McXal's Reviews

This one is broadcast the same weekend as Supercard Of Honor 11 which obviously isn't ideal since we're only at week #2 of four taped in Vegas after the 15th Anniversary. That said having seen the line-up for this show it seems like ROH has put together a decent episode whilst we wait for the repercussions of Supercard Of Honor to make air. We saw the main event set up last week; it will be Kenny King challenging Marty Scurll for the ROH TV Title. We'll also take a trip to Manhattan Mayhem where the semi-finals of the Top Prospect Tournament were taped, and will open the night with a big grudge match between Ray Rowe and visiting NJPW talent Davey Boy Smith Jr. Ian Riccaboni and Kevin Kelly are at ringside in Las Vegas, NV.

LAST WEEK - After the show went off air last week Adam Cole got on the microphone and called out the Young Bucks as disappointments for failing to save him at the Anniversary and for costing them the main event. He then 'fires' them from Bullet Club, but they laugh in his face and point out that the only person who can do that is the 'real leader' (and fellow 'Elite' member) Kenny Omega.

This week a 'furious' Adam Cole points out that it always needs 'extra obstacles' to get the ROH World Title away from him, and he plans to get back into the title picture quickly...

As we discussed at the PPV, the Killer Elite Squad were supposed to be working this weekend but Lance Archer pulled out due to a serious injury. Davey Boy kept his booking and as a result was forced to team with bitter enemies War Machine in a six-man at the 15th Anniversary. Tensions quickly flared, they lost...and now he and Ray Rowe contest a singles match with a big grudge to settle.

Rowe tries to stomp out with intensity...but it is lost somewhat as he struggles to get his gear off. As this is a pre-taped broadcast I feel like they could've edited that out!? Smith jumps him from behind once he gets into the ring and opens up a knee injury immediately. He rams the leg into the ringpost, and has seemingly negated Ray Rowe's big finish inside the first minute of the match. Next he lifts Rowe up for a SHINBREAKER THROUGH THE TIMEKEEPING TABLE! Figure 4 Leglock around the ringpost applied as we go to commercials. Ray Rowe could really use a pain-relieving knee brace at little or no cost to him right now. He tries a German suplex when we come back, but his knee gives way allowing Smith to lock in an STF. He runs through his arsenal of leg submissions - to the point that Rowe can barely even crawl. He hits a desperate Shotgun Knee...and of course collapses to the ground in pain as a result. Another kick to the leg comes Rowe's way, but this time he absorbs it and retaliates with a German suplex. Cement Mixer nailed...only for him to then miss another Shotgun Knee attempt and do more damage to his leg. Back Drop Driver gets 2 for Davey Boy. Bulldog Bomb gets 2 as well! Sharpshooter countered with a roll-up into a knee strike! A sh*tty looking Death Rowe (even heavily edited that look garbage) gives Ray a big win at 08:20 (shown).

Rating - *** - The last thirty seconds or so were really sloppy which is a shame, because everything that came before I really enjoyed. ROH have been so wasteful with Rowe and given him so few singles opportunities (despite the fact he's a damn good wrestler) that all of his offence was completely heatless. Davey Boy showed what he is all about - a big, strong, technically lethal ass kicker. This time with Archer on the shelf is such a big opportunity for him to make his mark in singles competition...

Marty Scurll delivers a damning and swift assessment of Kenny King's career - 'talent will only get you so far'. The TV Title is going nowhere so he claims.

Kenny King in response informs Marty he'll need his umbrella because he is 'going the way of Mary Poppins'. How inventive...

This is our first Top Prospect Tournament semi-final. They were both taped as dark matches before Manhattan Mayhem 6, and both have Ian Riccaboni and Bob Evans on commentary. This one pits the two men who stuck around from the underwhelming 2017 edition of the TPT. 'Kingpin' Brian Milonas is a hefty individual in ill-fitting gear who didn't do much to impress in his first round victory over Raphael King. Woods is an accomplished multi-sport fighter who is transitioning into pro-wrestling - showing some promise among a whole bunch of rough edges to be sanded off when he defeated Chris LeRusso in his first round match.

The question posed as the opening bell rings is whether Woods can apply any kind of submission on a man of Milonas' size. Certainly he struggles to even grasp or grapple the big man as the early seconds tick by. He resorts to applying a hanging arm submission using the ropes for additional leverage, only to be brutally guillotined on the top rope by Milonas. He uses his weight and size to completely negate the threat Woods poses. The Goods lands a jumping knee strike...but it is completely no sold and he gets tossed high into the air with a belly to belly suplex. Triangle choke by Woods...emphatically countered with a one-armed spinebuster. SPRINGBOARD knee strike from Josh next, and this time he follows with another big strike soon after. Inexperience rears it's head as Josh tries one more knee, only to be clobbered down and flattened with the standing spinning senton bomb (which Milonas won with in Round One). Woods fights out of the corner into CHAOS THEORY! KNEE BAR! Milonas taps! Woods goes to the finals at 07:00 (shown).

Rating - ** - This was a limited match between two extremely limited workers, in front of an incredibly forgiving (albeit completely apathetic) New York crowd. Woods was obviously the right call to go over, and that finishing sequence was really hot. But he is far from the finished product. In truth, the kindest thing you can say here is that they were working hard and put together a logical and easy-to-follow story. Josh has limited experience but lots of MMA skill so kept trying to grapple or strike, but Milonas is such a big dude that The Goods struggled to inflict any real damage. I really hope Milonas gets some new gear before he starts working full time, because watching him stop after every f*cking spot to pull his sh*tty Arik Cannon rip-off pants up is annoying as hell.

The Briscoes talk about Bully Ray's first appearance at Manhattan Mayhem, which largely involves them marking out and thanking him for saving them from Bullet Club...and I can't say I cared for it. As a result of their impressive performance at the 15th Anniversary Show they'll team with Bully again next week, getting a shot at the Six-Man Tag Titles...

After the 15th Anniversary it seemed like Frankie Kazarian was the #1 contender for the Television Championship - but a combination of Kenny King's big mouth and Marty Scurll's thirst for competition sees Kenny jump him in the queue. Kaz sits ringside for commentary and will watch as the British champion - so impressive since debuting during the Reach For The Sky Tour - has enough about him to defeat someone who has been pegged as a 'rising star' and 'future main eventer' for most of his career and is now well into his 30's without fulfilling his potential.

Staying in his wheelhouse, Marty doesn't wait for long before trying to grab the arm and probing the challenger for weaknesses in an effort to set up the Chickenwing. Kenny looks more confidence at a faster pace and leaps the top rope to hit a guillotine choke. His attempt to springboard back in is thwarted though and Marty starts pummelling King with kicks on the floor. With Kenny dazed the Villain has his cue to start targeting the arm in earnest. King is working hard though and continues to look dangerous every time he creates some distance. He lands a spinning heel kick then delivers a spinebuster, but comes up clutching his arm in pain. Brainbuster by the champ for 2, followed by the snap piledriver for another close nearfall. Just Kidding nailed, only for Kenny to counter the Chickenwing into a roll-up for 2. King's selling is evaporating to nothing here. He hunts his opponent on the top rope, back flips OFF the ropes (without selling the arm) and delivers a jumping enzi. Royal Flush countered...but then the Chickenwing is blocked into a capo kick. CORKSCREW PESCADO  by Kenny! SHOTGUN KNEES TO THE GUARDRAIL! ONE NIGHT STAND for 2! Royal Flush counted to the finger snap! Chickenwing applied...and King taps at 10:54 (shown).

Rating - *** - This was both a good match and also an example of why King has always failed to hit the heights that his incredible natural gifts would suggest he is capable of. Here he worked hard and was completely believable as a threat to the TV Champion. But the problems came, for me anyway, when it came to his selling. He completely abandoned the arm work that Marty had cued up from the opening bell, his facials felt robotic and disinterested and throughout the second half of the match it felt like he was simply bouncing from spot to spot. This wasn't bad by any means; it featured another tremendous showing for Marty and was competitive from start-to-finish. But there were so many little touches missing from Kenny in particular which, had they been present, could've taken this from being a good match to a great one. 

Tape Rating - ** - Far from a bad episode but still quite a comedown after last week's episode. Woods/Milonas was actually much better than you might expect, but watching those two go at it in a half-full and totally silent Hammerstein Ballroom didn't make for great TV. The first and last matches of the episode were much better, but still had very noticeable issues which killed off any chance of them getting a higher rating. If you watch the TV show selectively there really wasn't much of real interest here, other than the brief segment at the start that saw Cole 'firing' the Young Bucks...