By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor TV
Taped November 4 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Stage AE
Aired in syndication on December 8, Mondays on the FITE TV app
The show opened with footage from last week’s show involving Christopher Daniels and Marty Scurll… After the ROH opening, the broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana, and Caprice Coleman checked in as the ring entrances for the opening match were conducted by Bobby Cruise…
1. Silas Young vs. Flip Gordon in an I Quit match. Before the match, Gordon took the mic and challenged Young to live up to his “real man” monicker by having an I Quit match. Young attacked him and agreed to the stipulation. Gordon took offensive control and worked over Young at ringside. After a brief return to the ring, the wrestlers returned to ringside, and Gordon performed a moonsault off the middle rope and onto Young on the floor heading into a commercial break. [C]
Gordon set up a table in the ring. Young threw a chair at him on the floor. Coleman noted that the referee had yet to even ask either man if they were ready to quit yet. Young took offensive control and pulled out a kendo stick, but Gordon bounced back and worked him over with a chair before he could use it. Bully Ray ran out and choked Gordon with a chain. Young speared Gordon through a table in the corner of the ring. Without a finish announced, Riccaboni hyped the main event…
Flip Gordon fought Silas Young to an apparent no-contest.
The pulse video clip aired… [C]
Powell’s POV: On one hand, a nice teaser for the “I Quit” match between Gordon and Bully Ray at Final Battle. On the other hand, I hated the non-finish. Other companies do it far more often, but fans have come to expect more from ROH. I understand they wanted to promote the I Quit match, but if they didn’t have a finish in mind then they would have been better off having a regular match so they could have simply announced it as a disqualification.
A video package showcased the Jeff Cobb vs. Adam Page match for Final Battle…
Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky came to the ring for a promo and were attacked by the Briscoes. The Young Bucks made the save and shook hands with Kazarian and Sky. However, the Briscoes shoved Kazarian and Sky into the Bucks, who responded by superkicking both teams. The Bucks grabbed a ladder from under the ring, but it was kicked into them. Kazarian and Sky took out both teams before setting up the ladder in the ring, climbing it, and holding up their tag title belts…
Powell’s POV: More of a reminder of the match happening than strong hype. It was a quick angle that didn’t really cover any new ground. It was rushed and yet fine for what it was.
Riccaboni ran through some of the Final Battle matches and they stopped briefly to hype the WOH Championship four-way while footage aired of Sumie Sakai diving onto a couple of her challengers and ROH security… [C]
A Christopher Daniels sit-down interview aired. He looked back on his mindset heading into past Final Battle events. He said no one would blame him if he retired today, but he doesn’t want to go out. Daniels said he will be fighting Marty Scurll for the possibility of continuing to fight. He said he put ROH COO Joe Koff into a position where he didn’t want to re-sign him and he accepts that.
Daniels said he realized he was wrong and he’s tried to make it right with the company. He said Koff’s mindset is that if he gave Daniels a new deal he could turn around and be the same evil bastard the moment he signs it. Daniels said he just needs more time to prove himself. Daniels also noted that he has a chance to take Scurll’s title shot if he beats him. Daniels said everywhere Scurll goes mentally to be the evil villain is a place he’s gone before. Daniels said it’s so much more than just a match. “I’m not ready to go out, Marty, and I will prove it to you at Final Battle,” Daniels concluded…
Powell’s POV: A top notch sit-down interview from Daniels. I really enjoy him in the sit-down environment when he seems to tone down his schtick and speak in a more relatable manner. He shines when he’s discussing sports-like situations and this was no exception. It does seem a bit odd that the storyline is that ROH re-signed Kazarian and Sky, but I guess a case could be made that Daniels is their leader so perhaps Koff would worry less about them being trouble without Daniels. Either way, it’s an interesting story they are telling and they’ve done a really nice job of giving a hook to a match that easily could have felt a little random without it.
Ring entrances for the main event took place… [C]
2. Cody, Jay Lethal, and Dalton Castle (w/The Boys) vs. “The Kingdom” Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan, and Vinny Marseglia. Castle worked the match while wearing his own “ugly holiday sweater”, which ROH is marketing on their website. [C] The Kingdom isolated Cody for a stretch. Castle checked in and was working over O’Ryan until Taven tripped him on the apron. O’Ryan distracted the referee while Taven and Marseglia worked over Castle at ringside. [C]
Lethal took a hot tag and cleaned house. Taven ended up placing Lethal’s head on a chair and wound up to hit him with another, but Castle broke it up. Castle worked over Taven and chased him out of the main portion of the building. Lethal was setting up for a move on O’Ryan when Cody tagged himself in. Lethal wanted Cody to stay in the corner, but he eventually came in anyway and took out Marseglia with a superkick.
A short time later, Lethal set for Lethal Injection on O’Ryan, but Cody rolled him before Lethal could hit the move. Lethal threw a superkick that Cody avoided and ended up hitting O’Ryan. Lethal was cleared from the ring. Marseglia and O’Ryan double teamed Cody, who ran them together. Lethal pulled Marseglia to the floor. Cody performed CrossRhodes on O’Ryan and pinned him…
Cody, Jay Lethal, and Dalton Castle defeated The Kingdom.
After the match, Cody addressed Lethal over the house mic. Cody simply said there was nothing left to say or do, he would see Lethal at Final Battle…
A Final Battle montage aired with brief comments from many of the wrestlers…
Powell’s POV: A good pay-per-view showcase main event. They gave final hype to Castle vs. Taven, and created a little more tension between Cody and Lethal heading into the main event. I was hoping for more mic work between the champion and challenger, but it wasn’t essential given their storyline history. Overall, ROH did a nice job of showcasing the various pay-per-view matches in some form within the hour. Join me for live coverage of ROH Final Battle on Friday night. I will be by with an audio review of this show for members (Haydn Gleed needed the day off), and the members will also hear my audio review of Final Battle on Friday night.
Check below for the new Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guests David McLane and Selina “Bambi” Majors discussing the launch of the WOW women’s wrestling promotion series on AXS TV.
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