Warner2BruceTD
2011 Poster Of The Year
Watch that awesome hype video. If you haven't followed ROH closely, it catches you right up with the key angles and matches for tomorrow.
ROH World Title - Kevin Steen (c) vs El Generico - Hands down, the best story in wrestling over the last three years. WWE hasn't booked a story this compelling in many, many years (if not decades). If you listen to the VSN/VOW podcast, you know how much myself & FedEx love El Generico. The best babyface in the business, without question, and should by all rights be in the WWE right now making millions of dollars with Punk, Bryan, and the rest of his contemporaries that he rose up with over the last decade. Steen is also phenomenal. When these guys get together, something special usually happens, and if nothing else this will produce a memorable angle if not a match of the year contender.
Adam Cole vs Matt Hardy - Cole might be the biggest long term potential star on the ROH roster. He had a big year in both ROH, and also in PWG where he defeated Steen for the PWG World Title and won the Battle of Los Angeles tournament. Hardy has been fantastic in his role as the veteran who throws backhanded compliments at Cole and is doing a superb job getting this story over. Check out this video, where Hardy cuts quite possibly the promo of his life:
SCUM (c) vs Briscoes vs Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander - SCUM is Jimmy Jacobs & Steve Corino. This is "sudden death" rules, which means only the champs can be involved in the finish. No eliminations. I think. It's not really clear.
American Wolves vs Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish - You will either love this or hate this, because these guys will beat the shit out of each other and 'selling' is in the eye of the beholder. I enjoy all four guys and I like the style. The big story here, is the reunion of the American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards), who during the latter part of the last decade were probably the best tag team in the business. O'Reilly turned on Richards, and Fish has sided with O'Reilly. Lots of kicks, dragon suplexes, nip ups, and fighting spirit screaming to go around. I can't wait.
Jerry Lynn vs Mike Bennett (w/Maria Kannelis & Brutal Bob) - Final Jerry Lynn match ever in ROH. Mike Bennett keeps getting the veteran rub, first in his great feud with Lance Storm earlier this year where Bennett ultimately went over, and now here, where he is a virtual lock to knock off the legit retiring Lynn. Lynn wraps up his ACW career in January, and finishes up for good later in 2013 against Lance Storm in New Jersey for PWS.
Michael Elgin vs Roderick Strong - Welp, this should have happened six months ago. Jim Cornette's booking left a lot to be desired in 2012, but his biggest mistake may have been botching the Michael Elgin face turn.
Jay Lethal vs Rhino - meh. Lethal was pegged for the main event by ex-booker Cornette, but the company switched gears when Hunter Johnson took over. So Lethal, who was in line for a major push, is back in line, working this throw away prelim that feels like it was shoehorned onto the show.
Haas & Benjamin vs Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer - It's a NYC STREET FIGHT. Try to contain your excitement.
Prince Nana vs "The Barrister" RD Evans - Perhaps the second biggest Cornette mistake was burying Robert Evans in the nothing role of "The Barrister". With his split from The Embassy, hopefully a bigger role awaits Evans. This will play for comedy. Both guys are fantastic at what they do. Evans is also a great wrestler when his role allows him to do so, but this doesn't need to be a great match, it needs to be a great angle. And with the people involved, I expect it to deliver.
