The Fifth Year Festival has lived up to the hype in Manhattan, Philadelphia, Dayton and Chicago. Now ROH’s 5th birthday party will come to a close in the United Kingdom at the The Liverpool Olympia on West Derby Road in Liverpool, L6 9BY this Saturday and Sunday. There will be plenty of tickets available at the door on both nights including some great seats. Saturday’s event has a belltime of 6pm and Sunday starts at 5pm. For more info goTo www.ROHwrestling.com and the “schedule” section.
ROH will pull out all the stops to close the Fifth Year Festival with abang. Five years ago ROH started as a small indy in a rundown Murphy Rec Center in South Philly. Now thanks to your support ROH will celebrate its 5thbirthday in England. These will be memorable and emotional shows as Samoa Joe’salmost five year ROH career will come to a close. Joe will be in the main event on each night and will be faced with two of his toughest all time rivals inROH. This weekend in Liverpool will see it all from title matches to violentwars to the best wrestling going today. Here is a quick look at what evereveryone has at stake in Liverpool:
-Samoa Joe: This “ROH Legend” will say farewell to the company that he made. It will be an emotional weekend for Joe, but not an easy one. Joe will befaced with two of his toughest rivals throughout ROH history. Saturday will see Samoa Joe vs. England’s own Nigel McGuinness. The feud between these two has really intensified in recent months as part of the Joe vs. NOAH feud. Thesetwo even had two pull apart brawls on 2/16 in Manhattan. McGuinness pinnedJoe in a tag match last week in Chicago. He also defeated Joe for the PureTitle back in 2005. Now Joe is looking to defeat Nigel to end the feud in Nigel’s native land. Joe has requested to face Homicide in his final match on Sunday. These two have been rivals basically since Joe started in ROH. The rivalryhas paved way for a mutual respect that has seen a friendship develop. Homicide defeated Joe in a ROH World Title Match last January. Now Joe
wants to take the final chapter. While these two respect each other and have been tag partners recently, their competitive nature will drive both to try to win in the final ROH match ever between them. Will Joe go out 2-0?
-Nigel McGuinness: He proved to be England’s favorite son at the debut Liverpool event last August when he took Bryan Danielson to the limit. However, McGuinness wasn’t able to give his home country fans the big win. Now McGuinness will have two huge matches and he is determined to score some huge victories in his home country. Saturday will be the Samoa Joe match. Can the rebound lariat give Nigel another win over Joe? Sunday will be the end of the intense McGuinness vs. Jimmy Rave feud when they settle things in a Fight Without Honor. This is an issue about respect and now ROH’s biggest type of grudge match is coming to Liverpool. You can expect an all out war as McGuinness returns to England. Can Nigel get the big win in England?
-ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay & Mark Briscoe- The Briscoes captured the World Tag Titles last week in Chicago and now they will make their first defenses in Liverpool. Saturday will see a truly international contest as The Briscoes defend against the Dragon Gate duo of Shingo & Doi in a first
time ever match between four excellent athletic competitors. Jay & Mark have challenged any team in Europe to face them on Sunday and if they make it past Saturday with the belts they will put them on the line on Sunday. The Briscoes want to add to the international prestige of the ROH World Tag Titles by defeating the best from Japan and Europe this weekend in Liverpool. Will The Briscoes dominate the world?
-FIP Heavyweight Champion Roderick Strong & Davey Richards: This is a very important weekend for the No Remorse Corps. Strong will make the FIP belt into
a World Title on Saturday when he puts it on the line against UK’s sensational high flyer PAC. Davey Richards will face Homicide for the first time ever. This one promises to be very physical. Strong & Richards will team to take on the Dragon Gate duo of Shingo & Doi on Sunday. These all could be show stealers!!! Will the No Remorse Corps continue to rise?
-Dragon Gate’s Naruki Doi & Shingo: Two of Dragon Gate’s top athletes are coming to England with one goal in mind. They want the ROH World Tag Team Titles. Shingo’s stay in ROH will be coming to a close in the next few months before heading back to Japan fulltime. In order for Shingo’s ROH run to be a success he needs to win a title. Saturday could be his last shot. The Dragon Gate office has already sent word that Doi & Shingo will put the belts on the line against Richards & Strong on Sunday if they win them on Saturday. This will give both nights state of the art tag team action!!! Can Doi & Shingo bring the ROH World Tag Titles to Dragon Gate?
-Homicide with Julius Smokes: Don’t miss this chance to see “ROH Legend” Homicide and his cornerman Julius Smokes live!!! If you thought Smokes was something on The Wrestling Channel and on DVD wait until you see him live. Who
will win the final Homicide vs. Joe match?
-Matt Sydal: This former ROH World Tag Team Champion will see his career long rivalry with Delirious go international as they face off in a 2/3 Falls Match. This two always deliver and it will be special for both of them to bring the rivalry to England. Matt Sydal will test his skills against PAC on Sunday in a battle of two of the best high-flyers going today. Both these matches will be spectacular!!! Can Sydal defeat Delirious in Liverpool?
-BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs: The violent and brutal feud pitting Whitmer vs. Jacobs comes to England. Night one will see a tag match with Whitmer & Colt
Cabana vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Jimmy Rave. Whitmer also wants to get his hands
on Rave since Rave cheated to defeat him in Chicago. Sunday is sure to be
wild when Whitmer and Jacobs square off in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. These
two always bring the fight when they face each other. How violent will it get
this weekend?
-Delirious: The crazed masked man wants to prove he is the better man against Sydal on Saturday. Sunday will see an interesting match as Delirious takes on Colt Cabana. This one is sure to be entertaining. Can Delirious beat Sydal in two falls?
-Colt Cabana: He is one of the most popular athletes in England. Cabana will have one last chance to get his hands on Jacobs on Saturday in the tag match. These two had one of the most bloody bouts in ROH history last week in Chicago. What kind of match will Cabana vs. Delirious be?
-Jimmy Rave: The now highly aggressive Rave had a rough first outing in England with losses to Davey Richards and Doug Williams. Not only that, Rave was disrespected by the UK fans. Now Rave wants to ruin McGuinness’ homecoming
by winning the Fight Without Honor on Sunday. This is going to be beyond hardcore. Can Rave upset the UK fans and win the feud against Nigel?
-Allison Danger & Sara Del Rey: The UK will be treated to women’s wrestling at its best with Danger vs. Del Rey on Saturday. Word has it some native talent is not happy about being snubbed. SHIMMER action is coming to Liverpool on both nights!!! Who will Danger and Del Rey face on Sunday?
-PAC: UK’s hottest sensation is ready for his ROH debut this weekend. PAC will be given the opportunity to make his reputation in ROH and steal the show on both nights. He might even be the top man in FIP if he can defeat Roderick Strong on Saturday for the FIP Heavyweight Title. Will PAC do or die?
If you thought “Unified” and “Anarchy In The UK” were something last August,
wait until you see what ROH has in store for you as the Fifth Year Festival and Samoa Joe farewell tour come to a close. ROH is bringing over more talent to thank you for making all this possible. We’ll see you in Liverpool this Saturday and Sunday!!! Tickets will be available at the door on both nights. Everyone will be buzzing about these shows on Monday. Don’t miss your chance to see ROH live and experience the Fifth Year Festival.
Credit: Gabe Sapolsky/Ring of Honor
