ROH on Sinclair – Episode 006 – 29th October 2011
This show aired on my birthday. I realise that’s of very little interest to everyone but I didn’t have much else to go with by way of an introductory paragraph. This show has a couple of decent matches announced, with Roderick Strong facing Kyle O’Reilly and ANX vs the Briscoes to determine WGTT’s challengers at Final Battle. Ideally I’d like to see some sort of comment on the TV Title situation after last week ended with Bennett actually declining more time to win it from Jay Lethal. We’re back in Louisville, KY. Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness on commentary.
Kyle O’Reilly vs Roderick Strong
As Kevin Kelly says, this one has some interesting implications. Kyle admits Roderick is only taking this match because he’s friends with Davey Richards, but wants to use the opportunity of fighting a former World Champion to make a statement. Strong, on the other hand, plans to use this as a chance to ‘embarrass’ Team Richards and prove they are nothing but a joke.
Martini joins the announce team, after forcing Bobby Cruise to give him a special ring intro. In the ring Roderick is acting cocky but soon realises he’s in a fight when O’Reilly more than holds his own in mat-wrestling exchanges. Strong has to act quickly to block the hiptoss cross armbreaker…but then Kyle has to think just as fast when he blocks a chop attempt. Martini is as rubbish on commentary as he is at everything else and is completely distracting from this. O’Reilly strings together a few combo moves and has Strong in genuine trouble until Roddy hoists him into a urinage backbreaker. It’s all even as we go to commercials. During the break it seems like Strong has gone on to establish control with a series of chops on the floor and when we come back he’s on the mat dominating with a grounded bear hug. O’Reilly retaliates with a suplex then hangs Strong’s arm over the top rope. Missile dropkick right on the shoulder seconds later gets 2. Rolling Butterflies blocked…but so is Death By Roderick. Rolling Butterflies into the double arm DDT nailed for 2! Kyle makes an error when he tries to go back to the top rope as it allows Strong to catch him in the corner for a sickening flurry of chops and elbows. He kicks him in the head, then hits Death By Roderick for 2. Stronghold locked in…and just when you thought it was over O’Reilly actually battles to the ropes. He even counters the Half Nelson Backbreaker with a crucifix then hits a DDT into the guillotine choke! Strong escapes and knees him so hard his gumshield falls out of his mouth! SICK KICK! Strong wins at 09:53 (shown)
Rating - *** - Best opening match we’ve seen thus far on the SBG show. It told a simple and accessible story of Strong not taking O’Reilly seriously and nearly losing...before he finally pulled rank over the up and comer and eeked out a win he probably hadn’t deserved. Kyle O’Reilly’s reputation improves, Strong gets a win and the Roderick/Davey issue is furthered – all round success.
More Truth after the match with him getting on the stick to call Team Richards losers. Michael Elgin runs in too…with him and Strong hitting an awesome ALABAMA LUNGBLOWER on Kyle. Tony Kozina and Davey Richards fail in their attempt to make the save…so Eddie Edwards has to come to the rescue of Team Richards. It comes down to the American Wolves hitting the Alarm Clock on Martini as security drags Elgin and Strong away…
After commercials Jim Cornette fines House Of Truth some Monopoly money for starting that brawl, then breaks his own rule about mentioning Kevin Steen in Ring Of Honor. He gets into an argument with fans wearing ‘Steen Is Right’ shirts and says Steen will never be back in ROH
INSIDE ROH – Kevin Kelly talks about the decision ROH officials have between Eddie Edwards and Jay Lethal as to who the top contender to the World Title at Final Battle will be. Really disappointing that they don’t even mention the epic iPPV battle between Eddie and Roderick Strong at Death Before Dishonor 9 which earned him a future title shot. He also announces the ‘Proving Ground’ concept, where opponents face Ring Of Honor champions in non-title contests and if they can win or make it to a time limit draw they earn a future championship opportunity. First to receive such a chance will be Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander when they face WGTT next week.
Tommaso Ciampa vs Alex Silva
More OVW talent gets a break thanks to their connections with Jim Cornette. I think Silva actually worked the HDNet tapings in this building so this won’t be an ROH TV debut for him. He faces the Dominant Male who is still undefeated and looking to extend his streak this evening.
Steve Corino is calling another Ciampa match and is reprimanded by Kevin Kelly for talking about Steen again. Tommaso ignores the offer of a handshake and starts pounding Silva in the corner then takes him outside for a suplex on the floor. Alex hits a jumping enzi kick…only for Ciampa to spring from his knees into a vertical dropkick for 2. He lands a neckbreaker as Corino has a meltdown in the announce booth such is his guilt over the Steen situation. Repeated knee strikes in the corner knocks Silva out…and he hits Project Ciampa for the win at 03:48
Rating - * - Not as good as the Ciampa/Ridge squash, although I see where they’re going with the Tommaso character so I appreciate it’s important they let him wrestle a few squash matches on free TV to make his matches on live shows seem more important.
Jay Briscoe/Mark Briscoe vs All Night Express
As we said when they met last, the feud between these teams ended at Death Before Dishonor 9 when ANX won Ladder War 3. But they met again in Chicago for television and the Briscoes got the win after Jay used a low blow before pinning Kenny King. Jim Cornette refused to sanction them as the top contenders due to his cheating, and booked one more match between these rival duos to determine who goes to Final Battle as challengers to Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team
Neither team wants to wait for Bobby Cruise to get through his ring introduction and the fists are soon flying. ANX put a couple of sequences together on Jay after incapacitating Mark on the outside to seize the early advantage. That extends to Rhett feeding Mark into a spinning heel kick from King for 2. Jay gets the tag and the momentum appears to turn in favour of the Briscoes as we go for our second commercial break in less than 4 minutes. American TV is so annoying! When we return we’re in the middle of a heat segment with the Briscoes working Kenny over. Powerbomb/neckbreaker looks to have the match won but for a last gasp save by Rhettski. Hot tag to Titus…IMPACT EXPLOSION DROPKICK ON JAY! I love how Rhett is slowly working more and more Austin Aries spots into his repertoire. One Night Stand blocked…Jay Driller blocked too, leading to Rhett dropping Jay with Snake Eyes. Mark drops Rhett with the springboard Ace Crusher then turns around into the springboard blockbuster of Kenny King! All four men are down now! Jay saves his brother from the Doomsday Blockbuster, then holds his brother on top of Rhett for another cheap win at 10:33 (shown)
Rating - *** - I have to be honest and say this still wasn’t that good, but it was enough of an improvement on their first TV match from the last tapings to make it to 3*. A lot of the action down the stretch was really exciting, but the flat finish sort of killed it for me.
NEXT WEEK – WGTT vs Caprice & Cedric in the Proving Ground
Tape Rating - *** - I still liked this episode, but a few things annoyed me. Firstly I am really disappointed that ROH have opted not to acknowledge Death Before Dishonor 9 on TV at all. This was an internet ppv event meaning it’s not like they can act like it was a house show. By ignoring Ladder War 3 they are ignoring arguably their biggest grudge match gimmick, and ignoring the victory that defines ANX’s careers thus far. And by ignoring the Ringmaster’s Challenge between Edwards and Strong they are creating an average amount of TV drama (although everyone knows it will be Davey and Eddie at Final Battle, not Davey and Lethal) but ignoring one of ROH’s matches of the year, and not putting over the fact that Eddie already earned a title shot. That’s pissing me off, as is the fact they’ve let the Briscoes/ANX feud continue through two somewhat underwhelming TV matches which is starting to cheapen the legacy of their great feud this year. On the positive side, Strong/O’Reilly was a terrific opener, two decent 3* matches in 45 minutes of television is decent turn around, Nigel McGuinness is starting to blossom into a really fun colour commentator and little things like the Kevin Steen stuff, the Proving Ground on Inside ROH etc continue the forwards momentum of the promotion as we move towards Final Battle.