BANK ON HISTORY #4 - The Greatest Double Team Move Ever
About two weeks ago, I wrote a Hot Take about seeing young junior heavyweight upstart Terry Yaki deliver the Greatest Destroyer Ever in Renegade Independent Professional Wrestling. It made me start to think about incredible breathtaking wrestling maneuvers.
And it hit me. I harkened back to Ring of Honor, as I always tend to do, and thought about the most dangerous, yet innovative double team move I had ever seen. In fact, it still might be the end-all, be-all of combination finishers.
That would be the Double Stomp Cop Killa from Homicide and Low Ki.
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The date was May 7, 2005.
ROH was running New York City for the first time, as Manhattan Mayhem took over the New Yorker Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The venue was packed and it was the company’s biggest show to date.
Austin Aries and Alex Shelley had their blood feud boil over for the Ring of Honor World Championship. BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs survived Generation Next of Roderick Strong and Jack Evans in their first major Tag Team Championship defense. James Gibson and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Black Tiger had an outright show-stealer.
However, business began to pick up after Samoa Joe defeated his protege Jay Lethal to win the ROH Pure Wrestling Championship in a fantastic match. All of a sudden, there were a bunch of dogs barking on the PA, followed up by the instrumental of Realest Killaz by 2Pac. The Rottweilers made their way out made their way out to a rousing ovation.
For weeks, Homicide was ranting about how ROH was entering HIS turf of New York City. His animosity with the promotion rang through for years, always feeling like he was getting "screwed" by management.
Also, Low Ki was lurking for revenge. Suspended at Final Battle 2004 for choking out and eliminating referee Sean Hanson from ROH, Ki wanted to make the entire roster of ROH miserable. In fact, the day before Manhattan Mayhem, during a morning show segment for WB11 Morning Show, the first ever ROH World Champion invaded and tried to get into a fight with Aries and company.
The Rottweilers were primed and ready to fight.
As Homicide and Low Ki surrounded Joe and Lethal outside the ring, Monsta Mack entered from behind and lariated Joe in the back of the head. Mack, Rocky Romero, Julius “the Devil’s Son in Law” Smokes, Ki, and Homicide entered the ring and the assault was on.
Low Ki then grabbed the microphone and admitted that he was the one who caved in the face of Lethal, prior to his ROH Pure Title match, at Trios Tournament 2005.
After abusing Joe some more and slapping Lethal hard in the face, The Rottweilers left them laying in the ring, with the fans chanting “NYC” loudly.
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Once Aries, the leader of Generation Next, successfully retained his ROH World Title in a classic against Shelley, Homicide and Low Ki entered the New Yorker Hotel again, looking for a fight. Aries, ever the gentleman, left the ring and kept the angry duo at bay. However, Joe and Lethal wanted revenge, running down the ring and beating both men down. Referee Mike Kehner, who was down at ringside, re-entered the squared circle and, at Lethal and Joe’s request, signaled for the bell.
An unsanctioned match between the Rottweilers and ROH Pure Champion Samoa Joe & Jay Lethal was underway.
This battle was a sprint. All four men brought their absolute best to the table. There was no table unturned. However, after nine minutes, the already tired Joe and Lethal were running on fumes. The Rottweilers, ever the opportunists, went for the kill.
After a Shotgun Dropkick to Joe, Low Ki went for the end and climbed to the top rope. Lethal followed him up and started slugging it out. Unknown to Jay, “the Notorious 187” was primed and ready. Ki punched Lethal off into the waiting arms of Homicide. One twist later, and the Cop Killa, better known to wrestling fans as a Vertebreaker, was initiated.
Low Ki, still on the top rope, set himself into position. And with the grace of an eagle, LEAPED high into the air.
Ki double stomped the back of Lethal, giving him full momentum as Homicide sat down violently and impacted his neck with the canvas.
Jay Lethal was the first recipient of the Double Stomp Cop Killa.
One insane ovation from the ROH fans and an obvious three-count later, the Rottweilers “defended” their turf and ended their night on top. A concerned Samoa Joe checked on his young protege as the cameras faded into a backstage vignette with Jimmy Rave.
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For months, ROH fans ranted about this maneuver on the ROH Message Board. On the initial ROH Welcome Video, released in 2005 for YouTube and ROHVideos.com, this move was highly featured.
I rewatched this DVD countless times, solely for that move. It really was, to me, the most athletic, dangerous, and vicious tag team finisher of all time. I remember always wondering if Jay Lethal legitimately was hurt from this move, but, in spite of being written off ROH stories for a month, the man continued his career and became the ROH legend we all know and love.
In truth, it’s the incredible talents of Homicide and Low Ki that made this work. Both men, established professionals and top-of-their-game talents for decades now, were innovative and creative enough to make this work. Almost twenty years later, I still think about this move. When it’s good, it’s good.
I only found two other times the Double Stomp Cop Killa was utilized in a wrestling ring on YouTube. One was on Chasyn Rance in 2007 in Florida, and the other was on poor Pinkie Sanchez in Beyond Wrestling at their Fete Finale event on December 27, 2015.
Good grief.
Some wrestling moves are meant to be saved for special occasions. On record, I am not sure if this has ever been attempted by anyone else. It shouldn’t. The Double Stomp Cop Killa will forever belong to the Rottweilers.
Low Ki and Homicide, two special athletes, have the Greatest Double Team Move Ever.
