ROH Border Wars
 

I've lost a lot of interest in ROH recently. They just haven't done anything for me lately. I don't know if it's the lack of characters, or if it's just been that lack of a definitive icon for the company; but I just haven't cared about ROH that much. That being said, their upcoming Border Wars iPPV looks like it could be a pretty big event for the promotion as a whole. I have a feeling that the company will be planning something huge for the show (relative to the company, of course).

Let's look at the card:

ROH World Championship
Davey Richards (c) vs. Kevin Steen (apparently Steen's only shot at the title)

Fight Without Honor for the ROH World Tag Team Championship
Jay & Mark Briscoe (c) vs. Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team

Fit Finlay vs. ROH World Television Champion Roderick Strong (with Truth Martini)

Mike Bennett (with "Brutal" Bob Evans and Maria Kanellis) vs. Lance Storm

Eddie Edwards vs. Rhino (with Truth Martini)

Tommasso Ciampa (with Prince Nana and whoever else is with The Embassy these days) vs. Jay Lethal

Michael Elgin (with Truth Martini) vs. Adam Cole

Possible Match: The Young Bucks vs. The All-Night Express

Looking at that, there's absolutely no way you're not going to get solid wrestling for your dollar. But what could ROH possibly do to really grab the imaginations of people at the event?

My gut is telling me that we'll see an official double-turn in the main event for the World Title. For those who don't know, Kevin Steen has essentially been a renegade in ROH for the past couple of months. He was reluctantly re-hired by the authority figure in ROH, Jim Cornette, and has been going by the moniker "Wrestling's Worst Nightmare." But it's been over. And it's certainly connected with people far better than Davey Richards' "I'm a really, really good wrestler" routine.

My guess is that at Border Wars, the only real shenanigans we will see will be in the main event, and that Jim Cornette somehow screws Steen and reveals himself to be the new on-air ally of Davey Richards -- who sells his soul to remain champion against the vicious Steen.

I mean, the only alternative is that Steen kills Richards and becomes the new ROH World Champion -- which would be awesome, but begs the question "where to from here?" Steen has also been aligned with Jimmy Jacobs, I believe. Although Steen won't be able to get another title shot against Richards, I do think that Jacobs will be able to challenge for the title, and will take a run at Richards and either win the belt himself, or give Richards someone to hurt in order to get at the super-pissed Steen.

"yawn", these Bush Leaguers need to give it up and go back to their Fast Food Jobs.

No El Generico? What kinda shit card is this poo?

Shisen , this is the most serious rasslin of all.

I don't have the hate for it like you do but it is seriously low budget and it looks like shit from a production standpoint. Losing the deal with HDNet hurt them. Now it's on some jackass former UPN station.

Steen is probably the only worthwhile act in the company when it comes to having more than being just a good "worker" and I hope he wins the title.

Besides Maria, there's not much I'd be looking forward to for this one. Which is a shame, these guys have talent and the potential to be a great #3 promotion but the booking has been god awful lately.

The ROH tag division has been just as bad as WWE's the past year or so, it's been the same four teams against each other in random matches, with random sightings of other teams thrown in there.

And as much as Gertner is an unimaginative troll when it comes to ROH, he's 100% correct on his assessment of Davey Richards, who is the very definition of 'vanilla midget'. All of his matches are going to have the same 15 ankle lock and kick to the head spots, blah.

Yeah, Davey Richards has been a terrible champion so far.

Steen has been making Richards look terrible in this feud.

Fantastic card, and I expect Steen and Richards to kill each other. Steen has to win here.

David Richards/Kevin Steen is likely to be fantastic.

This card is complete garbage

Prob gonna be some sort of gimmick match with the Young Bucks and ANX to continue their series of gimmick matches. That said, I don't really care. Finlay and Strong could be a show stealer, as could Elgin-Cole. Interested in the whole card besides Bennett-Storm. Just don't like Bennett. Am fine with Maria being on screen though.

Bennett could literally be a big star. Not for ROH, mind you, but I could very easily see the WWE snatching him up. Any guy that is banging Maria is the man. Lance Storm obviously sees something in him too if he's willing to work a rare match against the kid. It'll be interesting to see what he brings out of Bennett.

There is no way Davey Richards should retain the World Title clean; but part of me would be interested in a Richards heel turn. He has been a pretty boring World Champion, but turning might give the dude some character, which is what he so sorely needs. Kevin Steen could then set his sights on punishing Kyle O'Reilly for Richards' transgressions while Jimmy Jacobs tries to avenge Steen. But Steen killing Richards would not be the wrong idea, either. Richards can form a permanent tag team with Kyle O'Reilly, or something. Eddie Edwards is another guy who is good in the ring but doesn't grab me as a character -- add him and Adam Cole to the tag division and really pad it out.

But yeah, most of ROH actually bores me at the moment. The wrestling is good, but it's just lacking...something.

They did that, Adam Cole got a clean win over Davey in a Tag. Steen then came out and stole the show.

Steen will win the ROH Title.

I mean as full-time tag teams.

Bennett has the physique and the credentials, having worked in the original ECW as "The Prodigy." That might partially explain why Lance Storm agreed to a match with him. BTW, I heard a spoiler (rare for indy shows!) that Maria will come out in baggy sweat pants and a sweatshirt (with t-shirt underneath) to PO the fans and get heel heat.

That would be absolutely awesome if Maria does that. :y:

Wanna watch the tag match and the Rhino match.

My fiance actually bought me tickets to see this show in Toronto. I have not followed a lick of ROH for a couple years so it should be interesting. Mostly excited to see the ex-WWE guys Lance Storm, Finlay, Rhino, Haas and Benjamin. Plus, I've watched the Brisco's for years now so if they are still up to their crazy shit it should be good.

Every time I've watched ROH it just looks like two jobbers rasslin each other. None of them have any flare. Wooooooooooooo!

Mike Bennett wasn't The Prodigy in ECW.

Isn't Storm's match supposed to be his ROH 'retirement' match? At least that's the way they were promoting it on TV...