ROH on Sinclair – Episode 149 – 26th July 2014
I’ve given Ring Of Honor some real criticism during recent reviews for running ppv content on their TV show. So it’s only right that at this point I praise them for really getting ahead of the game with their TV taping schedule. The last two legs of the ‘Summer Heat Tour’ – in Dearborn and Philly – were both designated television tapings, meaning we should have plenty of fresh content in the can to look forward to over the coming weeks. I’ve not seen a preview so don’t know what’s on tap for this episode, but after the surprisingly strong Summer Heat Tour: Cincinnati event that took place the evening before these tapings I’m positive. Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino are in Dearborn, MI.
SIDENOTE – They find time to put sponsorship logos all over the outstanding ‘Creating Excellence’ promo video, but still haven’t found time to put together a new opening video to replace the old one which is now hopelessly outdated. Go figure…
reDRagon vs Monster Mafia
This is actually a rematch from 2013’s ‘A New Dawn’ event. At that time reDRagon won, though the Mafia produced an impressive performance. Since then Ethan Owens has started getting a few more regular bookings, and now his partner (Josh Alexander) is brought back as he attempts to make a splash in the tag division.
Alexander obviously has some power and uses it to start strongly against O’Reilly. Fish as to trip him from the apron…but even he gets wiped out with the Murder-Go-Round as EGO wipes out Kyle with an elbow suicida. Owens is eventually knocked off the ropes by O’Reilly which hands the champs the advantage for the first time. #AllEGO is the target of the aggression, largely having his shoulder worked over – before he defies the injury to hit a release suplex on Bobby. Hot tag to Alexander…who tries to steal Caprice Coleman’s rolling northern lights gimmick but instead settles for a double suplex on both members of reDRagon! DOUBLE TEAM SLINGSHOT DDT gets 2! Josh then stands toe to toe with O’Reill as he hammers him with strikes! Axe & Smash COUNTERED TO THE LOCH NESS LOWDOWN! FOR 2! Fish spears Owens into the guardrails then sprints into the ring to wipe out Josh with a Saito suplex. CHASING THE DRAGON wins it at 08:13
Rating - *** - Much the same as their last match together in that we got plenty of fun spots, reDRagon looked excellent as usual, and the Monster Mafia delivered an impressive and popular little performance of their own. Last time around they didn’t really capitalise on it but hopefully this time ROH will realise they are an act with a lot of potential as a team and give them some more bookings. Visa issues permitting obviously…
Moose vs Hakim Zane
After debuting with much hype at Best In The World, this is Moose’s first in-ring appearance on Ring Of Honor television. He is under pressure to deliver the goods and won’t want an embarrassing loss to an enhancement talent in his televised debut.
Hakim is soon trying to run away from his sizeable opponent only to be thwarted with a surprisingly agile dropkick. A diving headbutt from the Moose blocks Zane as he tries a dive off the top rope and he is wiped out with a spear at 01:37
Rating - N/A - If you’re going to do a squash, this is the way to do it. I must say I don’t get the hype with Moose just yet, but he didn’t do anything wrong here.
Veda Scott and Ramon interrupt his celebrations, demanding an answer to the offer she made him at Best In The World. Instead of signing, Moose nearly gets into a fight with Ramon…(which makes absolutely no f*cking sense given where they were going with this angle)
NEXT WEEK – The Golden Gauntlet to determine a #1 contender for the World Championship.
Roderick Strong/Jimmy Jacobs vs War Machine vs Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian vs Jay Briscoe/Mark Briscoe
The winner of this huge four corner match earns a future shot at reDRagon and the ROH Tag Titles. Bobby Fish’s presence at ringside on commentary emphasises that point. Last night in Cincinnati we saw chaotic scenes as the Briscoes and War Machine went to a no contest, then the Daniels/Kaz vs Kingdom tag also ended in a multi-team staredown. The point was to emphasise the emerging strength of Ring Of Honor’s tag division right now – and this booking only backs up that point further. Such is the strength of the field here that of the eight men participating there are only three that haven’t already held the Tag Titles at one point.
Hanson takes a stand and demands to start with Daniels and quickly takes him out with a cartwheeling lariat. Jacobs is over in his hometown, almost reaching Briscoe levels of popularity. Unfortunately it doesn’t stop Mark wiping him out with the Uncle Mule Kick. Bad Influence take over the assault on the smallest man in the match…so he rolls out of the ring where Adam Page and Tadarius Thomas are waiting to prove him with water as War Machine start bashing Daniels around again. The Briscoes come to his aid, renewing hostilities with the team they so violently fought in Ohio the previous night. The exchanges between these four are as rugged and unforgiving as they were in Cincinnati and we come back from commercials with Jay nearly snapping some guardrails in half with Ray Rowe’s body. APRON BACKBREAKER from Strong to Daniels! The Decade have capitalised on the carnage between the brawling teams to establish dominance over the Fallen Angel. Mark gets his brains scrambled on the barriers for good measure too. They focus on Daniels’ neck and back, with Kaz looking helplessly across the ring from his corner. This heat segment has now stretched on for two commercial breaks now, and when we return Decade are rocking Daniels with a DEATH BY RODERICK/SPEAR COMBO! Running STO opens it up for a hot tag to Frankie – who Jerry Lynn’s Jacobs in the ropes then slingshots into a DDT on Strong. Death Rowe blocked…as Daniels clubs Ray with a sliding lariat. NO SOLD! CEMENT MIXER! SPIN KICK OF DOOM on Jay! SICK KICK ON DANIELS gets 2! End Of Heartache blocked…Contra Code blocked! BEST MOONSAULT EVER! Daniels pins Strong at 17:30 (shown)!
Rating - *** - I liked the match, although the televised format with multiple commercial breaks made it feel a little more disjointed than it actually was. The Briscoes felt a little under-utilised, considering they were the most popular guys in the ring, but everyone else looked strong. War Machine got to show off their spots, look like bad asses and were protected by not being involved in the decision. Decade looked slick as a unit, before Strong (as usual – he’s not contracted) stared at the lights. The last few minutes after the final ad break were heaps of fun. ROH needs to invest a bit of time into giving Daniels and Kazarian a gimmick and storyline if they want them to get over. Daniels is well-respected of course, but this is the second Bad Influence match in a row where the crowd has DIED whenever Frankie Kazarian has been in the ring.
The Decade try to assault Daniels after the match (he’s another quitter who’s come back of course), but are thwarted by Kazarian…alongside the ongoing brawl between War Machine and the Briscoes.
Tape Rating - *** - Fresh content, plenty of focus on the rebuilding of the tag division, two good tag matches to emphasise that and an effective squash too. There’s not a lot to complain about or criticise from this hour of television. I also liked the focus on the Field Of Honor show too. It’s important ROH continues to promote and showcase its live events even though the main focus of the product is the TV show now. Particularly when those live events are at large, open-air baseball stadiums which could look embarrassingly empty if you don’t shift enough tickets.