By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 423)
Taped September 28, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Sam’s Town Casino
Aired in syndication on October 26, 2019, Mondays on the FITE TV app
The ROH opening aired and then footage aired of Angelina Love defeating Kelly Klein to win the WOH Championship at the Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view… Show hosts Ian Riccaboni and Quinn McKay checked in and hyped the three-way women’s title match and the Wild Card tag team match…
1. Cheeseburger, Rhett Titus, Joe Hendry, and Silas Young vs. Jeff Cobb, Kenny King (w/Amy Rose), Josh Woods, and Brian Johnson. The gimmick was that the teams were randomly chosen. Cheeseburger and King started the match, King laughed at Cheeseburger and overpowered him initially, though Cheeseburger knocked him down. They teased Titus facing King, but it didn’t happen because King tagged out. Woods and Young ended up in the ring together and Woods got a two count on his mentor going into a break. [C]
Cheeseburger performed a running senton, which Riccaboni called a Fuji Special and said it’s a tribute to Mr. Fuji. Okay. They did the series of rapid fire spots. Cobb and Hendry had a staredown, but other wrestlers interrupted what Riccaboni claimed was going to be a dream matchup. Young and Woods squared off again, but Johnson pulled Woods to ringside and entered the ring instead. A short time later, Woods rolled up Young and pinned him…
Jeff Cobb, Kenny King, Josh Woods, and Brian Johnson beat Cheeseburger, Rhett Titus, Joe Hendry, and Silas Young.
A graphic hyped the WOH Championship match as the main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: The match was fine, but the presentation sucked, as they didn’t air the ring entrances and joined the match right as the bell was ringing. Part of the concept is seeing the teams come together. Imagine being a newer viewer and trying to make sense of this without any explanation of the storylines that should make the match interesting. This show format is terrible and I’m not sure how ROH expects to grow with their weekly television show has become the most missable of the weekly pro wrestling television series. By the way, ROH still hasn’t offered a televised explanation for the King and Rose pairing.
A Shane Taylor video package aired. He complained said he is the baddest champion you’ve ever seen… A video recapped The Bouncers beating Vinny Marseglia and Silas Young at the Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view…
“The Bouncers” Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas were shown bloodied and celebrating backstage. Bruiser wondered who would be next to step up to the bar because they proved they can fight…
2. “The Bouncers” Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas vs. Chris Bey and Slice Boogie. Riccaboni noted that Bey seemed to be loosely associated with Shane Taylor Promotions. There was a bad spot where Boogie held down the ropes and Bruiser was supposed to tumble over, but he just fell to the mat instead. In the end, The Bouncers hit Closing Time on Boogie and then Milonas pinned him…
The Bouncers beat Chris Bey and Slice Boogie.
A graphic hyped the WOH Championship match as the main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: A squash style win for The Bouncers.
Footage aired of Rhett Titus, Joe Hendry, Cheeseburger, and Silas Young talking about their loss backstage. Young said he was pinned because the other three didn’t know how to do their jobs. Hendry was ready to sign autographs. Young didn’t want one. Cheeseburger said he’d take one…
Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham were shown talking backstage after their pay-per-view match. Lethal said Gresham showed that he’s one of the best technical wrestlers in the world. Lethal said he needed to start accepting his tag team partner’s views on things…
The hosts plugged the Honor United shows that were held over the weekend and streamed on HonorClub…
Highlights aired of Dak Draper beating Austin Gunn to win the Top Prospect Tournament… Draper cut a backstage promo saying he busts his ass five days a week. He said his greatest weapon is his mind. He said his mind is the general and his body is the army…. [C]
Powell’s POV: The majority of the tournament played out on Youtube rather than television, so I’m not sure Draper really gained much from this. That said, he has a solid look and was comfortable on the mic, so I am looking forward to seeing him worked into the regular mix.
A brief Rush video package aired… The hosts hyped the Rush vs. Jeff Cobb match for the ROH Championship that took place at Sunday’s Honor United event…
Brian Zane hosted a countdown segment on the five toughest former ROH World Champions: 5. Austin Aries. 4. Kevin Steen. 3. Samoa Joe. 2. Bryan Danielson (a/k/a Daniel Bryan). 1. Nigel McGuinness. Dalton Castle approached Zane and took issue with not being included on the list. Castle pointed out that he broke his back while champion. He also said he swims in the ocean and there are sharks in the ocean. Castle named himself to all five spots on his own list of toughest former ROH World Champions… [C]
Powell’s POV: The countdown segment is a nice addition to the weekly television show. I especially like that they are incorporating their older footage and including some names that have gone on to bigger and better things. That said, I am surprised that they didn’t find a spot for Jay Lethal on the list so that it wasn’t entirely filled with past names.
Ring entrances for the main event took place…
3. Angelina Love (w/Mandy Rose) vs. Sumie Sakai vs. Jenny Rose in a Triple Threat for the Women of Honor Championship. Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. The broadcast team of Riccaboni and Colt Cabana noted that Sakai trained Rose, yet noted that Rose showed no hesitation going after Sakai. “There are no friends in business,” Cabana said. Riccaboni responded by saying, “Is that right? Wow.” Rose performed a fisherwoman’s suplex on Sakai for a two count going into the final break. [C]
Love caught Sakai in a submission hold while Rose was down at ringside. Sakai eventually reached the ropes. Love released the hold and then dove onto Rose at ringside. Rose came back and rolled Love back inside the ring and threw some corny looking chops at Love. Rose called for Sakai, who was still down from the submission hold. Cabana was baffled by this. Love dumped Rose to ringside. Sakai recovered and hit a fisherwoman’s buster suplex on Love for a near fall.
Love came back with a rollup of Sakai for a two count, then dumped her to ringside. A short time later, Sakai and Rose traded forearms in the ring. Love charged them and they both knocked her down and went back to firing forearms at one another. Rose tackled Sakai and got a two count. Sakai and Rose traded near falls. Rose performed a uranage on Sakai and had the pin, but Love broke it up. Love had Rose pinned, but Sakai broke it up. Sakai set up for her Smashmouth finisher on Love, but she let her go when Leon distracted her. Sakai took a swing at Leon, who dropped off the apron to avoid it. Sakai turned back into a Botox Injection kick and then Love pinned her…
Angelina Love defeated Sumie Samai and Jenny Rose in a Triple Threat to retain the WOH Championship.
Powell’s POV: A solid match with a formula finish that made Sakai look like a dope for falling into Leon’s trap. Overall, the show was better with three matches, but ROH needs to give up on the clip show approach and get back to presenting a more traditional television show. They made the call to take this approach because attendance was light for their television tapings. This should have told ROH officials that they needed to improve their television show, not throw in the towel by blowing up the format and making their weekly television series feel completely missable. By the way, where was the update on TK O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia being left lying backstage last week? I will have more to say in my weekly audio review of the ROH television show that is available exclusively for Dot Net Members.
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