Ladder War At ROH Final Battle 2012

On this day, December 16th, 2012, Kevin Steen and El Generico settled the score at Ring of Honor’s Ladder War. ROH Final Battle 2012 was the event, and the world-famous Hammerstein Ballroom was the venue.

Throughout the year prior, Steen and Generico feuded heatedly as their long-standing friendship came to an end. What followed was a bitter and heinous rivalry between the two.

As the two proceeded to battle one another in every match possible it would ultimately be this match that would culminate their feud. This match was the fourth Ladder War in Ring of Honor history at the time.

Ladder War At ROH Final Battle 2012

We begin with Generico already in the ring as awaits the arrival of his bitter rival Kevin Steen, the Ring of Honor World Champion at the time. Steen was sure to walk around the ladder as he approached the ring. Both champion and challenger stare each other down prior to the ring introductions.

This match was for Steen’s Ring of Honor World Championship. Violence, Brutality, and Destruction all best describe Kevin Steen as announcer Kevin Kelly shares how storied their history is with one another.

As soon as the bell sounds, both men exchange fists left and right. El Generico hits a Yakuza kick after a tilt-a-whirl DDT. He follows that up with a top suicida over the top rope on Steen to the floor. Fans are chanting ‘OLE’ something long tied to the loveable El Generico. El Generico brings the first ladder into the match and proceeds to use it on Steen.

El Generico’s match here comes after an eight-month hiatus. We are reminded that Generico’s hiatus comes on the heels of a brutal beating by Steen and an unexplained absence by the Generic luchador.

Steen slams El Generico through a propped-up ladder that was resting across the ring ropes. Kevin Steen then takes the mangled ladder and whips the head and body of Generico.

Steen then props the ladder across the head and face of El Generico and proceeds to hit a cannonball on him. The ladder is now split in half and whipped once again at the head and body of the beaten El Generico. Steen then exits the ring to bring not one but two ladders. Kevin signals that he is number #1 much to the dismay of fans in attendance.

He’s going end up more broken than the f***ing ladder – Kevin Steen

Much like a shark hunting for blood, Steen pursues Generico forcing him into the barricade at ringside. Kevin Steen gets into the face of a fan at ringside sporting an El Generico mask. That distraction gave El Generico what he needed to set up the ladder in the ring.

But that too, was a momentary distraction as Steen cuts off El Generico in the ring. He then whips him into the corner turnbuckle that has another propped-up ladder resting on it. Steen is slow and brooding at this time.

He then takes a ladder at ringside and hits the prone El Generico right in the head! El Generico staggers and falls out of the ring. Steen then proceeds to set up another ladder in the middle of the ring. However, El Generico stops him and the two continue to battle by the ladder.

El Generico catches Steen and hits an EXPLODA suplex on him onto a ladder in the corner. Steen then stops Generico from climbing the ladder. But Generico hits a DDT on Steen on a ladder laying on the mat.

As El Generico climbs the ladder, Steen finds it in him to push El Generico off the ladder and into the corner turnbuckle. The two once again exchange blows in the middle of the ring. Steen catches Generico and drops him on the mat. Once again, Steen climbs the ladder in hopes of getting the NEW Ring of Honor World Championship title.

However, El Generico attempts to stop him but Steen cuts him off and throws him out of the ring. Kevin follows him to the floor and once again whips him into the barricade.

Kevin Steen then lays a ladder between the barricade and the ring apron. He teases power bombing El Generico onto it but changes his mind and then tosses him into the barricade.

Once again, Steen walks around the ring in search of another weapon to use on El Generico. It is at this point where he takes out a table from under the ring and pursues El Generico who is resting on the ring apron.

Steen slams the table across the head of Generico. He then sets up the ladder on top of the ladder! Kevin Steen then attempts to powerbomb El Generico through the table and ladder but he is tossed over the top rope onto the ladder itself.

El Generico then appears to ask members of the ring crew for another massive ladder for him to use. It is so big and so heavy that it takes two members of the ring crew AND El Generico to slide it into the ring at Ladder War At ROH Final Battle 2012.

El Generico then sets up the ladder once again in the ring. But Kevin Steen attacks him from the top rope. Steen then throws El Generico to the floor through a table resting at ringside.

Now, Kevin begins his slow ascent to the top of the ladder while a prone El Generico is at ringside. Generico makes his way back on his feet and in the ring! He uses another ladder to take Steen off the larger ladder.

A third, much smaller ladder is used and placed between the other ladders. Steen then proceeds to powerbomb him through the prone ladder. But El Generico is relentless as he gets up and takes Kevin and hits a PACKAGE PILEDRIVER on Steen.

El Generico attempts to climb the ladder but is stopped by Steen. Kevin pushes El Generico off the smaller prone ladder onto his back in the ring.

A fourth ladder is then brought in and positioned between the two resting ladders. It is a remarkable setup reminiscent of a scaffold. Both men now proceed to batter one another while on the resting ladder.

Steen kicks him low and then proceeds to package piledriver El Generico ONTO A LADDER! The sheer brutality is reflective of Kevin Steen as he climbs up further to release the ROH World Title from atop of the ladder at Ladder War At ROH Final Battle 2012.

Winner: AND STILL Ring of Honor World Champion, Kevin Steen.

Kevin Steen walks out of Ladder War At ROH Final Battle 2012 still as the Ring of Honor World Champion.