BRM Reviews Final Battle 2005

[Big Red Machine]

Final Battle 2005 (12/17/2005)- Edison, NJ

MILANO COLLECTION AT AT vs. JIMMY RAVE (w/Prince Nana)- 6.5/10. Really good opener. The crowd was really into it because of their hatred for Rave and Nana. At one point during this match, Milano tied Rave up in the ring ropes, a humiliating position that the fans loved to see the hated Rave in.

BRYAN DANIELSON PROMO- Short and simple but still good. Dragon put over Pro Wrestling NOAH and hyped up his match with Marufuji tonight.

COLT CABANA vs. AZRIEAL- Good story in this match, with Azrieal trying to have a fun, “Cabana-style” match, but Cabana just wrestled seriously. At one point, with Azrieal down Cabana looked at the crowd and asked “Why show mercy?”- 4.5/10, but with GREAT storytelling. It really left you with the feeling that this is not the same Colt Cabana that we have grown to know and love over the past three years. This feud with Homicide is changing Cabana.

After the match, Cide comes out and tells us that he needs surgery and will be out for 6 months. He then tells Cabana that once he is done with war with Corino, he is coming after Cabana. He warns Cabana to stay out of his business tonight.

ROH PURE TITLE MATCH: Nigel McGuinness(c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli- 7/10. GREAT match. This match had two referees (one inside, and one outside) to counteract Nigel’s cheating. The story of the match was Nigel trying to cheat, but it constantly backfired on him.

STEVE CORINO vs. ALEX SHELLEY (w/Prince Nana)- 6.25/10. An okay match, with a bad finish (Nana wiped out the referee, who clearly saw it, and didn’t DQ Shelley, and Shelley got the pin quickly afterwards)
After the match, Homicide attacked Corino and was going to pour Draino down his throat, but Cabana made the save. Then Julius Smokes came out and attacked Cabana, and Homicide instead poured Draino down Cabana’s throat. This crossed a line for me. I hope that these two took some precautions, because that is probably the most legitimately dangerous thing I have ever seen in a wrestling ring.

JAY LETHAL INTERVIEW- pretty good.

FOUR CORNER SURVIVAL MATCH: Samoa Joe vs. Jay Lethal vs. BJ Whitmer (w/Lacey) vs. Christopher Daniels (w/Allison Danger)-6.75/10.- This match showed me how distractible referees really are. Lacey and Danger (still in her skanky nun costume from This Means War) had a brawl (not a catfight; a BRAWL) that lasted at least 45 seconds and the ref didn’t see any of it.

RICKY REYES vs. DAVEY ANDREWS- Squash
We cut away from the middle of this match to Gary Michael Capetta, who caught up with Corino as Corino was attempting to leave building. Corino says that he is done with ROH because it is an”unsafe working environment” and he urged Colt Cabana to press charges against Homicide for attempted murder.

After the match, Reyes destroys the Top of the Class Trophy (a sort of title for the ROH students, whose changes are controlled by the head trainer), but the head trainer of the ROH Wrestling School, Austin Aries comes out and chases him away. Roderick Strong Joins Aries in the ring, and Aries cuts a promo burying Reyes, setting up for a match at a later date.

ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Tony Mamaluke & Sal Rinauro(c) vs. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong- 6.75/10. Just good wrestling.

ROH WORLD TITLE MATCH: Bryan Danielson(c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji- 8.25/10. Great match that showed off both wrestlers’ athleticism.

GHC JR. HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: KENTA(c) vs. Low Ki- 10/10! PERFECT! AMAZING! AWESOME! Sell an arm and a leg to see this match!

Overall, and outstanding show, with every match being at least good, aside from the squash and the Cabana match, which had great storytelling. Buy this show, if you can find it!