14 Ups & 3 Downs From NJPW/ROH G1 Supercard
13. A Star-Making Squash
Rush vs. Dalton Castle f*cking ruled.
It was a three move squash, and ROH played it perfectly. Castle, the former Ring Of Honor Champion, was granted a long, elaborate ring entrance, with confetti, a raised platform, and an army of his Boys accompanying to the ring. Rush was given similar treatment in his horned mask and white suit, and dedicating so much time to these arrivals gave the impression a long, epic match was coming up.
We got the opposite. A lightning-fast shotgun dropkick sent Castle into the buckles. Rush's stiff, nasty Bull's Horns (a running basement dropkick straight to the face) followed, then again, and 'The Party Peacock' was put away in just 19 seconds.
This short, sharp shock hit like a slap in the face. Rush destroyed one of ROH's most popular stars, minting himself as a big, big deal in the process, and it sparked a memorable post-match angle.