Background: Shortly after losing his ROH World Championship to the future Seth Rollins in Tyler Black, Austin Aries was faced with a ghost from his recent past as Petey Williams returned to ROH with the intent of avenging a loss to Aries while “A-Double” was the titleholder.
Gold Rush
Dearborn, MI
March 19, 2010
Austin Aries vs. Petey Williams
Before this one could get started, Austin Aries grabbed the microphone under the chant of, “Where’s your title?” Aries promised to win the ROH World title for the third time at The Big Bang before mocking Williams’ entrance. Instead of focusing on Williams, A-Double turned his attention to, “a bunch of jobless losers in Michigan.” Instead of mocking Dearborn, Aries bunched Dearborn, NYC, and Toronto in the cities of disrespect for Aries before threatening to punch every fan in the mouth if they disrespect him again.
Petey Williams had heard enough, punching Aries in the face before back body dropping him out of his furry, pink jacket. Aries avoided the Canadian Destroyer, but not a clothesline. Head scissors sent Aries to the floor so he could regain his bearings. Petey lost patience, whipping “A-Double” into the guardrails as the referee counted both men down. Williams executed another back body drop, with this one sending Aries into the crowd. When the action returned to the ring, Petey used a reverse lung blower to gain a two count. Aries used the referee as a distraction to kick Petey low. Williams shook off the testicular attack quickly, hanging Aries in the tree of woe to stand on Austin’s groin. Petey took too much time enjoying the sick attack, allowing Aries to German suplex Williams off the top. Aries pumped up with some pushups for the dreaded back rake. Hilo by the former ROH champ only gave him a two count. From the crowd, TV champion Eddie Edwards was watching his future opponent as Williams fought back. Aries ended that momentum quickly, tying Williams up in a modified stump puller.
Aries put Petey on the top for something, but Williams stopped it by knocking Austin to the mat. Aries dropkicked Williams out of the sky to turn the tides back in his favor. Petey got out of the tree of woe by using a stunner. Williams fired off right hands before using the spinning side Russian leg sweep for a couple of near falls. Williams kicked Aries in position for a step up enzuguri. Aries felt a little rope burn on his lower regions before being dropkicked to the floor. Aries sidestepped Williams’ plancha, using the heat-seeking tope when Petey rose to his feet. Aries was a little frustrated when he didn’t get the pin off of the IED. Aries hooked Williams to hit the Canadian Destroyer! Aries used the Destroyer on Williams to a stunning ovation … and a near fall!
Petey Williams kicked out of his own finisher right before the two count. That’s like Hogan kicking out of the big leg drop and hulking up instantly. Aries grabbed the ring bell, but ended up losing it. Williams yanked Aries in position for the Canadian Destroyer, only to be tripped. Aries hooked the middle rope off the jackknife cradle out of the ref’s view, gaining the three count.
Winner: Austin Aries (13:30)
Is It A Classic: A better match than their previous encounter as the crowd was more emotionally invested in this bout. They definitely would’ve benefited from a little more time and Williams not kicking out of his own devastating finisher. Not a ROH classic, but very entertaining.
