McXal's Reviews

So the line-up for this episode of Ring Of Honor television is really good. I've been burned by getting excited about an ROH card a lot recently, but it does look set to be a strong hour of television. The main event will see the Briscoes defend the ROH Tag Titles against Roppongi 3K, but the two undercard bouts are promising as well; Flip Gordon vs Jon Gresham in a battle of contrasting styles, plus a Women Of Honor grudge match between Kelly Klein and Deonna Purrazzo. We head back to Chicago, IL to join hometown favourite Colt Cabana, alongside Ian Riccaboni.

These guys are two of ROH's fastest rising stars. Gresham has played his part in two MOTYC's with Jay Lethal already in 2018, whilst Flip has broken out in a major way since signing his full-time deal in the middle of last year. This is a major clash of styles, meaning it will be a battle for superiority between Gresham's technical excellence and Flip's athletic theatrics. Gresham beat Flip at the Road To Best In the World 2017 TV taping in Chicago a year ago. Can Gordon return the favour tonight?

Gresham grabs a limb and goes to ground, immediately laying out his strategy for the match. Gordon, of course, looks to escape with an assortment of flips and they work to an early stalemate. They start running the ropes and building up speed - which Gresh realises isn't in his interests so he drops down and elbows Gordon in the back. Flip thinks fast to block the Octopus Stretch...so Gresham starts twisting and manipulating the arm he uses to block it instead. Abdominal stretch next, followed by a shoulder into the ribs when Gordon works himself into a position to escape. In the end Gordon dropkicks Gresham so hard he explodes through the ropes. ROPE RUN SUICIDE DIVE NAILED! Gordon sacrificed his own body and exacerbated his own injury to hit that. By the time we're back from the advertisements Gresham has taken it back to the ring and is back on top, pummelling his opponent against the ropes. Flip trades elbows with Gresh...who refuses to back down and retaliates with shots of his own. Springboard DDT by Gresham COUNTERED to a back-selling falcon arrow! Jon pops up off the ground to stop Flip hitting a standing moonsault. PELE KICK INSTEAD! Star Spangled Stunner nailed, giving Gordon a big win at 06:20 (shown).

Rating - *** - I could've watched this for the entire episode. Gresham is so inventive and impossibly skilled, and Flip did a great job selling his injury whilst working in his signature high spots. It all felt slick, it flowed effortlessly and really was a perfectly compact package for television. Under normal circumstances I'd hope and expect the booker to spot their obvious chemistry together and book a longer rematch at a live event/Honor Club VOD...

Bully Ray stomps down the aisle to interrupt Flip's celebrations. He isn't here to fight but instead talks about all he's learned about Flip - like how he's from Montana, which is where Bully's parents wanted to retire to before they sadly passed away, or how he respects Flip's military service. Bully drops in a couple of references to his Hall Of Fame induction, which should surely have tipped Flip off about what's to come. Bubba says they have 'zero heat' and wants to shake hands, which everyone in the crowd instantly sees through. He boots Flip in the balls and calls him a 'stupid young boy' again.

The issue between these women stretches back more than a year. They have traded wins, had pull-apart brawls and we've seen Klein attack The Virtuosa from behind. Kelly is still reeling from her failure to win the WOH Championship Tournament and is desperately trying to get her career back on track. Does Deonna have her number? 

Deonna is dressed for a fight and dives/trips off the apron to beat the Gatekeeper down on the outside. She violently whips Klein into the guardrails and apron...then hauls her back into the ring for a diving armbreaker. Fujiwara Armbar blocked but all Kelly can do is keep her at bay with some weak strikes. The Gatekeeper leaves the ring again - but this time trips Deonna on the apron then muscles her up for a fallaway slam on the outside. Purrazzo blocks a big boot and drills Kelly with ROLLING German suplexes. BRAINBUSTER...rolled into the Fujiwara! Klein has just enough left in the tank to find the bottom rope. She refuses to come out of the ropes so Deonna starts Kobashi chopping her! Satellite armbar countered with raw power by Kelly who drills her rival against the ringpost. She chases Deonna up the ropes and hits a SUPER fallaway slam. K-Power blocked with a shove, which knocks out referee Mike Posey. Purrazzo drills Klein with an Ace Crusher...but without a referee to count the pin. Yet again she has the Gatekeeper beaten but the ref doesn't see it. Kelly gets back up...into the Fujiwara. ROLLED THROUGH...END OF THE MATCH! Purrazzo taps at 07:04 (shown).

Rating - *** - It would be great if any of Kelly's big matches passed without moments of real clumsiness (although I don't think she was greatly to blame for that here). Despite some scrappy shortcomings in execution I liked the direction of travel here and have this down as the third thoroughly decent (albeit criminally short) Women Of Honor match from this taping. I thought Purrazzo attacked the match with a really cool vibe - street fight gear but trusting her skills as a wrestler to f*ck Kelly up. It meant we got a nice twist on Klein's 'usual' match formula as she used her power to fight from behind; keeping her in the match rather than dominating it. Initially I groaned when they did the ref bump, but it did make sense as a callback to their 2017 Supercard Of Honor clash...and acted as nothing more than a stepping stone to the actual finish which was fantastic. Sometimes Kelly's 'End Of The Match' can look a little weak, but I thought the modified way she grabbed Deonna into it, coupled with a quick and desperate tap from Purrazzo, made it feel very gritty and authentic. This was Purrazzo's last ROH match before signing with WWE. When she departs ROH lose their best female worker and don't seem in any hurry to replace her...but The Virtuosa leaves having busted her ass to re-establish the credibility Klein lost earlier this year.

Jay Lethal checks in with the announcement that at Best In The World he has been signed to face Kushida. He acknowledges that they have shared some classic battles on previous War Of The Worlds Tours and are currently tied 1-1. Since he is on a quest to avenge past defeats on the road back to the World Championship, winning a rubber match with arguably NJPW's top junior is high on his agenda.

Speaking of the World Championship, Dalton Castle talks about the possibility of 'collusion' between Cody and Marty when they all meet for the title at Best In The World. He thinks it is the members of Bullet Club whom should fear him...

Arguably one of the most exciting matches from the entire 2018 WOTW Tour. The Briscoes have torn through the tag division since refocusing on their goals as a duo at the end of 2017 - including a violent beatdown of Bullet Club a few weeks ago on television. The winners here will defend the championship against the Young Bucks at Best In The World - i.e. will the Bucks be facing the ROH veterans who they arguably had the number on in late 2016/early 2017...or the new stars of NJPW's junior tag division who already possess multiple victories over the Bucks?

Jay loudly refuses to follow the Code Of Honor instead attacking the challengers from behind. Sho and Yoh weather the early storm though and unleash a volley of fluent double teams which bring them right back into the contest. Smartly the Briscoes divide and conquer, keeping Sho out of the ring and working together to mow through Yoh. Mark paintbrushes the fallen former Tempura Boy...who stands up and SLAPS HIM! Mark tries a flying chop...but sails straight into a dropkick. Unfortunately Jay lays Sho out before he can make a tag though, then viciously chokes Yoh against the ropes. He camel clutches Yoh in the face of his partner, prompting Sho to boot Jay across the jaw. Todd Sinclair has to eject Sho however which allows the Briscoes to stomp Yoh into the mat. A scrappy backbreaker/neckbreaker combo opens up the road to a tag to Sho...who SPEARS Mark with crazy velocity. ROLLING GERMANS! SUPERKICK GERMAN COMBO for 2! Jay drags Yoh out and into the guardrails to block the 3K, as Mark nails a lariat inside the ring. Once again R3K have been split up, setting up the Briscoe tackle and a Redneck Boogie for 2. All four men battle on opposing turnbuckles. SUPERPLEX/FROGGY BOW COMBO on Sho...who kicks out! Yoh saves his partner from another Redneck Boogie. Sho blocks the Choke from Mark - powering him into their corner for a Poetry In Motion elbow. 3K blocked...so the challengers drive him out of the ring with a double knee. STEREO SOMERSAULT PLANCHAS! ALL SEEING EYE...FOR 2! Jay heaves a chair into the ring as they line up 3K, opening up the chance for Mark to low blow Yoh. CHOKE on Sho! JAY DRILLER on Yoh! Briscoes retain at 11:34 (shown).

Rating - **** - This was a really great little tag match. It was hidden on ROH television and didn't get the same kind of run-time that Silas/Aries got last week, but there is an argument to be made that this was one of the best matches of the entire tour. The four competitors mashed together their styles brilliantly - establishing everything from the opening seconds when the Briscoes tried to destroy their challengers like they were still the naive Tempura Boyz, but quickly finding out that Roppongi 3K are a completely different animal. Every time SHO and YOH were able to join forces magic happened. Which meant the ultra-experienced Briscoes continually broke out violent (and often illegal) methods of keeping them apart and dominating. The formula was simple but worked extremely effectively, producing some really dramatic nearfalls in the closing moments. Definitely one to check out using your Honor Club subscription if you have it.

Tape Rating - *** - Another really solid week of television. Briscoes/Roppongi 3K was one of the better matches from any night of the War Of The Worlds Tour, Deonna said her goodbyes to the company with another decent WOH encounter which did heaps to put over Kelly Klein, whilst the Flip/Gresham opener was one of the most 'easy-to-watch' wrestling matches you'll ever come across. If you skip Bully Ray this really was all good stuff and a second week of very decent content from ROH.