ROH Final Battle 07 Results (WWKD will mark)

[Innovator]

From Mike Johnson at PWInsider.com

*Bobby Dempsey, who was super over, pinned Mitch Franklin.

*Jigsaw and Ruckus defeated Bobby Fish and Matt Cross in a fun opener.

*Larry Sweeney, who unsuccessfully tried to get out of the match, pinned Claudio Castagnoli after Daniel Puder laid out Sweeney's bad leg. Tank Toland tried to finish the job but was nailed with Ricola Bomb.

*Jack Evans pinned the Necro Butcher in a No DQ Match. Mercedes Martinez debuted, attacking Lacey, which allowed Evans to roll up Butcher. Really fun match including Evans hitting a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron to the floor and Butcher giving Evans a backbreaker across two back to back chairs facing away from each other. Martinez is the newest member of the Vulture Squad.

*In an excellent back and forth wrestling match, Naomichi Marufuji pinned Davey Richards with sliced bread #2. Richards hit an incredible dive out of the ring, taking out Marufuji and landing in the third row. Awesome stuff.

*Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard filmed an opening for a ROH Videowire.

*In a No DQ Tables Are Legal Match, The Hangmen Three defeated Kevin Steen & El Generico & Delirious when Adam Pearce hit a piledriver off a table placed in the top turnbuckle through a tabke on Delirious. Luke Williams hit the ring and did the Bushwhackers battering ram with Delirious and did the march around the ring with all the babyfaces. Pelle Primeau returned from injuries sustained at the hands of the Hangmen Three to hit a top rope Frankensteiner through a table on Shane Hagadorn. The Hangmen drilled Steen and Generico with spike piledrivers after the match.

*Rocky Romero defeated Ernie Osyris via tapout.

*ROH champion Nigel McGuinness came out and cut a promo saying he doesn't remember his match last night and teased forfeiting the belt. He then said he was keeping the belt because of the fans who supported him and understand his sacrifices and in spite of the fans who don't understand.

*Erick Stevens pinned Roderick Strong to win the FIP championship.

*In a Four Way to determine the top contender to the ROH title, Bryan Danielson defeated Austin Aries via submission in a bout that also featured Takeshi Morishima and Chris Hero. Eliminations saw All three pin Morishima. Aries pinned Hero. Awesome bout.

*The Age of The Fall, Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs defeated ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoes to win the belts in an excellent match.

[Innovator]

Good to see Erik Stevens getting a chance, I didn't like him when he debuted but he's growing on me.

Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black as tag champs will be refreshing, and time for the Briscoes to chase

[Mr. Nerfect]

The Briscoes were so close to becoming the longest reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions of all-time. It's a bit of a tease, like it was when the WWE removed the WWE Tag Team Championship from Paul London & Brian Kendrick just before they overtook Oddjob and Mr. Fuji's reign as Tag Team Champions, but unlike the WWE, I'm sure ROH has a plan to have The Briscoes chase Do It For Her, and go places with this.

It's good to see The Vulture Squad get two wins in one night, as well as a new piece of ass and female talent. I almost counted out TVS, but they are still in these stable wars. I look forward to a fun match between DIFH and Ruckus & Jigsaw for the ROH Tag Titles.

Erick Stevens winning the FIP World Heavyweight Championship was one of those coin flip situations. It was either coming, or it wasn't, depending on the mood the sister promotions were in. I guess when FIP re-opens, Erick Stevens is going to be their main guy. This should add tension between the little rivalry Nigel McGuinness and Roderick Strong had going. I don't think Strong would be a good ROH World Champion at this point, so there's a successful defence for McGuinness.

I might be wrong, but do these results imply that Daniel Puder joined Sweet N' Sour International? If so, fucking sweet. Puder is probably still rough around the edges, but I'm sure some of the more seasoned guys under contract can smooth him down into a solid wrestler. He fills the gap Matt Sydal left on the roster.

Nigel McGuinness is getting banged up in his title reign. I honestly would have marked out more if Nigel forfeited the ROH World Championship, and it was held up in the Four Corner Elimination, with Morishima getting overwhelmed by everyone and pinned, then Chris Hero getting done. It would come down between Bryan Danielson and Austin Aries, with the winner becoming the first-ever two-time ROH Champion. It wouldn't really matter who you went with, but I'd personally go with Aries for the win.

[ron the dial]

WOW Age of the Fall

I really need to start paying attention to ROH again.

[Mr. Nerfect]

2008 will be a huge year of growth for ROH, I feel.

[ron the dial]

It had better be. They've got so much to work with. It's a product that I'm actually optimistic about.

[Innovator]

Aries or Danielson are gonna win the title again, but not before a nice reign by Chris Hero

[Mr. Nerfect]

They've got a tour of Florida confirmed. I think they might also try Canada (who I think will bite successfully). I'm also feeling that they will get their DVDs on retail shelves, which will help their sales, a little.

Hopefully there is evolution of their PPV/TV status, too.

[ron the dial]

I'd love to see another Aries title reign. Not sure about Chris Hero as champ, but I could definitely get behind hating the fuck out of him.

[ron the dial]

They've got a tour of Florida confirmed. I think they might also try Canada (who I think will bite successfully). I'm also feeling that they will get their DVDs on retail shelves, which will help their sales, a little.

Hopefully there is evolution of their PPV/TV status, too.
We kept a SHIMMER DVD in stock at the Best Buy I work at for a short while. Thought that was kind of strange.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Aries or Danielson are gonna win the title again, but not before a nice reign by Chris Hero

I think that if/when Hero wins the belt, Claudio Castagnoli will be the guy to take it off him. It makes a lot of sense, as Claudio has owned Hero in their series of matches so far in ROH, so when he gets the title opportunity, the fans would be able to taste the blood in the water. Claudio also has all of Sweet N' Sour International to go through on his way to the top, including finally getting his hands on Larry Sweeney.

Chris Hero has a Steel Cage Match with Nigel McGuinness coming up. I think they might do a title change there. The event is being pumped up because TNA is touring the same area, and ROH has a history of going all-out with Cage Matches, and actually making them mean something. I can't remember the date of it, but I think that might be when we'll see Nigel McGuinness' reign end.

Hopefully Nigel McGuinness can get in a successful defence against Bryan Danielson before then, and get ROH a MOTY candidate right out the door to the new year.

[Mr. Nerfect]

We kept a SHIMMER DVD in stock at the Best Buy I work at for a short while. Thought that was kind of strange.

That is a bit bizarre. I'd be more inclined to buy a SHIMMER DVD than a WWE PPV, to be honest, though. :y:

[Mr. Pierre]

I was lucky enough to see it last night. Awesome show :y:

The two main events stood out the most to me, and everything else was really solid. Strong/Stevens put on a really good match also :y:

Hero's antics during the match were priceless. As Morishima is being double teamed by Aries and Danielson (elbows and knees on the ground), Hero starts flipping in circles around the ring. Aries and Danielson get up. Toss him out of the ring. Aries hits a 450, and Aries and Danielson do a double cover, and Hero comes in the ring during the count and puts his knee on Morishima's back and poses to the crowd, taking credit for the elimination. It was just hilarious stuff and the crowd loved it. Unfortunately though, Hero was eliminated after some more showmanship. :(

And Evans gave Necro a Code Red off the apron to the outside :eek:

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Yes, yes I will.

D.i.f.t.A.o.t.F.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Honestly, I'm considering buying ROH DVDs now. Instead of buying the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania (if it shapes up as I assume it will), I'll just buy some ROH DVDs. They're the only promotion in North America that I feel is doing what it's meant to. I won't make much of a difference, but it's a few less dollars that the WWE are getting, and a few more that ROH is.

[Dave Youell]

Man i'm waaaaay out of touch with the ROH product, don't recognise half the card, 25% seem to be CZW rejects.

What happened!?!?!

I haven't seen any up to date stuff, i'm sure they product is still decent, but where's the names? Doesn't matter I guess as they drew a good crowd, but still, sheesh!

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Well for starters, TNA pulled all of their guys.

They took Joe, Daniels, Homicide, and Aries (who came back). They quit booking AJ a little before that. Jimmy Rave and ROH parted ways, etc

There roster is really solid though, they have a well defined mid-card and main event scene, which easily mingle between each other (ala, some midcarders can realistically main event). The lower card is usually newer guys, etc.

As far as "CZW reject"

Ruckus and Jigsaw are in the Vulture Squad with Jack Evans.. I haven't seen much of Ruckus, but what I have seen of Jigsaw is fun.

Necro Butcher is in The Age of the Fall, and plays his role damn well IMO.
I'm sure you're not complaining about Claudio and Hero ;)

ROH's roster right now is amazingly strong, and even the weaker guys play there rolls well. There are a few guys who I could live without (Pearce (although he's good on the mic, Whitmer, Matt Cross) but they aren't bad, just not my taste. Plus, they have a decent amount of guys who are only going to get better (Davey Richards and Eric Stevens, plus I'm pretty sure we're going to see Jimmy Jacobs move himself into the main event this year.)

Unfortunately, no KENTA in 08 it looks like (his work visa wasn't renewed), but Morishima, Marufuji, and apparently Go Shiozaki will be around... Go especially, as he looks to be next in line for the NOAH/ROH development plan (First KENTA, then Morishima, now GO)

So yeah, get caught up, because it should be a good year.

[Dave Youell]

The CZW rejects thing was a throwawy comment, I know that they have got the better talent from that place (with the exception of Necro, but I haven't seen his ROH work so I'll have a look when i get a chance)

It's more an observation on how much the roster has changed over the past few years

I've heard Amazing Red is training again, so could see him in there again, and perhaps Low Ki? Or has he burnt that bridge for the last time?

[thecc]

I don't care what anyone says, Necro Butcher matches are incredibly fun to watch. Especially when he's taking on a high flyer.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

I don't know about Lowki... All I've heard is how he burnt his bridges horribly with Gabe... But he was backstage when Homicide won the title, so maybe time does heal all wounds.

Necro does what he does well. He's not a good technical wrestler, BUT he comes off as a crazy motherfucker, and as a legitimate threat. There are few wrestlers who have an image that makes me think "You know, I wouldn't want to meet that guy in an alley."

I'm waiting for the Danielson Vs Morishima fight without Honor... It's coming...

[thecc]

Thats what works best for Necro. He's a guy who can seen like a legitimate threat. He has an incredible grasp on the business and knows how to use his strengths. Necro never has to do a deathmatch anymore and he would still be insanely over.

[IC Champion]

RoH is still in business?

[ron the dial]

oh shit instant classic with the big guns

[Mr. Nerfect]

RoH is still in business?

Yeah, in fact, they have a PPV deal, have a contract system in place, have done two successful international tours, expanded into new markets and are being voted by a lot of credible wrestling sites as "promotion of the year."

[Impact!]

lol Noid :heart: