25 Matches that Defined 2016 #7 – Young Bucks vs. Addiction vs. MCMG – Ladder War VI – ROH All-Star Extravaganza VIII

Ladder War VI
The Addiction (Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson/Nick Jackson) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley/Chris Sabin)
ROH All-Star Extravaganza VIII
30th of September 2016
Lowell Memorial Auditorium – Lowell, Massachusetts

The Match: Tons of ladders and tables surround the ring. Daniels and Kazarian are sent to the floor but come back with chairs and nail everyone. They go for a Conchairto, but the Bucks escape and superkick the chairs back into their face. Addiction fall to the floor where the Bucks hit them with some dives. A lot of the early going revolved around the Addiction being taken out of the equation as the Bucks and MCMG fought amongst themselves. Daniels took a gruesome shot with a ladder that bust him open bad above the left eye before being powerbombed onto a ladder bridge from Matt before being held down for a senton from Nick onto the bridge. Spot of construction as MCMG set up while the Bucks make a bridge using a piece of barricade. Kaz tries to climb the ladder and gets stopped by the Bucks, so he hits a cutter onto Nick off of the ladder.

Shelley and Sabin take control until everyone gets back into the ring. A ton of people go through table including Nick hitting a 450 splash from the top rope through a table on the floor. Daniels is now bleeding from the front and back of his head and is just pishing blood. All six men battle on three ladders, with people being thrown off until Nick is left, only for MCMG and the Addiction to pick up the ladder and toppled Nick off through a table on the floor in a spectacular bump. MCMG put Daniels on the ladder and Kaz accidentally hits him with a chair, before MCMG throw Kaz into the ladder and dropped the ladder with Daniels still tangled in it.

Superkick party from the Young Bucks, even superkicking Daniels onto the barricade bridge, with Daniels bouncing off to the floor. Kaz is bloody as well. Nick climbs, but the ladder gets toppled. Nick gets his foot onto the top rope before leaping off for an Indytaker to Shelley on the floor. The Bucks go for the title, but Kamaitachi runs in for the save. Daniels hits Shelley with an Angel’s Wings onto a ladder, followed by a gutbuster to Sabin on the floor. Kamaitachi went to the top, only for Jay White to come out and launch him through a table on the floor. Daniels lowblows White, allowing Kazarian to hit a slingshot cutter on White through a table on the floor.

Best Moonsault Ever from Daniels to Matt. The Addiction pose before setting up a ladder in the middle of the ring and table in the corner. Daniels headbutts Matt and lays him on a table as Nick places a ladder bridge on the other side. Daniels and Nick brawl on the ladder, raking each other’s eyes until Nick backdrops Daniels through the ladder bridge. Daniels is just dead and his leg is trapped in the ladder. The Bucks and Kazarian battle, with Kazarian taking out Nick with a superkick. In the end, Matt gets the advantage, allowing Nick to climb the ladder. Instead of going for the titles right in front of him, the Young Bucks decides to give us a grand finale as they hit AN INDYTAKER OFF THE LADDER THROUGH THE TABLE! The Bucks then climb the ladder together  and retrieve the title to pick up the win.

Why Does It Define 2016?: After fifteen years of constant TLC, MITB and everything in between, the ladder match concept has lost it’s novelty. This match shows there is still some petrol in the tank for ladder matches and that there is still room for innovation. Similarly, it gives a snapshot of the state of ROH, showing they can still put on MOTY contenders when necessary. This also shows that while the Motor City Machine Guns and the Addiction may not be as visible since leaving TNA, they are still delivering the goods, in particular Christopher Daniels who was incredible in thie match and in the pre-match promo, where he noted that the titles meant everything to them and he would do what was needed to keep them.

My Thoughts: This match is ridiculous. It is the wrestling equivalent of a massive action film full of explosions, gunfire, drama and everything in between. If you have become disillusioned with recent ladder matches being all samey, you need this match in your life. There is a ton of unique spots you have never seen before. Christopher Daniels is the standout performer in this match, giving the performance of his life here. Daniels is all over the place, bleeding profusely and taking bumps that he really shouldn’t be taking at his age. While I am a little unconfortable with the huge quantity of blood in this match considering the presence of famed anti-blood campaigner Nigel McGuinness in the company. In fact, McGuinness left the arena before this match due to the graphic bloodloss in this match. Nonetheless, this match is unbeliebanle and is must watch.