Philadelphia, PA – 7.27.2002

Commentary is provided by Donnie B and Steve Corino.

The show opens with Low Ki standing in a ring before doors open. He mentions defeating Christopher Daniels and American Dragon in the main event of the first ROH show. It was the match that put ROH on the map, and one of the greatest victories of his career. He defeated Christopher Daniels the following month at Round Robin Challenge, and that same night, American Dragon took him past his limits in one of the most memorable matches of his career. He wasn’t happy with how he defeated AJ Styles in April, but plans to conclusively prove he is the better man when they meet again next month. He then had the match everyone was talking about at “Road To The Title” when he faced and defeated The Amazing Red, who he gives props to as one of the most difficult people to defeat in wrestling. People thought he went too far when he kept Daniels in a Dragon Clutch for an extended period to end the night, but he knows his actions sent a message to Daniels: that Daniels will only hold the ROH Title over Ki’s dead body. In tonight’s 60 minute Iron Man match, he will prove that it isn’t about the size of the fighter, but the fight that they bring, and tells Daniels, Spanky, and Doug Williams that all they can do is be ready.

After the typical intro video, we see Simply Luscious and Steve Corino together backstage, who we saw making out at the end of “Road To The Title” DVD last month. They admit to being romantically linked, but that they will be keeping their business and personal affairs separate. Corino says he may not agree with Luscious’ choice to join the Prophecy, but knows that she did what she felt she had to do to advance in ROH. He begrudgingly accepts that Simply Luscious believes Christopher Daniels is the best wrestler, and then makes out with her.

The Christopher Street Connection are then shown eating bananas backstage, and they walk in on Brian XL and his two new friends raving in one of the locker rooms. Tony Mamaluke and James Maritato are still in disagreement about whether or not to call themselves the FBI – Maritato is vehemently against it, while Mamaluke is in favor. The Natural Born Sinners approach them and challenge them to a match in Boston. Maritato accepts, but not as the FBI, but as Maritato and Mamaluke.

ROH has switched from traditional turnbuckle covers to Japanese style turnbuckles, where one long rectangle buckle covers all three buckles instead of each buckle having its own individual cover. This show also is infamous for being sweltering hot, with reports of it being between 95 and 100 degrees in the building.

Tony Mamaluke vs. Jeremy Lopez

This is Lopez’s ROH debut. At this time, Lopez was wrestling for NWA Wildside and had previously competed in Osaka Pro. Mamaluke scored big with a slingshot leg drop on Lopez’s neck against the bottom rope. Lopez retaliated with a rolling forearm smash and wore down Mamaluke in the corner. Mamaluke hip tossed Lopex after an up-and-over in the other corner, applying his signature short-arm scissors after the fact. Lopez muscled his way out and dropped Mamaluke with a tornado Pedigree, following up on that with a Tiger Driver. Mamaluke ended a standing switch with a front facelock DDT, and made Lopez tap in a grounded Guillotine choke at 7:22. Lopez looked competent but unspectacular, which can be said of a lot of the people who made their way through ROH at this time. Mamaluke had a chance to showcase his technical wrestling, which has some value as that is the style his partner Maritato has re-embraced in ROH. **

After the match, The Christopher Street Connection informs Quiet Storm and Chris Divine that Brian XL has new friends. Storm says they don’t care and tells Mace and Buff-E to get lost.

Christian York & Joey Matthews vs. Prince Nana & Jacobs Ladder

The pre-match graphic says Ladder is Nana’s new servant. Alexis Laree is in York and Matthews’ corner. Before the bell, Nana says nobody is to touch his neck because of the damage he incurred from his match with Low Ki last month. That ruse worked out, as Ladder and Nana used this diversion to sneak attack York and Matthews. Nana accidentally strikes Ladder with a forearm smash, and Nana is hit with a double enzuigiri by York and Matthews. Nana bails to the backstage area in frustration, leaving Ladder to take a flapjack/super leg drop combo for the pin at 1:45. Not much of a match, but a solid enough victory for the former ECW tandem.

The Christopher Street Connection try to comfort Nana backstage and he tells them to stay away. They then make their way to the ring with Allison Danger, who makes some comments at Laree that result in her striking Danger. The CSC brawl with York and Matthews ringside as Laree pummels and chokes Danger in the ring. With the CSC’s help, she spanks Laree, leaving some sort of mark on her backside. This is the pits.

TWA Showcase Tag Team Match
Paul London & Don Juan vs. Michael Shane & Bio-Hazard

Just like the TWA Showcase on the first show, the winner of the fall receives an ROH contract. For some reason, the idea of the winner getting a flight is easy for me to buy into, but the idea of them receiving a “per diem” is. I’ve never heard of an Indie company offering such a thing. Before the match we saw a clip of the two teams, Jacobs Ladder, and Rudy Boy Gonzalez arriving at the building after a 25 hour car ride. Bio-Hazard does not seem to appreciate Michael Shane’s attitude. Rudy Boy is ringside for the match. London is rocking and rolling to start, taking out both of his opponents with a tope con hilo. However, when he gets back in the ring, Shane belly-to-belly suplexes him into the turnbuckle. London escapes after taking down Bio-Hazard with a flying neck-tie headscissors. Don Juan comes in and is taken out almost instantly with a chinbreaker and overhead suplex. He gets his knees up to block a moonsault from Bio-Hazard and drops him with a DDT. A re-energized London comes back in and dropsaults Shane into a moonsault onto Bio-Hazard. London slams Shane and lands a second rope moonsault for two. Don Juan saves London from being pinned by Shane’s superkick and from a leg submission. London and Don Juan argue over who will get the pin when Shane accidentally lands a top rope elbow smash onto Bio-Hazard. Shane enzuigiri’s Don Juan as London DDT’s Bio-Hazard. Both of them pin their respective opposition at the same time, but the referee counts Shane’s pin, making him the winner and contract recipient at 8:29. It was clear either Shane or London would come out on top, and I like that they both got a visual pin. London now has a chip on his shoulder and Shane feels vindicated after feeling he was cost a contract on the debut show. The wrestling was totally solid, but the partners for Shane and London could’ve been anyone. **¾

Shane and London argue over who can be the “Showstopper” in ROH to honor Shawn Michaels. Why this matters at all I don’t know. London ends up taking out Shane with a leg lariat, but misses a shooting star press. Shane takes down London with a running clothesline but misses a flying elbow smash. The rest of the TWA individuals fight to keep them separated and bring them backstage. Shane antagonizes London backstage and they have to hold them back again. Rudy Boy says he’ll get a match between London and Shane set up for Boston next month.

Da Hit Squad (Mafia & Monsta Mack) vs. Divine Storm (Chris Divine & Quiet Storm)

Several tag teams argued over who the best team in ROH was last month, and Divine Storm said Da Hit Squad couldn’t claim to be the best because they had not wrestled them yet. Divine Storm shows no fear despite the size disparity between them and DHS. Divine and Mafia fight on the floor as Mack takes down Storm with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Divine surprises Mafia with his own Death Valley Driver and a spinebuster for two. Maff sweeps Divine’s leg to cut off a charge and Divine flips onto his head. He crushes Divine with an assisted cannonball in the corner and takes him over with a double underhook suplex. Mack follows up with a frog splash. Storm immediately throws forearm shots at Mack and lands his own frog splash. Storm pulls Mafia off of the middle rope into an Ace Crusher for two. Storm is pitched to the floor by Mack. Mack takes out Divine with a lariat. Mafia tackles Storm back to the floor. Divine surprises Mack with his own overhead belly-to-belly suplex. He tries a huracanrana and Mack counters it with a powerbomb for the pin at 4:33. It kind of feels as if ROH has given up on Divine Storm, who simply aren’t as impressive or popular as some of their companions. I sense the fans cooling off on DHS too. This wasn’t terrible, but I am glad this was kept short. **

Xavier approaches Low Ki backstage, who is doing push-ups backstage. Xavier shakes his hand, and reminds Ki that he was the only person in their tournament block Ki didn’t defeat. Yeah, because you lost in the first round! He then asks Ki to keep him in mind if he wins the title. Ki says fair enough, he’s got it. No, not fair enough! Xavier lost to Amazing Red who Ki beat! Why would that make him in any way eligible for a championship match?

Jay Briscoe vs. James Maritato

Mark Briscoe is in Jay’s corner. Maritato counters Jay’s Death Valley Driver with a cross armbreaker. Jay gets Maritato in an STF and looks to convert into a cloverleaf when Maritato is close to the ropes. Maritato reverses to a roll-up, and Jay lands a strike. Mark Briscoe seems angry, which confuses Jay, and then Mark smiles when Maritato chop blocks Jay’s leg. Jay swings him out into a stunner, which also upsets Mark. Jay also successfully pulls off the Death Valley Driver he attempted earlier. Jay also gives Mariato a facebuster out of an electric chair position. Maritato fights Jay out of the corner and blasts him with a double dropkick off of the middle rope. Jay however does pull off a super Gourd Buster moments later for two. Maritato slips out of a powerbomb attempt and lands a basement dropkick, following that up with the Sicilian Slice. Jay fights out of the Kiss of Death and delivers a tornado DDT. Mark decides to bail on the match, walking to the back while flipping him off. The distraction enables Maritato to deliver the Kiss of the Death for the pin at 8:35, which delights Mark. This was a good match that only existed to further the issues between the Briscoe brothers. The ending made Jay look stupid, losing a match he had more or less rightfully won until he let his brother distract him. I’d look to see these two go at it again, but it’ll take seven years for that to happen. **¾

Christopher Daniels is with Simply Luscious. Daniels says there is no doubt he is the top wrestler in Ring of Honor. He believes the Code of Honor is based on lies and hypocrisy. He does not believe that Ki and Danielson using both of their finishers to defeat him on the first show, and Ki bragging about defeating Daniels at the second show when Daniels had already wrestled a bout earlier in the night, are not actions of honorable men. Putting Simply Luscious in an impromptu match last month against Sumie Sakai was also not honorable. They put an end to these actions tonight when Daniels wins the ROH Championship and re-builds ROH in the image of the Prophecy. He also promises to make Ki pay for his sins tonight in the main event. Elsewhere, Doug Williams is warming up by practicing a Stretch Muffler on some poor sap.

Bunkhouse Match
The Natural Born Sinners (Boogalou & Homicide) vs. The Carnage Crew (Loc & DeVito)

Before the match, we’re reminded that Loc was a referee on the first show and he disqualified the Natural Born Sinners. They would then fork stab Loc and drop him with a Cop Killa. Loc would become a wrestler in ROH, bringins in his tag team partner DeVito, and they attacked the Natural Born Sinners last month, leading to this bout. The Carnage Crew get the upper hand thanks to the use of barbed wire in opposite corners. Homicide digs his fork into DeVito’s head. DeVito beams Homicide with a chair thrice on the floor as DeVito drops Boogalou with a Sling Blade bulldog back inside of the ring. DeVito beats Boogalou up with a chair while Homicide whips Loc with a belt and then digs the buckle into his head. DeVito suplexes Homicide into the turnbuckle with a barbed wire strand from earlier and lands a top rope moonsault. Boogalou saves Homicide from being pinned. Homicide wipes out Loc with a tope suicida. Boogalou puts barbed wire into DeVito’s mouth and pulls back until DeVito submits at 9:35. This was disgusting, the most blood match in ROH to date for sure. The fans loved it, and this was better than I expected, but this is just not for me. The less Carnage Crew the better. *½

The Carnage Crew then beat down Boogalou and Homicide with hubcaps until Da Hit Squad comes to their rescue. Why they waited until after the match to use the hubcaps I do not know. Homicide takes this act the wrong way, yelling at DHS that he doesn’t need their help. He and Boogalou storm off, angry at Da Hit Squad.

We see a clip from earlier in the day where Spanky is watching Christopher Daniels giving an interview off in the distance. Spanky talks about the advantages of each of his opponents in tonight’s main event. He’s the underdog against all three on paper, but he has defeated Christopher Daniels and Low Ki in singles matches (Daniels in EPIC and Ki in MCW), and while he’s never faced Doug Williams, he has been under the tutelage of Steven Regal and Robbie Brookside. The one advantage Spanky thinks he has over everyone else in the match is heart. All of them have given up their body for this sport, but how many of them have given it their soul? This was a really good promo.

Mike Tobin is pushing around Danny Drake in a wheelchair backstage, and Tobin needs to find two partners for a six man tag. Rob Feinstein informs Tobin that he is teaming with Dunn and Marcos who look like they’re about to help carry Drake in his wheelchair down a flight of chairs. Tobin is unhappy and wheels Drake away from them.

NWA TNA X-Division Championship Elimination Match
AJ Styles vs. David Young vs. Adam Jacobs

Styles has been champion since 6.26.2002 and this is his third defense. Last month, Styles said he was bringing the South’s best to Ring of Honor. Four days after that event, Styles would become their inaugural NWA TNA X-Division Champion on the company’s second show in Huntsville, AL. Styles first successful defense would be against Young. Both Young and Jacobs are making their ROH debut in this contest. Young uses a ring post and an Asai moonsault to take out Styles on the floor, which also busts Styles open. The crowd crapped on Jacobs for a weak looking neckbreaker, but he won them back with a tope con hilo off of the ring post onto Young. Styles has to take some time to recover from being busted open, but comes back in with a springboard into a double Phenomenon. Jacobs missile dropkicks Young out of a Styles Clash position, which is confusing as that would have benefitted him as well. Styles passes Jacobs into a spinebuster from Young, and Styles front flips into a Frankensteiner onto Young. Styles pins Young with the Spiral Tap at 5:32, which commentary undermines by calling it a “thing-a-majiggy.” God they suck. Jacobs immediately superkicks and covers Styles for two. Styles comes back with a hard flying forearm. He puts Jacobs in a high angle Boston Crab. Styles breaks it when Jacobs won’t give up and goes to the top turnbuckle, where Jacobs cuts him off. Jacobs tries a super Frankensteiner, which Styles turns into a Super Styles Clash for the pin at 8:01. Styles getting both pins was the right call to continue establishing him in ROH, especially since Jacobs was never used again and Young would only be seen in a giant fracas the following year. They both were fine, but Styles’ shadow loomed large over this contest. **½

Stephen DeAngelis announces the next ROH Philadelphia event on September 21st. DeAngelis goes on to say that the show will feature the in-ring debut of Steve Corino, as well as a one-night tournament to crown the inaugural ROH Tag Team Titles. Mike Modest will also be on the show. Rudy Boy Gonzalez interrupts DeAngelis. He first thanks the fans for supporting his TWA students, and then calls out Steve Corino for all of the trash he’s been talking about him on commentary. He could whip Corino’s ass himself, but instead, his student American Dragon will do so on September 21st.

Rave music plays over a video package Dunn, Marcos & Mike Tobin vs. Brian XL, Dixie & Black Gordman Jr.. Dixie and XL for some reason turn on Gordman, leaving him for dead, and Dunn and Marcos end up pinning him with a super leg drop. After the match, a giant man with dreadlocks in a black suit and sunglasses attacks Tobin, Dunn, and Marcos. He then attacks Danny Drake who is sitting ringside in his wheelchair before leaving through the back door.

The Carnage Crew challenge Da Hit Squad to a Boston Massacre match next month.

Scoot Andrews vs. Xavier

At “The Era of Honor Begins”, Andrews had Xavier pinned with the Force of Nature, and Xavier saved himself by getting his foot on the bottom rope. The two of them had a three way match with James Maritato in April, and Maritato cost Andrews the chance to pin Xavier after giving him the Force of Nature again. Andrews vows to avenge his loss against Xavier tonight, or else he will leave ROH. Andrews takes this seriously, immediately going for a pin and smothering Xavier with offense, giving him no room to breathe. He busts open Xavier by throwing him into the guardrails a couple of times. He calls for the Force of Nature after Xavier kicks out of a Tiger Driver. Xavier escapes and knocks out Andrews with a forearm strike for two. He drills Andrews with a Razor’s Edge for two. Andrews blocks a neckbreaker and scoops Xavier up into a sit-out facebuster. Xavier avoids a dropkick and delivers Kiss Your X Goodbye, with Andrews getting his shoulder up just before a three count. Andrews ducks a high kick and pulls Xavier up into the Force of Nature for the pin at 5:00. Imagine how much more effective Xavier bleeding would’ve been if it was the first time we saw someone bleed tonight. Styles gets a pass because that was not intentional. It really felt like Andrews was fighting for his job which elevated the match all around. It got a bit sloppy by the end but this story really worked for me. **¾

ROH Championship Tournament Finals – 60 Minute Iron Man Match
Christopher Daniels vs. Low Ki vs. Spanky vs. Doug Williams

This is the finals of the tournament that began the previous month. Daniels defeated Scoot Andrews and AJ Styles to win Block B, Low Ki defeated Prince Nana and The Amazing Red to win Block D, Spanky defeated Paul London and Jody Fleisch to win Block A, and Doug Williams defeated American Dragon and Jay Briscoe to win Block C. In this match, you get two points for scoring a fall (pin, submission etc) and lose one point if you’re the victim of a fall. Whoever has the most points at the end of the 60:00 time limit wins the match and will become the inaugural ROH Champion. Simply Luscious is in Daniels’ corner.

Daniels antagonizes Ki, and just as it appears they will start the match, Daniels tags in Williams.
Williams stretches Ki out on the mat, but Ki holds his own and escapes a full body stretch with a headbutt. Spanky also holds his own with Williams in the submission and reversal department. Daniels tags himself in when Williams backs Spanky to the corner in a wristlock. Williams attacks his shoulder and Spanky continues that track when he tags in. Daniels suplexes his way out of a side headlock and then chops Ki to tag him in. Ki gets in a few strikes, but Spanky neutralizes him with a dragonscrew leg whip and then stomps his knee into the canvas. He then drags Ki over to Williams, and tags him in so he can continue to damage his leg. With Ki weakened, Daniels decides to come in and get in his own shots. Just when Daniels has Ki where he wants him, Ki stumbles backwards to the corner and Williams tags in.Williams continues where he left off by attacking Daniels’ shoulder once more. Spanky also helps him once again until Daniels cuts him off with a neckbreaker. Williams ends the partnership by stretching out Spanky. Spanky ends up raking his eyes and tagging Ki back in, and Williams attacks Ki’s leg. Daniels jumps in and gets in a few cheap shots, stomping at Ki when he is down. Williams busts out the standing Stretch Muffler he was practicing backstage on Ki. Spanky also attacks Ki’s leg once again. Ki whips Spanky into the corner where Daniels kicks Spanky in the back of the head. Ki kicks at Spanky as he’s trapped in the ropes. Daniels blind tags himself in, and stomps on Ki before going after Spanky. Spanky knees Daniels in the sternum to block a corner charge and gives him a swing out cravate facebuster. He tags in Ki, and Williams jumps off of the apron when Daniels looks to tag out, putting Ki and Daniels in the ring for the very first time in this match. Ki takes him down with a Koppu Kick and kicks his chest twice. Daniels chops block his leg after ducking a third kick. Daniels forearm strikes Spanky on the apron, baiting him into the ring so that he takes out Ki with a flying single leg kick. Daniels calls for the Last Rites on Spanky and Williams saves him. Williams tornado DDT’s Daniels, Spanky takes down Williams with a Sliced Bread #2, and Ki German suplexes Spanky. Daniels drops Ki with an STO, leaving all four men laying. Ki shoves Spanky to the floor and Daniels backdrops Williams to the floor. Daniels chop blocks Ki mid-Tidal Wave and drops him with the Last Rites to score the first fall of the match at 25:30. Daniels is in the lead with 2 points, Ki has -1 point, and Williams and Spanky are tied at 0 points.

Spanky stops Daniels from going for another pin on Ki right away. Ki is down bad on the floor, leaving the other three to fight it out. Ki makes his way back to the apron as Williams is wearing down Daniels’ arm. Daniels gives Williams a sit-out spinebuster to counter a tornado DDT and tags in Spanky, who fails to pin Williams’ arms down with his feet. Daniels rakes Williams’ eyes from the apron to break Williams’ grounded headscissors on Spanky. Daniels takes down Spanky, and knocks Ki off the apron so Spanky can’t tag him in. Spanky instead uses a side Russian leg sweep and neckbreaker and then tags in Williams, who naturally goes back to Daniels’ arm. Daniels and Spanky then form a tentative partnership to wear down Williams. Williams fights them both off and hits the Chaos Theory on Spanky, but Daniels breaks up his pin attempt. Daniels blocks a Chaos Theory attempt, drops Williams with an STO, and locks him in a Koji Clutch. Low Ki comes off the top with a double stomp to Daniels to break up the hold. Williams slams Ki into the corners three times while in a Gory Stretch before dropkicking him. Ki counters a powerbomb from Williams into a triangle sleeper. Williams tries to powerbomb his way free, but Ki turns it into an inside cradle. Williams muscles up Ki to break out of a cross armbreaker. Spanky blind tags himself in when Ki shows Williams to the corner. Williams tries a Chaos Theory, but what happens is that when he releases, Ki flips over right into a Dragon Sleeper on Spanky. Spanky taps out at 42:00. Daniels is still in the lead with 2 points, but now Ki has 1 point. Spanky is at -1 while Williams holds tight at 0.

Daniels aggressively goes after Ki to pick up more points for himself and hopefully take away Ki’s point. Spanky breaks things up and looks for his own pin on Daniels. He misses a frog splash, but does get two with a spinning pedigree. Daniels tags in Williams who slams Spanky’s face into the mat three times while holding him in a wheelbarrow position. Ki tries to sneak in a pin Daniels, which Williams looks to break with a Bomb Scare, but Ki moves and he lands on Daniels. Spanky looks for a Sliced Bread #2 on Williams. Ki cuts him off and chops him into a fisherman’s suplex from Williams. Ki throws headbutts and uppercuts at Williams to protect his worn down leg. Daniels sneaks in, taking down Williams with an STO and landing the BME for two. Williams backdrops Daniels to the apron to escape an Angels Wings. Spanky lands a high crossbody on Williams for two. Ki tags in and puts Williams in a Dragon Sleeper in the ropes. Spanky gives Williams a Sliced Bread #2 off of Daniels’ chest, but Daniels is able to break the count quickly. Daniels and Spanky spill to the floor, leaving Ki to hit the Phoenix Splash on Williams for a pin at 48:45. Ki now leads with 3 points, Daniels trails with 2, and Spanky and Williams both have -1. Spanky goes for Sliced Bread on Ki and Ki counters with a tombstone piledriver for two. Daniels tags himself in after seeing Ki land a 450 splash on Spanky. Daniels gives Spanky a reverse Death Valley Driver, but Williams had already blind tagged in before, so Daniels is unable to follow up with a pin attempt. Spanky fails to pin Daniels with a frog splash or Ki with a Regalplex. Williams grabs Spanky’s foot from the floor, so Spanky pescado’s onto him. Daniels has Ki close to submitting in a Dragon Sleeper. Ki flips Daniels over and drops him with the Last Rites, but is too exhausted to go for a cover. The time limit expires at 60:00, making Ki the winner and first ever ROH Champion. I give this major props for being interesting almost the entirety of the time limit. They lost a little bit of steam in the end with no falls in the last eleven plus minutes, but that last minute with Ki and Daniels using each other’s moves on each other was awesome. I also think it’s neat that Spanky and Williams, who worked as a team for a lot of the match, ended up with the worst point standings, and the two wrestlers who wrestled on their own flourished. All four men worked their asses off in a sweltering hot building, and that hard work made this win, and the title, feel important. This was a great way to introduce the title, while also establishing Daniels as a worthwhile challenger. ****¼

Williams and Spanky shake hands with Ki. Daniels is angry because he pinned Ki to earn his points while Ki didn’t defeat him in either of the two falls in which he earned points. I think that logic is excellent, and is a great early example of good ROH booking. Daniels exits the ring without shaking Ki’s hand. Ki celebrates by holding the title up to all four sides of the building and once more in the aisle way before heading backstage. As soon as he is behind the curtain, Ki drops to his knees in exhaustion, with Da Hit Squad giving him water and a towel. Still on his knees, an emotional Ki tells the camera that he went out for an hour and showed he was no joke. He showed everyone how much love he has for wrestling. He dedicates the win to the late Russ Haas and his brother Charlie Haas. Mafia then carries him downstairs to the locker room.

Elsewhere in the locker room, Jay angrily shoves Mark and questions why he’s laughing at him. Mark says Jay can’t lay his hands on him in Pennsylvania since he isn’t 18 years old yet and unable to compete under commission rules. Jay then says they won’t have to worry about a commission in Boston and challenges Mark to a match. Mark unconvincingly says Jay will just lose again. Christopher Daniels then angrily grabs referee Paul Turner backstage. He says ROH screwed him, and tells Paul to tell the higher ups in ROH that this isn’t the end of the Prophecy.

This is a one match show, but that one match holds up really well.