ROH Women of Honor (FSM 88; Dec 12)

Information: - DVD Region: All Regions - Distributor: Ring of Honor - Price: $19.99 - Other info: 260 mins - Release: Out now - Weblink: www.ROHWrestling.com

Ring of Honor's female performers have always been an overlooked aspect of the group's shows, despite producing the sort of action that has become a staple of "sister" company SHIMMER. But before Dave Prazak's endeavour began, the ladies were plying their trade in ROH, and this compilation attempts to collect the best of their efforts.

Perhaps no-one is as integral to the division than Alison Danger. True to nature, though, she appears not as the star of the set, but merely as one of the pillars, during numerous tag and four-way battles, and through several distinct personalities.

"Dangerous Angels" partner Sara Del Rey also struts her stuff, most impressively in a barnstorming battle with the incomparable Amazing Kong. They tear the house down, delivering super-stiff brawling alongside fantastic near-falls. Despite a duff ending, this is brilliant spectacle. At Final Battle 2010, they locked up again, this time with Serena Deeb and Daizee Haze as their respective partners, in what is yet another cracking encounter.

WWE acquisition Del Rey was, of course, a vital part of the late, great Larry Sweeney's stable, Sweet 'n' Sour Inc. She thus she pops up a lot, especially on Disc Two. A 2007 bout with Haze is a heated New York affair, while her battle with MsChif from Rising Above 2008 also stands out.

In arguably the most accomplished action on the whole set, Ayumi Kurihara and Hiroyo Matsumoto bring the fight to Daizee Haze and Tomoka Nakagawa in a smashing tag match.

FAMILIAR FACES
Other notable talents also show up, most notably Mickie James (as Alexis Laree). The first of her scraps resembles a Divas match of today, but a subsequent duel with Sumie Sukai is much, much better, if a little short. Sarah Stock also appears, battling Alison Danger in a hard-fought outing, while Nikki Roxx goes toe-to-toe with Daizee Haze, and takes part in a decent four-way effort. Cheerleader Melissa lives up to her reputation as a heavy-hitter in several dominant performances, while Rain (TNA's Payton Banks) demonstrates how nuanced she was at playing a cowardly heel.

Arguably, though, no woman played a more pivotal role in ROH history than Lacey, and her invaluable contributions are nicely represented. She first shows up in an average four-way scrap, but alongside Mercedes Martinez, Daizee Haze and Alison Danger, she then excels in a delightful contest from March 2006's Best in the World. All four ladies integrate themselves magnificently, conspiring to produce numerous memorable sequences that draw a fabulous reaction from the faithful. The excitement then reaches a peak in a six-woman collision that occurred in Chicago at the first Supercard Of Honor; adding MsChif and Rain to the mix adds much personality, while every participant is allowed the opportunity to shine.

Lacey also plays a big role in three inter-gender tag bouts alongside Jimmy Jacobs. By the third such effort surrounding Haze and Lacey, a case could be made for overkill, although a climax that sees Daizee speared out of her shoes (literally!) is certainly memorable.

Of course, Haze was synonymous with Lacey, and that's denoted here as they collide in a staggering 14 encounters, the quality of which varies depending on the occasion.

Overall, despite Ring of Honor going back to their unfortunate habit of releasing compilation DVDs with no context supplied for the matches themselves, this is a hugely commendable collection of bouts. Some of the one-on-one action may be a tad forgettable, but it is more than compensated for in several choice battles, and a whole host of entertaining multi-person scraps that serve to highlight some of the finest female workers of the last decade.