Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Having now seen, dissected, and digested every event that had taken place in 2007, Brian and Steve choose what they thought was the best that Ring of Honor had to offer. Presented are their top five choices in several integral categories.

Best Newcomer

Steve’s Picks:
1. Tyler Black: This might be the only category where I’d consider two and a half months enough to be award-worthy. His arrival made a big splash, which goes a long way here. His brooding, relatively quiet character and strong in-ring presence provided a nice counter-point to Jimmy Jacobs, and he had two matches late in the year (against Austin Aries and the Briscoes) that were as good as any other newcomer’s (aside from Morishima’s) best.

2. Erick Stevens: I choo-choo-choose him at #2 because he showed the sort of growth that any newcomer should aspire to. He debuted during WrestleMania as a fairly non-descript powerhouse, but quickly won us over with good charisma and an in-ring style that simultaneously contrasted and meshed with that of most other wrestlers in the company.

3. Mike Quackenbush: Despite getting derailed by a concussion, he put together a nice body of work throughout the year. I was really looking forward to his debut (along with his Chikara cohorts), and his name became one of the few that would genuinely excite me upon seeing it on the back of a DVD case.

4. Jigsaw: Despite being a sort of Quack-lite, he got over reasonably well and made good on the spot he was given in the Vulture Squad. As we’ve pointed out, his work tends to look a bit over-choreographed, and he’ll need to remedy that if he’s going to get a serious push up the card.

5. Takeshi Morishima: On merit, he deserves the top spot, but I think of him more as a long-term guest than as a newcomer. Still, he’s in the development stage of his career, so I think he deserves inclusion whereas someone like Marufuji (if he were new) wouldn’t.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Takeshi Morishima: Ring of Honor scored quite a coup getting access to him following the buzz about him in 2006, and he delivered upon that when he was given the role of the monster from outside ROH’s safe little world with death grip on the World Title. In addition to a number of standout matches, he differentiated himself from past World Champions in his monster role, transcending being just a guest from NOAH to being a legitimate component in ROH’s machine. Almost a new-age Yokozuna, and I mean in that in the best way possible.

2. Erick Stevens: The biggest FIP-to-ROH success story in how he went from a generic indy powerhouse to a surprisingly strong underdog babyface. Watching him develop his skills, climb up the card, and actually turn into something - one of the biggest pleasures when watching independent wrestling - really intrigued and interested me.

3. Mike Quackenbush: His reputation preceded him, and he lived up to it when he was around. Having seen this well-versed vet several times before 2007 in Chikara and elsewhere, it was a thrill to see him in ROH, and his matches always delivered. I hope his ROH tenure isn’t over already.

4. Tyler Black: He benefitted from making his debut in a big way as part of the Age of the Fall, and he has shown some tremendous athleticism and played his role in the faction very well. He didn’t have enough standout matches for me to rank him any higher, but 2008 is definitely his for the taking.

5. Jigsaw: He showed good ability and energy, he has fit pretty well alongside the likes of Jack Evans and Ruckus, and at least last year had a unique look to him. Now that he’s unmasked, he has a way to go in standing out as more than just an athletic wrestler.

Best Heel

Steve’s Picks:
1. Jimmy Jacobs: Not only was he the most valuable performer who was consistently a heel (see MVP ballot), but he garnered genuine heel heat in two different major storylines with two fairly different characters in 2007. His blood-drenched promo at Man Up was the definition of commitment to a gimmick, and his AOTF promos were the type where the heel has to make you believe that he feels he’s right, and Jacobs did just that.

2. Rocky Romero: What a dick. Romero always had charisma, and while I could do without the constant spitting, he really shined as the only member of NRC who wasn’t either losuy on the mic or neutered in backstage skits.

3. Chris Hero: My distaste for him has been well-documented, but I can’t deny that he gets heat…most of the time. I can’t put him higher because I just don’t feel like it takes a lot of talent to stall endlessly or to be one of the few all-out heels in a promotion.

4. Lacey: I feel like she’s a little bit lost in the shuffle in AOTF, but her promo on Tammy Sytch was one of the best of the year. She earns top five status for some excellent work with Jacobs and Colt Cabana early in the year.

5. Takeshi Morishima: He might rate higher if he had more of a sense of character or purpose; it’s hard to be too much of a heel when you just go out and beat people up. That said, he played the monster role very well.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Jimmy Jacobs: Not a lot of heels were able to garner honest-to-goodness heel heat, but Jimmy did. Whether as the frustrated emo kid in love doing the bidding of the bitch of his dreams, or as a David Koresh-lite for the Hot Topic crowd, Jacobs was truly committed to angering everybody. If any fans got behind him, it was more due the dedication displayed in his character and promos than for any overly goofy antics or weakness in his opponents (like with some other heels listed).

2. Larry Sweeney: The second coming of Bobby Heenan was very dedicated to his role, getting over the “ugly side of sports” aspect of Sweet & Sour Inc. and - despite how he propped up Chris Hero and his other clientele - never really trying to get the fans to like him. I for one would still smile at his antics, though I’d always point at him with my thumb turned downwards.

3. Kevin Steen: There were a number of heels in the bully role, members of the No Remorse Corps and the Hangmen 3 chief among them, but none captured the lunch money-pilfering, wedgie-delivering goodness of “Mr. Wrestling.” Sure, he had flashy moves that got pops, but he did a very good job being a massive dick, be it in his brawls with the Briscoes or his interactions with his own tag team partner.

4. Chris Hero: A ranked him as the best heel of 2006 due to his vile, hate-filled role in the feud with CZW. He took a significant step down from that, replacing the venom with sports drink as the cocky star athlete of Sweet & Sour Inc. Nevertheless, I loved hating this overblown jerk and his flippity-doos.

5. Rocky Romero: He was the standout member of the No Remorse Corps due to his strong charisma, showed very good cockiness when dancing mid-match and yelling out random things, and he established his lethal kicks fairly well. His role in a faction gave him a good platform, though also made him a little lost in the shuffle.

Best Babyface

Steve’s Picks:
1. Claudio Castagnoli: Hey! Unlike Jacobs, Claudio wasn’t the best performer who was a babyface, but he was the best babyface because he played a very straight-forward and fun character. From his exciting in-ring style to his ability to hold the crowd in the palm of his hand, he’s a natural babyface, and being cast as such was a big contributing factor in his break-out year.

2. Bryan Danielson: Speaking of holding the crowd in the palm of his hand, Danielson was just ridiculously over upon his return and throughout the year. His occasional heelish actions (like during Nigel McGuinness’s title celebration) never caused the fas to waiver in their support of him, but they did cost him the #1 spot
in my book.

3. Austin Aries: He provided a springboard for Roderick Strong and Davey Richards to get over as heels, he took two fairly bland lower mid-carders under his wing and got them over, and he got one of the biggest crowd pops of the year when he returned from TNA. And that was just in the first half of the year.

4. Mark Briscoe: While his brother Jay is usually more intense, “Crazy Mark” provides a bit of levity that really helps the fans connect with the Briscoes. His high-flying style is textbook babyface stuff, and his head and neck injury earned him a ton of sympathy, even if his premature comeback made us uncomfortable.

5. Nigel McGuinness: This is a tough call because I just get the sense that he wasn’t nearly as over as you’d like your babyface World Champion to be (and I don’t think he’d have turned heel if he had been). As much as I’m not a fan of the hard-hitting style he adopted, it was definitely more fan-friendly than his previous mat-based work.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Erick Stevens: I’m as surprised as you may be. I had him pegged as a possible recruit for the No Remorse Corps - and not much else character-wise - when he debuted. Through his time in the Resilience, he found great success as a wrestler trying to reach his potential and climb the card, as well as the most unlikeliest of underdog babyfaces (against smaller but more experienced heels) en route to capping off the year with a big title win that fans were in to.

2. Claudio Castagnoli: Kind of a toss-up for this spot between Claudio and the guy listed below, but I feel the Swiss man accomplished more than the lizard man. Seeking redemption after Hero & Sweeney abandoned him, he made a slow but steady transition from his regular aristocrat role into a good-natured foreign athlete working his way up the card. Think a trimmer 90s-era British Bulldog, or a more successful version of Santino Marella’s babyface fiasco. His considerable in-ring improvements attributed to his likable demeanor. Also, you know you’ve got a hell of a catchphrase when you can get people to say it by just the flick of a wrist.

3. Delirious: A largely-teflon babyface who I feel remains impossible to hate unless one’s heart is as black as night. He gained a lot of sympathy when he was concussed, bloodied, and victimized by a staple gun. He took appropriate actions in seeking revenge, but the climax of his feud with Roderick Strong fell a little flat.

4. Nigel McGuinness: He did a fine job as the first babyface foil to Sweet & Sour Inc. and established himself well as Morishima’s top challenger. He cut some strong promos on his championship aspirations along the way to his title win, leading to a typical case of the chase for the title being stronger than the reign itself.

5. Pelle Primeau: Long after Mikey Whipwreck but before Colin Delaney came this pluckiest of plucky underdogs. He got the bejesus beat out of him by everybody, especially in that one Six Man Mayhem from Dayton in February, but he also got a lot of love along the way, including after that same match. Then came his big Top of the Class Trophy victory, a strong role in the Race To The Top Tournament, and a beating that took him out the rest of the year. It was fun while it lasted.

Best Promos

Steve’s Picks:
1. Jimmy Jacobs: His promo at All-Star Extravaganza III was the best of the year (in ROH or anywhere else), and one in a series of fantastic promos in the early part of the year. He was able to contribute during his injury absence because of his character and speaking ability. The big AOTF intro promo fell a bit flat (mainly due to over-scripting, I thought), but recovered nicely and cut some great ones that went a long way to getting the faction, er, movement over late in the year.

2. Bryan Danielson: His character is all about confidence, and that confidence allows him to be ROH’s best promo guy in front of the live crowd. He also had plenty of great backstage promos, particularly in his feud with Morishima.

3. Larry Sweeney: Perhaps a bit one-note, but I’ll be damed if he isn’t really entertaining every time out.

4. Austin Aries: He rarely says anything creative or wows you with his ability, but he’s always good and can sell a match in a straight-forward fashion as well as anyone. His comeback promo at Driven was one of the company’s best moments of the year.

5. Kevin Steen: His personality is probably the main reason that he got another shot in ROH, and he made good on it by getting himself over as a heel and his partner over as a babyface at the same time.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Jimmy Jacobs: Despite a few hiccups during his in-ring promos, his work in general all year long was excellent. His promos early in the year about BJ Whitmer and Lacey really tapped into something deeper and more real that never would have surfaced in less-capable hands. Same with his AOTF work, which could have been C-Grade Raven if not for his commitment to the gimmick as something unqiue and increasing confidence.

2. Larry Sweeney: Nobody else was as consistently golden on the microphone as the Sweet & Sour one. Never lacking in confidence and highly entertaining. Only thing keeping him from the top here was something more substantial that sold people on a match.

3. Bryan Danielson: He continually delivered his own brand of confident promos throughout the year. Whether he was gearing up before a big match or boasting about his skills, he was very convincing. His promo on Man Up about his eye injury was his best all year.

4. Kevin Steen: That personality that was oddly absent in his first ROH run came out in full force last year. His bombastic, sometimes crude promos while backstage and coming to the ring were a little iffy a lot of the time, but they remained as consistently cocky as himself, not to mention build the character of a nearly-mute El Generico.

5. Austin Aries: I was thinking of other candidates, such as Nigel or Chris Hero, but thinking back, Aries was indeed more consistent among all of them. His promos weren’t all that flashy, but they had strong bases behind them, and I loved his comeback promo at Driven as well.

Best Feud

Steve’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima: Their match at Glory By Honor VI: Night 2 makes them a run-away winner for me. Their match at Manhattan Mayhem II sets them apart from my #2 from a match quality standpoint. The fact that this feud could be
great in the ring and have a tremendous sense of heat is an amazing testament to Danielson’s talent given that he was working with someone who’s still somewhat limited in the ring and doesn’t cut promos.

2. The Briscoes vs. The Age of the Fall: ROH built anticipation nicely with the Project 161 angle and delivered big time with the AOTF debut at the end of Man Up. As with many great feuds, the two sides were perfect counters to one another. It didn’t quite have the big blow-off feel, but Jacobs & Black winning the tag titles at Final Battle was a suitable ending and the best match between the groups.

3. The Briscoes vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico: I felt like this one was a bit overexposed with all those main events during the summer, but they almost always put on great matches, culminating in what was probably the greatest stunt brawl in ROH history at Man Up. Both sides also had their share of good promos, and “Steenerico” got over big-time as a new team in ROH.

4. Jimmy Jacobs vs. BJ Whitmer: It’s easy to forget this one, and a lot of it happened in 2006, but they continued to bring the hate in ‘07, including a crazy brawl in England (which may or may not have lasted 24 hours) and one of the best blow-off matches in ROH history in Detroit. Bonus points for putting the right guy over even though he was a heel.

5. No Remorse Corps vs. The Resilience: It’s also easy to forget how huge Roderick Strong’s turn on Austin Aries was at the time, but it provided a great kick-start. In hindsight, Aries’ absence (during which the NRC understandably dominated Matt Cross & Erick Stevens) may have been a plus since it allowed for his triumphant return. They had a lot of great matches, and could have easily ranked higher with a more definitive end to the feud.

Brian’s Picks:
1. The Briscoes vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico: What started as a showcase match for the Briscoes and an opportunity for two non-regulars escalated into the feud of the year full of damn good matches throughout. The tag titles remained the main focus, but there was also the drama over Mark Briscoe’s injuries being intensified by Steen early on. I liked how Steen always got the last laugh despite his team losing nearly all of the time, and the feud logically built to the most hellacious feud-ending match since the Cage of Death in 2006.

2. Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima: A feud generating such a massive amount of heat when nearly all of it takes place in the ring says a lot for the talents involved. Danielson was really sympathetic, Morishima didn’t give a damn about his plight, and both guys were merciless on one another (and one another’s balls). What keeps it from the top spot for me was how it ended at the end of the year, with Morishima not available to ROH immediately afterwards and Danielson moved into title contention, though it definitely looks like we’re due for a Part 2 soon.

3. The Briscoes vs. The Age of the Fall: The two sides are a natural fit for one another (I especially liked Jacobs’ line about the Briscoes being the golden boys and chosen ones), and it started off with one of the most memorable images in all of wrestling last year, but the follow-up seemed a bit like a redux of the Briscoes’ feud with Steen & Generico and the violence of the CZW feud. Nevertheless, fans of both sides felt strongly about it, and the ensuing mayhem was very appropriate given the participants.

4. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Sweet & Sour Inc.: After being left to fend for himself and finding some footing, it was only natural to have Claudio collide with former partner Chris Hero. The inclusion of Larry Sweeney mucking things up and pulling holdouts, along with other factors like Matt Sydal turning on Claudio to sign with Sweeney, made for a fun feud based on personalities and promos, even if some of the matches were flat.

5. No Remorse Corps vs. The Resilience: Both this and the initial Aries vs. Strong feud kind of faded into nothing, and Aries’ Total Nonstop Absence was a handicap early on, but this feud did pave the way for Erick Stevens’ emergence and resulted in a lot of good matches, including an epic street fight and Singles Challenge Series at Man Up. Overall, the best Faction vs. Faction feud.

Honorable Mention: Mark Briscoe vs. Death

Best Tag Team

Steve’s Picks:
1. Jay & Mark Briscoe: As if there was any doubt. We’ve mentioned many times on the show that ROH risked some backlash by featuring them in main events rather than some big World Championship matches, but they delivered more often than not in those
matches and there’s no doubt that they had an incredible year.

2. Kevin Steen & El Generico: Taking an established tag team who both faltered as singles in previous ROH stints and bringing them in as a pair would seem to be a no-brainer, and once these guys started getting consistent bookings mid-year, they confirmed that. Their personalities and working styles mesh well, and, as mentioned above, they were given a huge opportunity to establish their in-ring cred, and did so with flying colors.

3. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black: No longer able to Do It For Her in WSX, the AOTF angle ushered in Black’s long-awaited arrival in ROH. Their experience as a team was immediately apparent as they unleashed an array of nice double-team moves including their End Time finisher, and rode the wave of momentum to a tag title win to close out the year. Incidentally, the Briscoes’ domination of the tag scene is starkly illustrated by the fact that my #3 team only wrestled X matches as a two-man team in ‘07.

4. Davey Richards & Rocky Romero: No Remorse Corps put out a variety of two- and three-man teams before striking gold (figuratively right off the bat and literally in early ‘08) with the Richards/Romero pairing. I usually prefer teams with contrasting styles, but their similar styles dovetailed nicely and they quickly developed great chemistry.

5. Erick Stevens & Matt Cross: It’s slim pickin’s after the top four, but the Resilience duo stands out in my mind for some really solid early-card matches during the summer.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Jay & Mark Briscoe: Their style wasn’t everyone’s glass of whiskey, I was worried about some backlash as well as the year progressed, and I felt I was overdosing on their push when they went on last as opposed to Misawa vs. KENTA that one time. Yet them Briscoe boys kept plugging away, putting on several strong matches against a variety of teams, and the fans were behind them all the way. They remained as athletically gifted as they were the year before despite some of Mark’s hurdles.

2. Kevin Steen & El Generico: If they had the variety of competition that the Briscoes had, these guys could have taken the top spot. As it is, the surely Canadian and his Mexican hetero-lifemate showed a tremendous chemistry as different characters with the same goal and as tag team partners in the ring, making great foils for whoever they wrestled.

3. Davey Richards & Rocky Romero: Their similar styles meshed very well, and there’s a chance that working so closely with Romero made Richards step up his game. They definitely turned some heads when they started teaming as opposed to either man teaming with Strong.

4. Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black: Having so few matches together in ROH kept them from going higher on my list, but the chemistry from their days in the WSX Bunker was stronger than ever here. Even without the Sensitive One/Intense One dynamic, they made for a very fun team.

5. Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw: This student-teacher tandem gets my wildcard spot for having a few standout matches on the undercard here and there, including a fantastic match at Domination in June against Steen & Generico.

Best Faction

Steve’s Picks:
1. The Age of the Fall: Ironically, the best faction in the year of faction warfare was merely on the fringes of that war thanks to their feud with the Briscoes. Tyler Black and Necro Butcher were good additions to the Jimmy & Lacey act from a character standpoint, and even moreso in the ring since Jacobs & Black had pre-existing chemistry and Necro provides a nice contrast.

2. No Remorse Corps: On the other hand, the NRC brought together three guys with similar styles, and they blended seamlessly in four- and six-man tag matches. I’d be more inclined to put them on top if not for all those backstage segments that were
1) not funny, and
2) counter-productive to their characters.

3. Sweet & Sour Inc.: Larry Sweeney was awesome as the leader of his “dog and pony show”, and the antics related to Bobby Dempsey’s attempts to lose weight were generally great. But still, it was hard to see them as anything more than a sideshow when they only had one (semi-)serious wrestler.

4. The Resilience: One of the main goals of any faction should be to elevate guys who weren’t over on their own, and on that basis, Austin Aries’s group rates highly. As I mentioned above, Aries’s comeback was a great storyline, but his absence really neutered the faction.

5. The Vulture Squad: We waited and waited for Jack Evans to debut his own faction, but it wasn’t quite worth the wait. The group is exciting, but their over-choreographed style keeps them from having serious creibility and doesn’t mask Jack’s weaknesses. Getting Julius Smokes back in ROH on a regular basis is the biggest plus of their (trans)formation.

Brian’s Picks:
1. The Age of the Fall: They were the most unique of all of the factions, they were a big surprise (well, I had expected Jimmy, Lacey, and Tyler together, but not Necro) and debuted in a major way, and they had an edge that a lot of other ROH acts lacked. It took a while, but they definitely found their footing with Jacobs & Black as the regular tag team and Necro Butcher as their enforcer, and I really liked the idea of a couple of emo kids having a scary mountain man to watch their backs.

2. Sweet & Sour Inc.: These guys (and gal) were so damn fun together. More of a crazy wrestling variety show than an actual stable, I really enjoyed Sweeney & Hero’s chemistry and the hijinks of Tank Toland & Bobby Dempsey. Had Matt Sydal stuck around longer and wrestled with them more often, they would have been the tops. Ain’t no doubt about it baby.

3. No Remorse Corps: I wish they established their characters better, but they provided the best in-ring action among the factions. They all fit together like clockwork.

4. The Vulture Squad: I felt they all showed a very good chemistry together and had a number of entertaining matches against the NRC and AOTF. The group provides nice spots for both Ruckus and Jigsaw, and pairing Julius Smokes up with Evans was a thing of beauty.

5. The Resilience: Aries’ stable gets my bottom-rung spot for the lack of leadership over the course of five events and their disbandment in November. Still, they put on much better matches than the Hangmen 3, and I enjoyed their matches with the NRC and the boost it gave Stevens.

Best Wrestler

Steve’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson: Best Wrestler in the World. For realsies. An idea that I once floated on the show and have since become more sure about is that he was even better in 2007 than he was during his incredible title run. No matter who he’s wrestling, or where their match is on the card, or what style they work, he tears down the house pretty much every time out.

2. Austin Aries: The title of The Fucking Man is a nice consolation prize. His movements are as crisp as anyone in the business, he’s incredibly quick without feeling the need to emphasize it, and he becomes smarter and more disciplined with each passing year. The addition of a submission finisher added a new dimension to his matches.

3. Nigel McGuinness: I’ve constantly ragged on his over-reliance on strikes and lariats, but when he’s on, he’s as good as anyone (well, except Danielson). His biceps injury late in the year should bring about a change in his style, so I’m curious to see how he’s evolved through the early ‘08 shows.

4. Jay Briscoe: While not as flashy as his brother Mark, Jay is the glue that holds the best tag team in the world together. His singles matches tend to be better than Mark’s due to a more solid fundamental base and greater versatility.

5. Claudio Castagnoli: It may have been a bit under the radar, but he put together a resume of great matches against the likes of Morishima, the Briscoes, Generico, and Marufuji. McGuinness could take a cue from his ability to spread his wings and expand his repetoire while keeping his feet grounded in the European style that got
him where he is.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson: Steve put it as well as anyone. It seemed like he’s gotten even better after he returned in May. He utilized (and got over) a few new moves, and he was incredible in his selling to Morishima. This category got it’s fucking head kicked in, but I might as well go over my other choices.

2. Austin Aries: He was really solid in the beginning of the year, but he seemed even more fired up and determined when he returned in the wake of ROH’s PPVs, as seen in his matches as part of the NRC-Resilience feud and especially his Best of Three Series with Danielson.

3. Claudio Castagnoli: Was it the babyface turn? The split from Hero? A few chances to work higher up the card? Whatever the case, Claudio really stepped up his game last year, taking part in matches that weren’t necessarily the best, but were among my favorites. His range of styles really showed.

4. Naomichi Marufuji: With more visits to ROH than KENTA this time around, Marufuji had a chance to shine and took it, especially on PPV. Also, as seen in some of his matches, especially his main event tag with Morishima against KENTA & Misawa, he’s developed a level of charisma that make his matches even better. I had so much fun watching him.

5. Mike Quackenbush: I couldn’t not mention this master blender of Japanese, Mexican, and British styles. His time in 2007 was a little brief, but matched up against the likes of Claudio, Danielson, and Matt Sydal, it was oh so good.

MVP of 2007

Steve’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson: In January, I never would have guessed that he could earn this award in less than eight months of work, but I don’t think it’s even close. As I said before, he managed to raise his game even further. His matches were as great as ever, and I consider his work in the Morishima feud to be his best to date thanks to a fire and intensity that were a real revelation for a character who thrives on being in control at all times.

2. Nigel McGuinness: Yes, the title push was a year late. No, I don’t like his matches nearly as much as many (or as much as ROH wants us to). But his title win was one of the highlights of the year, his character was good, and he really did have a lot of damn good matches.

3. Jay Briscoe: I know this is a point of contention with most critics; you’ll see “The Briscoes” on a lot of MVP lists (and usually higher than this), but I’m strongly against that due to the (obvious, I think) reason that two top guys should be more valuable than any one. I think this is a fair spot for Jay, because they deserve recognition, and he was the better and (more importantly) more reliable of the two, as well as the de facto team spokesman.

4. Jimmy Jacobs: After All-Star Extravaganza III, I commented that he would actually be my quarter-year MVP. His torn ACL obviously derailed his full-year candidacy, but a quick look at the other categories should tell you that I’m extremely high on his work. Given his small frame, and frankly, his merely above average wrestling ability, I think it’s a no-brainer to say that he made the maximized his potential moreso than anyone in the company.

5. Austin Aries: For the second straight year, I find it hard to decide on a place for Aries. He’d rank higher (specifically, second) on a “most outstanding” list, but the sense that he didn’t do a whole lot of consequence makes it impossible for him to crack the top four on my list.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson: Like Steve said, I didn’t know if he’d be able to still resonate as strongly with me in this category after missing the first four months of 2007, but he didn’t seem to miss a step when he got back between the ropes. In addition to the great matches and moments he provided last year, Danielson still remains the prime example of what the style and attitude of Ring of Honor is all about.

2. Jay & Mark Briscoe: Obviously I don’t subscribe to Steve’s opinion that it’s either one or the other. Everybody paid to see both. They were the most consistent main event act all year, with Jay in fact wrestling on every show last year. It would have felt really strange not see them listed on a card. Yet because of Danielson’s superiority in wrestling and character, these damn dirty chicken farmers remain a strong #2.

3. Nigel McGuinness: Next to the Briscoes, he was the most consistently pushed babyface act all year, and he delivered really well on the main events he was involved in. As much as both Steve and I expressed displeasure in his overuse of lariats, we and everyone else recognized them, so that has to count for something.

4. Jimmy Jacobs: Naming him the Best Heel and the Best Promo really made me reconsider things in this category to open up a spot for Jacobs. Also, thinking back to the time when he wasn’t wrestling made me realize how much it sucked to not have such a dynamic character around. There was a reason he went over Whitmer in their feud. So Jacobs makes my Top 4, without any promises of him putting me in his Top 8.

5. Larry Sweeney: That’s right, I went with a wrestler who works as a manager (or super agent, if you will). As I mentioned with Danielson representing some aspects Ring of Honor, Sweeney, in the long line of others before him, represents two other aspect of the company: roleplayers, and guys that would really shine on a bigger stage. I’m not surprised that, when I read/listened to subscription site reviews of the PPVs, Sweeney’s contributions were mentioned heavily.

Honorable mentions to Takeshi Morishima for carrying the World Title for the majority of the year and the much-improved Claudio Castagnoli.

Match of the Year

Steve’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (Driven): These two have had their share of great matches over the last 2+ years, and with this masterpiece, theirs may have surpassed Samoa Joe and CM Punk as the greatest in-ring rivalry in ROH history.

2. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico (Man Up): I always favor straight matches over specialty matches in MOTY voting, but this one was too good to deny, and its status as the first ladder match in ROH is a plus. The sheer brutality and great innovation more than makes up for a few awkward moments.

3. Nigel McGuinness vs. Austin Aries (Rising Above): Clearly, I don’t agree with Gabe Sapolsky’s assertion that it’s the best match they’ve put on PPV, but it might be better than any 2007 match that any other company put on PPV. Bonus points for Aries’s repeated creative counters for the Jawbreaker Lariat.

4. KENTA vs. Bryan Danielson (Driven):: They had an even higher standard to live up to than Danielson and Nigel, and couldn’t match their GBH V match, but there’s certainly no shame in that. While flawed, this match had an incredible finishing sequence and didn’t skimp on the stiff strikes.

5. Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson (Manhattan Mayhem II): Frankly, I’m at a loss for how this match won Observer MOTY. Never the less, a third match in my top five illustrates Danielson’s ability to work with a wide variety of opponents and shows substantial improvement in Morishima’s game over his first six months in ROH.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (Driven): I was lucky to witness this one in person, but don’t take this as any live bias. Having developed a great chemistry the previous year, these two renewed their issue for PPV and delivered a great wrestling contest that devolved into a greater fight, with a finishing sequence more brutal than the one from their much-loved match from Liverpool in August of ‘06.

2. Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson (Manhattan Mayhem II): I can’t blame the Observer readers. Over the course of this match and Danielson’s eye injury, Danielson appeared as the biggest babyface and Morishima as the biggest heel. It was superbly dramatic and paved the way for an outstanding feud between the two.

3. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico (Man Up): The year’s greatest spectacle of a match, fitting as both the end of a feud and the only match of it’s kind in ROH history (we hope). Amazing stuff from all four guys that I wish to never see duplicated by anybody.

4. Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Austin Aries vs. Chris Hero (Final Battle 2007): I enjoyed the hell out of this match, which encompassed several aspects of the past year. You had two feuds revisited, a second interaction between Morishima and Aries after their singles match way back in April, a fresh interaction between Morishima and Hero, and Hero acting like the biggest ass imaginable aside the super-serious Danielson and Aries. Great action and merging storylines that built throughout.

5. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin (Good Times, Great Memories): I was really excited to see Shelley & Sabin return side by side after forming the Motor City Machine Guns the previous year or so, and they went all out with the Briscoes in this very special match, the assumption being it would be a long time before they return (which it was). Under those circumstances and the circumstances of this event they were on (they were in the semi-main spot before Colt Cabana’s comedy-heavy farewell), I had no problem at all with them going balls to the wall provided they didn’t kill themselves. When all was said and done, it was a fantastic match.

Best PPV:
* We are indeed counting all of the PPVs as they were filmed in 2007.

Steve’s Picks:
1. Man Up: This is a tough call, but Man Up gets a slight nod over Driven due to a deeper card, the Age of the Fall debut, and an incremental improvement in the overall PPV product over time. The Ladder War was an incredible spectacle, and Danielson-Morishima II and the NRC-Resilience series were excellent mid-card matches. I defy any wrestling fan to watch the last 30 minutes and not want to see more of ROH, and that’s the whole point of the PPV venture.

2. Driven: Driven also featured a Match of the Year candidate on top (Danielson vs. McGuinness) and an awesome angle (the Aries contract signing). Two borderline squashes weren’t PPV-worthy and show that ROH was still finding their groove in the new format.

3. Rising Above: Despite the sometimes-goofy “security cam” segments, this was the most polished presentation. It also featured (you guessed it) a Match of the Year candidate that’s worth the purchase price on its own. As I stated on audio, I wish they would have used the longer time frame to slow things down a bit rather than cramming more stuff in.

4. Undeniable: I was really down on the main event title match, but I think that even those who liked it would consider this the most non-descript of the five PPVs since it didn’t feature a blow-away match like my top three or a special atmosphere like…

5. Respect Is Earned: The Manhattan Center crowd and the special feeling of the PPV debut made this show. Opening with BJ Whitmer was a mistake, and the main event was a slight disappointment, but there was plenty to enjoy here, including a quintessential Briscoes match against Castagnoli & Matt Sydal.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Driven: I thought ROH hit it out of the park their second time to bat for PPVs with not just the Match of the Year main eventing, but also a good varied card kicked off by an exciting 6-man opener, the big angles of Aries’ return and Sweeney signing Sydal (starting Claudio’s feud with Sweeney and company in earnest), and strong sense of ROH knowing where it’s going in terms of the PPVs and elsewhere.

2. Man Up: Definitely the tightest card of all of the PPVs, though I’d still place it behind Driven due to not having a better match than their main event and other creative hiccups (that AOTF supporter running in at the beginning and a couple of other corny moments). Still, if you missed the PPV before it, you wouldn’t necessarily kick yourself after ordering this one.

3. Rising Above: The main event was excellent and the undercard was good but overstuffed. The backstage segments, aside from Necro Butcher’s antics, didn’t do much for me, but still a good presentation.

4. Respect Is Earned: Some may forget because it was the first one, but there were some very good matches on here, inlcuding the main event, the Tag Title match, and Romero-Marufuji. A crowd like that for the first PPV was fantastic, but they were still learning things regarding presentation.

5. Undeniable: Not bad at all, but definitely the most non-descript despite the World Title change. As good Edison and Dayton can be (or have been) for ROH, their venues didn’t do many favors here. Still, I thought the top three matches here making up its second hour were very good.

Best Show/DVD Release

Steve’s Picks:
1. Driven (6/23, main event taped 6/9): I only rated it as the second-best PPV of the year, but the KENTA-Danielson match from the live show in Chicago puts it over the top as a DVD. Two matches above **** put this in rarified air even for a company that prides itself on great matches, and if you like promos and angles, then the Aries contract signing provides that as well.

2. Man Up (9/15):: Not to be outdone in the extras department, this DVD brings the added value of the unedited AOTF angle, Sydal’s farewell match, and an awesome women’s tag match. Plus the best PPV of the year.

3. Fifth Year Festival: Finale (3/4): Earns my best non-PPV honors by a slim margin on the strength of an incredibly deep card and Samoa Joe’s emotional farewell. Throw in the great Liverpool atmosphere and possibly the best comedy match in ROH history and you’ve got an awesome all-around show.

4. Supercard of Honor II (3/31/07): The top of the card is just as strong as FYF:F’s thanks to the Dragon Gate crew and the brutal and emotional Jacobs-Whitmer cage match. All in all, a worthy additon to the WrestleMania weekend tradition.

5. Glory By Honor VI: Night 2 (11/3): While not boasting any match like the best on the above shows, this did feature the my top match/angle of the year in Danielson-Morishima III, and a better Mitsuharu Misawa than we saw the previous night. Like the Liverpool show, it also featured a deep card where everything was good and meant something.

Brian’s Picks:
1. Driven: The best PPV of the year is made even better with the inclusion of another MOTY contender in KENTA-Danielson, plus you had other fun stuff like a Nigel-Hero match and a women’s tag involving the Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew.

2. Fifth Year Festival: Finale: One of the most stacked cards of the year. Not only do you get Joe’s big sendoff and a fantastic comedy match between Delirious and “Colt Daddy” you also get two violent chapters in the Jacobs-Whitmer and Nigel-Jimmy Rave feuds, a highflying dream match between Matt Sydal and PAC, and the Briscoes attempting to man one another up in a hellacious sparring contest following a Tag Title loss.

3. Man Up: The PPV is awesome, and the additions of the bonuses Steve mentioned make the DVD a must-buy. No need to mention anything else, like fans laughing at the announcement of the Hangmen 3 name… oops.

4. Supercard of Honor II: A great show thanks to the Steel Cage match and the Dragon Gate six-man tag, but also worth seeing for Aries and Strong’s first singles encounter, Romero debuting with the NRC to team with Richards against Jack Evans & Naruki Doi, and Johnny Fairplay making an appearance and causing the announcers to ponder if ICP and Teddy Hart’s appearances were worse than this.

5. Manhattan Mayhem II (8/25): I’m suffering from sequelitus, but that’s okay. This show has my runner-up MOTY and top-notch Briscoes-Steenerico match on top, as well as faction warfare kicking into high gear and a few other good matches and moments.