Ring of Honor Results From Gray’s Armory in Cleveland, Ohio
Credit: Paul Belfi
The show opened with ROH champion Bryan Danielson coming out. He thanks all the former ROH champions by name for helping to make the title mean something. Samoa Joe’s name got a big reaction. Austin Aries, Danielson’s challenger, comes to the ring and they cut back and forth promos. Danielson leaves the ring to a standing ovation.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. ROH Pure champ Nigel McGuiness (Non-title)- McGuiness gets a nice ovation from the crowd. The crowd is hot for both as match starts after they shake hands. The crowd is eating up Claudio and how he keeps putting himself over. No matter who pulls off the move, the crowd applauds appreciatively which is something I’ve never seen before. They are trading stiff upper cuts if you can believe that. Several near finishes and finally a backslide and a win for Claudio in approximately 12 minutes.
Matt Stryker vs. Ricky Reyes – Easily one of the shortest and stiffest matches I’ve seen as Stryker taps out in roughly 3 minutes.
Referee Todd St. Claire is heeled big time as Lacy comes out with BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs. The theme from “Rocky” is way over with the crowd as ROH Tag Team champions Tony Mamaluke and Sal Rinauro enter the ring. Lacey is my future ex-wife. The holy s**t chant begins as this tag match went from a little comedy to major league stiff-fest with some sick bumps. Too much action to recap in what was a GREAT tag match as Tony and Sal take the win in a match that reminded me of how great tag matches used to be. The match went about 15 minutes.
Roderick Strong vs. Jimmy Yang – From 3 Count to ROH Yang is really winning the crowd over. Some serious bumps and aerial moves. I thought this match would have a hard time following the tag match but it is nearly as good. Yang has the sickest blotch of red on his chest that I’ve ever seen from some mega stiff chops. Two backbreakers and a blue thunder driver later, Strong gets the pin in 10 minutes.
Steve Corino comes out dressed as CM Punk, with Punk’s tattoos drawn on in marker and “I Love Beer” on his chest instead of “Straightedge”. Rips on WWE for the trademark thing and for ruining careers, and asks for a 5 bell salute for the wrestlers who had their careers killed by WWE “because apparently Vince has trademarked 10 bell salutes.”
Colt Cabana and Steve Corino vs. Homicide and Low Ki – Cabana gets a monster ovation. Homicide puts the mouth on Corino as the match begins with Ki vs Colt. The crowd is amazingly apathetic to Ki – so much for the one-time darling of the Internet fans. Corino gets the pin on Low Ki in 20 minutes of a match that started old school and ended up with some bumps I have never seen before – wow – how Corino is able to walk astounds me.
Prince Nana has come out and interrupted a match with some ROH school talents, then brought out Abyss who absolutely pancaked all four. Nana called out anyone from the back to face Abyss. Jack Evans came out with Jade Chung. The match is on…Evans hit the spring board sky twister press and Abyss hit everything else in a 2 minute squash. Roderick Strong came out to make the save.
Alex Shelly and Jimmy Rave vs Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal – Major pop for Joe. Joe’s Gonna Kill You chants rule. “F*** em up Joe” chants aplenty. Joe is huge. Joe hits the muscle buster on Shelly for the pin at 15 minutes – great match as Joe is really over with the crowd and Rave draws genuine heel heat
ROH champiom Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries- The Main event is next with a 60 min time limit and still very hot crowd. 15 minutes into the main and while I do not like to use the term scientific, I find myself brought back to the early 80s and enjoying ROH as much as I did Georgia Championship Wrestling. 25 minutes into the main and we are being treated to a perfect mix of high spots, stiffness, aerial moves and most importantly ring psychology. The crowd is totally into the match recognizing this and applauding great moves and counters. In 33 minutes, Aries taps out to the chicken wing in a great match that saw both stars gets standing ovation. ROH chant is now blaring in the building and the show is over.
