McXal's Reviews

After two strong weeks of television coming out of the latest ROH Bubble, the third show feels like more of a mixed bag and its hard to know quite what to expect from this line-up. Jon Gresham defends the Pure Title against ROH Dojo graduate Joe Keys - a man he has had a hand in training. The main event could be a real slug-fest as The Bouncers face 'The OGK' of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Quinn McKay hosts, Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman provide commentary in Baltimore, MD

Gresham is a trainer in the Dojo and has expressed a keen interest in ensuring that the next generation of Ring Of Honor talent are taught in what The Foundation view as the 'right' way. As such he set up a Gauntlet for four of his top students, offering the prize of a Pure Title shot for the winner. ROH officials agreed (putting the match on YouTube if you'd like to check it out), and Keys wound up victorious after tapping out Dante Caballero. Keys credits Gresham with turning around the perception of ROH Dojo students, and is moved to tears when discussing his original trainer RJ Meyer, who died of leukaemia in November. It's quite a stirring interview, ending with Keys pointing out that Gresham was once in his spot; clawing and scratching just to get onto the roster. Maybe tonight is the night that Joe starts his journey to becoming what Gresham now is. Dak Draper guests on commentary, which is significant since he is another ROH Dojo/Future Of Honor product and also highly ranked as part of the Pure Title rankings.

Keys is tenacious from the outset and doesn't hesitate to get on the mat and start trading holds. Gresham quickly overwhelms him though and forces him to use his first rope-break within 90 seconds. To his credit, Joe doesn't panic - instead coming back and trying to use his size and power advantage to get ahead. He actually sets Gresham up and essentially tricks him into utilising an unnecessary early rope-break. Keys' power then sees him absolutely deck The Octopus as they battle over shoulder tackles too. The challenger continues to use his power to dominate during the commercial break it seems, muscling Gresham into a backbreaker and trying to work the core further with an abdominal stretch. As we return Gresham is mounting a comeback by going after Joe's arm, quickly rendering him unable to even Irish whip the champion. He somehow hits another backbreaker, but this time falls to the ground alongside Gresh nursing his injured arm again. Each man tries a suplex and fails thanks to their respective injury...until Keys rolls through a Gresham attack and absolutely drills him with a big vertical suplex for 2. Bridging German suplex next, which gets 2 before Gresham breaks it by stretching the bad arm. COUNTERED to a backbreaker by Keys! Half Crab applied - the same hold which he submitted Caballero with to earn this shot. Gresh needs his second rope-break to escape that, and takes his third mere seconds later after Keys threatens to pin him via an emphatic headbutt to the bad back. Keys SLAPS Gresham! That fires ups trainer up. GERMAN by Gresh! NO SOLD! LARIAT by Keys gets 2! Diving headbutt misses though, and Gresham hiptosses Joe into a fierce hammerlock. Keys taps, Gresham retains at 09:10 (shown)

Rating - *** - Really solid action from the Pure division, featuring an incredibly generous performance from Gresham who busted his ass to let Keys show off his skills. From start to finish this was just an exceptionally smart wrestling match. Keys used his size to take control after Gresham threatened to tear him apart on the mat. Gresh picked up a back injury but responded by opening up an arm injury on his opponent and, unlike The Octopus, Keys simply didn't have the tools to win whilst hurt. Keys performed admirably though and certainly wasn't found lacking in this prominent spot. 

In the trainer's room Mike Bennett is getting his ankle strapped up following the injuries The Righteous inflicted on him at Final Battle. Matt Taven begs him not to wrestle tonight, but Bennett is adamant.

Very famous, very Evil Danhausen is excited about all the 'bags of money' he now has thanks to winning his contract at Final Battle. His explanation for why he carries a jar of teeth around his twisted genius, and he ends by putting down Brian Johnson for his continued online trolling...

Brian Johnson, as ever, is an excellent interview. He berates a world where he can bust his ass and idolise heroes of ROH's past like Bryan, Joe or Nigel yet still struggle for a spot, whilst guys like Danhausen get jobs 'because of a hashtag' (which is a pretty fair point). The Mecca plans to finish the job he started at Final Battle. They will meet in an Honor Club Exclusive on February 3rd...

Brian Milonas acknowledges that he goes back a long way with Bennett and Taven, and is friends with them both. Friends though they may be, the goal of the Bouncers is to be Tag Champions - and that means beating The OGK tonight.

Bennett and Taven, meanwhile, are distracted by The Righteous even though they are banned from ringside tonight. Bennett urges them to focus and knows victory puts them back in the hunt for the Tag Championships that they once held.

Both teams are trying to focus on getting into contention for the Tag Championship held by The Foundation. The OGK are excited to have reformed their team and would love to get the belts they once held back...but to do so they need to win here and also put aside the distractions of their war with The Righteous. They also have to find a way to beat two huge dudes despite Bennett carrying a severe ankle injury Vincent and Bateman inflicted at Final Battle...

Bennett limps during his ring entrance making it clear that he is far from 100%. In seconds Milonas tosses him through the air, causing him to land on that ankle and crumple to the canvas in pain. Taven sensibly rags in but finds his path to a big dive blocked by the sizeable frame of the Bruiser. BCB continually reminds Milonas that he is not friends with his old New England running buddies and applauds as the Kingpin flattens Matt in the corner. Climax blocked by Bruiser, so Taven gives him a jumping enzi about the head instead. Bennett tries to capitalise...but is flattened with a running crossbody. The OGK work around Mike's ankle injury to take the fight to Milonas...until Bennett's ankle gives out again when he attempts a leapfrog. Bruiser tags in, grabs the ankle and hits a Knee-DT! Despite Milonas' protests, Bruiser goes to work on the ankle viciously. Taven does eventually get a tag and dives over the top at both Bouncers with Air Taven. Aurora Borealis gets 2! Rolling neckbreaker on Bruiser, but Matt is effectively fighting solo with Bennett down and out in the corner. Beer City counters the Trendsetter into a Samoan drop, before Milonas flattens him with an urinage slam. A hobbling Bennett has to break the pin there. Kingpin is absolutely gassed; unable to move even as The OGK batter him with strike after strike. The big man actually almost pins Taven by collapsing on top of him. Last Call MISSES...Spear by Bennett! Trendsetter by Matt, tapping Bruiser out at 10:03 (shown)

Rating - ** - Certainly not my favourite TV main event since the show relaunched. It wasn't bad by any means, but it really was slow going. Some of that was by design - putting over Bennett's ankle injury inflicted by Vincent and Bateman. But some of that is the reality of putting The Bouncers in a higher profile main event - Brian in particular seemed barely mobile. The pandemic has meant that The Bouncers simply haven't had much ring-time and they definitely looked rusty here. The conviction with which Bennett carried the story of his ankle injury was by far my personal highlight of this one...

The Bouncers and The OGK prepare to share a toast in the ring, bringing The Righteous out onto the apron. Security try to pull them away but Vincent has a microphone and plays mindgames with The Bouncers. He goads Bruiser for being 'directionless' and spending his entire ROH career bouncing from partner to partner, then turns on Milonas; questioning why he's sharing a toast with two men (Bennett and Taven) that he came up with and could have helped him get into ROH years ago but didn't. The words stick - Bruiser smashes a beer bottle over Taven's head then drops Bennett with a DDT. Milonas looks on in shock as the show ends...

Tape Rating - ** - Overall this was one of the weaker episodes of TV ROH have produced recently, but I really did like that angle they finished on. Vincent's promo was excellent, and using this angle to unlock the marauding monster Beer City Bruiser hinted he could be back at NJPW Honor Rising 2018 weekend (and has shown precious few glimpses of since) is particularly intriguing. Good as the Gresham/Keys Pure Title Match was, that segment at the end of the show was the most interesting part of the episode for me...