My First Impression of ROH

[Orange]

So I watched my first episode of ROH on HDNET on Monday, but I also ordered a PPV a while back when that bigger Japanese(?) guy was world champ (anybody remember his name?) Anyway here were my first impressions just in case anybody wants to know how a casual viewer views ROH

Kevin Steen doesn't really impress me, he's decent but nothing special at all.

El Generico is entertaining and seems very over with the crowd, I don't see him as a main eventer but he is very entertaining and is good in the ring.

Austin Aries has star power, I liked him in TNA and I think he is a really good wrestler, good promo cutter too.

I don't care for the announcers at all, they're too, backyard wrestling to me.

Obviously people's attitudes differ from backstage segments to in front of a live crowd, but Cornette seemed like he was trying to hard; or like he was uninterested. Again, I'm new to ROH so I could be completely off-base but he just comes across as trying too hard.

The TV title is awesome looking, while I find the other belts kind of plain, although they are more old school looking, so I guess that is a plus.

Claudio Castagnoli also has star power IMO. He's really tall and can wrestle pretty well, I'm sure he has been champion at some point already, but if he has not I could see him as champion soon.

I like Tyler Black, he looks like a badass.

Overall, from the things I have heard about ROH being amazing, I'm not seeing it just yet, but it's impossible to fully judge a company based off of one show. I do plan on tuning in as often as I can, so I can judge the product after I understand more about it. So, that is my opinion of ROH as a casual viewer ;D

Any other first time or semi-new viewers to ROH?

[jobsquad]

Mar 10, 2010 4:13:12 GMT -5 Orange said:

So I watched my first episode of ROH on HDNET on Monday, but I also ordered a PPV a while back when that bigger Japanese(?) guy was world champ (anybody remember his name?) Anyway here were my first impressions just in case anybody wants to know how a casual viewer views ROH

Kevin Steen doesn't really impress me, he's decent but nothing special at all.

El Generico is entertaining and seems very over with the crowd, I don't see him as a main eventer but he is very entertaining and is good in the ring.

Austin Aries has star power, I liked him in TNA and I think he is a really good wrestler, good promo cutter too.

I don't care for the announcers at all, they're too, backyard wrestling to me.

Obviously people's attitudes differ from backstage segments to in front of a live crowd, but Cornette seemed like he was trying to hard; or like he was uninterested. Again, I'm new to ROH so I could be completely off-base but he just comes across as trying too hard.

The TV title is awesome looking, while I find the other belts kind of plain, although they are more old school looking, so I guess that is a plus.

Claudio Castagnoli also has star power IMO. He's really tall and can wrestle pretty well, I'm sure he has been champion at some point already, but if he has not I could see him as champion soon.

I like Tyler Black, he looks like a badass.

Overall, from the things I have heard about ROH being amazing, I'm not seeing it just yet, but it's impossible to fully judge a company based off of one show. I do plan on tuning in as often as I can, so I can judge the product after I understand more about it. So, that is my opinion of ROH as a casual viewer ;D

Any other first time or semi-new viewers to ROH?

I checked it out a while back after hearing one of Cornette's internet rants. I really like the booking and their end goal. What I don't like is the spotfest nature of the things I saw. I like wrestling formulaic matches where guys do everything the way they are supposed to, but with their own twist. Every WWE/WCW wrestler for the most part was like this, but nowadays wrestlers leave the wrestling schools before they know everything about what they are doing, so a lot of them pick up steam and are given a chance. ROH did this to a few guys I know that at the time they worked ROH they were glorified backyard wrestlers. So, when I see that hasn't changed, I sort of lose interest.

I think Cornette will fix that. Heck, he is probably out there throwing shit in the locker room and yelling at guys about doing things right, lol.

To be clear, your average viewer doesn't see these things. Most smarks are blind to it as well. It doesn't make the product bad, just not as good as it could be.

I am gonna give it another chance though, primarily because I really want them to succeed. One of my dad's buddies from Florida, Kevin Kelly, will be doing commentary soon, and I always liked his work. So, for me, that will be getting better.

[The Scuba Guy]

Mar 10, 2010 4:13:12 GMT -5 Orange said:

So I watched my first episode of ROH on HDNET on Monday, but I also ordered a PPV a while back when that bigger Japanese(?) guy was world champ (anybody remember his name?) Anyway here were my first impressions just in case anybody wants to know how a casual viewer views ROH

Kevin Steen doesn't really impress me, he's decent but nothing special at all.

El Generico is entertaining and seems very over with the crowd, I don't see him as a main eventer but he is very entertaining and is good in the ring.

Austin Aries has star power, I liked him in TNA and I think he is a really good wrestler, good promo cutter too.

I don't care for the announcers at all, they're too, backyard wrestling to me.

Obviously people's attitudes differ from backstage segments to in front of a live crowd, but Cornette seemed like he was trying to hard; or like he was uninterested. Again, I'm new to ROH so I could be completely off-base but he just comes across as trying too hard.

The TV title is awesome looking, while I find the other belts kind of plain, although they are more old school looking, so I guess that is a plus.

Claudio Castagnoli also has star power IMO. He's really tall and can wrestle pretty well, I'm sure he has been champion at some point already, but if he has not I could see him as champion soon.

I like Tyler Black, he looks like a badass.

Overall, from the things I have heard about ROH being amazing, I'm not seeing it just yet, but it's impossible to fully judge a company based off of one show. I do plan on tuning in as often as I can, so I can judge the product after I understand more about it. So, that is my opinion of ROH as a casual viewer ;D

Any other first time or semi-new viewers to ROH?

To be honest, the TV shows aren't the best ways to get an impression of the company.

I say watch a few more, and if you really get into it, buy a few of their DVD's

EDIT: Oh, and that was Takeshi Morishima that was the big Japanese guy

[Angus Mcloud]

Also if your not aware a fellow Crapper made the TV title for ROH

[H-Fist]

Claudio Castagnoli has been a tag team champion in Ring of Honor previously. The TV title, obviously, is brand new. And there have only been a dozen ROH World Title reigns in the company's history dating back to its 2002 founding. Low-Ki (TNA's Senshi/FCW's Kaval), Xavier, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries (twice), CM Punk, James Gibson (Jamie Noble), Bryan Danielson (WWE's Daniel Bryan), Homicide, Takeshi Morishima, Nigel McGuinness (TNA's Desmond Wolfe), and Tyler Black are ROH's World Champ honor roll. There have been a few periods during which the tag titles have moved around quickly, but generally ROH has always been booked around the importance of its championships.

And something that people who have mainly been exposed to the TV show need to understand is that the TV show is booked as a mix of old school/new school. On the one hand, a lot of talents are given wins against jobbers where they can get their moves and gimmick over to the fans. On the other hand, a lot of the featured matches tend toward spot-fests that appeal to a portion of the market. The live shows, as opposed to the TV shows, are much less divergent. They do cater to all interests. But there is storytelling alongside the brawling some people like, the Japanese-influenced spot-fests that others like, and an overall feel of building to a main event.

Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, and the Briscoe Brothers (as well as the Young Bucks/TNA's GenME) have been putting on the top-this kind of spot matches that I hate, too, for a long time now. That is the kind of thing that gets over on TV to new fans in a way that sets them apart from WWE and TNA, though. If it gets people curious, then it's good. Above all else, pro wrestling is an exercise in circular marketing. One show markets the next, selling itself as well as products around it.

I can understand an underwhelming experience with Kevin Steen upon first introduction. He's an interesting character. As he has developed over the past few years in the company, it became possible for fans to really invest in him. That also makes it a bit more difficult for new fans to get the hype when it's one of those had-to-be-there things. I bet it's the same kind of thing watching Necro Butcher nowadays if you've never seen him in his older, more-hardcore days.

[Orange]

Mar 10, 2010 12:43:44 GMT -5 H-Fist said:

Claudio Castagnoli has been a tag team champion in Ring of Honor previously. The TV title, obviously, is brand new. And there have only been a dozen ROH World Title reigns in the company's history dating back to its 2002 founding. Low-Ki (TNA's Senshi/FCW's Kaval), Xavier, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries (twice), CM Punk, James Gibson (Jamie Noble), Bryan Danielson (WWE's Daniel Bryan), Homicide, Takeshi Morishima, Nigel McGuinness (TNA's Desmond Wolfe), and Tyler Black are ROH's World Champ honor roll. There have been a few periods during which the tag titles have moved around quickly, but generally ROH has always been booked around the importance of its championships.

And something that people who have mainly been exposed to the TV show need to understand is that the TV show is booked as a mix of old school/new school. On the one hand, a lot of talents are given wins against jobbers where they can get their moves and gimmick over to the fans. On the other hand, a lot of the featured matches tend toward spot-fests that appeal to a portion of the market. The live shows, as opposed to the TV shows, are much less divergent. They do cater to all interests. But there is storytelling alongside the brawling some people like, the Japanese-influenced spot-fests that others like, and an overall feel of building to a main event.

Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, and the Briscoe Brothers (as well as the Young Bucks/TNA's GenME) have been putting on the top-this kind of spot matches that I hate, too, for a long time now. That is the kind of thing that gets over on TV to new fans in a way that sets them apart from WWE and TNA, though. If it gets people curious, then it's good. Above all else, pro wrestling is an exercise in circular marketing. One show markets the next, selling itself as well as products around it.

I can understand an underwhelming experience with Kevin Steen upon first introduction. He's an interesting character. As he has developed over the past few years in the company, it became possible for fans to really invest in him. That also makes it a bit more difficult for new fans to get the hype when it's one of those had-to-be-there things. I bet it's the same kind of thing watching Necro Butcher nowadays if you've never seen him in his older, more-hardcore days.

I figured that the TV show would be different than the live shows, because the TV show was even different than the PPV I got a while back. However this show has gotten me to tune in next Monday so they are doing something right. It's definetely a different company than TNA and WWE, in feel and in wrestling, and as Splunged Tortilla said I should check out a few of their DVDs.

Is there any news about them getting a longer TV show, or is the TV show to get you to buy DVDs to get more? Also Splunged thank you, I liked Morishima very much, big powerful dude he was ;D

What DVDs would you guys recommend for somebody new to the product, If I understand right Punk and Joe had some great ones a while back, but what other DVDs would be good? Thanks guys

[H-Fist]

Mar 10, 2010 15:41:47 GMT -5 Orange said:

What DVDs would you guys recommend for somebody new to the product, If I understand right Punk and Joe had some great ones a while back, but what other DVDs would be good? Thanks guys

The stickied thread on top of the (w)rest forum will give a good cross-section of people's opinions. And Ring of Honor just announced the launch of ROH Videos today. For $10, you can download previous ROH shows that are sold-out on DVD, and then burn them to DVD yourself. It's too expensive for them to print and store new printings, so now they're letting us do it ourselves. A lot of the more significant and/or popular shows are sold out and have been for a while.

I became a fan in 2006 and then went back in time via DVD. They had really hit a stride in 2005-2006, but there aren't any periods that lack for good wrestling.

* Generally speaking, Ring of Honor has treated three shows and one time of year as its "big four." They debuted in February of 2002 and thus have begun to treat their Anniversary and their WrestleMania weekend shows as part of a multi-unit celebration. the 3 show names for the other 75% are Death Before Dishonor, Glory by Honor, and Final Battle.

* "Rising Above 2008" was a tape-delayed PPV show that I attended and recommend. Daniel Bryan vs. Desmond Wolfe for the ROH World Title; Briscoes vs. Steen and Generico for the Tag Titles; an impressive women's contest; a bloody I Quit match; a heavy-action 6-man strike-and-spot-fest; and Samoa Joe vs. Tyler Black. It's available on DVD.

* "Supercard of Honor IV" and "Take No Prisoners 2009" were the WrestleMania weekend shows from last year. I've seen SoH4 and think it's a pretty solid show. It also would be hard to go wrong with any of the "Final Countdown Tour" shows from last autumn. I attended and later purchased the Chicago show. Outside of the commentary (starting with these shows, you can turn it off), the Chicago show is really good opener to main event.

* The "Summer of Punk," a series of shows that took place in mid-05 as CM Punk was wrapping up his tenure and about to move on to OVW, is solid top-to-bottom. It starts with "Death Before Dishonor III" and finishes with "Punk: The Final Chapter." Those two shows (which are both great and awesome) and two others are available for download; the others can still be purchased.

* The "Milestone Series" was a 7-show series from early 2006 that commemorated Ring of Honor's 4th anniversary, their 100th show, and a 3-show weekend coinciding with WrestleMania XXII in Chicago. "Supercard of Honor" and "Better Than Our Best" were the WM weekend Friday and Saturday shows, two of the finest cards the indies had produced to that point. Six of the seven can be purchased on DVD; "The 100th Show" can now be downloaded.

* With a few exceptions (such as Nov. '03's "Main Event Spectacles," available for download) most of the 2002-2003 shows are more or less one-match shows. Sometimes those one matches are freaking great. But overall, not always worth the purchase.

* While the roster has turned over a lot since 2004, a lot of the shows from that period hold up. If you don't mind seeing the last of the famous CM Punk/Samoa Joe matches before you see the others, thus absolutely murdering the story they are trying to tell, pick up November 2004's "All Star Extravaganza II" DVD. The "World Title Classic" is a bit of a one-match show, while one or two other matches on the aptly named "Joe vs. Punk II" show (avail for download) are pretty decent.

[Deleted]

The retail ROH best of's are a good sampling of awesome matches if you don't want full shows. They're in the ROH store and also on Amazon, and they're only $14.95 (or cheaper in some retail outlets).




Ring of Honor "Bloodstained Honor" (DVD)
Item# KOCH001

Description:
1. Samoa Joe vs. Jay Briscoe in a Steel Cage - 3/13/04 (features new commentary)
2. The Second City Saints (CM Punk & Ace Steel) vs. The Prophecy (Dan Maff & BJ Whitmer) in a Chicago Street Fight- 7/24/04 (features new commentary)
3. CM Punk vs. Jimmy Rave in a Dog Collar match - 5/07/05
4. Generation Next (Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, Jack Evans, & Matt Sydal) vs. The Embassy (Jimmy Rave, Alex Shelley, Abyss, & Prince Nana) in Steel Cage Warfare - 12/3/05
5. Colt Cabana vs. Homicide in a Ghetto Street Fight - 2/25/06
6. Team ROH (Samoa Joe, Adam Pearce, & BJ Whitmer) vs. Team CZW (Chris Hero, Super Dragon, & Necro Butcher) - 4/22/06
7. Colt Cabana vs. Jimmy Jacobs in a Windy City Death Match - 2/24/07
8. Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe in a Boston Street Fight - 8/10/07




Ring of Honor ''Stars Of Honor'' (DVD)
Item# KOCH002

Description:
1. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk -12/4/04 (features new commentary)
2. Homicide vs. Antonio "MVP" Banks- 2/19/05 (features new commentary)
3. James (Noble) Gibson vs. Roderick Strong- 4/2/05 (features new commentary)
4. Bryan Danielson vs. Brian "Spanky" Kendrick- 4/2/05 (features new commentary)
5. Matt Hardy vs. Homicide- 8/12/05
6. Matt Hardy vs. Roderick Strong- 8/13/05
7. Christopher Daniels vs. Christian Cage- 7/29/06
8. Samoa Joe & Jay Lethal vs. Low Ki & Homicide - 8/13/05

Bonus material:
9. The History of Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk
10. Larry Sweeney confronts Bruno Sammartino
11. Mick Foley and CM Punk promo




Ring of Honor ’’Best In The World’’ (DVD)
Item# KOCH003

Description:
1. Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi- New York, NY 10/01/05
2. AJ Styles & Matt Sydal vs. Dragon Kid & Genki Horiguchi- Detroit, MI, 3/30/06
3. KENTA vs. Austin Aries– Chicago Ridge, IL, 6/24/06
4. Samoa Joe vs. Kikutaro with Mick Foley– Elizabeth, NJ, 2/19/05
5. Bryan Danielson vs. Lance Storm (ROH World Title Match Chicago Ridge, IL, 4/01/06)
6. CM Punk vs. Terry Funk- Philadelphia, PA, 9/20/03
7. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Naruki Doi & Shingo (ROH World Tag Team Title Match- Liverpool, UK, 3/03/07)
8. Claudio Castagnoli vs. El Generico (Race to the Top Tournament Finals– Edison, NJ, 7/28/07)
9. Takeshi Morishima vs. Nigel McGuinness (ROH World Title Match- Edison, NJ, 4/14/07)




Ring of Honor ’’Greatest Rivalries’’ (DVD)
Item# KOCH004

Description:
1. CM Punk vs. Raven (Dog Collar March– Elizabeth, NJ, 7/19/03)
2. Samoa Joe vs. Homicide (ROH World Title Match– Wauwatosa, WI, 7/23/04)
3. AJ Styles with Mick Foley vs. Jimmy Rave (Styles Clash vs. Rave Clash Match– Lake Grove, NY, 9/17/05)
4. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong (ROH World Tag Team Title Match – Liverpool, UK, 8/12/06)
5. BJ Whitmer vs. Jimmy Jacobs (Steel Cage Match– Detroit, MI, 3/31/07)
6. Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries (3rd Match In The Best of Three Series– Philadelphia, PA 11/2/07)
7. Adam Pearce, Ace Steel, Colt Cabana, & BJ Whitmer vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Super Dragon, Necro Butcher, & Spyder Nate Webb (Team ROH vs. Team CZW Anything Goes Match – Dayton, OH, 4/28/06)
8. Roderick Strong vs. Erick Stevens (FIP World Heavyweight Title Match– New York, NY 12/30/07)

[Orange]

Thanks everyone for the DVD recommendations, I'll also check out their new DVD service, it sounds cool. Also Angus yeah I saw the thread a while back, it's an amazing looking belt. Whoever did it (poster's name escapes me atm) they did a great job with it, it sets itself apart from all the other ROH belts.

[D2: Sweet & Sour Edition]

Death Before Dishonor 4

The ONE ROH show I've been wanting to see. Thank you ROH Videos.