McXal's Reviews

This should be a big week of Ring Of Honor television. The World Title isn't defended on TV often (Cody messed with that statistic somewhat thanks to some comedy defences during his reign), so the prospect of a big-time title bout between champion Dalton Castle and challenger Punishment Martinez is enticing. We will also see the first match in the tournament to crown the inaugural Women Of Honor Champion as Mandy Leon and Madison Rayne collide. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana are in position in Nashville, TN.

Dalton Castle calls Punishment Martinez a 'big lummox with eyeliner' and says he's willing to do whatever it takes to leave Nashville still World Champion.

Bruiser is inspired by Silas Young's TV Title success, and decided he wanted to pursue Tag Title gold. Reaching out to Milonas as a man who had earned his respect, they now form the biggest tag team in ROH and make their debut as a team this evening. Their opponents come in full of momentum after beating War Machine (who presumably USED to be the biggest tag team in ROH?) two weeks ago.

The big boys flatten C2C in the corner during their entrance. BCB lawn darts LSG into the turnbuckles, successfully cutting him off from his partner. Ali does finally get a tag, but needs St. Giovanni to help him with a Complete Shot for 2. Silas Young grabs his boot from the floor to distract him, then starts punching him in the face on the outside. Kenny King runs in and hauls Silas into the ring for a fight, and with six men flying everywhere Todd Sinclair decides to throw it out at 03:04 (shown).

Rating - N/A - Innocuous and forgettable, but at least Delirious didn't instantly squander any momentum LSG and Shaheem gained beating War Machine by having them put over Bruiser and Milonas. In the end using this as a vehicle to further the Silas/King issue isn't the worst idea.

When we return from commercials a six-man tag has been agreed. Will Bruiser and Milonas get a win on their first night teaming? Can Ali and LSG follow-up the big victory over War Machine? For Silas and Kenny, are they more focused on winning here or hurting each other?

Ian Riccaboni comments that ROH has a real issue with people booking their own matches. King lays out Brian with the corkscrew pescado...but celebrates too long and eats Bruiser's cannonball off the apron. Somersault plancha by Shaheem! STO on the apron for him by Young! In the ring Milonas clobbers St. Giovanni from behind to stop him hitting a dive. Shaheem tags and drops the TV Champ with a flatliner for 2. King demands the opportunity to beat up the Last Real Man, and has him running to his corner after a spinning heel kick. King is sandwiched between the bellies of Bruiser and Brian after that though, and almost pinned as a result. C2C to his aid...ROPE WALK PHOENIX SPLASH TO THE FLOOR by Leon! Royal Flush from King to Silas! He beats the champ at 05:43

Rating - ** - My feelings after this pretty much echo the thoughts I just put down for the tag-match it replaced. I'm glad C2C got another win, I'm happy a match I had no interest in seeing was hijacked to further the Silas/Kenny TV Title feud. King winning makes it inevitable that they'll get a rematch, and I thought Silas' whole performance here was probably the highlight. There was nothing here offering any rewatch value though

The Dawgs are watching on a (little) screen backstage. Ferrara (and his ridiculous tan) can barely contain his fury that Coast 2 Coast got another win. Apparently he and Rhett are planning to end the new-found momentum of C2C...

This is the start of the WOH Title Tournament. Not every match is being taped for television (most are on YouTube, and I think one of the matches - HZK vs Mayu Iwatani - actually takes place on a Stardom event). But even getting some of these matches onto the main show (and not on a Women Of Honor special) is something of an accomplishment. Mandy trained at the ROH Dojo and has been around for the entire resurgence of the WOH division, so it is her dream to be the first champion. Madison has held championships everywhere she has been and is a veteran, so is probably considered the favourite. The interview she gives claiming to be an original Woman Of Honor is a BIG stretch though (since she wrestled as an enhancement talent to the ACTUAL WOH originals back in the day a couple of times). Deonna Purrazzo is on commentary.

They take turns backing each other into the corner then trade headlocks. The pace quickens and still they can't be separated as counters and armdrags fly. Flipping neckbreaker by Leon, provoking Madison to bust out a big Spear for 2. Rayne's experience starts to show but Mandy hangs in there and they collide mid-ring to drive each others faces into the mat. They come back up trading strikes, which Mandy ends with a flatliner into a Koji Clutch. Rayne grabs the bottom rope and tries to leave the ring...so Leon kicks her in the head and dives to the floor with a senton off the apron. Missile dropkick back into the ring for 2. Astral Projection blocked by Madison - into the Rayne Check for 2. Barbie Crusher gets 2 as well! Flying crossbody misses and Mandy hits the Astral Projection. That's enough for her to get the win, advancing in the tournament at 06:12 (shown).

Rating - ** - Having Mandy go over here was the right call. She is criticised at times, but she has been a constant presence in this resurgence of the WOH division and it would have been crap booking to bring a 'name' like Madison in to go straight over her the second a championship is involved. Bringing in a relatively well-known and respected veteran like Madison to put over, teach and improve your young talent is smart booking. The match itself was only ok. Sloppy in places but they really played up an evenly-matched, 'either woman can win at any point' vibe which I really dug. 

LAST WEEK - Cody storms into the Bullet Club locker room and demands to know why the Young Bucks didn't come out to help him fight The Kingdom. The Bucks claim that their flight was delayed and he wants to know if their flight was from Kenny Omega's place. Cody tells them they need to do 'better' and can't allow the Bullet Club to break up...

Outside in the loading area the Briscoes say they don't care about the well-being of their opponents or whether the fans like them. They don't have anything against the Machine Guns...they just think the Tag Titles are their 'property' and they want them back.

After Dalton won the World Title from Cody at Final Battle, lots of people started gathering to claim title shots. Jay Lethal, Cody, Marty Scurll, Matt Taven and more - they all want an opportunity. But Martinez is ahead of all of those big names in the queue because he won Survival Of The Fittest 2017. He doesn't want to wait until a live event or a PPV - he comes to television plans to prematurely end Castle's championship reign. Marty Scurll joins commentary to see it, possibly in the knowledge that he'll face Martinez for the belt next (should be win).

Castle slaps the sh*t out of Martinez to get the fight started. Punisher tries to go straight to South Of Heaven but gets punched in the face! HEAT SEEKING MISSILE! No respite for Martinez as the champ chases him up the aisle...then tries to jump OFF THE BOYS into a lariat. He has to settle for shunting the big challenger into the ringpost, then returns to the ring to grind on the bigger man with a bearhug. Cyclone Kick by Martinez knocks him from the top rope to the floor. He tries a tiger feint rana, but Martinez counters to a LAST RIDE INTO THE APRON! Just remember Dalton took that bump with a seriously messed up back by the way. Understandably the champion can barely stand after that. He clutches at his ribs and back...and is squashed by a springboard senton by Punisher. The Boys try to distract him and get a front row seat as Martinez superkicks the champion on the floor and dumps him into the guardrails. Castle desperately hits his apron-riding tiger feint rana...and returns to the ring for the EVEREST GERMAN! Martinez kicks out at 2 with Castle's ailing spine no doubt part of the reason he is unable to maintain the bridge. A second German suplex rattles Martinez's brains again and he starts stumbling around. Still he drills Castle on his back again with a falcon arrow though. Shots to the back prevent Castle from attempting the Bang-A-Rang and the champion collapses out of the ring again. SUICIDE DIVE OVER THE RINGPOST BY PUNISHMENT! The Boys are down and Martinez drags Castle back up seconds later for the super spinning heel kick. He wants to hit South Of Heaven but Dalton is so beaten up he can't even get off the ground. KICK TO THE FACE INSTEAD! Castle pulls his hair and claws desperately to escape the Psycho Driver...dropping into a flash pin! He holds Punisher's shoulders to the mat and snatches victory. Castle retains at 11:38 (shown).

Rating - *** - Two third of a great match, without a third act to finish it off. The fans weren't as into things as I'd have liked, but the physicality and story-telling here was first rate. Castle tried to get into Punisher's head then use his grappling to keep him down...until Martinez violently attacked his already broken back and seemed destined to win the World Title. Unfortunately rather than see it through to a finish they jumped straight to a flash pin conclusion which felt incredibly flat. It stands as a big win for Dalton, and him needing a victory in this manner does protect Martinez somewhat. But for a World Title Match, and the pay-off to Survival Of The Fittest 2017, I expected more. 

Martinez throws a tantrum and tries to murder The Boys as Scurll, Cabana and Riccaboni call Castle's win the 'upset of the century'

NEXT WEEK - Hung Bucks vs SCU for the Six-Man Title

Tape Rating - ** - A solid week of television, but again lacking a stand-out match like those we saw at the Philadelphia taping. Dalton and Punisher threatened to deliver something of that quality, but ran out of TV time and went to an anticlimactic finish which disappointed me a little. Underneath that it was all very functional without ever getting exciting. Leon/Rayne was a decent (but no better) start to the WOH Title Tournament, Kenny King pinned Silas Young as a prelude to another TV Title Match between them - but nothing about those segments was must-see.