ROH on Sinclair – Episode 022 – 18th February 2012
Last week’s ROH on SBG was pretty damn good, and I’m sure even the fiercest of ROH critics could have found something to enjoy. I really want to see them keep that momentum going as they head towards the climax of ‘Fighting February’ and into the crucial trilogy of iPPV’s soon afterwards with the 10th Anniversary Show and Showdown In The Sun weekend. Kevin Steen, the self-proclaimed ‘Anti-Christ of Pro-Wrestling’ is set to make his in-ring debut on Sinclair TV this evening. We are in Baltimore, MD with Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness. By the way I think this is from a new set of tapings, following on from a very successful first four episodes at the Du Burns Arena.
Kelly starts the show with the regretful announcement that the scheduled main event of Young Bucks vs Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team has been cancelled as a result of Shelton Benjamin’s suspension (in reality he’s working in Japan or Philippines or somewhere like that and couldn’t make the tapings). Charlie Haas comes out and demands a singles match with one of the Briscoes…and of course the Tag Champions are only too happy to come to ringside as well. In the end it’s agreed that Charlie will face Mark with Jay handcuffed to the ringpost.
Kevin Steen vs Andy Ridge
This is hardly the most demanding of Sinclair TV wrestling debuts for Kevin Steen, and he’ll be looking to make a statement with an emphatic victory over one of ROH’s homegrown whipping boys in Right Leg. Steve Corino joins commentary as the resident ‘Kevin Steen expert’.
Huge babyface ovation for Steen, complete with chants and a mass of streamers as he makes his entrance. The roars of approval continue as he clobbers Ridge during the Code Of Honor. His assault continues as he hoists Andy up for a fallaway slam into the guardrails, still inside the first minute of the match. It’s a relentless onslaught, with moments of Right Leg offence fleeting and unsuccessful. He lands a knee strike and tries to hammer Steen with kicks only the be dragged back to the outside and destroyed with the powerbomb into the apron. F-5 for the win at 03:30
Rating - ** - This accomplished what it needed to, that being to present Steen as a monster who can mow through guys like Andy Ridge. Corino and McGuinness were great at putting him over on commentary as well, so this whole segment was very effective even if the wrestling itself wasn’t necessarily that spectacular.
Steen tries to keep beating on Ridge until Steve Corino AND JIMMY JACOBS come in to make the save. Steen and Jimmy have to be separated by a hoard of officials. Jacobs lays down the challenge – he wants Mr Wrestling in a match…
After the break Team Ambition talk to Veda Scott about the 10th Anniversary main event. Davey says he’s done with the Wolves and being friends with Eddie, whilst O’Reilly tells Adam Cole he bet on the wrong Wolf…
Mike Mondo/Matt Taven vs Eddie Edwards/Adam Cole
It’s a battle of first time teams here tonight. Eddie and Adam wanted a tune up match before facing Richards and O’Reilly in New York, and it turns out Mondo accepted the challenge then convinced Taven (who he actually fought against last week) to partner him.
Taven and Cole start and run through an entertaining and frenetic little opening exchange. Mondo doesn’t seem impressed with his partner’s efforts though as he forcibly tags him out and goes up against Adam for himself. DOUBLE TREE OF WOE DROPKICK from Cole and Edwards to Mondo! All of a sudden Mike is much less keen to be in the ring, and dives towards his corner to bring Taven back in. The newcomer again shows his skills as he scores a couple of close nearfalls on the former World Champion…and with Eddie beaten down Mondo once again demands re-entry to the ring. Edwards levels him with chops and the flying Codebreaker, so again Taven is tagged. This time he’s on the receiving end of a flurry of offence from Cole though. Mondo and Taven inadvertently knock heads, allowing Cole to score the win with a straightjacket German suplex on Matt at 05:16
Rating - ** - I was entertained by this one too. Cole and Eddie had decent chemistry as a team but it was actually the comedic dynamic between Mondo and Taven which carried this one. With his experience in the Spirit Squad, the one thing you can rely on Mondo for is experience being a goofy tag team worker – and he looked comfortably slipping back into that role this evening. Taven clearly has some talent too, so it’s no surprise WWE are already sniffing around him. If he isn’t going to NXT in Florida to begin life under Vince McMahon’s employment, he’s someone Sinclair should be looking at booking far more often.
Taven shakes hands after the match, whilst Mike sulks and blames him for the defeat. He drops Matt with the Double Arm DDT and walks out…
INSIDE ROH – Truth Martini laughs about stopping the $5000 check the Briscoes stole from the House Of Truth last week. The Young Bucks also have words for Jay and Mark as they prepare to challenge them for the Tag Titles at the 10YA show.
Jay Lethal talks about his split focus as he prepares to challenge the World Title next week on SBG, and also defend his TV Title against Tommaso Ciampa in New York.
The first matches for Showdown In The Sun weekend are announced as the Briscoes and WGTT will collide again (presumably only if Shelton pays his fine) on Night 2, whilst Night 1 will feature Lance Storm coming out of retirement to face Mike Bennett.
Charlie Haas vs Mark Briscoe
That announcement makes this encounter even more significant as WGTT gear up for another shot at their arch enemies the Briscoes in Florida next month. Tonight Benjamin is suspended and not in the building, so Haas has demanded that the match take place on an even playing field meaning Jay needs to be incapacitated too – and as such will be handcuffed at ringside.
No Code Of Honor, and the 40 year old Charlie Haas (so much for young stars in ROH) tries to take a cheap shot at Briscoe. Mark is in no mood for that and soon knocks him out of the ring, into the path of a suicide dive. It’s the high risk stuff that catches him out though, as he tries to climb the ropes and Haas capitalises to knock him off. The ‘Outlaw’ gets a 2-count after a signature German suplex. He stays on the midsection by locking in a grounded bearhug. Briscoe escapes, but only succeeds in slingshotting himself into a backbreaker. Back suplex onto the guardrail next – right in front of Mark’s helpless brother. Despite that Briscoe retaliates with some Redneck Kung Fu and a John Woo Dropkick in the corner for 2. Froggy Bow landed as well, but he’s hurting and the seconds he loses recovering from that move costs him a win. Olympic Slam countered with a schoolboy…and Mark wins at 05:43
Rating - ** - Nothing match, and a really disappointing main event. I know a lot of people absolutely despise Haas these days, but I really believe these two were capable of something much better than this. I’d really like to know what the office thinks about this interminably dull Briscoes/WGTT feud. The fans are absolutely HATING it, but still Cornette, Delirious and Sinclair keep shoving it down our throats.
Charlie is pissed at losing and promptly lays Mark out with repeated Olympic Slams. Jay is still handcuffed of course and can only watch as Haas caves in Mark’s skull with a chair. He hands over ten grand (seriously, enough of the money gimmicks) to cover the fine he’ll now receive, as well as Shelton’s. It was a plan all along…
NEXT WEEK – Richards vs Lethal in a Homecoming 2012 World Title rematch…
Tape Rating - ** - It was probably too much to ask for this episode to be as good as last week. I will say that when Mike Mondo is in the match of the night you can bet your house that the quality of the wrestling on display was pretty poor. The show wasn’t a total bust though as we got the return of Jimmy Jacobs, a number of matches booked for the forthcoming ppvs, and none of the matches were actively bad. Hopefully Richards and Lethal can end ‘Fighting February’ on a high next week