By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor TV
Taped March 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Sam’s Town Live
Aired in syndication on April 6, 2019, Mondays on the FITE TV app
The ROH opening aired… The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and NWA Champion Nick Aldis were on commentary. Riccaboni noted that it was G1 Supercard weekend and encouraged viewers to watch it via HonorClub. He hyped the ROH Title match for the G1 Supercard. Riccaboni also hyped the Masters of the Craft event for next weekend in Pittsburgh and Columbus…
Powell’s POV: I was surprised to find this show waiting in my DVR this morning, as it normally doesn’t air in my market until late Saturday night. It doesn’t appear as though this show was designed to include any matches or angles for the G1 Supercard, but it’s still nice that the company has one last chance in my market (and perhaps others if it runs earlier than usual elsewhere) to at least promote the show.
1. Dalton Castle and The Boys vs. Karl Fredericks, Alex Coughlin, and Clark Connors. Fredericks, Coughlin, and Connors are students at the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in Los Angeles. They wore the traditional black trunks and black boots. They cut to a break early on. [C]
Late in the match, Connors tossed Castle to ringside. Castle pulled Connors to the floor and punched him. Castle distracted the referee while the Boys pulled Twin Magic. The illegal Boy caught Fredericks in an inside cradle and scored the pin…
Dalton Castle and The Boys vs. Karl Fredericks, Alex Coughlin, and Clark Connors.
The Bouncers were shown toasting and having a drink while Riccaboni hyped them as coming up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: I was wondering if they were actually to going to put over the dojo trio to keep Castle’s losing streak going, but they went with one of the Boys getting the win instead. Castle looked pleased afterward, which is worth noting because his slumping character could have reacted with jealousy or something along those lines. I saw Fredericks and Coughlin team up on a WrestleMania weekend show and they are talented. It will be fun to watch them develop.
Footage aired from January 13 in Concord of Bandido beating PJ Black with what Colt Cabana described as a top rope fallaway slam moonsault…
PJ Black was featured in a sit-down interview while highlights of his matches aired. Black said he came in with a chip on his shoulder and a bit of an attitude. He said he has 23 years in the business and he came in with the wrong mindset. Black said the loss to Bandido was an eye opener because he’s been wrestling as long as Bandido has been alive. He said he was trying to take shortcuts. He said he did the opposite of what ROH was founded on. Black said he’s done some soul searching and meditation. Black said he needs to carry himself the way that the Lifeblood faction has. He said ROH was built on honor and respect. He said he got jaded and he thought he new better, “but I guess I didn’t”…
Powell’s POV: A big part of me hopes this is a swerve. Black has worked primarily as a babyface when I’ve seen him over the years and there’s always been something missing. I was hoping that a heel run would bring something new out of him. He mentioned meditation and his ROH graphic shows him with his hands folded, so I hope this isn’t some new age guru gimmick like Matt Sydal in Impact Wrestling.
A graphic hyped Black vs. Bandido in a rematch in two weeks…
Ring entrances for The Bouncers vs. The Voros Twins match took place. Riccaboni noted that it’s the first time in ROH history that they’ve had two sets of twins on the same show (The Boys were in the opener)… [C]
2. “The Bouncers” Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas vs. Chris Voros and Patrick Voros. The Voros Twins teased a handshake, then pulled their hands back at the last second and yucked it up. The Bouncers performed their Closing Time finisher and Bruiser pinned one of the twins. The Bouncers had their Toast of Honor afterward…
The Bouncers defeated The Voros Twins.
Powell’s POV: The Voros Twins wear pink and baby blue pants and have obnoxious man buns. They are going for pest heel heat and it’s hard not to dislike them the moment that you lay eyes on them (which is a compliment in this case). Of course, this match was all about showcasing The Bouncers, as the Voros Twins are not ROH regulars.
Footage aired from the main event of the ROH 17th Anniversary show of TK O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia attacking Gresham with a chair. New footage aired of Gresham being helped backstage. Silas Young approached him and took issue with Gresham being injured when they were supposed to wrestle. Young kicked Gresham’s bad knee and then told him to take care of it… [C]
The Briscoes delivered a promo about being forced to qualify for the Crockett Cup tournament. A graphic noted that they will face Jeff Cobb and Willie Mack in the qualifying match that will air on next week’s show…
Ring entrances for the main event took place…
3. Silas Young vs. Jonathan Gresham. The wrestlers fought to ringside and exchanged chops. They rushed back to the ring to beat referee Paul Turner’s 20-count. [C]
Riccaboni noted that Gresham is capable of out-wrestling Young, but Aldis countered that you can’t out-wrestle someone if you are beat up and hurt. Young whipped Gresham into the corner and he leapt and went chest-first into the turnbuckle. Young covered him for a two count going into another break. [C]
Gresham came back and performed a DDT, but then winced while selling his injuries from the match. Gresham tried to pick up Young, but he gave up and sold back pain. Gresham performed a dropkick in the corner moments later. Late in the match, Gresham showed good fire during a late offensive flurry and picked up a couple of near falls.
Gresham performed a springboard moonsault. Young rolled to ringside and Gresham performed a summersault dive through the ropes onto him at ringside, which got a big reaction from the crowd. Gresham rolled Young back inside the ring and performed a shooting star press for another near fall. Gresham immediately applied an ankle lock. Young rolled out of it and Gresham was flung into referee Todd Sinclair. REF BUMP!!! Young low-blowed Gresham and pinned him…
Silas Young defeated Jonathan Gresham.
Riccaboni hyped The Briscoes vs. Cobb and Mack in the Crockett Cup qualifier, then told fans they would see them live in Pittsburgh. Riccaboni closed the show with his “happy wrestling” line…
Powell’s POV: This match was bumped from the 17th Anniversary show that was held the night before this taping. They did the knee injury angle with Gresham to write it off the show, but the real reason is that the match was basically a smoke screen on the lineup because the Jay Lethal vs. Matt Taven match went to a 60-minute draw (they also pulled the Mark Haskins and Tracy Williams vs. TK O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia match from the pay-per-view to make room for the draw).
All of that is well and good, but it did seem strange that Gresham didn’t sell the knee injury throughout this match since it was the night after the pay-per-view, though perhaps they didn’t want to acknowledge that since this is airing weeks later. The wrestlers worked hard and the closing minutes were really good, but I can’t say this needed to be on the pay-per-view, as it was just a fairly random match between two wrestlers rather than a match that was preceded by a quality storyline build. Here’s hoping they wouldn’t have gone with a nut shot finish if this had aired on pay-per-view.
Overall, this was very much a filler show on a pay-per-view weekend. Riccaboni hyped the pay-per-view at the top of the show, but they didn’t really push it aggressively the rest of the way, presumably because this show will air during or even after the pay-per-view in some markets. Speaking of the pay-per-view, join me for live coverage of the G1 Supercard as it airs tonight. Will Pruett and I will be by afterward with a members’ exclusive audio review of the event.
Check below for a recent Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest PCO, who discusses tonight’s ROH and NJPW G1 Supercard event , taking crazy bumps at age 51, what he still wants to accomplish in pro wrestling, and much more.
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