ROH on HD Net for 6/20/09

Written by Jim Murphy   |   Monday, June 22 2009

Japanese superstar KENTA is considered one of the best wrestlers in the world and didn't disappoint in his ROH on HD Net debut.

ROH on HD Net for 6/20/09

Todd Hoster is away on personal business in Dubai and will return next week.  He’s promised us a review of the latest ROH PPV ‘Take No Prisoners’ within the next few days.
At the top of the show there’s a graphic dedicated tonight’s episode to the memory of Mitsuharu Misawa.  If you don’t know the significance of Misawa you got a lot of learnin’ to do and you can start by reading the SAVSCI tribute:

Puroresu legend Mitsuharu Misawa dead at 46 @ THE SAVAGE SCIENCE

I’m starting to like the ROH opening titles—its one of those things I look forward to every week, much in the same way that we used to look forward to the opening titles of Georgia Championship Wrestling or Championship Wrestling From Florida back in the day.  As the aforementioned Mr. Hoster noted way back on the first ROH on HD Net show, it has a very territory era feel to it.  Anyway, here’s Prazak and Hogewood and they’ve got breaking news for us.  They’re bringing us the news that we brought you awhile ago that Austin Aries has won the ROH title—he’s the first 2 time ROH champ.

CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI VS. NECRO BUTCHER

Castagnoli’s ‘Euro heel’ persona never fails to amuse me, as does his ‘fashionable’ scarf.   I have to pay Todd Hoster extra for having to review matches involving the Necro Butcher since it almost guarantees a few minutes of miserable wrestling.  If Castagnoli can carry him to a watchable match he’s in the same league as Buddy Rogers. 

Claudio looking for the handshake which gives Necro time to stall and pander to the crowd.  Waist lock takedown by Castagnoli, he lets him up and gives Necro time to pander to the crowd some more. Another waist lock takedown and some mat wrestling.  Boot to the gut by Castagnoli followed by a European uppercut.  Monkey flip by Necro followed by a backflip.  Necro clotheslines Claudio over the top rope which means we’ll get some brawling out of the ring.  The only thing that could make this worse is for the Briscoe Brothers to show up on color commentary.  Claudio tries to suplex Necro back inside of the ring but can’t get it.  Necro misses a roll up and gets raked to the eyes and caught with a Brody boot.  Elbow drop by Claudio.  Hogewood says that the crowd is ‘encouraging Necro to get back in this match’, which isn’t true unless he finds apathetic silence encouraging.  A series of Euro uppercuts and a bodyslam by CC and another elbow drop for a near fall.  Necro trying to ‘hulk up’ and hits a roll up.  Necro ‘no sells’ CC’s clothesline—more like he didn’t know he was supposed to sell it and ran right through it followed by a weak looking boot that CC sells like he got shot.  Flair chops by Necro followed by a bulldog for a near fall.  Necro sets up the chokeslam but CC gets out of it.  Necro hits a top rope hurricarana that was made watchable due to Claudio’s hard work and here come Jimmy Rave.  Necro goes after Rave and when he comes back in the ring gets caught with a low blow by Castagnoli for the pin.  Afterwards, Rave comes in to lay the boots to Necro until Brent Albright makes the save.

WINNER:  CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI

Well, at least that’s over. 

NEVEAH AND HER BREASTS VS. MSCHIF:

Neveah and her breasts will wrestle Shimmer champ MsChif in the next match.  MsChif enters with Jimmy Jacobs.  Neveah is a former Shimmer tag team champion we’re informed.  MsChif gives a halfhearted handshake and we’re underway.  Side headlock by Neveah and her breasts followed by a snapmare and sliding clothesline.  MsChif recovers with a backfist during a sequence in which Neveah makes Necro Butcher look like Hiroshi Hase.  MsChif takes over on offense and lands some boots to the back.   Big clothesline by MsChif.  Somehow Neveah manages to botch a rollup, but gets it on a second attempt for a near fall.  MsChif hits an inverted backbacker, though in this case it’s more of a ‘breastbreaker’.   Open handed slap to the chest by MsChif which Neveah doesn’t feel through all of the silicon.  Asai moonsault off the second rope by MsChif but Neveah and her breasts bail out.   Neveah hits the worst clothesline this side of the Ultimate Warrior, a dropkick and a hair pull bulldog for a nearfall.  Overhead suplex to a bridge for a near fall by Neveah.  Jimmy Jacobs distracts the ref, giving MsChif time to hit the Muta mist and The Desecrator for the pin.

WINNER:  MSCHIF

The ref and another ROH flunky carry Neveah and her breasts to the back like she’s been doused in sulfuric acid.
Photo montage of Austin Aries win and a classy farewell promo from Ric Flair.

Kenny King, Rhett Titus and a couple of gals from the local gentlemans’ club enter the arena.  King doing the always stylish ‘suit with no shirt’ look.  Hogewood talking about his Twitter account though he doesn’t give his ID. 

KENNY OMEGA VS. KENNY KING

I’m not sure what the deal with Kenny Omega’s gimmick is but it’s kind of amusing.  Then again, he's such a good wrestler he really doesn't need a silly gimmick to get over.   Omega starts working a wrist lock which King reverses.  Omega reverses with a head scissors and the two men trade takedowns/wristlocks/head scissors.  Enziguri by Omega sends King to the floor but he misses the sliding clothesline.  Omega then hits a sweet looking flip over the top rope that nails King and his sidekick Titus.  Modified Muta handspring elbow by Omega and a boot to the back for a near fall.   Spinning back kick by Omega but gets tripped by Titus and King gets a near fall.   Titus lays in some punches from the outside and King takes over with some heelish tactics.  Omega gets crotched on the top rope and King hits a sweet enziguri variation.  King sets Omega for a superplex but it gets blocked.  Omega hits a nice bodypress and both men are trying to get to their feet.  A couple of Ivan Putski ‘Polish Hammers’ by Omega and a cool leg lariat/leapfrog type move for a near fall.  ‘Rude Awakening’ style neck breaker for a near fall.  Omega such a talented wrestler still don’t know why he’s saddled with a ‘goofy’ gimmick.  Kick to the back of the head and a big clothesline by King.  King with a big dropkick into the turnbuckles and gets a near fall.  Omega recovers and goes up to the top rope but Titus grabs his leg from the outside.  King hits the kick to the face and ‘The Coronation’ but only gets a two count.  King does Josh Barnett’s throat slit gesture and goes in for the kill.  King goes for another finisher, Omega reverses and gets a sunset flip for a near fall which King reverses for a near fall of his own.  Wicked enziguri by Omega, but Titus grabs him when he runs the ropes.  King rushes at him but Omega bails out and hits a sweet reverse hurricarana.  Omega hits the electric chair German suplex finisher for the pin.

WINNER:  KENNY OMEGA

Titus hits the ring and starts pounding on Omega immediately after the match.  Erick Stevens makes the save—now *that* would be a funny tag team combination. 

Wow…’Turtle’ from ‘Entourage’ is wrestling.  No—my bad—it’s Eddie Kingston against a jobber who doesn’t get a ring walk or a graphic with his name on the screen.

EDDIE KINGSTON VS. JOBBER

Kingston roughed up the ref last time—maybe they’re setting up a heel turn for him.  Jobber hits a kick, Kingston counters with a punch and starts laying in the Flair chops.  Nice overhead suplex by Turtle.  He calls out Chris Hero as he hits a suplex.  Maybe they’re doing a double turn, turning Turtle heel and turning Chris Hero face. Kingston hits a back fist for the pinfall.

WINNER:  EDDIE KINGSTON AKA ‘TURTLE’ FROM ‘ENTOURAGE’

Not sure of the point of this match—they’d be better off letting the main event go longer.  They’re showing some of the backstory between Jimmy Jacobs and Delirious on the video, and that’ll be next week’s main event in a ‘Fight Without Honor’.    Jacobs’ ‘Raven meets Kevin Sullivan’ promos rule. 

KENTA VS. RODERICK STRONG

Fans start a ‘KENTA’ chant as he makes his way to the ring.   This is why ROH rules—WWE and TNA would be trying to make KENTA a stereotypical ‘Japanese heel’.  In ROH, the fans are on their feet chanting his name as the match begins.  Mat wrestling sequence starts, KENTA  gets a head scissors but Strong gets out.  Strong goes for a Flair job but KENTA evades it.  Prazak mentions that KENTA is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion in Japan’s Pro Wrestling Noah promotion.   KENTA goes for a kick on the break and Strong ducks out.  KENTA and Strong exchanging stiff kicks and chops.  Incredibly stiff stuff—I’ve seen MMA matches where guys don’t hit this hard.  KENTA takes over with a kick and some Euro uppercuts.  Wicked kick to the head by KENTA who then applies a chinlock.  More stiff kicks from KENTA. Man, he’s so good.   KENTA rushes the corner but Strong catches him and throws him to the canvas.  A couple of Flair chops by Strong, KENTA responds with a slap to the face which gets Strong mad and he starts laying in stomps.  Strong with a backbreaker and an overhead slam.  Reverse bearhug by Strong as he continues to ‘work on the back’.   KENTA gets out but Strong hits a big dropkick for a near fall.   Strong lays in some more Flair chops and whips him into the opposing turnbuckle.   KENTA finally hits a powerslam to regain momentum.  A couple of clotheslines and a big suplex by KENTA.  KENTA heads up top and hits a leaping lariat for a near fall.  KENTA cinches in the STF but Strong makes the ropes.  Strong grabs his trunks and throws KENTA to the ring apron.  Cool move by Strong where he starts with a slingshot suplex a la Tully Blanchard and changes it into a powerbomb type move for a near fall.   Big backbreaker by Strong for a near fall.  KENTA recovers with some big kicks, hits a sweet springboard drop kick variation and a big Brody boot into the corner.  Now a running dropkick into the corner by KENTA followed by a sitout powerbomb for a near fall.  Combination of kicks and a big kneestrike for a near fall.  KENTA sets up his Go 2 Sleep finisher but Strong blocks.  Big kick to KENTA’s noggin by Strong followed by a superplex.  That gets him another near fall.  Strong trying to get the Boston Crab but KENTA makes the ropes.  Both men on the floor now—Strong drops KENTA on his back against the ring apron then throws him back in the ring for a near fall.  Gutbuster by Strong followed by a running boot for a near fall.  Strong sets up the Gibson Driver but KENTA reverses it into the Go 2 Sleep and gets the pin.  
WINNER:  KENTA

Excellent match and a handshake afterwards that gets a ‘ROH’ chant from the fans.  That made up for having to watch Necro Butcher. Also next week—The American Wolves vs. Tyler Black & Bryan Danielson.   

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