ROH on Sinclair – Episode 008 – 12th November 2011
Just over a month out from Final Battle and things are starting to take shape. Kevin Steen’s masterplan to return himself to the roster is starting to reveal itself, we have a Tag Title match booked, a brewing feud over the TV Title (Lethal/Bennett) and of course…Richards/Edwards 3 is now signed and will headline the year-ending iPPV. Tonight the American Wolves team, taking on perennial rivals the House Of Truth in a rematch from Tag Team Turmoil. Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness to call the action – the last content from the first SBG taping in Louisville, KY
Bravado Brothers vs Young Bucks
It’s a big night for the Jacksons as they make their SBG debut for Ring Of Honor. They are no strangers to TV having been on HDNet with ROH and part of TNA Impact for a lengthy period too. They come for the Bravados, still with a score to settle following Lancelot and Harlem’s actions at Best In The World – and with questions to answer after they walked out of Death Before Dishonor 9 without shaking hands or showing any kind of respect to their opponents.
The Bucks again decline the opportunity to follow the Code Of Honor, which ticks Harlem off enough for him to lay in a big right hand across Nick’s jaw. Rather foolishly the Bravados try some tandem moves on him…and they’re never going to outdo the Young Bucks there. Matt joins his brother and they quickly put Lancelot down with the stereo backflip basement dropkicks. Matt hangs him in the ropes, in the path of a flying double stomp from Nick which gets 2. Harlem tags back, flooring Nick with a Booker T style axe kick. He actually gets both Bucks out of the ring and NAILS the somersault plancha! Matt tries his backflip headscissors…but the Bravados counter with a double team cutter and get another nearfall. They block his springboard Ace Crusher too, turning it into the Gentleman’s Approach! Double team facebuster from the Jacksons, into the rolling moonsault out of the ring by Nick. MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Debut win for the Young Bucks at 06:08
Rating - *** - For what it set out to do, this match was spot on. The Young Bucks looked impressive, they got to debut their new character…and they did it so effectively that large portions of the crowd actually started getting behind the Bravados. All of the spots were nailed cleanly too which really helps in a snappy little spotfest such as this.
After the break Kevin Kelly brings WGTT into the Davis Arena for some interview time. They are focused on Final Battle and the Briscoes…which brings the All Night Express out. Kenny accuses Haas and Benjamin of ducking them and STILL NOBODY MENTIONS LADDER WAR 3!! For f*cks sake, it was a pay-per-view. We already know they have a title shot!
INSIDE ROH – They recap the epic Steen/Generico feud of 2010, catching up new viewers on why Steen is currently out of Ring Of Honor. The war of words between Jay Lethal and Mike Bennett continues to escalate as well…
Steve Corino cuts a promo from the entrance ramp, begging for the chance to talk to Jim Cornette about how they can solve a mutual problem…
Roderick Strong/Michael Elgin vs American Wolves
On Episode 6 we saw Roderick Strong beat Kyle O’Reilly (a protégé of Davey and member of Team Richards), then assault him after the match with the help of Elgin and Truth Martini. Davey Richards and Tony Kozina tried and failed to save their friend, and it was only the arrival of Eddie Edwards that saved the Richards crew from a beatdown. Now the Wolves come hunting for revenge, and another win over the Strong/Elgin combo following their victory in the Tag Team Turmoil main event back in July.
No handshake from the House Of Truth ensuring a Code Of Honor free episode tonight. They jump the Wolves and ensure they start the match hot. Eddie flips Richards into a running punt off the apron, then puts Elgin down with a facebuster – in position for Davey to land a missile dropkick for 2. The momentum swings back and forth with neither team able to sustain an advantage for an extended period of time and all four dishing out copious amount of fierce strikes. Richards unloads Machine Gun kicks on Elgin but just when he looks to have the edge Unbreakable simply hoists him up into a devastating torture rack backbreaker. That’s the move that finally cements their advantage and it leads to an elongated period of time with HOT wearing the World Champion down. Wolves fight back with STEREO TOPE SUICIDAS! Back in the ring Edwards chases Strong all over the ring with chops and enzi kicks…then slaps in the Achilles Lock. Kevin Kelly mentions the Ringmaster’s Challenge Match between them at this point! Roderick escapes and hits a BACK SUPLEX ON THE APRON! That’s a game changer as we go to commercials, and when we return it’s clear that the House Of Truth are still in charge and fully focused on working Die Hard’s back. Edwards retaliates with a flying DOUBLE Codebreaker and lunges into the hot tag as we go past the 10 minute mark. He actually suplexes Roderick to gain additional leverage to pin Elgin…and still only scores a 2! Anklelock on Elgin, who is so strong he kicks his way free! Double stomp misses, as Roderick shoves Edwards off the top turnbuckles into the guardrails. DEAD-LIFT SIDEWALK SLAM BY ELGIN! That guy is so powerful it’s crazy. All four take turns rushing around the ring…then Elgin draws a line under those shenanigans by picking up both the Wolves for a DOUBLE FALLAWAY SLAM! Everyone trade slaps and kicks mid-ring…BACK FIST BY ELGIN! He waffles Eddie in the face and still falls victim to the double Alarm Clock then the Quadruple Stomp for 2. BUZZSAW KICK! SUPERKICK! ELGIN KICKS OUT! He f*cking KILLS Richards with a knee strike…then hauls him off the mat into a powerbomb for 2. Truth Martini and Todd Sinclair almost start fighting too, and that means Todd misses Elgin pinning Richards. Eddie saves his partner with a Dragon Sleeper…and Richards rolls on top to win the match for the American Wolves at 15:57 (shown)
Rating - **** - Their house show match in Richmond was obviously a lot longer and grander in scale, but I think the lessened time limit actually made for a more consistently entertaining match from these four. All action from the opening bell which never let up until the final pinfall. As you’d expect the striking was brutal, there were apron bumps, big spots…and an interesting finish which rather cleverly continues the build to Final Battle as Eddie debuts a new hold, but unseen to Davey meaning Richards still can’t prepare for Edwards and the World Title showdown.
Tape Rating - *** - I thought Ring Of Honor missed an opportunity to promote their big live events for the forthcoming weekend. Survival Of The Fittest and Glory By Honor are big annual shows, so the fact that they got little more than a passing mention on TV is a real disappointment. But, as a standalone show once again this was good. ‘Inside ROH’ wasn’t as good as it’s been in prior episodes, but that was made up for by two very watchable and different tag team matches. Wolves/HOT is up there with Generico/Lethal and Richards/Strong as one of the best matches on the SBG show thus far