BRM Reviews ROH Expect the Unexpected

[Big Red Machine]

ROH Expect the Unexpected (3/15/2003)- Cambridge, MA

PROPHECY PROMO- Very good. They seem to have solved the problem from Final Battle of Daniels seeming too much like a babyface in his feud with Corino. Danger managed to still seem like a heel while telling everyone what a horrible person Corino is.

CHAD COLLYER vs. MATT STRYKER- 7.5/10

LOW KI & DA HIT SQUAD BACKSTAGE- GREAT. This was a great set up for Maff joining the Prophecy a few months later.

AMAZING RED vs. SLIM J (w/Slugger & Hijinks of Special K)- 7/10. Great stuff!

CM PUNK-RAVEN CONFRONTATION- AWESOME!

SCRAMBLE MATCH FOR A SHOT AT THE ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES LATER TONIGHT: The Carnage Crew vs. the S.A.T. vs. the Backseat Boyz vs. AJ Styles (w/Alexis Laree)-6.5/10. A very good, well-put together spotfest.
AJ wrestled alone because Red was injured from him match and from taking a move from Slugger
After the match, the Outkast Killaz tried to make their name at the expense of the S.A.T. but got their asses kicked.
DA HIT SQUAD & LOW KI vs. DIXIE, DERANGED, & ANGELDUST (w/Special K)- 6/10, but fit the angle very well
Per Low Ki’s request, the match was restarted as LOW KI & DA HIT SQUAD vs. ALL OF SPECIAL K- This was awkward, but it worked. As Gabe said on commentary “ROH doesn’t just bring you the best wrestling… we just proved that we can do sports entertainment better than anyone out there, too.

CARNAGE CREW PROMO- Great.

DUNN & MARCOS vs. QUIET STORM- & GHOST SHADOW- 4/10. Not a squash, but it made Quiet Storm & Ghost Shadow look great.

RAVEN’S RULES MATCH: CM Punk vs. Raven (w/Trinity)- 7.5/10. Great match!

#1 CONTENDER’S TROPHY MATCH: BJ Whitmer vs. Samoa Joe vs. EZ Money vs. Homicide- 7/10
Good post-match stuff, too (and Gabe is actually seen on camera)).

ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: The Prophecy (Christopher Daniels & Xavier)(c) (w/Allison Danger) vs. Amazing Red & AJ Styles (w/Alexis Laree) – 7.75/10.

BACKSTAGE HOMICIDE SEGMENT- GREAT storyline progression/exposition!

PUNK PROMO- GREAT!

This show was very strong. It had a lot of great matches, but no single match that is worth going out of your way to see.