I’ve mentioned it on a handful of different occasions, but my pick for the greatest match in Ring Of Honor history is Bryan Danielson defending the RoH World Championship against KENTA in the main event of Glory By Honor 5: Night 2 on September 16th, 2006.
A little while back, I mentioned the match in a column, and as I was typing the sentence for the first time, it hit me that we were about to reach the 20-year mark since the match took place. I said that I wanted to do some sort of column about the match when the 20-year mark arrived, and that’s why we’re here today.
I’m going to be watching the match all over again, and giving as much of a review on it as I can. The concept of a match review isn’t exactly foreign to me, but usually, that comes when I’m doing a review for an entire pay-per-view. I couldn’t tell you the last time I dedicated an entire column to the review of a single match. Hell, I don’t know if I’ve ever done it.
First, though, I have to paint the picture for the match.
As I mentioned, this is the second night of Ring Of Honor’s fifth Glory By Honor event. The show takes place at the Manhattan Center in New York City.
KENTA (better known to North American wrestling fans as Hideo Itami from his time in NXT) was still pretty new to the company, having wrestled eight other matches since making his RoH debut nine months earlier.
If Bryan Danielson survived this match, it would take him to a full 365 days as the RoH World Champion, but a recent injury was going to make his survival here more difficult and complicated than initially thought.
Three weeks before this event, during a match with Colt Cabana, Danielson separated his shoulder severely enough that he tore two tendons in his shoulder and a third tendon in his chest. He would suffer that injury very early on during a 60-minute match, and GBH5:N2 would be his first match back since suffering the injury.
Even back in the early stages of his career, KENTA was feared and known as one of the most lethal strikers in the wrestling business. Not exactly your ideal opponent if you’re dealing with the types of injuries that Danielson was dealing with.
Danielson and KENTA had been on opposing sides of a tag team match, and two-thirds of a Three-Way match (which was non-title, and saw KENTA pin Danielson to win), but this was their first time squaring off in singles competition, and the independent scene was buzzing over what could be.
Now that everyone is caught up on the backstory, let’s get to the match itself, shall we?
We start things off with KENTA making his entrance, accompanied to the ring by his American protégé at the time, Davey Richards. Remember him? KENTA is wearing his trusty Chupa Chup trunks, and that’s a reference that only a small portion of you will understand.
Multiple wrestlers from KENTA’s wrestling home, Pro Wrestling NOAH, are at ringside, including “The Fro” himself, Muhammad Yone, and Takeshi Morishima, who would go on to win the RoH World Title himself five months later.
The atmosphere was already electric in the building, but when “The Final Countdown” hits, things are elevated to another level. There’s NO reason for that song to work as an entrance theme, but Bryan Danielson not only made it work, but he made it one of the more iconic themes of the last 20+ years. I said what I said. Debate your mother.
A lockup to start, and that alone probably hurts Danielson a ton. Danielson ducks a knockout kick attempt. A rope break follows, and instead of a clean break, KENTA slaps Danielson across the face. Never one to back down, Danielson then causes a rope break, and he responds by slapping KENTA across the face.
That wasn’t enough, though, because a third rope break sees Danielson connect to the side of KENTA’s face with a stiff knee strike. These two are just out there having a dick measuring contest to start.
KENTA backs Danielson against the ropes, and then kicks him RIGHT in the injured arm and chest, and then follows it up with another one. Danielson, in a fit of rage, follows it up with multiple slaps (with his left hand), but KENTA sends Danielson back down with another strike to his injured arm. I’m in pain just watching this. I don’t know how Danielson not only wrestled this match with his injury, but then wrestled another three months before taking time away to fix things.
KENTA continues targeting Danielson’s injury, first with a strike and then an arm wrench. Danielson sends KENTA to the outside, then attempts a pescado to the outside, but KENTA moves… and then continues kicking Danielson’s arm and chest with lethal precision. You just hear loud “THUD” noises when he connects, and you’d wince even if Danielson wasn’t injured.
KENTA hooks Danielson’s arm and then sends him, shoulder-first, into a metal barricade at ringside. Danielson looks like he’d rather be anywhere in the world other than where he is, but KENTA doesn’t give him much time to think, and he starts kicking Danielson again. You know, I’m starting to think he might be aware that Danielson is injured. Just a hunch.
The match is taken to the mat, and KENTA just toys with Danielson, putting him in arm locks. It’s the kind of offense where you know you aren’t going to win a match in that moment, even with Danielson’s injury, but you’re trying to make it easier to win the match down the line. I see zero holes in KENTA’s strategy early on.
Danielson continues to strike from a southpaw stance, and his entire right arm is damn near useless at this point. He goes for a Sunset Flip, but KENTA counters it with a STIFF slap to the face. A “you got bitch slapped” chant breaks out. Funny.
KENTA just isn’t letting up at all. Almost everything he does is targeting Danielson’s arm or chest.
Danielson finally gets a flurry of offense, including a back heel kick that connects smooth to KENTA’s jaw and throat area. Ouch.
Danielson drags KENTA’s eyes across the top rope. That’s some old school heel work right there. I probably have, but I’m not sure if I’ve seen anyone do that since this match.
Danielson attempts a Mexican Surfboard, but his foot slips out. A small “you fucked up” chant breaks out, and Danielson says “I fucked up? I don’t ever fuck up!” as he just stomps KENTA’s knees into the mat. That was a good save.
Danielson with the Figure Four. Referee Todd Sinclair asks KENTA if he wants to quit, and KENTA says no. Danielson immediately says “ask him, ref,” to which KENTA replies by looking right at Danielson and yelling “NO!” 20 years later, and that still makes me laugh.
The laughs continue as Danielson, still with the Figure Four locked in, grabs the ropes for leverage behind Todd Sinclair’s back. KENTA screams in pain and points at the ropes, but I guess he can’t verbalize what’s happening in English, so Todd keeps checking on him. Danielson lets go of the ropes as Todd turns around, but he does it again once Todd goes back to looking at KENTA. Once again, KENTA screams in pain, pointing at the ropes. Todd turns around and sees that the ropes are bouncing. He asks Danielson if he was on the ropes, and Danielson says “no.” It’s more old school heel work from the champion here. You used to see stuff like that all the time in pro wrestling. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that Bryan Danielson is a student of the game, folks.
Danielson with the slingshot under the bottom rope, causing KENTA to connect throat-first, and now the champion has all the momentum on his side.
The crowd is on fire, as almost every Ring Of Honor crowd was during this era. Lots of noise, lots of chants, and even things like everyone yelling “OHHH” during stiff strikes really helps improve the overall atmosphere.
KENTA gets the momentum back with a cross arm breaker, again going back to the target on Danielson’s body.
The challenger sends the champ into the turnbuckle with an Irish Whip, but Danielson hops onto the turnbuckle and flips off of it as KENTA charges in. KENTA steps forward, but Danielson beautifully slides between his legs, grabbing the left leg and moves into a Half-Crab in one smooth motion. He has the move on, but you can see the pain on his face as he uses his arm and chest to lock it in.
Danielson with a sprinting forearm shot to KENTA in the corner, and you can see the sweat flying off of KENTA’s head upon impact. He then drops KENTA with a superplex from the top rope.
Crossface Chickenwing by Danielson, and that’s yet another move that you don’t see much anymore.
Scoop Slam from Danielson, and he yells out in pain and grabs his shoulder after hitting it. The level of pain he’s gotta be in is off the charts.
KENTA tries to hit a springboard off the top rope, but Danielson dropkicks him in the stomach, knocking him out of mid-air.
A strike battle turns into a “fighting spirit” moment, with both men hitting moves, only for their opponent to bounce back up. The mini-sequence ends with a lariat from KENTA, and now, both men are down on the mat.
Once both men get back to their feet, KENTA sends them both over the top rope with a running clothesline. Irish Whip from KENTA is reversed, but KENTA blocks it by putting his foot up on the barricade. He tries charging at Danielson, but the champion sends him flying with an Overhead Release Belly-To-Belly Suplex.
Danielson with a Baseball Slide Dropkick from the inside, sending KENTA tumbling over the barricade and into the front row. Multiple fans immediately call out “oh, shit” because they know what’s coming next, and everybody backs away. Sure enough, Danielson hits a springboard from the top rope, jumping out into the crowd and hitting a shoulder block of sorts, sending KENTA tumbling into the second row of chairs.
A dumbass fan pats Danielson on his injured shoulder, and it appears Danielson said something to him, because the fan stopped and pulled back right away.
Missile Dropkick from the top rope, and Danielson hits a one-armed kip-up after he hits the move.
KENTA turns the tide by locking Danielson in a Fujiwara Armbar twice, but Danielson is able to reach the ropes to break the hold both times.
KENTA tries some strikes, but Danielson steps aside and hits a Regal-Plex for a near fall. We have dueling “let’s go, Dragon” and let’s go, KENTA” chants from the crowd, who have continued to be red hot from the start.
Danielson with Cattle Mutilation, but KENTA makes the ropes, forcing a break. Cattle Mutilation is still such a funny, yet badass name for a wrestling move.
Danielson goes to the top rope, but KENTA leaps to the top for a Falcon Arrow attempt, only to have it blocked, sending him crashing to the mat. The champion dives off, but KENTA catches him in mid-air, and hits him with a Go To Sleep for a 2.999 count as Danielson puts his leg on the bottom rope. When I watched this for the first time, I was SURE the match was going to be over there. With the way Go To Sleep was protected (I believe this was the first time KENTA hit the move and it didn’t lead to a victory for him), it just seemed like it was definitely going to be the end of the match. They found a way out of it, technically, as Danielson didn’t kick out. Very, very well done sequence there.
KENTA with some more strikes to the injured parts of Danielson’s body, and he goes for a Busaiku Knee, but Danielson steps aside and uses KENTA’s momentum to roll him up in a bridging pin for another near fall.
Fans all over the building are on their feet now.
KENTA goes for Go To Sleep again, but Danielson reverses into a crucifix pin attempt, getting another near fall. Danielson then starts dropping elbow bombs to the side of KENTA’s head on the mat. KENTA powers up to a standing position, only for Danielson to take him back down for a Cattle Mutilation attempt… that KENTA rolls through for ANOTHER close near fall. Danielson never lets go of KENTA’s arms, though, and he eventually locks Cattle Mutilation in again. KENTA fights, so Danielson floats over, drops some more elbow bombs, then locks Cattle Mutilation in yet again. KENTA fights and fights, but eventually, he is forced to tap and the champion retains his title at the 33:01 mark.
That was a beautiful match. It was paced excellently, with the right balance of sprints and sequences to slow things down. Both Danielson and KENTA were dropping heavy strikes on each other from the start. KENTA worked a near-perfect game plan, continuously targeting Danielson’s freshly injured arm and chest. All the moves, strikes, and sequences made sense. There wasn’t any wasted time, motion, or energy. Everything led down to that glorious final stretch, with reversals, counters, and near falls before Danielson finally put the match away.
KENTA was fantastic here, but on that night, Bryan Danielson was simply better. This would’ve been great if Danielson was 100% healthy coming in, but the fact that he did this with the injuries he had makes everything better, and truly puts this in the pantheon of greatness. 5 Stars
I don’t think I’m going to do single match reviews like this very often in the future, but I guess I could make exceptions for things like anniversaries. We’ll see what happens.
Have you seen this match? If so, where does it rank on your list of the greatest matches in Ring Of Honor history? What is your pick for that crown, if it isn’t this match? As always, feel free to hit me up in the comments section below, on Twitter (@HustleTheSavage), or on Bluesky (@aaronhyden.bsky.social), and let me know what’s on your mind.
Now, let’s switch things over to my Weekly Power Rankings before I close it out with the list of songs I was listening to as I put this column together.
Weekly Power Rankings
Rey Fenix vs Jack Cartwheel vs Nathan Frazer vs Mini Vikingo: As I said in my review for night two of TripleMania, I completely understand that these types of matches aren’t for everyone, but you know who they are for? Me. I’m a fan of these types of things, and holy shit, this was a fantastic spotfest kind of match. All four of them looked like a million bucks, and it was the type of match you truly don’t want to see come to an end.
Rebel: I got emotional when she appeared on The Waiting Room with Britt Baker. Then, I got emotional again when she rode her chair to ringside to hand Britt’s glove to her during the six-woman tag match. Finally, I lost it when she and Britt rode up the ramp, and then Rebel started crying when she turned and soaked in the crowd reaction. Her story is just so sad, but she continues to keep her fight and her sense of humor, and that has been great to witness while we still can.
Dominik Mysterio vs El Grande Americano: Was it overbooked? Yes. Did the crowd in Mexico City seem to care? Not at all. There was a lot going on, and the outcome was about as obvious as it gets, but my goodness, this was a fun ride to be on. The story of Marcel Barthel and what has happened to him over the last year-plus is something that will be retold in wrestling lore for decades to come, if not longer.
Los Americanos vs Latino World Order vs FrAxiom vs Tokyo Bad Boys: Another exciting match that featured a ton of spots, an insane pace, and a chance for everyone watching to get enthusiastic about something. Works for me.
CM Punk vs Sami Zayn: I knew the match was going to be good, but I’m still surprised that WWE went with the title change. This marks the fourth time that the Undisputed WWE Title has changed hands on WWE television in 2026. The last time that happened in the lineage of this particular title was in 1999, when it changed hands four times, and five if you count Mankind defeating The Rock on Halftime Heat during halftime of the Super Bowl. This has been a wild year.
Stephanie Vaquer: She’s going to make another appearance in this week’s Power Rankings, but this entry is specifically about her title victory at a WWE house show in her home country of Chile. As soon as Triple H announced the match was taking place, you could pretty much pencil her in as the new champion, but that didn’t really take anything away from the moment. Those Chilean fans went banana for her. You would’ve thought she won the title in the main event of WrestleMania or something. A great moment for Stephanie, and for those fans in Chile.
Jon Moxley vs “Speedball” Mike Bailey: There are five men’s singles titles in AEW right now. So far in 2026, Speedball has either directly competed for, or competed for a shot at, all five of them, with a total of nine matches taking place on television or pay-per-view. He is 1-8 in those matches, with his only win coming in the Ladder Match at Redemption to crown a new #1 Contender for the International Title… and then he lost in his title shot a week-and-a-half later. This comes off of him being 0-3 in such matches in 2025, and then you start seeing something of a trend. He’s a two-time AEW Trios Champion, sure, but when it comes to singles championships, there seems to be a clear ceiling above his head.
Swerve Strickland, Kofi & Austin Creed vs Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Orange Cassidy: Another entertaining Trios match from the new champions. That’s not a surprise to anyone. As I’ve said before, though, I can’t help but feel that this title reign isn’t going to be a long one, and that Kofi and Creed will be left to focus on the Tag Team Titles much sooner than later.
Andy “The Butcher” Williams Tribute: It’s a shame that it has to happen at all, but when AEW runs a tribute show to one of their fallen comrades, they do a fantastic job with the shows. With that said, here’s hoping that they don’t need to have another tribute show for a long, long time.
Noam Dar & Romeo Moreno vs The Creed Brothers: A fun and successful return to NXT for the Creeds. They were a blast to watch in their initial run there, and I remain excited about what they can do this time around.
Liv Morgan vs Stephanie Vaquer: This entry is specifically about the match they had on Raw. It was a really good match, and it felt like something special, because it was. I know some people are upset that the title change didn’t happen on television for everyone to see, but come on… a Chilean superstar winning a title in her home country? As I’ve said a million times… WWE is in the “moments” business, and the opportunity to create a bigger “moment” by giving Stephanie Vaquer the win in Chile was too much for them to pass on.
The Young Bucks vs Kyle Fletcher & Kevin Knight: It wasn’t a match that you’re going to remember a few weeks from now, let alone months or years from now, but not every match has to be that way to do its job properly.
Rey Mysterio vs Bron Breakker vs “All Ego” Ethan Page: The first qualifying match for the upcoming men’s Money In The Bank match saw all three competitors work hard. How many times have I said through the years that it’s amazing what happens to the quality of a match when the wrestlers have something they’re actually competing for?
Flammer vs La Catalina: This was the best La Catalina match I’ve ever seen, and she showed a ton of fire and heart in dethroning Flammer to end Flammer’s record-breaking AAA Reina de Reinas Title reign.
Rey Mysterio vs Omos: It wasn’t a mat classic, but it didn’t need to be, because it told a very good “David vs Goliath” story. Not only is Rey the much smaller man, but he’s also someone that was a pro wrestler for three years when Omos was born. He did really well in his role as the underdog, as he has made a career out of doing. Omos looked like the monster that he should be booked as, and you really have to wonder how anyone in AAA is going to stop him.
Los Perros del Mal: On night one of TripleMania, the group won the AAA World Trios Titles. They followed that up on night two by getting the group’s old entrance music back, and getting one of the biggest face pops of the entire weekend, even after they did the dastardly heel thing by coming out and attacking all four competitors in the Cruiserweight Title match after it was over. Big weekend for the group.
La Hiedra: You saw her… you know why she’s listed here.
Omos: Like I said, who the hell is supposed to stop him in AAA at this point? One has to assume that he will be going after El Grande Americano and the Mega Title at some point, right? That will be an interesting look at how the company truly sees him.
El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. & Galeno: Congratulations to the brand new AAA World Tag Team Champions. They answered the open challenge of The War Raiders, and even though there wasn’t much of a match (it ended in less than six minutes), they won the belts and should be praised for it.
This Week’s Playlist: “Mourning” by Spiritbox… “Rain” by Tee Grizzley, Skilla Baby & Ashanti… “E.T.” by Ro$ama… “CBFW” by Ro$ama… “Bolaji” by Ro$ama & Monaleo… “Savage Life” by Ro$ama… “Dangerous” by Ro$ama… “Pape” by Ro$ama… “Kiss Me When I” by Kardinal Offishall & Glenn Lewis… “Make Believe” by Rachel Chinouriri… “Protégé” by Against The Current… “They Said Your Ghost Was A Promise” by From First To Last… “Avalanche” by Softspoken… “4 Page Letter” by Aaliyah… “There You Are” by Sam Salter… “Roll With Me” by Pretty Willie… “All I Do” by Somethin’ For The People… “No World For Tomorrow” by Coheed and Cambria… “The Running Free” by Coheed and Cambria… “II – Radio Bye Bye” by Coheed and Cambria
