McXal's Reviews

'Bullet Club is fine' has been Cody's mantra for weeks. But as his relationship with Kenny Omega has completely disintegrated, the American-based 'Being The Elite' cast-members have all felt the strain. The American Nightmare and The Cleaner are on a collision course for Supercard Of Honor, but they all need to stay on the same page this evening as two enemy forces have pooled resources to pull them apart. It will be Bullet Club vs The Kingdom and The Addiction in our 10-man tag main event. We'll also have a trip to Japan to see the Women's Title Tournament bout between Mayu Iwatani and HZK. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana are at ringside in Atlanta, GA to call the action.

After some initial success (beating Cheeseburger and the Tempura Boyz) The Dawgs are growing frustrated at their lack of progress up the tag ranks. They've watched on jealously as C2C have started building momentum, starting with their huge win over War Machine on Episode 332. Now they step into the ring looking to take down LSG and Shaheem Ali themselves. Their fellow bottom-dwelling tag team The Bouncers are on commentary...

The Dawgs new trunks are tremendous in quite how awful they are. Titus establishes dominance for their team, which Ferrara immediately squanders after blind-tagging in. C2C start double teaming Will...until Rhett slaps his own partner in the back of the head to force him back out again. He clotheslines Shaheem on the outside then does the usual routine where he uses his partner as unwilling weapon. In the end he accidentally tosses his partner into a big boot from St. Giovanni. Titus restores order by kicking Ali down a flight of stairs in the Center Stage Theatre! Big Dawg Splash gets 2! LSG hits a springboard lariat and makes the big tag to Ali. He instructs LSG to take flight and hit a top rope somersault senton to the floor! Saint-splosion/frog splash combo wins it for C2C at 07:36 (shown).

Rating - ** - I enjoyed this perhaps more than a 2* rating implies. It was very much filler TV content but they all worked hard, took a few really big spills and attacked everything with an earnest intensity that I couldn't help but admire. 

The Bouncers attack Coast 2 Coast after the bell. Because nothing says 'we want to be Tag Champions' like blind-siding one of the lowest-ranked teams on the roster...

Marty Scurll congratulates Dalton Castle on surviving Jay Lethal at the 16th Anniversary. It means that The Villain will be challenging him for the World Title at Supercard Of Honor...and he plans on leaving New Orleans as champion.

Dalton Castle has interview time in response. He busted his ass to become World Champion and doesn't plan on losing it in front of the biggest crowd in ROH history.

We now go to Japan, to Stardom's 24th February 2018 show in Osaka. Getting Mayu for the tournament was something of a coup for ROH. Alongside Io Shirai and Kairi Hojo (now Kairi Sane in WWE) she was considered part of a triumvirate of elite level Joshi stars. It was something of a surprise that she didn't join Io and Kairi in eyeing up WWE as a career move. Here we see Iwatani as one of Stardom's top stars, looking to take her talents international but finding her path blocked by the rising star HZK, representing the Queen's Quest stable. As with many Joshi stars, HZK is incredibly good for how young she is...

They test each other early with HZK using her speed to stay out of Iwatani's clutches. Mayu responds with a couple of fierce strikes...so HZK takes her to the ropes and starts stretching her arm over them. Iwatani KICKS HER IN THE FACE and blows her clean out of the ring with a dropkick through the ropes. TOP ROPE CROSSBODY TO THE FLOOR! Back from commercials with HZK dropping a senton across Mayu's back and transitioning straight into a snug rear chinlock. The younger HZK starts trying to wear Iwatani out - riding her in submissions then simply tumbling her around the ring in a relentless rolling cradle. Iwatani tries to hit back with a northern lights suplex - but is now worn down and HZK easily counters with a DDT. Michinoku Driver sets up the diving seated senton for 2. High angle German suplex scores for Mayu, but she is so beaten up she can barely pull her body of the canvas afterwards. She does finally scramble to the top rope for a lunging double stomp which goes deep into HZK's stomach. Dragon Suplex blocked...so she hits a crucifix driver instead for 2. DRAGON SUPLEX! Iwatani wins at 07:13 (shown). 

Rating - *** - For people who wonder why fans sometimes give the Women Of Honor division a hard time - this is why. When you have women's wrestling of this quality out there in the world, and when modern technology makes it more accessible than ever, standards quickly become higher. This was nothing more than a quick sprint for these two and it was still some way ahead of what a great many of ROH's core WOH talents are capable of. Go check out Mayu's work with the likes of Io Shirai and Kairi Hojo as those three have produced a number of un-celebrated modern classics. She now has a Quarter Final showdown with Deonna Purrazzo...

Presumably this is somewhat awkward to film, as it was taped well before 16th Anniversary and therefore before SCU beat the Hung Bucks for the Six-Man Titles. Bobby Cruise introduces the Hung Bucks as Six-Man Champions too (presumably by mistake, as they don't have the belts with them). The Kingdom and SCU both have big issues with Bullet Club. Taven has targeted Cody, believing he has had unfairly preferential treatment since he arrived at the end of 2017. Meanwhile The Addiction and the Young Bucks go back for years in a feud which shows no signs of stopping. At the suggestion of the Ring General, SCU and The Kingdom have joined forces, looking to exploit the apparent cracks in Bullet Club unity. Cody insists everything is fine (and even gives his team-mates shirts to reiterate that point), but his issues with Kenny Omega are impacting his relationship with the Bucks whilst questions remain over where the loyalties of The Villain and the Hangman lie.

Cody comes out to his own music rather than to Bullet Club's theme with the rest of his team, and has both Brandi and Bury The Drug-Free Bear with him (his first on-screen ROH appearance). Everyone appears on the same page as they dish out five-way Superkicks to start the match. SSP TACKLE off the apron by Hangman! ROPE RUN DIVE by Cody! They try want a 'One Sweet', Marty reluctantly agrees...but the Bucks remain hesitant. The Kingdom and The Addiction attack amidst the confusion and fights break out all over ringside. Scurll throws a piece of guardrail at TK then joins commentary, as inside the ring Cody and Daniels have resumed their hostilities going back to 2017. Matt Jackson notices that Rhodes' tights say 'Leader' which he doesn't agree with either. Kaz and Page tear into each other, which Hangman gets the better of and delivers the Drop-sault on both Addiction members. Cody mistakenly ventures into the enemy corner and finds himself tripped to the mat and mugged by multiple opponents. Taven renews his hostilities with the American Nightmare and spearheads his team's work on the former World Champion, repeatedly joined by Daniels. I really like how Cody's rivalries with both of those men has been so clearly referenced here. Matt tries to hit Cross Rhodes, but Cody knows how to escape his own move - and drops Taven with an Ace Crusher. Hot tag to the Bucks, who are in their element with multiple bodies to destroy using their endless combo sequences. Marty is so excited that he runs into the crowd to enjoy it! Dragon Rush by Cody - who shoved the Bucks out of the way to execute one of Kenny's signature moves! Red Star Press by Page, into the standing moonsault/frog splash combo/knee drop trilogy by the Bucks and The Villain. FIVE MAN SUPERKICK on Kazarian! Four of the five Bullet Club members celebrate. Cody doesn't, because he is trying to get the Bucks to recreate the Rise Of The Terminator - another of Omega's gimmicks! ARABIAN PRESS TO THE FLOOR by Daniels! TOP ROPE HANGMAN-SAULT SCORES! AIR TAVEN NAILED! Bury The Bear wants a go! STAGE DIVE BY BURY! Even the Young Bucks that is awesome! Scorpio Sky runs in...and accidentally levels Marseglia with a dropkick. CROSS-RHODES! Cody pins Vinny at 14:19 (shown).

Rating - **** - I have this down as a really under-rated Bullet Club multi-man tag. There was SO much going on here. The way they pulled together so many story-line threads successfully, with ten guys plus a bear mascot and Cody's wife at ringside was a real feat of precision engineering. The 'Bullet Club is fine' angle was obviously the focal point - and rightly so. It is the reason SCU and The Kingdom had joined forces. It is the backdrop for Cody vs Omega at Supercard Of Honor. Since The Elite are the top stars in ROH, it is, therefore, the biggest storyline the company has. And whilst it was central to the plot here, it never overshadowed the multiple individual sub-feuds. Cody teased his match with Omega, continued his feud with Taven and referenced his rivalry with Daniels. The Bucks and The Addiction were kept apart for large portions but fought with ferocity when they did cross paths. Hangman and Kazarian were still intent on going to war with each other. In short, this was an occasion where ROH were able to successfully utilise the unique story-telling platform that 'Being The Elite' offers and use it to enhance their own product, rather than eclipse it.

Perhaps inevitably, The Kingdom and SoCal Uncensored start fighting with each other as we go off the air. Bullet Club watch from the stage in bewilderment.

Tape Rating - *** - Probably the best episode from this taping. The main event was fantastic, but the effortless quality of Iwatani/HZK was really worth checking out as well. Even though I only gave it 2*, even The Dawgs vs Coast 2 Coast had a lot to like too. Selective ROH TV viewers will want to check this one out

5) Silas Young vs Kenny King (*** - Episode 336)

4) Adam Page vs Christopher Daniels (*** - Episode 337)

3) Mayu Iwatani vs HZK (*** - Episode 339)

2) Young Bucks vs Frankie Kazarian/Scorpio Sky (*** - Episode 336)

1) Cody/Marty Scurll/Adam Page/Young Bucks vs The Addiction/Matt Taven/Vinny Marseglia/TK O'Ryan (**** - Episode 339)