By Jason Powell
Ring of Honor TV
Taped June 25 in Concord, North Carolina at Cabarrus Arena
Aired in syndication over the weekend, available Wednesdays on Comet TV
After the opening video aired, Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness checked in on commentary and hyped the Roderick Strong vs. Dalton Castle main event, and hyped that BJ Whitmer and Kevin Sullivan would appear…
1. Kamaitachi (w/Christopher Daniels) vs. Jay White. White offered his hand for the code of honor, but Kamaitachi threw his jacket over White’s face and attacked him. Kamaitachi threw a nice looking elbow, and White came right back with a nice forearm. [C] Late in the match, White fought off interference by Daniels and hit his Kiwi Crusher finisher for the clean win…
Jay White beat Kamaitachi.
After the match, Frankie Kazarian ran out and attacked White, then he and Daniels put the boots to him. The Motor City Machine Guns ran out for the save. Chris Sabin took the mic and told Kamaitachi that “these two guys, they’re nothing but a bad influence” (get it?). Sabin asked for a six-man tag match. Nigel stood up and asked the crowd if that’s what they wanted, then booked the match on the spot… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good debut for White. I’m surprised to see Kamaitachi lose so quickly on television given how much attention he received at the pay-per-view. Let’s see what they do in the six-man tag match.
2. Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Kamaitachi vs. Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, and Jay White. The match was joined in progress with the heels working over Sabin. White tagged in and threw a nice missile dropkick at Daniels at one point. Daniels came back, but White caught him with a dropkick and then hit his finisher for the win…
Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, and Jay White beat Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Kamaitachi.
Adam Cole and The Young Bucks delivered a promo in front of the ROH backdrop. Cole complained about Nigel booking Jay Lethal vs. Kyle O’Reilly for the ROH Title. He questioned whether McGuinness was trying to piss him off. Cole said when he promises something he delivers, including how they didn’t get involved in the most recent pay-per-view main event. However, he also recalled promising that O’Reilly would never become the ROH Champion… [C]
Powell’s POV: An all out showcase for Jay White. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as the broadcast team did a nice job of putting over what a great debut it was. My only tweak would have been saving Kamaitachi’s loss for a later date. Why not have White beat Frankie Kazarian, then beat Daniels in the six-man tag match, and build up to the first White vs. Kamaitachi match? Still, I like the effort to make White a player right out of the gate. Meanwhile, a good Cole promo. I like that the Bullet Club have their own music, but I really wish they would cut their promos in a unique setting rather than in front of the ROH backdrop.
Shane Taylor and Keith Lee made their entrance wearing black suits. Kelly spoke about how they are the largest tag team in ROH history. Footage aired of the duo attacking War Machine at a live event in Columbus, Ohio. Kelly questioned why they betrayed War Machine and decided to make their name through them…
3. Shane Taylor and Keith Lee vs. James Anthony and Victor Andrews. The teams shook hands before the match. Taylor grabbed Anthony’s hand and didn’t let go. Taylor punched Anthony, then clotheslined his partner. The one-sided beating continued until Lee powerbombed Andrews and then Taylor splashed him off the ropes before pinning him…
Shane Taylor and Keith Lee defeated James Anthony and Victor Andrews.
After the match, War Machine ran out and attacked Taylor and Lee, who held their own. Lee ended up diving over the top rope onto War Machine and his own partner on the floor… Kelly hyped Whitmer and Sullivan… [C]
Powell’s POV: Shane Taylor and Keith Lee need a killer tag team name. Maybe they have one, but it wasn’t used on this show. This was an all out squash match, and I like that Taylor and Lee stood tall after the brawl with War Machine. Three matches with three new ROH talents going over. I’m digging this show so far.
A video featured clips of Jay Lethal and Kyle O’Reilly delivering separate sit-down interviews. O’Reilly praised Lethal as a fighting champion. Lethal said they are not friends because O’Reilly wants his ROH Title. O’Reilly said he made Lethal tap. Lethal said he’s not giving up his title without a fight. Lethal said O’Reilly is a great wrestler who travelled all around the world, but he can’t win the ROH Title because he holds the belt. O’Reilly said he’s never been more motivated to prove he’s the best wrestler in ROH. Lethal said he will still be the ROH Champion when the match is over…
Powell’s POV: A nice and effective piece of production to promote next week’s main event for the ROH Title.
BJ Whitmer and Kevin Sullivan headed to the ring together as black and white still shots were shown of Whitmer’s match with Steve Corino at the pay-per-view. Whitmer sat in a chair and spoke while Sullivan stood by him. Whitmer said Corino is wondering how he is aligned with Sullivan. He said it started when he was home nursing a neck injury when Sullivan reached out to him and said he was one of two heirs of evil (the other was Corino). Whitmer said Corino denied his legacy of evil. Whitmer said it became his obsession to destroy Corino. Sullivan said Corino could go home to his family, but until he accepts he’s an evil, evil, evil man, then chaos is going to reign over ROH. Sullivan told him to wake up to the real universe. Whitmer said the chapter is over, but the book has yet to be written. “My name is BJ Whitmer and I am an evil man”…
Powell’s POV: Meh. Corino speaks constantly about being an evil man, so Sullivan’s comments didn’t really make sense. It looks like the never ending feud is, well, never ending. It’s hard to blame them given how well their last hardcore match worked.
Entrances for the main event took place…
4. Dalton Castle (w/The Boys) vs. Roderick Strong. The fans were into the entrances, yet were very quiet as the match got started. They went to break with Strong on the offensive. [C] Strong caught one of the boys with a stiff kick through the ropes, then clotheslined the other one on the floor. Strong performed a suplex that flung Castle into the ring post. The crowd came to life for this sequence.
Later, Castle performed a nice supelx and went for another. Strong grabbed the ropes, but Castle pulled him free and suplexed him again for a two count. Kelly said Strong going after the boys seemed to ignite a spark in Castle. Moments later, Castle ran into a knee to he head. The fans were back to being quiet, yet they were engaged. Strong threw a series of running knees at Castle and followed up with a superplex. Strong performed a Gutbuster and then followed up with a Sick Kick and went for a cover, but Castle kicked out. A short time later, Castle hit his Bangarang finisher and scored the clean pin…
Dalton Castle defeated Roderick Strong.
Powell’s POV: A good main event match with the right guy going over given that Strong is leaving the promotion. I know they can only fit so much into the show, but it would have been nice to have heard from Strong and Castle before and even after the main event. Nevertheless, I really liked the way they showcased some fresh faces on this show. Go out of your way to see this episode if you have not already, and be sure to check out the Prowrestling.net All Access Daily Podcast for Darren Gutteridge and Haydn Gleed’s audio review of this same show.
Taylor and Lee have used the name the Pretty Boy Killers on the indies.