This is going to be a slightly different review. I actually attended this show live so I'll be giving both my live thoughts and the DVD presentation.
First thing I will say is that the line to get in the Hammerstein for this show was LONG. It went all the way down the block and wrapped around the parked cars on that side of the street! I didn't get to do the autograph signing (with I believe was The Briscoes & Maria...maybe someone else) but I did pick up a Kevin Steen T-Shirt and the Final Battle 2011 DVD. I was seating in the lower balcony. If you're watching the DVD (which views the ring from above the entrance isle), I would be in the upper left corner of the lower balcony, though you wouldn't be able to see me on the DVD though.
The crowd was pretty hot and looked excited for this show. There were a lot of hilarious chants during this show. There was a younger kid across from me (more towards the middle) who was making some funny wrestling-related remarks (I think they were WWE/ROH related but I can't remember). Of course the most prevalent were the YES! Chants which had really just gotten started a month or two prior.
ROH 10th Anniversary Show: Young Wolves
Rising
New York, New York 3/4/12
1.) The All Night Express vs.
Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team: ***1/4
This match, of course, featured the in-ring return of Rhett Titus, who was coming off an injury. This was a very good choice for the opener. Watching it live, I was a little nervous because the ropes seemed a bit loose (but I think they tightened them after this match). I thought it came off pretty good both live & on DVD. One of the reasons why it worked so well was because it was booked simply yet effectively. It had good back & forth action, the heel team dominated for a bit but eventually the faces got a hot tag and went on to win. This is honestly one of the better matches these two teams have had.
2.) Mike Bennett (with Maria
Kanellis & Brutal Bob) vs. Homicide: **3/4
People were chanting CM Punk at Maria (given she had previously dated him). Bennett cuts a heelish promo in response before Homicide comes out. I think he didn't get as big of a reaction because of the music he came out to (which I have never heard him use before). A solid match. Homicide was in (I believe) the same attire he wore in the Cage of Death at Death Before Dishonor IV. He was also paying tribute to former ROH stars Samoa Joe & CM Punk by using some of their trademark moves. Bennett gets a sneaky win. The trio escapes and Homicide cuts a promo before leaving.
Next, CHIKARA's Grand Champion Eddie Kingston comes out. It seems like he got a better reaction live then on the DVD. Kevin Kelly comes in to talk to Kingston about the Synergy Show in April, but Kevin Steen comes out. He asks about what Kingston has become and brings up his past ROH tenure. Kingston doesn't want to destroy ROH, but then Steen mouths off about CHIKARA. This pisses Kingston off, and they come to blows! Security as well as Jigsaw and the Colony are out to break it up. They end up in the isle and Fire Ant hits a dive on everybody! This segment came off well live, and I marked out when the CHIKARA guys came out. I'm not sure if Kelly or Nigel mentioned their names on the DVD but if they didn't, they should have.
3.) The House of Truth vs. TJ
Perkins & Amazing Red: ***1/2
Amazing Red hasn't been seen in ROH since his tag team with AJ Styles in the promotion's early years. This was a very good tag team match. I enjoyed this one both live & on DVD.
4.) ROH World TV Title – Jay
Lethal vs. Tommaso Ciampa (with The Embassy Ltd.): **1/2
The match before intermission. I don't know....this came off ok live and on the DVD, but it had a lot of issues. The main thing was that it was slow and never really got going. The finish, a time limit draw, came off as flat and people were upset about it, as they booed the ending. Ciampa attacks Lethal after the match, and the Embassy makes off with the World TV Title Belt.
They played some classic ROH entrance music (such as CM Punk & Bryan Danielson's themes) during intermission and we got some more YES! Chants.
5.) ROH World Tag Team Titles
– The Briscoes vs. The Young Bucks: ***1/4
Watching this live, the first thing I thought afterwords was "did I just see a squash match?". That's what it felt like when I saw it live & on DVD. It was good match (would have been fine for TV) but the Briscoes seemingly dominated the whole match. Disappointed that the Bucks didn't get as much offense in.
6.) No DQ – Kevin Steen vs.
Jimmy Jacobs: ***3/4
Jacobs & Corino come out in street clothes, and Corino says Jacobs isn't going to wrestle tonight. Jacobs then attacks Steen from behind and takes off his clothes to reveal that he's wearing his Age of the Fall Attire and his Bloodstained Jacket!!! That got a huge reaction. This match was great live. Jacobs and Steen put on a great hardcore brawl that had everyone in the Hammerstein invested. It looked good on the DVD as well. Steen picks up the win in this war of a match.
7.) Team Ambition (Davey
Richards & Kyle O’Reilly) vs. Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole: ****1/2
One thing that was very noticeable live was the crowds growing hatred towards Davey Richards. He was getting some boos, even some BORING chants. They seemed to come more alive when Cole and/or O'Reilly were in the ring. The match itself though was great. Pretty much what you've come to expect from Richards & Edwards, but with Cole & O'Reilly thrown in. We get some "This is Awesome" and "ROH" chants. The match definitely got better down the stretch. O'Reilly & Edwards take a nasty spill through a table on the floor from the top rope. Match ends when Cole pins Davey after a high cross-body. I gotta say the finish came off flat live, as it's hard to believe a match these days can end via a High Cross-Body. Glad he switched up his finishers since then. Richards looks shocked but congratulates Cole. O'Reilly goes into dick mode, saying he won't shake the hands of Cole or Edwards, but they're interrupted by KEVIN STEEN!!! He cuts his infamous Jiu-Jitsu-Jackoff promo and says he's coming for Richards & the ROH World Title. The promo came off great live (Steen still had blood on him) but was for some reason cut from the DVD.
Overall: 8.5/10 (DVD)
Live Experience: Great!
The show was pretty great on DVD, but seeing it live was just awesome!! Every match from top to bottom was good to great, making for a really enjoyable show. I'm glad to say this was the first ever ROH show I saw live! NYC is a great place to see ROH!
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