Jerry Lynn vs. Roderick Strong - (ROH 4/24/09) - 8

Even though the crowd was full of douchebags trying to make The Wrestler-related jokes at Jerry’s expense, this was outrageously good, albeit after taking a bit to get going. I’m not sure how it’ll turn out on DVD, but live, this was great. Roderick was a bloody mess, just dripping plasma all over himself, Lynn busted out some top-shelf stuff like a tornado DDT off of the apron on the floor, and then the nearfalls… oh, the nearfalls! I’ve seen Tyler Black nearfall-a-thons on DVD but never really got the appeal. But, against all logic, knowing they weren’t likely putting the belt on Strong at a Dayton show (which Aries even referred to as a “B” town on the mic earlier), everyone was still reacting to each and every one of the close falls in the last stretch. Strong, with a blood-drenched face, doing all kinds of sick backbreaker variations, big kicks, and a Boston Crab, all had us thinking Lynn’s old back was about to be broke. A really fun main event that didn’t feel like anything else on the show.