By Sean Radican, PWTorch Columnist

Radican's ROH on HDNet review series
Episode 4
Philadelphia, Pa.
Originally aired on April 18, 2009

Virtual time analysis

-Hogewood and Prazak pretended to be enthusiastic about Jerry Lynn taking on Brodie Lee in the main event tonight.

-Kenny Omega cut a boring promo prior to his match against Austin Aries. Austin Aries cut what sounded like, but wasn't a cliché ridden promo. Aries also mentioned that he doesn't eat meat, which will likely make him a friend for life with Wade Keller. The fans lightly taunted Aries prior to the match.

(1) Austin Aries vs. Kenny Omega. Omega caught Aries with a kick, but Aries avoided a hurricanrana attempt moments later and shoved him to the mat. Omega caught Aries with an elbow in the corner moments later and followed up with a palm strike that sent Aries over the ropes and to the floor. Omega tried to follow up with a dive, but Aries cut him off. Aries tossed Omega back into the ring and worked a nerve hold on the mat. Moments later, Aries nailed Omega with the power elbow for a 2 count as the crowd booed. Omega finally fired back and caught Aries with a kick to the mid-section. Omega rolled up Aries moments later for a 2 count and followed up with a power legdrop for another nearfall.

Aries missed a charge into the corner and spilled to the outside. Omega then caught him with a moonsault to the outside. Omega nailed Aries with several knees to the chest and went for an electric chair suplex. Aries raked Omega's eyes and tossed him into the ringpost. Aries followed up with a big dropkick in the corner. Aries nailed Omega with a big kick to the head and nailed him with a brainbuster for the pin. (**1/4)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was a solid opening match. There were a couple of dull spots, but both guys ended up looking good here. I'd love to see these two get it on in the ring without restrictions on television.

-Kyle Durden interviewed Jerry Lynn backstage. Lynn said he was excited about being part of something big with ROH on HDNet. Lynn said it's nothing new to him being in the ring with a big guy like Lee.

-Ernie Osiris was cutting a promo, but Prince Nana interrupted him and told him he had a lot to learn. Delirious cut a promo and Hogewood said he thought Delirious said he liked him. Prazak seemed insulted at the notion.

(2) Delirious vs. Ernie Osiris. Osiris looks like a broken-down version of Grizzley Redwood. Delirious nailed Osiris with a lariat grabbed him by the beard before tossing him to the mat. Osiris cut Delirious off and went up top, but ended up eating a headbutt from Delirious. Delirious nailed Osiris with multiple clotheslines before taking him down to the mat with a leaping lariat for a 2 count. Osiris fired back with a knee strike for a 2 count. Delirious caught Osiris with another headbutt. He then nailed Osiris with the panic attack in the corner. Delirious went up top and finished Osiris off with the Shadows Over Hell. (1/4)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was weak. Osiris looks low rent and doesn't belong anywhere near national television. I must have missed Delirious's babyface turn somewhere along the way as well. This went on way too long before it ended.

-Durden interviewed Lee and Jacobs backstage. Jacobs said people had left Age of the Fall because they were too weak for the fight they bring. Jacobs said on the path of destruction, Lee will pave the way. Jacobs said Lynn was one move away from losing. Lee said, "All day Jerry Lynn!"

-Sara Del Rey cut a promo backstage. Sweeney hugged Del Rey and Sassy Stephanie and laughed manically. He indicated this was a tryout match for Stephanie to get into SNS Inc. Haze cut a promo with Nevaeh. Haze said Del Rey can't keep her down.

(3) Sassy Stephanie & Sara Del Rey (w/Larry Sweeney) vs. Daizee Haze & Nevaeh. Haze took Del Rey down during the early stages of the match and targeted her arm. Nevaeh tagged in and continued the assault on Del Rey's arm and rolled up Del Rey for a 2 count. Del Rey foiled a double team, but Neveah and Haze fired right back and slammed her down to the mat. Stephanie ran into the ring to save Del Rey and got there late. Del Rey kicked out and yelled at Stephanie and nearly got rolled up by Haze for the pin. Neveah tagged back into the match, but Del Rey cut her off and suplexed her to the mat for a 2 count. Stephanie tagged in and Neveah fired back, so Del Rey chewed out Stephanie and tagged herself back into the match.

The cameras showed Sweeney flipping out on a fan at ringside. He challenged him to a parking lot fight. Neveah managed to tag out and Haze ran wild on Stephanie. Haze went up top, but Del Rey tried to fight her off. Haze kicked Del Rey to the floor and nailed Stephanie with a missile dropkick. Haze had Stephanie pinned, but Del Rey picked her up and slammed her to the mat. Neveah nailed Del Rey with a dropkick that sent her to the outside. Neveah followed up with a crossbody off the apron onto Del Rey. Haze hit the mind trip on Stephanie for the pin. (*1/2)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was a solid match that told a nice little story, as Del Rey didn't get along with her partner. Del Rey flipped out after the match as well, but it would have been fun if they showed her laying out Stephanie.

(4) Brodie Lee vs. Jerry Lynn. Lee placed Lynn on the top turnbuckle during the early stages of the match and patted him on the head. Lynn went for a sunset flip and Lee tried to sit down on him, but Lynn got out of the way and nailed him with a dropkick. Lynn went for a cover and Lee kicked out with a ton of force and Lynn went flying. The action spilled to the floor where Lee nailed Lynn with an uppercut. Lee choked Lynn with his boot on the ropes. Lynn tried to fire back, but Lee caught him when he went for a crossbody and slammed him to the mat for a 2 count.

Lee hit a Michinoku driver on Lynn for a nearfall and Hogewood went nuts. The action spilled to the floor and Lynn hit a backdrop. Lee fired back and drove Lynn into the ringpost. Jacobs ran down and attacked Lynn on the outside with the ref distracted. Hogewood proved himself to be a total moron by saying he couldn't believe Jacobs had interfered. Really Mike? Are you surprised? Really? Lee went for a big boot in the corner and Lynn got out of the way. Lynn nailed Lee with a hurricanrana and Jacobs chewed out Lee from the outside. Lynn followed up on Lee with a missile dropkick and he rolled to the floor. Lynn then nailed Lee with a huge flip dive over the ropes and the crowd appeared to be excited, but it was hard to tell.

Lynn greeted Lee with a legdrop as he got back into the ring. Lynn followed up with a T.K.O. for a nearfall. Lynn went up top, but Lee cut him off and nailed him with a butterfly superplex for a 2 count. Lee followed up with a running boot in the corner and then caught Lynn with the black hole slam for a 2 count. Lee stood over Lynn, who caught him with a small package for the pin. (**)

RADICAN'S ANALYSIS: This was the weakest main event out of all of the ROH HDNet shows. They did what they could to build Lee as a monster, but he's just not that exciting to watch when he's getting the heat on his opponents.

-Brent Albright vs. Claudio Castagnoli was advertised as the main event for the next show.

Quick thoughts: (5.5) No major complaints here. Nothing stood out as really bad or really good. The show was kind of just there for me. It's odd that the show peaked with the opening match featuring Austin Aries vs. Kenny Omega. Those two put together the most exciting exchanges on the entire show. Everything else was just average.

I give Lee a lot of credit. He had a passable match with Lynn in the main event, but he's just not ready for that kind of slot. Every second of television is important and ROH just isn't showcasing what makes the promotion special. Lee was fair in his role as the big man in control here against Lynn, but having him on offense the entire match just wasn't very interesting. I've seen worse from WWE's big men, so that's a feather in Lee's cap. I think he'll be really good in a couple of years, but just isn't ready yet to take the next step.

I find it hard to imagine that ROH can't do better than putting guys like Ernie Osiris and Sami Callihan on HDNet. There's got to be enhancement talent out there that makes the stars in ROH look good. Delirious just didn't come off all that great during his match with Osiris. ROH should have professional looking wrestlers in every match now that they're on television. That includes the jobbers.

Fans looking for longer matches got their fill on this edition of ROH on HDNet. It just wasn't all that exciting of a show.

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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