By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor TV
Taped June 2 in New York, New York at Hammerstein Ballroom
Aired in syndication on July 7 and Mondays on the FITE TV app
The show opened with Cody and Brandi Rhodes standing in front of the ROH banner. Cody spoke about pirates or raiders leaving a man behind. He said there’s always one left behind. He said he would leave just enough gas left in the tank for Titan to crawl back to CMLL to let company officials know if they want to maintain their partnership with “my Ring of Honor” then they need to send someone bigger. “No one is bigger than you,” Brandi said. Cody laughed…
After the ROH opening video, Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana checked in on commentary while the opening match introductions were taking place. They hyped Cody vs. Titan, and Cheeseburger vs. Bully Ray in a no count-out, no DQ match. Bobby Cruise was the ring announcer…
1. Sumie Sakai and Stella Grey vs. Gabby Ortiz and Riley Shepard. Riccaboni said neither team has a lot of experience teaming together, but Ortiz and Shepard both trained at the Monster Factory. They cut to a break early in the match. [C] Shepard hit Sakai with a kick to the head and covered her, but Grey broke it up. Grey speared Ortiz, then Sakai finished off Shepard with Smash Mouth a short time later…
Sumie Sakai and Stella Grey defeated Gabby Ortiz and Riley Shepard.
A video package focussed on the Bully Ray and Cheeseburger feud… [C]
Powell’s POV: The Women of Honor regulars gave the younger women a couple of moments to shine before putting them away. There was nothing particularly memorable about the match and it didn’t really seem to serve a purpose aside from perhaps getting WOH Champion Sakai some television time.
Cheeseburger made his entrance and received a ton of streamers from the fans. Bully Ray ran out without entrance music. As Cheeseburger was posing on the ropes, Ray low blowed him. The broadcast team threw a fit about Ray resorting to those tactics even while facing Cheeseburger. Ray hit Cheeseburger with a trash can at ringside and ran him into the barricade. Ray shoved former ROH owner Cary Silkin, who got up from his table to move when Ray shoved Cheeseburger at the table.
2. Bully Ray vs. Cheeseburger in a no count-out, no DQ match. Apparently the match started. Ray rolled Cheeseburger in the ring. Cabana said Ray was an example of veteran bitterness. Ray placed Cheeseburger on the top rope in a tree of woe and then put his foot on his ball. A short time later, referee Todd Sinclair asked Cheeseburger if he wanted to give up, but he declined.
Ray press slammed Cheeseburger, then went back to bark at Silkin. Ray pulled out a kendo stick and twirled it. Ray put the stick in the referee’s face before slamming it over the back of Cheeseburger. Riccaboni said he wanted to get away from it was much as they could. He hooped it would be over by the time they returned from a break. [C]
Ray got cocky and played to the crowd. Cheeseburger picked up the kendo stick and worked him over while the fans chanted “yes” with each shot. Ray came back with a huge powerbomb. The fans actually chanted for tables. Ugh. Ray pulled out a chain and hit Cheeseburger with it several times.
Referee Sinclair checked on Cheeseburger and said he’d had enough. Ray said he’d have enough when he said he had enough. Ray hit Sinclair with the chain. Suddenly, Cabana ran in from the commentary position to a huge pop and tackled Ray. Cabana picked up a chain and clotheslined Ray with it. A huge “Cabana” chant broke out.
Cabana picked up a cheesegrater that was in the ring and handed it to Cheeseburger. Cabana held Bully’s legs apart, then Cheeseburger did the Whassup spot and grated Ray’s, um, pubic region. Cabana and Cheeseburger did the “get the tables” bit. Cheeseburger slid a table in the ring and was setting it up when Ray recovered and suplexed him.
Ray finished setting up the table and then placed Cheeseburger on top of it and hit him several times. Ray went for a splash from the middle rope, but Cheeseburger rolled off the table. Cheeseburger covered Ray. Referee Paul Turner rolled into the ring and made the count for a good near fall. Cheeseburger ran at Ray for a palm strike, but Ray caught him with a big boot and pinned him.
Bully Ray defeated Cheeseburger in a no count-out, no DQ match.
Referee Turner helped Ray to his feet only to be shoved down. Cruise intentionally delivered the announcement of Ray winning without enthusiasm. Cabana rejoined Riccaboni and said he was standing up for Silkin, the referees, the ring announcer, etc… [C]
Powell’s POV: This was great and the best thing on ROH television in some time. Ray was great as the biggest prick heel in the company, and Cheeseburger took the abuse while showing good heart in the process. I groaned a bit at the fans calling for tables while Bully was on the offensive given that they had been playing along and sympathizing with Cheeseburger until then, but fans will be fans. Otherwise, this was just great and Cabana was extremely well received when he ran out to help. The Ray vs. Colt feud should be a blast.
An ad aired for the ROH Best in the World replay…
Caprice Coleman hosted a Pulpit segment with The Kingdom as his guests. Matt Taven and TK O’Ryan showed up and presented him with a purple hat that had “Melvin” written on it. Vinny Marseglia rose into the camera shot and asked if he wanted wine. Marseglia handed a glass to Taven, then poured something out of a vile into his hand and told Caprice to have some. Coleman declined, so Marseglia drank it out of his own hand and from the vile. Coleman brought up the gauntlet match to determine their No. 1 contenders to the six-man tag titles. Taven cried conspiracy because they waited a year for their shot.
Coleman grumbled about a kid who was handed everything when he was a kid. The guy wrecked the car and his parents bought him a mid-size sedan instead of a luxury sedan. They told him that he had to drive his brother and sister to school. Coleman said the guy added rims and a good stereo and made the most out of it. Coleman said the Kingdom made the best out of their situation. Taven questioned whether they are sedans and questioned whether Coleman was saying there was no conspiracy. Taven blew a gasket and called himself the real champion. They told Coleman about his Melvin hat. He called them jive turkeys and bickered. Marseglia popped a balloon and said they sound crazy…
Powell’s POV: Finally, the return of the Pulpit. I don’t know why it disappeared, but I hope it will air more consistently. This cheesy edition isn’t the reason I hope it returns, though. I like the segment in general, but this was just plain bad and didn’t do anything for anyone involved.
A graphic hyped next week’s gauntlet match for a shot at the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles…
Backstage, Christopher Daniels cut a promo while Scorpio Sky stood by. He spoke about SoCal Uncensored having to go through the flotsam and jetsam to earn the title shot…
Low budget footage aired of The Dawgs holding Ryan Nove upside down and emptying out his wallet. He had six bucks. He spoke to them and was punched in the face by Rhett Titus…
Ring entrances for the main event took place. Titan received a few streamers. Cody made his entrance with Brandi Rhodes and Burnard the Business Bear. Cody received the mega streamer treatment once he entered the ring…
3. Cody (w/Brandi Rhodes, Burnard the Business Bear) vs. Titan. Caprice Coleman sat in on commentary. Cody and Titan shook hands. Cody wanted Titan to kiss his ring of honor, but it didn’t happen. Cody had the advantage heading into an early break. [C]
Cody untied the mask of Titan and then played to the crowd to get some heat. Titan performed a nice springboard dropkick. Titan ran the ropes for a move and was tripped by Burnard. Cody tried to take advantage of the distraction, but he ended up hitting Burnard. Titan took both men out with a springboard moonsault. Burnard, a man in a bear suit, had his costume head roll off.
Back in the ring, Cody had Brandi toss him a container of hairspray. The referee took it and Cody caught Titan with a kick below the belt. Cody followed up with a Disaster Kick for a two count. Titan went on the offensive. Cody pulled the referee in front of him. Titan moved the ref aside, then Cody kicked Titan in the gut and pulled his mask off (his face was not shown on camera). Cody caught Titan in an inside cradle and pinned him. Cody and Brandi laughed afterward about taking Titan’s mask off…
Cody defeated Titan.
Powell’s POV: A basic TV match and neither guy seemed to have any desire to make it more than that. It’s possible they could have made Titan here if they really wanted to, but it’s not like the ROH television audience has been given reason to view him as a star in the past, so there was no harm in the wrestlers taking the approach they did. The real highlight of the show was the Bully Ray vs. Cheeseburger match with the Colt Cabana angle. That made this week’s show worth watching and it’s really the only thing you need to see this week if you are pressed for time. Next week’s show will feature that gauntlet for a shot at the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles. It was also taped at the Hammerstein, so we have one more week before the post Best in the World tapings air.
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