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KELLER'S ROH UNDENIABLE PPV REPORT
JANUARY 18, 2008 AIRDATE
TAPED IN EDISON, N.J.
-The show opened with a wide shot of the fans chanting "ROH, ROH." Then Dave Prazak, standing next to co-host Lenny Leonard, yelled into the microphone his introduction to the show. It over-modulated badly and sounded low-rent right at the start. Claudio Castagnoli stood in the background warning up for his match against Chris Hero.
-Larry Sweeney walked out with his cast of irregulars. He said Hero would not be wrestling Claudio because there isn't enough money on the line and his demands haven't been met. He told Claudio he's of the PPV so he might as well hit the showers. He laughed and said they had a lot of negotiatings to do. Prazak said they have to find another match, "so let's go to the open."
-The ROH opening aired to "Doomsday Clock" by The Smashing Pumpkins. It showed highlights of various big spots from previous ROH events closing with a graphic that said "ROH Undeniable."
-The Age of the Fall stood in the ring. Jimmy Jacobs had mic in hand, with Necro Butcher, Tyler Black, and Lacey behind him. Jacobs said they're not a faction, they're a revolution whose message spreads beyond the wrestling world. He said they need power to get their message out, and with the tag team titles come power. He challenged the Briscoes. He said the people who run ROH won't give them a shot until they beat some decent tag teams. "We'll work within your little system, but destroy it from the inside out." He called for the first stepping stone to come out.
1 -- THE VULTURE SQUAD (Jack Evans & Ruckus & Jigsaw w/Julius Smokes) vs. AGE OF THE FALL (Necro Butcher & Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black w/Lacey)
Prazak and Leonard talked about how ROH won't let Age of the Fall and the Briscoes in the same building at the same time. They established the Age of the Fall's mission to speak to those who don't want to be sheep. Lots of great athleticism by Vulture Squad in the open few minutes. Black caught Evans flying over the top rope and powerbombed him into the security railing at ringside in a cool spot. Back in the ring, Jacobs finished Evans with the End Time submission.
WINNERS: Age of the Fall in 5:00.
STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Great fast-paced world-class athleticism to open up the show.
-Tey went backstage to Takeshi Morishima and a trainer. Morshima threw a chair when he noticed the camera eaves dropping.
-A video aired with a first-person self-profile by Eric Stevens. He talked about being in his second year and having "reckless determination."
-Sweeney entered the ring with his cast of irregulars. He said ROH hasn't met his terms regarding Claudio, but he had reached terms to have a women's match. A graphic on the screen said Sara Del Rey's goal is to "Prove She Is Best Women's Wrestler." The goal for Haze is to "Earn Respect." It was touted as the first women's match on ROH PPV.
2 -- SARA DEL REY vs. DAIZEE HAZE
A minute in Haze leaped of the top rope onto Dempsey and Del Rey conferencing at ringside. Three minutes in, Claudio came to ringside and jumped Dempsey, then grabbed Sweeney. Meanwhile, Haze rolled up Del Ray for the upset win. Afterward, Hero saved his manager and gave Claudio a Hero's Welcome.
WINNER: Haze in 3:00.
STAR RATING: 1/2* -- Short, but good, hard-hitting, crisp action.
-Bryan Danielson's music began. The screen said his goal is "Morishima and the World Title." The lights went dim and then the spotlights shone on the entrance set. He walked out to the strobe flashing with a serious, determined look. Hero, Sweeney, and Dempsey circled at ringside. Danielson told Sweeney the lengths he and his men will go to in the pursuit of the dollar is disgusting. He said they represent everything that is wrong with professional sports. He said they like to brag that Hero is the best athlete in wrestling, so why not step into the ring and prove it. The screen said Hero's goal is "Prove he's the best athlete." He entered the ring for the impromptu match.
3 -- CHRIS HERO (w/Larry Sweeney) vs. "AMERICAN DRAGON" BRYAN DANIELSON
Great crowd heat as he was about to enter the ring. Prazak noted that Danielson was still suffering from blurred vision and wasn't 100 percent. The announcers mocked Hero's outfit, saying it was ridiculous and that he thinks he's a superhero. Hero did a hand stand and some intentionally ridiculous athletic dance-like maneuvers to prove he's the best athlete. Danielson began working him over with superior matwork. Hero came back and mocked Danielson by putting his headband down to cover one of his eyes. He posed and postured, then gave Danielson a running old-school atomic drop at 7:00. Danielson hit a missile dropkick and then nipped up and showed fire. He followed with a German suplex into a bridge for a two count, then flipped into Cattle Mutilation. Sweeney jumped in nervousness at ringside as Hero powered his way to his feet. Danielson threw three roundkicks to Hero's chest. Hero made a comeback with some blows and a suplex for a quick two count. Hero applied Cattle Mutilation briefly and then went for a small package. That set Danielson off, as he took Hero down and stomped away at his face repeated. The ref stepped in and called the match to end.
WINNER: Danielson via ref stoppage in 11:00.
STAR RATING: ***1/4 -- Good match with a good backstory.
-A video to the Smashing Pumpkins aired pushing the ROH website
-Adam Pearce, "the master of mindgames," stood in the ring in his black sequined robe and mic in hand. The screen graphic said his goal is "Lead TH3 to the Top." He called Kevin Steen to ringside. Prazak noted that Steen was part of the ladder war at the last PPV, "Man Up." The screen said Steens' purpose is "Hurt People." Pearce set up a chair in the ring and asked him to sit on it. He said he represents a force called The Hangmen Three. He said they operate on three terms: violent, brutality, and ruthlessness. He said last time in Hartford they took it out on Delirious. Clips aired of the staple gun being used to attach his mask to his face last time. Hero brought up his association with El Generico. Peace said he hides behind his mask and he's a complete loser. A fan yelled, "You're a loser!" Pearce said he knows what Steen wants - to be associated with people as vicious as him and bred for success. He said he's in a position to offer him a spot in the Hangman, upgrading it to the Hangmen Four. He said to prove he's serious, he presents him an offering. Brent Albright and B.J. Whitmer dragged Generico to the ring. Shane Hagadorn followed behind, called "the lackey for Pearce." They held him in front of Steen in the ring as he struggled to break free. "Look at him and look at us," said Pearce. "Let the dark side in you come out. Strike him down, Kevin Steen. Now is your opportunity!" Steen wound up for a punch, then paused and turned and punched each of the H3 members and Pearce. He was soon overwhelmed by the H3. Delirious ran out and made the save to a big crowd pop. He cleared the ring, then talked gibberish into the mic. Steen said he doesn't know what that meant, but he said there's only person in ROH who's going to have fun smacking around El Generico, and that's him. Generico hugged him, then Delirious dove onto the H3 at ringside. Steen proclaimed a six-man tag was on.
4 -- BRENT ALBRIGHT & B.J. WHITMER & ADAM PEARCE (w/Shane Hagadorn) vs. EL GENERICO & DELIRIOUS & KEVIN STEEN
Delirious took a sustained beating, then hot-tagged Steen at 5:00. Wild action broke out leading to Generico jumping Albright from behind. Steen then did a flip legdrop to the back of Albright. Steen the flip-dove onto Pearce and Whitmer. In the end, Delirious bit Pearce's ear in the corner. Albright came up behind and gave him a half-nelson suplex for the win.
WINNER: Albright & Whitmer & Pearce in 8:00.
STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Another good, concise, all-action, intense, heated tag match.
-They went to Nigel McGuinness in the locker room lacing his boots. He looked around and commented on how old and lousy the locker room is with lights that barely work. He said for him it's not about being a TV star, it's about the love of pro wrestling and doing what he dreamed of since he was a kid. He said he's paid his dues and earned the opportunity to wrestle for the World Title against Morishima tonight. He said he's known as a "tough sucker hooligan from England" who headbutts people and makes them bleed. He said he's still that 15 year old kid who watched wrestling at Wembley Stadium and dreamed of being a pro wrestler, then came to America in Cincinnati and took his bumps and paid his dues. He said he's also "the guy who headbutts you makes you bleed or clotheslines you and knocks you out." He said the ROH World Title means something in this business. He said it means you're the best in the world. He said if he win the title, it will mean that 15 year in Wembley Stadium realized his dream.
-They introduced a clip from the Fifth Year Festival in New York City of Roderick Strong turning on Austin Aries.
5 -- RODERICK STRONG vs. AUSTIN ARIES
Prazak noted that these two formed a team in Generation X back in 2004 with Alex Shelley and Jack Evans. He said in 2006 they held the ROH Tag Team Titles for nine months and elevated them to world titles with defenses in Japan and the UK. He said they were easily the tag team of the year in 2006. The screen said Strong's goal is to prove he's better than Aries. They had a staredown at the start. The announcers said it's a toss-up who is the better of the two. Good opening ten minutes of intense back and forth well-paced action. Strong gave Aries a cool backbreaker type over over the top turnbuckle at 12:00. Aries slipped to the floor. Strong pulled him in and scored a two count. Strong then pulled a table out from under the ring. He set up a table across the apron and ringside barrier, then tried to toss Aries over the top rope onto it. Aries escaped and clotheslined Strong over the top to the floor, then dove at him with a tope at ringside. The crowd chanted "ROH, ROH." Aries hit a brainbuster for a two count. Strong made a brief comeback, then Aries took control again. Then they kicked it into fifth gear and went into a high-octane series of near fall exchanges. The crowd chanted for Aries. Strom set up a Gibson Driver off the ring apron onto that table that was still set up at ringside. Instead, Aries executed a brainbuster through the table to the floor. A loud "ROH" chant broke out, of course. In the ring, Aries folllowed up with a 450 double knee drop onto Strong for the clean win.
WINNER: Aries in 21:00.
STAR RATING: **** -- Really good, well-paced, smartly laid out, crisply executed match.
6 -- JAY & MARK BRISCOE vs. ROCKY ROMERO & DAVEY RICHARDS - ROH Tag Team Championship Match
Prazak said in other groups, tag team wrestling takes a back seat, but in ROH the emphasis is on tag wrestling. He called the Briscoes the "standard of tag team wrestling." He speaks the truth. The goal of the Briscoes is "Keep the tag titles at the forefront." This was a match taped in Dayton, Ohio, and the setting wasn't as PPV-friendly with the low roof and drab interior appearance. At 6:00 Mark dove over the top rope onto Davey at ringside. Romero followed with a dive of his own onto Mark on the floor. Jay followed with a flip dive onto everyone at ringside. Leonard said that type of action is what ROH's tag team division and factor warfare are built on. At 10:00 Richards applied a cool armbar on Jay with his legs while flexing with one of his arms to showboat. The Briscoes came back with some great double-teaming of Richards. Richards caught a charging Jay with a boot to the face, but Mark came back with a springboard Ace Crusher/dropkick combo to both Richards and Romero in the ring. The crowd chanted "This is awesome!" Mark caught a diving Richards with a kick to the face, then springboard corkscrew splashed at Richards, but Richards lifted his knee and hot-tagged Romero in. The Briscoes double-teamed Romero and scored a very near fall after a neckbreaker. Mark tagged in Jay who called for the Jay Driller. He gave Romero a Death Valley Driver first, then lifted him onto his shoulders for the springboard Doomsday Device. Romero ducked. Four-way chaos broke out with Richards overhead suplexing Jay into the corner. Richards and Mark exchanged punches mid-ring meanwhile, leading to all four men lying on the mat exhausted and beaten down as the crowd stood and chanted "ROH, ROH" at 16:00. All four got up and chopped and punched away at each other. Richards gave Mark a tombstone. Romero gave Jay the Diabolo armbar in mid-ring off the ropes. The crowd chanted, "Please don't tap." He didn't. Jay reached the bottom rope. Richards set up Jay for a diving knee by Romero off the top rope into a powerbomb for a near fall. Mark suplexed Romero off the ring apron to the floor, then returned to springboard clothesline Richards off of his brother's shoulders for the win.
WINNERS: Briscoes in 19:00 to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles.
STAR RATING: ****
-As the Briscoes celebrated, the haunting imagery of the Age of the Fall overtook the screen in brief spurts. Prazak said that is the kind of action that comes to every stop ROH makes from Chicago to New York City.
7 -- TAKESHI MORISHIMA vs. NIGEL MCGUINNESS - ROH World Title match
The graphic said Nigel's goal is simple "Win the World Title." A few streamers greeted Nigel as he entered the ring. Morishima got a laser show for his ring entrance. Morishima's goal: "Build Legacy as Champ." The "goal" screenshots are just great. It's such a great shorthand way to quickly inject meaning and purpose to each match to go along with the more detailed storytelling from the video packages and announcers. Prazak said everyone knows from the smallest independent to the biggest major league locker room, the ROH belt stands for something - being the best. Morishima took methodical control early, focusing on Nigel's right arm which he uses for his clothesline. Leonard said it's unlike Morishima to work on a body part, usually opting instead for building to high-impact moves. He held Nigel on the mat with a Fujiwara armbar. At 5:00 Nigel began a Hogan-like Superman no-sell comeback to Nigel's kicks. Morishima, though, dropped Nigel with an elbow and a running boot to the face. He punched away at Nigel in the corner. Nigel nearly got counted down on the mat. The ref got to nine before Nigel pulled himself up. Morishima moved in with a backdrop driver. Nigel fired back with two clotheslines to drop Morishima for the first time. Nigel got in sustained offense at 8:00 for the first time all match. They exchanged mid-ring standing side elbows, which Morishima got the best of, dropping Nigel again. Morishima dove at Nigel in the corner with a flying forearm. He climbed to the top rope, waited for Nigel to stand, and then hit a massive missile dropkick for a two count. Nigel went for a sunset flip, but Morishima sat out on it and scored a two count. Morishima went to the top rope again at 10:00. Nigel caught him with a clothesline for a near fall. When Nigel went for his signature headstand in the corner, Morishima caught him with a running boot to the face. Then he hit a running clothesline followed by a backdrop driver for a near fall. The crowd popped for Nigel's kickout. Nigel caught Morishima on the top rope and set up the Tower of London. Morishima resisted. Nigel pounded him in the throat a few times, then executed a superplex for a near fall. Nigel worked over Morishima with forearms and clotheslines, but Morishima was an oak tree. Morishima gave Nigel a backdrop driver, but Nigel rolled through and did his signature middle-rope rebound and hit a jawbreaker for a dramatic near fall that popped the standing crowd. Both men were slow to get up. The crowd began a "Let's go Nigel" chant. Nigel rose first and climbed to the top rope. Morishima met him there and set up a backdrop driver. Nigel resisted and executed a sunset bomb for a near fall. Nigel bashed Morishima with a barrage of slaps to the sideof his head followed by his signature killer lariat. Morishima kicked out at one with a surge of adrenaline. Nigel fired back with a jawbreaker for the three count. The crowd exploded.
WINNER: Nigel McGuinness in 15:00.
STAR RATING: **** -- A bit short for a PPV World Title match if you were watching the clock, but it felt epic thanks in part to the crowd being so absolutely into it. The post-win celebration with the locker room of ROH wrestlers emptying into the ring to celebrate with him added to the moment.
-As Nigel was swarmed with wrestlers celebrating his win, Bryan Danielson interrupted the ring announcer proclaiming Nigel the new champ and shoved him. Aries shoved him away and Danielson was pushed out of the ring by everyone else. Morishima was shown reacting to the news of his title loss. He grabbed the belt from the ref, then handed it to Nigel and bowed in front of him. Nigel bowed back. They shook hands and raised each other's arms. The crowd chanted "Thank you, 'Shima!" Nigel put thebelt over his shoulder, then shook hands with former ROH Champ Austin Aries. Prazak thanked fans for watching and told everyone to join them again in March. Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
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