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Ah, production value. That was story of ROH's final show of the year, "Final Battle," from December 27. Using new high-tech cameras and camera angles, ROH upped this DVD release to a PPV-quality feature that was matched in the ring by PPV-quality wrestling matches.

The final three matches of Austin Aries vs. Tyler Black, Nigel vs. Marufuji, and Bryan Danielson vs. Morishima were straight out of the PPV playbook. Just excellent in-ring work from everyone, including a major blow-off match between Danielson and Morishima.

This is a highly recommended DVD that captures the end of 2008 for ROH feuds and the beginning of 2009 storylines. Definitely worth picking up ahead of the HDNet TV debut to find out where ROH was and where they're headed. ROH website for ordering information.

The DVD starts with the Age of the Fall standing in a very dark corner of the arena. Jimmy Jacobs said the cycle began one year ago and tonight they win the tag titles. Jacobs told Delirious to get Daizee Haze out of his head. It's over. Tyler Black faces Austin Aries in a #1 contender match. He's going to hurt Aries where it counts tonight. "Next World champ," Jacobs said with slight sarcasm before telling him not to fail him.

Live in the arena, ring announcer Bobby Cruise introduced the show. My goodness, what a difference production value makes. Much, much better than at the previous night's show, which was very shady in the production value department.

(1) Kenny Omega beat Claudio Castagnoli in 8:00. Claudio came out first sporting a Red Sox jersey for the cheap heel heat in New York. ROH champ Nigel McGuinness is back on commentary. They used some new camerashots, including an overhead corner angle shot. Very nice. Claudio played the aggressive heel early on while Nigel poked fun at Omega on commentary for looking like Sugarfoot Alex Payne. The youngster Omega threw up the stop sign for Claudio, who stopped and took an enziguiri kick at 6:00. Claudio regained control with a European uppercut/slap combo in the corner before nailing a huge Bicycle kick. Claudio then wanted the Ricola Bomb, but Omega slipped out into a small package for the sudden pin and the win. Afterward, Claudio snapped ringside. Tired of being an opening card act. Tired of losing. (**)

(2) Jerry Lynn beat Necro Butcher, Rhett Titus, and Chris Hero (w/Sweet 'n Sour, Inc.) in 13:00 in a four-way match. The thrust was a must for Necro Butcher, who gyrated in front of Rhett "Stevie Richards" Titus early on. They changed up the pace when Hero and Lynn battled, then Hero tagged out to a surprised Necro. Very odd dynamic to this entire match, making it great. Announcers talked up Necro in "The Wrestler" and wondered when he's getting paid so he can afford some wrestling boots. Larry Sweeney ran interference late in the match, then Hero accepted the loaded elbow pad on his boot just like the previous night against Erick Stevens. Lynn ducked it, though, and nailed a Cradle Piledriver in center ring. Lynn with the pin and the win. Enjoyable dynamic of four very different wrestlers in a four-way deal. Good undercard match. (**1/2)

Post-match: Jerry Lynn took off and tried to get Necro to follow him, but Jimmy Jacobs showed up. He called Necro a Hollywood sell-out, then Delirious jumped Necro from behind for a brief beating. Tag champs Steen & Generico then made the save to set up the tag title match.

(3) ROH tag team champions Kevin Steen & El Generico (w/Daizee Haze) beat Age of the Fall (Jimmy Jacobs & Delirious) in 14:00 to retain the ROH World Tag Titles. Tag champs dominated early on, then Steen took a heel beat down leading to Generico coming in a house-of-fire for a nearfall on Delirious. Generico then hit a top rope dive onto Jacobs on the floor. Steen with a cannonball splash on Delirious, then Generico hit a top rope splash for a two count. Delirious then accidentally took out Jacobs and Steen tried a Package Piledriver, but his knee gave out after the heel work. Steen opted for a Sharpshooter, but Jacobs broke it up. Action broke down, then Haze tried to get involved. Jacobs grabbed her, but Delirious saved Haze. The distraction allowed Generico to hit a Yazuka kick into Steen's Package Piledriver into Generico's brainbustah suplex for the pin and the win. Fine tag match. You'd like to see the tag titles placed higher on the card, but this was fine for a heavy-on-storyline tag title match. (**3/4)

Backstage: Briscoes cut a promo about facing Sasaki & Nakajima tonight. Jay did the talking about man'ing up while Mark chimed in with a few words. Mark was sporting a North Carolina b-ball shirt, which can't make Bruce Mitchell happy.

(4) Brent Albright & Roderick Strong & Erick Stevens beat Sweet 'n Sour, Inc. (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards & Go Shiozaki) in 15:00 in a Street Fight. Team Richards wore some bright yellow t-shirts to the ring. How cute. Team Albright then came out in street clothes, including jeans and Wolverine boots, to put this over as a street fight. We just need Dusty Rhodes's cowboy boots to complete this. Action was exclusively on the floor for the first few minutes. Strong apparently thought they were having a Gym Fight, as he was sporting track pants. Action moved into the ring, a table was introduced, and Stevens took a German Suplex from Go through the table. Team Richards started dominating Albright three-on-one with the deck stacked.

At 10:00, Albright made his Cena-comeback and the rest of his team evened the odds. Strong and Richards picked up a No Remorse Corps battle with an intense mid-ring exchange before both men spilled to the outside. Richards wanted another table, but he ended up taking a suplex through the table on the floor. Sick sequence with Stevens hitting Go with a suplex leading to a strike kick from Strong. Albright then put Go in the crowbar submission and Go tapped out. Heck of a finish. Excellent street fight. (***1/2)

(5) Jay & Mark Briscoe beat Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima in 17:00. Same set-up as the previous night where the protege, Nakajima, wrestled first. Sasaki then came in to clean things up and start throwing around some big chops. Mark was isolated in the ring and the Japanese stars worked over Mark's injured knee to slow him down. Jay finally accepted a hot tag at 10:00 and cleaned house. Action broke down into a four-way brawl and the Briscoes tried a Doomsday Device, but Mark's knee gave out. They tried the Device again on Nakajima, and this time Mark connected. Jay then nailed Nakajima with the Jay Driller and Mark held off Sasaki to allow Jay to score the pin for the win. Standard Briscoes tag match. Not quite the showcase of Sasaki as the previous night. (***)

Post-match: Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards went after the Briscoes immediately after the bell. They went after Mark's injured knee and smashed him with a chair. Steen & Generico then made the save for the Briscoes. Wolves jumped the tag champs after a brief pause, then Team Albright ran off the Wolves. Faction Warfare is back!

Backstage: Rock star Marufuji cut a promo, then big ol' Morishima cut a promo. That must have been a XXXL pull-over sweater Morishima was sporting. That man is large.

(6) Austin Aries beat Tyler Black in 18:00 in a #1 contender match. Nice story of Black winning over the fans, which was beginning to upset Aries. Aries missed his trademark hesitation spinning elbow smash and the fans capitalized with boos. Aries regrouped by blocking a springboard dive from Black before nailing a torpedo dive on the floor. Dueling chants of "Austin Aries" and "Tyler Black" while Aries began his attack on Black. Aries was cocky taking his time working over Black before turning his attention to the fans.

Aries got serious at 15:00 and nailed knee strikes on Black before applying the Last Chancery. Black escaped, though, and suddenly rolled up Aries before nailing a kick strike to the head. Black powerbombed Aries into the corner and scored a two count only. Jimmy Jacobs walked out at 17:00 to momentarily distract Black, who missed with a Phoenix Splash. Aries hit a brainbuster, then went to the corner for a 450 splash. He nailed the move and made the cover for the win. Excellent singles match. Great exchange between two top wrestlers with a great storyline. (***3/4)

Post-match: Jacobs yelled at Black for failing him as the chosen one. Crowd chanted for Tyler to take out Jimmy, who berated him with a verbal assault. Black had enough and shoved Jacobs down. Jacobs came to his senses and tried to calm everyone down. Black teased punching Jimmy, then Jimmy suddenly kicked Black in the groin. He said everything is Tyler's fault. Jimmy put Black in the End Times submission, then he grabbed a chair. Aries made the save and took the chair, but then he turned around and cracked the chair over Black's head. Aries did his insane smile, then Jacobs and Aries tore Black apart. Announcers said they have a common enemy in the fan's favorite, Black. Aries played to the crowd and asked what they're going to do about it. Black was busted open center ring as Jacobs stared down at Black. Very intense angle. Well done other than the chairshot to the head. Glad to see WWE, ROH, and Abyss have worked together to solve the world's dementia problem from head trauma.

(7) ROH champion Nigel McGuinness beat Naomichi Marufuji in 19:00 to retain the ROH Title. Very nice opening exchange where Nigel teased the Rebound Lariat, but Marufuji saw it coming and blocked. Marufuji was in control for the first five minutes, including stomping Nigel's head into the mat with his rear end. Nigel gained control on the floor, then got cocky talking to the fans through the ropes, setting up a sweet spot where Marufuji kicked him in the head as Nigel taunted the fans. Marufuji followed with a Sliced Bread off the ring apron to the floor. Back in the ring, Nigel crotched Marufuji and gave him a facebuster onto the ring apron. Nigel wanted the Rebound Lariat, but Marufuji blocked. Marufuji hung Nigel upside down and hit a legit Coast-to-Coast. Marufuji landed consecutive standing kicks, but Nigel suddenly pulled out a small package for a two count. He popped right up to his feet, though, and nailed the Rebound Lariat for the pin and the win. Excellent title match. Nigel was awesome and Marufuji was a rock star. (****1/4)

Post-match: Jerry Lynn showed up to address Nigel, who was still selling a right arm injury. Lynn said they have personal issues, but on a professional level, he'd like to say that was a great match and you won't see wrestling like that anywhere else in this country. Nigel took the mic and wanted to know why the old dinosaur wants to come steal his spotlight. He said Lynn is a washed up bum like in "The Wrestler." Lynn told him we're doing this right now. Nigel walked off, so Lynn screamed that he won't let Nigel disrespect this company. Screaming + overmodulated mic = ouchie to ears. Nigel ran away from Lynn and left through the crowd.

Pre-main event: Prince Nana tried to run into the ring to sell some wares, but security quickly removed him the situation and escorted him away.

(8) Bryan Danielson beat Takeshi Morishima in 21:00 in a Fight Without Honor. Match was billed as the blow-off fight after a year and a half of battles between the two stars. Danielson quickly took it to Morishima by brawling on the floor before rolling him back into the ring. Morishima then knocked Danielson to the outside and Danielson came up bleeding heavy from the forehead. Morishima nailed a running butt bomb while Danielson was seated in a chair, then continued to assault Danielson by bringing a chain into the ring to choke the life out of Danielson. Morishima threw in some elbow strikes to inflict more damage on Danielson, who gasped for breath during the chain choke.

Danielson made a comeback at 10:00 with successive kick strikes to the chest, which Morishima no-sold until Danielson powered up with a running strike for a two count. Danielson executed a sick German Suplex where Morishima seemed to float in the air as Danielson pulled him overhead for a two count. Danielson transitioned into Cattle Mutilation, then he landed repeated elbow strikes. Morishima made his way to his feet, though, and nailed a big forearm strike. Great standing exchange, then Morishima exploded with a sick lariat. Morishima grabbed the chain again and tried to choke out Danielson, but he fought out and nailed a top rope back drop. Danielson grabbed the chain and wrapped it around Morishima before applying a triangle choke. Morishima avoided passing out and suddenly powerbombed Danielson out of the choke.

At 20:00, Danielson tied up Morishima's hands behind his back with the chain, but Morishima used his feet to kick strike Danielson. He then landed knee strikes to the groin before stomping on Morishima's groin. He wrapped the chain around his elbows, then landed repeated chained elbow strikes to the neck. Morishima refused to give up as Danielson landed 13 or 14 blows. He then put Morishima in Cattle Mutilation. Ref called for the bell when Morishima went limp and awarded the match to Danielson. Brutal, amazing brawl. Can't do that on a regular basis, but in the context of a blow-off match between two top wrestlers in ROH, this was an excellent, excellent match and worth the price of the DVD by itself. (****1/2)

Post-match: Danielson took the mic and thanked everyone for being here tonight. Babyfaces then came to the ring to join Danielson, who announced this as the largest crowd in ROH history. Even little man Grizzly Redwood joined the camaraderie. El Generico was hilarious with his little mannerisms pointing at himself for bleeding and busting butt for this company. Danielson invited everyone to the ROH after-party. Babyfaces hugged. Aww. Close out 2008.

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