ROH NIGHT OF THE BUTCHER

ROH NIGHT OF THE BUTCHER 12/07/02

CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana

A very solid exhibition-y match with good energy & good work throughout. Thought that Punk was on low-key fire in this w/ his awesome, creative (but brief) attack on Colt's arm, and then all of those 'rana's he busted out. Good shit. ***

American Dragon vs. Chad Collyer

The first third is them just going hold-for-hold in charming fashion, wrestling over the control. After a while of that, Collyer sees that Dragon clutches his knee after a bad landing on a suplex, and then it's a full-on attack on that knee. Collyer's work over it is fantastic; he really comes off as a calm, cool, collected, laser focused ice-cold killer -- an ICEMAN if you will. Dragon sells the knee & being in trouble pretty damn fantastically, and him fighting out of Collyer's firm control created for some great moments. I'd say one of my favorite things about this whole thing was the contrast in the two characters that were American Dragon & Chad Collyer -- they're pretty similar with their wrestling, but they are also very different with how they react & answer to stuff happening. Truly a great, charming encounter. Would call it somewhat of a gem too, seeing as nobody ever really talks about it. ****

American Dragon vs. Paul London

They are pretty even in the early going, but once Dragon gets the control, he sure doesn't give it up easily. He beats the brakes out of London, and it certainly is a winning dynamic with these two, because London was such a great FIP & Bryan destroying fools is always superb. Bryan is a mean motherfucker throughout, and London matches that intensity in his fiery comeback bursts, and it all culminates in that big finishing stretch where Bryan climbs up to the ropes over & over again, making London truly work if he wanted to put him down, which he eventually does. Great build-up to that finish, and a truly great match. ****

Abdullah The Butcher & Homicide vs. DeVito & Loc

Abdullah The Butcher in ROH in 2002 is a SIGHT to say the least, and a few minutes in, he has already busted Loc open badly by the forehead, and that FORK is being put to good use, obviously. This is such an entertaining, messy, ugly and bloody brawl, and I loved every second of it. You could call it an extended squash even, because 95% or more of it is just Abby & Homicide going to town on the Carnage Crew, and goddamn it was entertaining! Homicide was great with his violence-filled performance, and ABBY being ABBY in a setting like this was just wild. ***1/2