RoH

[BigBadMick]

Similar to TNA, I think Ring of Honor might be worthy of closer inspection.

 

I've watched a lot from 2002-09 but fell off the RoH wagon thereafter. I'd love to hear some recommendations from the last 5 years or so....

 

As a starting point for discussion, here's a Top 100 matches, as of mid 2012, from ROHWorld Forums -

 

1. Blood Generation (CIMA, Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino) vs. Do Fixer (Dragon Kid, Genki Horiguchi & Ryo Saito) (Supercard of Honor 3.31.2006) 4.88 (26 votes)

2. Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA (Glory by Honor V, Night 2 9.16.2006 – ROH World Title Match) 4.87 (34 votes)

3. Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (Unified 8.12.2006 – ROH World Title vs. ROH Pure Title Unification Match) 4.85 (35 votes)

4. KENTA vs. Low Ki (Final Battle 2005 12.17.2005 – GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title Match) 4.81 (31 votes)

5. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (Joe vs. Punk II 10.16.2004 – ROH World Title Match) 4.79 (34 votes)

6. Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong (Vendetta 11.5.2005 – ROH World Title Match) 4.75 (41 votes)

7. Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (Driven 6.23.2007) 4.75 (20 votes)

8. Samoa Joe vs. Bryan Danielson (Midnight Express Reunion 10.2.2004 – ROH World Title Match) 4.72 (17 votes)

9. Kevin Steen vs. El Generico (Final Battle 2010 12.18.2010 – Fight Without Honor/ROH Career vs. Mask Match) 4.71 (22 votes)

10. Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi (Joe vs. Kobashi 10.1.2005) 4.70 (46 votes)

11. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong vs. Jay and Mark Briscoe (Unified 8.12.2006 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.70 (32 votes)

12. Austin Aries vs. CM Punk (Death Before Dishonor III 6.18.2005 – ROH World Title Match) 4.67 (14 votes)

13. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (All Star Extravaganza II 12.4.2004 – ROH World Title Match) 4.62 (29 votes)

14. Jimmy Jacobs vs. BJ Whitmer (Supercard of Honor II 3.31.2007 – Cage Match) 4.62 (27 votes)

15. Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards (Death Before Dishonor VIII 6.19.2010 – ROH World Title Match) 4.61 (36 votes)

16. Low Ki vs. The American Dragon (Round Robin Challenge 3.30.2002) 4.61 (20 votes)

17. Nigel McGuinness vs. Austin Aries (Rising Above 12.29.2007 – ROH World Title Match) 4.59 (29 votes)

18. Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong (This Means War 10.29.2005 – ROH World Title Match) 4.59 (11 votes)

19. The American Wolves vs. Bryan Danielson & Tyler Black (Tag Title Classic 4.18.2009 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.58 (27 votes)

20. Samoa Joe vs. Homicide vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Colt Cabana vs. Austin Aries vs. Mark Briscoe (Survival of the Fittest 2004 6.24.2004 – Survival of the Fittest Match) 4.57 (19 votes)

21. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico (Man Up 9.15.2007 – Ladder War for the ROH Tag Team Titles) 4.56 (24 votes)

22. Generation Next (Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, Matt Sydal & Jack Evans) vs. The Embassy (Jimmy Rave, Alex Shelley, Abyss & Prince Nana) (Steel Cage Warfare 12.3.2005 – Steel Cage Warfare Elimination Match) 4.56 (15 votes)

23. Low Ki vs. AJ Styles vs. Paul London (One Year Anniversary Show 2.8.2003 – Triple Threat Match for the #1 Contender’s Trophy) 4.54 (18 votes)

24. Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA (Driven 6.23.2007) 4.53 (19 votes)

25. Bryan Danielson vs. Davey Richards (The Final Countdown Tour: Boston 9.25.2009) 4.52 (28 votes)

26. AJ Styles vs. Paul London (Night of the Grudges 6.14.2003 - #1 Contender’s Trophy Match) 4.52 (23 votes)

27. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. CM Punk & Colt Cabana (ROH Reborn: Stage 2 4.24.2004 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.52 (12 votes)

28. Samoa Joe vs. Austin Aries (Final Battle 2004 12.26.2004 – ROH World Title Match) 4.51 (27 votes)

29. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Good Times, Great Memories 4.28.2007 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.51 (14 votes)

30. Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson (Manhattan Mayhem II 8.25.2007 – ROH World Title Match) 4.50 (30 votes)

31. Bryan Danielson vs. Samoa Joe (Fight of the Century 8.5.2006 – ROH World Title Match) 4.50 (12 votes)

32. Kenta Kobashi & Homicide vs. Samoa Joe & Low Ki (Unforgettable 10.2.2005) 4.50 (10 votes)

33. Davey Richards vs. Christopher Daniels (Richards vs. Daniels 10.16.2010) 4.48 (32 votes)

34. Steve Corino vs. Homicide (Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 8.16.2003) 4.48 (10 votes)

35. Eddie Edwards vs. Davey Richards (Best in the World 2011 6.26.2011 – ROH World Title Match) 4.47 (25 votes)

36. Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong (Supercard of Honor 3.31.2006 – ROH World Title Match) 4.47 (11 votes)

37. Low Ki vs. Christopher Daniels vs. The American Dragon (The Era of Honor Begins 2.23.2002) 4.46 (19 votes)

38. Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima (Final Battle 2008 12.27.2008 – Fight Without Honor) 4.46 (15 votes)

39. Eddie Edwards vs. Chris Hero (Revolution: Canada 5.7.2011 – ROH World Title Match) 4.46 (14 votes)

40. Roderick Strong vs. Davey Richards (Final Battle 2010 12.18.2010 – ROH World Title Match) 4.44 (21 votes)

41. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (World Title Classic 6.12.2004 – ROH World Title Match) 4.43 (16 votes)

42. The Kings of Wrestling vs. The American Wolves (Tag Title Classic 2 12.17.2010 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.43 (12 votes)

43. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong vs. KENTA & Davey Richards (Honor Reclaims Boston 11.3.2006) 4.43 (11 votes)

44. Team ROH (Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson, BJ Whitmer, Adam Pearce & Ace Steel) vs. Team CZW (Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Necro Butcher, Nate Webb & Eddie Kingston) (Death Before Dishonor IV 7.15.2006 – Cage of Death Match) 4.42 (31 votes)

45. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico (Death Before Dishonor V, Night 1 8.10.2007 – Street Fight) 4.42 (30 votes)

46. KENTA vs. Davey Richards (Supercard of Honor IV 4.3.2009 – GHC Jr. Heavyweight Title Match 4.42 (23 votes)

47. Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (Rising Above 11.22.2008 – ROH World Title Match) 4.41 (27 votes)

48. Bryan Danielson vs. Homicide (Final Battle 2006 12.23.2006 – ROH World Title Match) 4.40 (15 votes)

49. Paul London vs. Bryan Danielson (The Epic Encounter 4.12.2003 – 2 out of 3 Falls Match) 4.40 (15 votes)

50. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. The Kings of Wrestling (The Big Bang 4.3.2010 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.39 (32 votes)

51. Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (6th Anniversary Show 2.23.2008 – ROH World Title Match) 4.39 (30 votes)

52. Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries (Testing the Limit 8.7.2004 – 2 out of 3 Falls Match) 4.38 (22 votes)

53. Generation Next (Alex Shelley, Austin Aries, Roderick Strong & Jack Evans) vs. Jay and Mark Briscoe, John Walters & Jimmy Rave (Generation Next 5.22.2004) 4.37 (18 votes)

54. Jay Briscoe vs. Mark Briscoe (Fifth Year Festival: Finale 3.4.2007) 4.37 (10 votes)

55. The American Wolves vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly (No Escape 7.9.2011) 4.36 (15 votes)

56. Nigel McGuinness vs. KENTA (7th Anniversary Show 3.21.2009 – ROH World Title Match) 4.34 (29 votes)

57. The Kings of Wrestling vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Supercard of Honor V 5.8.2010 – ROH Tag Team Title Match) 4.34 (29 votes)

58. Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards (Tag Wars 2010 8.28.2010) 4.32 (14 votes)

59. Samoa Joe vs. Homicide (Do or Die 5.31.2003 – ROH World Title Match) 4.32 (10 votes)

60. Davey Richards vs. Kenny Omega (Epic Encounter III 3.20.2010) 4.31 (24 votes)

61. Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Tyler Black (Death Before Dishonor VI 8.2.2008 – Elimination Match for the ROH World Title) 4.31 (15 votes)

62. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Nigel McGuinness (Glory by Honor V, Night 2 9.16.2006 – GHC Heavyweight Title Match) 4.30 (17 votes)

63. Low Ki vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Spanky vs. Doug Williams (Crowning a Champion 7.27.2002 – 60 Minute Iron Man Match for the ROH Championship) 4.30 (10 votes)

64. The Kings of Wrestling vs. Jay and Mark Briscoe (Death Before Dishonor VIII 6.19.2010 – No DQ Match for the ROH Tag Team Titles) 4.29 (36 votes)

65. Kevin Steen & Steve Corino vs. El Generico & Colt Cabana (Bitter Friends, Stiffer Enemies 2 4.24.2010 – Come-As-You-Are Street Fight) 4.29 (29 votes)

66. Nigel McGuinness vs. Austin Aries (Supercard of Honor III 3.29.2008 – ROH World Title Match) 4.29 (21 votes)

67. Homicide vs. Steve Corino (War of the Wire 11.29.2003 – No-Ropes Barbed Wire Match) 4.29 (11 votes)

68. Eddie Edwards vs. Roderick Strong (Death Before Dishonor IX 9.17.2011 – Ringmaster’s Challenge Match) 4.28 (13 votes)

69. Nigel McGuinness vs. Kevin Steen (Northern Navigation 7.25.2008 – ROH World Title Match) 4.27 (26 votes)

70. Paul London vs. Michael Shane (Unscripted 9.21.2002 – Street Fight) 4.27 (24 votes)

71. Roderick Strong vs. Eddie Edwards (Manhattan Mayhem IV 3.19.2011 – ROH World Title Match) 4.27 (21 votes)

72. Team ROH (Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer & Adam Pearce) vs. Team CZW (Chris Hero, Necro Butcher & Super Dragon) (The 100th Show 4.22.2006) 4.27 (12 votes)

73. Kota Ibushi & KENTA vs. Naomichi Marufuji & Katsuhiko Nakajima (The Tokyo Summit 9.14.2008) 4.26 (19 votes)

74. Tyler Black vs. Kevin Steen (Salvation 7.24.2010 – ROH World Title Match) 4.26 (14 votes)

75. Samoa Joe vs. Jay Briscoe (At Our Best 3.13.2004 – Cage Match for the ROH World Title) 4.22 (23 votes)

76. Bryan Danielson & Samoa Joe vs. KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji (Best in the World 3.25.2006) 4.22 (12 votes)

77. CM Punk vs. Roderick Strong (Escape from New York 7.9.2005 – ROH World Title Match) 4.20 (15 votes)

78. AJ Styles vs. Bryan Danielson (Main Event Spectacles 11.1.2003 - #1 Contender’s Trophy Match) 4.18 (27 votes)

79. The American Dragon vs. AJ Styles (All-Star Extravaganza 11.9.2002 - #1 Contender’s Trophy Match) 4.18 (12 votes)

80. Samoa Joe vs. Takeshi Morishima (Fifth Year Festival: NYC 2.16.2007) 4.16 (12 votes)

81. CM Punk & Ace Steel vs. Dan Maff & BJ Whitmer (Death Before Dishonor II, Part 2 7.24.2004 – Chicago Street Fight) 4.15 (13 votes)

82. Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. Austin Aries & Kota Ibushi (Tag Wars 2008 4.18.2008) 4.14 (14 votes)

83. Low Ki vs. Samoa Joe (Glory by Honor 10.5.2002 – Fight Without Honor) 4.10 (23 votes)

84. The American Wolves vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico (Glory by Honor VIII 9.26.2009 – Ladder War II for the ROH Tag Team Titles) 4.10 (19 votes)

85. Austin Aries vs. Kenny Omega (The Omega Effect 11.14.2009 – ROH World Title Match) 4.10 (14 votes)

86. The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black (Tag Wars 2008 4.18.2008) 4.08 (21 votes)

87. Roderick Strong vs. El Generico (Pick Your Poison 4.23.2010) 4.08 (21 votes)

88. Nigel McGuinness vs. Jerry Lynn (Supercard of Honor IV 4.3.2009 – ROH World Title Match) 4.06 (23 votes)

89. Austin Aries vs. Davey Richards (Aries vs. Richards 11.13.2009 – ROH World Title Match) 4.05 (28 votes)

90. Christopher Daniels vs. Eddie Edwards (9th Anniversary Show 2.26.2011 – 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the ROH Television Title) 4.03 (16 votes)

91. Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles (Road to the Title 6.22.2002) 4.02 (10 votes)

92. Davey Richards vs. El Generico (8th Anniversary Show 2.13.2010) 4.00 (24 votes)

93. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. KENTA (Glory by Honor VI, Night 2 11.3.2007 – GHC Heavyweight Title Match) 4.00 (21 votes)

94. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The American Wolves (7th Anniversary Show 3.21.2009 – No DQ Match for the ROH Tag Team Titles) 4.00 (10 votes)

95. Kevin Steen vs. El Generico (Death Before Dishonor VIII 6.19.2010) 3.98 (37 votes)

96. Jay Briscoe vs. Mark Briscoe (Honor Invades Boston 8.24.2002) 3.97 (12 votes)

97. Xavier vs. John Walters (Final Battle 2003 12.27.2003 – Fight Without Honor) 3.92 (16 votes)

98. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Death Before Dishonor VI 8.2.2008) 3.91 (15 votes)

99. CM Punk vs. Raven (Death Before Dishonor 7.19.2003 – Dog Collar Match) 3.90 (11 votes)

100. Low Ki vs. AJ Styles (A Night of Appreciation 4.27.2002) 3.89 (17 votes)

 

[soup23]

Briscoe Brothers vs. All Night Express from Night 2 of the WrestleMania shows in Atlanta is criminally underrated. A great southern style brawl where Rhett Titus and Jay bleed like crazy. 3 years later, I think it was the best match I saw that weekend and think it got devalued for not being a traditional ROH match.

[Alan4L]

that is a healthy list right there. Although one match that I'm shocked by the positioning of is the Cage Of Death - one of the best executed hours of independent wrestling I've ever seen. I don't know how well it would come off to someone who wasn't entrenched in all the storyline things going on with it, but as someone who was it was incredible.

[Alan4L]

Briscoe Brothers vs. All Night Express from Night 2 of the WrestleMania shows in Atlanta is criminally underrated. A great southern style brawl where Rhett Titus and Jay bleed like crazy. 3 years later, I think it was the best match I saw that weekend and think it got devalued for not being a traditional ROH match.

I LOVED that match. It was approx 1 trillion times better than the AMerican Wolves vs. Haas & Benjamin match that weekend. I loved the two Future Shock tags as well though.

[BigBadMick]

Alan, any chance you could put together a quick narrative on RoH match quality from 2009-14?

 

My basic understanding is solid until 2011, then bit of a dip in 2012 and resurrection this year. Is that generalisation anywhere close?

[Alan4L]

No problem Mick

 

I really soured on the product in 2009 during Pearce's first year in charge. They seemed really focused on the HD Net TV and I didn't really enjoy it. However looking back there was still alot of good stuff on the non-TV shows just not the pletora we were used to from previous years. Danielson had great matches on his way out against Hero, Davey and Tyler. Hero came into his own as a singles guy with the advent of his KO gimmick. I loved his match with KENTA which was probably my fave HD Net match. Steen & Generico and the American Wolves carried the tag scene pretty well.

 

2010 was all about the Steen & Corino vs Generico & Cabana feud (which produced some incredibly heated, hate filled matches), and as the year went on the rise of the reformed Kings Of Wrestling (they had great matches with the Briscoes in Toronto, MCMG in NYC and Haas & Benjamin in NYC). Overall there wasn't a greath depth of match quality up and down the cards though. The roster just seemed very handcuffed. If I could recommend one show though it'd be April 24th in Chicago which had three of my fave matches that year in ROH.

 

2011/2012 were really the main Cornette years I think. There was some good stuff smattered around and the likes of Elgin, Cole & O'Reilly were a nice bit of fresh blood but on the whole these years don't come close to the peak years. 2012 in particular was just a wasteland in terms of great wrestling.

 

After Cornette left, 2013 felt like it was almost a rebuilding year and they ended on a real strong note with an exciting Final Battle PPV. This year has seen that rebuilding pay off and the result has been a much hotter product, with bigger crowds, better matches and the best TV show they've ever had. August and September may have been the best two months of ROH since Gabe left. Jay Lethal has somehow become a fantastic heel TV Champ (his title defence against ACH in August in one of my fave ROH matches ever), the Briscoes have matured into perhaps their most well-rounded incarnation yet, reDRagon and the Bucks have been having some sensational tag matches, Adam Cole has developed into a really consistent heel worker and AJ Styles and Chris Hero have come back as part-timers having fantastic matches. The roster is a bit thin where they're only 2 or 3 injuries away from being in trouble though but I hope with TNA guys becoming available and some good up and coming talent out there on the indies, that they'll be fine.

[GSR]

Briscoe Brothers vs. All Night Express from Night 2 of the WrestleMania shows in Atlanta is criminally underrated. A great southern style brawl where Rhett Titus and Jay bleed like crazy. 3 years later, I think it was the best match I saw that weekend and think it got devalued for not being a traditional ROH match.

 

Is this the match that is on one of Goodhelmet's Match of the Year contenders comps?