McXal's Reviews

The 16th Anniversary Show goes live on the same night that this episode is broadcast. Ordinarily I'd write this off as a filler episode, but there are so many big shows condensed into such a short period that ROH doesn't have that luxury. Ring Of Honor's contribution to WrestleMania weekend, Supercard Of Honor 12, is now less than a month away so build for that needs to start swiftly. This evening we'll see a new TV Title #1 contender crowned via a Battle Royal (with the final two competing in the main event) plus Tenille Dashwood making her ROH TV debut in the first round of the Women Of Honor Title Tournament. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana are on commentary in Atlanta, GA,

Straight into the action with a classic jobber-heavy Battle Royal. The eventual prize is a shot at the TV Title, once again held by Kenny King. There is a twist here, in that the final two will compete in the main event to determine who actually gets the championship opportunity. Thanks to Cagematch.net I'm able to confirm that the participants are the Best Friends, Coast 2 Coast, Will Ferrara, Caprice Coleman, Flip Gordon, Josh Woods, Shane Taylor, QT Marshall, FR Josie and Kid USA (a masked enhancement talent) 

Best Friends hug in the middle of the action...and are immediately tossed out by Shane Taylor. The crowd absolutely hate that. Shane then floors Josie with the Knockout Punch to eliminate him as well. C2C toss Ferrara, than Shaheem bludgeons Kid USA to the floor too. Coleman shoves LSG to the floor as he attempts an ill-advised springboard move. Ali quickly follows, booted out of the ring by Woods. But Josh shows inexperience by celebrating that...and is tossed out by Coleman. Caprice reaches out to his former Rebellion stable-mate Shane Taylor to form an alliance, but then QT reminds him that he has paid Shane off before so is good for a pay-off if they team up. Springboard Spear from Flip to Coleman...right before Taylor decimates him with a lariat. Marshall accidentally punches Taylor in the face...so Shane gives him the Knockout Punch OVER the top rope! We are down to three. Samoan Pop by Flip, then a springboard lariat to Caprice. Mind Trip in response by Coleman...but he is then thrown out by his former stable-mate! It's over at 06:21 (shown). Shane Taylor and Flip advance to the main event of the episode.

Rating - * - No different from any other Battle Royal you may have seen. The one thing this match had going for it was a really enjoyable narrative centred around Shane Taylor. He eliminated the majority of the field by himself, found time for some semi-comedic exchanges with Caprice and QT - and advances to an intriguing size vs speed main event against Flip Gordon. 

The Kingdom gloat about Bullet Club falling apart. The Addiction interrupt to suggest that they join forces. Daniels thinks that together The Kingdom and SCU can end Bullet Club. After the break we go back to The Kingdom, who are pumped up for a match against Bullet Club next week...

I really like that the pre-match video package heavily references the Honor Reigns Supreme Women Of Honor tag bout that featured these two. On that night Dashwood took the win after knocking Shadows out with the Spotlight Kick. Stacy thinks she has a plan to counter that move tonight. The winner advances to face Brandi Rhodes in the Quarter Finals. Deonna Purrazzo has joined commentary.

Tenille gets another huge pop, indicating that she really has added some genuine star-power to the WOH division. Shadows locks up with her and uses her size to muscle the Australian all over the ring. Dashwood kicks at the legs and takes her down with a Russian legsweep. Emma-mite Sandwich, but Shadows blocks her trying to throw a kick and levels her with a spinebuster. When we come back from commercials we see Stacy smearing Tenille into the mat again before driving repeated kicks into the back. Such is the difference in size that even a basic body slam does major damage to Dashwood's back. Vader Bomb misses! Dil-Emma locked in after that, but the effect is minimal and Shadows tries to haul Dashwood in by the hair! Flying crossbody by Tenille. Shadows blocks the Spotlight Kick! But Dashwood rams her into the ringpost then levels her with the Spotlight Kick anyway. Dashwood advances to face Brandi in the next round at 06:09 (shown).

Rating - ** - Yet another Women Of Honor match that was largely decent but far too short to really mean anything. They worked the size difference between them well and I did like the little story they put together around the Spotlight Kick. Unfortunately in six minutes there was no time to manufacture any real drama. 

In the Bullet Club locker-room Cody delivers the news that The Kingdom and SCU are joining forces. The Young Bucks aren't happy with the tension within the group as Cody deliveries a rallying cry to try to get everyone back on the same page. 

The ROH Dojo squad are back on squash match duty this week. The Bouncers had their first match a few episodes ago, but it went to a non-finish as Kenny King and Silas Young's feud over the TV Title overtook their bout with Coast 2 Coast. Now they come to Atlanta hunting their first win as a team.

Isom and Nova get slapped in the face for trying to follow the Code Of Honor, whilst Colt suggests that they call their tag team 'Already In The Ring'. Ryan throws a few strikes at Bruiser...and is flattened by a running crossbody, setting up a senton splash by Milonas. Sandwich hip attacks by The Bouncers, then BCB tosses Nova to his corner so they can take out Eli as well. Isom tries a couple of springboard moves and is knocked out in mid-air. Superplex/Keg Splash combo wins it for The Bouncers at 03:50

Rating - N/A - A fairly standard squash match. The big men got a dominant first win under their belts, and the young kids didn't look completely hopeless. Isom in particular is clearly a natural athlete. 

Having survived the Battle Royal at the top of the hour, now these men do battle 1-on-1 to determine a new Television Title #1 contender. Will it be the speed, agility and aerial prowess of Flip or the size and strike power of Taylor? Bully Ray joins the commentary team to find out.

Gordon slaps Taylor in the face for not following the Code Of Honor (which hardly exists anymore it seems), and uses his speed to hit and move throughout the first minute. Springboard lariat COUNTERED WITH A MID-AIR SPINEBUSTER! Is Flip dead!? He took that neck-first! And without giving him any respite Shane charges into the corner and starts boxing him about the head. Gordon can barely get up or away from the ropes without Taylor beating on him. Running knee strike seemingly knocks him out, but somehow he finds a way to kick-out at 2. Kinder Surprise nailed, but he tries that springboard lariat for a second time...and is plucked out of the sky with a knee strike. Springboard Sling Blade...countered to a Bubba Bomb right in front of Bully! Still Flip throws slaps at him even from flat on his back, so Taylor jumps on him with a Warrior Splash! Repeated Pele Kicks drop Taylor to a knee...but he comes right back up and decks Flip with a lariat. Taylor gets confident and tries to come off the second rope...and misses. STAR SPANGLED STUNNER! 450 SPLASH! Flip snatches the win at 08:29 (shown)

Rating - *** - Good stuff from two of ROH's best pieces of talent recruitment in the last few years. Gordon makes for a great, sympathetic babyface getting beaten down and Shane Taylor is so authentic and believable as a straight-talking, ruthless ass-kicker. Some of the things he did to Flip here were totally brutal. It's a shame they didn't get longer to make this really special as they demonstrated real chemistry together as opponents.

Scorpio Sky runs out and beats Flip down after the match. He is apparently still pissed off that Flip ditched him to team with CMLL guys to challenge for the Six-Man Titles at Final Battle. Young Bucks come out to rescue Flip which is an interesting development. Unsurprisingly Gordon refuses to shake hands with them...

The episode ends with Cody being stood up by the rest of Bullet Club for promo duty. He bitterly makes fun of his friends and assures everyone that 'Bullet Club is fine'...

Tape Rating - * - Flip/Shane was pretty fun as the main event, but nothing else here was really worth your time at all. You've seen Battle Royals and jobber squash matches before, and you'll see Tenille compete in more relevant and substantial Women Of Honor matches in the future. This episode seemed to exist only to set-up Flip as a filler TV Title challenger and to promote next week's TV main event between Bullet Club and the SCU/Kingdom alliance.