McXal's Reviews

I don't think you could quite call the 2019 Honor United Tour a disaster on the scale of G1 Supercard, but it is hard to find a metric by which you could quantify it as a success. Ticket sales were diabolical, crowds were silent, Bandido was injured so couldn't appear, Brody King and Kelly Klein have picked up injuries that have ended their years (the latter of which would also cause another major PR disaster for ROH management to navigate) and the actual wrestling has been pretty average as well. Can they at least sign off with a rousing final night of the tour, even if they'll be working in front of another painfully small crowd. The headline bout for the night (and the entire weekend) is Rush defending the World Title against Jeff Cobb, but this show also has Lethal vs PCO, Villain Enterprises (Flip & Marty) vs Schadenfreude, plus the debut of 'Speedball' Mike Bailey. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana - who isn't wrestling so might actually stay at the announce desk for the entire show - are at ringside for commentary in Bolton, England.

It isn't a stretch to assume that Hendry isn't necessarily Silas' favourite wrestler. I imagine comedy entrances, catchy self-penned entrance themes and a habitual need to hand out autographs (such are Hendry's traits) are not things that the Last Real Man can empathise with. They were on the same team in the 'Vegas Wildcard' match at DBD Fallout...which they lost, with Silas particularly frustrated back in the locker rooms when Hendry was still handing out autographs rather than remotely interested in the match. Hendry failed to win the TV Title in London, but does come into this on the back of a major victory over Matt Taven in Newport the previous evening. Rampage Brown comes to the ring with Silas, then joins commentary too...

Rampage doesn't even know who Josh Woods is, which makes for some amusing commentary. Inside the ring Joe frustrates Silas with his technical skill...but gets distracted getting the fans to chant for him, allowing Young to clobber him across the back of the head. He knocks Hendry to the floor with a springboard clothesline, but on the outside Hendry manages to boot Silas in the face WHILST signing an autograph...which he presents to Rampage at the announce desk. Brown throws his headset down and attacks Joe, causing an obvious disqualification at 03:12

Rating - N/A - There's no real match to rate here, it is essentially an angle to get to the next match. Early days, but it feels like this crowd may at least be more lively and vocal than the London & Newport audiences...

Young and Rampage try to beat Hendry down, until Dalton Castle runs out to make the save. He implies that he's starting to take a liking to Hendry, particularly after he helped him out against Hikuleo last night. He proposes a tag match...

Castle and Hendry haven't always gotten along yet still have demonstrated an odd chemistry and synergy when they work together. That came to the fore last night in Wales when they each helped each other win singles matches (versus Hikuleo and Matt Taven respectively). They may still not agree on which of them is the most entertaining man in ROH, but they do now appear to agree that together they are the most entertaining tag team. Silas is on a hot streak in tag team wrestling, albeit largely thanks to Josh Woods (who isn't on this tour). Can he find the same success with Rampage?

Dalton and Joe hug before the bell and has to dig deep into his skill as a grappler and an entertainer to stay on an even playing field with the imposing Rampage Brown. He and Joe take turns suplexing the Englishman, but Brown hauls Hendry to his corner and enlists the assistance of Silas to pummel him to the mat. Dalton actually sprints across the ring to help his partner - then takes the hit for Hendry when Brown shunts him off the ropes into the guardrails. Silas notices that and uses it to his advantage; goading Dalton into the ring to distract the ref so he and Brown can double-team Hendry some more. Finally Joe nails Young with a DDT and gets the hot tag to Castle who boots Brown on the floor then hits a Heat Seeking Missile on Silas. The Last Real Man recovers to hit a Killer Combo/spinebuster combo with Rampage! But Brown then accidentally takes out Young with a clothesline. Hendry and Dalton hit a Codebreaker/spinning bulldog combo on Rampage to win at 08:15

Rating - ** - The purpose of this was simple and easy to understand; Castle and Hendry are finding a way to channel their obvious chemistry as a duo into forming a successful tag team. Whether that will continue beyond this tour or not remains to be seem - but here the match was completely about them showing that unity as a duo, even when tested by burly, brawling gentlemen like Rampage and Silas. Beyond that it was fairly generic, but at barely eight minutes it doesn't out-stay its welcome. The idea of the two odd-couple teams (Castle/Hendry vs Silas/Josh) is an interesting one...

Silas and Rampage are so pissed off at the loss and start brawling between themselves. Security eventually has to separate them.

This is an ROH debut for Spartan, who is Scottish and predominantly works for ICW plus other Scottish/northern UK indies. She meets Mandy Leon of The Allure, who is still pissed off at her WOH Title win in London being overturned...

Mandy tries to cheap-shot Spartan...but the Scottish competitor easily dumps her on her ass. Instead Mandy tries kicking her from the apron, only for Molly to POWERBOMB her into the side of the ring! Not content with that she also drills Leon with a suplex onto the carpet floor. Mandy is in trouble, but fights back by tripping the on-rushing Spartan into the ringpost. She ups the stakes by diving back into the ring with a missile dropkick - then drills Molly with the Panic Attack too. Stranglehold Edge-O-Matic allows Spartan back in...and she violently follows that with a spear for 2. Leon actually shows her toughness by surviving that and getting straight back into the fight with a flipping necksnap then an Angelina Love-esque Thesz Press. Spartan eats ringpost going for another spear, allowing Mandy to roll her up for a three-count at 05:06

Rating - ** - By far the best Women Of Honor match of the weekend. Obviously that doesn't say a huge amount but this - a clean, competitive, physical five-minute sprint - was considerably better than the overbooked mess of Klein/Leon in London and the farcically bad Klein/Austin in Newport. It helps that Molly Spartan is much better than either of ROH's two contracted workers - which makes my point that if ROH were serious about their women's division they'd hire a few veterans/superior wrestlers to elevate some of their existing talent (like Mandy) to improved matches. How much better did Mandy look tonight because she was in there with a believable tough girl who could deliver her moveset competently and legitimately looked like she was trying to beat Leon up? Mandy's resulting victory makes her look tougher and smarter too...

Schadenfreude have enjoyed a decent weekend in Ring Of Honor. They are winless, but have gone toe-to-toe with ROH staples like the Briscoes and Jay Lethal...and in London put up a real fight against Brody King and PCO of Villain Enterprises. They are back in the ring with Villains tonight; Marty and Flip compete their tag team UK tour currently sitting at 1-1 - losing to Rush and Jeff Cobb in London, but beating Tracy Williams and Flamita in Newport.

Flip and Kid start, keeping the pace fast and throwing repeated strikes at each other. With them unable to be separated their partners make an entrance; Scurll needing his experience and mat skill to counteract the height and long limbs of Fletcher. Schadenfreude team up on The Villain, giving him an Ushigoroshi/PK combo for 2. Kyle starts using Lucky as a weapon; repeatedly tossing him into sentons on Marty even though Kid is visibly getting injured. Marty retaliates by grabbing one of Fletcher's long legs for a dragon screw and making a much-needed tag to Gordon. Springboard Sling Blade wipes out Lucky - followed by a slingshot hanging blockbuster to Kyle. Flip-5 blocked, so Gordon goes for Fletcher's legs again - dragging him outside for the Scurll Superkick from the apron. The Villains isolate Fletcher and look to bully him out of the match. It is a genuinely impressive heat segment simply because they are such dicks to him - largely within the rules but at times outright cruel in their treatment of him. Scurll grows distracted taunting Lucky Kid...and Kyle POWERS him into a stalling suplex. Kid gets the big tag and takes the fight to the Villains with more of his fast, illusive and unorthodox attacks. Dragon suplex on Scurll, then the ROPE RUN LUCHA ACE CRUSHER on Flip for 2! Fletcher is back to hoist Kid into the electric chair Codebreaker combo. Tornado DDT/Superkick combo by Villain Enterprises in response...into a SUPERKICK FLURRY to further obliterate Fletcher. Rebound Shiranui by Lucky, followed by a SOMERSAULT PLANCHA! In the ring Kyle gets 2 with a Ligerbomb on Marty. DESTROYER from Flip to Fletcher! The Villains toss Kid out to concentrate again on beating the sh*t out of Fletcher...but he rallies and smears Scurll into the ground with a pescado. Kinder Surprise by Flip! Cheeky Nando's by Scurll! POWERBOMB/SHIRANUI gets 2! Elbow suicida from Gordon to Flip...whilst inside the ring Lucky almost wins with a small package. PACKAGE PILEDRIVER GETS 2! FLIP-5! Gordon wins at 17:04

Rating - **** - Clearly Honor United 2019 hasn't been Ring Of Honor's finest weekend, but all three Marty/Flip tags have been decent. This was the best of the lot as they looked far more comfortable in a defined roll as antagonistic 'established' stars trying to bully and intimidate their outsider opponents (particularly Kyle Fletcher). It was great watching them rough the young Australian up, and paid off with some terrific moments of courage and fighting spirit from Fletcher in the second half of the match. 

At first I thought the team of King and Hiku was totally random and thrown together but credit to Riccaboni - he explains that they are teaming because they both hate the Briscoes. King has history going back years with Jay and Mark, whilst Hikuleo's brothers the Guerrillas Of Destiny spent the first eight months of 2019 feuding with them too. The pressure is on the Briscoes here as they have nothing to gain. Against a new team to ROH like The Brat Pack (Mitch Waterman & Nick Bury), or a totally new duo like King/Hiku, they will be hot favourites to win. But three-way rules don't necessarily favour them and they'll be competing with two teams who would obviously love to win and cement a claim for a Tag Title shot.

King starts with Waterman, but things pick up when Bury gets in with Hikuleo and tries to intimidate the big Tongan! He cheap-shots the big man as well, prompting Hiku to almost take his head off with a big boot. The Briscoes take over with some double-teams on Nick, and do the same to Mitch when he tries to assist his partner. To their immense credit The Brat Pack survive that and actually bust out some nefarious tag team trickery of their own to get some offence in on Mark. King gets the tag but he too founds himself trapped in the Brat Pack corner. Spinebuster/neckbreaker combo by the Aussies gets them a significant two-count on the former TV Champion. They try to take out the legs of Hikuleo as well...but he is too big and simply piles straight through them. Still The Brat Pack try to take the fight to all four of their opponents but are eventually outgunned by the Briscoes. Mark hits the Iconoclasm on Bury, then dives out of the way as Jay and Kenny tee off on each other. Hikuleo clears the ring - hiptossing Waterman over the top rope into a cannonball to the floor. Kenny hits a STEP-UP CORKSCREW PESCADO off Hikuleo's back to follow! Brat Pack f*ck up their Doomsday Blockbuster finish (Brat Attack) on King...and get steamrolled by the Briscoes. Redneck Boogie drops Mitch, then the Jay Driller/Froggy Bow combo polishes Bury off at 12:36

Rating - ** - The highlight of this was The Brat Pack (even with their screw-up at the end). Their big attitudes, comical facial expressions and feisty attempts to beat up all four of their opponents really did entertain me. Outside of that this was all a bit generic. King and Hikuleo looked like what they were; a thrown together tag team because we have too many wrestlers booked for the weekend (seriously, why was Hikuleo booked for these shows? He has contributed nothing)...and the Briscoes were operating at several gears below their best.

This has been added to the card as a 'marquee' attraction match to make up to fans for all the injuries that have blighted the tour (Brody King is specifically mentioned but you could also include Kelly Klein and Bandido in there too). PCO is #1 contender for the World Title, so there can be few better tune-up matches for him than one of the most tenured World Champions in ROH history. And for Lethal, who is currently gunning for the Tag Titles, a victory over former Tag Champion PCO will certainly be of interest too.

Lethal refuses to shake hands and complains that PCO has got to do whatever he wants as a 'Villain' all year. He then refuses to wrestle PCO as well, pissing off the Monster so much that he turns his back on Jay and lets him take the first shot. Lethal actually knocks him out of the ring with a missile dropkick, but since PCO gets up he rams him into the guardrails with a tope suicida. He tries it again and PCO drops him sternum first over the guardrails...before giving him a chokeslam into the apron. Vader Bomb gets 2, as Jonathan Gresham comes to the ring and throws a chair in. It's a trick - and when Todd throws it out Gresh slots another in for Lethal to DDT PCO into. Except he can barely move his arm. Somewhere in the previous two minutes (maybe the guardrail spot, maybe PCO landing right on his arm on that Vader Bomb) Lethal suffered a legitimate broken arm and can very obviously not move it as he tries to beat on PCO. They battle over a suplex, presumably for him to try to communicate with PCO on how to manage the match when he can't move his arm...and that ends with PCO hitting one of the worst-looking Russian legsweeps you'll ever see. Jay is in obvious pain - and seconds later the match ends via DQ as Jon Gresham crotches PCO on the top rope as he looks for a PCO-Sault. It's all over at 06:10 with PCO gaining a tainted victory.

Rating - N/A - This tour continues to throw up unfortunate circumstances for Ring Of Honor. First Bandido, then Brody King, then Kelly Klein...now Jay Lethal is struck with an injury as well. Given his status as one of ROH's most prominent main event talents and not to mention his pivotal role in one of the few genuine storylines going into Final Battle, it is a major concern. The match was a non-event which had barely gotten started before Lethal sustained his injury. I do question why the f*ck Gresham was booked for this show and doesn't have a match though...

Gresham starts hammering PCO with a chair then gets on the microphone to demand a Tag Title shot, promising to keep wrecking shows until they get what they want. The Briscoes run in for another brawl, which Lethal and Gresh duly run away from. Jay Briscoe accepts their challenge and sets the date as Final Battle. (But will Lethal be healthy enough to compete?)

'Speedball' was set to take the US independents by storm and was already regularly tearing it up in promotions like PWG...until in 2016 he encountered immigration difficulties and wound up on the receiving end of a banning order from the United States. It was a devastating blow at a time when he was genuinely poised to really blow up. To his credit, he got his head down and went to work - splitting his time between Japan and the UK/Europe (and, of course still wrestling in Canada). If he couldn't perform in the US, he found work everywhere else that he could; honing his craft and becoming a better performer. Still under that US banning order, he makes a much-anticipated, long-awaited ROH debut in the UK. And it's against another man who has finally arrived in an ROH ring after years of calls for fans - Flamita. This is the definition of what ROH used to be about: the best independent talent from around the world coming to this promotion to put on the best possible matches. Flamita is winless in his ROH debut weekend thus far so will be desperate not to lose for a third straight match.

Within seconds it is clear how evenly matched these two as they frantically jostle for position on the canvas. Before long the strikes start to fly, as do the flips - with Flamita winning out there and delivering a handspring enzi then a tope suicida with such force he almost flies into the guardrails. He tries to negate Bailey's kicks by working the legs - including hitting a standing moonsault specifically aimed at the knee! Speedball tries to retaliate, but without a solid vertical base Flamita is able to box him around the ears and bring him to his knees. Red Star Press gets 2. SPRINGBOARD INSIDE-OUT MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR by Bailey! He limps away from that, but back in the ring hits a standing corkscrew shooting star press without much issue. Flamita strikes at the leg again then runs him into the Retador for 2. And with Mike still trying to get up from that Flam levels him again with a slingshot DDT. Kick flurry by Speedball...but Flamita repeatedly ducks the Buzzsaw kick and punches him in the face. Flamita looks to dropkick Bailey through the ropes...which Mike dodges with a TOP ROPE SPRINGBOARD MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR! MOONSAULT DOUBLE KNEE DROP ON THE APRON MISSES! FLAMITA GIVES HIM A SLINGSHOT DDT TO THE FLOOR! Huge frog splash by Flam gets 2. He can't deliver a Tiger Driver though, as Bailey kicks him away and hits the STANDING MOONSAULT KNEE DROP! ULTIMA WEAPON! Flamita kicks out! FLAM FLY! NO SOLD! HEAD KICKS by Bailey...no sold into a Superkick by Flamita! Tiger Driver scores 2 for the luchador. 450 SPLASH! Flamita gets his first ROH victory at 13:19

Rating - **** - One of the most memorable matches of the weekend, almost entirely because its one of the few times it has felt like the wrestlers are competing with the handbrake off and are allowed to just have some fun. And fun is the optimal word for this. It wasn't psychologically deep, it wasn't particularly clever - it was just two dudes with contrasting backgrounds and training throwing fast-past junior heavyweight spots around. Clearly the leg work was largely pointless, but I can live with a little no-selling if it meant we got these guys going full throttle for the majority of the match. I'd love to see both back, although legal issues make Bailey's return a lot less likely in the immediate future...

Shane Taylor comes to the ring and demands a microphone. He calls himself 'undoubtedly' the star of the tour for beating two British heroes over the last two nights - and makes an open challenge for our third Honor United 2019 show. Tracy Williams comes out and says he wants a title shot, but before Taylor can answer Matt Taven arrives too, saying he wants the TV Title back so he can become a double champion (when he gets the World Title back too). Mark Haskins is the next to interrupt, and is pissed off that Taven wants to ditch their scheduled match in favour of a title shot. He wants in on a TV Title Match as well - and proposes a four-way for the belt. Taylor accepts so he can 'knock all you bitches out'.

Given that Taven and Haskins are in and around the World Championship picture this feels like a step down, although I really did appreciate them trying to give Taven the kayfabe motivation of wanting to hold both the World and TV Titles simultaneously. Williams and Taylor fought at Summer Supercard in a match tainted by the actions of Villain Enterprises. Both Haskins and Tracy were screwed out of the World Title in matches versus Taven earlier in the year too. 

Lifeblood are partners of course, so they quickly partner up looking to take the fight to Taylor and Taven. Before long Matt turns on Shane and joins up with Williams and Haskins to start teeing off on the defiant defending champion. Lifeblood send Taven packing as well, but then waste no time in locking up and starting to grapple each other. It's all Lifeblood right now; hitting tandem dives to the floor then stereo mafia kicks against the guardrails. Going to the floor proves to be a mistake though, as Shane actually BREAKS the guardrails with Haskins' body. He returns to the ring but right into Kick Of The King from Taven. Implant turnbuckle DDT from Tracy to Taven, busting his mouth open in the process. Crossface on Taven...broken with a DOUBLE STOMP by Haskins. DOUBLE STAR ARMBAR on Taylor and Taven - only for Williams to deliver a frog splash to break it up. Soldier Roll on Hot Sauce! Just The Tip on Haskins & Taylor! ANKLELOCK/STAR ARMBAR COMBO by Lifeblood! Taylor KO's Tracy to break it...then knocks Haskins out with a headbutt. All four men collapse to the ground. AIR TAVEN on Shane! Tope suicida by Haskins, right in front of his delighted wife. Tracy accidentally takes Mark out with a flying knee strike and with everyone else on the outside Shane T decices it's time for a cannonball senton. Second rope splash misses - but Shane hits a low blow on Williams then delivers Greetings From 216 to win at 09:42

Rating - ** - A short and pretty pointless match with the sole intention being to squeeze as many names onto the card as possible. Some of the action was lively, particularly when Taylor or Taven were doing something high impact to counteract the constant teamwork from Lifeblood...but nothing felt substantial, or like you'd need to remember it. And that all came before a pretty lame finish. Considering the names involved this was a pretty sizeable disappointment.

Despite his bloody mouth, Taven seems to want to hit on Vicky Haskins and doesn't seem too cut up about the loss. Taylor, meanwhile, has invaded commentary to brag about putting down three of ROH's top guys at the same time.

This is the main event and centrepiece of the Honor United 2019 Tour. Rush is undefeated and finally sat atop the Ring Of Honor mountain after taking the title from Matt Taven at Death Before Dishonor. Cobb was also undefeated in ROH for a long time, but he will be seriously disappointed at how his first title shot went at Best In The World. After failing to win the title and seeing his own undefeated streak crushed in mere minutes to Taven, Jeff went to Honor For All to compete in a Defy Or Deny Match...and walked out victorious to earn this opportunity. These two had showed each other a measure of respect, which has unfortunately eroded as they've been forced to partner up (and stolen victories from each other) all weekend. Who will win the final major World Championship match on the road to Final Battle? PCO awaits the winner...

Rush raises his middle finger at Cobb, so I'd suggest that mutual respect has now gone. The opening is electrifying; Rush matching strike-power with Cobb but then the Olympian keeping pace with the luchador as they run the ropes. Jeff leaves the ring and dares Rush to come and join him. GERMAN SUPLEX ON THE FLOOR! He then elbows Rush with such force that the champion collapses through the guardrails. Rush is nursing his back after that attack on the outside and Jeff doggedly starts to target it with all of his offence. That is until Rush takes his turn to lead the match to the outside; battering Cobb into the guardrails repeatedly - but without the snap, ferocity and intensity that he normally performs that sequence with. His back gives out before he can suplex the Olympian though...and Cobb drills him with a release suplex. The champ repeatedly spits in Cobb's face, even when Jeff is absolutely pummelling him. It causes Jeff to lose focus - and El Toro Blanco capitalises with the snap German suplex and Incinerator knee strike. Tempers are incredibly strained now with all form going out of the window as they stand in the middle of the ring pounding on each other. MEXICAN DESTROYER! Cobb gets right back up and thuds into Rush with a lariat before they both fall to the ground. The challenger dropkicks Rush off the top rope which jars his back on the way down...and then retrieves him with the dead-lift superplex as well. With Rush still nursing the back Cobb flattens him using the standing moonsault as well. HUGE superplex by Rush gets 2! He wants to go back to the top rope and before long the two are slugging it out poised high above the ring. La Lanza out of the corner, with Cobb's knee grotesquely tied in the ropes! Bull's Horns COUNTERED WITH A SPEAR! Tour Of The Islands blocked...turnbuckle belly to belly suplex! BULL'S HORNS! Cobb is still trying to get up! BULL'S HORNS AGAIN! Rush retains at 15:51

Rating - **** - If you're looking to benchmark this, I think both men have had better matches than this in 2019. I thought Taven/Rush was better than this, whilst Taylor/Cobb was superior to this one as well. But this had a really admirable, rugged physicality to it. It was uncompromising, gruelling and a testament to the iron will of both competitors; they really were beating each other to a pulp out there. Physically they are such contrasts, but personality wise they are complete opposites too; Cobb's relaxed and calm approach makes him such a great counter-point to the frenetic, fiery Mexican superstar. Clearly this would have been improved if they had a good crowd to play with, rather than a couple of hundred rather quiet English fans - but that is outside of their control. I'm still not sure this was the correct 'marquee match' for this tour (as I've said, I really can't see a reason why Rush/Scurll wasn't booked for either this weekend or Final Battle) and the ticket sales probably attest to the fact that it wasn't, yet there was a lot to like and admire about this main event.

Jeff Cobb is obviously disappointed but extends an arm and shakes Rush's hand as we close the show.

Tape Rating - *** - Night 1 in London was a more consistent show, but three of the most significant matches of the tour all take place here. Villains vs Schadenfreude, Flamita vs Bailey and Rush vs Cobb are the only matches worth watching on this show...but they are all REALLY good and occupy a substantial portion of the 150-minute run-time of the show on their own. If you're only looking for one Honor United 2019 VOD to check out, then this is the one based on the strength of those three bouts alone. Sadly this tour really will go down in infamy for being dogged by injury, controversy and appalling crowds/ticket sales. As I said during my Night 1/London review, attending that night in York Hall it really did feel like the dying embers of Ring Of Honor...

3) Flamita vs Mike Bailey (****)

2) Rush vs Jeff Cobb (****)

1) Marty Scurll/Flip Gordon vs Kyle Fletcher/Lucky Kid (****)

7) Rush/Jeff Cobb vs Marty Scurll/Flip Gordon (**** - Night 1)

6) Flamita vs Mike Bailey (**** - Night 3)

5) Shane Taylor vs Joe Hendry (**** - Night 1)

4) Rush vs Jeff Cobb (**** - Night 3)

3) Jonathan Gresham vs Jay Briscoe (**** - Night 1)

2) Mark Haskins vs Kenny King (**** - Night 2)

1) Marty Scurll/Flip Gordon vs Kyle Fletcher/Lucky Kid (**** - Night 3)