ROH on Sinclair – Episode 194 – 10th June 2015
We are now less than two weeks out from Best In The World 2015 and, to give credit where it is certainly due, the card for the pay-per-view could perhaps even be the very best ppv card Delirious has set up as a booker. However, before Ring Of Honor can execute potentially their best live pay-per-view event thus far, they need to finish getting their metaphorical ducks lined up and suitably heat every match accordingly. To that end, our scheduled headline bout tonight will see The Addiction defend their ROH Tag Titles against former champions reDRagon – a match that they rather puzzlingly demanded last week. Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino welcome us back to Toronto, ONT.
The Addiction open the show talking about all the ‘complaining and moaning’ reDRagon have done since losing the Tag Titles to them. I’m not sure if they are being ironic, or if it’s just a lazy ass promo – because I don’t think we’ve heard a peep from O’Reilly or Fish since they lost the belts? They then come out into the arena, as Kevin Kelly announces that Bobby Fish was attacked in the parking lot and isn’t in the building…
Nevertheless, Daniels demands that either they come and accept their Tag Title rematch now…or lose by forfeit and fall back into the ranks to earn another shot. Kyle O’Reilly emerges through the curtain – and accepts their challenge by himself!
The Addiction vs reDRagon – ROH Tag Title Match
On paper this is a rematch from ROH on SBG Episode 188 when Chris Sabin emerged as a member of the KRD and helped Addiction take the Tag Championship from dominant champions reDRagon. That obviously isn’t the story now – as O’Reilly has been forced to contest this match by himself. It’s not completely unheard of for a competitor to win the ROH Tag Titles single-handedly (Jay Briscoe effectively did it at All Star Extravaganza 3 back in 2007) but imposing veterans like Daniels and Kazarian are a colossal handicap for Kyle to overcome…
The element of surprise benefits O’Reilly, who starts hot and successfully takes the fight to both opponents for a minute or so. I feel like Sinclair must have shot some kind of backstage angle to frame this, because Kelly and Corino are talking like Fish is out injured thanks to The Addiction. Why isn’t that on the DVD? I mean, I know why – lazy editing and production – but why is such laziness tolerated? Kyle tries to separate the champions by throwing them to opposing sides of the arena, before stacking them both for the FLYING APRON MISSILE DROPKICK THROUGH AN OPEN CHAIR! Rolling butterflies…into Arm-ageddon on Kaz! Daniels breaks it with the title belt, causing The Addiction to be disqualified at 04:08
Rating - N/A - This was taped for television, so actually I think they made the best of an unfortunate situation regarding Bobby Fish’s travel difficulties to make a solid televised angle. Seeing Daniels get some rare live promo time was delightful (and did more to flesh out The Addiction’s heel character than three or four dry, pre-taped pipe-and-drape interview segments), O’Reilly wrestled like a machine and the non-finish really enhances his credibility. In essence, I came away from this understanding more about the characters and motivations of the newly-turned Tag Champions and feeling like O’Reilly was a star. It is hard to deem this anything other than successful television.
Daniels attacks the referee as well, before the champs hit Celebrity Rehab with one of the belts. Matt Sydal and ACH randomly come to the rescue…causing them to retreat and make fun of ACH missing flights.
Dalton Castle vs Jushin Liger
You wouldn’t be able to tell it from the superstar ovation he gets from the Toronto fans, but this is a huge match for Dalton. Impressive as Donovan Dijak is, it is very clear that the 2015 Top Prospect Tournament will be remembered as a break-out moment for Castle rather than him. ROH has wasted no time getting him onto as many TV tapings as possible – and rightly so. He really is unlike anything anywhere else in the major American promotions right now and oozes star power. Putting him in the ring with a respected veteran like Liger on a show of this magnitude should tell you that Delirious is aware of his potential upside too.
Both these guys have awesome entrance themes and magnificent capes. Clearly the fans recognise that too since they barely touch in the first minute yet still get duelling chants and the ‘this is awesome’ treatment. Liger’s sensible plan is to ground his flamboyant opponent and really grind him down…but no such luck as Castle tosses him out of the ring so he can strut around. Apron 619…INTO A RANA ON THE FLOOR by Dalton! I love that Liger’s response to that is to simply knee him right in the stomach like a cranky old motherf*cker. SENTON OFF THE APRON by Liger! HE POSES WITH DALTON’S BOYS! Shotei ducked…into a DEAD-LIFT pumphandle suplex by the Party Peacock. Considering Liger’s bulk that is seriously impressive. Vader Splash gets 2 before they collide mid-ring and lie alongside one another each struggling to get up. SHOTEI! Frankensteiner scores for the masked veteran and gets a nearfall. Everest German blocked…BANG-A-RANG for 2! LIGERBOMB…for 2 as well! Liger finishes it with a brainbuster at 09:44
Rating - *** - A year down the line into Castle’s run this match wouldn’t have seemed so exciting and impressive, but at this point he feels so fresh. He still clearly has plenty to learn but something about him is incredibly watchable. The match itself had a delightfully simplistic structure, as the crafty Liger used all his experience to put down a spirited challenge from a hard-working and unorthodox young pretender.
Mark Briscoe gets some interview time and appears to have challenged Donovan Dijak to a match at Best In The World, and is pissed off that Dijak took him out with Feast Your Eyes last week…
In the locker room Jushin Liger gives Cheeseburger some last minute pointers…
Bob Evans vs Cheeseburger
Brutal Burgers were a (pointless) team, but have now (pointlessly) split up because Brutal Bob was (pointlessly) jealous of Cheeseburger’s popularity. He’s been Mike Bennett’s trainer, and Cheeseburger’s coach/sidekick – but all Evans has ever actually wanted to do is be an ROH wrestler in his own right. He now looks to take out years of career frustration on his ex-partner. Focusing on the positives – I would rather watch Brutal Bob wrestle than Cheeseburger.
Burger starts quickly and kicks Bob out of the ring…for an ugly Thesz press off the apron. To give Cheese his dues – he is clearly pumped up for this and visibly trembles as he prepares to hit a somersault senton off the barricade. Shotei nailed, but Evans basically no-sells it and football tackles him for 2. CRAZY SIDEWALK SLAM OFF THE APRON THROUGH THE TIMEKEEPING TABLE! That spot was so insanely out of keeping with the rest of this inane match I had to rewind the DVD to check it actually happened! The ref fears for Cheeseburger’s life, so calls it a no contest in a time of 02:59
Rating - N/A - I’ve watched Ring Of Honor wrestling for a long time, and I’m struggling to remember too many more idiotic moves from an ROH booker than to give a feud like Bob Evans/Cheeseburger any kind of air time. But after that ludicrous table bump I don’t have the heart to give this the ‘DUD’ treatment. It is also fair to say that Burger is getting a lot more precise in the execution of his spots. It still doesn’t make him particularly watchable or believable, but does at least stop me from questioning why I even bother watching wrestling anymore…like I normally do during his matches.
NEXT WEEK – The official contract signing for the Battle Of The Belts. Jay Briscoe and Jay Lethal will be in the same ring at the same time, just days before Best In The World 2015…
INSIDE ROH – Mandy Leon is still a beautiful but exceptionally awkward presence as host. She introduces highlights of the interactions between Briscoe and Lethal during the Conquest Tour.
Back at ringside Kevin Kelly confirms that a No DQ Tag Title Match between The Addiction and reDRagon has been signed for Best In The World too.
Michael Bennett/Matt Taven vs Karl Anderson/Doc Gallows
This is technically a ‘substitute’ TV main event as reDRagon/Addiction tag that was supposed to headline this episode went on first. The Kingdom and the Bullet Club had already contested a hell of a match with each other during this tour – with Bennett and Taven ending up on the winning side of a trios tag in Philadelphia. They have previous with Anderson and Gallows too, whom they defeated to become the IWGP Tag Champions back in April.
Karl Anderson has no interest in wrestling and instead sprints around the ring making a beeline for Maria. Taven comes to the rescue with a SUICIDE DIVE TO THE FLOOR taking out both members of the Bullet Club. The Kingdom set up the Hail Mary on the floor…COUNTERED IN MID-AIR TO A FLYING GUN-STUN ON THE FLOOR! F-5 ON THE APRON BY DOC! Back inside the ring Anderson lands the Rocket Kick for 2. Bennett blocks the Gun Stun and lands the Spear to turn the momentum in his favour. MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR BY TAVEN! He is killing himself in this one! Tempers get so frayed that referee Red Shoes gets decked…leading to a double DQ at 05:25. The fight continues though, with Bennett frantically rescuing his wife from being given the Magic Killer through a chair. He gets a Gun Stun…and Taven gets the MAGIC KILLER THROUGH OPEN CHAIRS instead!
Rating - *** - This was mad. It didn’t go long, but these guys absolutely beat the hell out of each other. Taven in particular was on another planet to everyone else and took a couple of bumps comparable to Cheeseburger’s table ride! I’m not the biggest fan of the Anderson/Gallows team, mostly since I think Karl is an awesome singles competitor and they are nowhere near as good as the Anderson/Bernard team from a few years ago…but they are at their best in fun, chaotic brawls like this.
Tape Rating - *** - Not perfect, but this was considerably better than the awful debut episode on Destination America. It felt like there was a buzz to proceedings – and the laser-like focus on promoting Best In The World 2015 was commendable too. The Addiction/reDRagon segment to open the show was effective, Castle/Liger was a decent wrestling match, the Brutal Burgers table spot was crazy – and we got a taste of the hottest act pro-wrestling outside of the WWE (Bullet Club) in the main event. All in all this is the sort of show Ring Of Honor should be producing more often. But for Kevin Kelly’s embarrassingly dated commentary and Mandy Leon’s wooden 'Inside ROH' delivery this almost felt cutting edge – which is quite an achievement for Sinclair-owned ROH.