ROHbot Report
The ROHbot Report: Charlotte Results, Glory By Honor IX Weekend Cards Picking Up, The Kings Sign Supreme, And More
By James Bullock
Sep 4, 2010 - 11:08 AM

Hello and welcome to September. Oh…and, um, something else…oh yeah, and welcome to The ROHbot Report. Bringing you all the news you need to know from Ring of Honor. ROH finished its Mid-Atlantic area swing last Saturday night in Charlotte, and I have the results (courtesy of pwinsider.com). Also, the cards for Glory By Honor IX weekend are filling up. So lets get to it.

Charlotte, NC
8/28/10
(1) El Generico beat Erick Stevens (with Prince Nana) in 8:22. Generico did all his signature spots and won it with the brain buster.
(2) Steve Corino beat Bobby Dempsey. After Dempsey bumped ref Paul Turner, Corino went for the chain. Dempsey blocked it, but Corino kicked him low and pinned him with a lariat.
(3) Necro Butcher (with Prince Nana) beat Grizzly Redwood in 7:24. Butcher shut the door with an uppercut to the chops and the tiger driver.
(4) ROH TV Champion Eddie Edwards pinned Colt Cabana in a non-title match at 11:43. Finish saw Cabana go for the Butt-Butt, Edwards countered with a picture perfect O'Connor Roll. Post match, they shook hands, which got a great pop. Edwards pointed at the emblem on the mat and said "here" and got a strong "ROH" chant in response.
(5) Bravado Brothers & Cedric Alexander beat Caleb Konley & Man Scout & Marker Dillinger. One of the Bravado Brothers pinned Konley after a combo German suplex deal.
(6) (1) Roderick Strong beat (3) Kevin Steen (with Steve Corino) in a Pick Six Challenge in 15 minutes. Corino distracted allowing Steen to go for the chain. Cabana stopped Steen from using it and brawled with Corino. Steen kicked Strong low and was again poised to use the chain, when Generico blew past him with a hilo dive onto Corino. Strong hit the double knee gutbuster on a flustered Steen and pinned him with a super kick.
(7) In the Tag Team Wars match, Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli with Shane Hagadorn) defeated Briscoe Brothers and All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King) and Dark City Fight Club (Kory Chavis & Jon Davis) in Tag Team Wars to retain the titles in a total time of 28:28. Crowd was hot to see Briscoes kick ass. Story was Kings' craftiness in using the rules to their advantage. First fall was four corners survival. It ended with Titus pinning Davis after an All-Night Express combo move to eliminate DCFC at 18:31. Second fall was Texas Tornado rules. Jay bled like crazy - a crimson mask worthy of a Hollywood horror flick. Meanwhile, the other teams took turns beating on Mark. Kings were killing Mark with double teams but he kicked out of everything they could throw at him. It was slightly miraculous. The cooperation between Kings and All Night Express disintegrated. Briscoes destroyed all four of them. Jay pinned Titus after the Doomsday Device. Hero immediately clocked Jay with the rolling elbow to win the match. Crowd felt robbed by the finish, just like it was supposed to happen. Fans chanted, "That was awesome" (it was) and "thank you Briscoes".
Cornette did mic work designed to get more heat on Black for refusing to do a title match. He said the match was signed as non-title before Black's extracurricular activities came to light and called Richards/Black from Toronto the best match he had seen since Flair/Steamboat in 89. Black said he was feeling frisky, but it was a swerve. Black said he was leaving and taking the belt with him.
(8) Davey Richards beat ROH Champion Tyler Black via submission in a non-title match in 26:39. A war of attrition. It was the match the ROH fans expect. Incredible effort and athleticism. Black kicked out of the DR Driver and his own finisher before tapping out to the Cloverleaf. Richards said Black could tell his new co-workers that if they wanted real competition they should come down when ROH was in Charlotte.

From the reports, and the sounds, ROH delivered a 1-2 KO over the course of last weekend. The Richmond debut was incredible from a live perspective; while from a second-hand perspective, the men involved in Charlotte didn't lose any momentum gained from the Richmond event. Tyler Black and Davey Richards have that kind of chemistry that allows them to have average matches that are ten times better than anything you'd see on TV not under the ROH banner-maybe even under the Ring of Honor banner. I haven't been able to sit down and re-watch their Death Before Dishonor match yet. And ROH hasn't made it to the episode on HDNet with Tyler vs. Davey post DBD VIII. When the Charlotte show comes out (and you know I'm buying this one with the Richmond event), I just want to watch each match back to back for an extravaganza of incredible wrestling.
I was a little worried about Ultimate Endurance; especially with the way the rules and the match was structured in comparison to the past ones that worked well with a more conventional method. But each team did their thing, and turned in, quite possibly, the best Ultimate Endurance match in ROH history. Will the feud between The Kings and The Briscoes continue after what happened in Charlotte, and at the last HDNet tapings two weeks ago? From the looks of it, we might be looking toward Ladder War 3 in the near future.
As usual, everything else looks solid to good, and makes sense. Roderick continued his full-steam ahead streak toward Glory By Honor IX-same for Generico, and that nasty man, Steve Corino. Eddie Edwards can beat people that aren't considered jobbers, even in non-title matches. Ring of Honor has this weekend off, but they hit the ground running next weekend with shows in Plymouth, MA, and Glory By Honor IX in NYC. Plymouth is starting to shape up to be a memorable show.

On 9/10 in Plymouth, MA the duo of Colt Cabana & El Generico will step up to the plate in Memorial Hall and challenge Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World Tag Team Titles!

I like this for the simple fact that the Kings and Genericolt had a very good match on HDNet this week. The only problem I have with this match happening so close to Glory By Honor IX, you know that Plymouth might see something similar to what happened on Monday in terms of the match ending. Most likely, Steen and Corino will get involved in the match-either costing Genericolt the win, or ending the battle in a no-contest. Possible disappointing ending aside, it should be an incredible match.

On September 10th it will be Kevin Steen and Steve Corino against the Necro Butcher and Shawn Daivari…in a First Blood tag team match!

The reason behind this match is Kevin Steen and Steve Corino want to make someone bleed in preparation for their double chain war against El Generico and Colt Cabana the night before. Now, you'd have to wonder why they'd put themselves in a predicament where they could bleed buckets one night before the biggest match in their tag team blood feud against Genericolt. Outside of quenching their bloodlust 24 hours before their GBH tag match, Corino and Steen gain nothing from this. Necro and Daivari definitely have more to gain, and less to lose here. If they defeat Corino and Steen, even in a match like this, they can easily claim to be in the running for a Tag title shot. Look forward to a wild brawl, Plymouth…or a bait & switch.

Prince Nana has pulled some strings and called in some debts with ROH officials to garner not one, but potentially two, shots at ROH World Television Champion Eddie Edwards. First Erick Stevens will step up to the plate in Roxbury, MA on September 10th and, should Stevens fail, Shawn Daivari will take a stab at dethroning ROH's one and only TV Champ as part of the "Glory by Honor IX" event on 9/11/10 in NYC.

I assume Nana is already calling a favor after allowing his Embassy members to be a part of the First Blood tag stated above. The only problem is their opponent is a man needing some wins over some quality competition. What happened in Charlotte is a good sign that ROH is ready to really get behind Eddie, and his title reign. Out of the two matches, I'm looking forward to the Plymouth match-up the most. I still say Erick Stevens is one of the most underutilized talents in Ring of Honor, and hanging with Eddie Edwards in a thrilling contest could easily prove that. As for GBH, Eddie Edwards vs. Shawn Daivari sounds like a great opener. Both men are workhorses, and could set the tone perfectly, for what should be a very unpredictable night. And to add to that unpredictability…

As if September 11th wasn't loaded enough, now it will be Christopher Daniels vs. Austin Aries at "Glory by Honor IX"!

I've talked about Daniels' match turning into a #1 contender match on the only message board that matters-WWI's. The winner of this one could easily be named the #1 contender to the World title for the simple fact that both men are awesome. Oh, and they have pretty good records in ROH in recent months as well. Well, not so much Aries; but he is the only two-time ROH World champion in history, so he deserves something. I don't know why (or maybe I do), but I have a feeling Strong's night won't come on the 11th. If anything, Daniels will finally fulfill his destiny in NYC when he decides to challenge Tyler Black after a hard-fought win. With Tyler refusing to put the title on the line at almost every show, having Jim Cornette force him to defend the title on Black's last night with the company will culminate the background, mini-rivalry between Cornette and Tyler Black that started at the 8th Anniversary Show. Wouldn't it be cool if I were right? Worldwrestlinginsanity.com can claim to have the only person who called it first: Daniels is the next World champ; and it's happening at GBH IX.

ROH officials are happy to announce that Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli have signed on to stay with Ring of Honor. For Chris Hero, it is an extension of his existing contract and for Claudio Castagnoli it is the signing of a new contract.

Unlike The Briscoes, Hero and Claudio have so much untapped potential as a team, and by themselves in ROH. It was only three years ago when it appeared both men were on the cusp of becoming an ROH World champion. They've only had one tag team feud since reuniting almost a year ago. The possibilities of The KOW taking on The Dark City Fight Club, The American Wolves, Cabana & Generico, or even a new rising team like The House of Truth for any amount of time will do nothing but freshen up the Tag division. As I said, there's always the chance for either man to breakout again as singles competitors, and finally achieve a status a lot of us ROHbots thought should've happened in 2007 or 2008.

Ring of Honor will run another tryout seminar on Sunday October 3rd, 2010 from 10 AM – 7PM at their school in Philadelphia.

If any inspiring wrestler, or inspiring ROH hopeful is reading this, here's your chance. Check out the ROH website for more information.

Jerry Lynn is set to undergo back surgery on 9/9. Lynn injured his back while training for the TNA Hardcore Justice PPV last month.

I know I'm not the only ROHbot who's wishing Lynn a speedy, and successful recovery.

This past Monday was the last stop before Glory By Honor IX when it comes to HDNet. Lets see what happened that was Right and Wrong.

ROH on HDNet 8/23/10 Quick Results:
Roderick Strong and The House of Truth defeated. Jay Freddie, Mike Bennett, and Andy Ridge
The Kings of Wrestling defeated El Generico and Colt Cabana
Eddie Edwards defeated Mike Sydal
Tyler Black def. Steve Corino

Right:
You Can't Buy Connecticut: I know a lot of people in the Nutmeg State don't think that comment is right, but in the world of wrestling, truer words can't be uttered. No wrestling company can outbid Vince McMahon; and unfortunately, companies like ROH suffer from that truth. Tyler Black addressed the crowd to inform them that he is no exception. Black cut, easily, the best promo in his career that saw him bring up something CM Punk suggested during his reign as Ring of Honor champion: taking the title to Vince, and showing it off on a network not named "HDNet". Black looked comfortable behind the mic-which is something he hasn't appeared to be since he debuted over three years ago. If he can keep that same emotion and continuous train of thought as he did here, Black will do fine in WWE when he's stuck with microphone in front of a live crowd.
The HOT vs. Mike Bennett, Jay Freddie, and Andy "Right Leg" Ridge: I talked last week that the point of a squash is to get something or someone over in a short, and dominate period of time. To me, The Briscoes squash didn't do that last week. This week, I can say the opposite for The HOT's squash. Not only did this match showcase the talent Able and Raymond have as a team, but also how well they've gelled with Roderick Strong since he aligned himself with Truth Martini. The HOT with Roderick Strong definitely look like a force, and this match was a perfect example of that. And most importantly, nothing's stopping Strong in his quest to finally attain the ROH World title.
My Best Friend's Better Than Your Best Friend: Before the next match, we shot to the back to find Kevin Steen and Steve Corino talking about the steel chain that will be used in the Double Chain match at GBH IX. It was pretty much the same promo they've cut over the past few weeks; but all of those promos have been nothing short of awesome. An awesome promo is pretty much a given anytime you put a microphone in Steen and/or Corino's hands. The reason this is a Right is due to the promo that followed done by Generico and Cabana. Cabana turned it up a notch, and explained that he and Generico are happy about the match. Why? Because they are going to be chained together with two men who have made their lives hell. If you need fire for a feud, look at what Cabana did in this promo, and follow it. Learn it, people!
Keep Your Eyes On The Prize: To prove they aren't just in it as a tag team until their feud with Steen and Corino ends, Genericolt challenged the World Tag Team champions, The Kings of Wrestling. They worked a typical tag match to perfection that actually made the match feel even better than two, less skilled teams could. The Kings took a beating before turning the tides and building some heat. Cabana got the hot tag, had The Kings reeling until a distraction from a chain-banging Kevin Steen left Colt wide open for a Rolling Elbow to the back of his head. Not only did we get a real good match that provides a shine for both teams, but also added fuel to the fire for the Double Chain match (and what'll happen later in the night). This match also got over the fact that Hero can knock someone out without the elbow pad of goldenness. Yes, Hero's elbows are lethal with or without the pad; and that's something that needed to be emphasized again.
Ten-Minute Hunt? More Like Thirty-second Slaughter: This week, Eddie Edwards had the privilege to be in the ring with WWE star Evan Bourne's brother, Mike Sydal. Wait, my bad; "Rock & Roll" Mike Sydal, bay-bay! Well, Eddie helped Sydal live up to his nickname by rocking Mike with a kick to the chest, and using the Achilles Lock to have the youngest Sydal rolling in pain. This was the quickest Ten-Minute Hunt yet, and probably should've been used months ago to introduce the concept. I truly enjoyed this one for its abrupt nature. But sooner than later, this hunt is going to have to find a worthy prey. The TV title could be something big in ROH instead of that belt that's associated with Eddie. I have faith that ROH is building toward something memorable, but they need to pull the trigger soon before the hunt becomes a drag.
I Need A Vigilante That Hates Egg-sucking Dogs: Jim Cornette returned on our screen to recap everything leading to Black vs. Strong at Glory By Honor; mainly the Supercard of Honor V match that didn't have the most conclusive ending after three ref bumps and some interference. Cornette decided to find a remedy to make sure there's a ref at all times for GBH. And that remedy will come by the hands of the Texas wildman, Terry Funk. I don't care how old he is, Terry Funk is still incredible to watch-as shown on HDNet. Terry is coming to NYC, and everyone better keep in line because I'd hate to see someone come chest to metal with a burning branding iron.
Champion vs. Icon: Tyler Black vs. Steve Corino-the main event to determine…well, nothing but how well Tyler and Corino work together. A lot of people probably wouldn't think Corino vs. Black would offer a good main event, but that's exactly what happened here. Corino pulled out all the tricks he could come up with, but Black showed the heart that made him an ROH champion, and WWE's latest acquisition from Ring of Honor. Unfortunately for Corino, his cheating ways came back to haunt him as Todd Sinclair disarming Corino of his fork left Steve wide open for Black's turnbuckle bomb/super kick combo, and a pin fall. The action wasn't done as everything broke down. Steen jumped Black, allowing Corino to get in on the beat down. Genericolt made the save with a chain of their own, clotheslining their GBH opponents to the floor so they could brawl to the back. Just as Black rose from the mat, Strong hit the ring. As the show faded to the hype video for GBH, the last sight was Strong and Black going fist to fist in the middle of the ring. What a way to end the show!

Wrong: None

Overall: ROH definitely needed a homerun for their final HDNet show before Glory By Honor IX. Thankfully, that's exactly what happened. We had two short, but entertaining, and more importantly, logical squashes that put over Eddie Edwards, Roderick Strong, and The HOT. We also had a great tag match that should get everyone excited about future clashes. We saw a main event that'll probably surprise a lot of viewers due to its quality. If you want to feel the electricity that's in the air for Glory By Honor IX, check out this episode.

Before I close out, I feel the need to plug some stuff associated with The ROHbot Report: my Facebook (facebook.com/fasjab), my Twitter (twitter.com/fasjab), The ROHbot Report Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/?sk=2361831622#!/group.php?gid=135858249616),

the Honor Nation WWI message board thread (http://s14.zetaboards.com/Wrestling_Insanity/topic/6631422/) - keep those questions coming, The Art of Wrestling Starring Colt Cabana (http://www.welovecolt.com/), and introducing the brand spanking new ROHbot Report/Honor Nation Page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ROHbot-ReportHonor-Nation-Page/151843764833868). Make sure you check it out, show your support, and ask questions for the next Honor Nation, and future editions. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and an exceptional week.

Till Then.