Chris Hero vs. Roderick Strong
The bell rings and both men circle each other. The crowd is way over for Hero. Roddy bails to the floor. Hero sends Roderick into the ropes and hits a shoulderblock, then another. Hero flips over the ropes to the outside and catches Strong with a big boot. Hero takes Roddy down to the mat and hits a big splash to Strong’s back. Hero catches Strong with a big chop in the corner, then another against the ropes.
Hero beats on Strong in the corner before sending him across the ring and hitting him with a big running elbow. Hero goes for the pin but Roddy fights out of it. Hero locks on a cravat, wrenching away at Strong’s neck. Strong is able to fight out of it, and avoid a monkey flip, hitting Hero with a nasty chop to the chest. Hero responds with a big boot to the face that sends Strong to the outside. Hero goes out to the apron and drops to the floor as Strong makes his way back into the ring. Strong distracts the ref and Martini hits Hero with the Book of Truth.
Roddy heads out to the floor and hits Hero with a couple of chops before picking him up and dropping him with a belly to back suplex on the apron. Strong sends Hero back into the ring and begins working him over with repeated right hands, going for the cover and getting one. Roddy hits Hero with chops and kicks in the corner, choking him with his boot.
Roddy sends Hero into the corner, and Hero tries for an elbow, but Strong backs him up into the corner yet again. Strong stomps at Hero before simply standing on his chest. Strong picks Hero up and chops him hard against the ropes before catching him with a boot to the side of the face. Strong drops to the outside and brings Hero with him, sending him into the barricade and hitting him with another nasty chop.
Strong heads back into the ring and distracts the ref again as Martini rips away at Hero’s face. Strong makes his way back out and hits Hero with a chop before sending him back into the ring. Hero catches Roddy with a kick as he makes his way back into the ring, and he slides back to the outside. Strong is able to whip Hero into the barricade yet again, knocking him down to the floor. Strong picks Hero up over his shoulders and rolls him back into the ring, going for the cover and getting a two count. Strong locks in a rear chin lock.
Hero fights up to his feet and Strong hits him with several clubbing blows to the chest to drop him back down to the mat. Strong locks in another rear chin lock, ripping at Hero’s face, before breaking the hold and kicking away hard at Hero’s face and chest.
Hero fights back with chops and Roddy responds with forearms. Hero begins throwing forearms back. He misses an elbow but connects with a flash kick to the side of the head, and both men are down.
Both men get up and Hero catches Strong with an elbow, then a chop to the chest. Hero walks through a chop and hits strong with a big elbow before slamming him to the mat and hitting another back senton. Roddy rolls out to the floor, and Hero won’t have it, jumping out to the apron, then back into the ring and hitting a big baseball slide to the outside on Strong. Hero catches Strong with another couple of big forearms before sending Strong back into the ring. Hero follows and hits Strong with a running big boot in the corner before placing Strong on the top turnbuckle and hitting a cravat suplex to plant Strong in the middle of the ring for another two count.
Hero picks Strong up to his feet and goes for the death blow elbow but Strong fights it off and hits a jumping knee that puts Hero down for a two count. Strong picks Hero up in the corner and lights him up with chops before seating him on the top turnbuckle. Hero shoves Strong away, but Strong comes right back, kicking Hero in the back. Roddy goes up after Hero again and picks him up, dropping him down back first on the top turnbuckle for another two count. Strong locks in the Stronghold.
Hero is able to turn over the hold and kick Strong away, getting to his feet and hitting another cravat suplex. Martini tries to coach Strong in the corner, but Strong eats a big leaping elbow, a stomp to the back of the head and a rolling elbow, but it’s still not enough to put Roddy down for a three count.
Hero pulls Strong into the middle of the ring and goes up to the top for the moonsault. Roddy moves but Hero lands on his feet. Roddy suplexes Hero into the corner, hits a big kick, a gutbuster, and a gibson driver, pinning Hero, but Hero wont stay down!
Roddy stomps away at Hero, hitting him with rights to the side of the head. Hero gets to his feet and responds with a big elbow, then a big chop. Roddy chops Hero, and both men go back and forth. Roddy catches Hero with a knee to the gut. Hero hits a big clothesline, then a huge rolling elbow, then another, and a giant rolling kick. Hero goes for the cover but Strong kicks out at two.
Hero picks Strong up and connects with the death blow elbow, but when Hero pins Strong, Truth Martini dives into the ring to break up the pin. Hero rolls out of the ring and stalks Truth around the ring. He chases Martini into the ring and catches him, but Roddy rolls up Hero. Hero kicks Roddy off and connects with a kick to Truth, but Roddy hits the sick kick, and pins Hero for the three count.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Following the match, Strong celebrates all the way to the back with Martini. Hero doesn’t stay for long, rolling out of the ring and heading straight to the back without acknowledging the crowd.
Kevin Kelly send it into a video package setting up the rivalry between the Briscoe’s and Wrestling Greatest Tag Team. There is apparently no video package however, instead we just get Nigel’s thoughts on the match before the Briscoe’s make their way out to the ring to a big pop from this NYC crowd.
The ROH World Tag Team Champions, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, make their way out to the ring next, and they get a mixed reaction overall, surprisingly.
ROH World Tag Team Championship Match
Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (c) vs. The Briscoe’s
Bobby Cruise does formal ring introductions for both teams and we’re ready to begin the semi-main event.
Haas and Benjamin blast the Briscoe’s with the titles before the ref can call for the bell. They lay into the Briscoe’s with boots that send the brothers out to the floor. On the outside the Briscoe’s are sent into the barricade with Jay being suplexed into the barricade by Haas and Mark being whipped into the barricade by Shelton. Haas whips Jay into the barricade and Shelton suplexes Mark on the entrance ramp. Haas whips Jay into the barricade yet again and this is just a flat out brawl. Haas suplexes Jay into the apron again, and Shelton back drops Mark on the floor.
Haas has a chair and he uses it to hit Jay across the back. Shelton has a chair and he uses it to hit Mark in the head. Shelton slams Mark head first into a chair on the apron. Haas continues to wear out Jay with the chair in the ring before hitting Mark with a straight up chair shot to the face. Haas flips off the NYC crowd before hitting Jay with a forearm to the face. Haas whips Mark into a chair shot to the face from Shelton.
Haas goes out to the floor where he continues to fight Mark, and Shelton works over Jay, hitting him with another chair shot. Mark is sent back first into the barricade by Haas before being sent back into the ring. Shelton continues working on Jay on the outside and Haas is absolutely working Mark with chair shots to the back. Shelton throws Jay into the barricade hard.
The crowd is not happy with the actions of Haas and Benjamin. On the inside Haas holds up Jay in a full nelson so Shelton can drive a chair into his gut. Shelton prevents Mark from getting into the ring, then holds Jay up so Haas can whack him with the chair. Haas hits Mark with a couple of shots from the chair, and Jay fights back for a bit, only to be hit with another shot from Haas. Haas hits Jay with another shot from the chair to the top of the head, and Jay Briscoe is bleeding.
Haas chokes Briscoe in the corner before kicking him square in the groin. Mark begins to fight back, but he’s thrown over the top to the outside by Haas. Shelton hits a belly to back suplex on Jay in the middle of the ring, and Jay continues to bleed heavily. Shelton and Charlie pose on the turnbuckles, and the crowd are showering them with boos. Shelton places Jay on the top rope while Charlie holds on to his legs. Shelton leaps over Charlie onto Jay’s back. We finally get the bell as Mark makes his way into the ring. Mark fights off both Benjamin and Haas for a bit before being planted with a DDT by Shelton.
Shelton picks Mark up to his feet and they set Mark up on the ropes with Haas holding the legs again. Shelton hits the ropes, but when he turns around Jay hits him with a superkick out of nowhere. Jay stands up and Haas is there to stare him down. The two men look at each other for a long time before each man hits a right. They trade rights for a bit, each getting fired up, and Haas hits a big kick to the chest that stops Jay in his tracks.
Shelton picks Mark up in the corner and hits him with a big right hand before sending him across the ring and hitting a big splash. Shelton sells his injured ribs, and when he turns around he eats a spear from Mark. Jay is back in the ring and he catches Haas with a big forearm before he and Mark hit a double Beale toss on Shelton.
Jay rips off Shelton’s shirt to expose his taped ribs, before he chokes him with his own t-shirt, then stomps away at him. Mark tags in to the match and he beats on Shelton in the corner, burying his shoulder in Shelton’s midsection repeatedly before tagging back out to Jay. Jay comes in and hits Shelton with a big kick in the corner before taking him across the ring and slamming him head first into the turnbuckle, then laying in with a couple of chops. Jay hits Shelton with clubbing blows to the ribs before hitting a running clothesline in the corner. Shelton is able to hit a back body drop and make the tag to Haas who comes in and peppers Jay with a couple of jabs and back elbows before he hits a big clothesline.
Haas hits a back drop on Mark before hitting Jay with a knee lift, and a beautiful exploder suplex for a two count. Haas shoves Jay into the corner but eats a boot to the face, only to come right back with a powerslam. Mark breaks up a pin, but he’s thrown hard to the outside by Shelton. Back in the ring Haas sends Jay into the ropes and hits an atomic drop, Shelton follows up with a superkick and Haas pins Jay for two. On the outside, Mark whips Shelton into the barricade. Haas charges Jay in the corner, but Jay plants him into the turnbuckle with a reverse STO. Mark hits a running kick in the corner before he plants Charlie in the middle of the ring for Jay to pin him, but he only gets two.
The Briscoe’s call for the doomsday device. Jay goes for the Jay driller first, but Shelton pulls Mark to the outside and Haas fights out of it. Haas hits Jay with a German suplex, then a second, and finally a third. Haas poses for the crowd, to their boos.
Haas locks in the Haas of pain on Jay, cranking back and pulling hard. Mark is up in the corner and Shelton lays himself across Haas, but Mark leaps off the top with a big elbow drop, and crashes into Shelton, breaking up the pin and sending Shelton to the outside. Paul Turner heads to the outside to check on Shelton and calls for help, bringing down several other officials who check on Benjamin. The Briscoe’s use the opportunity to double team Haas with Jay holding up Haas and Mark laying in punches.
Shelton is carted to the back by referees and Mark is finally pushed out of the ring by the ref on the inside. Jay makes the tag and both men hit a double shoulderblock to Haas, putting him down to the mat. Mark chokes Haas, drawing a four count before he breaks and tags out to Jay. The Briscoe’s go for a double back drop, but Haas stops himself, kicks Jay, and hits Mark with an Angle slam that also knocks out the ref, and here comes Shelton Benjamin back to the match.
Benjamin goes under the ring and grabs a wood plank, breaking it over Jay’s head, drawing ‘hooooooo’ and ‘USA’ chants from the crowd.
Haas picks up part of the board and uses it to blast Jay across the back while the ref is still down. Haas picks Jay up to his feet and seats him on his shoulders. Shelton goes up to the top, but Mark hits Shelton with a piece of broken table and Benjamin falls to the outside. Jay hits Haas with a superkick, and the Briscoe’s connect with the doomsday device on Haas, double pinning him, and scoring the three count, and their seventh World Championship.
Winners and NEW ROH Tag Team Champions: The Briscoe Brothers
The Briscoe’s get a bunch of post-match streamers as they’re handed their belts. Jay kisses the title before holding it up in the air to the cheers of the crowd.
Haas and Benjamin look dejected and disappointed as Dem Boys makes their way to the back with their newly won titles.
Kelly and McGuinness turn their attention to the main event of the evening that sees the ROH World Champion, Davey Richards, taking on his partner and friend, Eddie Edwards.
Eddie Edwards is the first man to make his way out to the ring, and like anyone who’s watched ROH for any period of time can tell you, he is over in New York. Edwards is accompanied to the ring by Dan Severn, who looks a lot older than I thought he would.
Davey Richards it out next, and he too gets a nice reaction from the crowd. Richards is accompanied to the ring by Kyle O’Rielly and Tony Kozina.
ROH World Championship Match
Davey Richards (c) vs. Eddie Edwards
We get formal ring introductions for both men, and it’s finally time for the final ROH match of 2011.
Richards and Edwards have words while the referee is cleaning the streamers from the ring.
Edwards and Richards stand toe to toe, having a few more words and staring each other down before finally shaking hands.
The bell rings and Edwards charges in with a big kick right away. Both men catch a couple of forearms and Davey hits a big kick to the chest. Eddie goes for the dragon sleeper but Davey fights out. Davey goes for a couple of kicks, but they’re all blocked by Edwards.
Both men back off and the crowd seems to be pretty split as to who to cheer for. Eddie takes Davey down to the mat and both men trade holds before backing away from each other again.
Davey takes Eddie down to the mat and ties up his leg, but Eddie wraps his hands around Davey’s face. Davey goes up to his feet and continues to stretch Eddie’s leg, rolling over and tying up Eddie’s legs, putting pressure on the knees and ankles. Eddie makes it to the ropes to force a break and Davey backs off.
We get a lock up and Davey backs Eddie up into the ropes. Davey breaks clean but Eddie shoves him. Davey hits a forearm but Eddie hits a chop that sends him to the mat. Eddie sends Davey to the mat again with a back elbow before locking in a rear chin lock.
Davey kicks away to break the hold, so Eddie responds with a kick to the back of the head before grinding his boot into Davey’s face. Davey is able to come back by catching Edwards with a boot to the chest coming out of the corner. Davey goes for the ankle lock but Edwards makes it into the ropes. Eddie gets back to his feet and Davey hits him with a nasty kick to the chest. Davey hits Eddie with a snap mare that sends him down to the mat before tying him up in a submission and working over Eddie’s arms and legs.
Nigel calls the submission a modified scorpion death lock with a hammerlock. Eddie makes it to the ropes to force a break. Eddie gets back to his feet and both men hit each other with forearms until Davey hits Eddie with a kick to the gut. Davey hits another big kick to Eddie’s chest, but Eddie comes back with a suplex that sends Richards to the outside. Eddie follows and lights Davey up with a big chop to the chest before he whips the champ into the barricade and hits him with another chop to the chest.
Davey and Eddie hit each other with chops before Richards whips Edwards into the barricade and hits him with a huge running boot to the face. Richards sends Edwards back into the ring and follows, but he gets a big chop to the chest for his troubles right away. Edwards ties up Davey’s leg and bridges back, putting all the pressure on Davey’s knees.
Davey is able to punch his way out of the hold, but Edwards comes right back, hitting him with a rough head butt in the corner, then another. Edwards follows Richards around the ring, hitting him with another head butt. Richards back drops Edwards to the outside where he hits his face on the apron. Edwards ducks a kick from the apron but Richards connects with a second attempt before hitting Edwards with a nasty kick to the chest. Richards heads back into the ring and launches himself through the ropes with a tope that sends Eddie crashing into the barricade.
Richards sends Edwards back into the ring and heads to the top, coming back into the ring with a missile dropkick to the side of the head that’s good for a two count. Richards goes for a suplex but Edwards fights it off. Davey lays in with a series of forearms, tying him up in the ropes and continuing to lay in blows to the side of the head. Richards suplexes Edwards into the middle of the ring and goes for the pin but Eddie kicks out at two.
Richards hits a running knee in the corner and goes for another suplex but Eddie fights it off and hits a big chop. Both men jockey for position, and Davey is able to roll through into a knee bar, transitioning into an ankle lock, but Eddie fights it off and rolls Davey through into the achilles lock. Davey turns it into a small package but Edwards kicks out. Big suplex from Edwards and both men are down on the mat.
Both men make their way up to their feet and Eddie charges Davey in the corner, hitting him with a big chop to the chest. Eddie whips Davey across the ring and hits him with another big chop. Edwards hits a leaping leg lariat that puts Davey down to the mat for another two count. Edwards picks up Richards to his feet and tries for the die hard, but Richards fights it off. Both men trade forearms but neither will go down.
Eddie sends Davey into the ropes and he hits a back handspring, but Edwards catches Richards and dumps him over the top rope. Edwards leaps out to the apron and hits an asai moonsault, smashing his knee into the barricade in the process, and wiping out the champ.
Edwards is able to stand and send Richards back into the ring. Eddie heads to the top and tries for the double stomp but Davey moves. Davey goes to the top but Eddie hits an enzugiri and connects with a backpack stunner for another two count.
Edwards picks Richards up to his feet but Davey tosses Eddie into the corner. Edwards comes back with a codebreaker. Davey tries for the cross armbreaker but Eddie turns it into a roll up. Eddie tries for another roll up, then turns it into an STF before breaking and going for an ankle lock, Davey’s own hold.
Davey is able to kick Edwards off, but Edwards responds by grabbing Davey’s arm and kicking repeatedly at his head before rolling him up to his knees and hitting a big chop to the chest. Davey stands to his feet and both men stare each other down. Davey slaps Eddie so Eddie responds in kind. They trade many slaps to the face, then Eddie hits a couple of chops before Davey hits repeated slaps to the face. Eddie hits a superkick but Davey hits a big lariat. Cover from Davey for a one. Discus clothesline from Davey for a two count. Davey heads to the top rope and comes off with a double stomp to Edwards’ back, then a kick to the chest. Davey heads to the top and hits another double stomp, this one to Edwards’ chest, but it’s still not enough to keep Eddie down for the three count.
Davey picks Eddie up and hits him with a big kick that sends him into the corner. Davey seats Eddie up on the top turnbuckle, and follows after him. Davey and Eddie trade some nasty head butts before wearing each other out with right hands. Davey connects with an enzugiri, then another big head butt before heading up to the top and connecting with a big superplex. Davey rolls through and picks Eddie up, delivering a suplex over the top rope sending both men tumbling out over the apron and to the floor.
Both men are able to make it back into the ring before the 20 count, but they still struggle to make it up to their feet. Both men eventually do get back up and they charge into the middle of the ring, both hitting big kicks. Then again. Edwards hits a big chop only to eat a kick from Richards. Edwards hits another big chop, only to get a kick to the chest. Another chop, another kick. Another chop, then another and a third from Edwards, backing him up into the corner and hitting Kenta Kobashi-esque chops in the corner. Richards responds by backing up Edwards with kicks, then hitting him with numerous kicks in the corners. Edwards turns it around hitting numerous chops, only for Richards to turn it around and hit him with more kicks to the chest, and even a couple to the face.
Eddie makes it to his feet and both men are back in the center of the ring to stare each other down. Edwards slaps Richards, then they trade chops and kicks. Richards kicks Edwards in the head. Eddie hits Richards with slaps to the face. More kicks to the head, enzugiri from Edwards. Eddie hits Davey with a backdrop driver and Davey responds in kind. Another backdrop driver from Eddie and another from Davey. Dragon suplex from Eddie, and one from Davey.
Both men trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Richards hits the alarm clock, and Edwards connects with a knee to the face. Both men are down and Roderick Strong is down to the ring. Kyle O’Rielly isn’t happy, but Roddy throws him into the barricade, then he throws Kozina into the barricade, but he’s backed up and eventually assaulted by Severn. Elgin is down to attack Severn and Severn fights him off. Severn gets a hold of Martini and drags him off to the back while Team Richards fights off the rest of the House of Truth and Richards and Edwards are still down in the ring.
Both men make it up to the feet before the ten count, just barely. Eddie is on wobbly legs, but so is Davey. They wander back toward the middle of the ring and Edwards shrugs. Richards hits him with a forearm, then Eddie responds with one of his own. They trade forearms and both are dripping with sweat. Eddie hits a big boot to the face, so Richards hits one of his own. Eddie hits another, and then a third. He traps Davey’s arms and hits a big suplex, sending Davey down hard in the corner.
The referee begins the count again, but Edwards makes it up to his feet and picks up Richards. Eddie seats Richards on the corner facing away from the ring and he follows up after him. Eddie traps Davey’s arms, but Davey is able to fight it off with repeated elbows. Edwards hits a running knee to stop Davey cold in the corner again. Both men stand on the top rope and Eddie hits a hurricarana before dropkicking Richards into the corner, hitting a powerbomb and a sit-out powerbomb. Eddie holds on to pin Davey, but Davey kicks out at two. Eddie hits a superkick while Davey’s on his knees, then hits a chop to the throat, but it still wont put Davey down for three. Eddie locks in the dragon sleeper but Richards reverses into a roll up for two. Edwards is able to lock in the dragon sleeper again but Davey fights up to his feet, only to be put down with a tombstone piledriver, then the die hard, but Richards still kicks out at two!
The crowd is absolutely loving this match, and I have to agree that it is pretty darn awesome. Eddie picks Davey up to his feet and takes him over into the corner, seating him on the top turnbuckle and hitting him with a big chop. Eddie goes up after Davey and tries to get him up for a superplex, but Davey fights him off, hitting a head butt and trying for a sunset powerbomb. Edwards holds on to the ropes and fights Richards way, but Richards comes back with a blow to the back of the knee that seats Edwards down on the top turnbuckle. Richards hits Edwards with big clubbing blows to the chest before going up to the top and hitting a big full nelson suplex from the top rope, pinning Edwards, but he still can’t keep him down for three!
Edwards goes out to the apron and Richards follows. Richards tries for another big suplex but Edwards fights it off. Edwards eats a couple of big kicks to the chest, but he comes back with some huge chops. Davey catches Eddie and suplexes him from the ring apron down to the floor. I didn’t see if Eddie hit the apron, but it was a nasty landing either way.
Eddie is able to make it back to his feet and into the ring, but he catches a kick to the side of the face from Richards, and a big full nelson suplex on the apron that sends Edwards crashing back out to the floor, and the referee beginning the count again.
Edwards is a man possessed as he wont stay down, making his way back to his feet and up into the ring, and Richards can’t believe it.
Richards stares down Edwards as he lays on the mat, struggling to make his way up to his feet. Richards has a look of disgust on his face. Richards picks Edwards up to his knees and kicks him in the face, then to the side of the head. Richards goes for the pin but it’s still not enough to keep Eddie down. Richards locks in the ankle lock and Edwards screams in pain, but he’s able to roll through into a roll up. Richards kicks out and keeps it locked in. Richards breaks and hits a huge kick to Edwards’ face, but it’s still not enough.
Richards stares Eddie down and hits him with three huge kicks to the side of the head, and that’s finally enough to keep Eddie Edwards down for a three count.
Winner and STILL ROH World Champion: Davey Richards
Richards is another recipient of post-match streamers, as he bends down to check on his partner. Davey asks for the mic.
Richards asks if the crowd wants to hear some honesty. He says when he got to the arena today Cornette said that no matter what happened tonight, he wants the winner to let the loser that he’s the toughest guy they’ve ever been in the ring with, but Davey doesn’t need to say that, because the crowd saw him in the ring tonight, and they know. And Davey will always be beside Edwards.
They’re interrupted by Kevin Steen who asks that they stop their a** kissing. Steen says honestly if Davey makes his way up the ring Steen will take him apart. He says he and his MMA group should finish their j*** fest in the back, because what matter tonight is that Kevin Steen is back, and in 2012, he’ll take the ROH World title, and he’ll hold the whole company hostage, because he’s Kevin Steen, and he’s the anti-Christ of professional wrestling. Steen says Merry Christmas b**** before heading off to the back. Davey is furious.
Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness thank us all for joining them tonight for the final event of ROH in 2012, while Davey Richards stands alongside Kyle O’Rielly and Tony Kozina in the ring, looking stunned, while Eddie Edwards recovers on the mat.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
