7/5 Mathieson's ROH on HDNet Live Coverage: Christopher Daniels and Roderick Strong vs. the American Wolves, the Kings of Wrestling vs. the Dark City Fight Club, plus Daizee Haze in action and Prince Nana appears

By Joe Mathieson

Ring of Honor Wrestling on HDNet
Taped in Philadelphia, Pa.

Brief highlights aired from the Kings of Wrestling defending their tag titles against the Briscoes at Death Before Dishonor VII, followed by the announcement of tonight's two main events and the opening video.

Joe's Judgment: I'd like to thank Rich Twilling for filling in for me the last two weeks, and all my adoring fans for the many emails inquiring about my whereabouts. Okay, not that last one so much.

The Dark City Fight Club entered, followed by the KOW with Shane Hagadorn and Sara Del Rey holding up the plaques from NOAH's Global Tag League.

1. The Kings of Wrestling fought the Dark City Fight Club to an apparent no-contest in a non-title match in 6:50. The DCFC dominated the first couple minutes, but the Kings got the advantage with a dropkick after Hagadorn grabbed Davis' leg to prevent a double-team. At 5:00, Claudio accidentally hit Hero with a bicycle kick and Davis hit a clothesline for a nearfall.

Chavis hit a pretty sick spinebuster on Claudio for two and followed it up with a leg lariat. Hero hit his sliding Yakuza-type kick, then an elbow, then the Death Blow for two. Del Rey distracted the ref and Hagadorn threw him the "lucky" elbow pad. The Briscoes ran out and made the save and stood tall in the ring.

Joe's Judgment: Not a lot of big moves, but a fun, short, stiff match nonetheless. I feel like I've seen enough of the KOW-Briscoes feud, though.

Highlights of last week's Tyler Black vs. El Generico main event aired...

Kyle Durden talked to Prince Nana, who asked him to show video from last week of Necro Butcher joining the Embassy. When the video ended, Nana was dancing, and called Rasche Brown a fool.

2. Daizee Haze defeated Jamilia Craft in 3:30. Jamilia wrestles with a mask. They reversed headlocks for a couple minutes, and Daizee went to work on the Jamilia's arm with an armbar and a divorce court. Jamilia made a quick comeback with a leaping clothesline and a black hole slam, but Haze hit a bridging tiger suplex for the pin.

Joe's Judgment: Jamilia was a bit sloppy but the match was passable. Nothing really more to say.

Hogewood mentioned that this was the first time Haze had wrestled on HDNet in a while, and that she was usually accompanying Delirious, then introduced highlights of Delirious and Jerry Lynn vs. the All-Night Express from a couple weeks ago. He then announced next week's main even of Delirious, Lynn, and Tyler Black vs. Aries, King, and Titus.

Kyle Durden talked with Christopher Daniels, who said that one day he would get in the ring with Davey Richards and settle the question once and for all of who is the best in the world.[C]

After the commercials, a message that had been "paid for by The Embassy and did not reflect the views of ROH or HDNet" aired. It featured Shawn Daivari saying that he aligned himself with people in ROH who had been there for a while and knew how to exploit the shortcomings in intelligence of the "puppets" in ROH management. Nice.

3. The American Wolves defeated Christopher Daniels and Roderick Strong in 18:45. Edwards started for the Wolves against Daniels. Edwards took control with suplexes and Strong tagged in. Strong got a nearfall, but Edwards continued to control things. Daniels tagged back in, and Richards entered for the first time.

Richards and Daniels traded several nearfalls. Richards laid out Daniels with a kick and worked over his leg. Richards tagged in Edwards, who continued to work over Daniels until he made the hot tag to Strong, who went to town on Edwards with chops and leg lariats. Edwards tagged into Richards and they hit a pair of kicks.

Richards worked over Strong for bit, as Strong tried to make the hot tag. At 12:30, Richards gave Daniels a dragon screw in the ropes, and Edwards followed it up with a regular dragon screw and the Achilles Lock. Strong broke up the hold and hit Edwards with a backbreaker, then one to Richards.

Strong hit a kick to Richards' back and a gutbuster for two. Richard reversed a suplex and hit some kicks in the ropes, then his handspring enzuigiri. Richards tried the DR Driver, but Strong reversed and tagged Daniels. Daniels hit a Blue Thunder Bomb and signaled for the Angel's Wings. Richards went for the DR Driver again, but Daniels reversed it and Richards rolled through into an ankle lock.

Daniels got to the ropes and hit a kick, then went for the BME, but Edwards stopped him. Strong took out Edwards to the floor and Daniels tried the BME again, but Richards jumped up and hit a German suplex off the top for the pin.

Post match, Daniels and Strong argued as Hogewood questioned who Strong could trust.

Joe's Judgment: Weak finish to what had been a pretty good match. We've seen Richards use the top rope German as just another comeback move time and time again, so why did it end the match here, especially with all the leg work the Wolves did? I do still want to see Richards vs. Daniels, but this match never really got into the next gear and Strong and Edwards felt like afterthoughts. Not the way you want to treat a legit main eventer and the TV champ.

Any questions, comments, or concerns can be directed to me at jtmathieson88@gmail.com. Thanks for watching and I'll see you again next week.