February 05, 2021 / By mobanmarket
Whoa! Did that really just happen? That was my reaction after watching Ring of Honor’s latest pay-per-view effort which debuted on inDEMAND last night. Just when I thought that I had seen it all, Ring of Honor puts on a show where all the stops are pulled. I am in complete disbelief from the 120 minutes of pure wrestling action that I saw last night. From top to bottom there was not a bad match on the show; my only complaint was that they needed to slow it down. I felt like I was watching the first hour of the pay-per-view in fast forward as Ring of Honor cut out most all ring entrances, tightened up things between matches, and you didn’t have time to blink before the next match was underway. It was a challenge to take a bathroom break or go over to the refrigerator to get another beer. My only complaint was there was too much action — you could probably never say that about a WWE or TNA pay-per-view event that is more than double the price. Let’s take a look at the matches.
Delirious decked out in red and black defeated Brent Albright in a quick fast-paced match to get the fast paced first hour of the show underway. The way that it was setup with Hangman 3 already in the ring, the match looked impromptu as Albright revealed that he was wearing the green mask of Delirious. Albright connected on some very good suplex spots as there was one spot in particular when he hit a dragon suplex into a running powerslam on Delirious. Albright’s power really shined throughout the match as he delivered devastating open hand chops. Delirious was flying around everywhere and I thought it was over when he hit Shadows Over Hell off of the top rope. The finish was outstanding as Albright connected a scoop slam on Delirious only to get caught in a roll up for the pinfall.
The victory led to Hangman 3 all attacking Delirious only for Kevin Steen and El Generico to hit the ring which eventually led to the Tag Team Scramble featuring Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black, Steen & Generico, Jack Evans & Ruckus, and the other two members of Hangman 3 Adam Pearce & BJ Whitmer. Before the match began Jigsaw had an insane dive out of the ring onto the Necro Butcher. No matter how many dives I see through the ring to the outside, I can’t help but mark out every time that it happens.
As for the Tag Team Scramble, Kevin Steen and El Generico really stood out, as they should have with them going over. In my mind Steen and Generico are the second best tag team in the world right behind Jay and Mark Briscoe, I really enjoy watching them work. Generico displayed his high-flying ability throughout the match, hitting a really good cross-body off the top rope onto BJ Whitmer. Ruckus and Jack Evans are absolutely insane. Their spots made for a very enjoyable match as Evans pulled out the 630° senton off the top rope onto Whitmer. Why does Whitmer take all the crazy spots? He had a frog splash off the top rope onto Generico that I thought was going to result in a fall. There were a lot of near falls in the match with Generico and Steen finally pulling through after hitting their finishers on Jimmy Jacobs.
I can’t say enough about the team work of Steen and Generico. They are perfect compliments to one another with Steen displaying a tremendous amount of strength and Generico showcasing his high-flying athleticism. All eight men really worked hard in this one and I think that’s a testament of the entire promotion. Everyone that goes out there works their rear end off, sacrifices their body and career to entertain the fans. Overall the Tag Team Scramble was a very enjoyable fast-paced match that was a whole lot of fun.
After the match we went quickly to a backstage segment with Jay and Mark Briscoe. They came off very realistic as Jay said that they go to the dingiest bars in every town they travel too, drink everyone under the table, and start fights just for the hell of it. I doubt that statement was too far from the truth.
Continuing the fast-paced transition we went to Sara Del Rey vs. Lacey vs. Daizee Haze, all three already in the ring. Again I don’t like to complain, especially about a show this good, but they probably could have cut this match out because it felt rushed. Nonetheless the action was really good as the Women of Honor set the standard just as the men do. Tammy Sytch was featured at ringside and she even looked surprised at some of the spots that were pulled off. Daizee Haze stood out with her missile dropkick off the top rope. Sara Del Rey proved that she is one of the best submission female wrestlers in the industry as she pulled out some stuff that I had never seen before. Not to be out done Lacey held her own, nailing a pretty crazy double royal butterfly spot. Haze went over in the end.
I tried to catch my breath before Davey Richards vs. Erick Stevens but I wasn’t even through exhaling before it was underway. I hate to sound bias but Erick Stevens is one of my favorite up and coming wrestlers. There are just some guys that get it and Stevens is one of them. Stevens improves every time that he works and I love his move set featuring that sit down Pumphandle powerbomb and perfectly executed powerslams. They did an angle with Daniel Puder in the crowd distracting Stevens, which ended up in Richards getting the win. The finish was really cool as Davey Richards hit a missile dropkick off the top rope into a Kimura Lock on Stevens. Stevens ended up tapping and called out Puder after the match.
Larry Sweeney came out and introduced himself to Daniel Puder. Sweeney is great; he’s definitely the best manager in the business today. He draws excellent heel heat and I liked how they used this segment to setup the next match between Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli.
Chris Hero’s look bothers me. I guess that is what they are going for but there is no way that you could pay me to do that gimmick. Nonetheless Castagnoli vs. Hero was a quick ten minute match featuring lots of diving European uppercuts from Castagnoli. Hero impressed me with his agility and there was one spot where I thought he broke Castagnoli’s neck. Hero literally dropped Claudio right on his head and if that didn’t hurt, he did one hell of a job selling it. Castagnoli picked up the win with the Ricola Bomb.
All of the above action was done in under an hour as I looked up at the clock on cable box and it was 10:55 PM Eastern. Wow, talk about 55 minutes of nonstop action. After Claudio defeated Hero, Dave Prazak quickly ran through the cities that they visit and promised that any Ring of Honor event that is held, the action is just like it is tonight. I believe him and while Prazak is one of my favorite play-by-play guys in the business, he needed to slow down.
After a cool split screen backstage segment featuring the Age of the Fall and the Briscoe Brothers, it was time for the Relaxed Rules match between Bryan Danielson and Takeshi Morishima. Finally we got some ring entrances as Morishima came out first followed by Danielson. Morishima quickly got on the offensive, taking out Danielson before he could even get to the ring. Danielson was busted open immediately. I’m guessing that he bladed too deep because he was covered in blood, it looked like he had been shot. Morishima proved once again that he is one of the best workers in the world with a missile dropkick off the top rope that he pulled off after he hit one of the best lariats I’ve ever seen, sending Danielson to the outside. It took Danielson awhile to get some offense going, finally slowing Morishima down with a triangle choke submission hold on the mat. The stiff work between these two in this match was some of the most realistic that I have ever seen. I liked how the match ended in DQ as Morishima who finally got so pissed off, he laid out an official, getting disqualified. Prazak did a great job as passing it off as realistic as he was “outraged” by Morishima’s actions. You can criticize it for being short but it was the best eight minute hardcore match that I’ve ever seen. The blood, stiff forearm shots, and lariats made this one of the top bouts of the night. It’s amazing how an eight minute match in Ring of Honor can outdo something that TNA and WWE could do in twenty. Remember the Abyss/Judas Mesias match on the last TNA pay-per-view? It didn’t even come close to what Danielson and Morishima did in this one.
It was 11:07 PM Eastern by the time Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Rocky Romero & Roderick Strong in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the ROH Tag Team Titles began. Two matches left, and nearly an hour to kill, obviously they were saving the best for last. The first fall featured some really good action as Roderick Strong nailed some picture perfect dropkicks. Jay & Mark worked so well in sync with their spots leading to tags. However, my favorite spot during the first fall came when Rocky Romero hit a springboard into a DDT onto Mark Briscoe. Strong hit the Gibson Driver on Jay to get the first fall — the first fall that the Briscoe Brothers had taken in a 2 out of 3 falls match since 2004.
It didn’t take long for Mark & Jay to avenge the fall by getting a fall of their own only about six minutes later. Mark hit a corkscrew press on Roderick into a fall which I felt like was a superb spot. Mark ended up pinning Roderick for the second fall after hitting a jackknife into a bridge for the three count. It only took the Briscoe Brothers about four more minutes to gain their second fall to win the match, hitting the Spike J-Driller which was badass.
The main event was up next with Nigel McGuinness putting the ROH World Title on the line against Austin Aries in what I can say with confidence is the best match of 2008 so far. Nigel was busted open only five minutes into the match as it looked to be hardway with Aries connecting on a dive outside the ring onto Nigel who appeared to have smacked his face on the guard rail. The crowd was pretty split which I never find surprising at a Ring of Honor event. One of the best spots of this five star match was when Aries nailed his Heat Seeking Missile (Suicide dive through the middle and bottom ropes) onto the Champion on the outside, only for Nigel to hit Tower of London. Another really good spot featured McGuinness connecting with a lariat off the top rope onto Aries, sending him to the outside. Aries sold so well it looked like it killed him. However, he wouldn’t be outdone as Aries ended up fighting McGuinness off and nailing a picture perfect brainbuster on Nigel on the guard rail. Aries hit several sweet drop kicks and brainbusters. Finally Nigel was able to get the win with a Jaw Breaker for the cover.
There is nothing that I can say that will do this match justice; all I can say is that you have to see it. I don’t care if you’re a casual fan, a hardcore fan, or hardly a fan at all, you will be absolutely amazed at the work of Austin Aries and Nigel McGuinness. I cannot say enough about how their styles complimented one another to put on a very realistic looking wrestling match that will even make the smartest fan feel the drama. I found myself screaming at the television just like it was a professional sporting event. Ring of Honor passes their World Title off as something coveted which is exactly how a World Title should be perceived.
The pay-per-view ended with a huge brawl backstage with all of the Ring of Honor factions going at it, a very realistic way to end a stellar pay-per-view.
Ring of Honor sets the bar so high for professional wrestling in the United States it’s going to make WrestleMania seem dull. Everyone that worked Rising Above gave it 110% which is something that does not happen in any other promotion in North America. There is not one match that I would suggest that you miss and for the price this pay-per-view is a steal. I could not possibly give a higher recommendation than what I am giving for Rising Above. This pay-per-view features some of the best work that you will ever see in a professional wrestling ring. Ring of Honor makes it cool to be a professional wrestling fan as it is a promotion that you do not have to be embarrassed to follow. Thank you Ring of Honor for giving real wrestling fans something to enjoy. I don’t care if it’s boxing, mixed martial arts, or professional sports, you won’t get more action than what you will get in this two hour masterpiece.
Richard can be contacted at richard [at] grayinternet.com
Richard Gray is a professional wrestling journalist and frequent contributor to Rajah.com. He has been covering the world of professional wrestling since 1999 and has had the opportunity to cover ground breaking stories such as the demise of ECW, the WCW buyout, the Benoit tragedy, Bobby Lashley leaving WWE, and more. For more on Richard check out his web site, Wrestling News World.
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