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RADICAN'S ROH UNDENIABLE PPV REPORT (Morishima vs. McGuinness)
Jan 20, 2008 - 12:00:54 PM


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By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist

RADICAN’S ROH “UNDENIABLE” PPV REPORT
JANUARY 13, 2008
EDISON, NJ & DAYTON OHIO
TAPED FOR PAY-PER-VIEW IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER


This show begins airing Jan. 18 on Indemand, TVN, and The Dish.

-The show opened in Edison, NJ with Claudio Castagnoli already in the ring standing behind Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard, who opened the show. Prazak talked about Morishima defending the ROH World Title against Nigel McGuinness. Both men were shown in the locker room getting ready for their match. Leonard said Claudio Castagnoli was undeniable and ready for his match against Chris Hero.

Larry Sweeney came out and said Chris Hero wasn’t happy with the terms of the match. He said there would be no Hero-Castagnoli match tonight. Sweeney said they would be holding out until they got exactly what they want. He then told Castagnoli he was off the PPV since he had signed to wrestle Hero, who wasn’t wrestling until more money was on the line.

-The opening video aired featuring highlights from the last PPV set to some Smashing Pumpkins.

-The Age of the Fall were in the ring. Jimmy Jacobs cut a promo and said they weren’t a faction. He said they were a revolution as shots of Jay Briscoe bleeding on Jacobs from “Man Up” aired with odd lighting effects. Jacobs said they targeted the Briscoes because the belts would bring them power. Jacobs asked for the first stepping stone to come out and face them. The Vulture Squad came out and Julius Smokes directed them to charge the ring.

1 - - AGE OF THE FALL (JIMMY JACOBS & TYLER BLACK W/ LACEY) vs. THE VULTURE SQUAD (JACK EVANS & RUCKUS W/ JULIUS SMOKES).

Ruckus went for a dive to the outside, but Tyler Black cut him off and took out Ruckus and Evans on the floor. Jigsaw and The Necro Butcher had brawled to the back, which made the match a tradition tag team match. Jacobs & Black isolated Ruckus. The crowd tried to rally behind him by chanting “chocolate vulture,” but Age of the Fall maintained their advantage by hitting a double dropkick in the corner. The crowd tried to rally Ruckus again, but Jacobs tackled him and dragged him away from Evans, which allowed Black to tag in and lay into him with a series of kicks. Ruckus hit a nice neckbreaker on Black and crawled towards Evans to make the tag.

Evans ran wild and hit a dropkick on Black that he turned into a moonsault on Jacobs, which popped the crowd. Jacobs cut off Evans with a spear, but Ruckus cut him right away and hit the razzle dazzle on Jacobs in the corner. Black cut Ruckus off and kicked him to the floor. Black set Ruckus up in a chair and Jacobs hit a springboard splash on the seated Ruckus on the outside. Evans tried to hit a dive to the outside on Black, but got caught and powerbombed into the guardrail, which drew a “holy s---“chant from the crowd. Black held up Evans and Jacobs hit a senton. Black then held Evans up and Jacobs kicked him in the head. Jacobs then submitted Evans with a nasty looking guillotine submission.

WINNERS: THE AGE OF THE FALL

STAR RATING: (***) – A short, but impressive display of action from both teams. The match was just really exciting to watch from start to finish. Jacobs & Black mesh really well as a unit, as did Evans and Ruckus. The finish was especially well-executed and decisive in favor of The Age of the Fall, who come off like an imposing force in ROH already.

-A graphic came up right after the finish that read “Follow the crowd, Fall in line.” Evans sold the submission after the match by rolling around on the mat and holding his head.

-Morishima was shown in the back. The man sitting next to him said Morishima didn’t want any cameras as Morishima threw a fit in the background and launched a chair across the room.

-An Erick Stevens highlight package aired narrated by Stevens, who painted himself as a fighting underdog. He said his rookie year in ROH was almost over. He said as he enters his second year, he understands how things work in ROH. He said no one can match the look in his eye. He said he had reckless determination.

-Sweet & Sour Inc. was in the ring. Sweeney said the holdout was continuing, but they had agreed to present the first women’s wrestling match on ROH PPV. Sweeney said his client, Sara Del Rey, would take on Daizee Haze. Graphics aired for both women prior to their match.

2 - - SARA DEL REY (W/ SWEET & SOUR INC.) vs. DAIZEE HAZE

Del Rey tried to overpower Haze early, but Haze fired back with a nice arm drag and then a headscissors takedown that sent Del Rey to the outside. Haze then went up top and took out Del Rey and Bobby Dempsey with a dive to the outside. Del Rey caught Haze coming off the rope and caught her with a fall away slam with a bridge for a 2 count. Del Rey took down Haze down with a running kick and covered her arrogantly for a1 count. Haze fired back and hit the heart punch and a Yakuza kick for a 2 count.

Haze came off the ropes, but Del Rey caught her with a German suplex. Castagnoli came down to attack Hero, but Sweeney hit him from behind. Haze got a rollup on Del Rey for the pin back inside the ring.

WINNER: Daizee Haze

STAR RATING: (*) – This was a short match that was good while it lasted, but it was more of a backdrop than anything else to the Castagnoli-Sweet & Sour Inc. angle.

-After the match, Hero gave Castagnoli the Hero’s welcome on the outside. Leonard said when Hero hits that move in the ring, the match is over. The lights went out and Bryan Danielson’s music played. Sweet & Sour Inc. cleared the ring as the crowd chanted for Danielson. Danielson got on the mic and told Sweet & Sour Inc. that they represented everything that was wrong with professional sports. Danielson said Hero should come into the ring right now and prove he’s the best athlete in wrestling. Hero accepted and the crowd chanted “you’re going to get your f-----g” head kicked in.” Hero had the announcer say that he wanted them to know that was just purely speculation.

3 - - CHRIS HERO (W/ SWEET & SOUR INC.) vs. BRYAN DANIELSON

Danielson immediately took Hero down to the mat with a front facelock. Hero reversed the hold and grabbed a leg, but Danielson immediately took him back down to the mat and worked over his arm. The announcers said Castagnoli was out for the evening and the question was if he would be out for a few weeks as a result of Hero hitting him on the outside with the Hero’s welcome. Hero got out of the arm bar and did a dance around the ring and jumped back and fourth over the top rope as Sweeney clapped on the outside. Danielson didn’t look impressed.

Danielson took Hero down and went for the cross arm breaker, but Hero wouldn’t let him get full extension on the hold. Hero backed Danielson into the corner and forced Danielson to break the hold. Hero then told the ref to hold Danielson off so he could adjust his headband. Danielson took Hero down, but Hero countered the hold into a pinning combination for a 1 count. Danielson got on top of Hero again, but Hero pushed Danielson off and did a headstand and then some more flips around the ring before posing for the crowd. Danielson charged at Hero and took out his legs. He then applied the Mexican surfboard on Danielson in the center of the ring. Danielson tried to trap Hero’s head, but Hero escaped. Danielson then drove Hero’s knees into the mat.

Danielson went for the crossface chickenwing, but Hero got to the ropes to break the rope. Danielson charged Hero on the apron, but he got his foot up and kicked Danielson to the mat inside the ring. Hero put his headband over his eyes and made fun of Danielson’s recent eye problems. Hero hit a running atomic drop that sent Danielson head-first into the top turnbuckle. Hero bowed for the crowd as they booed and Sweeney clapped on the outside. Danielson fired back and hit several kicks to Hero’s legs. Danielson then hit a kick to Hero’s back and covered him for a 2 count. Danielson went up top, but Hero cut him off and applied a cravat. Danielson fired back and pushed Hero off and hit a missile dropkick. Danielson hit a German with a bridge and then caught him in the cattle mutilation, but Hero fought his way to his feet. Hero hit a forearm, but Danielson fired back with a headbutt. Hero was able to catch him with another forearm as he came off the ropes again. Hero then suplexed Danielson to the mat for a 2 count.

Hero faked going for the cattle mutilation and instead kipped up to his feet. Hero then slapped Danielson in the face and got a 2 count with a small package. Danielson cut Hero off in the corner and hit a big flying kick. Danielson then grabbed both of Hero’s arm and kicked his head over and over until the ref stopped the match.

WINNER: Danielson via ref stoppage.

STAR RATING: (***1/4) – Hero was hilarious in this match, as he really does a good job of playing to the crowd and acting like an arrogant fool. The end was great, as Hero began mocking Danielson’s signature moves, which only served to fire Danielson up, as he attacked him and finished him off quickly with the repeated kicks to the face.

-An ad for ROHWrestling.com set to Smashing Pumpkins aired. The ad featured Samoa Joe, C.M. Punk, Jeff Hardy, and Bruno Sammartino among others.

-Adam Pearce was already in the ring. Prazak said we were looking at the master of mind games. Pearce said he was out here with a purpose. Pearce said he needed to speak to Kevin Steen. Steen came out. His graphic said his goal was to hurt people, which made me laugh. Steen sat in the chair Pearce had brought out for him Pearce told Steen about the Hangman 3. Highlights aired of Pearce stapling Delirious’s mask to his face.

Pearce said El Generico also hides behind a mask. He said that Generico had cost Steen the ROH World Tag Team Titles at the last PPV. Pearce said he knew what Steen needs. He said Steen needed to associate himself with people as vicious as him. Pearce said he would be willing to make his faction the Hangman 4. Pearce offered him up El Generico, who was brought to the ring by B.J. Whitmer and Brent Albright, who were wearing hoods.

Pearce told Steen to embrace what he wanted and embrace the dark side. Steen teased hitting Generico, but attacked Pearce instead. Steen was outnumbered quickly by the Hangman 3, but Delirious’s music played and he came out to even the odds. Delirious got on the mic and cut a promo in gibberish. Steen then got on the mic and told the Hangman 3 that nobody smacked Generico but him. Delirious came off the top and took out the Hangman 3 with a dive to the outside and Steen said it looked like there was going to be a six man tag.

4 - - EL GENERICO & KEVIN STEEN & DELIRIOUS vs. THE HANGMAN 3 (BRENT ALBRIGHT & B.J. WHITMER & ADAM PEARCE W/ SHANE HAGADORN) – Six Man Tag match

Generico went at it with Whitmer in the ring. Whitmer now looks like Ken Kennedy. Delirious tagged in and pounded on Whitmer in the corner. Pearce interfered, which allowed Whitmer to get the upper hand and tag in Albright. Pearce tagged in and hit a big splash on Delirious for a nearfall. The Hangman 3 continued to tag in and out of the match to work over Delirious near their own corner. Whitmer argued with the ref, which allowed Pearce and Albright to choke Delirious with their boots simultaneously. Albright picked up Delirious in the suplex position and did several squats before dropping him down to the mat. Delirious tried to fire back on all three members of the Hangman 3, but Whitmer raked his eyes. Delirious finally cut Whitmer off and took him down with a hurricanrana and tagged in Steen.

Steen ran wild on Whitmer and hit a leg lariat. Steen also took out Albright and Pearce. Steen was about to hit a dive to the outside, but Albright cut him off with a shoulder tackle. Generico ran in and pounded on Albright. Steen recovered and hit a flipping legdrop on Albright. Steen then hit a flip dive to the outside to take out Whitmer and Pearce as the crowd erupted. Generico hit mafia kick on Whitmer in the corner and Steen followed with the swanton, but Pearce broke up the pin. Delirious tagged into the match and took Pearce down with a leaping lariat. Generico missed a dive off the top and Whitmer powerbombed him into the turnbuckles and nailed him with a running kick. Steen ran in and hit a superkick on Whitmer. Pearce then came in and hit a spinebuster on Steen. Delirious recovered and bit Pearce’s ear and hit the panic attack on Pearce in the corner. Albright came up from behind and hit the half-nelson suplex on Delirious for the pin.

WINNERS: The Hangmen 3

STAR RATING: (**1/2) – Not much to this match, as it served to forward some new angles more than anything else. The action was good for awhile, but the last minute was too chaotic to follow.

-Pearce’s ear was bleeding after the match as a result of being bitten by Delirious.

-They went backstage to McGuinness getting ready for his match in the locker room. McGuinness cut a promo. He said it wasn’t about making money or being a big star, but instead it was about a love for professional wrestling. McGuinness looked around at the locker room and said he had paid his dues to earn this shot today. McGuinness said he was still the kid who sat in Wembley Stadium and dreamed of being a professional wrestler. McGuinness said he is also the man who headbutts you and makes you bleed and lariats you and knocks you out. McGuinness said getting the ROH World Title would mean the 15 year old who sat in Wembley Stadium had his dream come true. Great promo.

-Footage aired of Roderick Strong turning on Austin Aries early in 2007.

-Roderick Strong made his entrance as Prazak talked about the history between Strong and Aries. Strong’s goal is to prove he’s better than Aries. Aries made his entrance and wore a serious expression on his face. Aries’s goal is to prove he’s better than Strong. This was a nice setup for their grudge match.

5 - - RODERICK STRONG vs. AUSTIN ARIES

Aries and Strong locked up and Aries pushed Strong into the corner. Strong ducked under the ropes to force a break. Aries took Strong down to the mat, but Strong escaped and rolled to the outside. The crowd chanted Strong’s name slowly, which seemed to get under his skin. Aries took Strong down with an arm bar and slapped at the back of his head. Strong cart wheeled out of the arm bar and chopped Aries hard across the chest to break the hold. Strong took Aries down in a head scissors. Aries struggled to escape, but eventually did and slapped Strong hard across the face. Strong took Aries down again and laid into him with a hard chop. Strong went for a dropkick on Aries, but Aries held onto the ropes and then hit a running dropkick of his own.

The action spilled outside and Aries worked him over on the outside for a few moments before tossing him back in the ring and hitting a springboard senton splash. Strong cut off Aries and hit a gutbuster over the shoulder. The announcers said this match was about bragging rights between Strong and Aries. Strong grabbed Aries and applied a camel clutch, but Aries fought his away out. Strong cut him off right away with a dropkick as he came off the ropes. Aries tried to kick at Strong from the sitting position out of the corner, but Strong yanked him up off the mat and hit a crazy looking backbreaker. Strong grabbed Aries in a bear hug from behind, but Aries fought free with a series of elbows. Both men then exchanged blows in the center of the ring.

Aries finally hit a clothesline out of the corner and laid into Strong with a series of punches in the corner, but Strong picked him up and tossed him to the floor. Strong went for the Gibson driver on the floor, but Aries backdropped him to the floor. The crowd chanted for Aries as he landed a series of punches on Strong. Aries then hit a big dropkick on Strong against the ring barrier. Strong landed on a seat in the corner on the outside, so Aries nailed him with a running knee to the head. Aries went for a springboard back inside the ring, but Strong got his knees up. Aries was able to roll Strong up quickly and then hit a dropkick for a series of two counts as the crowd got loud.

Aries went for the brainbuster, but Strong escaped and hit a half-nelson backbreaker for a 2 count. Strong hit a half-nelson backbreaker and went for the Gibson driver, but Aries turned it into a hurricanrana. That was a great spot. Aries hit the shin breaker/suplex on Strong, but couldn’t make the cover. Aries missed a dropkick on Strong in the corner, but Strong got out of the way. Strong hoisted Aries up on the top turnbuckle and then dropped him down across it and Aries spilled to the outside. Strong went to the outside and got a table. He set it up between the ring and the guardrail. Strong then tried to Awesome bomb Aries through the table, but Aries slipped out. Aries clotheslined Strong to the outside and hit a tope. The crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.”

Aries drove a series of elbows to Strong’s head in the corner and finally hit the big dropkick in the corner. Aries then hit the brainbuster, but only got a nearfall and the crowd booed. Aries went up top, but Strong cut him off. They fought on the turnbuckles and Aries finally sent Strong to the mat and hit a big 450, but Strong kicked out. What a great nearfall. Aries pointed at the table set up on the outside, but Strong caught him in a small package for a nearfall. Aries then reversed the Stronghold into a pinning combination for a nearfall. Aries hit a roaring elbow and went off the ropes, but Strong cut him off with a running kick. Strong then hit a gutbuster and the Gibson driver for another great nearfall. Strong had a look of disbelief on his face.

Strong dragged Aries out to the apron, but Aries cut him off, hit a kick to the head, and then hit a brainbuster off the apron through the table. The crowd went insane as Aries threw Strong back into the ring and went up top. Aries hit a 450 and his knees came down across Strong’s chest for the pin.

WINNER: Austin Aries

STAR RATING: (****1/2) – This was an incredible match that exceeded all of my expectations. Strong and Aries were both awesome here. Strong dominated most of the match, but Aries was able to make some great comebacks. The nearfalls down the stretch were incredible and the finish to the match was brutal. This was the best Roderick Strong match I’ve seen in quite some time.

-The announcers said Aries could now claim to be the #1 contender to the ROH World Title before throwing things to Dayton for the Briscoes-NRC match.

The Dayton venue had new setup with the ROH logo displayed over the entranceway. The announcers said The Briscoes-NRC match was being held in Dayton because ROH official didn’t want the Briscoes and The Age of the Fall in the same building after what went down at “Man Up.”

6 - - THE BRISCOES vs. THE NRC (ROCKY ROMERO & DAVEY RICHARDS) – ROH World Tag Team Title match

The announcers said the NRC has been selected for a title shot because of their winning streak on the last two PPVs. After a feeling out period, the Briscoes isolated Romero in their own corner and tagged in and out to work him over. Romero forced Mark into the NRC’s corner and tagged in Richards, who tossed Mark off the ropes and hit a big clothesline for a 2 count. Mark then forced Richards into the Briscoes’s corner and Jay & Mark double teamed Richards and sent him to the outside. Mark then hit a huge dive over the top rope to take out Richards. Romero then got a running start on the apron and hit a knee strike on Mark to the outside. Jay then hit a senton over the top to take out Richards & Romero as the crowd went nuts.

Jay went to work over Richards, but got caught with a knee strike and Richards dumped him to the outside. Romero then rammed Jay’s shoulder into the ringpost on the outside with the ref distracted. Romero continued to work over Jay’s shoulder in the NRC’s corner. The crowd tried to rally the Briscoes with a “man up” chant. Richards tagged in and locked in a nasty arm submission on Jay. Richards charged Jay in the corner, but Jay cut him off and tagged in Mark, who laid into Richards with a series of karate thrusts. Romero went for a springboard, but Mark caught him and hit an exploder. The Briscoes then hit a crazy series of double team maneuvers on Richards for a pop from the crowd. Romero cut off Jay with a knee strike, but Mark hit a springboard ace crusher on Richards and dropkicked Romero as he came down to the mat for a pop from the crowd.

Richards and Mark battled up top. Richards sent Mark to the mat and came off the top, but got caught with a superkick. Mark went for a corkscrew press, but Richards got his knees up and tagged in Romero. Romero hit a running knee to Mark’s jaw, but Jay made the save. Richards dumped Jay outside and tried to double team Mark with stereo kicks, but Jay ran back in and tackled Richards over the top rope. Romero tried to kick Mark in the head, but Mark caught his leg and hit a superkick. Mark and Jay then hit a splash mountain/neckbreaker combination for a nearfall. Jay went for the Jay-driller, but Romero blocked it. Jay then hit a quick DVD for a 2 count. The Briscoes went for the springboard doomsday device, but Romero ducked. All four then did a big series of moves, which left Richards and Mark the last men standing. Richards hit a handspring kick, but Mark bounced off the ropes and hit a huge clothesline. All four men were down and the crowd went ballistic with an “ROH, ROH” chant.

Both teams exchanged chops, but the Briscoes hit the double team shoulder tackle on Romero and Richards. Richards cut off Mark and hit a tombstone. Romero then cut Jay off up top and took him down with the diablo armbar. Jay fought for the ropes as the crowd chanted “please don’t tap.” Jay finally reached the ropes and the crowd applauded. Romero and Strong hit a knee strike/powerbomb combination on Jay, but Mark broke up the pin. Jay blocked a superplex from Richards and turned it into an x-factor off the top for a nearfall. Mark suplexed Romero from the apron to the floor. The Briscoes then hit the springboard doomsday device on Richards for the pin.

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

STAR RATING: (****) - This was another great title defense from the Briscoes in 2007, although it’s airing for the first time in 2008. The match featured so many great double team maneuvers and sequences from both teams. Romero worked Jay’s arm early, which played into the end of the match when he got him in the diablo arm bar. You won’t find better tag team wrestling than in ROH.

-A distorted image of Jay being hung above the ring after “Man Up” went off the air came on the screen at the end of the match. The announcers wondered what it was. Another image of the Age of the Fall covered in blood backstage was clipped into the end of the match. Jacobs was then shown saying “This was just the beginning.”

-McGuinness’s graphic said his goal was to win the ROH World Title.

7 - - TAKESHI MORISHIMA vs. NIGEL MCGUINNESS – ROH World Title match

The announcers talked about the history of the ROH World Title and mentioned past champions like C.M. Punk, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, and Homicide’s reigns. Both men shook hands prior to the match. McGuinness went for the jawbreaker lariat, but Morishima blocked it and went for the backdrop driver early. McGuinness escaped and they came to a stalemate. McGuinness went for another jawbreaker lariat, but Morishima caught him with a side slam. McGuinness went for a rebound lariat on the outside, but Morishima ducked it and went to work on his arm on the outside. Morishima sent McGuinness to the floor and stepped on his left shoulder. Morishima then wrapped McGuinness’s arm around the ringpost and stretched it for several seconds as McGuinness screamed in pain.

The action resumed back inside the ring. McGuinness tried to fire back, but Morishima hit him in the shoulder, which sent him to his knees. McGuinness shrugged off a forearm and slapped Morishima across the face. Morishima fired back with a big forearm that sent McGuiness crashing into the ropes. Morishima went for another backdrop driver, but McGuinness landed on top of him. McGuinness hit a lariat, but Morishima roared at him. McGuinness then hit another lariat for a 2 count. McGuinness hit a big running European uppercut and waited for Morishima to stumble out of the corner. Morishima finally came out of the corner and McGuinness killed him with a lariat for a nearfall.

McGuinness ate a forearm from Morishima and went for the jawbreaker lariat, but Morishima blocked it and hit McGuinness with a lariat of his own. Morishima then went up top and hit a missile dropkick for a 2 count. Morishima went for a backdrop driver, but McGuinness tried a sunset flip only to have Morishima sit on his chest for a 2 count. Morishima came off the top, but McGuinness caught him with a lariat for a 2 count. Morishima fired back and hit a clothesline and a backdrop driver, but McGuinness kicked out. Morishima went up top, but McGuinness cut him off. After a struggle, McGuinness hit Morishima with a superplex for a 2 count.

McGuinness hit Morishima with a series of lariats, but Morishima wouldn’t go down. McGuinness came off the ropes, but Morishima caught him with a big lariat. McGuinness rolled through the backdrop driver and hit the jawbreaker lariat, but Morishima kicked out at the last second and the crowd booed. McGuinness went up top, but Morishima cut him off. Morishima went for a top rope backdrop driver, but McGuinness blocked it and hit a sunset bomb for a 2 count. Both men exchanged stiff blows in the center of the ring. McGuinness hit a huge lariat and Morishima kicked out at 1. Morishima then hit a hip attack, but McGuinness bounced off the ropes and hit the jawbreaker lariat for the pin.

WINNER: Nigel McGuinness to become the new ROH World Champion.

STAR RATING: ***3/4 – They kept things basic, but delivered a really good match. The story was McGuinness knowing he had to win with his jawbreaker lariat, so he kept going for it at every opportunity. Morishima continued to try to put McGuinness away with the backdrop driver. The final minutes of the match were excellent and the post-match celebration set up the next PPV.

-The crowd went insane and the locker room emptied to celebrate with McGuinness. Bryan Danielson then interrupted the celebration. Danielson pie faced Aries and McGuinness before the other wrestlers separated them. The announcers said Aries was disgusted with Danielson’s actions. Danielson went to the back and Morishima handed the title to McGuinness and raised his hand. What a moment. The crowd chanted “thank you Morishima.” Aries then shook hands with McGuinness and raised his hand. The show closed with McGuinness celebrating as the crowd chanted “ROH, ROH.”

Recommendation: (9.0) The first hour of the show served to set up a lot of storylines and angles, but didn’t have a must-see match, although the matches were still quite good for the most part. Sweet & Sour Inc. continues to be very entertaining and were showcased well during the first half of the show. I also liked how the Age of the Fall, the Vulture Squad, and Erick Stevens were all spotlighted as well.

When you put the first and second half of this PPV together, you have a combination of great storylines and angles that most major PPVs don’t reach these days. The Aries-Strong match was simply a great wrestling match with both wrestlers trying to prove they were the best man. The Briscoes, as is usually the case on PPV, had an excellent match against the NRC. ROH has the best tag team wrestling division going anywhere. The main event was superb as well. The match itself wasn’t the best on the show, but the moment when McGuinness pinned Morishima is what this show will be remembered for. ROH protects its top prize and the emotion from the fans is genuine when McGuinness captured the title. The aftermath of the match also set up two feature PPV matches and gave fans a hook to buy the next PPV in March.

I highly recommend this show. It was just plain fun to watch. I wasn’t insulted by the booking one time and I was on the edge of my seat during the second hour of the show. Congratulations to ROH for bringing back pro wrestling as a sport.


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LATEST PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER #1040 (18 PAGES)

This issue begins with a cover story by Wade Keller looking at the final scene of SummerSlam and why it's bad for WWE not in and of itself, but due to the context it's put in... In-depth coverage of the WWE SummerSlam PPV including Keller's match report with star ratings and the newsletter-exclusive Roundtable Reviews and Reader Reax... Jason Powell's "Page 2 Buzz" with scoops and insider analysis on Mick Foley, TNA's expiring contracts, and more... Bruce Mitchell's Memo further reviews the latest Ric Flair DVD... WWE Newswire, TNA Newswire, and ROH Newswire with insider news, big story analysis, and notebook tidbits... Plus Keller's reports on Raw, Smackdown, and Impact, the Top 5 Stories of the Week, and more... PDF EXCLUSIVE features include the Jon Mezzera's Weekly Hits & Misses and Greg Parks' look at SummerSlam and Smackdown...

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PWTORCH READER POLL

What are your thoughts on the WWE Championship Scramble concept?
Big thumbs up. I'm excited to see it.
Tentative thumbs up. I'll need to see it first.
Tentative thumbs down. It sounds like a mess.
Big thumbs down. A disaster in the making.
I have no idea. I'm totally confused by it.
  


VOTE IN OR SEE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS POLLS

UPCOMING EVENTS LISTING

Articles Grouped by Category
Torch Today
PRIORITY DRAFT TRADITION CONTINUES: Which ten wrestlers would you start a promotion from scratch with?
TORCH NEWS TICKER 8/29: Kowalski fundraiser, WWE lawsuit update, Midway Q&A on TNA video game, ROH Notes
TORCH NEWS TICKER 8/22: Results Wanted, Austin return date, Batista comments on Cena match, Kofi and DDP interviews
WWE News
WWE News: Jakks Pacific claims WWE lawsuit dismissed; WWE to continue suit
WWE News: A YouTube video puts new spin on Shawn Michaels-Chris Jericho saga
Ratings News: John Cena surgery a success, estimated time out of the ring determined (w/Keller's Analysis)
TNA News
Interview Highlights: Chris Jericho talks about Guitar Hero, Reinventing his Character, Short Tights
TNA News: Details on Gail Kim's reasons for leaving TNA come to surface this week (w/Keller Analysis)
TNA News: WWE legend Mick Foley agrees to terms with TNA, set to debut as soon as September (w/Keller Analysyis)
ROH News
Interview Highlights: Roderick Strong on his stint with TNA, lagging promo skills, indys working together
7/25 ROH in Toronto: "That show was the first thing to make me proud to be a wrestling fan in a LONG time."
ROH News: Lance Storm interview on working with ROH wrestlers and injuries in pro wrestling
Other News
Torch Indy Weekend Preview: Steen in IWS, Shiozaki in FIP, Delirious in Elite Pro
Torch Indy Weekend Report: Sabin & Shelley, Lynn, Jake Roberts, ROH results
ETC. News: Jesse Ventura in talks for a court show, according to TV Week (w/Keller Analysis)
PPV Reports
CALDWELL'S WWE SUMMERSLAM REPORT 8/17: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV
KELLER'S WWE SUMMERSLAM REPORT 8/17: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of live PPV event
KELLER'S TNA HARD JUSTICE PPV REPORT 8/10: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of event - Samoa Joe vs. Booker T in cage
TV Reports
8/29 WWE SMACKDOWN: Parks's Coverage of the CW Show
KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 8/28: Sting finally addresses speculation, Nash vs. Angle, Beautiful People vs. Taylor & Roxxi
8/28 TNA IMPACT Review by Wilkenfeld: Sting steals the show
Arena Reports
8/24 WWE Smackdown in Canton, Ohio: Triple H & Undertaker vs. Khali & MVP, R-Truth vs. Carlito, Michelle vs. Maryse
8/24 TNA in Wichita, Ks.: Samoa Joe vs. A.J. Styles, Morgan vs. Kip, Knockouts Title Match, Lethal vs. Dutt
8/24 WWE in Bethlehem, Pa.: Cody & Ted vs. Cryme Tyme, Jericho & Kane vs. Cena & Batista
MMA / UFC Coverage
UFC News: Paul Heyman comments on Brock Lesnar's controversial post-fight antics last Saturday
KELLER'S UFC 87 LIVE PPV REPORT; On-site ongoing coverage of Lesnar's second UFC fight, full card coverage
UFC 87 PREVIEW: Fight analysis, predictions, odds for Lesnar vs. Herring, GSP vs. Fitch, Huerta vs. Florian
KELLER'S TAKE
VIP - KELLER: More crazy G.M. ideas for WWE to consider (PWTorch Newsletter #1037)
KELLER: An overhaul is in order for Raw before ratings drop further - several specific suggestions
KELLER: McMahon Returns for That? Nothing Funnier than a DUI! Let Me Shift So You Can Hit Me!
MITCHELL'S TAKE
MITCHELL'S BLOG: Notes From the 2008 NWA Fanfest - Ric Flair
WWE News: Flair's departure from WWE amicable, nostalgia convention circuit could be next
VIP - MITCHELL'S MEMO: DVD Liner Notes Part 3: Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
MCNEILL'S TAKE
Ready To Roll! McNEILL previews WWE SummerSlam
Rap It Up: McNEILL previews TNA Hard Justice!
VIP - MCNEILL FACTOR: Twenty Years of Summerslam, part two
CALDWELL'S TAKE
CORNER CUBE TUESDAY 8/26 - Raw delivered highlights, but was heavy on filler
CORNER CUBE MONDAY 8/18 - Shawn Michaels showed strength, not weakness by not attacking Jericho
CORNER CUBE WEDNESDAY 8/13 - Finally, Matt Striker has found his calling with ECW on Tuesday nights
RADICAN'S TAKE
TALES FROM THE PULPIT 7/23: McGuinness & Jericho setting standard for heels in 2008
DEJ's Kevin: Covering Pro Wrestling Ohio - The Ladder Match for the Heirloom Swords Part I
TALES FROM THE PULPIT 7/21: The man who talks poopy and defies fire can’t escape the windshield of doom!
The Specialists
ECW Storylines and Feuds - A look at the ECW Championship Scramble and the Finlay-Knox feud
CAREER PATH: Christian Cage's career high point, low point, and what if he had never left WWE?
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - 8/28 TNA IMPACT: What I noticed on the show that you might not have
Guest Editorials
EDITORIAL: What's wrong with Raw this year? A lot. But one core problem trumps the rest
EDITORIAL: Tag Team Divisions will not get over until squash matches return
EDITORIAL: C.M. Punk needs a prominent program to make him the star of Raw
Torch Feedback
DRAFT PICKS - Batch #5 featuring top picks of Sting, Rob Van Dam, Edge, plus Danielson, Shelley, Bourne, Briscoes
DRAFT PICKS - Batch #4 featuring top picks of Nigel, Edge, Awesome Kong, plus CIMA, Bourne, Hogan, Ross, Kim
DRAFT PICKS - Batch #3 featuring top picks of Mick Foley, Brian Danielson, John Cena, plus Abyss, Shiozaki, Teddy Hart
Ask the Editor
Ask the Editor: Wouldn't incorporating MMA-style holds into pro wrestling matches just be trying to be something it's not?
ASK THE EDITOR: Have the Michaels-Batista promos crossed a line with use of insider terms, references to "jobs"?
ASK THE EDITOR: Why do wrestlers in WWE refer to wrestling as "the business" and not "the sport"?
DVDs - VGames - Books
WEEKEND DVD SPOTLIGHT: SHIMMER Vol. 18 (Kong-Busic,Del Rey-MsChif)
RADICAN: Al Snow discusses his wrestling career, philosophy, time in OVW, and more in new interview
DVD Review: ROH "Glory By Honor VI, N2" with Kenta vs. Misawa, 110307
Torch Flashbacks
KELLER'S TNA REPORT 5 YRS. AGO (8-28-03): Truth, D-Lo, Abyss, Sandman, Raven, Styles, Dusty
KELLER'S WWE RAW REPORT 5 YRS. AGO (8-25-03): Gail Kim vs. Trish, Jericho headlines Raw against... Shane McMahon? Linda a guest on Highlight Reel,
WWE Smackdown Reax #1: "This is the worst wrestling show I have seen in a long time with booking that defies all logic and common sense."
VIP Exclusive Features
8/29 Daily Keller Hotline: Sting's monumental promo on Impact dissected, full show analysis (27 min.)
8/29 Mitchell Audio Show: Cena Injury, Rey's Return, Independent Contractors, Jericho-Michaels (75 min.)
8/27 VIP East Coast Audio: Impact - A show that did everything it could do to turn people away from wrestling (79 min.)
Torch Trivia
Torch Trivia: How much do you know about Champion vs. Champion matches?
Torch Trivia: How much do you know about SummerSlam - Part 3
Torch Trivia: How much do you know about SummerSlam - Part 2
Torch Instant Polls
POLL: What are your thoughts on the WWE Championship Scramble concept?
POLL: Should the TNA Knockouts women wrestlers be paid in the same ballpark as the male wrestlers?
POLL: Who is your pick as the MVP of the August 11 edition of WWE Raw?
PWTorch Free Podcast
8/29 Daily Keller Hotline: Sting's monumental promo on Impact dissected, full show analysis (27 min.)
8/29 Mitchell Audio Show: Cena Injury, Rey's Return, Independent Contractors, Jericho-Michaels (75 min.)
8/27 VIP East Coast Audio: Impact - A show that did everything it could do to turn people away from wrestling (79 min.)
Annual Obituaries
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 1999 - Muchnick, Rick Rude, Owen Hart, Renegade...
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2000 - Solie, Albright, Duncum, Tsuruta, Blue Demon, Al Costello
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2001: Johnny Valentine, Terry Gordy, Chris Adams, Bertha Faye, Helen Hart