BRM Reviews ROH At Our Best

[Big Red Machine]

ROH At Our Best (3/13/2004)- Elizabeth, NJ

SAMOA JOE’S RING- Great segment that set up the intended belt vs. belt feud. I think that losing AJ was a blessing in disguise because I think it was WAY too early to do the belt vs. belt feud. Waiting a few years until Dragon vs. Nigel was definitely better.

DUSTY RHODES-OX BAKER CONFRONTATION- cute. A fun way to let Dusty spout off his catchphrases for a pop and put over ROH.

SIX MAN MAYHEM: Amazing Red vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Jimmy Rave vs. Jack Evans vs. Teddy Hart- 6.25/10

XAVIER (w/Prince Nana) vs. SLYK WAGNER BROWN (w/April Hunter)- 5.75/10

JERRY LYNN vs. NIGEL MCGUINNESS- 6.5/10

#1 CONTENDER’S TROPHY MATCH: Matt Stryker vs. John Walters- 6.5/10

WINNER GETS THEIR STABLE #1 CONTENDERSHIP TO THE ROH TAG TEAM TITLES: Dan Maff & BJ Whitmer (w/Allison Danger) vs. Colt Cabana& Ace Steel (w/Traci Brooks)- 7/10

ROH PURE TITLE MATCH WITH RICKY STEAMBOAT AS SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: AJ Styles(c) vs. CM Punk- 8.25/10 Good display of what makes Pure matches different.

STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE ROH TITLE: Samoa Joe(c) vs. Jay Briscoe (w/Mark Briscoe)8.5/10-Both the score for this match and Jay’s scaore on the Muta Scale. This was sick.

SCRAMBLE CAGE MATCH: The Carnage Crew(Loc, Devito, Masada, & Justin Credible) vs. Special K- 8/10. Awesome storytelling here. The “good kind of spotfest” where the crazy spots are strung together in a way that tells a great story… and AWESOMENESS from Dusty Rhodes & Ox Baker.

CARNAGE CREW INTERVIEW BACKSTAGE- set the stage for the Carnage Crew's next feud.

JOE ANSWERS HOMICIDE'S CHALLENGE- Any segment in which Julius Smokes is physically abused is a good segment in my book.

Overall, this was an AWESOME show. Truly ROH at its best (at the time, anyway… it has since gotten even better).