McXal's Reviews

First run of this episode goes out on Christmas Day 2020 and since no promotion with any sense is going to put out any substantive content on a day when hardly anyone is going to watch one shouldn't get hopes too high for this show. Providing festive cheer is the annual 'Christmas Surprise' 10-man tag where two team captains lead randomly-drawn teams into battle - with extra spice this year as the captains are wayward brothers Jay and Mark Briscoe. Underneath that we have a special 'showcase' match for Future Of Honor/ROH Dojo talent. Quinn McKay, Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are in Baltimore, MD.

Quinn McKay is our 'Ho-ho-Host' for the hour, who reveals that the winner of the main event will receive a big 'Christmas bonus'. From there we cut to Jay Briscoe opening his presents to learn the names of the squad he'll captain this evening...

This is billed as a chance for the Future Of Honor stars to showcase themselves...although I'd argue that since three of the four (all except Martin) were part of 2019's totally unremarkable Top Prospect Tournament that they've already had that. They get the same pre-taped interview treatment as the main roster though, so we do get some fleshed out characters for these Dojo guys at last. Martin and Dixon are portrayed as argumentative, uncooperative partners; Martin a hard-working, clean-cut athlete whilst Dixon promotes himself as a 'fun guy' out to right the wrongs of his previous main show appearances; like getting demolished by Dalton Castle years ago or getting eliminated from last year's TPT by the Haitian Sensation. Keys, Dixon and Caballero go back to their very formative training sessions together apparently. Keys and Caballero have teamed elsewhere, and believe they opened eyes last year when they faced each other in the TPT. Jon Gresham has challenged them to strip their approach back and focus on a 'Foundation' of Pure Wrestling. ROH has gone full NJPW Young Lion in their approach to this, making all four guys wear black 'ROH Dojo' trunks...

Caballero and Martin start, both going for repeated elaborate pinfall attempts - looking to grab a win whilst also showcasing the training style of Gresham and Will Ferrara in the Dojo (apparently). Dante fires up first; catching Martin with a flapjack to hand his team the advantage. He and Keys showcase their familiarity as a team with a few fluent combo sequences. Dixon tags and changes the dynamic - bringing more of a loud, smash-mouth style to the table which Joe continues to combat with grappling and fundamentals. We cut to commercials with Dixon overpowering Keys and tossing him violently into the turnbuckles. Martin is a tall athlete too and together they overwhelm and isolate Keys. Much of the offence consists of body slams and basic holds, again in a traditional Japanese Young Lion format. Caballero gets a hot tag, drills Eric with a gutbuster before trapping Dixon in a Crossface. Martin breaks the hold...so eats a mafia kick. But in delivering that Dante turns his back on Dixon, walking into a powerslam as a result. Ken starts shouting at his own partner before dumping Caballero with a pumphandle suplex. Keys comes in throwing lariats then scores with a diving headbutt on Dixon. German suplex into a Lion Tamer...as Dante spears Martin to stop him backing a save. Dixon taps out at 10:30 (shown) giving Keys and Caballero victory...

Rating - ** - I appreciated the stripped back, wrestling-centric approach to this. But ROH needs to tread lightly when it comes their presentation of these Dojo guys as I just don't know that the Western audience is quite ready to accept a full NJPW Young Lion-esque experience. In Japan this kind of presentation of 'young' wrestlers is par for the course, but it isn't the norm here. Low key matches promoting gimmick-free, no-thrills wrestling like this are fine, but does a Western audience have the patience for this kind of approach and do ROH's creative minds have the capacity to book the long-term, slow-burn elevation of talent to convert them into viable members of the active roster? This match was fine. I liked Dixon as the odd man out stylistically, whilst the stockier Keys made a real impression too. But it was quite intentionally unremarkable, meaning it won't live long in the memory and ironically ensured that nobody really did much to break out in this 'showcase'...

Mark Briscoe is ready to open his gifts. He seems generally happy with the names revealed as he opens his Christmas gifts too...

Brian Johnson crashes commentary with gifts for Ian and Caprice - shirts calling them 'Bozo 1' and 'Bozo 2'. Which he finds hilarious...

So here we are with the annual Christmas Surprise 10-man tag. Mark Briscoe will look across the ring and see not only his brother, but also PCO - the man he has recently teamed with instead of his brother. They aren't the only broken team either with The Bouncers separated and on either side of the fight as well. Tracy Williams being involved is interesting too. He defeated John Walters on TV three weeks ago, and represents The Foundation; a movement fronted by Jon Gresham who was Flip's opponent at Final Battle. This may be some frivolous, festive fun - but there are three former World Champions in play here meaning the stakes are still high and there is no doubt that the winners will significantly enhance their championship standing (as well as receiving a 'Christmas bonus')

Walters and Williams start out, happy to revisit their main event from a few weeks ago. The work, as expected, is fast, intricate and grounded. Draper forces Tracy out...only to walk straight into a springboard dropkick from Flip. Milonas tags in so Dak backs off and makes Bruiser get in with his own partner. He then shoves the big boys into each other to ensure they start fighting even though they are partners. Kingpin misses a beefy leg drop, takes a diving elbow in the back...before The Bouncers collide mid-ring in a horrifying double crossbody. Dalton and PCO in next with Castle annoyed that nobody else has 'dressed up' for the occasion. He and PCO get down and dirty on the mat, PCO using his BJJ skills to give Dalton a bit of a pasting. Last up is the Briscoes - attacking the match and each other with such gusto that soon all eight other men join the fray. Dak absolutely wipes Walters out with a hell of a crossbody over the top, whilst Gordon takes out Bruiser with a springboard corkscrew senton to the floor. PCO-SAULT TO THE FLOOR! Amongst all that the Briscoes are still pummelling each other by the way. Walters and Flip tag in and out helping Jay work Mark over...but can't keep him in the ring or prevent Bruiser from tagging and putting the boots to Walters. It leaves the veteran former Pure Champion reeling. Choking Ace Crusher gets 2 for Bruiser...as the rest of his team put the boots to Milonas on the outside. The Brawler charges back in and almost breaks Dalton in half with a sidewalk slam. SWINGING back suplex from Draper to PCO! TURNBUCKLE IMPLANT DDT from Williams to Jay! Walters tries to tap Tracy out to a triangle choke...only for the KEG SPLASH from the Bruiser to break it. PCO-Sault on Dak! He wins it for his team at 13:55 (shown).

Rating - *** - Inconsequential, but brisk entertainment; each segment felt fun and different and the whole thing ended before it got too daring, ambitious or messy. We got to see a Bruiser/Milonas fight, a Briscoe/Briscoe brawl, Williams and Walters reprise their Pure Rules fun, whilst PCO was smartly used for maximum impact. It's a shame Draper took the fall (and came off like an afterthought throughout the entire match), as it feels like ROH have promoted him effectively since the reboot. I was hoping for a little more consistency in how rising stars are built up and managed. If ROH wants to go with a more traditional 'Young Lion' inspired approach to their Dojo/Future Of Honor talent then it is even more critical that Delirious gets this 'long term' approach to booking and promoting guys like Dak Draper correct. I don't actually think any of this match gives us much sense of direction of where then ten participants are going headed into 2021...which is a little worrying.

Tape Rating - ** - Pretty much what you'd expect from a filler episode which first went out on Christmas Day. The new 'Young Lion' presentation of Future Of Honor talent was intriguing and I enjoyed the stripped down, 'back to basics' approach to their match even though I have my doubts about the long-term viability of promoting the next generation of talent to a Western audience in that manner. The Christmas Surprise tag was...largely the same as it is every year. There have been better years, but this wasn't the worst either. Definitely an episode you can skip without much thought though...

10) Josh Woods vs Jay Lethal (**** - ROH on SBG Episode 480)

9) Jonathan Gresham vs Josh Woods (**** - Saturday Night At Center Stage 2020)

8) Marty Scurll/Brody King/PCO vs Rush/Dragon Lee/Kenny King (**** - Honor Reigns Supreme 2020)

7) Jay Lethal vs Leon St. Giovanni (**** - ROH on SBG Episode 479)

6) PCO vs Dragon Lee (**** - Bound By Honor 2020)

5) Tracy Williams vs Fred Yehi (**** - ROH on SBG Episode 474)

4) Tracy Williams vs Jay Lethal (**** - ROH on SBG Episode 475)

3) Marty Scurll/Flip Gordon/Brody King vs Bandido/Flamita/Rey Horus (**** - Saturday Night At Center Stage 2020)

2) Jay Briscoe/Mark Briscoe vs Bandido/Flamita (****1/2 - Free Enterprise)

1) Jonathan Gresham vs Flip Gordon (****1/2 - Final Battle 2020)