5. Vs. Jimmy Jacobs - Ring Of Honor: Bound By Hate 2008
Now working as a writer for WWE TV, Jimmy Jacobs is one of the great minds of modern pro graps. In 2008 he was embroiled in an incredibly vicious feud with Austin Aries, in one of the few examples of a relationship-angle working in professional wrestling. Aries had not long returned to Ring of Honor, and Jacobs was interested in adding A Double to his Age of the Fall stable (Seth Rollins was also a member). The feud would truly revolve around Lacey, a female member of the stable. Aries continued to resist the efforts of the group, before Lacey stepped in and said she would convince Aries. Convince him she did, although the means by which most likely can't be printed on this website. Lacey left Jacobs for Aries, and this led to a number of highly violent brawls between the two competitors. Many will point to the 'I Quit' match that ended the feud as the pinnacle, but for me the Dog Collar match at Bound By Hate in 2008 slightly tops it. In the wrong hands such a gimmick can go down like a led balloon, but Aries and Jacobs aren't two normal performers. This near 20 minute slug fest featured a whole host of innovative spots with the chain, with it going as far as being a key aspect of the finish. Aries bludgeoned Jacobs with his chain-wrapped knee in the head a number of times, before forcing Jimmy to tap out. The story throughout was excellent, showcasing Jacobs more than Aries to a degree. Seth Rollins, then known as Tyler Black, got involved quite heavily, yet Aries was still able to overcome the odds and pick up the victory. You'll have to pick up the DVD to see the match, so here's a preview of their equally bloody I Quit match that ended the feud. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8jpye_roh-rising-above-2008-aries-vs-jaco_sport
Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.
