Perhaps the most timely FtA ever!
Here's the much talked-about Chris Hero vs. KENTA encounter from ROH on HDNet from Monday night, and let me say, this is the best TV match I've seen this year since the MVP/Orton encounter back on RAW, before the erstwhile Shane McMahon got his flabby self off TV, and one of the best matches of the year period. The thing I love about ROH is that even if the booking can be screwy at times, the in-ring action is always superb, and that's to be expected with this match. KENTA is among the top 5 in-ring generals in the world right now, and Hero, while not on his level in terms of workrate, does not need to be carried and probably has better ring presence.
This was a match of strikes mostly, "That Young Knockout Kid" with his elbows and KENTA with his legs. I do grow a little tired of Hero's offense consisting of mostly elbows, but it works for him. He throws them credibly, he has a great storyline reason for them (RIP Misawa) and I think the Death Blow (which Dave Prazak calls a rolling elbow to the back of the head... it's when Hero starts out with a neckbreaker set up and levels with the elbow) is one of the most bad-ass finishers in wrestling right now.
Anyway, there are some shenanigans in the match, but I think they work in context with Hero's persona and with his ongoing feud with Eddie Kingston, who makes an appearance towards the end. Hero and Kingston aren't my favorite two indie stars, but there's no denying that both of them have talent and I think that we might be seeing this feud revisited in the future at the next level.
I think it also bears mentioning how much Prazak and Mike Hogewood (SLAP THE PORPOISE~!) improved from the first time I heard them call a match (the Aries/Danielson FtA I posted a few months back). While I still don't buy Prazak as a heel commentator, they're a strong tandem in the booth, and a TV show needs strong announcers if it's going to catch on.
Anyway, here's the match in all its glory. Enjoy!
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Part 2:
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