McXal's Reviews

The main event for this week is a big one. It's the final of the Decade Of Excellence Tournament, with the winner advancing to the 15th Anniversary Show to challenge for the World Championship. Fittingly it puts together two Era Of Honor Begins survivors - as Jay Briscoe and Christopher Daniels go to war. Beneath that Bull James is inexplicably getting another ROH paycheck and comes looking for revenge on Silas Young. At the suggestion of Silas on commentary last week, we will also see Colt Cabana wrestle both of The Boys in a handicap match. Kevin Kelly is once again our host from Atlanta, GA.

I was open-minded about Bull getting a shot in Honor Rumble 2016, even when his performance there wound up completely unremarkable. I stayed open-minded when he returned for the Florida Road To Final Battle shows subsequently. But his matches that weekend were atrocious, his performance in a high profile match against Adam Cole was abominably awful and I was happy with his last appearance being in Philadelphia when Silas and Bruiser made him look like an idiot. Sadly he is booked again, and wants revenge on Silas for attacking him in Philly...

James is quickly distracted by Beer City Bruiser on the apron but is so massive he starts in dominant fashion with Young regardless. He hits a stupid rolling headscissors spot which looks so comical fans instantly start jeering with him. Silas lures him out of the ring...then levels him with a somersault plancha after Bull has steamrolled through Bruiser. Silas tries to control the big man with a grounded cravat and when that fails continue to set up for Misery with a swinging neckbreaker. Bull mounts a comeback with Dusty-style jabs, but it's hard to make a 'babyface' comeback when nobody is cheering you on. Beer City stops him from suplexing Young...so instead James boot-flips Silas into the air and over the ropes. TORNADO DDT OFF THE APRON from James to Bruiser! That looked terrible, but was easily the most entertaining moment of the contest. It means Bull's back is turned and he doesn't see Misery coming. Silas gets the win at 06:00

Rating - * - Initially I gave this a 'DUD', but upon reflection that was probably more influenced by my desire to never watch another Bull James match in my life than it is by the actual qualities of this match (or lack thereof). It wasn't totally irredeemable. Silas, dependable as ever, was actually very good. He worked the neck, strategised and moved like you'd expect someone giving up such a huge size difference to do, and is helped by a win over an ex-WWE name. The problem here is that Bull f*cking sucks. He can't move, has no natural athleticism, refuses to sell for his opponents properly and drags every match down with his ineptitude. That tornado DDT spot off the apron was such a f*cking mess it became a comedy spot. He needs to go now, and I'm actively annoyed that Silas needed so much help from Bruiser to beat him. As I've said before, I don't object to ROH giving guys (or girls) cast out from WWE's developmental system a shot. They sign SO MANY people now that it is inevitable talent will be dropped somewhere along the line. But they've tried Bull, and he is the sh*ts. Time to cut their losses...

Jay Briscoe is so fired up for the main event he is basically shaking. He talks about being the first man through the curtain (officially) at Era Of Honor Begins, an 8-time Tag Champion and a 2-time World Champion. Chris Daniels is in his way of World Title win #3...

Part 2 of the Bobby Fish sit-down interview now airs. He won the Survivor Of The Fittest tournament last year, and tapped out the World Champion last week. He cashes in his title shot at Manhattan Mayhem 6, meaning he could be the man who enters the 15th Anniversary Show as champion...

The issue between Cabana and Dalton Castle continues to escalate. We thought it may be over after Final Battle when Dalton defeated Cabana, but it rumbles on still. Two weeks ago Colt attacked Dalton and The Boys when they seemed on the cusp of a Six-Man Tag Title shot. Then last week he crashed commentary during a main event featuring Dalton and The Boys to poke fun at them repeatedly. At Silas Young's behest, Cabana has laid down the challenge and is confident that he can take down both Boys in a single match...

Cabana takes a microphone and continues to make fun of Dalton and The Boys, further showcasing what a wonderfully entertaining character he can be as a heel. He amuses himself body slamming one of The Boys (because he's 'SO LIGHT'). Other Boy tries a springboard crossbody, with the assistance of his brother. Colt leaves the ring to antagonise Dalton some more before commercials. When we return he is back in the ring bullying a Boy - going as far as to hiptoss him over the top rope to the floor. Flying Asshole on the other Boy...before he leaves the ring to throw one of the Boys directly into Castle's lap. Chicago Skyline nailed, eliminating one Boy from the contest. Colt applies Billy Goat's Curse to the other, and gets a comprehensive victory at 03:55 (shown).

Rating - N/A - As an angle this was incredibly entertaining. Colt Cabana is so good as a heel, and could easily main event ROH shows working this gimmick if the company ever had enough faith in him to do so. His angle with Dalton Castle has been one of my favourite things about ROH in recent months, and this was a fun way to progress it.

Jay Briscoe got time to run through his ROH accomplishments earlier and now it is Christopher Daniels' turn. He was in the first main event, the first ROH Title Match, he was the first Tag Champion, the second TV Champion and has shared the ring with all of the Ring Of Honor greats. But frustration burns within him that he has never been ROH World Champion. He still believes it is his destiny to hold that belt..

NEXT WEEK - The 2017 Top Prospect Tournament begins.

There could be no more appropriate a final for this tournament than the man who competed in the first ever ROH match, and the man who main evented the first ROH show. At Era Of Honor Begins Daniels was already an established performer, with experience in major promotions under his belt. Jay was (in his own words) an '18-year old skinny pale ass' back then...but now enters as arguably the favourite. Where Daniels has repeatedly left for other promotions and returned, Jay has remained with ROH and is now in the prime of his career with two ROH World Title reigns to his name (one of which went undefeated). Daniels feels that it his destiny to finally become ROH Champion despite - as Frankie Kazarian has stated - time running out on his wrestling career. Frankie believes that this is Daniels' last chance...

Jay Briscoe gets the better of the first exchange, demonstrating that he is faster and stronger. Daniels fights to avoid the Jay Driller and uses his mat skill to wrestle to an early stalemate. Briscoe goes to his powerful strikes to put the veteran on the defensive again...until the old man fires up and hits a running STO. He scores with a Lionsault too before holding Jay on the mat with the Koji Clutch. Using all the skills he has accumulated through his long career Daniels starts targeting the neck, setting up his finishers and slowing his powerful opponent down in the process. The fans are being f*cking assholes during his FYI, and chanting for Cheeseburger because, presumably, they are drunk or stupid (or both). Jay rallies with a clothesline sending Daniels to the floor...and f*cking explodes after him with an ELBOW SUICIDA! He smeared the Ring General into the ground violently with that. Even Jay has to retreat and recover though, such is the damage Daniels has inflicted thus far in the contest. Daniels trips him off the apron...AND ARABIAN PRESSES THE F*CK OUT OF HIM! Daniels took an insane landing on that, pretty much bumping on his neck. Both he and Briscoe struggle to battle back into the ring, even with the support of Mark and Kazarian (who have left commentary to cheer them on). The two combatants collide mid-ring attempting simultaneous crossbody blocks yet neither man is willing to back down. Briscoe goes back to strikes...and Daniels collapses after a roaring elbow. IT'S A TRAP! The crafty veteran sneaks up on Jay with ANGEL'S WINGS! BRISCOE KICKS OUT! He roars back into action with the snap DVD, but finds the Day One Neckbreaker countered into an urinage slam. BME blocked once...then dodged a second time! RUNNING LARIAT decks Daniels, who kicks out at 2. The Fallen Angel is out on his feet (selling the drama like a champ even for dumbass fans who are still chanting stupid sh*t), but finds a way to block a Briscoe superplex. AVALANCHE ANGEL'S WINGS! DANIELS WINS! He wins the Decade Of Excellence Tournament at 15:09 (shown).

Rating - **** - I've stopped short of calling it an MOTYC (the imbecile crowd and a lack of time forcing them to abandon some story-telling elements they really needed are my reasons for that), but this was the best match we've seen on ROH television for quite some time. I'm not entirely sure why ROH have suddenly started pushing the 'Daniels is old, this could be his last run' gimmick, and I don't know that it is needed because the drama of this match worked just as well without it. We know Briscoe is younger, in his prime and a former champion. It isn't rocket science that Daniels as a smaller, older wrestler wouldn't be able to out-strike or overpower him. Daniels has veteran presence and strategy on his side. He attacked the neck because it made sense to do so. He tried to trick the fiery younger man a couple of times. Even the win came from him countering a move hundreds of men have probably tried with him previously. They walked the line perfectly between pushing Daniels as an underdog, but also one that had a real chance. Since Era Of Honor Begins Christopher Daniels has been a reliable workhorse and perennially entertaining in a main event setting. Seeing him, fifteen years later, in a PPV main event still fighting for his first World Title win is a hell of a prospect.

Daniels is in tears celebrating his win, and embraces Jay Briscoe as the show comes to an end.

Tape Rating - *** - I don't think this has been the most electrifying or interesting of tapings. The first block of TV every year always has a hard job because there is so much character and storyline content that you need to get over that sometimes the wrestling content becomes an afterthought. Not everything has been great from this taping, and the same can be said for this episode. If you've not already understood my position - Bull James should never be brought back (and wasn't). But the main event here was superb and the reason you need to tune in. Honor Club members that haven't seen it definitely need to go back and check it out. The Decade Of Excellence was a corny concept I will agree, but the final match goes down as one to remember. 

5) Marty Scurll vs Juice Robinson (*** - Episode 280)

4) Young Bucks vs Tempura Boyz (*** - Episode 281)

3) Donovan Dijak vs Alex Shelley vs Chris Sabin vs Jay White vs Lio Rush vs Jonathan Gresham (*** - Episode 281)

2) Jay Briscoe vs Jay Lethal (*** - Episode 280)

1) Christopher Daniels vs Jay Briscoe (**** - Episode 283)