Ring of Honor Tag Title Classic II - ROH World Tag Team Championship: Kings of Wrestling w/ Shane Hagadorn and Sara Del Rel vs. The American Wolves
If my memory is correct this is the King's eighth defense. And it's the first time these two teams have met. Claudio Castagnoli and Davey Richards start for their respective teams. Richards goes after the leg so Castagnoli takes an immediate powder. Chris Hero tags in and he engages Richards in some chain wrestling on the mat. They battle to a standoff and then Eddie Edwards tags in. Edwards knocks Hero down with a shoulder tackle, so Castagnoli tags back in. Castagnoli doesn't fare any better so the Kings regroup on the floor. Back in the ring Castagnoli strikes first but Edwards strikes right back. Edwards knocks Castagnoli back to the floor and the Kings regroup again. Back in the ring the Wolves stay in control and Richards comes back in. Tags are made on both ends and the Kings are able to take Edwards down with a double boot to the face. Now the Kings take a sustained advantage on the weakened Edwards. After a few minutes Edwards makes enough of a comeback to make the hot tag. Richards unleashes kicks on both Kings, and then goes up top for a missile dropkick on Castagnoli for two. The match breaks down and the referee loses control. Richards goes for another missile dropkick but Castagnoli catches him and executes the Giant Swing, and Hero adds the boot to the head for a two-count. Castagnoli pitches Richards to the floor and Hero whips him into the barricade. Back in the ring Hero goes right to work on Richards, keeping him isolated from his partner. Castagnoli hits an impressive dead lift German Suplex for two. He then turns his focus to Richard's knee, using a half crab and then a horse collar. Richards reaches the ropes. Hero tags in and covers three straight times for two-counts. He hits a couple of boots to the face but Richards shrugs them off and makes the tag. Edwards takes out both Kings, hitting Hero with a cross body block off the top rope for two. He hits a Codebreaker off the second rope for two and then turns it into a half crab. Castagnoli breaks up the hold. Edwards low bridges both Kings to send them to the floor, and the Wolves follow them out with stereo dives. Now the Wolves control the tempo. Edwards hits Castagnoli with a double stomp on the apron. Meanwhile Richards kicks Hero in the face to set him up for an Edwards double stomp to the back. The Wolves double-kick Hero in the head and Castagnoli breaks up the cover. The Kings are able to reclaim control on Edwards. Castagnoli nails him with a Pop-Up European Uppercut and Richards breaks up the cover. Richards unleashes a series of kicks, even though he's not the legal man in the ring. Castagnoli makes both Wolves pay with an Axe Bomber. That gets at two-count on Edwards. Castagnoli takes him up top for a superplex but Edwards fights it off and hits a rana. Richards tags in and tries the handspring kick but Castagnoli catches him in the UFO for two! The crowd bought that one. Castagnoli tries the Riccola Bomb but Richards reverses to a sunset flip for two. Richards traps Castagnoli in the Ankle Lock and Hero breaks up the hold. Castagnoli comes back with a superplex and Hero follows with a moonsault but Edwards makes the save at two! Hero tags in and hits a running forearm and a superkick for two. He hits a rolling elbow and a Regalplex for another near-fall. Richards fights back with a series of strikes and a big clothesline for two. Edwards tags in and hits an enziguiri and a Tiger Suplex. The referee loses control again. Hero ends up back in the ring, and Edwards hits him with two superkicks and a Saito Suplex for two. Hero fights back with elbows for both Wolves, and gets a two-count on Edwards. The match has broken down once again. The Wolves hit Hero with the assisted Alarm Clock and the Big Wolf Combo but Castagnoli breaks up the cover. They hit him with the super assisted lung blower and Richards turns it right into the Achilles Lock. Hero reaches the ropes. Outside the ring Castagnoli whips Richards into the barricade. In the ring Hero hits a rolling Big Boot for two and then the Death Blow but Edwards kicks out! Edwards gets a small package out of nowhere for two, and then a schoolboy rollup for two. Hero responds with three rolling elbows and finally Edwards is finished. This was a very good tag team match. At the same time, there absolutely no reason this match had to go this long. The length made for lots of superfluous action and way too many nearfalls. After awhile, I completely lost any sense of drama this match had. ***1/2