By Jason Powell
Ring of Honor TV
Taped October 29 in Baltimore, Maryland at the William J Myers Pavilion
Aired in syndication over the weekend, available Wednesdays on Comet TV
The opening video aired and then the broadcast team of Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino checked in. Ring entrances for the opening match took place and the broadcast team hyped the six-man tag match as the main event…
1. Silas Young vs. Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly offered a handshake, but Young wasn’t interested. Corino and Kelly hyped O’Reilly as the No. 1 contender for Final Battle, yet also labeled this a chance for Young to get right back in the title mix. O’Reilly targeted the left knee of Young. Kelly noted that it’s the same knee that Young had surgically repaired two years ago. Young tossed O’Reilly over the top rope and then worked him over at ringside by throwing him into the barricade. [C]
Back inside the ring, O’Reilly went back to work on the left knee. Young came back with a neckbreaker, then pulled O’Reilly into his knee, which Young sold a bit. Young caught O’Reilly with a cutter for a two count. Young set up for his Misery finisher, but O’Reilly avoided it. They traded suplexes and then strikes. O’Reilly caught Young with a boot and both men stayed down, drawing some applause.
Adam Cole walked to ringside and joined the broadcast team, saying he was there to watch O’Reilly choke just as he would at Final Battle. In the ring, O’Reilly caught Young in an armbar. Young rolled over once, but O’Reilly held on until Young reached the ropes to break it. Young hoisted up O’Reilly again for Misery, but O’Reilly escaped it and hit a brainbuster for the win…
Kyle O’Reilly defeated Silas Young.
After the match, Kelly interviewed Young at ringside and said he came within an eyelash of nearly beating Cole and now O’Reilly. Young said he didn’t know what Kelly said to him because he was too busy looking at what an adult man is in 2016 (he looked at a fan wearing a Jushin Liger costume). Young said the fans are grown men playing make believe. Young said the guy the fan idolizes is a coward. Young said he faces the music whether he wins or loses, which is more than he can say for Liger. Young said Liger never shows his face because he’s embarrassed.
Powell’s POV: The broadcast team framed this well by gushing over O’Reilly, yet also making it seem meaningful for Young in terms of being able to get back into the title picture. They told the story of the match nicely by recalling Young’s torn ACL. I’m rarely a fan of Young television matches, but this was a fresh matchup and a good win for O’Reilly, who is challenging for the ROH Title at Final Battle. Plus, it was a really good showing for Young in terms of showing that he worked well with one of the top guys in the company. The post match angle was fine, but I’m actually more excited about Young working his way into the upper mix in ROH than I am about his match with Liger at Final Battle.
Backstage, Jay Lethal spoke about facing Cody Rhodes at Final Battle. Lethal said the ROH fans don’t care where you’ve been or who you are related to, they only care about what you can do inside the ROH ring. Lethal said ROH is all about putting two great wrestlers in the ring with the common goal of proving they are the best in the world. Lethal said he’s a former ROH Champion with nothing left to prove, then said he’d see what Rhodes has at Final Battle… [C]
Powell’s POV: Lethal’s delivery was solid and I’m really looking forward to his match with Rhodes. It is a bit odd that Lethal said he had nothing left to prove because he’s won the ROH Title. He seems to have backed off in his pursuit of regaining the championship, particularly given how heated his program with Adam Cole was.
A video package with Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin talking about Ladder War 6. Shelley said they’ve been underdogs throughout their careers. Shelley said they choked. Sabin said scholars will look back and realize that they are the most influential tag team of the millennium. Shelley spoke about how the roster has changed since they started and that’s good, but for every incredible talent there are people like The Addiction, The Cabinet, and The Bullet Club who take shortcuts. Shelley said the Bullet Club are incredibly talented, but he doesn’t like the way they do things. Sabin recalled how Hangman Page was supposed to be their partner in Michigan, but he ended up wrapping a noose around his neck in front of his friends and family. Shelley said he’s tired of getting his ass kicked by Bullet Club. Sabin said they want to comprise a group of people with special abilities. Shelley praised Jay White and Lio Rush…
A graphic touted the main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: It was nice to finally hear an extended promo from the Machine Guns in ROH. The only problem is that Sabin came off a bit full of himself as he spoke about how they would be remembered as one of the most influential tag team of the millennium. I’ve enjoyed their work quite a bit over the years, but that’s a bit much.
Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian delivered a backstage promo. Daniels said Ladder War changed him because his strategy is what failed them. He said his best friend reminded him that if you want to establish a legacy, you have to destroy another. He said that’s what they are going to do to the Briscoes. Kazarian said they want their titles back, and their legacies to be that they are the best team in ROH history…
Backstage, Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle spoke about their tag match last week not going well. Castle said he misses The Boys not being at ringside. Cabana had a group of guys for Castle to choose from. Castle picked two, and Cabana said, “Do your job, alright?”…
2. Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle (w/knockoff Boys) vs. Preston Quinn and Ken Dixon. Castle hit the Bangarang for the quick win.
Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle beat Preston Quinn and Ken Dixon.
After the match, Castle cut a promo about how they are at the bottom, yet are working their way to the top. Cabana said they have to start all over. He said when he returned to ROH, he came back to be a champion. Colt said he saw Castle and the people love him. Colt said Castle reminds him of himself ten years ago.
Cabana said they are starting at the bottom, so maybe it’s in his best interest to do it as a singles competitor. He said he thought they had something, but now he doesn’t think they do and would prefer a clean break. Fans booed and Castle was disappointed. Cabana offered Castle a handshake. Castle wanted a hug. The fans cheered. Cabana moved in for the hug and instead knee’d Castle below the belt.
Cabana smiled as the fans booed. Cabana raised his arms and soaked up the boos before leaving the ring. The imposter Boys fanned Castle, so Colt returned and roughed them up. Cabana took one of the feather fans and slammed the handle down on Castle’s face. Castle’s nose was bloodied. Cabana left the ring while the broadcast team spoke about how shocked they were by Cabana’s actions…
Powell’s POV: I love it! Cabana has spent most of his career working as a babyface. ROH gave him the big return match against Jay Lethal in Chicago, but it was overshadowed by Bullet Club ruining the main event. It’s been pretty much downhill since then for Cabana, so his character is primed for cutting the angry and frustrated heel promo. Colt has always been a good talker as a babyface and I’m really looking forward to hearing his heel mic work. Castle is the perfect guy for him to turn against, as the fans love him. Bring back the real Boys!
3. Matt Taven, Vinny Marseglia, and TK O’Ryan vs. Ultimo Guerrero, Shigeo Okumura, and Hechicero in an ROH Six-Man Tag Title Tournament match. The teams fought in and around the ring before the break. [C] They took another break when O’Ryan had Guerrero down following a kick. [C] Taven performed a big dive onto his three opponents. The new Kingdom members brought Hechicero inside the ring and teamed up for a triple powerbomb move for the win…
Backstage, Jay and Mark Briscoe spoke about facing The Addiction. They said they are offended by The Addiction thinking they can use them to get back on track. Mark said it’s nothing but a tuneup match for their own match with the Young Bucks at Final Battle…
Powell’s POV: The six-man tag title tournament continues to bore me. I just don’t care about the six-man tag titles. They are putting these matches in the main event slot to make them feel more important, but it’s just not working. That said, I enjoyed the overall show and the opening match was main event quality.
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