This time I'll be reviewing ROH's "Empire State Showdown" from 10/25/03. This tape is one of the "lost" ROH shows, as it was sandwiched in between Tradition Continues and Main Event Spectacles. You can read both those reviews by going here: McTape Reviews
This show was also released later than usual by RF Video, so with the string of strong shows ROH had, this tape/show got lost in the mix. Here's my review of this ROH show that hasn't recieved as much praise/burn as the others.

Ring Of Honor
Empire State Showdown from 10/25/03
From Spencerport, (Upstate) NY
Announcers: Chris Lovie and Ray Murrow
Referees: Paul Turner and Sean Hanson, "The Whole Reffin Show"

Samoa Joe starts the show off with a promo. He talks about War. He says how there is no honor or glory in war. He calls himself a heartless killing machine. He directs these words to Jay Briscoe. Joe then talks about his upcoming match with Homicide. This will be a non title match, because according to Joe, Homicide didn't earn it. Joe says he is pro wrestling, he is Samoa Joe, the ROH heavyweight champion.

Colt Cabana runs in. He says he's taking over Gary Michael Capetta's job for today. Cabana says he found out that Joe has made the match a no holds barred match. Cabana says he has the exclusive scoop. Cabana then finds Homicide and Julius Smokes. Cabana tells Homicide that he's GMC tonight and he will be geting all the scoops. Cabana tells Homicide and Smokes about the No Holds Barred rules that Joe has made. Homicide and Smokes don't seem phased. Smokes tells Cabana to take off his stupid Boston Red Sox hat. Cabana turns it to the side and goes full out wigga. Julius Smokes lays down some smack. Cabana says he doesn't know what that means.. . and as he says that, Smokes gives him the BLAT BLAT BLAT treatment. Cabana says he's out of there and says he's the one with all the scoops.

Field of Honor Block B Match
BJ Whitmer d. Danny Maff w/Allison Danger
Very strong match. I can't believe this match opened up the show. Both wrestlers have looked really good against each other and work well together. It's pretty ironic that Whitmer wound up joining Maff in the Prophecy 2 months later. Then again, you can see why they don't exactly see eye to eye in the Prophecy.
Maff started off this match by attacking Whitmer from behind. After some chops and strikes, both men make their way to the outside. Whitmer right away takes advantage of the outside terrain, and whips Maff into the rails around ringside. Both men continue to fight on the outside, with Whitmer getting control. Back in the ring, Whitmer hits a running knee, followed up with the Exploder for 2. Maff finally gets a second wind, and goes on the offensive with a suplex. Maff then wickedly powerbombs Whitmer into the corner pad. Ouch. Maff then charges at full speed and connects with a huge cannonball. Maff then hits a variation of a dragon suplex and a taz plex (Called Half Nelson suplex by ROH announcers) for a pair of 2's. Maff then goes to finish Whitmer off with the burning hammer. Maff gets him up, but Whitmer kicks and wiggles out with his leg power. Whitmer then hits a pair of superkicks, followed up by a wrist clutch exploder for the 1-2-3, and to improve his FOH record to 2-1. Maff's record fell to 1-1.
These guys showed what they could do here, and by the way things are going in ROH, I wouldn't be surprised to see them have a classic on an upcoming show.

We head to the back and we're with Trent Acid. Acid says he's in Philly and hasn't been able to contact his tag team partner Johnny Kashmere. Acid says that Kashmere has snapped. Acid says he has a plan for the 11/1 in NJ. He guarantees victory in the scramble cage match. Hey, Acid's guarantees are solid. Too bad Patrick Ewing's weren't.

Tag Team Scramble Match
The Ring Crew Express (Dunn and Marcos) d. Jimmy Jacobs/Alex Shelley, Outcast Killahz (Oman Tortuga/Diablo Santiago) and Fast Eddie/Don Juan
In this match, Alex Shelley felt the Huss, and was wearing Jacob's HUSS tights, as well as HUSSing himself. If you've seen these scramble matches before you know what to expect. These are usually big spotfests, but once in a while you'll see some good in ring pyschology as well. This match was freakin wild. Marcos hit a nice hurrannacarrana on Diablo into the turnbuckle. Dunn then got in there with Don Juan and hit a nice lucha armdrag. Jacobs and Tortuga got in there and had a good exchange. Oman Tortuga is a very good wrestler, who I think could be better singles than as a tag team wrestler. In a great spot, OCK and Team Huss, put their partners on their shoulders. Jacobs and Tortuga work a wrist lock while on their partners shoulders. Dunn and Marcos run in and wrap both up. God spot. Fast Eddie then got in and hit a big time tombstone on Marcos. Shelley runs in and hits a tornado DDT on Mr. Dunn. After more action, we see one wrestler from every team go the top rope to jump on the other 4. All 4 wrestlers in the ring, then hit the ropes, crotching the other 4 wrestlers on the top rope. We then see the first ever ROH quadruple hurrannacarrana from the top rope. Wow. This match has so much action in it. Give these guys credit- it's hard making the scramble match have unique spots in it, considering how many scramble matches have gone down in ROH history. Dunn hits a big gory bomb, and then Dunn and Marcos hit a huge senton on Santiago. Man alot of action going on in this match. Fast Eddie/Don Juan then hit a moonsault/neckbreaker combo from the middle rope to Jacobs. Fast Eddie then hit a big ass backward moonsault to Shelley/Jacobs. Back in the ring, the Ring Crew Express roll up The OCK for 2. Dunn then hits a variation of a DVD powerbomb for 3 on Tortuga for the win.
Easily one of the better scrambles that featured new moves and didn't feel like it was going through the motions.

Chris Daniels w/Allison Danger d. John Walters
Great fucking PAW match. Walters has really elevated his game in ROH. Daniels is just one of the best wrestlers going today. I found it odd that this match was the third match of the show. It shows how deep the ROH roster goes. The match starts with both wrestlers feeling each other out with some chain wrestling. Walters throws some menacing armdrags to start off. Daniels then takes a quick breather and gets back in the ring. Both guys work over some hammerlocks and side headlocks. Daniels then works Walters over on the mat, with a side headlock. Daniels kept going to Walters for headlocks. Daniels finally starts opening up on Walters with some rough chops in the corner. Walters, gets whipped to the ropes, but hits this cool over the shoulder leg breaker on Daniels. Walters quickly works on Daniels left leg, with a baseball slide to the leg, followed up by a leg lock, while torquing Daniel's leg with his elbow. Walters then tangled Daniels in another leg submission. Didn't look particularly painful. Daniels breaks the hold by grabbing the ropes. Walters then puts Daniel's in a standing figure four leglock. Walters then turns that into a leglock/neck submission. Walters is the man, he comes up with unique submissions every match. I don't know why more ROH fans aren't into him. Walters goes back to the wheel of Daniels by putting Daniels in an Indian deathlock. Walters then turned this into a reverse figure four leglock. Great mat wrestling. Allison Danger then interferes when the ref is looking at Daniels for the tap out. Danger slaps Walters and Walters breaks the hold. Walters chases Allison around the ring. Daniels goes to capitalize with a baseball slide, but Walters sees him coming. Walters goes back to the leg. Daniels is down on the mat, as Walters goes to the top rope. Danger interferes yet again, and pushes Walters off the top rope! The announcers sell how The Prophecy is against the code of honor and how Danger ruined this match. Hey, I'm not complaining, it's making Walters look like a main eventer. Daniels finally gets some offense off, due to Danger's tactics. Daniels puts Walters through a series of moves putting pain into Walters back. We see a back breaker, some strikes and a gut wrench suplex. Daniels then torques Walters back with his knee, as he pulls Walters in a camel clutch. Do you want to know how fucking ON these guys are? Walters whips Daniels to the ropes, Daniels hobbles to the ropes on his bad left leg, Walters then goes to throw a drop kick, misses, lands on his back, and sells the pain in his back. That my friends, is great fucking wrestling. Back in the ring, Daniels puts Walters in a Boston Crab, then rolls over and turns it into a bow and arrow. This match has officially now morphed into Daniels left leg vs Walters back. What will give first? Both men go to the outside, and Daniels chucks Walters in the rails like yesterday's garbage. Daniels throws Walters back in the ring, and continues to dissect the back, including hitting a 20 second stalling suplex on Walters. Mighty impressive. Daniels then hits an Arabian press, followed up by a crossface. Walters breaks the move by grabbing the ropes. Daniels then hits a huge blue thunder driver, for 2. Walters finally fought back, by hitting the lungblower on Daniels. That bought him some time. Walters then bounces off the ropes and spears Daniels for 2. Daniels then hits a sick back drop, that almost breaks Walters neck. Daniels then hits a quick STO, which sets up the best moonsault ever. Shit, that really is the best fucking moonsault ever. Walters slips out at 2 however. Walters gets a second wind, and in the corner, hits a powerbomb for 2. Walters then hits the hurricane DDT for 2. We then see Walters go for the pin, and picks up several 2 counts for his efforts. Daniels then hits the Angel Wings on Walters. Daniels then calls for the Last Rites. He hits it, and picks up the pinfall.
Strong match. After the match, Daniels was still hobbling around on his left leg. This match really showed what the Prophecy was all about, and at the same time showed that Walters could hang with one of the best.
POSTMATCH: Daniels gets the mic. Daniels talks about making ROH what it is today. Daniels talks about all the big matches he had in ROH. Daniels teases shaking Walters hand, after the great match he had tonight. Daniels lets the crowd know that he won't shake hands. Daniels says he would shake hands if ROH didn't tell him to, and he doesn't listen to what ROH tells him. Daniels tells Walters that he's interested in having him in the Prophecy. Daniels asks Walters what he thinks about that. The crowd chants "DO IT! DO IT!" Xavier then runs out. He asks Daniels what the hell is he thinking. Xavier is not a fan of Walters. Walters isn't really feeling Xavier either. Walters tells Xavier the next time he wrestles him, losing is not an option. Walters goes to bounce, and Xavier attacks him from behind. Xavier calls him a loser. He asks Daniels why does he want him. Daniels then says we could build him up. Walters then gets bakc up and forearms Xavier in the head. The Prophecy members leave.
We then go to the back. Daniels gets in a confrontation with Xavier. Daniels explains why he wanted Xavier. Xavier shoves Daniels. Dan Maff then confronts Xavier. Maff tells Xavier if you feel froggy, jump. Xavier tells him you must've been kicked in the head real hard, referring to the Low Ki incident. Xavier then leaves, planting seeds in Xavier leaving The Prophecy.
Solid shit. Like I said in the last review, ROH has gotten FUCKING SOLID with storylines. They have found a perfect mix of wrestling and angles that peaks the common fans interest. This whole bit was one of them.

Cut to the back, where Steve Corino is sitting casually in jeans and a t-shirt. Corino talks about his problems with Daniels. Corino talks about how Daniels called him a snake. Corino is funny when talking about his history with Daniels. Corino credits Daniels for making Allison Danger the most popular woman in ROH. Corino talks about his past friendship with Daniels. Corino says he didn't stooge Daniels out to CM Punk. Corino says he doesn't break guy code. Corino then starts talking about CM Punk. Corino says Punk looks up to Corino. Corino calls Punk a 23 year old tattooed version of Corino. Corino talks about how Punk made Corino fight Raven. Corino runs down Punk. Corino says Punk needs to learn how to respect the veterans. Corino hypes up his match with Punk, later on in the tape some more. Corino then starts talking about Homicide. Corino talks about his history with Homicide. Corino says he'll always be better than Homicide and all the fans. Corino calls ROH fans stupid internet fans. Corino says he loves to stir trouble. Hmmm, maybe he's the one who's doing all the fake posting on the message boards lol. Corino says he'll go beat fathead Samoa Joe for the ROH title. Corino says his destiny is to irritate all the wrestlers and all the fans of ROH. Excellent promo. ROH should bring Corino back in the future. Hopefully with this World 1/ROH May doubleshot, we'll see him.

For the ROH Tag Team Titles
Izzy/Dixie w/Special K (Hydro/Hyjinx/Lit/Becky Bayless/Angeldust) d. The Carnage Crew (HC Loc and Tony Devito)
This feud has been nuts in ROH, and eventually culiminated on the 3/13 show. Devito and Dixie got into it right away, and Devito wasted no time ripping Dixie to shreds. Devito beat the shit out of Dixie and pummelled him on the outside with roast beef like fists. Dixie was busted open, only 3 minutes into the match. We then see Lit, who was attacked earlier, all busted open and bloody like he was hemmorraging from the forehead. Loc then started kicking the shit out of Izzy. Commentator Chris Lovie always displays his disdain for Special K, and it continued here today. Carnage Crew hit the double back suplex on Izzy. Carnage Crew just dominated and kicked the shit out these two. The announcers sell the match like the Carnage Crew have already won the belts. 5 minutes into the match, and Izzy was now bleeding. The Crew just toyed around with Izzy/Dixie. Angeldust saw enough, and he interferes. This gives Dixie/Izzie some time to come back. They double team up on Loc. Dixie goes for some near falls on Loc. Izzy then hits his dragon cutter for 2. He follows that up with a kick to the head of Loc. Dixie then throws Loc to the outside of the ring, into the hands of the other Special K members. Special K start pounding on Loc. Loc gets put back in the ring, and Dixie works on him some more. Loc finally breaks out of it, and wipes Dixie out with a version of the emerald fusion. Loc makes the tag to Devito. Devito runs and whoops serious ass. He back drops both champs. He then hits a fisherman suplex on Izzy, then a suplex on Dixie, putting Dixie in a tree of woe position. Devito then throws Izzy into Dixies crotch. Carnage crew then hit stereo neck breaker/powerbombs on Dixie and Izzy, but only get a pair of 2's. Izzy shows signs of life, as he hits a double moonsault dropkick on the Carnage Crew. Loc ddt's Dixie, then puts him in a sleeper. Devito then planchas all of Special K to prevent interference. Becky distracts Ref Hanson. Lit runs in and CRACKS the title over Loc's head. You can hear the impact on the tape. Dixie rolls over and puts his hand on the now fallen Loc. The ref turns around and gets 2. Devito gets bakc in there and DDT's Izzy. Devito tries to wake up his partner. Loc was walking around dizzy. Devito then goes to powerbomb Izzy from the top rope. Hyjinx jumps to the turnbuckle and hits him with a leather strap. Izzy then powerbombs Loc, and pulls the tights for the pin.
Not the strongest match in this feud. This match set up future matches, rather then stealing the show, like they've done previously. This was more of a match to prolong the feud.
POSTMATCH: Loc is pissed off. He gets into a little squabble with a fan.

INTERMISSION
We're with Colt Cabana who's taking GMC's spot. Colt hypes up the second half of the show. Colt talks about all the scoops he's got. Cabana brings out Danny Maff. He calls him Daniel Maff. Maff says it's Danny Maff. Cabana brags about beating Whitmer. He kind of bad mouths Maff. Cabana asks Maff about Lucy. This little interaction is one of the segments that set up the super huge main event on 1/10/04. This was some funny shit here. Cabana reeks of charisma and personality. Cabana tells Maff he will beat him in the FOH. Maff snaps at Cabana. Maff should've just bitch slapped him. Maff tells Cabana to bring his A game in their future FOH match. Cabana closes this with "I'm Colt Cabana still bringing you the scoops."

Field of Honor Block A Match
Xavier d. Chris Sabin
This was another good match on this show. Xavier started the match by pulling some shit off the handshake, but Sabin countered it. Xavier went straight for a headlock, before having Sabin reverse it into a hammerlock, then into an armbar. Sabin then went on the offensive fury, and Xavier took a powder. Sabin then hit a dropkick but only got 2. Xavier gets thrown to the ropes, and Xavier tries to skin the cat, HBK style, but his face meets Sabin feet, via a dropkick. Sabin then dives on Xavier on the outside. Sabin comes back in the ring with a springboard dropkick, but only gets a 2. Xavier is able to go back on the offense, with a big time facebuster. Xavier hits a furious dropkick to Sabins face. Xavier hits a perfect plex for 2. Xavier brings Sabin in the corner, and strikes him. He then drives his knee into Sabins face for a 2. Xavier the nputs Sabin in a headscissors, but Sabin won't give. He gets back up and pops Xavier with a german suplex. Xavier has enough of Sabins actions, and kicks and knees him some more. He then plants Sabin down with a full nelson slam. Xavier puts Sabin into a bow and arrow. After letting go, Xavier has a powerbombe reversed, and eats another dropkick. After some chops, Sabin backdrops Xavier. Sabin then hits a huge enzuiguri. Xavier and Sabin then both wind up on the top rope. The crowd gives these guys a "PLEASE DONT DIE" chant. After a knee, Sabin gives Xavier a beautiful brainbuster for 2. Sabin puts Xavier down with a crucifix for 2. Xavier gets back up and gives Sabin a Million Dollar Dream suplex. Xavier quickly jumps on Sabin with a neck submission, and picks up the tap out victory.
1 Former ROH Champion + The Future= An enjoyable wrestling match.

CM Punk vs Steve Corino w/Guillotine LeGrande, Dojo students and Bobby Cruz went to a time limit draw
PREMATCH: Bobby Cruz does one of Corinos extended ring intros. Cruz talks about wrestlers with drinking/drugs problems. I'm surprised the tape didn't run out on this list. A shit load of names were listed. Sean Waltman recieved a few boos. Jeff Hardy recieved more. CM Punk at this point tried to break this up, but Ref Turner told Punk to calm down. This was pretty funny, even though alot of the guys listed were dead such as The British Bulldog, Chris Adams and others. Crowd popped for Marty Jannetty and 2 Cold Scorpio. Jim Duggan's name recieved a few HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!! A Jake The Snake Chant started up. During the middle of this, Corino/Cruz started drinking out of a flask. This infuriated Punk. Punk told Corino to show some fucking respect. Turner puts Punk back in his corner again. Cruz comes back and adds a few more names such as Candido, Michael PS Hayes and Andre The Giant. Let me tell you, this is funnier on tape than live. On tape you can sit and watch it and enjoy it. For me live, I get restless with it, and just want to see Corino kill who ever he's wrestling lol. Towards the end Cruz ran off a few of Raven's other names. Cruz then finishes it off with all of the Von Erichs. Cold lol. Cruz finally gets to it, and introduces THE FUCKING GOD of pro wrestling, Steve Corino. Funny motherfuckin shit right here.

CM Punk then counters this! This is too fucking good! Punk gives Steve D'Angelis a list of drugs that CM Punk will never do. The crowd pops for the drugs. A bunch of prescription drugs are run off, and so are a bunch of recreational drugs. To let you know, CM Punk doesn't touch Claritin either. I hope he doesn't suffer from hay fever then. This was great stuff here. Punk is just grinning at Corino during this. D'Angelis gets a drink of water from a fan, then continues running off more drugs Punk doesn't do, including viagra. While this list is getting read, Corino hits the flask some more. D'Angelis finishes it off with NYQuil, and finally introduces CM Punk.
This concludes the longest PREMATCH in a DOI review lol. Very cool on tape, probably annoying live.

I was expecting alot from this match, and I wasn't disappointed. With a kickass intro, you knew this match would be special.

The match starts with Punk offering his hand. Corino obliges. Punk mocks Corino early with a kick to the ass and an armdrag. Punk rolls up Corino and continues to mock him. Punk even starts doing some jumping jacks. Boss. They get into a test of strength, with Punk getting the better of Corino. Corino has enough of Punks shit, and asks Punk to hit him. Punk goes to kick him instead. Corino blocks it. Punk tries it again, but is blocked. Corino says HIT ME MOTHERFUCKER, and then puts him in a cross face. He then puts him in an abdominal stretch, then gives him the X. Great shit. Both guys then start exchanging chops. Corino then forearms Punk right out of the ring. Both guys then trade forearms on the outside. Like alot of the other matches on the show, this match goes to the outside, and Punk eats rail. Back in the ring, Corino lays Punk out with a powerslam for 2. After some action, Punk goes for a butterfly suplex, but has it reversed for a pinfall, that gets 2. Punk throws Corino in the corner and throws some chops and kicks. Punk clotheslines Corino, then snapmares him down and follows it up with a victim kick. Corino gets up and Punk body slams Corino down. Is it me, or have bodyslams faded from wrestling? You don't really see a body slam anymore. There's nothing wrong with the classic body slam dammit! Anyway, Punk continued on Corino and hit 2 running kicks to the face. Punk then gives Corino the butterfly backbreaker. Punk then throws Corino into a back submission. Punk gives Corino some punches ot the face, and whips him to the ropes and Corino gets a sunset flip off for 2. Both men get up and Punk gets off a lowblow. Lovie on the commentary says if you're drinking a beer right now, then Punk looks down on you. I'll live, but this 12 pack of Heineken won't. Punk gives Corino a 20 second stalling suplex. Even though Daniels did it before in his match, it doesn't really take away from it here. Corino then gives Punk an 8 second stalling suplex. A fan screams, "YOU CAN'T HOLD HIM." Corino replies, "HE'S GOT A FAT ASS." Corino rules. Punk hits a couple of moves for 2, including a Russian leg sweep. Punk then dumps Corino on the outside. Punk teases the fans and says he's gonna throw Corino over the rail, but reverses it and throws him in the ring. That's Advanced Heel Pyschology 102. The two men have a slap exchange, and Punk slaps Corino in his already injured ear. (It was injured in the match Corino had with Homicide.) Turner gives Corino a few seconds to redeem himself. Turner then exercises the 10 count, but Punk pulls Corino up at 9, and knocks him back down. Punk goes for a top rope splash, but misses. Corino gets right back up and says WHO'S THE FUCKING HEEL NOW! Corino calls his spots and gets off both a DDT and a STO. Corino then hits the Colbykazi for 2. Corino slaps Punk and puts him on the top rope, and hits a superplex. Corino then hits a northern lights bomb for another 2 count. Corino lariats Punk, but only gets a 1. Punk gets up hits a northern lights suplex and hits Corino flush in the face with a shining wizard for deuce. Corino superkicks Punk as Punk goes for another shining wizard. Punk hits this cool DDT, but gets 2. Corino gets back up and hits a backdrop. The bell rings.

POSTMATCH: After the bell rings, the match is called a draw. The crowd give a 5 More Minutes chant. Corino agrees. So does Punk. They walk around the ring. Corino is ask if the people want it. The crowd cheers. Corino and Punk shake hands. Punk gets out of the ring and goes to leave. Corino gets the mic and tells Punk to bring his drug addicted ass in the ring. Corino says he doesn't get paid by the hour. Corino gets funny with this and says he needs to win this match from the cheap ROH officials. Punk gets back in the ring. The crowd is eating this up and pops for it. Corino tells Punk that he can't outheel him. Corino calls Punk a young Steve Corino. Corino says he has to teach Punk something. Corino looks at the crowd says screw you, pay for it next time and goes to leave the ring. Punk stops short and looks at the crowd. Punk gets the mic. He verbally assaults a fan. Punk tells everyone that he's better than everyone. Punk and Corino have some funny comments for each other. All of a sudden the crowd does a SHA NA NA chant following it up with the HEY HEY GOODBYE! Punk and Corino both sit indian style in the ring until the crowd stops. Corino and Punk get into it with the crowd some more. Punk closes the promo off by saying remember, I'm straightedge and that's why I'm better than you. Punk and Corino leave together, for presumably post match beer and V8.
This whole entire 30 minute segment was great. Probably one of the top 5 things to ever happen at an ROH show. Punk + Corino= Entertainment. Entertainment = Tape Sales. Therefore, Punk and Corino=$$$. Great stuff.

Four Corner Match
John Walters d. Justin Credible, Colt Cabana and Jimmy Rave
PREMATCH: Walters says he promised that the next time he got in an ROH ring, he'd win the match. He says he can't wait till next week so it's on like neckbone.

This wasn't one of the stronger ROH 4 corner matches. I think I'm spoiled because I've seen alot of ROH and a big fan of the Homicide and Briscoe 4 corner matches. Walters and Rave started this match off iwth some fast chain. Cabana got in the ring next with walters. He tried to out smart him but wound up getting tossed around for his efforts. Credible tagged Walters and he went to work on Cabana. Cabana got back up and threw Credible crotch first into the ring post. Cabana then put the boots to Credible. Cabana tags in Rave, and we got Rave/Credible. Credible hit a bunch of suplexes on Rave. Nice sequence. Cabana and Credible then teamed up on Rave on the outside of the ring. Walters then hit a baseball slide on Rave. Rave got back in the ring and he did the Reefer headscissor/crossface combo to Cabana. (Oh and yes, Reefer has been doing the move since 2000.) Walters then ties up Raves legs, and wraps up Credible and we got a 4 man submission, which is customary for these matches. Cabana hit a stunning bodypress on Walters. Credible then superkicks Cabana. Rave hits a back driver on Walters for 2. Walters hit a double sunset flip on Cabana/Rave. Nice shit there. Credible then got in the ring and hit That's Incredible on Rave. Walters got in the ring, and put Credible in the ring, and Credible tapped out in 2 seconds. Wow.
This was more or a less a match to put Walters over. This isn't one of the better matches to represent the ROH 4 corner match. Match was also pretty short. Credible tapped out pretty fast too. Not one of the better matches on the tape.

In what I thought was the best match on the tape...
The Main Event
Homicide w/Julius Smokes d. (ROH Champion) Samoa Joe in a non title no holds barred fight
Chalk this match up as another reason why Homicide was ROH's 2003 MVP. Joe has done so much to elevate that ROH championship, that I was surprised he lost, as I thought ROH would throw a curve, and keep Joe strong. If anything, this match wets my appetite for the upcoming Joe/Homicide Title Fight coming up on April 23rd in Minnesota.
These guys have alot of history in ROH. I believe Homicide has won more matches head to head. The match started off with some fast chain wrestling, which saw Homicide get the upperhand with a submission, which Joe quickly broke with a rope break. Joe then pins Homicide down and works on Homicide's left hand. The two get up and these guys slap each other in the face. Homicide counters a Joe slap with a thumb to the eye! Somewhere Mike Zevon is popping! Joe gets floored by Homicide after a forearm. Homicide then gives Joe his right foot across Joe's face. These two start slapping each other again, and Homicide gets the upperhand as he gives Joe a yakuza. Homicide goes to the top and looks to hit a big move, but Joe catches him and rock bottoms him down. He tosses Homicide on the outside, and hits a Samoan suicide dive. Joe puts Homicide on a nearby chair, and gives him an Ole kick right to the fucking jaw. Homicide just drops down off the chair. Joe gives Homicide one of the sickest german suplexes ever. Joe then puts Homicide in a crippler crossface, but Homicide frees himself by touching the rope with his left foot. Homicide then tosses Joe out of the ring, and Homicide hit his cannonball suicide dive. HOLY SHIT is fucking right, as the crowd goes nuts. Homicide takes a chair, and fucking sprints it into Joes head. Man I said I didn't want to do play by play before the review, but some of these matches need it, because these guys make EVERY MOVE MEAN SOMETHING. That is something you don't see all the time. Homicide gets back in the ring and piledrivers Joe for 2. Smokes in the meanwhile, goes underneath the ring and finds a table laying there. How convenient lol. Smokes brings the table in the ring. Homicide sets the table up in the corner. I've never seen Joe look so vulernable in a match before. After teasing the table, Joe suplexes Homicide, but Homicide contorts his body so he doesn't hit it. Joe says fuck that, picks Homicide up, and powerbombs him through the table for 2. Joe then picks Homicide up, powerbombs him, hits a disgustingly brutal dragon suplex, powerbombs him again then puts him in an STF in the middle of the ring. Homicide gets a break by getting the rope. Joe and Smokes get into a verbal battle. Smokes tries to get Homicide to wake up. Joe goes to the top rope and he looks like he's going for a top rope musclebuster. Homicide fights it off, but Joe pushes him back down. Joe goes to dive off the rope, but Homicide catches him with a diamond cutter. Homicide then lariats Joe right back down for 2. Homicide then backdrops Joe for another 2. Joe finds a second wind and starts slapping Homicide. Joe then kicks Homicide in the head. Joe brings Homicide up and knees him in the skull. Homicide gets up eventually and gives him some slaps of his own. Homicide yakuzas Joe down. Homicide now puts Joe in an STF. Smokes throws a noose in the ring. Homicide chokes Joe with a noose. Homicide just literally chokes Joe out.
POSTMATCH: The crowd is stunned in silence. Smokes grabs the ROH title and gives it Homicide. Homicide puts the title on the fallen Joe and laughs at Joe.
Some people may like their Do or Die match better, but I liked this one, as it showed these guys fighting over pride, and with Homicide choking Joe out, it shows that Homicide would commit well, Homicide, to win.

Post show promos:
Go to Speical K who are celebrating their tag title victory. The whole K crew is high. RF says what's going on over here. Special K ask RF to party with them. RF says no and says he's had it with Special K. He makes Briscoes vs Special K for the 11/1 NJ show.

Cut to Jim Cornette. Cornette hypes up his NJ appearance. Cornette runs down what he did last time he was in ROH. Cornette vows to rule ROH. Cornette bad mouths The Prophecy.

Final McWord
I think this tape will wind up being lost in ROH history, and that would be a shame. The Corino-Punk shit is GOLD, I tell ya, GOLD. Walters-Daniels was an excellent match. Ditto the Joe-Homicide fight. The Maff-Whitmer and scramble matches were also pretty good. The only thing I didn't dig was the four way match, but that match was more or less to show that Walters can be a top star.

ROH is pumping out alot of releases right now, don't forget about this show. This was a pretty good show, that I think got lost in the shuffle of M.E.S. and Tradition Continues.

Don't sleep on this show. You can pick it up at
ROH 10/25 Tape
If you're a wrestling fan you need to see the Punk-Corino shit. It is the best part on this tape. Couple it in with the other stuff and you got another great ROH show.

Wow, it's 3:45 in the AM. That's another thing, you can lose track of time watching and writing about this tape.

Overall- Can't miss if you're a ROH fan. If you're a casual fan and money to spend, I'd recommend this show, but not over some other ROH shows such as Final Battle or Main Event Spectacles.

Keep checking the DOI site for a big interview with Jac Sabboth and more!

In the words of Adam Sandler...
PEACE! I'm OUTTA here!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com