DVD REVIEW - ROH Straight Shootin’ Series - CM Punk and Samoa Joe - 3.10.05

Before CM Punk was WWE Champion and Samoa Joe was TNA champion, they both are former ROH champions.  Samoa Joe held the title from March of 2003 until December 2004.  The summer before Punk left for WWE, he had a very nice run as ROH Champion.  The series of DVDs from those shows are known as the Summer Of Punk.  You can purchase them from www.rohwrestling.com

Click the link below for the review.

This interview covers their early independent career and their time in ROH.

They start off by talking about how the idea came up for the first 1 hour draw in Dayton, OHIO in 2004.  Joe tries to get a word in but Punk says that this is going to happen alot, so first Joe will give his side then Punk will chime in with his.  Joe says it all started off at a bar, Joe had a couple drinks.  While Joe is fucked up, Punk brings up their match in Dayton to him, he says they have to do something cool, something exciting.  Joe mentioned as a joke, maybe they should do a 1 hour draw, similar to the ones Punk had with Chris Hero.  Ahaha, Joe says that not even 5 minutes later, Punk was on the phone with Gabe telling him that Joe says they should do a draw.  Punk says the whole story was wrong.  He says they were in PA, not Cali.  Punk said he had to find a way to not put Joe over.  Joe started to run out of opponents, and Punk was getting a title shot for basically no reason, so Joe said that he couldn’t just beat Punk, something needed to happen.  Punk says it indeed was Joe’s idea to do the draw.

Punk says he is glad that ROH booker, Gabe Sapolsky, is not doing the interview so he can tell Gabe stories.  They both say that Gabe goes crazy backstage and throws things.

Punk said that it was easier doing the first hour draw rather than the second because most of the fans knew that their second match would also be a draw.  Punk says he was surprised at the crowd reaction to the match.  They said they were also surprised that the fans stuck with the match and followed it for the entire 60 minutes.  Punk says that Joe isn’t stiff, so don’t believe the hype.

Punk says if you are wrestling someone for the first time, don’t give everything you have, otherwise there is nothing saved for the rematch.  They bring up how Homicide came out at the end of the match ruining the celebration, and that it was the first time he really got heel heat, even though he had recently been trying so hard to be a heel.

Punk says they wanted to make the belt as big as the NWA belt, and back in the day the NWA belt’s legacy was built around the 1 hour draw.  Now Punk’s phone is ringing, he answers it.  Now he is saying its someone that wants to book him and Joe, and Punk says that Joe’s contract must include a food allowance.

Punk says his promos were never scripted.  The interviewer said the original plan was for the 2nd draw to be on 12/4 but it got moved up because the main event for the Chicago was supposed to be Joe vs Corino but Corino had to back out of the booking.  Joe says he hated the idea of doing another hour draw with such short notice, 4 or 5 days before the match.  When Gabe called him, he told Joe that the only thing that could replace Corino/Joe was Punk/Joe rematch.  They both felt the match was rushed and cheapened.  Punk says right before he went out to the ring, he looked at Joe and told him he just blanked out and to just go out there listen to the crowd.  They both agree that the match turned out great.  Punk says he loves the 2nd match out of the 3 match trilogy.  The match was rated ***** by the Wrestling Observer and was the first match to get that rating in the US since 1997.

They go on to talk about the last match of the trilogy from December 2004.  They said they didn’t think they needed to top the 2nd match, they just wanted to focus on the story.  Punk said that the no time limit stipulation was his idea.  Punk said the match was around 31 minutes but they really wanted to go 20.  Joe says they didn’t know what the finish should be, so Ricky Steamboat, who was working for ROH backstage and on camera at the time, came up with some ideas for the finish of the match.   Steamboat suggested that Joe pin Punk with putting his feet on the ropes.  At first, they thought Steamboat’s idea was insane.  Then after they thought about it, they realized it was the greatest idea ever.

Punk says his whole goal for the trilogy was to get the belt over.  He wanted to make it look like something that people would die for, that you would do anything possible to get it.

They bring up Ricky Steamboat and Mick Foley.  Punk says he never thought he would be working with Steamboat.   They talk about how Foley showed up to Night 2 Weekend of Thunder and cut a promo with Punk at the end of his tag match vs Generation Next.

Joe is asked how his time feuding with Mick Foley went.  He said Foley believed the hype and thought Joe was going to kill him.  Joe tells him hes not as stiff has people think he is.   Joe says they were hoping to get a match out of Mick vs Joe, but Foley was banged up.  Foley said it wasn’t Joe’s fault, that Mick’s body wasn’t what it used to be.

Joe says that the ROH product is alot more focused than it was at the beginning of the company.   Joe says ROH does not want to insult the fans intelligence.  Punk says everything is better.  He says the shows from 2002 don’t hold up, most of them are one match shows.  Production is also alot better, in Punk’s opinion.

Joe brings up Jimmy Rave and says he has improved head and shoulders from what he was in 2004.  Along with Roderick Strong and Jay Lethal.  Joe says Strong has gotten really good at putting together matches.  They both agree that the overall the ROH product as a whole is just alot better than it was in its early days.

They bring up the rumors about Foley trying to get Punk and Joe into the WWE.  Vince wanted Foley to face Flair but Foley wasn’t interested so they switched it to Foley/Vince and were trying to set something up for Wrestlemania.  Foley brought an idea to Vince, where they would have a series of promos, where Foley would introduce Punk and Joe as the top young stars in the business.   Punk thought it was a good idea, but realized it would most likely never happen.  Joe agrees that he never thought it was going to happen.  They say Foley pitched the idea to Vince but it never came to fruition.

They both say that they make more money on the indys than they would under a WWE developmental contract.   They both agree that they make enough money to live without getting a real job and they enjoy it.  Joe says that there is nothing wrong with the WWE style of wrestling, but its not for him.  He says that he would rather pick joy over fame.

They are doing the name game, first name Teddy Hart.  Joe says he has talked to him many times since the moonsault incident at Main Event Spectacles.  Punk said they buried the hatch at a JAPW show.  Punk says he walked up to Teddy and said he saw him walk in he wanted to say hi and Teddy thanked him and told him he didn’t know whether or not Punk wanted to talk to him.  Punk says nothing that happened in the past even matters now.

Christopher Daniels - Joe and Punk refer to Daniels, as OMD, Old Man Daniels, “because he is old”.  Punk says Daniels was one of the first indy superstars and that he helped everyone to get where they are.  Punk says hes like their grandfather.  Punk shows a pic of Daniels daughter.  Punk says he buys alot of clothes for Daniels daughter but she only wears them when they know they are going to see Punk.

AJ Styles - They say he is TNA’s goldenboy.  They mention how Daniels got AJ his spot in wrestling, and AJ looks up to him as a father figure.  Joe says he better at video games than AJ.

Steve Corino -  Punk says Corino sandbags like a mother fucker.  Great guy, super father.  “Really heavy”.  Corino says that Punk is on drugs.  Punk brings up a story about how they went to England and it was pick on Raven night.  They had Raven so mad that he wouldn’t even go out that night.  Punk says he missed a great night because they ended up at a transvestite bar.  Alex Shane, who runs FWA, played a trick on Corino and Punk and told them he was taking them out.  One of the young wrestlers told Punk and Corino ahead of time, that it was a joke.  Punk said when he walked in he was SHOCKED.  He said they were some of the worst transvestites he has ever seen.  Punk thought he was on another planet.  Punk says Alex Shane knew everyone there.  Punk says they are sitting at the bar and a 8 foot tall transvestite walks up to them and looks at them and says they aren’t from around here, Corino is nervous and shaking, and the tranny asks Corino where hes from and he says the states and the tranny says you should go to Chicago, Punk steps up and Corino tells the tranny that Punk is from Chicago.  Punk goes for a high five, tranny goes low to Punks nuts, Punk makes a fist and says he will beat the tranny’s ass.  The whole bar gets quiet and looks at Punk.  Tranny tells Punk to settle down.  Punk says there was a group of normal women there and one of them goes up to Corino and asks if he is a woman.  Corino then asks, “are you?”.

Homicide - Joe said he is one of the coolest cats going.  Joe starts to tell a story that happened in California.  Joe said that a huge group of guys stayed at his house for a PWG show.  Joe says it was Nosawa, Romero, Bboy, and Homicide and they all went out to a bar where Joe knows the people who work there and they get alot of free liquor.  Joe says everyone was drunk as hell.   Joe says that all night Nosawa needed a ride to LAX.  By the time he needed a ride, everyone was already passed out drunk, so Nosawa disappeared.  Punk says everyone was messed up.  It was like someone got married and there was a funeral all in the same day.  Punk said BBoy drank half a beer and he was a mess.  Punk says on the way home everyone wants Del Taco before they get home.  Punk said everyone was drunk and they ordered drinks they didn’t need, a shitload of burritos.  Punk said he had to get a fight in Romero because Rocky was trying to drive drunk.  Punk asked for his keys, Rocky threw them directly at Punk’s dick.  Punk went after Rocky and Joe’s house turned into a big fucking mess.  Rocky and Punk paint Joe’s feet.  All of the sudden Joe got up and went to the bathroom and there was no noise.  Then all of the sudden they heard the loud sound of him puking and yelling, “I’m OK!” and then he started snoring.  Punk says in the middle of the night everyone is asleep and he wakes up.  He then sees Homicide above him unzipping his pants, Punk yells at Cide, Cide yell, “yo I’m taking a piss, I gotta pee yo!”, Punk had to take Cide and direct him to the bathroom.  Punk says he doesn’t hear Cide peeing.  Punk wakes up, Rocky leaves.  Joe wakes up with a blue foot, theres dvds everywhere, entertainment center knocked out, sheets and clothes everywhere, “the chicken burrito fairy” went nuts in Joes house, there was burrito all over Joe’s house.  Joe is waking up everyone by yelling, Punk says he hears Joe yell, “who spilled all this water on the floor”.  It was actually Cide’s piss.  Punk tells Cide he tried to pee on him last night and Cide doesn’t believe him.  Low Ki came over to Joe’s house and Punk told him about Cide trying to pee on Punk and Low Ki told them that has happened before.  Punk tells the fans that if they are drinking with Homicide don’t sleep anywhere near him, cause that mother fucker will pee on you.  They mention that they still never knew what happened to Nosawa.

Low Ki - They mock Ki’s deep voice.  Say he is crazy.  Punk says he is a great guy and squats furniture before his matches.  And he takes his job very seriously.

Colt Cabana - Hes crazy too.  Punk says funniest guy he knows.  Loves comedy and joking around.  Underrated wrestler.  Punk says thats who he broke into the business with.  They say he is the master of merch gimmicks.  They said he buys cheap masks in Mexico and sells them for nearly $30 at random indy shows.   Punk said Cabana is the master of ganking.  If he didn’t get paid by a promoter, he would steal anything and everything that he could from the promoter.  Punk says Colt has the dirtiest apartment.  Bloody singlets hanging up.  Punk says Cabana has the best parents.  One time Cabana led Punk into a room where his Dad was sleeping naked with a pillow covering his cock.  Punk talks about how one time that Ace Steel and Adam Pearce were going to rib Cabana.  They were going to wipe their ass and put the toilet paper in Cabana’s coat pocket.  Punk says Ace Steel wiped his ass and just got sweat, but when Pearce did it, he came out with a handful of shitty toilet paper and put it in Cabana’s pocket.  Punk asks Pearce whats wrong with him why is he walking around with a shitty ass.

Ricky Reyes/Rocky Romero -  They talk about Ricky Reyes alter ego Rick Noon.  Joe says look for Rick Noon Goes to Chicago on the internet or his live journal.

Punk and Joe are asked how they became friends.  Punk says he remembers hearing about Joe before they were in ROH.  Joe started in ROH first but they both quickly were put on every ROH show.  Punk says if something happens to him, the same thing happens to Joe.  Joe brings up how he got in a scuffle at a bar.  Joe said some guy was talking to his girl and some guy was bothering her so Joe threw him threw a glass partition.  Joe called Punk to tell him he just got in a fight in a bar.  Joe said he felt bad about it.  Joe told him to watch out, because they knew the same things happen to the both of them.  Punk now talks about when he went out to a bar after a TNA show.  They went to a fiddle bar.  Punk says that there was a guy that was grabbing every girl that walked past him.  Daniels told Punk maybe they should go say something to the guy.  Traci Brooks at the time was dating Punk and she told Punk not to fight anyone and ruin her night.  Punk says Traci went to get a drink and the guy grabbed her ass.  Punk tries to go after the guy but Traci stops him.  The guy is staring at Punk.  Punk walked up to him, looked around, Daniels was walking out of the bathroom, Punk headbutted him real quick and knocked him out.  Daniels gets everyone out of there because the guys friends come up to them.

FIP Stories - Punk says he hates strip clubs.  Mentions that FIP shows are behind a strip club.  Punk says he goes there all the time now and the girls hate him because they think he is mean.  Punk is talking about a match where they ended up at the strip club and the girls were dancing in the middle of their match, and Punk yelled “YOU ARE A WHOOOOORE” at one of the dancers.  At the end of the show Sal, the owner of FIP, told Punk he had to apologize to the girls.  He went out to their car, the girls rolled down the window and Punk said, “you’re a whore” and walked away.

Prank Calls - Punk called Gabe pretending to be Homicide before Final Battle 2003 where All Japan Pro Wrestling stars made appearances.  Punk claimed to be Homicide and told Gabe that he loved ROH but he is in Puerto Rico and they promised him a big spot and alot of money.  Homicide said he had to cancel off of the All Japan show.  Gabe lost it.  He said he could hear Gabe’s heartbeat.  Punk said he went on and on, Gabe didn’t know what to do.  Then Punk finally told him it was CM Punk, while still using Cide’s voice but Gabe still didn’t realize it.  Punk says Gabe screams like a woman when he is really mad.

Back to Gabe.  He goes nuts if things aren’t perfect.  Throws things.

They say there are lot of stories they want to tell, but they can’t until they are older.  They don’t want to call anyone out.

Punk tells a story about how Punk brought Traci over to his parents house and their dogs peed on the both of them.

And thats the end of the interview.

I’ve watched this a few times since I got 3 years ago and its still one of the best shoots I’ve seen.  If you are a ROH fan, you NEED to buy it.  You can purchase it at http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=200&id=1220

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