By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor TV
Taped October 14 in Philadelphia at 2300 Arena
Aired in syndication on November 3, Mondays on the FITE TV app, a week delay on FITE TV
A video package recapped the Bully Ray and Flip Gordon angle from last week that set up the match between wrestlers of their choosing for this week… The ROH opening video aired… They cut right to Bobby Cruise, who started to deliver the introductions for the opening match. The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana, and Caprice Coleman checked in as Bully Ray made his entrance. Ray explained the rules of the Pick The Punishment match. Bully introduced Silas Young as his man in the match.
Flip Gordon came out with a “Bully Ray’s Punishment” envelope. He looked over to Colt Cabana, who left the broadcast table and headed to the ring with Gordon. Bully mocked the idea of Gordon picking a man who he and Bully beat at the pay-per-view. Colt took the mic and said he wanted to be there because he supports Flip, and because he wanted to see Bully’s face when he saw who it was. ECW legend Sandman made his entrance through the crowd heading into a commercial break… [C]
1. Silas Young (w/Bully Ray) vs. The Sandman (w/Flip Gordon, Colt Cabana) in a Pick the Punishment match. Sandman wrestled in jeans and a t-shirt and used his usual Singapore cane as a weapon. Sandman threw a ladder onto Young at ringside and fans chanted “you’ve still got it.” Sandman threw the ladder in the ring and ended up setting it up in the corner. Young reversed a whip and sent Sandman crashing into the ladder.
Sandman came back and placed the ladder over Young and performed a swanton for a big pop and a two count. Young came back and hit Misery and scored the clean pin, which drew boos from the crowd. Sandman apologized off-mic to Gordon, who hugged him from the floor. Riccaboni said Bully would be able to do whatever he wanted to Gordon coming out of the break… [C]
Silas Young defeated The Sandman.
Powell’s POV: A genuine surprise in that I haven’t seen Sandman on television in a long time. The live crowd loved it. Sandman did more than I expected. The punishment portion of this is a nice hook going into the commercial break.
A warning sign appeared on the screen coming out of the break and footage aired of Bully telling Gordon that his punishment was ten shots with Sandman’s cane, Riccaboni noted that it had been edited for television and they wouldn’t be able to show all ten lashes. A graphic noted that the full segment was available on HonorClub. Cheeseburger, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky, and others were at ringside as Riccaboni said they were up to the fourth cane shot. They blurred the screen.
Bully hit Gordon with another cane shot and then told Gordon to say “I quit” and he would walk out of the building and leave him alone. “Never,” Gordon replied. Bully hit him again. Daniels jawed at Ray. Bully hit Gordon again. Cody, Brandi Rhodes, and the Young Bucks came out. Cody entered the ring and took his jacket off while Riccaboni noted all of the disagreements that Cody and Gordon have had. Cody went to ringside and fired up the crowd by slamming on the mat. “Hey, Brandi, this one’s for you,” Ray said before hitting Gordon again.
Ray told Gordon to quit. Flip took the mic and was censored and blurred as he apparently said, “f— you.” Gordon stood for his last shot and struck a crucifix pose. Bully hit him below the belt rather than with the cane and then fled from the ring… [C]
Powell’s POV: I tuned in for ROH and an ECW show broke out. A good angle that gives Gordon more of an edge while making him a sympathetic figure at the same time. I don’t know if SBG genuinely objected to airing the footage or if they aired the disclaimer and the edited version for dramatic effect. Either way, it worked in terms of making this stand out.
2. Kelly Klein, Britt Baker, and Karen Q vs. Sumie Sakai, Madison Rayne, and Jenny Rose. Mandy Leon sat in on commentary. Shots aired of Klein’s chipped tooth from a previous match against Rose. All six women ended up fighting in the ring as they went to break. [C] Late in the match, Baker declined to help or tag in when Rose had Klein in an abdominal stretch. Klein escaped and jawed at Baker, but did not tag her in. Rose hit a northern lights suplex and pinned Klein. Afterward, Baker and then Q both walked out on Klein…
Sumie Sakai, Madison Rayne, and Jenny Rose over Kelly Klein, Britt Baker, and Karen Q vs. Sumie Sakai, Madison Rayne, and Jenny Rose.
Powell’s POV: On one hand, it’s nice that the Women of Honor division is about more than just the champion and the challenger, meaning they have programs involving the other women. On the other hand, they really don’t have anything happening with the champion at the moment. Whatever happened to the mystery of who attacked Tenille Dashwood? I hope that’s not on hold until she returns from surgery.
A Kingdom promo aired from an empty ring. Vinny Marseglia was under the ring and asked Jay Lethal if it looked familiar. In the ring, Matt Taven stood and said the red balloons were the last thing Lethal saw before he showed him who the real ROH Champion is. TK O’Ryan laid on the Boston accent thick while mocking Lethal for having Will Ospreay as a partner. Marseglia said you should always look under the ring…
Ring introductions took place for the main event. Jay Lethal sat in on commentary for the main event… [C]
3. Cody (w/Brandi Rhodes) vs. Kenny King. King tripped as he was running the ropes. King got up and pointed at Brandi, who hadn’t interfered. King laid down on the mat while referee Paul Turner wasn’t looking at him and then pointed to Brandi again. Lethal spoke about how he didn’t want to see King go down the wrong path. King sucker punched Cody and they took the fight to ringside. King approached a young fan and pulled a shirt she had around her neck without actually taking it. [C]
Cody picked up a near fall from a power slam. A short time later, Cody superplexed King for another two count. King came back and tried to use the ropes as leverage while going for the pin, but the referee spotted it. King performed a corkscrew dive over the top rope and onto Cody on the floor. Back inside the ring, King performed a spinebuster for a near fall.
King took off his elbow pad and threw it at the head of Brandi, who tried to enter the ring only to be stopped by the referee. King handed one of Cody’s title belts to him and then laid down and acted like he’d been hit with the belt. Referee Todd Sinclair came out to explain what King did to referee Turner. King shoved Sinclair down for the DQ and then turned and kicked Cody below the belt.
Cody defeated Kenny King by DQ.
After the match, Brandi checked on Cody. King tole Brandi to move out of the way. When she didn’t comply, he grabbed her by the hair. Lethal raced from the commentary position and tried to talk King down. King acted like he was doing so, but then he hit Lethal from behind with one of Cody’s title belts. King gloated and got good heat from the crowd…
Riccaoni hyped Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Taylor, and Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, and a mystery partner vs. The Kingdom for next week…
Powell’s POV: Another goodt angle. King’s antics really clicked with the live crowd and it was nice to see him finally cemented as a heel. Coleman did a strong job on commentary of rationalizing King’s antics from a heel perspective, while Lethal countered nicely in a babyface manner. I came into the show feeling unenthusiastic about King’s recent push, but I left it feeling much more optimistic. Plus, the Sandman surprise was fun and the angle with Bully and Flip was strong. This was one of the more entertaining and productive ROH television shows in some time. Haydn Gleed’s audio review of this show is available for members.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest John Canton.
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