Most people have written in saying they like the play-by-play reviews the best. If you'd rather see just a general synopsis review, let me know by emailing me. With that said, let's get into it.

Death Before Dishonor II Part 1
From: Wauwatosa, WI
7/23/04

Commentators: Jimmy Bower and Mark McNulty

Referees: Todd Sinclair, Garry Moorer, Sean Hanson and Paul Turner

Ring Announcer: Dave Prazak

The show starts off with ring announcer Dave Prazak in the ring. He introduces AWA legend and master of the claw, Baron Von Rashke. Baron speaks a bit on the mic. All of a sudden, Generation Next come out. They introduce themselves to Baron. They talk about attacking Ricky Steamboat at the last show (7/17). Generation Next say they will make their names off of Baron tonight. Before anything happens, The Second City Saints run in and lay out Generation Next. Baron puts the claw on Evans to a huge pop.

Delirious vs Matt Sydal w/Daisey Hayze vs Trent Acid vs Ace Steele
Trent and Steele start things off, as Trent pokes Steele in the eye. Delirious and Sydal get in the ring and both trade various holds. You can tell that both have worked each other in the past. Commentator Jimmy Bower talks up Delirious's mask, and turns it into a funny joke about Mil Mascaras. Back in the ring, Trent Acid hits an asai moonsault on Steele, which sends Trent Acid into the crowd. Sydal and Delirious continue to work on each other, and hit some big moves. The match then sees many close finishes, including a big four way spot from the top rope.Steele hits an impaler DDT on Trent Acid. Sydal hits a brain buster on Delirious for 2. Acid then hits a Yakuza kick on Sydal for 2. Steele then hits a top rope Widows Peak (Spinal Shock) on Delirious. Trent and Steele go back at it. Sydal comes out of nowhere and goes for a dive, but misses. Steele gets sent to the floor. Sydal then hits a pescado on Steele. This leaves Trent and Delirious in the ring. Trent hits an inverted brainbuster on Delirious for the 1-2-3 in a very fast paced and entertaining match.
WINNER: TRENT ACID
Very good opener here. Trent Acid looked excellent in this match. What the triple threat match was for ECW, is what the Four Corners match is for ROH.

For the ROH Pure Wrestling Title
Alex Shelley vs (c) Doug Williams
This is a rematch from the 7/17 ROH show, which saw Doug Williams beat Alex Shelley to win the vacant Pure Wrestling Title. The match started off with both guys feeling each other out. Williams quickly gets the upperhand by stomping on Shelley's fingers. Shelley gets back in the ring, where he is able to twist Williams down, as he puts him in a version of the sharpshooter. Williams breaks out of it, and puts Shelley into a submission of his own. Shelley reverses that, and pinches the neck nerves of Williams. Williams rolls out of it and goes right back to Shelley. Shelley puts Williams in a nerve pinch hold for a second time, but Williams rolls out of it again. Williams goes back to Shelley a third time, and this time, he puts the nerve pinch on Shelley, which Shelley is able to escape out of. Announcer Jimmy Bower makes a good point that this entire match is a chess match. It sounds cliched, but it's the perfect way to describe it. The way that these two wrestle against each other, and are able to counter various submissions is incredible. Both guys continue to stretch each other in various ways. Williams gets Shelley in an front ankle lock but Shelley squirms to the ropes, using up his first rope break. Williams then HOGTIES, yes HOGTIES, Shelley into the ropes, leaving him laying there. The ref the proceeds to untie Shelley. Both guys face off again, and Shelley puts Williams in a neck stretch. Williams quickly uses his rope break just as fast as Shelley used his. We're down to two rope breaks a piece. Shelley then assaults Williams's neck, as he hits various neckbreakers. He then focuses his submission holds on Shelley's neck. In turn, Shelley reacts by stretching Williams' neck yet again, so Williams quickly uses up his second rope break. Williams gets back up, and quickly puts Shelley in a half boston crab. Shelley bails to the ropes, and we're tied at 2 rope breaks each. Shelley gets up and quickly knocks Williams down. Shelley drives some vicious knees to the neck of his opponent. After some more wrestling, Williams hits a double underhook suplex from the top rope, getting the crowd hyped up. Shelley is able to keep his cool, and gets in a swinging fisherman buster for 2. Shelley then hits the ShellShock which gets a 2 count, as Williams uses the ropes to break the count. Williams is now out of rope breaks. Williams then goes on the warpath as he drives knees into Shelley. Williams goes for the Chaos Theory, but Shelley reverses it and gets a 2 count. Shelley then hits an osaka cutter, which kills Wiliams' momentum. Shelley goes for a full nelson on Williams. Williams goes to the ropes, but the ref tells him he's out of rope breaks. Williams rams Shelley into the turnbuckle to break the hold. Williams goes for the Chaos Theory, but Shelley grabs the ropes to break it up. Shelley is now out of rope breaks. Williams goes for the Chaos Theory again, and this time Shelley can't hold onto the ropes. After hitting the Chaos Theory, Williams is able to cover Shelley for the 1-2-3.
WINNER and STILL Champion: Doug Williams
Excellent technical wrestling match. These guys gel nicely against each other.

Danny Maff/BJ Whitmer vs Low Ki/Rocky Romero w/Julius Smokes
PREMATCH: Allison Danger comes out. Danger gives Maff/Whitmer one last chance to reunite the Prophecy. Danger brings up the history between The Prophecy. Maff makes things clear, as he tells Allison "FUCK YOU". Well, that's not how you treat a lady.

Next up is Low Ki's return match to ROH. The crowd is very loud for Low Ki in his return, but nowhere near the pop that Ki got in NJ just a week before. Low Ki goes right after the man that he gave a concussion to, Danny Maff. Whitmer and Romero strike each other quickly in the opposite corner. Low Ki and Romero trade off on their opponents, which Maff/Whitmer take advantage of, as they send Ki and Romero to the floor. After this quick tussle, the ref gets control of the match, and Whitmer/Romero start things off with a test of strength. Both men tag out, as Low Ki and Maff enter the ring. Low Ki quickly kicks Maff. Maff reverses Low Ki's offense and opens up on Ki with chops. Low Ki then gets slammed violently by Maff. In an uncharacterestic move by Low Ki, Low Ki lowblows Maff to break up Maff's flow. Low Ki hits a furious elbow to the chest of Maff, then tags in Romero. Romero adds some kicks to the back of Maff. Whitmer able to tag Maff, and he goes to work on Romero. Whitmer gets the quick advantage, and makes the tag to Maff, where Maff suplexes Romero. Maff then puts Romero in a full nelson, which leaves Romero's chest wide open for a Whitmer chop. Romero gets pounded on by the ex-Prophecy members, before finally making the tag to Low Ki. Low Ki chokes Whitmer, then starts kicking Whitmer in the chest. The announcers do a good job of promoting the history of Low Ki in ROH. Low Ki is in total heel mode, as he takes short cuts left and right in this match. Maff tags into the match and after an irish whip, Low Ki is sent sky high by Dan Maff. Maff and Low Ki make their way to the floor, where Maff elbows Ki. Romero attacks Maff from behind and throws him into the post. Low Ki and Romero hit Maff with a barrage of kicks. Low Ki and Maff go back in the ring, and Ki hits a shoulderbreaker. Low Ki starts focusing on Maff's left arm, as attacks Maff's arm continuously. Romero tags in and continues the attack on Maff's arm. Low Ki then jumps off the top rope and hits an impressive double stomp on Maff's arm. Whitmer tries to get into the ring, but just distracts the referee for some easy double teams by the Rottweilers. The Rottweilers continue this attack on Maff's arm and shoulders. Maff finally shows signs of life, as he hits a double german suplex on Low Ki and Romero. In a classic heel spot, Maff goes to make the tag, but Julius Smokes grabs the ref. Maff tags in Whitmer, but the ref doesn't see it. The ref calls off the tag, but Whitmer snaps. He throws Smokes into the ring, where Maff gores him. Whitmer is then finally tagged in legally, and comes in like a house of fire. Whitmer hits an exploder on Low Ki into Romero. Whitmer is like a hick gone wild. Whitmer hits a suplex on Romero for 2. Homicide now comes to the ring to watch his fellow Rottweilers. Back in the ring, Whitmer hits another exploder on Low Ki. Whitmer goes for another exploder, but Low Ki reverses it into a dragon sleeper. Maff then gores Low Ki. Maff goes for a burning hammer on Romero, but Low Ki breaks it up. In the end, Romero puts Maff in a armbar, and Maff taps out.
WINNERS: Low Ki and Rocky Romero
POSTMATCH: Homicide and Smokes enter the ring, and check up on Ki and Romero. Allison Danger gets back in the ring. Danger says she likes The Rottweilers' work and wants the Rottweilers to join The Prophecy. Danger then starts screaming at The Prophecy. Maff piefaces Danger into Homicide. Homicide's reaction is to hit the copkilla on Danger. The deviant smile on Homicide's face as he copkillas Danger is a sight and a half. The Rottweilers then continue to celebrate their victory in the ring.
Strong tag team match here. Low Ki as a heel is something new and interesting to watch.

We then go back to the ring, and we see it's intermission. ROH officials have Allison Danger in a neckbrace. Allison gets stretchered out of the ring by ROH officials and referees.

Danny Daniels vs Chad Collyer
This match had the misfortune of following up a really hot tag team match. This match starts off with both guys feeling each other out. During one exchange, you can see Danny Daniels kind of just walking through it and hear him call his next move audibly. The announcers talk about the Carnage Crew vs Carnage Crew match from last week, and let us know that Masada won't be back in ROH for a while. This match is pretty dry, and the announcers are talking about other things instead of the actual match in the ring. Daniels hits a swinging face breaker on Collyer, but doesn't go for the pinfall. Daniels puts Collyer in a submission, but Collyer gets out of it. Daniels continues the attack with a spear. Daniels goes for another, but Collyer catches him and suplexes him into the corner. Both guys then exchange chops. Collyer then hits a leg lariat. After some miscommunication, Collyer hits a suicide dive on Daniels. After some more back and forth action, Collyer puts Daniels in a texas clover leaf for the submission victory.
WINNER: Danny Daniels
Not a good match. The match looked lost on this tape.

John Walters/Matt Stryker/Jimmy Jacobs w/Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs Generation Next- Jack Evans/Roderick Strong/Austin Aries w/Alex Shelley
PREMATCH: John Walters cuts a promo. He says he has someone to watch their backs during the match. Walters brings out Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat to watch his teams' back against Generation Next. Ricky Steamboat recieved a big ovation by the ROH fans during his entrance to the ring.

The Generation Next group may be the most technically sound stable in North America today. Any match they are involved in has potential to be match of the night. The crowd was very into Jimmy Jacobs, as big chants for Jimmy Jacobs started early on into this match. After a big stareoff by all 8 wrestlers, Jack Evans and Jimmy Jacobs finally kicked things off. Evans got the advantage early by hitting some deep arm drags on Jimmy Jacobs. After hitting the arm drags, Evans laughed in Steamboat's face. The match then turned into all 6 guys wrestling each other down with solid mat wrestling. Austin Aries showed off his stuff, at the expense of John Walters, as Aries attacked Walter's left leg. Evans and Aries later teamed up to attack Strykers left leg. Jimmy Jacobs eventually tagged in and made the hot tag for his team, but was quickly triple teamed by Generation Next. Steamboat, infuriated, jumped to the apron, but this only let Generation Next attack Jacobs some more. Evans then showed off his athletic abilities as he hit a standing corkscrew legdrop. This would later set up a top rope elbow drop by Roderick Strong to Jimmy Jacobs. Generation Next then continued to pound on Jacobs, as Dragon was unsuccessful at breaking it up. Aries/Strong double teamed Jacobs, as Strong yakuza kicked Jacobs in the back, and Aries followed up with a senton. Jacobs finally was able to make the tag, and Walters and Stryker both entered the ring. Stryker/Walters hit some double team moves on Roderick Strong, as they hit several gutbusters. Stryker/Walters then hit a doomsday device position lungblower on Evans. Very fucking cool move. Towards the end of the match, Strong hit a back breaker on Stryker, and Aries hit a 450 splash. Then Jacobs broke up the pin with a cannonball. Shelley at this point tried to interfere, but Ricky Steamboat cut him off. Watlers and Evans then battled, and Walters was able to put Evans in a unique neck stretch, by using his legs, to earn the tapout victory.
WINNERS: John Walters/Matt Stryker/Jimmy Jacobs
POSTMATCH: Jimmy Jacobs got Ricky Steamboat to do the Huss. Steamboat then celebrated with his new compadres.
This match was pretty good. I am a fan of Generation Next, the talent in that stable is amazing. Walters looked solid in this match.

For the ROH World Heavyweight Title
(c) Samoa Joe vs Homicide w/Julius Smokes, Low Ki and Rocky Romero
Homicide starts the match by attacking Joe in the back, as Smokes had Joe distracted. Joe fights off Homicide, but Romero distracts Joe. Homicide attacks Joe in the back again. Joe fights off Homicide again, only to have Low Ki distract Joe. Homicide then yakuzas Joe in the back. Ref Hanson then tells Ring Announcer, Dave Prazak, to ban The Rottweilers from ringside. If The Rottweilers don't leave, then Homicide will be dq'ed. Homicide tells the Rottweilers to leave, and we're down to a straight up one on one match.
Homicide and Joe square off and trade shots to the head. Joe was able to put Homicide in the corner, and give him a running foot wash. Joe then slammed Homicide down, and drove a knee to Homicide's chest. Homicide then got away from Joe's attack, and headbutt Joe several times. Joe then came back with a headbutt, and a 20 second stalling suplex. Joe then put Homicide in a submission, but Homicide broke it up by going to the ropes. Homicide got up and kicked Joe in the face twice. Homicide then put Joe in a modified camel clutch. After more action, Joe fired back at Homicide with chops and punches, before leveling Homicide with a boot to the chest. Homicide then bounced up, and stuck a finger in the eye of Samoa Joe. Homicide continued the attack with more kicks to Joe. Homicide then put Joe in a STF, which Joe quickly broke up by grabbing the ropes. Joe was able to get to his feet, and unloaded on Homicide with some E Honda slaps. Homicide broke it up with another eye gauge. Homicide then knocked down Joe and hit a legdrop on Joe. Joe and Homicide then went into a chopfest, which Joe won. Homicide and Joe then traded some holds, and Homicide got the advantage, as he hit a running yakuza kick on Joe. Homicide then dumped Joe through the ropes. Homicide then hit a baseball slide on Joe. JOe at this point looks out of the match and dazed. Joe then looks for air, and whips Homicide into the guard rail. Back in the ring, Joe unloaded on Homicide with some more E Honda slaps. Joe then knocks down Homicide for 2, with a standing enziguri. Homicide came back and after more wrestling, hit a top rope knee drop to Joes neck. Homicide then put Joe in a necklock and gave the crowd the finger while doing it. Homicide threw Joe back to the floor again. Homicide then went for the tope con hilo, but stopped dead in his tracks and gave the finger to the crowd, as the crowd was anticipating the move. While Homicide taunted the crowd, Joe hit Homicide. Joe was then able to set up Homicide for an ole ole kick. Instead, Homicide put Joe in a drop toe hold into the chair. Homicide cockily showboated, and went for an ole ole kick of his own. Joe quickly bounced up and hit an overhead suplex on Homicide. Joe then set up for the ole ole kick, and connected.
Back in the ring, Joe looked tired and winded. Joe wasn't able to cover capitalize on having Homicide laid out due to being winded. Homicide then attackd Joe some. Homicide then charged at Joe, only to be caught for a urinage by Samoa Joe. After more action, Joe hit a quick powerslam for 2. Joe then started kicking away at an injured Homicide, before hitting two powerbombs for two. Homicide was able to come back and hit a block buster, neckbreaker and a pile driver on Samoa Joe. Homicide only got a 2 for his efforts. Homicide then hit three lariats on Joe, and again only got 2. After some back and forth action, Joe hit a cobra clutch suplex for 2. Joe then hit a muscle buster and only got 2. The crowd and the announcers are stunned. Joe just stared at Homicide out of disbelief for kicking out of the muscle buster. Joe then hit an island driver, and again only got 2. The crowd is goingn uts. Joe then put Homicide in a choke submission. After 20 seconds, Ref Hanson dropped Homicide's arm for the third time, giving the victory to Samoa Joe.
WINNER and Still ROH Champion: Samoa Joe
POSTMATCH: Samoa Joe won't let go of the hold on Homicide. The Rottweilers come from the back and attack Joe. The Rottweilers viciously assault Joe. Julius Smokes goes absolutely fucking crazy as he beats the crap out of Joe. Low Ki then choked out Samoa Joe. Joe's face turns purple. Julius Smokes takes his belt off and starts whipping Joe with it. Low Ki grabs the ROH belt, for the second straight week in a row. Homicide gets up, and gets the mic. Homicide says this might be the last ROH Title match between the two, but Joe is not done with the Rottweilers. The Rottweilers continue to attack Joe. Rocky Romero takes the ROH belt from Low Ki and spits on the belt. Low Ki grabs the belt back, and the first ever ROH champ spits on the belt himself. Homicide then adds some pheglm to the belt as well. The announcer says that the Rottweilers have raped the belt of his dignity. Well that's a good way to use the word rape in wrestling. Low Ki adds more spit to the belt, and Samoa Joe is left in the ring by himself.
This wasn't the best match in this feud, but easily the best match on the tape. Samoa Joe did look winded during the match, but it looked like he was selling being tired of defending the title under such a rigorous schedule, than anything else. Joe is doing moves 3 steps ahead of everyone else. Homicide did look like he carried the match, and wrestled his fucking ass of here. Great match, but they have had better.

For the ROH Tag Team Titles
Two out of Three Falls Match
(c) The Second City Saints (CM Punk/Colt Cabana) vs The Briscoe Brothers (Mark/Jay)
First Fall: Jay Briscoe pins CM Punk after a JayDriller.
Second Fall: Colt Cabana pinned Jay Briscoe after a roll-up.
Third Fall: CM Punk hit the Pepsi Plunge on Mark Briscoe for 1-2-3, and to win the match Two Falls to One.

This was a very good tag team match. I still stand by the statement that the Briscoes are the best tag team in North American wrestling today. These guys are just amazing. Full play by play for this match is difficult as I'm running out of time, and this match was nearly 40 minutes long. After already watching the tag team title match the next night, this match wasn't the best tag team match of the ROH "Death Before Dishonor II" weekend, but it was still very good.
The match saw The Briscoes get the better of Punk. After hitting the Jay Driller, Punk looked dizzy for the remaining of the match. At one point in the match, the ROH pad, in the turnbuckles, came off, and this led the Briscoes to go apeshit on CM Punk. Cabana was able to tag in and help out his partner eventually. Cabana was full of energy in this match, as he hit several unique submissions. As Punk took alot of moves, Cabana delivered them.

The finish of this match was very entertaining and electric. After lots of back and forth action, Punk delivered a perfect Pepsi Plunge to finish off Mark Briscoe.
WINNERS and STILL Champions: Second City Saints (CM Punk/Colt Cabana)
Tremendous tag team match up, as both teams really shined.

Final McWord
A very action packed wrestling show. In fact, there was so much wrestling on this tape, that ROH opted to cut skits/promos out from this tape, and the other Death Before Dishonor II show. (7/24's event) ROH felt that the Death Before Dishonor II weekend (7/23 and 7/24) needed to stress wrestling and nothing else. This tape certainly accomplished that.

Samoa Joe and Homicide was my favorite match of the tape. I'd say the tag team title match was the second best match on the show. To be honest, there wasn't any bad matches on this tape, except for the Danny Daniels/Chad Collyer match.

As far as how this tape compares to other ROH shows, I wouldn't call it the best, but definitely a solid show. I do enjoy the skits/promos so that's why I enjoyed the other tapes more.

I do like how ROH presented this show as something special. The announcers, although not the best on the indy scene, did a good job of hyping up what they needed to hype.

Every title match on this show was presented as special and as a major event. Everything was respected, and I respect ROH for making their titles feel valuable and worthy.

Overall - Recommended, and a must-have for any ROH fan. Anytime there is a strong Heavyweight title defense, it's worth watching.

To pick up this tape, go to http://www.rohwrestling.com or go to https://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=160&id=525

Please let me know if you would rather have play-by-play or match synopsis' in future ROH reviews. Thanks for reading.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com