Ring of Honor: A Night of Appreciation (For Eddy Guerrero) 4/27/02
Running Time: 3 hours
1. Da Hit Squad (Mafia & Monsta Mack) vs Christopher Street Connection
The CSC does a gay gimmick that is much more extensive than anything you see Goldust do nowadays, and more "extreme" than the Goldust antics of 1996. DHS attacked them before the bell and the fight left the ring. As DHS pounded and chopped their opponents at ringside Alison Danger entered the ring and yelled for them to stop. DHS confronted Danger, who announced it would now be a 3-way dance. Prince Nana, Elaxx and Simply Luscious stormed the ring and attacked DHS. Nana gave Mack a corner splash and a running butt attack to the face in the corner. One of the CSCs did the most perverse bronco buster I've ever seen on Mack. Mack's reaction and expression was priceless. One of the CSCs went to German suplex Elaxx, but Mack snuck up on him and they did a double German suplex spot. Nana gave Mafia a flapjack slam. One CSC whipped the other into the corner to splash Mafia, but instead he did a running eye poke in a hilarious spot. Nana got angry at Elaxx for some reason and threw him out of the ring. Nana whipped Luscious into the corner, and Luscious did a sliding dropkick crotch first onto Mafia, who was sitting in the corner. Danger and Luscious teased some pre-hla (huh?) before Nana confronted them. Nana and Luscious argued with the CSC but DHS took them all out with two double spears. Mafia kicked Nana, gave him a yakuza (Mafia!) kick and a senton. Mack gave one of the CSCs an overhead belly to belly suplex and Mafia dropped him on his head with a wicked suplex of some sort. Luscious charged but DHS gave her a spinebuster and a burning hammer for the pin at about 5:19. Under normal circumstances I'd find this match enjoyable. Fun opener, not "good" but it never dragged. But this marked ROH's continued waste of Da Hit Squad. Granted, maybe ROH was trying to protect and/or "save" them for something big later, and perhaps they're a bit overrated in some circles, but they still have quite a bit of major league talent and deserved a bigger chance to strut their stuff. Also, since ROH only runs 1-2 times per month, they should've better used this event to get DHS over in a meaningful way. Oh well, if this is the worst segment of the show I'll be happy. *
2. Jay Briscoe (w/Mark Briscoe) vs Tony Mamaluke
They started on the mat with a fast, smooth exchange. Briscoe looked stronger on the mat but Mamaluke held his own. Mamaluke tumbled out of the ring during the exchange. He took Briscoe down with a waistlock but Briscoe held his own. They traded waistlocks but Mamaluke took Briscoe down and applied a headlock while stretching Briscoe's arm with his leg. Briscoe countered with a headscissors but mamaluke stood up and reapplied the headlock on the mat. Mamaluke applied a hammerlock but Briscoe countered and took him down with a reverse armlock. Briscoe countered with a snapmare and they did a criss cross. Mamaluke hiptossed Briscoe but Briscoe kicked him away. Briscoe hiptossed Mamaluke but Mamaluke kicked him away. Briscoe missed a clothesline but hit a leg lariat. Briscoe snap suplexed Mamaluke twice for a near fall. Mamaluke flipped out of a back suplex attempt and applied a Fujiwara armbar. Mamaluke gave Briscoe a hammerlock/overhead belly to belly suplex combo and went for a cross armbreaker but Briscoe reached the ropes. Mamaluke kicked and elbowed Briscoe and attacked his arm in the corner. Briscoe missed a moonsault bodyblock out of the corner but landed on his feet and rolled up Mamaluke for a near fall. Mamaluke caught Briscoe and applied the spaghetti bender submission hold (not referred to by name because it is to gimmicky for ROH I think). Mamaluke punched Briscoe, placed him on the top rope and chopped him. Mamaluke went for a superplex but Briscoe blocked it. Mamaluke punched Briscoe and went for a superplex but Briscoe countered and gave Mamaluke a face front superplex. They traded chops, and Briscoe won out. Briscoe threw Mamaluke into the air and Mamaluke crashed to the mat. Briscoe went for a tiger driver, Mamaluke went for a Fujiwara armbar but Briscoe countered and after more counters Briscoe rolled up Mamaluke for a near fall. Mamaluke gave Briscoe a victory roll for a near fall. Briscoe countered a backslide and gave Mamaluke his Jay driller (tiger driver '91 dropped straight down) for the pin at 7:21. Really good match, and just long enough to give fans a good look at both wrestlers. For the most part this was just pure wrestling, with good exchanges and counters back and forth. Mamaluke was his usual good self, while Briscoe definitely looks more polished than his 2001 work and should be a top worker in a few years. **3/4
3. Joey Matthews & Christian York vs Divine Storm (Chris Divine & Quiet Storm) w/Brian XL
Matthews and Storm traded offense early. Storm went from a headlock to a wristlock and they had a series of reversals and counters. Smooth opening sequence. They had a criss cross but Matthews floored Storm with a punch. Matthews elbowed Storm and tagged York, who gave Storm a top rope dropkick for a near fall. York punched Storm but Storm elbowed him. Storm gave York a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and a huracanrana. Storm dropkicked York and tagged Divine. York chopped Divine and punched him. York picked up Divine like a wheelbarrow but Divine armdragged him. Divine kicked and punched York and they had a criss cross from corner to corner. York caught Divine and gave him a whiplash (Alabama) slam, then applied the inverted Boston crab and pendulum swing. Storm intervened with a forearm but York caught him on the apron with a running elbow off the second rope. York missed a clothesline and Divine gave him a spinebuster for a near fall. Divine dropkicked York as Storm gave him an STO in a neat double team spot for a near fall. York landed some punches but ran into a dropkick from Storm. Divine gave York a clothesline in the corner and Storm went to jump off Divine's back but before he could York ran out of the corner, jumped off Divine's back and clotheslined Storm. York applied a waistlock on Divine but Divine lunged for the ropes and sent York out of the ring. Brian XL took out York with a running corkscrew moonsault plancha to the floor as the ref was distracted. Divine and Storm were upset and basically ejected XL to the back. York flipped out of a back suplex attempt and went for a huracanrana but Divine gave him a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Divine went for a top rope huracanrana but took too long and York gave him a top rope atomic drop. Matthews tagged in and clotheslined both opponents. He backdropped Storm and gave Divine punches in the corner. After some counters Matthews gave Divine a full nelson slam. York and Storm had an exchange ending when York gave Storm a neckbreaker. Matthews backdropped Divine out of the ring. Matthews and York gave Storm a full effect slam (kinda like a double burking hammer except they flip their opponent onto his front side instead of drop him on his head). Divine charged, York caught him but Divine applied a bodyscissors and they both tumbled over the top rope. Storm gave Matthews some elbows but Matthews countered a Storm cradle driver with elbows. York kicked Storm but Storm blocked a cradle suplex and did a roll through into a legbar for the submission win at 8:44. Good match from start to finish. A couple sloppy spots, but generally very solid action with no boring moments. York and Matthews struck me as semi-major league material: good talent, marketable look, just missing something that makes them stand out from other notable workers. Storm was the better worker on his team, and perhaps the best worker of the match. **1/2
4. 3-Way Dance: Scoot Andrews vs James Maritato vs Xavier
Andrews and Maritato locked up, and kicked Xavier away from them in the process in a creative spot. As they locked up, Xavier charged but they backdropped him. Andrews and Maritato traded waistlocks and Maritato took down Andrews. Andrews held his own on the mat but Maritato applied a headlock as they stood up. As they did a criss cross Maritato tackled Xavier. Maritato rolled up Andrews for a near fall. Xavier dropkicked Maritato but Andrews clubbed him from behind. They had a criss cross and Xavier went for a tilt-a-whirl headscissors but Andrews slammed him face first in mid-move for a near fall. Xavier gave Andrews a kneelift. Xavier went for a neckbreaker on Andrews but Maritato caught his foot, flipped him back and in the process Xavier DDTd Andrews. Maritato gained a near fall on Andrews but Xavier attacked him and gave him a roundhouse kick to the gut. Xavier gave Maritato a forearm to the neck for a near fall and kicked him in the corner. Xavier gave Maritato some punches and knee strikes in the corner. Maritato gave Xavier a second rope dropkick in the opposite corner and Andrews met Xavier with a kick. Xavier countered a force of nature and also countered a kiss of death (tomokaze). Xavier went to place Maritato on the top rope but caught Andrews with an elbow when he charged the corner. Xavier gave Maritato a top rope fallaway slam of sorts but Andrews shoved Xavier down like a powerbomb in the process. They did a three way exchange of punches that ended with them all punching each other at the same time. Maritato and Xavier traded chops but Xavier scored with a knee strike. Xavier elbowed Maritato but telegraphed a backdrop and Maritato went for a slingshot suplex. Instead, he slingshot Xavier into Andrews' arms and Andrews gave Xavier a force of nature for a near fall. Andrews punched and chopped Maritato and caught him with a powerslam for a near fall. Andrews gave Maritato punches but missed a discus punch and Maritato back suplexed him for a near fall. Andrews blocked a sunset flip and gave Maritato an inverted DDT for a near fall. Xavier was crotched on the top rope and Andrews went for a superplex but Maritato caught Andrews and gave him a second rope Russian legsweep for a near fall. Xavier went for a top rope clothesline but Maritato caught him in a Fujiwara armbar for the submission win at 6:25. A bit too short to serve as an adequate intro to the three, maybe except for Andrews who is solid albeit a bit colorless at times. A good tight match, kinda like a good TV sprint but nothing spectacular. The finish was pretty awesome because of how quickly and smoothly it was done, and it worked in getting the Fujiwara armbar over with the crowd. The finish raised the rating a notch. **1/2
5. Low Ki vs A.J. Styles
Ki tripped Styles but Styles got the better of him on the mat. Ki took down Styles and applied a headlock but Styles countered with a headscissors. Ki escaped and gained an early near fall. Styles won a test of strength but Ki bridged to avoid a pin. Ki landed some kicks to Styles's legs from a prone position. They traded roundhouse kicks, with Ki's looking stiffer, and kicked each other at the same time. Styles missed a kick and Ki took him down and applied a front facelock. Styles reversed the momentum and mounted Ki but Ki applied an armbar from his back. Styles countered and applied a front facelock but Ki bridged, escaped and applied a front facelock of his own. Styles kept Ki on his back and landed some punches. Ki chopped Styles. Ki landed some kicks as they locked up and punted Styles in the chest. Ki chopped and snapmared Styles but Styles took Ki down and mounted him. Styles gained a near fall with a small package but Ki escaped his grip and hit a brutal kick right to his face. Ki scored with a brutal roundhouse kick to the back of Styles's head and chopped him. Ki gave Styles another roundhouse kick to his face. Styles caught Ki off-guard and gave him a huracanrana. Styles missed a spin kick but clotheslined Ki for a near fall. Styles started to do a vertical suplex, but didn't let go of Ki as he flipped over, and then gave him a neckbreaker in quite a spot for a near fall. Styles stomped Ki and slapped him. Styles whipped Ki into the corner but ran into a brutal kick to the face. Ki gave Styles a backbreaker and an elbowsmash for a near fall. Ki chopped Styles but Styles chopped Ki and gave him a great enzuguiri and Ki tumbled out of the ring. Styles hit a great roundhouse kick to Ki's head and face on the floor. Styles gained a near fall back in the ring. Styles gave Ki a great brainbuster for a near fall. Styles punched Ki but Ki gave him a koppo kick and a brutal yakuza kick to the face that sent Styles through the ropes to the floor. Ki chopped Styles but Styles blocked a Ki crusher off the apron. Styles dumped Ki back into the ring but Ki held onto him and applied a tarantula-like dragon sleeper in the ropes. Ki gained a near fall and went for a Ki crusher but Styles countered with an amazing DDT. Styles went for a back suplex but Ki countered with a rollup into a dragon sleeper. Styles quickly countered, Ki applied a waistlock but Styles elbowed him. Styles hit an in-ring quebrada into an inverted DDT on Ki in another incredible spot for a pop and a near fall. Styles went for a huracanrana but Ki powerbombed him and cradled him for a near fall. Ki gave Styles a ton of brutal kicks and knees to his chest, head and face, probably about 15-20 kicks and knee strikes in all and gained a near fall. Ki chopped Styles. Ki flipped around Styles and dropped him on his head with a tiger suplex for a near fall. Styles fought back with a clothesline. Styles hit a German suplex and rolled through, then gave Ki a back suplex dropped into a face front slam for a near fall. Ki blocked a suplex and gave Styles a face front suplex of his own for a near fall. Ki landed a couple chops and whipped Styles into the corner, then hit his cartwheel spin kick in the corner. Ki went for a phoenix splash but crashed onto Styles's knees. Styles gave Ki what started like a splash mountain but what turned into a crazy brainbuster for a great near fall. Fans gave them a standing ovation. Styles missed his forward corkscrew flip legdrop. They traded blows and chops. Ki gave Styles a brutally stiff enzuguiri. Ki went for a Ki crusher but Styles countered with a couple knee strikes. Styles went for a Styles clash but Ki countered with a small package for the pin at 18:15. The pin looked sketchy because Styles appeared to have his shoulder up before the 3 count and the announcers picked up on it. Otherwise this was a phenomenal match, and not just Styles himself. Pretty much as great a match as you could ask for, with the quick matwork early, the crazy moves late and the stiff strikes throughout. Styles made an incredible ROH debut and truly established himself as a major league commodity. He does many truly innovative spots, but the kind that could resonate quite well in a WWE ring (as opposed to a shoot style or lucha spots). Ki was great as usual, with some of the sharpest strikes I've seen from him. Not quite as amazing as Ki-Dragon from the previous ROH show and a hair shy of the inaugural ROH 3-way dance, but still a fantastic, memorable match and the best match of this show. A high-end ****1/4
6. Carnage Crew (H.C. Loc & Tony Devito) vs Marcos & Dunn
Carnage Crew stormed the ring before the bell. They attacked Marcos and Dunn during the prematch handshake. Devito whipped Marcos into Dunn (or the other way around???) in the corner. Devito gave an opponent a back suplex. Loc caught Marcos jumping off the top rope and catapulted him into a superkick from Devito. Loc chopped Dunn but ran into an elbow. Dunn went for a sunset flip but Loc held on and gave him a backside (behind him) piledriver of sorts in a wicked looking spot for a near fall. Loc lifted Dunn on his shoulders and Devito gave him a top rope dropkick. Devito slapped Dunn and gave him some short clotheslines. He belly to belly suplexed Dunn into the turnbuckles but missed a moonsault. Dunn gave Devito a tornado DDT. Marcos gave Devito a top rope dropkick and Loc a DDT. Devito and Loc gave their opponents different full nelson slams at the same time. Devito gave Dunn a splash mountain and Loc added a neckbreaker on the way down and Devito scored the pin at 3:11. Pretty much a virtual squash, not bad, not good. Not much to say except for that it was the right time for something like this following such a great match. *
7. Donovan Morgan vs Christopher Daniels
Morgan applied a waistlock but Daniels countered. They traded offense on the mat with Daniels gaining the advantage with a hammerlock. Morgan took down Daniels and applied a headlock but Daniels countered and gained a near fall. Daniels gave Morgan a fireman's carry takedown but Morgan countered with a headscissors. Morgan applied a waistlock but Daniels took him down and applied an armbar. Morgan applied a wristlock and they traded wristlocks and flip counters. Morgan took down Daniels and applied a toehold, then went to a headlock. Daniels tried to shove Morgan across the ring but Morgan maintained the headlock. Daniels countered with elbows but Morgan tackled him. Daniels went down for a criss cross but Morgan went back to the headlock on the mat. They had a criss cross, Morgan applied a headlock but Daniels alertly responded with a back suplex. Daniels elbowsmashed Morgan and applied a neck vice. Daniels snapmared Morgan and kneedropped him for a near fall. Daniels elbowed Morgan twice and hiptossed him. Daniels legdropped Morgan for a near fall and applied a rear chinlock over his knee. Daniels elbowed Morgan and backdropped him. He back suplexed Morgan for a near fall and headbutted him. Morgan went for a German suplex but Daniels countered with elbows. Morgan kicked Daniels but Daniels countered a cradle suplex. Morgan blocked a DDT and gave Daniels a neckbreaker. Morgan choked Daniels in the ropes and suplexed him for a near fall. Morgan applied an armbar/headscissors combo. He snapmared Daniels and gave him a dropkick to the back of his head. Morgan elbowed Daniels's neck on the apron. Both men blocked hiptossed but Daniels then hit a lariat on Morgan. Daniels landed some punches and a leg lariat for a near fall. Daniels landed some elbows but Morgan sunset flipped him for a near fall. They traded rollups for near falls but Morgan then caught Daniels in a legbar. Daniels gave Morgan a jawbreaker but Morgan gave him an overhead head and arm suplex for a near fall. Morgan elbowed Daniels twice for a near fall. Morgan whipped Daniels into the corner but ran into an elbow. Daniels kicked Morgan and German suplexed him. Daniels gave Morgan a lariat and an elbow. Morgan ducked a lariat but Daniels caught him and gave him a neck slam for a near fall. Daniels gave Morgan an STO and hit a moonsault for a near fall. Daniels backed Morgan into the corner, punched him and went for an iconoclasm but Morgan countered, jumped off the top rope and gave Daniels somewhat of a flying DDT for a near fall. Morgan whipped Daniels into the corner and hit an enzu-lariat. Morgan back suplexed Daniels for a near fall. Morgan caught Daniels and rolled him up for a near fall. Daniels caught Morgan and applied his version of the crippler crossface, almost bending Morgan's arm back in a Fujiwara armbar position with his leg. Morgan reached the ropes with his leg. They had a criss cross and Daniels tackled Morgan for a near fall. Morgan missed a lariat and Daniels rolled him up for a near fall. Daniels ran into an elbow and Morgan gave him a lariat for a near fall. Morgan whipped Daniels into the corner but Daniels dumped him to the apron. Morgan missed a lariat from the apron and Daniels elbowed him. Daniels blocked a sunset flip and went for an inverted DDT but Morgan countered and gave him a wicked rolling cradle suplex/neckbreaker for a near fall. After numerous counters Morgan gave Daniels a second rolling cradle suplex for the pin at 13:15. Fans didn't pop huge, as if they were surprised and disagreed perhaps with the choice. But Morgan deserved to go over, as he made a great debut in ROH. Some of his fundamentals are strong, he executes his offense very well and with good impact. His use of the headlock early was quite a pleasant surprise, and something few will do anymore in this era. It was the right crowd for such a move, though, as they appreciated the psychology of it and applauded accordingly. The match didn't take off enough down the stretch to make it great, but this was definitely a very good match. Daniels was his usual very good self. ***1/4
-The next 4 matches are from the TWA Gauntlet Series-
8) Paul London vs John Hope
London hit a somersault plancha in the corner. Hope flipped London gut first onto the top rope and gave him an overhead belly to belly suplex. London hit a shooting star press for the pin. Just second aired. NR
9) Michael Shane vs Paul London
London applied a waistlock and headlock early. They had a criss cross and London kicked Shane. London went for a powerbomb but Shane countered with a facedrop for a near fall. Shane missed a corner splash and London missed a spin kick. Shane scored with a brutal leg lariat/dropkick on London for a near fall. Shane punched London but London countered a slam. Shane blocked a rollup but London gave him a huracanrana and a cool forwards dropkick in which London backflipped out of for a near fall. Shane countered a German suplex with elbows but London gave him a northern lights suplex for a near fall. London rolled up Shane out of a criss cross for a near fall. London missed a lariat and Shane speared him for a near fall. Shane went for a corner splash but London caught him in the corner with a sunset flip. Shane rolled out of it and applied a cool looking submission hold similar to a sharpshooter/Texas cloverleaf except for he just bent back London's legs while laying to his side. London flipped out of a back suplex attempt and gave Shane a modified Bubba bomb, while hooking his arms in a tiger suplex position. London missed a shooting star press. Shane hit a top rope elbow for the pin at 3:42. Good short match but nothing really great. You could still tell, though, that both men are quite talented and good workers. **1/4
10) Spanky vs Michael Shane
They teased tension during the handshake and exchanged chops at the bell. Shane punched Spanky, missed a clothesline and an elbow and Spanky slid out of the ring. Shane went for a dive but Spanky ran out of harms way. Spanky caught Shane with a shoulder to the gut and rammed him into the corner. Spanky jumped off the top rope but Shane dropkicked him in mid-air. Shane kneedropped Spanky and gave him a neckbreaker for a near fall. Shane punched Spanky but Spanky crotched him on the top rope during a criss cross. Spanky shoved Shane off the top rope and rammed him head first into the barricade, busting him open in the process. Spanky rammed Shane into the apron and punched him. Spanky rammed Shane into the ringpost. Back in the ring Spanky kicked Shane and hit a high kick in the corner. Spanky landed some elbows in the corner but Shane fought back with punches. Shane clotheslined Spanky over the top rope and Spanky took a great bump to the floor. Spanky fought back but Shane rammed him into the barricade. Shane punched Spanky and they had a criss cross. Spanky pulled down the top rope and Shane flew out of the ring to the floor. Spanky punched Shane at ringside and gained a near fall in the ring. Spanky snap suplexed Shane for a near fall and gave him some knees to the head. Shane landed some punches but Spanky elbowed him and punched him. Spanky whipped Shane into the corner but ran into an elbow and a kick. Shane hit an inverted cross bodyblock/dropkick on Spanky from the top rope. Spanky punched Shane but Shane absorbed the blows. Spanky charged but Shane clotheslined him. Shane punched Spanky, backdropped him and hit a flying forearm. Shane telegraphed a backdrop and Spanky kicked him. Spanky charged, Shane dumped him over the top rope, Spanky skinned the cat but Shane dropkicked him before he could go back over the top rope in a neat spot. Shane hit a great somersault plancha on Spanky. Spanky missed an enzuguiri and Shane gave him an Oklahoma roll for a near fall. Shane ran into a double boot in the corner and Spanky gave him a corkscrew stunner off the middle rope for a near fall. Spanky landed a European uppercut and went for a superplex but Shane countered with punches and Spanky fell to the mat. Shane simply collapsed off the top rope, selling his blood loss although that hadn't been a real focal point of the match. Spanky gained a near fall. Shane countered a sliced bread II but missed a superkick. Spanky whipped Shane into the corner but Shane scored with a sharp superkick for a near fall. Spanky countered a superkick and Shane blocked a sliced bread II. After numerous counters Spanky gave Shane the sliced bread II (reverse blockbuster/diamond dust out of the corner, has a Japanese name but I can't remember it) for the pin at 10:07. Good match with some definite flaws but also some flashes of greatness. Spanky has such a cool persona and I can see him going places in WWE because he has the kind of cruiserweight style that can work well there. Shane looked very solid again. **3/4
11) Spanky vs American Dragon
Dragon took Spanky down but Spanky held his own on the mat. Dragon gave Spanky a cool tight armdrag into an armbar. Spanky countered with a headscissors, Dragon reached his feet to try to escape but Spanky instead pulled his head down into the mat like a piledriver but while sitting on the mat in a cool spot. Dragon was able to turn Spanky over and applied a Texas cloverleaf but Spanky quickly reached the ropes. Spanky won a test of strength but Dragon bridged to avoid a pin. Dragon took Spanky down with a knucklelock and applied a headlock on the mat. Dragon applied an armbar but Spanky countered and gained a near fall. They had a knucklelock and Spanky stomped on Dragon's hands. Spanky applied a headlock but Dragon escaped applied a standing armbar. Dragon took Spanky down by the arm and applied a headscissors. Spanky escaped and applied a front facelock but Dragon backed him into the corner and chopped him. Dragon applied a headlock but Spanky elbowed him. Dragon slammed Spanky and gave him a couple power elbows for a near fall. Dragon went for a German suplex but Spanky flipped and landed on his feet. Spanky rammed Dragon neck first into the top rope and flew over the top rope in the process. Spanky went for a springboard move but crotched himself on the top rope and Dragon kicked him. Dragon kicked Spanky and landed a couple chops. Dragon whipped Spanky into the corner and charged but Spanky dumped him to the apron and knocked him to the floor with a very stiff elbow. Spanky rammed Dragon into the apron. Spanky hit a slingshot elbow on Dragon and kicked his head. Dragon landed a chop and a couple sharp elbows. Dragon sunset flipped Spanky for a near fall but Spanky clotheslined him for a near fall. Spanky applied a neck hold but Dragon fought back with punched and backed him into the corner. Dragon gave Spanky a great overhead snapmare (seriously the coolest snapmare I've ever seen). Dragon hit an enzuguiri. Spanky jumped off the top rope but Dragon met him with an elbow. Dragon scored with a great sharp elbow as Spanky ran across the ring. Dragon chopped Spanky. After several back and forth counters Dragon back suplexed Spanky for a near fall. Dragon chopped Spanky and whipped him into the corner but ran into a boot. Dragon blocked a tornado stunner (or something similar) but missed an elbow and Spanky gave him a leg lariat for a near fall. Dragon blocked a suplex but Spanky still gained a near fall in what looked like a botched spot. Dragon blocked a suplex but Spanky blocked a rollup and kneedropped Dragon. Spanky hit a running knee to the head and snap suplexed Dragon for a near fall. Spanky kicked and pounded Dragon. Spanky blocked a dragon suplex but Dragon then folded him up with a great released German suplex, great in part because of how Spanky landed, for a near fall. Dragon landed a couple elbows, Spanky blocked a roaring elbow but Dragon gave him a leg lariat for a near fall. Dragon gave Spanky a yakuza kick for a near fall. Dragon powerbombed Spanky for a near fall and chopped him. Spanky blocked a suplex and gave Dragon sliced bread II for a near fall. Spanky ran into a boot in the corner and Dragon gave him a roaring elbow. Dragon gave Spanky a dragon suplex for a near fall. Dragon went for a back superplex but Spanky punched him and hit a top rope sliced bread II for the pin at 13:40. A botched spot or two, but other than that a great match with very smooth action. These two have worked together before, so their chemistry was strong. Dragon continued to impress me with the sharpness of his offense, and looks more like a future Chris Benoit every time I see him. Give him the right opponents to work with and he'll be a top worker real soon, and actually he's not that far short at this point. ***3/4
12. Eddy Guerrero & Red vs S.A.T. (Jose & Joel Maximo)
Red started the match against Jose. They had a criss cross and Red hit a huracanrana and a couple armdrags. Red missed a dropkick and Jose dropkicked Red into the corner. Jose ran into a boot. Guerrero appeared to give Red a tornado DDT, but instead tossed him onto Jose, and in turn Red hit a headscissors takedown in a really cool spot. Joel missed a clothesline and Guerrero kicked him. Guerrero gave Joel a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a pop as fans were really into Guerrero. Guerrero hammerlocked Jose and Jose tried to counter but Guerrero grabbed his arm and gave him an armringer. Guerrero elbowed Jose's arm and applied an armbar. Jose took Guerrero down by his leg but Guerrero held his own on the mat. Jose headlocked Guerrero but Guerrero escaped. They had a criss cross that ended with Jose giving Guerrero a huracanrana. Jose elbowed Guerrero and sunset flipped him but Guerrero rolled through and almost seamlessly applied a sharpshooter. Guerrero stomped Jose and elbowed him. Guerrero back suplexed Jose and gave him a slingshot somersault senton for a near fall. Guerrero applied a chinlock on Jose. Guerrero elbowed Jose but Jose fought back with a backdrop and a dropkick. The Maximos punched Guerrero, gave him a double drop toehold and Joel applied a Romero special as Jose applied a dragon sleeper. Jose kicked Red and threw him out of the ring then dropkicked Guerrero as Joel held him. Joel gained a near fall on Guerrero and punched and kicked him in the corner. Jose applied a chinlock on Guerrero. Guerrero escaped but Jose German suplexed him for a near fall. Jose gave Guerrero a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Guerrero caught Jose on the top rope and gave him a top rope superplex. Red ducked a clothesline, Joel blocked a huracanrana, Red missed a clothesline but gave Joel a tilt-a-whirl headscissors into a tornado DDT in a great spot for a near fall. Red gave Joel his Red star press (standing shooting star) for a near fall and stomped him. Red gave Joel some punches and chops and went for a huracanrana but Joel countered with a Liger bomb. Jose stomped Red and pounded him. Jose suplexed Red for a near fall. Joel snapmared Red and hit a dropkick to his face for a near fall. The Maximos gave Red a double team wheel barrow type slam and Jose gained a near fall. Joel punched and chopped Red but Red flipped out of a backdrop attempt. Joel caught Red with a great superkick for a near fall. Joel gave Red a spinebuster into a Boston crab, then grabbed Red's arms and bent him in a pendulum hold. Jose added a springboard legdrop on Red as Joel maintained the hold and Joel gained a near fall. Joel jumped off the middle rope but Red caught him with a spectacular spinning kick in mid-air. Guerrero tagged in and attacked Jose with punches, a European uppercut and a chop but missed a corner splash. Guerrero gave Jose a brainbuster for a near fall. Guerrero went for a BT bomb but Jose countered with a great last-second huracanrana for a near fall in a spot almost worthy of Dragon Kid. Jose rolled up Guerrero for a near fall but Guerrero then clotheslined him. Joel caught Guerrero on the top rope with punches. The Maximos went for a Spanish fly on Guerrero but Red dropkicked Joel off the top rope to the floor and hit a corkscrew dive that look like it just grazed its target. Guerrero went for a top rope huracanrana but Jose blocked it. Guerrero countered a tornado DDT and launched Red onto Jose, and Red gave him a top rope huracanrana. Red hit a great tope con hilo on Joel. Guerrero missed a frog splash but rolled to his feet, caught Jose and gave him a BT bomb for the pin at 13:36. Very nice finishing segment that was the highpoint of the match, particularly the fact that they didn't end with the frog splash, which seemed like the expected ending. An interesting main event to judge. If you're a realist, chances are you won't find this match disappointing at all because it was a good match with many very good points. But if you've seen the Maximos and Red in their element, along with the special appearance of Guerrero, you just might be disappointed a bit, particularly if you expected a spectacular ****+ match. Guerrero was very solid, and looked nearly as good as his WWE work. As for the other 3, they were definitely a bit more conservative than usual in that they kept their spectacular, innovative and risky spots to a minimum. It did hurt the match a bit, considering they clearly could have done more with Red in the ring. Perhaps they didn't want to steal the spotlight from Guerrero. Red himself looked a bit sloppy a couple times, but for the most part his execution was damn good and greatly improved from his quite streaky 2001 work and execution. Perhaps it was because he restrained himself, but Red was perhaps the best worker of this match, along with Jose, who had very good exchanges with Guerrero. If you're a purist, you'll likely enjoy this match more than most SAT/Red matches. In any case this falls somewhere between good and very good, and a good main event. ***
Very good show overall. One near-classic match, and three matches between *** and ***3/4, along with several good matches made this a great show for depth of quality. I get the impression their 3/30 show was better from seeing the round-robin matches, but this is still a tape I'd highly recommend. The backstage stuff and angles were genuine fast-forward material and added nothing to the tape, but the in-ring work more than made up for it.
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