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By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist

RADICAN’S ROH “RESPECT IS EARNED II” PPV REPORT
JULY 28, 2008
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
TAPED FOR PAY-PER-VIEW IN JUNE

”Respect is Earned II” debuts on Indemand, TVN, and The Dish on Aug. 1, 2008

-The show opened with a shot of a red hot crowd and then Lenny Leonard and Davey Prazak introduced what they called ROH’s signature event backstage. Prazak then introduced a highlight package for ROH’s first year on PPV.

-A breaking news segment aired. Prazak introduced highlights of the Briscoes capturing the ROH World Tag Team Titles at “Return Engagement.” Prazak then said Mark Briscoe had been injured by Jimmy Jacobs, so the Briscoes vacated the belts and The Age of the Fall had won a tournament at “Up For Grabs” to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions and would defend the belts for the first time tonight against Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson.

1 - - JIGSAW & RUCKUS vs. KEVIN STEEN & EL GENERICO

There was no entrance music and the match began right away with Generico and Jigsaw going at it in the ring. The announcers talked about Steen & Generico coming so close to capturing the tag titles at “Up For Grabs” the previous night. Ruckus ran wild on Steen and Generico with a variety of kicks before tagging in Jigsaw. Steen grabbed Ruckus’s leg as he came off the ropes and then threw him off the guardrail before tossing him back inside the ring. Generico & Steen then began tagging in and out of the match to work over Ruckus. Prazak said a shot at the tag titles may be hanging in the balance for the winner of this match. Ruckus nipped up and nailed Generico with a kick, but Generico recovered and knocked Jigsaw off the apron before Ruckus could tag out.

Ruckus flipped around the ring and tagged in Jigsaw, who ran wild on Steen and Generico. Ruckus nailed Steen with a dive to the outside as Jigsaw elevated Generico into the air out of the torture rack position and then dropped him down with a powerbomb. Steen countered Jigsaw’s backslide attempt into a backbreaker. Ruckus then tried to jump Steen, but he caught him and powerbombed him on Jigsaw and the crowd erupted. Generico and Steen hit a series of moves on Jigsaw, but he kicked out at 2. Generico wiped out Ruckus with a dive. Steen superkicked Jigsaw and nailed him with a swanton. Generico then came off the top and nailed him with a big splash for the pin.

WINNERS: Kevin Steen & El Generico

STAR RATING: (***) – This was a fantastic opening match that featured a ton of great back and fourth action packed into 10 minutes. The crowd went nuts for some of the more innovative spots and popped big for Steen & Generico getting the win.

-A replay of the finish aired before cutting back to Steen & Generico celebrating in front of a rabid crowd.

-A video package for the Briscoes aired stating they would return to PPV soon.

-Davey Richards made his entrance. A new “Broken, Torn, and Snapped” feature aired highlighting Richards’s kimura submission. Castagnoli’s “Broken, Torn, and Snapped” highlight was the big swing.

2 - - DAVEY RICHARDS vs. CLADIO CASTAGNOLI

Prazak announced the winner of this match could be in line for an ROH World Title shot. Nigel McGuinness came into the booth on commentary. Richards hit a dive to the outside during the early stages of the match sending both men over the guardrail and into the crowd. Richards went up top again and nailed Castagnoli with a missile dropkick to the elbow. Richards continued to attack Castagnoli’s arm with various submissions on the mat. Richards got the kimura on Castagnoli, but he got the ropes quickly. McGuinness mocked Castagnoli on commentary as Richards continued his attack. McGuinness also mispronounced Richards’s name. The crowd chanted for both men as Castagnoli attempted another comeback.

Castagnoli fired back on Richards with a European uppercut and then nailed him with a dropkick. McGuinness criticized Castagnoli for his reliance on European uppercuts and the announcers brought up McGuinness’s use of lariats, which he didn’t like. Richards cut off Castagnoli up top and nailed him with a hurricanrana, but Castagnoli caught him a short time later with a springboard European uppercut for a nearfall. McGuinness continued to be hilarious as he called Richards “Daizee.” Castagnoli nailed Richards with a wheelbarrow German suplex, but Castagnoli rolled through and caught McGuinness in the kimura again, but he was close to the ropes and broke the submission.

Richards went up top, but Castagnoli nailed him with a European uppercut. They battled up top, but Richards trapped his arm and hit a divorce court off the top and locked in another arm submission before transitioning to the kimura. McGuinness said Castagnoli would tap, but he didn’t. Richards turned the submission into a pinning combination after Castagnoli stood up with the kimura still applied for a 2 count, but Castagnoli stood right up and applied the giant swing before having to stop because of the pain in his arm. Richards charged at Castagnoli after recovering from the giant swing, but Castagnoli caught him and elevated him into a European uppercut for the pin.

WINNER: Claudio Castagnoli

STAR RATING: (***) – McGuinness was really funny on commentary, as he came off like a total prick mocking both of the men in the ring. Richards controlled most of the match, as he worked over Castagnoli’s arm to soften him up for the kimura, which was highlighted prior to the match as his signature move. Castagnoli mounted a comeback in the end by hitting his signature move, the giant swing, although he couldn’t apply the hold as long as he wanted due to Richards’s work on his arm. This was a good win for Castagnoli and it possibly moves him into title contention.

-The announcers said Castagnoli had moved to 3-0 in singles matches on PPV as a replay aired after the match.

-Sweet & Sour Inc. was shown conferring backstage. Larry Sweeney said that Brent Albright had made a huge mistake by crossing Sweet & Sour Inc. Sweeney said Chris Hero could knock out anyone. Sweeney continued to brag about the rest of the wrestlers in the stable until he got to Dempsey, who he said made him sick. Hero and Pearce then laughed it up. Hero said he would knock Albright out tonight.

-Brent Albright cut a promo backstage on Adam Pearce as Sweet & Sour Inc. made their entrance. He said a man he had called his brother and held his kids had betrayed him. Albright said he hated Sweeney. Albright said he did things his way.

Highlights from “A New Level” aired. Albright was shown about to strike down Dempsey as Sweeney urged him on. He then began attacking Sweet & Sour Inc. Albright powerbombed Hagadorn through a table on the outside from inside in the ring. Albright said he had recruited Pelle Primeau. Oh boy. Albright said Primeau had a lot of heart. Albright said Primeau would make the ROH Wrestling Academy proud tonight. Albright then said he needed some insanity and brought Delirious into the picture. Albright said he was raised not to hit women, so for Sara Del Rey, he had brought in Daizee Haze. Albright said this was the army he was bringing to attack Sweet & Sour Inc.

3 - - CHRIS HERO & ADAM PEARCE & EDDIE EDWARDS w/ SWEET & SOUR INC. vs. BRENT ALBRIGHT & PELLE PRIMEAU & DELIROUS w/ DAIZEE HAZE.

The babyfaces cleared the ring as Sweet & Sour Inc. bailed to the outside. The crowd chanted for Albright as he posed on the turnbuckles. The camera showed Pearce’s mysterious briefcase. Primeau nailed Hero with a headscissors takedown, but Edwards distracted the ref, which allowed Pearce to obliterate Primeau with a clothesline to give SnS Inc. the advantage. Primeau caught Pearce in a small package, but the ref was tied up with the protesting babyfaces. Primeau managed to hit a DDT a short time later and tagged in Delirious, who ran wild on SnS. Inc. Delirious nailed Edwards with the panic attack in the corner. He was setting up to do the same to Pearce in the other corner, but Del Rey tripped him and Pearce nailed him with the angle slam. Prazak said this type of interference wasn’t allowed in ROH, but SnS Inc. was using the numbers game to their advantage.

The heels continued to cheat while the babyfaces protested. Delirious managed to tag out to Albright, but the ref wouldn’t allow the tag because he didn’t see it. The crowd tried to rally behind Delirious, who finally tagged in Albright and the crowd went insane. Albright ran wild on SnS Inc. as the crowd continued to roar. Sweeney got up on the apron. Del Rey tried to attack him from behind, but Haze cut her off and sent her packing to the outside. Albright got his hands on Sweeney briefly, but Pearce and Albright made the save. The action broke down as Primeau nailed Hero with a headscissors takedown to the outside. Albright nailed Edwards with a series of knee strikes and the ref called for the bell.

WINNERS: Brent Albright & Pelle Primeau & Delirious via ref stoppage

STAR RATING: (***) – They built the entire match around the hot tag to Albright, who has really gotten over since turning babyface in May. The crowd went insane when Delirious finally managed to tag out. I loved how this match was put together, as the anticipation of the crowd built and built as the heels continually cheated to maintain their advantage. Albright’s knee strikes to the head make for a great finishing maneuver.

-Pearce attacked Albright immediately after the ref stopped the match and nailed him with his briefcase. Sweeney got on the mic and got in Albright’s face. Sweeney said there is one belt in the history of this business that means something and it’s not the ROH World Title. Pearce then pulled the NWA World Title out of his briefcase as Sweeney introduced him as the NWA Champion. The crowd booed as Sweeney cackled.

RADICAN NOTE: I’m not sure ROH needed another singles title introduced into the equation, but I’m willing to see where this goes before making up my mind on whether or not I like this move.

-A highlight package chronicling the Stevens-Strong feud aired.

-The announcers suddenly began talking and said the Stevens-Strong match had already begun.

4 - - RODERICK STRONG vs. ERICK STEVENS – Fight Without Honor

Both men brawled around ringside for several minutes before engaging in a battle of chops, forearms, kicks, and elbows that Strong won. Strong ended up suplexing Stevens on the outside and there happened to be a huge ladder at ringside that Strong set up between the apron and the guardrail. Stevens fired back and whipped Strong into the ladder on the outside before tossing a bunch of chairs into the ring. Stevens tossed Strong into the ring and nailed him with a chairshot to the back. He then set up a chair between the turnbuckles and tossed Strong into head-first. Strong and Stevens began exchanging chops again and Stevens went down after Strong kicked him right in the face, which had to suck.

Strong jabbed at Stevens with a chair as he tried to defend himself. Strong hit several chairshots to Stevens’s leg before nailing him with a chairshot to the back as the crowd gasped audibly. A slow-motion replay aired of Strong placing a chair over Stevens’s face in the corner before kicking it right in his face. Strong set up the big ladder over the top turnbuckle and went back to obliterating Stevens with some stiff chops. Strong tried to whip Stevens into the ladder, but he countered and sent Strong head-first into the edge of the ladder as the crowd roared. Stevens fired up as he got to his feet and went on the attack. Strong came up bleeding and Stevens attacked his cut. Stevens bit away on the cut on Strong’s head and the camera did a close up of a maniacal looking Stevens with his mouth covered in Strong’s blood.

Stevens choked Strong on the top rope and Strong’s blood visibly leaked out of his forehead. Strong fired back on Stevens with a forearm and then slammed him through a chair that exploded when Stevens hit it. The crowd roared again as Strong covered Stevens for a 2 count. A replay aired in slow motion of Strong slamming Stevens through a chair. Stevens countered Strong on the outside and went for a splash on Strong, who was slumped against the guardrail, but Strong got out of the way and slammed Stevens full-force into the guardrail. Stevens came up bleeding at around the 13 minute mark. Strong tossed several chairs into the ring and one accidentally nailed Stevens right in the mouth, although it played into the context of the match.

Stevens fired back on Strong moments later and suplexed him into a pile of chairs. He then hit a sit out pump-handle slam on Strong onto a pile of chairs for a 2 count. Stevens set up the ladder on the outside, but Strong was able to cut him off with a half-nelson backbreaker for a 2 count. Strong then took Stevens out to the apron and attempted to slam him through the ladder, but Stevens countered and hit a off the apron onto the ladder and the crowd roared again and started an “ROH, ROH” chant. This match is fantastic so far.

Both men made their way back into the ring and began exchanging chops, but neither man would go down. Strong hit a chop to Stevens’s face, but he spun right around and nailed Strong with a lariat, which left both men down on the mat as the crowd popped big again. Strong made his way to his feet first and nailed Stevens with a chairshot to the head, but Stevens managed to kick out at the last second. Strong set up a table at the 20 minute mark. He then set up the ladder in the ring, but Stevens recovered and nailed Strong with a series of chops and forearms. Leonard said the Fight Without Honor was the most violent match in sports.

Stevens pushed Strong up the ladder and then climbed up the other side. Both men climbed to the top of the ladder, as the crowd chanted “Please don’t die.” Strong drove Stevens’s head into the top of the ladder and suplexed him through two tables and the crowd went insane. The ref started a 10 count as both men weren’t moving. Strong managed to shift his weight and covered Stevens for the pin.

WINNER: Roderick Strong

STAR RATING: (****1/4) – This was a brutally violent match. Both men beat the hell out of each other for over 20 minutes. They exchanged chair shots, chops, forearms, power moves. I give them credit for only using one chairshot to the head during the course of the match. The match built to a great spectacle of a finish when Strong suplexed Stevens thought the ladder. The crowd added a lot to this encounter as well, as they gasped and popped with every big sequence. This was a great feud and I highly recommend going out of your way to check out this match.

-The crowd chanted for Stevens and Strong after the match.

- A commercial featuring several of the big names that have come through ROH aired.

-The announcers are actually talking during the entrances, which usually doesn’t happen on regular DVD releases. Prazak talked up Shiozaki as he made his entranced. Shiozaki’s “Broken, Torn, and Snapped” maneuver is the moonsault. McGuinness came out for his title defense next. The announcers talked about McGuinness’s controversial title reign thus far. His “Broken, Torn, and Snapped” maneuver was listed as the jawbreaker lariat.

5 - - ROH World Champion NIGEL McGUINNESS vs. GO SHIOZAKI – ROH World Title match

Shiozaki controlled the early stages of the match. McGuinness’s chest was bleeding after a series of chops by Shiozaki. McGuinness fired back and sent him down to the mat with a forearm. McGuinness played to the crowd, which allowed Shiozaki to recover and nail him with a suplex. Shiozaki then went for a dive to the outside, but McGuinness cut him off and hit a tower of London to the floor. McGuinness continued his attack on the outside, as he slammed Shiozaki’s shoulder into the ringpost several times. McGuinness then slapped McGuinness in the face twice before tossing him back into the ring. McGuinness choked Shiozaki and then mocked Danielson’s “I’ve got till five” catchphrase, which drew some boos from the crowd.

McGuinness continued to jaw with the crowd as he slapped Shiozaki’s face. Shiozaki tried to fire back, but McGuinness sent him back down to the mat and locked in another nasty submission to work Shiozaki’s shoulder. The fans tried to rally behind Shiozaki, as he began exchanging chops with McGuinness, but he was unsuccessful, as McGuinness took him down to the mat yet again. McGuinness hit a superplex, but Shiozaki got right up. Shiozaki ate a superkick, but no-sold that as well. Shiozaki then hit a German suplex on McGuinness into the turnbuckles as the crowd roared. McGuinness rolled through a German suplex from Shiozaki and went for the jawbreaker, but Shiozaki cut him off with a clothesline for a 2 count and the crowd roared.

Shiozaki went up top and hit the moonsault, but McGuinness kicked out. McGuinness blocked a suplex attempt Shiozaki and drove him shoulder first into the mat. McGuinness then went for the London dungeon, but Shiozaki countered it into a pinning combination for a nearfall. Shiozaki got a nearfall with the crush rush, as the crowd roared. Both men got to their feet and exchanged slaps. Shiozaki hit a superkick, but McGuinness fired back with the jawbreaker lariat and then submitted him with the London dungeon.

WINNER: Nigel McGuinness to retain the ROH World Title.

STAR RATING: (***1/2) – This was a really good match. It took awhile to get going, as they kept things in first gear for the first 2/3 of the match with McGuinness working over Shiozaki’s shoulder. Once they got going down the stretch with Shiozaki making a valiant comeback, the match really heated and the crowd got into the nearfalls down the stretch. I’d love to see another match between these two down the line.

-Bryan Danielson came out after the match and demanded his shot at the ROH World Title on PPV. Danielson said he hoped McGuinness was man enough to accept it. A replay aired of McGuinness killing Shiozaki with the jawbreaker lariat.

-A highlight package on the Aries-Jacobs-Lacey love triangle aired. Danielson & Aries were shown inside the ring with Danielson’s music playing

6 - - ROH World Tag Team Champions JIMMY JACOBS & TYLER BLACK vs. BRYAN DANIELSON & AUSTIN ARIES –ROH World Tag Team Title match

The ref called for the bell after a chaotic start to the match that saw Jacobs and Aries fight with chairs in the middle of the ring. Danielson pulled Aries into a corner and told him to calm down. Black did the same with Jacobs in the opposite corner. The ref told Black & Jacobs if they kept their cool, he’d restart the match. The ref then went over to Danielson & Aries and told them the same thing. The announcer told the crowd the ref had decided to restart the match, which drew some applause from the crowd. Danielson & Aries worked over Black for several minutes, but Black mounted a comeback and tagged in Jacobs. Jacobs went after Aries, which allowed Danielson to recover and nail him with a German suplex. Jacobs ducked out of the way of a diving headbutt and went after Aries again, but Danielson nailed him from behind.

Danielson had Jacobs set up for a suplex off the top, but Black cut him off and the Age of the Fall nailed a double kick to Danielson’s face in the corner. The announcers plugged the Age of the Fall’s website as Jacobs and Black continued their attack on Danielson. Black & Jacobs went for an assisted Contra code, but Danielson broke it up and hit stereo kicks to the chest and back of Black. Aries went up top, but Jacobs shoved him to the floor. Black & Jacobs then double teamed Danielson inside the ring, which allowed Jacobs to nail Danielson with a spear. Jacobs & Black then went on the attack on Danielson and kept him grounded for several minutes. Black set up Danielson in a chair on the outside with the ref distracted and Jacobs nailed him with a dive through the ropes.

Black went for a springboard, but Danielson caught him with a dropkick and finally tagged in Aries, who ran wild on Jacobs until Black made the save. Aries turned his attention to Black and nailed him with a series of knee strikes. Jacobs tried to hit another spear, but he got Black instead of Aries at the 13 minute mark. Aries then hit a brainbuster on Jacobs and locked in the last chancery, but Black managed to recover and break it up. Black then hit a kick to Aries’s head and everyone was down. Jacobs got the end time on Aries moments later, but Danielson made the save. Danielson tagged into the match moments later and hit a tiger suplex on Aries for a 2 count. Danielson then hit a series of elbows to Jacobs’s head, but Jacobs countered and hit the contra code for a 2 count. Danielson countered the small package driver and locked in the triangle choke on Black. Aries then locked Jacobs in the last chancery. Jacobs and Aries brawled to the outside, but Jacobs managed to fend off Aries and nailed Danielson with a senton to break up the submission.

Aries nailed Jacobs with the heat seeking missile to the outside as the crowd roared in approval. Jacobs fired back moments later with a spear on the floor. Aries and Jacobs brawled to the back, which left Black and Danielson alone in the ring at the 19 minute mark. Danielson got the cattle mutilation on Black in the middle of the ring as the crowd roared, but Black got the ropes. The camera went to a close up of Danielson’s face as he fired up with the crowd roaring in approval. Danielson locked in a nasty arm submission on Black in the middle of the ring, but Black countered with a kick to the head and a small package driver for a 2 count. The crowd totally believed the match was ending right there.

The crowd began chanting for both men as Black crawled to the top rope. Black nailed Danielson with another kick and hit the small package driver again. Black then went up top and hit an incredible phoenix splash for the pin!

WINNERS: Tyler Black & Jimmy Jacobs

STAR RATING: (****) – This was a fantastic match and the second must-see match of the PPV. The match built and built. The storylines fit in very well here as well, as the Jacobs-Aries feud was highlighted throughout the match. For the second straight PPV, Black stole the show with his dramatic performance down the stretch as he pinned Danielson after several minutes of excellent one on one action.

-A replay aired of Black’s phoenix splash from several different angles. McGuinness then came out and mocked Danielson. He said he was the best wrestler in the world and mocked him for losing to Black, who McGuinness claimed to have made short work of on the last PPV. McGuinness said Danielson had to beat everyone he had beaten to get a title shot on PPV and headed to the back. Black held up one of the tag titles as the crowd chanted his name to close the show.

Recommendation: (8.5) This PPV was all about the wrestling, as the backstage skits were kept to a minimum. The two main selling points for this PPV are going to be the Stevens-Strong Fight Without Honor, which was the best match on the show and the main event with Aries & Danielson challenging Jacobs & Black for the tag titles. Both matches are well worth the price of admission on their own, as this PPV is available in some areas for only $9.95.

There wasn’t a bad match on the show, which is the highest compliment I can give this card. There were no title changes or transcendent moments as there have been on other PPVs, but what you do get is some darn good wrestling from top to bottom. Every match meant something on this show whether it was Steen & Generico battling to get back into tag title contention by beating Ruckus & Jigsaw or Castagnoli beating Richards to go to 3-0 on PPV and possibly get in line for a shot at McGuinness on a future PPV.

Brent Albright is coming off great as a monster babyface, as he continued his quest for revenge on Sweet & Sour Inc in a Six Man Tag match that saw him get another beat down at the hands of SnS Inc after he had just won the match for his team. McGuinness also came off well during his title defens with his arrogance nearly costing him his title against Shiozaki.

I highly recommend this PPV when it premiers this Friday on PPV. You won’t get more value for your dollar than you do with ROH PPVs. Stevens and Black are really stepping up and becoming must-see performers in the company. Their performances on this show are the highlights of the PPV. The production on this show was fantastic by ROH standards as well.

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