By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor
Aired live on HonorClub and FITE TV
New Orleans, Louisiana at UNO Lakefront Arena
Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana checked in on commentary and set up a video package that set the stage for the Women of Honor Title tournament semifinal match…
(PreShow): 1. Mayu Iwatani vs. Kelly Klein in the semifinals of the Women of Honor Title tournament. Riccaboni noted that Klein had never been pinned or submitted in ROH. Iwatani picked up a couple of near falls. Klein caught her in her End of the Match guillotine choke. Iwatani didn’t tap, but the referee called for the bell…
Kelly Klein defeated Mayu Iwatani to advance to the finals of WOH Title tournament.
Powell’s POV: A good opening match and one of the best of the WOH tournament. The start time for the pre-show was listed differently in different places, but we’re all good now. I won’t be running any spoilers for the NXT Takeover show, which John Moore is covering on the main page. I will be checking out NXT later tonight. By the way, there are threads for both shows open in the Dot Net Members’ forum if you would like to discuss the show with other members.
(Pre-Show) 2. Tenille Dashwood vs. Sumie Sakai in the semifinals of the Women of Honor Title tournament. Dashwood performed a top rope cross body block onto Sakai, who was at ringside. Dashwood rolled her back inside the ring and covered her for two. Sakai came back with a submission hold, which she eventually released. Dashwood came back with a Taste of Tenille (Emma Sandwich) and got a two count. Sakai came back with a nice missile dropkick for a two count. She followed up with a Saito suplex into a bridge for another near fall. Dashwood caught her going for a move and powerbombed her for a nice near fall. Sakai hit her Smashmouth finisher for a two count (the live crowd didn’t seem to recognize the move as her finisher). Sakai went up top and was caught by Dashwood, who performed a release German suplex from the ropes for two. Sakai avoided the Spotlight Kick and countered into a crucifix pin for the win…
Sumie Sakai defeated Tenille Dashwood to advance to the finals of WOH Title tournament.
After the match, Klein walked to ringside. Riccaboni entered the ring and asked them for a customary photo op. Riccaboni asked the women to shake hands. They shook hands, but Klein took a cheap shot at Sakai and then left the ring…
Riccaboni and Cabana closed out the pre-show and said the main show would start at 7:30CT/8:30ET…
Powell’s POV: Another quality women’s match with some good near falls for both women. I was hoping that Dashwood would advance to the finals. Heck, I was hoping for a Dashwood vs. Iwatani finals, though that was only going to happen if Dashwood had an ROH deal. Can we have a third place match? The post match angle was simple and effective in terms of cementing Klein as the heel and making Sakai look sympathetic. Unfortunately, the ROH website is already down. I will be watching via the FITE TV app, so hopefully I will be able to see the show and continue this report when the main show starts. Stay tuned.
A video package opened the main show… A video aired with Cody saying perception was reality at one time, but now reality is reality. Cody ended up kissing his ring of honor… The broadcast team checked in and marveled over the 6,000-plus fans in attendance and how far the company has come since the first show at the Murphy Rec Center…
1. Jonathan Gresham vs. Chuckie T (w/Beretta). Riccaboni noted that Gresham was cleared after tweaking his knee in a recent match. Beretta had his injure arm in a protective cast. At roughly 4:30, Gresham went for a dive between the ropes. He appeared to overshoot Chuckie and landed awkwardly at ringside. Fortunately, he got back up and seemed to be okay. At 8:30, T hit Sole Food. Gresham came right back with a tornado DDT, but T caught him with an inside cradle seconds later and scored the pin…
Chuckie T defeated Jonathan Gresham in 9:00.
Powell’s POV: A well worked opener between two babyfaces. The live crowd reacted to moves and the Best Friends hugging than one wrestler over the other.
The broadcast team was talking about the Tomohiro Ishii vs. Punishment Martinez match when a man wearing face paint approached them from behind and apparently put something on their desk, which they said looked like an alligator claw. Punishment Martinez emerged from a casket on the stage as part of his entrance. The live crowd popped big for Ishii’s entrance…
2. Tomohiro Ishii vs. Punishment Martinez. The broadcast team said they didn’t know who the man who was approached them from behind, but they said he represents Martinez. Punishment controlled the opening minutes and performed a falcon arrow. Ishii came back with a chop to the throat and then performed a vertical suplex. The second overshot dive of the night occurred a few minutes into the match with Martinez dove over Ishii and landed on his head. He shook it off, got up, and then performed a springboard flip dive onto Ishii at ringside. “It’s not worth it, Punishment,” Cabana said.
Martinez performed a huracanrana for the ropes for two count at 5:20. Ishii came back and connected with a clothesline to the stomach of Martinez for a two count. Martinez came back with a chokeslam and scored the pin…
Punishment Martinez defeated Tomohiro Ishii in 8:30.
Powell’s POV: A decent match. Ishii typically has stiff slugfest style matches. This was more of a Martinez style match with him getting the majority of the memorable offense. It’s a big win for Martinez, as beating Ishii means something to ROH fans.
3. Kota Ibushi vs. Adam Page. Ibushi connected with a nice dropkick around 5:00 and then connected with a series of quick strikes. He threw Page to the floor and then set up for a move rom the ropes, but Page cut him off. Page went for a shooting star press from the apron. Ibushi avoided the move and Page landed on his feet. Seconds later, Ibushi caught Page on the guardrail and German suplexed him from there. Page appeared to land on his head. Cabana said he was being honest when he said he didn’t like it. Ibushi performed a moonsault from the ropes onto Page at ringside, then rolled him back inside the ring and covered him for a two count.
Page came back with an inverted piledriver for a good near fall at 9:00. Ibushi came back with a Pele kick. Ibushi set up for a piledriver on the apron, but Page backdropped him instead. Page went up top and performed a top rope moonsault onto Ibushi on the floor. Page rolled Ibushi back inside the ring and performed his buckshot lariat for a two count. Page went for the Rite of Passage, but Ibushi avoided it. Ibushi powered up Page for a German suplex into a bridge for a near fall. They traded shots in the middle of the ring with Ibushi getting the better of a slap-fest, but running into a forearm from Page. Ibushi stood up and blasted Page with a kick at 13:50.
Ibushi performed a big powerbomb for a two count. He came right back with another German into a bridge for two. Ibushi held onto Page and then blasted him with a knee to the face and pinned him…
Kota Ibushi pinned Adam Page in 14:30.
Powell’s POV: A terrific match with the live crowd chanting “fight forever” and being totally into it. Ibushi is a star and Page is on his way. From a production standpoint, the live crowd is nice and loud, but the company has everything dark aside from the ring and stage, so it’s hard to get a good look at the big crowd. It’s one of those times when I wish they would shake up the production so that the hard camera isn’t always facing the entrance. That hard camera shot always features the fewest fans on any side of the building. They have aired some shots from within the crowd that do a better job of showing off the crowd, but it’s too dark to get a good look.
The broadcast team recapped footage from the semifinals of the WOH tournament. ROH ring announcer Bobby Cruise introduced Daffney, who was sitting at ringside…
4. Sumie Sakai vs. Kelly Klein to become the first Women of Honor Champion. Sakai attacked Klein before the bell as revenge for Klein’s cheap shot earlier. Klein took control and put her mouthguard in. It was all Klein. A couple of Future of Honor female wrestlers slammed their hands on the mat along with Daffey to encourage Sakai. In the end, Sakai DDT’d Klein and pinned her…
Sumie Sakai defeated Kelly Klein in 7:15 to become the first Women of Honor Champion.
After the match, Cary Silkin entered the ring and presented Sakai with the new WOH Championship. Deonna Purrazzo, Mandy Leon, Kelly Q, and other women came out and hugged Sakai, who bowed at each of them before she went to the second rope and held up her title belt…
Powell’s POV: You could tell they wanted this to be a feel good moment when they had the other women at ringside rooting for Sakai. I’m not sure what happened with the finish, but even the live crowd seemed caught off guard by that being the end of the match. The live crowd was respectful, but this didn’t seem to connect with them on an emotional level.
A video package set up the six-man tag match and recapped the history between SoCal Uncensored and the Young Bucks, and showed Bully Ray setting up the ladder match…
5. “SoCal Uncensored” Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky vs. Flip Gordon and “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson in a ladder match for the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles. A single belt hung above the ring. Shane Taylor sat in on commentary. The Bucks received a great ovation and got the streamer treatment. Taylor assured the broadcast team that he was only there to call the match. Gordon kicked a ladder into one of the heels. “Oh, man, I’m afraid for this match,” Cabana said. Gordon came up holding his head early on. The Bucks were holding a ladder when Sky did a flip dive onto the ladder. Cabana correctly questioned Sky’s logic.
Kazarian and Gordon fought on the ladder. Kazarian performed a cutter from the ladder, which drew a holy shit chant. A short time later, Gordon took a running start and the Bucks flipped him into a 450 splash on Sky, who was on a ladder set up in the corner between the ropes. Kazarian did the obligatory Terry Funk ladder helicopter spot, but Gordon kept avoided the swinging ladder. The Bucks ended with a superkick. Matt put Sky on a ladder and then Nick did a swanton onto Sky at 7:10. Taylor noted that Sky was taking a beating throughout the match.
Matt sold his ongoing lower back injury as SCU took control. They threw him onto a ladder that was set up in a corner of the ring. Gordon performed a springboard blockbuster on Daniels, but Kazarian and Sky immediately put the boots to him. At 11:10, the Bucks did a double hip toss on Sky, whose back landed on the ladder. The Bucks slammed Daniels face first onto a ladder. Nick made a play for the title belt, but Sky cut him off at 11:50. The Bucks applied a Sharpshooter and crossface combo on Sky, who tapped out, but it’s not a recognized finish in this match.
Nick climbed a ladder. Kazarian picked up another ladder and threw it at him to knock him down. Daniels held Gordon on the floor. Kazarian performed a huracanrana, but Gordon moved and Daniels took the move instead. Gordon went up top and did a big flip dive onto all three opponents. In the ring, Nick hopped onto all of the ladders that were set up to get to the ropes to do a big flip dive.
The Bucks climbed a ladder and were about to win when some balloons floated into the picture. The Kingdom (Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan, and Vinny Marseglia) showed up and stopped them from winning. The broadcast team noted that The Kingdom were banned from the event by Bully Ray. They hit a Triple Powerbomb and then stood by as Daniels climbed the ladder, only to turn on SoCal Uncensored to prevent them from winning. The Bucks, Kazarian, and Sky caught O’Ryan on the ladder, picked it up, and dumped him to the floor. The fans chanted “get the f— out” at the Kingdom.
Cabana asked the obvious question of where Bully Ray was since he banned the Kingdom from the building. Riccaboni brought up the Hall of Fame ceremony, but he didn’t have an answer either. The Kingdom left. The two actual teams ended up fighting on top of three ladders. Gordon took an intentional face bump into the top of a ladder before tumbling to the mat. That sequence ended with all six men on the mat and the belt still hanging above the ring.
Gordon went to ringside and grabbed a ladder that was bigger than the other ladders. Nick did a dive that took out The Kingdom, who apparently didn’t take the crowd’s advice. Gordon performed a springboard double blockbuster that took two SCU members off the apron and onto a pile of wrestlers on the floor. Sky and O’Ryan were set up on tables at ringside. Gordon and Nick performed simultaneous flip dives from the top rope that drove both men through the tables. Daniels set up a ladder in the ring, but Matt returned to cut him off. Matt removed his weightlifting belt and struck Daniels with it a few times. They fought for position near the top of the ladder. Daniels ended up falling, but he tipped over the ladder. Matt tipped over with the ladder, yet delivered an elbow drop on one of the Kingdom members who was lying on a table. Daniels pulled the title belt down to win the match. The Kingdom stole the six-man tag title belts afterward…
SoCal Uncensored defeated The Young Bucks and Flip Gordon in 24:05 in a ladder match to retain the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: Insanity. Hopefully everyone is okay after that madness. Daniels and Kazarian seemed to be waiting for an ovation afterward that never came. I’m not sure if the Kingdom taking the six-man tag titles is going to be used to turn SCU now or where it’s going, but I do know that despite how hard these guys worked, I just don’t care about the six-man tag titles.
The broadcast team set up intermission. They aired a Triple Threat match that was held prior to the show with Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas vs. Luke and PJ Hawx vs. Motor City Machine Guns. Bruiser and Milonas won the match…
Powell’s POV: We get a ton of rapid fire matches on the ROH shows. It would be nice if they would use the intermission time to air pre-taped promos and video packages to set up the remaining matches. That said, this beats the hell out of staring at a graphic for 15 minutes (though we did see it for a few minutes after the match).
6. Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe vs. Hiroshi Tanahasi and Jay Lethal for the ROH Tag Titles. Lethal wore his Randy Savage colors. Tanahashi did Mark’s pose after an early exchange. Mark spat in his face. Tanahashi responded with a dragon screw leg whip. The Briscoes ended up isolating Lethal, who came back with a suicide dive on Jay at 8:45. Tanahashi tagged back into the match moments later. The Briscoes ended up working over Tanahasi. “Watch the hair,” referee Paul Turner yelled at one of the Briscoes. Amen, Turner.
At 14:10, Tanahashi caught Mark with a sling blade clothesline and both men tagged out. Jay and Jay traded punches. Lethal ended up putting Jay down and then went up top for his elbow drop, but Jay put his boot up. Lethal saw it coming and stopped short. He ended up applying a figure four. Tanahashi dumped Mark to ringside. Lethal pointed to the top rope. Tanahashi set up for his finisher, but Mark cut him off and then performed Froggy Bow on Lethal to break the figure four.
Lethal caught Mark with a Lethal Injection for a good near fall at 17:45. A short time later, Lethal went for the move again on Jay, but this time Jay caught him with a suplex. Jay hoisted up Lethal, tagged his brother, and then Mark hit his part of the Doomsday Device and pinned Lethal…
Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe defeated Hiroshi Tanahasi and Jay Lethal in 19:35 to retain the ROH Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: The live crowd loved Tanahashi, but they didn’t seem very invested when Lethal was in the ring with the Briscoes. ROH just hasn’t found the right spot for Lethal since his big run and making him out to be a legend at age 32 is damaging in that it makes him feel so much older than he is. I was really hoping to see Lethal and Tanahashi have some sort of misunderstanding that would set up the need for a future singles match, but it didn’t happen. Meanwhile, the Briscoes are a strong heel duo and hopefully we can get them feuding with the Young Bucks or even the Golden Lovers soon.
A video package set up the ROH TV Title match. “That was an impressive package,” a voice said. Austin Aries walked out with all of his title belts and said that if anyone knows about impressive packages it’s him. He recalled showing up at the 16th Anniversary show and said he wants the winner of the ROH TV Title match…
7. Kenny King vs. Silas Young in a Last Man Standing match for the ROH TV Title. Aries sat in on commentary. Young brought a bunch of weapons to the ring. Aries said he and King are friends, but his desire to hold the ROH TV Title is business and King knows that. King performed a nice swinging backbreaker on Young about 90 seconds into the match. King applied a submission and the cameras inexplicably cut to the broadcast team for a few seconds. Moments later, Young picked up King and dumped him over the top rope and through a table, which drew gasps from the previously quiet crowd. Young punched King several times at ringside and tagged him with one punch that drew more gasps. Young jawed at the crowd and got a rise out of some at ringside. Aries comically agreed with Young’s assessment of the fans and then Riccaboni defended them.
At 12:10, King set up a table on the floor and slammed Young’s face onto it. King placed Young on top of the table and then went to the top rope. Beer City Bruiser came out and traded punches with King, who hit him with a trash can a few times. Young recovered and hit King from behind. Aries said he couldn’t run down because what was happening was technically legal due to the match stipulation. At ringside, King performed a belly to belly suplex onto a ladder that was leaning against the barricade. King put Young on the table again and performed a shooting star press from the top rope and drove Young through the ladder. The fans came to life with holy shit chants. King tried to get up, but Bruiser was holding his feet from underneath the ring. Young barely got to his feet and was awarded the win. King’s legs were actually taped together by Bruiser.
Silas Young beat Kenny King in a Last Man Standing match in 15:45 to win the ROH TV Title.
After the match, Young and Bruiser roughed up King. Austin Aries left commentary and headed to the ring. Aries performed a suicide dive that took out Young and Bruiser. The fans chanted for Aries, who threw the ROH TV Title at Young.
Powell’s POV: The wrestlers worked hard and they drew gasps from the live crowd at times, but the fans never seemed to genuinely care about the outcome until King performed the shooting star press and then they got upset about the finish. It was hard to tell whether they were pissed at Young or the company for the finish.
The broadcast team set up an unadvertised match..
Cheeseburger and Eli Isom vs. “The Dawgs” Rhett Titus and Will Ferrara never got started. The Dawgs ended up wrapping Isom’s leg around the post and hitting it with a chair. Bully Ray showed up and called The Dawgs a couple of scumbags. He said they were not scheduled and they ended up being given a match. He said they could have showed everyone their ability and instead they did what they did. Bully said that if Cheeseburger couldn’t find a partner he would have to call off the match.
Cheeseburger asked Bully to be his partner and said, “One final fight.” The fans cheered. Bully eventually agreed…
8. Bully Ray and Cheeseburger vs. “The Dawgs” Rhett Titus and Will Ferrara. Cabana recalled the storyline that Ray had been advised by multiple physicians not to wrestle. Ray and Cheeseburger performed the Whassup spot on Titus. Bully told Cheeseburger to get the tables. However, Ray grabbed Cheeseburger and chokeslammed him. “What the hell is that?!?” Riccaboni asked. Cabana said he didn’t get it.
Bully Ray and Cheeseburger fought The Dawgs to an apparent no-contest.
Bully got a mic and asked Cheeseburger who the hell he thinks he is. “How dare you put me on the spot,” Ray said. “You are what’s wrong with the wrestling business. You and all of your kind. Your entire generation, you’re selfish, you’re spoiled, you’re entitled, you think this is all about you.” Bully lumped in Cheeseburger with Will Ospreay, Flip Gordon, and “that nobody Ricochet.” Ray said they are all the same and have destroyed the wrestling industry and they don’t belong here.
Joe Koff walked to ringside. Ray asked if Koff was going to save the day and called him an old bastard. Ray said the wrestling business sucks because Koff signs guys like Cheeseburger. Koff said it was “unacceptable” off-mic. Ray leaned down and asked if he was going to do something. He said Koff, the cameraman, and others were not going to do anything.
Flip Gordon ran out. Bully grabbed Cheeseburger in piledriver position and said he would piledrive him if Gordon took another step closer to him. He said the commission would shut down the show and the fans wouldn’t get their precious double main event. “Do you know who I am?” Ray asked. “I’m Bully Ray.” He put his WWE Hall of Fame ring on. “I’m a WWE Hall of Famer,” he added. The broadcast team told Ray to go to New York. Ray picked up Cheeseburger and powerbomed him…
Powell’s POV: It was fun to see Bully a night after his WWE Hall of Fame induction and I was cool with this being a quick feel good moment because the live crowd needed something to wake them up a bit. Instead, it turned out to be an old school heel Bully Ray moment. It would have worked better if we didn’t see a piledriver earlier in the show. For that matter, I believe ROH and WWE are allowed to execute piledrivers, it’s the other groups in town for the weekend that were banned, but I could be mistaken. I’m cool with this if it means we’re getting the in-ring return of a heel Bully Ray. On the flip side, I sure hope we’re not getting him or anyone else in ROH as a heel authority figure. For the record, I don’t believe there was ever a finish to the match, so we’ll just call it a no-contest.
9. Kenny Omega vs. Cody (w/Brandi Rhodes, Bernard the Business Bear). Cody came out with security and wore an eye patch as part of his pre-match attire. Cody shook hands with the man in the bear suit. The ref brought them together before the bell. Cody jawed at Omega. The bell rang and the fans chanted “holy shit” before they even locked up. Cody stalled by kissing his wife. There was a loud “f— you, Cody” chant.
Omega did his Terminator bit and set up for a move. Bernard the Bear reached in and grabbed his leg. Omega ran the ropes and then kicked Bernard, whose bear head went flying into the crowd. Bernard covered his face. Cabana said they weren’t sure who the person in the costume was. The referee ejected Bernard from ringside. A short time later, Cody worked up the crowd for a move, then stopped and flipped them off. Awesome.
Cody caught Omega and powerbombed him. Cody applied his American Death Lock briefly. Cody targeted the knee of Omega. Brandi threw Cody an object in front of the referee. The ref took the object away, the Cody kicked Omega below the belt for good heat. Kenny tumbled to the floor where Brandi kicked him and then walked over him. Cody worked over Omega at ringside. He teased doing a “too sweet” with a fan and then flipped off the fan. Cody jawed with a female fan at ringside. He took a drink from another fan, took a swig, and spat it into the crowd.
Back in the ring, Omega performed a cross body block, but Cody rolled through and got a two count. Omega fired up only to have Cody cut him off again. Omega went for a moonsault. Cody put his knees up. At 13:35, Omega performed a huracanrana and Cody rolled to the floor. Omega ran the ropes and performed a flip dive. Omega performed a neckbreaker onto his knee.Omega hit a V Trigger high knee and two dragon suplexes.
Cody came back with a Disaster Kick for a two count. Omega came right back set up for his finisher, but Cody slipped away and applied a figure four. Omega had his shoulders down for a two count. He sat up and they traded punches. Omega rolled over the figure four and Cody scrambled and reached the ropes to break it. Omega sold knee damage. Cody performed a dragon screw leg whip. Cody pulled a table out from underneath the ring. “Did we have a banquet here today?” Riccaboni hilariously asked due to the number of tables used during the show.
At 22:00, Cody went for CrossRhodes on the apron with the goal of doing it through the table, but Omega blocked it. Cody went for a piledriver. Omega avoided it and they traded punches on the apron. Omega eventually performed a dragon suplex on the apron. Omega went for a suplex with the table on its side on the floor. Cody countered and dropped Omega gut-first onto the table’s side. “Watch my magic trick,” Cody said before pulling the cover off of another table at ringside.
Omega returned to the ring and Cody returned to give him a springboard dropkick. Cody performed an Alabama Slam for a two count. Cody went to ringside where he and Brandi positioned the table. At 27:00, Cody performed a dragon suplex. Omega came right back with a dropkick. Omega performed a reverse huracanrana. Brandi climbed onto the apron and barked at Omega. Cody took advantage of the distraction and set up for his finisher, but Omega avoided it.
Omega ran the ropes and tried to hit Cody with the V-Trigger. Cody moved and Omega hit Brandi with the V-Trigger and she crashed through the table. Omega checked on Brandi. Once he returned to the ring, Cody hit CrossRhodes for a great near fall. A short time later, Cody performed a superplex from the top rope. Cody removed his weightlifting belt and hit Omega with it. Cody went for a moonsault. Omega moved. Omega fired up in the corner and hit Cody with a knee. Omega set up for a big move, but Cody pulled the referee in front of him and spat at Omega.
Omega connected with a V-Trigger for a good near fall. Omega hit the move again and hoisted up Cody for his finisher, but Cody countered into a Vertebreaker for a great near fall of his own at 33:55. Omega had Cody from behind. Cody backed up and both men hit the referee. REF BUMP!!! Cody and Kenny were both down moments later. The Young Bucks came out and entered the ring and talked with one another. The Bucks sized up both men. They played to the crowd. They tried to double superkick Cody, who dropped down, causing the Bucks to superkick Omega. Cody hit CrossRhodes and scored the pin…
Cody defeated Kenny Omega in 37:10.
After the match, Cody put his ring of honor on. The Bucks checked on Omega, who eventually shoved them away. Omega was helped to the back, leaving the Bucks in the ring alone…
Powell’s POV: A match that somehow lived up to the hype and exceeded it in a lot of ways. I’m rarely a fan of a ref bump finish, but this one was well done with both men having a war only to have the Bucks double superkick decide it. The finish gives Cody the win he needed and creates more drama between the Bullet Club members. I enjoyed the hell out of this and Cody’s heel work was off the charts great. I feel bad for Dalton Castle and Marty Scurll because I’m not sure what they could do to top that at the end of a marathon night.
The broadcast team shifted to hyping the main event and then the ring introductions took place…
10. Dalton Castle (w/The Boys) vs. Marty Scurll for the ROH Title. Castle had some bonus boys during his entrance and confetti shot off. The real Boys accompanied him to ringside. Ring announcer Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Referee Todd Sinclair called for a handshake. Castle offered his hand. Scurll teased it, then lightly kicked away the foot of Castle. NWA Champion Nick Aldis (formerly Magnus in TNA) was shown in the crowd. The broadcast team said he was there in support of Scurll.
Scurll flipped off Castle early on, which got a rise out of the crowd. Castle dug keep into his shorts, pulled his hand out, and flipped off Scurll. A short time later, Scurll grabbed his umbrella from ringside and teased hitting Castle with it, but the referee got in his face. Scurll gently placed the umbrella under the ropes in one corner of the ring. For some reason, the referee just accepted this placement. At 5:45, Castle charged at Scurll, who moved, causing Castle to run head first into the ring post. Scurll flipped off a fan at ringside before working over Castle.
Castle battled back with multiple suplexes just before 11:00. He set up for another, but Scurll broke free and wrenched his left arm over his shoulder. Castle charged at Scurll, who shoved him through the ropes. Scurll struck his pose while kneeling. Castle pulled him through the ropes and suplexed him on the floor. AT 13:30, Scurll performed a DDT on the floor and then tossed Castle back inside the ring.
Back in the ring, Castle went for his finisher, but Scurll countered into a pin for a two count. Castle caught Scurll with a high knee. Castle threw more knees in the corner. There were dueling chants with the Scurll supporters winning. The wrestlers fought on the ropes. Scurll ended up performing a top rope superplex. Castle ended up at ringside and Scurll caught him with a kick from the apron. They fought into the entrance aisle. Castle charged at Scurll, who backdropped him on the stage steps. Ouch.
Back in the ring, Castle targeted the shoulder of Castle by bending his arm behind him and running his shoulder into the corner twice. Castle performed a Ghostbuster for a two count. They fought at ringside again. Scurll ran Castle into the barricade near Aldis, who handed Scurll tool, which he used to cut the turnbuckle pad away. Scurll put Castle’s arm behind his back again and tried to run him into the exposed turnbuckle, but Castle fought his way free. At 22:25, Castle caught Scurll with a clothesline and let out a primal scream, but the tired crowd did not respond like they would have earlier last night (it’s now a new day in my timezone).
Castle performed a deadlift German suplex into a bridge for a two count. Castle and Scurll ended up on the ropes in the corner where the turnbuckle was exposed. Scurll caught Castle with a low blow. Castle caught him with a punch. Scurll picked up a near fall moments later and the crowd booed. Scurll looked under the ring for something and couldn’t find it. Castle charged at him and hit him. Castle slammed Scurll on the floor and returned to the ring.
Scurll pulled out a bag of powder, but Castle kicked it at him. A blinded Scurll did the finger break spot with the referee. Castle hit the Bangarang and went for the pin. The referee counted, but then sold his fingers being broken. Scurll struck Castle with his umbrella a few times while the referee was helped backstage. Scurll hit both of the Boys with the umbrella and then hit Castle repeatedly with it.
Scurll performed a brainbuster and covered Castle. The crowd counted the pin. Referee Paul Turner ran out and counted, but Castle kicked out at two. Scurll called for his chicken wing finisher. Castle struck his Peacock pose instead. Castle and Scurll traded offense until Scurll applied the chicken wing. The crowd came to life thinking this was the finish. Castle got to his feet and broke the hold, then slammed backwards to drive Scurll into the mat. Scurll sat up and reapplied the chicken wing.
Castle reached for the ropes, but Scurll released the hold and grabbed Castle’s fingers and snapped them. Scurll stomped the back of Castle’s head repeatedly. Castle got a quick near fall. Scurll came right back with two kicks. Castle hit the Bangarang and scored the pin…
Dalton Castle defeated Marty Scurll in 31:45 to retain the ROH Title.
The show ended abruptly as Castle was celebrating and the broadcast team was talking…
Powell’s POV: Everyone say it with me now… LESS IS MORE. This live crowd was spent after sitting through nearly six hours of matches (counting the pre-show) and it wasn’t fair to the wrestlers. They did come to life down the stretch, but it was very quiet at times during the match and I blame the length of the show more than anything. It didn’t help that they had this match follow the Omega vs. Cody match, though I can respect the idea of putting the title match on last if that’s why they made the call. I honestly enjoy traditional ROH pay-per-view television events more because the time restriction forces them to be disciplined. This was not a bad show, but there were parts that dragged and it started to feel like it would never end. I will have more to say about this show in my audio review for members later, um, this morning.
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