by Des Delgadillo
Please address any corrections to Des@Thingsdessays.net, or @DesDelgadillo on Twitter.
Order the live internet pay-per-view stream for this show at http://rohwrestling.com/ippv.
After a chaotic 2012, Ring of Honor looks to end the year with fireworks. Final Battle, the company's year-end extravaganza, takes place at its usual venue from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Dec. 17, and it promises something for everyone with a stacked card. From comedy matches featuring Prince Nana, to chaotic ladder matches, this show is guaranteed to satisfy your hankerin' for some quality pro wrestling. Let's take a look at what's going down in Manhattan.
Prince Nana vs. RD Evans. It's a match ROH fans can't wait to take in, but for all the wrong reasons. Nana found his niche in Ring of Honor as one of the company's most entertaining ringside heels, managing several incarnations of the Embassy stable. As a mouthpiece, Nana never fails to entertain, with his trademark, "Fools!" catchphrase, and his latest fixation with joyously singing, "We're in da money." But one can't help but cringe at the idea of Prince Nana stepping into an ROH ring after so long. Perhaps that's the point. RD Evans, formerly Nana's handpicked attorney to deal with the Embassy, destroyed Nana's alliances with former Embassy members Rhino and Tommaso Ciampa. Since then Evans has become an entertaining ROH character in his own right, cornering new ROH star QT Marshall. But after Nana's sporadic appearances on ROH TV over the past few months, culminating with Nana tearing Evans' clothes off in Pittsburgh, Nana looks to dish out some sweet revenge at Final Battle.
Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas vs. Rhett Titus and BJ Whitmer in a New York City streetfight. This feud has gone on for a very long time, and not in the good way like with Steen and Generico. It all began with Haas and Benjamin losing the tag team championships to Rhett Titus and Kenny King. Remember him? Probably not, because that match happened in June. It's December now! Over the months, Haas and Benjamin have done the evilest of deeds, including trying to destroy Kenny King and BJ Whitmer's manhood with a ringpost. Whitmer came in to replace King as Titus' partner, and we got more of the same. Rejoice, fans of jeans tucked into boots and weapon-littered brawls; this New York streetfight is for you, and only for you. The rest of us can take solace in the knowledge that after Dec. 16, the winners can move on to greener pastures, while the losers float toward the bottom of a shallow, lackluster tag team division.
Jay Lethal vs. Rhino. Jay Lethal has gone on record on television to tell us, potential paying customers, that his match with Rhino at Final Battle means nothing. "It doesn't matter who wins or loses," Lethal said. This match should serve as a launching point for a bigger angle involving Lethal either later on this show, or at the beginning of 2013. The Rahway incident back in October really put a damper on Lethal's championship aspirations after he went on a rampage after Steen spat on his mother. Since then, ROH storyline maintains Lethal will not receive a title shot against Steen, even though Lethal earned the opportunity by beating Davey Richards in the Survival of the Fittest tournament in October. Nonetheless, Lethal has promised that come hell or high water, he will "Fight the world champion" at Final Battle.
Jerry Lynn vs. Mike Bennett. It seems Mike Bennett's year has revolved around trying to dethrone some prime veterans. His trilogy with Lance Storm left the impression that big things were on the horizon for this ROH upstart, but since then his momentum has been at a complete standstill. Jerry Lynn's final match in ROH presents a huge opportunity for Bennett to propel himself up the ROH ranks by beating an established and revered veteran. Of course, Lynn comes into the match as the crowd favorite, with Bennett embracing a persona that the ROH fanbase detests almost as much as former WWE stars (we'll get to that though). Fans expect Lynn to give everything he has for his last big hurrah in ROH, and I doubt the ROH faithful will be disappointed.
Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards vs. Bobby Fish & Kyle O'reilly. The O'Reilly-Richards program has been building since Best in the World when O'Reilly broke any affiliation he once had with Richards. Since then, O'Reilly has seemingly fallen off the face of the earth, appearing only to bad-mouth Richards. After Richards tried to make peace with O'Reilly, Bobby Fish inserted himself into the already combustible equation. Showcasing Fish and O'Reilly together on IPPV should be nothing short of fantastic. Factor in the reunion of the American Wolves, and there just might be hope for Ring of Honor's tag team division after all.
Michael Elgin vs. Roderick Strong. This match has been in the making for months, ever since Michael Elgin blew away spectators with a five-star match against Davey Richards back in April. Since then Roderick Strong has exhibited childlike jealousy, eager to win the sole affection from papa Truth Martini. The resounding theme in ROH over the summer was the gradual implosion of the House of Truth, with Elgin cashing in his survival of the Fittest championship shot, Roderick Strong announcing a strike from the stable, and an ornery Rhino tossing Martini into a guardrail in Toronto. But the straw that broke the camel's back came at Glory by Honor XI after Elgin's fantastic match against champion Kevin Steen, with Elgin delivering his signature spinning sit-out powerbomb to Strong. And so, despite all Martini's efforts to keep his "Family" together, the House was no more. Over the past few weeks Martini has made pleas to both men to avoid going to war on Dec. 16, but neither wrestler will have it. The culmination of a story, and perhaps the beginning of a new chapter in both men's careers, comes in New York at Final Battle.
Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. The Briscoes vs. Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs in a "sudden death rules" three-way for the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships. All three of these teams have beaten one another in the past, and now they meet in a three-way. That's pretty much the whole story. This very well could be Coleman and Alexander's opportunity to shine in the tag team division, which would bring a breath of fresh air to the currently stagnant couple of teams on top. One added stipulation in the match, "Sudden death rules," simply means that the champions must be involved in the decision. Why Nigel, the babyface, would make the match easier for Corino and Jacobs, the heels, is beyond me.
Matt Hardy vs. Adam Cole in a non-title match. Adam Cole has been on a prolific roll this year, gaining notoriety back in March when he pinned then world champion Davey Richards, coming back in a bloody brawl with former Future Shock partner Kyle O'Reilly, beating Roderick Strong for the television championship, and winning Pro Wrestling Guerrilla's Battle of Los Angeles tournament and going on to beat Kevin Steen for the PWG World Title last weekend. Cole's star shines more brightly now than ever, and Matt Hardy looks to get a piece of the action. AT Death Before Dishonor X in Chicago, Hardy graced the show with his superstar presence, berating Adam Cole for not being as good at 22 as Hardy was at that age. Since then, Hardy has appeared numerous times on ROH TV massaging his superstar ego, and belittling ROH fans. The reaction to Hardy from ROH fans has been beyond negative, with fans chastising ROH for bringing Hardy into the promotion in the first place. In reality, it's a matter of ROH for once understanding its fanbase and pushing its buttons to perfection. One would assume this would be a perfect way to establish Cole even further by having him beat a star like Hardy, but the non-title stipulation for this match throws everything into disarray. Perhaps Hardy wins, and Cole beats him in their eventual title match. It's a polarizing feud in Ring of Honor, one that we'll have to tune in and see, more because of our support of a home-grown talent like Cole.
El Generico vs. Kevin Steen in a ladder war for the Ring of Honor World Championship. There's a Final Battle hype video on the site right now. Stop reading and go watch it. As a promotional tool for casual ROH fans on the fence about buying this show, it is a work of art. The video recaps the history between Steen and Generico, going back to their reign as tag team champions, to the chair shot heard around the world, to Generico ending Steen's career at Final Battle 2010, all the way to the moment of perfect drama when Steen, after triumphing over Michael Elgin, opened a mystery box to reveal Generico's mask. It's the kind of video that grabs you and compels you to watch the next chapter in these two's unparalleled history unfold, no questions asked. Don't let the dressed up name fool you; a "Ladder war" is, for all intents and purposes, a ladder match. But on Sunday I fully expect a war. Generico and Steen are both just a little on the insane side, and with both in the ring together, a desire to top their match at Final Battle 2010 will push them to unimaginable levels of awesome. The end result might be a foregone conclusion, but let's not talk about that just now. Tune in and enjoy the show.
Please address any corrections to Des@Thingsdessays.net, or @DesDelgadillo on Twitter.
Order the live internet pay-per-view stream for this show at http://rohwrestling.com/ippv.
After a chaotic 2012, Ring of Honor looks to end the year with fireworks. Final Battle, the company's year-end extravaganza, takes place at its usual venue from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Dec. 17, and it promises something for everyone with a stacked card. From comedy matches featuring Prince Nana, to chaotic ladder matches, this show is guaranteed to satisfy your hankerin' for some quality pro wrestling. Let's take a look at what's going down in Manhattan.
Prince Nana vs. RD Evans. It's a match ROH fans can't wait to take in, but for all the wrong reasons. Nana found his niche in Ring of Honor as one of the company's most entertaining ringside heels, managing several incarnations of the Embassy stable. As a mouthpiece, Nana never fails to entertain, with his trademark, "Fools!" catchphrase, and his latest fixation with joyously singing, "We're in da money." But one can't help but cringe at the idea of Prince Nana stepping into an ROH ring after so long. Perhaps that's the point. RD Evans, formerly Nana's handpicked attorney to deal with the Embassy, destroyed Nana's alliances with former Embassy members Rhino and Tommaso Ciampa. Since then Evans has become an entertaining ROH character in his own right, cornering new ROH star QT Marshall. But after Nana's sporadic appearances on ROH TV over the past few months, culminating with Nana tearing Evans' clothes off in Pittsburgh, Nana looks to dish out some sweet revenge at Final Battle.
Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas vs. Rhett Titus and BJ Whitmer in a New York City streetfight. This feud has gone on for a very long time, and not in the good way like with Steen and Generico. It all began with Haas and Benjamin losing the tag team championships to Rhett Titus and Kenny King. Remember him? Probably not, because that match happened in June. It's December now! Over the months, Haas and Benjamin have done the evilest of deeds, including trying to destroy Kenny King and BJ Whitmer's manhood with a ringpost. Whitmer came in to replace King as Titus' partner, and we got more of the same. Rejoice, fans of jeans tucked into boots and weapon-littered brawls; this New York streetfight is for you, and only for you. The rest of us can take solace in the knowledge that after Dec. 16, the winners can move on to greener pastures, while the losers float toward the bottom of a shallow, lackluster tag team division.
Jay Lethal vs. Rhino. Jay Lethal has gone on record on television to tell us, potential paying customers, that his match with Rhino at Final Battle means nothing. "It doesn't matter who wins or loses," Lethal said. This match should serve as a launching point for a bigger angle involving Lethal either later on this show, or at the beginning of 2013. The Rahway incident back in October really put a damper on Lethal's championship aspirations after he went on a rampage after Steen spat on his mother. Since then, ROH storyline maintains Lethal will not receive a title shot against Steen, even though Lethal earned the opportunity by beating Davey Richards in the Survival of the Fittest tournament in October. Nonetheless, Lethal has promised that come hell or high water, he will "Fight the world champion" at Final Battle.
Jerry Lynn vs. Mike Bennett. It seems Mike Bennett's year has revolved around trying to dethrone some prime veterans. His trilogy with Lance Storm left the impression that big things were on the horizon for this ROH upstart, but since then his momentum has been at a complete standstill. Jerry Lynn's final match in ROH presents a huge opportunity for Bennett to propel himself up the ROH ranks by beating an established and revered veteran. Of course, Lynn comes into the match as the crowd favorite, with Bennett embracing a persona that the ROH fanbase detests almost as much as former WWE stars (we'll get to that though). Fans expect Lynn to give everything he has for his last big hurrah in ROH, and I doubt the ROH faithful will be disappointed.
Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards vs. Bobby Fish & Kyle O'reilly. The O'Reilly-Richards program has been building since Best in the World when O'Reilly broke any affiliation he once had with Richards. Since then, O'Reilly has seemingly fallen off the face of the earth, appearing only to bad-mouth Richards. After Richards tried to make peace with O'Reilly, Bobby Fish inserted himself into the already combustible equation. Showcasing Fish and O'Reilly together on IPPV should be nothing short of fantastic. Factor in the reunion of the American Wolves, and there just might be hope for Ring of Honor's tag team division after all.
Michael Elgin vs. Roderick Strong. This match has been in the making for months, ever since Michael Elgin blew away spectators with a five-star match against Davey Richards back in April. Since then Roderick Strong has exhibited childlike jealousy, eager to win the sole affection from papa Truth Martini. The resounding theme in ROH over the summer was the gradual implosion of the House of Truth, with Elgin cashing in his survival of the Fittest championship shot, Roderick Strong announcing a strike from the stable, and an ornery Rhino tossing Martini into a guardrail in Toronto. But the straw that broke the camel's back came at Glory by Honor XI after Elgin's fantastic match against champion Kevin Steen, with Elgin delivering his signature spinning sit-out powerbomb to Strong. And so, despite all Martini's efforts to keep his "Family" together, the House was no more. Over the past few weeks Martini has made pleas to both men to avoid going to war on Dec. 16, but neither wrestler will have it. The culmination of a story, and perhaps the beginning of a new chapter in both men's careers, comes in New York at Final Battle.
Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. The Briscoes vs. Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs in a "sudden death rules" three-way for the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships. All three of these teams have beaten one another in the past, and now they meet in a three-way. That's pretty much the whole story. This very well could be Coleman and Alexander's opportunity to shine in the tag team division, which would bring a breath of fresh air to the currently stagnant couple of teams on top. One added stipulation in the match, "Sudden death rules," simply means that the champions must be involved in the decision. Why Nigel, the babyface, would make the match easier for Corino and Jacobs, the heels, is beyond me.
Matt Hardy vs. Adam Cole in a non-title match. Adam Cole has been on a prolific roll this year, gaining notoriety back in March when he pinned then world champion Davey Richards, coming back in a bloody brawl with former Future Shock partner Kyle O'Reilly, beating Roderick Strong for the television championship, and winning Pro Wrestling Guerrilla's Battle of Los Angeles tournament and going on to beat Kevin Steen for the PWG World Title last weekend. Cole's star shines more brightly now than ever, and Matt Hardy looks to get a piece of the action. AT Death Before Dishonor X in Chicago, Hardy graced the show with his superstar presence, berating Adam Cole for not being as good at 22 as Hardy was at that age. Since then, Hardy has appeared numerous times on ROH TV massaging his superstar ego, and belittling ROH fans. The reaction to Hardy from ROH fans has been beyond negative, with fans chastising ROH for bringing Hardy into the promotion in the first place. In reality, it's a matter of ROH for once understanding its fanbase and pushing its buttons to perfection. One would assume this would be a perfect way to establish Cole even further by having him beat a star like Hardy, but the non-title stipulation for this match throws everything into disarray. Perhaps Hardy wins, and Cole beats him in their eventual title match. It's a polarizing feud in Ring of Honor, one that we'll have to tune in and see, more because of our support of a home-grown talent like Cole.
El Generico vs. Kevin Steen in a ladder war for the Ring of Honor World Championship. There's a Final Battle hype video on the site right now. Stop reading and go watch it. As a promotional tool for casual ROH fans on the fence about buying this show, it is a work of art. The video recaps the history between Steen and Generico, going back to their reign as tag team champions, to the chair shot heard around the world, to Generico ending Steen's career at Final Battle 2010, all the way to the moment of perfect drama when Steen, after triumphing over Michael Elgin, opened a mystery box to reveal Generico's mask. It's the kind of video that grabs you and compels you to watch the next chapter in these two's unparalleled history unfold, no questions asked. Don't let the dressed up name fool you; a "Ladder war" is, for all intents and purposes, a ladder match. But on Sunday I fully expect a war. Generico and Steen are both just a little on the insane side, and with both in the ring together, a desire to top their match at Final Battle 2010 will push them to unimaginable levels of awesome. The end result might be a foregone conclusion, but let's not talk about that just now. Tune in and enjoy the show.
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