McXal's Reviews

Reaction to the 19th Anniversary PPV hits our screens this week, plus plenty of hype for the big 500th episode special next week. Rocky Romero answers the mysterious challenge Delirious laid out for him at the pay-per-view - in a Pure Rules Match to boot. The main event will see MexiSquad look to get back on the same page, in tag team action as they face former Tag Champions Jay Lethal and Jon Gresham...against the backdrop of Lethal and Gresh preparing to wrestle each other for the Pure Title next week. Quinn McKay, Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are in Baltimore, MD.

The sombre, subtitled Delirious interview segments are one of my favourite parts of ROH's 2020 reboot. He talks about making his ROH debut on the same show that Rocky did (2004's 'Reborn: Stage One' I believe) and references previous battles between them - mostly during Rocky's No Remorse Corps run. He has even painted a scar Romero gave him a decade ago on his eyebrow red - and cannot wait to 'compete' with him again. Rocky's interview is equally interesting. He reminds everyone that he wrestles regularly on NJPW Strong (unlike Delirious)...and suggests he might tap into his old 'asshole' ways to beat the Lizard Man again tonight. The match comes as a direct result of the enigmatic Delirious' bizarre appearance at the announce table during the 19th Anniversary.

The traditional Delirious freak-out at the bell is kept at an absolute minimum here. The opening mat battle is intriguing; Rocky has MMA experience and is a dangerous mat wrestler but Delirious is so unorthodox and so skilled that he is hard to nail down. Even when Romero looks for an armbar the Lizard Man escapes almost instantly. Many of Delirious' holds are targeting Rocky's neck too, marking his intention to set up for the Cobra Stretch. It is the masked man that needs a rope-break first though, grabbing one as Rocky looks set to snap his leg with an Ankle Lock. Delirious reacts angrily and yells at his opponent in Lizard-tongue. Leaping Lariat drops the former ROH Tag Champion in his tracks, only for Rocky to fire back with Forever Clotheslines. He puts a couple of arm submissions on, then starts kicking at the arm as well - again prompting an angry retort from Delirious who drops him with a neckbreaker. Cobra Clutch applied (not the Stretch)...and it is enough to force Romero into utilising his first rope-break. Rocky is pissed and flies up from the mat, instantly forcing Delirious to take his second rope-break with a kimura. Next he hangs Delirious' injured arm in the ropes then NAILS a missile dropkick, causing the arm to contort grotesquely on the way down. Armbreaker blocked into a BIZARRO BRAINBUSTER...but Delirious' arm is so injured he can't capitalise. The Lizard Man tries to go back to the Cobra Stretch, even as Romero stomps on his bare feet. But with a weakened arm Romero is able to counter...so Delirious absolutely flies at him with a roaring elbow for 2. Shiranui COUNTERED TO A COBRA CLUTCH BACKBREAKER! COBRA STRETCH! Romero grabs the ankle he almost won the match with earlier to escape; a brilliant little splash of detail. One minute remains in the time limit! CLOSED FIST PUNCH by Delirious gets 2. Bizarro Driver COUNTERED TO THE CROSS ARMBREAKER! WITH FACE STOMPS! DELIRIOUS TAPS! There were just nine seconds left in the time limit - official match time 14:51 (13:56 shown)

Rating - **** - The main event last week saw two rising stars deliver a great match full of heart, tenacity and the exuberance of youth. This too was a great match, but could not be more different. It was a classy, confident and at times quite brilliant performance from two veterans. The Pure Rules and empty arena strip away the need for them to work at any great pace or pepper in high spots/excessive comedy to pop a crowd - meaning instead they got all the time they needed to tell an assured, engaging and really layered Pure Rules Match. They unleashed deep cuts from movesets accumulated through 20+ year careers, they sold injuries well and kept you guessing to the very end who would win. I wasn't expecting this to be a bad match at all; I'm an outspoken fan of Delirious the WRESTLER, and Rocky has always been great. But this really surpassed all expectations and is a fine example of the great wrestling which has made ROH's relaunch of the Pure division such a success.

19TH ANNIVERSARY - Brody King surprised the dominant La Faccion Ingobernable with the formation of his own group - Violence Unlimited. 

NEXT WEEK - Mark and Jay Briscoe discuss their match next week, which they feel has been brewing since Final Battle 2019 (and was scheduled to take place at the cancelled 'Past vs Present' show last year). Jay thinks that last time they teamed up (against LFI in a #1 contendership match) it didn't feel right and they weren't at their best. At the suggestion of Papa Briscoe, they need to fight to settle their 'unfinished business'...

Quinn McKay interviews MexiSquad. It seems Rey Horus was initially teaming with Bandido to face The Foundation tonight, but he is now injured. Luckily a surprisingly jovial Flamita steps in and agrees to replace Rey. The Squad seem reunited...but Flamita leaves with a super-villain chuckle.

Jay Lethal admits that his neck is still injured after being attacked by LFI at 19th Anniversary and says that tonight Bandido and Flamita are facing a 'pissed off Foundation', whilst Gresham urges him to calm down.

This could be a hell of a match. It is somewhat surprising to see Flamita smiling and back on the same page with Bandido after the events of the PPV. Constant miscommunications between them saw their trio fail to win back the Six-Man Championship from Shane Taylor Promotions, escalating into a wild triple threat clash that ended with Bandido victorious and Flamita storming off in anger. Meanwhile Lethal and Gresham are still feeling the effects of being assaulted by La Faccion Ingobernable, and have the added complication of wrestling each other next week for the Pure Championship. Can all four men coexist successfully tonight? Does Flamita's evil laugh suggest he has a sinister plan? Can MexiSquad exploit The Foundation's injuries and anger towards LFI to pick up a major victory?

Bandido and Flamita hug during their entrance, whilst Gresham (knee) and Lethal (neck) visibly nurse injuries on their way out. It means Jay is a step off his game and unequipped to deal with a lively start from Flamita and a running rana sends him packing to the floor. He tags out and orders Gresham to 'slow [Flamita] down'. He duly obliges, keeping up with the rapid Flamita every step of the way then taking him out with an armdrag. Bandido acts quickly to shut The Octopus' momentum down by dishing out a STALLING inverted suplex and a Shining Wizard for 2. Lethal tries to clobber Bandido with a big boot only for the luchador to back flip into a headstand under it! PRESS SLAM by Bandido! Dream Sequence by the MexiSquad, then a standing moonsault as they press home their advantage against the ailing Lethal. Bandido and Flamita start bickering again, allowing Lethal to smash them into each other creating still more dissension. STALLING GERMAN from Gresham to Flamita. The Foundation slow the match down and use their power and technical wrestling skill to pick Flam apart on the mat. They open up an injury to the arm and attack it with relish for several minutes. The luchador fights to block the Octopus Stretch and eventually needs Bandido to bail him out...but Bandido accidentally blasts his own partner with a jumping enzi! Quebrada by Gresham interrupts their argument, followed by a jumping enzi to the arm. FLAM FLY nailed from nowhere, enabling the hot tag to Bandido. X-Knee blocked...Crucifix Driver instead gets 2. Lethal Injection BLOCKED with a dropkick to Jay's injured neck. Flamita tries to satellite Bandido into a headscissors on Lethal...but instead drops him to the ground. Was that due to his injured arm or was it something more malicious? Bandido is angry, then enraged when Flamita ELBOWS HIM IN THE FACE! Bandido and Flamita start beating the sh*t out of each other! Lethal eliminates Flamita with a dropkick to the arm! Double folding powerbomb by The Foundation into the Figure 4 by Lethal. Flamita taunts Bandido rather than break the hold! Bandido has to tap at 12:38 (shown)

Rating - **** - This was a great match, and possibly not for the reasons you may expect. Of course the wrestling was great. In particular watching Gresham effortlessly work with the two world class luchadors was a lot of fun. But what really made this match pop was the character work. Flamita and Bandido both wear masks and have limited English...but their gradual descent into utter chaos was brilliant. Their disagreements at the 19th Anniversary felt a little sudden and out of nowhere, but they were extremely innovative in their execution and here they took that work to the next level. Disingenuous team work degenerated to inadvertent mishaps; minor squabbling led to a full-blown brawl in the middle of the ring. Flamita, it turns out, is really fun as a cocky asshole luchador too! By the end this match had me very invested in the MexiSquad civil war angle.

Once again Flamita walks out on Bandido, this time shouting that there is 'no more MexiSquad'. Lethal and Gresham celebrate together, whilst turning their attention to their Pure Title showdown next week.

Tape Rating - **** - This was a great show. It probably flew a little under the radar thanks to its unfortunate position sitting after the well-received 19th Anniversary and before the much-hyped Episode 500...but between the ropes this week was impeccable. Romero and Delirious rolled back the years with a technical wrestling clinic, before a main event which skilfully meshed engaging story-telling with enjoyable in-ring action. Even the promo/interview content like another subtitled soliloquy from Delirious or a brief walk down memory lane with the Briscoes were extremely watchable. This is not an episode to sleep on...