ROH on Sinclair – Episode 123 – 25th January 2014
We were promised it last week, only for Adam Cole to cheekily dodge the issue. But this week we will get his answer to Jay Briscoe’s challenge for a ‘Real World Title’ match. RD Evans makes his first appearance of 2014 with the ‘New Streak’ now in full swing, and the first Top Prospect Tournament semi-final should also take place tonight. Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino are in Nashville, TN.
Raymond Rowe vs Corey Hollis
This is our first TPT semi-final. Rowe impressed many in the first round, when he won out in a heavyweight battle against the massive Kongo. Hollis could have had a forfeit victory when ‘Benchmark’ Bill Daly withdrew from the tournament, but instead offered his own tag partner Mike Posey the spot – and promptly beat him instead.
Hollis’ strategy is to hit Rowe, then get away before he can retaliate. It works for thirty seconds or so, before Ray completely CLOBBERS him with a 90’s AJPW-esque elbow smash. Keeping a fast pace is key for Corey though, and he lands a pescado to prove just that. Eventually he is caught trying one high-flying move too many though, and tossed into a capture northern lights suplex for 2. Belly to belly suplex gets another nearfall, although it’s evident that Hollis has done some damage to Rowe’s midsection. He shakes it off to hit the FULL NELSON KNEE STRIKE! Rowe advances at 03:05
Rating - * - After solid first round matches from both men, I was really disappointed by this. I understand they were working their second match of the evening, and I liked the story they went for. But three minutes was criminally too short for two talented up and comers. It was a hard ask to produce anything more than the absolute basics here.
RD Evans vs Matt Sells
There’s no graphic to introduce the jobber, so I’m only guessing at his name. He looks like the offspring of ECW-era Steve Corino and Sami Callihan. Evans has been hyping his ‘New Streak’ for sometime, although many of the ‘matches’ take place on small shows outside of the US (Brazil, Botswana, Israel, Belgium and more have all hosted New Streak matches I believe) so little to no video evidence of them exists. It stands at 13-0 as he comes to the ring tonight apparently.
Evans hits a flipping neckbreaker on his opponent, who genuinely has ‘SEX’ on the front of his singlet. Sells hits a clothesline, then a cravat legsweep for 2. He then knocks the Barrister off the apron with a knee strike…before Veda Scott distracts him. Running sleeper slam by RD, followed by a diving headbutt. The New Streak goes to 14-0 at 02:23
Rating - DUD - I like the ‘New Streak’ gimmick, mostly as it gets RD Evans over. He is hugely entertaining and so anything that gives him an identity on the television show is most welcome. Veda Scott is extremely effective as part of his act too. The match itself was rather forgettable though, and felt much longer than it’s 2+ minute runtime.
‘Who’s next’ – Corino. Veda Scott thinks Evans has more in the tank though, and issues an open challenge to anyone in the locker room to break the streak. Michael Elgin answers the challenge!
RD Evans vs Michael Elgin
We last saw Unbreakable two weeks ago on television, and he looked in a foul mood as he beat up Kongo to send a message to Adam Cole. He’s not happy about the controversial nature of his Final Battle defeat, and is a massive threat to the New Streak.
Elgin isn’t remotely entertained by RD’s antics – instantly flattening him with a Black Hole Slam. Evans runs, and is caught on the floor for some hellacious trips into the guardrails. RUNNING POWERSLAM ON THE FLOOR! It’s a massacre as Elgin tests his jaw with boots and elbows…then makes a grab at Veda as she tries to interfere. RD climbs the ropes, only to be viciously dropkicked off the turnbuckles. DEAD-LIFT STALLING SUPERPLEX! SPIRAL BOMB! It’s over, but Elgin opts to go for some chairs instead of covering. He opens them up in the middle of the ring, and screams Adam Cole’s name. POWERBOMB THROUGH THE CHAIRS! Evans wins by DQ at 05:30. 15-0!
Rating - *** - Now this was entertaining. It’s interesting to see where they’ve taken Elgin’s character after Final Battle 2013, and after another year failing in his pursuit of the World Championship. I like a more aggressive aspect to his persona, and it’s something he pulls off well. Putting him in the ring with someone like Evans really emphasised it too. Helped by the commentary team (and Veda Scott), they struck the perfect balance of comedy and brutal Elgin dominance.
Elgin’s rampage continues as he decks as many ROH Dojo students as he can get his hands on
NEXT WEEK – AJ Styles returns! It’s AJ against The Decade’s Roderick Strong
Matt Taven vs Tadarius Thomas
This is a rematch of the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament finals. On that night Truth Martini tried to help TD, but when he spurned his assistance and Taven accepted instead, it began the era of Hoopla which spanned almost an entire year. But, as Kevin Kelly phrases it, ‘the party is over’ for Taven following his TV Title defeat to Tommaso Ciampa. Truth and the Hoopla Hotties aren’t at ringside with him, and he looks intent on making a statement as he petitions for a rematch with Ciampa.
Great start from Taven, who outwrestles Thomas at every turn. TD looks massively outmatched on the deck so wisely goes to strikes instead – rolling into a grounded kick to the face. He lands on his feet as Matt looks for a rana…only for the former TV Champion to pile into him with a spinning heel kick. Springboard corkscrew senton gets 2. Tadarius lands the Slingblade then hooks him up for the half nelson suplex. He kicks Matt to the floor and wastes no time in diving out after him. Just as Taven is keen to make a post-Final Battle statement, evidently TD wants revenge for his defeat of a year ago. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH wins it for Taven at 05:41
Rating - ** - This was too short to mean anything, although if I’m being honest it never felt like these two clicked and a few more minutes in the ring together wouldn’t have changed that. The choice to remove Taven from the HOT is a brave one. He’s talented of course, but he never once delivered a performance that eclipsed the ‘Hoopla’ shenanigans in the entire 2013 run. Is he good enough, at this stage, to get over without them? On the flip side, TD is very hit and miss in singles matches. His performance in this one was particularly dull.
Jay Briscoe is here, demanding an answer from Adam Cole. He doesn’t get Cole though, it’s Bobby Fish who comes to meet him. He has taken exception to Jay’s ‘Real World Title’, doesn’t think Cole should degrade himself and the actual World Championship by coming out, and wants to face Briscoe instead.
The Decade plan to make AJ Styles pay for his decision to quit ROH (back in 2006) next week.
Jay Briscoe vs Bobby Fish
As Bobby pointed out during his promo, reDRagon have beaten the Briscoes on a couple of occasions, so he is no stranger to success over Jay. And likewise, Jay will know that he has accepted a match with a dangerous opponent – as it took almost a year for Bobby to even be pinned in ROH. A victory over him would definitely push Jay’s claims for the next World Title shot.
Fish delivers some early kicks, hurting Jay’s legs and demonstrating his considerable striking power. Briscoe isn’t interested in a martial arts display though, and he simply drags his opponent out of the ring for a total brawl on the floor. Talented as Fish may be, he has no answer to the relentless, marauding style of Jay as we go to the final commercial break of the episode. When we return we’re still on the floor with Briscoe beating the hell out of Fish. Bobby sends him into the rails a couple of times though, giving him the distance to finally bring the match back inside the ring. He starts beating on the ‘Real World Champion’s midsection which keeps Jay on the deck for the first time. A single punch to the stomach is now able to stop Briscoe hitting his signature turnbuckle flatliner, such is the devastating impact of Fish’s assault. Sadly for him it doesn’t prevent him piling into the corner for mounted punches to the face. A hanging neckbreaker finds the mark on a groggy Tag Champion and it’s followed with a big falcon arrow for 2. Jay Driller blocked though, with Fish kicking the legs out from under him then hitting a Buzzsaw kick which apparently knocks him out. Briscoe shoves him off the top rope…then jumps after him into a FROG SPLASH! But it hurts his damaged ribs and he stays down in the foetal position. Adam Cole comes to the ring, mocking Jay as he trades strikes. Bobby hits Briscoe in the balls as Cole toys with the ‘Real World Title’ belt! SAITO SUPLEX FOR 2! Jay shoves Fish into Cole! JAY DRILLER! Briscoe wins at 13:46 (shown).
Rating - *** - This seems like a disappointingly low key way for Bobby’s undefeated singles run to end. Having been so carefully and cleverly protected by Delirious over the last year it seemed an odd choice to feed it to Jay (who is pretty over anyway) in an impromptu match with very little pay-off or fanfare. Regardless, this was still a really good match – the best of these tapings thus far. It wasn’t necessarily the most exciting, but I loved the story-telling in play with Fish trying to out-kick and out-think Jay Briscoe – who in turn was in full street fighting mode and was simply looking to brawl with his adversary. The Cole interference at the end was necessarily, but unhappily detrimental to the finish just when the match felt like it was kicking into a higher gear.
Adam Cole tries to attack Jay after the match…but is grabbed and narrowly escapes with his consciousness as Briscoe tries to give him the Jay Driller. Jay poses with both World Title belts as the show comes to an end.
Tape Rating - ** - This one is a mixed bag. On the one hand it was probably the worst of the Nashville episodes so far, with a lot of crap on the undercard to get through. Trying to cram five matches (plus entrances, plus commercials, plus promos) into fifty minutes just isn’t viable. As I said last week, ROH needs it’s TV show to become an action-packed commercial for it’s product – drawing people in to make people purchase DVD/VOD/PPV’s where they can see a more substantial product. This week they over-stepped that line, and a lot of the show felt very rushed. However, it certainly wasn’t without it’s merits. Briscoe/Fish has been the best match from the last three weeks, and Elgin/Evans was great fun