Pro Wrestling Ponderings

08/31/2009 ROH on HDnet review

So here it is folks, Team Cabana against the Embassy in a huge tag team match for the main event. But we have some action before we get there.

Delrious joined by the lobely Daizee Haze is ready to go up against the soon to be rapper Sonjay Dutt. Two guys who got killed by Samoa Joe in his early TNA tenure are about to excite the crowd with both of their unique styles. Delirious hears the bell and the madness begins, too bad his mind can be easily manipulated in other areas. I will say that their styles compliment each other in that we have the aggressive style of Delirious while Sonjay is able to counter him and use his speed against a man who isn’t too shabby in the quicks department. Gotta add that Hog asking Prazak if he spoke Klingon made me chuckle. Huge amounts of offense out of Sonjay that as one would expect would take him off of his feet while he tries to weaken the resolve of Delirious in order to get a three count. Delirious gets the win with a roll up and a sign of respect at the end of the match with a sporting hand shake between the two opponents.

Embassy promo with the idea that they are going to get rid of their opponents and rise to the top of the ROH ladder. While I’m not convinced that the members of the official Embassy are really going to rise to the top, I will say that with this big tag match, we could see some entertaining spots.

American Wolves against Cheech & Cloudy is our second match of the night and honestly I don’t see this being more than a glorified squash match. The former Special K members get pounded from the get go from these stiff wrestlers in the form of the American Wolves but they soon send the ROH Tag Team Champions to the floor but make that fatal mistake of going high risk against a team that isn’t entirely out of it. I enjoy the work of Cheech & Cloudy in CHIKARA and other indy federations, but I can’t say that the American Wolves are going to have much trouble with these two who combine high flying and speed expertly but the American Wolves aren’t far behind in the quicks department and are just tough as nails. A half crab later and the ROH Tag Team Champions have their win. Don’t expect to see any sportsman like behavior from the Wolves as they make us suffer the sight of Shane Hagadorn again for another week. Dark City Fight Club rush to the ring and the rough and tough tandem make an example out of Cheech, even gaining some notice from the tag team champs.

Team Cabana promo. Brent Albright is just plain stupid as Sgt. Meathead. Colt can do the funny stuff and has the timing of Bob Saget, but god damn why is Brent even trying this babyface look. Grizzly Redwood and Necro follow and honestly this did not make me any more interested in the main event.

Jerry Lynn tells us why his next weeks match against Tyler Black could be one more important match in his history and to be honest it could be a very telling sign of where he’s ging to go.

Silas Young versus Erick Stevens this week as two power houses of the ROH roster are going to go head to head. I have seen lots of good things out of both men, and with just a little adjustment, Stevens could be a huge player for ROH in the future if only he would work on his schtick. He definitely has a look that could be distinctive, but as always the gift of gab may be the clincher to his success in this business. Great heel work from Young as this midwest talent continues to impress me with his in ring abilities. Be sure to check out the sit down Jerome Cusson of Pro Wrestling Ponderings had with Silas Young at an AAW event alongside the Phoenix Twins as a wondering Jimmy Jacobs also chimes in. Cheap plugs coming about, also be sure to check out the sit down Jerome had with DGUSA announcer and commentator Phil Colvin this week as that is also up on the website. Anyway back to the match at hand. These two larger members of the ROH roster show they aren’t afraid to go to the ropes to gain some impact, a great example by Young as he goes for a split legged moonsault but is able to land on his feet when he sees that Stevens isn’t there. One Doctor Bomb later though and Erick Stevens shows why his slight experience advantage in ROH over Young gives him the edge this time around. Would like to see program between these two if done correctly.

“God’s Middle Child” Eddie Kingston is back again to vent about Chris Hero. These vignettes have gone a long time and really the build to this match up has been done in other promotions so many times over that in a way this is overkill. Not to say that I’m not looking forward to it, but with it being done in so many other places they are really milking this a tad too far.

Main event time as a “classic Survivor Series” style tag match pitting The Embassy (Jimmy Rave, Claudio Castagnoli, Prince Nana, Ernie Osiris) against Colt Cabana, Necro Butcher, Brent Albright, and Grizzly Redwood. On a side note, I would have much preferred Bison Smith to Ernie Osiris any day of the week as really this ROH student has not shown anything but being able to take a decent bump, and sometimes it’s messed up even then. Prince Nana breaking out a ring outfit that I haven’t seen him in since his ECWA days. ROH students in the ring as we have Redwood against Osiris and while they are doing some decent basic manuevers, I just don’t see why Osiris is in the match. Redwood shows that he is lightyears ahead of Osiris, probably just by the experience he has outside of ROH while I am pretty damn sure that Osiris hasn’t worked in any other promotion. I could be wrong and if I am please feel free to comment on that as I would like to know the whereabouts of the ROH students. Great segment as the crowd is used to interact with the babyface team as they put the stretch on Double C and use the leverage of the entire front row on their side. Gotta admit that while ROH may not be what it once was persay, it still gives the fans experiences that they will remember and probably can’t get anywhere else from the major two of this profession. Though apparently in the fed we do have “fans” running in to help those who they feel akin to, or just may be kin to but that aside. Colt Cabana’s moonsault to the outside of the ring is still a thing of beauty as I recall the first time I saw it in a four way that is now a ROH classic that also included Homicide, BJ Whitmer, and Dan Maff of the Prophecy. Osiris eliminates Redwood in what I would say is an upset. Albright and Claudio battle it out to the fans and get themselves eliminated. While I understand what the point of that was, at the same time it was pretty dumb for Albright to leave his team mates at such a disadvantage, even though marginally it is only Osiris that gives The Embassy their advantage.

Sick bump as Necro’s leg takes a swanton onto a chair from Osiris and dear god it really did look like could have broken the leg in half. Heel hook later and Necro is gone but luckily Osiris is eliminated soon after following a Colt 45 by Cabana. Rave and Nana are left with Cabana and this could be an interesting match from this point on if Nana is left alone with Colt. I will say at this point, this main event has been better than I thought it would be and definitely at least two stars more than what I would have given it credit for based on paper. Prince Nana finally gets into the ring and I must say he has definitely lost a lot of weight from when I watched him in ECWA. Jimmy Rave eliminated with a roll up and when Nana reacts to the elimination it is pure gold. Nana taps out to give Team Cabana the win and send the viewing fans home happy at the conclusion of this main event. Definitely a better episode than what I thought it was going to be, only further proving to me that I shouldn’t always be so down on the ROH product until I see it for myself, despite what I may feel or read elsewhere. Thanks again readers.

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