Ring of Honor - 05/11/04 - Weekend of Thunder: Night 1
Right in the middle of ROH's 3rd year, and one of the hottest years for the company before or since, the Weekend of Thunder marked the first HUGE international talent coming to ROH, New Japan's legendary Jushin Liger! We start in things off with a Danielson promo in the back. Bryan gets over how many big matches he's had in ROH, and how he's beat every Jr. Heavyweight in New Japan, barring his opponent tonight; Liger. It's quite remarkable how far Bryan has come in his promo work in the past 9 years.
Jimmy Rave vs Ace Steel
Prince Nana's out first and tries to cut a promo, but the fans are merciless in their chanting and Nana's words can't be heard. So out comes Jimmy Rave to a chorus of boos. Next, here's Crazy Ace Steel. CM Punk is on commentary for this one! Ace takes early control with a side headlock, frustrating Rave until he manages to score with his side Russian leg sweep into an octopus stretch. Rave hits a big reverse DDT, followed by a northern lights suplex. He holds on and goes for another, but Ace counters with a HUGE backdrop driver, dunking Rave right on top of his skull! Ace hits a nice Tiger Driver for a near-fall and then goes back to the side headlock, but Rave counters with Ghanarea! (Punk: "Isn't that the name of Rave's girl at ringside?"). Ace kicks out at 2, evades a charging Rave and hits a springboard sunset flip. Ace wraps Rave up in an Indian deathlock, but Jimmy gets to the ropes. Ace goes up top, but is crotched by Prince Nana, and then Jimmy scoops him up off the turnbuckle and hits the Rave Clash to score the 3-count. Fun opening match, nothing special.
**
Angeldust vs Fast Eddie vs Dunn vs Homicide
Yeah, slight mismatch here. Fast Eddie (who is legally blind) gets things started off against Dunn of the Ring Crew Express. Dunn takes early advantage with some nice arm drags and a blue thunder driver on Eddie, who quickly tags in Angeldust of Special K, who are on a losing streak as of late. Dunn tags in Homicide, who isn't happy about the fact and just proceeds to kick the living shit out of Angeldust. However, Angeldust hits an enziguri to send Homicide to the outside and then scores with a plancha. Dunn then comes off the top with a BIG elbow drop on both guys, which leaves Fast Eddie in the ring. Eddie hits a corkscrew moonsault off the top turnbuckle, but completely misses both Angeldust & Dunn and instead comes down face first on Homicide's shoulder. Homicide reacts by grabbing a chair and hitting everyone in sight. The match starts to break down as everyone takes it in turn to hit some big moves, the highlight being Fast Eddie's moonsault slam on Dunn from the 2nd rope. Eddie goes back to the top, but Homicide hits an ace crusher followed by the lariat for a near-fall as Angeldust makes the save. Homicide & Angeldust have a nice counter for counter sequence, which inevitably ends with a Cop Killa by Homicide to score the 3-count in an ok match.
** 1/2
Post match, Homicide cuts a promo shitting on Boston and the Red Sox. A 'fan' jumps the guardrail and rushes the ring, only to get slapped like a bitch by Homicide and then stomped by the Rottweilers.
In the back Allison Danger cuts a promo about how she owns Dan Maff & BJ Whitmer's contracts and that she'll keep signing them in dangerous matches until they're destroyed. After Christopher Daniels left ROH in the wake of the Feinstein scandal, Danger tried to take control of the Prophecy but Maff & Whitmer soon turned against her, and now she's kind of lost it.
The Carnage Crew (HC Loc & Devito) vs Dan Maff & BJ Whitmer - Boston Street Fight
Maff & Whitmer charge down the entrance ramp and get straight into it with the Crew. Both teams go for their finishers early on, but they are blocked and the brawl heads to the floor. Maff grabs Devito by the skull and rams his head into the guardrail, and in one of the most obvious blading jobs I have ever seen Devito raises his hand with the blade to his forehead after every hit. Loc hits a crossbody to send him and Whitmer over the guardrail and they brawl through the crowd. Meanwhile, Devito has Maff down on the ramp and wraps an chair round his head before stomping it shut. Loc & Whitmer are back in the ring and he hits a big backdrop driver on BJ. Maff & Devito get back in, while Loc grabs a microphone from the announce table but quickly realises he has the wrong spot and hands the mic back while Maff hits a huge German suplex on Devito, lol. Whitmer gets back in and brutalises the Carnage Crew with chairshots but can't get a pin on either. At this point Allison Danger comes to ringside with a pair of garbage cans, but fails at throwing either into the ring. Whitmer runs her back to the entranceway and inside the ring Maff throws a chair that hits Danger right on the side of the head. BJ chases her to the back, while the Carnage Crew take Maff by surprise with a big double team powerbomb followed by a con-chair-to, but with trash cans, right to Maff's skull to score the 3-count! Fun hardcore match that benefited from being short.
* 1/2
Chad Collyer vs Low Ki
It always seemed to me that in early ROH Chad Collyer and John Walters were battling it out to see who had the least charisma. In the end, Collyer won. Low Ki is playing heel here as co-leader of the Rottweilers, but like Homicide he's too over with the fans to be much of a heel, especially against Chad. They start things off with a fast back and forth, some great mat work from both guys. Low Ki's getting out-wrestled by Collyer here and is starting to get frustrated. He tries to whip Collyer but falls to one knee and is kicked to the outside. Ki seems to be favouring his ankle and the ref eventually throws up the X to stop the match. We cut to a promo from Generation Next of Roderick Strong & Jack Evans, saying about how they aren't worried about Homicide in their tag title shot against the Havana Pitbulls later in the evening. Back in the ring and Low Ki is being helped out of the ring by the referee and Collyer, but pushes the ref aside and hits a series of kicks to Chad's chest with his supposedly injured leg! Low Ki sold that really well and the whole crowd thought the match was over. They respond by chanting loudly for Low Ki. The heel. Low Ki throws Collyer about on the outside and sets up a table, teasing a powerbomb, but then rolls Chad back inside and tells the fans to go fuck themselves. Still can't get booed. Ki runs him off the ropes, but Chad hits a series of nice leg lariats before shooting out Ki's knee and locking in the cloverleaf! Romero on the outside distracts the ref, Reyes hits Chad and Ki follows up with a spin kick for a near-fall. Low Ki goes for the dragon sleeper, but Collyer counters with a nice bridging suplex before transitioning into the cloverleaf again! The Pitbulls continue to provide a distraction and Ki goes to the top. Collyer tries to stop him, but is knocked to the mat by a high kick from Romero before Ki hits the double stomp to score the 3 count. Some real good wrestling at the start, and while I appreciated Ki's selling the whole fake injury angle probably would have worked a lot better against a face the fans give a damn about.
** 1/2
John Walters & Nigel McGuinness vs Samoa Joe & Jay Lethal
Next up, the ROH Pure Champion John Walters, a black hole of charisma and personality, along with Nigel McGuinness, take on current ROH World Champion Samoa Joe and his protoge Jay Lethal. McGuinness and Lethal start and we get some good chain wrestling, but McGuinness has a counter for everything Lethal can throw at him. Jay runs him into the corner, but is of course only inviting Nigel's dumb headstand on the turnbuckle. Man, I hate this move. Lethal charges in under Nigel's leg, but Nigel drops down and rolls Lethal up for a 2-count. We get a series of back and forth pins, before McGuinness tags in John Walters. Lethal takes control with a side headlock, but Walters rolls him into a pin and then hits a big armdrag to send Lethal to his corner and tag in Joe. The fans go wild for the World Champ as he shows his own technical wrestling skills before just bitchslapping Walters and then he just fucking levels Walters with a disgusting forearm to the jaw. He backs Walters into his corner but Walters manages to escape and tag in Nigel. McGuinness locks in a cravate, but Joe uses his weight to easily take Nigel to the mat. Nigel again locks in a cravate, but Joe runs him into the corner and hits a series of big chops followed by a running forearm and the face wash, but Walters pulls Nigel free. Joe runs Nigel into the corner again and Nigel does his stupid headstand, but Joe just charges in and kicks McGuinness right in the face! Joe tags in Lethal who scores with a HUGE back body drop for a near-fall. Joe gets back in and hits a clotheline followed by a knee drop across the throat for 2.
Nigel's in real trouble here as Joe & Jay keep him isolated, but eventually he uses his technical ability to free himself and whip Joe into the corner. He charges Joe and counters the uranage out of the corner with a sweet armdrag, followed up by a fucking HUGE superkick that rocks Joe! Nigel makes the tag, but Lethal is distracting the ref so he doesn't see it. Joe recovers and drags Nigel to his own corner, tagging in Lethal. Jay tries to run Nigel into the ropes, but gets caught in a hammerlock, which Nigel transitions into a very nice DDT where he kicks Lethal's leg out from under him. He finally makes it to his corner and tags in Walters and Walters takes it to Lethal with a big neckbreaker for 2. Walters puts Lethal on the top and hits a backpack stunner, but Lethal kicks out at 2! The fans are getting behind Jay here as Walters runs him off the ropes, and he hits a leg lariat before tagging in Joe who does his chop combo followed by the powerslam, but Nigel makes the save. Joe runs Walters into the corner, but he jumps up to the top rope and hops off only to get caught mid-air by Joe's uranage! Joe tags in Lethal who goes for a powebomb, but Walters slips out of his grasp and scores with a lungblower! He tags in Nigel who takes it to Jay with uppercuts, but Jay retreats to the corner and hits his jumping DDT off the second rope! Jay tries to work over Nigel but gets caught in the Tower of London, followed by a unique arm submission to force Lethal to tap! This was a fun match, but could have done with a little trimming, although that's often a problem with early ROH. Nonetheless,
*** 1/4
Davey Andrews & Shane Hagadorn vs Outkast Killas (Oman Tortuga & Diablo Santiago)
Hey, look, it's two of Punk's ROH students! I don't think he trained any one who ever did anything, except maybe Grizzly Redwood. I remember thinking Andrews showed promise back in the day, but Hagadorn was and is perputually awful. Meanwhile, the Outkast Killaz have always been the drizzling shits. Shane Hagadorn gets fucking demolished by the Killaz side Russian/big boot double team. Davey Andrews shows a bit more fight, but eats a huge delayed wheelbarrow suplex/dropkick double team and is pinned to finish this nothing of a match.
1/2
Austin Aries vs CM Punk
The crowd are all over some fan wearing a TNA t-shirt. If I remember correctly, this was shortly after Punk was fired by TNA after altercations with Teddy Hart. Punk gets on the mic: "Hey, you've paid your money, you can wear what you want. I respect that. What I don't respect is that stupid haircut!". Punk's also mad at Aries for taking out Colt Cabana last time ROH was in Boston, so says he'll even the score tonight, as well as proving that he should be in line for his 3rd shot at Joe after defeating Aries, who shoves Punk and they start brawling. Aries runs the ropes and knocks Punk down. He hits the ropes again and leapfrogs Punk who sticks out an arm and cleverly trips Aries. Punk tries to follow up, but Aries trips him and then slaps the back of his head. Punk's mad, and they start to exchange strikes before Aries grounds Punk with a big back elbow out of the corner. Punk responds by faking a crossbody before dropping a Dusty elbow in honour of Colt Cabana. He runs Aries in the corner and goes for a series of punches, but Aries pushes Punk off the ropes and rushes forwards to score an atomic drop. He goes for his own elbow, but it's Punk's turn to score with an atomic drop. Punk lifts Aries into a big vertical suplex and holds him there for half a minute before dropping him to the mat. He drapes Aries across the middle rope and just stands on his neck and knees in a nasty looking submission, before kicking at Aries back and forcing him to the floor. Punk tries to suplex him in, but Aries rolls through and scores with a big dropkick. He goes for an Irish whip, but it's reversed by Punk who places Aries up on top and hits a nasty looking neckbreaker for a near-fall. Punk clotheslines Aries to the outside and scores with a missile dive, before whipping Aries into the guardrails a bunch of times. He goes for a suplex onto the guardrail, but Aries counters and slams Punk to the floor. Aries tries for a suplex of his own, but Punk counters it and then goes for a shining wizard, only for Aries to duck out of the way at the last second so Punk's knee collides with the ring post!
Aries goes straight to work on the knee, lifting Punk up and hitting a leg breaker over the table! Aries gets Punk inside and starts kicking out his legs, but suddenly the lights go out! HOLY SHIT? IS IT STING? No, it's just a power cut. The lights still aren't back, but we've got a spotlight on the ring now, so it's kinda OK, lol. Aries has Punk in the corner and is stretching his knee. The lights come back. Then they go again. Aries hits a running kick to Punk's knee draped over the second rope and rolls Punk up for a near-fall. Hey, the lights are finally back! Aries hits a stunner to Punk's leg! He wraps him up in a Muta lock, but Punk makes it to the ropes. Aries goes again for the back elbow off the second rope, but Punk catches him mid-air in a big back body drop! They have an extended strike exchange before Punk whips Aries into the turnbuckle and hits a big lariat on the rebound for 2! Punk goes for the Pepsi Twist, but Aries counters and drops Punk to the mat knee first! He tries to lock in a figure four, but Punk fights out of it so Aries settles for a single leg Boston crab. Punk gets to the ropes and Aries tries again for the leg breaker, but Punk floats over and scores with a big German suplex! However, he can only use one leg for the bridge, so Aries kicks out at 2. Punk goes for the shining wizard, but Aries grabs the leg and rolls through into the single leg Boston! Punk again makes it to the ropes, so Aries places him up on top and goes for a superplex, but Punk counters into the Pepsi Plunge! However, this only worsens his knee and he's unable to pin Aries in time, who gets his foot on the rope at 2. He places Aries up on top, but Aries knocks him down and hits another legbreaker, followed by a suplex into the turnbuckle! He goes up top and scores with a 450 slpash right onto Punk's injured leg! Aries drags Punk to the centre of the ring and locks in the single leg Boston crab and Punk is forced to tap! Man, I enjoyed the hell out of that. Super fun match, both guys put in some awesome work, they told a good story and Punk made Aries look like a million bucks.
**** 1/4
Post match, Aries mocks Punk for thinking he'd just steamroll through on his way to Samoa Joe, and says that if anyone deserves a title shot it's him.
The Havana Pitbulls (Rocky Romero & Ricky Reyes) (c) vs Generation Next (Roderick Strong & Jack Evans)
They start things off fast here, Reyes & Evans brawling to the outside while Strong & Romero go at it in the ring. Strong hits a monkey flip on Romero, who lands on his feet and takes Roddy down with an armdrag. He tries to follow up with a head-scissors, but Strong just throws him down to the mat and then hits a big dropkick to send both guys to the floor. Meanwhile, Evans & Reyes get back into the ring and Jack goes for a side headlock that Reyes counters into a backdrop, but Evans lands on his feet and runs to the ropes. Reyes bends over, expecting a leap-frog, but Jack doublestomps up onto his back and moonsaults off! Jack & Roddy hit a big hip-toss, followed by the assisted double-team phoenix splash for a near-fall! Jack hits a snap German suplex and tags in Strong, who follows up with a full nelson slam and a chin lock. Strong tags in Jack, throws Romero to the corner and then picks up Evans and just throws him like a lawn dart into Romero. Strong picks Jack up in a wheelbarrow and they hit the assisted imploding front flip, but Reyes makes the save. Roddy hoists Romero up into a vertical suplex and does squats while carrying the man, before slamming him down to the mat. CM Punk on commentary: "I'm still bleeding from my match with Aries. I think I have a vagina on my forehead." Roderick tags in Evans who attacks with some weak-ass looking strikes, but Romero scores with a flying knee off the ropes and finally tags in Ricky Reyes, who stomps a mudhole in Evans. Reyes destroys him with a vicious forearm that flips Jack 360 degrees, before hitting a big backdrop for a near-fall.
Romero gets back in and the Pitbulls hit a big knee lift/dropkick combo, followed by a huge dropkick in the corner. Reyes tags in Romero who locks in a nice key lock/guillotine choke combo, but Strong makes the save. Romero throws Jack to the outside and Reyes puts him headfirst into the guardrail. He rolls him back in and Romero hits a big DDT for another near-fall. The Pitbulls try a double team on Jack, but he scores with a spinning kick on both men and tags in Strong. Roderick cleans house with some big clotheslines, before hitting his fireman's carry gutbuster on Romero, who bails to the floor. Reyes knocks Roddy outside, leaving Jack alone in the ring who hits a springboard Asai moonsault to the floor! Strong pulls Romero back in and tries to lift him, but Romero catches him in the octupus armbar, only for Roddy to just fucking powerbomb him over his knee! He hits a pump-handle backbreaker, but can only get 2. Reyes tags in and hits a release belly to belly for a near-fall, but when he tries to follow up Strong just backdrops him to death. Strong knocks Rocky to the floor and they brawl on the outside, while Reyes tries to German suplex Jack but he lands on his feet and scores with a spin kick, followed up by a 650 senton off the top rope to score the 3-count! NEW CHAMPIONS! Oh, wait. No, the ref FUCKED UP THE FINISH! What a moron. Jack & Roddy go for their double-team backbreaker/doublestomp deal, but Romero rolls free and Jack lands badly. Reyes picks up Jack and scores with a tombstone for the real 3-count. Crazy tag match that, while it did have a lot of action, didn't ever seem too near-fall happy. A lot of fun, but the botched ending definitely hurt it.
***
Bryan Danielson vs Jushin 'Thunder' Liger
Huge pop for Liger as he makes his ROH debut. They start things off with a nice back and forth, Liger easily taking control until Danielson bridges out of a leg lock and tries to put Liger in a surfboard, but Liger breaks free and scores with a camel clutch. He tries to roll it into a pin, but Danielson breaks free and drops an elbow across Liger's knee before working over the ankle. Liger makes it to the ropes, but Danielson slams his leg down, eliciting boos from the crowd. Danielson tries to keep Liger grounded with a hammerlock, but he gets to his feet and runs them into the ropes, using his momentum to throw off a frustrated Danielson. They go for a test of strength and Liger forces Danielson down into a bridge, but Danielson manages to power out and breaks the hold with a kick to the gut. He goes for a shoulder tackle, but Liger isn't moving. He tries it again, but slides through and trips Jushin into a surfboard attempt, but Liger shrugs him off and locks in a surfboard of his own! Danielson rakes Liger's eyes to break free, but Liger stays on him, hitting a big tilt-a-whirl backbreaker that sends Daneilson to the outside. He goes for a dive, but Liger fakes him out, handspringing off the ropes before hitting a springboard crossbody on Danielson. Liger does his classic pose in-ring and the fans go wild. Danielson takes a while to get back in, but when he does he hits Liger low and goes to work on his mid-section, draping him across the ropes before scoring with a big dropkick to send him to the floor. Danielson throws European uppercuts and whips Liger into the barricades, pausing only to flip off the Boston crowd as they chant Liger's name. He sends Liger back into the ring and goes for a cover, but only gets 2 before locking in a seated abdominable stretch. Danielson hits a big butterfly suplex for another near-fall and then returns to a chin lock, trying to undo and take off Liger's mask.
Danielson picks Liger up in an airplane spin, but is too dizzy to go for the pin afterwards so he climbs to the top and tries to hit the flying headbutt, but Liger moves clear! Liger goes up to the top and tries for a flying headbutt of his own, but this time Danielson moves out of the way. Gabe puts over Benoit on commentary. Awkward. They exchange chops and uppercuts before Danielson hits the ropes. He ducks the palm-strike from Liger, but can't avoid it the second time around. Liger throws him to the turnbuckles, hits another palm strike and places Danielson up on top, hitting a picture perfect huricanrana for a 2 count. Liger runs off the ropes, but Danielson hits a dropkick to Liger's wrist, causing Liger to scream in pain. Danielson switches tactics and goes to work on the wrist, scoring with a number of armbars and hitting a bridging German for 2. He rolls Liger over and locks in Cattle Mutilation, but Liger won't tap so Danielson rolls it into another pin for a near-fall. He goes for a dragon suplex, but Liger drops down and Danielson tries to pin him again, but to no avail. Danielson scores with a rolling forearm and then hits a bridging dragon suplex for a near, near-fall. Once more he locks in Cattle Mutilation, but Liger makes it to the ropes. Danielson goes for a brainbuster, but Liger's having none of it and powers out, hitting a HUGE brainbuster of his own. Both guys struggle to their feet and Liger scores with a big palmstrike. He goes for the Liger bomb, but Danielson flips through. Liger scores with a capo kick and then finally hits the Liger bomb, but Danielson kicks out at 2! Gabe is totally marking out on commentary. Liger puts Danielson up top and hits a fucking huge-ass brainbuster off the top rope to put Danielson away and score the 3-count! That was a really fun match and Liger could still definitely go at this point, but for whatever reason it didn't quite live up to expectations.
****