By Sean Radican, Torch Columnist

RADICAN'S ROH TAKE NO PRISONERS 2009 PPV REPORT
HOUSTON, TEXAS
TAPED APRIL 4 FOR PAY-PER-VIEW

"Take No Prisoners 2009 debuts on June 12 on Direct TV, TVN, The Dish, and In Demand at 10 p.m.

The show opened with a highlight package. We then went ringside to an enthusiastic crowd chanting "ROH, ROH." The announcers ran down the card as the first match began. I liked how they opened the show like it was a live PPV.

1 - - ACE STEEL vs. COLT CABANA

The crowd was hot for Cabana's entrance. The announcers mentioned Cabana had requested this match against Steel. Instead of shaking hands, both men shared a nice hug. Nigel McGuinness joined the commentary booth at the beginning of the match and sounded like he was down in the dumps after losing the title the previous night. The crowd noise was loud and it was difficult to hear exactly what McGuinness and the commentators were saying because the crowd was eating up Cabana's antics in the ring. Steel took a camera from the ringside photographer and took a picture of Cabana bending over before handing the camera back to the photographer. The announcers totally ignored all of this, which was much more interesting than what they were saying. Cabana took Steel down to the mat and got him in a headscissors. Steel popped his head out, but Cabana stuck it right back between his legs. Steel and Cabana continued to play to the crowd, but Steel got frustrated and ran right into a headlock from Cabana. Steel eventually countered and sent Cabana down to the mat. Cabana claimed Steel had pulled his hair.

Cabana turned his back to Steel, so Steel jumped him from behind and put the boots to him. Cabana got a rollup on Steel, but ended up eating a big clothesline after Steel kicked out. Steel hit a springboard lariat on Cabana and covered him for a 2 count. Steel grabbed a hammerlock, but Cabana used his momentum to send Steel into the turnbuckles. Cabana nailed Steel with the bionic elbow and followed up with the butt bump in the corner. After a series of counters, Cabana caught Steel in the Billy Goat's curse for the win.

WINNER: Colt Cabana

STAR RATING: (**) - This was a fun opening match that was filled with some entertaining antics from Cabana. The finish came out of nowhere and fell kind of flat since Cabana never did any work on Steel's back. This was fun, but should have featured more wrestling to set the right tone for this PPV.

-Jimmy Jacobs cut a promo backstage on the Necro Butcher. Jacobs said he gave Necro a purpose and he had thrown it away. Jacobs said he would take away the rest of what he had given Necro tonight.

-A highlight package chronicling the Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The American Wolves feud aired.

2 - - CHRIS HERO & INCOGNITO & THE AMERICAN WOLVES (w/Shane Hagadorn) vs. KEVIN STEEN & EL GENERICO & MAGNO & JAY BRISCOE

The babyfaces charged the ring and brawled with the heels right away. Magno and Incognito ended up alone in the ring. Incognito and Magno did some Lucha style exchanges in the ring while everyone else brawled on the outside. Magno sent Incognito to the outside and nailed him with a springboard hurricanrana. The action settled down inside the ring and Generico gained the upper hand on Richards with a leg lariat. Richards cut off Generico and the heels tagged in and out of the ring to work him over. At one point, Incognito hit a nice springboard senton on Generico. The crowd really fired up for Generico, who hit a Michinoku driver on Hero and tagged in all three of his partners, who ran wild on the heels.

Steen and Briscoe hit stereo dives to the outside on Incognito and Hero and the crowd went nuts. Generico hit a dive to the outside. Magno then hit an awesome twisting dive off the top rope to the outside to wipe out everyone and the crowd went nuts. Generico hit the big boot on Edwards in the corner. Steen then hit the pump-handle neckbreaker on Edwards. Magno nailed Edwards with a springboard legdrop. Jay finished it off with a splash off the top and all of the babyfaces covered Edwards, but the heels ran in and pushed them off to break up the pin. Prazak wondered who the legal men were as the crowd continued to chant "this is awesome." Hero went up top, but Generico cut him off. Generico went for the brainbuster, but Hero pushed him off right into the ref. Hero put on his loaded elbow pad, but Generico nailed him with a big boot. Generico went for the brainbuster again, but Hero nailed him with the loaded pad. Hero made the cover, but Briscoe broke it up. Steen took away the loaded elbow pad from Hero. Jay then nailed Hero with a spinebuster. Magno then aided him in hitting the spiked Jay-driller for the pin.

WINNERS: Kevin Steen and El Generico and Magno and Jay Briscoe

STAR RATING: (**3/4) – This was a fun match that started off hot and heavy. Things then settled down before picking up again with a fantastic sequence of dives to the outside. This was short, but entertaining while it lasted.

-A video package chronicling the Jacobs-Necro feud aired.

3 - - JIMMY JACOBS vs. THE NECRO BUTCHER – Fight Without Honor

Jacobs jumped Necro as he got into the ring and Necro quickly fired back and tossed him to the floor. The brawl quickly spilled into the crowd where Necro nailed Jacobs with a trashcan. Necro crotched Jacobs on the railing and then slid him down the railing and Jacobs slid off railing and landed head-first on another. Necro teased throwing Jacobs off a balcony, but Jacobs fired back and avoid what likely would have been death. Necro quickly cut him off and tossed him back down the steps. They shot this show really well, as it looks like there's a ton of people in the building. Jacobs grabbed a screwdriver from under the ring and drove it into Necro's forehead. Necro came up bleeding and Jacobs took the screwdriver and drove it into his forehead before tossing Necro back into the ring.

Jacobs ripped a bunch of hair out of Necro's head and put it in his mouth before driving the really big screwdriver he found under the ring back into Necro's forehead. Jacobs tried to nail Necro with a steel chair, but Necro blocked it and punched the chair away. Necro followed up with a big chair slam on Jacobs and the crowd roared. Jacobs draped Necro over the table and posed on the top turnbuckle, but Necro recovered and tossed a chair at him. Necro and Jacobs battled on the turnbuckles. The crowd chanted "please don't die" as Jacobs suplexed Necro right to the floor off the top rope. These two guys are insane to take that kind of a bump.

Jacobs got to his feet first as Necro continued to scream in agony on the outside. Several attendants came to the outside to help Jacobs push Necro back inside the ring. Jacobs covered Necro, who kicked out at the last second and the crowd roared. The crowd chanted for Necro as he got to his feet only to eat a chairshot to the head. Jacobs nailed Necro with another chairshot to the head, but Necro fired back and nailed him with several punches and a bulldog on a steel chair for a 2 count. Necro nailed Jacobs with an unprotected chairshot to the head, but Jacobs got his foot on the ropes. Necro put Jacobs on his shoulders on the apron and nailed him with a DVD through a table on the outside. That was one of the safer spots they pulled off in the last few minutes. Necro followed up with a crossbody off the top, but Jacobs kicked out. Necro piled up several chairs in the middle of the ring, but Jacobs nailed him with a low blow and locked in the end time on the pile of chairs. Necro struggled and the ref eventually checked his arm, but Necro got his arm up before it dropped for a third time. Necro stood up and drove Jacobs into the turnbuckles. Necro blocked a contra code, punched Jacobs in the face, and nailed him with a tiger driver on the pile of chairs for the pin

WINNER: The Necro Butcher

STAR RATING: (***1/4) – An absolutely sick match, although it was difficult to watch at times due to the unprotected chairshots and insane bumps these guys were taking. I don't think the long-term risk is worth the short-term reward for what these guys pulled off here. I would have rated this higher, but the high-risk stuff was disturbing during certain parts of the match.

-Bryan Danielson cut a promo where he looked like a shadow against the Texas skyline in the background. Danielson talked about the time period when he held the ROH World Title. He said he cherished those memories. Danielson said he had an opportunity to become the ROH World Champion tonight in a Four Way match. Danielson said he would do anything to become champion tonight. Good promo, but it looked horrible.

-A highlight package chronicling the Brent Albright-Claudio Castagnoli feud aired.

-Nigel McGuinness was introduced to the crowd by Bobby Cruise. McGuinness made his entrance to a big reaction from the crowd. The crowd chanted "thank you Nigel" as McGuinness stood in the middle of the ring. McGuinness said he wasn't dressed to wrestle this evening because he hadn't been cleared. McGuinness said he was going to apologize for not being able to wrestle, but realized he didn't owe anyone an apology. The crowd gave him a big ovation and continued to applaud as he talked about the wear and tear on his body during his time as champion.

Claudio Castagnoli's music played and he made his way down to the ring. Castagnoli got on the mic and looked confused. McGuinness said it would still be Europe against America, but not tonight. McGuinness went to leave the ring, but Castagnoli jumped him from behind. Castagnoli grabbed a chair and went after McGuinness's injured shoulder, but Brent Albright made the save and they started the Three Way match.

4 - - BRENT ALBRIGHT vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. BLUE DEMON Jr.

Demon eventually made his way down to the ring and went after Castagnoli, but ended up eating a clothesline. Demon took Castagnoli down with a pair of headscissors and Castagnoli spilled to the floor. Demon then slid under the bottom rope and caught Castagnoli with another headscissors takedown. Castagnoli fired back on Demon and dead-lifted him off the mat and slammed him back down. Castagnoli kept an eye on Albright as he worked over Demon in the ring. Demon managed to slip away from Castagnoli and tagged in Albright, who nailed him with a backbreaker and followed up with the 6-1-9 knee to Castagnoli's head. Albright monkey-flipped Castagnoli to the floor and went for a dive, but Castagnoli caught him and slammed him into the rail. Castagnoli continued to hold onto Albright, but Demon nailed them with a dive through the ropes that sent Castagnoli into the guardrail. Demon came up holding his ankle on the outside as Albright tossed Castagnoli back into the ring.

Albright went for a cross body off the top, but got nailed with a European uppercut. Castagnoli went for the Ricola bomb, but McGuinness ran out and grabbed his leg. Albright then came up from behind and nailed Castagnoli with the half-nelson for the pin.

WINNER: Brent Albright

STAR RATING: (*1/2) This match was short and just getting started when it ended. I don't see the point of bringing in Demon as a showcase attraction and putting him in a short match that everyone is going to forget by the end of this show. I wanted this to last longer, but the cheap ending fell flat.

-Jerry Lynn cut a promo backstage. He said winning the title was the best night of his life. Lynn said he deserved the ROH title and it wasn't going to be easy to beat three other men tonight. Lynn said he would work twice as hard to keep the belt.

-An ad for ROHWrestling.com aired.

5 - - ALEX KOSLOV vs. RODERICK STRONG – International Challenge match

The announcers mentioned Koslov was from the AAA promotion out of Mexico. I thought Koslov was great in TNA last year, so I'm looking forward to this one. Koslov gave Strong the stop sign and tried to start a Russia chant, but Strong simply chopped him down to the mat and followed up with a big lariat as the crowd chanted "USA, USA." Koslov went for a cross body off the ropes, but Strong caught him and nailed him with an overhead toss. Both men battled on the apron, but Strong managed to push him off to the floor. Strong then went for a dive off the apron, but Koslov got out of the way and he crashed and burned into the barricade. Koslov continued the assault inside the ring and went to get his hat. Koslov put the hat on and did his wacky dance while kicking Strong in the back of the head. The crowd loved that even though it's a heel spot.

Koslov dragged Strong over to the ropes and applied a surfboard using the ropes for extra leverage which looked awesome. Strong avoided a charge in the corner and nailed Koslov with an enzuguri. Koslov managed to fight Strong off, but Strong nailed him with a big chop and superplexed him to the mat. Strong continued to nail Koslov with big chops and finished off the flurry of offense with a big backbreaker for a 2 count. Koslov caught Strong with a chinbreaker, but Strong fired right back with a gutbuster. Strong ran at Koslov, but ended up eating a superkick for a nearfall. Strong went for backbreaker, but Koslov swung behind him and cruxifixed him for a nearfall. Strong got right up and obliterated Koslov with a big kick. Strong then applied the Stronghold for the submission.

WINNER: Roderick Strong

STAR RATING: (***) – This was really good while it lasted, but the submission win came out of nowhere as Strong hadn't really established much work on Koslov's back. I'd like ROH to expand a match like this on PPV and really let these guys shine, but they only got to show a small amount of what they were capable, yet it was fantastic.

-A highlight package for the ROH World Title Four Way aired.

-D-Lo Brown and Bryan Danielson went face to face before the match, but Stevens and Lynn got in the way and the match started.

6 - - JERRY LYNN vs. BRYAN DANIELSON vs. ERICK STEVENS vs. D-LO BROWN – ROH World Title match

Brown and Stevens went at it inside the ring. Stevens tried to take down Brown with a shoulder tackle, but couldn't, so he kicked his legs out from under him. Stevens and Danielson ended up inside the ring, as no tags were required here and someone could enter the ring if another man rolled out. Stevens nailed Danielson with a backbreaker, but Brown ran in and obliterated him with a clothesline. Brown and Lynn went at it in the ring with Danielson and Stevens recovering on the outside. Both men exchanged nearfalls with rollups before Brown sent Lynn to the mat with a big punch. All four men ended up brawling on the outside. Lynn and Danielson then crawled back into the ring, but hit stereo dives to the outside on Brown and Stevens instead of going at it and the crowd went nuts.

Lynn avoided a kick from Danielson and nailed him with a release German suplex. Lynn then hit a swinging DDT on Danielson while dropkick Stevens off the apron to the floor. Lynn got a cross arm breaker on Danielson, but Brown nailed him with the low down. Brown covered Lynn, but Stevens broke it up. The crowd chanted "thank you Stevens." That was funny. Stevens went to the second turnbuckle, but Brown slapped him across the face. Brown went for a superplex, but Lynn cut him off and nailed him with a powerbomb. Stevens then hit Lynn with a shoulder tackle and the match continued at a rapid pace. Danielson ended up alone in the ring with Lynn, but nailed Brown with a springboard dive into the crowd and the crowd went nuts. Lynn ducked a clothesline from Stevens and nailed him with the cradle piledriver for the pin.

WINNER: Jerry Lynn to retain the ROH World Title.

STAR RATING: (**3/4) – This wasn't an epic title defense, but all four guys kept a breakneck pace from start to finish and delivered a satisfying effort, but it felt like something that belonged as an undercard warm-up than an ROH title defense.

-Tyler Black cut a promo backstage. He said he'd heard the next world champ chants from the fans across the country. Black said Lynn was the champ and mentioned he could cash in his title shot anytime he wanted. Black said when that happened; he hoped the fans would still be chanting for him.

-A video package aired to set up the main event.

7 - - AUSTIN ARIES & KATSUHIKO NAKAJIMA vs. TYLER BLACK & KENTA –Dream Partner Tag match

After beginning the match with Aries, Nakajima tagged in and had a fantastic exchange with Black. Black fired right back with a dropkick and tagged in KENTA and the crowd went nuts. KENTA and Nakajima exchanged kicks, but neither man would go down. They began kicking the crap out of each other and the crowd went ballistic. KENTA went for a KO kick, but Nakajima got out of the way and they came to a stalemate. Holy crap! The fans chanted "ROH, ROH" as both men squared off again in the middle of the ring. Nakajima went for a leapfrog a short time later, but KENTA kicked him right in the face. Nakajima managed to tag out to Aries, who looked like he wanted nothing to do with KENTA. The crowd went nuts and chanted "f--- him up KENTA." Aries offered a handshake, but KENTA kicked his hand away.

The crowd chanted for Aries after he escaped from a KENTA headscissors submission on the mat, so Aries covered his ears. Aries went for the dropkick escape after KENTA got him in a headscissors again, but KETNA got out of the way. Aries smiled and clapped at KENTA. Aries offered a handshake, but KENTA kicked his hand away. Aries slapped KENTA across the face and the camera zoomed in on KENTA, who looked pissed. Aries managed to escape KENTA and celebrated on the outside, but Black caught him and sent him back into the ring. KENTA returned the favor with a thunderous slap across Aries's face and tagged in Black. KENTA hit his slingshot/back heel kick spot on Aries's face and the crowd roared. Black and KENTA showed some good teamwork and tagged in and out of the ring to work over Aries for a lengthy period of time.

Black went for a springboard, but Aries shoved him to the floor and nailed him with an elbow drop off the top to the outside. Aries and Nakajima then began tagging in and out of the ring while targeting Black's leg. Aries then applied a nerve hold on Black in the middle of the ring. The crowd booed and Black began to mount a comeback, but Aries cut him off. Aries spent too much time paying attention to the boos of the fan as he set up for the power elbow and Black rolled him up for a 2 count and kicked him in the head. Black tagged in KENTA, who ran wild on Aries. KENTA hit a series of big yokuza kicks on Aries in the corner and capped off his attack with a dropkick to Aries in the face as he was slumped in the corner. KENTA applied a Boston crab. Nakajima ran into the ring and kicked KENTA until he broke the hold. Aries then tagged in Nakajima, who nailed KENTA with several kicks. Nakajima then went up top and nailed KENTA with a missile dropkick for a 2 count.

Nakajima hit a fantastic kick where he climbed the turnbuckles and used the momentum to kick KENTA in the back of the head. KENTA blocked a spinning DDT off the top, but Nakajima kicked him right in the head and KENTA looked out of it on the top rope. The crowd chanted for both men as Nakajima set up KENTA for a brainbuster, but KENTA blocked it. KENTA eventually tossed Nakajima to the mat and nailed him with a double stomp and the crowd went nuts. Nakajima slipped out of a Go 2 Sleep attempt. KENTA went for it again, but Nakajima hit him with a hurricanrana and nailed him with 2 superkicks, but KENTA wouldn't go down. Nakajima bounced off the ropes, but KENTA charged at him and nailed him with a clothesline that nearly took his head off and the crowd went nuts again. Wow!

Nakajima tagged in Aries, who knocked Black off the apron and then nailed KENTA with a suplex. Aries followed up with a big dropkick in the corner for a nearfall. KENTA slipped out of a brainbuster attempt and eventually tagged in Black. Black fired up in the corner and nailed Aries with a forearm. Black then hit the paroxysm for a nearfall. A short time later, Black hit a standing SSP after missing a quebrada for a nearfall. Black went up top for the Phoenix splash, but Aries got out of the way and hip-tossed Black into the turnbuckles. Aries then caught Black in the last chancery, but KENTA broke it up. KENTA kicked Aries in the head, but Aries still nailed Black with a hurricanrana. Black fired back at Aries and nailed him with the buckle bomb! Black went for the superkick on Aries, but Nakajima ran in and nailed Black with three superkicks. KENTA then came out of nowhere and nailed Nakajima with a running knee. Aries kicked KENTA in the head. He then kicked Black in the head and went for the brainbuster, but Black countered it into God's last gift for the pin!

WINNERS: Tyler Black & KENTA

Star Rating: (****1/4) – Wow! That's about all I can say to describe this match. This is the type of match that made me love ROH DVDs and PPVs in the past. The wrestling was stiff, crisp, and insane from start to finish and the crowd ate it up. The exchanges from KENTA and Nakajima were downright amazing to watch and if not for a slow period of action for a few minutes, this would have been a solid MOTY contender. This match is worth the price of admission alone.

-The show ended with a short highlight package recapping the show.

Overall thoughts: (7.0) This was a much better effort from ROH compared to their last PPV ordering. The show was flawed in a few areas, but the main event of KENTA & Black vs. Aries & Nakajima is worth the price of admission alone.

From a production standpoint, this was a huge upgrade. At times, it was difficult to hear some of the commentary because the crowd was so loud, but the venue in Texas looked really big and packed with enthusiastic ROH fans. ROH brought back the crane camera and the show looked fantastic on all levels. For the first time, I felt like I was watching a PPV and not a taped show. ROH has their own music now, so everyone got full entrances and the announcers introduced this show at the beginning and transitioned to each highlight package like this show was taking place live. The only thing missing was Prazak and Leonard appearing on camera to give it a truly authentic feeling of a live show.

I didn't like that many of the matches on the undercard were short. Most notably, Blue Demon Jr. was totally wasted here even though he was billed as a special attraction. Incognito and Magno were fun to watch, but they were thrown in an 8 man spot-fest that ended too soon.

The ROH World Title match felt like it belonged on the undercard to get the crowd ready, as Lynn and Co. mixed it up at an insane pace for around 10 minutes before Lynn finally picked up the win in the end. I forgot just about everything about this match by the time the show was over, despite it being a solid effort from all involved.

ROH PPVs should feature at least 2 matches per PPV that were the quality of the KENTA & Black vs. Aries & Nakajima match. The match was really good, but this PPV would be an easier sell with one more really good match. The Strong-Koslov match should have fit that void, but it ended before it should have and although it was really good, I can't say you have to buy this show to see that match.

The Necro-Jacobs match was also really good, but at times I was taken out of the match because of the unprotected chairshots and unnecessary risks these guys took in their Fight Without Honor, although I could swear Bobby Cruise announced it as a match with a different sort of stipulation.

The main event is worth a look and for $15 you can't go wrong here. It just seem like these PPVs are a lost cause for ROH. There's no buzz surrounding them and they screw with the continuity of the DVDs. ROH hasn't announced any upcoming PPV tapings, so the outlook for ROH on PPV is blurry right now. The main event was a great way for ROH to market its product and the main event really props up the show, but the company needs to do better and deliver grand slams. This was a solid PPV. Thumbs up.

Sean Radican can be contacted at PWTorchSean@gmail.com. He records ROH themed audios most week on the Radican Audio Showcase with co-host Derek Burgan that are available exclusively to Torch VIP members.

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