Event: Ring of Honor "Final Battle 2003"
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Announced Attendance: Unknown

Arashi and Maff start things off. Tie-up, and Arashi throws Maff to the mat. Maff goes off the ropes and hits a shoulderblock, but Arashi doesn't budge. He tries two more times with no success, and then Arashi shoulderblocks Maff down. They trade chops, Arashi slaps Maff into the corner, Irish whip, but Maff avoids Arashi when he charges in. Maff tags in Daniels, and Daniels asks for Muta. Arashi tags in Muta, Muta and Daniels circle each other, waistlock by Muta, reversed by Daniels and Muta applies a wristlock. Daniels reverses it and applies an armbar on the mat, Muta hits a side headlock takedown and kicks Daniels in the ribs. Muta spits mist in the air and makes a gesture at Daniels, and Daniels jumps out of the ring to re-group. Back in the ring, Muta throws Daniels into the corner and delivers a chop. Kick by Muta and a chop to the head, Irish whip by Muta but Daniels kicks him and throws Muta into the corner. Stomps by Daniels and he elbows Muta, Irish whip, reversed, but Daniels avoids Muta's strike. Muta chops him down anyway and makes the tag to Arashi. Irish whip by Daniels to Arashi but Arashi shoulderblocks him down. Scoop slam by Arashi, but with Maff's help Daniels is able to drive Arashi back into the corner. Maff stays in as the legal man and trades shots with Arashi, which Arashi gets the better of. Arashi knocks Maff back into the corner but Maff chops his way out of it. Maff tags in Daniels, strikes by Daniels in the corner, Irish whip, but Arashi kicks Daniels when he goes for a back bodydrop and hits a lariat. Arashi tags in Muta, Muta picks up Daniels, snapmare, and he delivers the Flashing Elbow. Muta picks up Daniels, backbreaker, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but is distracted by The Prophecy's manager. This gives Daniels time to tag in Maff, choke by Maff over the second rope and he kicks Muta in the corner. Maff tags in Daniels, Muta tries to chop his way out of the corner but Daniels and Maff get the better of him. Daniels tags Maff back in, club to the back by Maff and he tags in Daniels. Kick to the stomach by Daniels and he hits a sling shot leg drop for a two count. Muta gets attacked by both Daniels and Maff, and Daniels plants Muta with the Complete Shot. Daniels applies the Koji Clutch, but Arashi breaks it up. Daniels tags in Maff, Maff picks up Muta and hits an elbow. Snapmare by Maff and he tags in Daniels, who kicks Muta in the stomach. Reverse chinlock by Daniels, he pulls Muta out and hits an elbow drop. Cover, but it gets a two count. Daniels re-applies the reverse chinlock, Muta elbows out of it and goes off the ropes, but Daniels catches him with an elbow. Maff is tagged in, leg drop by Maff but it gets a two. Maff picks up Muta, Irish whip, but Muta avoids the lariat and hits a dropkick. This gives Muta time to tag in Arashi, dropkick by Arashi to Maff, Daniels comes in the ring but Arashi knocks him to the mat. Irish whip by Arashi to Maff and he hits a lariat in the corner followed by a belly to belly suplex. Cover, but it gets a two count. Irish whip by Arashi but Maff delivers an elbow. Another elbow by Maff and more before tagging in Daniels. Double Irish whip by Arashi and they hit an STO/shoulderblock combination for a two count. Daniels picks up Arashi but Arashi catches him with a powerslam and tags in Muta. Dropkicks to the knee by Muta and he hits the dragon screw leg whip. Figure Four Leglock by Muta but Maff breaks it up. Arashi goes after Maff, Daniels rolls up Muta but it gets two. Daniels goes off the ropes and hits a sunset flip, but it gets two. Kick by Muta, he goes off the ropes but Maff hits him with a chair from ringside. While the referee is distracted, Daniels holds Muta for Maff as he goes to hit Muta with a steel chair, but Muta sprays the mist into Maff's face. He sprays him again for extra measure, but Daniels catches Muta with a uranage. Daniels goes for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Muta rolls out of the way. Shining Wizard by Muta, cover, and he picks up the three count! Your winners and still champions: Great Muta and Arashi

Match Thoughts: This was Muta's second stateside appearance since he left WCW in 2000, but the first to be sold on DVD. I was kinda surprised the first time I saw this match and I still am in that Muta wasn't really the focus of the bulk of the match like you'd expect. Yes he got most his spots in but most of the match was a lackluster beatdown segment on both Arashi and Muta. Since it was the main event they couldn't do an eight minute match flying through Muta's spots and I respect that they gave a full regularly structured match instead of just giving the fans a Muta spotfest, but the problem is that most of the match just seemed plodding. I loved the last minute or so though and it ended exactly as it should have, so they had that going for them, but if you ignore that it is Muta in the United States in the main event for ROH's biggest show of the year, the match just didn't come across as anything special like I had hoped when I originally watched it. Score: 6.0

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