Post by Agent Kev on May 18, 2007 20:12:07 GMT -5
Show starts with Rebecca Bayless outside the Manhattan Center and then cuts to a Jimmy Rave promo to hype his title shot tonight against Homicide.
Pelle Primeau comes down to the ring and makes an open challenge. Samoa Joe's music hits! But instead of Joe, Takeshi Morishima comes out.
Pelle Primeau vs Takeshi Morishima
Morishima hits the ring. Nails Primeau and then murders him with a Backdrop Suplex for the 1-2-3. Morishima then cuts a promo in Japanese aimed at Joe but Nigel McGuinness hits the ring calms down Morishima and ushers him out side of the ring.
This moves right into the next match as Adam Pearce comes out as Nigel and Morishima are leaving.
Adam Pearce w/Shane Hagadorn vs Delirous
Good solid match. Ending comes when Hagadorn flips Pearce an object and creates a ref distraction but Pearce nails Hagadorn with the object instead of Delirious. Delirious then loads his mask with his own object and beats Pearce with a flying headbutt. Good short match. Really nice start to the show as it has been fast paced and one thing after the other.
Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal (ROH tag-champs) are backstage and cut a promo about how they feel they are being overlooked by the fans and that the fans think the tag-division only consists of two teams: The Briscoes and Austin Aries and Roderick Strong. Daniels and Sydal say that during the Fifth Year Festival (the next six shows including this one) they will prove the fans wrong and that they will start tonight with Austin Aries and Roderick Strong.
Allison Danger & Sara Del Ray vs. Daizee Haze & Alexa Thatcher
Alexa Thatcher is hot, but unfortunately for her as soon as she tags in Lacey comes from the back and attacks Daizee Haze and they brawl to the back. Meanwhile inside the ring Thatcher gets destroyed by Sara Del Ray.
Jack Evans vs. Shingo vs. Xavier vs. Jimmy Jacobs (Four Way Fray)
Wow, this was a lot of fun. Stars of this match were definitely Jack Evans and Shingo. Shingo was just an absolute beast in this match and looked awesome. Evans just has that "it" factor that lights up a ring and he has really grown as a wrestler over the last two years as a lot of his offense and strikes look a lot more believable know than they use to. Jacobs did a great job eating offense and Xavier played a capable fourth wheel. Really fun stuff.
Samoa Joe comes out next and cuts an amazing promo putting over ROH and his time in ROH. Fans are whipped into a frenzy. Joe then turns his attention to early tonight when he and Homicide were down at Scores financing some college educations he got a phone call that said some mop-headed Asian guy was in the ring calling him out. Joe says he doesn't have to wait for later and calls out Morishima. Instead Nigel comes out and says that he has all of the respect in the world for Joe but Joe doesn't call Morishima out...Morishima calls him out. Joe tells Nigel to remember where he is and where he works and pushes Nigel and they brawl.
BJ Whitmer vs. Brent Albright (Tables Are Legal Match)
Really good physical match-up here as they go through tables left and right. Spots of the match are Albright Awesome Bombing Whitmer from the ring to the outside through double stacked tables and Whitmer hit an exploder off the top on Albright through two tables that were side by side. Albright looked like a beast in this match.
Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal (c) vs Roderick Strong and Austin Aries (ROH Tag-Title Match)
Really good tag-team match that was brought down a bit by 2 mis-cues (one being Aries leg giving out on a move and the other being Sydal and Strong trying a move with a high degree of difficulty). That killed the crowd a bit but it was still overall a good match with some great portions.
Post-match Sydal gloats and Daniels try to reel him in. Then Davey Richards comes out and Strong turns on Aries and Richards beats down Aries. Strong gets on the mic and says that he's been in the background for too long and that it's his time to lead a faction and Davey Richards gets on the mic and says that this is the beginning of the No Remorse Corpse. Jack Evans comes down and gets in the middle of it but doesn't choose sides. Aries tells Roderick that he's started a war that he won't be able to finish.
The Briscoe Brothers vs Nigel McGuinness/Colt Cabana
Solid match and a little more steady than the previous tag-match. Both teams look good and the finish is actually a pretty good surprise and a little bit of a shock upset. Good match and keeps the momentum going on what has been a hot show so far and has been moving well. It seems like the NYC shows always have great pacing and the crowd is always red hot which amplifies the action.
Samoa Joe comes out after this match and brawls with Nigel McGuiness. Takeshi Morishima comes down and we are off...
Takeshi Morishima vs Samoa Joe
I have seen reviews all over the board for this one but I liked this a lot. A really strong heavyweight slugfest. Takeshi really got the best of Joe early just taking him out with fat boy offense and some more agile moves like a cartwheel clothesline in the corner and a missile dropkick from the top. Joe then got the advantage and got his turn. Crowd was hot for Joe when he was on offense in the comeback stages of the match (nowhere near Joe vs Kobashi heat levels but still really good heat at times during this match). I think the match dragged a little towards the middle but when they went to the closing sequences with both guys going back and forth on offense I thought it was really good. Overall a strong match and while not a MOTYC I think it's a match well worth watching. Post match fans give Joe a huge "THANK YOU JOE" chant and he legit looks like he is about to break down and cry in the middle of the ring and on his exit from the ring due to this being his farewell tour.
Thank You Joe indeed. Joe was a vital part of ROH in 2003-2005 and while he may not have been that much of a focus on 2006 I think he has really stepped his game back up during 2007 for his farewell tour. Joe will truly be missed in Ring of Honor as neither would be the same without each other.
ROH Title Match: Homicide (c) vs Jimmy Rave
This was a good solid match but not at the leve of Joe/Morishima. Rave looked really good early by taking it right to Cide and trying to get an early victory. Match settled down a little and Cide used his ghetto fork to get an advantage. Rave had a nice little comeback sequence with the move formerly known as Ghanaria and a spear for a near fall. Cide gained back the momentum and hit an Eddy Guerrero tribute suplex sequence followed by a top rope senton. Crowd was pretty dead until Rave hit a Rave Clash from the second rope and they came alive from there as that move but some thoughts in their mind that Rave just might take the belt. Homicide barely survives the heel hook on multiple occasions and ends up killing Rave with the Cop Killer for the victory.
Post-match backstage Rebecca Bayless finds an unconscious Jack Evans! Who laid him out? To be continued....
Verdict:
I love the NYC ROH crowd. They are definitely the most vocal and the majority of the ROH shows in NYC just seem to have a great flow to them and this one was no different. Really solid undercard with no "great" matches but definitely some solid performances and an awesome Samoa Joe in-ring promo. Joe/Morishima was definitely MOTN but the rest of the stuff on the card was worth seeing as well IMO. Best show out of the first 3 of 2007 for ROH.
2007 Show Rankings:
1. Fifth Year Festival: NYC- New York, NY 2/16/07
2. Battle of the Icons- Edison, NJ 1/27/07
3. Dedicated- Braintree, MA 1/26/07
Pelle Primeau comes down to the ring and makes an open challenge. Samoa Joe's music hits! But instead of Joe, Takeshi Morishima comes out.
Pelle Primeau vs Takeshi Morishima
Morishima hits the ring. Nails Primeau and then murders him with a Backdrop Suplex for the 1-2-3. Morishima then cuts a promo in Japanese aimed at Joe but Nigel McGuinness hits the ring calms down Morishima and ushers him out side of the ring.
This moves right into the next match as Adam Pearce comes out as Nigel and Morishima are leaving.
Adam Pearce w/Shane Hagadorn vs Delirous
Good solid match. Ending comes when Hagadorn flips Pearce an object and creates a ref distraction but Pearce nails Hagadorn with the object instead of Delirious. Delirious then loads his mask with his own object and beats Pearce with a flying headbutt. Good short match. Really nice start to the show as it has been fast paced and one thing after the other.
Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal (ROH tag-champs) are backstage and cut a promo about how they feel they are being overlooked by the fans and that the fans think the tag-division only consists of two teams: The Briscoes and Austin Aries and Roderick Strong. Daniels and Sydal say that during the Fifth Year Festival (the next six shows including this one) they will prove the fans wrong and that they will start tonight with Austin Aries and Roderick Strong.
Allison Danger & Sara Del Ray vs. Daizee Haze & Alexa Thatcher
Alexa Thatcher is hot, but unfortunately for her as soon as she tags in Lacey comes from the back and attacks Daizee Haze and they brawl to the back. Meanwhile inside the ring Thatcher gets destroyed by Sara Del Ray.
Jack Evans vs. Shingo vs. Xavier vs. Jimmy Jacobs (Four Way Fray)
Wow, this was a lot of fun. Stars of this match were definitely Jack Evans and Shingo. Shingo was just an absolute beast in this match and looked awesome. Evans just has that "it" factor that lights up a ring and he has really grown as a wrestler over the last two years as a lot of his offense and strikes look a lot more believable know than they use to. Jacobs did a great job eating offense and Xavier played a capable fourth wheel. Really fun stuff.
Samoa Joe comes out next and cuts an amazing promo putting over ROH and his time in ROH. Fans are whipped into a frenzy. Joe then turns his attention to early tonight when he and Homicide were down at Scores financing some college educations he got a phone call that said some mop-headed Asian guy was in the ring calling him out. Joe says he doesn't have to wait for later and calls out Morishima. Instead Nigel comes out and says that he has all of the respect in the world for Joe but Joe doesn't call Morishima out...Morishima calls him out. Joe tells Nigel to remember where he is and where he works and pushes Nigel and they brawl.
BJ Whitmer vs. Brent Albright (Tables Are Legal Match)
Really good physical match-up here as they go through tables left and right. Spots of the match are Albright Awesome Bombing Whitmer from the ring to the outside through double stacked tables and Whitmer hit an exploder off the top on Albright through two tables that were side by side. Albright looked like a beast in this match.
Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal (c) vs Roderick Strong and Austin Aries (ROH Tag-Title Match)
Really good tag-team match that was brought down a bit by 2 mis-cues (one being Aries leg giving out on a move and the other being Sydal and Strong trying a move with a high degree of difficulty). That killed the crowd a bit but it was still overall a good match with some great portions.
Post-match Sydal gloats and Daniels try to reel him in. Then Davey Richards comes out and Strong turns on Aries and Richards beats down Aries. Strong gets on the mic and says that he's been in the background for too long and that it's his time to lead a faction and Davey Richards gets on the mic and says that this is the beginning of the No Remorse Corpse. Jack Evans comes down and gets in the middle of it but doesn't choose sides. Aries tells Roderick that he's started a war that he won't be able to finish.
The Briscoe Brothers vs Nigel McGuinness/Colt Cabana
Solid match and a little more steady than the previous tag-match. Both teams look good and the finish is actually a pretty good surprise and a little bit of a shock upset. Good match and keeps the momentum going on what has been a hot show so far and has been moving well. It seems like the NYC shows always have great pacing and the crowd is always red hot which amplifies the action.
Samoa Joe comes out after this match and brawls with Nigel McGuiness. Takeshi Morishima comes down and we are off...
Takeshi Morishima vs Samoa Joe
I have seen reviews all over the board for this one but I liked this a lot. A really strong heavyweight slugfest. Takeshi really got the best of Joe early just taking him out with fat boy offense and some more agile moves like a cartwheel clothesline in the corner and a missile dropkick from the top. Joe then got the advantage and got his turn. Crowd was hot for Joe when he was on offense in the comeback stages of the match (nowhere near Joe vs Kobashi heat levels but still really good heat at times during this match). I think the match dragged a little towards the middle but when they went to the closing sequences with both guys going back and forth on offense I thought it was really good. Overall a strong match and while not a MOTYC I think it's a match well worth watching. Post match fans give Joe a huge "THANK YOU JOE" chant and he legit looks like he is about to break down and cry in the middle of the ring and on his exit from the ring due to this being his farewell tour.
Thank You Joe indeed. Joe was a vital part of ROH in 2003-2005 and while he may not have been that much of a focus on 2006 I think he has really stepped his game back up during 2007 for his farewell tour. Joe will truly be missed in Ring of Honor as neither would be the same without each other.
ROH Title Match: Homicide (c) vs Jimmy Rave
This was a good solid match but not at the leve of Joe/Morishima. Rave looked really good early by taking it right to Cide and trying to get an early victory. Match settled down a little and Cide used his ghetto fork to get an advantage. Rave had a nice little comeback sequence with the move formerly known as Ghanaria and a spear for a near fall. Cide gained back the momentum and hit an Eddy Guerrero tribute suplex sequence followed by a top rope senton. Crowd was pretty dead until Rave hit a Rave Clash from the second rope and they came alive from there as that move but some thoughts in their mind that Rave just might take the belt. Homicide barely survives the heel hook on multiple occasions and ends up killing Rave with the Cop Killer for the victory.
Post-match backstage Rebecca Bayless finds an unconscious Jack Evans! Who laid him out? To be continued....
Verdict:
I love the NYC ROH crowd. They are definitely the most vocal and the majority of the ROH shows in NYC just seem to have a great flow to them and this one was no different. Really solid undercard with no "great" matches but definitely some solid performances and an awesome Samoa Joe in-ring promo. Joe/Morishima was definitely MOTN but the rest of the stuff on the card was worth seeing as well IMO. Best show out of the first 3 of 2007 for ROH.
2007 Show Rankings:
1. Fifth Year Festival: NYC- New York, NY 2/16/07
2. Battle of the Icons- Edison, NJ 1/27/07
3. Dedicated- Braintree, MA 1/26/07
