McXal's Reviews

Robbed of his World Championship, defeated in his 'dream match' versus Hiroshi Tanahashi and kicked out of Bullet Club - Adam Cole's Ring Of Honor empire has come crashing down around him in 2017. Tonight he fights to prove that Bullet Club made a mistake by firing him - in a main event against Hangman Page. We also have a big 8-man tag as Los Ingobernables de Japon face the ROH Six-Man Tag Champions the Briscoes and Bully Ray, teaming with Dalton Castle. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana provide commentary from Philadelphia, PA.

The difference in presentation between Cheeseburger - who is continually shoved down my throat - versus the chronically mismanaged War Machine act is vast. It's good to see them on TV, but they are largely a NJPW act by this point. They are IWGP Tag Champs, they are booked like monsters in Japan, whilst in ROH they are just two guys counting down the days until they can go work elsewhere.

Ian informs me that War Machine have 'global domination' on their mind, which is just a kind way of saying that their Japanese bookings are their priority. Burger and Ferrara get into an argument when their strikes have no effect on Rowe, who swats their attempts at offence aside and gives them both a suplex. Burger saves Will from any of War Machine's combo finishing moves, freeing up Ferrara to hit a flying headscissors - catapulting Hanson into a spear on Rowe! Judo throw knee from Rowe to Cheese, delivered with such force that Paul Turner checks to see if he is out cold. Decapitation on Ferrara removes him from the equation. POP-UP LIGERBOMB ON CHEESEBURGER! That looked totally nuts...and he f*cking kicks out. Have I mentioned lately that I can't stand Cheeseburger matches? The crowd goes nuts as well, which means we are going to get more of these ridiculous Cheeseburger kicks out of murderous finisher sequences. Even more incredibly he is able to take both members of War Machine off their feet with strikes. F*cking  STRIKES! Thor's Hammer finally polishes the plucky little idiot off at 04:13

Rating - DUD - Like I said, New Japan book War Machine to be monsters. Meanwhile in ROH they have to bump, sell and have f*cking Cheeseburger kick out of their killer combo moves. The finish to this was crap. Hanson and Rowe bumping like juniors for Cheesburger STRIKES was appalling.

Ray Rowe gets a microphone and tries to sound intimidating, as if a man that weighs the same as a large child didn't just knock him off his feet with a running slap. He calls out the Young Bucks and tells them 'you're next'. Oh lord...

Colt Cabana announces that Cody Rhodes will get another World Title shot at Christopher Daniels, in the main event of Best In The World 2017. Just a thought - if the ROH 'top brass' were so scared of Cody being champion, maybe they'd stop giving him title shots literally the next TV show after he loses high profile bouts at the previous PPV. Jay Lethal pins him at Supercard Of Honor - so he gets a title shot at War Of The Worlds. Daniels pinned him there...and now for some reason he's in the next main event too? Don't get me wrong, I love Daniels/Cody as a main event. I just wish someone booking ROH was competent enough to put together an actual compelling angle behind it...

LIJ failed to take the Six-Man Titles from the Briscoes and Bully at the Dearborn leg of the War Of The Worlds Tour, but do get a chance at some payback on national television. Dalton too will be motivated for this, having been on the losing side of an LIJ multi-man tag bout during the Honor Rising 2017 NJPW live events. Kevin Kelly is back on commentary, nose firmly nestled between NJPW asscheeks as always...

Mark starts with Naito, which is pretty interesting because Naito can't really goof around whilst the younger Briscoe acts all intense. He finds a solution - dumping Mark to the floor and sending fans nuts with the Tranquilo pose. He acts like he wants a piece of Bully, back in the ECW Arena of course...but tags out in a sulk when Bubba does his own Tranquilo taunt. Bully scatters LIJ, nabbing Bushi along the way for his team to isolate. Sanada and Evil jump Dalton from behind - starting a brawl involving all participants (and The Boys). Paradise Lock from Sanada to Castle! Los Ingobernables have taken full control, as we take a break to learn about prostate pills. Redneck Kung Fu on Naito, followed by the blockbuster off the apron to take out Sanada. CRAZY MAN TOPE SUICIDA INTO NAITO AND THE GUARDRAILS by Jay! Ray orders Castle and Mark to opposing turnbuckles for stereo Wassup headbutt/Froggy Bow dives. The usual routine around Bubba wanting a table follows...but takes so long that only The Boys see Bushi sneaking into the ring. They tackle Dalton to safety as he blasts the poisonous Green Mist into Jay Briscoe's eyes. Naito pins Jay to win at 07:17

Rating - ** - The talent in this match didn't need to do anything other than play the hits. The Philly fans were going nuts and just wanted to see Bully and LIJ do their signature stuff. They duly obliged, meaning this punchy little TV match was contested in a brilliant atmosphere. I didn't have a major interest in much of this and at times it came off like the Briscoes and Dalton were lost in the shuffle. But the fans were here for LIJ being assholes and Bully demanding a table. They got both; it's up to you to decide whether that made for a particularly good match or not.

Jay Briscoe is furious at the loss and angrily pursues The Boys at ringside. In the end Castle and The Boys run to safety as Bully and the Briscoes hurl abuse their way...

Hangman Page thinks fans are queuing up to see Adam Cole's ROH 'swansong'. Just like Marty and The Elite kicked Cole out of Bullet Club, tonight Page intends to kick the 3-time champion out of the entire promotion...

TWO WEEKS - Jay Lethal and Bobby Fish will try to settle aside their differences for the chance to wrestle a grudge match against Silas Young and the Beer City Bruiser

For some reason we now get an RPG Vice promo to complain about the Young Bucks 'attacking them' repeatedly after ROH shows. They are preparing to defend the IWGP Jr Tag Titles against the Bucks in Japan - so to warm up for that they want a trios match against the Bucks and Adam Page next week. If you're wondering who the third man they have in mind for their own team is - Trent 'knows a guy'. The Young Bucks crash the interview and lay them out with Superkicks...

NEXT WEEK - Marty Scurll defends the TV Title against Kushida

At War Of The Worlds Adam Cole was kicked out of Bullet Club. His relationship with the faction has been strained all year. If you follow the 'Being The Elite' series it is an angle that they went 'all in' on. He has jostled with Kenny Omega for control of Bullet Club and the loyalty of the Young Bucks - going to extreme lengths to maintain his spot. Omega devised a plan to remove him, which culminated at War Of The Worlds in New York when they revealed Marty Scurll as the newest member, as well as the man to forcibly eject Cole from the faction. Now Hangman Page is back to pick the bones and attempt to remove Cole from Ring Of Honor permanently.

Duelling 'Thank You Adam' and 'Please Don't Go' chants await Cole right from the bell. He and Page take turns blasting each other with tope suicidas, then come into the ring and fail time after time trying to hit signature moves. Hangman's power comes to the fore as he muscles Cole into a bridging dead-lift fallaway slam for 2. Cole spits in his face and they go into a ferocious exchange of strikes. DVD over the knee rocks Page...but he ducks the Shining Wizard soon after. Just Kidding - a signature move of Scurll - pulled out by Cole, dropping Page to the ground in position for a Figure 4 Leglock. Page escapes. Buckshot Lariat COUNTERED WITH A SUPERKICK! NECK DROP GERMAN, into the Shining Wizard for a hot nearfall for Cole. The former World Champion tries to line up a Florida Key on the apron - but it is inevitably countered with the SSP TO THE FLOOR! Buckshot Lariat gets 2! Rite Of Passage blocked. Roaring Elbow...no sold...Superkick by Cole. NO SOLD! JUMPING PILEDRIVER by Page gets 2! Still Cole fights the Rite Of Passage, battering Page to the ground for a Bare Knee Wizard. LAST SHOT BY HANGMAN! FOR 2! Now Page wants a finishing move on the apron...but finds himself near-decapitating from a thigh slappingly brutal Superkick. PANAMA SUNRISE TO THE F*CKING FLOOR!  Cole wants the same move back in...COUNTERED TO RITE OF PASSAGE! COLE KICKS OUT! LARIATOOOOOOO! RITE OF PASSAGE! Page wins! It's another huge win for Hangman Page in 11:26 (shown)

Rating - **** - As ever, Adam Page remains one of the most brutally under-rated performers on ROH's entire roster. He is unerringly consistent; when ROH/Delirious give him a shot in a big money match he ALWAYS delivers a strong performance. This was a hell of a fight, giving fans exactly what they wanted to see and more. I was surprised at how violent this was allowed to get. It felt physical, it had multiple super-hot false finishes (which modern ROH tend to steer clear of) and felt like it peaked perfectly with a brutal finishing sequence. Don't worry yourself thinking about how Delirious will inevitably blow another chance to push Adam Page properly after this. Just enjoy two guys busting their asses and delivering a tremendous professional wrestling match.

Adam Cole's televised ROH career ends with Hangman Page flogging him using Todd Sinclair's belt. Frankie Kazarian makes an unlikely save (unlikely in that he cost Cole the World Title earlier in the year) and chases away Page as the episode ends...

Tape Rating - ** - Most of this show was really poor. The War Machine vs Ferrara/Burger match legitimately made me angry. The booking of the Best In The World main event is an embarrassment. The Briscoes getting in a fight with The Boys felt a particularly clumsy slide towards a Briscoes/Bully vs Dalton/Boys Trios Title bout. But the last fifteen minutes or so redeemed the episode with a fun RPG Vice/Bucks segment (teasing the pending debut of Chuck Taylor) and an awesome free main event which effectively forms Adam Cole's televised in-ring farewell to Ring Of Honor. He left on a high (performance-wise anyway). Honor Club fans who haven't seen it should dig out Episode #298 to see it