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Ring of Honor continued its trip through Japan in mid-summer with “Live from Osaka” on July 17, 2007. The crowd here is definitely smaller than the “Tokyo” show (which had a reported crowd of 1,500). Here, my guess is the crowd is 600 to 800; like the Tokyo crowd, the fans are really quiet, and I’m just not used to this non-reaction from wrestling fans!

Returning on commentary are the usual team of Dave Prazak & Lenny Leonard. Like the show the night before, the lighting, sound and editing are fairly good.

* The DVD opened with the No Remorse Corp backstage. Roderick Strong said he would finish off Jack Evans tonight. Davey Richards said that the NRC has already beaten one “dream team,” and they’ll beat another “dream team” tonight! “We are the nightmare team,” Richards said.

* A brief clip aired of Japanese fans in line.

* To the ring! It looked like we were going to start with Bryan Danielson vs. Jimmy Rave. CIMA came out and shook Danielson’s hand. Suddenly, the No Remorse Corp attacked CIMA, but Naomichi Marufuji made the save. Danielson said he’s the best in ROH, CIMA is the best in Dragon Gate, and Marufuji is the best in NOAH … so they should team up tonight! The big main event is now set for later! Jimmy Rave hopped in the ring and pouted that his match just fell apart, so he made an open challenge! Out came his new opponents, the Briscoes!

(1) Jay & Mark Briscoe defeat Jimmy Rave & Genki Horiguchi at 9:18 to retain the ROH World Tagteam Titles. Solid match. Genki, who is balding, now has long blue tassels woven into his hair. Genki started against Mark, with each of them hitting nice headscissors takedowns. Rave faced Jay, and they traded chops. Mark hit a top-rope dive onto Rave. The Briscoes made some quick team moves on Rave, and Mark hit his catapult doublestomp for a nearfall on Rave at 3:00. The Briscoes hit their football double shoulder tackle. On the floor, Genki whipped Jay into the guardrail, and they brawled into the crowd! Rave beat up Jay in the ring. Genki hit a moonsault, and he applied a half-crab on Jay.

Jay nailed a Flatliner at 6:30, sending Genki crashing into the turnbuckle. Mark made the hot tag, and he hit a missile dropkick, some karate thrusts, and he nailed a twisting top-rope crossbody block. Jay hit a running team neckbreaker on Rave for a nearfall. Genki hit a springboard dropkick for a nearfall on Mark, then a Tornado DDT. Rave nailed a running knee for a nearfall. Jay nailed a Death Valley Driver on Genki for a nearfall at 8:30. Jimmy Rave applied a half-crab on Mark. However, the Briscoes were able to hit a Spike JayDriller/butterfly piledriver on Rave for the pin.

* In one of many “video diary” spots, Jack Evans introduced the camera to a “Mega Teriyaki” sandwich at McDonalds.

(2) Nigel McGuinness defeats B.J. Whitmer at 9:12. Solid match, but these two can do a lot more. They exchanged basic armholds as Lenny Leonard talked about Whitmer’s recent “slump.” Nigel opened up the offense with some stiff forearms and European Uppercuts at 3:00. Whitmer hit a swinging neckbreaker, some elbows to the neck, and some loud chops. Nigel hit his back kick & inverted DDT combo out of the corner, then a running European Uppercut in the corner. Nigel nailed a Divorce Court armbreaker for a nearfall at 6:30, then he hit a headstand mulekick.

Nigel couldn’t hit the Tower of London. Whitmer nailed an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall, then a spinebuster for a nearfall, then a Mafia Kick. Nigel missed the Jawbreaker Lariat. Whitmer got an O’Connor rollup for a believable nearfall! However, Nigel nailed the Jawbreaker Lariat for the pin. Good for the time given.

* A clip aired of the wrestlers driving in Japan. These are just too short; I wish there was more commentary or fun facts & insights. Instead, the clip looked like it could have been filmed driving, prettymuch anywhere.

(3) Jack Evans defeats Roderick Strong in a no DQ match at 14:43. Very good match. Evans hit a headscissors takedown, and Strong bailed. Evans immediately followed Strong to the floor, and they fought into the crowd. Evans hit a moonsault. Strong gave Evans a stomach-first bodyslam to the ground, and he hit a LOUD chop. Strong picked up Evans and tossed him at the ring post. Evans hit a headscissors takedown off the ring apron to the floor for a nearfall at 3:00. Strong hit a low blow kick, and the crowd booed. Strong hit a backbreaker on his shoulder, and he bent Evans in half! OUCH! Strong choked Evans in the ropes, then he bent him in half around the ring ropes!

Strong hit a Mafia Kick as Evans was tied in the corner at 7:00. Evans came back with a jump-up rana, and that fired up the crowd. Evans hit a springboard spin kick and some right & left kicks, then his Lionsault press back elbow and a standing corkscrew press. Evans hit a running knee, and Strong bailed. On the floor, Strong whipped Evans into the guardrail. Evans hit a springboard flip dive into the crowd on Strong! In the ring, Strong nailed a faceplant for a nearfall at 10:00, then he hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Strong went for the Gibson Driver, but Evans blocked it, and Evans hit his cartwheel kick and a standing Shooting Star Press!

Strong hit a second-rope fallaway slam for a nearfall. Evans couldn’t hit a Reverse Rana. Strong hit his Gorilla Press Gutbuster over his knees for a nearfall at 12:30, and he applied a Boston Crab, but Evans reached the ropes. Evans hit a springboard hurricanrana, and he set up for a 630 Splash, but Strong cut him off! Evans tied Strong in the Tree of Woe, and he nailed the double-knee drop tot eh chest! Strong countered with a hard running boot. However, Evans hit a Reverse Rana and a 630 Splash for the win! Good match.

(4) Matt Sydal & Ryo Saito & Dragon Kid defeat Delirious & Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino at 20:57. Excellent, excellent Dragon Gate action. This is Dragon Gate rules, meaning that when a wrestler rolls to the floor, one of his teammates can enter; this rule keeps the action fast and furious! Delirious went crazy at the bell and fired up the crowd, as Prazak talked about Delirious’ long-standing rivalry with Sydal. They tied up and exchanged good mat reversals. Sydal hit his snap headscissors takedown and a nice dropkick. Doi entered and faced Saito at 3:30, and they traded chops, and Saito hit a quick hurricanrana! Dragon Kid entered and hit some armdrags on Yoshino. Delirious hit a back suplex on Saito for a nearfall at 6:00.

Yoshino and Saito traded chops. Sydal hit a nice catapult basement dropkick on Yoshino for a nearfall. Doi beat up Sydal. Dragon Kid hit a nice standing dropkick on Doi and a running basement dropkick in the corner. Sydal’s team hit a triple dropkick spot. Sydal hit a standing moonsault on Doi’s back for a nearfall at 9:00. Delirious hit a senton for a nearfall on Sydal, then he did his new spot of repeated elbowdrops on Sydal’s neck. Yoshino & Doi hit a team gutbuster and a team dropkick to Sydal’s head for a nearfall! Saito accidentally launched Yoshino into the corner, hitting Sydal (Saito’s partner!) at 12:30. Doi hit a top-rope senton on Sydal as Matt was tied in the ropes. Sydal hit a nice top-rope Rana on Delirious, then a Tornado DDT on Delirious.

Dragon Kid entered and hit a 619 and a springboard dropkick. Doi and Saito traded forearms. Dragon Kid hit a hurricanrana to the floor. Delirious hit his BAM leaping lariat on Saito. Saito nailed a German Suplex on Delirious. Dragon Kid tied Doi in an Octopus. Doi gave Dragon Kid a powerbomb into the corner! Delirious nailed the Panic Attack and the Bizarro Driver/modified Michinoku Driver on Dragon Kid for a nearfall at 16:30! Sydal hit his Floatover Famouser on Yoshino, but he couldn’t hit the “Here It Is” Driver/pumphandle sitdown powerbomb. Yoshino hit a quick inverted DDT on Sydal, then a nice missile dropkick on Sydal. Sydal hit a spin heel kick; he initially couldn’t hit the standing moonsault, but seconds later, he hit the move.

Dragon Kid hit a hurricanrana on Doi, and Saito hit a frogsplash on Doi, for a nearfall. For no apparent reason at all, Jimmy Rave and Genki Horiguchi jumped in the ring, but they were quickly whipped out and gone again. (I assume this is part of a non-ROH storyline, but it didn’t click here). Anyhow, Dragon Kid nailed the Dragon Rana for a believable nearfall! Sydal missed his top-rope Shooting Star Press, and he landed on his feet. Delirious hit a Shadows Over Hell backsplash on Sydal for a nearfall at 20:00. Delirious applied a Cobra Stretch on Sydal, but Matt reached the ropes. Seconds later, Sydal hit a DDT on Delirious, then a Shooting Star Press for the pin! Great athleticism exhibited here.

* The Briscoes talked backstage about their tour in Japan. Again, really short. With this show running so short altogether, these clips could have really been expanded.

(5) Jay & Mark Briscoe defeat Shingo & Yokosuka at 17:51 to retain the ROH World Tagteam Titles. The Briscoes attacked the challengers at the bell, and they immediately brawled to the floor. Back in the ring, Shingo hit an Alabama Slam on Mark. Jimmy Bower stopped by the booth to thank the fans for supporting ROH. Jay hit a leg lariat on Yokosuka for a nearfall. Shingo hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 3:00. The Briscoes hit their football double shoulder tackle. Shingo hit a series of chops on Mark. Yokosuka hit a backbreaker over his knee on Mark. Shingo hit a senton for a nearfall and a kneedrop on the face for a nearfall. Jay made the hot tag at 6:00, and he put Yokosuka in a Stretch Plumb. Jay nailed a running boot on Yokosuka for a nearfall.

Mark applied a headscissorslock, but Yokosuka reached the ropes. The Briscoes nailed a double hiptoss, sending Yokosuka flying across the ring. Jay hit a nice dropkick for a nearfall. Mark hit a gutwrench suplex and a flying kneedrop for a nearfall at 9:00, and he traded forearms with Yokosuka. Shingo hit a DDT on Mark on the apron. Yokosuka hit a top-rope Exploder suplex on Jay. Yokosuka slammed Mark onto Jay. Shingo finally made the hot tag, and he hit a DDT on one Briscoe while hitting a Flatliner on the other. The challengers hit front & back clotheslines and a team back suplex on Mark for a nearfall. Mark fired back with a gutwrench powerbomb for a nearfall. Shingo hit a Mafia kick on Jay and a Hangman’s DDT at 13:00.

The Briscoes hit a team uranage and double dropkicks on Shingo’s head. Jay hit Death Valley Driver on Shingo. Mark went for a Shooting Star Press, but Shingo got his knees up to block it. Shingo hit his gutwrench release suplex and a clothesline for a nearfall on Mark. Yokosuka hit a butterfly faceplant for a nearfall. Jay hit a running boot and a faceplant for a nearfall on Yokosuka. Mark hit a spin heel kick. Jay nailed the JayDriller on Yokosuka for a nearfall, but Shingo made the save at 16:30. Shingo hit a clothesline on Jay, then the Bloodfall/modified Falcon Arrow on Mark. However, Shingo accidentally hit a clothesline on Yokosuka! Mark Briscoe nailed a springboard Doomsday Clothesline on Yokosuka, and Jay made the cover for the pin. Very good tag match.

* Jay got on the mic and said that with the two successful title defenses tonight, they proved they are the best tag team in the world. It appeared there was trouble brewing between the team of Shingo & Yokoskuka.

* Another brief clip aired of Takeshi Morishima aboard a bus.

(6) Bryan Danielson & CIMA & Naomichi Marufuji defeat Davey Richards & Rocky Romero & Mochizuki at 25:00 even. Excellent match. Dave Prazak pushed hard that these three promotions (ROH, Dragon Gate, NOAH) are being represented here, and he stressed the unlikelihood of ever seeing a match like this one again. CIMA and Richards started with some intense tieups, and Prazak said that Morishima is here but injured and unable to compete. Richards hit his bridge-back kick to the shoulder, and he applied a Stretch Muffler/horse collar, but CIMA reached the ropes. CIMA hit a nice basement dropkick to the back of the head for a nearfall, and they had a standoff. Danielson faced Romero at 4:30, with Romero twisting the left arm & wrist. Danielson hit a nice dropkick and some European Uppercuts.

Romero hit a monkeyflip, and he paused to dance. Danielson hit a dive to the floor; he hopped back in the ring and mocked Romero’s dancing. “Rick Rude has nothing on him!” Prazak said. Mochizuki tagged in at 6:30 to face Marufuji, and they traded kicks to each other’s thighs, then they traded chops, and Mochizuki hit a spine kick. CIMA & Marufuji hit a double dropkick on Mochizuki for a nearfall. CIMA hit a nice catapult senton on Mochizuki. Romero & Richards began to work over CIMA. Danielson & CIMA did a wishbone on Romero’s legs at 9:30. Danielson tied Romero up in a surfboard. Marufuji hit a basement dropkick on Romero’s exposed chest. Marufuji put Romero in a Camel Clutch, and CIMA nailed a basement dropkick to Romero’s face! CIMA hit a Lungblower on Romero at 12:30.

Richards snapped Danielson’s arm across his shoulder, and Richards applied a Fujiwara Armbar, but Danielson reached the ropes. The heels beat up Danielson on the floor. In the ring, Romero hit some right & left kicks. Lenny Leonard pointed out that Danielson has some tape on his shoulder. Romero applied a cross-armbreaker, but Danielson reached the ropes. Richards also applied a cross-armbreaker, but Marufuji made the save at 16:30. Danielson hit a second-rope diving European Uppercut. CIMA made the hot tag, and he hit a doublestomp on Richards’ face. CIMA nailed his springboard coast-to-coast dropkick on Richards! CIMA hit a dropkick on Mochizuki as Mochizuki was coming off the ropes. Marufuji made the hot tag, and he hit a big clothesline on Mochizuki, and they traded chops. Marufuji hit a nice Dragonscrew legwhip.

Mochizuki came back with a running kick to the chest on Naomichi. Marufuji hit a nice superkick on Mochizuki. Romero put Danielson in another cross-armbreaker, and Rocky hit a running dropkick to the back as Danielson was tied in the Tree of Woe. Romero hit a springboard kneestrike to Danielson’s chest for a nearfall at 20:30. However, Romero accidentally caught Richards with a flying kneestrike! The faces hit several quick moves in the corner on Romero. CIMA nailed an Iconoclasm on Romero. Danielson put Romero in the Cattle Mutilation, but Richards made the save. Rocky put Danielson in another cross-armbreaker, but Danielson reached the ropes at 22:30.

Danielson hit a top-rope superplex on Romero, and the crowd was hot. Romero hit a second-rope DDT on CIMA. CIMA nailed a leg-capture Falcon Arrow. Richards hit an enziguri on Marufuji. Danielson hit a Tiger Suplex on Richards. CIMA nailed a Schwein/Air Raid Crash on Romero for a believable nearfall at 24:30! CIMA & Marufuji hit simultaneous Superkicks! Marufuji hit a Backflip Driver, and CIMA immediately hit a second Schwein to pin Romero. After the match, the “three aces” of Danielson & CIMA & Marufuji posed for photos.

* A graphic aired showing the brackets for the “Race to the Top” tournament.

Final thoughts: DVD ends at 2 hours, 10 minutes, easily making this the shortest ROH show ever.

I liked this show a lot. Judging by some of the comments I’ve glimpsed at, I think I’m one of the few people that preferred this show over the “Live in Tokyo” event. Maybe it’s because I’m more familiar with the Dragon Gate roster (CIMA, Shingo, Doi, Genki, Yoshino, etc., have all wrestled many times in ROH now, and I’ve seen most of them live at shows in Chicago), but I just found this show more to my liking than the Tokyo card.

Best match goes to the quick-paced six-man tag featuring Delirious and Matt Sydal. It had great energy and was a total blast, with one quick spot after another. For all the craziness, there were few blown moves, too! The main event earned second-best, as the crowd and the announcers did an excellent job of pushing how unique these teams were, and made this a ‘big-match feel.’ The Briscoes second tag defense of the day earned third-best, as Shingo & Yokosuka put up a great fight. Being as the Briscoes had previously lost the tag titles outside the U.S. once before, it felt entirely possible that it could happen again.

The complaints here are few. Undoubtedly, one of the complaints of this show will be the lack of crowd reaction, and the brevity of this show. With only six matches, I thought I was going to see a few 30+ minute matches. I didn’t expect the first two matches to end before 10 minutes as well. A “long show” doesn’t necessarily mean a “good show,” but I’ve come accustomed to seeing ROH shows going three hours, so it has thrown me off lately when they’ve ended so much earlier. With so much time left on the disc, ROH could have drawn out some of those vignettes between matches a bit.

This DVD earned a thumbs up, and it can be purchased at www.rohwrestling.com for $20.

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