ROH on Sinclair – Episide 126 – 15th February 2014
This will be the last episode broadcast before the 12th Anniversary Show goes to tape in Philly on February 21st – so the next two weeks of television should presumably be geared towards setting up the card for that event, which could be a hot VOD seller the following week. With that in mind we continue with the material taped at Wrestling’s Finest in Pittsburgh, PA.
Romantic Touch vs Michael Bennett
We saw Touch debut as part of the Top Prospect Tournament, although he fell to Andrew Everett in the first round. He is clearly Rhett Titus in a mask, and wound up losing that match thanks to an angry Veda Scott who ranted about that very fact at the commentary table. Tonight he faces Michael Bennett, making what was, chronologically speaking, his first appearance since losing the Stretcher Match at Final Battle – although he wrestled at the earlier Nashville TV tapings.
Veda is at ringside, still ranting about Rhett Titus. Bennett starts with a Thesz Press, laying in as many closed fist strikes as possible. Touch retaliates with the gyrating monkey flip for 2. RT makes his way to the floor in an attempt to seduce Maria – a foolish ploy as it leads to Bennett destroying him against the rails. He works a lengthy chinlock, possibly for the production team to insert a commercial break, before Titus escapes to crotch him on the middle turnbuckle. He somersaults into an Austin Aries-style reverse elbow strike for 2. Maria saves her fiancé from a somersault plancha…before Michael pops out from behind her to hit a superkick. TKO gets 2! It’s at this point that Bennett would think about a Piledriver, but he’s now banned from using that move. Box Office Smash countered with Rhett’s signature dropkick…but RT is distracted as Maria starts DANCING on the apron! Touch offers her a candy, which she accepts as Bennett sneaks up on him for the ANACONDA VICE! RT taps at 08:18
Rating - * - I really like Bennett, but Titus is not the guy he should be put into the ring with. I’m actually pleasantly entertained by the Romantic Touch stuff too, particularly on the commentary side as Corino and Kelly steadfastly refuse to believe there’s any way that it is Rhett. In the end this just went on way too long, and they never really decided what sort of match they wanted to have. Was it comedy? Was it serious? Was it supposed to be Bennett or RT taking the spotlight? In the end it fell awkwardly in the middle of all those possibilities and accomplished little of any of them.
Veda Scott runs Romantic Touch down again after the match, but then runs away when he tries to scoop her in his arms for a kiss
The Briscoes rant about beating up everyone they come across in tonight’s main event.
Adam Cole/Matt Hardy vs Michael Elgin/Chris Hero vs Jay Briscoe/Mark Briscoe
This is an elimination match, meaning the winning team will have to survive both opponents before declaring themselves the victors. Jay is a veritable loose cannon by this point. He still proclaims himself to be the Real World Champion (to the annoyance of both Cole and Elgin), he doesn’t like any of his opponents, and will remember that Matt Hardy was part of the SCUM faction that effectively ended his World Title reign by inflicting the shoulder injury which forced ROH officials to strip him of the belt. If there wasn’t enough at stake, Bobby Cruise hastily announces that if anyone pins Cole they will receive a future World Title shot.
Elgin and Jay start proceedings, with Cole predictably showing no interest in getting into the ring. There is plenty of familiarity between those two, and they wrestle to an early stalemate. Mark tags in with Hero, seemingly getting the better of him until Hero puts a vicious boot through his chest as he tries a leapfrog. It’s the Hero/Elgin duo who start to take the advantage over the 8-time Tag Champions, until Mark gets the knees up to block a Hero senton attempt. With all their years of experience as a team, the Briscoes realise that was their window, and they launch into a violent beatdown on Hero. That continues until Cole and Hardy shoot their mouth off from the apron one time too many. Both opposition teams head to the floor – finally dragging Hardy into the ring legally for the first time. KOW double boot spot by Hero and Elgin gets 2! Adam starts kicking Unbreakable in the stomach, but it still doesn’t stop him hitting the stalling vertical suplex. The other teams take it in turns to work Matt over – and he becomes so beaten up that it leaves Cole no choice but to tag in.
With the World Champion now vulnerable, Elgin and Jay are soon vying for tags and each take their turn dishing out some real punishment to the World Champion. Finally Hardy takes a cheap shot at Jay from the outside, giving their team the opportunity to isolate him in the ring. It lasts several minutes, but inevitably Jay does manage to superman-dive across the ring and make the hot tag to his brother. CACTUS ELBOW TO THE FLOOR from Mark to Hardy! Hero and Jay are legal, with Briscoe absorbing a flurry of elbows to the neck before dropping Hero with a spinebuster. DEATH BLOW/BACK FIST COMBO on Jay! Mark saves his brother, and eats a boot to the face as punishment. Stalling suplex/running elbow combo (an old Kings double team) gets another nearfall as Hero and Elgin seize control. Mark gives Elgin the Uncle Mule Kick into the urinage…as on the floor Jay has decided he wants to get into a fight with Matt Hardy. Hero grabs Mark’s leg to block the Froggy Bow…and after he gets booted off the apron Elgin picks up BOTH Briscoes for his incredible fallaway slam/Samoan drop combo!
Cole blind-tags himself in looking to reap the rewards, as Hardy drags Elgin out to dump him into the rails. Splash Mountain neckbreaker by the Briscoes! Hero breaks the fall to save Cole and a potential title shot! Mark nails Hardy with the Froggy Bow…and this time it’s Cole diving in to save the match. SUPERKICK TO THE BACK OF MARK’S HEAD! TWIST OF FATE! Hardy pins Mark, so the Briscoes are gone at 23:29. Jay gets in a few more punches at Adam Cole before he is escorted to the back by security. Hero nails Hardy with the Cravat-oclasm for 2! Death Blow blocked…and the rolling elbow is COUNTERED into the Side Effect! Cole tags, getting 2 on Chris with the cradlebreaker. Hero pops up with a Roaring Elbow on Cole…and Elgin blind tags himself in. ST-Joe on Cole, only for the champ to block the dead-lift suplex. Elgin hits a discus lariat instead! Buckle Bomb countered with a jumping enzi, but in turn Elgin evades the Florida Key. Panama Sunrise…rolled through. Buckle Bomb blocked, Superkick blocked! Hero tags in! ROLLING BICYCLE KICK GETS 2! He punches Cole right in the face as he tries the Panama Sunrise again, then delivers an ELECTRIC CHAIR DEATH BLOW! HERO WINS! It’s over at 29:24
Rating - **** - A strong main event, with plenty of time given allowing it to develop. They pulled lots of different threads together well, with Cole trying to avoid being pinned to give away a title shot, Hardy trying to protect Cole, Jay, Elgin and Hero all vying with each other to be the man who beats Cole, Jay wanting revenge on both Cole and Hardy for various post-match assaults in 2013 too. I liked the Briscoe elimination in particular. Jay is crazy enough to make his own World Title belt, so it doesn’t make sense that he’d lose and happily walk to the back. He furthered his crazy persona by brawling with Cole on the way out. It was only a little touch, but really helped continue the build to the inevitable Cole/Briscoe grudge title showdown. In the meantime Hero is the perfect guy to put in front of Cole. He isn’t signed to an ROH contract, so won’t be winning the title anytime soon (sadly), however, he’s a big name and an extremely talented worker – so a real marquee title defence to bolster Cole’s resume before he heads into those matches with the likes of Briscoe, Elgin and Steen. I’ll also praise Matt Hardy here. I’m on record as loathing his presence in ROH, and I stand by that. However, he was very good in this match – playing the role of Cole’s mentor extremely well.
Hardy immediately jumps Hero…but is hauled off into the dead-lift German by Elgin. Unbreakable grabs Cole as well – feeding him to the GOLDEN ELBOW from Hero! He leaves, with a frustrated-looking Michael Elgin alone in the ring pondering another missed championship opportunity.
Tape Rating - N/A - The RT/Bennett encounter wasn’t great at all, but the main event was a strong three-team tag match that took up the majority of the show. It also nicely positions the 12th Anniversary Show main event of Adam Cole vs Chris Hero. Road Rage, as a concept, continues to frustrate me of course – but putting a 30-minute tag match main event on free TV is a pretty cool thing that you’re unlikely to see ROH’s televised rivals doing anytime soon.