Column of Honor: 12.28.10: Final Column 2010 Part Two: ROH Yearbook Continued

Tyler Black Wins the ROH World Title, Beefs with Strong and the Fans

The first half of 2010 was Tyler Black’s story—his fulfillment of becoming the ROH World Champion and the turmoil that caused him to turn heel and leave the promotion to try his hand in WWE.

Coming off Final Battle 2009, ROH on HDNet Executive Producer Jim Cornette had decided there would be a final rematch between Austin Aries and Tyler Black (who still had positioning in the Pick 6 rankings). Cornette announced that the final title opportunity for Black would take place at 8th Anniversary Show and that three judges would be at ringside to rule on a winner should the match go awry. One judge would be chosen by Aries, one by Black and one by himself. Aries chose his protégé Kenny King, Black chose his friend (at the time) Roderick Strong and Cornette chose himself. Luckily, it never came down to the judges having to make a decision, but their placement was there as a storyline tool for Black’s cathartic superkick rally at the end of the match. Strong knocked King from off the rope and Black, thinking Strong was trying to prevent him from winning, superkicked him off the ropes, and then superkicked a protesting Cornette. No one would stop Black on this night.

However, Black’s actions in knocking Strong off the apron would have devastating consequences, both in the short-term and the long-term of his ROH career. Roderick Strong thought he could trust Black, but the kick to the face made him question that trust. In addition, Black had vowed to give Strong the first title shot in exchange for his role as being a judge for that title match. Much to Strong’s surprise, Jim Cornette ruled that Black’s first major title defense would be against both Roderick Strong and the former champion Austin Aries. Strong was incensed, believing he deserved a title shot and that it should be a singles match, not a triple threat. He blamed Cornette for trying to screw him and blamed Black for not living up to his end of the bargain. He blasted Cornette down on the interview set and walked away.

Over the course of the next several months, Strong would develop this sense of paranoia; that everyone was trying to screw him or manipulate him. He wanted someone to tell him the truth. It wasn’t going to be Jim Cornette. It wasn’t going to be Tyler Black. It wasn’t going to be Austin Aries, who had applied for and received a manager’s license in the interim. He took on Kenny King and Rhett Titus (who were already his protégés) as his clients and wanted Strong to sign up with his services as well. Aries gave faint praise to Strong’s career, essentially telling Strong that his career never meant anything when it wasn’t riding with him, as a part of Generation Next or as ROH World Tag Team champions. Strong declined his services, instead finding life coach expert Truth Martini, leader of The House of Truth. Strong, in many conversations with Martini, believed he had found the man who he could trust…and so he signed on with his team.

Meanwhile, Tyler Black was proving himself to be a fighting champion, but he could never really find a comfort zone with the ROH fanbase. They gave him fluctuating reactions as champion depending on either the city in which he wrestled or his opponent. As the months wore on, the belief in himself and his worthiness of being champion never wavered, but his frustrations with the fans only increased.

This was the turning point for Black’s title run, as Kevin Steen and Steve Corino had seen the predicament Black was in and saw opportunity in the turmoil. Steen wanted to “save” Tyler Black from the fans, by taking away the very thing that made him controversial, the ROH World Title. While Black declined the invitation to join Steen and Corino’s side, nonetheless those two played an instrumental role in his ROH future. Black bested Steen at Salvation, an aptly named show because of Steen’s post-match conversation with the champion. The words he spoke to Steen couldn’t be heard by onlookers, but whatever they were had a decided and dramatic impact on Black.

From that moment on, Black’s demeanor and outlook about Ring of Honor had changed. He was no longer a fighting champion and he was no longer a man who wanted to represent the people. Black had been approached by WWE with an opportunity to join their promotion and he took it, signing on the bottom line for the dollar bills. During an interview explaining his decision, he wondered how much more money he would be worth to WWE if he also managed to bring the ROH World title with him. The intimation was clear—Black was set on doing something no one else had ever done, not even CM Punk in 2005. He was going to walk out of ROH still the World Champion, leaving devastation and an uncertain title situation in his wake.

Jim Cornette tried to do what he could to stop that from happening. He attempted to convince Black to agree to changing scheduled matches against the likes of Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards into matches with the ROH World Title at stake. Black refused citing his desire to be a “Man of Honor” and uphold his contractual obligations (which was just a slick and cynical way to avoid defending the title when he didn’t have to do so). The title would not be on the line during these matches.

So it was down to Black’s last contracted match on the DVD circuit, a scheduled title defense against Roderick Strong in New York City for the Glory By Honor IX internet Pay Per View. The situation between the two had been heated and disagreeable for months, stemming from the fallout from the 8th Anniversary Show and the finish to the Supercard of Honor V title match. Strong believed he had been screwed out of the title during that match due to the referees being in the way (although, in actuality, Black very clearly and decisively won that one). Cornette even hired longtime friend Terry Funk to be the outside enforcer, should any controversy or shenanigans occur on either side of the equation.

Roderick Strong was the only one left standing in the way of Tyler Black leaving the promotion still as ROH World Champion. Strong wasn’t the man ROH and Jim Cornette wanted, but they needed him to win in order to avoid Black embarrassing the promotion. Strong did indeed win the title and stop Black from achieving his goals. However, Black still left ROH on his own terms, rejecting the fans’ attempts to thank him for his efforts from the past year and the last three years of his ROH run. Tyler Black walked out his own man, while a new chapter in ROH began with Strong as the man to beat.

The Briscoes vs. The Kings of Wrestling-Tag Title Feud Becomes Personal

Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoili re-united The Kings of Wrestling at Final Battle 2009 and it felt so good. They didn’t low-key it, no, they went big time (and so much larger than life) with a huge ambush attack on new ROH World Tag Team champions Jay & Mark Briscoe. It was pretty much a throwing down the gauntlet, with The Kings telling The Briscoes they were coming for them and the tag belts. They had a taste of championship gold back in 2006 when they unseated Austin Aries and Roderick Strong at Glory By Honor V Night 2. That title run came to an abrupt end in November of that year at the hands of Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal (a.k.a. WWE’s Evan Bourne). Now, after years apart, they were back together and hungry for gold.

It didn’t take long for The Kings to work their way back into contention, securing the title shot for The Big Bang on April 3rd, 2010. It only took one title shot for them to succeed. Chris Hero blasted Jay Briscoe with a KO elbow (with the allegedly loaded elbow pad) and garnered the pinfall. Once again, The Kings reigned supreme…and would continue to do so for much of the rest of the year.

The feud with The Briscoes began about being for the titles, but it soon became about the cheating ways of Hero, Castagnoli manager Shane Hagadorn and “Queen of Wrestling” Sara Del Rey. All four of these wrestlers were unscrupulous in their efforts to win at all costs. When it was done at the expense of The Briscoes, well, Jay & Mark knew they had to pay for their outright gall. Seeing The Kings about to win and retain the title in New York against the Machine Guns thanks to the loaded elbow pad, dem boys ran down and interrupted the proceedings. A major brawl erupted, concluding when Jay grabbed Sara Del Rey and delivered a massive Jay-Driller onto her head.

The Kings were appropriately incensed and vowed that The Briscoes had just made the feud personal. What that meant was unclear until an episode of HDNet ran where Chris Hero confronted The Briscoes’ father, Mike, who just so happened to be in the crowd that night. Chris told Mike the biggest mistake he ever made was when he impregnated his wife with his children Jay and Mark. Papa Briscoe had about enough of Hero insulting his kids and his family. He hopped the rail and slapped Hero in the face. HARD. Hero responded by pummeling Mike down with a forearm, knocking him for a loop. The Briscoes soon rushed out, followed by referees and staffers and the whole scene was madness.

In some respects, the attack was Mike’s own fault for jumping the rail, crossing the divide between civilian “fan” and wrestler. On the other hand, Hero goaded Mike into that action, which gave him free license to do what was necessary to protect his safety (as is the unwritten wrestler’s code in such situations). Jay and Mark were fuming afterwards, caught on camera cursing up a storm, promising death and destruction at the upcoming no disqualification title rematch at Death Before Dishonor VIII. They delivered it and all, but couldn’t take the title away from The Kings on that night.

The rest of the feud has been described in detail in last week’s Column of Honor Final Battle 2010 preview. It is reprinted here for you, in part: The Kings of Wrestling defeated The Briscoes … on HDNet in what was billed as their last title match, once again under suspicious circumstances (Shane Hagadorn interfering and kicking Jay Briscoe in the groin), it was what “dem boys” had coming to them. Papa Mike Briscoe couldn’t stand to see the injustice anymore. He ran into the ring and laid a whupping on Shane Hagadorn, pummeling him with fists to the head. Hero and Castagnoli pulled Hagadorn out the ring before more damage could be done, but the message was sent.

In response, The Kings of Wrestling labeled Jay, Mark and Mike Briscoes a public menace and demanded ROH and HDNet bar them from shows when Hero and Castagnoli were set to wrestle. They threatened to sue the Briscoe family if they ever showed up on TV again. They were also refusing to grant them any more rematches. In fact, they stated they would no longer give any tag team a title match until they could defeat them in a non-title match and prove their worthiness as contenders. Jim Cornette called them out on their bluff by bringing in the Briscoe family on a recent episode of HDNet to lay down a non-title challenge against The Kings. Hero, Castagnoli and Hagadorn had no problem with this…until they signed the contracts and realized what they had really signed up for at Final Battle 2010…a six-man grudge tag team match with The Kings of Wrestling and their manager Shane Hagadorn up against the entire Briscoe family, Jay, Mark and Papa Mike!

It was at Final Battle 2010 that The Briscoes found vindication and justice. They laid a whupping on The Kings and Shane Hagadorn. Papa Mike was the star of the show though, giving rough justice to Shane Hagadorn. He laid out Castagnoli with the Stone Cold Stunner and then with the help of his two boys, flew through the air with (not-so-much) the greatest of ease with the Doomsday Device. Jay covered for the win.

Steen & Corino vs. Generico & Cabana-A Broken Trust, An Identity Stolen

When Kevin Steen turned on El Generico at Final Battle 2009 with a low blow and an unbelievably damaging chairshot to the head, he started the gilded path that would lead him, Generico, Steve Corino and Colt Cabana into a year’s worth of mayhem, chaos and destruction.

El Generico fell into a deep depression in the months following Steen’s unthinkable betrayal. He lost matches that he shouldn’t have and generally underperformed. Steve Corino warned El Generico to stay out of their business and then when Colt Cabana attempted to help Generico face his fears and emotional scars, Corino gave him the same warning. As for Steen, he wanted to forget about his former partner completely, refusing even to mention his name in interviews.

Refusing to back down from warning, Colt Cabana demanded an explanation from Kevin Steen and the two confronted each other several times, backstage, online through written blogs and then in the ring at 8th Anniversary Show. Steve Corino would make his way to ringside, firing up Corino. When that wasn’t enough, he physically involved himself in the match to draw the disqualification. El Generico would run in for the first face-to-face between he and Steen since the heel turn. Yet despite the prodding and motivation from Cabana, Generico could not quite hit Steen, not yet. Steen, however, had no problem beating up his former tag partner and laid him out once again.

Steen invited Generico into the ring at Epic Encounter III in order to explain his motivation for breaking the partnership. Steen asserted that Generico was like a disease, a cancer that he had to eliminate from his life in order to move on. He claimed he felt so happy and free when he smashed Generico in the head with the chair, that he was reborn on that day. The long speech was a part of a ruse to lull Generico and Cabana as Corino attacked from behind, but both sides fought to a stalemate (Generico fighting Corino, but not getting his hands on Steen at that point).

The first major tag team fight in this feud occurred at The Big Bang.The big question was if Generico had found the wherewithal to fight back against his former friend and now tormentor. For much of the match Generico just barely missed squaring off against Steen. The match ended in a disqualification as Corino hit Cabana repeatedly with a chair. He and Steen had Cabana trapped and were ready to deliver more pain when Generico ran into the ring and smashed Kevin Steen in the face with an Ole Kick. Generico wiped the floor with both men and when students and referees rushed out to stop the melee, Generico threw down on them as well. It was a tremendous catharsis for the fans and for Generico, who had been unleashed and was now willing to fight against anyone and everyone in his way.

That led to the most violent and deadly brawl of the feud two weeks later at the “Come As You Are” Chicago Street Fight at Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2. It was the craziest fight of the year with brawling all over the building, chairs, tables, ladders and the finish, a barbed wire baseball bat to Steve Corino’s head. Corino was left a bloody, beaten mess. ROH hadn’t been this hardcore in years, but the feud was building in emotion, intensity and violence, threatening to spiral out of control.

Kevin Steen demanded a No-Disqualification 34th Street Deathmatch for Supercard of Honor Vafter Steve Corino took so much damage and blood loss in Chicago. He gained retribution here, with a master plan involving Corino making an unbilled surprise appearance to attack Cabana. Then Corino took the feud one step further with the introduction and use of his son Colby, dressed up as a luchador and entering the ringside area to El Generico’s music. It provided enough distraction to throw Cabana off his game, and Steen used the advantage to win here with a sick crossface using a barbed wire baseball bat to the head. The two sides would then once again meet on HDNet in a rematch of the street fight, with Corino and Steen winning that one.

All of that drama and all of that fight served as prelude to the first-ever singles match between Steen and Generico at Death Before Dishonor VIII. Generico actually interrupted the start of the show to demand that his match against Steen begin then and now. Steen marched right out and agreed to the match despite the advisement of Corino not to do so. After a huge back-and-forth battle, Steen won the match by smashing Generico in the head with a wrench and then blasted Generico’s head and neck with a top rope fisherman’s buster. However, the night would not be over for “Mr. Wrestling”, as Generico found him backstage during intermission and instigated a brawl that led all the way into the ring. Generico had redlined so much that he snatched Bobby Cruise’s tie and used it to choke Steen into near-unconsciousness. It was clear this issue was far from over.

Indeed, despite the ROH backstage officials wanting this issue resolved due to the increase of violence, the costs of damaged goods and materials and the like, they could not stop the hatred from both sides. The fines and threatening of suspensions never backed either man down. For instance, a rematch of the singles bout on Hate: Chapter II ended in a disqualification when Steen wrapped a chair around Generico’s head while he was zooming in on a flying DDT. Steen used a chain to choke Generico out and would also use the chain and their presence to distract Generico and Cabana during tag matches on house shows and HDNet.

The usage of the chain, on both sides would lead to the announcement of the first-ever double-chain match in Ring of Honor history.

The rest of the feud has been described in detail in last week’s Column of Honor Final Battle 2010 preview. It is reprinted here for you, in its entirety: El Generico and Colt Cabana had survived bloodloss, being entrapped with chains, being thrown through tables and more to win that match. Colt Cabana was able to powerbomb Steve Corino on a chair, transition into the Billy Goat’s Curse reverse Boston Crab and crank down until Corino tapped out. However, Kevin Steen stole victory from the jaws of defeat when he attacked Generico post match. In the fray he was able to snake Generico’s mask from his head.

Meanwhile, Kevin Steen was sick and tired of dealing with Generico. He laid out the challenge—he had Generico’s mask, but wasn’t able to expose Generico fully to the world. He wanted another match with Generico and if he won, Generico would be forced to unmask of his own accord. To sweeten the stakes (and because he was so confident he could beat Generico), Steen stated that he would give up his ROH career if he lost. Generico accepted and the date was set for Final Battle 2010. However, just because the end was in sight didn’t mean the war was any less heated. Steen and Generico fell further into the abyss, constantly interfering in each other’s business during several ROH shows in the fall, such that owner Cary Silkin declared the match would now be a “Fight Without Honor” and that both men were prohibited from any physical contact against the other for thirty days before the match. Steen and Generico were prohibited from attending the most recent slate of HDNet tapings.

It should be noted that in just one more sadistic example of Steen’s villainy, he put Generico’s mask on sale through ebay auction at a list price of seven-hundred and fifty dollars. There were no takers at the end of the bidding time, make of that what you will.

That of course, led to their bloody and epic finale at Final Battle 2010, where Generico survived above and beyond what any person should endure in order to give it all right back to his hated foe. There were countless echoes to past matches and events from the last year, with Steen taking every opportunity to remind Generico of how much he hated him and all of the mistakes of their past. Generico wiped it all away with a huge turnbuckle brainbuster and followed it up with a full velocity chairshot to head. It was at last enough to defeat Kevin Steen and send him packing. El Generico regained his mask and won the feud.

The American Wolves vs. Shane Hagadorn

Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards severed their ties with manager Shane Hagadorn after a nearly two year-connection with him (allied with him in Sweet & Sour Incorporated as well as using his managerial services as The American Wolves). The trouble began when Richards decided he wanted to be a “lone wolf” during his matches. He often instructed Hagadorn to stay in the back, to the shrewish manager’s protest. Sometimes he won without Hagadorn’s presence and sometimes he lost.

However, being given the cold shoulder was not sitting well with Hagadorn, who believed he had been the key to Richards and Edwards success. When he became more vocal about his disapproval of Richards’ decisions, Richards responded not with debate but with physical action, kicking Richards down several times. A reckoning between the two sides exposed Hagadorn’s ego, and Richards again beat him down. He told Hagadorn they were through, but indicated to Edwards that the two of them were still on good terms.

At first, Eddie Edwards was at a loss as to how to respond to the deterioration of this relationship. He continued to use Hagadorn as his corner man for several more weeks. However, Jim Cornette talked to Edwards during promo time on an episode of HDNet, challenging him to take on the mantle of being a true fighting and defending champion. Hagadorn ran down to interrupt this conversation, telling Cornette that he was the one who made the decisions as to Edwards’ Television championship career. That didn’t sit right with Edwards, who told Hagadorn to go to the back and accepted Cornette’s challenge.

The final severing of The Wolves / Hagadorn business relationship occurred when Hagadorn had another confrontation with Richards. He told Richards to get in line or else he was gonna get his ass beat. Richards took this as a threat and responded by getting the jump on Shane. It didn’t take long for Hagadorn’s other charges, The Kings of Wrestling of Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli, to run down to the ring and smash up Richards. Edwards ran in for the save and chased off The Kings.

It was the smart call for The Wolves to dissolve their partnership. Hagadorn had long ago placed his highest priorities on The Kings and so long as they were ROH World Tag Team Champions, Hagadorn would likely do his best to make sure The Wolves stayed away from the title picture. Distancing themselves away from Hagadorn helped them to gain one more title opportunity, which occurred on December 17th in Plymouth, MA. Ultimately, The Wolves sniffed out the weak link in their pack and drove him out before he got them hurt.

Austin Aries vs. Delirious

Aries, fresh off his run as ROH champion and top contender, quickly found some more trouble to make when he found himself pitted against the roaring green machine from the Edge of Sanity, Delirious. During their match on HDNet, Aries went after Delirious’ friend and confidant Daizee Haze. As Delirious attempted to intervene, Aries pitched him to the outside, draping him over a metal guardrail and then dropping from the top rope onto Delirious with an axe-handle. Delirious went throat-first into that guardrail, sustaining a major injury. Kenny King and Rhett Titus wound up around ringside to further the chaos and confusion of the situation, but the bottom line was that Delirious was hurt.

Aries would attempt to apologize to Delirious for his actions, although the attempt (at Supercard of Honor V) was incredibly phony and insincere. Aries offered some flowers to Haze, who hesitantly accepted them but with disgust. Aries then offered Delirious such make-goods as his Pick 6 spot (which he didn’t have at the time) and a “Golden Snack Cake”. Needless to say Delirious did not accept this apology and spent the next several minutes beating the wholly heck out of Aries until the match ended in a disqualification due to Delirious not releasing a choke-hold. King and Titus would run-in and attempt to lay out Haze with a spike-piledriver (their weapon of choice for causing injury), but Delirious stopped them and chased them away.

The next several months included battles with Delirious against Aries, King and Titus in singles matches or in tag bouts on house shows and HDNet with various partners such as Jerry Lynn or Tyler Black. Aries’s outrageous attacks and remorse would then lead to Delirious transforming into his darker and more vicious Red Poison alter-ego. It was that version of Delirious who would fight at Death Before Dishonor VIII, blasting him with the black mist and dominating most of the match until King and Titus once again involved themselves, drawing the disqualification call.

King and Titus would continue to be the thorn in the side of Delirious and the one intangible in this grudge feud that he could never quite contain. The feud came down to two crucial matches on HDNet, one spoiled by the All-Night Express, leading to the finale, a steel cage match. Delirious finally outright defeated Aries via submission with the Cobra Stretch. However, he would then pay the price out being outnumbered one more time, as King and Titus would invade the cage and attack after the match had concluded. They blasted Delirious with their spike-piledriver, injuring the masked man-monster and sending him out of the promotion, seemingly for good. Delirious had his measure of revenge, but Aries, King and Titus won out in the end.

The Embassy: Stevens, Necro Sell Out, Feuds with Grizzly, DCFC, Rasche Brown Fizzle Out

It wasn’t quite the key note year for The Embassy, led by financial backer Prince Nana, as they received constant opposition from many of Ring of Honor’s heroes. Nana’s strategy was to hurt and injure the competition but if at all possible he would also attempt to purchase the competition. He successfully used this “if you can’t beat me, join me” strategy twice during the past year. First he convinced Erick Stevens to join his group, offering him plenty of money to work with him rather than against him. Then, after a months-long feud between The Embassy and Necro Butcher, Erick Stevens blasted Necro Butcher through a set of upright chairs and sent him on an extended stay in the hospital. According to Necro Butcher, it was there in the hospital that Prince Nana approached him and offered the position in The Embassy. In return for becoming the new Crown Jewel of his organization Nana would pay for the medical bills. Necro Butcher did not have insurance and had to think of taking care of his wife and children. While he was laid up, no one else had even called him to ask about his condition. It didn’t take long for Necro to accept the offer.

The other pick-up for The Embassy this year was Shawn Daivari, looking to prove himself in the wake of a departure from TNA.

Along the way The Embassy targeted the likes of Eddie Kingston and Grizzly Redwood, both of whom had no compunctions about fighting back. The Embassy laid out Kingston on an episode of HDNet, leaving King of Diamonds playing card behind him. He would spend several months trying to figure out who did the deed, until Nana revealed it was The Embassy who was responsible. That led to Kingston and Necro Butcher teaming up on several occasions, but after Kingston disappeared after being laid out along with Necro Butcher on the May 24th episode of HDNet (which combined with the situation mentioned above, opened the doors for Nana). Grizzly Redwood was a constant victim of punishment for The Embassy. Even though he occasionally surprised his Embassy opponents such as Erick Stevens for an upset win, Redwood was often fighting against the odds due to his smaller frame. Grizzly found an unlikely ally in ECW-alumni Balls Mahoney, who made a surprise return to help fight back against Stevens and an Embassy attack in May. The Embassy would win the follow-up tag match at Glory By Honor IX.

The other major feud for The Embassy involved Skullkrusher Rasche Brown and Dark City Fight Club, a skirmish that was over almost as soon as it started because Brown suddenly left the promotion in the late Summer. Brown was positioned as a “Free Agent” of sorts, with Prince Nana and Shane Hagadorn scouting several of his dominating squashes on HDNet. However, Brown rejected all offers and decided to walk his own path. Nana did not deal with the rejection well, as he sent Necro Butcher after Brown, blasting him with a giant wood board. The Dark City Fight Club emerged as allied for Brown in the following matches. DCFC would take apart The Embassy in several tag matches (including a Tag Wars 2010 tournament bout), but it was The Embassy who would have the last laugh by winning an eight-man tag match against Brown, DCFC and Grizzly Redwood.

The late Winter was a huge dry spell for The Embassy—seemingly on a huge losing streak. Every appearance on HDNet has resulted in a loss. They were unsuccessful in attempting to take the TV Title away from Eddie Edwards on three different occasions. It seems that Nana’s Embassy outfit is at a crossroads in terms of a mission statement and motivation for their existence in Ring of Honor.

-The GOLD BOAT vignette (homage to Figure 4 Wrestling and Bryan Alvarez)
-Joey Ryan handing out Hershey’s Kisses to a fat fan at ringside (HDNet)
-Austin Aries and Tammy Sytch in the bathroom… (Videowire)
-Austin Aries asks Julius Smokes for managing advice (Supercard of Honor V)
-Rasche Brown discusses how much he likes boards…as in 2×4’s not message boards (HDNet)
-Any one of a handful of Kenny Omega promos, but especially the one on the loader.
-Truth Martini’s The Book of Truth listed as on sale for $99.95.

– “Who are you, Matlock?” Dave Prazak to Mike Hogewood when discussing who may have attacked Eddie Kingston backstage
-“This isn’t CSI:ROH”—Jim Cornette
-“That’s not a traffic cone, that’s a dunce cap! This guy is a moron!” – Dave Prazak, referring to Necro Butcher coming down to the ring with an orange traffic cone on HDNet 12.21.09
-“Yeah for you (referring to Prazak) I know you’re all about the Benjamins but for you it’s mostly Washingtons I’m sure, because that’s the only way you can get close to a woman…”—Mike Hogewood on the 1.12.10 HDNet
-The Embassy’s group evil laughter.
-Delirious takes a line-up of chops from the ROH students (Boiling Point)
-A child punches Austin Aries during his title match against Kenny Omega and Aries sells it! (The Omega Effect)
-Todd Sinclair & Adam Pearce break out the boogie for an Apache dance–Tonto, jump on it. (SoCal Showdown)
-Skullkrusher Rasche Brown scares away Rhett Titus backstage (Videowire)
-Delirious chews on green streamers (HDNet Episode 45)
-Tyler Black superkicks Austin Aries, spilling his popcorn and wine (HDNet Episode 46)
-Rasche Brown snuffs out James Stone’s cigarette (HDNet Episode 55)

-Colt Cabana’s “Art of Wrestling” with The Briscoes & Cabana playing Beer Chug Betting

-The House of Truth and Austin Aries, Kenny King & Rhett Titus try to out-cheat each other.
-Colt Cabana pulls a baby out from the crowd on his birthday (Civil Warfare)
-Prince Nana: “Balls? Balls? I didn’t come to New York for Balls.” (Supercard of Honor V)
-Aries offers Delirious a Twinkie Golden Snack Cake as peace offering.
-“The apple doesn’t fall far from the chicken, Hog, does it?” – Prazak to Hogewood about Mike Briscoe (HDNet 6/14/10)
-Colt Cabana and Paul Turner’s flirtatious relationship. (various shows)
-Papa Briscoe calls Shane Hagadorn a “peckerhead”. (HDNet)
-The Briscoes beer party outdoors with fans in a promo for Tag Wars 2010.
-Bobby Cruise announces Steve Corino at “327 pounds” and other assorted weights (Buffalo Stampede II, other shows).
-Steve Corino’s follow-up rant on Cruise and the audience in Buffalo.
-Balls Mahoney smashing beers into The Embassy’s head (Glory By Honor IX)
-Austin Aries wearing a “Make Awkward Sexual Advances, Not War” shirt (HDNet 09.13.10)
-Colt Cabana patronizes Andy “Right Leg” Ridge Some examples: (after being routed for the first three minutes) “that’s okay, you’re doing good…”; (after taking the butt-butt) “Don’t make me mad Andy…don’t make my a** mad either.”(Allied Forces)
-Dave Prazak: “Steve Corino has declared a thumb war!” (Allied Forces)
-Erick Stevens throws a tantrum in the ring when fans throw streamers in the ring for Colt Cabana (HDNet 11.22.10)

-Colt Cabana and Kevin Steen shenanigans from Survival of the Fittest 2009, including playing grab ass and arguing about whether or not Steen’s hands are free and clear “That’s a lie, my hands are clearly here.”
-Kevin Steen mocking Chris Hero “Oh no, are you gonna knock me out?” (Jumps to the turnbuckle in fear) (Boiling Point)
-“Punch him in the ear!”
-Steen doing the double middle fingers and Stone Cold Stunner! Steen screaming “its okay I got him” IN MID-AIR IN MID FROG SPLASH after Generico botched the splash!
-“The ropes are your friend” (to El Generico, trying to encourage him to make the tag).
-Kevin Steen stealing Chris Hero’s almonds and literally eating his lunch (The Omega Effect)
-Kevin Steen’s various talking monologues to the camera while walking to the ring.

-“20 seconds…that’s how long you’ll last in bed you piece of s**t!” – Steen to a fan at So Cal Showdown while holding Human Tornado up for a suplex.
-Mocking the worm (So Cal Showdown)
-“Hey whoever is ringing that bell I’m going to rip your goddamn throat out!” (March 15th 2010 Videowire)
(spoken to the camera during entrance) “You should be scared…I’ll kill you! (Epic Encounter III)
-“I have a question. Where do these people get off thinking they can touch me? Seriously. Am I their friend? Noooo. Am I a close personal relative? Noooo. Am I someone who wants to know them? Nooo. Stay away from me.” (From the Ashes)
-Crowd chants: “You’ve got herpes”. Steen responds: “Yeah? So?” (From the Ashes)
-“Please, let me go home and just let me tell Mama Strong, ‘Kevin hurt me bad!” (September 8th, 2010 Videowire)

Steve Corino and Kevin Steen on commentary during matches on HDNet:
-Corino: “Oh my god, HDNet, the divorce rate has just skyrocketed!” Steen: “I’m your father kid!”
-Steen: “I just grabbed your ass, how about that?”
-Steen: “Todd Sinclair wants some…wait your turn you pervert!”
-Steen: “Where were you people raised? Your mother should be ashamed. Your mother and your twenty-four dads should be ashamed.”
-Steen: “PUNCH THE PANDA, HE’S DONE!”

-Steen wearing an “Elect Kevin Steen, Magistrate Dist. 1” billboard (Allied Forces)
-(After biting Homicide) “You taste great!” Later Kevin Steen elbow drops the barricade out of frustration for not being able to throw it into the ring. (Richards vs. Daniels)
-Kevin Steen being placed in a straightjacket, telling Colt Cabana: “I’m going to dance on your grave…and I don’t even know how to dance! I’m going to learn to dance just to dance on your goddamned corpse!” (Daniels vs. Richards)
-“I would rather stick a butcher knife through my heart and choke on my own blood until I die than to still be in the same company as you.” – Steen challenging El Generico for Final Battle 2010

(Generico consoles Steen after they had just lost to The Young Bucks, propping him up and raising his hand as the fans chant “Mr. Wrestling” and applaud. Steen picks up the mic as the fans chant “Steen, Steen, Steen”)

I just want to say, I hate you’re f**king guts! (he kicks Generico in the balls to a massive reaction from the fans, some cheer, some gasping. Steen goes to the outside and grabs a chair, takes it into the ring absolutely smashes it into Generico’s head. Steen lifts his head up and his eyes roll over in relief. A hush comes over the crowd. Colt Cabana runs in and pushes Steen, questioning him about what just happened, but Steen just kisses him on the lips and rolls away, out of the ring and walks to the back.)

10. From the Ashes: Kind of an average cover saved by those cool orange looking fire-tendrils. Those tendrils sell the show’s name and give some oomph to The American Wolves vs. Briscoes face-off. So, this is a clear case where graphic design can enhance a basic “mean mug” wrestling face-off, although The Wolves do happen to look very imposing and dangerous and that adds to the overall quality of the cover.
9. Supercard of Honor V: This was a fan-created image, so first of all congratulations to that person and good on ROH for using fan submissions. I like the potpourri of images from the event, which is evocative of previous Supercard covers, but for me the real highlight is the awesome logo design. The only thing holding this one back is that the print of the text description for matches is too dark and obscured when matched with the black background.
8. Phoenix Rising: The obvious pun on the show taking place in Phoenix, Arizona is helped by a cool phoenix design and the double meaning as it relates to Tyler Black (with his career and championship run taking new life and his use of the Phoenix Splash during matches). In addition, the gritty slashed-and-pockmarked background gives the cover a nice texture and tone, allowing the main images to stand out more.

7. Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2: Ah, there shall be blood. Oh yes. There is blood just about everywhere on this cover, all the better to explicate the Steen versus Generico feud. The Chicago Street Fight certainly lived up to imagination conjured up by the visual design used for this image.
6. Glory By Honor IX: I love this city, this state, and to see New York so beautifully embedded among the action of that evening’s wrestling along with the likes of Christopher Daniels, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin on the cover of this DVD does me proud.
5. Fade to Black: Here is another great background idea and design –impacted walls (or alternatively, the evocation of broken glass) that add emphasis to the figure in the foreground-the ROH World Champion Tyler Black. This is basically his DVD-from the main event to the “best of” features, so his being the only wrestler on the front cover is appropriate. However, be sure to check out the great “3-D” style work done with Strong’s superkick on the back cover. The font and logo also deserve praise—original and interesting.

4. Hate: Chapter II: Steen moonsaulting out of the word “hate” into the ROH ring and onto El Generico is a “wow” moment. Can any visual image be more perfect to describe the entire feud between these two? I like the blurs of action from other matches stitched in-between the ring ropes as well.
3. Champions’ Challenge: Two champions in ROH share the front cover: ROH TV Champion Eddie Edwards and ROH World Champion Tyler Black. It’s a simple idea but executed perfectly, with Black’s head turned to face Edwards in a sort of anger and outrage. The rendering of their bodies and faces stand out even more with the black background. The back cover also deserves some praise with a very smooth blending of the night’s action and a cool swirling effect.
2. Death Before Dishonor VIII: This cover shows Black against Davey Richards in mid-battle, the Steen versus Generico face-off and an inset of Christopher Daniels giving Kenny Omega the Angel’s Wings moves. All of those are impressive images and show the home viewer that there are many meaningful and dramatic matches ahead. The real stand-out is the appropriately-epic large block font logo for the show—it looks as if it is advertising a major motion-picture event. The red for “Death” and “Dishonor” contrasts against the white and the grey background-giving emphasis to the true tenets of the main-event showdown and really, the entire card.

1. Salvation: The front cover image just about says it all when it comes to the trials and tribulations of one Tyler Black this year in ROH. The silhouette with Black engulfed in the bluish white nebula (while the only fully visible object is the ROH World Title) is an incredible artistic statement. It also evokes that old chestnut from Nietzsche about staring into the abyss. The binary of darkness and light parallels very well the idea of being a face or a heel and the sort of transition period Black was to undergo after this show.

It’s time once again to revisit last year’s future forecast of this past year and see if I prophesized correctly or if I am a false prophet, more televangelist than telepathist. I have been right at about fifty percent correct on predictions the last two years. So am I a seer, a clairvoyant, a forecaster? Or should I just stick to flipping coins?

Predictions from 2010:

-Ring of Honor will hold at least one show live—not just on internet Pay Per View, but also on televised Pay Per View.

No. Ring of Honor went on to hold four more iPPV programs through GoFightLive, but there were no televised Pay Per Views, either through “On Demand” cable or digital / satellite companies.

-The company will not die (as many predicted this past year and that didn’t happen).

DING DING DING! Ring of Honor is still alive after another year. The funny thing about when people on the internet predict the death of companies like Ring of Honor and even TNA is that when the companies don’t die within that predicted time period, it always seems to be that people will continue to predict their demise, but just push back the timetable. So it became “Ring of Honor will die by the end of 2009” and when that didn’t happen it became “Ring of Honor will die at the end of 2010” and now its “ROH will die within three years.” Eventually these people will be proven right! But not this year.

-Davey Richards is the next ROH World Champion.

No. This prediction was made after the EPIC FAIL of Tyler Black once again not being able to win the ROH World Title during the one-hour draw at Final Battle 2010. Still, Tyler did make it happen, and not only was Richards not the next ROH Champion at that time, he wasn’t even the next after the next ROH Champion.

-Kenny King is the next breakout ROH wrestler and will main event at least one show in 2010.

DING DING DING! Well, I believe an argument can be made that King was one of the breakout stars of the year. He also did main event against Tyler Black for the ROH World Title at the Pick Your Poison show in early April.

-Joey Ryan’s buttocks will become exposed at least ten times throughout the year. Colt Cabana will be responsible for at least three of them.

No. Joey Ryan only made a few appearances for ROH this year and his tights stayed on him for the duration. Thank goodness.

-Hulk Hogan is about to change the landscape of TNA in 2010 and I think some wrestlers will be fired or asking for their release soon afterwards. I’ll predict that TWO current TNA wrestlers will jump from TNA to ROH, although they may not necessarily be wrestlers who previously worked in ROH.

DING DING DING! Christopher Daniels and Homicide were fired / released from TNA during the year and became regulars for ROH, with Daniels even signing a contract with the promotion. Add to that appearances by Amazing Kong throughout the year and you have at least two wrestlers who fit this prediction.

-Steve Corino will add at least two more men besides Kevin Steen to his menagerie of manipulation.

No. Even if you count his son Colby, that’s only one person who has joined up with Corino and Steen on their Maniacal Mayhem Tour 2010.

-Returns for: Jimmy Rave (he’s just biding his time), Naomichi Marufuji (back from injury, will serve the “KENTA” role for the year), Kota Ibushi and The Carnage Crew!

No on all four counts. Jimmy Rave has not returned (despite being oft-requested on the ROH message board), while Marufuji has spent the last year at the helm of Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. No Ibushi or Carnage Crew either.

-Debuts for: The Colony (Fire Ant and Solider Ant only), Vin Gerard, Malachi Jackson, Brandon Gatson, Johnny Goodtime and Jerome “LTP” Robinson, likely during the LA weekend; Canadian Ninjas of Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews, and I’m really going out on a limb here, but I’m gonna say that given their relationship with AAA, Jack Evans and Teddy Hart will appear for ROH during Wrestlemania weekend ’10.

No. Good lord was I way off on this one. Just two out of nine of those wrestlers appeared on ROH shows (Goodtime and Matthews) while Evans and Hart were persona non grata after their Final Battle 2009 debacle.

-Finally, four words: ROUND ROBIN CHALLENGE RETURNS!

I’m gonna give myself Half Credit on this one. There was no official return for the Round Robin Challenge concept as it was set-up in the early years of the promotion. However, ROH’s Wrestlemania Weekend shows, From the Ashes and Phoenix Rising used a variation called the “Personal Gauntlet Challenge” where Austin Aries, then-ROH World Champion Tyler Black and Roderick Strong fought each other over a series of four matches in two nights.

So all told… three-and-a-half out of ten predictions correct for 35%. That’s down considerably from 2008 and 2009, but still better than when I pick lottery numbers as they’re drawn live out of the hopper. I’m very confident I will rebound for next year and with that in mind; here comes some more cold reads and hot picks for next year in ROH:

Predictions for 2011:

-“The Prodigy” Mike Bennett will NOT make-good on his prediction to win the ROH World Title within one year, but he may very well snake the TV Title during that timeframe.
-Dark City Fight Club, Erick Stevens and Necro Butcher will all return from their “hiatus” at some point during the next year.
-Homicide will reform The Rottweilers sometime during this year, but whether or not they are a force for good or for chaos remains to be seen.
-Davey Richards will win the very next ROH World Title match he wrestles, whether its against Roderick Strong or someone else.
-The World’s Greatest Tag Team will win the ROH World Tag Team titles and it will happen no later than Death Before Dishonor IX.
-No matter what the stipulations said, Kevin Steen WILL be back in Ring of Honor by the end of 2011.
-This year will see special guest appearances by the following: Jerry Lynn, Prince Devitt, Ares, Joey Ryan and yes, Kenny Omega WILL be in at some point.
-ROH and HDNet will begin to provide internet streaming for their television show, although it may be for a small fee.
-Matt Hardy has a short stay (similar to his first cameo with the company) and will receive a super, white-hot heel reaction from the fans while he’s there.
-Finally, three simple words: SCRAMBLE CAGE MELEE!

That brings us to the end of the ROH Yearbook. BUT! There is still plenty more Final Column 2010 as we move closer to the end of the year. Part Three brings you The Voice of the People-thoughts and opinions about ROH’s 2010 from other 411 writers and from all over the world wide web, plus the year in ROH videowires. That will be available tomorrow. Thanks for reading and see you then.