McXal's Reviews

It's Semi-Final week in the Pure Title Tournament (or 'Block Finals' week if you prefer). However you phrase it, we'll be seeing the final four in action tonight, and by the end of the broadcast we'll know who will be vying for the Pure Championship in the tournament final. Quinn McKay is our host, Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are at ringside providing commentary. We are taped in Baltimore, MD.

You can find my previous Pure Tournament Reviews below:

LAST WEEK - Tracy Williams survived an absolute war with former Catch Point stable-mate Fred Yehi. He puts Yehi over hard and hopes they'll meet again somewhere soon...and complains that Jay Lethal has constantly overlooked him. He plans to force Lethal to take notice of him tonight.

LAST WEEK - After Josh Woods swept past PJ Black, his tag partner Silas Young emphasises his amateur credentials to Quinn. Josh himself is more interested in where they are going to eat dinner and whether he and Silas are going to hug...

Quinn announces that we'll also be getting a Taven vs Vincent grudge match tonight!

There is a case to be made that these two have been the most impressive performers in the tournament thus far. Gresham has branded himself 'The Foundation' and is on a mission to claim the Pure Title and use it as a beacon of hope in his quest to restore honour and integrity to ROH. Woods was overlooked because of his aloof persona, but is a highly skilled multi-discipline athlete. His victories against Kenny King and PJ Black both came when arguably the other man was the favourite to win. Having now reminded everyone of his skills, can 'The Goods' go all the way? Gresham comes into this struggling with a leg injury...whilst Woods has been perfecting a grapevined, Trailer Hitch-style anklelock which will target just that body part.

Gresham slides right out of the ring to stall on locking up with Woods, still nursing that leg injury. When he returns we see Josh easily counter and block The Octopus' early attacks...then force Gresham's first rope-break of the entire tournament when Woods threatens to gutwrench and toss him around the ring. The raw power of The Goods is too much for Gresh, leaving him powerless as Woods delivers an effortless gutwrench suplex then dumps him outside. During the break (we lose a good four minutes on the editing floor) Gresham counters a suplex attempt forcing them both to fall out of the ring. Even whilst struggling with his own leg he grabs Josh for a dragon screw in the ropes. Woods catches him on the top ropes though; tossing him to the floor with a WRISTLOCK SUPERPLEX! Gresh needs his second rope-break to escape a pinfall after that. Rolling gutwrench suplexes by The Goods...but his arm gives out and Gresham is able to grab it for leverage as he applies the Octopus Stretch. WITH REPEATED HEAD SHOTS! NO SOLD! Samoan drop by Josh to escape! Gresh reacts by trying to snap Woods' leg in half! That looked sick and instantly renders Woods unable to stand. He starts trying to go for flash pins...which plays directly into Gresham's hands. The Octopus has endless counters in that environment, and finally cradles Woods for a three-count at 07:37 (shown). Gresham advances to the finals

Rating - *** - The issue with the graphics and realistic presentation ROH are using for this Pure Tournament is that having an on-screen clock shows just how much action we miss for commercials. More than a third of this match was edited out of the TV broadcast, making it difficult to get an accurate representation of quite how good it was. What we saw was REALLY good though, with Woods' size, power and amateur credentials providing the sternest test yet for the supreme technical skill of The Octopus. Gresham sold wonderfully, conveying real vulnerability and desperation...and also demonstrated a real killer instinct, snapping into any opportunity to put Woods away. Josh Woods has really reinvigorated his ROH career with his performances in this tournament. His match with Kenny King is one of the sleeper hits of the whole taping. I hope ROH don't forget his showings and shuffle him right back into comedy tag matches with Silas...

Matt Taven is out next for his match with Vincent Marseglia...but Vincent comes from behind and attacks him during his entrance. He lands a Shiranui from the ringpost to the floor, puts Taven on a table and pulls out Taven's purple ladder from G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden. REDRUM OFF THE LADDER THROUGH A TABLE! 

EC3 gets some promo time and says that just because he didn't mention Shane Taylor, it doesn't mean that he isn't aware of him. But he hasn't earned his respect and doesn't deserve to be considered in the same breath as people like the Briscoes, Lethal or Rush. 

Shane Taylor, on the other hand, accuses EC3 of having an attitude and vows that he and the SOS will beat some respect into him next week...

Woods and Gresham may be two of the most impressive performers in the Pure Title Tournament field thus far, but there is no doubt who the MVP has been in my eyes - 'Hot Sauce' Tracy Williams. His matches with Rust Taylor and Fred Yehi were instant classics and worth going back to check out if you haven't already. Brilliant pieces of work which have reinvigorated Williams' ROH career after the failure of the Lifeblood faction in 2019 left his spot on the roster in jeopardy. This is the ultimate test though as he steps into the ring with Jay Lethal; The Franchise, the man ROH are growing increasingly comfortable with calling a 'legend'. Current Tag Champion, former World and TV Champion...and the only man in the field to have previously held the Pure Championship as well. Lethal has looked impressive in getting past Dalton Castle and David Finlay to make it this far and has been saying from the start that he wants to face his tag partner in the final. He is one of many that have viewed a Lethal/Gresham final as a formality from the outset. Can Hot Sauce produce something special to upset the apple cart?

Tracy doesn't hesitate and immediately stalks the former World Champion around the ring. He makes a fast impression by picking wrenching on Jay's arm, forcing The Franchise to start going for flash pins to escape. Hot Sauce effortlessly switches to work the legs instead; something which Finlay targeted in the previous round. Lethal counters to a surfboard, keenly aware that Tracy has had endless problems with his shoulder. Tracy counters back to a knee bar, forcing a mistake as Jay grabs a rope-break almost on instinct; the second time in the tournament that has happened. Williams senses blood and looks for the Crossface...giving Lethal no choice but to utilise his second break merely seconds later. Half crab by Lethal, looking to set up the Figure 4...but Tracy counters to an anklelock on the bad leg again. Lethal counters back to the Figure 4 and Hot Sauce uses a rope-break. During the commercials Lethal aggressively targets the neck and shoulders of Williams - even trying to break out the Dragon Suplex; his finisher during his early years in ROH. Recognising he is now working through injury Williams tries to trade strikes with Jay...who dropkicks him out of the ring. Tope Trilogy dodged by Tracy, setting up a SHOTGUN DROPKICK ON THE FLOOR! Both men hit the deck in serious pain after that. The rough landing really did a number of Tracy's shoulder it seems and he needs time to recover on the floor. It takes the sight of the Pure Title belt to inspire Tracy back into the ring! He goads Lethal into action...and Jay immediately counters a shinbreaker with repeated strikes at the shoulder. Fujiwara armbar forces Williams to utilise his second rope-break. Hot Sauce tries to retaliate with a few kicks...but walks into a jumping enzi TO THE ARM! TURNBUCKLE DDT BY TRACY! ARM-SELLING PILEDRIVER! Lethal needs his final rope-break to kick out! He starts going for the Crossface, quite brilliantly selling his arm all the while. Lethal counters into an Ace Crusher, then the LETHAL INJECTION! TRACY MAKES THE ROPES! Both men are out of rope-breaks. They look entirely out of gas but grit their teeth and get back to their feet - swinging wildly at each other. Every strike from Jay targets Williams' shoulder causing him to scream in pain. HAIL TO THE KING nailed right across the neck and shoulder too. Lethal Injection COUNTERED to a rear naked choke! Lethal makes the ropes but has no breaks left! CROSSFACE! LETHAL TAPS! In a huge upset, Tracy Williams is going to the finals at 16:21 (shown)

Rating - **** - As per my intro paragraph, Tracy Williams is the MVP of the 2020 Pure Title Tournament. His three matches thus far are arguably the top three bouts in the tournament and this is my pick for the very best that we've seen thus far. Tracy's selling of that shoulder was absolutely enthralling. His guttural screams, the way he'd crumple or angle his body away from Lethal every time a strike rained down on the injury, the way he adjusted his grip on the Crossface or Piledriver (staples in his arsenal)...it really was a thing of beauty. Lethal was excellent, bringing the poise and big-match pacing we've come to take for granted from him but Tracy was the heart and soul of everything good about this. His victory is a rare feel-good moment in an otherwise bleak 2020. 

NEXT WEEK - EC3 & the Briscoes against Shane Taylor Promotions, and Gresham vs Williams in the Pure Title Tournament final.

Tape Rating - **** - Williams/Lethal is superb, the best match in the tournament so far and worth checking out by itself. But the rest of the episode was REALLY good too. Even with a third of the match cut out, the quality of Gresham/Woods still felt exceptionally high, whilst the Taven/Vincent segment provided some of Marseglia's best work of his ROH career. The inclusion of Taven's purple MSG ladder, with Vincent ranting about it being when Taven 'forgot about the rest of us' was absolutely chilling. I'm on record as not particularly loving Marseglia's stuff but that segment really popped. ROH TV has been receiving plenty of rave reviews since their relaunch - and for my money this was one of the best episodes to come out of this taping.