ROH Fifth Year Festival: Philly Review

ROH World Champion Homicide faces his toughest challenge to date...

*This show is available to watch for free (Ringside Members) on rohwrestling.com*

ROH Fifth Year Festival: Philly

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1.) TJ Perkins vs. Nigel McGuinness: **

The show opens with Nigel taking on TJ Perkins (who wrestled occasionally in ROH previously as Puma). A decent opener, nothing much else...

2.) Claudio Castagnoli vs. Austin Aries: **1/4

Apparently Aries asked for this match since he was not able to beat the Kings of Wrestling in Tag Team Action in 2006. I was a little disappointed by this, I thought it was going to be a little better, but it was just ok.

3.) Street Fight – Adam Pearce, Jimmy Jacobs & Lacey vs. BJ Whitmer, Colt Cabana & Daizee Haze: ***

This was more of a storyline based match but it was a violent brawl that definitely got accomplished what it needed to.

4.) El Generico & Kevin Steen vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe: ***3/4

Here we get the ROH debut of Kevin Steen & El Generico as a Tag Team. It would also be the first of many matches Steen & Generico would have with the Briscoes. This was a very good tag team match, and a great way to introduce Steen & Generico.

5.) Jimmy Rave vs. Samoa Joe: ***1/4

This was supposed to be Joe & Richards but Richards got hurt & their match got pushed back to the new show in Dayton. Why exactly is Jimmy Rave facing Samoa Joe on Joe's Farewell Tour?...I have no idea. Anyway, the match was good. That's about it.

6.) FIP Heavyweight Title  - Roderick Strong vs. Delirious: **1/4

The match was going decently, then the whole "concussion" thing started. Roderick shows No Remorse and gets the win. Eh....this was ok.

7.) ROH World Titles – Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal vs. Jack Evans & Shingo: ***1/4

Allison Danger's attire is....unique to say the least. This was a fairly good tag title defense. Started slow but picked up at the end.

After the match, Evans calls out Aries and says he does not want to pick sides in the Aries/Strong feud. Aries is fine with that and says he's out to find the Next Generation Next. Jack Evans then says since Aries & Strong are getting crews, that he's going to get one as well.

8.) ROH World Title – Homicide vs. Takeshi Morishima: ***1/2

This was a fairly good World Title match, but it was that, just good to maybe very good. I don't their styles meshed very well and the blatant interference from Julius Smokes didn't help much. Homicide short reign as champion ends, and the reign of Morishima begins.

Overall: 6.75/10

Honestly....their was nothing on this show that really stands out as being great, and that's disappointing considering it is ROH's Anniversary and the Anniversary Shows are really good (though in this instance it's just one of five shows). The World Title Change is the only real reason to watch this show.