WE’RE BAAAACCCKK!!! DDW Podcast #14
After Chris talked about Austin Aries, he had a seizure and Tristan had to upload the podcast.
ROH: 11th Anniversary Show
Overall: 8.5/10
Six Man Mayhem:
ACH vs. Silas Young vs. Tadarius Thomas vs. Mike Sydal vs. Adam Page vs. QT Marshall:
What a superb way to open up the show. A super fun, jammed packed match really got the Chicago Ridge crowd loud very early on. Although this was on the shorter side, this was still an insanely fun match. Tons of crazy spots including Silas Young giving an onlooking RD Evans a suplex to the outside, onto the pile of guys already on the floor. ACH picking up the victory was a very smart decision and it made sense. **3/4
Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. S.C.U.M. (Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs):
Here, we had yet another pretty enjoyable match. Although this seemed to be a trend on the show, the match was very fast paced. Not really a dull moment in this match. Caprice and Cedric are an awesome duo and I see great things in the near future for them. Although this was also on the shorter side, it was still enjoyable. **3/4
No Holds Barred:
Charlie Haas vs. BJ Whitmer:
Given Charlie Haas’ current ring style, this may be the best match we’ve seen from him and will see from in a very long time. These two killed each other. There were some very cool spots such as Whitmer taking a belly to belly suplex out of the ring and through a table. They also recreated the infamous Final Battle spot where Whitmer, this time, landed safely. My only complaint about this was the finish. It really made no sense. Besides that minor setback, this match was fun and something different. ***1/4
The American Wolves vs. The Forever Hooligans:
This was a classic, action packed, non-stop wrestling, ROH match. In the fifteen minutes given, both teams showed they came and tried to steal the show. Every move executed in this match was executed very well. Although this didn’t really live up to the “Dream Match” hype, it was still a very good match. The crowd was really into it and both teams really meshed well with each other. I agreed with the Chicago Ridge fans when they chanted “Please Comeback” to the Hooligans. They are a great team and have endless talent. Overall, a very good match. ***1/2
2 out of 3 Falls:
Roderick Strong vs. Michael Elgin:
This was a brutally awesome match. Yet, at the same time, I felt kind of let down by this. I thought this match was gonna completely steal the show. Although the back and forth action was excellent, this fell a little below my expectations. My theory is they just didn’t get enough time. Besides time constraints, I thought this was very well done. Roderick and Elgin are two of the best on the scene today and this match showed why. An awesome match that just fell a little below expectations. ***3/4
ROH Television Championship Match:
Adam Cole(c) vs. Matt Taven:
This was the most shocking match of the night. And no, I’m not talking about the outfit Truth Martini was wearing. Although, on second thought, that was a very shocking spectacle to witness. This was solid back and forth match. Matt Taven winning the title was an absolute shock. Seeing Taven wrestle on multiple occasions, I was very happy with the decision. I have a feeling Cole may be heading to bigger and better things. ***1/4
ROH Tag Team Championship Match:
The Briscoe Brothers(c) vs. RedDRagon:
Although starting off on the slower side, this picked up very quickly in the last couple of minutes. Yet again, another shock with RedDRagon picking up the victory and becoming new Tag Team Champions. The crowd reacted huge to this and it showed how shocking this really was. This was another solid match. ***1/2
ROH World Championship Match:
Kevin Steen(c) vs. Jay Lethal:
What a main event this was. An excellent match to say the least. Some may say too much happened in the twenty minutes of this match but I disagree. I felt the ref bumps and SCUM’s interferences added to the drama and unpredictability of this match. By the time this was entering the closing minutes, the crowd was praying for Lethal to finally defeat Steen. The ending was excellent and a Steen face turn was teased multiple times. The post match SCUM attack was insane. Jimmy Rave, Cliff Compton, Matt Hardy, and Rhett Titus all revealed they were in SCUM. This was a definite shock and it really made you want to see what would happen next. Overall, the match was excellent. ****1/4
What a show this was. Every match was fast paced and there wasn’t a bad match on the card. The big SCUM reveal made this show even better than it already was. It was a complete shock that caught everybody off guard. You can see the differences in booking here and it’s making the product amazing. Ring of Honor is back and Honor continues to live.
ROH: Defy or Deny II
Overall: 7.75/10
Adam Cole vs. Silas Young:
This match was a very solid way to open the show. I had a lot of fun sitting through this and both men put on a very entertaining performance. These two had some great back and forth action and were able to perform some awesome sequences. Although the match was on the shorter side, they were able to pack a lot into the time allotted. Silas Young looked awesome yet again. Me re-emphasizing that ROH needs to sign Silas may make me sound like a broken record, but ROH SIGN SILAS YOUNG. Overall, a very fun opener. ***1/4
Tadarius Thomas vs. Bobby Fish:
This match was ok at best. Tadarius Thomas really tries hard to have solid matches and you can tell. Yet, he’s still new and needs some improvement in certain areas. I really do see him having a bright future when he improves though. The match had some good sequences but was nothing special at the end of the day. **1/4
Rhett Titus vs. Charlie Haas:
I really feel for Rhett Titus. Kenny King leaving Ring of Honor left him in an awkward position and since then he hasn’t been treated right at all. This match introduced more evidence of Rhett Titus being misused. I really didn’t like this. Charlie Haas is just so boring. I respect him a whole lot, but his matches really kill the crowd. His character is entertaining but it makes his matches even worse. It does this because e almost always wins now with a screwjob finish. This was slow, boring, and not needed. *3/4
SCUM vs. Jay Lethal & The Briscoe Brothers:
I felt that this match was pretty good. In terms of building Jay’s tension with SCUM, it did it’s job. But besides that, I just thought this match was just good. ***
BJ Whitmer vs. Matt Hardy:
I was really confused by this whole contest. At first, they started off very hot. The match was at a very good pace and was actually entertaining. Yet, as it progressed, the initial spark slowly dwindled and eventually burnt out. I really didn’t like that BJ kicked out of Matt’s finisher not once but twice. It basically buried the move. If this was a match on an iPPV or a title was on the line, I’d understand the near falls. But this was a thrown together house show match. The finish of Rhett throwing in the towel also killed this match for me. Besides the horrible finish and dumb near falls, this was ok. **1/4
Davey Richards vs. Kyle O’Reilly:
I loved this match. This match personified what ROH once was. A company that provided just great, intense wrestling matches. O’Reilly really intensified in this one. This was certainly one of O’Reilly’s best performances in ROH thus far. Davey, since coming back, is having awesome matches. You can tell he’s somewhat toning down on certain aspects of his moveset but this comes off as a complete positive. This had some really good storytelling within it as well. Overall, this was a grudge match that was awesome. ****1/4
Defy or Deny Elimination Match:
Kevin Steen vs. Roderick Strong vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Michael Elgin:
I really enjoyed this match as well. I felt this was a great way to finish off the show. Four of ROH’s greatest going at it is something you rarely see. The amount of action they were able to pack into 20 minutes was amazing. Steen notably took a press slam on the entrance ramp which I popped huge for. All four men had very fun exchanges which produced a very fun main event. ****
Overall, an other solid performance from ROH. They really capped off 2013 on a very positive note. I fully look forward to watching the next house show and then tuning in on this upcoming Saturday for the iPPV in Chicago Ridge!
ROH: The Hunt For Gold
(I deeply apologize for the hiatus we have been on. In regards to the podcast, I have no idea what is going to happen. For now reviews will be posted as much as possible. Thanks)
Overall: 7.75/10
Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer vs. Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish:
This match was a very good way to open up 2013 for Ring of Honor. I’m a huge fan of the pairing of O’Reilly and Fish. They are a very fun team to watch and I look forward to seeing them wrestle together on upcoming shows. I enjoyed this match for the most part. Besides some very minimal sloppiness, this match was pretty good. ***
Jay Lethal vs. Steve Corino:
For the most part, this served its purpose. By purpose, I mean building Jay Lethal for his match against Kevin Steen in Chicago Ridge. In that sense, the match did the job that it was intended for. Wrestling ability wise, this was just ok. **1/4
Silas Young vs. Roderick Strong:
I enjoyed this a lot. Ring of Honor needs to pen Silas Young to a deal as soon as possible. He’s a talented guy who, if used right, can make an impact on ROH. There were some very solid exchanges in this one and just some good strong style strikes. Roderick playing the face here is also worth noting. Overall, a very solid undercard match. ***1/4
ROH World Championship Match:
Kevin Steen(c) vs. Tadarius Thomas:
This may have been the weirdest ROH World Championship match I’ve witnessed. This was very unique for ROH in general. Steen really made this match enjoyable from his interactions with the crowd. Steen spent most of the match beating down Thomas yet towards to end Thomas did make a slight comeback. This was ok but not very special. **1/2
Charlie Haas vs. Troy Miguel & Brent Daniels:
Haas sucks. N/A
Proving Ground Match:
Adam Cole vs. Jimmy Jacobs:
This is my match of the year so far. I loved this match. Jimmy Jacobs finally made the impact I’ve been waiting for him to make since returning to ROH. Another great match from Adam Cole. This was full of some great exchanges and some great spots. I highly recommend going out of your way to check this out. ****1/4
Michael Elgin vs. Rhino:
Rhino cut a really funny promo before the match which made the crowd pop huge. This was a brawl in the opening minutes and was ok when taken back into the ring. This was pretty good for the most part. Elgin kicking of the gore made me pop like crazy for some reason. Very cool moment in my opinion. Overall, a good match. ***
ROH World Tag Team Championship Match:
The Briscoe Brothers(c) vs. The American Wolves:
The American Wolves being back together is just awesome. They are a big reason why I first got into Ring of Honor. I really liked this match. This was a classic ROH tag team match. A major flaw in ROH was how bad the tag team division was getting. This proved that Ring of Honor is going in the right direction. This was a great tag team match that left the door open for a rematch. ****
Overall, what a way for Ring of Honor to kick off 2013. Cornette not running the show is clearly evident based on how this show was structured. You can tell that Delirious and the ROH crew are trying very hard to bring ROH to what it once was. This show was a great step in that direction. A very enjoyable show for the most part.
WWE: The Rock is The WWE Champion! What’s Next?
(Chris here. I would like to extend my deepest apologies for the site being not very active these last two weeks. My laptop’s hard drive failed and I had to wait to make an appointment to fix it. Luckily, the lovely people at Apple were kind enough to give me a free new hard drive! So kudos to them for being awesome! The site will be running on a normal schedule from here on out so expect the podcast and more articles to be posted as usual! Thanks guys!)
Last night, WWE’s Royal Rumble took place live from Phoenix, Arizona. The Rock headlined the pay per view in a WWE Championship title bout against long reigning champion, the Cult of Personality, CM Punk. This match was the first in a while that really didn’t have a clear winner based off of meer prediction. It could’ve went either way with either man walking out of Phoenix as WWE Champion. In what shocked the WWE Universe, The Rock hit the People’s Elbow and won the WWE Championship. The Rock is now the champ and one question remains. What is next? Who will the Rock wrestle at Elimination Chamber? Most importantly, who will The Rock be facing at the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania XXIX?
Now, I think everybody is speculating on what will go down at Elimination Chamber. Will The Great One enter the Elimination Chamber? My opinion is he will not. I feel WWE is trying to prevent the new champ from getting injured and since being Rock is a headline attraction for WrestleMania, WWE doesn’t want to take that risk. I personally feel he SHOULD be in the Chamber though. If he isn’t, doesn’t that mean the Raw Elimination Chamber will be a Number One Contender’s Match? Yet, John Cena won the Rumble and it seems apparent he wants The Rock so at this point I have no idea what can possibly be done besides having Rock defend the WWE Championship in the Chamber. Only time shall tell.
Now, if The Rock walks out of Elimination Chamber as WWE Champion I think it’s quite apparent who he will face. I believe he will face the winner of the Royal Rumble, John Cena. These two have some major beef and John Cena may have some unfinished business with The Great One. Yet again, only time shall tell.
WWE is only going to get better and better as we approach WrestleMania. Now, I have one question for you all reading this. What is WWE planning for The Rock? Please feel free to comment on this post and let your voice be heard!
WWE Royal Rumble 2013: The Rock vs. CM Punk: Who Is Going To Win?
With the Royal Rumble quickly approaching, we at the DDW want to know what is on the minds of our awesome fans. For the fun of it, a poll will be posted so you can pick who you think is going to win the WWE Championship match at the Royal Rumble between The Rock and CM Punk. Be sure to vote below and, if you want, leave a comment on this post on your reasoning behind your decision! Thanks for playing!
DDW Podcast #13
This week we talk about the Royal Rumble, El Generico, DDT 4, and whether or not Super Dragon is currently living in Chris’ basement.
DDW Podcast #12
This week we examine why Kelly from Saved By The Bell is still hot today, talk about TLC and Final Battle, and talk about Low Ki’s baldness.
Chikara: Zelda The Great
This show took place on 10/11/12 in Chicago, Illinois.
Overall: 7.75/10
Six Man Tag:
Da Soul Touchaz (Acid Jazz, Marshe Rockett, & Willie Richardson) vs. The Batiri (Kobald, Kodama & Obariyon):
It was very nice to see Da Soul Touchaz back in Chikara. They are very charismatic trio and very fun to watch. This was a really good opener. The back and forth action was great. The Batiri and their alliance with Ophidian is really interesting and I cannot wait to see where it eventually goes from here. I was especially impressed with Marshe Rockett in this one. He’s a really good wrestler with some awesome ability. The ending made sense and this was a solid opener. ***
The Devastation Corporation vs. Garth Algar & Wayne Campbell:
Who cares? N/A
El Generico vs. The Shard:
I’ll continue to say this. The Shard is an awesome wrestler. This was proof of that. I really enjoyed this match. El Generico coming back was awesome and I wish he was in Chikara more often. These two had a solid back and forth match that I recommend checking out. ***1/2
FIST (Chuck Taylor & Johnny Gargano) vs. The Swarm (Soldier Ant & deviANT):
This was an ok match. I really didn’t get behind it that much though. The Soldier Ant and deviANT is really overdue and I just cannot get into the storyline between them. FIST is awesome and they looked great here. These two teams just didn’t mesh that well. Overall, this was an ok match. **3/4
Colt Cabana vs. Mike Quackenbush:
This was pretty good. I wish it just had more time. These ended somewhat suddenly and out of nowhere. Yet these two masters of the mat still managed to put on a solid performance. I think this was a couple of steps below their first encounter in Chikara. Yet mainly that was due to time constraints. Besides that, this was pretty good. ***
Six Man Tag Match:
Jigsaw & The Colony (Fire Ant & assailANT) vs. Jimmy Jacobs & The Bravado Brothers:
This was another good match on the card. It was very nice to see Jimmy Jacobs in Chikara and I hope they bring him in again in the future. For the most part, I enjoyed this for what it was. This was used mainly to hype Cibernetico and I think it got the job done. A pretty good match. ***1/4
Tim Donst vs. Gran Akuma:
I really could not get into this one. Akuma is one of my favorites in Chikara and so is Donst but this wasn’t that good. I expected a little bit more from both men. This match had some positives but it was nothing special. **1/2
Four Way Elimination Tag Team Match:
3.0 vs. The Mysterious and Handsome Stranger & Sapphire vs. The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Mr. Touchdown) vs. Team FIST (Sugar Dunkerton & Icarus)
I loved this. This was everything that Chikara is about. Fun, PG wrestling done right. This had points on the line and was treated like it was very important. The big part of this match was the tragic passing of Sapphire. I could not watch without having a seldom tear in my eye. 3.0 picking up two points here was awesome and I look forward to them and The Young Bucks eventually locking up. ***1/2
2/3 Falls Match for Chikara’s Campeonatos de Parejas:
The Young Bucks vs. The Spectral Envoy (UltraMantis Black & Hallowicked):
This was a solid main event from Chikara. The Young Bucks are absolutely awesome and when they come to Chikara they bring it. This was constructed very well. The falls were near perfect and this really didn’t drag. The Batiri getting involved really added to the rivalry that would have a major climax at Under The Hood. A very solid main event. ***3/4
Overall, this was a better show from Chikara. The crowd was hot. Super hot. I highly recommend Chikara brings Chicago an iPPV. The crowd alone would make it very special. I recommend checking out this show if you want to see some good wrestling and some decent storyline progression.
Dragon Driver Wrestling 