ROH on HDNet Report for Januray 3rd, 2011

[Travicity]

ROH on HDNet
January 3, 2011
Louisville, KY (OVW's Davis Arena)
Commentators: MIKE HOGEWOOD & DAVE PRAZAK

It's time once again for your weekly ROH on HDNet recap! So, sit back, relax, open up a brew or a pop, and get ready for the first show of 2011!

Here's how things went down this week:

-We open the show with a shot of downtown Louisville, KY. This will be the site of ROH on HDNet for the next several weeks! The opening credits roll and here we go!

ROH WORLD TV TITLE MATCH
EDDIE EDWARDS (champ) def. MARK BRISCOE

-Backstage interview with Claudio Castagnoli, along with Chris Hero and Sara Del Rey, commenting about his match later in the show against Homicide!

--COMMERCIAL--

-A video is shown of the match between Davey Richards and Roderick Strong at Final Battle. This was by far the best match I've seen Richards in! Even though Davey Richards fell short, it was a great match to end the year!

-Backstage, we have comments from "The Giant Killer" Mike Mondo! He said that everyone will fear him! He also says that "its my time, its Mike Mondo time, and its gut check time!" This guy reminds me of Owen Hart when he turned heel in the WWE! During his promo, he was carrying around a sign that said, "Godzilla fears Mondo!" Pretty funny promo from Mike Mondo! This is his ROH debut!

MIKE MONDO def. GRIZZLY REDWOOD

-A video is shown featuring comments from Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin on who is the best tag team in ROH! This is also the ROH on HDNet debut from Haas and Benjamin! Last time I saw them on ROH programming was back in September of last year, when they took on The Kings of Wrestling for the tag titles at Glory By Honor IX! Its great to see the World's Greatest Tag Team on ROH!!

--COMMERCIAL--

CHARLIE HAAS & SHELTON BENJAMIN def. THE BRAVADO BROTHERS

--COMMERCIAL--

-Backstage where Kyle Durden is interviewing "The Prodigy" Mike Bennett and his trainer, Brutal Bob Evans. Bennett cuts a promo about how great he is and says he's gonna prove it next week!

MAIN EVENT
HOMICIDE def. ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPION CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI

FINAL THOUGHTS

Welcome everyone to 2011! This week's show came to us from Louisville, KY! Pretty good show to start off the new year! I was real surprised to see that Eddie Edwards was still the TV champion due to the fact that the last time I saw the TV champion it was Christopher Daniels. Anyway, congrats to Eddie Edwards on still being the TV champ! His match tonight against Mark Briscoe was a great way to start off the new year!

The debut of Mike Mondo had me shaking my head. I love how this guy reminds me of Owen Hart back in the day when Owen was a heel! Not sure what to think of Mike Mondo yet, but I'm sure this won't be the last time we see crazy characters coming in and out of ROH! His match tonight against Grizzly was your typical squash match. However, don't count out Redwood, because this little man knows how to hang in matches against guys who are more than half his size!

It was great to see Haas and Benjamin on t.v. this week! I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to see the World's Greatest Tag Team on ROH programming. Their match tonight was really nothing to get excited about, but Haas and Benjamin are still in pursuit of the ROH Tag Titles! One of these days Haas and Benjamin will get another shot at the Kings of Wrestling and I'm really looking forward to seeing that! Haas and Benjamin have come along way from their days in the WWE! I'm happy to see these two get a chance to do some real non-storyline based wrestling!

Also, the match that ended the night....Claudio vs. Homicide! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not a fan of anything to do with the Kings of Wrestling! This match was a true test for Homicide, due to the fact that he's still undefeated since coming back at Glory By Honor! Well, his undefeated streak continues, after Claudio tried to use an exposed turnbuckle and it back fired on him! Sub-par match, but entertaining in my opinion! Can't wait to see Homicide get a shot at the ROH World Title!

Finally, I want to end with this, please go and support your local indy wrestling scene! I've had a chance to experience local wrestling here in Indianapolis several times last year! ROH and smaller promotions need our support! True talent is all around us, and the "no name" guys give it their all each and every time they have an event! Last weekend, my friend and I saw one of the best matches we've seen since attending the Insanity Pro Wrestling events here in Indianapolis! The match was The American Wolves (Richards and Edwards from ROH) taking on a local tag team called the Irish Airborne! This match was a great test for our local boys! The Airborne got the victory over the Wolves! However, after the match was so special! Davey Richards got on the mic and told us to continue to support our local pro wrestlers! Richards also mentioned that one day they want a rematch against the Airborne! It was so great to see Colt Cabana, The American Wolves, and Kyle O'Reilly from ROH coming to Indianapolis to support IPW! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL WRESTLERS! WWE and TNA will always be the big fish in the pond, but if you ever get a chance to go see a local indy wrestling event, you will not be disappointed! Thanks for listening!

NEXT WEEK ON ROH on HDNET:
-ROH debut of "The Prodigy" Mike Bennett
-ROH WORLD CHAMPION Roderick Strong vs. Colt "BOOM BOOM" Cabana

Catch ROH on HDNet every Monday at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Until next time, my friends!

WV

[Travicity]

This week we venture outside of Philadelphia for the first time, as ROH On HDNet comes to you from the Davis Arena in Louisville, Kentucky.

Cue the opening, and then we're off to the ring for our first match...

TV Title Match: Eddie Edwards vs Mark Briscoe

Eddie gets a big reaction from the crowd during introductions. Mark and Eddie shake hands, which is a little weird to see given their history. Feeling out process to start as they exchange holds and counters and end in a stalemate. They tie up and Eddie takes Mark down with a hammerlock and works the arm, but Mark uses a headscissors to escape and they're back to a neutral start. Eddie gets a headlock and Mark sends him off into the ropes and Eddie takes him down with a shoulderblock. Another fast exchange and Mark catches Eddie with a leg lariat and then he tries a charge, but Eddie ducks down and Mark goes to the apron and is easy prey for a running kick to the back from Eddie. Eddie goes out to the floor and lays in a couple of chops before tossing Mark back into the ring, but Mark catches him with a baseball slide and follows that up with a somersault dive to thefloor that wipes out Eddie and almost drops Mark on his head. Easy, Mark! Mark sends Eddie back in and then goes up top and hits a missile dropkick for a 1 count. Mark and Eddie exchange chops and Mark catches him with a running neckbreaker for 2 and then puts him in a Sabu-style half Camel Clutch. Mark lets him go and gets a vertical suplex and covers with a crossface across Eddie's nose but only gets 2. Mark sits Eddie up top and goes for something, but Eddie pushes Mark off and crotches him on the top rope and follows up immediately with a top rope Frankensteiner for 2. Great spot there. Mark comes off the ropes but walks right into another Frankensteiner, and then Eddie dropkicks the knee out from under Mark and hits a Shining Wizard for 2. Eddie sets Mark up for the Backpack but Mark escapes and hits the Redneck Kung Fu and a superkick that lays Eddie out flat. Mark stops to play to the crowd before going for the cover and it costs him, as it only gets a 2 count. Mark goes for an Iconoclasm, but Eddie kicks him off and leaps off the ropes, but Mark catches him and hits the Gargoyle Suplex for 2. Mark goes for another suplex but Eddie slips out the back and hits a Codebreaker off the second rope and a back suplex/flapjack for 2. Eddie goes for the Achilles Lock but Mark reverses to a small package for 2, and then backdrops Eddie to the apron. Eddie ducks a punch and hits a leaping enziguiri and follows with a double stomp to the back off the top rope for 2. Eddie with a modified version of an Indian Deathlock, but Mark makes the rope. Eddie sets Mark up top and goes for a superplex, but Mark blocks and they fight it out on the top rope until Mark shoves Eddie off into the middle of the ring and comes off with a frogsplash for 2. Mark with a leaping enziguiri for 2 and the hits a flying knee in the corner and goes for the Cutthroat Driver, but Eddie rolls out and hooks the Achilles Lock. Mark tries to make the ropes but Eddie pulls him back to the middle of the ring and Mark is forced to tap out.

Winner: Eddie Edwards

Excellent match! A little two sportsmanlike for two guys with the heat these guys have with one another, but very very good, and I'm glad to see Mark get the chance to show what he can do in singles. I still think splitting the Briscoes up wouldn't be the worst idea. Eddie and Mark shake again after the match.

We go backstage to Kyle Durden with Sara Del Rey and the Kings Of Wrestling, and tonight Claudio Castagnoli will face Homicide in the main event. Claudio says the best part of Switzerland is that you don't have angry Puerto Ricans with stupid names like Homicide. Everyone in Switzerland has real manly names, and tonight he's going to show Homicide why real men like Claudio Castagnoli are great wrestlers.

We go to a promo video looking back at the Roderick Strong-Davey Richards match at Final Battle 2010 and Roderick taunting Davey for failing at his destiny.

Mike Mondo cuts a backstage promo saying that everybody's going to fear him, because it's Mike Mondo time and that means gut check time. Speaking of Mike Mondo, he's in our next match...

Mike Mondo vs Grizzly Redwood

I had the chance to see Mondo during ROH's last show in Louisville at Bluegrass Brawl and I really liked what I saw, I thought Mondo seemed like a great worker and had a great look to him. Tie up and Mondo snaps Grizzly down and goes behind him, and Grizzly slips out and catches Mondo with a drop toehold, but Mondo gets a hard forearm to the chin to escape and then Redwood comes back with a pair of armdrags and a Frankensteiner. He goes for a second Frankensteiner off the second rope but Mondo catches him and runs across the ring to powerbombs Grizzly into the corner. Mondo covers and gets 2, then tries a second cover and gets 2 again. Grizzly tries to fight his way out of the hole but Mondo with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and then he gets a chinlock. Mondo goes for a press slam and Grizzly escapes, but Mondo catches him in a three quarter nelson and rams several knees to the head, a running knee, and a diving dropkick to Grizzly's face, and then covers for 2. Another cover and still 2 so Mondo goes back to the chinlock. Mondo with a hard bodyslam and starts slapping Grizzly around, but Grizzly catches him with a small package out of nowhere for 2. Mondo immediately recovers and gets a hard clothesline for 2. Mondo goes for another tilt-a-whirl but Grizzly counters with an armdrag and then gets a leaping enziguiri and a bulldog for 2. Mondo Tullys Grizzly into the second turnbuckle and starts unloading with hard rights, but Grizzly surprises him with a tornado DDT for 2. The suspenders come down and Grizzly heads up top, but Mondo loses his balance and falls into the ropes, crotching Grizzly in the corner and Mondo takes advantage by going up top and hitting a superplex for the win.

Winner: Mike Mondo

Solid TV debut for Mike Mondo, the guy really knows what he's doing in there and I hope they keep him in the mix.

We go to a video package introducing Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team as they discuss their amateur backgrounds and their time in the entertainment business, but they're glad to be back in the wrestling business by coming to ROH. They want to establish themselves as the best tag team in wrestling and they'll be regulars in ROH in 2011, and no matter who they're in the ring with, they want the ROH World Tag Team Title. Oh, and they're up next!

Bravado Bros vs Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team

Haas & Benjamin get a nice welcome back chant, and then a World's Greatest Tag Team chant. Hey, you can't call them that anymore! Harlem starts with Shelton and Shelton immediately shoots in a double leg and launches Harlem across the ring. Shelton shoots back in and picks a single leg, then tags in Haas, who whips Harlem to the corner and hits a splash, a running Yakuza Kick, and an overhead belly to belly for 2. Haas atomic drops Harlem and the Bravados try to double team Haas, but Haas sends Harlem to the outside and pops Lance into the air, loses him on the way down but powers him up and hits a powerslam, then tags in Shelton so he can hit a suplex of his own. The Bravados both take a charge at Shelton and he gets them both up in a Samoan Drop, and then Haas atomic drops Harlem into a superkick from Shelton and then Haas hangs Harlem on the top rope so Shelton can hit the leapfrog, and the Haas Of Pain finishes it.

Winners: Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin

Holy crap! Okay, I was not a fan of the Glory By Honor IX match, but Haas & Benjamin really blew me away here. Great match, and the WGTT really looked like a couple of bulls here.

We go backstage to Mike Bennett & Brutal Bob Evans with Kyle Durden, and Durden asks Bennett if he can live up to the hype surrounding his signing. Bennett says he's all over the internet and the press and people are asking if he's as good as he says he is, but next week on HDNet, Bennett's going to show everyone that he's not as good as he says he is...he's better.

It's main event time!

Claudio Castagnoli vs Homicide

They tie up and go right to the corner and Claudio easily powers Homicide off and backs him across the ring to the ropes and goes after the arm with a wristlock. Homicide tries a drop toehold and Claudio holds his ground but eventually goes to the mat. Claudio regains control going back to the arm and suplexing Homicide over his head and then takes the bandana and tries to gage Homicide with it, but Homicide reverses control and uses the bandana on Claudio. They go to the ropes and start neutral, and take turns slapping each other before it turns into a slugfest that Claudio easily wins and then overwhelms Homicide with heavy European uppercuts that quickly wear Homicide down. Claudio with an overhead fallaway slam that almost literally launches Homicide across the ring, and then he goes to the chinlock and then changes it up into a neck vice. Homicide fights his way free but Claudio hits a powerslam for 2 and flattens Homicide with another pair of European uppercuts. Claudio chokes Homicide on the apron, and then distracts the referee so Chris Hero can hit a running boot from the outside. Claudio drapes Homicide on the middle rope and takes free shots from the floor, then comes up to the apron to try and suplex Homicide to the floor, but Homicide blocks and gets a right hand and snaps Claudio's neck across the top rope. Homicide tries to ram Claudio into the corner but Claudio blocks and rams Homicide in, then comes back in the ring and delivers a big textbook bodyslam and an elbowdrop for 2. Homicide keeps trying to sit up and Claudio keeps kicking him back down and covers for 2. Homicide tries another comeback and hits a lariat off the ropes, but Claudio no-sells and tries a lariat of his own, but Homicide ducks and Homicide hits a second lariat and finally takes Claudio down. He's quickly back up though, and they start exchanging blows. Claudio whips Homicide to the corner but misses a charge and Homicide hits the Three Amigos and then goes up top, but Claudio shakes the rope and Homicide gets crotched in the corner. Claudio tries a superplex but Homicide blocks and fires rights at Claudio until Claudio awkwardly falls off the top, lands backfirst on the top rope, and tumbles to the floor. Homicide goes for the insane dive but Claudio dodges, so Homicide goes to the apron and hits the dive from there instead. Just as well, there's not much room at ringside in this venue. Homicide sends Claudio back in and hits a top rope splash for 2, then goes for the Cop Killa but he takes too long and Claudio goes for another European uppercut and Homicide counters to a backslide for 2. Claudio with the pop-up European uppercut for 2 and then Claudio goozles him, but Homicide blocks the chokeslam and fires in with rights and a swinging neckbreaker. Homicide with a tornado DDT from the second rope for 2, then sets up for the lariat but Claudio hits a lariat of his own and covers for 2. Claudio goes for the chokeslam again and hits it this time for 2. Claudio picks Homicide up in a fireman's carry and tries to press slam him onto an exposed turnbuckle that he uncovered earlier in the match (which I was too busy typing to recap then) but Homicide slips out and rams Claudio into the turnbuckle and then hits an Ace Crusher for the win.

Winner: Homicide

Good episode this week, ROH has gotten their 2011 season off to a strong start with some solid matches on HDNet and strong debuts from Haas, Benjamin and Mondo. After watching them this week I'm really hoping to see big things out of them this year. Homicide-Claudio was really good and Claudio pulled off some impressive power moves in this one. Strong episode with a focus on in-ring action and a minimum of video packages and interviews.

Next week: Mike Bennett makes his HDNet in-ring debut, and Roderick Strong faces Colt Cabana!

PWI

[Travicity]

This week we venture outside of Philadelphia for the first time, as ROH On HDNet comes to you from the Davis Arena in Louisville, Kentucky.

Cue the opening, and then we're off to the ring for our first match...

TV Title Match: Eddie Edwards vs Mark Briscoe

Eddie gets a big reaction from the crowd during introductions. Mark and Eddie shake hands, which is a little weird to see given their history. Feeling out process to start as they exchange holds and counters and end in a stalemate. They tie up and Eddie takes Mark down with a hammerlock and works the arm, but Mark uses a headscissors to escape and they're back to a neutral start. Eddie gets a headlock and Mark sends him off into the ropes and Eddie takes him down with a shoulderblock. Another fast exchange and Mark catches Eddie with a leg lariat and then he tries a charge, but Eddie ducks down and Mark goes to the apron and is easy prey for a running kick to the back from Eddie. Eddie goes out to the floor and lays in a couple of chops before tossing Mark back into the ring, but Mark catches him with a baseball slide and follows that up with a somersault dive to thefloor that wipes out Eddie and almost drops Mark on his head. Easy, Mark! Mark sends Eddie back in and then goes up top and hits a missile dropkick for a 1 count. Mark and Eddie exchange chops and Mark catches him with a running neckbreaker for 2 and then puts him in a Sabu-style half Camel Clutch. Mark lets him go and gets a vertical suplex and covers with a crossface across Eddie's nose but only gets 2. Mark sits Eddie up top and goes for something, but Eddie pushes Mark off and crotches him on the top rope and follows up immediately with a top rope Frankensteiner for 2. Great spot there. Mark comes off the ropes but walks right into another Frankensteiner, and then Eddie dropkicks the knee out from under Mark and hits a Shining Wizard for 2. Eddie sets Mark up for the Backpack but Mark escapes and hits the Redneck Kung Fu and a superkick that lays Eddie out flat. Mark stops to play to the crowd before going for the cover and it costs him, as it only gets a 2 count. Mark goes for an Iconoclasm, but Eddie kicks him off and leaps off the ropes, but Mark catches him and hits the Gargoyle Suplex for 2. Mark goes for another suplex but Eddie slips out the back and hits a Codebreaker off the second rope and a back suplex/flapjack for 2. Eddie goes for the Achilles Lock but Mark reverses to a small package for 2, and then backdrops Eddie to the apron. Eddie ducks a punch and hits a leaping enziguiri and follows with a double stomp to the back off the top rope for 2. Eddie with a modified version of an Indian Deathlock, but Mark makes the rope. Eddie sets Mark up top and goes for a superplex, but Mark blocks and they fight it out on the top rope until Mark shoves Eddie off into the middle of the ring and comes off with a frogsplash for 2. Mark with a leaping enziguiri for 2 and the hits a flying knee in the corner and goes for the Cutthroat Driver, but Eddie rolls out and hooks the Achilles Lock. Mark tries to make the ropes but Eddie pulls him back to the middle of the ring and Mark is forced to tap out.

Winner: Eddie Edwards

Excellent match! A little two sportsmanlike for two guys with the heat these guys have with one another, but very very good, and I'm glad to see Mark get the chance to show what he can do in singles. I still think splitting the Briscoes up wouldn't be the worst idea. Eddie and Mark shake again after the match.

We go backstage to Kyle Durden with Sara Del Rey and the Kings Of Wrestling, and tonight Claudio Castagnoli will face Homicide in the main event. Claudio says the best part of Switzerland is that you don't have angry Puerto Ricans with stupid names like Homicide. Everyone in Switzerland has real manly names, and tonight he's going to show Homicide why real men like Claudio Castagnoli are great wrestlers.

We go to a promo video looking back at the Roderick Strong-Davey Richards match at Final Battle 2010 and Roderick taunting Davey for failing at his destiny.

Mike Mondo cuts a backstage promo saying that everybody's going to fear him, because it's Mike Mondo time and that means gut check time. Speaking of Mike Mondo, he's in our next match...

Mike Mondo vs Grizzly Redwood

I had the chance to see Mondo during ROH's last show in Louisville at Bluegrass Brawl and I really liked what I saw, I thought Mondo seemed like a great worker and had a great look to him. Tie up and Mondo snaps Grizzly down and goes behind him, and Grizzly slips out and catches Mondo with a drop toehold, but Mondo gets a hard forearm to the chin to escape and then Redwood comes back with a pair of armdrags and a Frankensteiner. He goes for a second Frankensteiner off the second rope but Mondo catches him and runs across the ring to powerbombs Grizzly into the corner. Mondo covers and gets 2, then tries a second cover and gets 2 again. Grizzly tries to fight his way out of the hole but Mondo with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and then he gets a chinlock. Mondo goes for a press slam and Grizzly escapes, but Mondo catches him in a three quarter nelson and rams several knees to the head, a running knee, and a diving dropkick to Grizzly's face, and then covers for 2. Another cover and still 2 so Mondo goes back to the chinlock. Mondo with a hard bodyslam and starts slapping Grizzly around, but Grizzly catches him with a small package out of nowhere for 2. Mondo immediately recovers and gets a hard clothesline for 2. Mondo goes for another tilt-a-whirl but Grizzly counters with an armdrag and then gets a leaping enziguiri and a bulldog for 2. Mondo Tullys Grizzly into the second turnbuckle and starts unloading with hard rights, but Grizzly surprises him with a tornado DDT for 2. The suspenders come down and Grizzly heads up top, but Mondo loses his balance and falls into the ropes, crotching Grizzly in the corner and Mondo takes advantage by going up top and hitting a superplex for the win.

Winner: Mike Mondo

Solid TV debut for Mike Mondo, the guy really knows what he's doing in there and I hope they keep him in the mix.

We go to a video package introducing Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team as they discuss their amateur backgrounds and their time in the entertainment business, but they're glad to be back in the wrestling business by coming to ROH. They want to establish themselves as the best tag team in wrestling and they'll be regulars in ROH in 2011, and no matter who they're in the ring with, they want the ROH World Tag Team Title. Oh, and they're up next!

Bravado Bros vs Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team

Haas & Benjamin get a nice welcome back chant, and then a World's Greatest Tag Team chant. Hey, you can't call them that anymore! Harlem starts with Shelton and Shelton immediately shoots in a double leg and launches Harlem across the ring. Shelton shoots back in and picks a single leg, then tags in Haas, who whips Harlem to the corner and hits a splash, a running Yakuza Kick, and an overhead belly to belly for 2. Haas atomic drops Harlem and the Bravados try to double team Haas, but Haas sends Harlem to the outside and pops Lance into the air, loses him on the way down but powers him up and hits a powerslam, then tags in Shelton so he can hit a suplex of his own. The Bravados both take a charge at Shelton and he gets them both up in a Samoan Drop, and then Haas atomic drops Harlem into a superkick from Shelton and then Haas hangs Harlem on the top rope so Shelton can hit the leapfrog, and the Haas Of Pain finishes it.

Winners: Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin

Holy crap! Okay, I was not a fan of the Glory By Honor IX match, but Haas & Benjamin really blew me away here. Great match, and the WGTT really looked like a couple of bulls here.

We go backstage to Mike Bennett & Brutal Bob Evans with Kyle Durden, and Durden asks Bennett if he can live up to the hype surrounding his signing. Bennett says he's all over the internet and the press and people are asking if he's as good as he says he is, but next week on HDNet, Bennett's going to show everyone that he's not as good as he says he is...he's better.

It's main event time!

Claudio Castagnoli vs Homicide

They tie up and go right to the corner and Claudio easily powers Homicide off and backs him across the ring to the ropes and goes after the arm with a wristlock. Homicide tries a drop toehold and Claudio holds his ground but eventually goes to the mat. Claudio regains control going back to the arm and suplexing Homicide over his head and then takes the bandana and tries to gage Homicide with it, but Homicide reverses control and uses the bandana on Claudio. They go to the ropes and start neutral, and take turns slapping each other before it turns into a slugfest that Claudio easily wins and then overwhelms Homicide with heavy European uppercuts that quickly wear Homicide down. Claudio with an overhead fallaway slam that almost literally launches Homicide across the ring, and then he goes to the chinlock and then changes it up into a neck vice. Homicide fights his way free but Claudio hits a powerslam for 2 and flattens Homicide with another pair of European uppercuts. Claudio chokes Homicide on the apron, and then distracts the referee so Chris Hero can hit a running boot from the outside. Claudio drapes Homicide on the middle rope and takes free shots from the floor, then comes up to the apron to try and suplex Homicide to the floor, but Homicide blocks and gets a right hand and snaps Claudio's neck across the top rope. Homicide tries to ram Claudio into the corner but Claudio blocks and rams Homicide in, then comes back in the ring and delivers a big textbook bodyslam and an elbowdrop for 2. Homicide keeps trying to sit up and Claudio keeps kicking him back down and covers for 2. Homicide tries another comeback and hits a lariat off the ropes, but Claudio no-sells and tries a lariat of his own, but Homicide ducks and Homicide hits a second lariat and finally takes Claudio down. He's quickly back up though, and they start exchanging blows. Claudio whips Homicide to the corner but misses a charge and Homicide hits the Three Amigos and then goes up top, but Claudio shakes the rope and Homicide gets crotched in the corner. Claudio tries a superplex but Homicide blocks and fires rights at Claudio until Claudio awkwardly falls off the top, lands backfirst on the top rope, and tumbles to the floor. Homicide goes for the insane dive but Claudio dodges, so Homicide goes to the apron and hits the dive from there instead. Just as well, there's not much room at ringside in this venue. Homicide sends Claudio back in and hits a top rope splash for 2, then goes for the Cop Killa but he takes too long and Claudio goes for another European uppercut and Homicide counters to a backslide for 2. Claudio with the pop-up European uppercut for 2 and then Claudio goozles him, but Homicide blocks the chokeslam and fires in with rights and a swinging neckbreaker. Homicide with a tornado DDT from the second rope for 2, then sets up for the lariat but Claudio hits a lariat of his own and covers for 2. Claudio goes for the chokeslam again and hits it this time for 2. Claudio picks Homicide up in a fireman's carry and tries to press slam him onto an exposed turnbuckle that he uncovered earlier in the match (which I was too busy typing to recap then) but Homicide slips out and rams Claudio into the turnbuckle and then hits an Ace Crusher for the win.

Winner: Homicide

Good episode this week, ROH has gotten their 2011 season off to a strong start with some solid matches on HDNet and strong debuts from Haas, Benjamin and Mondo. After watching them this week I'm really hoping to see big things out of them this year. Homicide-Claudio was really good and Claudio pulled off some impressive power moves in this one. Strong episode with a focus on in-ring action and a minimum of video packages and interviews.

Next week: Mike Bennett makes his HDNet in-ring debut, and Roderick Strong faces Colt Cabana!

PWI