Cabana’s Curse In Chicago Part Two

Following Cabana’s first failed opportunity to win the ROH World Championship, Cabana remained busy in the upper mid card ranks of ROH shows for the remainder of 2004. By the time 2005 came along, Cabana looked like he was going to rise to another level. Perhaps 2005 would be the year he’d win the ROH World Championship.

Cabana had a few championship opportunities when Austin Aries held the belt, but failed to defeat him in Cambridge or in New Jersey, the New Jersey match taking place inside a steel cage. Following the failed title matches, Cabana found himself feuding with Nigel McGuiness for the majority of 2005 as they’d trade wins for several months.

By the end of 2005, Cabana found himself in an absolute intense feud with Homicide and Low Ki. Cabana’s feud with Homicide would continue into 2006 and it showed the first example of Cabana working a serious program and holding his own in a hardcore, street fight style match with Homicide. After several brutal matches, Cabana won the feud with Homicide in Chicago at ROH Better Than Our Best.

With that feud behind him, Cabana looked as if he was ready to challenge for the ROH World Championship once again. He would get that opportunity on June 24th, 2006 when he challenged ROH World Champion, Bryan Danielson.

Danielson had won the championship on September 17th, 2005 and had been one of the most dominating ROH World Champions in history. He was arguably the best wrestler in the world. Could Cabana hang in the ring with Danielson? Lets find out.

ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson vs. Colt Cabana
Date: 6/24/2006
From: Chicago Ridge, IL

They lockup and they get into the ropes where Cabana has control it appears. Cabana fakes out a right hand and Danielson backs away to a corner. They lockup again and Cabana takes Danielson down but is kicked away and does a cartwheel. Cabana plays to the crowd with some strutting. Danielson controls Cabana with a wrist lock and chokes Cabana with his own arm. Cabana counters the hold and chokes Danielson with his own arms, too. Danielson backs Cabana into a corner and shoves Colt on the chest before backing away. Danielson controls Cabana with a headlock and takes Colt down to the mat. Colt jokingly pops his shoulder up at the count of one several times. Colt puts a head scissors on Danielson and shakes his legs to add more comedy to the match. Danielson counters the head scissors and words over Colt’s legs with a modified leg lock. Danielson rolls over and goes for a modified STF but Cabana gets to his feet only for Danielson to nearly win with a backslide. Danielson argues with the referee that it was a three count.

Colt offers his wrist to Danielson and taunts the champ by asking him if he’s the best in the world as he claims. Bryan grabs the wrist but Colt goes to a headlock and shoulder blocks Danielson before strutting again. Danielson regains control with his knee across the face of Cabana and controls Colt with an arm bar submission hold. Colt tries for a dropkick but settles for flipping Danielson over and nearly wins with a rollup. Cabana again wants Danielson to take his wrist, seemingly to try and get into the mind of the champion. Danielson takes Cabana down to the mat again working over the left arm. Danielson hip tosses Cabana and keeps control. Cabana quickly gets to his feet but Danielson again takes Cabana down to the mat. Cabana tries to counter the hold, but Danielson is too smart for him and keeps control of the arm. Cabana thinks he broke the hold, but Danielson keeps control.

Cabana finally manages to break free and flips Danielson over to the mat much to the delight of the fans. Danielson once again wants Cabana to take his wrist but Cabana is telling him that’s his trick and doesn’t want to do it. Danielson nails Cabana with a forearm shot and uppercuts Cabana a few times. Danielson delivers a strike to the face and a knee drop for a two count. Danielson continues to uppercut Cabana knocking him to the apron. They go to the floor where Danielson sends Cabana into the guard railing. Danielson works over Cabana with uppercuts. Cabana is sent hard shoulder first into the guard railing. Danielson continues to work over Cabana with a slap to the face a few times and a knee drop. Bryan takes Cabana over with a butterfly suplex and tries for a submission but Colt reaches the ropes. Colt decides to crawl through Bryan but Danielson stops him. Danielson stands on Cabana’s knees and stomps down.

Danielson looks for a surfboard but Cabana tries to fight off the attempt. Danielson manages to get control of Colt’s arms and gets the hold locked in. Danielson goes for a dragon sleeper but Cabana is able to fight out of the hold with a strike to the face. Danielson still held onto the hold and let go causing Colt to hit his face on the canvas. Danielson stomps on Cabana’s knees driving them into the canvas and taunts the fans by saying, “same old shit”. Cabana tried to hold onto the referee on a surfboard, but was forced to let go as the referee got close to five. Cabana doesn’t give up, though. Cabana even screamed out “I’ve got until five!”, which was Danielson’s catchphrase.

Cabana is put on the top rope and Danielson follows to the middle rope. Danielson hooks Cabana looking for a superplex but Colt grabs Bryan by the nose and knocks him off the ropes. Colt comes off the top with a missile dropkick. Danielson goes back to work on Cabana with uppercuts, but Cabana says he’s gonna need harder shots. Cabana comes back with jabs of his own and elbow strikes. Danielson eye rakes Cabana and misses a clothesline. Cabana drops Danielson with an elbow strike. Colt hits the flying asshole in the corner.

Colt and Danielson fall over the top to the floor following a cross body. Danielson drives Cabana back first into the guard railing but Colt sends Danielson shoulder first into ring post. Cabana takes Danielson out with a springboard moonsault to the floor!

Danielson rolls back into the ring and Cabana follows. Danielson is begging off in the corner but delivers a shot to the gut. Danielson charges but is met with a double boot. Cabana hits a tornado snap suplex out of the corner for a near fall. Danielson counters the Colt 45 with a German suplex and holds on to hit a second one for a near fall. Danielson heads to the top rope and flips off the crowd as Colt has rolled away from the corner. Bryan walks the apron and is met with a clothesline. Danielson hits a springboard sunset flip but Cabana kicks out. They trade a few pin attempts until they bridge up. Colt gets a rollup on Danielson for a near fall. Danielson locks in Cattle Mutilation in the middle of the ring! Cabana is stuck in the middle but is able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold. Cabana fights off to avoid a back suplex off the top rope. Cabana power bombs Danielson into the corner and hits a lariat for a near fall!

Cabana goes for the Colt 45 but Danielson lands on his feet. Danielson takes a low blow and forearms Cabana. Danielson delivers a few more forearms and almost wins with a rollup. They begin to trade shots with Cabana telling Danielson to hit him harder. Cabana hits a cradle DDT after catching Danielson coming off the ropes. Cabana goes to the top rope and hits a moonsault but Danielson kicks out at two!

Colt puts Danielson on the top turnbuckle and delivers an elbow strike. Danielson crotches Cabana on the top rope and goes to the top rope. Danielson drives Colt down to the mat with a back suplex for a near fall. Cabana kicks out and leaves his arm free allowing Danielson to lock in the Cattle Mutiliation! Cabana rolls over to break the hold. Danielson switches to a cross face chicken wing, but Cabana trips Danielson to put on an inverted Boston Crab!

Danielson isn’t going to give up and Cabana switches to Cattle Mutilation himself! However, Danielson reaches the ropes. Cabana hits a power bomb and nearly wins. Colt signals for the Colt 45 but goes for several elbow strikes. Cabana takes a forearm and plants Danielson with a lariat. Cabana hits the Colt 45, but Danielson kicks out and counters with an inside cradle to win the match and retains the title! (***1/4)

I enjoyed the match and it’s better than the first showing with Samoa Joe. The finish is fine since it protects Cabana in the market since it was a fluke loss, I suppose. The crowd wanted Cabana to win the match and he came across like a more serious threat to Danielson than he did Joe. I could have done without the comedy stuff, but it wasn’t over the top to the point that it would ruin the watching experience. Frankly, it was kind of funny and they didn’t focus too much on it. Once they got going, which took several minutes, this became a good title match. They worked well together. I don’t think the loss damages Cabana in Chicago. There will come a time when you can’t put him in the spot without giving him the title, but we haven’t reached that point.

What are your thoughts on the match?

Thanks for reading.