ROH Final Battle, Hamerstein Ballroom, New York City, December 16, 2012.
Roderick Strong acc./Truth Martini defeated Michael Elgin
The first match of the evening saw a hard hitting contest between Roderick Strong and Oshawa's Michael Elgin. At one point, Elgin climbed on the second rope, took Strong who was on the apron and lift him up to a vertical supplex and dropped him in the ring. It was the first "Holy Shit" chant of the evening. The finish saw Strong use Martini's book to hit Elgin. He then did a supplex into a codebreaker for the pin. Very good match, easily a 4 stars match plus.
After the match, Strong had some words for Martini, who came to ringside after the match had started.
"I am done with you and all of your bullshit," he said to Martini.
Then Martini tried to get Elgin back in his stable, but Elgin gave him an answer he'd understand: a powerbomb in the corner followed by a solid strike to the delight of the crowd.
Jay Lethal beat Rhino
Steve Corino joined the commentators for this match. After the match he confronted Lethal about saying he'd interfere in the main-event. Jimmy Jacobs attacked Lethal, SCUM gave a beating to Lethal and Rhino speared him. SCUM and Rhino raised their hands together afterwards. Good match.
RD Evans acc/Ernie Osyris defeated Prince Nana
After the match, Tomasso Ciampa came from the crowd to get at Evans but was stop by security. Not a comedy match as one could expect.
Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin beat Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer in a street fight.
They used some singapore canes, belts, crutches, and even a Christmas tree.
The finish saw Haas with a german supplex to Whitmer from the second rope through a table, but Whitmer didn't complete the rotation and he got in head first. Very scary. He stayed several minutes on the mat before leaving with help. He looked to have a stiff neck as he was not moving it. But he could walk.
"The Prodigy" Mike Bennett acc./ Maria Kanellis and Brutal Bob Evans defeated Jerry Lynn in what is build as Lynn's last ROH
match
Good match, but this is clearly not the Lynn we used to know, even the Lynn who was ROH champion a few years ago. Maria interfere, Lynn went for it, Bennett caught him in his finisher for the count.
The crowd was really behind Lynn the whole match. There were chants of "You still got it" to Lynn. "It's all smoke and mirrors," Lynn said. He then thank ROH for the opportunity, as he kept his career going a few more years because of it. He also praised Cary Silkin. Nigel McGuinness came to give a plaque to Lynn and some of the babyfaces got out of backstage to show respect to Lynn.
As McGuinness was about to leave, Lethal came to the ring complaining about the fact he wasn't getting a title shot after Steen spit on his mom. He said again he would interfere in the main-event. He then said: "Steen spit on my mom, ROH spit on me, I spit on you" and he spit on Nigel. The latter pushed Lethal to the corner but all the referees and crew showed up to break this and McGuinness asked for Lethal to be escorted out
American Wolves beat Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish
Typical Wolves match. Lots of stiff kicks, submission holds, stiff forearms. Excellent match. Another 4 stars plus match. Awesome chants on two occasions. The finish saw Edwards working on O'Reilly's knee, twisting it as in a submission hold while kicking O'Reilly on the back of the head until he submit. The match was not too long, which helped it a lot, since it was a fast-paced action match.
Matt Hardy defeated the ROH TV champion Adam Cole in a non-title match
Matt Hardy got booed badly. Cole clearly the babyface here. "Fuck you Hardy" chant.
Ok match. Cole tried the figure four on two occasions. Some cool spots on the outside too. Hardy put Paul Turner's shirt on top of his head, low blow Cole and finish him off with a small package. Hardy is not in bad shape but let's say he's been in better shape.
The Briscoes defeated the ROH World Tag Team champions SCUM and Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman to win the ROH World Tag Team titles.
Lots of action. Jacobs hit Alexander with a roll of quarters, Alexander kicked out at two. The Briscoes got rid of Corino, took Jacobs in a Doomsday Device for the win.
After the match, The Briscoes said that El Generico would beat Steen tonight and SCUM would find itself with no more belts. They also challenged any team in the world.
ROH World champion Kevin Steen beat El Generico in a ladder war.
Huge pop for Generico. Steen got a pop too, but less than Generico. Although the general reaction was kinda similar.
Springboard DDT, Yakuza kick, dive to the outside by Generico. Generico hit Steen many times with a small ladder. Big "Ole" chant. Generico charged Steen, Steen backdropped Generico high in the air on the ladder and it broke in half. Holy shit spot.
Steen put the same broken ladder, well half of it, on Generico into the corner and did his running cannonball in on the ladder. Steen threw ladders at Generico. Generico went to throw one at Steen, he caught it and threw it back at him. Steen threw Generico on one of the guardrail and the guardrail fell down. He whipped Generico in the corner where a ladder was and Generico bump on it really high.
As Generico was laying down, Steen lay down as well to mock Generico. Steen put up the big ladder, started to climb but Generico reached his leg and supplexed him on a ladder. Generico climbed the ladder but Steen reached him too. Generico did another supplex to Steen on the ladder. He climbed the ladder but Steen pushed the ladder and Generico hit the top turnbuckle. "This is awesome" chant.
Generico tried another springboard DDT but Steen turned it into a backbreaker. Steen put a ladder between the apron and the guardrail. He then put a table on the ladder. He went for a powerbomb but Generico countered and backdropped him on the structure. Generico went to get a freakin huge ladder and the crowd chanted "Si, Si, Si"
Steen climbed on the top turnbuckle, Generico went for his Brainbustaah, Steen countered and did is F-Cinq on the outside on a table. He then started climbing the huge ladder. Generico got back in the ring and hit Steen with another ladder. Then, the small ladder is put through the two bigger ladders and Steen powerbombed Generico on it.
Generico countered a Package pilderiver with a package piledriver himself. Huge "Ole" chants. The fans seemed to believe Generico could win that one. Generico climbed on the small ladder, Steen pushed him off and he landed on his neck. Another small ladder is put between the two large ones.
It's the biggest ladders structure I've ever seen. It's like a scaffold. Steen kicked Generico in the nuts and applied his Package Piledriver on the the two shorter ladders. AWESOME spot! Unbelievable!!
Steen climbed the ladder and grabbed the belt for the win. Easily another 4 stars plus match, depending how you like that kind of match.
Great show top to bottom. No bad matches.
The top three matches were:
Elgin vs Strong
Wolves vs O'Reilly & Fish
Steen vs Generico
__________________
Pat Laprade
www.lutte.com
www.quebecwrestling.ca
Co-author of Mad Dogs, Midgets and ScrewJobs: The Untold Story of How Montreal Shaped the World of Wrestling (with Bertrand Hébert, ECW Press, February 2013)
Freelancer for RDS and SLAM! Wrestling
Roderick Strong acc./Truth Martini defeated Michael Elgin
The first match of the evening saw a hard hitting contest between Roderick Strong and Oshawa's Michael Elgin. At one point, Elgin climbed on the second rope, took Strong who was on the apron and lift him up to a vertical supplex and dropped him in the ring. It was the first "Holy Shit" chant of the evening. The finish saw Strong use Martini's book to hit Elgin. He then did a supplex into a codebreaker for the pin. Very good match, easily a 4 stars match plus.
After the match, Strong had some words for Martini, who came to ringside after the match had started.
"I am done with you and all of your bullshit," he said to Martini.
Then Martini tried to get Elgin back in his stable, but Elgin gave him an answer he'd understand: a powerbomb in the corner followed by a solid strike to the delight of the crowd.
Jay Lethal beat Rhino
Steve Corino joined the commentators for this match. After the match he confronted Lethal about saying he'd interfere in the main-event. Jimmy Jacobs attacked Lethal, SCUM gave a beating to Lethal and Rhino speared him. SCUM and Rhino raised their hands together afterwards. Good match.
RD Evans acc/Ernie Osyris defeated Prince Nana
After the match, Tomasso Ciampa came from the crowd to get at Evans but was stop by security. Not a comedy match as one could expect.
Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin beat Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer in a street fight.
They used some singapore canes, belts, crutches, and even a Christmas tree.
The finish saw Haas with a german supplex to Whitmer from the second rope through a table, but Whitmer didn't complete the rotation and he got in head first. Very scary. He stayed several minutes on the mat before leaving with help. He looked to have a stiff neck as he was not moving it. But he could walk.
"The Prodigy" Mike Bennett acc./ Maria Kanellis and Brutal Bob Evans defeated Jerry Lynn in what is build as Lynn's last ROH
match
Good match, but this is clearly not the Lynn we used to know, even the Lynn who was ROH champion a few years ago. Maria interfere, Lynn went for it, Bennett caught him in his finisher for the count.
The crowd was really behind Lynn the whole match. There were chants of "You still got it" to Lynn. "It's all smoke and mirrors," Lynn said. He then thank ROH for the opportunity, as he kept his career going a few more years because of it. He also praised Cary Silkin. Nigel McGuinness came to give a plaque to Lynn and some of the babyfaces got out of backstage to show respect to Lynn.
As McGuinness was about to leave, Lethal came to the ring complaining about the fact he wasn't getting a title shot after Steen spit on his mom. He said again he would interfere in the main-event. He then said: "Steen spit on my mom, ROH spit on me, I spit on you" and he spit on Nigel. The latter pushed Lethal to the corner but all the referees and crew showed up to break this and McGuinness asked for Lethal to be escorted out
American Wolves beat Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish
Typical Wolves match. Lots of stiff kicks, submission holds, stiff forearms. Excellent match. Another 4 stars plus match. Awesome chants on two occasions. The finish saw Edwards working on O'Reilly's knee, twisting it as in a submission hold while kicking O'Reilly on the back of the head until he submit. The match was not too long, which helped it a lot, since it was a fast-paced action match.
Matt Hardy defeated the ROH TV champion Adam Cole in a non-title match
Matt Hardy got booed badly. Cole clearly the babyface here. "Fuck you Hardy" chant.
Ok match. Cole tried the figure four on two occasions. Some cool spots on the outside too. Hardy put Paul Turner's shirt on top of his head, low blow Cole and finish him off with a small package. Hardy is not in bad shape but let's say he's been in better shape.
The Briscoes defeated the ROH World Tag Team champions SCUM and Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman to win the ROH World Tag Team titles.
Lots of action. Jacobs hit Alexander with a roll of quarters, Alexander kicked out at two. The Briscoes got rid of Corino, took Jacobs in a Doomsday Device for the win.
After the match, The Briscoes said that El Generico would beat Steen tonight and SCUM would find itself with no more belts. They also challenged any team in the world.
ROH World champion Kevin Steen beat El Generico in a ladder war.
Huge pop for Generico. Steen got a pop too, but less than Generico. Although the general reaction was kinda similar.
Springboard DDT, Yakuza kick, dive to the outside by Generico. Generico hit Steen many times with a small ladder. Big "Ole" chant. Generico charged Steen, Steen backdropped Generico high in the air on the ladder and it broke in half. Holy shit spot.
Steen put the same broken ladder, well half of it, on Generico into the corner and did his running cannonball in on the ladder. Steen threw ladders at Generico. Generico went to throw one at Steen, he caught it and threw it back at him. Steen threw Generico on one of the guardrail and the guardrail fell down. He whipped Generico in the corner where a ladder was and Generico bump on it really high.
As Generico was laying down, Steen lay down as well to mock Generico. Steen put up the big ladder, started to climb but Generico reached his leg and supplexed him on a ladder. Generico climbed the ladder but Steen reached him too. Generico did another supplex to Steen on the ladder. He climbed the ladder but Steen pushed the ladder and Generico hit the top turnbuckle. "This is awesome" chant.
Generico tried another springboard DDT but Steen turned it into a backbreaker. Steen put a ladder between the apron and the guardrail. He then put a table on the ladder. He went for a powerbomb but Generico countered and backdropped him on the structure. Generico went to get a freakin huge ladder and the crowd chanted "Si, Si, Si"
Steen climbed on the top turnbuckle, Generico went for his Brainbustaah, Steen countered and did is F-Cinq on the outside on a table. He then started climbing the huge ladder. Generico got back in the ring and hit Steen with another ladder. Then, the small ladder is put through the two bigger ladders and Steen powerbombed Generico on it.
Generico countered a Package pilderiver with a package piledriver himself. Huge "Ole" chants. The fans seemed to believe Generico could win that one. Generico climbed on the small ladder, Steen pushed him off and he landed on his neck. Another small ladder is put between the two large ones.
It's the biggest ladders structure I've ever seen. It's like a scaffold. Steen kicked Generico in the nuts and applied his Package Piledriver on the the two shorter ladders. AWESOME spot! Unbelievable!!
Steen climbed the ladder and grabbed the belt for the win. Easily another 4 stars plus match, depending how you like that kind of match.
Great show top to bottom. No bad matches.
The top three matches were:
Elgin vs Strong
Wolves vs O'Reilly & Fish
Steen vs Generico
__________________
Pat Laprade
www.lutte.com
www.quebecwrestling.ca
Co-author of Mad Dogs, Midgets and ScrewJobs: The Untold Story of How Montreal Shaped the World of Wrestling (with Bertrand Hébert, ECW Press, February 2013)
Freelancer for RDS and SLAM! Wrestling
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