McXal's Reviews

We are two weeks away from All Star Extravaganza, which is scheduled to be headlined by ROH’s sixth ever Ladder War. The defending champions going into that match – The Addiction – have been devious and scheming champions since winning the belts during the War Of The Worlds Tour, and are back in action this evening as they prepare for their date with ladder destiny. They will be teaming with Kamaitachi to face a CHAOS team of Kazuchika Okada and RPG Vice this evening. Kevin Kelly is on commentary, alongside the returning Steve Corino – who makes his first (official) appearance at the announce table since being suspended for punching BJ Whitmer last summer. Las Vegas, NV is once again our host city.

The campaign to make wrestling great again now turns its attention to the Bullet Club. King and Titus can decry the reputation of the New Japan faction all they want, but they will be well aware of the kind of impact a win over Tonga and Loa would have on their careers. They aren’t on NJPW’s radar right now. That would change immediately if they could defeat the Guerrillas. 

Tanga seems annoyed by Rhett Titus, and he probably isn’t the only person in the room who feels that way. Rhett starts with Tonga instead…and begins by pulling his hair and posing in celebration. He looks even greasier and dirty than usual tonight for some reason. Loa is more methodical and more successful in dominating the Secretary of Shoulders, so King tags in. He guillotines Loa on the top rope after a distraction from Titus which hands The Cabinet the advantage. When we return from commercials we see them turning the screw on Tonga whilst his brother is incapacitated and out on the floor. Loa forces his way back into proceedings and instigates a four-man brawl which Paul Turner struggles to control. Corkscrew pescado to the outside nailed by Kenny. The GOD hit a powerbomb neckbreaker combo for 2 but are feeling the effects of the working over ANX gave them. Caprice Coleman tries to interfere but is thrown off the top rope by Tama! Guerrilla Warfare on Rhett! The GOD get the victory at 07:57 (shown)

Rating - * - For the second time on this tour the Guerrillas are involved in a real stinker. It wasn’t that this was bad, it’s that it was painfully boring. Other than their association with Bullet Club, Ring Of Honor fans have no real reason to connect with Tonga or Loa, and this audience in particular have made it clear already in 2016 that they don’t have much interest in ANX. This was a predictable, limited and safe TV filler match with zero long-time relevance.

Jay Lethal is angry at Tetsuya Naito for walking out on him last week. He challenges him to a match at All Star Extravaganza – both because he wants revenge, and also because a win over Naito puts him back into the ROH World Title picture.

Shane Taylor talks about his history with Ray Rowe. The War Machine member trained Taylor and formed an alliance on the independent scene…before ditching him to form War Machine and chase stardom in ROH and Japan. Now Taylor (and Keith Lee) are in ROH to make him pay…

We’ve seen ‘The Outlaw’ Ken Phoenix spring up from time to time…and his record in ROH competition isn’t great. He and current partner Rojas must fear once again becoming lambs to the slaughter. Tonight they face the Pretty Boy Killers, in buoyant spirits after beating their big rivals War Machine last time they were in action.

Corino is giving Phoenix the back-handed compliment of being a ‘really nice guy’ who ‘works hard on the ring crew’ for opportunities. None of that makes me buy into him as a wrestler I want to watch Steve. Watching Keith massacre him with a pop-up headbutt I’m okay with though. Taylor straight-up mauls Rojas right afterwards too. Spirit Bomb/Murder Splash combo kills Phoenix at 01:50

Rating - N/A - Watching this in 2019 is quite bittersweet because we know that ROH didn’t get Keith Lee to sign a contract and he wound up plying his trade in WWNLive and then onto NXT. He has looked every inch a star in the making in these squash matches teaming with Shane Taylor. 

Taylor demands a microphone to talk trash about War Machine and proclaim themselves the ‘baddest team in ROH’…whilst the fans chant ‘Young Bucks’ at them. He doesn’t want it to end until Ray Rowe ‘stops breathing’ though…so calls out War Machine for another fight here and now. Rowe and Hanson don’t wait long to answer the call…

The Pretty Boy Killers have the edge over War Machine thus far. They made a statement, and earned roster spots for themselves, when they prevented Hanson and Rowe from winning the Tag Titles in Columbus during the Road To Best In The World Tour. Then they defeated them in a match at the recent Philadelphia television taping. As we now know, Taylor goes way back with Rowe and things are very bitter and personal between them. Neither team is looking for wins and losses now…they want to make their rivals suffer.

Todd Sinclair agrees to an impromptu match and we get underway with Taylor and Rowe clubbing wildly at each other. Keith then tags in and throws Rowe around like a junior heavyweight in a remarkable show of power and dominance. Ray hits a Superman Punch to escape the PBK’s clutches and tag Hanson in. Reverse powerslam on Lee…as Rowe powers through Taylor with Shotgun Knees. Cartwheel Lariat nailed…only for Shane to land a Western Lariat on Hanson then a BACK DROP DRIVER on Rowe! GROUND ZERO ON HANSON! Rowe knocks Lee out with a knee strike! Shane smashes Rowe in the head with a steel chair…and on the outside Hanson does the exact same thing to Keith! Sinclair has no choice but to throw the match out at 04:24

Rating - N/A - This was as much an angle as it was a match, and in that regard it was the best thing on this episode so far. These four looked fine wrestling a standard tag bout against each other in Philly, but they looked more comfortable here just ditching formula and beating each other up. They moved at a hell of a pace and packed plenty into four minutes of action.

Shane drags Rowe into the ring whilst Lee sets up open chairs in the middle of the ring. POWERBOMB THROUGH THE CHAIRS! The Pretty Boy Killers stand tall as security floods the ring to prevent further mayhem. 

NEXT WEEK – Adam Cole and Hangman Page face Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin.

A brief video montage shines a spotlight on the history of Ladder War in Ring Of Honor. It doesn’t go long but makes quite an impression.

Matt Taven is on commentary for the main event, and he starts with an announcement that The Kingdom will be participants in the Six Man Tag Title Tournament…

As we know by now, Nigel McGuinness has grown tired of The Addiction’s antics and persistent rule-breaking as they have maintained their grip over the Tag Team Championship since War Of The Worlds. He punished them at Death Before Dishonor by making them face two of New Japan’s best teams, and they feel his wrath again at All Star Extravaganza as they enter Ladder War 6 with the Young Bucks and the Motor City Machine Guns. Tonight they and their associate Kamaitachi step into the ring with the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and his colleagues in CHAOS, RPG Vice. Romero and Beretta have also thrown their hat into the ring for ROH Tag Title contendership in the past too, so know how valuable a win over Daniels and Kazarian would be tonight.

Kamaitachi antagonises Okada right away, looking to send a message to the New Japan office by roughing up their champion. He refuses a clean break, mocks the Rainmaker pose…and gets made to eat canvas by Okada’s flapjack. Romero gives Kazarian the Forever Clotheslines and hits a few on the Ring General as well when Daniels tries to intervene. SOMERSAULT PLANCHA BY TRENT! Frankie kills his momentum by tripping him from the floor, leaving him in position for an Asai moonsault by Daniels. Kamai tries to get involved too…only for Okada to stomp the back of his head as a receipt for the Dojo graduate’s asshole antics earlier. The heels isolate Beretta, until once again Okada intervenes. He socks Daniels in the mouth, allowing Trent to land the Gobstopper Knee. He makes a hot tag to the Rainmaker who scores an immediate nearfall after the running uppercut on Daniels. Macho Elbow nailed but Kazarian saves his partner from the Rainmaker. Romero sends Tachi out of the ring with a running headscissors which leaves the path clear for Okada to hit the Reverse Neckbreaker for 2. Angel’s Wings on Trent! BEST MELTZER EVER ON ROCKY! The Addiction pick up a huge win on the road to All Star Extravaganza at 10:51 (shown).

Rating - *** - This was way better than I’d expected it to be. The entire episode has been thoroughly low key and I was expecting a minimal effort, filler trios main event to cap it off. Whilst this certainly won’t set pulses racing, there was far more interesting stuff contained within it than I anticipated. I loved the interactions between Okada and Kamaitachi. There weren’t many of them, but they were loaded with intensity and it makes perfect sense that Hiromu, a guy stuck out on excursion for more than a year, would go after the New Japan champion in an effort to get the office to notice him and bring him back. The Addiction and RPG Vice carried the bulk of the work and got to look like decent teams, and with Ladder War on the horizon it was the perfect time to bolster Daniels and Kazarian’s credibility with a clean win of this stature. 

Tape Rating - ** - The main event saved this one for me somewhat. Before that there was almost nothing (other than a few minutes of War Machine/PBK brawling) worth watching at all. The trios tag had no long-term relevance and wasn’t good enough to seek out and watch by itself…but it was an enjoyable ten minute main event of a free-to-broadcast television show.