By Mike Parisien
<p>Austin Aries, Kenny King, and Rhett Titus make their way to the ring. King and Titus are wearing the silly hats Aries will use for his title match lottery. Interview guy, Kyle Durden, greets them in the ring but is quickly dismissed. The mic sound is terrible for some reason. Aries recaps his lucky lottery concept. He chooses the white cricket hat and they put 20 names in the hat.
<p>Kenny Omega's name is chosen but apparently Kenny is overseas. Too bad for Kenny. Aries picks another name. He wants to pick another but he isn't allowed. The littlest lumberjack, Grizzly Redwood, is the winner of the lucky lottery.
<p>Austin Aries vs. Grizzly Redwood for the ROH World Title
<p>Aries mocks Redwoods miniature status. Test of strength results in Aries tossing him with an overhead suplex. Redwood trips Aries up and hits a dropkick to the knee. He tries to come off the ropes with a yakuza kick but is clotheslined. Lazy cover by Aries who then starts to work the neck. Redwood tries to fight out but gets pulled to the mat by his suspenders. Aries military presses Redwood. Another cover. Redwood chops at Aries legs which looks dumb. He pushes Aries to the corner and mounts him for the 10 punches. Aries pushes him off. Redwood tries to press Aries but its sloppy and doesn't look good. Running Bulldog and a cover attempt on Aries. Redwood goes to the top but Aries yanks him down by his beard and sets him up dazed in the corner. Aries connects hard with a running dropkick to Redwoods face. Aries finishes him with a delayed brainbuster.
<p>2 and a 1/4 star match.
<p>Winner and still ROH World Champion: Austin Aries
<p>Kyle Durden comes back to ask Aries what's next. Aries gets mad at him for touching him. He takes the mic and says the fight was a match of the year contender. He says there are still 19 names in the hat and that he'll come out next week to find out who the next lucky guy is.
<p>The segment was a little odd in that I'm not sure if they were trying to present it as legit or if Aries was rigging it. Were we supposed to think Aries rigged it to have an easy match and boo him? Were we supposed to root for Redwood getting his big chance at gold? No story was told at all by the wrestlers or the announcers and the fans didn't care one bit. When Redwood tried to do offense it didn't look very good. I'm going to assume the intent is that he is rigging the lottery for easy opponents but I hope next week they make the motivation clearer.
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<p>Highlights from last weeks Steen and Generico vs. Briscoes tag match and the interference from the American Wolves.
<p>The Wolves talk about their upcoming Ladder War match and show clips from their prior bouts.
<p>Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak talk a little bit about the rivalry between Chris Hero and Eddie Kingston. They show interview clips and match highlights.
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<p>Erick Stevens vs. Brandon Day
<p>Collar and elbow tie up. Stevens supposed strength pushes Day into the corner and they break. Same thing but Day puts Stevens in the corner. Stevens pushes Day on his ass and when Day comes at him in retaliation, Stevens lifts him with a flapjack. Chops and a backdrop get Stevens a nearfall. Day ends up on the apron and catches Stevens in the gut with a flying shoulder tackle through the middle rope. Day tries a couple of times to irish whip Stevens from the corner but Stevens hangs on. Day finally gets him to break his grip by punching him in the gut. Gutbuster and a pin attempt. Day applies the abdominal stretch. Stevens reverses with a hip toss. Day gives him a knee in the gut and goes for a big power move but Stevens slips out with a go behind and german suplexes Day. Stevens gives him the choo choo clothesline in the corner and then comes off the ropes with another powerful lariat. A doctor bomb seals the deal for Stevens.
<p>2 and 1/2 star match.
<p>Winner: Erick Stevens
<p>For the record, I think Erick Stevens is good in the ring (although he no sells sometimes), I just don't like the gimmick and how they put him over as being a power guy. Why is he any more or less powerful than Brandon Day who wasn't built any differently (he was taller even) than Stevens?
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<p>Tyler Black talks about Nigel McGuiness distracting him in his match against Jerry Lynn from 2 weeks ago. He also appreciates Jerry Lynn taking him under his wing and giving him valuable advice.
<p>Next week, Tyler Black and Jerry Lynn vs. Rhett Titus and Kenny King.
<p>Bryan Danielson, Roderick Strong, and KENTA are in the back with Kyle Durden. Danielson says Strong has the hardest chops in the business, KENTA has the hardest kicks in the business, and that he's the best submission specialist in the business and they're going to beat Chris Hero and the American Wolves.
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<p>Jimmy Rave w/Prince Nana and Ernie Osiris vs. Necro Butcher
<p>Jimmy Rave pushes Necro off the apron before Necro even gets in the ring. They brawl on the outside. Necro dumps Rave into the crowd. He grabs an entire barricade section and smashes Rave in the face. The opening bell hasn't even sounded. Necro sets up the barricade and crotches Rave on it. He sets the barricade up draped from the apron to the other barricade. Necro rolls Rave into the ring and tries to powerbomb him through the set up barricade but Rave slips out and chop blocks him. Rave stomps the leg. Match is officially on. Rave continues to work the leg of Necro in the corner. Rave distracts the ref and Osiris gets in the ring with a chair. With Prince Nana's help he sets up Necros leg in the chair and flies off the top rope with a senton. Necro writhes in agony and Rave applies a heel hook. Necro almost taps but gets to the ropes. Rave keeps working the leg but Necro pushes him off. Rave rushes him and gets dumped over the top rope and on to the barricade that was left set up outside the ring. Osiris gets in the ring with a staple gun while the ref is checking on Rave. Nana is distracting Necro but Necro catches Osiris and staples Osiris in the chest. He tries to staple Jimmy Rave but Bison Smith has run into the ring to prevent it. Necro gets a staple into Smith's gut which look like it hurt, but Smith muscles him into the corner. A bunch of geeks from the back to break up Smith and Necro.
<p>2 and 1/2 star match.
<p>Winner: Necro Butcher by DQ.
<p>The pull apart was kind of bland, but the match was fine for what it was.
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<p>The history of Brent Albright vs. Claudio Castagnoli. Various clips. This is promotion for a steel cage match between the two next week. I'm looking forward to that.
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<p>MAIN EVENT
<p>Chris Hero and the American Wolves vs. Bryan Danielson, KENTA, and Roderick Strong
<p>There's a little bit of pushing and shoving between the teams. Chris Hero offers the handshake to the other team but KENTA won't shake his hand. The Wolves refuse to shake. Chris Hero and Bryan Danielson start in the ring. Go behind by Hero starts a series of chani wrestling by both men. Some good moves by both resulting in a stare off. They try again and Hero tries to pull Danielson into his corner but Danielson slips free and tag in Strong. Hero tags in Eddie Edwards of the Wolves. Boot and headbutt for Strong but Strong reverses an Irish Whip and hits a cross body block. Jumping heel kick and Edwards is in trouble in the wrong corner. Strong tags in KENTA but all three men beat on Edwards with elbows, chops, and kicks. More kicks to Edwards face from KENTA. They still have Edwards in their corner and KENTA tags in Danielson. Danielson deliver some european uppercuts before he gets pushed into the opposition. Davey Richards is tagged in and immediately takes control with a snapmare and kick to the spine. Another kick to Danielson's back. They both run the ropes a bit and Richards tries for a flying armbar but Danielson manages to reverse into an attempt at the Cattle Mutilation. Some more chain wrestling and strike blocking before both men try for dropkicks. They stare each other down.
<p>Richards spits in Danielsons face and Danielson responds with repeated stiff kicks to the chest. Off the ropes, Danielson hits a jawbreaker but Edwards tries to get him from behind. Danielson fends him off temporarily with a back elbow and then drops Richards with another kick. Edwards has recovered and kicks Danielson in the side of the head. A few headbutts to Danielson but he gets fired up and returns a few elbows before eating a superkick and then a spinning kick to the mid section from the legal man, Richards. They both kick him in the face while he's seated. Edwards tries for a lionsault but lands on Danielsons knees. Danielson wraps him up in a triangle choke. KENTA runs across and attacks Hero while Strong hangs onto Richards. Edwards powers Danielson up into a powerbomb position. Richards escapes Strong's grip and jumps up to Danielson, dropping him with a brutal back stabber. Edwards goes for the cover, but either the ref or I lost track, because I don't think he's legal. And I have a rewind button. Oh well. Roderick Strong breaks up the pinfall but gets dumped to the outside. Edwards applies a half crab to Danielson but he gets to the ropes. Hero is tagged in and dropkicks Danielson in the head. More shots to the head and Danielson is in the wrong corner again. Richards is now the legal man. He ties Danielson up in a leg lock but another rope break. Danielson is dumped to the outside where Richards greets him with an irish whip into the barricade. And another one. Hero joins in the fun and punches Danielson in the jaw. Finally the ref starts paying attention and Hero puts Danielson back in the ring. Danielson fights off both Wolves with elbow strikes. He blocks a kick from Richards who tries to enziguri him, but Danielson ducks and Richards hits his tag team partner instead. Danielson almost makes it to his corner but Richards just stops him and tries to german suplex Danielson. Danielson lands on his feet, takes out Hero, and the hits a running kick that flattens Richards.
<p>Finally, he makes the hot tag to a fired up KENTA who flies off the top rope with a clotheline to Richards. Several kicks to Richards and a slam on Edwards who rolls out of the ring. The action is happening fast. Springboard dropkick, Yakuza kick in the corner, running dropkick in the corner... Richards is almost out on his feet. KENTA tries to finish Richards with a sit down powerbomb but he kicks out at 2. He tries for the GTS but Richards reverses and tries for his R Driver. KENTA slips out of that and goes to the ropes. Richards no sells a face kick and elbows KENTA. They trade strikes. Richards hits a handspring enziguri and tags in Hero. Hero splashes KENTA in the corner. Charging elbow drops KENTA for a second. He's right back up and kicks Hero. Roaring elbow from Hero and we get the closest count to a victory in this match. Hero thought he had it. Hero tries for neckbreaker but KENTA hits a backslide. Another roaring elbow connects to KENTA's jaw as he comes off the ropes. He still manages to kick out. Hero tries for something but KENTA counters into a victory roll which in turn is countered by Hero into yet another roaring elbow attempt. But this time, KENTA blocks the elbow and tries to hit one of his own. Hero counters with a jab but KENTA spins again opting for a clothesline instead.
<p>Roderick Strong is tagged in and he has hardly been in the match. He chops Hero into a corner. He hits some running strikes and tries for a power move but Hero slips out and hits some more elbows. Dropkick from Strong and he covers for 2. Suplex by Strong, again for 2. They both strike and hit the ropes with Hero getting the better of strong with a front dropkick to the side of the head. Hero tags out to Edwards but both Wolves enter the ring. Edwards irish whips his partner at Strong but Strong sends him to the outside apron. Edwards nails him in the corner while Richards recovers and goes to the top rope. Edwards lifts Strong up into a backdrop that flips Strong right over and he recieves a missile dropkick from Richards who was waiting for the chance. Edwards goes for the cover and we get another very close nearfall. Edwards tries for the backpack chinbreaker but Strong gets out of it and pushes Edwards away. The both trade big boots and a few more strikes coming off the ropes. Edwards gets the advantage with a flying knee and goes for a cover. No luck for Edwards. Strong uses an enziguri which leads to a uranage into a backbreaker. Nearfall for Strong. He calls for his partners to negate the other team and puts Edwards in the boston crab. Hero gets in and puts the boots to Strong's face but Strong won't let go. KENTA wraps up Hero with an octopus hold. Edwards tries his best to get to the ropes. He does manage to reverse the crab into a pin attempt but only gets a 2 count. Danielson, Richards, Hero, and KENTA all brawl on the outside. In the ring, Strong tries a press into presumably a gut buster or back breaker, but Edwards counters with a head scissors.
<p>Both Richards and Hero have gotten the better of their respective opponents and get into the ring. Richards holds on to Strong while Edwards hits a superkick and Hero hits his roaring elbow. Richards german suplexes Strong and Edwards floats over for a bridging pin. But Danielson breaks it up! KENTA has also entered the melee and all three men are in the ring. Things break down a bit here but KENTA tries to fight off Edwards in the corner with some help from Danielson. Strong and Hero are locked up on the top rope in another corner, and Richards is alone on the top rope in yet another corner. Strong superplexe Hero. Danielon superbackdrops Edwards. And KENTA runs to the other corner and plants Richard with a super Michinoku Driver. They all lie half dead in the ring. Hero and Richards roll out. Danielson finally recovers and launches himself over the top rope at Hero. KENTA does the same to Richards.
<p>In the ring, Strong and Edwards excange strike over and over again until Strong gets rolled up and kicked in the face. Edwards tries for the lionsault again but Strong moves. Edwards is put in the corner and eats another big kick to the face. Strong rebounds off the opposite rope and hits another big flying kick that can't put Edwards away. But Strong muscles him up for the Gibson driver and that's a victory.
<p>4 star match.
<p>Winners: Bryan Danielson, KENTA, and Roderick Strong
<p>The ending fell a little flat to me. Overall, another great action packed main event on ROH TV.
<p>Hope you enjoyed reading,
<p>Mike Parisien.
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