McXal's Reviews

The rebranding of the 'Ringside Membership' scheme to 'Honor Club' included ROH's plan to stream events live and as they happen via the service (with a tiered system to include PPV). They did a soft launch test back at Honor Reigns Supreme 2018 and this is, I believe, the official first live-streamed Honor Club event (after Supercard, which probably counts as an iPPV anyway). They did spend some time promoting it on television and since this is actually the first post-Supercard Of Honor content that fans will see (Steel City Excellence 2018 the night before was a TV taping, with nothing set to air from that for a few weeks), this should feel more significant than your standard ROH live show. At the top of the card there is lots to look forward to; a Defy Or Deny main event featuring Dalton Castle, Beer City Bruiser, Punishment Martinez & Marty Scurll, a First Blood Match between Cody and Matt Taven and a huge rematch between Jay Lethal and Jon Gresham. Ian Riccaboni, BJ Whitmer and Caprice Coleman welcome us to Columbus, OH.

SIDENOTE - ROH had issues with their stream during the live broadcast and didn't broadcast the first match. At least they've fixed it for the DVD, unlike that glitch back at Global Wars 2017 Chicago...

Rhett and Little Willy have been watching on enviously as C2C have built momentum throughout 2018. Racking up wins and producing a star-making moment with their win over War Machine back in January they have now eclipsed The Dawgs. For all the loud-mouthed talk, The Dawgs will be keenly aware they need to beat LSG and Shaheem if they aren't to be left behind by them in the tag ranks.

The Dawgs try to jump their opponents but come up woefully short as C2C unleash a relentless opening salvo. Rhett stops him hitting Coast To Coast early and rockets LSG out of the ring with the big dropkick. Somersault plancha nailed and from the outside he upsets his own partner by firing up the crowd for a 'Little Willy' chant. The Dawgs isolate Ali for a minute or so, with Ferrara showing his worth by going unnoticed as he sneaks around the ring and taking out St. Giovanni with a tornado DDT off the apron. ROPE RUN SUPER SEX FACTOR gets 2 for Titus. Somehow Shaheem survives that and drops both opponent with a springboard blockbuster. Slingshot tumbling double lariat by LSG, who gets tight back up and hits the ROPE WALK PHOENIX SPLASH TO THE FLOOR! Flatliner/Complete Shot combo gets 2 before Ferrara breaks the pin. COAST TO COAST! LSG pins Titus to win at 08:13

Rating - ** - Fans who watched this show live and didn't see this one on the livestream missed nothing. It was completely adequate wrestling, but also thoroughly forgettable. There were a few exciting moments for the live crowd to latch onto in the opening match but not much substance outside of that at all.

The Dawgs' jealousy rears its head again after the bell as they jump C2C, giving Ali the All Seeing Eye ('that looks a little familiar' - Whitmer on commentary) and hitting the spike Rhett-ribution on LSG.

Burger apparently won this title shot by winning a multi-man contendership match in Nashville at the start of the year. It must have aired on YouTube pr something because it definitely wasn't on any of the episodes taped that night. Silas is actually one of my favourite opponents for Burger, because his grumpy demeanour contrasts so well with the diminutive perkiness of Burger himself.

Silas is so angry about Burger being his opponent he forgets to actually look at him...and is deservingly battered into the corner by the challenger. An early Shotei knocks Young over the top rope and Cheese knocks him down again with a pescado and apron double stomp soon after. Springboard knee misses, allowing Young to deck him with the springboard lariat. Caprice on commentary is absolutely brilliant by the way, calling Burger a 'mascot' who can't be taken seriously. Ian R trying to counter that by comparing him to a young Jushin Liger or Rey Mysterio is uncomfortably corporate and company Kool Aid for my taste. Silas uses his size and strength to bring the match to a methodical pace...and Cheese recognises that it is a pattern he needs to break. Suplex by the challenger, followed by a springboard somersault senton for 2. Shotei blocked with a knee strike...but Burger slides out of Misery as well. Plunge misses and Burger plants him with an inverted DDT. Shotei scores...for a close nearfall. Top rope Misery countered with a super Shotei then a springboard avalanche DDT for 2. He looks for one last Shotei but it's duked into the Killer Combo. No sold...Shotei again! Silas grabs an arm and crucifix pins him for a victory at 09:39

Rating - ** - To my personal taste I didn't really enjoy this one at all. Silas is one of my favourite wrestlers, and it felt devaluing his championship reign to give Cheeseburger such a prolonged and completely competitive match with him. However, the live crowd was REALLY into it, to the extent that I feel like it should have opened the show. The energy in the room was tangible as Burger kept fighting, refused to quit and had a couple of surprisingly hot nearfalls. Even if I didn't particularly enjoy it I can't write this off as a bad match because it wasn't.

Bully Ray comes out afterwards to gloat at Cheeseburger for losing his title match. He calls Cheese an 'ungrateful young boy' and promises to make him 'pay [his] dues'. Burger calls him an asshole and is obliterated with a chokeslam. Flip Gordon comes to the rescue and goes after Bubba's bad head with strikes. Double Shotei countered with clotheslines by Bully, who sarcastically poses with his WWE HOF ring before yelling at fans ECW-style (which he is still absolutely great at) and leaving. 

This was initially scheduled to be tag match pitting Tenille and Deonna against Madison and Mandy Leon, but Sumie winning the WOH Title and getting a full-time booking plus some injuries (presumably to Mandy Leon, who is on commentary) forced them to change the line-up. At the TV taping in Pittsburgh the night before Jenny Rose stepped up and asked to be Sumie's first challenger for the WOH Title; a match which will happen during the 2018 War Of The Worlds Tour. They are on opposite sides tonight as we see six women with lots of pride on the line. Tenille eliminated Brandi from the tournament so Mrs Nightmare may want some payback. Tenille and Deonna are looking to rebound after both failing to make the finals of the tournament, and Sakai has a target on her back for everyone since they all want a title shot. This could get chaotic. Burnard The Business Bear is at ringside supporting Brandi.

Jenny refuses to shake Sumie's hand before the bell. Tenille and Madison start, battling to a stalemate where each woman gets to show their years of experience. Dashwood starts tricking and tripping Rayne over...but loses her focus and is almost pinned by the focused Madison. It only ends when Rose tags her way in and calls out Sakai. He takes the champ down and pounds on her with mounted forearms with surprising ferocity. Purrazzo is too good for Rose and Rhodes, easily taking them both down with a diving double clothesline. Burnard The Bear trips her from the floor, allowing Brandi to take her down with a dropkick. A Sling Blade follows that for 2 before she vacates to the more experienced Rayne and Rose. The Virtuosa is in trouble as her opponents take turns on offence and all hit a big move or too. Rhodes takes a page out of Deonna's book by working the arm and trying to tap her out with a shortarm scissors. Sumie rescues Deonna with an unseen blind-tag...as Tenille BOOTS Burnard to the ground! Clothesline on the floor by Jenny! Purrazzo dives off the apron with a cannonball senton. Diving apron crossbody by Rayne! SUICIDE DIVE BY SAKAI! Right into Burnard's head! Brandi managed to stay out of the chaos and SPRINTS at Sumie to get a perilously close nearfall. Cross Rhodes blocked into Smash Mouth. Sakai pins Brandi to win at 08:34

Rating - ** - This was actually very decent. Of the three consecutive 2* matches that have started the show this one was my favourite. Certainly not perfect, and watching talents like Deonna and Tenille twiddle their fingers as Sumie Sakai and Jenny Rose have a mini-feud over the Women Of Honor Title is as baffling as it is frustrating...but nevertheless this was enjoyable. The build between Rose and Sakai was at least interesting. Jenny abandoning her smiley, respectful babyface persona and adopting a more heelish edge very much puts over the importance of the WOH Title. Purrazzo is REALLY good, so even though her only job here was to take a beating for her team, I thought she was extremely effective at that. Even Brandi had by far her best ROH match. 

Deonna gets on the mic to convey her disappointment at not winning the WOH Title Tournament, but takes solace in the fact that her rival Kelly Klein didn't either. She isn't done with Kelly and promises give her a broken arm. The Gatekeeper is here and comes onto the stage to accuse The Virtuosa of ducking her. Klein challenges her to a match in Florida...

Interestingly at the Steel City Excellence TV taping 24-hours earlier it was Taylor paid off by The Kingdom who was preventing SCU from stealing back the Six-Man Title belts. Tonight he joins SCU to fight common enemies in Bullet Club. Taylor himself will still be licking his wounds from Ultimate Mayhem in New York, or from failing to beat Flip Gordon to become #1 contender to the TV Title in Atlanta. We know the history between the Hung Bucks and SCU. Page and Kazarian share a passionate hatred for each other. The Addiction and the Bucks have a rivalry which spans multiple years and promotions. SCU beat the Hung Bucks in Vegas to win the Trios Titles, and retained against the Bucks and Flip in a crazy Ladder Match at Supercard. Bullet Club need wins over the champs if they want to force their way back into the Six-Man Title picture. Taylor is in his home state and gets a great ovation.

Page and Flip don't seem happy to be teaming up, meaning the Bucks have to keep the peace between them. Daniels starts with Gordon and gets frustrated as he repeatedly nips under his strike attempts. Hangman tags and immediately Frankie demands in to meet him. They fly out of the blocks battering the sh*t out of each other until they both collapse to the canvas. The Bucks come in next to unleash a volley of their signature double team moves. SCU are sent packing, meaning Taylor has to step into the fray. He literally THROWS Nick at Matt with a powerbomb to take them both out. Fallaway slam hurls Flip outside taking us down to Page and Shane. Hangman lures the big man into a double boot from the Bucks. Seven of the eight men all put themselves in a human centipede of grounded headscissors...so Page walks in and hauls them all over with a LION TAMER ON TAYLOR! Flip wants a tag but Page only tags him at the insistence of the Bucks. Taylor mows Gordon down on the apron with a savage guillotine leg drop. That huge blow allows SCU to capture Flip in the ring and work over his neck and back; with Scorpio particularly aggressive given his history with Gordon. Flip apparently came into this struggling with a neck issue after the Ladder Match in New Orleans and his opponents are relentless in their attempts to exploit it. Even when Gordon escapes to the apron Kazarian has the presence of mind to Jerry Lynn him in the middle rope. Eventually Flip escapes over the guardrail and into the crowd. SPRINGBOARD LARIAT FROM THE GUARDRAIL TO THE RING! SPRINGBOARD MOONSAULT BACK TO THE FLOOR! He tries one last springboard towards his corner...but Kaz plucks him out of the air and grinds onto the back with a single leg crab. Finally Gordon escapes and tags Hangman in. Tope suicida into the railings! Drop-sault on The Addiction! SHOOTING STAR OFF THE APRON! Buckshot Lariat COUNTERED with Kaz's slingshot cutter. Double stomp/inverted DDT/lungblower sequence from the Bucks to Daniels and Sky...and once again we are back to Shane Taylor staring down both Jacksons with a look of absolute disgust. A dropkick flurry knocks Taylor out of the ring...so they can clatter him with stereo Superkicks from the apron. Stereo Sharpshooters on Daniels and Sky...broken by Kazarian. SPRINGBOARD codebreaker from Kaz to Flip, right before he walks into Hangman's Buckshot Lariat. Worst Case Scenario from Matt to Scorpio! DOUBLE SUPERKICK ON TAYLOR! ANGEL'S WINGS ON NICK! SUPERKICK ON DANIELS! There are bodies scattered all over ringside. Page MISSES the moonsault! Flip misses a moonsault! Flying leg drop missed by Kazarian! DOUBLE SWANTON BOMBS MISSED by the Bucks! Taylor is climbing the ropes...into the Kinder Surprise. RUNNING POWERBOMB from Hangman to Taylor! DOUBLE SUPERKICK FLURRY! QUADRUPLE SUPERKICK ON SHANE! Star Spangled Stunner! RITE OF PASSAGE SUPER INDYTAKER! Daniels is destroyed; the Bucks, Page and Flip take the win at 19:52

Rating - **** - It didn't overly surprise me that this wound up being a terrific match. But what did surprise me was that they found a way to work yet more layers of storyline into the spot-heavy insanity as well. The tense dynamic between Hangman and Flip, thanks to Page being loyal to Cody (who dislikes Flip) but the Bucks now being friends with Gordon, was a brilliant, subtle extra nuance to the action here. SCU and Taylor going after Flip's neck because he was banged up from the Ladder Match made for a great heat segment. Every single Taylor vs Bucks exchange was absolutely fantastic. The fact that, after this all this time, there were still multiple times in this match that I found myself legitimately surprised by what I'd seen was incredibly pleasing. 

The Bucks and Flip hug after the match whilst Hangman is noticeably stand-offish...but then he too gives Flip a big hug and raises his hand! 

BITW are Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett, popular talents on the independent scene who won a dark match in order to earn this title shot. The Briscoes are as violent and aggressive as ever, and this show takes place 24-hours after the Pittsburgh TV taping which saw them massacre all of Bullet Club single-handedly with steel chairs. 

The Briscoes mob the challengers before the bell, violently dismissing them from the ring. Fitchett is trapped in the ring and brutalised for a couple of minutes until, entirely out nowhere, he floors Mark with a knee strike and makes the tag to Vega. Davey's momentum goes absolutely nowhere before Jay DESTROYS him with a mafia kick. Double facewash for him from the champs, followed by the Splash Mountain Neckbreaker for 2. Mat lands a few strikes on Jay...who totally no-sells all of them and lariats him to f*ck. Choke by Mark, rendering Vega unconscious and winning the match at 04:46

Rating - N/A - As a sub-five minute squash massacre it was pretty fun. The Briscoes looked utterly dominant and it was cool watching them tear through opponents. It did feel like a cruel, unnecessary and disrespectful waste of Fitchett and Vega though. By this point in 2018 they had already started making a reputation and buzz around their brand, to the extent that I'm amazed they would jeopardise that by agreeing to work this complete, resounding and humiliating destruction in all honesty. They are both extremely capable guys and could have had a strong match with the Briscoes under different circumstances. I don't know that ROH is big-time enough to obliterate talents of this level in squash matches quite yet. This is what the Dojo graduates are for.

Jay Lethal calls himself a master of his craft and reminds Gresham that last time they wrestled he inflicted an injury that caused The Octopus to miss a couple of months of action. 

The first time these two did battle, at Honor Reigns Supreme, they produced one of the best matches of 2018 thus far. A technical clinic, they tore into each other with ferocity, each inflicted significant injuries on the other...and at the end of the night it was Lethal who defied an injured arm to force a submission victory with the Figure 4. Jon Gresham's knee injury sustained that night was such that he missed several weeks of competition in the aftermath. But he's back now and wants another opportunity to make his name by beating Ring Of Honor's 'franchise' player.

Gresham turns his back and refuses to look at Lethal during his entrance such is his laser-focus on victory tonight. The result of the first match is that both men are clearly more guarded and calculating this time. They circle each other tensely, not wanting to make the first error. Lethal tries to use his size to control Gresh with headlocks - causing the Octopus to expend plenty of energy trying to find an escape route. He does so with a pinning cradle and comes desperately close to an early upset win! Jay is so startled by it that he bails to the floor to gather himself. He returns and starts grabbing for Gresham's bad leg...except that his opponent keeps easily countering him! Bridging chickenwing by Jon as he starts targeting Lethal's bandaged arm for the first time. Jay hits the cartwheel dropkick to get him away - but comes up selling the arm already. European uppercut TO THE ARM! Wristlock applied even as the Franchise peppers him with stiff shots. Dropkick to the knee by Lethal - finally managing to land a shot on Gresham's injury. He sense the opportunity and chases the Octopus outside for a shinbreaker on the floor. Both legs are rammed into the side of the ring next; Gresham's recovery now getting a real examination. Repeated kicks to the leg by Lethal...so Gresh grabs an arm and snaps it hard! Running punt to the arm - right into an armdrag as Jay rears his arm back in discomfort. What an awesome sequence, but Gresham is slow to capitalise because his leg is really bothering him. Octopus Stretch blocked, and he doesn't have enough strength in his legs to deliver a vertical suplex. Lethal counters...AND THEY BOTH CRASH OVER THE TOP ROPE! They lie fallen on the floor alongside each other, both nursing their respective injuries - then wearily roll back into the ring and start laying into each other again. They trade shots to the injured arm or leg. LEG-SELLING BRIDGING GERMAN by Gresham gets 2! Figure 4 Leglock countered to a small package for 2. LETHAL COMBINATION gets 2. Jay nurses his arm and launches into a Lethal Injection attempt - which Gresham counters by back sliding him into a knee drop to the arm. OCTOPUS STRETCH! ELBOWS TO THE LEG TO BREAK IT! FIGURE 4 LEGLOCK! GRESHAM PUTS HIM IN ARMBAR AT THE SAME TIME! Both men fall into the ropes in extreme pain. Still they throw strikes at the injured body parts...until it breaks down and they just start smashing each other in the face! Lethal is the bigger striker so gets the best of that. SNAP GERMAN BY GRESH! NO SOLD! Lethal Injection...BUT JAY'S ARM GIVES OUT! LA MAGISTRAL...LETHAL COUNTERS TO A FLASH PIN! LETHAL WINS! He beat Gresh at his own game, in a time of 18:27

Rating - ****1/2 - A second classic of 2018 between these two men. The level of detail here was peerless, building on the foundations of the Honor Reigns Supreme bout and taking it to the next level. The selling of the respective injuries was superb. The way they acted out the wear and tear this gruelling bout was inflicting on their bodies was riveting. There wasn't a single dead spot or wasted movement. Everything had a purpose, played off their last match or built into the finish. The ending itself was wonderful too; Lethal being so injured that he couldn't hit his own finishing move...so instead falling back on the kind of intricate pinning combination which would typically be Gresham's domain. The Octopus leaves having got desperately close to victory...before being out-smarted by a piece of wrestling genius from the Franchise. It feels like they have another, even better, match in them

Jay Lethal is pumped and yells into the microphone that this wasn't about 'angles' or 'storylines' and puts Gresh over as 'one of the best'. The Octopus follows him and tells Lethal that they 'aren't finished, not by a long shot'. Jay agrees to a rematch and leaves...

There has been heat between these two all year, ever since Taven got into Cody's face in Philadelphia then kicked him in the balls. Matt is still looking for a definitive win over the former World Champion though, and needs to rebound from his high profile defeat to the American Nightmare at the 16th Anniversary (which saw Cody get back the 'Ring' of Honor). First Blood rules in effect here, so the first man to bleed loses. Only TK O'Ryan is at ringside, so presumably Vinny Marseglia will be popping up from under the ring later. 

Cody orders Brandi back to the locker room, whilst TK puts vaseline on Taven's forehead, eyebrows and nose to make it less likely that he'll bleed (which the ref promptly wipes off). O'Ryan tries to jump Cody from behind...so the Nightmare punches him between the eyes with the 'Ring' of Honor. Disaster Kick knocks Taven out of the ring. TK is bleeding so he is sent to the locker rooms, creating a distraction which sees Matt hit the Kick Of The King and steal back the Ring. Cody ducks a Ring-punch and bashes his face into the guardrails trying to split The Kingdom's leader open. Disaster Kick COUNTERED WITH A RING PUNCH! Cody isn't cut open after that so Taven grounds him with a rolling neckbreaker...into Just The Tip. That hit so hard that Cody actually hides in the ring apron to check his head for blood. Channelling Cody's hated old foe Steve Corino, Taven whacks him in the head with a roll of quarters! Rhodes survives that and tosses a chair into Matt's face. ROPE RUN SPRINGBOARD DIVE...INTO A TAVEN CHAIR SHOT! Taven is in disbelief that Cody isn't bleeding after that. He brings a table into the ring, looking for a superplex through it. Blocked by Cody. DIVING LEG DROP THROUGH THE TABLE...MISSES! Rhodes drops ass-first through the table, and Matt rips off a shard of broken wood from the table to try and cut him open. Vinny Marseglia slides out from under the ring and slides his axe to Taven. Brandi runs out to even the score - hitting Taven in the balls before he can use it! Brandi grabs the axe and chases Marseglia to the locker rooms! Meanwhile Taven has grabbed his CMLL Middleweight Title belt. Cody ducks...CROSS RHODES ON THE BELT! He pulls his wrist tape aside and swings a bare-knuckle punch at Taven...who blocks it by ramming the CMLL belt into the fist. Cody jumps on top of Taven swinging punches - but Paul Turner stops the match because he spots that the belt has cut Cody's exposed knuckles open. Taven wins, albeit in a far from convincing manner, at 13:43

Rating - *** - Comfortably the best match of their feud. It had lots of outside help and shenanigans, but this was - like their match in Vegas - an old-fashioned, sports-entertainment styled grudge match. It was a real contrast to the Lethal/Gresham technical masterpiece that came before it, but for the style they were working this was good. Taven was in top form as the slimy, cowardly jerk trying to avoid getting his comeuppance for all his dastardly deeds; Cody was an outright fiery babyface - it all just 'clicked'. The finish was somewhat anticlimactic, but in the 2018 pro-wrestling landscape a First Blood Match did feel a little out-dated anyway. I don't think anyone wanted either guy to be gushing blood all over the building and the smart finish finally gives Taven a clear win over Cody (whilst protecting Cody at the same time). This will do nothing to dispel the belief that both of these men are acts who need superior workers to break their matches out of the 'good but not great' category - but on what is effectively a pimped up house show I found this immensely entertaining.

Here we see Dalton stepping into the ring with three men he has already beaten in defence of his World Championship; Martinez in Nashville (ROH on SBG Episode 334), Bruiser in Tokyo, Japan (Honor Rising 2018 Night 2, in a triple threat also including Trent Beretta) and Scurll most recently (last week at Supercard Of Honor). Incidentally The Villain also holds victories over all three opponents in the match as well. If Dalton wins, the last man he pins is barred from any future ROH Title shots whilst Castle is champion. If any of the others win, they earn a shot at Dalton's championship. Castle is competing with a broken hand and broken fingers sustained in his battle with Marty in New Orleans.

All three opponents chase Castle into the corner trying to punch him in the head...then turn on each other as Punisher is driven to the floor so Marty/Bruiser can hit a Superkick/cannonball combo. Castle and Scurll try to pick up where they left off in New Orleans last week, but Beer City clobbers them both to the mat. Bruiser and Martinez exchange displays of power and big-man athleticism. Marty and Dalton form a strange alliance to beat up the big men. Just Kidding/sliding lariat combo on Bruiser...then The Villain turns on Castle and almost pins him with a small package. Ghostbuster blocked by Punisher, into a falcon arrow. Dalton knees Martinez in the head, but is caught in the corner by Bruiser who smashes his broken hand against the turnbuckles. Scurll unloads a succession of lariats on BCB - then gets bored when he won't go down so rakes him in the eyes and gives him a tornado DDT instead. Martinez hauls him outside before he can apply the Chickenwing though. EVEREST GERMAN from Castle to Bruiser, only for him to walk into the super spinning heel kick by Punisher. KEG SPLASH on Castle gets 2! Beer City forces the champ up the ropes looking for an avalanche fallaway slam...but as he does so Punishment POWERBOMBS Bruiser! Brainbuster from Scurll to Punisher. Marty wants to use his umbrella as a weapon...but is stopped by Brian Milonas! Scurll bails and feeds The Boys to the Kingpin instead! 'Hey motherf*cker - those are MY BOYS' - Castle. UMBRELLA SHOT TO MILONAS! Marty then tosses the umbrella to one of the Boys and leaves! Dalton starts throwing Boys at Milonas, taking his eye of BCB who is waiting to dump him into the rails. STEP-UP SOMERSAULT PLANCHA from Martinez to Milonas and The Boys! SUICIDE DIVE BY BRUISER! He and Martinez come up still clobbering each other. SOUTH OF HEAVEN! Punisher eliminates Bruiser at 13:00. Curb Stomp on Scurll! Psycho Driver countered to a flash pin by Castle - just like in Nashville - for 2 this time. PSYCHO DRIVER gets 2. BANG-A-RANG on Martinez! Castle pins him again, eliminating the Punisher at 15:07. Just like last week, we are down to Castle vs Scurll. Everest German blocked with a FINGER SNAP ON THE BROKEN HAND! Black Superkick flurry! Bang-A-Rang COUNTERED to a roll-up. SCURLL WINS! He is, once again, the #1 contender for the World Title at 16:04

Rating - *** - Like Cody/Taven before it, whilst this wasn't a perfect match it really was outright fun from start to finish. Marty was entertaining as he bounced off the charismatic champion and the two giants with some inventive skits and spots. Castle took some big bumps on his ailing back - and also got a definitive victory over Martinez (which he didn't get on TV earlier in the year). Bruiser, although the least-utilised talent in the match, got to show glimpses of why his performances on the NJPW Honor Rising 2018 shows were so endearing as well. It was rushed, a little overbooked and lacking in any substantive plot but few would deny it pretty entertaining.

Dalton collapses into the corner and watches as Marty celebrates. The champ knows he has another date with The Villain to start preparing for...

Tape Rating - ** - This felt eerily similar to Honor Reigns Supreme in truth. It was a solid house show, highlighted by an awesome Young Bucks match and a Lethal/Gresham MOTYC. But, like Honor Reigns Supreme, the first hour was a real chore to sit through. ROH has such a stacked roster that it isn't acceptable to allow the first hour of a live event to feel as irrelevant, inconsequential and skippable as we saw here. The second half of the card was a big improvement, the matches that look good on paper deliver in the ring. If for nothing else, you need to check out Lethal/Gresham II from this show. 

3) Matt Taven vs Cody (***)

2) Young Bucks/Adam Page/Flip Gordon vs Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian/Scorpio Sky/Shane Taylor (****)

1) Jay Lethal vs Jonathan Gresham (****1/2)