Pro Wrestling Chronicle

10.19.07 Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness (ROH – Non-title)

This match happened after their great match at Driven PPV in June (though their match was in Philly), but before their famed double-turn match at the Sixth Anniversary in Feb. ’08. Nigel has just won the ROH World Title, but this is not a title match. It’s the first round of the Survival of the Fittest ’08 tournament. Nigel has never beaten Danielson clean at this point, or at all actually. He’s still a face and Danielson is a heel most of the time, but not in his main feud against Morishima.

I’m in love with the smooth mat work and submission hold stylings at the early going. I am a huge fan of catch wrestling and amateur style, and these two do this style better than anyone in the world. Like watching physically poetry, these two.

Danielson takes the advantage on a knee tweak of McGuinness ‘ left knee. He goes to work on it with strikes and stress point holds. Very credible stuff for 2008 that was originally done by the likes of Thesz or even Gotch in some cases (Karl AND Frank. Haha).

Nigel makes a comeback and violently whips the shoulder of Danielson down to the mat. Danielson’s shoulder had a bad injury that had kept him out of action the first half of 2007. Here Nigel uses submission moves rarely seen that look painful while Danielson actually struggles. Imagine that, a wrestler who doesn’t just let you put him in holds as if it’s all pretend. Thank you, sir.

The reversals of holds are great in this match. Not great – neat. Great as in you won’t see this anywhere.

Danielson turns the tables and it’s back to the injured knee of Nigel. Nigel struggles too on a Mutoh Lock attempt. Back to the shoulder of Amer. Dragon. Wow. Simple effective mutual stretching here. They face off favoring and protecting their injured body parts, nervous to go at the other first. This rules.

Danielson grabs a figure four. No submission though. A lot of little things here were good as Nigel took control, but too much to write. They tease the jawbreaker lariat and Danielson kicks out the knee. Diving headbutt? Nigel sacrifices the knee to block it. Danielson stays on the knee with a different hold. More back and forth and they both go down. They milk the 10 count as the fans get hotter and one minute is announced. It’s a 20 minute time limit match.

The bell rings with Nigel trying to go for the tower of London. I liked they didn’t try a pinfall there, and come to think of it, I don’t remember a pinfall attempt in the match. They tease 5 more minutes, but Dragon says no after being put in McGuinness’ submission, the London Dungeon. Awesome match that comes in around 3 ¼ to 3 ½. Check it out.