A Decade Ago: The Greatest Show in ROH History

This is the place to discuss all the latest ROH news, announcements and events!
Post Reply
User avatar
supersonic
Posts: 7665
Joined: Sun May 20, 2012 8:53 pm
Location: Edgar Martinez Dr S
Contact:

A Decade Ago: The Greatest Show in ROH History

Post by supersonic »

Full review - http://rohworld.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... 140#p89719





Enjoy the embedded two-disc soundtrack that reflects the times of this event.

Image

April 1, 2006. It is a day that not just ROH, but ALL fans of professional wrestling should fondly remember as we hit the ten year anniversary of an all-time card and event.

As we enter the most loaded weekend of wrestling shows to ever take place in one central location, there was a time in which ROH could take the absolute best of every flavor of professional wrestling in the industry and weave it into one true supercard.

Looking back on Chicago a decade ago, it's quite eerie how much of a similar vibe I get this weekend as I sit in Dallas. While from a macro perspective this is a much more loaded weekend, the similarities are quite striking. The Show of Shows will have Triple H competing in the main event for the industry's top prize against a polarizing babyface franchise player, a McMahon will fight a WrestleMania legend, and an established tough guy will also have a hardcore fight against a hungry, potential main-eventer awaiting his elevation to the tippy-top.

Coming out of Chicago a decade ago though, the real buzz came from the underground piggybacking events, not just from ROH, but a bit from IWA-MS as well. This weekend is incredibly likely to mirror that underground magic thanks to ROH, WWN, WrestleCon, and likely most of all WWE Itself.

What made Chicago so special for the underground, and will do so for Dallas this weekend, are the special attraction international talent. A decade ago, six Dragon Gate superstars came to the Midwest and changed the underground identity of WrestleMania weekend forever. This weekend, we will bare witness to some of the absolutely best wrestlers on the planet courtesy Japan and Europe, ones that will no doubt become major stars in the industry, if of course a couple of them haven't already.

This will likely be the greatest match quality weekend in wrestling history. I greatly anticipate matches such as Zayn vs. Nakamura, the Ibushi trios, Ospreay vs. Ricochet, Ospreay vs. Scurll, Jericho vs. Styles IV, Ambrose vs. Lesnar, and Bayley vs. Asuka, just to name a few. But I have a very well-versed, thought-out statement to make about this weekend.

There is not one event in Dallas that will touch the complete package of ROH's Better Than Our Best on April 1, 2006. What it lacked in a tippy-top MOTYC, it was made up for with a tremendous double main event, rock solid undercard, and fantastic pacing. We'll get plenty of that this weekend, so what makes my pick for the greatest show in ROH's history stand out above the rest and against Dallas?

It is because Better Than Our Best also had multiple arcs and storylines, up and down the entire card, that truly mattered. The middle of the greatest ROH Title reign in its history. The middle of the Tag Titles reign that turned the belts into a box-office attraction for the company. Jimmy Jacobs going above and beyond to win the heart of his valet. Delirious scratching and clawing in the face of adversity, seeking his first elusive singles victory in the company. An ROH icon that had cemented the ROH Title to be taken seriously laying down the challenge to finally get his shot during the greatest reign in its history. A major league star coming out of his brief retirement to challenge for that title. The end of a violent feud that had both combatants coming out with their stocks elevated, putting one in position to chase the ROH Title, the other shifting a comedy midcarder and giving him some legit main-event credibility.

Of course, most importantly this was the middle of the greatest feud in underground wrestling history, the epic, timeless ROH vs. CZW. This show marked a shift in momentum towards the plunder-loving outsiders, giving those in town a hook to keep tuning in, whether it was a well-versed ROHbot, or someone lucky enough to have that magical weekend in Chicago as their introduction to ROH. For those who were introduced to ROH a decade ago in Chicago, it can be argued that it was a blessing - never would those newbies see ROH hit such an aesthetic peak again.

Simply put, Better Than Our Best is the greatest show in ROH's history. It is incredibly unlikely to ever be topped by the company, and it will NOT be topped by anything in Dallas. It is quite poetic that the most buzzworthy show in Dallas will take place on this special 10 year anniversary. That will likely end up being the North American Show of the Year, but to be quite blunt - as a total package, it'll be at the level of Nowhere to Run, Fifth Year Festival: Finale, Good Times, Great Memories, and Supercard of Honor III. It just won't have the special storylines across the board to take it over the top.

Better Than Our Best is also easily the greatest event in underground wrestling history. Depending on the day, I could even argue it's the greatest wrestling event of the 2000s decade, even more so than the much more acclaimed, nail-bitingly iconic WrestleMania X-Seven.

I want everyone to enjoy this magical weekend in Dallas. For those of you not in town though, you owe yourself to relive, or perhaps experience for the first time, the five star event that is Better Than Our Best. Because that event name truly symbolizes what ROH brought to the wrestling industry that magical Saturday night a decade ago today.
Post Reply