By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist

RADICAN’S ROH DRIVEN REPORT
SEPTEMBER 20, 2007
CHICAGO RIDGE, ILL & PHILADELPHIA, PA
TAPED FOR PAY-PER-VIEW IN JUNE

-The show opens in Chicago Ridge, Ill with Dave Prazak welcoming a very enthusiastic crowd to the show from the ring. Prazak said tonight you will see that ROH is all about competition. Erick Stevens, Matt Cross, and Delirious came out. Stevens challenged the NRC to a Six Man Tag match. Delirious then got on the mic and cut an intense promo in his unique style. He concluded by telling the NRC to be ready for war (I think).

-An opening video aired for Driven aired featuring highlights from the previous PPV “Respect Is Earned.”

-The NRC charged the ring and it was on!

1 - - THE RESILIENCE (MATT CROSS & ERICK STEVENS) & DELIRIOUS vs. THE NRC (RODERICK STRONG & ROCKY ROMERO & DAVEY RICHARDS) – Six Man Tag match

All six men went at it in the ring. Strong and Richards got sent to the outside, as Stevens, Cross, and Delirious isolated Romero in the corner until Strong dragged him to the outside. The fans taunted Strong by chanting his name slowly. Stevens and Strong went at it, but Strong sent him to the floor with a dropkick. Strong then launched Romero over the top rope and onto Stevens on the floor. Delirious hit a cannonball senton off the top to take out the NRC on the outside as the crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.”

Delirious tossed Romero into the ring and began to work him over, but Romero cut him off and laid into him with a series of kicks. Romero tagged in Richards, who taunted Stevens before hitting a suplex on Delirious. Strong tagged into the match and the fans got on his case again. The NRC triple teamed Delirious, as the ref held Stevens and Cross back from entering the ring. Prazak mentioned that Austin Aries was no longer in ROH, but had bought a ticket to the PPV.

Delirious cut Richards off with a headbutt to the mid-section. Strong tagged in and tried to cut him off, but Delirious was able to tag out to Stevens, who ran wild on the NRC. Delirious hit the panic attack on Strong and Stevens followed up with a TKO, but Strong kicked out. Cross hit an incredible dive to the outside to wipe out Richards and Romero. Stevens hit a big powerslam on Strong, but Romero broke up the pin. Stevens had his backed turned to Richards, who hit a missile dropkick on him. Delirious hit a leaping lariat on Romero and all six men were down.

Cross ran into a boot from Romero and the NRC hit a series of moves on him capped by a leaping DDT from Romero. Strong and Stevens went at it in the center of the ring. Strong gained the upper hand and hit a big chop on Stevens. Strong went for a big boot, but Stevens caught him and threw him to the mat. The announcers said the ref was relaxing the rules for this match. Richards and Stevens went at it. Stevens hit a release German on Richards and Cross hit a SSP press off the top, but Romero broke up the pin. The crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.” Cross hit a neck breaker on Romero and then a big twisting splash, but Romero kicked out at the last second. Romero hit a big kick to Cross’s head and Richards hit the DR Driver for the pin.

WINNER: The NRC (Davey Richards & Roderick Strong & Rocky Romero)

STAR RATING: (***1/4) – This was an action packed opening match to say the least. They set an unbelievable at the beginning of the match and sustained it throughout. The crowd was red hot during this match.

-The NRC continued to put the boots to Cross after the match. Strong went outside to set up a guardrail, but Austin Aries ran into the ring. The announcers said Aries wasn’t supposed to be doing this. Aries hit a dive to the outside to wipe out the NRC as the crowd chanted his name. Aries got on the mic and said he had a little surprise for everyone. Aries took a piece of paper out of his pocket and said once he signed it, he would have his wrestling freedom. He said with that freedom, he would hunt down the NRC and beat some respect into them. He said once he signed the paper, he would be the property of the best wrestling company in the world. Aries asked for a pen and the fans sent several flying in his direction as they chanted “welcome back.” Aries signed the contract and said he was back where he belonged in ROH. Austin guaranteed the fans would not find more passion or excitement anywhere else in this industry than you would in ROH. Aries concluded by saying, “We are wrestling.” The fans gave Aries a huge ovation as he handed his signed contract to ROH owner Cary Silkin.

-The Briscoes were backstage talking about wrestling in Japan. They started shoving each other and said all the tag teams better man up. Highlights aired of ROH’s tour in Japan from July. The wrestlers narrated some of the highlights, as McGuinness and Danielson talked about the wrestling tradition in Japan and the ROH World Title. The package concluded with some fans from Japan chanting ROH.

-They went right back to the ring with Matt Sydal and Claudio Castagnoli already there ready to face off in a match with full introductions. Video packages for both men then played. They then cut back to the ring and the fans were doing the “hey wave” for Castagnoli.

2 - - MATT SYDAL vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI

The announcers gave some background for the match, as they said Sydal blamed Castagnoli for the loss to the Briscoes on the last PPV. They set a crisp pace early with some very good back and fourth action, but Sydal got the upper hand and took Castagnoli down with an impressive arm drag. Sydal charged Castagnoli in the corner, but got caught and tossed to the mat. The fans chanted for Castagnoli as he did a walked around with Sydal in the vertical suplex position before dropping him to the mat. Castagnoli then hit the giant swing on Sydal as the crowd roared.

The action was shown from a new camera angle, which was close up from the hard camera position. Castagnoli laid in Sydal with a series of European uppercuts and went off the ropes, but Sydal swept his legs out from under him and he went flying through the ropes to the floor. Sydal then hit a beautiful dive to the outside as the crowd roared. Sydal took Castagnoli down with a leg lariat and covered him for a 2 count. Castagnoli cut Sydal off and hit a modified Angle slam, but Sydal’s shoulders were off the matt when he covered him. Castagnoli went for a bicycle kick, but Sydal blocked it and took him down with a dragon screw. They exchanged pinfalls, but Sydal hit a standing moonsault for a 2 count as the crowd clapped.

Sydal ducked another bicycle kick and hit a DDT. Sydal went up top, but Castagnoli cut him off with a European uppercut. Castagnoli sent him to the mat with a step up enzuguri and then finally hit the bicycle kick for a nearfall. Castagnoli waited for Sydal to get up and greeted him with a European uppercut. Sydal blocked a charge from Castagnoli in the corner and after a brief exchange took him down with an incredible looking headscissors. Castagnoli put Sydal on his shoulders, but Sydal stood on his shoulders to block a powerbomb attempt, dropped down, and hit a dragoncanrana for a great nearfall. Castagnoli elevated Sydal again as he came off the ropes and Sydal went for another dragonrana, but Castagnoli rolled through and got the pin.

WINNER: Castagnoli.

STAR RATING: (***3/4) – Wow, wow, wow. This was an amazing display of back and fourth wrestling between Castagnoli and Sydal. I really enjoyed how they laid the match around Castagnoli trying to bicycle kick on Sydal during the early stages of the match only to be thwarted until he finally hit during the final stages of the encounter. You’ll be hitting the rewind button during certain sequences in this once you watch it. Matches like this take me back to the days when the Hardy Boyz and Edge & Christian were having innovative matches in the WWE.

-A replay of the finish in slow motion aired. You could actually see people standing on their feet during the finishing sequence.

-Larry Sweeney came down to the ring with Sweet N’ Sour Inc. Sweeney talked about Chris Hero being the #1 athlete in professional Hero being a client of his. Sweeney told Castagnoli that Hero had carried him to the ROH World Tag Team Titles as footage played of them holding the straps. Sweeney said he had an eye for raw talent. He told Sydal he was great and said under his guidance, they could turn his losses into victories. Sweeney handed Sydal a contract. Castagnoli grabbed the mic from Sweeney and told Sydal that he shouldn’t get involved with a scumbag. The crowd chanted “you’re a scumbag” at Sweeney. Castagnoli said ROH was about wrestling, but Sweeney was only about business. Castagnoli tore up Sweeney’s contract and threw the pieces at Sweeney. Dempsey and Hero attacked Castagnoli, but he sent them packing. Sydal then attacked Castagnoli from behind. Hero hit the Hero’s welcome on Castagnoli and put him in the hangman’s clutch as Sweeney taunted him. The crowd chanted “you sold out” at Sydal as he hugged Hero. Sweeney got on the mic and said they were going to party. Prazak and Leonard lamented Sydal’s choice and couldn’t believe he had sided with Sweet N’ Sour Inc.

-A video package narrated by Jimmy Rave aired. He said it didn’t matter how big Morishima was. Rave said he was going to take Morishima to the mat and become the ROH World Champion tonight.

B.J. Whitmer and Naomichi Marufuji got full ring entrances and highlight packages.

3 - - B.J. WHITMER vs. NAOMICHI MARUFUJI

Prazak said this was going to be an even match. The announcers talked about wrestlers needing wins to stay on PPV and mentioned that Marufuji was 1-0 and Whitmer was 0-1. Both men went for a dropkick and came to a stalemate after a series of exchanges. They exchanged forearms, but Whitmer hit a leg lariat. Whitmer then bounced off the ropes and hit a dive to the outside. Whitmer quickly threw Marufuji back to the ring and covered him for a 2 count. The announcers said Whitmer hadn’t been the same since losing to Jimmy Jacobs at “Supercard of Honor 2” in April as Marufuji hit a dropkick to Whitmer’s head. Both men struggled for position on the apron, but Marufuji spring boarded over the top rope and DDT’d Whitmer on the mat.

Marufuji bounced Whitmer’s head off the ring post and tossed him back into the ring. Marufuji elevated Whitmer and dropped him back down into the cross arm breaker, but Whitmer got the ropes. Marufuji hit a splash in the corner and went up top, but Whitmer cut him off and hit a superplex, but wasn’t able to capitalize. The referee administered a double count on both men as they struggled to get to their feet. They got to their feet and began exchanging chops. Marufuji came off the ropes, but Whitmer cut him off and hit a combination of suplexes. Marufuji slipped out of an attempted powerbomb from Whitmer only to eat a boot to the gut and a running knee strike to the jaw for a 2 count.

Marufuji caught Whitmer with a straightjacket suplex for a 2 count. Marufuji waited for Whitmer to get up and ran at him and drove his knee into Whitmer’s throat for a 2 count. Marufuji waited for Whitmer to get up again, but Whitmer blocked his superkick attempt and hit a big powerslam for a 2 count. Marufuji went for a clothesline, but Whitmer stayed on his feet. They both then hit a clothesline at the same time. Marufuji then hit a hard clothesline for a 2 count. Marufuji went for slicked bread #2, but Whitmer blocked it and hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. Whitmer went up top, but Marufuji kicked his legs out from under him and he hung upside down. Marufuji then climbed the opposite turnbuckle as the crowd roared and hit the coast to coast dropkick for a nearfall. Marufuji hit a superkick, but Whitmer blocked the sliced bread #2 again. Marufuji hit another superkick and hit the sliced bread # 2 for the pin.

WINNER: Naomichi Marufuji

STAR RATING: (***) – This was a good match. The announcers did a good job telling the story of the match being Whitmer needing a win after losing on the last ROH PPV and Marufuji was looking to continue his winning streak on PPV by getting a win over Whitmer. The action was solid throughout and they are obviously moving forward the ongoing storyline with Whitmer as he dropped another match on PPV.

-Rebecca Bayless was in the crowd. She said she hoped everyone at home was enjoying the show. She then ran down the markets ROH runs shows in as a crawler for ROHWrestling.com ran along the bottom of the screen.

-Pelle Primeau and Brent Albright came out to full entrances with highlight packages. Albright was wearing a black mask.

4 - - PELLE PRIMEU VS. BRENT ALBRIGHT

Primeau tried a forearm early, but Albright got angry and pummeled him with blows in the corner. Albright picked up Primeau and launched him across the ring. Primeau ran off the ropes, but Albright caught him with a German suplex. Albright then hit the half-nelson suplex and covered Primeau, but lifted him up before the ref could count to three. Albright then lifted Primeau above his head and dropped him down into the crowbar. I think Primeau tapped before he hit the ground. Well not really, but it was a quick tap.

WINNER: Brent Albright

STAR RATING: (*) – A good showcase of Albright’s ability in the ring. This was a quick squash and nothing more, as the announcers talked about Albright’s character in the ring. This was an effective debut for Albright’s character on PPV.

-Albright wouldn’t let go of Primeau’s arm after he tapped and the ref administered a five count, so he finally let go. A replay of Albright forearming the life out of Primeau was then shown in slow motion. Sucks to be Pelle.

-A video package for ROHWrestling.com aired. They showed Samoa Joe, C.M. Punk, Kenta Kobashi, Ricky Steamboat, and many others who have been in ROH.

-Kevin Steen & El Generico got a full entrance and highlight package, but I didn’t recognize their music. The Briscoes came out to their authentic ROH entrance music and got a huge pop and streamers. The crowd was read hot for the Briscoes and chanted “let’s go Briscoes” before the bell rang. Steen grabbed the belt out of the ref’s hands and posed with it as the crowd booed. Generico offered a handshake to Jay before the match, but Steen didn’t and went to the apron.

5 - - THE BRISCOES VS. KEVIN STEEN & EL GENERICO – ROH World Tag Team Titles match

Generico locked up with Steen to begin the match. They did some standing switches, but Jay took Generico down to the mat and applied a headscissors submission. Generico reached the ropes and the ref called for Jay to break the hold. The crowd chanted for Generico who wanted to do a test of strength with Jay, but Jay took him down and laid into him with a series of blows to the head before applying a chinlock. Jay took Generico down with a drop toehold and applied a front facelock. Generico got up and pushed Jay into the corner. The ref called for a clean break and Generico thought about it, but finally took his hands off Jay. Generico shoved Jay in the corner. Jay fired back out of the corner with a shove of his own, but Generico took him down with his signature spinning arm drag. Generico pushed Jay into his own corner and tagged in Steen, who entered the ring to a chorus of boos.

Jay ducked a clothesline and Mark hit a springboard elbow on Stevens after a blind tag. Steen cut Mark off and hit several chops and took him down with an elbow. Mark got right up, but Steen took him down with a kick. Steen went after Jay and knocked him off the apron, but Mark dropkicked him from behind into the turnbuckles. The Briscoes hit their signature stereo kicks on Steen in the corner and the crowd applauded. Jay laid into Steen with a series of chops, but Steen caught him coming off the ropes and threw him into Mark, who was standing on the apron. Steen then hit a neckbreaker on Jay and tagged in Generico. Generico and Steen hit some nice double team moves on Jay, capped by Steen’s summersault leg drop. Steen tagged back in and choked Jay on the ropes. The crowd booed, so Steen did a bow before knocking Mark off the apron once again.

Jay cut off Generico with a chin breaker and threw Generico into his own corner before tagging in Mark. Mark violently targeted Generico’s head with a series of blows and a knee drop before tagging in Jay. The Briscoes hit another combination of moves on Generico, which was capped by a legdrop off the top from Jay. Jay kicked Generico in the back of the head and tagged in Mark, who came off the second rope with a knee to Generico’s head. Generico nearly tagged out, but Jay sent Steen off the apron to the floor. The Briscoes went for their double team shoulder block, but Generico tossed Jay to the floor. Steen then ran back into the ring and dove over the top onto the outside and landed on Jay. Steen pummeled Jay on the outside. Mark then ran across the apron and wiped out Steen with a dive. Jay then charged across the ring and took Generico over the top with a clothesline and they both spilled to the floor. Wow!

The crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.” Mark hit a moonsault off the barricade onto Steen. The Briscoes then tossed Generico over the guardrail and he landed in a pile of chairs. Steen charged at the Briscoes. He got a hold of Mark and powerbombed him into the crowd. Steen posed for the crowd as they went nuts. Steen dragged Generico out of the crowd and tossed back into the ring. Jay and Steen hit forearms. The crowd cheered for Jay and booed Steen as they exchanged blows. Jay came off the ropes, but Steen caught him with a sitdown powerbomb for a nearfall. Steen signaled for the package piledriver, but Mark ran in and pounded on Steen. Generico tossed Mark outside and hit an incredible springboard moonsault on him off the top rope. Generico then ran across the ring and hit a big boot on Jay in the corner and tossed him to Steen, who dropped Jay neck-first over his knee. Steen went up top and hit a swanton, but Jay kicked out at the last second. Steen was pissed.

Steen went for another package piledriver on Jay, but Mark broke it up. Generico cut him off right away and hit a swinging DDT. Mark blocked a running boot from Generico in the corner and hit a springboard double stomp on Steen through a table on the outside. Jay then picked up Generico and hit a DVD for a nearfall. Jay looked at the ref in disbelief as the crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.” Jay & Mark then hit the springboard Jay-driller on Generico for the pin.

WINNERS: The Briscoes to retain the ROH World Tag Team Titles.

STAR RATING: (****1/2) – An incredible match from start to finish. The match started slow with both teams having an advantage for an extended period. The last ten minutes of the match featured tag team wrestling at its best, as all four men stepped up their games and conveyed a great intensity and desire to win the match. The exchanges between both teams down the stretch were incredible.

-Slow motion replays aired of the Briscoes tossing Generico into the crowd and the finish of the match.

-Jay said, “This is how it’s done, son.” Steen then attacked the Briscoes with a ladder and sent them both to the floor on the outside as they left the ring. The announcers said this isn’t what ROH was built on. Steen grabbed Generico and pointed towards the Briscoes. He told Generico he needs to act like him.

-Larry Sweeney was backstage with Sydal and Hero. Sweeney called Sydal a big fox. Sweeney said he had Castagnoli exactly where he wanted him. He said Castagnoli wouldn’t get his hands on Hero or Sydal until the money was right. Sweeney then offered to let Sydal workout. Bobby Dempsey was doing exercises on a weight machine with Tank Toland yelling at him. Dempsey couldn’t complete the exercise, so Toland offered him a cookie. Dempsey licked his lips as Toland asked him who the cookie monster was. Dempsey went for the cookie, but the weight machine snapped him away. Toland told him he wasn’t going to get any cookies, so Hero and Sydal ate them.

-Jimmy Rave and Takeshi Morishima both got full ring entrances and highlight package.

6 - - JIMMY RAVE vs. TAKESHI MORSIHIMA – ROH World Title match

Morishima charged at Rave as the fans threw streamers at him. Morishima pummeled Rave in the corner. The ref tried to stop him, but Morishima shoved him away. Morishima threw Rave to the outside, but Rave sent him into the guardrail. Rave laid into Morishima with a series of blows before throwing him back into the ring. Rave ducked a clothesline from Morishima and hit a spear. Rave went up top, but Morishima caught him and hit an overhead belly to belly suplex. Morishima went up top, but Rave cut him off. Morishima shoved Rave to the mat and hit a big missile dropkick as the crowd applauded. Morishima hit a cartwheel avalanche in the corner and then sat down on Rave’s chest for a 2 count. Morishima tried to sit down on Rave’s chest, but Rave moved and came off the ropes with a running kick.

Rave went for the pedigree, but Morishima backdropped him. Rave then caught Morishima with the heel hook. Morishima struggled, but eventually reached the ropes. Rave stomped at Morishima’s leg and came off the ropes, but Morishima caught him with a side slam. Morishima then hit a big running lariat. Morishima then picked up Rave and hit the backdrop driver for the pin.

WINNER: Takeshi Morishima to retain the ROH World Title

Star Rating: (**) – The action was really good while it lasted. Morishima beat Rave in just a shade under 4 minutes, but the match felt like it went longer than that. I like how Morishima is being used on PPV so far, as he’s gotten dominant wins over Rave and Whitmer on consecutive PPVs.

-The announcers said when Morishima hits the backdrop driver, the match will be over. They then talked about how ROH had never had anyone as dominant holding the title as Morishima has been. Prazak and Leonard then said they were going to shift things over to Philadelphia for the #1 contender’s match.

-A promo aired with Adam Pearce talking to Shane Hagadorn. He told him to grasp the concept of need. Hagadorn told Pearce he respected him. Pearce then turned towards the camera and said need consumes us and drives us insane. Pearce talked about how B.J. Whitmer has always needed the acceptance of the fans who purchase DVDs and sit at home. Pearce said because of that, Whitmer has panned to the fans for acceptance and gotten nothing. Pearce said Whitmer’s spirit was broken because of need. Pearce said he knows what Whitmer needs and in time everyone will know what Pearce needs to satisfy his needs. Pearce then went over to a dejected Whitmer and offered him a hug, but then decked him with a punch. Brent Albright then came into the picture and walked way with Pearce as he laughed.

-They showed the Philadelphia crowd going insane. Nigel McGuinness came out to a big reaction. Prazak says McGuinness has only one dream and that is to be the ROH World Champion. Bryan Danielson then came out to a superstar reaction as the fans sounded like their heads might pop off from excitement at any moment. Danielson went face to face with McGuinness and pointed to the crowd as they chanted “best in the world.” They shook hands to begin the match.

7 - - BRYAN DANIELSON vs. NIGEL MCGUINNESS - #1 Contender’s match

The crowd chanted loudly for both men during the early stages of the match. This match had an incredible atmosphere during the early stages. The crowd was going insane as Danielson and Dragon had a short feeling out period. Danielson took McGuinness down and locked him in a nasty arm submission. McGuinness escaped, so Danielson shifted his weight and rolled it into a leg submission as the crowd chanted “Dragon, Dragon.” Danielson went for a bow and arrow, but McGuinness dropped down on him for a nearfall. McGuinness sent Danielson down with a shoulder tackle and gestured at him to bring it. McGuinness hit another shoulder tackle, but McGuinness took him down and landed some blows. McGuinness got the guard and they had some UFC style exchanges on the mat.

McGuinness rolled away from Danielson and got a keylock, but Danielson got the ropes. Danielson then offered a handshake. McGuinness accepted, but Danielson slapped McGuinness hard across the face. Danielson then went after McGuinness’s eyes as the ref applied his count. Danielson laid into McGuinness with several kicks, but McGuinness got up and slapped Danielson hard across the face. Danielson fired back with several hard slaps in the corner. McGuinness did a handstand in the opposite corner. Danielson charged, but McGuinness hit a mule kick. The crowd chanted for McGuinness as he began working over Danielson’s arm on the mat. McGuinness applied an insane looking arm submission on Danielson as the crowd roared. Danielson suddenly escaped and cinched in a chinlock. Danielson then crossed McGuinness’s arms and dropped him back-first over his knees.

McGuinness struggled to get to his feet and got the stranglehold on Danielson. McGuinness then swung Danielson around right into a short-arm lariat. Danielson rolled to the outside and McGuinness went on the attack. McGuinness laid into Danielson with a series of European uppercuts and then got a running start and hit a huge running European uppercut on Danielson, which sent him flying into the guardrail. Danielson fired right back and hit a European uppercut of his own as the crowd reacted to each blow. Danielson set up McGuinness on a chair and threw the timekeepers table on him. The crowd chanted “Dragon, Dragon” as he aggressively continued his attack. Danielson tried to throw McGuinness back into the ring, but he bounced off the ropes and hit the rebound lariat, which sent Danielson flying into the crowd. McGuinness then went up and hit a huge splash onto Danielson into the crowd. The fans went insane and chanted “ROH, ROH.” A replayed aired from a different angle of McGuinness’s dive.

McGuinness set Danielson up against the guardrail and charged at him, but Danielson charged at him and hit a European uppercut. Danielson then suplexed McGuinness back-first onto the guardrail, which must have felt awful. Danielson then suplexed McGuinness from the crowd back onto the floor. The crowd chanted for Dragon as he continued his attack. Danielson drove his knee into McGuinness’s injured back and then locked in the crossface. Danielson let the hold go and continued to drive his knee into McGuinness’s back.

McGuinness got pissed when Danielson stepped on his face, but Danielson raked his eyes to stop his momentum. Danielson continued to reign down blows on McGuinness’s nose and then stood on his head again. Danielson twisted McGuinness’s head and delivered a headbutt. Danielson slapped McGuinness hard across the face. McGuinness told Danielson to keep doing it and fired up more and more after each slap. McGuinness went for a European uppercut, but Danielson blocked it. McGuinness spun right around and hit a big lariat on Danielson, but was slow to get up as the crowd chanted “Nigel, Nigel.” McGuinness hit a running European uppercut on Danielson in the corner. Danielson went for a clothesline, but McGuinness ducked and hit a superkick. McGuinness then hit a big lariat for a 2 count.

Danielson hit a back heel kick on McGuinness in the corner and then kicked him hard in the side of the head for a 2 count. Danielson pulled McGuinness to the center of the ring and went up top, but McGuinness cut him off. McGuinness went for the Tower of London, but Danielson blocked it. After a brief exchange, McGuinness caught Danielson as he went for a leapfrog and powerbombed him for a 2 count. McGuinness then applied a single leg crab as the crowd chanted “This is wrestling.” Danielson struggled for the ropes and finally made it.

McGuinness did another handstand in the corner, but Danielson dropkicked him and hit several kicks to his back in the corner. Danielson then hit a belly to back superplex for a 2 count. Danielson then locked in the crossface chicken wing. The crowd chanted “please don’t tap.” McGuinness fought free and tried to put Danielson into position for the Tower of London, but couldn’t because of the pain in his back. McGuinness tried again and hit the Tower of London as the crowd chanted “This is awesome.”

McGuinness laid into Danielson with a series of forearms and placed Danielson over the top rope and hit a leaping lariat. McGuinness covered Danielson, but he got his foot on the ropes as the crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.” Danielson hit an enzuguri and both men were down. The crowd chanted for both men as they struggled to get to their feet. The atmosphere for this match is among the best I’ve ever seen on PPV. They went face to face and slapped the living hell out of each other. They then started bouncing off the ropes and hitting headbutts back and fourth. The reaction is just incredible as the crowd is roaring with each blow. Danielson came up bleeding after McGuinness ducked a headbutt and hit a huge clothesline. Both men got right to their feet. Danielson blocked the pendulum clothesline with a forearm two times and hit a tiger suplex for a nearfall. Danielson went for cattle mutilation, but McGuinness flipped over for a nearfall. Danielson held on and began reigning elbows down on McGuinness’s head with both arms trapped. McGuinness began to fade as the crowd roared. Danielson then switched back to the cattle mutilation and the ref called for the bell after McGuinness didn’t respond.

WINNER: Bryan Danielson to become the #1 Contender to the ROH World Title

STAR RATING: (*****) – This was the best pro wrestling match I have seen since Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi, which took place in 2005. The atmosphere for this match was among the best I’ve ever seen for a pro wrestling match airing on PPV. The enthusiasm from the crowd was incredible and both McGuinness and Danielson went to a level they had never gone to before. The entire match felt like a fight from start to finish. At one point, the crowd chanted “this is wrestling.” I agree. This match is the standard for pro wrestling in 2007.

-The crowd chanted “ROH, ROH” as Danielson asked them who the best in the world was. Danielson went to each corner and asked who the best in the world was and the crowd chanted “you are!” The crowd then chanted “Best in the world, Best in the world.” Danielson pointed at the McGuinness and the crowd chanted “Nigel, Nigel.” The crowd chanted “thank you both” as they shook hands. Danielson then rallied the crowd as they chanted “ROH, ROH” to close the show. A graphic appeared on the screen saying the next PPV “Man Up” would air in November.

Recommendation: (10.0) I’ll have more thoughts on this show in the coming week. You must buy this PPV and watch it. If you’ve never given ROH a shot, they deserve your money for this show. It is the best PPV I’ve seen since “One Night Stand” in 2005. This was simply an amazing show from top to bottom. The McGuinness-Danielson match is one I’ll go back and watch from time to time as the years go by. It will never get old watching the masterpiece they put on in front of a rabid crowd in Philadelphia where ROH was born.

This show will air on TVN and the Dish beginning on Sept. 21. It will beginning airing on Indemand on Sept. 28 at 10 p.m.

Be on the lookout for a VIP ROH Audio Update on this PPV in the coming days.

Email Sean Radican.

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