DETROIT – Ring of Honor kicked off a two-night stand last night at the jam-packed Detroit Fairgrounds with a stellar card that saw four hours of non-stop action, some surprise returns, and a terrifying injury.
In the match for the ROH tag team championships, challengers Mark and Jay Briscoe faced the men who defeated them for the belts, Dragon Gate stars Naruki Doi and Shingo. Partway through the match, Mark climbed to the top rope and leapt out with a shooting star press, but crashed into the floor on his head and back and smashed his head against the barricade. Immediately ROH officials and medics rushed to ringside to tend to Briscoe, who was moving his arms and talking. After checking on his brother, Jay returned to the match and regained the titles with a Jay-driller. After the match Detroit natives and TNA stars Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley returned to the promotion, challenging Jay to a match in Chicago on April 28th and then beating him down. SLAM! Wrestling confirmed with ROH management that Briscoe will be okay and has suffered a concussion.
The rest of the card, top to bottom, showcased Ring of Honor at its best to the 1,000-plus fans from around the world. Jimmy Jacobs and BJ Whitmer continued their feud in an anything goes mixed tag team match that saw Jacobs team with Lacey against Whitmer and Daizee Haze. Whitmer and Jacobs brawled throughout the arena while the girls spent most of their time in the ring. Jacobs returned to the match and literally speared Haze out of her shoes, which went flying into the third row, allowing Lacey to score the pin. Whitmer and Jacobs try to settle their feud tonight inside of a steel cage.
While the Dragon Gate talent was a big part of the draw for many fans, former tag team partners Jack Evans and Roderick Strong seemed determined to steal the show. For 21 minutes the two went back and forth. Once one of the best teams in North America, the two proved they knew each other well as they countered each others moves. Strong’s power overcame Evans’ speed and agility, scoring the win with a Boston crab while the crowd chanted “This is awesome.”
In a battle of ROH icons, “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels faced off against Homicide. The two men have been with Ring of Honor since the first show five years ago. It was a sign of how loaded the card was when a match that could headline any wrestling show in the world was third last. Homicide scored the win and afterwards Jim Cornette returned alongside Adam Pearce and attacked Homicide.
The main event featured four of Ring of Honor’s finest squaring off with four of Dragon Gate’s top stars as Austin Aries, Delirious, Rocky Romero and Claudio Castagnoli wrestled CIMA, Susumu Yokosuka, Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito. After nearly half an hour of non-stop action and a series of near falls, CIMA scored the pin on Delirious.
In addition to the in-ring action former WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino signed autographs. He later made an in-ring appearance to praise Ring of Honor, only to be interrupted by Larry Sweeny, Tank Toland and Chris Hero. Nigel McGuinness came out to help out the legend.
Despite the scary moment with Jay Briscoe, Ring of Honor pulled off a great show that the fans showed a great deal of appreciation for despite the long night. ROH returns to the Detroit Fairgrounds tonight at 8:00pm with “Supercard of Honor 2”
All Star Extravaganza III Results
- Adam Pearce won a four corner survival match over Colt Cabana, Matt Sydal & Chris Hero when he pinned Cabana after hitting him with brass knuckles
- In a “Do or Die” match Erick Stevens pinned Alex Payne
- Dragon Gate’s Masaaki Mochizuki pinned Davey Richards
- Jimmy Jacobs and Lacey defeated BJ Whitmer & Daizee Haze when Lacey pinned Haze
- Jay & Mark Briscoe defeated ROH Tag Team Champions Naruki Doi and Shingo to win the championship
- In a Dragon Gate Dojo vs. ROH School match Yamato beat Pelle Primeau
- Brent Albright pinned Nigel McGuinness
- Homicide pinned Christopher Daniels
- Roderick Strong made Jack Evans tap out
- Team Dragon Gate — Cima, Susumu Tokosuka, Dragon Kid and Ryo Saito defeated Austin Aries, Delirious, Rocky Romero and Claudio Castagnoli
