STILL ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: THE BRISCOES!!!

Steen falls off in a depressed heap and the fans immediately start chanting "MATCH OF THE YEAR" and throwing streamers and chanting "THANK YOU BRISCOES!" Steen piefaces Generico and storms away from the ring. The Briscoes tip down the maintenance ladder into the corner as a bloody and scarred Generico limps to the back. There's some muffled screaming heard, we see the fans with the ski-masks and hoods up against the guardrail, the Briscoes pose on the ropes, and suddenly Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black jump out through the crowd of skis and come into the ring! The two confront the Briscoes, and suddenly while they're not looking Necro Butcher blindsides them with a fist full of barbed wire! Tyler Black hits a small package driver as Necro attacks with his barbed wire fists. Lacey is in the ring too, watching the carnage. The fans at ringside in ski-masks scream "AGE OF THE FALL" as Necro turns to the camera with his bloody fist and yells: "I told ya, if you let me out of my cage, I was gonna pile up bodies to the sky!" Prazak: "What is Age of the Fall!!" We suddenly go off the air with one of the Briscoes having his feet tied and hoisted up by the same chain that once held the tag belts. That's where the show ends! ANOTHER TWO THUMBS UP ROH PPV.