By Jason Powell
Ring of Honor TV
Taped on May 14 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired in syndication over the weekend, Mondays on the FITE TV app, and Wednesdays on Comet TV
After the opening video, Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana checked in from ringside and hyped the main event and additional matches…
1. IWGP Tag Champions “War Machine” Hanson and Ray Rowe vs. Will Ferrara and Cheeseburger in a non-title match. War Machine received a televised entrance, while their opponents did not. The broadcast team noted the recent issues between Ferrara and Cheeseburger.
War Machine destroyed Cheeseburger with a back body drop into a powerbomb. Rowe covered Cheeseburger, who kicked out. Rowe acted stunned and the crowd popped big and chanted for Cheeseburger. Cabana said that if that didn’t put Cheeseburger away, he almost didn’t want to see what War Machine would do next. Cheeseburger bounced back briefly, but Rowe tossed him into the air and Hanson caught him with a big slam on the way down for the win…
War Machine defeated Will Ferrara and Cheeseburger.
After the match, War Machine delivered an in-ring promo. Rowe spoke about how they won the ROH Tag Titles in Philly. He told the Young Bucks to go home, kiss their kids, say their prayers, and film their Youtube channel because “you’re next.” Hanson took the mic and yelled “War Machine world domination”…
Powell’s POV: A fun television match with Cheeseburger coming off as showing great heart with a simple kick out from a big move. This would have been a cool moment for Ferrara to fully turn on Cheeseburger in that the crowd would have despised him for doing so. Cheeseburger was terrific and it was quite the visual to see the power team tossed him around like nothing. The post match promo by War Machine was weak. The fans were hot for War Machine coming out of the match, but Rowe’s delivery left them a little flat.
A video focussed on Christopher Daniels vs. Cody (Rhodes) for the Best in the World pay-per-view… The broadcast team spoke about the match…
Daniels delivered a backstage promo with the ROH Title over his shoulder. Daniels said he will continue his dream by ending The Nightmare at Best in the World… Riccaboni hyped the next match before going to break… [C] Ring entrances for the eight-man tag match took place…
2. Bully Ray, Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, and Dalton Castle (w/The Boys) vs. Tetsuya Naito, Evil, Bushi, and Sanada in an eight-man tag match. Early in the match, Naito got in Bully’s face and motioned for him to tag in. Bully complied and the fans chanted ECW. Bully ran the ropes and then dropped down Naito style. Natio started to run the ropes and then tagged in Bushi. Bully worked over the other three members of the team and then motioned for Naito to tag in. Naito dropped to ringside and stalled. [C]
The ROH crew got on a roll and Bully led the crowd in calling for tables. The Boys pushed Dalton out of the way of Bushi, who sprayed mist in to the face of Jay Briscoe. Naito rolled up Jay and pinned him. Afterward, Jay was upset with Castle and the Boys. Jay jawed at the Boys, who fled to the stage. Naito sat down on a chair inside the ring…
Tetsuya Naito, Evil, Bushi, and Sanada beat Bully Ray, Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, and Dalton Castle.
Hangman Page cut a promo saying this would be Adam Cole’s swan song. He said just as Marty Scurll kicked him out of Bullet Club, he would kick Cole out of Ring of Honor… A Punisher Martinez vignette aired… [C]
Powell’s POV: The match was fun while it lasted. I didn’t see the angle with Jay Briscoe, Castle, and the Boys coming, so that was unexpected and I’m curious to see where it goes.
Jay Lethal cut a backstage promo in which he stated that his feud with Silas Young was far from over. He said he didn’t have to go looking hard for Bobby Fish to help him. Lethal asked Fish to stay away from Young “because he’s mine.” A graphic hyped Lethal and Fish vs. Young and Beer City Bruiser as the main event in two weeks…
Kevin Kelly joined the broadcast team and they spoke about Roppongi Vice heading into their match against the Young Bucks at the NJPW Dominion event. An RPG Vice promo aired from an undisclosed location. Trent Beretta said they could have the Bucks put in jail for attacking them, but they are not those kinds of guys. Rocky Romero suggested a handicap match in Philly. Beretta said he had a guy for a six-man tag. They went to leave through a door and were superkicked by the Bucks, who were coming out of the bathroom. Hangman Page zipped up his pants…
Powell’s POV: My lord, we actually heard from Romero and Beretta on ROH television. I’m still not sure if they want fans to cheer or boo RPG Vice, but I’ll settle for this long overdue baby step.
Ring entrances for the main event took place. The broadcast team spoke about the six-man tag match taking place on next week’s show and questioned who would team with Roppongi Vice. They also hyped ROH TV Champion Marty Scurll vs. Kushida for next week…
3. Adam Cole vs. Hangman Page. Cole caught Page with a kick that knocked him off the apron. Cole followed up with a suicide dive heading into the break. [C] Page knocked Cole off the ropes and then performed a suicide dive. Page mocked Cole by doing his pose and saying, “Adam Page, bay-bay.”
Cole went for a figure four. Page spat in his face. Cole locked in the move anyway. Page reached the ropes to break the hold. A short time later, Page flipped over the ropes and into a superkick from Cole, who performed a nice German suplex and a shining wizard for a two count. Page came back with a shooting star press off the apron. He followed up with a flip over the top rope into a clothesline for a two count. [C]
Page performed a piledriver on Cole for another two count. Cole rebounded with a series of kicks and another shining wizard. Page came back with a Last Shot and scored a two count using Cole’s own move. Later, Cole superkicked Page off the apron and then performed a Panama Surprise on the floor. The broadcast team played up the possibility of a ref stoppage.
Back inside the ring, Cole went to the second rope and went for the Panama Surprise again, but Page countered into the Rite of Passage for a two count. Page ran the ropes a few times and blasted Cole with a lariat and followed up with another Rite of Passage for the clean win…
Hangman Page pinned Adam Cole.
After the match, Page shoved referee Todd Sinclair down and removed his belt. Page whipped Cole with the belt. Frankie Kazarian ran in and hit Page to clear him from the ring. Kazarian picked up the belt and chased Page to the back…
Powell’s POV: A strong main event with a logical finish considering that Cole is on his way out of the company. It’s great that ROH chose to have Cole put over Page rather than one of the more established wrestlers. Page continues to impress and this win elevates him. The post match angle kept Page’s feud with Kazarian alive, which is kind of surprising if only because their pay-per-view match was so brief. Overall, this was another good show and the hype for next week’s edition was solid. The effort to promote more for upcoming shows continues the improvement and it makes the shows feel more episodic and must see. Haydn Gleed will be by on Thursday with his audio review.
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