Ring of Honor: The Best There Is, Best There Was, Best There Will Be

[Szumi]

Ring of Honor was formed in the early stages of 2002, promoting out of the Philadelphia area at the Murphy Rec Center, as well as other places. Featuring the best wrestling matches in the nation, RoH quickly became a cult phenomena, establishing a die-hard fanbase in the Tri-State and Mid-West areas such as Philadelphia, New Jersey, Buffalo and Manhatton, Dayton, and Chicago, among other places. Ring of Honor's fist show was held in February 2002, featuring stars like Low-Ki, 'American Dragon' Bryan Danielson, Christopher Daniels, Spanky, Amazing Red, and Xavier, among others. Ring of Honor has been all about just producing top notch wrestling shows with the best wrestling in the nation, and that is exactly what Ring of Honor has done; every single time. For almost four years now, Ring of Honor has been recognized as the number one independant promotion in the Indy Scene. Now with 2006 here, Ring of Honor looks to continue their great success on the Independant Scene, and continue to make a name for themselves under the booking of Gabe Sapolsky and the ownership of Cary Silkin. Featuring stars such as Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, Homicide and the Rottweilers, Generation Next, The Embassy, Steve Corino, Christopher Daniels, and AJ Styles, among many others, Ring of Honor is out to prove that 2006 is going to be their best year yet. Who will be the MVP of 2006? Who will breakout of the midcard into the main event? Who will have the most success? Who will have... all the honor? It's Ring of Honor 2006, and it begins... now.

[Szumi]

[COLOR=Red][SIZE=4][CENTER][U][B]Ring of Honor Newswire for: It All Begins[/B][/U][/CENTER][/SIZE][/COLOR] [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] First of all, we here at Ring of Honor and rohwrestling.com would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year, and hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] RoH Commissioner Jim Cornette is taking action right away in the new year of 2006. Cornette has already booked two matches for the upcoming show, It All Begins. Cornette has booked Samoa Joe against a wrestler of Jay Lethal’s choosing, and has booked Jay Lethal against a wrestler of Samoa Joe’s choosing. Jay Lethal is the former protégé of Samoa Joe, but turned his back on Samoa Joe recently. These two will get their hands on another soon enough in a Ring of Honor ring, most likely at the Anniversary Celebration Shows. [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] Austin Aries has issued a challenge to current RoH World Champion Bryan Danielson and a partner of Danielson’s choosing to face off against Aries and Roderick Strong for their newly won RoH Tag Team Championship. Aries and Strong on the Tag Titles at Final Battle 2005, and Aries is granting Danielson the first Title shot out of respect to Danielson, who gave Aries the first shot at the RoH World Championship when Danielson beat James Gibson for the Title at Glory By Honor IV. Danielson is yet to choose a partner, but has accepted Aries challenge. [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] After the incident at Final Battle 2005 when Homicide poured draino down the throat of Colt Cabana, RoH Commissioner Jim Cornette has booked Homicide in a Hardcore Match against Cabana’s friend Steve Corino as punishment. Cornette has barred the Rottweilers and Cabana from ringside in the match, and has given Cabana time to shoot on Homicide backstage during the show. The ongoing feud between ‘Classic’ Colt Cabana and ‘The Notorious 187’ Homicide is far from over, and will only intensify as 2006 gets rolling for Ring of Honor. [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] Low-Ki and Christopher Daniels are two of the men who helped put Ring of Honor on the map back at The Era of Honor Begins at the RoH Debut Show in February 2002 with their triple threat match against Bryan Danielson. It is a new year for RoH, but Low-Ki and Christopher Daniels look to recapture some of the prestige they earned themselves in that triple threat match when Daniels and Low-Ki will face off against each other and AJ Styles in a Triple Threat Match at It All Begins. [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] A re-match between Ricky Reyes and Davey Andrews has been made for It All Begins by Commissioner Jim Cornette. Reyes beat Andrews at Final Battle 2005 and then destroyed Andrew’s Student Trophy afterwards. After Andrews consulted his trainer Austin Aries, Andrews has challenged Reyes again to a match, which Reyes has accepted. [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] The opponents for Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal have been appointed, and the two matches are now set. Jay Lethal has appointed The Embassy’s [b]Abyss[/b] as the opponent for Samoa Joe at It All Begins, while Samoa Joe’s opponent for Jay Lethal at It All Begins will be Generation Next star [b]Jack Evans[/b]. [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] Speaking of Generation Next and The Embassy, the ongoing war between the two factions will continue at It All Begins as the newest member of Generation Next, Matt Sydal, will face off with the crown jewel of The Embassy, Jimmy Rave. These two factions have been in an ongoing war for a while now, and it seems that It All Begins will only intensify this war between Generation Next and The Embassy. [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] Bryan Danielson has petitioned Colt Cabana, Jimmy Yang, and Nigel McGuiness to be his partner for It All Begins when he and his partner, whomever it may be, takes on Generation Next’s Austin Aries and Roderick Strong for the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championship. [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] Prince Nana and The Embassy have issued out an open challenge to any wrestler in Ring of Honor to take on ‘The Next’ Alex Shelley. Shelley will look to display his hybrid style of wrestling in a match that is all about wrestling. [b][u]Week Three:[/b][/u] Bryan Danielson’s partner has been named, and it is none other than [b]’Classic’ Colt Cabana![/b] Cabana, showing a new serious attitude after the ‘Draino’ incident, looks to regain RoH Gold at It All Begins when he teams with ‘American Dragon’ Bryan Danielson to take on Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in the main event for the Tag Team Championship. [b][u]Week Three:[/b][/u] Nigel McGuiness, who accepted the petition Danielson issued to him but was order to defend his Pure Championship at It All Begins instead, will instead defend his Pure Title against Chad Collyer, the former protégé of ‘Ice Man’ Dean Malenko. Collyer is a great technical wrestler much like his mentor, and could definitely be a handful for the British Star. Will Collyer escape It All Begins with the Pure Title, or will McGuiness retain the Pure Title? And if so, will McGuiness win on his own, or will he be forced to go to cheap tactics such as using his iron to retain the Pure Title? [U][B]Week Three:[/B][/U] The challenge that was issued out by Prince Nana and The Embassy for any wrestler in RoH to take on Alex Shelley has been accepted. Shelley’s opponent will be a former PWG World Champion and rising star on the independent scene, [b]’Mr. Wrestling’ Kevin Steen[/b]. Steen is looking to gain some respect in Ring of Honor, and a win over a wrestler like Alex Shelley will definitely help him out. [U][B]Week Three:[/B][/U] RoH Commissioner Jim Cornette has added two last minute matches to It All Begins today. Feeling that the show need some more tag team action besides the main event match of Danielson and Cabana versus Aries and Strong for the RoH Tag Titles, Cornette has booked the Ring Crew Express, Dunn and Marcos, to take on the newest addition of Lacey’s Angels, BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs. The last match added will see the rising European star Claudio Castagnoli go one-on-one with Havana Pitbull and Rottweiler member Rocky Romero. [b][u]Final Card for It All Begins:[/b][/u] Generation Next’s Austin Aries & Roderick Strong © vs. Bryan Danielson & Colt Cabana- [B]RoH Tag Team Championship[/B] AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Low-Ki Homicide vs. Steve Corino- [I]Hardcore Match[/I] Abyss (w/Prince Nana) vs. Samoa Joe Nigel McGuiness © vs. Chad Collyer- [B]RoH Pure Championship[/B] Jack Evans vs. Jay Lethal Jimmy Rave (w/Prince Nana) vs. Matt Sydal Claudio Castagnoli vs. Rocky Romero (w/Julius Smokes) Lacey’s Angels (BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs w/Lacey) vs. Ring Crew Express (Dunn & Marcos) Davey Andrews vs. Ricky Reyes (w/Julius Smokes)- [I]Grudge Match[/I] Alex Shelley (w/Prince Nana) vs. Kevin Steen Predictions and feedback is welcomed.

[Szumi]

[COLOR=Red][SIZE=4][CENTER][U][B]Ring of Honor Results: It All Begins[/B][/U][/CENTER][/SIZE][/COLOR] [b]Location: National Guard Armory in Philadelphia[/b] [b]Match One: Alex Shelley (w/Prince Nana) vs. Kevin Steen[/b] ~The opening contest went back and forth, with the crowd having a bit of difficulty getting into the match since both men are playing heels. The match itself is all about wrestling, as we see a lot of chain wrestling and Shelley’s hybrid style. In the end, Shelley picks up the relative easy win, making Steen tap out to the Border City Stretch at about the 10 minute mark. [b]Rating:[/b] C [b]Match Two: Davey Andrews vs. Ricky Reyes (w/Julius Smokes)[/b] ~The grudge match from Final Battle 2005 is nothing more than a glorified squash match, as Reyes controls most of the match, and pins Andrews with ease after connecting with a Fisherman Brainbuster. [b]Rating:[/b] C- [b]Match Three: BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs (w/Lacey) vs. Ring Crew Express[/b] ~The Ring Crew Express put up a fight against Lacey’s Angels, but the odd team of Whitmer and Jacobs is too much for the RCE, as Whitmer pins Dunn after an Exploder Suplex at the 9 and a half minute mark. [b]Rating:[/b] C+ [b]Match Four: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Rocky Romero (w/Julius Smokes)[/b] ~This match went back and forth for most of the match, with Romero trying to keep the match serious, but Castagnoli kept throwing comedy spots into the match to entertain the crowd and freshen them up. In the end, Castagnoli ended up shifting to a more serious focus on the match after Romero started to gain control of the match. Double C’s serious focus helped give him the win, sealing the deal with a Money Dive Headbutt. [b]Rating:[/b] C [b]Match Five: Jimmy Rave (w/Prince Nana) vs. Matt Sydal[/b] ~The newest Generation Next star took it to the crown jewel of Prince Nana’s The Embassy in this match-up, trying to prove his worth in RoH. Sydal fought hard and with all of his might for 11 strong minutes, but the interference of Prince Nana proved to be too much for young Sydal, as he was able to distract Sydal long enough so Rave could hit his Greetings From Ghana to pick up the win. [b]Rating:[/b] C [b]Shoot Promo: Colt Cabana[/b] ~Cabana is backstage, in a very serious mood compared to his usual laid back self. Cabana talks about the ‘Draino’ Incident, and how Homicide has forced him to stop being laid back and easy-going; Homicide has made Colt Cabana one serious, pissed off motherfu*ker! Cabana promises that at the Anniversary Shows next February, Colt Cabana will get his hands on Homicide, and he will make him pay for the ‘Draino’ Incident, and everything else The Notorious 187 has done to Cabana. Nice 3 minute shoot by Cabana. [b]Rating:[/b] C+ [I]*Intermission*[/I] [b]Match Six: Jack Evans vs. Jay Lethal[/b] ~The Generation Next superstar and Samoa Joe’s personal hand-picked opponent for Jay Lethal came out strong in this match, using his superior aerial skills to keep Lethal on his toes throughout the match. Evans was able to dominate the early goings of the match, but once Lethal was able to slow the match down, Lethal dominated Evans, and ended up finishing him off with the Lethal Injection at the 13-minute mark. [b]Rating:[/b] C [b]Match Seven: Nigel McGuiness © vs. Chad Collyer- RoH Pure Championship[/b] ~Collyer tried to take it to McGuiness right away in this match, hoping to get a quick and early win over the British star. Collyer came out fast with vicious chops and lethal strikes, but McGuiness was able to slow the contest down. McGuiness used his unique British style of wrestling to control the match, and Collyer just didn’t have an answer for the British style of wrestling that McGuiness used. McGuiness was able to successfully retain the Pure Title after 12 minutes of action, hitting the Guvnor’s Crumpet for the pin fall. [b]Rating:[/b] C+ [b]Match Eight: Abyss (w/Prince Nana) vs. Samoa Joe[/b] ~The two big men went right at each other in this match with some vicious strikes and slams. Lethal’s hand-picked opponent Abyss was able to surprisingly dominate Joe for a good portion of the match, but Joe ended up fighting back, hitting three Ole Kicks and a huge combination of lethal strikes of punches, kicks, chops, knees, and elbows. Samoa Joe finally was able to get the win at the 16 and a half minute mark after the Ole Kicks and stiff combinations followed by an amazing Island Driver that featured Joe’s strength by hitting Abyss with the move. [b]Rating:[/b] B [b]Match Nine: Homicide vs. Steve Corino- Hardcore Match[/b] ~The Notorious 187 and the former ECW World Champion broke out some hardcore action for the Philadelphia crowd, using chairs, trash cans, tables, chains, and biscuit pans as weapons in this match. The match was a wild and crazy brawl for the most part as Corino and Homicide brawled throughout most of the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, giving the crowd quite a treat. Corino almost had the match won, hitting an Old School Expulsion on Homicide after a failed attempt by Homicide to pour Draino down the throat of Corino. Homicide kicked out and fought back though, showing his resiliency and his will to fight. Corino fought valiantly, but Homicide came out the winner in the end, damn near breaking Corino’s neck with a Cop Killa through a table near the 17-minute mark. [b]Rating:[/b] B- [b]Match Ten: AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Low-Ki[/b] ~These three men are three of the best athletes and wrestlers in North America, and they proved it why in this match. The three men went back and forth for 23 minutes, each man hitting their respective finishes multiple times, but never getting the win. High spots were broken out by all three men, as AJ Styles hit his tope con hilo senton and shooting star press over the ropes to the outside, Low-Ki hit some amazing suicide dives, and Daniels hit his springboard Best Moonsault Ever to the outside of the ring. Despite all of their best efforts, only one man could come out the winner, and that man was Low-Ki. Daniels had taken AJ Styles out with an Angel’s Wings and looked for a BME, but Low-Ki crotched Daniels on the top rope and hit a Ki Krusher off the top rope to the ring canvas to get the pin fall for an early MOTY Candidate. [b]Rating:[/b] B [b]Main Event: Generation Next © vs. Bryan Danielson & Colt Cabana: RoH Tag Titles[/b] ~This match showcased tag team wrestling at its best in a 33-minute match up. All four men wrestled their hearts out in their own style, which proved for some great wrestling. Aries was the high flyer, Strong the lethal suplex and back breaker machine, Cabana the all-around wrestler, and Danielson the technician. The match was back and forth throughout the whole match, with many near falls and hope spots as each man hit his finisher at least once or twice in the match. Danielson almost had Austin Aries to submit after getting the Cattle Mutilation locked in, but Roderick Strong broke the submission up at the last minute. The Colt .45 also almost gave the Titles to the challengers, but Strong showed his resiliency by kicking out. Aries almost had the RoH World Champion pinned after a Brain Buster, but Danielson kicked out. Cabana and Aries ended up brawling on the outside, leaving the 2005 Survival of the Fittest winner and the RoH Champion in the ring alone. In the end, Danielson set Strong up for a Dragon Suplex, but Strong fought back, and hit a Half-Nelson Back Breaker and then the CX ’02 for the pin over the RoH Champion and successful title retention for Generation Next. [b]Rating:[/b] B- [b]Final Show Rating:[/b] B- [b]Attendance:[/b] 2000

[FuelFan0102]

[B]Austin Aries & Roderick Strong[/B] © vs. Bryan Danielson & Colt Cabana AJ Styles vs. [B]Christopher Daniels[/B] vs. Low-Ki Homicide vs. [B]Steve Corino[/B] [B]Abyss[/B] (w/Prince Nana) vs. Samoa Joe [B]Nigel McGuiness[/B] © vs. Chad Collyer Jack Evans vs. [B]Jay Lethal[/B] [B]Jimmy Rave[/B] (w/Prince Nana) vs. Matt Sydal Claudio Castagnoli vs. [B]Rocky Romero [/B] (w/Julius Smokes) [B]BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs[/B] (w/Lacey) vs. Dunn & Marcos [B]Davey Andrews[/B] vs. Ricky Reyes (w/Julius Smokes) (Wishful thinking, haha) [B]Alex Shelley[/B] (w/Prince Nana) vs. Kevin Steen heh... oops... you posted as I was responding.

[Szumi]

[COLOR=Red][SIZE=4][CENTER][U][B]Ring of Honor Newswire For- Anniversary Celebration Parts I, II, and III[/B][/U][/CENTER][/SIZE][/COLOR] [CENTER][COLOR=Red][U][B]January 2006:[/B][/U][/COLOR][/CENTER] [u][b]Week Four:[/b][/u] With this being the first Newswire to be posted for the road to our Fourth Anniversary Celebration, it will come as no surprise that the first match that has been booked by Ring of Honor Commissioner Jim Cornette for the first show of the Anniversary Celebration is [b]‘Classic’ Colt Cabana[/b] versus [b]‘The Notorious 187’ Homicide[/b]. These two have had an on-going war in Ring of Honor, and look to settle this feud once and for all at the Anniversary Celebration Shows. Cabana and Homicide will go one-on-one at the first Anniversary Celebration Show in Cadillac, Michigan, and then again at Anniversary Celebration Part III at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, New York. [b][u]Week Four:[/b][/u] RoH Commissioner Jim Cornette has also already booked another match for both Anniversary Celebration Shows I and III as [b]‘Samoan Submission Machine’ Samoa Joe[/b] will take on the man who turned on him, his former protégé, [b]Jay Lethal![/b] The set of matches between Joe and Lethal promises to be great matches to watch, so get tickets if you are in the Cadillac or New York City area! [b][u]Week Four:[/b][/u] The main event for Anniversary Celebration Part I is already set! [b]‘American Dragon’ Bryan Danielson[/b] will defend the [b]RoH World Championship[/b] against [b]’Messiah of the Back Breaker’ Roderick Strong[/b]. Danielson made the challenge to Strong in the aftermath of Roderick Strong pinning Danielson at It All Begins with a CX ’02. Strong is the 2005 Survival of the Fittest Champion and that gave him a guaranteed RoH World Title Shot, but Strong has already used that shot against Danielson, but lost. This time around Strong will get a Title Shot after pinning the RoH World Champion himself! [b][u]Week Four:[/b][/u] It All Begins, The Embassy’s [b]Jimmy Rave[/b] defeated Generation’s Next [b]Matt Sydal[/b] after interference from [b]Prince Nana[/b]. The leader of Generation Next, [b]Austin Aries[/b] has challenged Rave to a match at the Anniversary Celebration I Show in Cadillac, Michigan. [CENTER][COLOR=Red][U][B]February 2006:[/B][/U][/COLOR][/CENTER] [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] [b]AJ Styles[/b] versus [b]Low-Ki[/b] has been added to the Anniversary Celebration I Show in Cadillac, Michigan, after AJ Styles challenged Low-Ki to a match after the triple threat match that Low-Ki won back at It All Begins. These two are no strangers to each other inside the wrestling ring, so this match will definitely be one to watch. If the chemistry alone between these two men wasn’t enough for you, then this added stipulation by RoH Commissioner Jim Cornette should be; the winner of this match will face-off against the winner of Danielson/Strong at Anniversary Celebration II Show in Dayton, Ohio! Which man will prevail in this possibly MOTY candidate? Who will get the coveted Title shot? Find out at the Anniversary Celebration I Show! [b][u]Week One:[/b][/u] RoH Commissioner has just signed another match for the Anniversary Celebration II Show in Dayton, and it will be a tag team match with Colt Cabana teaming up with Samoa Joe to take on Homicide and Jay Lethal! All four men have been embroiled in feuds with another, and this Anniversary Celebration looks like it is going to heat things up even more! [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] The challenge issued by Generation Next’s leader Austin Aries to face The Embassy’s Jimmy Rave has been accepted by Prince Nana, and the two main wrestlers of the rival factions will go one on one at the Anniversary Celebration I Show. The war between Generation Next and The Embassy is far from over because also at the Anniversary Celebration I Show, Generation Next’s Matt Sydal will face-off with The Embassy’s [b]Alex Shelley[/b], as well as Azrieal in a triple threat match. Also, if Rave can defeat Aries at the Anniversary Celebration I Show, then [b]Aries and Roderick Strong[/b] will defend the [b]RoH Tag Titles[/b] against [b]Rave and Shelley[/b] at the Anniversary Celebration II Show in Dayton, Ohio. Regardless of the outcome of any of the other matches at the Anniversary Celebration I Show, at the Anniversary Celebration II Show, The Embassy’s [b]Abyss and Fast Eddie[/b] will take on Generation Next’s [b]Jack Evans and Sydal[/b]. The war between is Generation Next and The Embassy is definitely, far, from over! [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] As the Anniversary Celebration I Show approaches, more matches continue to be announced by RoH Commissioner Jim Cornette. Cornette has booked a match between [b]’The Fallen Angel’ Christopher Daniels[/b] and [b]’King of Old School’ Steve Corino[/b]. The winner of this match will get a RoH World Championship Match against whoever the Champion may be at the Anniversary Celebration III Show at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Corino and Daniels both are looking to getting this win, and the chance to win the RoH World Championship. [b][u]Week Two:[/b][/u] [b]RoH Pure Champion Nigel McGuiness[/b] will defend his Pure Title against the rising star of Claudio Castagnoli. Double C has made a name for himself since joining RoH last year, and has impressed Cornette enough to get a RoH Pure Title Shot. McGuiness is coming off of an impressive win of Chad Collyer at It All Begins, so we will have to see if that momentum, plus the momentum Nigel has already had going for him, will be enough for him to once again retain the RoH Pure Championship. [b][u]Week Three:[/b][/u] Another match has just been signed for Anniversary Celebration I Show, with that match featuring [b]Milano Connection AT[/b] going up against [b]El Generico[/b]. Both men are looking to try and make a name for themselves in Ring of Honor, and a win at the Fourth Anniversary Celebration Shows could certainly help pave their way to success in Ring of Honor. [b][u]Week Three:[/b][/u] One last final match has been added for the Anniversary Celebration I Show. Feeling a tag team match needed to be added for the show, Jim Cornette has booked [b]Ring Crew Express[/b] against the former Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions [b]Tony Mamaluke and Sal Rinauro[/b]. [b][u]Final Card for Anniversary Celebration I Show:[/b][/u] Bryan Danielson © vs. Roderick Strong- [b]RoH World Championship[/b] AJ Styles vs. Low-Ki Colt Cabana vs. Homicide (w/Julius Smokes) Jay Lethal vs. Samoa Joe Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Rave (w/Prince Nana) Christopher Daniels vs. Steve Corino Ring Crew Express vs. Tony Mamaluke & Sal Rinauro Nigel McGuiness © vs. Claudio Castagnoli- [b]RoH Pure Championship[/b] Alex Shelley (w/Prince Nana) vs. Azrieal vs. Matt Sydal El Generico vs. Milano Collection AT [I]OOC: There will be an additional Newsire for the 2nd and 3rd Anniversary Show, and more matches, as well as the cards will be released then.[/I]