McXal's Reviews

New Japan may be in town but tonight the stars of ROH take the prime spots. Kazuchika Okada does make an appearance in the opening match, but the rest of the show will see Colt Cabana look for some payback on Hangman Page for betraying Ring Of Honor in Dearborn, followed by the hotly anticipated grudge match main event pitting World Champion Jay Lethal against former ally Donovan Dijak. We are once again in Toronto, ONT with Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness.

Prince Nana, Donovan Dijak, Taeler Hendrix and Jay Lethal get promo time to promote the main event of this episode, which is the grudge match between World Champion Lethal and the former enforcer in the House Of Truth, Dijak.

What next for Matt Sydal? In Dearborn earlier in the week ACH asked to end their team so he could strike out on his own. Having helped mould and cultivate ACH as a star of the future via their rivalry and team, Sydal is now left at a loose end (particularly since ROH can’t book his New Japan partner, Ricochet). He gets the ultimate opportunity to inject some purpose into but his ROH and NJPW careers with a bout against the Rainmaker here. Can he pull off a huge upset? We’ve seen him beat New Japan guys before – memorably beating IWGP Junior Champion Kushida in a shock result last year…

Perhaps unwisely Sydal tries to trade holds with Okada…and nearly eats the Rainmaker as a result. Sensibly he cranks up the pace and hits a running rana to counter it. He leaps into a spinning heel kick as well making it very apparent where he can damage Okada. The Rainmaker knows it too, and positions him on the top rope where he can pin him down and level him with the vertical leap dropkick. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion visibly slows it down, almost bullying a man with four more years in-ring experience than he has. But Matt has seen these tactics time and time again, so rides out the storm then dials it up again with a standing moonsault then the diving Meteora for 2. He looks for a super rana…but Okada moves so he eats turnbuckle. He lands the Reverse Neckbreaker which nearly spells the end for Reborn. Sydal then MATRIX DUCKS the Rainmaker to hit a reverse rana. SYDAL PRESS GETS KNEES! Tombstone blocked…knockout dropkick instead! RAINMAKER NAILED! Okada wins at 07:29 (shown).

Rating - *** - This was a cracking little match. Controversial as it was, Okada’s work in TNA gave him plenty of experience in crafting short, made-for-TV sprints like this. Sydal has even more experience of that style thanks to time in WWE, and the experience between these two guys showed. In less than ten minutes they put together an engaging story, which made sense and played to the strengths of both guys. Sydal used his speed and experience, but in the end couldn’t overcome Okada’s size, power and bullying attacks. The finishing sequence in particular was excellent stuff. 

More interview time for Adam Cole and the Bucks up next. Adam Cole doesn’t understand why he isn’t in the Best In The World main event, and announces his intention to face the winner of the big Lethal/Briscoe World Title Match. He also threatens to crash the main event of this episode too…

Silas Young shares a touching story of parenthood, discussing how he used the ROH colouring book to teach his son a lesson about being a ‘Real Man’ (and that ACH isn’t one). 

Bullet Club’s shocking takeover of Ring Of Honor in Chicago completely derailed Colt Cabana’s big comeback. They ruined his World Title Match with Jay Lethal…and beat him senseless in the process. Then 24 hours later they did it again after the main event of the War Of The Worlds Tour event in Dearborn. ‘Hangman’ Page’s decision to screw Team ROH and join Bullet Club was a big part of the reason why he got that second beating in Michigan…so tonight he makes his return to Ring Of Honor television looking for some revenge.

Colt’s entrance video on the massive Carytron screens that ROH use for TV and PPV is amazing. There is no handshake for this and Cabana looks fired up for it. Hangman takes a cheap shot at him but it has little effect and he finds himself getting made to look foolish by Colt’s effortless chain-wrestling. Page gets pissed off and takes matters into his own hands – pitching Cabana to the floor and mowing him down with the SSP Torpedo dive. Back inside he levels the veteran again with a lariat, followed by a Shotgun Dropkick for 2. Cabana responds with the Flying Asshole, but Page is on him again in a flash with the Buckshot Lariat. Rite Of Passage blocked with a quebrada for 2! Colt lunges into another funky pinning position, and picks up the win at 07:05 (shown).

Rating - ** - Relatively low key, but an effective return to ROH TV for Cabana. The lay-out of the match was decent here with Colt out-wrestling and out-smarting Page, pissing Hangman off and eventually tricking him into making a costly error and getting beaten. Obviously you can argue that Page losing so soon into his realignment into Bullet Club isn’t ideal…but reportedly that’s what Gedo wanted him for. He wanted a talented gaijin who NJPW could develop, but also take pins for the more prominent guys in Bullet Club. Cabana has been torn apart by Bullet Club for two consecutive shows – he needs some payback, he can’t beat Cole or the Bucks…so Hangman is the fall guy. Joining Bullet Club inevitably increases Page’s profile, merch sales and gets him New Japan tour dates…but going back to being the fall-guy in a nominally ‘heel’ stable (i.e. the role he just broke away from in The Decade) is creatively a backwards step. I imagine when he counts his t-shirt sales he isn’t too fussed however…

Colt doesn’t get a chance to celebrate as Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa run out and attack him. Page sets Cabana up for the ‘Hangman’ treatment that Sabin got in Dearborn, but apparently that’s too graphic for TV so Kevin Kelly orders us to go to commercials. 

All Night Express are dressed in suits and announce their desire to ‘make wrestling great again’ in a mock political campaign video. They don’t view Cheeseburger and Liger (a ‘really old dude in a mask’ who stayed in the game ‘well past his prime’) as ‘great’ in any way…and next week plan to make an example of them. 

BJ Whitmer hijacks the show, thanking Nigel for booking his match against Steve Corino at Best In The World and uses Corino’s family to taunt him some more. Corino himself runs in through the crowd but is held back by security…

ACH cuts an interesting promo where he thinks Silas Young’s recent bullying of him is actually an expression of Silas’ own insecurities. This thirty second interview contained more depth, layering and personality than I think we’ve seen from ACH in his three years in ROH…

The World Title isn’t on the line here; this is personal. Dijak felt that Truth Martini and the House Of Truth held him back and utilised him to serve only as Lethal’s heavy rather than try to develop him. After being ‘fired’ from the House Of Truth for daring to convey this frustration, he had his eyes opened by Prince Nana and returned after a brief hiatus in Las Vegas at the Anniversary TV Tapings to attack Martini – breaking his neck and putting him out of ROH. The House Of Truth have sought vengeance on him, with Taeler Hendrix and Joey Daddiego injuring his ribs over Supercard Of Honor weekend. Now Lethal looks to clean up and remove the 2015 Top Prospect Tournament winner for good. Donovan will know victory here will immediately elevate him into the kind of higher profile matches he felt deprived of when House Of Truth were holding him back.

Lethal lurches into a fist fight, which isn’t necessarily the smartest idea against someone the size of Dijak. Donovan picks him up for the wild slam over the top rope to the floor…and continues the rough treatment with a release suplex on the mats outside the ring. Jay gets some respite by tossing his foe into the railings, only to get distracted by pursuing Prince Nana. Big Dijak gets time to recover so Lethal tries to put him down again with the TOPE TRIFECTA! BUT DIJAK THROWS HIM INTO THE GUARDRAILS AND HITS A RUNNING MOONSAULT FROM THE RING TO THE FLOOR! How is that even possible for someone as tall as he is?! During the commercial break he grabs the title belt and taunts Lethal with it and when we return it is apparent that the impact of the dive has severely injured Jay’s knee. It basically gives out on him when attempting the hiptoss/dropkick sequence and Donovan profits with a belly to belly suplex for 2. He tries the Lethal Combination…but the knee stops him and Dijak boots him in the head. GERMAN SUPLEX INSTEAD! DIJAK NO SELLS! TRUTH MARTINI KILLER KICK! LEG SELLING LETHAL COMBINATION! Somehow Jay hobbles up the ropes…but takes so long Dijak catches him by the throat as he dives for Hail To The King. Chokeslam Backbreaker countered to a wheelbarrow facebuster by Lethal for 2! Dijak then STANDS BACK UP! FEAST YOUR EYES BLOCKED! SUPERKICK! LIMPING LETHAL INJECTION COUNTERED TO A SIT-OUT POWERBOMB FOR 2! DIJAK MOONSAULT MISSES! Prince Nana has seen enough and tries to interfere from the apron…only for Taeler Hendrix to drag him away. Todd Sinclair is distracted and Dijak prepares for Feast Your Eyes. Matt Jackson and Kenny Omega run in trying to Superkick Party Lethal…BUT THEY GET DIJAK INSTEAD! Lethal shoves them out and hits a LETHAL INJECTION! He pins Dijak at 11:26 (shown).

Rating - **** - Even with the overbooked finish I thought this was an awesome TV match. Lethal really has grown into the role of Ring Of Honor ‘franchise player’ now. He carries himself like a champion, he gives off a championship aura…and he’s starting to develop the ability that all the great ROH Champions have had to get a decent match out of any opponent, in any situation. These two, I’m sure, could have a great 20+ minute bout. But that wasn’t what they were booked to do here, so they went out and worked a superb ten minute sprint instead. Dijak got in piles of offence and was presented in as credible, dangerous and dominant a manner as he has been during his entire ROH employment. In that regard, the fact that he was protected by a Bullet Club run-in at the end actually helps him too. Lethal allowed him plenty, crafted palpable drama with a great job putting over the knee injury (and in turn putting over the insane athleticism Dijak possesses) and made this match feel like a big deal even if it was non-title. Unfortunately we’re not in an era where potential and producing enjoyable 4* matches is enough to move you up the card in ROH (just ask ACH) so I don’t expect Dijak to progress much from this. He should…but he won’t. 

The Guerrillas Of Destiny join Jackson and Omega in putting the boots to Lethal…bringing out the Briscoes to come to his aid. Interestingly it means that Jay Briscoe is coming to help the man he’ll challenge for the World Title at Best In The World. He nabs the ROH Title belt and looks longingly at it before handing it to Lethal as the fans enthusiastically chant ‘one more time’ at them…

Tape Rating - *** - I considered going to 4* on this episode, but there is a bit of lag in the middle with the low key Cabana/Page match. Okada/Sydal to start and Lethal/Dijak to finish were both excellent matches though, and the stand-out bouts of the taping thus far. The non-title main event in particular was a thrill to watch, and then did a nice job making the Lethal/Briscoe PPV rematch feel special before we went off air too.