As was the theme of the weekend, the tape featured no promos/skits, as ROH wanted to tell all the stories in the ring.
Alot of people said they'd rather see a quick review rather than a play-by-play review, and since that is also faster to do, I'll do it like that.

Ring of Honor
"Death Before Dishonor Part II"
7/24/04
From Chicago, IL
Referees: Hanson, Moorer, Turner
Ring Announcer: Dave Prazak
Commentators: Jimmy Bower and Mark McNulty

Rocky Romero w/The Rottweillers (Julius Smokes, Homicide and Low Ki) d. Chad Collyer
This was a solid match to start the show off with. Both guys showed off alot of submission wrestling in the beginning and end of the match. As was the story for most of the show, The Rottweilers showed their unity and dominance in ROH. Collyer teased his finish, the Texas Cloverleaf throughout the match, but couldn't get Rocky Romero to tap out. Romero also went for his submission finisher but was denied twice. Romero finally was able to put away Collyer with an armbreaker submission hold, for the tap out win.
Good opening match. Conspicuous by his absence, was Romero's partner, Ricky Reyes.
POSTMATCH: It looked like The Rottweillers were about to cut a promo, but it was cut off. Later on in the tape, the announcers talked about how the promo was edited from the tape, because it was unhonorable and "disgusting".

Alex Shelley w/Generation Next (Evans and Strong) d. Jimmy Jacobs
Jacobs was insanely over with the crowd. The crowd was really feeling the "Huss". This was another mat based match. This match, like the previous match, also focused on submission wrestling. Jacobs hit some high flying offense, such as a big senton. Shelley picked up the submission victory after locking Jacobs in a Crippler Crossface.
Solid match, that was a bit similiar to the first match.
POSTMATCH: Shelley cut a promo saying that it was time to waste Jacobs. Shelley, Evans and Strong all attacked Jacobs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat ran out and made the save. He said it was time for Generation Next to fight, and this led to our next match.

Jack Evans/Roderick Strong w/Alex Shelley d. John Walters/Matt Stryker w/Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
This was a great tag team match. This match was built off the show the day before. Jack Evans was more grounded than usual in this one, but still hit some pretty moves. Dragon was the equalizer to Generation Next's Alex Shelley. Stryker/Walters broke out some kick ass tag team offense including big lungblowers, including one out of a doomsday device position. Generation Next finally outnumbered their opponents, as Austin Aries, the somewhat leader of the group, came out to pound on Ricky Steamboat. This distracted Walters/Stryker. This set up Roderick Strong to finish Walters off with a Widows Peak for the three count.
Nice match, which really showed the strength of Generation Next. Generation Next is one hell of a stable, and in my opinion, are only second to The Rottweilers. This prolongs the Steamboat vs Generation Next feud.

6 Man Mayhem Match
Trent Acid d. Matt Sydal, The Great Kazushi, Danny Daniels, Delirious and Shawn Daivari
This wasn't as good as Trent's match the day before, nor the best 6 way in ROH. Kazushi does a Great Muta gimmick as he spits out mist. Daivari has since been signed to a WWE developmental contract. Delirious has alot of great ring work, and works very well with his fellow IWA MS foe, Matt Sydal. After alot of action, Trent picks up the win with his new finisher, the inverted brainbuster.
Ok match. It seems that Trent is really building up the inverted brainbuster as a go-home move.

For the ROH Pure Wrestling Title
(c) Doug Williams d. Austin Aries of Generation Next
This was another pure technical wrestling match on this show. Aries has really had a breakout year in 2004, starting with his Super 8 performance. Williams lost some of his rope breaks early due to unintentional shady refereeing. Aries showed alot of heart in this match. Williams eventually put away Aries with an Octopus style submission.
Solid match. I was surprised to see Aries lose, after the rest of his Gen Next partners were able to pick up solid victories.

Low Ki w/The Rottweillers (Julius Smokes, Homicide, and Rocky Romero) d. Mark Briscoe
Excellent match. The Briscoes are hella good, and are able to do alot in the ring. They can also take big beatings, as was evident here. Briscoe had an uphill battle, due to interference from the Rottweillers. Low Ki hit his signature moves, including alot of rapid and hard kicks. Low Ki has done an exceptional job of being a heel in ROH. The announcers really sold him as a legit asshole during the commentary, and Low Ki used some short cuts in this one. Good booking in this match and great execution from the wrestlers. Briscoe took some nasty spills on his back, and the way he bounced didn't look like fun. Low Ki eventually wins this match with a Dragon Clutch sleeper.
Both guys looked fantastic here.
POSTMATCH: The Rottweilers beat up Mark Briscoe. Low Ki said respect had to be earned, and Mark Briscoe didn't earn anything. Those words set up the attack.

Homicide w/The Rottweillers (Julius Smokes, Low Ki, and Rocky Romero) d. Jay Briscoe
Another consecutive excellent match. Between Low Ki, Homicide and The Briscoes, you can have a combination of 5 star matches. Homicide really gave it to Jay Briscoe in this one. Just like how Generation Next were built up as big guys, The Rottweillers did that and more on this show. Somehow, after hitting a piledriver on Jay Briscoe, Homicide and Jay traded yakuza kicks, and neither man didn't fall down until Jay hit three Yakuzas on Homicide. After a teased cop killa and teased Jay-Driller, Homicide picks up the win with a wicked lariat.
Superb match by both guys here.
POSTMATCH: The Rottweillers attack Jay Briscoe, just like how they attacked Mark. Rottweillers were mad heelish tonight.

For the ROH World Heavyweight Title
(c) Samoa Joe d. ROH Tag Team Champion "Classic" Colt Cabana
Cabana was very over, with his hometown crowd. Good decision by ROH to have Cabana challenge for the belt here, even though it was obvious he had no chance of beating Joe. Joe's entrance is great, and really exemplifies what a World Champion should be like. This match saw Cabana take a beating from the champ. This match saw submissions in the ring, as well as outside brawling. Samoa Joe added another win to his impressive World Title reign, by pinning Cabana with a musclebuster.
Not the best championship match, by Joe, but a solid victory nonetheless.
POSTMATCH: The Rottweillers attacked Joe, only for the Briscoes to make the save.

In a Tag Team Match of the Year Candidate
Chicago Street Fight
The Second City Saints (ROH Tag Team Champion CM Punk/Ace Steel) d. Dan Maff/BJ Whitmer
PREMATCH: Allison Danger came out and said she hopes both these teams get hurt. She hates everyone in this match. She was wearing a neckbrace, as she was copkillaed by Homicide the night before. Good promo.

Like most MOTY Candidates, words don't do this match justice. This wasn't a match, it was a fucking fight. The announcers did a good job of hyping up the importance of the match, and explained the bad blood between these teams. Remember, Whitmer was the one who abducted CM Punk's Lucy, as we found out on 12/27/03. All four men in this match sported jeans and t-shirts as barbed wire, wood, guardrails chairs, tables and ladders were all used in this match. This fight featured all sick spots and ill brutality.

Some big spots saw: -CM Punk slide a ladder down a table, colliding into a chair which was on Whitmers face. SICK!
-Wicked unprotected chair shots.
-A barbed wire 2x4 by Maff onto the Second City Saints.
-Maff cannonballing Punk through a board
-Ace Steel whacking a ladder with a chair on Whitmers head.
-And way fucking more.

Towards the near end of the match, in an ECW moment, the ring was littered with chairs, as the fans threw their chairs in the ring. It was like Public Enemy all over again. The crowd went nuts in appreciation for this match. Ref Garry wasn't a fan of this, as he cowered and ducked for cover. Despite trying to make himself smaller, he got hit by many chairs as well. At this point, there was no ring mat, just weapons and chairs. Maff would then hit a suplex on Punk, and the impact of all the garbage and clutter in the ring shook underneath Ref Garry's feet, sending Ref Garry into the barbed wire! Fucking unbelievable!

The finish of this match saw Punk hit a frogsplash on Maff, while Maff was on a ladder. This knocked both men out of commission. Steel won the match for his team, and retained the titles, by hitting a top rope tombstone piledriver through a table on Whitmer.
Just fucking amazing. This is a must see match. The show was great as it was, but this match makes this show easily the hottest ROH tape of the year.

POSTMATCH: In what I didn't like, as I thought it stole heat and appreciation for a fantastic match, Generation Next ran in. With Maff/Whitmer gone, all of Generation Next beat the crap out of Punk/Steel. Colt Cabana would come out to make the save, but got his ass kicked for his efforts. Ricky Steamboat even came out, but he wound up getting tied to the ring ropes, and could only watch Punk and crew get annihilated. Generation Next proclaimed that the Second City Saints were yesterday and Generation Next was for today. This ended the tape.
There is nothing more I can say about the main event match than just fucking wow. Everyone killed themselves. The crowd showed their respect by chanting "THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" One of the best tag team matches I've seen in a while.

Final McWord
Lots of big things came out of this show. Generation Next and The Rottweillers saw their pushes grow as two huge heel stables. I would consider the Rottweilers the bigger of the two groups, and definitely the more meaner. Generation Next is appropriately named, as they are definitely the future of ROH.

ROH is certainly focusing alot of their energy on their stables, as their are alot of stables and alliances in ROH. The one thing that I see that come from these stables and alliances is that everyone is breaking the Code of Honor. There are not that many people who abide by the Code of Honor anymore.

I'm really interested in seeing a Low Ki vs Joe ROH Title match...

The tag team title match is a must see for any wrestling fan. Just an incredible effort and match by everyone involved.

Overall
Easily one of the best ROH shows of the year. The Briscoe singles matches were excellent. The tape is worth it for the tag team title match alone, but with several strong singles matches on the show, it makes this tape a must-see.

To purchase the tape go to http://www.rohwrestling.com or go to ROH 7/24 Tape directly.

Look for more ROH tape reviews soon.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com