ROH Best in the World

The title of an ROH DVD can range from the logical (Joe vs. Punk 2, Steelcage Warfare) to the ridiculous (Death Before Dishonor, This Means War). It is with much relief then that ROH continues it's Milestone series with 'Best in the World' a DVD that, thanks to the main event, more than lives up to it's name. The top match features ROH Champion Bryan Danielson, teaming with ROH legend Samoa Joe against Pro Wrestling NOAH's multiple tag team champions Naomichi Marufuji and current GHC Junior Heavyweight champion KENTA. With talent like this, how could they call this show anything other than 'Best in the World' and boy does it live up to that title.

The undercard for the show is solid, however with a main event as good as this then it pails into insignificance in comparison. It's shame then that no-one told Jack Evans, Roderick Strong and the Briscoe Brothers this, as they put on a match that damn near steals the show. A simply outstanding tag team match pitting the returning Briscoes (who don't seem to have missed a beat during their self-imposed sabbatical), against 2 members of Generation Next. Before Strong and Aries teamed up to become the top tag team in ROH, Evans and Strong were the GenNext tag team of choice and this familiarity means they are in perfect synch with each other through out. These two compliment each other fantastically as the hard-hitting Strong contrasts the high flying Evans and the two put together some truly innovative double team moves - including a Phoenix splash/Ode to the Bulldogs finisher which sees Evans springboard from the top rope, off Jay Briscoe who is on Strong's shoulders onto Mark on the canvas.

After that, the main event had a fair amount to live up to, but with talent like this there was never any doubt whether it would. Bryan Danielson is really finding his feet as the arrogant champ who is neither heel nor face, just the best technical wrestler in the world. Meanwhile Joe is well... Joe. The heart and soul of ROH who just gets more over with every show, these fans just love him! The exchanges between Joe and Kenta are up there with the very best matches in ROH such as Joe against Kobashi and Joe vs. Low-ki in terms of intensity and hard hitting action. After their ROH debuts at Final Battle 2005, Kenta and Marufuji were able to show much more personality this time around, with Marufuji showing off more of his high flying, while Kenta was able to heel it up, much more than he was against Low-ki back in December.

As a result of all these men playing their roles so perfectly in this match it makes for a great spectacle and builds fantastically to the crescendo of KENTA pinning world champ Danielson. Although the match is supposed to be the best of ROH against the best of NOAH, this match is all about Joe and Kenta, at least in the eyes of the fans. Their exchanges build in intensity and Dragon and Marufuji are left almost as secondary elements to this budding rivalry. Kenta is set to return to ROH action in the summer with a three way match against Joe and Danielson, however it is the prospect of a one on one match with Joe that is whetting the appetite of the majority of ROH fans.

Overall verdict: A-
"Even without the Briscoes/Strong & Evans match, this would be a must-see show. The main event is something really special with all four men putting together one heck of a match. The undercard is solid, enough with some entertaining matches, but it is the two tag matches that seperate this from the average and mean it's well worth a watch."