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 29 and Mondays on the FITE TV app
The ROH opening aired and then the broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman checked in on commentary and hyped the matches that would air on the show…
1. Eli Isom vs. Shane Taylor vs. Flip Gordon vs. Chris Sabin in a four corner survival match. Taylor performed a legdrop on Isom and had him pinned, but it was broken up. Gordon performed a flip dive onto all three opponents at ringside. Taylor responded with a summersault off the apron onto Sabin, Ison, and Gordon heading into a break. [C]
Taylor caught Sabin with a few knees and knocked him into a corner where Isom tagged himself into the match. Isom impressively powered up Taylor for a Samoa Drop for a near fall that was broken up. Sabin performed a DDT and Blade Runner combo on Isom and Gordon. Sabin ended up a ringside and took a suicide dive from Isom. Back in the ring, Taylor caught Gordon with a knee to the head only to be rolled up and pinned by Isom.
Eli Isom defeated Shane Taylor, Flip Gordon, and Chris Sabin in a four corner survival mach.
After the match, Taylor went on a rampage and left all four men lying with power moves. Gordon recovered and superkicked Taylor to the floor. Gordon called for Taylor to return to the ring. Taylor teased doing so and then left… A brief video package aired on Aaron Solow… [C]
Powell’s POV: A nice four corner survival match with a surprising outcome. Isom gets the win, Taylor goes on a rampage, and then they set up a potential Gordon vs. Taylor match with the post match angle. The only one who didn’t really gain anything in this match is Sabin, but at least the three undercard guys got some love.
A graphic listed Marty Scurll vs. Hurricane Helms for next week. Scurll delivered a promo in front of the ROH backdrop and said he relishes the opportunity to vanquish the Hurricane once and for all…
2. Punishment Martinez vs. Aaron Solow for the ROH TV Title. Riccaboni said Solow is the Dojo Pro Blackbelt winner and noted that he beat Jeff Cobb to earn it. Ring announcer Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Solow offered a handshake and got a face palm in response. Solow responded with a slap to the face of Martinez. Solow used his quickness to avoid Martinez early on. Martinez was in offensive control heading into a break. [C]
Solow performed a double stomp. Martinez grabbed him by the throat, but Solow knocked his hand away and performed a belly to belly suplex. Solow followed up with a suplex for a near fall. Martinez eventually battled back and performed a chokeslam for the clean win…
Punishment Martinez defeated Aaron Solow to retain the ROH TV Title.
Powell’s POV: I don’t have Amazon Prime and the company didn’t send out any promotional material, so I never got a chance to see Dojo Pro, but I’ve heard some good things. The match was fine. It was tough to buy into the possibility of Solow winning, especially when the big near fall was off a basic suplex.
Riccaboni set up a video package on the returning Coast 2 Coast tag team… Backstage, Bully Ray spoke with Silas Young about beating Flip Gordon and Colt Cabana at the pay-per-view. Ray said he didn’t know if they’d ever see Cabana again. Ray then mocked Young for teaming with “two schmucks” in Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas… [C]
Footage aired of Cody and The Young Bucks defeating The Kingdom to win the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles… The broadcast team recapped the first two matches. They also hyped Helms vs. Scurll, and hyped Cheeseburger vs. Will Ferrara in a Fight Without Honor as next week’s main event…
Ring entrances for the main event took place. Brandi Rhodes and Burnard the Business Bear came out with Cody… [C]
3. Cody (w/Brandi Rhodes, Burnard) and “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson vs. Silas Young, Beer City Bruiser, and Brian Milonas for the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles. The Bucks used their quickness to counter the power and size of Bruiser and Milonas. Cody and the Bucks cleared the ring. Young spoke with his team on he floor.
Cody slammed Bruiser, but Young clipped Cody’s knee from behind. A short time later, Cody threw Bruiser though the ropes and he landed on Burnard. Bruiser held Cody while Young worked him over, then Milonas performed a running cross body block. Bruiser got a two count on Cody going into a break. [C]
Late in the match, the Bucks teased big dives only to slide to ringside where they superkicked Young and Milonas. Bruiser went up top and everyone stood on the floor and waited for him to dive onto them. The fans loved it and chanted ROH. Back in the ring, Bruiser held Cody over his knee and then Milonas performed a second rope leg drop. Milonas had Cody pinned, but the Bucks broke it up.
Milonas superplexed Cody and then Bruiser came off the top rope for a splash, but the Bucks were there to superkick him. They double superkicked Milonas and then Cody dropped him with CrossRhodes. The Bullet Club trio set up for a triple superkick on Young, who left the ring and headed to the back. The Bucks superkicked Milonas, then Cody performed CrossRhodes and pinned him…
Cody and The Young Bucks defeated Silas Young, Beer City Bruiser, and Brian Milonas to retain the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles.
Riccaboni wrapped up the show as Cody and the Bucks were leaving the ring…
Powell’s POV: It’s hard to complain about a show that airs during a pay-per-view weekend and still includes Cody and The Bucks in the main event and a fun four-way opener. The main event was entertaining, though I must keep the streak alive by pointing out that I still don’t care about ROH’s six-man tag titles. I wish we were getting the first batch of new television that was taped in Las Vegas on Saturday, but we have a least one more week to go with the Philadelphia tapings. I will be by on Tuesday with my audio review of this show. The Dot Net Members are already listening to my audio review of the ROH Death Before Dishonor and NJWP Fighting Spirit Unleashed audio shows from over the weekend.
Check below for my interview with ROH ring announcer Bobby Cruise from the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast.
Cody needs to dump the bear gimmick accompanying him as it’s pretty stupid. Cody should be kissing the Bucks’ butts for latching onto them after leaving the WWE as he sure wouldn’t be as successful post-WWE without them.