Chuck Jones
12-11-2006, 11:51 AM
This is a little short story I wrote that I am hoping will be able to get published in my school's creative writing journal.
In Purest Form
By Charles Lefebvre (my real name btw)
I've got a confession to make. Something that is not new to those who know me, but for those of you who have never met me before, I should get this out in the open.
I am the biggest fan of professional wrestling.
Maybe not the biggest fan, per se, because that honor goes to the "It's still real to me damn it!" guy you could find on Youtube. I very rarely spend my hard earned money on wrestling merchandise or Pay Per Views, but if there is an event going on in Winnipeg, I always try to make an effort to see it. I buy DVD's sometimes, but usually they are on a wrestler or subject that interests me, and I rarely buy actual shows, with the exception of Wrestlemania, World Wrestling Entertainment's biggest show of the year.
But today was different. Today was the day I got my copy of Ring of Honor's Final Battle 2005 event from a friend. I read reviews about it being one of their best shows of 2005, and with the roll they were on that year, I'm not going to argue. Now, if they only did events in Canada or somewhere within driving distance, I would be a happy camper. But, Youtube, DVD's and Limewire would have to do for now.
Now, you are probably scratching your head and wondering what the heck is this Ring of Honor I am talking about. Ring of Honor is an independent wrestling promotion founded in 2002 that is based in Philadelphia that places an emphasis on the athletic side of wrestling, the "sports" part of "sports entertainment." The promotion is basically a hotbed of the best unknown talent in professional wrestling. Some of this talent includes "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, and current WWE Superstars Paul London, Brian Kendrick and one of my personal favorites, C.M. Punk. The promotion has working agreements with Japanese promotions Pro Wrestling NOAH, Dragon Gate and Florida based Total Nonstop Action. They have convinced Japanese wrestling legends Jushin Lyger, The Great Muta and Kenta Kobashi to make rare appearances in the United States. Ring of Honor also had one of its matches (Samoa Joe versus C.M. Punk, Joe vs. Punk 2) become the first match in North America respected wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer gave a full five stars to since 1997. They have had two other five star matches since that match. But enough with the history lesson, lets get to the show.
The show started off with a hot opener pitting Jimmy Rave against Milano Collection AT. It continued after that with some solid wrestling and storyline progression from everyone involved on the card. Claudio Castignoli and Pure Wrestling Champion Nigel McGuiness concluded their feud over the title with heel (bad guy) Nigel picking up a reverse decision victory. The violent feud between Homicide and Colt Cabana took an even more violent turn for Cabana, the Tag Team Championship changed hands from the unpopular team of Sal Rinauro and Tony Mamaluke to Generation Next members Austin Aries and Roderick Strong, and ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson successfully defended against Pro Wrestling NOAH star Naomichi Marufuji. But this story is not a review of the show. This story is about two men who laid it all on the line in the Main Event of the evening.
Pro Wrestling NOAH's Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Title match between the defending KENTA and the challenger Low Ki were chosen to close the show. To say this was a dream match for me would be an understatement. KENTA, real name Kenta Kobayashi, was the last graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo before a number of stars jumped ship to form Pro Wrestling NOAH. By 2005, he was one of the best Junior's in the world. Low Ki was considered one of the best talents in North America. Despite standing about five foot seven, he was no underdog. He was top dog. With his mixture of stiff strikes and high flying skills, he was one of the top stars in North America. He was Ring of Honor's first World Champion, he had stints in Total Nonstop Action and has even been on tours with Pro Wrestling NOAH and other Japanese promotions. With him and KENTA having similar styles, the fans were expecting a great match.
The challenger Low Ki made his entrance. "Fighter's Passion" a techno song by The Immortals was cut off by a gunshot and morphed into an instrumental version of Tupac Shakur's "The Realest Killaz" as he walked to the ring. The fans began to chant for KENTA and his music, a strange Japanese pop song with an acoustic touch, filled the building. When he entered the ring, Bobby Cruise, the ring announcer read the official decree that made the defense of the title official before introducing the two men. I liked it since it made it feel like I was watching a boxing or mixed martial arts match, and it immediately gave it a "big match" feel. The bell rang and the match was on.
The two warriors circled each other in a fighting stance. With their martial arts backgrounds, everyone was expecting the two to explode any second with a fury of martial arts kicks. They instead go for the standard wrestling lockup, with Low Ki backing up into the ropes forcing a break. When KENTA broke the lockup, he attempted a roundhouse kick that could have taken Ki's head off if he didn't duck. Another lockup forces Ki to the corner, but he counters into an armbar, using the ropes for an assist. Since the move was illegal for involving the ropes, Low Ki was forced to break before a count of five. He broke it and dropped to the floor, looking unimpressed by KENTA thus far. Ki enters the ring and he the two of them engage in a test of strength during a knucklelock. Ki forces KENTA down with a headscissors that takes his opponent two tries to escape. Ki stands him up, applies an armbar and wrenches down on it painfully and adding a roundhouse kick to the midsection for good measure. KENTA reverses into a hammerlock that Low Ki forces a rope break on, and when he turns around, he is met by a roundhouse kick from KENTA. A couple more roundhouse kicks force Ki to the ground, and KENTA covers for a one count. KENTA toys with Ki with some mocking kicks, and when Ki gets back to a vertical base, they trade chops and slaps to the head that not only puts the strikes in the Marufuji/Danielson match to shame, but actually echo as they hit. One slap is so loud, that I decide to turn down the volume to avoid waking others in my house. Ki stops a running KENTA with a back elbow and a roundhouse kick to the back of the head for a two count as the first five minutes have elapsed according to Cruise.
Ki takes KENTA to the corner and strikes him with some stiff chops and elbows to the chest that also echo throughout the building. Ki whips him to the other corner, but his momentum is thwarted by the boot of KENTA. This allows him to hit a tornado DDT, but instead of dropping him onto the mat, he drops Ki neck first onto the top rope. KENTA locks a rear naked choke in the ropes and hits a lariat from the top rope for another one count. After some more stiff strikes to the back and chest, KENTA tosses Ki to the floor, his back hitting the rails. Rolling him back inside, KENTA springboards directly over the prone Ki, and mockingly kicks him in the side of his head. The punishment and humiliation earn KENTA praise from the audience, but only a two count. KENTA picks up Ki and after some forearms, runs to the ropes, only to get stopped by a rolling kick, a trademark of Jushin Lyger. Ki suplexes KENTA midsection first onto the top rope and then punts him to the floor, and then in one fluid motion, he runs, leaps to the top rope, and leaps to the floor onto KENTA with a flying double axe handle. He rolls KENTA inside for a two count, and stops a KENTA flurry with a well timed enziguri. A scoopslam gets Ki a two count at the ten minute mark.
Ki begins to work over KENTA's midsection with a bodyscissors, but KENTA forces a rope break. He starts to fight back but as he goes for a Sunset Flip, Low Ki hits one of his patented double stomps to the chest to again thwart his opponent's momentum. He continues his work on the midsection with a reverse bearhug on the mat, but KENTA is too close to the ropes and rolls to the floor to catch his breath. Ki follows him, grabs him in a firemans carry, and rams KENTA into the rails and again into the ring, further punishing his back. But KENTA kicks out at two. KENTA gets another rush of energy and hits some knees to the midsection, but his charge is countered into a drop toe hold that sends him waist first, hanging onto the middle rope. Low Ki seizes the opportunity and goes to the top rope, leaping across with a vicious double stomp to the back of KENTA. But Ki is hurting as he landed on the floor. He rolls in and gets a two count. KENTA counters a Low Ki charge with a powerslam, but Ki is quick to his feet. However, KENTA regains control with a running boot to the face. He counters a Low Ki chop and hits a double underhook suplex, floating over into a Cross Armbreaker submission a little bit over the fifteen minute mark.
Ki fights the submission, making it to the ropes. KENTA gets Ki up and hits a Falcon Arrow, a sitout suplex slam, for a two count. He brings Ki to the corner and sets him up on the top turnbuckle. Ki blocks a superplex attempt and KENTA is hanging upside down in a Tree of Woe position. Ki proceeds to stand on KENTA's knees, forcing him to lean up and hits another vicious double stomp, this time out of the Tree of Woe. But he still gets a two count. Low Ki is still feeling the effects of the armbreaker, so he uses his other arm to hit rapid chops popularized by Kenta Kobashi, the trainer and mentor of his opponent. This actually draws boos for Low Ki surprisingly, since he and KENTA have been getting equal cheers in the match. KENTA counters with a spinning back kick, and hits his setup for the Busaiku Knee Kick, a running high knee dropkick, which consists of repeated slaps, a spinning back elbow and a roundhouse kick. But, as he runs to the ropes to hit his finisher, Ki rolls through, springboards off the ropes and hits an enziguri that he calls the Tidal Wave on an unsuspecting KENTA for a two count. The fans begin dueling chants of "Lets go Low Ki! Lets Go KENTA!" Ki goes to the top rope, but KENTA leaps to his feet, runs to the corner, jumps to the top in a single bound and not having to stall for one second, hits a Falcon Arrow from the top rope. This gets a two and a half count. I would have bought that as the finish.
Both KENTA and Low Ki are laying exhausted on the mat after 20 minutes of action and the recent spot. The fans chant the ever annoying chant of "This is awesome!" As much as I dislike the chant, it works this time. The fans are coming unglued. When both men are back to a vertical base, they trade hand strikes. Ki ducks a strike, and attempts to mock KENTA by hitting his own combo, but gets kicked down to the ground for another tow and half. KENTA hits his set up combo, springs off the ropes, but he is caught by Low Ki when he executes the Busaiku Knee Kick, who turns it into a Ki Krusher (Fisherman's suplex sitout slam) for a long two count. I am excited and my hands are shaking as I write the notes on this match. Ki whips KENTA into the corner and hits a cartwheel kic. He goes for KENTA's other finisher the Go 2 Sleep, a fireman's carry into a knee strike to the face, but KENTA reverses into a Tiger Suplex for a two count. He goes for his combo again, but Ki hits a dropkick that sends KENTA across the ring. A top rope double stomp gets a two count. This prompts Ki to go back to the top rope and attempt a Corkscrew 450 Splash. He gets nothing but canvas. This gives KENTA the opportunity to hit the Go 2 Sleep and finally executes the Busaiku Knee Kick and defeats Low Ki in exactly twenty five of the fastest minutes you will ever see.
The fans give both men a standing ovation for the match they put on, chanting "Match of the Year," "Thank you KENTA," and "Please come back." The fallen Low Ki shows his respect for KENTA by shaking his hand, and the ROH logo flashes onto the screen. Sadly, Low Ki left Ring of Honor at the beginning of 2006, and is not likely to be back, even though this match was likely the best of his career. KENTA became a semi regular in 2006, but not many of his matches, with the possible exception of his match with Danielson in September, have been able to touch this match. He is hopefully going to be coming back in 2007 for more dates.
You know the phrase save the best for last? Never has that phrase been more appropriate than with this match. The last match Ring of Honor put on in 2005 was their best match, and it had some of the most insane athleticism and hardest hits I have ever seen. And there was even a story being told throughout the match. If Low Ki was facing KENTA in Pro Wrestling NOAH, he would not have had a chance. But since this is in Ring of Honor, Ki was not intimidated and stood toe to toe with the mighty KENTA. There was not one botched spot or misstep, and the athleticism was the most fluid and perfectly timed. The two biggest spots in the match, the axehandle to the floor and the top rope Falcon Arrow, were done without the hesitation that would normally be seen with other wrestlers. The two of them were as graceful as a ballerina, and as precise as any army general. This match was as close to wrestling perfection as you could get.
In a business where ego, talk, gimmicks, restrictions to the wrestlers, and soap opera driven storylines rule the airwaves right now, not a lot has been able to move me or get me into a match like this match was able to. It took me back to a time before I smartened up to the business. A time where I was able to have many different emotions during a match and removing my wall, and just being able to enjoy a match. This is professional wrestling in its purest form. Two men went out and tore down the house for the fans in attendance, making a building in Edison, New Jersey feel like Madison Square Garden.
And that my friends, is what professional wrestling is all about.
***
Comments?
In Purest Form
By Charles Lefebvre (my real name btw)
I've got a confession to make. Something that is not new to those who know me, but for those of you who have never met me before, I should get this out in the open.
I am the biggest fan of professional wrestling.
Maybe not the biggest fan, per se, because that honor goes to the "It's still real to me damn it!" guy you could find on Youtube. I very rarely spend my hard earned money on wrestling merchandise or Pay Per Views, but if there is an event going on in Winnipeg, I always try to make an effort to see it. I buy DVD's sometimes, but usually they are on a wrestler or subject that interests me, and I rarely buy actual shows, with the exception of Wrestlemania, World Wrestling Entertainment's biggest show of the year.
But today was different. Today was the day I got my copy of Ring of Honor's Final Battle 2005 event from a friend. I read reviews about it being one of their best shows of 2005, and with the roll they were on that year, I'm not going to argue. Now, if they only did events in Canada or somewhere within driving distance, I would be a happy camper. But, Youtube, DVD's and Limewire would have to do for now.
Now, you are probably scratching your head and wondering what the heck is this Ring of Honor I am talking about. Ring of Honor is an independent wrestling promotion founded in 2002 that is based in Philadelphia that places an emphasis on the athletic side of wrestling, the "sports" part of "sports entertainment." The promotion is basically a hotbed of the best unknown talent in professional wrestling. Some of this talent includes "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, and current WWE Superstars Paul London, Brian Kendrick and one of my personal favorites, C.M. Punk. The promotion has working agreements with Japanese promotions Pro Wrestling NOAH, Dragon Gate and Florida based Total Nonstop Action. They have convinced Japanese wrestling legends Jushin Lyger, The Great Muta and Kenta Kobashi to make rare appearances in the United States. Ring of Honor also had one of its matches (Samoa Joe versus C.M. Punk, Joe vs. Punk 2) become the first match in North America respected wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer gave a full five stars to since 1997. They have had two other five star matches since that match. But enough with the history lesson, lets get to the show.
The show started off with a hot opener pitting Jimmy Rave against Milano Collection AT. It continued after that with some solid wrestling and storyline progression from everyone involved on the card. Claudio Castignoli and Pure Wrestling Champion Nigel McGuiness concluded their feud over the title with heel (bad guy) Nigel picking up a reverse decision victory. The violent feud between Homicide and Colt Cabana took an even more violent turn for Cabana, the Tag Team Championship changed hands from the unpopular team of Sal Rinauro and Tony Mamaluke to Generation Next members Austin Aries and Roderick Strong, and ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson successfully defended against Pro Wrestling NOAH star Naomichi Marufuji. But this story is not a review of the show. This story is about two men who laid it all on the line in the Main Event of the evening.
Pro Wrestling NOAH's Global Honored Crown (GHC) Junior Heavyweight Title match between the defending KENTA and the challenger Low Ki were chosen to close the show. To say this was a dream match for me would be an understatement. KENTA, real name Kenta Kobayashi, was the last graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo before a number of stars jumped ship to form Pro Wrestling NOAH. By 2005, he was one of the best Junior's in the world. Low Ki was considered one of the best talents in North America. Despite standing about five foot seven, he was no underdog. He was top dog. With his mixture of stiff strikes and high flying skills, he was one of the top stars in North America. He was Ring of Honor's first World Champion, he had stints in Total Nonstop Action and has even been on tours with Pro Wrestling NOAH and other Japanese promotions. With him and KENTA having similar styles, the fans were expecting a great match.
The challenger Low Ki made his entrance. "Fighter's Passion" a techno song by The Immortals was cut off by a gunshot and morphed into an instrumental version of Tupac Shakur's "The Realest Killaz" as he walked to the ring. The fans began to chant for KENTA and his music, a strange Japanese pop song with an acoustic touch, filled the building. When he entered the ring, Bobby Cruise, the ring announcer read the official decree that made the defense of the title official before introducing the two men. I liked it since it made it feel like I was watching a boxing or mixed martial arts match, and it immediately gave it a "big match" feel. The bell rang and the match was on.
The two warriors circled each other in a fighting stance. With their martial arts backgrounds, everyone was expecting the two to explode any second with a fury of martial arts kicks. They instead go for the standard wrestling lockup, with Low Ki backing up into the ropes forcing a break. When KENTA broke the lockup, he attempted a roundhouse kick that could have taken Ki's head off if he didn't duck. Another lockup forces Ki to the corner, but he counters into an armbar, using the ropes for an assist. Since the move was illegal for involving the ropes, Low Ki was forced to break before a count of five. He broke it and dropped to the floor, looking unimpressed by KENTA thus far. Ki enters the ring and he the two of them engage in a test of strength during a knucklelock. Ki forces KENTA down with a headscissors that takes his opponent two tries to escape. Ki stands him up, applies an armbar and wrenches down on it painfully and adding a roundhouse kick to the midsection for good measure. KENTA reverses into a hammerlock that Low Ki forces a rope break on, and when he turns around, he is met by a roundhouse kick from KENTA. A couple more roundhouse kicks force Ki to the ground, and KENTA covers for a one count. KENTA toys with Ki with some mocking kicks, and when Ki gets back to a vertical base, they trade chops and slaps to the head that not only puts the strikes in the Marufuji/Danielson match to shame, but actually echo as they hit. One slap is so loud, that I decide to turn down the volume to avoid waking others in my house. Ki stops a running KENTA with a back elbow and a roundhouse kick to the back of the head for a two count as the first five minutes have elapsed according to Cruise.
Ki takes KENTA to the corner and strikes him with some stiff chops and elbows to the chest that also echo throughout the building. Ki whips him to the other corner, but his momentum is thwarted by the boot of KENTA. This allows him to hit a tornado DDT, but instead of dropping him onto the mat, he drops Ki neck first onto the top rope. KENTA locks a rear naked choke in the ropes and hits a lariat from the top rope for another one count. After some more stiff strikes to the back and chest, KENTA tosses Ki to the floor, his back hitting the rails. Rolling him back inside, KENTA springboards directly over the prone Ki, and mockingly kicks him in the side of his head. The punishment and humiliation earn KENTA praise from the audience, but only a two count. KENTA picks up Ki and after some forearms, runs to the ropes, only to get stopped by a rolling kick, a trademark of Jushin Lyger. Ki suplexes KENTA midsection first onto the top rope and then punts him to the floor, and then in one fluid motion, he runs, leaps to the top rope, and leaps to the floor onto KENTA with a flying double axe handle. He rolls KENTA inside for a two count, and stops a KENTA flurry with a well timed enziguri. A scoopslam gets Ki a two count at the ten minute mark.
Ki begins to work over KENTA's midsection with a bodyscissors, but KENTA forces a rope break. He starts to fight back but as he goes for a Sunset Flip, Low Ki hits one of his patented double stomps to the chest to again thwart his opponent's momentum. He continues his work on the midsection with a reverse bearhug on the mat, but KENTA is too close to the ropes and rolls to the floor to catch his breath. Ki follows him, grabs him in a firemans carry, and rams KENTA into the rails and again into the ring, further punishing his back. But KENTA kicks out at two. KENTA gets another rush of energy and hits some knees to the midsection, but his charge is countered into a drop toe hold that sends him waist first, hanging onto the middle rope. Low Ki seizes the opportunity and goes to the top rope, leaping across with a vicious double stomp to the back of KENTA. But Ki is hurting as he landed on the floor. He rolls in and gets a two count. KENTA counters a Low Ki charge with a powerslam, but Ki is quick to his feet. However, KENTA regains control with a running boot to the face. He counters a Low Ki chop and hits a double underhook suplex, floating over into a Cross Armbreaker submission a little bit over the fifteen minute mark.
Ki fights the submission, making it to the ropes. KENTA gets Ki up and hits a Falcon Arrow, a sitout suplex slam, for a two count. He brings Ki to the corner and sets him up on the top turnbuckle. Ki blocks a superplex attempt and KENTA is hanging upside down in a Tree of Woe position. Ki proceeds to stand on KENTA's knees, forcing him to lean up and hits another vicious double stomp, this time out of the Tree of Woe. But he still gets a two count. Low Ki is still feeling the effects of the armbreaker, so he uses his other arm to hit rapid chops popularized by Kenta Kobashi, the trainer and mentor of his opponent. This actually draws boos for Low Ki surprisingly, since he and KENTA have been getting equal cheers in the match. KENTA counters with a spinning back kick, and hits his setup for the Busaiku Knee Kick, a running high knee dropkick, which consists of repeated slaps, a spinning back elbow and a roundhouse kick. But, as he runs to the ropes to hit his finisher, Ki rolls through, springboards off the ropes and hits an enziguri that he calls the Tidal Wave on an unsuspecting KENTA for a two count. The fans begin dueling chants of "Lets go Low Ki! Lets Go KENTA!" Ki goes to the top rope, but KENTA leaps to his feet, runs to the corner, jumps to the top in a single bound and not having to stall for one second, hits a Falcon Arrow from the top rope. This gets a two and a half count. I would have bought that as the finish.
Both KENTA and Low Ki are laying exhausted on the mat after 20 minutes of action and the recent spot. The fans chant the ever annoying chant of "This is awesome!" As much as I dislike the chant, it works this time. The fans are coming unglued. When both men are back to a vertical base, they trade hand strikes. Ki ducks a strike, and attempts to mock KENTA by hitting his own combo, but gets kicked down to the ground for another tow and half. KENTA hits his set up combo, springs off the ropes, but he is caught by Low Ki when he executes the Busaiku Knee Kick, who turns it into a Ki Krusher (Fisherman's suplex sitout slam) for a long two count. I am excited and my hands are shaking as I write the notes on this match. Ki whips KENTA into the corner and hits a cartwheel kic. He goes for KENTA's other finisher the Go 2 Sleep, a fireman's carry into a knee strike to the face, but KENTA reverses into a Tiger Suplex for a two count. He goes for his combo again, but Ki hits a dropkick that sends KENTA across the ring. A top rope double stomp gets a two count. This prompts Ki to go back to the top rope and attempt a Corkscrew 450 Splash. He gets nothing but canvas. This gives KENTA the opportunity to hit the Go 2 Sleep and finally executes the Busaiku Knee Kick and defeats Low Ki in exactly twenty five of the fastest minutes you will ever see.
The fans give both men a standing ovation for the match they put on, chanting "Match of the Year," "Thank you KENTA," and "Please come back." The fallen Low Ki shows his respect for KENTA by shaking his hand, and the ROH logo flashes onto the screen. Sadly, Low Ki left Ring of Honor at the beginning of 2006, and is not likely to be back, even though this match was likely the best of his career. KENTA became a semi regular in 2006, but not many of his matches, with the possible exception of his match with Danielson in September, have been able to touch this match. He is hopefully going to be coming back in 2007 for more dates.
You know the phrase save the best for last? Never has that phrase been more appropriate than with this match. The last match Ring of Honor put on in 2005 was their best match, and it had some of the most insane athleticism and hardest hits I have ever seen. And there was even a story being told throughout the match. If Low Ki was facing KENTA in Pro Wrestling NOAH, he would not have had a chance. But since this is in Ring of Honor, Ki was not intimidated and stood toe to toe with the mighty KENTA. There was not one botched spot or misstep, and the athleticism was the most fluid and perfectly timed. The two biggest spots in the match, the axehandle to the floor and the top rope Falcon Arrow, were done without the hesitation that would normally be seen with other wrestlers. The two of them were as graceful as a ballerina, and as precise as any army general. This match was as close to wrestling perfection as you could get.
In a business where ego, talk, gimmicks, restrictions to the wrestlers, and soap opera driven storylines rule the airwaves right now, not a lot has been able to move me or get me into a match like this match was able to. It took me back to a time before I smartened up to the business. A time where I was able to have many different emotions during a match and removing my wall, and just being able to enjoy a match. This is professional wrestling in its purest form. Two men went out and tore down the house for the fans in attendance, making a building in Edison, New Jersey feel like Madison Square Garden.
And that my friends, is what professional wrestling is all about.
***
Comments?