By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor TV
Taped January 11, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia at Center Stage
Aired in syndication on February 9, 2019, Mondays on the FITE TV app
After the ROH opening, Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana checked in from ringside and hyped the NWA Title match. They were quickly interrupted by John Skyler, who was in the ring with Corey Hollis and Josey Quinn. Skyler boasted that they are the newest and toughest three-man team in ROH. He called for anyone who doubted them to step up and be trampled.
Villain Enterprises made their entrance to a big star reaction. The fans chanted for Scurll as he and his men walked to the ring. Scurll referred to their opponents and cute and said he used to be like them in that they are full of heart and are not jaded by the business. He said he was sure they would all go on to be big stars in ROH and make a hell of an impact, but unfortunately for them it would not be on this night. Villain Enterprises quickly cleared the ring going into a commercial break… [C]
1. Marty Scurll, PCO, and Brody King vs. Corey Hollis, John Skyler, and Josey Quinn. PCO lit up Quinn with chops in the corner. Skyler and Hollis ran in, but PCO worked them both over and chokeslammed Skyler. PCO went up top and performed a moonsault that was intended for Quinn, who moved, causing PCO to hit the edge of the ring. PCO sat right up and no-sold it.
Scurll checked in and was speared through the ropes by Skyler, who got a two count. Scurll was isolated for a bit, then he performed a tornado DDT on Quinn and tagged in King for the first time. King worked over all three opponents. PCO performed a running cannonball onto his opponents at ringside. In the ring, King performed a Gonzo Bomb on Hollis, then Scurll applied the chicken wing on Hollis and got the submission win.
Marty Scurll, PCO, and Brody King defeated Corey Hollis, John Skyler, and Josey Quinn
The red balloons floated from ringside. Scurll went to look under the ring, but the three Kingdom members were on the stage. Vinny Marseglia asked if Scurll was looking for someone. TK O’Ryan boasted that The Kingdom are the best trio in wrestling history. He said they don’t fear anyone, including “you three goons.” O’Ryan teased putting the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles on the line. Matt Taven took the mic and said they are fighting champions who will defend the titles whenever. He said they could make the match happen. “Just not tonight,” Taven said. The Kingdom headed backstage…
Separate shots aired of Nick Aldis and PJ Black preparing for their NWA Title match… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good spotlight win for Villain Enterprises that gave PCO and King a chance to show off their impressive offensive moves. Meanwhile, the Kingdom trio got some solid heat for teasing a title match and not delivering. They are doing a good job of building up interest in the eventual match between the teams, as the Kingdom teased it once before only to step aside at the last moment. I still can’t say that I care about the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles, but I am looking forward to the match between the three-man teams.
The Kingdom delivered a promo backstage. Taven said they are in control and will defend the tag titles when they choose…
Jay Lethal stood on the interview set and had the ROH Title over his shoulder. He spoke about Taven running around with a fake title belt and spitting on the real belt. Lethal said he’s tired of it and Taven has his attention…
A video hyped Kelly Klein vs. Rochelle Vaughn for the WOH Championship is available online while showing clips from the match…
Ring announcer Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. He labeled the match as the television main event and said it was the first time that the NWA Title had been defended in Atlanta since 1993… [C]
2. Nick Aldis (w/Kamille) vs. PJ Black for the NWA Championship. Caprice Coleman joined the broadcast team. Aldis laid on the top rope to taunt Black, who responded by doing a handstand and a crotch chop. Black had Aldis down and offered him a hand to get to his feet. Aldis accepted only for Black to pull him into a forearm. A short time later, both men put their left hands behind their backs and agreed to a handshake. Black had his fingers crossed and swept the legs of Aldis and then double stomped his back.
Later, Aldis went for a leapfrog. Black didn’t go under and instead waited for him to land and then poked his eyes. Aldis went to ringside. Black went up top, but Kamille stood in front of Aldis and glared at Black, who gave up on the move. Black went to ringside and was clotheslined by Aldis. [C]
Aldis performed a vertical suplex coming out of the break and got a two count. Aldis backdropped Black and covered him for a two count. Black came back with an elbow from the top rope, then went to the other corner and performed a leaping punch from the top rope for a two count. Black went for a springboard neckbreaker, but he stumped. He got right up and performed a reverse DDT. Black went up top and leapt into a double stomp for a near fall. Black went up top and leapt at Aldis, who was waiting for him and performed a suplex.
Aldis powerbombed Black and then tried to counter into a cloverleaf, but Black rolled him into an inside cradle for a two count. Black went up top and Aldis shoved him so that he was crotched on the top rope. Aldis went up behind Black and they fought for position. Aldis performed a German suplex from the middle rope for a two count. [C]
Aldis went up top and this time Black cut him off. Black went for a superplex, but Aldis punched him off. Black ran back up for a huracanrana. Black followed up with a moonsault and counted along with the referee, who counted to two before Aldis kicked out. Coleman called out Black for not using both hands while going for the pin. Black applied a dragon sleeper. Aldis powered him onto his shoulder and then performed a tombstone piledriver. Aldis went up top and performed a top rope elbow drop for a near fall.
Aldis looked to Kamille, who slid the ttle belt inside the ring. Referee Todd Sinclair scolded Kamille. Black stepped on the belt and hit Aldis before picking up the belt. Black tossed it to Aldis and then laid down flat on his back. Fans chanted “Eddie” (Guerrero). Sinclair took the belt away. Black rolled up Aldis for a near fall. Black followed up with Cabana’s finisher. Coleman hilariously said he’d never seen the hold before in his life. Aldis reached the ropes and then went to ringside.
Black performed a suicide dive onto Aldis. Black played to the fans and went for a kick between the ropes that took out Kamille rather than Aldis. A replay showed that she shoved Aldis out of the way. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Black checked on Kamille. Aldis went after Black, who ran him into the ring post. Back inside the ring, Black performed a springboard cross body block, which Aldis rolled through for a two count.
Black went to the apron and went for a sunset flip, but Aldis sat down on him and grabbed the ropes. Sinclair saw Aldis holding the ropes, stopped his count, and kicked Aldis’s hands free, which led to a near fall for Black. Aldis applied the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf and got the submission win…
Nick Aldis defeated PJ Black to retain the NWA Championship.
Riccaboni said Juice Robinson would speak coming out of the break… A video package recapped last week’s Bandido vs. Mark Haskins, and David Finlay vs. Tracy Williams matches… [C]
Powell’s POV: That was an unexpected treat. It seemed odd for the ring announcer to refer to the match as the main event so early in the show, but I assumed they opted to change the match order in post production. Instead, we got a lengthy title match that ended up being highly entertaining. The interesting thing about the match is that neither guy is really a babyface. Black has been heelish lately, and Aldis seems to walk the line in the NWA. So the fans really didn’t have a reason to cheer for either man, but they definitely got into the action as they went deeper into the match. It turned out to be a good introduction to the NWA Championship on the weekly ROH television show.
Juice Robinson made his entrance for an in-ring promo. He recalled saying fans would see a lot more of him in ROH in 2019. He said he didn’t mean for a cup of coffee here and there. He said the company stands for honor. Robinson said he’s had something in the works for a while now and the pieces to the puzzle are coming together.
Robinson said ROH was founded by men like Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, and the lifeblood of ROH for so long has been through the hard work of men like Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) and Tyler Black (Seth Rollins). Robinson said those men cared about honor. He said they looked their opponent in the eye and started with a handshake, then went pedal to the metal and then win, lose, or draw, they ended it with a handshake.
Robinson said he couldn’t figure out what happened to ROH over the last couple of years. A few chants for “All Elite” started and faded once Robinson started talking again. “Tonight, we hit the reset button on Ring of Honor,” Robinson said. “Tonight, we begin to restore Ring of Honor. Tonight, we bring Ring of Honor to the next level. And ladies and gentlemen, it all starts right now.”
The lights went out and the pulse video played. “From an old foundation, ROH begins anew” read the graphic. The lights turned on and Tenille Dashwood was in the ring next to Robinson, while David Finlay and Tracy Williams stood on the ropes behind them, and Bandido and Mark Haskins stood on the apron in front of them.
“We are Lifeblood and together we put honor back in Ring of Honor,” Robinson said. The new faction came together in the ring while Riccaboni hyped six-man mayhem, The Bouncers, and an ROH Tag Title match for next week and closed the show with his usual “happy wrestling” sendoff while adding, “Lifeblood is here”…
Powell’s POV: A good angle and payoff to the pulse video that has been airing for weeks on ROH television. Robinson delivered a good, confident promo and is a strong voice for the new faction. Naturally, he hasn’t been asked to do a lot of talking for New Japan Pro Wrestling, but he seemed polished and poised, and the leadership role clearly wasn’t too big for him. I have my concerns about lumping so many talented wrestlers into one babyface faction and with the company’s overemphasis on factions to begin with. I also hope that they don’t alienate fans who enjoyed the last two years of ROH by continuing to have Robinson imply that something was wrong with those years. That said, I am looking forward to seeing where things go from here with the factions and all of the company’s new additions.
Overall, a very good show with Villain Enterprises getting a wise squash style win early followed by the angle with The Kingdom, the strong NWA Title match, and then the payoff of the ROH Pulse videos in the form of the creation of the Lifeblood faction. There was no filler or wasted time on this edition. Haydn Gleed will have more to say about the show in his members’ exclusive audio review on Tuesday.
Check below for the new Pro Wrestling Boom with Jason Powell and Will Pruett discussing the All Elite Wrestling rally in Las Vegas, the potential fallout from the partnership with Mexico’s AAA promotion, Kenny Omega signing, and much more.
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