[2009-05-02-ROH-ROH on HDNET #7] Austin Aries vs Roderick Strong

[TonyPulis'Cap]

Match has the backstory coming in of them being former Generation Next stablemates, and tag team champion partners. They had feuded in the past as part of ROH's rather ill-fated 'stable wars' period, but that felt pretty underwhelming from my memory. At that stage it was Aries who was the face and Strong as the heel, but that's reversed here. On commentary they say Strong is returning from a tour of NOAH and he feels a bit directionless in comparison to Aries who was being pushed back into the ROH Title picture.

There's lots of cautiousness and feeling out early on, which makes sense given their history and knowing each other so well. Unfortunately, the match then never really progresses to where you think it could do, although this was a TV match rather than a bigger ROH show where they may have cut loose more. There are fun moments, but it gets pretty dull in the middle and meanders at times. Aries is wrestling in his heel persona, meaning he's not at his more fluid, while Strong - especially at this time - despite being a very good wrestler still wasn't that charismatic. He doesn't show the emotion and fire you would want from going up against your former partner.

I did like the story of Aries constantly being able to dodge Strong's chops (although they don't do it as well as the 2005 match between Strong and Punk (Escape from New York?) which tells that story masterly) but by doing so he leaves himself vulnerable to other offence. It's probably a very niche reference but it reminded me of when Stoke City first got promoted to the Premier League in the late 2000s and teams were so psychologically terrified of giving away thrown ins due to Rory Delap's long throws they would concede in other ways. Probably just me thinking that though... 

While a good match, this feels like the two guys are doing it a bit paint by numbers. Maybe its the setting (being from a TV taping), maybe it's Aries still working in his new heel wrestling style or maybe it's Strong not having much going on in the company, but while I enjoyed it, it did feel disappointing given what both guys are capable of. (*** 1/4)