10/4 Mathieson's ROH on HDNet Review: El Generico vs. Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards defends the TV Title against Kenny King, and Tyler Black vs. Mike Sydal

By Joe Mathieson

Ring of Honor Wrestling on HDNet
Taped in Philadelphia, Pa.

The show opened with footage from the August 16th episode of Davey Richards turning on Shane Hagadorn. The opening video played shortly after Davey said that he and Eddie Edwards were good, but Shane was history.

The opening video played and Eddie Edwards came out for the Ten Minute Hunt. He said that nobody had given him competition for the belt and he was issuing an open challenge. Jim Cornette came out and said that Edwards was lowering the reputation of both himself and the TV title with the Ten Minute Hunt.

Shane Hagadorn grabbed the mic and said that he idolized Cornette, but asked who the hell Cornette was to talk to the champion like that. Edwards took the mic and said that he was the best and only TV champion in ROH history, and Cornette could bring out his own challenger. Edwards sent Hagadorn to the back for a nice pop, and Cornette brought out Kenny King as the show cut to a quick ad for ROH on tour, and a quick recap of the All-Night Express/Delirious angle after their cage match a couple weeks ago.

1. Eddie Edwards defeated Kenny King (w/Rhett Titus) to retain the ROH World Television Title in 11:54. Good back and forth action for the first couple minutes led to Edwards getting a nearfall after kicking King after King did a back handspring.

At 3:30, they fought for a suplex on the apron, and King hit a gourdbuster on the ring frame and followed up with a leg drop off the guardrail that got a two count back in the ring. After Edwards broke out of an abdominal stretch, King took control again and went up top, but Edwards hit a superplex.

Edwards hit a couple clotheslines and sent King to the apron, and when King tried to slingshot in, caught him with a kick and dove onto King and Titus on the floor. Edwards hit a backpack stunner at 9:00 for a nearfall and then went up top. King avoided a doublestomp and hit his shotgun knees.

King went for the Coronation but Edwards landed on his feet. King hit a cartwheel kick for a nearfall. Edwards went for a Codebreaker off the ropes, but King caught him into a black hole backbreaker sort of thing and hit a springboard blockbuster for a good nearfall.

King tried a second rope powerbomb, but Edwards reversed into a huracanrana and locked in the Achilles Lock and King tapped out quickly. The crowd changed for Edwards as Mike Hogewood pointed out that Edwards won without Shane Hagadorn in his corner.

Joe's Judgment: Decent match. Nothing groundbreaking, but it was enjoyable to watch. I liked the lack of interference despite Titus being at ringside, and I also like the TV title being actually defended for once. The crowd popped for the Achilles Lock but otherwise weren't all that hot for the match.

Highlights of the Kevin Steen and Steve Corino vs. El Generico and Colt Cabana double chain match were shown, with the announcement that Steen and Generico got to pick each other's opponents for the next two weeks, and Steen chose Davey Richards for this week. [C]

A video recapped Tyler Black talking about showing up with the ROH World Title "on another network", right into Roderick Strong pinning him at Glory By Honor IX. Black was in the ring for the next match.

2. Tyler Black defeated Mike Sydal in 4:20. Sydal is the younger brother of Evan Bourne, who wrestled on the indy scene, including ROH, as Matt Sydal. Mike Hogewood said that Black is "fulfilling his contractual obligations" with this match, and Dave Prazak said he was just upping his own worth by appearing. The crowd was very anti-Black, chanting "You sold out" before the match started.

Sydal hit a couple low dropkicks but was essentially dominated. Black hit a leaping dropkick to the head of a tree of woe-hung Sydal and Prazak called it "vintage Tyler Black", noting that he hadn't used it much since his days as a tag team champion.

Sydal got a rollup shortly after kicking out of a Black leaping lariat and then hit a few kicks. Black hit an F5 and then God's Last Gift almost immediately after and scored the pin.

Joe's Judgment: I miss Tyler already. I was down on him for a while, but this was a good short match that made him look great.

Kyle Durden was backstage with Steve Corino and Kevin Steen. Corino said there were lots of stupid things in wrestling, but Pick Your Poison was the greatest stipulation ever. Steen said he picked Davey Richards, and said he chose by putting on Generico's mask, and got inside his thoughts. In a mockingly high voice while wearing the mask, Steen said that nobody could hurt Generico like Kevin Steen, but right behind him was Davey Richards.

Corino told Durden that it didn't matter who Steen faced next week, because nobody beats Kevin Steen. Durden sent it back to Hogewood and Prazak, and Steen put the mask on his hand and made it bite Durden, who looked uncomfortable.

The part of the amazing Davey Richards interview from Glory By Honor where Davey announced that he wasn't retiring was shown, followed by El Generico's entrance, and then Richards' for the main event.

3. Davey Richards defeated El Generico in 17:07. Davey took down Generico with a drop toehold and worked a headlock briefly before Generico got up and hit a lucha armdrag and some chops. Richards worked the knee around 6:00 with various submissions. Generico slapped a bridging Richards, who had to break the bridge to return the slap, and Generico got out of the hold.

Generico got up selling the knee, and they exhanged forearms until Davey got a solebutt at 8:00 and went for his handspring enzuigiri, but Generico dropkicked him instead. Richards went to the floor and Generico hit his flip dive onto him.

Generico hit a crossbody for two at 9:00 and a blue thunder bomb for another two count shortly thereafter. Richards blocked a forearm strike and hit an enzuigiri and German suplex for a two count. Davey went for a superplex but Generico tried to break free.

Richards got the advantage on the top rope after a couple headbutts and hit the superplex. Generico got to his feet and they traded forearms some more. Richards hit the Alarm Clock and running forearm in the corner, but Generico hit a Yakuza and a half-and-half and went for the brainbuster, which Richards reversed into one of his own for a two count.

At 14:15, Generico crotched Richards on the top turnbuckle and hit an absolutely sick half-nelson superplex. Richards got his hand on the ropes for a great nearfall. Generico went for the top turnbuckle brainbuster but Richards slipped out and hit a dragon screw in the ropes.

Richards went up for the shooting star press and Generico followed him. Richards tried a sunset flip but was unsuccessful, so he just hit a kick and then went to an ankle lock. Generico sent him to ringside and tried another half-and-half suplex, which Davey countered into a rollup and then a Texas Cloverleaf, which ultimately caused Generico to tap out.

Joe's Judgment: Very good match. I would have preferred them not to basically forget the leg work for a few minutes in the middle, but it playing into the finish was great. Richards going over is the right call because he looks strong for his Final Battle title match, and Generico looks vulnerable for the big blowoff with Steen.

Overall an entertaining show tonight with good matches from both of the American Wolves. I'll continue to post these reviews on Tuesday afternoons from now on, so look for them then. Email me at jtmathieson88@gmail.com with any comments or questions.