McXal's Reviews

This is the final episode taped at the 14th Anniversary weekend, and it is an absolutely packed hour of wrestling. The Tag Titles are on the line with RPG Vice challenging, Kenny Omega returns to Ring Of Honor television for the first time since they were on HDNet to face ACH, and the main event is the heavily-promoted Fight Without Honor pitting Dalton Castle against Silas Young. I’ve heard good things about that one so let’s get stuck in. Kevin Kelly and Mr Wrestling III call it from Las Vegas, NV

We saw Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero earn this title shot by winning the #1 contendership Gauntlet on Episode #234. They got a prime spot and capitalised, and now step up to the intimidating, bearded Tag Champions. Hanson and Rowe destroyed The Kingdom at Final Battle, and contested a war with ANX at the 14th Anniversary. But they are growing increasingly distracted by their differences with the Briscoes. Romero is no stranger to ghosting into the middle of a feud between teams and stealing the gold for himself, as he did when Forever Hooligans waded into the American Wolves/reDRagon rivalry to become Tag Champs. Will history repeat itself tonight?

Rocky comes out wearing an RPG Vice-edition Black Tiger IV mask. He and his team-mate have evidently seen War Machine’s entrance, because they are coiled and ready to hit them with tandem knee strikes as they start their usual pose on the apron. Stereo topes drive them back into the railings and a brawl ensues before the bell has even rung. Of course, a brawl favours the champions…and their heavy-hands soon see them assume control. Beretta tugs at Rowe’s beard to block a press slam…so Ray tries to knee his damn head off! He retains some composure and diverts an attempt at the Shotgun Knees from Rowe into his own partner, visibly winding Hanson. Forever Clotheslines by Romero, blocked with the Superman Punch by Rowe! DOUBLE KNEE STRIKE blocks Hanson’s cartwheel lariat as once again RPG Vice counter signature War Machine offence. They think about Strong Zero, but it’s too early and War Machine counter by powerbombing them into each other. Trent blocks Path Of Resistance…so Rocky can hit a frankensteiner on big Hanson. Somersault plancha by Beretta CAUGHT AND COUNTERED TO AN APRON BOMB! SPIN KICK OF DOOM floors Romero. Fallout wins it for the champions at 06:23 (shown).

Rating - *** - I considered going down to 2* on this, as it felt a little confused, and took place in front of a live audience who clearly struggled to relate to either duo. RPG Vice are a fun team, and Rocky Romero is a charismatic performer in his own right. But they’ve been around ROH for a while, without ever really getting much promo time, or an opportunity to engage with the ROH fanbase. In short, we are supposed to care about them because Rocky shouts a lot and New Japan book them? It just doesn’t work like that. They worked such a smart match here, basically countering everything War Machine do right down to their f*cking ring entrances. It was that level of detail and quality that convinced me to go to 3*. But nobody bought that they were even competitive against War Machine, let alone in with a chance of winning. This is Rocky Romero, who has held the ROH Tag Titles with three different partners! How can it be so implausible that he would win? Between live events, VOD’s, PPV’s, YouTube and TV ROH puts out a lot of content. We need to start exploring more of what makes characters tick, and be given more storylines to make us care about them.

Donovan Dijak (wearing a Jay Lethal shirt) and Prince Nana are out for some interview time now. Why the f*ck was this not on the previous episode, rather than booked for this show when Omega/ACH and Castle/Silas are already going to get screwed for time? Nana refuses to reveal what is in the mystery letters, and backs Dijak to be the next World Champion. Donovan gets to talk briefly as well, but he needs a LOT of work in that department and thankfully Jay Lethal comes to the ring to interrupt him. No words from the World Champion; he tackles Dijak and tries to punch his lights out. They have to be separated…as do Nana and Taeler Hendrix!

Dalton Castle gets one last promo in before the main event, where he points out that tonight is the first time that he is actually going out to ‘hurt’ Silas (as opposed to proving himself, or trying to earn his Boys back). That makes him more dangerous than ever apparently.

The return of The Cleaner to Ring Of Honor television is a major event. He holds the IWGP Intercontinental Title and NEVER Openweight 6-Man Titles too, and is positioned as the top dog in the 2016 version of the Bullet Club. He is now one of the top professional wrestling stars outside of the WWE system and represents a significant challenge for ACH to overcome. But ACH is no stranger to stepping up to elite level competition. He has faced the likes of AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and Alberto El Patron – giving them all stern tests. What he still needs is a major victory to break through the glass ceiling and cement a top spot in Ring Of Honor. Victory over Omega tonight would certainly meet that criteria. He has far more to gain from this than Kenny, which makes him a threat…

Omega (who is out with the Young Bucks) gets a rockstar welcome from the fans. It must be intimidating for ACH to work with, so credit to him for starting fast and landing the Stone Cold combo. Kenny blocks the Stunner…ACH blocks the Dragon Rush and dropkicks The Cleaner so hard he leaves the ring! ACH is so impressed with himself that he back flips off the apron…into a SUPERKICK from Nick Jackson (whilst Kenny remonstrates with referee Tiger Hattori). Hilariously, Nick then puts a banana peel on the ground and acts like ACH slipped on it! Thankfully Kenny has his cleaning broom on hand to sweep it up and remove any ongoing hazards. Second rope moonsault misses for Omega, and he eats a ROPE RUN TIGER FLIP KICK by ACH knocking him to the floor. The Young Bucks again get involved trying to distract him…so ACH takes a run up and hits AIR JORDAN to wipe out the entire Elite! Brainbuster blocked…into DRAGON RUSH! But then ACH counters the One-Winged Angel right back into a brainbuster for 2. Midnight Star misses….Hero’s Grip blocked into V-TRIGGER! NO SOLD! V-TRIGGER AGAIN! Sweet Chin Music blocked…Stone Cold Stunner blocked…Rock Bottom blocked…STONE COLD STUNNER BY ACH! Crazy oversell by Omega too! ACH climbs the ropes but EATS THE MAT on a missed Midnight Star. V-TRIGGER! ONE-WINGED ANGEL! Omega wins at 10:18 (shown).

Rating - **** - There was a PWG-esque vibe to this which I really liked. They could have gone a different route and worked an altogether more serious match, but personally I thought this was great. It’s ok for wrestling to come out and be downright fun, and this absolutely was. Both of these men are renowned for having slightly unconventional personalities, and they let it show with this performance. The key thing is that whilst some of the content was goofy, the crispness and precision of the actual wrestling was always on point. Sure they goofed around, but they also leave you with the impression that you just watched two outstanding ATHLETES go at it. For free television, the night after all of these guys went ballistic in a trios match (and with Omega needing to protect himself for his lucrative NJPW spot), this was really great.

Ring Of Honor have been promoting this hard as the first ever televised Fight Without Honor, which simply isn’t true. Apparently the HDNet show only exists in a parallel ROH universe. I believe it’s the first one that has aired on the Sinclair show at least. We know the history between these two. Silas took exception to Castle’s antics, and grew frustrated after suffering a couple of losses to him as well. In the end he manipulated a situation whereby he was able to beat Dalton and gain possession of his Boys. He tried his damndest to make The Boys ‘Real Men’, but failed. They rejected his tutelage to return to Planet Peacock at Final Battle. Now the time has come to settle this war once and for all, in the ultimate Ring Of Honor feud deciding stipulation match.

Dalton doesn’t wear his signature spandex entrance suit for this, and sends The Boys to the back so you know he means business. They brawl through a mass of streamers early on, before Castle hacks Young to the floor and nails him with a HEAT SEEKING MISSILE! Silas gets payback by dodging a knee strike on the apron and shoving his rival to the outside for a somersault pescado. He rams a steel chair into Dalton’s back (which will go on to become a problematic nagging injury throughout his career). Castle tries to respond with chops but accidentally connects with the ringpost with a sickening thud. He avoids serious injury there though, and as we come back from commercials Young is seen introducing tables and ladders to the equation. Apron tiger-feint rana attempted by Castle, but COUNTERED INTO A POWERBOMB THROUGH TWO OPEN CHAIRS! The Peacock blocks the Peegee Waja Plunge on the ladder…only to be muscled to the ground into an STF, piling still more pressure onto his bad back. PEEGEE WAJA PLUNGE INTO THE LADDER MISSES! Young sells that like total death, and they both look worse for wear as they slowly peel each other off the canvas. Young rakes at the bad back…then drags his opponent back to the canvas with an Ace Crusher for 2. MISERY gets 2! Dalton is on the brink of defeat, so Silas gets a microphone to verbally berate him as he starts hammering on him with a trash can lid. The Boys have seen enough and try to help…but get decisively battered by the Last Real Man. Castle tries to capitalise with a running knee strike, but misses and falls to the floor. TOPE SUICIDA BY SILAS…BUT THE BOYS SACRIFICE THEMSELVES! They shoved Dalton aside and ate the guardrails themselves. EVEREST GERMAN GETS 2! Young clings to the ropes to save himself from Bang-A-Rang SO DALTON THROWS HIM OVER THE TOP THROUGH A TABLE! AND STILL HE KICKS OUT! He spits in Castle’s face! BANG-A-RANG ON A CHAIR! Castle wins the feud at 13:09 (shown).

Rating - **** - The days of bloody, ultra-hardcore Fights Without Honor are gone. In the Sinclair era this is about as violent as Ring Of Honor really gets, and I thought they absolutely delivered a match befitting of the ‘Fight Without Honor’ legacy here. It isn’t easy to do this kind of match within the confines of a TV taping – from a wrestling or production standpoint. But everything came together here. The commercial breaks came at the right time, Kelly and Mr Wrestling sold the action well and crucially, they put together a really strong story to undercut the violence and big spot bumps. Watching it in 2019, knowing that Castle would go on to be so bothered by back injuries, Silas’ work on his back here becomes even harder to watch. It’s a huge victory for Castle, and this feud has done a hell of a job of reminding everyone why they love the theatrical campness of his gimmick…but also that he’s a bad ass who can WORK. It is critical that Delirious does something with him on the back of this. Cedric Alexander, Adam Page, ACH etc…they’ve all come out and produced fantastic performances in feud-ending blow-off matches like this. But then gone nowhere and remained in exactly the same spot as they were before the particular feud they were engaged in began. Fingers crossed the same fate doesn’t await Dalton.

NEXT WEEK – Road Rage from Honor Rising 2016 weekend begins…

Tape Rating - **** - By far the strongest episode of the taping, which is saying something when you consider the quality at this entire event has been exceedingly high. The issue ROH had here is that they’d actually taped TOO MUCH good wrestling for the time they had available in the episode. I do think you can criticise them for that, as they could have laid things out across the evening slightly better. Donovan Dijak’s in-ring promo should have been on the previous episode. Did the War Machine/RPG Vice tag really need to happen on this episode too? It led to a huge portion of the Tag Title Match being left on the cutting room floor, and a big chunk of the Fight Without Honor too. In fairness, the reality is you’re tuning into this episode, or digging it out on Honor Club for Omega/ACH and Dalton/Silas. They are both brilliant TV matches which completely deliver against expectations.

5) Roderick Strong vs Adam Page vs Moose vs Matt Sydal (*** - Episode 236)

4) Kenny Omega vs ACH (**** - Episode 238)

3) Hiroshi Tanahashi/Michael Elgin vs Young Bucks (**** - Episode 235)

2) Adam Cole vs Kushida (**** - Episode 237)

1) Dalton Castle vs Silas Young (**** - Episode 238)