McXal's Reviews

Just two matches scheduled for this week's ROH TV, but they could both be pretty good. First up we have La Faccion Ingobernable defending the Tag Team Championship against Soldiers Of Savagery in what is by far SOS' biggest Ring Of Honor match thus far. The Foundation look to further their quest to make Ring Of Honor 'Pure' in the main event as they face World Famous CB, Eli Isom, Joe Keys and Taylor Rust in an 8-man main event. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman are in Philadelphia, PA.

Who's idea was it to put every person with an iPhone's wake up alarm in SOS' entrance theme? This is an extension of the escalating feud between King and Shane Taylor. We saw LFI assault SOS last week, but now they have back up their tough talk with a victory over the imposing Moses & Kaun.

SOS attack the champions immediately, causing them to leave the ring indignant that they were the victims of a sneak attack. Kaun puts his elbow through Lee's jaw when he thinks about a big dive before the Soldiers start isolating Kenny. Even when he tags out their dominance goes unbroken; taking over on Dragon instead during the commercial break. Kenny pulls an old heel ANX trick and trips Kaun from the floor as he attempts to suplex his partner. LFI dump Kaun head and shoulder-first into the guardrail. Moses gets frustrated and distracts Todd Sinclair, which does nothing more than set LFI up for more 2-on-1 beating on Kaun. Kenny goes repeatedly to a half crab, injuring Kaun's already-braced knee and rendering him barely able to stand. He looks to finish it in the corner, but Kaun counters into a swinging back suplex...and crawls gratefully to tag in Moses, who levels Lee with a big powerbomb. He muscles King to the top, only for Dragon to make the save with a GHETTO STOMP! TORPEDO SUICIDA from Lee to Kaun! La Bestia comes down the aisle barking orders to LFI...just in time to see Kaun counter a Ripcord Incinerator into a headbutt! Flapjack/DDT combo nailed by SOS, but Todd Sinclair can't count the pin because La Bestia is on the apron distracting him. Shane Taylor charges down and hauls Bestia down...as Kenny hits the Royal Flush on Kaun to win at 11:44 (shown)

Rating - *** - It wasn't the break-out match for SOS that many hoped it might be, but by its very design it was never going to achieve that. It was a solid, formulaic encounter; a safe choice to run on television with the final scene building to Final Battle as Shane Taylor stands at ringside continuing to argue with La Bestia and LFI. I enjoyed the heat segment on Kaun in particular, who did a pretty decent job as a babyface in peril (although I thought his specific selling on the leg LFI worked over was poor). 

Kenny King yells furiously at Shane Taylor before leaving...

NEXT WEEK - 'VLNCE vs Pure' - a three match series between Violence Unlimited and The Foundation

Two weeks ago Violence Unlimited put out an open challenge for any four men to face them if they wanted to get violent. Now The Foundation do the same thing, except they want to work with four like-minded Pure wrestlers who share their vision of a purified Ring Of Honor. Joe Keys has partnered with The Foundation before so knows them well. Isom and CB are former stable-mates in Shinobi Shadow Squad so have some experience teaming together too. Rust is the wildcard having just returned to ROH, and he will have additional motivation for this after Tracy Williams eliminated him from the Pure Tournament last year.

Rust and Williams start, giving us an immediate Pure Tournament rematch. Tracy actually taunts his opponent for his loss in 2020, firing Taylor up causing him to grapple with even more intensity. CB and Titus in next, and Rhett is quickly cut open above the eye as they butt heads during another lock up. Burger goes right after the wound - punting Titus in the head and dropping an elbow into the face as well. Isom is on him as well; holding Rhett's legs so WFCB can drive the bloody face into the mat with an assisted bulldog. Lethal tags...and immediately Eli grabs his wrist to block the hiptoss/dropkick spot! He is too fast for The Franchise to get near, drilling him with a tilta-whirl backbreaker that actually drives him out of the ring to regroup. Keys demands to face 'old news' Gresham, apparently now thinking he has no further need for the tutelage of Gresh now he has appeared on AEW Dark. They have a feisty strike exchange...ending when Keys THROTTLES him in the ropes and hits a big back suplex. The Octopus is pissed off and forcibly ejects his former student from the ring with a dropkick off the apron. Tracy prompts The Foundation to start working Joe's arm, with Rhett returning to the match having cleaned up his busted open eye as best he can. Keys quickly puts him down with a German suplex...and Rust hauls Lethal to the apron after dodging his springboard dropkick attempt. ARMBREAKER on the apron by Taylor! All of his team get their shots in on Lethal's arm, which is a perilous position to be in for a man who broke his arm in a match back in 2019. He manages to lay out Eli with the Lethal Combination, but screams in pain as he hits it and barely makes it back to his corner for a tag to Hot Sauce. He and Rhett put the boots to CB, almost pinning him but for Taylor making a save. Burger again goes to the face, causing blood to pour from the eye again by booting him hard. Perfect Circle from Rust to Titus gets 2 - with Tracy flying in to break the pin. Lethal tags...and Isom immediately starts kicking at his injured arm again. Lethal Injection attempted, but the arm buckles and he crumples to the ground. Williams and Keys tagged, albeit Joe is still more focused on going after Gresham; booting him off the apron. The Octopus is irate and marches into the ring to blast him with a snap German. Keys no sells and blasts him with a lariat in response! After a distraction from Lethal, Gresh hyper-extends the knee then applies an anklelock - with additional pounding strikes to the leg as well. Keys submits at 17:23 (shown)

Rating - **** - This was the best ROH TV match in months. It is easier to say that because it is also the only TV match in months which has got a decent time allowance, but this really was great. I loved the fire and dynamism coming from The Foundation's opponents tonight; beginning with Cheeseburger busting Rhett open then specifically attacking the wound at multiple points during the match, but that was far from the only example. Isom has been a rising star in the company for a long-time and came to life whenever he was able to get in the ring with the former World Champion Jay Lethal, almost breaking his arm at points in this match and never really being definitively bested by The Franchise. Even Joe Keys was afforded plenty of opportunity, and stepped up with some FANTASTIC teacher/student exchanges with Gresham. For those of you who only dip into ROH TV when there's something special on offer, this is one you'll want to seek out. 

Vincent leads The Righteous, now clad all in white, calling the group 'Pure'...and seems to have plans to lead his own twisted version of purification to the rest of the ROH roster.

Tape Rating - **** - It probably won't surprise people that I liked this episode. I enjoy hard-hitting professional wrestling in long matches with clean finishes, so obviously the main event (which takes up half the episode by itself) was something I particularly liked. LFI/SOS was a pretty decent start to the show as well, albeit not really allowed to become something special which assists Moses and Kaun in breaking out to the next level as a tag team. There has been something quite 'inessential' about ROH television over the last few months. It's been fine when you watch it, but rarely has it been 'must-see'. I'd argue that the 8-man main event falls into that category, as one of ROH's best TV bouts of 2021.

What a strange tag team encounter this is. Willow, Alex and Laynie are all usually smiley, infectiously positive performers...which makes them quite a contrast to the ominous, intimidating Holidead. Willow is still in the hunt for a Women's Title shot at Final Battle so will be looking to continue building momentum with another victory here. Lenny Leonard is back on commentary again too.

Holidead punts Laynie in the face during the Code Of Honor, much to Willow's confusion. Willow and Luck work back and forth, with Laynie's speed proving a tough match for Nightingale's power. POUNCE by Willow! Alex tags in with Holi, looking a little bit afraid and getting booted right in the stomach for her trouble. Luck and Gracia decide it's best to pair up on Holidead - giving her a Pink Dream/running uppercut combo in the corner, then a somersault dive out of the corner by Gracia for 2. Dead responds by dumping Alex chest-first into the canvas then summoning her partner to hit a double gourdbuster as well. Their team continue to target Alex's midsection, with Holidead landing move after move designed to make it harder for Gracia to catch her breath. Willow's corner cannonball makes it even worse, now drawing Laynie in the ring to save her partner from defeat. The whole match has been punctuated by Holi loudly captaining her team; bossing Willow about and forcing her to be more aggressive than she might normally be. Gracia somehow drops Dead with a lungblower, opening the door to a much-needed tag. SPRINGBOARD DIVE TO THE FLOOR by Gracia! Holi recovers and drills her with a swinging flatliner. CODE RED by Laynie...but she turns into a Dangerous Babe Bomb from Nightingale! Willow wins for her team at 11:36

Rating - *** - They haven't quite reached the point where the Women's Division are churning out 4*+ bangers every week, but the improvement in quality from this division since Maria Kanellis came in and rebranded it is staggering. It really does all come down to booking better wrestlers and giving them more scope to deliver better matches. Willow and Holidead are both experienced and GREAT at what they do. Gracia and Luck might not be on that level, but they are likeable babyfaces, solid hands and more than capable of holding up their end of the bargain when they get better workers to throw down with. The weird dynamic between Willow and Holidead carried this one for me; delivering a match which was very well wrestled (Gracia was fantastic as a ragdoll babyface getting beaten to sh*t) but also incredibly entertaining. Willow's facial expressions as Holidead barked and growled orders at her had me laughing out loud several times. Even the post-match handshakes are fun!