McXal's Reviews

I could write a long intro paragraph here but it just isn't needed. The main event is overflowing with star-power; a triple threat Trios Tag bout pitting SCU against the Hung Bucks and Los Ingobernables de Japon. We also have the grudge match between Marty Scurll and Hurricane Helms on the undercard, with the jury still very much out on what value Helms adds from an on-screen perspective. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana are in Fairfax, VA.

Straight into the action with a bout to determine the #1 contender to the TV Title. Silas' presence is somewhat predictable given that he is the former champion and only recently lost the title to Punishment Martinez (ROH really does flip-flop on whether former champions have contractual rematches or not don't they?!). His opponent is somewhat more surprising. Sabin goes solo this evening, after we saw Alex Shelley compete without him at the last round of tapings in Manhattan. Shelley is here tonight, accompanying his partner to the ring then joining commentary to explain that he is out for a while after suffering a concussion, nerve damage and requiring major dental surgery to correct a serious in-ring injury. Riccaboni points out that this is Sabin's return after a strong Best Of Super Juniors Tournament showing in New Japan...

Sabin tries to showcase some of the skills he picked up in Japan and controls the early pace with some elaborate chain wrestling. As we head into commercials (including an advert for ROH's Madison Square Garden debut in 2019) he dumps Young to the floor and hits a somersault senton off the apron. When we come back Young has returned the match to the ring and gained the ascendancy by brawling and striking with the former Tag Champion. Sabin blocks Misery...so Young blocks Cradle Shock in return! PK nailed by Sabin to send the Last Real Man outside again. Springboard tornado DDT gets 2 before Silas returns fire with the Killer Combo - into the slingshot swinging neckbreaker. Plunge misses, but Young lands on his feet. Misery countered into a flurry of pinning combinations gaining multiple nearfalls for Sabin. Cradle Shock wins it for Sabin at 06:49 (shown)

Rating - ** - Fine, if immediately forgettable wrestling here. They didn't get a lot of time and as such didn't work at anything like their top level. The one thing this match did very well was re-establish Chris Sabin as a singles competitor. Clearly that was the sole focus the match had, with all three commentators hammering the point home as well. To that end you could call this a success...

Punishment Martinez appears on the stage to stare down and intimidate his new #1 contender...

Whether you agree or not that sidelining Marty - arguably at the absolute peak of his popularity here - into a sidequest with a washed up former WWE guy is the right thing to do, I do think the Hero vs Villain motif here is pretty fun. I loved Marty's promo where he called Helms a 'cosplay Superhero' where he is the embodiment of a Villain. Helms was the target of Scurll's post-Best In The World frustration; he broke 'Ace Reporter' Gregory Helms' finger when he tried to interview him about his World Title defeat. Now Shane is coming for payback, whilst Marty wants to put the old-timer out of ROH for good...

Scurll throws his bandana into Helms' face rather than shake his hand before the bell. The Hurricane responds by dominating the opening exchanges with his power and experience. Marty smartly grabs a limb and starts working his intensely British style...until they take turns hitting superhero poses instead. The Villain spits in Shane's face and Superkicks him from the apron. He stays poised on the apron and stomps on the fingers he broke in his backstage assault when Shane tries to drag himself up from the arena floor. Back in the ring he stamps on the hand for a second time. He grabs the injured hand and uses it to apply a Japanese stranglehold - which he converts to a lungblower when Helms tries to use his size advantage to escape. Hurricane uses some big strikes into an Unprettier, then lands the Mortifyer for 2. Hurri-Chokeslam blocked - with Scurll grabbing the bad hand and poking the eyes. Eye Of The Hurricane instead - for 2 again! Shining Wizard countered to Just Kidding, then another stomp on the damaged hand. Chickenwing blocked...Chokeslam COUNTERED TO THE FINGER SNAP! That was on the other hand too, rendering Shane unable to hit the Chokeslam. The Hurricane hauls Scurll to the top rope and hits a SUPER NECKBREAKER! Cabana points out that he can't hook the leg because of his bad hands. He tries to break out the Vertebreaker...only for Scurll to block it with a villainous unseen low blow. Marty wins at 10:16 (shown)

Rating - *** - A much better match than I was expecting, fuelled in no small part by an inspired individual performance from Marty Scurll. As we've discussed during his previous appearances, Shane Helms isn't here to do much more than play the hits. The brilliance of this was how Marty was able to work with that to produce something really compelling to watch (and to his credit, Helms was very willing to let Marty get his sh*t in). Some of the ways Marty worked in targeted offence to the hand of his rival were extremely innovative, and the whole contest carried an air of genuine intensity. Whilst clearly not on the same level, the dynamic actually reminded me of CM Punk and Raven in 2003 - where the ROH mainstay/cult hero took great offence to the lifestyle choices of the 'veteran' former WWE/WCW 'superstar' and targeted him as a result...

SoCal Uncensored told us in no uncertain terms that they are now targeting the biggest names in order to make themselves indispensible to Joe Koff. At Best In The World that meant attacking the Briscoes rather than their long-time rivals the Young Bucks. Tonight it means going after the Bucks and Hangman Page, and it also means taking down the representatives of LIJ - perhaps looking for retribution after EVIL and SANADA beat them at Honor United Night 1.

Daniels and Sanada try to start, but are interrupted by the old rivalry between Hangman and Kazarian boiling over once again. They beat on each other relentlessly until Daniels and Sanada toss them out - so Page wipes Frankie out on the floor! Nick and Sky in next, working to a hugely entertaining and extremely athletic stalemate with their mirror-image offence. Everyone misses elbow drops, then everyone misses dropkicks! Los Ingobernables dump all their opponents except Nick Jackson to the outside. When Page tries to help he is dumped down onto his own partner and given a double senton by Evil. SPRINGBOARD sunset flip bomb from Kazarian to Bushi! Frankensteiner from Scorpio to Nick! TOPE ATOMICO by Sky! Slingshot rana to the floor by Kaz! ARABIAN PRESS TO THE FLOOR by Daniels! TRIPLE SUPERKICKS by the Hung Bucks! We return from commercials with Daniels taking down Sanada using a running STO. Hangman tags and runs through all of LIJ by himself, including the Drop-sault on Evil and Sanada. Frog splash/standing moonsault/Red Star Press triple team by Bullet Club for 2. SSP TACKLE TO THE FLOOR from Page to Evil. In the ring Matt blocks Skull End with a Superkick...but walks into a slingshot cutter by Sky. Darkness Falls by Evil! MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR by Nick! Buckshot Lariat on Kazarian! DVD from Daniels to Page! POISON MIST by Bushi...right into Todd Sinclair's face! He is blinded and misses The Addiction hitting Celebrity Rehab on Bushi! Frankie literally lifts Todd's arm to count the pin...but then stops it when Bushi gets the shoulder up! Hilariously Daniels points out that he's an idiot because Todd couldn't see! SUPERKICKS by the Bucks! TRIPLE SUPERKICK ON SANADA! CRADLE TOMBSTONE GETS 2! RITE OF PASSAGE INDYTAKER! Both SCU and LIJ all pile in to break the pinfall now. CANADIAN DESTROYER by Bushi! Tope suicida sends Daniels into the railing. Page and Kazarian brawl on the top rope. HANGMAN SUPLEXES KAZ TO THE FLOOR on top of every other competitor! Blue Thunder Driver from Daniels to Bushi - the only two men left standing. Angel's Wings blocked - as Mark Briscoe comes out and distracts the ref. Jay Briscoe is here too - nailing Daniels with a chair! MX by Bushi, earning Los Ingobernables the win at 12:42 (shown).

Rating - **** - An awesome main event to give away for free on television. The match started hot with the intense brawl between Page and Kazarian (I adore how their feud is continually referenced every time they cross paths) and never really let up. It doesn't go long and there were a LOT of people involved, meaning it is pretty constant action and constant spots. If that isn't your preferred style of wrestling then you may not enjoy this one as much as I did. It also had one of those rare instances where I really didn't mind the run-in finish. The Briscoes will feel like they owed SCU one after Best In The World - so their appearance furthers that rivalry. It also allowed BUSHI to pick up an extremely rare ROH win. Given that he is constantly used as the fall-guy for Naito and the rest of LIJ, I'm glad ROH and NJPW took the opportunity to restore some of his credibility.

Tape Rating - *** - The episode was basically all in-ring content, which I really enjoyed. Silas/Sabin was a somewhat uninteresting, but the main event was spectacular and Scurll/Helms was probably better than most expected (thanks to a hell of an individual display from Marty). This is another really solid episode from this TV taping, even when - on paper anyway - the line-up wasn't necessarily the strongest.