McXal's Reviews

The second episode drawn from this unique 'mini-taping' dual-purpose event, captured on a June night in Chicago, has a number of intriguing bouts. None of them are necessarily matches you'd pay to see, but for free television they are all interesting enough. Josh Woods came out last week and laid down a challenge to Jay Briscoe, since he's having to wait for his TV Title shot - and that happens tonight. The TV Title also takes centre stage in the main event when Mark Briscoe, Beer City Bruiser, Kenny King and Chris Sabin battle for #1 contendership to Kushida. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana are once again in Chicago Ridge, IL.

Cody opens the show - cleverly cut with images of the ROH World Title on the canvas. It breaks the news to the TV audience that he is now the champ having defeated Daniels at Best In The World, but without giving away any spoilers at the time of taping (i.e. before the PPV). The lights go out before he can say much, allowing Daniels to sneak into the ring behind Rhodes and beat the snot out of him. He beats Cody all over ringside...and when Todd Sinclair tries to intervene Daniels beats on him too. Paul Turner is here as well - only to be swatted aside by an equally pissed off Cody. Security personnel try their luck next but still the fight between Daniels and the American Nightmare continues. Even wearing a suit Daniels is still able to hit an Arabian Press to the floor! He poses with the belt as more staff members fill the ring to break them up!

Jay Briscoe, wild-eyed and crazy, ponders whether Josh Woods is 'stupid' for challenging him...

'The Goods' has attracted a lot of cynical negativity. His skills as an amateur wrestler, his history with NXT and his limited experience in a pro-wrestling ring make him one of the more unorthodox talents to have come through Ring Of Honor - and his differences make him a lightning rod for opinions both positive and negative. He's clearly a project, and nobody is arguing that he was the best wrestler in the 2017 Top Prospect Tournament field (limited though it was). But I think most could acknowledge his upside and he is clearly a project for ROH, Sinclair and Delirious. And I like how they've managed him so far. His mini-angle and match with David Starr was fine for what it was - and I really like chucking him out with Jay Briscoe to test his capabilities. Most expect this to be a formality for the multi-time former ROH World Champion...but Woods is a dangerous competitor not to be underestimated.

The broad smile on Woods' face would suggest he isn't intimidated by Briscoe. He gestures cockily, trips Jay sarcastically and really seems to be getting under the veteran's skin in the early going. An effortless judo throw dumps Briscoe on the ground too - and almost instantly tapped out with a cross armbreaker attempt. Jay tries to trade strikes next but is roundly pummelled by The Goods there too. Realising he needs to switch things up, Jay hits a hurricanrana - then takes flight with a tope suicida to the floor. High flying and athletic professional wrestling proves to be the undoing of Woods, so it's almost sensible that Jay tries to take him to the top for a superplex. He starts bashing Josh's skull against the metal guardrails and with his head ringing from that he splats him on the ground with a vertical suplex too. They return to the ring...where Woods fires back with a spontaneous exploder suplex. A German suplex soon follows, softening Jay up sufficiently to deliver a TKO knee strike (GTR) for 2. Another veteran move comes next from Briscoe; he leaves the ring and lures The Goods into giving chase before pouncing to smash him into the ringpost. Woods looks really shaken - but is still swinging as Briscoe taunts and belittles him. Out of nowhere Woods explodes with a springboard knee strike for 2. LARIAT by Jay! He wins at 09:21 (shown).

Rating - *** - I don't quite understand the indifference towards Josh Woods, and I suspect much of it is down to unrealistic expectations of what he might be capable of. His character presentation is still somewhat weird and he started to get a little sloppy here - but this was a really solid match which told a clearly defined and enjoyable story from first bell to last. Woods was the dangerous, skilled rookie fighter and was presented credibly enough to make you believe he always had a puncher's chance of beating the former World Champion. Briscoe gave him enough, sold cleverly and looked dominant when it counted. This could have been a serious mess but again I saw enough here from Woods to understand why he has been given this opportunity. This did not feel like a total carry job.

Clips are shown of Will Ferrara finally snapping, attacking Cheeseburger and breaking up their team at Road To Best In The World 2017. Will calls himself a 'workhorse' and begs Burger to retire...or else he'll bring him a 'world of hurt'.

Up next it's supposed to be another match between Coast 2 Coast and the Tempura Boyz, but before anything happens the music of the Young Bucks interrupts them. They have an ongoing open challenge to anyone who dares to face them...and extend an invitation for both teams to get a title shot right now!

I feel like C2C and the Tempuraz have more than earned an opportunity for a match on television with the hottest tag team act on the planet. Both teams are under-rated and usually deliver the goods even though they get almost no opportunity to show their abilities in ROH. Obviously we'd go on to see how great Sho and Yoh would be once they returned to NJPW, but C2C look extremely promising too. Shaheem has lots of natural athleticism and poise, whilst LSG always impresses with his crisp, precise and exciting high spots. Hopefully ROH gives these guys six to ten minutes to get their sh*t in...

Each Jackson brother picks a team to take out as they storm the ring full of momentum. Quickly the four challengers are scattered around the ring. Sho and Yoh stop them hitting Rise Of The Terminator and counter with STEREO GERMANS ON THE FLOOR! Somersault plancha by Ali! PHOENIX SPLASH TO THE FLOOR BY ST GIOVANNI! Nick re-enters the ring, slingshotting Sho into a German suplex on LSG! 3K nailed by the Tempuraz, without even a nearfall for it! Matt wipes out Sho with a standing Shiranui for 2. DOUBLE SPRINGBOARD SOMERSAULT PLANCHA TO THE FLOOR BY NICK! Tanaka blocks the IndyTaker, as Komatsu rolls through Leon with a Sling Blade. SUPERKICK on Shaheem! C2C try stereo Tombstones on the Tempura Boyz...only to be thwarted by an opportunistic POP-UP DOUBLE INDYTAKER! The Bucks retain at 05:53 (shown).

Rating - *** - I asked for six minutes for these guys to get their sh*t in, and I got just that (albeit with an interruption for super serious prostate meds guy commercials). The Bucks are creative and fun to watch even in brief sprint matches like this. But they were generous at times too - in particular those big suplex bumps on the floor for the Tempura Boyz. The treatment of Sho and Yoh on excursion in ROH is nothing short of a travesty. Especially considering they usually deliver the goods whenever they do get a halfway serious match (like this one).

NEXT WEEK - Matt Taven vs Ultimo Guerrero

Kenny King is back, and now billed as a 'legit television' star apparently. He has plenty of history with Mark Briscoe and Chris Sabin - and as this airs AFTER Best In The World, he comes into this sour that a loss to Search & Destroy at Best In The World has forced The Rebellion to disband. Bruiser is, as is so often the case, the outsider. His singles record in ROH is poor but his size and penchant for violence make him dangerous in a multi-man environment such as this. They are still pushing the 'Mark Briscoe's dream is to be TV Champion' angle as well...but this time give him a promo to flesh it out which I really appreciate. He goes all Carnage Crew and talks about his wife and kids!

Mark and Kenny start with a near-miss sequence of the kind they've done countless times previously in their multiple matches against each other. Bruiser isn't impressed and mangles King from behind! It is lucha rules apparently so when BCB tosses Briscoe and King there is nothing preventing him from coming in legally and splattering Sabin all over the mat as well. King tries to take advantage with the Last Chancery...only for Bruiser to sock him again. Moonsault to the floor by Briscoe! MISSILE DROPKICK OFF THE APRON by Sabin! That's the kind of spot a guy with his history of injuries just shouldn't even consider attempting! Pounce from BCB to Mark...who in turn tries to climb up his back with a sleeper hold. BACKPACK ROLLING CANNONBALL onto Sabin by Bruiser to break it! Beer City climbs the ropes for the Keg Splash but is cut off by Briscoe and King. TOWER OF DOOM! Bruiser is dead; Sabin is the last man standing! He dives off the apron again, this time with a cannonball on Kenny. That means he takes his eye off proceedings - and eats the apron blockbuster by Briscoe. Roly poly cannonball by Bruiser! CORKSCREW PESCADO by King! Royal Flush countered with a springboard DDT by Sabin. Fisherman Buster by Mark! KEG SPLASH/FROGGY BOW COMBO! Mark and BCB get into a fight before either can pin an opponent though. ROYAL FLUSH ON BRUISER! King wins and becomes #1 contender at 09:56 (shown).

Rating - *** - Nobody outside the immediate families of these four men would have considered this a particularly exciting main event for television. I had absolutely minimal interest in it and would have actively put either one of Briscoe/Woods or Bucks/Tempuraz/C2C in the top spot ahead of it. But, much to the credit of the men involved, this was so much fun. Bruiser has to be carefully managed in matches because he blows up fast - but he contributed so many brilliant moments to this (and took some HUGE bumps too). Briscoe, Sabin and King are veterans. They've been doing this a long time and know how to work matches like this in their sleep. It so happened that this quartet really clicked. Everything was slick, they produced multiple genuinely exciting sequences - and ends with a powerhouse statement of intent that ROH intends to give pushing Kenny King another try (now he's back full-time). Don't sleep on this match...

Tape Rating - *** - Criticising ROH in 2017 is an easy target. There is so little actual storyline content to latch on to, they were haemorrhaging talent as The Elite and their cast of friends took over the company and hopelessly mismanaging so many bright stars of the future. But it is only right to praise when due - and both of these episodes from the mini-taping in Chicago have been thoroughly enjoyable. The talking and bullsh*t were kept to a minimum, the action was constant and there wasn't a bad match to be seen. The three matches we got tonight were all very different, but all had their merits. The main event in particular was a real surprise package, and if you're not one of those people who have already judged and written off Josh Woods' early ROH work his match with Jay Briscoe may be a shock to some as well. Good job ROH...