ROH Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament - Quarterfinals: Spanky vs. Bryan Danielson
These matches are all under NJPW rules. This means no Code of Honor and a 20-count on the floor. These matches also don't have a standing on ROH title petitions. This is a puzzling choice for the opener, considering these two were one of ROH's first big rivalries, were trained by the same guy, and they've improved since then. Even Nulty mentions this could be the jewel of the first round. Spanky grabs the arm and takes Danielson to the mat. Danielson goes tot he corner for the break. He gets a stranglehold but Spanky flips out. Hen gets a single leg takedown and puts on a leglock. Spanky powers out and puts on a headlock. The commentators sarcastically boast that nothing could possibly go wrong in the tournament. Danielson reverses the headlock to a surfboard stretch. Spanky kicks out to escape. He vices the head but Danielson comes back with a European uppercut. He grabs a hammerlock but Spanky runs around the ring and forces Danielson to the floor. Back in the ring Spanky reverses a figure 4 pushing him out of the ring again. Danielson hits a slingshot dropkick and a sunset flip for 2. Back in the ring. He back flips over Spanky and kicks him hard on the chest. He dusts off the neck wrench suplex for 2 and puts on a chinlock. He turns it into a camel clutch but Spanky powers out. Danielson hits a dropkick and puts on the Mexican surfboard. Spanky's shoulders go down but he kicks out at 2. Danielson kicks away in the corner for 2. Spanky comes back with a flying forearm and a back elbow. He hits a leg lariat and a back bodydrop. He hits a big boot for 2. He hits him with a flatliner into the turnbuckle but ends up getting tossed from the ring on a tornado DDT attempt. Danielson tries to spear him off the apron but Spanky dodges and Danielson falls to the floor. Spanky hits a suicide dive and rolls him back into the ring. Danielson catches him coming off the ropes and puts on the Cow Killer. Spanky makes the ropes. Danielson goes to work on the arm. He hits a back suplex for 2. He wrenches away at the arm and nails him with kicks and a European uppercut. He puts on a hammerlock but Spanky elbows out. He goes for a hurricanrana but Danielson reverses to a capture suplex for 2. He puts on the airplane spin for a long time but Spanky gets out of the way of the diving headbutt. Spanky climbs the ropes but Danielson dodges the frog splash. Spanky dodges the elbow and hits a superkick. He hits Sliced Bread #2 for 2. He hits the frog splash for 2. He hits a face buster but Danielson blocks the superkick and puts on a Sharpshooter. Spanky makes the ropes. Danielson sets him on the top and hits a back superplex for 2. He puts on the Cow Killer but Spanky reverses to a roll up for 2. He blocks a blind charge and they trade forearms. Danielson blocks Sliced Bread #2 and sets Spanky on the top. He blocks a Super Sliced Bread and hits the Regal-plex for the win. This probably is the best opening match in ROH history, Fantastic opener. ***3/4