ROH on Sinclair – Episode 190 – 9th May 2015
This leg of the Conquest Tour has to go down as one of the better television tapings in Sinclair-owned Ring Of Honor history. Every episode has had a noteworthy match, we’ve had a number of interesting storyline developments, title changes…and we end tonight with Alberto El Patron bowing out of ROH with a final appearance in his adopted hometown. He’s part of a colossal trios tag which will hopefully see these tapings out with a bang and set the stage nicely for the ROH/NJPW shows later this week. For the last time we head to San Antonio, TX to join Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino – who have Adam Cole with them this week too.
Chris Sabin vs Kyle O’Reilly
Two weeks ago the KRD were revealed to be Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian and Chris Sabin. Sabin returned to Ring Of Honor and cost reDRagon their beloved ROH Tag Championship, and in the aftermath of that the new group left Kyle bleeding in an aggressive post-match assault. Despite being heavily bandaged as a result of that attack, O’Reilly wants some immediate revenge tonight.
Sabin runs off into the crowd during his entrance, which turns out to be a smart plan as it allows him to sneak up behind O’Reilly and attack him during his own entry to the arena. DDT ON THE RAMP! In fact Sabin seems intent on opening up the cut as he next starts tossing Kyle face-first into the guardrails. And after all that the match actually begins with O’Reilly clamping his opponent in the ropes with a hanging armbar. BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX ON THE FLOOR! Arm-ageddon blocked and a smiling Sabin spits in the face of the former Tag Champion before squirming away under the ropes! A ‘Viewer Discretion’ warning flashes up on the screen at this point, which is annoying but probably preferable to blurring the whole thing out. Sabin tears the bandage off O’Reilly’s head…then works an arm submission? He does eventually target the head wound – teasing a dive off the top rope before swerving the fans and hopping to the mat to deliver a simple fist drop. Blood starts to trickle down Kyle’s face, which he defies to hit the rolling butterfly suplexes into Arm-ageddon! Again Sabin finds a rope before any significant damage is inflicted. He misses a sliding dropkick and sends himself groin-first into the ringpost! Kicks are rattled off by Kyle…but Axe & Smash is countered with a jumping enzi. JAWBREAKER LARIAT! SOLO CHASING THE DRAGON…FOR 2! O’Reilly collapses from fatigue prompting Bobby Fish to come to the ring to cheer him on. He and Sabin swing for the fences…until Chris Daniels runs in looking to get involved. Fish and Daniels brawl, causing a distraction which allows Kazarian to sneak in and assist his buddy with hitting Cradle Shock. Sabin announces his return to ROH with a win at 13:44 (shown)
Rating - *** - They could definitely have a better match together, but for free television and on an evening where O’Reilly had already wrestled once and been busted open this was very good. Sabin is very decent even though age and injury has started to slow him down. He has years of experience wrestling on television with TNA on his side however, which really helped him work a fun little match. He slipped into a heel role rather well and is an addition to the roster I’m looking forward to seeing. Say what you will about the goofiness of the KRD gimmick, but it’s given Daniels a much-needed heel turn and given Chris Sabin another run which are both ok with me.
Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino hype the weeks New Japan shows, the highlight of which will supposedly be the Global Wars iPPV. That show gets several matches announced (because you’ve paid to get New Japan’s top stars over to the US, why bother hyping the pay-per-view for anymore than a week right?).
NEXT WEEK – Road Rage from the Conquest Tour in Hopkins.
Alberto El Patron/Matt Sydal/ACH vs Jay Briscoe/Mark Briscoe/Roderick Strong
Ring Of Honor got the internet buzzing when it announced that Alberto was booked for a run of 2015 shows. He delivered some really memorable performances (including a genuine classic against Roderick Strong in Dayton), but unfortunately the only major angle he got involved in – a feud with Jay Lethal – was a major bust. Now leaving to concentrate on his Mexican and Lucha Underground commitments, this show marks the end of his enjoyable string of guest appearances. He ends his ROH career in the town where he lives, teaming with two of the more popular current stars on the roster to face a team of Ring Of Honor legends.
The pop for Alberto’s entrance is insane. From memory he was carrying a leg injury, to the point that people wondered whether he’d be able to make this show so it’s no surprise that he starts on the apron. Former GenNext team-mates Sydal and Strong soon come to blows, then have a poignant stare-down whilst neither commentary even bothers to acknowledge their history together. Alberto and Jay in next, prompting another thunderous ovation for El Patron. He hits the lungblower for an early nearfall on the World Champion. Mark looks for a dive, gets cut of by ACH…so Strong JUMPS THROUGH THE ROPES to kick him into the guardrails! Sydal tries a cannonball, but Roddy catches and dumps him too! ELBOW SUICIDA BY ALBERTO! SOMERSAULT PLANCHA BY JAY! Mark kills our buzz by clocking ACH before he can hit his own signature dive spot. It leaves him isolated in the ring allowing the ROH veteran team to really start wearing him down. He spends several minutes in the wrong half of the ring…but finally double stomps off Jay Briscoe’s back into a hot tag to AEP! DEATH BY RODERICK on him for 2! He stumbles into the Rude Awakening next…but before collapsing to the mat manages to drag Jay down with him in a DDT. Sydal takes advantage with the Slice/jawbreaker combo on both Briscoes. Here It Is Driver blocked…so ACH nails a slingshot flatliner instead. Urinage backbreaker from Strong to Alberto! Froggy Bow on ACH! BIG STRIKES BY EVERYONE! ROMPE DESTINOS ON MARK! INTO THE SYDAL PRESS! INTO ACH’S 450 SPLASH! AMAZING FINISH! ACH pins Mark to win at 16:23 (shown)
Rating - *** - An enjoyable, entertaining, feel-good main event to wrap up one of the strongest ROH TV tapings I’ve seen for a while. This never got too crazy, but rushed by in a blur of solid wrestling and athletic action – the kind of match Ring Of Honor should be main eventing their show with every week. Alberto’s injury rather limited his involvement, but the most memorable aspect of this match for me was the amazing ovation he got from the Texas crowd every time he was in the ring. They’ve been an awesome crowd throughout all four episodes – but this was something else.
Kelly and Corino really play up ACH’s victory as a major deal. Has defeating Mark Briscoe meant anything in years? Alberto shows class by making a point of putting over Jay Briscoe before the episode fades out…
Tape Rating - *** - Not quite on the same level as last week and the awesome Lethal/Ciampa match, but another really good hour of television to close out the Conquest Tour. Getting Alberto El Patron onto Ring Of Honor television was a major coup so it was important that his final match felt like a big deal – and it did.
Top 5 Conquest Tour: San Antonio Taping Matches
5) Alberto El Patron/Matt Sydal/ACH vs Briscoes/Roderick Strong (*** - Episode 190)
4) War Machine vs Killer Elite Squad (*** - Episode 189)
3) reDRagon vs The Addiction (**** - Episode 188)
2) Michael Elgin vs Cedric Alexander (**** - Episode 187)
1) Jay Lethal vs Tommaso Ciampa (**** - Episode 189)