There would not have been an ROH if not for ECW. First ECW really showed what Indy Wrestling could be. Second ECW gave the break to a lot of guys that inspired the ROH roster and it gave ROH booker Gabe Sapolsky his start in the business. Finally the hottest seller for RF Video the original backer for ROH was ECW Fan Cam footage and when ECW died ROH was created to replace that. So this was the second in the Milestone Series running the ECW Arena for the first time. The Name Arena Warfare comes from the fact this was a doubled header with CZW so the two rosters would be in the same place at the same time. Again it was another ROH show that had people raving but does it hold up? Well the fourth anniversary sure as hell didn't'.
A few notes around this time ROH had a couple of high profile departures in Low Ki and Jay Lethal. Ki's departure played a role in storyline. Also this show got hit with travel issues Samoa Joe and Chris Hero were both working in Mexico and arrived late due to there flight being delayed. I also think Ki was supposed to face Roderick Strong on this show but that was called off and Strong was rebooked.
We again get a special title card for this show and we truly open with Christopher Daniels outside the old Murphy Recreation Center. (Picking up from the last show) Daniels talks about how four years ROH got its start there. He puts over how good the shows were. Daniels hops in a car as someone starts to drive him. Daniels says people always asked when ROH was going to run the ECW arena? Daniels puts over the history of the ECW Arena including the first ECW PPV, Dreamer beating Raven and Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA title. Daniels has a great delivery but this promo was boring as hell to me it came off like another "Wasn't ECW so great." Rant I could read on the internet also it appears Daniels is reading the ECW part from a script and I would not be shocked if Gabe wrote it all for him given Gabe is a huge ECW mark. The promo ends with Daniels arriving outside the than New Alhambra Arena and he declares tonight ROH makes it's mark there and tells us how much it means to ROH and boys.
Tag Team Scramble Match- The Briscoe Brothers Jay and Mark vs The Ring Crew Express Dunn & Marcos vs Jason Blade & Kid Mikaze vs The Rottweilers Homicide & Ricky Reyes with Julius Smokes and Grim Reefer- Oh dear god why has though forsaken me Smokes and the Briscoe Brothers in the same match? WHY OH WHY? That two different kinds of shit. They play up the Briscoes and the Rottweilers History as the two teams get face to face. When the match starts its Kid Mikaze and Marcos. Rules are as soon as a man leaves anyone can enter meaning no tags needed. We trade to Blade and Dunn sloppy arm drag by Dunn. Springboard kick by Blade that misses. Oh damn Gabe just got on commentary. Gabe sets up the CZW stuff and warns CZW that ROH is ready to fight. Reyes in and hits butterfly suplex on Blade. Mark tags in slapping Reyes on the back. Mark tags in Jay who comes in with a leg drop off the ropes that misses by a country mile. Than sloppy brain buster on Mikaze. Reyes and Mark back in Homicide umps in for a double team. Mark with a dropkick that misses. Mikaze with a flip dive that takes out Reyes and Homicide. Stage dive by the ring crew. Jason Blade with a moonsault. Smokes because he's an idiot suddenly comes jumping into the shot again the guy clearly wants to be noticed so he goes out his way to make people pay attention to him. Finally Mark with his shoot star press takes out everyone I swear Billy Kidman did the move better. Reyes show make the way you do a exploder suplex the right way. Marcos with a cross body on Homicide. Double team senton on Mikaze but the Briscoes break up the fall. Spring board Doomsday by the Briscoes. Smokes now starts running around jumping around screaming like a moron again. Reyes locks in the dragon sleeper on Jay. Mark finally breaks it up. Super sit-down power bomb by Reyes on Mark. Jay goes for the Jay Driller but Homicide nails him with the lariat Cop Killer by Homicide on Marcos for win. This was meant to be a spot fest and it was. The Briscoes sucked as usually only able to do high spots and Smokes was the usual idiot even post mach he jumping around instead of celebrate with his team.
BJ Whitmer made his way out no music and in workout short. Whitmer talks about how CZW interrupted his big match with Christopher Daniels. I think there might have been more CZW fans there than ROH fans thats just how it sounds. BJ Calls out Necro Butcher and he doesn't come out. BJ calls again and he still doesn't come out. BJ says that what he expected from CZW. Ok what was the point of that? If you wanted to set up the BJ vs Butcher match for the fans at home why not do a backstage promo?
Roderick Strong vs Jimmy Yang- This was before Yang found his country roots in WWE. Strong came out without his ROH tag belt and that bugs me I get the title wasn't on the line but your still a champion bring it out but yeah I admit that me be nit picky. Strong in control early on Yang uses the ropes to flip out of the writ lock. Strong with a leg lariat. Yang with a elevated dropkick sends Strong to the outside and than hits a bad looking Osi Moonsault. Strong with a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Butterfly suplex by Strong. Yang charges for a shoulder block but Strong moves and Yang hits the steel pole. Strong with a slingshot splash. Gabe returns to tell us the CZW fans are there which anyone idiot could hear given we could hear fans chanting CZW. Yang with back drop and than a spin kick off the second rope. Yang counters a back breaker into a arm drag than another spin kick. Strong with the sick kick gets two. Yang counters the Gibson driver with a back drop. Moonsault press gets two but it one of those "Kick outs" where it's clear Yang just got off. Yang slips going for a Franken Stenier into a boston crab and than taps out. The "CZW fans" chanted boring I think it was just people calling a boring match just that.
Backstage Colt Cabana talked about being in a three way dance instead of getting another match with Homicide. Cabana challenged Homicide to meet him anywhere after the show. Alex Shelley talked about the firsts in life. He says he will take the top spot from Danielson and reminds everyone that Spanky had taught him Sliced Bread #2. I get what ROH is trig to the idea of Spanky being a long time rival of Danielson's giving a challenger a key move that had beat him. But Spanky's heel turn was for one show he hadn't appeared in ROH in months and Danielson was MIA when he turned and I'm sure I have seen Danielson counter the sliced bread #2.
We than have Gabe yelling "Go to the ring go to the ring." BJ Whitmer returned and interrupted Bobby Cruise and again called out Necro Butcher who this time answered the call. This again makes me wonder what was with the earlier segment? They played it off with the announcers going "Just shows CZW won't take a fair fight." But than Butcher comes out lane down the ramp it's not like he jumped BJ in the back and brought him out. -I hate Necro Butcher to me the guy is the embodiment of a guy that can't wrestle worth a lick so he got over with stunt work. There is no art to his work he' just a freak. But I will admit he's perfect for the CZW war so he should be booked here. Brawl with and exchange of punches, kicks and slaps to start. BJ slams Necro into a pole. Butcher with the worst forearms I have ever seen. BJ with a big running knee sends Necro off the apron to the floor. Super Dragon runs out and jumps BJ and hits a curb stomp. BJ recovers and whips Dragon into the guard rail before tossing him back in the ring. BJ goes for the Exploder but Butcher recovers and attacks. Dragon with a Double stomp off he top rope to BJ' head the ROH Locker room clears ld by the Briscoes and the CZW guys run off but not before Butcher rams a chair into his head a few times. Decent brawl and it was meant to kick start BJ's involvement in the CZW feud while getting over he wear one tough SOB. BJ gets microphone and says it's far from over.
Matt Sydal vs Austin Aries- This was part of the on going story of Sydal teaming with people (than AJ Styles) to take the tag belts away form Aries and Strong. So just to count Generation Next at this point had an ongoing feud amongst themselves, a feud with Rottweilers, and a feud with the Briscoes well at least I can't say Gabe had nothing for them. Aries did have his tag belt with him. Waste lockdown takedown by Aries but Sydal spins out. Sydal goes for a sine head lock takedown but Aries blocks it finally Sydal runs ups the ropes to double his momentum and get the takedown. Aries with a spring board back elbow off the second rope and into the head lock. Sydal counters into one of his own. Series of shoulder tackles with neither man being willing to give. Sydal with a head scissors and rolls over to block Aries from doing his head stand escape into a drop kick. Aries finally mangoes to escape but not his usual way. Another exchange of head locks until Aries hits a belly to back suplex. Sydal with a dropsautl sends Aries to the floor and than Sydal with an amazing dive over the top rope to floor. Chop and palm strike exchange with neither man being will to back down until Sydal hits a kick. Aries scores with the heat seeking missile suicide dive. Aries works over Sydal with a series of submission holds and than knees. Sydal with a sunset flip but Aries rolls through to his feet and hits a drop kick into Sydal's face. Sydal goes for the crucifix but Aries block into a Finlay rolls followed by a big frog splash for two. Sydal off the ropes with a great looking swinging DDT. Sydal goes for a Rana but Aries slips and the both go down. A you fucked up chant from the fans. Sydal with the standing moonsault. Aries goes for the brain buster but Sydal lands some knees and hits the here it is driver and gets two. Sydal goes for the shooting star but Aries moves. Another attempt at the brian buster gets countered. Finally Aries lands a big kick first and hits the moves and the 450 for win. Great match the story was pretty clear Sydal wanted to prove he could more than hang with Aries and even managed to out wrestles him at at number of points. Outside of the botch there are no other issues.
Post match Aries and Sydal shake hands only for The Briscoes to run out and jump them. Roderick Strong to run out and make the save. The numbers advantage proved to be to much for Strong until Sydal revered and send the Briscoes packing. Good segment since it enforced the idea Generation Next was still together as a stable and watching each others back. Poor Gary Michael Cappetta had to interview the Rottweilers witch means he had to next to Smokes. Homicide accepted Cabana's challenge but warned "all the dogs" would be there. Smokes ranted and raved about something and than started barking like a dog. I have no idea. Huge problem with this segment is ZERO PAYOFF. They set up for a backstage brawl but we never see it. They don't' even mention what happened like "Homicide was escorted out of the building to…." nope just dropped.
The Irish Airborne Jake and Dave Crist vs Tony Mamaluke and Sal Rinauro- Irish Airborne is a great tag team out of Ohio witch at this point had revamped there gimmick at big dropping there early ring names of Crazy J and Lotus. Sadly dispute being a very talented team they have never gotten a tryout from WWE or TNA. Go check out there matches they are a great team still working on the indy scene. Dave and Sal start us off. Exchange of a wrist lock early on but Sal with a takedown. Dave with a series of arm drags and tags to Jake. Flying kick by Dave followed by a flying kick by Jake. Knee to the face followed by a flying neck breaker. Sal with a lung blower tag to Mamlake leg sweep lariat combo by Sal and Tony. Mamaluke with a german but Jake lands on his feet. Jake with a flying headlock takedown blocked and counted into roll up by Mamaluke. Sal with a drop toe hold on Jake send him into Mamaluke's knee. Blind tag to Dave who comes in with a amazing looking sprig board dropkick. Lionsault press by Dave gets two. Blind tag to Sal who comes in an clotheslines Jake sending into Mamalukes's knees again. Sal with a moonsault press of his own gets two. The fans actually behind the new comers pretty impressive given they hadn't worked Philly much in there career at this point. Mamaluke lock win a front guillotine on Jake but Crist fights free just as Dave comes off with double stomp onto Mamaluke's head. Jake than hits a Death Valley Driver onto Jake's knees for the pin. Very good match hell its to bad Mamaluke was gone after this as it appeared he and were actually starting to click as team. Prazak puts over the "shocking" win over the former tag team champions. Now you would think ROH had big plans for the Irish Airborne and maybe they did at one point but sadly we would never see it. Sadly they would be treated as jobber from here on out for the most part. And I don't' know why there a good team have a good look ROH has needed tag team at various times but never did the Crist Brothers get another big win. I mean it amazes me ROH has put the tag belts on the Briscoes eight times yet the Airborne can't get a call anymore.
Entrances for the world title match. Shelley was supposed to get his title shot at Unscripted 2 but well a snow storm forced him to pull out and head to booking for TNA instead. Of course the story here is "Sliced Bread #2" Shelley had been using. Its kind of strange to watch these old ROH DVD's and the future Daniel Bryan clean shaven with a buzz cut. The fans are split 50 50 with lets go Dragon lets go Shelley chants. Shelley quickly tries to stop that by flipping the fans off. Danielson got a hold of a microphone and soon began mocking the CZW fans in attendance. He also said he was going to put on the greatest technical wrestling display the ECW arena had ever seen. so fans began chanting overrated. Danielson read off a list of great wrestling like Malenko, Jericho, and Gurrerro but said he was the best god damn wrestlers this building had ever seen. Kind of strange would have a long segment with the world champion who had been jumped to kick off the feud playing heel. I know Daniels was pretty much always a heel during his title reign but the fans still loved him and from a logic stand point Shelley should be heel. The Danielson promo was entreating but it went on to long. Also for most of it Shelley and Nana just had to sit around and wait for Dragon to finish up.
ROH World Heavyweight Championship Bryan Danielson © vs Alex Shelley with Prince Nana- Strange after his promo Danielson is now encouraging the "Dragon Dragon Dragon" chant. Lots of stalling now as Shelley is trying to heel up. Shelley grabs a microphone and insults a few fans. Enough we get it you both want to be heels also given these are "Smarks" they cheer when you insult them. Knuckle lock to start. Dragon with a monkey flip. Shelley escapes a cravat into a front chancery. The CZW fans start to chant boring. Shelley gets a microphone and again mocks "tons of fun." Sadly the smarks start chanting for the fat guy. Shelley with a head scissors but Dragon twist free looking up Shelley's legs only for Shelly to fight free. Dragon tries to work over the arm but Shelley gets free. Dragon with a chin lock but Shelley bites him. Shelley drives Dragon back into a corner and slaps him on the break. Dragon tries to do that but Shelley but Shelley ducks and lands another slap. Shelley with a full nelson but Dragon finally breaks free and hits a few slaps of his down. Shelley goes for sliced bread but Dragon shoves him off and slaps him again. Danielson with abdominal stretch and uses the ropes. Shelley tries to cheat his way free but the referee keeps catching him while missing Danielson's cheating. Shelley works the knee and locks in an inverted figure four and than the indian death lock. Over head belly to belly by Danielson. Danielson tries to go for the surfboard but Shelley won't give up the arms until Danielson goes after the face and some punches to the kidneys. The fans called for the hold and Danielson gave it up and instead just drove Shelley's knees into the ground. Slingshot suplex by Danielson. Finally Danielson goes for the surfboard. Shelley fights and gets the ropes. Spinning toe hold and than the figure four by Danielson. Shelley finally gets the ropes. Chicken wing countered into a roll up. Enzigure and a tornado DDT by Shelley gets two. Downwards dropkick to Dragon's face. Shelley goes for sliced bread again but it's blocked. Series of neck breakers by Shelley. Belley to back suplex by Shelley over the top rope dumping Danielson to the floor. Nana holds Danielson as Shelley dive but The American Dragon moves and Shelley takes out Nana. Dragon tosses Shelley and Nana over the guardrail. Danielson with a springboard summersault dive takes out Shelley and Nana again. Back in the ring Danielson with a missile dropkick off. German Suplex into Cattle Mutilation but Shelley gets to the ropes. Shelley with a frog splash gets two. K-1 bomb gets two but Shelley locks in the Border City Stretch. Shelley abandons the move to got for a roll up that gets two. Again Shelley goes for Sliced bread but Dragon puts him on the top rope. Belly to back superplex gets two. Shelley counter Cattle Mutilation gets two. Nana distracts the referees Shelley with a low blow and than Shell Shock gets two. Back to the border city stretch Danielson gets the ropes. Shelley finally hits Sliced bread but Danielson counters first into Cattle Mutilation and than a pin for the win. Yeah like I said I'm pretty sure I had seen Danielson counter sliced bread before. I think they would have better off having Danielson "injured". This match pretty long but once they got past trying to out heel each other its as fine. It think the long match time was done to kill so Joe could reach the arena for the main event. Of course this match should have been the main event.
Post match Danielson gets a microphone and again insults the fans that called the match boring. He than thanked the fans that love wrestling and support ROH. So wait he heels the entire match and now he's a face.
Three Way Dance
Colt Cabana vs Christopher Daniels with Alison Danger vs Samoa Joe- I like all three guys I really do but this should have not have main evented. And now from what I understand this was always the main event. See this match in the build up was to be called ROH Icon. Now they never say this on the DVD but the newswires made it clear. Also after this match Joe took that nickname. Now I love Cabana and I get you wanted to get him a break from the Homicide feud but he was the Second City Saint anyone would an Icon. Also they wanted to close with an "ECW" match. As I mentioned at the start Joe had travel problems so he would even appear until after Daniels had been eliminated. Cabana with a big hip toss and Daniels bails to the outside. Colt with a head sciroccos but an escape in a jackknife cradle by Daniels. Daniels with an arm drag into an arm bar. Cabana with a series of roll throughs problem is all that showed was Daniels wasn't the lock that tight. Gabe returns to commentary to explain Joe is finally there and ready to go but will do it in his street clothes. He also mocks CZW. Big overhand chops by Cabana. Lungblower by Daniels. Gabe back again to talk about what a great day it's been so yeah pretty clear something is going to happen. Sunset flip by Colt is blocked and Daniels with an elbow drop. Really feels like Cabana and Daniels were stalling and unsure of what to do as Joe was warming up backstage. Maybe it was Gabe sending messages since he wasn't sure how long Joe would be before he could come out. Abdominal stretch by Daniels but Cabana hip tosses him off. Cabana with a corner splash but Daniels moves. Arabian Press by Daniels gets two. Kaprana by Cabana gets two. Series of Elbows by Cabana. Butt Butt and lariat gets two for Cabana. Death Valley Driver by Daniels. Daniels calls fro the BME but Cabana rolls away. Cabana with a missile dropkick. Colt 45 block Angles wings blocked rolling press by Cabana pins Daniels. Joe's music hits and he charges out in his street clothes. Joe attacks both men an hits a over head belly to belly on Daniels. Flying kick by Joe back senton for two on Cabana. Cabana with a lariat gets two. Cabana goes to the tope but Joe cuts him off muscle buster. Joe locks in the choke. Cabana reaches the ropes. Prazak freaks out "No one has ever done that kicked out and reached the ropes." Series of strikes by Joe. Cabana fires back. Another Muscle Buster by Joe and this is enough for the win. Ok I love Joe but Colt needed this win. He was getting his ass kicked show by show by Homicide what a better way to show how dangerous he is now than to have him outlast Daniels and Joe? Also Joe just comes right in and blow right threw Colt for the most part. Hell if you want to protect Joe have it by Homicide tried to attack Colt and missed or Joe stopped him since he didn't wan this rivals help or the CZW guys or hell have Daniels return and distract Joe. Match never felt like it got going and it should not have main evented.
BJ Whitmer comes back out so Colt's is forgotten about as Gabe gushes about "ROH finally has a piece of history in this building." Some fans throw toilet paper at JOe. Joe actually jumps out of the ring goes after the guy and hands him to the security. From what I have heard that is legit not a set up for set off a CZW and ROH brawl. Whitmer calls Joe back into the ring. Whitmer again calls out CZW. The CZW locker room clears and jumps on Joe and BJ. Than the ROH locker room empties. OK have two problems see pretty everyone outside of a few guys blended in since they were all in street clothes also I really didn't CZW outside of Hero and Claudio at this point so I know almost no one from the CZW except Butcher who is easy to spot and Super Dragon who again is easy to spot given his outfit. The rigors spilled over as The CZW crew was left along with BJ until some more ROH guys came out to help him. We see Generation Next brawling with BlkOut members since I think they were set to have a match at the CZW show with each other. More CZW guys arrived armed with weapons including a weed whacker and drove off the ROH locker room except for a trapped BJ Whitmer. Necro and CZW owner John Zanding tie BJ to the ring ropes as we see more footage of the brawl spilling to the outside. Zanding starts stapling CZW tickets to BJ"s body and spray paint CZW over the ROH logo in the ring. We keep jumping around to show the fight is still going on problem is they are fighting outside in the dark and I can't tell who is who. CZW owner John Zanding looks in the camera and declares this is CZW's house. Again more cutting the brawl outside but I can't tell if ROH is winning or CZW hell it could be two ROH guys fighting each other. I think they are tying to explain why no one is coming to save BJ as he's still strung up as the CZW has taken over the ring but this is the case of a segment going on way to long. Zanding demands a microphone but we hear Gabe final yelling "Go to black go to black…" The ending segment starts off strong with the brawl and the CZW winning and than stringing up BJ but it goes on to long. A good chunk of it is just the CZW standing around int the ring taking turns spray painting the ROH logo out. I think the "go to black go to black" should have gone as BJ was getting attacked.
Arena Warfare starts off slow but does pick up in the middle sadly the main event is a let down. The final segment is good at the start and I do give ROH credit for letting CZW win on there show. Since a big problem with invasions is one side often look vs the other. But it goes to long. Also I know he like Joe had travel problems and since I wasn't there I no idea if Hero even got out of Mexico that day but not having him there hurt the CZW story since he was the face of CZW in ROH. Its a mild recommendation to see this show but only if you can find it on the cheap.
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