Black Widow
07-28-2008, 07:42 PM
By Dave Musgrave
I attended the show with three friends, none of whom had been to a live show before. One of the guys is a huge fan and the other two have been wrestling fans but were new to ROH except for hearing us both rave about it. My friend Nick said that it was the best wrestling he had ever seen live and he was really impressed how great the workers were and loved their interaction with a tough crowd.
The venue was mostly good, with the exception of the place being hot enough for UFC fighters to cut weight combined with the line for concessions being a minimum of half-hour wait.
This was one of the better shows I have been too and was just an amazing experience. It was great to see some of the regulars from the Toronto wrestling community. There was a lady doing photography right in front of me at ringside who was just tiny. She seemed like a wrestling fan but I think it was her first ROH show. She made the show even more enjoyable as she looked terrified all night having to get out of the way. Top that off with the heat in the place and she looked like she'd been in a match with Kenta Kobashi by the end of the night.
I also couldn't believe how over the entire product was. It really speaks to how much ROH has maximized its DVD audience as every gimmick and character was over.
Hero and Ruckus had a great opener. They warmed up the crowd and did just the right amount to start off the show.
Kenny Omega was impressive in his debut against Delirious, who of course the crowd had fun with. Omega looked like a young Jerry Lynn, had a great presence and innovative moves. I'm sure he's got a good future with ROH.
Sara Del Ray has cut her hair shorter, has crazy face make-up and an outfit that makes her look imposing rather than trying to hide her being built like a big athlete as opposed to a bikini model. She came off like a modern version of an 1980's Joshi Monster Heel and it was great. I am not sure when she changed to this look as I haven't watched the past few shows yet but I was impressed.
Stevens and Shiozaki put on a good show and I think the time limit draw was great for making them seem even and to build for future matches. I've become a big fan of Stevens and his Steve Williams inspired offense. He's become a really solid worker and having his hair grown out makes him look more marketable rather than the mohawk acting as a distraction. This was my first chance to see Go live and being a heel seems to be allowing him to develop a personality on top of his solid skills as a ring mechanic.
The Lance Storm appearance may have been one of the bigger pops of the night. What a great man and it is great to have a veteran presence on camera again like Steamboat, Foley and Cornette did back in the day to put talent over.
Danielson and Castagnolli was out of this world and started what is probably the best three singles matches in a row I have seen. This match was everything it could have been was an honor to see in person. The near-falls were thrilling with a hot crowd and two workers who took them to the limit.
The Rhett Titus stuff was fine, I think it is a work in progress. Then we had Strong and Marufuji in the match that my buddies who had not seen the product both thought was the best match. Marufuji has switched from a Hiroshi Tanahashi hairstyle to a Josh Koshcheck hairstyle. This was my first time seeing Roderick since he became a face again and although his heel run was fine he is fantastic as a face and hasn't missed a beat. Fantastic match and I can't wait to see more from these guys.
McGuinness and Steen is a match that I think will be seen as a classic. Steen was unbelievably over and I would compare it to the Danielson-McGuinness match from the first UK show in terms of just how over he was. Both guys were at the top of their game. Before the match I don't think people were expecting a title change but they were expecting a great match. During the expected great match things changed and everyone seemed to think that Steen could win it. The near-falls were fantastic and I think the match ended at just the right time. I don't think Steen will end Nigel's reign but after this match I can see that he could be the guy who has one of the next 2-3 title reigns, much like Nigel during Dragon's reign.
The place went balistic for the Briscoes when Mark ran out. Aries was solid as always and I think that AOTF is one of the best heel acts in wrestling, with genuine heat of drawing the fans in to wanting to see them lose without it being go-away heat. The brawl was fantastic and sent the crowd home happy.
I went to Detroit the next day for the pay-per-view. I went to the first Cracker Barrel past the border figuring I'd run into Lance Storm. Instead I saw Kevin Steen and complimented him on the match the night. He said thanks, then saw my wife's Nigel McGuinness shirt and laughed saying he didn't like her shirt.
The PPV show was solid and although I would rank the Toronto show ahead of it I have no complaints.
The pre-show had weird comedy matches but warmed the crowd up, although I don't think ROH needs D-Ray 3000 again.
As always, the Briscoes got a huge pop and got to hit all their stuff in a quick squash. Mitch Franklin takes a beating like a champ.
The four-way had fun stuff with Ruckus, Hagadorn, Delirious and Stevens. Some comedy triple-teaming initially leading to a showcase of everyone's moveset. Yet again, Stevens seemed like one of the better young stars in wrestling. The brawl with Steen and Necro wa
s very solid and Steen's presence seemed elevated as a result of the great match the night before.These guys beat on each other to a crazy extent. Necro is over like crazy and his face turn will be fun. I have this crazy image of him winning Survival of The Fittest this year.
Nigel defeats Claudio in a pretty solid match. This was the second best match for both guys this weekend but there was nothing wrong with it. I think it builds well for match #3 with Claudio returning and perhaps even taking the title, although I really think that will be Danielson at this point.
Silas Young and Kenny Omega put on a match that was perfect for what it needed to be, showcasing two younger generation guys (although Young could be older than a lot of the roster for all I know, he is young in exposure). I think a Jerry Lynn/Justin Credible style series of matches would be great, or having them as a tag team could be as well. Omega really got over and when I met a family that had attended the next morning at the hotel's breakfast, the first thing the mother talked about was Kenny.
Strong and Marufuji against Hero and Shiozaki was a fun match and a great way to bring in Lance Storm who the crowd went nuts for, even without him dancing or having people point out the size of his member. Storm brings a great presence to ROH.
Danielson and Black put on the match of the night. Danielson is so great at making stars out of his opponents and Black is the best recent example of this. There was a lot of MMA influence in this match with Danielson stretching Black in ways that had the crowd gasping. And when the top rope broke, it lead to an almost shoot-style finish with the strikes both guys were using. Both guys showed what pros they were by not only overcoming the ring rope breaking but continuing to build the match. Toronto may have been the better show but I think this might have been the match of the weekend. There are a few contenders for that though.
The Jacobs-Aries confrontation was good for what I could see of it. We didn't go over to where they were fighting in the crowd but by not doing so, we got a great visual when they climbed up the ladder and you could see their shadows punching each other due to the spotlight.
The Honor Rumble was a great example of how well comedy can work when you don't try to make it a part of every match. Bobby Dempsey acting going into turtle-mode with Sweeney yelling at him was great and I even thought he might win but watching Sara Del Ray use him as a human shield was also great. I actually thought that Necro might win it to give him a title shot in Virginia. Ruckus winning was cool and his match with Nigel is a great opportunity for him. Of course he won't win and people will complain that the match shouldn't be booked because it is obvious who will win. But the ROH title has the status it does because of a lack of Vince Russo 1999-2000 style of booking in treating the title like a prop. So having a great match is the draw sometimes and if Ruckus is elevated then the booking of this has done its job.
This was a fantastic weekend of shows. All the pyro and smoke and mirrors in the world can't make Hornswoggle or Pacman Jones look like even a fraction of the performers that I got to see this weekend. I feel that ROH is the best thing in wrestling at this point as they maximize what they have to put out the best product they can. This is the wrestling that young guys will study in ten years without convoluted gimmick matchs and guys getting punished for getting over. The Japan shows should be dynamite with the Kensuke Office involved and I wish I could go. As it is, I can't wait to go to the Canadian shows in November to have further good times and great memories.
I attended the show with three friends, none of whom had been to a live show before. One of the guys is a huge fan and the other two have been wrestling fans but were new to ROH except for hearing us both rave about it. My friend Nick said that it was the best wrestling he had ever seen live and he was really impressed how great the workers were and loved their interaction with a tough crowd.
The venue was mostly good, with the exception of the place being hot enough for UFC fighters to cut weight combined with the line for concessions being a minimum of half-hour wait.
This was one of the better shows I have been too and was just an amazing experience. It was great to see some of the regulars from the Toronto wrestling community. There was a lady doing photography right in front of me at ringside who was just tiny. She seemed like a wrestling fan but I think it was her first ROH show. She made the show even more enjoyable as she looked terrified all night having to get out of the way. Top that off with the heat in the place and she looked like she'd been in a match with Kenta Kobashi by the end of the night.
I also couldn't believe how over the entire product was. It really speaks to how much ROH has maximized its DVD audience as every gimmick and character was over.
Hero and Ruckus had a great opener. They warmed up the crowd and did just the right amount to start off the show.
Kenny Omega was impressive in his debut against Delirious, who of course the crowd had fun with. Omega looked like a young Jerry Lynn, had a great presence and innovative moves. I'm sure he's got a good future with ROH.
Sara Del Ray has cut her hair shorter, has crazy face make-up and an outfit that makes her look imposing rather than trying to hide her being built like a big athlete as opposed to a bikini model. She came off like a modern version of an 1980's Joshi Monster Heel and it was great. I am not sure when she changed to this look as I haven't watched the past few shows yet but I was impressed.
Stevens and Shiozaki put on a good show and I think the time limit draw was great for making them seem even and to build for future matches. I've become a big fan of Stevens and his Steve Williams inspired offense. He's become a really solid worker and having his hair grown out makes him look more marketable rather than the mohawk acting as a distraction. This was my first chance to see Go live and being a heel seems to be allowing him to develop a personality on top of his solid skills as a ring mechanic.
The Lance Storm appearance may have been one of the bigger pops of the night. What a great man and it is great to have a veteran presence on camera again like Steamboat, Foley and Cornette did back in the day to put talent over.
Danielson and Castagnolli was out of this world and started what is probably the best three singles matches in a row I have seen. This match was everything it could have been was an honor to see in person. The near-falls were thrilling with a hot crowd and two workers who took them to the limit.
The Rhett Titus stuff was fine, I think it is a work in progress. Then we had Strong and Marufuji in the match that my buddies who had not seen the product both thought was the best match. Marufuji has switched from a Hiroshi Tanahashi hairstyle to a Josh Koshcheck hairstyle. This was my first time seeing Roderick since he became a face again and although his heel run was fine he is fantastic as a face and hasn't missed a beat. Fantastic match and I can't wait to see more from these guys.
McGuinness and Steen is a match that I think will be seen as a classic. Steen was unbelievably over and I would compare it to the Danielson-McGuinness match from the first UK show in terms of just how over he was. Both guys were at the top of their game. Before the match I don't think people were expecting a title change but they were expecting a great match. During the expected great match things changed and everyone seemed to think that Steen could win it. The near-falls were fantastic and I think the match ended at just the right time. I don't think Steen will end Nigel's reign but after this match I can see that he could be the guy who has one of the next 2-3 title reigns, much like Nigel during Dragon's reign.
The place went balistic for the Briscoes when Mark ran out. Aries was solid as always and I think that AOTF is one of the best heel acts in wrestling, with genuine heat of drawing the fans in to wanting to see them lose without it being go-away heat. The brawl was fantastic and sent the crowd home happy.
I went to Detroit the next day for the pay-per-view. I went to the first Cracker Barrel past the border figuring I'd run into Lance Storm. Instead I saw Kevin Steen and complimented him on the match the night. He said thanks, then saw my wife's Nigel McGuinness shirt and laughed saying he didn't like her shirt.
The PPV show was solid and although I would rank the Toronto show ahead of it I have no complaints.
The pre-show had weird comedy matches but warmed the crowd up, although I don't think ROH needs D-Ray 3000 again.
As always, the Briscoes got a huge pop and got to hit all their stuff in a quick squash. Mitch Franklin takes a beating like a champ.
The four-way had fun stuff with Ruckus, Hagadorn, Delirious and Stevens. Some comedy triple-teaming initially leading to a showcase of everyone's moveset. Yet again, Stevens seemed like one of the better young stars in wrestling. The brawl with Steen and Necro wa
s very solid and Steen's presence seemed elevated as a result of the great match the night before.These guys beat on each other to a crazy extent. Necro is over like crazy and his face turn will be fun. I have this crazy image of him winning Survival of The Fittest this year.
Nigel defeats Claudio in a pretty solid match. This was the second best match for both guys this weekend but there was nothing wrong with it. I think it builds well for match #3 with Claudio returning and perhaps even taking the title, although I really think that will be Danielson at this point.
Silas Young and Kenny Omega put on a match that was perfect for what it needed to be, showcasing two younger generation guys (although Young could be older than a lot of the roster for all I know, he is young in exposure). I think a Jerry Lynn/Justin Credible style series of matches would be great, or having them as a tag team could be as well. Omega really got over and when I met a family that had attended the next morning at the hotel's breakfast, the first thing the mother talked about was Kenny.
Strong and Marufuji against Hero and Shiozaki was a fun match and a great way to bring in Lance Storm who the crowd went nuts for, even without him dancing or having people point out the size of his member. Storm brings a great presence to ROH.
Danielson and Black put on the match of the night. Danielson is so great at making stars out of his opponents and Black is the best recent example of this. There was a lot of MMA influence in this match with Danielson stretching Black in ways that had the crowd gasping. And when the top rope broke, it lead to an almost shoot-style finish with the strikes both guys were using. Both guys showed what pros they were by not only overcoming the ring rope breaking but continuing to build the match. Toronto may have been the better show but I think this might have been the match of the weekend. There are a few contenders for that though.
The Jacobs-Aries confrontation was good for what I could see of it. We didn't go over to where they were fighting in the crowd but by not doing so, we got a great visual when they climbed up the ladder and you could see their shadows punching each other due to the spotlight.
The Honor Rumble was a great example of how well comedy can work when you don't try to make it a part of every match. Bobby Dempsey acting going into turtle-mode with Sweeney yelling at him was great and I even thought he might win but watching Sara Del Ray use him as a human shield was also great. I actually thought that Necro might win it to give him a title shot in Virginia. Ruckus winning was cool and his match with Nigel is a great opportunity for him. Of course he won't win and people will complain that the match shouldn't be booked because it is obvious who will win. But the ROH title has the status it does because of a lack of Vince Russo 1999-2000 style of booking in treating the title like a prop. So having a great match is the draw sometimes and if Ruckus is elevated then the booking of this has done its job.
This was a fantastic weekend of shows. All the pyro and smoke and mirrors in the world can't make Hornswoggle or Pacman Jones look like even a fraction of the performers that I got to see this weekend. I feel that ROH is the best thing in wrestling at this point as they maximize what they have to put out the best product they can. This is the wrestling that young guys will study in ten years without convoluted gimmick matchs and guys getting punished for getting over. The Japan shows should be dynamite with the Kensuke Office involved and I wish I could go. As it is, I can't wait to go to the Canadian shows in November to have further good times and great memories.