By Chris Shore

ROH Glory by Honor XI
Aired 10/13 on iPPV at ROHWrestling.com
Live from the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Pre-Show

Kevin Kelly was heard over the feed before going live by himself. He ran through the card and pointed fans to the ROH website to read how Sinclair agreed to Kevin Steen's demands. Kelly setup a video package that recapped some of the main event storyline…

Shore's Slant: I can't find the article anywhere. I see Steen's demands, but not an article on how they have met them. Kelly said the most important thing was that the package piledriver has been reinstated, but I think the most important thing is that there is a new title belt coming. This might be a bigger reset than we thought.

Kelly reported Rhyno was in the building and he believed Rhyno was there to help Elgin win, but questioned whether Elgin would accept that help. He said there were "many subplots and stories" to be told tonight, and fed back to the loop video at 6:10 CT.

Shore's Slant: A smart move by ROH to start the feed early and give them time to correct any errors. Since they only promised a 10-15 minute pre-show, it’s hard to blame them for giving us a 10 minute pre-show. That said, once they are comfortable with the technology, I would recommend giving each show a 30 min free lead in with the announcers and video packages, similar to what WWE does, but not pre-tape. They need to build better buzz for these iPPVs, and good story recaps leading into the show will go a long way in convincing people to buy.

Glory by Honor XI

Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuiness opened in front of a lively crowd. They ran through the bulk of the card and then The Bravado Brothers made their ring entrance. Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman were out next. The audio is mixed really bad. The house music and mics are overpowering the announcers…

1. The Bravado Brothers vs. Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman. Alexander and Harlem Bravado started out. Lancelot attacked Cedric and Harlem knocked Caprice down to start out in control. Caprice tagged in just long enough to do a couple of fancy tag moves, but Cedric was right back in and immediately lost control again. Caprice got the hot tag and hit his triple northern lights suplex string, but the last one he hit on both Bravados. Nice spot.

Cedric hit a dive on Lancelot on the floor. Harlem hit a second rope moonsault on them both. Caprice dove on all three. They ended back in the ring with Caprice taking punishment from the Bravados. Cedric got the hot tag, and after a short string of offense from the Bravados, Cedric and Caprice hit their double team finisher for the win. Lancelot Bravado was busted open on his mouth or nose at the end…

Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman defeated The Bravados at 12:17.

Shore's Slant: Good opener that went about two minutes too long. I thought the Bravados had it won about the 10 minute mark, and everything from that moment forward seemed unnecessary.

A video showed Maria talking to Veda Scott about Mike Mondo. She acted all grossed out and said she never wanted to see Mike Mondo again. She turned around and there was Mondo. He grabbed her hand so she wouldn't slap him and then forced another kiss on her. Maria and Mike Bennett made their ring entrance. Mondo was next. So who is the babyface here? The guy who keeps assaulting a woman? Oh boy…

2. Mike Bennett (w/Maria) vs. Mike Mondo. Bennett slapped Mondo instead of shaking his hand. Mondo punched him and the match started. Mondo went after Maria early when she climbed on the apron. He slipped under her to escape Bennett, and Bennett followed. Bennett used the post to gain control.

By the time they got back in the ring, Mondo was selling an elbow and a leg. Mondo fought back and climbed to the top. He and Bennett fought there, and Bennett knocked him off and too the floor, tearing at the leg again. Bennett beat up Mondo all over the floor while Maria looked on.

Back in the ring, Mondo escaped on a whip and they hit cross bodies on each other. The rolled back to the floor. Bennett tried to hit a powerbomb at the entryway, but Mondo reversed it into a back drop. Mondo went back to the ring and prevented the ref from counting them out. He went back to the entryway and climbed the rigging there. He dove off onto Bennett in a totally unnecessary spot.

Both men crawled back to the ring and made it back in. Mondo seemed ready to finish Bennett off, but Maria jumped on the apron and started dancing sexy. Mondo went over to her. Bennett charged and Mondo moved. They prevented the collision, but Mondo rolled Bennett up. Bennett kicked out, and Maria slapped him stupid. Bennett hit the TKO to win…

Mike Bennett defeated Mike Mondo at 10:52.

Shore's Slant: Good match. In fact, that might have been my favorite Mondo match to date. The dive off the rigging at the entrance was completely unnecessary and they don't get a pass for that. Still, the right guy went over and Mondo finally impressed me.

A video setup the next tag match. Rhett Titus and BJ Whitmer started their entrance, but Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin attacked from behind. They battled around for close to a minute before two guys finally made it in the ring to start the match…

3. Rhett Titus and BJ Whitmer vs. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin. The match finally settled into a tag match with Titus getting beat up. I didn't see how because I lost the feed for a moment. Others are having intermittent problems, but the feed seems stable as a rule. Even at 720p.

Titus and Benjamin hit clotheslines on each other at the same time. They both made tags and Whitmer cleaned house. Then he and Haas put on a battle of middle fingers, "F--- yous," and kicks. Odd moment. Haas and Benjamin hit their double team bomb thing for the win…

Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin defeated Rhett Titus and BJ Whitmer at 10:10.

Shore's Slant: This was the most charismatically challenged match in a long time. Haas and Benjamin seem like old timers. Whitmer comes across as a has been. Titus hasn't meant less in a long time. There was nothing technically wrong with this match, but when nobody cares who wins, it's hard to be entertaining.

The announce team setup a video that recapped what happened between Kevin Steen and Jay Lethal last week. Kelly again directed fans to ROH Wrestling.com for more information.

Jay Lethal made his ring entrance and cut a promo on what happened. Lethal told Steen and ROH to kiss his ass. He said he would say that to his opponent tonight, but he actually had respect for Davey Richards. He said he had a lot of anger in him so tonight, Richards was the wrong guy in the wrong place. Davey made his entrance…

4. Jay Lethal vs. Davey Richards. They chained wrestled for a while, and then Lethal slapped the shit out of Richards. Davey got pissed and shoved Lethal three times. Lethal attacked, but Davey came back with a submission move that was Nigel McGuiness's back in the day.

The fight spilled to the floor, and Davey slammed lethal into the barricades. He set Lethal in a chair and did the face wash kick, which was apparently a shout out to someone else, but I admit I don't know who. Lethal and Richards continued to hit moves from Nigel, Bryan Danielson, Low-Ki and others.

They traded Dragon suplex setups and Lethal finished with a reverse release suplex for two. Lethal went for the elbow, but Davey caught him and they battled on the top rope. AT 17:00, Kevin Kelly said they were over 20 minutes into the match. Fail. Davey hit a top rope superplex that Lethal no sold into a small package. Lethal slipped out of the next lift, but Davey hit the knockout kick and brainbuster for two.

Richards hit a double stomp for two, but Lethal kicked out into the ankle lock. Lethal kicked away, Davey hit another slam, and Lethal kicked out at one. They battled back to the corner and Lethal tried to powerbomb him on a table. Davey held on, so Lethal kicked him and Davey fell into the table at the 20 minute mark.

Davey rolled back in the ring at the 19 count. Lethal immediately hit the elbow drop for two, and then the Dragon suplex for two. Lethal went for the Lethal Injection, but Davey swatted it away and grabbed the ankle lock. They traded reversals on submissions until Lethal hit a superkick to the back of the head. He hit the Lethal Injection, but Davey kicked out at two. Lethal immediately hooked the Koji clutch and Davey passed out…

Jay Lethal defeated Davey Richards by referee stoppage at 23:35.

Post-match, Eddie Edwards came out to check on Davey for some reason. Lethal let Davey recover and went to shake his hand. Davey raised Lethal's hand instead…

Shore's Slant: An OK match that suffered from the same problem as the tag match before it, it was a little random and there was no reason to be emotionally invested in either guy. Lethal has the best story right now, so I'm happy he won, but other than that, it was just a typical ROH match. I'm beginning to dislike the finisher kickout into a different move finish. ROH uses it too much and it diminishes big moves. But diminishing big moves has been the knock on this style for some time.

A decently paced first half. Some of these matches are dreadfully boring from a storyline standpoint, but this is the end of Cornette and the beginning of Delirious, so it's hard to be too judgmental. The second half is title match after title match. Let's see if anything big happens here. I think not, but I could be wrong.

***Intermission***

Tadarius Thomas made his ring entrance. Roderick Strong came out in street clothes and said he wasn't wrestling Thomas, and he was quitting the House of Truth. He said before he left tonight, he would watch Elgin fail to win the world title. He stormed off with Truth Martini in tow.

The ref called for the bell and said if Strong wasn't back by ten he was forfeiting the match. Truth came back out with Rhyno, who didn't seem happy to be there. He said Rhyno would wrestle in Strong's spot and then they would find some girls and take their pants off…

5. Tadarius Thomas vs. Rhyno (w/Truth Martini). Thomas started out with some of his capoeira, and Rhyno sent Martini to the back for his bag. Rhyno swatted Thomas away. He took his tape from his bag and finally taped up. Rhyno set up for the Gore, but Thomas fell down and hit a kick for a surprise victory. Post-match, Rhyno tossed Martini over the top rope. He landed awkwardly on the railing and split his pants…

Tadarius Thomas defeated Rhyno at 5:55.

Shore's Slant: So Roddy is off the iPPV so he can cost Elgin the title later? Did Cornette really think we needed all this to get those two into a feud? So strange. Good win for Thomas, but forgettable.

Eddie Edwards vs. Adam Cole for the ROH World Television Championship. This match has a 30 minute time limit instead of the normal 15. They opened with the traditional ROH chains of chain wrestling. Later, the Eddie went to the floor and Adam started to dive, but Edwards hit an enziguri on the dive instead.

They traded suplex attempts on the apron, and Cole hit a DDT on the apron. It looked like Edwards hit his shoulder or side of his head on the apron. Scary looking move, but Eddie appeared to be OK. Cole followed with a top rope splash and a fireman's carry neckbreaker for two. Eddie stormed back and hooked the Achilles lock and stomped on Cole's head. Cole flipped out and turned it into a figure four that Edwards had to make the ropes to break.

Cole set Edwards on the top rope and climbed up. Eddie lifted Cole on his shoulders, but Cole started throwing elbows. They took a nasty tumble to the floor and both men crawled back into the ring. They traded superkicks, but Cole hit one to the back of Edwards's head for two. That wasn't enough, so Cole hit the Florida Key suplex for the win…

Adam Cole retained the ROH Television Championship at 19:09.

Shore's Slant: I'm having a hard time staying focused on these matches. This was a very good ROH match, but the style isn't enough to keep my attention. I can see the style in a number of places. Hell, I call matches with this style. But we need stories. I realize Delirious just took over and can't do much in one show, so I'm not blaming him. I am pointing out exactly how much work he has in front of him.

A video set up the tag title match…

7. The Briscoes vs. SCUM (Jimmy Jacobs and Steve Corino) for the ROH Tag Team Championships. SCUM attacked before the bell and the fight went to the floor. The fight randomly made it back top the ring where the brawl continued, even though they started following the tag team rules. Mark started to do hit redneck kung-fu drop from the second rope, but Corino hit him with a roll of quarters in his hand to knock him out. That left Jay alone for SCUM.

One of the ring guys poured water on Mark to help wake him up. Jay finally started calling for Mark, anmd Mark made the apron. SCUM broke up the pin attempt and went for their finisher, but Jay flipped out and got the hot tag. He set Jacobs on the top rope and hit a flip slam for two when Corino broke the count. Jay sent Corino to the floor, and then jumped off the top rope for a leg drop. He missed mostly, and looked like he landed hard.

After a very confusing series of reversals that seemed like they were confused, all four guys stood in the ring and traded shots. Jay got shoved to the floor, and Mark took a sliced bread and diving lariat for a near fall. Jay pulled Corino to the floor and hit a DVD on a barriacade. Mark hit a froggy bow on Jacobs for two. The Briscoes set up for the Doomsday Device, but Corino recovered and shoved the ref into the rope. Mark fell, and Corino hit a low blow on Jay. Jacobs rolled down for the pinfall victory…

SCUM retained the ROH Tag Team Championships at 13:59.

Shore's Slant: Fun match that had the slightest of stories behind it and that made it interesting. That and all four guys worked hard. It cracks me up how many ROH matches end up using those barricades in the match. Looks like my prediction of no title changes will hold out. Time to see what happens on TV after the next tapings.

A video recapped the Steen vs. Elgin feud. Steen made his ring entrance and cut a promo. He said he had some good news because certain demands he made have been met. Roderick Strong was shown sitting front row with a beer. Steen ran through all his demands and said they were making him a new belt. He closed by saying the package piledriver is legal and tonight, unbreakable gets broken. Elgin made his entrance…

8. Michael Elgin vs. Kevin Steen for the ROH World Championship. A shoving match devolved into forearm shots and then the shoulder tackle challenge. Elgin hit a surprise side slam and Steen rolled to the floor. Elgin followed, and they traded slamming each other into the barricades and choking each other with the Canadian flag.

Back in the ring, Elgin beat on Steen and hit a splash, but Steen kicked out at one. The fight went back to the floor and the crowd did the "Ole" song for Generico. Steen hit a powerbomb on the apron on Elgin. Wow. They went back to the ring and Steen hit a beautiful belly to back suplex. These two are using their strength to do things you don't normally see from big guys.

Steen put Elgin in the corner and pointed to Strong. He chopped Elgin, and then shook his hand in pain and yelled at Strong, "How do you do that?" Elgin hit an enziguri and both men sold. Strong stood up, and this time my router had a 10 second hiccup. When I got the feed back, Elgin hit a blockbuster type move on Steen for two.

Elgin hit a Kryptonite Crunch for two. Steen came right back and hit a knee to the back of Elgin's head. Steen hit his cannonball for two. Rapid fire reversals ended with Steen on the floor and Elgin hit a dive right in front of Strong. Strong did something (I looked away for a second) and Elgin dragged him over the barricade. He bounced him off several more barricades and sent him to the back.

Steen ran over, but Elgin lifted him for a powerbomb. Steen didn't quite make it up, and just when it looked like Elgin might drop him, Steen powered up so Elgin could hit the Buckle Bomb on the ring post. He rolled Steen back in the ring and hit his top rope senton for two. He followed with a crossface, but Steen made it to the ropes at 17:49.

They stood on the apron and battled. Steen jumped on Elgin's back, and Elgon dove off the apron onto a table. They both made the count right at the end, but both were down so the ref started a ten count. They made their feet in opposite corners at six and charged out with equal clotheslines. Elgin hit the ropes and Steen popped him up for a powerbomb for a great near fall.

Steen hooked for the package piledriver, but Elgin fought him off. HE tried for the F-cinq, but Elgin slipped out into a cross face. Steen rolled him up for two. Elgin dead lifted Kevin Steen over in a German suplex and Nigel marked like a schoolgirl. Elgin hit a series of knee lifts. Steen spit in his face, so Elgin hit some more. He went for a knockout clothesline, but Steen ducked and hit a Codebreaker. Elgin no sold it and hit a clothesline that turned Steen inside out for two.

Elgin hit Steen with a buckle bomb, but Steen no sold it into a desperation clothesline that turned Elgin inside out. Elgin hooked a crossface again and Steen made the ropes. Out of nowhere, Steen exploded and hit a package piledriver for two. The fans in attendance were fooled so much they started throwing streamers. Nigel had a stroke.

Steen set Elgin in the corner for another cannonball. Elgin caught him, and powered him up into a powerbomb. He followed with a bucklebomb and the spinning powerbomb for a near fall that almost killed Nigel McGuiness. Elgin set Steen on top and climbed up. Steen fought back and hit the package piledriver from the second rope for the win.

Kevin Steen retained the ROH World Championship at 31:33.

Post-match, Roderick Strong ran out and hit a sick kick on Elgin. Elgin was ushered from the ring as Nigel was handed a box from referee Paul Turner. Steen stood in the ring demanding his music get played. Nigel got in the ring with a mic and the box and said he was told he had to personally deliver the box. Steen opened the box and stared at the contents, looking worried. He pulled out an El Generico mask, which was convenient since the crowd was already singing his song. Steen kicked the box and Kelly sent us home…

Shore's Slant: This was the day Michael Elgin left for the WWE. He may not get a contract for a while, but this put him on everyone's radar. His match with Davey was great. This was off the charts. He is quite the specimen. And I don’t mean to disparage Kevin Steen by my praise for Elgin. Steen delivered big time here too, but I think everyone knows he’ll never end up in WWE. He just wouldn't work in that structure.

Overall, a good PPV in ring that suffered from the expected weak storylines. Let the conspiracy theories start about Cornette not liking Generico and that being Hunter's first big move. I've always been told Generico didn't want to sign, so maybe Sinclair ponied up. Whatever it is, Kevin Steen has the perfect foil yet again. I've seen them make magic before. Can they make it again? This company needs them to. I'll have more tomorrow in my Hitlist for the show. Thanks for watching along tonight.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or tweet me @TheShoreSlant with whatever is on your mind.

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