Retro Rowe: ROH Honor Reclaims Boston Review

ROH -Honor Reclaims Boston - Nov 3,2006

by SamoaRowe

-I still haven’t gotten my WWE tapes in the mail (damn holiday weekend) so here’s the second live ROH event I ever attended.

-From Braintree, MA. Our hosts are Dave Prazak and Jared David.

-Nigel McGuinness comes to the ring and puts over ROH’s return to the Boston area. His mystery opponent is local boy, John Walters.

Nigel McGuinness vs. John Walters

They show off their chain wrestling skills in the early going. Nigel leap frogs and runs into an arm drag. Walters delivers a slingshot arm drag to take control. They trade hip tosses and Walters scores yet another arm drag. They trade uppercuts and Walters scores with a flying cross body. Nigel throws a suplex and goes after the arm. Walters is also favoring arm attacks. Walters powers out of a cobra clutch only to eat a lariat. Walters counters with a big spinebuster. Walters unloads a flurry of offense but can’t get the pinfall. Hammerlock takedown by McGuinness cuts off Walters’ momentum. Walters comes back with a Codebreaker and an arm submission. Neckbreaker by Walters only gets 2. Nigel bounces back with the Tower of London for only 2. Nigel counters into the big lariat for a very close near fall. The crowd goes nuts for that one. McGuinness hits the lariat off the ropes but Walters gets a rope break. A second Tower of London ends it at 13:54. It was getting hard not to root for Walters at the end, ***.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness

-Lacey is in a bad mood and ordered Jimmy Jacobs to stay home. She’s upset that there’s a women’s match on the show and she’s not involved. She threatens BJ Whitmer and Colt Cabana and claims she has all the money in the world to put them in the hospital.

Daizee Haze vs. Mercedes Martinez

Martinez overpowers Haze in the early going. Daizee stomps the foot and struggles to deliver a side headlock takedown. Daizee throws some arm drags and a head scissors takedown. Mercedes plants Daizee face-first for a 2 count. Vertical suplex by Martinez gets 2. Haze runs into a spinebuster. Basement drop-kick by Daizee sets up a running drop-kick. Chinbreaker by Daizee gets 2. Haze counters into a Hart Punch and Yakuza kick. Martinez absorbs the abuse and nails the Fisherman Buster for the win at 4:29. Solid little exhibition match here, **.
Winner: Mercedes Martinez

-Lacey runs in and grabs a microphone to berate Daizee. She accuses Haze of stealing her spot and slaps her across the face.

Christopher Daniels (with Matt Sydal and Alison Danger) vs. Chris Hero (with Claudio Castagnoli)

Hero stalls heavily before the bell, reacting to the hostile crowd. They lock up and Daniels sends Hero fleeing the ring after some arm drags. Hero continues to rile up the crowd in between exchanging holds. Daniels slaps Hero across the face after an over-the-top theatrical display. Claudio provides a distraction, giving Hero the opportunity to dish out some punishment. Daniels turns it around quickly and applies a chinlock. Daniels bats Hero around all four turnbuckles. Claudio grabs Daniels’ boot, allowing another opening for Hero. Daniels absorbs some abuse but sneaks in some near falls. Daniels counters with a press slam off the turnbuckles. STO by Daniels and the Arabian press. Hero rebounds with a back suplex tries to put Daniels away with some high impact moves. Daniels slams Hero in place for the Best Moonsault Ever! Claudio distracts the referee, preventing a pinfall. They exchange counters until Daniels catches Hero for the pin at 14:34. Fast-paced, breezy match here, **¾.
Winner: Christopher Daniels

Matt Sydal (with Christopher Daniels and Allison Danger) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (with Chris Hero)

In case you don’t know, this is Evan Bourne vs. Antonio Cesaro. This was scheduled for later but everyone involved is angry NOW. Claudio lures Sydal in with a fake handshake offer, but Sydal adapts. Castagnoli drives Sydal into the turnbuckles but Sydal turns it around with his quick attacks. They run the ropes until Claudio plants Sydal on his chest. Castagnoli takes control and wears Sydal down. Sydal counters with an elaborate head-scissors takedown, but Claudio cuts off his momentum. They trade dive attempts until Sydal scores with a handspring over the ropes to the floor. Sydal counters with a head scissors off the top but Claudio counters with a tossing European uppercut. Matt bounces off Claudio’s chest and hits yet another elaborate head scissors takedown. Dragon-rana by Sydal gets 2. Sit-out power bomb by Castagnoli only gets 2. Sydal back drops off the ropes and nails the Shooting Star Press for the victory at 10:39. In retrospect, it’s pretty obvious these two were going to become stars, **¾.
Winner: Matt Sydal

-Austin Aries and Roderick Strong reminisce the wars they’ve had with KENTA over the past few months. Tonight, they’re going to test how invincible KENTA and his protégé, Davey Richards, really are. They’re going to send KENTA back to Japan with a loss.

Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, and Steve Corino (with Shane Hagadorn) vs. Samoa Joe, Homicide (with Julius Smokes), and BJ Whitmer

The good guys immediately clear the ring and a brawl breaks out on the floor. Bodies start flying into the steel barricades. The fight enters the ring, with Corino and Homicide as the legal participants. Corino gets isolated as Whitmer and Joe make quick tags. Corino avoids Joe’s running boot but gets dragged back in by Homicide. The Briscoes attack Whitmer from the apron. Jay tags himself in and plants Whitmer with a drop-kick. Whitmer settles into the role of baby face in peril. Whitmer takes a manly beating and surprises Corino with an exploder suplex. Homicide gets a hot tag and plows through Corino. Samoa Joe sneaks in and connects with the running boot that he was unable to hit earlier. Whitmer sneaks in a Saito Suplex on Corino, but Mark stops Homicide’s dive. The Briscoes overwhelm Homicide with their high impact flying attacks. Homicide becomes the new isolated baby face. Homicide takes a lengthy beating and bounces back with an Ace Crusher on Corino. Samoa Joe gets a hot tag and cleans house on the Briscoes. Jay kicks Joe into a Mark suplex! Whitmer and Jay exchange counters until Jay eats a Brainbuster. Homicide tags and blocked a brass knuckles shot. Corino had a second pair of knucks and nails Homicide in the chest. The Briscoes deliver the springboard J-Driller for the win at 19:48. This was much better than I remembered it. I’m usually not a fan of crazy brawls that transition into a normal match, but this one just clicked, ***½.
Winners: Steve Corino and The Briscoes

-Steve Corino vows to kill Homicide in their Fight Without Honor on the next show. Joe chases Corino out of the ring.

-Christopher Daniels, Matt Sydal, and Allison Danger are all smiles backstage. Daniels uses a chalkboard to prove his point that Kings

Jimmy Rave vs. Colt Cabana

The fans throwing toilet paper at Rave never got old. Wish I could say the same about Rave’s push. Cabana has a field day annoying Rave in the early going. Cabana has enough of toying with Rave and applies a body scissors. Rave runs into some arm drags and retreats as Cabana fakes him out with a “BOO.” Cabana unceremoniously dumps Rave back into the ring but Rave uses the referee as a shield. Rave uses a towel as a weapon and finally gains the advantage. It’s a shame that Rave’s offense isn’t that interesting. Cabana throws some hard shots and almost misses a springboard moonsault. Bionic elbow by Cabana and the “Flying Asshole” butt bump. Rave bounces back with a spear. Rave desperately nails Ghana-ria. Cabana applies the Billy Goat’s Curse and Jimmy taps at 11:27. This was a bit long winded for an exhibition match, but Cabana’s antics were fun, **¼.
Winner: Colt Cabana

ROH World Championship:
Bryan Danielson © vs. Delirious

The bell rings and Delirious lunges at Danielson for an immediate near fall. Delirious favors a side headlock. Danielson goes after the wrist. Delirious wins a test of strength but Danielson stomps on his fingers. Bryan works an elaborate hammerlock variation. Delirious rolls with the Panic Attack and Shadows Over Hell for a near fall. Bryan foreshadows his future by shouting “NO” in response to a series of Delirious head butts. Mexican Surfboard/chinlock combination by Danielson. Bryan transitions into a Dragon Sleeper. Bryan wears down Delirious with a series of head and arm attacks. Danielson misses a dive and Delirious scores with a suicide dive! Delirious nails an enziguri and applies the Cobra stretch. German suplex with a bridge by Danielson. Bryan gets drop-kicked off the ropes but tries again and nails a sunset flip. Cattle Mutilation! Bryan’s back superplex connects. Delirious weathers elbow shots to the head and returns the favor. Cobra stretch by Delirious. Bryan escapes and delivers some roaring elbow shots. Neck breaker off the ropes by Delirious! They trade blows but Danielson counters back into Cattle Mutilation. Delirious counters by flipping Bryan onto his head. Cobra stretch! Bryan kicks off the turnbuckles to set up a pinning predicament for the win at 21:04. Disappointing outing, as Bryan was working hurt and Delirious is an average worker, **½.
Winner and still ROH World Champion: Bryan Danielson

-Delirious gets a standing ovation for some reason.

-Daizee Haze is really pissed at Lacey.

KENTA and Davey Richards vs. Austin Aries and Roderick Strong

By this point in the show, my then-girlfriend/future-wife was beyond bored with the show and was debating with her friend on the gender of a rather androgynous looking fan nearby. I, on the other hand, was really stoked to see this match. I didn’t force her to attend too many more wrestling shows. Richards and Strong square off in the early going. They sprint through a series of counters until Richards traps the arm. KENTA tags himself in and insists that Strong tag in Aries. KENTA slaps Aries’ face, so Aries returns the favor. KENTA starts throwing stiff shots and the building erupts. Aries holds his own and tags in Roderick, who is eager to start throwing chops. KENTA throws some nasty kick at Strong and tags in Richards to continue the abuse. Aries sneaks a tag and is all over Davey. Generation Next successfully isolate and double team Richards for a while. KENTA gets a hot tag and fights off Strong and Aries with a double springboard missile drop-kick. Aries rebounds with a back suplex on KENTA. Strong and KENTA summon some FIGHTING SPIRIT and throw some stiff shots. Strong gets isolated for a while. Strong takes about one thousand stiff shots before tossing KENTA over the ropes. Aries gets a hot tag and plows through KENTA and Richards. Strong launches into a shoulder tackle on KENTA to set up an Aries frog splash. Double team backbreaker on KENTA, but Richards pulls Strong to the floor, leaving Aries to eat a Brainbuster. Aries is a glutton for punishment as Davey hold him over the ropes for a flying double stomp from KENTA. The match breaks down and all four men go down after a flurry of quick attacks. They get back up and Aries delivers a suicide dive onto Richards, inadvertently setting up a KENTA dive. Back to the ring, Aries finds himself in an electric chair position for a KENTA leg lariat. Aries suffers a top rope Falcon Arrow courtesy of KENTA. Aries blocks Richards’ shooting star press. Richards takes a combination of attacks but KENTA saves him from the pinfall. GenNext serve KENTA a chop/brainbuster combo. The DR Driver is blocked, and GenNext serve Richards with a double stomp/Alabama Slam/450 splash combination for the win at 24:31. This was a wonderful hard-hitting match that provided plenty of big spots and moves without overstaying it’s welcome, ****¼.
Winners: Austin Aries and Roderick Strong

-Austin Aries puts KENTA and Davey Richards over on the mic. He and Strong are now looking forward to the next show, where they challenge Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli for the tag titles.

Final Thoughts: You get a series of okay-good matches with a stellar main event. That was the formula ROH was settling into in later 2006. Considering how far many of these wrestlers have gone since this taping, it’s almost surreal to look back upon it now. I’m going to say Thumb’s Up for the awesome main event and the nostalgic factor.