McXal's Reviews

This show is so packed that it shouldn't need too much introducing. Just a week before their historic 'All In' pay-per-view in Chicago, Cody and the Young Bucks are in the main event. They challenge The Kingdom for the Six-Man Tag Titles, looking to take ROH gold into the sell-out arena platform they have financed for themselves. If that weren't enough to sell you, there is also Era Of Honor Begins veterans Jay Briscoe and Chris Daniels locking horns in a rematch of the finals from 2017's 'Decade Of Excellence Tournament', plus Silas Young and Flip Gordon squaring off in a rematch from Episode 345. Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman and Colt Cabana are ringside in Atlanta, GA.

These two date back to the very beginning of ROH's existence. Daniels worked the main event of the first show ever, whilst Jay worked the first 'official' match. Their paths have crossed sporadically, like the time Daniels recruited Jay's brother Mark into his heel stable The Prophecy and since Daniels returned to ROH with his partner Frankie Kazarian in multiple tag team encounters. Daniels also punched his ticket to his memorable 17th Anniversary World Title win over Adam Cole by winning the Decade Of Excellence Tournament; beating Jay Briscoe in the final. Now they are enemies once more. The Briscoes are agitated that SCU stopped them beating down mutual enemy the Young Bucks at Best In The World, whilst Daniels and SCU are up against the ticking clock of Joe Koff's plan to release them after Final Battle so are targeting the Briscoes and the Tag Titles in an effort to force Koff into giving them new contracts...

Nobody even thinks about following the Code Of Honor; they just sneer at each other and go right into an intense lock-up. Daniels smartly doesn't try to brawl with Jay and instead works a fast pace then goes aerial with the Arabian Press to the floor. Briscoe is reeling and has his skull hammered into a guardrail segment soon after. Almost on instinct he grabs Daniels and gives him a flatliner into the turnbuckles to even things up as we hit a commercial break. When we come back Briscoe has upped the aggression and is grinding Daniels' face and eyes in the ropes. Briscoe senses that the fans are rallying behind Daniels, so he tries to choke the life out of him with a rear chinlock. Once again the Fallen Angel builds momentum and speed to fight back - creating enough distance to score with a running STO then the Blue Thunder Driver. Angel's Wings is blocked, but so is the Day One Neckbreaker and the Jay Driller! Urinage slam scores...but as Daniels lines up the BME he doesn't see Mark Briscoe rush the ring armed with a chair. Mark cracks him in the back with the weapon, clearly causing his brother to be disqualified at 04:51 (shown)

Rating - ** - A very good four minutes of back and forth wrestling, but without a finish since this is building to a Briscoes/Addiction Tag Title bout (plus Briscoes vs SCU at All In). What I did appreciate was how much Daniels and Jay were busting their asses. They could have phoned this in knowing they were going to a non-finish and providing a building block to a bigger-picture feud. But their professional pride meant what action they did give us was of the highest order. Daniels is so often portrayed as the 'smartest man in the room', yet what this match did so well was play up Jay as now having comparable experience to Daniels to negate that. He now has enough experience to appear entirely as Daniels' equal meaning it comes down to a straight-up athletic contest between Briscoe's power/brawling and Daniels speed and technical prowess. They have such great chemistry together...

Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky run out to stop the Briscoes before they can inflict any long-term damage to Chris Daniels with the chair...

TWO WEEKS TIME - Lethal and Gresham preview their 30-Minute Iron Man World Title Match by talking in detail about their last encounter at Masters Of The Craft 2018. Lethal is 2-0 and says that Gresham is getting the 'chance of a lifetime' because fans have been calling for a third encounter (but does admit that he 'barely' beat Gresham on both occasions...)

NEXT WEEK - Sumie Sakai defends the Women Of Honor Title against Madison Rayne

During Silas' TV Title reign he scored a victory over Flip on television. Now with Gordon quickly elevating his status in Ring Of Honor, he wants a rematch to avenge that loss. With both men out of the championship picture right now, wins are vital to improve their ranking in the company. Will Flip be distracted by the fact that this episode airs just a week before All In and he still isn't booked? 

Silas declines a handshake and cheapshots Flip to get us underway in typically curmudgeonly fashion. Gordon tries to increase the pace...so Young pops him in the mouth and double stomps the ribs to prevent a big dive. Next he whips his opponent HARD into the turnbuckles, inflicting more damage to the midsection and back. Every movement now hurts Flip and he clasps his back in pain as he springboards into a missile dropkick. Kinder Surprise knocks the Last Real Man to the floor. SOMERSAULT PLANCHA nailed, and he's still selling his injury as well. He returns to the ring with a big flying crossbody for 2...but then stays down alongside Young as he tries to recover from the impact that had on his injuries. Springboard Spear nailed - and it's the same again as he clutches at his injuries before being able to pin. Silas decimates the back some more with the Killer Combo. Slingshot swinging neckbreaker delivered with astonishing velocity, taking Flip to the brink of defeat. Young gets too confident and yells at the fans before pulling Gordon up...and Flip pounces to hit a falcon arrow. Young grabs the trunks to stop him going for the Star Spangled Stunner. PELE INSTEAD! Neither man is particularly steady on their feet as they start bombing on each other with strikes. Realising he has an opportunity, Gordon rolls him into a bridging pin and grabs a big win at 08:55 (shown)

Rating - *** - I said Jay Briscoe and Daniels had good chemistry as opponents, well the same absolutely applies to these two. There is a natural personality clash between them; Silas' grumpy demeanour and rugged moveset contrasts so well with the wide-eyed enthusiasm and ultra-athletic style of Flip. I didn't care for the finish, albeit because I wasn't ready for the match to end. For a Sinclair TV midcard match it doesn't get much better...

No time for Flip to celebrate...Bully is here for another creepy lingering low blow. He and Silas share a confusing look and oddly gesture to each other...

Marty Scurll congratulates Kenny King on getting in touch with his 'inner Villain'...but says he wants a rematch and is coming for his revenge. After commercials Kenny gives his side of the story, and reflects upon the last year of his career - from reality TV to beating Kushida to being screwed over by his former mentor Austin Aries. He isn't a bad guy, but the last year has taught him that he needs to do 'whatever it takes' to win...

Nick Aldis replaces Caprice Coleman to scout Cody ahead of their match at All In

The Bucks started the year as Six-Man Champions, but eventually lost them to SoCal Uncensored (who in turn had their belts stolen from them by The Kingdom). They go back a long way, with multiple iterations of The Kingdom as a faction so would like nothing more than to take the belts away from them here. Cody too will be extremely motivated - since his opponents include Taven, with whom he has had issues since the very first TV shows of 2018. On the eve of All In, can the financiers of that huge event bring home ROH gold?

The Kingdom attack before the bell and split off their opponents as brawls go all over ringside. The Bucks catch Cody to prevent him being suplexed and tease Superkicks which force Vinny and TK to flee. ROPE RUN suicide dive by Cody...landing right in the face of Nick Aldis! Marseglia chops the leg out from under Matt Jackson as he teases a Superkick and summons O'Ryan to join him as they pick apart their fallen foe's leg. The Kingdom spend the next few minutes working over his leg, trying to ensure he has neither the speed nor the athleticism to execute many of his signature high spots. Matt J tries to fight back...but on autopilot goes for a missile dropkick and injures himself further. He hobbles and collapses into a big tag to Nick! Marseglia curtails his hot streak by popping a balloon in his ear, setting up Kick Of The King by Taven. Just The Tip ducked...and here comes Cody! Disaster Kick on TK! Powerslam on Vinny! Taven blocks Cross Rhodes. TRIPLE SHARPSHOOTERS by the challengers! Matt Jackson does a great job with his facials to keep selling the leg despite being the aggressor. Marseglia saves Taven from Cross Rhodes. Superkick by Nick! Just The Tip by Taven! Springboard dropkick by Rhodes! Marseglia tries to use another balloon...so the Bucks SUPERKICK IT! TRIPLE SUPERKICK ON TAVEN for 2. Cross Rhodes! TK breaks the pin at 2 meaning the match continues. Rise Of The Terminator blocked, into an elbow suicida by Vinny. RUNNING MOONSAULT TO THE FLOOR by Nick! AIR TAVEN SCORES! Brandi Rhodes is on the top!? TOP ROPE SUICIDE DIVE BY BRANDI! Burnard The Bear is on the apron too! Jumping enzi takes out the bear! CLIMAX! REDRUM! MATT J SAVES! All six competitors are running on empty, standing across the ring teeing off on each other. Rock Star Supernova COUNTERED with Superkicks! Taven tries to skin the cat...DOUBLE SUPERKICK ON THE FLOOR! CROSS RHODES on Marseglia! Cody wins, and we have new Six-Man Champions at 13:32 (shown)!

Rating - **** - The cynics amongst you may consider that ROH only pulled the trigger on a title change here to make sure that the three 'financiers' of All In have ROH title belts to carry with them for all the marketing, press and exposure they'll undoubtedly be given. They may be right, but at least the match was a good one. Of course it isn't a surprise that the Young Bucks are superb in this environment - but just to restate, they are AWESOME. Matt's selling of the leg throughout the match, even through all the chaotic spots at the end, was quite brilliant. Not only was it compelling viewing, it went a long way to putting over how dangerous The Kingdom are as a trio. All The Kingdom's best matches come when they are taken seriously and don't reduce themselves to cheating buffoons. Taven was arguing at the end that Vinny wasn't the legal man too. I hope that's true as, if so, it is a title change which ensures ROH get a piece of the All In press pie whilst also tossing more fuel on the 'Kingdom Conspiracy' fire. 

Tape Rating - *** - Another straight-up FUN episode from this taping. Clearly the main event is must-see as far as ROH on television in 2018 is concerned, but the whole broadcast was good. Briscoe/Daniels as a match was better than the 2* rating it received, but it lacked a finish as Mark's run-in prioritised storyline advancement over match quality. If you liked the first Flip/Silas TV match in 2018, then this one is every bit as good. This was just one of those episodes were it felt like everything had a purpose and was building to something. ROH TV is very enjoyable when it clicks like this.