By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor TV
Taped August 25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired in syndication on September 22 and Mondays on the FITE TV app
Highlights aired from last week of the angle that set up this week’s tag team main event… The opening video aired and then the broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman checked in and noted that the ROH Death Before Dishonor is less than a week away…
1. The Boys vs. “Best Friends” Berreta and Chuckie T. The Boys put their hands together and offered a weird handshake. The Best Friends touched their hands. The Boys got off to a quick start and one of them performed a flip dive onto Chuckie at ringside. The Best Friends came back with a nice crucifix cutter on the floor. T performed a powerbomb in the ring for a two count. [C]
Riccaboni noted during the match that Cody and The Young Bucks will defend the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles against Silas Young, Beer City Bruiser, and Brian Milonas, and the ROH TV Champion will defend his title against Aaron Solo on next week’s show.
The Boys went back on the offensive in the ring and performed a long blower into a Codebreaker combo on Berreta for a two count. Best Friends came back and performed simultaneous Dude Buster and Awful Waffles on The Boys and got the win…
Best Friends beat The Boys.
Powell’s POV: An entertaining match, bu I was hoping to see an actual angle that played into the 10-man tag match with Bullet Club vs. Chaos at Friday’s pay-per-view. Instead, it was just a regular tag match and even a fairly competitive one at that. Best Friends continue to have zero character development in ROH.
A brief video package showed The Briscoes and Punishment Martinez working over SCU and then promoted the ROH Tag Title match for the Death Before Dishonor event…
Kenny King made his entrance with two inflatable devices while dressed in a hat and an unbuttoned t-shirt. Riccaboni said he’s not the same guy. Adam Page made his entrance… [C]
Powell’s POV: Kenny is morphing into a modern day Savannah Jack. His pre-match wardrobe isn’t quite the same look, but it’s not far off either.
2. Kenny King vs. Hangman Page. Page performed a shooting star press off the apron and then posed for a selfie with a fan. Page brought the inflatable devices into the ring. King picked one up and used it to block Page’s punches, then hit him over the head with it. Page came back and suplexed King onto the the device for a big pop. [C]
King performed a German suplex into a bridge for a two count. Coleman spoke about Page working overseas and now making a huge impact globally. Page took a kick through the ropes from King. Page came right back with a Buckshot Lariat for another tow count. King came back and had Page pinned with his feet on the ropes, but the referee spotted it and stopped the count. King went for a Royal Flush, but Page countered into an inside cradle. They jockeyed for position and eventually King ended up on top and got the pin… [C]
Kenny King defeated Adam Page.
Powell’s POV: I have no idea why King has beaten Marty Scurll and now Adam Page in recent weeks. I was intrigued when he beat Scurll, but the inflatable devices and beach party look are odd, and I don’t sense that there’s any extra buzz about him despite these wins. I guess we’ll see where it goes and whether it was really worth it.
2. Dante Caballero vs. “Number One” Brian Johnson in a Top Prospect Tournament. Caballero was featured in a brief pre-match promo. He’s from Puerto Rico and he’s in ROH to win the Top Prospect Tournament. Johnson delivered a promo about being number one at all sorts of things. Coleman said he didn’t know about the brackets for the tournament this year. As expected, Jeff Cobb showed up and beat the hell out of both men just seconds into the match. Coleman said Cobb destroyed the bracket for the tournament. Cobb took the mic and said, “The Top Prospect Tournament is over because I’m the Top Prospect”…
Brian Johnson fought Dante Caballero to a no-contest when Jeff Cobb interfered.
Powell’s POV: No one knows about the brackets this year because ROH hasn’t even bothered to show them on television. The tournament is just their way of having Cobb destroy enhancement wrestlers. The least ROH could have done was to show the graphics to make it feel like this was a real tournament, but they took a lazy approach. Nevertheless, Cobb continues to look like a star in these beatdowns and I’m looking forward to seeing him move up the ROH ladder.
A brief video package spotlighted the Sumie Sakai vs. Tenille Dashwood match for the WOH Title at Death Before Dishonor…
Ring entrances for the main event tag match took place. Silas Young came out first and jawed at fans. Bully Ray came out next and then jawed with his own partner in the ring before the babyface duo made their entrances… [C]
3. Bully Ray and Silas Young vs. Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham. Ray barked at Lethal to leave the ring so he could face Gresham to start. Ray teased locking up and then tagged in Young, which drew good heat. Gresham got the better of Young, then walked over to Ray and motioned for him to enter the ring. Gresham slapped Ray across the face. Young tagged Ray into the match and jawed at him. Ray dropped off the apron and teased leaving for more heat.
Ray entered the ring. Gresham caught him in a hammerlock and then slapped the back of his head. Bully came right back with a backdrop and then pie-faced Lethal in the corner. Ray allowed Gresham to tag in Lethal, who avoided a dropkick from Ray heading into a break. [C]
Lethal and Ray exchanged chops, slaps, and punches. Ray put Lethal down. Young grabbed Lethal from behind and Ray tried to take advantage of it, but Lethal moved and Ray knocked Young off the apron. Lethal kicked Ray, who rolled to ringside. Lethal tagged in Gresham and they performed stereo suicide dives onto their opponents.
Gresham went up top with Young back in the ring, but Ray hit the ropes and knocked him down. Ray tagged in. Gresham caught him in an octopus hold, but Ray broke it and fell backwards onto Gresham. Ray chopped Gresham in the corner. Gresham fired up. Ray knocked him down with another chop. Gresham popped up and asked for more. Ray obliged and then went to the second rope and went for a senton, but Gresham moved and then tagged in Lethal while Ray tagged in Young.
Lethal hit the Lethal Combination on Young and then worked over Ray with kicks. Lethal went for a suplex and couldn’t get Ray up. Gresham ran in and they both suplexed Ray. Gresham tagged in and then he and Lethal performed the Whassup spot on Ray for a pop. Young returned to the ring and Gresham suplexed him. Lethal performed the Hail to the Chief elbow, then Gresham performed a shooting star press on Young and went for the cover, but Ray shoved Lethal into the pin to break it up.
Ray dumped Lethal to ringside and then low blowed Gresham. Young performed Misery on Gresham and pinned him…
Bully Ray and Silas Young defeated Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham.
Riccaboni noted that Ray and Young will face Colt Cabana and Flip Gordon in a tables match at Death Before Dishonor…
A montage focused on the Death Before Dishonor event. The wrestlers featured in brief promos were SCU, Punishment Martinez, Chris Sabin, Silas Young, Kenny King, Jay Lethal, and Bullet Club…
Powell’s POV: The main event was fun and Bully Ray does a tremendous job of getting heat wisely limiting his actual physicality. He’s a master at playing with the emotions of the crowd. ROH creative has done a really nice job of getting over Gresham over the last three weeks. He has been established as a good wrestler and now as Lethal’s buddy. The buddy part can valuable tool for creative if they want a heel to get to Lethal by taking out his friend at some point. While I enjoyed the overall show, it was weak in terms of delivering strong hype for Friday’s pay-per-view. The brief video packages and the montage at the end were not enough. That said, the event has some strong matches on paper and you can join me for live coverage of the Death Before Dishonor event on Friday night.
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