Indie Classic of the Week
Amidst the rampant speculation regarding Kevin Owens' position in WWE, it is easy to forget higher ups have willed him to fail before. Border Wars 2012 was the event, Toronto was the location of Kevin Steen's major triumph in the face of corporate adversity. Jim Cornette, then Executive Producer of the ROH and head booker, did not want Steen on his television show never mind as ROH World Champion . Cornette, notoriously, did everything in his powers to keep Kevin Steen the character and Kevin Steen the man down. The man Cornette wanted as champion was Davey Richards, the physical and psychological antithesis of Kevin Steen. Davey Richards, carved from stone and wearing traditional wrestling attire in opposition to Steen, had been champion for almost a year going in to this match. Where Steen had stretch marks, Richards had solid muscle. Richards was everything a wrestler was supposed to be, defeating all challengers to defend his title at every opportunity he got.
The longer Richards' reign continued, the more fans began to resent him. Fans yearned for something different, for something or somebody to challenge the status quo and that person was Kevin Steen. A permanent thorn in Cornette's side during the build up, Steen entered the match accepting the stipulation that, if he loses, he will never be receive the opportunity to challenge for the ROH World title ever again.
First up, the champion, Davey Richards, makes his way down to the ring after what has been a tumultuous week for the champ. The week leading up to his defence against Steen at Border Wars, Davey Richards had experienced a fair share of adversity himself. Just one week prior, Richards had been in a car crash, sustained an injury to the ribs and would learn he would be without his training partner, Kyle O' Reilly, at ringside for the match due to a family bereavement.
Next to the ring is Steen. As he emerges from the curtain, accompanied by Jimmy Jacobs, Steen receives a raucous ovation from his fellow Canadians as he drapes a Canadian flag over his shoulders. Wearing shorts and a t shirt as a giant fuck you to Jim Cornette, Steen enters the ring to chants of "Kill, Steen, Kill" as the challenger and the champion face of in the ring. Referee, Todd Sinclair, doesn't offer the two competitors the opportunity to adhere to the code of honor, such is the hatred between Richards and Steen.
The bell rings and Steen immediately goes for the package pile driver, a manoeuvre banned for months made legal especially for this match but Richards has it scouted and reverses. Richards lands some stiff kicks to the chest before a big clothesline sends Steen retreating to the outside. Richards hits a suicide dive underscored by a chorus of boos followed up with more kicks. Jimmy Jacobs gets involved early on providing the distraction for Steen to hit a ddt. Steen tosses a handful of streamers at a fan wearing an El Generico mask before irish whipping Richards into a Canadian flag draped over the barricade. As Richards rises to his feet, he follows Steen up to the ring apron before suplexing Steen on his head for a two count. Richards, now beginning to dictate the pace of the match, corners Steen as he hits kick after kick to chants of "fuck you, Davey".
Richards, flipping off the crowd, ties up Steen's legs, locking in the trailer hitch. Steen manages to escape, crawling into the corner but Richards follows him and hits more kicks. The crowd appear to be getting to Richards already as he breaks from punishing Steen to gesticulate towards the crowd. This break allows Steen to roll to the outside as the fans continue to chant "same old shit" at Richards, who spots Steen has escaped before attempting another kick, which Steen ducks under but hits The Zombie Princess, Jimmy Jacobs, square in the face. Richards goes to kick Steen but it is reversed again, Richards loses his balance allowing Steen to take advantage and hit a huge powerbomb on the ring apron followed closely by a second. Steen slides Richards back into the ring for a close two count.
Both men make it to their feet, trading blow after blow as Steen's weight advantage allows him to get the upper hand before delivering a devastating brainbuster to the knee. Steen notices Davey Richards' gum has fallen out of his mouth and on to the mat. Naturally, Steen picks up the piece of gum and briefly examines it before claiming it as his own, tossing it into his mouth much to the dismay of former ROH World Champion and now commentator, Nigel McGuinness. Steen locks in a sharpshooter but his knee wont allow him to apply the hold effectively, Richards makes it to the rope as Steen's knee gives way. Richards, ever the wily champ, ties up Steen's knee in between the ropes before going to the top rope to hit a double foot stomp to the injured knee.
Again, Richards' flips of the vociferous Tornoto crowd before successfully applying a leg lock to Steen's injured knee, Steen looks to be struggling, desperately crawling towards safety which he eventually reaches. Richards breaks the hold, dragging Steen to his feet to hit the DR Driver!- a move not seen in ROH for over a year due to the ban on piledrivers! But tonight piledrivers are legal! Somehow, to the collective shock of the fans and the commentators, Steen manages to kick out at two. Richards, for the first time in the match, looks concerned that he can't put Steen away. Steen uses the ropes to climb to his feet before a slapping Richards who returns the favour with a few slaps of his own. Steen manages to get Richards up onto his shoulders to deliver a devastating F Cinq followed up by a beautiful moonsault but his knee prevents him from going for the pin immediately after impact. Steen clutches his injured left knee, losing a vital couple of seconds before going for the pin- Richards kicks out at 2. Steen somehow manages to lift Richards up for a package piledriver but his knee gives way again, providing the opening Richards was looking for. Richards hits some stiff kicks on a broken Steen, willing him to give up. Steen, perhaps playing possum, springs up applying a leg lock out of nowhere but it is reversed again by Richards who locks in one of his own.
Steen, somehow, manages to slip out of the leg lock to apply a sharpshooter but his knee gives way again. Richards, with added vigour, applies a leg lock to the injured knee as Steen scratches his way to the corner, tearing the protective covering off the middle turnbuckle in the process, using what little remaining strength in his legs to toss Richards face first into the exposed turnbuckle. Steen hits a sleeper suplex. The fans know what is coming next, Steen kicks Richards in the stomach and delivers a huge package piledriver in the centre of the ring to the sound of deafening cheers as the new ROH World Champion, Kevin Steen, is crowned.
Although there have been better technical wrestling matches during ROH's 13 year history, many would find it hard to argue that this match isn't one of the biggest matches in ROH history. Kevin Steen had gathered so much momentum in the weeks leading up to Border wars, it was the perfect time for him to walk away with the gold. Credit to Davey Richards, too, he played the perfect antagonist to Steen, making the moment Steen won the title all the sweeter.
The moral of the story: if you knock Kevin Steen back, he will keep going and reach the top. Regardless of who wants him there, Kevin Owens will make it to the top.
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