McXal's Reviews

New content! New episodes! At last! Taped during the War Of The Worlds 2016 Tour, Ring Of Honor once again brings us four weeks of collisions between the top stars of both ROH and New Japan. That starts with the main event of this episode as the NEVER Openweight Trios Champions, The Elite of Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks face Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin and Yoshi Tatsu (in his ROH debut). We are on the countdown to Best In The World 2016, and as that PPV event features almost zero New Japan participation ROH will need to show real skill in laying out these episodes to give the NJPW crew time to shine whilst also retaining a focus on their own roster and product. Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness provide commentary from Toronto, ONT.

On any normal Ring Of Honor event, or even TV broadcast, this would be a much bigger deal. Rush, winner of the 2016 Top Prospect Tournament, has equipped himself exceptionally well every time ROH have given him an opportunity (including potentially the 2016 MOTY thus far over Supercard Of Honor weekend). But that wasn’t enough to get him booked for Global Wars (and he only got on the Dearborn War Of The Worlds Tour event because Jushin Liger was injured). A win over ACH would be a big step forward for him. A few years ago ACH was where Lio is now. A precocious newcomer with a big reputation as an athlete from his independent work elsewhere, signed having impressing in a Top Prospect Tournament…he’ll know the challenges that lie ahead for Rush. And as a result, he knows how important beating him is. ACH’s ROH run has been crushingly held back by his failure to WIN great matches, rather than simply have great matches. He, perhaps more than anyone, knows that wins matter…

Silas Young joins commentary for no apparent reason, and creates a huge distraction to those watching at home. He doesn’t like ACH playing video games apparently. ACH and Lio try to outdo each other with ludicrous counters…and Rush gets the upper hand with a TOPE ATOMICO! ACH is rattled at the prospect of a younger, faster and more athletic guy than even him…so dips into his power game and steamrolls through Rush with a lariat. Hero’s Grip nailed for 2…before Lio counters the slingshot flatliner with a volley of rapid-fire strikes for his own nearfall. Rush Hour COUNTERED with a thrust kick into the Spirit Bomb. Midnight Star finishes Lio at 04:11

Rating - *** - Giving these two astonishing athletes only four minutes was criminal. In my view this is a match which should have been saved for a card where they had more time to spare – and we definitely need to get a rematch. However, given their hopelessly short time allocation I thought they did a hell of a job with this. It delivered exactly the match you’d hope to see, i.e. two super athletic and exciting young guys throwing a load of stuff out there for our entertainment. The idea that Lio was even quicker and more agile than ACH was a novel one and something I wish they’d had more time to explore. I loved that ACH used puroresu ‘power’ moves like lariats, suplexes and a brainbuster to overcome it as well. Blink and you’ll miss it, but it was good stuff.

Silas gets into the ring and disrespects both competitors, eventually jumping ACH from behind. He lays him out with Misery and walks away, apparently still bitterly unhappy about his tag loss to ACH and Sydal in Dearborn.

WAR OF THE WORLDS TOUR: DEARBORN – The finish to War Machine’s Tag Title defence against The Addiction is shown, to reveal them as the new Tag Champions ahead of the next match.

Daniels takes a microphone to proclaim The Addiction as ‘undefeated’ Tag Champions, and that no team in ROH has what it takes to beat them. Their former stable-mate in the KRD Chris Sabin reminds them that MCMG have already beaten them a couple of times (that feud shows no signs of slowing), whilst Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero just want to muscle in on things because they are a ‘cool, new team here’ (Beretta’s words, not mine). Daniels angry protestation that he is neither old, nor bald, is a genuine laugh out loud moment…but he does agree to give either of these teams a Best In The World PPV title shot if they can win this non-title encounter.

Rocky Romero isn’t that much younger than Kazarian and seems a little too excited to be on the ‘young’ side of the equation here. He breaks out the Forever Clotheslines early as RPG Vice take control. The Machine Guns take over and put the boots to the champions as well…until the cunning Daniels jumps Shelley from behind (we’ve seen that before) and hands The Addiction a route back into the match. Alex’s back takes some punishment and he is in trouble as we go to commercials. We return with him battling free and making the much-needed tag to Sabin…who tope suicidas through his partner’s legs wiping out Daniels and Frankie on the floor. Cradle Shock blocked, with Trent stepping in right after to German suplex Kaz onto his face. Daniels saves his partner from Strong Zero and hits the BME on Romero. MCMG break his pin and give Daniels Skull & Bones to win at 08:57 (shown).

Rating - ** - We know these teams are capable of better and this was rushed together to fill some time and hastily set up Addiction/MCMG for Best In The World 2016. However, ACH and Rush proved in the opener that you can still get creative with a sh*tty time allowance…and I don’t think these guys did. They worked a formula and played the hits but the lack of fan interest in the finish, when it came, was palpable. Still, it’s another win for the Machine Guns over the new Tag Champions as their rivalry (which has spanned the entirety of 2016 thus far) continues to develop.

The Young Bucks and Adam Cole get some interview time to reminisce about their epic Superkick Party at Global Wars. They promise to unleash more chaos in the coming weeks…

We cut to the announce table where Nigel McGuinness announces that due to the content of Whitmer’s flash drive – footage of him stalking Steve Corino’s wife and son – he has no choice but to sanction a Fight Without Honor between BJ and Corino at Best In The World . Yes, it’s finally happening, then hopefully we can all move on (he said, more in hope than expectation).

WAR OF THE WORLDS TOUR: DEARBORN – Clips of Adam Page screwing Team ROH and becoming the ‘Hangman’ of Bullet Club is shown.

The Elite actually lost the NEVER Openweight Trios belts to their opponents tonight back in April when Tatsu made his return from an AJ Styles-inflicted long-term neck injury. He even formed a mini-stable, the ‘Hunter Club’ to get payback on Bullet Club (albeit he didn’t manage to recruit many people to it). Omega and the Bucks got the NEVER 6-Man Tag Title back at Wrestling Dontaku 2016, so the deposed former champions are coming for some vengeance tonight if not their belts. Toronto is the only date on this tour that Kenny Omega is appearing, and the same can be said for the debuting former WWE athlete Tatsu. Meanwhile Matt Jackson is competing with a broken hand he picked up in either Dearborn or Chicago…

The Elite get tossed with Elgin scooping up his own partner and press slamming him into a crossbody to the floor! SOMERSAULT PESCADO by Elgin! Back inside Unbreakable suplexes both Bucks at once…before Omega gobbles him up with the Dragon Rush. Nick Jackson isn’t moving well already, and suffered broken ribs somewhere in that opening flurry. He still has enough in them to hit double Superkicks on Tanahashi! RISE OF THE TERMINATOR DIVES! Kenny moonsaults back in to get a 2-count on Tanahashi. DOUBLE BACK FLIP BACK RAKE from Matt to Tana as well. The Ace scurries towards his corner to tag in Big Mike…who emphatically German suplexes both Young Bucks then slingshots Kenny into a powerslam. DEAD-LIFT AVALANCHE FALCON ARROW gets 2. He tries to position Tanahashi for the wheelbarrow Alabamasplash…only to find Nick Jackson in waiting to give him a Superkick. Meltzer Driver…but ELGIN CATCHES NICK AND POWERBOMBS HIM TO THE FLOOR! Yoshi delivers his first significant contribution, with the Rising Knee strike on Matt for 2. He tries to hit the Pedigree…but gets Kenny’s cleaning spray let off in his eyes! SUPERKICK PARTY ON TATSU! FOR 2! ONE WINGED ANGEL! Omega pins Yoshi at 09:00 (shown).

Rating - *** - For a TV main event compressed down once again to a really stingy time allowance, I thought this was great fun. The Young Bucks were both reportedly carrying injuries, making their contributions to this quite remarkable. Omega and Tanahashi came off like utter stars whenever they were involved, whilst Elgin’s contributions were largely restricted to what he is best at (freaky displays of power). Yoshi Tatsu’s ROH debut won’t live long in the memory (he hit about three spots) but still, I liked this…perhaps more than a 3* rating would suggest.

The Guerrillas Of Destiny and Hangman Page come out to join the celebrations in a display of Bullet Club strength and unity…

Tape Rating - *** - Good matches to start and end the hour, and excellent work done to fast-track and broadcast clips from the Dearborn event too. It wasn’t the most exciting of ROH on SBG episodes ever, but as the first batch of fresh TV content we’ve had in months it had a tough job of bridging the post-Global Wars stuff with kicking off build for Best In The World…and they did a decent job of it.