ROH UNSCRIPTED

ROH UNSCRIPTED 09/21/02

American Dragon & Michael Modest vs. Chris Divine & Quiet Storm

Goes about 6-minutes, and it rules. Bryan's exchanges with both Quiet Storm & Chris Divine in the beginning going are pretty great, and the awesomeness follows into Divine's in-peril segment w/ Dragon & Modest doing awesome work over him. Modest had some really nice looking forearm strikes. Also love the chaotic nature of the finish w/ Bryan fighting against Storm outside the ring, while Modest finishes Divine off inside the ring. Not a high-end match by any means, but a quality time from start to finish. ***

Christopher Daniels & Donovan Morgan vs. Dick Togo & Ikuto Hidaka

Morgan is kind of a background player in this one, and it is only right, since the real selling point of this thing is Daniels' interactions with Hidaka & especially Togo. It's VERY fun action as you'd expect, with The Prophecy being good heels throughout, and the babyfaces looking great on the offense. I do think it had potential to be even better, but I certainly am fine with how it ended up being. ***1/4

Low Ki vs. Xavier

I actually had never fully watched this match prior to this, and I gotta say that I am pleasantly surprised. Everybody knows about the end result, and it certainly is the most memorable thing about this, BUT I think the match was actually really fucking good. Does Xavier's offense look weak as hell, especially compared to that of Low Ki's? 100%. In this case, it adds to the match though, as Ki just shrugs off most of Xavier's weak strikes & then shows him how it's done w/ those classic hellacious strikes of his own. It's such a charming dynamic -- Xavier wasn’t good. But he was still good. He played his part of the story told excellently. Ki on the murder is always great, and such was the case here. Xavier got his occasional power moves in, but ultimately, it felt like he was out of his depth in this title match, mostly getting the shit beaten out of him by the champ -- that is of course until Daniels came out to distract Ki & Xavier took advantage of that, going after the previously worked over leg, revealing that he had joined The Prophecy in the process. The plan came to fruition, and I gotta say that the journey there, in this 25-minute match (which didn't even feel that long at all!) was unique, charming & very compelling. Was it a bad booking decision? Maybe, but I do think this match straight up ruled. ***1/2

Michael Shane vs. Paul London

Incredibly wild & pretty innovative for 2002 standards, and it still is really effin' wild in 2020. Michael Shane & Paul London sure weren't afraid to go nuts with them added weapons. The birth of the "PLEASE DON'T DIE" chants too - it's always fascinating to hear Gabe's & the other commentators confusion upon hearing those, and the finish that followed w/ London delivering that Shooting Star Press off the ladder rules. An important match in the ROH lore, and it still stands the test of time. ***3/4

American Dragon & Michael Modest vs. Christopher Daniels & Donovan Morgan

There are quite a few cool little moments in this, such as Dragon selling the work on the knee done by The Prophecy, when locking in the Cattle Mutilation, but all in all, this was just pretty damn hollow. Technically very good for sure, but it just didn't grab me in any way, except for a few moments here n' there. Disappointing. **1/4