Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. I know you’ve heard that previous phrase at some point in your life. Well, it could also apply here as much as it applies to a new bride. At ROH’s Gold Rush event, we got something new in the form of Tyler Black and The Briscoes teaming up. Something old with Tyler Black and The Briscoes facing their old rivals, Chris Hero and The American Wolves. Something blue…and black after Roderick Strong chops Kenny Omega’s chest. And something borrowed, like Aries using the Canadian Destroyer on Petey Williams. Yep, everything checks out in relation to this event and a phrase used on a girl’s happiest day. But like marriage, the package presented can be nicer than what is in that package. Lets hope Gold Rush is the opposite of a disappointment. And more importantly, lets find out if ROH Gold Rush is Worth Your Money.

Gold Rush
3/19/2010
Dearborn, MI

The champs are here in the form of ROH World champion Tyler Black and ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoes. Jay is happy to be teaming with his fellow champions tonight. Mark confirms that The Briscoes’ problems with Black are a long removed thought. Black promises to man up with The Briscoes over The American Wolves and Chris Hero tonight.

Rasche Brown vs. Rhett Titus
Instead of shaking Titus’ crotch-wiped hand, Brown grabbed Titus’ wrist to give Rhett a taste of his own genitalia. Titus didn’t take to kindly to the smell and taste of his own groin, blindsiding Brown. Skullkrusher easily turned the tides, shoulder tackling Titus across the ring. Rhett was so fired up he decided to slap Rasche. Oh no he didn’t! Titus made a quick exit, running around ringside for haven. Rasche caught him in the ring with a pie-face with his hand that he just wiped the sweat off his balls with. After being abused from one end of the ring to the other-including a testicular claw into a Warrior style press slam-Titus caught Rasche with a pair of knees to Brown’s abdomen after stopping the running splash. Brown felt the power of Titus’ chops…or lack thereof, because Brown quickly yanked Titus to the mat. Rhett avoided an elbow drop, figure four head locking Brown with great pleasure. Brown escaped the hold, only to be neck broken when Titus came off the ropes. Titus spent too much time trying to Indian burn Brown’s arm as it hung between his legs, allowing Brown to hoist Titus off the mat for a slam. Brown was on fire with high impact moves in hopes of setting up the Burning Hammer. Titus dropkicked his way out of the move, almost pinning Brown off a cradle. Titus hit the ropes for something after the Stinger splash, but ended up getting speared instead. Burning Hammer on Titus, and…SLAP THE PORPOISE, IT’S OVER FOLKS!

Earlier tonight, Shane Hagadorn talked about a dream he had last night where two wolves decimated two chickens, and a king destroyed a phoenix trying to rise from the ashes. In Hagadorn’s opinion, this was a premonition for tonight’s main event.

Pick 6 Challenge: Kenny King (5) vs. Tyson Dux
We got a glimpse of what Dux can do on the dance floor. I think one of those chickens Hagadorn dreamed about was Dux. King pulled the Carlton dance out of his repertoire, which makes me wonder what I’m watching. Both men like getting an advantage so they can throw it in their opponent’s face…with gyrations. Dux had a great grip on King’s left arm until they went indy-riffic with crisp reversals and flips before ending with a standoff. Dux got whipped off the ropes, shoulder blocking King on the rebound. King stopped whatever Dux had in mind as he came running with a big spine buster. King added insult to injury by standing on Tyson’s face after stomping him in the corner. Some ground and pound off the suplex had King smiling.
Dux avoided King’s clothesline, belly to back suplexing King for a two count. King caught Dux’s incoming kick, spinning Tyson into that wicked spin kick that laid Dux out for two seconds. Tyson refused to stay down. Dux clotheslined King after avoiding the flying spin kick. King bounced off the ropes, forearming King in the face as he tried to get up. King quickly recovered, trying to Macho Man Dux’s throat as he jumped over the top rope. Tyson stopped his throat from being driven into the top rope as King sailed over that same rope. Kenny had no idea that Tyson was okay, and Dux knew it. Feigning injury, Dux lured King into jumping from the top rope. Tyson caught King across his shoulders, hitting a Death Valley driver in the corner. King was close enough to the ropes to save himself. Tyson tried to get the fans behind him after clotheslining the rising King. Kenny ended Tyson’s momentum when Dux turned around, using those shotgun knees. King swung Tyson into the Royal Flush, picking up the three count.

Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. Player Dos & Pee Wee w/Player Uno
Before this one could start, Steen wanted to find out if Pee Wee was Kwee Wee. Steen reminded Player Dos of their battle in Toronto a year ago when he and Player Uno defeated Steenerico. Steen promised to deal with Dos before handing the microphone to Corino so Steve could talk about, “Kwee Pee Wee.” All of a sudden, Steen turned around, baseball sliding through the ropes to kick the injured Player Uno into the guardrails. Corino kept Pee Wee’s attention as Steen power bombed Dos across the side of the ring. After pitching Dos into the crowd, Steen reentered to find out, with Steve, if Pee Wee wanted a piece of them. Wee had the fans behind him, so he felt he could fight both men.
And Wee took the fight to Corino and Steen after knocking them to the floor and somersaulting on top of both men. Wee used a head scissors on Steen before kneeing him in the corner for a two count. Unfortunately for Wee, a distraction from Corino allowed Steen to recover and power bomb Wee in position for some snot rockets. Corino tagged in, beating Wee from inside to outside, back to inside. As Steen and Corino double back elbowed and stereo kicked Pee Wee, Player Dos attempted to make his way onto the apron with some Uno help. Steen and Corino made sure Dos didn’t make his way to his corner by kicking him in the chest and face. Pee Wee avoided a running chop, but found himself still partner-less. Wee spun around, getting knife-edge chopped into Steen’s cannonball. The Mr. Wrestlers were abusing their opposition without much fight. Sick somersault leg drop by Steen off of Corino’s backbreaker. Wee flipped out of Steve’s belly to back suplex attempt, using an enzuguri before finally tagging out.
Dos was on fire, kneeing Steen from the top rope. Dos almost pinned Corino off the hurricarana. Dragon suplex by Dos, but no pin fall. Corino stopped Dos’ momentum with a hammerlock downward spiral. Wee tagged in as Steen did the same. Wee used and enzuguri to kick Steen into Dos’ tornado DDT. Steen avoided Wee’s moonsault as Corino pitched Dos off the top rope, into the barricades. Steen hoisted Wee off the mat, using the Package Piledriver to roll Wee into Corino’s sliding clothesline. Steen falls on top of Wee, defeating the debuting Pee Wee.
Steen and Corino weren’t done as they unwrapped the injured arm of Uno after whipping him into the barricades. Dos saved his partner with a corkscrew plancha from the top.

Earlier tonight, Petey Williams was pumped about having a Glory By Honor rematch with Austin Aries. Unfortunately for Aries, according to Petey, A-Double is in for a fight tonight as Petey’s Canuck Clan will be in attendance.

Austin Aries vs. Petey Williams
Before this one could get started, Austin Aries grabbed the microphone under the chant of, “Where’s your title?” Aries promised to win the ROH World title for the third time at The Big Bang before mocking Williams’ entrance. Instead of focusing on Williams, A-Double turned his attention to, “a bunch of jobless losers in Michigan.” Instead of mocking Dearborn, Aries bunched Dearborn, NYC, and Toronto in the cities of disrespect for Aries before threatening to punch every fan in the mouth if they disrespect him again.
Petey had heard enough, punching Aries in the face before back body dropping him out of his furry, pink jacket. Aries avoided the Canadian Destroyer, but not a clothesline. Head scissors sent Aries to the floor so he could regain his bearings. Petey lost patience, whipping Aries into the guardrails as the referee counted both men down. Petey executed another back body drop, with this one sending Aries into the crowd. When the action returned to the ring, Petey used a reverse lung blower to gain a two count. Aries used the referee as a distraction to kick Petey low. Petey shook off the testicular attack quickly, hanging Aries in the tree of woe to stand on Austin’s groin. Petey took too much time enjoying the sick attack, allowing Aries to German suplex Williams off the top. Aries pumped up with some pushups for the dreaded back rake. Hilo by the former ROH champ only gave him a two count. From the crowd, TV champion Eddie Edwards was watching his future opponent as Petey fought back. Aries ended that momentum quickly, tying Petey up in a modified stump puller.
Aries put Petey on the top for something, but Williams stopped it by knocking Austin to the mat. Aries dropkicked Petey out of the sky to turn the tides back in his favor. Petey got out of the tree of woe by using a stunner. Petey fired off right hands before using the spinning side Russian leg sweep for a couple of near falls. Petey kicked Aries in position for a step up enzuguri. Aries felt a little rope burn on his lower regions before being dropkicked to the floor. Aries sidestepped Williams’ plancha, using the heat-seeking tope when Petey rose to his feet. Aries was a little frustrated when he didn’t get the pin off of the IED. Aries hooked Williams to hit the Canadian Destroyer! Aries uses the Destroyer on Williams to a stunning ovation. And that is a sure…no! Petey kicked out of his own finisher right before the two count. That’s like Hogan kicking out of the big leg and hulking up instantly. Aries grabbed the ring bell, but ended up losing it. Petey yanked Aries in position for the Canadian Destroyer, only to be tripped. Aries hooked the middle rope off the jackknife cradle out of the ref’s view, gaining the three count.
A frustrated Petey dropkicked the parading Aries before pulling him into the ring so he could hit the Canadian Destroyer properly.

El Generico & Colt Cabana vs. The House of Truth w/Truth Martini
Cabana and Generico have a great ole-off before Josh Raymond and Christian Able unsuccessfully tried to follow suit. Cabana was able to show his ground skills on Able. Cabana hip tossed both members of The HOT until Generico and Cabana were sidestepping whatever they were running after them for. When Generico and Cabana tried to follow The HOT to the outside, Able and Raymond gained the advantage. Cabana and Generico used their western jigs to block and Irish whip and send Able and Raymond into each other. Nice backbreaker by Generico after he tagged in for a two count. Double team flapjack on Able had him down until Cabana returned as the legal man. Before Cabana could sunset flip Able, Martini hooked Cabana’s legs. This left Cabana wide open to before blindsided and whipped into the steel ring post.
Raymond tagged in, hanging Cabana upside down in the ropes so The HOT could double dropkick Cabana’s head. Cabana had the fans behind him, but Martini was able to stop any momentum Colt would gain by tripping him up before he could hit the caperana. The HOT made sure to keep Cabana on their side of the ring, especially with double teams like Able power bombing Raymond across Cabana’s back. Cabana had to use some fancy footwork to finally tag out after being stuck in The HOT’s corner for far too long. Generico was a house of fire, punching Raymond out of the sky before tornado DDT’ing Able for a near fall. Raymond ran into a Michinoku driver from Generico, but kicked out before the three count. Before Cabana and Generico could use another double team, Truth Martini yanked Cabana to the floor as Able pounced from behind Generico. Raymond couldn’t believe it when Generico kicked out of his follow up pin off the elevated caperana.
Generico used a jaw breaker to free himself from Able’s grip to tag out. Cabana ran right into an Alabama slam. Josh tripped cabana when he punched his way to freedom. With Cabana on his hands and knees, Generico sailed over the top rope, taking down Raymond and one of the barricade covers. Colt jumped to his feet, using the butt-butt on the incoming Able for a near fall. Before Able could tap out in the Billy Goat’s Curse, Raymond jumped off the top, driving his knees into Cabana’s back. Cabana quickly fought to his feet, knocking Able into the referee. With the ref down, Martini slipped inside, clobbering Cabana with his shoe. A wobbly Cabana got suplexed in position for Raymond’s corkscrew splash. Thankfully for Colt, Generico was there to save Cabana from losing this one. Generico pitched Able to the outside before going for the yakuza kick. Truth Martini grabbed onto Generico’s legs, causing the masked man to drag Martini in. Martini got whipped into the corner Raymond was trying to climb, crotching Raymond in the process. Generico caught the stuck Raymond with the yakuza kick before executing a turnbuckle Brain Buster. Raymond landed right in position for the big splash from Cabana. Colt’s lateral press gave Generico and Cabana the 1, 2, 3.
Just as the celebration begins, Steve Corino hits ringside to proclaim that Cabana has made enemies of himself and Kevin Steen. Corino is also here to tell Cabana that he’ll hurt Colt tomorrow night in Toronto.

Pick 6 Challenge: Kenny Omega vs. Roderick Strong (1)
Both men jockey for an advantage, with both going after the left arm of the other. Omega’s attention turned to Strong’s head, causing Strong to transition after Kenny’s left leg. Omega made it to the ropes. Omega turned up the pace, looking for a springboard attack. Instead, Omega was chopped out of the sky. Omega recovered, spin kicking Strong before baseball sliding Roderick to the outside. Omega dove over the top rope, taking out Strong as the fans chanted for Kenny. Roderick reversed a whip, sending Omega stomach first into the side of the ring. Strong hoisted Omega off the floor, using the ring to execute the first backbreaker of the match. Kenny felt the cold, steel guardrails, then the hard floor via a suplex. When the action retuned to the ring, Strong honed in on Omega’s back with hard strikes. Omega forearmed his way off the mat, but ended up getting kneed in the stomach as he bounced off the ropes. Strong stretched Omega until Kenny clawed to the ropes. Once again, Omega tried to fight back, but met a series of chops and forearms until Kenny was stuck against the turnbuckles. Omega turned a belly to back suplex against Strong until he ran into a power slam for a two count.
Belly to back suplex could only gain Strong a near fall. The fans rallied behind Omega as he elbowed his way out of a stretch. It worked, but didn’t keep Omega in control until he picked up pace to hit a rocker dropper after a couple of dropkicks. Kenny rolled through Strong’s cross body before dropkicking Roderick into an uranage. Omega was too tired to get a pin off the series of attacks. Both men were going chop for chop until Roderick connected with a knee to set up one of his famous backbreakers. Omega countered the Stronghold with a cradle, but no three count. Stop! Kenny couldn’t get enough behind the enzuguri to stun Roderick as Strong suplexed Omega once again. Omega turned the gut-buster attempt into a German suplex. Springboard dropkick by Omega left Strong in prime position for the 2K1 Bomb. Somehow, Strong kicked out before the three count. Strong got kicked in the face once again so Kenny could scale the ropes. Strong ran after Omega, kicking him on the side of his head. Strong pulled Omega off the ropes with a super sidewalk slam for a shocking two count. Omega took the gut-buster, but avoided the yakuza kick, clotheslining Strong. Another 2K1 Bomb by Omega, and another two count is gained from it. Omega hit the ropes for some momentum, but Strong started running. Omega couldn’t avoid the yakuza kick, getting knocked loopy in the process. Strong hoisted Omega off the mat, hitting torture rack backbreaker before using the Gibson Driver to retain his spot in the Pick 6 standings.

ROH World champion Tyler Black & ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoes vs. Chris Hero & The American Wolves w/Shane Hagadorn
Before the men could filter out, Tyler Black and Davey Richards quickly got face to face in a moment of foreshadowing. And in a bigger moment of a future shock, Davey and Tyler start off with a nice wrestling exchange that saw Richards going after the World champ’s arms. Edwards tagged in after Davey used Black’s arm to drag the champ to their side of the ring. Black followed Davey’s strategy, yanking Eddie to Jay so the Briscoe could arm drag Eddie to his content. Hero made his way into the ring after Mark tagged in and fell on the wrong side of town. Mark was enjoying the hard strikes coming from Hero’s arms. Mark tagged out after back elbowing the running Hero. Black knocked Hero off his feet, looking for that leaping stomp. Hero avoided it, rolling to the outside to rebuild his game plan. When Hero reentered, Black showed that incredible agility by back flipping out of the missed dropkick. Hero back dropped Black over the top rope when he rushed him, but Black landed on the apron on his feet.
Tyler Black tried to hit an asai moonsault when Hero didn’t connect with the baseball slide, but Hero was ready. Once again, Black landed on his feet, finding Hero coming after him. Instead of hitting Black, Hero was back dropped into the third row. Springboard spinning heel kick couldn’t get Black the three count due to Davey. Black didn’t lose focus, but did get his eyes poked by Chris so Hero could get Eddie in. Eddie didn’t do much back after taking a back body drop and that snap mare into the big boot by Jay. Eddie felt pain born from Delaware in the form of chops and that triple face wash. Davey tried to help his partner, but ran into the huge double hip toss. Black reentered to help The Briscoe triple shoulder tackle Davey and Hero out of the ring. Davey was so angry, he grabbed a chair in protest.
Eddie felt the sting of a kick to his back before being stomped in the face by the ROH World champion. Black gained Davey’s attention by spitting on him. Richards responded with some spit of his own. Eddie clipping Black’s throat ended the spit-off. Hero tagged in, kicking and chopping Black until he was staggered. Black fought back when Eddie became the legal man with a hurricarana, then a dropkick Black thought he had the advantage in his favor when Davey blind tagged himself in. Eddie slipped underneath the bottom rope off the Irish whip while tripping Black in position for a beautiful missile dropkick from Davey. The Wolves were hungry, throwing those stereo kicks to the back and chest of Black as he tried to sit up. Richards used The Briscoes’ anger against them, bringing in Hero for an illegal double team. Hero’s sliding kicks were landing with pinpoint accuracy, keeping Black on his back. Quick tags and explosive attacks didn’t give Black the chance to rally a comeback. The Briscoes got the fans stomping and clapping as Hero slammed Black’s head into the top turnbuckle. But those turnbuckle slams had Black hulking up. Hero initiated a forearm exchange, and seemed to be winning when Black unleashed the Pele kick. Black was inches away from Jay when the bell rang. WTF?
Davey Richards had rung the bell as a distraction just as Black leapt off the mat, tagging in both Briscoes. The referee turned around, forcing the heated up Delawareans outside. Davey was having a good time as he belly to back suplexed Black for a two count. Eddie followed his partner’s onslaught; and did so until Black avoided an attack in the corner, and Eddie hit the middle turnbuckle groin first. Eddie was close enough to his corner to tag in Davey before Black could get out of the ring. Davey yanked Black to his feet after some Kawada kicks, kicking Black so hard in the chest, it hurt me. Black caught the running Davey with another Pele kick, causing The Briscoes to scream in approval. Black dove, finally tagging in Jay Briscoe.
Jay was on fire, chopping, punching, and dropkicking Eddie before pitching him to the floor with Hero and Davey. Jay using the somersault plancha after tagging his bother. Jay held his opponents up so Mark could moonsault on top of all three men. Huge cross body from Mark only gained him a two count. Eddie stopped the super ace crusher by Mark, but not the iconoclast for another near fall. Edwards got out of the Cutthroat Driver, using an enzuguri to execute a Death Valley driver before tagging in Hero. Hero connected with the Rolling Elbow to the side of Mark’s head. Hero was frustrated that Mark kicked out of his follow up pin. Mark took another Rolling Elbow in the corner, but couldn’t capitalize due to Mark putting him in two pinning combinations. When Hero kicked out of the cradle, he Rolling Elbowed Mark off his feet once again. Somehow, Mark survived, sprung to the middle turnbuckle before hitting the running Hero with a flying forearm.
Black became the legal man once again, taking Hero down with the springboard clothesline. Running shooting star press only gave Black a near fall. Black didn’t stop, using that stomping forearm in the corner to set up Paroxysm. Hero flipped out of Paroxysm, and avoided the super kick before belly to back suplexing Black on his left shoulder. Davey tagged in, kicking the life out of Black. Davey went for the handstand enzuguri, but got dropkicked while he was upside down instead. Black couldn’t use the F5, getting caught with another kick to the abdomen. Davey got a running start, only to lose sight of the ROH World champion. Flashback Paroxysm by Black for another two count.
Davey flipped out of the turnbuckle bomb, leading to a big boot exchange that moved to a fistfight in the ring’s center. Black fell into the ropes after one of those right hands, running into the alarm clock. Before Davey could gain any momentum off the alarm clock, Black super kicked him. Richards didn’t fall, clotheslining Black before German suplexing Black. Davey couldn’t keep the World champ down long enough for those precious three seconds. Eddie entered the ring, only to be dropkicked by Black. Edwards hit the corner Davey was climbing, crotching his partner in the process. Black superplexed Davey into the F5, but couldn’t pin Davey due to intervening by Hero and Eddie. Jay tagged in, looking for the Jay Driller on Davey. Davey blocked the match-ender, only to run into a huge spine buster. Jay called for the Doomsday Device, but Hero was there to stop that. Davey got off of Jay’s shoulders, clover-leafing Jay as Eddie locked Black in the single leg Boston crab. Mark slid into the ring, going hillbilly kung fu theater on Eddie, Davey, and Hero until he ran into another elbow from “That Young Knockout Kid”. Hero hooked Mark in a stretch plum, bringing a sick triple submission. Jay was able to claw to the ropes to save the match.
Jay struggled to his feet, fighting off the alarm clock by The Wolves. Jay hooked Davey for the Jay Driller, but got elbowed in the back of the head by Hero. Hero got his partners in order for a triple team super kick/enzuguri/Rolling Elbow. Jay collapsed to the mat as he had been shot. Thankfully for Jay, Black was there to break up the sure pin. Mark exploded off the mat, spinning heel kicking Eddie out of the ring. Mark spun around, getting rolling big booted by Hero. Hero avoided the super kick, catching Black with another Rolling Elbow. Black was still on his feet, causing Hero to go for another elbow. Black super kicked his way out of the attack before turnbuckle bombing Eddie Edwards. Hero recovered, tagging in as Jay reentered. Mark elbowed Hero into Jay’s super kick. Jay hoisted Hero onto his shoulders, allowing Mark to complete the Doomsday Device. Jay fell on top of Hero, pinning one-half of his future challengers.
Jay decided to grab the mic to verbally escort Davey out of the ring. Black took the mic to tell the fans that when ROH comes back to Dearborn in November, Black will still be the ROH World champion, no matter what Davey tries to do.

In the back, Rhett Titus is still upset over having to face Skullkrusher, but is ready to take it to Brown tomorrow night because Brown didn’t hurt Titus like he thought he could. Brown happened to bump into Titus as Rhett promised to get his hands on Brown in Toronto tomorrow night. After being yoked by his neck, Titus is able to escape. But tomorrow night, Brown promises to break Titus’ neck in three.

Is It Worth Your Money: Well, what would you consider a marriage that is solid and gives you good entertainment with little to no hassle? A good one, I guess. Unfortunately, this isn’t a marriage between two people. ROH Gold Rush was a marriage of solid action and entertaining matches that felt a little underwhelming. Outside of the opener, every singles match would’ve benefited with more time. Strong and Omega put on a good match, but it could’ve been a classic with an added ten minutes-same for Petey and Aries. The only match that really reached for greatness was the main event. Honestly, if the main event didn’t deliver, this show would’ve been a disappointment. Instead, we got a great main event with a solid, yet underwhelming undercard. This show was definitely the epitome of a first night show. Thankfully, for ROH, a first night show is still as solid as you can get. ROH Gold Rush Is A Bargain Bin Purchase.