By Chris Shore

ROH Death Before Dishonor IX Hits

El Generico vs. Jimmy Jacobs and Kevin Steen appears: This was the match of the night for me. Jacobs looks like an idiot in his new tights, but he and Generico put on a classic example of storytelling in the ring. There was a definitive beginning, middle, and even though there wasn’t a finish per se, there was an end. The match was a ton of fun while it lasted.

Kevin Steen’s appearance was also an example of how to tell a story correctly. CM Punk and WWE wish they could get this level of response out of the story they are failing to tell. Steen’s eventual return to ROH is going to be the high water mark for the company this year. If they continue to build it correctly, it could do big business for them, and perhaps hook some new fans.

Eddie Edwards vs. Roderick Strong: This was a good match, but it was overbooked a little. The Ringmaster Challenge was easy to predict the finish to the first two falls, and when the first fall of the iron man match came so late, you knew it was going to be a draw. And if you know Jim Cornette, you knew he was going to come out and change that. But even with all of that working against it, they managed to put on a spectacle of action. Both guys worked hard, and at 46 minutes total time, that was the longest match I have seen in many, many years. Go out of your way to see this one.

Young Bucks vs. Bravados vs. Future Shock: This was chaotic and fun to watch from the start. Covering it was a nightmare as these three teams went at it from the bell to the finish. I like the idea of the Bucks being around more, but the tag division is starting to get awful crowded. Granted the American Wolves and the Kings of Wrestling are gone from the division, but I know of at least one new tag team coming in. Things are still OK right now, but the last thing you want is a division too big to get everyone over.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Mike Bennett: I’m just going to quit beating around the bush. If you think Mike Bennett can’t wrestle, you’re an idiot. Bennett has some of the best body control I have ever seen. He bumps around effortlessly, and when he is on offense, his power allows him to do a lot. He is not flashy, let there be no doubt. But he is solid, and he and Benjamin put on a very good match that I would show to new wrestlers. A lot of good stuff in this match, and one I recommend you see.

ROH Death Before Dishonor IX Misses

Ladder War III: This match was brutal, from start to finish. And I appreciate brutality as much as the next guy. But this was too much. Too many spots were too dangerous and unnecessary. I won’t go into all of them here; I already mentioned them in my report. And this is tough for me to write as a miss, because there were some great moments in that match. I was on the edge of my seat several times, and not just out of concern, out of genuine suspense. But when I look at this as a whole, I see guys taking it too far in 2011. I appreciate their efforts, and want to applaud them, but I just can’t due to the dangerous and unnecessary spots.

Tomasso Ciampa and Rhino vs. Homicide and Jay Lethal: This was the right opener, but it was still a miss. I just don’t have a good reason to care about these guys right now. Homicide is so bad away from the ring that I can’t get behind him. Lethal just came back. I know he’s got history, but not for me and others who have watched over the past year or two. And the Embassy hasn’t really established itself yet. I know most of this show was “storyless” matches, but this one suffered the most by it.

Charlie Haas vs. Mike Elgin: Elgin is a stud who has a big future, and Haas is an old pro who can flat go And yet they just couldn’t put something together here to excite the crowd. The match was technically sound, but far from exciting. And the crowd did it no favors. This is the true definition of a miss. A god shot, but not quite good enough.

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