McXal's Reviews

With Best In The World in the books we start turning our attention to the next major events on the ROH calendar. September will bring us Death Before Dishonor 15, and before that the War Of The Worlds UK Tour will see ROH join forces with NJPW, CMLL and Rev Pro to produce a trilogy of events. Our journey to those shows begins tonight. Kushida is once again in town, and tonight scheduled to defend his TV Title in the main event against #1 contender Kenny King. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana are in Concord, NC.

Frankie Kazarian comes out and demands a microphone. He demands respect for everything that he and Christopher Daniels have contributed to the wrestling industry. Kazarian says he's going to ruin everything fans enjoy about Ring Of Honor...

Martinez remains on a collision course with Jay White, and prepares tonight by facing off with impressive newcomer Flip Gordon. Gordon hasn't won many matches but has impressed in every ROH showing he has had thus far. It would send shockwaves through the promotion if he could win this one however...

As you'd expect Flip sets out to use his speed and agility to evade Martinez. He ducks, dives and somersaults for his life - escaping a chokeslam on the floor, cartwheeling across the apron and hitting a MOONSAULT TO THE OUTSIDE! Punisher retorts by kicking Gordon so hard he almost breaks the turnbuckles! He pummels Flip with knee strikes and knees to the neck, and spins him through the air with a lariat. Gordon flips out of a big biel attempt, rolls out of the Psycho Driver and lands a springboard Sling Blade! TWISTING FROG SPLASH gets ONE! He matrix ducks the cyclone kick from Punishment, to deliver a Pele Kick. Samoan drop/lionsault combo nailed for 2. Martinez bails, but then catches Flip BY THE THROAT when he sets up another dive. Kinder Surprise nailed, setting up a DOUBLE SPRINGBOARD SOMERSAULT PLANCHA TO THE FLOOR! Punisher almost disregards that and levels him with a falcon arrow for 2. Standing moonsault scores for Gordon...but soon after he blocks the springboard punch. KINDER SURPRISE COUNTERED TO A SUPER SOUTH OF HEAVEN! Martinez wins at 06:34 (shown).

Rating - *** - Well that was enjoyable. Flip did flips, Punishment punished him - their names really do give away what you can expect from this. It wasn't necessarily clever and neither one was selling a damn thing but it was an absolute thrill watching two of ROH's rising stars chuck spots around. Martinez is having a sensational 2017, which is going almost entirely under the radar.

Jay White attacks Martinez as he tries to leave the arena! Security has to separate them...

Kenny King is pumped for the main event and tells Kushida that his time is up.

Colt Cabana steps away from the desk to interview the Tempura Boyz. They speak in Japanese, he doesn't understand, calls them 'great wrestlers, terrible interview' - then throws it back to himself at the announce desk. Ian Riccaboni suggests that Cabana should team with them to face Dalton & The Boys for the Six-Man Titles. This segment was quietly hilarious and reminiscent of the kind of goofball comedy he used to provide in 'Good Times, Great Memories' segments. We need more of it.

I'm far from Rhett's biggest fan, but when his entrance is cut from the show but effing Cheeseburger still gets on then the company has real problems. This is the first time we've seen Titus since The Rebellion were forcibly disbanded at Best In The World. What is on his agenda and what are his priorities moving forward? He is supposedly an old friend of Will Ferrara's - and Will is now Burger's arch nemesis after turning on him in Chicago.

Titus freaks out at being introduced as 'already in the ring' and angrily attacks Cheeseburger during his entrance. Burger breaks out an assortment of flash pins in an attempt to escape with a victory but Titus hits the 'World's Dawg-est Slam' to put him down. Shotei by Cheese...bringing out Ferrara to cause a distraction. Big Dawg Splash wins it for Rhett at 02:37

Rating - * - Titus saved this from being a total DUD almost entirely with how he sold being a jobber. His facial selling of Cruise's introduction and subsequent angry beatdown on Cheeseburger was really fun. I don't think getting inserted into the Cheeseburger/Ferrara feud is enormously reassuring for his future prospects in ROH, but he did a great job here.

Cody Rhodes pops in to remind everyone that he is a free agent and has been travelling around defending the World Title against all comers. Ian Riccaboni announces that he'll be defending against SANADA in Liverpool.

Dalton Castle & The Boys crash the show to complain about Colt Cabana burying them on commentary. He challenges Cabana and his 'boys' to a match and are willing to put the Six-Man Titles on the line to get it. Colt accepts and we are on for next week!

King earned this title shot at Episode 302 in Chicago by defeating Mark Briscoe, Chris Sabin and Beer City Bruiser. No longer part of The Rebellion, he has new entrance music and pyro in his entrance, in an attempt to give him more star power. He has been respectful to Kushida in their brief interactions, but is in no doubt that he is the man to beat arguably the best junior heavyweight worker in NJPW for ROH's Television Championship.

Kushida rides King on the canvas early, effectively casting doubt as to whether Kenny can hang with him at this level. Kenny answers the question emphatically as he fires back with tackles and armdrags. He drills the champion with a spinebuster for 2, and follows it with the Last Chancery. Tajiri elbow blocked...but when King looks for the Royal Flush Kushida counters back with the Hoverboard Lock in the ropes. CORKSCREW PESCADO MISSES! KING LANDS ON HIS FEET! DIVING RANA OFF THE APRON INTO THE RINGPOST BY KUSHIDA! He scrambles up the ropes again for a SWANTON BOMB TO THE FLOOR! King survives and almost muscles the champ right back into the Royal Flush as soon as they re-enter the ring. TOP ROPE HAMMERLOCK DDT by Kushida! He follows it with the running kick to the arm to set up the HOVERBOARD LOCK!  Marty Scurll and Adam Page run in, attacking both champion and challenger to force a no contest at 06:41

Rating - *** - At this point in time there were very few better workers anywhere in the world than Kushida. He was churning out incredible matches all over the world and even here in a six-minute filler match on TV he really delivered something fun. The real surprise package was actually King, who looked motivated, upped his game and didn't like out of place. Over the years Kenny has had so many opportunities and aborted pushes, but showings like this where he effortlessly steps up to a truly elite-level competitor like Kushida demonstrate why promotions keep taking a chance on him...

Kenny is devastated at having his shot at the TV Title ruined by the 'Bullet Club B-Team'. He wants a rematch with Kushida, but for tonight he suggests teaming with the champion so they can put a 'beat down' on Hangman and The Villain...

It was Kushida who defeated Marty to win the TV Title, and he repeated the feat at Best In The World in the rematch. Clearly Marty hasn't forgotten that and has enlisted the 'Problem Solver' of Bullet Club (himself presumably interested in a TV Title opportunity) to target Kushida. Can Kenny and Kushida get some instant payback for having their big-time televised main event bout ruined by Bullet Club?

Kushida bundles Marty right out of the ring as their rivalry continues to fire. The Villain quickly brings it back to the ring and stomps the TV champion down in the Bullet Club corner. Kenny comes to the rescue, blasting Hangman with the same spinebuster that was so effective on Kushida earlier. Scurll senses danger and drags King to the floor for some shots against the guardrails. Page hits a roaring elbow only for King to no sell and deliver a corkscrew enzi. Kushida tags with the Tajiri Elbow and tries the Hoverboard Lock on Page. Marty breaks it...so Kushida trips Hangman into his balls! Back To The Future blocked...Finger Snap blocked too! Tanaka Punch COUNTERED TO THE FINGER SNAP! Chickenwing BLOCKED with the Pele! Just Kidding in response...only for Kushida to surf him into the Hoverboard Lock. Hangman dives in to make a desperate save. Corkscrew pescado by Kenny! Buzzsaw Kick by Kushida! BUCKSHOT LARIAT by Page! SHOOTING STAR TACKLE OFF THE APRON! Villain Bomb gets 2 for Marty! BLOCKBUSTER by Kenny to save Kushida from the Chickenwing. Royal Flush on Page! King wins it for his team at 08:45 (shown).

Rating - *** - Much like his performance in the Gateway To Gold Gauntlet Match, Kenny started to look a little gassed and sloppy by the end, but on the whole this was decent TV content. Scurll and Kushida were excellent whenever they locked horns, but as a star-making vehicle for King this certainly worked. It sucks that Hangman is, once again, the midcard heel helping elevate other talents, but such is the reputation and following of Bullet Club now that this felt like a major victory for Kenny, helping to legitimise his current push. The pressure is now on him to back it up and deliver in the ring when he and Kushida meet for their rematch.

Tape Rating - *** - I liked this episode. It felt like something of a reset for the company after Best In The World and, with only minimal Bullet Club representation, it was nice to see the rest of the roster get a chance to shine. Martinez/Flip was really fun, and provided more build to the brewing Martinez vs White grudge match. Rhett Titus, Cheeseburger and Will Ferrara are far from the biggest names on the roster, but their TV segment didn't last long and successfully introduced Rhett to that storyline. The double main event package was really enjoyable for free television as well. What I really liked about this episode was that they seemed to be paying attention to small details. Cabana's interview with the Tempura Boyz (helping to set up our main event for next week) was so much fun. Shane Taylor wasn't on this show, but a little video package reminded us of what a bad ass he is. They put Cody in to remind us of the 'free agent', global travelling champion angle they are pushing with him - and used it to set-up what would otherwise have been a totally random match with SANADA in Liverpool during the War Of The Worlds UK Tour. Not every episode can have knock-out, 4*+ matches...but this is the kind of standard every episode should hit. I thought this was a fine representation of the kind of product and identity ROH should be branding itself with in 2017.