Way of the Ronin on February 23rd, 2014 in Brooklyn, New York
Opening Match: Tim Donst vs. Caleb Konley
Donst won last night, so now he gets to face off against a regular roster member. This isn’t groundbreaking booking but it makes sense. Donst shows his dominance on the mat early on. Konley creates an opening with a dropkick and lays in a few chops. He sweeps out Donst’s legs and hits a senton. Donst brings Konley from the apron into the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex and takes control. Konley comes back with a missile dropkick and a tornado DDT. The crowd starts chanting “this is wrestling.” Konley drives Donst back-first onto the apron and lands a double-jump moonsault for a nearfall. Donst responds with an ace crusher and clotheslines Konley to the floor. Donst follows out with a dive. In the ring, Konley avoids a second ace crusher. Donst rolls through a sliding forearm and tries a rollup to no avail. Konley kinds of hits a gory slam and locks in the O-Face for the win at 10:38. Things were going extremely well until some miscommunication led to an awkward finish. The crowd absolutely loved Donst and I would be shocked if he wasn’t brought back for WrestleMania weekend. Konley was also able to eventually win over the crowd and has been doing much better since the split from Larry Dallas. This worked out pretty well aside from the finish. **¾
Match #2: Jay Freddie vs. Blake Edward Belakus
These two are making their debut. Freddie looks like a high-flyer while Belakus is big and broody. Belakus denies the crowd a test of strength. Things become intense rather quickly as Freddie slaps Belakus and connects with a chop. Belakus gets knocked off the apron by an enzuigiri. He trips Freddie on the apron and takes over with a butterfly backbreaker in the ring. Belakus targets the left shoulder until Freddie comes back with a dive to the floor. Back in, Freddie connects with a missile dropkick. Belakus responds with a palm strike and plants Freddie with a gourdbuster for the victory at 8:29. This was fine and the willingness of the crowd to respond to the action certainly helped, but there are plenty of wrestlers I would rather see in DGUSA and EVOLVE before Belakus. Larry Dallas tries to recruit both men after the match to no avail, making me think this match merely served as a way to have Dallas get rejected. **
Match #3: Yosuke Santa Maria vs. Ethan Page
Speaking of wrestlers I’d rather see in the WWNlive universe before Belakus, Ethan Page is making his debut here. Page is obviously very good at being freaked out by Yosuke’s character. Page hits a leg drop but is afraid to go for a cover. Yosuke connects with a springboard dropkick but falls victim to a spinning gourdbuster. Page goes up top but Yosuke brings him down to the canvas with a hurricanrana. Yosuke blocks a punch and kisses Page. He hits a leg-liner for a nearfall. They trade punches on the apron. Page clotheslines Yosuke into the ring and hits a slingshot ace crusher for a two count. Yosuke escapes the Spinning Dwayne and goes low. He sits down on Page’s face during a sunset flip attempt. Yosuke hits a crucifix bomb for the win at 9:53. Yosuke’s match on the last show against Caleb Konley had more actual wrestling whereas this was more about his antics. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, as the crowd was much more lively here and Page was better at being a foil for Yosuke. Yosuke didn’t set the world on fire this weekend, but he accomplished what he set out to do and won over both crowds. **½
Match #4: Jigsaw vs. Fire Ant
The crowd cheers for Jigsaw despite the fact that he brutally attacked his own partner at the last set of shows. That is not a comment on the crowd but rather a comment on trying to do storylines in the WWNlive universe right now. Fire Ant attacks before the opening bell with a dive to the floor. In the ring, Fire Ant lands a flying crossbody. Jigsaw blocks a second dive attempt and connects with an enzuigiri. He comes off the middle rope with a dropkick. Fire Ant dodges a double stomp and connects with a knockout kick. Jigsaw fires back with a bicycle kick and takes control. Fire Ant fights back with a chinbreaker and a brainbuster. Jigsaw hits a suplex, connects with a slingshot double stomp, and lands a dive to the floor. They battle on the apron and Jigsaw connects with a superkick. He follows with a flying double stomp in the ring and a second brainbuster for a nearfall. Fire Ant hits a swinging DDT along with a nasty beach break for a two count. Dueling chants from the crowd. They battle up top and Jigsaw hits a super rack bomb for a nearfall. The action goes back to the apron where Fire Ant hits a beach break. Bryce Remsburg on commentary: “why would you do that?” In the ring, Jigsaw sneaks in a quick rollup for the victory at 13:34. Wait, what? After a beach break that nearly broke Jigsaw’s neck, a super rack bomb, and another beach break on the apron, we have a rollup as the finish? The only thing holding this match back from greatness is the insistence that there needed to be a feud here. The crowd wanted nothing more than for them to just go out there and do their thing, but they had to try too hard to put this contest over as a grudge match. The finish is a prime indication of this. These two had great chemistry as expected and I hate not giving this match a higher rating. I assume the feud will continue. **¾
Match #5: Trent Barreta and Anthony Nese vs. Rich Swann and Shane Strickland
Ivelisse accompanies Swann and Strickland to the ring solely to get into a cat fight with Su Yung during the match. Everyone brace yourself for interference. Nese snaps off a springboard hurricanrana on Strickland, who quickly responds with a series of headscissors. Barreta and Swann then enter the ring and immediately stare each other down. Swann dodges Barreta’s offense and connects with a dropkick. Swann and Strickland tease stereo dives as the Premiere Athlete Brand regroup on the floor. Swann connects with corner punches on Barreta. He tries a dive from the top rope but eats a dropkick. The Premiere Athlete Brand isolate Swann until he connects with an axe kick on Nese and makes the tag. Strickland connects with a missile dropkick on Nese and dropkicks Barreta off the apron. He launches himself to the floor and hurricanranas Barreta. Strickland follows with a flying crossbody in the ring on Nese. Swann adds a handspring ace crusher on Nese. The Premiere Athlete Brand fight back with some tandem offense. Barreta catapults Swann into an enzuigiri from Nese, who follows with a lionsault for a nearfall. Everyone connects with a strike. Nese dead-lifts Strickland into a bucklebomb. Swann takes out Nese with an enzuigiri and all four men are down. Barreta and Strickland exchange strikes. Swann hurricanranas Barreta from the middle rope and Strickland adds a flying double stomp for a two count. Strickland DDTs Nese out of the corner and Swann hits a doctor bomb for a nearfall. Barreta double stomps Strickland out of the corner and sends Swann to the floor. The Premiere Athlete Brand plant Strickland with a DDT for a nearfall. Barreta german suplexes Swann off the top rope. He connects with a charging knee strike on Strickland. Nese lands a 450 splash onto Strickland for the win at 19:25. This was the solid, crowd-pleasing match that you want before intermission. Believe me, I am greatly surprised that there was no interference in this contest. On the contrary, the Premiere Athlete Brand were able to pick up another impressive win and Strickland was given the opportunity to wrestle in a higher-profile match. Swann may be starting a feud with the Premiere Athlete Brand and I can get behind that if the matches continue to be this good. ***½
Match #6: Moose vs. Earl Cooter vs. Xavier Fate
Moose boots Fate at the opening bell and connects with a dropkick on Cooter. Moose hits a spinning uranagi on Fate and adds a spear for the victory at 1:28. Yes, Moose is a semi-impressive big man. However, no one will care until he’s able to have good matches with more legitimate talent. Hopefully these squashes do not continue on future shows.
Match #7: Open the United Gate Titles: Harlem and Lance Bravado © vs. Chuck Taylor and Drew Gulak
This is building off last night’s DQ finish between the Bravados and the Gentlemen’s Club. Taylor and Gulak are able to fight off a pre-match attack. Taylor connects with a dropkick on Harlem and hits a back suplex. He follows with an overhead suplex and Harlem retreats to the floor. Lance blindsides Taylor with a knee strike from the apron. The Bravados isolate Taylor until he connects with a missile dropkick on Harlem and makes the tag. Gulak catches Lance with a northern lariat and comes off the top with another lariat. Taylor hits a DDT on Lance for a nearfall. Harlem hits an exploder on Taylor, sending him into Gulak in the corner. Taylor responds with Sole Food and a superkick. He lands a dive to the floor onto Lance. Harlem connects with an enzuigiri on Gulak but falls victim to a regalplex. Gulak applies an ankle lock on Harlem but he’s able to reach the bottom rope. Moose enters the ring and spears Gulak behind the referee’s back. The Bravados hit the Gentlemen’s Agreement on Gulak to retain their titles at 12:22. Yet another head-scratching match for the Bravados. This match did not come close to matching the energy of the other tag team match on the card and the Bravados have not come close to matching the excitement of the Young Bucks’ reign with the titles. We suffered through a DQ at REVOLT! only for essentially the same finish to happen during this defense. It’s pretty clear right now that the Bravados’ reign is the biggest problem in the WWNlive universe. **¼
Match #8: EVOLVE Title: AR Fox © vs. Chris Hero
They trade control on the mat and try some quick rollups to no avail. Cameras show that Trent Barreta is watching this match. Hero drags Fox around ringside with a cravate. Fox snaps off a hurricanrana and hits a leg drop. Hero boots away a leapfrog and hits a senton. Fox blocks a second senton with knees. He connects with a springboard dropkick and lands a split-legged moonsault. Hero avoids Fox’s kick-flip moonsault and connects with a nasty mafia kick. He takes control with a sliding kick. Fox almost creates an opening but misses a flipping senton in the corner. Hero connects with a roaring elbow and regains control. Fox knocks him off the apron with a springboard dropkick and lands three consecutive dives to the floor. In the ring, Fox lands a swantan and hits a springboard ace crusher. Hero blocks a charge with a mafia kick and lays in a huge forearm. He hits the Ricola Bomb for a nearfall. Fox sneaks in a backslide out of nowhere for a two count. They exchange strikes and Hero connects with the Deathblow. Fox matrixes to avoid a roaring mafia kick and hits a flipping death valley driver. He follows with Lo Mein Pain for a two count. Hero counters a 450 splash into a cravate and hits a cravate suplex. Hero connects with a roaring mafia kick and another Deathblow. Hero locks in a stretch plum and becomes the new EVOLVE Champion at 21:09. This match was very different from Fox’s recent outings and that is definitely a good thing. Fox did not break out that many flashy spots or take any crazy bumps. Why? Hero came into this match with the gameplan of grounding Fox and the fruits of his successful strategy were actually evident. Booking-wise, I don’t think Hero could lose this match and the win nicely sets up an EVOLVE Title match against Barreta over WrestleMania weekend. It also helps that the crowd was extremely behind Hero while still being respectful toward Fox. I think mostly everything clicked here and this will remain one of the more unique matches that Fox has had in recent memory. ***¾
Barreta calls out Hero after the match and reminds him that Claudio is main-eventing a WWE pay per view tonight. He says that Hero could be in Claudio’s spot if only he ate more salad. Anthony Nese and Mr. A attack Hero from behind. AR Fox and Caleb Konley make the save. Konley turns heel and attacks Fox. Konley has joined the Premiere Athlete Brand! Nese lands a 450 onto Hero and Barreta stands tall.
Match #9: Open the Freedom Gate Title: Johnny Gargano © vs. Roderick Strong
They begin with some chain wrestling and find themselves at a stalemate. Strong is eventually able to create an opening with a leg lariat. He grounds Gargano and lays in multiple strikes. Gargano tries to throw a chop but that doesn’t work out so well. Gargano hits a slingshot spear and takes control, working over Strong’s previously-injured neck. Rich Swann comes to ringside and encourages the crowd to rally against Gargano. The crowd comes to the apron as Strong makes his comeback. Strong hits a backbreaker and connects with a dropkick. He adds an olympic slam for a nearfall. Gargano responds with a slingshot DDT. He knocks Strong off the apron but a dive attempt is blocked. Gargano connects with an enzuigiri. They battle at ringside and Strong hits a backbreaker onto the apron. Back in, Strong synchs in the Stronghold. Gargano breaks free and locks in the Gargano Escape. He turns the hold into a rollup to no avail. They trade strikes and Gargano lawn darts Strong into the turnbuckles. He goes back to the Gargano Escape but Strong is able to get his foot across the bottom rope. Gargano blocks a backbreaker and hits Hurts Donut for a nearfall. Strong anticipates the slingshot spear and counters into a butterfly backbreaker. Strong connects with a roaring elbow, hits a gutbuster, and follows with the Sick Kick for a two count. Gargano reverses the orange crush backbreaker into the Gargano Escape to retain his title at 22:19. The crowd starts chanting for DGUSA and against the Elimination Chamber. Cool. Listen, I hate to be a buzzkill, as this was a very good match. However, there’s just something manufactured about a babyface coming out and encouraging the crowd to surround the ring. When I read reports of this show, I assumed it had occurred naturally, as if the crowd was so enthralled with the action they lost themselves and rushed the ring. That’s not to say that the crowd wasn’t heavily invested in the action. My point is that while I thought this match was great (on par with Fox/Hero), I do not think the hype of this being a defining match in DGUSA history is warranted. I will say that I enjoyed Strong here much more than any of his recent ROH performances and that is most likely solely due to this being a fresh matchup. ***¾
Swann interrupts a post-match speech from Gargano. He says that CIMA, Ricochet, and himself are all gunning for the Open the Freedom Gate Title.
Overall: Much like REVOLT!, there were some booking annoyances on Way of the Ronin intermixed with some solid wrestling. However, the top matches on this show were of higher quality and there was some historical significance associated with both of the main events. Hero’s title win came off extremely well and the crowd was absolutely electric for the main event. After watching both main events, it’s hard not to come away with a good feeling about DGUSA right now. While the Bravados are rapidly losing momentum as champions and Mr. A and Moose wrestling is highly uninteresting, those are relatively small matters in the grand scheme of things. DGUSA has set itself up for an interesting WrestleMania weekend and I can give Way of the Ronin a recommendation due to the strength of the top three matches.