By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 425)
Taped October 12, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana at UNO Lakefront Arena
Aired in syndication on November 9, 2019, Mondays on the FITE TV app
The ROH opening aired… Footage aired of Marty Scurll defeating Colt Cabana, PCO beating Kenny King, Dalton Castle beating Mark Haskins, and Jay Lethal beating PJ Black in the ROH Final Battle tournament to determine the challenger for the ROH World Championship. The brackets were shown and listed the semifinal matches as PCO vs. Castle, and Scurll vs. Lethal…
Show hosts Ian Riccaboni and Quinn McKay checked in and hyped footage from the semifinal matches and then the final match in full. They also hyped highlights of Angelina Love vs. Kelly Klein for the Women of Honor Championship…
Highlights aired of Kelly Klein defeating Angelina Love to regain the WOH Championship. There was a ref bump and Mandy Leon tried to interfere. The lights went out and Maria Manic was in the ring. Manic put Leon in a torture rack and then slammed her to the mat. Manic clotheslined Love. Klein hit her K Power finisher on Love an the referee magically recovered just in time to count the pin… [C]
McKay interviewed Scurll somewhere backstage in New Orleans about his semifinal match with Lethal. Scurll noted that he’s been with ROH for three years and has never been a world champion. Scurll noted that if he won the semifinal match, he would face Castle or his stablemate PCO. Scurll said that if he has to go through PCO then that’s exactly what he would do…
Riccaboni and McKay were setting up footage of Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe defeated Luke Hawx and Perry Hawx when Brian Johnson interrupted them. Johnson said no one is talking about him and everything he’s done. Johnson told McKay that she wouldn’t know talent if it slapped her upside the bowtie…
Highlights of The Briscoes beating Luke and Perry Hawx to retain the ROH Tag Titles. Jay performed a Jay Driller on Perry and pinned him…
McKay interviewed Jay Lethal backstage in New Orleans. Lethal said he has his best friend (Jonathan Gresham) back and he’s more focused. Lethal said Scurll better bring his A game because he was out to become a three-time ROH World Champion… [C]
Powell’s POV: A very basic promo from Scurll to tease his possible meeting with PCO in the finals.
McKay interviewed Dalton Castle backstage in New Orleans about facing PCO in a semifinal match. Castle said he’s not scared of PCO or anyone else. He said he saw a ghost the other week and he doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he didn’t have a single shiver…
Powell’s POV: Castle was his usual quirky self and didn’t sell me on his match or his chances of winning the tournament.
Brian Zane hosted the Top 5 segment and focused on the wrestler finishers in ROH: 5. Jeff Cobb’s Tour of the Islands. 4. Flip Gordon’s Star Spangled Stunner. 3. Mark Briscoe’s Froggy Bow. 2. Rush’s Bull’s Horns. 1. Jay Lethal’s Lethal Injection…
The hosts discussed Shane Taylor. A “paid advertisement” video aired on Taylor. He said Shane Taylor Promotions are just getting started and they will make people understand why he’s the baddest champion…
Powell’s POV: I like Taylor’s work and typically enjoy his promos, but I’m just not sure what to make of his ongoing storyline issues with ROH. I hope it’s more of a character building thing and they will find a way to transition into Taylor setting up actual meaningful matches.
McKay interviewed PCO backstage in New Orleans and asked what his plans were. He made some monster grunting noises…
Highlights aired of Marty Scurll defeating Jay Lethal to advance to the finals of the tournament. Scurll used his chicken wing submission hold to get the tap out win… Highlights aired of PCO beating Dalton Castle to advance to the finals of the tournament. PCO used a top rope moonsault to get the pin… The brackets shows the Marty Scurll vs. PCO meeting in the finals of the tournament… [C]
Ring entrances for the Scurll vs. PCO match took place. Ring announcer Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the tournament finals. Scurll took the mic told PCO that he knew an all Villain Enterprises final was inevitable. Scurll said he didn’t want it to come between them. He said they should keep it clean, not bend the rules, and let the best man win.
1. Marty Scurll vs. PCO in the ROH Final Battle No. 1 contender tournament final. PCO and Scurll shook hands. Scurll swung around and hit PCO with his umbrella, then went for an early pin and got a two count. PCO came right back heading into an early match break. [C] PCO performed a top rope cannonball on Scurll and covered him for a two count. PCO set up Scurll on a table at ringside and went up top. Scurll recovered and met PCO, then tossed him off the top rope and through the table below. [C]
Scurll went for his chicken wing finisher, but PCO backed him into referee Todd Sinclair. REF BUMP!!! PCO performed a powerslam on Scurll and got a visual pinfall. Colt Cabana stated on commentary that the move wouldn’t take out Scurll, so he must have known what happened to the referee. Brody King entered the ring hit PCO with a big boot. King followed up with a slam, then placed Scurll onto PCO and rolled out of the ring. The referee recovered and made a two count before PCO kicked out. Riccaboni was shocked that King would attack his tag partner. Cabana said Scurll is the leader of the faction.
King held PCO and then Scurll tried to hit him, but PCO broke free and Scurll knocked King to ringside. PCO performed a sidewalk slam. PCO went to the top rope. Scurll followed PCO and crotched him on the ropes. PCO elbowed Scurll off the ropes and into the referee. DOUBLE REF BUMP!!!!! PCO went to the ropes and then Flip Gordon came out and knocked him off with a kick. Scurll hit PCO with one of the ROH Six-Man Tag Title belts and covered him, but PCO kicked out at the last moment. PCO took out King and Gordon with a somersault dive through the ropes.
Back inside the ring, PCO performed a chokebomb on Scurll. PCO went up top and performed his moonsault finisher for a good near fall. PCO placed Scurll so that his head was on the apron. There were dueling chants for the wrestlers. PCO went up top and performed senton, but Scurll moved and PCO crashed onto the edge of the ring. Scurll whipped PCO back inside the ring drilled him with a lariat for another near fall. Scurll ran the ropes and was knocked down with a PCO clothesline. PCO went to the ropes again and performed a moonsault that resulted in a pinfall victory.
PCO defeated Marty Scurll to earn an ROH World Title shot at the Final Battle pay-per-view.
After the match, King and Gordon checked on Scurll, then Sinclair raised the arm of PCO to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A good main event and even show if you only focus on the way they played up the final four of the tournament. The real negative is that the show took place nearly a month before this aired and this episode won’t even air until Friday on Sinclair Broadcast Group’s regional sports networks based on my onscreen advertising for that show. ROH and Sinclair Broadcast Group must find a way to make the show more timely. It’s asinine that promotions such as Impact Wrestling, MLW, and even the NWA (for its premiere edition) are able to have their shows air days after they are filmed, yet ROH still takes such an eternity. I will be by later today with my weekly members’ exclusive audio review of this episode.
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