By Chris Vetter

Ring of Honor held a two-day, 16-man, single-elimination tournament, dubbed the “Race to the Top.” Night one was held on July 27, 2007, in Deer Park, N.Y. The crowd was 400 to 500. The ring was really well lit. This is a smaller venue than ROH usually operates, and it gave this show a more intimate feel. As usual, the commentary team are Dave Prazak & Lenny Leonard. The commentators mentioned a few times about all the open slots on the top of the card now, with Homicide, Colt Cabana and Samoa Joe (and many others) no longer in ROH.

* The DVD opened with Kevin Steen & El Generico cutting a backstage promo. Steen said that everyone has now seen what they can do as a tagteam, now we’ll see what they can do in singles competition. Steen told people they should bet on him to win the tournament.

(1) Round 1: Pelle Primeau defeats B.J. Whitmer at 3:37. Pelle hit a missile dropkick off the apron to the floor. In the ring, he hit a headscissors takedown. Whitmer hit a faceplant, then a running knee to the side of the head. Prazak talked about how Whitmer is frustrated and has been on a losing streak. Whitmer hit a fallaway slam for a nearfall at 2:00. Whitmer hit some loud chops, but he paused to jaw at Rhett Titus, who was doing security on the floor. Pelle crotched Whitmer in the corner, got an inside cradle, and scored a pin! Match made sense from a storyline view.

* Pelle went to go ‘crowd-surfing’ with the fans. However, Whitmer grabbed him, pulled him back into the ring, and hit a powerbomb into the corner, a Mafia Kick, and a brainbuster. Fans chanted, “B.J. blew it!”

* Claudio Castagnoli cut a backstage promo. “I will prove I can, and will, take it to the top,” he said.

(2) Round 1: Davey Richards defeats Jigsaw at 7:28. Richards wouldn’t shake hands, and he spit at Jigsaw. Richards hit some crossface blows, but he couldn’t hit his bridge-back kick. Jigsaw hit some quick armdrags, a hurricanrana, and a dropkick, and Richards bailed. Jigsaw missed a plancha, and he crashed to the floor. Richards hit a loud headbutt on the floor! In the ring, Richards hit some right & left kicks for a nearfall at 3:00, then a kneedrop to the head, and he worked over Jigsaw’s arm. Richards hit a dropkick to the back as Jigsaw was tied in the Tree of Woe, and Richards got a nearfall.

Jigsaw fired back with a nice enziguri, and they were both down. Jigsaw hit a leg lariat for a nearfall, but he sold the pain in his left arm. Jigsaw hit a second-rope doublestomp to the back, then a Tornado DDT for a nearfall at 6:30. Jigsaw went for a Victory Roll, but Richards blocked it. Richards hit a German Suplex, then he applied the Kimera Lock on the arm, and Jigsaw tapped out. Good for the time given.

* Austin Aries talked with Erick Stevens and Matt Cross backstage. Aries told them they had shown how tough they were for keeping up the fight while he was out. Aries said this was his ROH return tonight, and he’s going for Roderick Strong and his FIP title. “I’m going to teach you some respect,” Aries said.

(3) Round 1: Claudio Castagnoli defeats Hallowicked at 7:01. Solid match; this continued a theme of short first-round matches. They opened with some solid mat reversals, and Claudio twisted Hallowicked’s ankle. Hallowicked hit a nice armdrag and a Field Goal kick to the chest. Good, fluid Chikara-style reversals here; these two obviously know each other well! Claudio hit a second-rope diving European Uppercut for a nearfall, then a Giant Swing for a nearfall at 3:30. Claudio hit a gutwrench suplex for a nearfall. Hallowicked came back with an Iconoclasm, and Claudio landed across the ring.

Hallowicked hit a headscissors takedown and a Mafia Kick for a nearfall. Claudio spun Hallowicked around his back into a faceplant for a nearfall, then a Waterslide for a nearfall, and he glared at the referee. Claudio hit a gutbuster over his knee. Hallowicked fired back with a (D-Lo) Sky-High spinebuster. They traded rollups, and Claudio got the Ricola Bomb/Pyramid Powerbomb for the pin.

* Matt Sydal, Larry Sweeney, Tank Toland, Sara Del Rey and Bobby Dempsey walked to the ring for the next match. Sweeney took the mic, but the crowd shouted him down. Sweeney made up excuses for each member of “Sweet N Sour International” to head to the back. Point being, it left Matt Sydal alone at ringside (with no cheap outside interference!) for the next match.

(4) Round 1: Mike Quackenbush defeats Matt Sydal at 14:11. The crowd was HOT, but Sydal bailed, and fans booed him. They traded some good standing switches. Leonard said that “Quackenbush is a master of technical wrestling,” but he hasn’t had a “defining victory” yet in ROH. Quack got a quick rollup, and they had a standoff at 3:00. Sydal hit his snap headscissors takedown and a sideslam. Quack countered with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee, then a flip dive to the floor on Matt, and they were both down. In the ring, Quackenbush tied Sydal in a knot. Sydal hit a leg lariat, and he applied a Bow & Arrow.

Sydal hit a cannonball guillotine legdrop for a nearfall at 7:00, then he hit flying double knees in the corner and his Catapult Basement Dropkick for a nearfall. They traded rollups, then traded chops. Sydal went for his standing moonsault, but Quack got his knees up to block it. Quack hit a nice vertical suplex, and they were both down at 10:00. Quack hit a headbutt to the chest, then a bulldog, and he was fired up. Quack hit a nice faceplant for a nearfall. Sydal hit a jump-up rana from the corner for a nearfall. Quackenbush hit a Backpack Stunner for a nearfall.

Quackenbush hit a Full Nelson-into-a-faceplant for a nearfall at 12:30. Sydal hit an enziguri, a nice DDT, and a standing moonsault for a believable nearfall. Sydal hit his “Here It Is” Driver/pumphandle sitdown powerbomb for a nearfall. However, Sydal couldn’t hit a Shooting Star Press. Quackenbush hit his reverse Crucifix Takedown, dropping Matt on his stomach, and Quackenbush got a rollup for the pin. Very good match, and best of the show.

(5) Round 1: Chris Hero (w/Sweeney, etc.) defeats Erick Stevens at 14:56. Solid match; they stayed in first gear a bit too long before this really got rolling. The crowd was ALL OVER Hero. Stevens mimicked Hero by bouncing all around the ring, and Hero was annoyed. Prazak said that the entire Sweeney faction was out because they definitely didn’t want another loss, like what happened to Sydal. Hero twisted the left leg, and they traded basic mat reversals. Leonard talked about how Stevens won the FIP “Battle of the Belts” tournament. Hero escaped a hold and he started doing his ridiculous bouncing around the ring on his knees and leaping over the ropes. The crowd was hot and surprisingly split. Stevens hit some shoulder tackles, but they had no effect. Hero hit a kick to the gut. Stevens finally hit a shoulder tackle that leveled Hero, then a powerslam at 4:00.

They traded chops, and Hero hit a catapult doublestomp, and he choked Stevens in the ropes. Both Del Rey and Sweeney hit some cheap shots on Stevens, and Toland got one in, too. Hero applied a modified Figure Four, and he got a rollup for a nearfall at 7:00. Hero was in charge, hitting a roaring elbow for a nearfall and some chops, but that just angered Stevens, who fired up and hit some forearm shots. This match has some really good heat. Stevens nailed a TKO Stunner at 10:00, more forearms, a clotheslines, and his Choo Choo running splash in the corner, then a backbody drop, and a Jackhammer-style powerslam for a nearfall.

Stevens hit a pumphandle powerbomb for a nearfall. Hero hit a cravate swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 13:00. They traded headbutts on the top rope. Hero hit a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a believable nearfall. Stevens fired back with a German release suplex and a sitdown piledriver for a visual fall, but Sweeney pulled the ref from the ring! Hero hit a Heroes Welcome/swinging faceplant for the pin. Good match.

* Delirious cut a backstage promo about his upcoming match against El Generico.

(6) Roderick Strong defeats Jimmy Rave and Gran Akuma and Austin Aries at 9:37 in an elimination match to retain the FIP title. Disappointing match. The crowd popped for Aries, as fans chanted, “Welcome back!” Fans taunted Strong with the loud “Rod-A-Rick” chant, and he was clearly annoyed. The bell sounded, and Aries immediately charged at Strong! Strong bailed. Gran Akuma hit several stiff kicks on Rave in the ring. Prazak said there are no tags in this match – everyone is legal. Rave hit a spear on Gran Akuma. Aries hit a missile dropkick on Strong, then a running dropkick in the corner, but he couldn’t get him up for the brainbuster. Rave hit a running knee on Aries, but he couldn’t hit the “Greetings from Atlanta”/Pedigree.

Aries hit a corkscrew plancha on Strong. Akuma hit a fip dive on Aries & Strong on the floor. In the ring, Akuma hit a German Suplex on Aries, then a Yoshi Tonic/Code Red on Aries, and several more stiff kicks. Aries hit a back suplex, a running dropkick in the corner, and a brainbuster on Akuma! However, Strong shoved Aries off the top rope to the mat. Then, Rave & Strong & Akuma ALL COVERED Aries to pin him at 5:13! The fans loudly booed this pin and chanted, “Bullsh!t!” Strong and Rave began to doubleteam Gran Akuma. Akuma hit a Field Goal Kick on Strong. However, Rave applied the Heel Hook on Gran Akuma, and Akuma tapped out at 6:38, leaving just Rave vs. Strong.

The crowd has decided to cheer for Rave. Rave and Strong began trading chops, and Strong hit a nice dropkick to the chin. Rave hit a uranage on the ring apron and a Tornado DDT in the ring for a nearfall. Strong nailed his running boot, a Gorilla Press Gutbuster over his knees, and a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Strong hit several more backbreakers, then he applied a Stronghold/vertical Boston Crab, and Rave tapped out. Way too short, especially for an elimination match.

* It’s intermission time, and Rebecca Bayless interviewed Jack Evans. Evans talked about being part of Generation Next. “I want that recognition,” Evans said.

(7) Round 1: El Generico defeats Delirious at 11:17. Good match, but they’ve had better encounters in IWA-MS and PWG. The crowd was hot. Generico was perplexed with Delirious’ frozen body hunched over in the corner. As always, Delirious went crazy at the bell. They traded quick reversals, and Delirious hit an armdrag and got a rollup. Generico came back with his own quick armdrags and a backbreaker over his knee, then a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall at 2:30. Generico went for a top-rope crossbody block, but Delirious countered with a leaping headbutt. Delirious hit some chops and some blows to the back. Delirious hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Some bored fans started chanting, “Let’s go Yankees.”

Delirious hit an STF and repeated elbows to the back of the neck at 5:30. Generico hit a Tornado DDT, and Delirious bailed. Generico hit an Arabian Press to the floor. In the ring, Generico hit a frogsplash for a nearfall, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 8:00. Delirious hit several clotheslines and his BAM leaping lariat, then a Bizarro Driver/modified Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Delirious applied a Cobra Clutch, but Generico escaped. Delirious hit a running dropkick to the back, a Panic Attack running knee, and the Shadows Over Hell backsplash for a nearfall. They traded forearms, and Generico hit two Mafia Kicks in corner, then a brainbuster for the pin. Good match, but it needed more time.

(8) Round 1: Brent Albright defeats M-Dogg 20 Matt Cross at 5:23. Startling short; Cross has really been losing quickly of late. Albright is MUCH bigger and thicker, and he hit a big shoulder tackle. Cross got a quick rollup and a sunset flip for a nearfall. Albright hit a German release suplex, but Cross landed on his feet. Cross hit an enziguri, so Albright bailed. Cross hit his dropkick in the ropes, then a cartwheel-into-a-flip dive over the top rope at 2:30, drawing a nice pop.

In the ring, Cross applied a cross-armbreaker. However, Albright hit a Divorce Court armbreaker, and he stomped on the chest and shoulder. Albright hit a high back suplex for a nearfall, and he applied a Crowbar/Fujiwara Armbar, but Cross reached the ropes at 4:30. Albright hit a German Suplex, an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, a half-nelson suplex, but he pulled Cross up before pinning him! Albright then applied the Crowbar again, and this time, Cross tapped out. A near squash.

(9) Round 1: Jack Evans defeats Kevin Steen at 9:18. Good match, but again, it was just too short to be great. Steen couldn’t breakdance, so he hit a running kick to the gut, and he tried to hit the Package Piledriver, but Evans avoided it. Evans hit a spin heel kick and a headscissors takedown. Evans hit a handspring-back-elbow, and it sent both of them to the floor. Evans hit a dropkick over the top rope to the floor! However, Steen whipped him into the guardrail, then he nailed a rolling Tumbleweed against the guardrail! Steen was now dominating, as he unloaded several chops. Evans hit a headscissors takedown off the guardrail at 3:00! In the ring, Evans hit a twisting press. Steen pretended he was going to do a Evans-like corkscrew move, but he instead just stomped on Evans! Funny.

Steen hit a Field Goal Kick to the ribs. The crowd taunted Steen about his weight, so Steen paused to do some situps. Steen hit a European Uppercut and a doublestomp on the chest. Evans hit a Lionsault-back-elbow at 6:00, then a springboard spin kick for a nearfall. Steen wrapped Evans around his back and hit a slam for a nearfall. Steen then nailed a Swanton for a believable nearfall. Evans crotches Steen in the corner, and he hit the Ghetto Stomp Kneedrop as Steen was tied in the Tree of Woe. Evans slammed Steen to the mat off the top rope, and Evans nailed a 630 Splash for the pin. Good, tight match.

* An FIP commercial aired.

(10) Jay & Mark Briscoe defeat Nigel McGuinness & Bryan Danielson at 17:49 to retain the ROH World Tag titles. Very good match. The Briscoes wore their confederate flag trunks. Nigel and Mark started, with Mark hitting kneedrops on the left arm. Jay entered and hit a big boot and a dropkick. The Briscoes hit their football double shoulder tackle on Nigel. Danielson entered at 2:00, and he applied a half-crab on Mark. Jay tagged in and traded armbars with Danielson. Danielson hit a dropkick and he celebrated. They traded forearms, and Danielson applied a cross-armbreaker. The Briscoes hit a team uranage, and Mark hit a springboard senton. Mark hit a top-rope crossbody block on Nigel on the floor at 5:00.

In the ring, Jay hit a Gordbuster on Danielson. Nigel hit a short-arm clothesline on the floor on Mark. In the ring, Danielson hit a back suplex on Jay, then the Earthquake buttsplash, and he tied Jay in the Surfboard; Nigel hit a dropkick to Jay’s exposed chest. Danielson hit a butterfly suplex and a European Uppercut, and the challengers were in charge. Nigel twisted the left arm, and he bridged backward for pressure on the limb. Nigel nailed a short-arm clothesline at 8:30, then the Tower of London for a nearfall, but Mark made the save. Danielson slapped Jay in the face and hit a top-rope back suplex for a nearfall, then he applied the Crossface Chickenwing! Mark hit a springboard clothesline to break it up; Mark then got the hot tag.

Mark hit a Superkick on Danielson, then a springboard frogsplash for a nearfall and a moonsault press for a nearfall at 11:30. The Briscoes set Danielson up for the Doomsday Device clothesline, but Nigel made the save. Danielson applied the Cattle Mutilation on Mark, and he began nailing repeated elbow shots to the heat, then he re-applied the Cattle Mutilation/double armbar! Jay made the save by hitting a frogsplash on Danielson’s exposed chest. Mark hit a springboard superkick and several karate thrusts on Nigel. Nigel hit a running European Uppercut, then his back kick & inverted DDT combo from the corner. He hit a second-rope clothesline on Jay as Jay was straddling the ropes, for a nearfall at 14:30.

Mark hit a Death Sentence/elevated guillotine legdrop on Nigel. Nigel couldn’t hit the Jawbreaker Lariat. Mark nailed an Exploder Suplex on Nigel for a nearfall. Danielson was out on the floor, so the Briscoes were alone with Nigel. Jay hit a Death Valley Driver, and Mark immediately hit a springboard corkscrew press for a nearfall, then a snap suplex. Danielson hit a top-rope superplex on Jay, as Mark and Nigel were brawling. Suddenly, all four men were down, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” They all got up and traded stiff forearm shots. However, Danielson accidentally hit Nigel! Mark covered Nigel for the pin. “Did he do it on purpose?” Lenny Leonard wondered.


Final thoughts: DVD runs 2 hours, 40 minutes.

If I had one word to describe this show, it would be “rushed.” ROH rushed through eight qualifying matches. Most were good and above average, but kept too short for them to be great or memorable. Several matches here wrapped up in under 10 minutes, just as they were really starting to be good. I’m not advocating that “every match should be 12 minutes or more,” but there is only so much of a story wrestlers can tell in a six- or seven-minute match.

In my opinion, I’ll give Sydal vs. Quackenbush best match. As I watched the action, I wondered if these two had ever wrestled before. I’ve seen a lot of their respective matches in IWA-MS, and I don’t think they’ve crossed paths. Obviously, with Quack new to ROH, this was a first-time meeting here. The decision to send the Sweeney faction to the back was the right one, as it gave these two stellar wrestlers a chance to have a great match without the usual ringside mayhem from managers & valets. This match may never happen again either.

The main event earned second best. The conclusion of Danielson hitting Nigel – whether it was intentional or not – was the logical & expected finish here. That doesn’t make it bad, even if it was predictable. Give ROH a LOT of credit, that they’ve built up the tag titles to mean something, that Gabe Sapolsky is comfortable having a tag title match as the main event. Can you see WWE Raw tag champs Cade & Murdoch in the main event? How about Smackdown tag champs Miz & Morrison in the main event? No way. But, with no Morishima here, and no Japanese stars on this show, the Briscoes are the logical choices to headline the show.

Third-best is a big dropoff. In fact, I think this is the first time I’ve ever given an ROH show only two matches of “three stars or higher.” A lot was good here, but very little was great. I’ve go with Evans vs. Steen, just ahead of Delirious vs. Generico, for third-best.

The bad: very little, honestly. The Pelle win worked because Whitmer is on the losing streak, which is making him snap. I was far more perturbed at the quick loss for Matt Cross. I saw Cross destroyed live at the September show in Chicago, and I know his character is out for a few months because he was pinned. With the way he’s been booked lately, I’m not sure he’ll be back.

I understand the logic of having Aries lose so quickly and not getting much revenge on Strong on this night – it moves along the story further. But I still wanted to see more interaction between them than I got. Obviously, the fans there live felt the same way.

This was a big show for ROH, in that it was one of the first times they ran a show without Japanese talent (Morishima, KENTA, Dragon Gate stars, etc.) AND didn’t have the TNA-contracted wrestlers (Samoa Joe, Homicide, etc.), plus the loss of Colt Cabana. This show really gave some of the new guys, like the Chikara roster, a chance to shine.

ROH will hold between 45 and 50 shows this year. While this show was good, it will not be in the top half of ROH shows this year. Thus, I give it a slight thumbs down. I have finished watching night 2 of the tournament (and as always, that review is pending), and that show gets a higher recommendation. This DVD is available at www.rohwrestling.com for $20.

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