By Sean Radican, Torch Columnist

Radican's ROH on HDNet review series
Episode 1
Philadelphia, Pa.
Originally aired on March 23, 2009

Virtual time analysis

-The show opened with a red-tinted video package. Then we went to the HDNet studio with Dave Prazak and Mike Hogewood introducing the show in ROH polo shirts! Prazak and Hogewood discussed the Code of Honor before introducing the main event of Jimmy Jacobs vs. Tyler Black.

-Delirious cut a promo for the opening match in a smacktalk box for his opening match against Jerry Lynn. They showed Delirious making his entrance and in a separate screen, three facts (called 1…2…3!!!) about Delirious were listed. Jerry Lynn then cut his own promo putting himself over as a veteran. Lynn also had a box of facts.

(1) Jerry Lynn vs. Delirious. Lynn took control of the match early and locked Delirious into a bow and arrow submission. Delirious quickly countered and landed on top of Lynn for a 2 count. Lynn took Delirious down with a headscissors and covered him for a 2 count moments later. The crowd started a "lets go Jerry" chant. Delirious fired back and hit a senton on Lynn's back for a 2 count. Delirious grabbed a submission on the mat, but Lynn fired back and hit a spinning Gory special for a 2 count.

Lynn missed a charge in the corner and Delirious hit the Panic Attack. Delirious went up top for shadows over hell, but Lynn got out of the way. They went to a series of pinfall counters on the mat, but neither man could get the pin. Delirious went up top, but Lynn cut him off and hit a super hurricanrana. Lynn followed up with a T.K.O., but Delirious kicked out at the last second. Lynn went for the cradle piledriver, but Delirious drove him into the corner. Delirious ended up missing a charge in the corner and Lynn hit the cradle piledriver for the pin. (**)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was a good opening match and I thought Hogewood sounded really good considering this was his first time announcing a wrestling show.

-Kyle Durden was shown backstage. He brought in Tyler Black and introduced him as the fastest rising star in the company. Durden gave some background on the Jacobs-Black feud. He mentioned Black grew up watching Jacobs. Black said seeking revenge on Jacobs was taking a toll on him. Black said when he was with Jacobs their revolution was supposed to be about hope, but it never was. Black said he was going to kick Jacobs's head off his shoulders.

-They showed a smacktalk box for Sami Callahan and Kenny King. Callahan's promo was pretty lame. One of his facts was that he recently went to compete in Germany. Kenny King then cut an awesome promo about returning to national television where he belonged. My favorite King fact: Arrogant.

(2) Kenny King vs. Sami Callihan. King took down Callihan early on and arrogantly played to the crowd, which allowed Callihan to jump him from behind. Callihan took King down to the mat in a front face lock. King got to his feet and took Callihan and snapped his neck over the top rope and landed on his feet on the outside. King played to the camera more after putting the boots to Callihan in the corner. King hit a springboard leg drop for a 2 count and then locked in a chinlock on the mat.

Callihan fired back, but King quickly cut him off with a boot to the head and hit a big spinebuster for a 2 count. They showed a nice replay of King's kick to the back of Callihan's head. Callihan fired back and hit an inverted atomic drop and then dumped King on his head with a suplex. The crowd was not mic'd well. I can hear them chanting, but it sounds like they are watching the show from 100 yards away. Callihan hit a chinbreaker on the mat and followed up with a sliding clothesline for a 2 count. Callihan locked in the Koji clutch on King, but he got his foot on the ropes.

Callihan went for a charge in the corner and King nailed him from behind with the double knees, which sent Callihan flying into the turnbuckles. King then hit the coronation for the pin. (**1/2)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: I really liked this match. King established his personality quickly to a national television audience. I also liked how the announcers established that everyone in ROH is a competitor and can't be taken lightly, as King's arrogance early on got him into a longer match than he expected.

-Durden was shown backstage once again with Jimmy Jacobs. Durden seems much more credible and serious than he has on ROH DVD releases. Jacobs said he brought Black in to help spread his message through the Age of the Fall. Jacobs said Black had changed their plans. He said Black was now fighting for the masses. Jacobs said Black was a great wrestler, but tonight he was going to break him. Jacobs said the war is now. This was a good promo from Jacobs.

-The graphic hyping the main event was shown again before Hogewood plugged Brent Albright was going to wrestle in the next match.

-An ad for ROHWrestling.com aired hyping the DVD and live event tickets sold through the site. This was the ad they've needed on the PPVs, but couldn't air. They also showed a shot of ROH's fabled gimmick table chock full of DVDs.

-A history of ROH video package aired. They showed Abyss, Homicide, Punk, Joe, Mickey James, Mick Foley, Low Ki, and several other of the bigger names that have wrestled in ROH. This was an awesome video package.

-They went to the smacktalk for Rhett Titus. He cut his signature promo and said the thrust is a must. His facts aired as he made his entrance. Brent Albright then cut a promo in the smacktalk box. It was short and to the point. His facts box alerted the audience that he was aligned with Roderick Strong and Erick Stevens.

(3) Brent Albright vs. Rhett Titus. Albright took the attack to Titus early and nailed him with a delayed vertical suplex. Titus fired back and went up top, but gave Albright time to recover and he tossed him off the top right onto his knee. Albright continued the assault and nailed Titus with the Razor's Edge, but Titus got his foot on the ropes. Albright then sent Titus to the outside with a clothesline and nailed him with a springboard splash to the outside.

Both men battled on the apron, but Titus managed to trip Albright, who went spilling to the outside. Titus strutted around the ring before tossing Albright head-first into the turnbuckle. Albright tried to fire back, but Titus raked his eyes. Titus continued to rake Albright's eyes and the ref warned him. The crowd tried to rally Albright. An ad appeared on the screen listing upcoming ROH events, but the font was small and difficult to read. Albright finally fired up and landed several punches to Titus before finally taking him down with a leg lariat.

Albright fired up and hit a series of clotheslines before covering Titus for a 2 count. Titus managed to fire back and nailed Albright with a dropkick for a 2 count. Titus came off the ropes, but Albright cut him off with a Rock Bottom. Albright then hit the half-nelson suplex and applied the crowbar for the submission win. (**)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was a more competitive match than I expected, but it was on or near the level of the previous matches. Albright whipped out his bag of famous finishing maneuvers here, as he hit the Rock Bottom and Razor's Edge on Titus during the course of the match.

-A video package from the "Rising Above" PPV aired highlighting where the problems between Black and Aries began. Black was unable to throw in the towel for Jacobs because Lacey had taken it from him. They then went to highlights of Jacobs beating Black after his #1 contender's match against Austin Aries at "Final Battle." Jacobs was shown low blowing Black after the match. This was a nice showcase to drive potential customers to go purchase DVDs at ROH's website.

-Black and Jacobs made their entrances, but didn't get a smacktalk box. They both had their three facts displayed on screen. Jacobs came out to his own music, so they must have gotten the rights for it. Black's facts listed his signature holds and never say die attitude.

(4) Tyler Black vs. Jimmy Jacobs. They did a good job of establishing Black as the babyface and Jacobs as the heel. The announcers highlighted the fact that Jacobs and Blacks didn't shake hands prior to the match. Black took Jacobs down early with a dropkick and landed several blows. Jacobs went tumbling to the outside and pulled Black out with him. Black tossed Jacobs to the outside, but he rolled back out of the ring and went for a chair. Jacobs tossed several chairs on Black. Black kicked them to the outside, which provided enough of a distraction for Jacobs to jump him from behind. Jacobs pointed at his head and Hogewood said he was good at playing mind games.

Black fired back moments later and nailed him with a springboard leg lariat. Black tried to drag Jacobs out of the corner, but he countered and sent Black head-first into the turnbuckles with a headscissors. Jacobs sent a kiss out to the crowd before coming off the top and nailing black before covering him for a 2 count. Black fired back and nailed Jacobs with a bodyslam and went up top, but Jacobs pushed him off and he went flying into the barricade before spilling to the floor. Jacobs set up Black in a chair, but the ref stepped in the way and told Jacobs to bring the action back inside the ring.

Jacobs went for a spear in the corner, but Black got his knees up. Black went to attack Jacobs, but Jacobs charged at Black and took him down and began choking him. Jacobs mounted Black and landed several blows before setting him up near the turnbuckles. Jacobs landed several double stomps on Black before dropping down on him with an elbow to the chest. The crowd chanted for Black, who took Jacobs down and landed several blows. Black then caught Jacobs in a military press off the ropes and dropped him down to the mat.

Black hit a springboard lariat moments later for a nearfall and a replay of it aired from a different angle. Black went up top for the phoenix splash, but Jacobs got out of the way and nailed him with a spear for a 2 count. They did a series of counters in the center of the ring, but Black managed to nail him with a kick. Black went to follow up, but Jacobs tossed him to the floor and nailed him with a dive through the ropes moments later. Jacobs went up top and went for a senton, but Black got his knees up. Black went for God's Last Gift, but Jacobs countered it into the End Time. Black slammed Jacobs into the turnbuckles, but he wouldn't let go. Black broke free and went for a superkick, but Jacobs countered and nearly won it with a roll up. Jacobs locked in the End Time again and the ref checked Black's arm, but Black rolled through before his arm dropped for a third time and got the surprise pin. (***)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was good for a TV main event, but it didn't feel like the big grudge match it was billed to be. I was expecting a little more out of these two, but they only really turned it on during the last couple of minutes of the match. Despite those things, this was still a very good television main event.

-An ad for the next ROH show on HDNet aired hyping ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness vs. Jay Briscoe in the main event. Another ad aired for ROH's next PPV, "Caged Collusion" on April 17.

Quick thoughts: (7.0) This was a solid debut for ROH on national television. They brought what they do best to the forefront: in-ring action. I thought all of the matches on the show were entertaining and got across the various wrestlers and personalities that were featured on the debut show. I think it was good that the company didn't try to do too much, although I can't believe Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuinness weren't on the show. That goes down as a major WTF were they thinking moment in ROH history. Heck, even Hogewood was pretty darn good.

That being said, I liked what I saw out of Kenny King here. He really stood out on the show and looked major league in terms of his promos and in the ring against Sami Callihan. Sami Callihan doesn't belong on national television. His promos and look are terrible even by indy standards. Albright and Titus had a good match as well, but they didn't stand out as must-see performers.

I can't help but think this would have been a more exciting show if Gabe Sapolsky were still at the helm. The show was solid, but it lacked the spark and energy that has been synonymous with the company throughout the years. The crowd seemed dead and if you asked me six months or a year ago of what I would have envisioned when ROH debuted on television, I would have thought the show would knock off the socks of first time ROH viewers. ROH should come across like a wrestling revolution on television, but I just got the sense here that the show is going to feature good wrestling in front of dead crowds.

I know the first run of shows are going to serve as an introduction to new fans that see the show on HDNet, but this first show should have been something special, but instead it was just solid. I know management has been making an effort to slowly define down the expectations of fans on their DVD releases and that carried through here. I hope as the show gets on track, it regains the spark that I know lies within the heart of the company.

Sean Radican and co-host Derek Burgan record ROH themed audios on the Radican Audio Showcase on most weekends that are made available exclusively to Torch VIP members. Sean also reviews nearly every ROH release for Torch VIP members. You can contact Sean at PWTorchSean@Gmail.com.

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