ROH on Sinclair – Episode 007 – 5th November 2011
With less than two months to go until Final Battle, ROH is moving the Sinclair show into full-on hype mode for the big iPPV. Last week we saw the Tag Title Match finalised as the Briscoes earned the right to face WGTT in New York, and this week we’re promised an announcement on who challenges Davey for the World Title too. There’s also the debut of the ‘Proving Ground’ concept as newcomers Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander get the chance to earn themselves their own Tag Title opportunity if they can go the distance with, or even beat Haas and Benjamin. We’re still in Louisville, KY (I think the 3rd set of tapings were in Louisville too). Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness to call it.
Executive Producer Jim Cornette is in the ring as the show begins. No time wasted, Cornette instantly announces that it will be Eddie Edwards challenging his own tag partner in the main event at Final Battle. Die Hard says he’s got a new head trainer and is drastically changing his preparations before facing Davey for a third time. That brings Richards himself through the curtain…with a challenge for next week. He wants American Wolves vs Strong and Elgin, although Eddie sort of steals his thunder by bragging that it was him who won the World Title first…
In a creepy but effective backstage segment Truth Martini manipulates Michael Elgin, calling him a disappointment to his family and Roderick Strong – motivating him for his match tonight.
Michael Elgin vs Shiloh Jonze
The amount of time Cornette is investing in his OVW talent on ROH TV is actually surprising even me. Jonze gets promo time, saying that he knows Elgin’s head is messed up after losing to Edwards in his last TV match. If he can beat him this evening he’ll become an instant star. I really hope one of these OVW guys, be it Jonze, Silva, Mondo or anyone else, actually gets over enough to stick around because otherwise ROH is starting to waste airtime building up jobbers.
Elgin brings Martini and Roderick Strong to the ring with him. He mows through Jonze and beats the hell out of him in the corner. Shiloh tries to throw a few punches but they have no effect and Unbreakable flies off the second rope with a football tackle for 2. Jonze tries to come off the second rope too only to be caught in a running powerslam. Butt splash misses…and Shiloh looks to take the opportunity, going to the top rope to get enough leverage on a simple punch to take Elgin off his feet. Unfortunately Michael just shakes it off and delivers a massive Buckle Bomb. Spiral Bomb comes next to give him his first ROH on SBG victory at 03:38
Rating - ** - Credit where it’s due, this was an extremely effective squash. I like what they’re doing with Elgin in that they’re getting him over as this monster powerhouse, but using the ‘confidence’ issues and Martini’s manipulations to give them an out when he loses against all the bigger names. The match itself was well structured as Shiloh got to look courageous, even though everything he did was completely no sold – giving Elgin the resounding victory he needed to maintain credibility.
INSIDE ROH – Legal developments have forced Kevin Kelly to address the Kevin Steen situation. He airs video tape of Steen with his legal team. They have obtained an injunction allowing Steen to appear on TV (hence this tape) and are now putting a case together to press charges against Jim Cornette (misrepresentation, fraud, conspiring with licensed referees against Steen apparently) unless he settles with them by allowing Mr Wrestling back into ROH permanently. Steen cuts his own statement and says he’s coming back for Corino, Jacobs, El Generico and even Davey Richards…whether Cornette likes it or not.
INSIDE ROH – More this week, as Mike Bennett confirms that he declined the offer of five more minutes with Jay Lethal two weeks ago because he believed he already had the TV Title won. He wants a rematch and with a different referee. Todd Sinclair and Jay Lethal both have an alternate perspective of course.
Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin vs Caprice Coleman/Cedric Alexander
Huge opportunity for C&C tonight, although it’s one they absolutely deserve. The last two times ROH have been through Richmond and Charlotte they’ve looked really impressive and when they joined forces for Tag Team Turmoil/No Escape weekend their performances were so good people were clamouring for them to get more bookings. But the step up in quality is huge - as they face the reigning Tag Champions under Proving Ground rules. If they can last the time limit or win, they’ll get a guaranteed title shot and presumably cement their place on the permanent roster. With everything to gain and nothing to lose they become extremely dangerous opponents for WGTT who could be forgiven for thinking about Final Battle and their chance to finally fight the Briscoes again
Nigel sort of buries C&C, but I really like his perspective on the ‘Proving Ground’ concept, talking about from the champion’s point of view given his experience as ROH World Champion. The start is slow with Caprice really struggling to hold his own against Shelton Benjamin. But to his credit he takes some early punishment then uses his athleticism to put Shelton on the back foot for the first time. Haas isn’t impressed and drags Caprice straight down to the canvas to school him again. Alexander gets the tag and sprints into a few dropkicks…but he gets over-excited and doesn’t see Benjamin nonchalantly standing behind him waiting to deliver a big superkick. Having witnessed his kicking ability first hand, Charlie sensibly starts working over his legs. Back from the ad break and WGTT still have Cedric cut off from his partner and struggling with his left leg which has been the focus of much of the champs’ offence. Haas gets frightening torque on a half crab, as McGuinness completely writes off C&C’s chances of getting anything from this. Perhaps that was premature as Alexander dives out of the corner with a swinging DDT and makes the one-legged crawl to his partner for a hot tag. STANDING SUPER RANA by Caprice! All of a sudden there are less than 3 minutes remaining in the time limit and C&C are actually on the cusp of earning a title shot! German from Haas to Caprice, before he grabs Cedric for the Leap Of Faith. DOUBLE POWERBOMB on Coleman…and WGTT win at 10:39 (shown)
Rating - *** - Live reports said this was full of botches and very disappointing, but I think ROH and Sinclair did a good job in the editing room as the final broadcast version was decent. I actually preferred this to Briscoes/ANX from last week which is saying something. Not that it was anything special, but they worked the tag formula well and I really liked WGTT’s focus on Cedric’s leg during the heat segment as it played off Alexander’s initial success in the match using kicks.
Jay and Mark Briscoe come out to congratulate WGTT and totally BURY Caprice and Cedric in the process. Jay ends the show promising to be 7-time Tag Champions after Final Battle
NEXT WEEK – Rematch from Tag Team Turmoil as it’s the Wolves vs the House Of Truth
Rating - *** - I’m actually surprising myself by how much I’m liking the new ROH TV show. Responses to the early episodes was decidedly mixed and I have to say I wasn’t expecting to be enjoying them anywhere near as much. The frequent commercial breaks are annoying, the total ignorance of live events this year is frustrating and Kevin Kelly is starting to grate on me too. BUT, the whole show is so tight and focused – producing really solid episodic television with clear direction and storyline development week after week. The end game at this stage is Final Battle, and this episode did a good job focusing on that. We have two title matches set in Richards/Edwards and WGTT/Briscoes, and both of those matches were built up. There was also genuine character development for Elgin and the HOT, a massive progression in the Kevin Steen situation, an attempt to keep Mike Bennett over and a main event which I feel has been underrated by a few people.