Derek Burgan, Torch Team Contributor

Torch DVD Review
ROH Unscripted
September 21, 2002
Philadelphia, PA at the Murphy Rec

This show follows Honor Invades Boston.

We’re hitching a ride with H.G. Wells this week and heading back so that we can watch Ring of Honor’s 7th official show. Ahhh - September 2002, a month that saw the release of the movie SwimFan which proved that Erika Christensen’s powerful role as the drug addicted daughter of Michael Douglas in Traffic was a total fluke. The WWE was introducing us to Hot Lesbian Action, Justin Timberlake was telling Britney to "Cry me a river", Springsteen was rising again, and Ludicrous told us all to "move bitch"

On to the Show!

***Ring announcer Stephen DeAngelis is in the ring with Paul London (who is wearing a Spider-Man t-shirt, thus moving up 5 more spots on my Favorite Wrestlers list and brings up that London’s partner for tonight – Spanky - will not be at the show which means London is all alone for the tag team tournament. London said that he had a new partner and brought out The American Dragon. Before Dragon could talk, Michael Shane “limped” to the ring, still selling that fictitious broken ankle from the last show. Classic! Shane gets in the ring and cuts a quick promo which leads to him briefly battling London before bailing out of the ring. In one of those You-Gotta-See-This spots, as soon as Shane rolled out of the ring London climbed to the top rope and hit a London Star Press onto Shane. I didn’t expect that AT ALL and it looked absolutely incredible. London gets back in the ring and tells Dragon that he’s sorry but he wants Shane in a street fight TONIGHT. London then brings a giant ladder into the ring as the crowd chants, "London! LONDON!! LONDON!!!"

This is the same Paul London that’s on Velocity?! INCONCEIVABLE~!

***DeAngelis now asked Dragon about the tag team tournament and Dragon said he wasn’t quite sure who his new partner was going to be, "but I think I have an idea." Could the return of the Towel Boy Eric Tuttle be tonight? Hey, I can dream can’t I? And seriously, I think that would be a really cool angle as a legit superstar like Dragon could carry the tag team titles with a kid like Tuttle who would come this close to losing the titles every match until Dragon made the save. This would kinda be like when Mikey Whipwreck held the TV title back in ECW’s heyday and would do everything he could to get out of matches and win every single one in a fluke manner

(1) The Prophecy (Christopher Daniels & Donovan Morgan w/ Simply Luscious) beat the Spanish Announce Team. This was a first round match in the Tag Team Title Tournament. CHRIS LOVIE and RAY MORROW are the announcers!!!! Hey Donnie B, I got something to say to you while you are walking out the door…

Na Na Na Na. Na Na Na Na. Hey Hey Hey GOODBYE!

Don’t go away mad Donnie B, just go away. Oh man, I’m already JUICED for this show now. I didn’t think Lovie and Morrow came onboard for commentary until halfway through 2003’s shows. Lovey says the show is called Unscripted because, "A bunch of factors caused the format of the show to be thrown out the window so the script is gone" WAIT A SECOND! Wrestling is scripted? You mean to tell me wrestling is fake?! WHY WASN’T I TOLD OF THIS?! No one told me this, I didn’t get an email, I didn’t see that in the Ask The Torch…someone’s head is gonna roll for this one. Seriously though, I contacted Torch Historian Keith Lipinski and he said that literally a week before the show Zero-One came calling and basically made Steve Corino and Spanky unavailable for this event which made havoc with the line-up. As a surreal coincidence, ROH is going through the exact same thing this very month since TNA - which I believe stands for THOSE NASHVILLE ASSHOLES - are pulling A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels and others from ROH shows.

Back to the match, there was a really innovative spot when Jose Maximo had a camel clutch on Donovan Morgan while directly behind him Joel had Daniels locked in a Boston Crab. This is cooler than it sounds and it’s perfect positioning in the ring made the shot from the hard camera look incredible. And just so you know, I’m pretty much using the names "Joel" and "Jose" at random since I have absolutely no idea which one is which at this point. I used to be able to call one of them The Fat One, but it looks like he hit the gym. These two seriously remind of those two Spanish speaking bugs from A Bug’s Life. (Editor’s Note: I’m undecided as to whether that line is legitimate commentary or the most racist thing I’ve ever read. I’ll get Jason Powell to look into this further.) Later Daniels was outside the ring and out of nowhere went up to a female fan in the front row he was arguing with and slapped her across the face. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! A few moments later both Morgan and Daniels were outside the ring and Jose was going to go after them but was tripped by Simply Luscious. Lovey pointed out that was the first outside interference EVER in Ring of Honor history. Daniels hopped back into the ring only to get tossed out again and GET THIS, that girl from the front row hopped the guard rail, climbed to the top rope did a moonsault onto Daniels! Am I supposed to know who this girl is?! The woman then carries Luscious to the back.

Back inside the ring the S.A.T. did another neat move where Jose held Morgan on his shoulders wile Joel came off the top rope hitting a DDT! Jose did a one man version of the Spanish Fly onto Daniels, but Morgan made the save and quickly hit Joel with the Golden Gate Spin (fisherman’s neckbreaker) and a sitdown pedigree for the win.

A PLEA FOR HELP: Is there someone out there who can tell me the damn sequence of key strokes so that I can get the letter "e" with that stupid accent mark above it? Not only do I need it for names like Jose, but I write stuff like "resume", as in my work history, and other words and have no idea how to do that “e.” To really aggravate me, Microsoft word will put that "e" in when I write ménage a trios, I think just to piss me off.

***Dick Togo and Ikuto Hidaka are backstage talking Japanese. How funny would it be for ROH to subtitle stuff like this in Japanese. I think that would be wild. All of a sudden the Christopher Street Connection come into the room. Buff E, Mase Mendoza and Allison Danger are joined by some masked Giant Guy who is wearing a pink blouse and I swear to God I am not making that up. As soon as he came into the room Buff E almost made me spit up my Diet Pepsi by asking, “Hey! Who ordered Chinese?” I’m sorry, but that’s funny. The C.S.C. offer the Togo and Hidaka bananas but are scared off by two very angry Asians. I know that other cultures interpret things in different ways, but I gotta believe that the banana is the universal sign for sucking male genitalia.

***Tony Mamaluke and James Maritato (Nunzio in the WWE) are stretching backstage when a guy who identifies himself as “The Sound Guy” asks for their cd’s. They both give the guy a CD but Maritato said to ignore Mamaluke’s as, “That’s our OLD music.” Mamaluke distracted Maritato and switched CD’s. Speaking of switching CD’s, Booker T ought to find the guy who switched his theme music over to the HORRENDOUS song from the WWE Originals CD last year and give him an Axe Kick.

(2) The Far East Connection (Dick Togo & Ikuto Hidaka) beat Tony Mamaluke & James Maritato. This match was part of the Tag Team Title Tournament. Maritato came out and was upset at the entrance them, “This isn’t our music!” Ray Morrow said the fans will remember Togo from, “Kaientai fame.” Indeeeeeeed. I remember that hot Mrs. Yamaguchi-san as well, even though it lead to one of the lowest moments in the WWE history with the “Choppy choppy your pee pee” bit. Mamaluke & Maritato at one point hit a double Fujiwar armbar on Hidaka which was neat to see. The entire match was strong workrate wise and the crowd was eating it up. Finish came when Togo gives Mamaluke a pedigree followed by a big Senton drop (cannonball off the top rope.)

***OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IT’S GARY MICHAEL CAPETTA~! What the hell did I do to deserve this?! UGH. Anyhoo, the biggest tool in wrestling got into the ring and said something to Maritato in which I understood absolutely zero words thanks to the Murphy Rec’s high end sound system. Maritato said that for months he tried to get Mamaluke to drop the comedy act. This pissed Mamaluke off and he said that Maritato was nothing before the F.B.I. and Mamaluke goes on to say he was from a real organization called, “World Championship Wrestling” and that he made Maritato a champion in three months. Yes, that is the same WCW that gave us ArachnaMan and The Yeti by the way. This was really weird because Mamaluke grabbed the mic, but Capetta held on the entire time so both are holding the mic as Tony shot his promo and you can’t imagine how stupid that looked. Mamaluke challenged Maritato to a match, “Right now!” Oh, it’s on.

(3) Tony Mamaluke beat James Maritato. Mamaluke offered a handshake, and actually hugged Maritato but this was all to set up a belly to belly suplex! You gotta like that. One sequence had both men fighting on the ring apron until Maritato hits Mamaluke so that he flew off and nailed the guardrail. This really reminded me of the time that Steve Austin threw Vince McMahon off the side of the cage in their match back at St . Valentine’s Day Massacre. Maritato grabbed the ring bell and charged Mamaluke outside the ring, but a drop toe hold sent Maritato into the guardrail and busted him open. Back in the ring Maritato hit a dropkick off the second rope for a two count, but while he was arguing with the referee Mamaluke came from behind with a shot to the nuts and schoolboy’d Maritato for the win.

***Maritato grabbed the mic and challenged Mamaluke to a rematch with the stips that if Mamaluke loses the F.B.I. gimmick is gone forever but if Maritato loses he will go back to being Little Guido.

***Backstage Tool Capetta approached The American Dragon and asked if he found a partner for the Tournament. The camera pans to Mike Modest who calls himself, “One of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s top competitors.” You may remember Modest from the movie Beyond the Mat as he was one of the guys who had a try-out match with the WWE but he seems totally different now.

(4) Mike Modest & The American Dragon beat Divine Storm (Chris Divine & Quiet Storm) This match was part of the Tag Tournament. Divine had Dragon in an arm submission move when Dragon powered out of it and lifted up Divine- who still had the hold locked on -in something straight out a dead lifting contest you would see on ESPN’s World’s Strongest Man competition. Mike Modest got the tag in and used STIFF forearms to beat the living hell out of Divine. Lovey said that Modest resembled, “An enlarged eight year old midget.” I thought he kinda looked like a compressed version of Michael Chiklis from The Sheild. Modest hit Quiet Storm with a Urnage which Chris Lovey pronounced as “Urine-age” and now I’M ALL F---ED UP. Here I am thinking it’s pronounced “urine-age” for years until I get schooled by The Melt on his radio show as he says it’s pronounced “Ur-ah-nah-gee” and now I find out it may be “Urine-age” all along?! I gotta find someone that speaks Japanese and if I find out I was right all along. Maybe I’ll call in to the Wrestling Observer Live show this Sunday Night. First I’ll battle with Dave over how to pronounce the damn hold and I’ll throw it out to Alvarez that The Hurricane belongs in the Observer Hall of Fame more than Shawn Michaels. I’ll have Bryan swearing so much you’ll think you were listening to Terry Funk on that episode of Shotgun Saturday Night back in the day. Oh yeas, I WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

Anyhoo, back to the match - Storm and Dragon were battling outside the ring and Dragon “Hulk’d Up”, which Lovely said Dragon was wearing his, “serial killer face.” Dragon just started to beat the crap out of Storm as inside the ring Divine gave Modest a brainbuster. Divine went to the top rope, but was met by Modest who delivered a fisherman’s buster suplex (PerfetPlex) for the win.

***Before the show - at the ROH Fan Fest, whatever the hell that is - the Carnage Crew are pissed. “ROH doesn’t want us to put us in the tag title tournament? We’ll make our own f---ing tournament!” Yes, DeVito is not happy and he along with Loc destroy some ring boys for good measure.

***Back to the matches, The Carnage Crew attacked Da Hit Squad on their way to the ring. Lovey said he just got word in the back that the Crew had already did a number on The Natural Born Sinners. After Da Hit Squad is left laying DeVito shouts, “You don’t give us a spot…we’ll make our own God damn spot!” I got to think that breaks at least ONE of the articles of The Code, don’t you?

(5) The Prophecy beat the Far East Connection. This was round two of the Tournament. Lovey said that Christopher Daniels’ ring name in Japan is ”Curry Man.” Hey, don’t look at me. I’m just not into these Japanese guys but apparently I’m in the minority I guess as the crowd was rabid throughout and actually turned on The Prophecy during this match which is surprising given how much they usually cheer Daniels. Nothing makes a match better than a hot crowd. The finish came when Daniels hit the STO (kinda like a urnage but you take the opponent’s legs out) while Morgan held Togo’s foot so he couldn’t kick out.

(6) Alex Arion (w/Prince Nana) beat Dunn (w/Marcos). This all started with Prince Nana coming to the ring and shot a promo saying that his head was still f---ed up thanks to his concussion suffered back in June and brought out a giant protective headgear to wear. This is the type of things that you will see unpopular kids wear when riding their bike or skateboarding. Nana seriously looks like a low rent version of Farooq Assad at this point. Nana said he couldn’t wrestle in a tag match, so it became a singles match. This was a total squash which Arion won with the splash off the top rope. Ray Morrow said, “Dunn is done.” He probably should have added, “and I mean done.” to that. After the match Marcos shook hands with Nana but was attacked, ending with the Big Ass to the Face. Nana then told Arion that he can be his new servant. I think Arion’s subsequent superkick to Nana’s jaw could be taken as a, “no.”

Out come the Christopher Street Connection along with that masked guy who the announcers say is, “Japanese Pool Boy.” Like I said, don’t look at me. Mase and Buff E kiss Nana’s head while he was still on the mat and this made Nana bolt out of town like some sort of cartoon character with his ass on fire. Buff E then told the crowd they were going to hold a special ceremony to which Lovey said, “This won’t be like that Billy & Chuck debacle.” Oh man, I would love to see Al Wilson come into ROH for one shot just to get stiff kicked to hell by Homicide. Am I a jerk for thinking that? I don’t think so. As Mase and Buff E made out, who should appear but Alexis Laree! She took out Mase and Buff E leaving herself and Japanese Pool Boy alone in the ring. Alexis beat the tar out of this guy and finished him off with a Tornado DDT.

(7) Xavier beat Low Ki to win the ROH Championship. Lovey said that he’s not sure that Xavier deserved a title shot early in the match? WHAT?! He beat Scoot Andrews two times Lovey. TWO TIMES! Lovey then talked about a Number One Contender’s Trophy, which is, “kinda sorta like a secondary title.” Is that Secondary Title like the WWF Intercontinental Title was in the 1980’s or like the WWE Intercontinental Title is now? Lovey says this trophy will ensure that the man who gets a title shot will deserve it. This idea can be compared to the WWE’s “Throw some shit against the wall and see what sticks” approach to title shots. One interesting crowd reaction was the usual “A.C. Slater!” chants started up to razz Xavier but they were quickly shouted down by “Shut the F--- Up!” chants. Lovey said that while chants had their place in ROH, the majority of fans were really interested in the title match. Low Ki started off the match as stiff as I had ever seen him, which is saying something. There was actually a really cool sequence in which Xavier and Ki stood face to face and just threw one kick after another into each other’s ribs. That’s insane. Lovey remarked, “I should probably stop staying ‘Big Chop from Low Ki’ because I guess there are no small chops.” You got that right. I swear, at one point when Xavier was on his knees Ki went on a kicking rampage just annihilating Xavier’s back and chest with stiff kicks and I almost wanted someone to come out and make the save. In fact, 10 minutes into the match I began thinking that Xavier might be trying Ali’s ‘rope a dope’ strategy that he used against Foreman and just take every hit Ki can throw until he tires himself out.

One of my favorite parts of the match came when Low Ki was tossed out of the ring and Xavier ran towards him with a baseball slide. Get This, Ki stops the slide, spins Xavier over so that his head his now hanging over the ring apron and begins to kick him in the face! This is seriously one of the 10 coolest things I have ever seen in wrestling. Ki then went back to just destroying Xavier including a powerbomb into the turnbuckles (yikes) and that crazy part where Ki holds Xavier’s head and begins kicking him right in the mush. I’m pretty sure Lovey called these “Kawada kicks.” I’d ask former Torch Columnist jdw over at www.otherarena.com why it’s called a Kawada kick, but I’m not sure if I have the time to read a reply that’s longer than this review. Out of nowhere CHRISTOPHER DANIELS came out to ringside to watch the match. Ki left the ring to confront Daniels and this allowed Xavier to give Ki a chop block to the knee. Now the whole match the announcers were selling that Ki’s leg was f---ed up thanks to an incident that happened in Japan, so this was a good touch. Xavier than grabbed this pole that had a giant slap of cement attached to it and began hitting Ki with it. Xavier then put the pole on top of Ki, had Daniels hold it steady, and used a chair to drive it into Ki’s chest like a railroad spike. Xavier is now OL’ JOHN HENRY~! The crowd did not like this one bit and was chanting, “You Sold Out!” Ki was spitting up blood and eventually crawled his way back into the ring at which point he was nailed with the 450 splash and pinned.

After the match the rest of the Prophecy hit the ring including The Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels,Simply Luscious and Donovan Morgan. The Prophecy brought with them an ROH banner and draped it over Low Ki like a corpse. Now that’s a cool angle.

(8)Takao Omori beat Sonny Siaki, YES, that Sonny Siaki. This was before Siaki ruined the TNA X division title and was still a “Flying Elvis”. I believe he is now known as a “Drizzling Shit.” The announcers also hyped that Siaki was trained by Dusty Rhodes. Now Big Bust is a wrestling legend, no doubt, but does anyone really think he’s a great wrestler? I mean he has off the charts charisma and while he may have killed companies by being given the book too long, he does have some great ideas (such as The Great American Bash.) But is being trained by him supposed to be something? I mean Adam Sandler has been in a ton of great movies, - pretty much all of which have been huge at the box office – but would you want him training the next generation of actors? Later though the announcers brought up something that is pretty neat with the ROH crowds after they had cheered for a sequence of moves. Morrow said that ROH wasn’t like the WWE where fans, “cheer an entrance” and that is a great point. The WWE has almost conditioned us as fans to cheer the entrance, ignore the match and get ready for the finish. It’s almost to the point where you know that no big match will end without some sort of interference or ref bump so many of the near falls or good moves during the match get completely no sold by the audience. This was a relatively short match that ended when Omori hit Siaki with a scary looking reverse Tombstone piledriver. I remember watching that move and yelling out, “F---!” And yes, even when I’m alone I talk aloud at times when watching wrestling.

***HOLY SHIT! It’s C.M. PUNK!!! Punk gets into the ring and shot a promo saying, “Somebody told me that there is wrestling in Philadelphia again.” Punk went on and talked about how on November 9th he’ll have his first match in ROH and that he takes, “wrestling, not sports entertainment, very seriously.” Out comes Colt Cabana! WOW! This is like discovering the X-Men’s Wolverine’s first comic book appearance in The Incredible Hulk #181. I’m totally marking out. Cabana wanted to know why Punk was getting a shot in ROH but he wasn’t considering that the two of them lit up the Midwest. Cabana told the fans they will see him November 9th in some fashion. Considering their age and experience, as much as I can’t believe the Briscoe’s and The Amazing Red’s wrestling ability, Punk is at the same level behind the mic.

***Jay Briscoe is backstage and put over ROH but called it the most frustrating thing in his entire life. Jay brings up his losses to Spanky and Red and said he didn’t think he was going to come back to ROH but when he beat James Maritato it was the best moment of his life. Jay was then seething over his match at Honor Invades Boston against his brother Mark saying it was the first time he was ever busted open and Mark took advantage of that fact. Jay closes with great fire saying he is not losing in ROH, ”anymore!”

***Mark Briscoe approached Red backstage and said that he was 1-0 in ROH and offered his skills as a manager for tonight’s match against Jay. Red said he thinks that is a good idea, “But my boot don’t!” Red then superkicked Mark and in a great shot, Mark went right through a nearby door. This was only like 30 seconds long, but absolutely awesome.

(9) Jay Briscoe beat The Amazing Red. I mentioned earlier how these two are amazingly good in the ring for their age and once again they completely tore it up in the ring.
Red hit a standing ovation worthy tilt a whirl reverse DDT Late in the match Bricoe went to the top rope but was stunned by a hurricane kick from Red. Then, in one of the greatest spots of the night, Red hit Jay off the top rope with a Super Code Red! He then gets up and hits a Red Star Press but Jay kicks out just before the three count. The crowd went apeshit and was chaning, “ROH! ROH!” Red went for another Code Red but it was blocked by Bricoe who then KILLED Red with an insane looking powerbomb. To quote the late, great Gorilla Monsson: Red was literally cut in half! Jay then finished off Red with a Jay Driller. Fast paced match that was fantastic with a red hot crowd.

***After the match Elax and Dixie from Special K hit the ring and started to stomp a mudhole in Red until the SAT made the save. Joel gave Elax three straight clotheslines that looked Bradshaw stiff. As Elax laid dead on the mat, Jose went to the second rope and put Dixie in a Torture Rack before jumping off and hitting Elax with a legdrop as Dixie was still in the rack! Elax was then given the Spanish Fly for good measure. After the SAT leave, the big black guy with the dreadlocks that mysteriously showed up at came into the ring. The announcers wanted to know if it was, “fan appreciation night” but then remarked that the move the black guy hit the referee with was called, “The Bodybag.” How the hell would they know that? The black guy then walked through the crowd and stood to watch the rest of the show. In a great small touch, Dunn & Marcos helped carry the ref to the back while telling the camera they were ROH’s number one tag team.

(10) Paul London beat Michael Shane in a Street Fight. Lovey stated that no one in ROH liked Michael Shane and that, “even Christopher Daniels thinks he’s an asshole.” Oh man, this match kicked all kinds of ass and I’ll try to fill you in on most of the really cool stuff. How can you not love it when Shane throws London over the top rope, but when London tried to skin the cat Shane nailed him with a spear. That is an example of the uncountable amount of things that happen in ROH that seem so obvious but make me wonder why I have NEVER seen that move before in wrestling. Shane set up a table outside the ring, but turned around to find Paul London mad as hell. London grabbed a chair but by then Shane was inside the ring and came running across to deliver a TOPE F---ING CON HILO onto London who had a chair up so it was like a Van Daminator as well. HOLY SHIT! London was busted open which caused Lovey to remark it was, “shades of the Midnight Rockers versus Doug Sommers and Buddy Rose.” I think Chris Lovey just became the greatest announcer in the world in the Bruce Mitchell’s eyes, and it takes a lot to impress the Torch’ own Cantankerous Curmudgeon, believe you me. Back in the ring Shane was on the ring apron when London hit a springboard leg scissors that ended up sending Shane through the table! Wow!

London then goes under the ring and pulls out a ladder. Not just any ladder, a giant ladder. The El Gigante of ladders. This ladder was as tall as Keith Lipinski’s TNA reviews are long. (Editor’s Note: only 3-4 people on Earth are going to understand that reference and I’m not one of them) Okay, enough hyperbole, I think you get the point. So Get This, London props the ladder up against the top turnbuckle and RUNS UP THE F---ING THING like a ramp to jump off the top and hit a sommersault plancha onto Michael Shane! UNREAL. Back in the ring, London set up a smaller ladder and jumped off it intending to hit Shane with a hurracanrana but Shane countered it into a POWERBOMB! This match is surreal! Shane climbed the ropes and hit a Picture Perfect Elbow. Kickout! London fought back and hit a superkick followed by a London Star Press. Kickout! London sets up the El Gigante ladder and has to kick the cheap thing to straighten it out because it is so wobbly. This is INSANE and the crowd chants, “You Sick Fuck!” But London is laid out by Shane who then climbs to the top of the ladder and hits a Picture Perfect Elbow. HOLY SHIT! KICKOUT!! Shane went to climb the ladder again but London got up, ran to the ropes and hit a Lionsault-like move that took out Shane! London climbs the ladder as the crowd chants, “Please Don’t Die! Please Don’t Die!” London then hit a London Star Press off the top of the ladder!

I don’t believe I saw what I think I just f---ing saw!

London finally pinned Shane for the win. This match totally broke Wade Keller’s 5 Star Rating System.The crowd was doing the ‘we’re not worthy’ bow while chanting, “Match of the Year!” After the match Michael Shane shook London’s hand, hugged London and then gave him a vicious clothesline! Chris Lovey was outraged! “What an asshole!”

***Earlier Today at that mysterious ROH Fan Fest Donovan Morgan pulls Mike Modest aside and invited him to join The Prophecy while adding, “You won’t regret it.” Modest declined and Morgan said, “You may have trained me but you never listen.” This ends up with the two getting in each others grill, a shoving match and Morgan finally bailing out of the ring when Modest gets fed up with him.

(11) The Prophecy (Christopher Daniels & Donovan Morgan) beat The American Dragon & Mike Modest to win the ROH Tag Title Tournament. These four tore it up to close the show but I have a feeling the crowd was just emotionally spent after the London – Shane match because they didn’t react to things the way you would have thought they would. In one of my favorite things yet in ROH, Dragon had his leg worked on throughout the match and when he applied the Cattle Mutilation on Morgan he kept that one leg in the air instead of using it to help him with the bridge. That was wonderful. Finish came when Dragon was going to give Daniels a Superplex but Morgan snuck behind him and hit Dragon which allowed Daniels to reverse the move – in MID F---ING AIR mind you – and make the pin. Dragon did a great bridge to get out but this just put him into position for the Last Rites! 1..2..3!

***After the match Morgan and Dragon were steamed. Dragon took the Tag Title Trophy, grabbed a chair and asked the crowd, “Do you want to see me break this son of a bitch?” He then destroyed the trophy. That’s not a very nice thing to do but I have to admit that every time I see the Yankees win a World Series I wish that someone would crack the trophy over Big Stein’s head.

***Backstage Simply Luscious and Xavier are recovering from their beatings when the rest of the Prophecy joins them. Daniels was ecstatic and yelled, “We did it!” Daniels then did his usual best-in-ROH promos by talking about the trophy itself by saying, “Well it was a good trophy until that bastard destroyed it!” Daniels was rolling here as he talked about ROH ripping of the Japanese promotions (who have trophies), “Why do they try to be Japanese?! Why don’t they give us belts?!” Daniels said that The Prophecy will tear down ROH and will NOT defend ANY of their titles at the next show Glory By Honor. Daniels said Xavier is only going to have a tune up match at that show and he’ll find the biggest loser in ROH to fill that spot. As if on cue Mark Briscoe arrived and said he heard they were looking for a loser, so he brought up his brother Jay. I was absolutely dying here. Daniels said, “That’s right!” and thought Jay would be the perfect opponent. Daniels then brought up that he would fight the winner of the Dick Togo versus Doug Williams match and whoever he beat would NEVER be able to shake hands in ROH again. Then, in one of those you gotta see moments, Daniels turns around to Briscoe – who is just standing there – and yells out,

“What are you still doing here? GET OUT OF HERE!”

”What are you still doing here? GET OUT OF HERE!”

”What are you still doing here? GET OUT OF HERE!”

And as Mark stumbled away in shock I was once again reminded why The Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels has that certain something you can’t teach in any wrestling school.

Bonus Features: Unscripted features not one, but TWO extra matches. The first is Homicide (w/Boogalou) vs. Steve Corino for the JAPW Heavyweight Championship.. This is from a Jersey All Pro Wrestling event taking place in Bayonne, NJ. The second match is Jay Briscoe vs. Quiet Storm. This took place for in Deer Park, NY. This match has a neat extra feature with a very short documentary-like spot on Quiet Storm getting picked up at the Trenton Train Station. That fact that no one recognizes him was actually pretty funny to me.

Overall Thoughts: I don’t understand how ROH can take a guy I’ve watched countless times in TNA (Michael Shane) – but never saw much in him – and a guy who is no higher up than Orlando Jordan on the WWE roster, put them in an angle that has been incredible to watch over the past couple shows leading to the Street Fight here which will go down as one of the Greatest Matches I Have EVER Seen. Click Here to purchase the disc or head on over to www.ROHwrestling.com and check out all the other videos they have to offer.

ROH DVD Guy Derek Burgan has been writing for the PWTorch website for 3 years. His hobbies include watching the Chapelle’s Show, reading Generation Ecch and calling up the Puroresu Power Hour Radio Show and repeatedly ask if The Hurricane could defeat Mirko Cro Cop in a shoot fight until they hang up. If you have any questions, corrections, feedback, comments and ideas, he can be reached at: derek@gumgod.com

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