By Jason Powell
Ring of Honor TV
Taped October 20 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired in syndication over the weekend, Mondays on the FITE TV app
Footage aired of War Machine destroying various opponents while their promo aired as they spoke about waiting a year for a title shot and how their good behavior ends now…
The opening montage aired… The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana checked in and announced that Mark Briscoe dislocated his elbow and would not be able to challenge for the ROH TV Title as scheduled. Instead, they announced War Machine challenging the Motor City Machine Guns for the ROH Tag Titles, and Cody defending the ROH Title…
1. “The Dawgs” Rhett Titus and Will Ferrara vs. “The Kingdom” TK O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia (w/Matt Taven) vs. “Coast 2 Coast” Leon St. Giovanni and Shaheem Ali. Taven sat in on commentary. [C] Following a commercial break, Ali crawled to the Dawgs corner to tag one of them in, but they were pulled off the apron by the Kingdom members. The Dawgs had an offensive flurry on St. Giovanni. They did some comedy with Titus using Ferrara as a weapon. When Ferrara demanded to be put down, Titus simply dropped him.
Coast 2 Coast came back with a double Coast 2 Coast move on Ferrara in the corner. However, Marseglia put St. Giovanni on his shoulders and then O’Ryan picked up his own partner and flipped him over while Marseglia still had St. Giovanni on his shoulders…
The Kingdom beat Coast 2 Coast and The Dawgs.
After the match, Taven joined O’Ryan and Marseglia in the ring. Marseglia took the mic and said that there’s a conspiracy against The Kingdom. O’Ryan chimed in with a similar conspiracy theory speech. They demanded that they get a shot at the ROH Tag Titles…
Footage aired of Dalton Castle attacking Cody at the Global Wars event… [C]
Powell’s POV: This was the same old story with Riccaboni questioning whether this would be the night that Coast 2 Coast finally got their first big win in ROH. They’ve told this story long enough. Give them the first win already. It would be different it I sensed they were building interest in the duo getting their first win, but it seems like they do this at every television taping and it goes nowhere.
Footage aired from Global Wars in Columbus, Ohio of the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega toying with Flip Gordon. They cut to Gordon in front of the ROH interview set. He said the Young Bucks have a Bullet Club, so he’s going to find an army of guys who have nothing to lose…
Powell’s POV: For the love of all that is good and holy, do not have Gordon replace Jay White in the painfully dull and directionless Search and Destroy faction.
ROH Champion Cody headed to the ring for a promo. He said that one lie makes all of your truths questionable. He said he told the fans he would give them a world championship match. He said there’s a colorful individual that ROH faithful want to see face him. The fans chanted Dalton Castle’s name. Cody called for Riccaboni to join him. Cody said he knew Riccaboni wasn’t interested in facing him for the title, but he questioned if there’s someone Riccaboni wanted him to face. Riccaboni answered Dalton Castle. Cody asked the fans if that’s what they wanted and got them worked up before saying that Castle was not there. Cody introduced “the number one contender” and called him Philadelphia’s favorite son.
Cabana wondered if it was Nova from ECW. Riccaboni praised Nova. Cabana pointed out that Nova was in his gear and ready for the match, so someone contacted him ahead of time. Comically, even though Nova was introduced by Cody as Philly’s favorite son, he was introduced by Bobby Cruise as being from New Jersey…
2. Cody vs. Ryan Nova for the ROH Title. The bell rang and Cody held out his ring for Nova to kiss. Nova took Cody’s ring off his finger using his mouth. Cody kicked Nova in the gut and got the ring back, but Nova rolled him up for a two count. Cody hit CrossRhodes and had the pin, but he picked up Nova and then applied the American Death Lock for the win…
Cody defeated Ryan Nova to retain the ROH Title.
After the match, Dalton Castle’s music played and he walked onto the stage… [C]
Powell’s POV: A brief yet fun match. I’m enjoying Cody’s teases that he’ll face Castle only to bring out an inferior talent. It’s good old school heel schtick that works like a charm in the moment and builds more interest in seeing Cody and Castle finally meet.
Castle stood on the stage and asked “Is that it?” regarding Cody. “Is that what Ring of Honor’s most expensive contract is paying for?” Castle asked. “I think I speak for everybody here when I say we’re not mad, we’re just disappointed.” Castle said he thinks Cody is a “good, no, great, no, good wrestler” but Cody’s performances as champion have been lackluster. Castle asked why keep doing that when Cody could give fans the match they really want to see.
Cody said they were in Philly and it’s a big more of an educated audience, so they didn’t need to do what they were doing. He said that with his lineage and connections he could help Castle. Cody guaranteed that Castle could not beat him. He said he would call Jane Geddes or “Paul” and get Castle one of those developmental contracts. He said one call to Paul and then Castle could develop his skills and then come back when he’s ready. Cody said all of Castle’s friends left. “They took them little bitty guaranteed developmental contracts,” he said. Cody said he would walk past Castle because he knew that’s what Castle wanted. Cody told Castle to think about it.
Cody walked past Castle, who then attacked him from behind and threw him back inside the ring. Castle performed his Bangarang finisher on Cody. The fans chanted for Castle, who took the mic and said, “I thought about it, nah, I love it here and I’m going to take your title away”…
Powell’s POV: A terrific segment that the majority of the ROH audience will understand. Cody’s offer was great, and Castle getting the better of him and declining was perfect. The build to their Final Battle match has been great thus far.
A video package aired on Bully Ray. Cabana said you think a guy like Bully would wrestle forever and you kind of take it for granted as a wrestling fan. Riccaboni thanked Bully for what he contributed to ROH…
A Jay Lethal feature aired. He was shown seated at an undisclosed location. He fans ask him what’s left to accomplish in ROH. He said the only thing that matters to him is being the greatest wrestler in the world, and the only thing that makes a person that is holding the ROH Championship… [C]
Powell’s POV: A brief yet effective video in terms of Lethal getting over his objective while making the ROH Title feel prestigious.
Footage aired of Mark Briscoe suffering a dislocated elbow in a match on the Global Wars tour. Mark was shown in front of the ROH banner with his left arm in a cast. He demanded to get his ROH TV Title shot next week despite the injury. Jay Briscoe showed up and took exception to Mark going after a singles title rather than teaming with him. Jay asked how many times he’s going to try to win the TV Title. Mark threw his hat down and asked what Jay’s problem was. “We’re a tag team, man, we’re a tag team,” Jay replied…
The broadcast team expressed shock over Mark actually wrestling next week with a dislocated elbow. Meanwhile, ring entrances for the main event took place. The broadcast team hyped Best Friends vs. The Addiction, and the beginning of a championship series to determine the wrestlers who will compete in a four-way elimination match with Kenny King for the ROH TV Title at Final Battle. The matches appear to be Josh Woods vs. Punishment Martinez (next week), Cheeseburger vs. Shane Taylor, and Jonathan Gresham vs. Silas Young…
Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the tag title match… [C]
3. “The Motor City Machine Guns” Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley vs. “War Machine” Hanson and Raymond Rowe for the ROH Tag Titles. The Guns had the advantage heading into a commercial break. [C] Hanson did his running clotheslines bit on both opponents who were in opposite corners. The crowd roared. A short time later, Hanson performed a handspring elbow, which got a huge pop from the crowd and a “this is awesome” chant.
A short time later, War Machine hit a popup slam Sabin. Hanson performed a suicide dive on Shelley at ringside. Hanson went up top to set up for War Machine’s finisher, but Christopher Daniels ran out and shot silly string at them while Frankie Kazarian mocked the fans with a “this is awesome” on the mic. War Machine cleared Daniels from the ring. Sabin rolled up Hanson and pinned him…
The Motor City Machine Guns beat War Machine to retain the ROH Tag Titles.
The broadcast team hyped Best Friends vs. The Addiction for next week, and Riccaboni said they would see if Mark Briscoe ends up challenging for the ROH TV Title…
Powell’s POV: Please tell me this means the Guns are turning heel. They are a great tag team, but their characters are so vanilla in ROH that it’s time for a change. Overall, this was a top notch show and it wasn’t all about what happened once the bell rang. The Cody and Castle angle was really good, the Briscoes interview was intriguing, the Jay Lethal sit-down was well done, and even the Gordon army tease was compelling. The ROH television show has improved dramatically in 2017 in terms of feeling episodic and from a strictly entertainment standpoint. Haydn Gleed will be by later today with his audio review of this same episode.
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