McXal's Reviews

I went back and forth over whether to keep going with these 'new' 2020 ROH reviews after the conclusion of the Pure Title Tournament. I've really enjoyed the last eight weeks of television though, and it has been genuinely uplifting to see Ring Of Honor obtain some positive press and critical 'buzz' for the first time in years. As someone who has been following, covering and writing about this promotion since 2002 it's wonderful to feel part of what could be a potential recovery, rather than a slow, continuous and painful decline. And ultimately that is what swayed me. I want to see more. In the best way possible and for the first time in a long time, I WANT to see what happens next. How will ROH broaden their scope after the conclusion of the Pure Tournament? How will they incorporate the rest of the roster into a new, more focused and more wrestling-centric version of the promotion? Can they keep up the quality and momentum they've established? How will they manage the continued absence of World Champion Rush, TV Champion Dragon Lee and Six-Man Champions Bandido, Flamita and Rey Horus? For now I'll be continuing with them on that journey, so it means I'll be rejoining host Quinn McKay alongside commentators Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman in Baltimore, MD. These tapings are, once again, on a closed set in Covid secure conditions with all involved subjected to multiple rounds of Covid testing and isolated in the 'ROH Bubble for a week ahead of time. 

LAST WEEK - Jon Gresham talks about the responsibility that used to come with being ROH World Champion. He feels that Rush has broken those traditions and is 'not the champion this company needs'. He proclaims the Pure Title on the same level as the World Title, vows to uphold his responsibility to set standards and carry the traditions expected by ROH fans. Flanked by Tracy Williams and Jay Lethal and an unknown 'Red Octopus' holding a 'Foundation' flag, it feels like the start of a new era...

Quinn McKay assures fans that the quality we saw during the Pure Tournament will not drop off, and Pure Rules Matches will continue to be presented - starting tonight when the 'alternates' for the tournament Dak Draper and Brian Johnson meet.

These two were brought to Baltimore for the last round of tapings, but sat out the Pure Tournament as 'alternates' in each block should any participant not be able to compete. They are given their chance to compete under the Pure Rules tonight, whilst more excellent video interview packages reveal that this is about so much more. Draper was the 2019 Top Prospect Tournament winner. Tall, muscular, handsome and an accomplished amateur, he was heavily recruited by WWE but didn't feel like they improved him as a pro-wrestler and he didn't find his mojo until he left and travelled the country honing his craft. He felt slighted that he wasn't included in the tournament outright, and vows to demonstrate why that decision was wrong and to display what he learned after failing to take the TV Title from Dragon Lee earlier in the year. Johnson is an altogether more complex, bitter individual. He has loved wrestling from an early age; so much so that he never played other sports and has spent his life trying to be the best pro-wrestler he can be. He feels his work ethic is second-to-none and resents what he perceives as preferential treatment received by Dak since he showed up. The Mecca isn't necessarily beloved as a wrestler, but he talks well and he really sets the stage well for a battle between an undeserving natural talent on an easy ride, versus a life-long hard worker determined to seize the opportunity. 

Johnson punches Draper in the face at the bell, instantly using his formal warning to get the jump on his much larger opponent. He tosses Draper to the floor and LAUNCHES himself at him with a tope suicida. Dak is under seige but recovers impressively; forcing The Mecca to use his first rope break with his grappling skill. Then he too balls up a fist and socks his opponent in the mouth, meaning each man has now been issued with their only formal warning. A high crossbody over the top by Draper seems to inflict a serious arm injury on Johnson. He takes an age to crawl back into the ring and when he does Dak flattens him with an effortless running powerslam for 2. The Mile High Magnum starts attacking the injured arm as we go into a commercial break, and during that break lands a hammerlock superplex. Draper Bomb gets 2 and sends Brian scurrying into his second rope break. Yakuza Kick missed though, crotching Dak in the corner and allowing Johnson to score with a Tower Of London. He grabs the trunks trying to pin the big man, so in response Draper hooks up the bad arm into a pinning cradle and almost wins the match. The Mecca quite literally starts BITING Dak to stop his dominance...and squirms to the apron to hit a lariat. He tries to use the ropes to pin Dak...forcing referee Joe Mandak into a judgement call; penalising him his final rope break rather than use one of Dak's. With Draper's head still spinning from that Johnson gouges his eyes and hits a neckbreaker for 2; Draper now using his first break to escape. Brian thinks about punching him again, hesitates because it's against the rules...and in that split second Draper hits Magnum KO for the win at 09:14 (shown)

Rating - *** - This was a fierce and competitive outing for two of ROH's lesser-appreciated talents. Johnson isn't everyone's cup of tea but he is an effective talker; a skill which does make him stand-out on this roster. In my mind Draper is a project for ROH, in the same way that Moose was a project when they brought him in, or Josh Woods, or Punishment Martinez. Someone who hasn't received enormous amounts of exposure elsewhere but has size and/or a great look...and that ROH think is worth their time investing in whilst they improve inside the ropes. What they did particularly well here - Riccaboni and Coleman noted the same thing on commentary too - was to set an alternative tone to the Pure Tournament. This FELT totally different to the last eight weeks. Johnson knew from the outset he was completely out-matched as the smaller and less-decorated grappler. So he spent the whole match manipulating the rules to gain a competitive edge. Neither man was above using a punch, neither man approached the contest as saintly, innocent babyfaces...the whole vibe was grown up, aggressive and assured. Draper wins but it was the sound work of Johnson which allowed him to look great here. I'm not sure many will have expected this to be as good as it turned out.

SIDENOTE - Draper is another one who has AWFUL music. The first thing ROH needs to overhaul once fans are allowed back is getting better entrance themes. 

This is our main event and a really interesting way to bring Brody back into the fray. He sat out the Pure Title taping, but did put out material on his social media confirming that he is no longer part of Villain Enterprises and will now be a singles competitor. His sit-down interview is an interesting one as it dives into his childhood, talks about his success as a tag wrestler in ROH not necessarily being his objective when he came here...and ends with him publicly setting his sights on Rush and the World Title. King's first step is to go through a former World Champion in Dalton Castle. He finds Castle reflective on his first round loss in the Pure Tournament. Dalton failed to beat Jay Lethal, but he draws solace from the fact that he gave fans and colleagues alike a glimpse of his skills; a reminder of his threat and the suggestion that is capable of getting back to his very best. In revealing, personal comments he admits to feeling angry at how his career his gone since his injury-ravaged title reign. Can his battle-scarred body stand up to the physical, violent test that Brody will bring to the party tonight? Riccaboni points out that King also has the benefit of regular action with NJPW's US expansion, so won't have much ring rust.

Brody is willing to repeatedly lock up with Castle, confident that his size is too much for Dalton. The Peacock hits back with some wild, aggressive striking aimed at Brody's back and midsection. With an injury inflicted Castle starts trying to use holds to wear King down...but isn't making enough of an impact and soon gets wiped out with an explosive crossbody by Brody. With minimal fuss the former Villain outright bludgeons Dalton onto his ass in the corner, and is still stalking and beating on him when we cut back from commercials too. Somehow Dalton delivers a DDT...but his body is such a mess after the beating he's sustained that he is the one crying out in pain when they hit the deck. King is right back on him, smashing Castle's bad back against the turnbuckles repeatedly as Dalton tries to choke him out. EXPLODER by Dalton! His vocal expressions of pain even when on offence are heartbreaking and really hard to listen to. GERMAN SUPLEX NAILED! His back gives out when looking for the Bang-A-Rang though, setting up Brody to counter with a piledriver for 2. King starts over Castle and smacks the sh*t out of him...and Dalton has no hesitation in firing back! He climbs up Brody's back going for the sleeper again...so King throws him to the floor. Brody clearly hasn't watched enough tapes on Dalton though - walking blind into the tiger feint headscissors. It has minimal effect sadly as Brody recovers to crunch the back into the ring apron...before tossing Dalton over the guardrails into the empty crowd. The wounded former World Champion battles back and blasts King with a knee to the neck. Bossman Slam by Brody! SNAP GERMAN! CASTLE GETS UP! LARIATOOOO! GONZO BOMB! Brody wins at 13:59 (shown)

Rating - *** - Yes! Brody King is one of my favourites on the current roster and I am very interested in a singles push for him. The guy is different; he looks different, he moves different...he is a walking alternative to a lot of what you normally see on any given wrestling television show. An almost-freakishly gifted athlete who attacks his matches with the kind of power and uncanny dynamism that really sets him apart. He overwhelmed a former World Champion emphatically here - taking some of Castle's best shots but always getting back up and brutally mowing him down. Dalton was SUPERB in the way he played off Brody too. The way he sold for Brody was chilling...as I said in PBP, his constant moans and groans in agony were really quite uncomfortable to listen to, putting King over like a killer and providing very palpable drama. The moment where he simply didn't have enough strength to hit the Bang-A-Rang and instead got dumped with a piledriver was a stark embodiment of two men on very different career trajectories that really effected me and became my biggest take-away from this main event. Whether or not Scurll ever comes back, ROH has a big job to do in disbanding Villain Enterprises and effectively re-introducing PCO, Flip and Brody. Mission accomplished with King tonight. If they keep cutting him loose in matches of this quality he will climb into title contention extremely quickly.

NEXT WEEK - Shane Taylor vs Kenny King in a battle of former stable-mates and TV Champions, plus Briscoes vs Soldiers Of Savagery in the tag division.

Tape Rating - *** - A solid, albeit slightly unambitious follow-up to the Pure Tournament episodes. Keeping the format the same was smart; two matches getting a decent time allowance...plus more of the extremely effective sit-down interview segments. The episode followed the welcome and now-familiar beats of the Pure Tournament taping and was all the better for it. Most critically the two bouts we saw were of a high standard, featuring two dominant wins, complemented by really strong performances to put over their rival by the loser. Dalton Castle in particular was great, to the extent that Castle/King is probably among his better post-2018 singles matches in truth. The harsh reality, though, is that now the Pure Tournament has concluded, ROH needs to keep their collective focus and creative vision moving forward. I didn't get much sense of progression here. Shorn of the 'purpose' that a tournament format provides, instead this broadcast felt like a couple of good matches. Hardly a bad thing of course...but we weren't given any real indication of where ROH plans to go next with just six weeks to go until Final Battle. That's what we need to see next as more new content from this second batch of Covid secure 'ROH Bubble' content hits the air.