By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 470)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland
Aired October 3, 2020 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks
Quinn McKay checked in from a studio following the opening video. The tournament brackets were shown… Highlights aired of Fred Yehi defeating Silas Young last week. A Yehi post-match promo aired. He said he did what he said he was going to do. Yehi said it was a great match. He referred to himself as Savage Weight and said he’s in the business of breaking people…
McKay set up footage of Josh Woods beating Kenny King via judge’s decision after fighting to a time limit draw. A Woods post match promo was shown. He said he knew he did enough to hold his own. He said King is an awesome opponent and he just wanted to do enough to earn his respect and he felt like he did that. McKay said at least he doesn’t have to face his mentor Silas Young in the next round. “Lucky for him,” Woods said before regretting his comments. McKay told him to run. Woods darted out of camera view…
McKay hyped the two tournament matches heading into the first break… [C]
Rust Taylor’s feature video aired. He said he’s from a small town that viewers wouldn’t know if he told them. He spoke about his childhood and how he became a competitive person. He said he was always a fan of wrestling growing up, specifically mat wrestling. Taylor said he never thought he would have a chance to get a shot to win the ROH Pure Title.
Taylor said he thought he failed at age 26. He said he had a chance to be signed, but he was told that he did very well, yet wasn’t what the promotion was looking for. He said it was a very depressing time. He said he built up momentum over a few years and then thought he might be done.
Taylor spoke about having heart and said its the most important muscle in a person’s body. Taylor said he admires Tracy Williams, but he’d never actually met him. Taylor said he hoped that Williams is as prepared for the tournament as he is. Taylor looked into the camera and promised that you will not forget his name…
The Tracy Williams profile video aired. He said professional wrestling his his life’s work. Williams said his work has just begun in ROH. He spoke about having his first ROH match with Jonathan Gresham and eventually earning an ROH contract. He said he looks back on the Lifeblood faction as a failure. He said their minds were in the right place and they wanted to restore honor, but certain factors came in and they didn’t get where they wanted to go.
Williams said the announcement of the Pure Championship was like a beacon in the sky. He said he wants to be the modern iteration of the pure pro wrestler. Williams said his path is now singular. Williams said Rust Taylor is in excellent condition, but some of his best wins are against opponents who outweigh him by 100 pounds.
Williams said he tends to use a piledriver and a crossface, and if he does the match is done. But he also said he can exploit a weakness. Williams said he has a temper and the person on the other end of his temper knows when it kicks in. Williams said it’s time to show everyone why he was brought to ROH… [C]
Powell’s POV: Good profile pieces. It’s kind of sad that I felt like I heard more about Williams here than I did during the rest of his ROH run.
The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman checked during the ring entrances. Williams wore a mask when he walked onto the stage, then removed it and headed to the ring…
1. Tracy Williams vs. Rust Taylor in a first-round Pure Title Tournament match. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor. Taylor targeted one of Williams’ arms and applied a nice wrist lock. Williams broke free and then slammed Taylor to the mat. [C]
The back and forth action continued to the 10:00 mark. Taylor caught Williams in a cross arm breaker, but Williams reached the ropes. Both men had used one of their three rope breaks. Taylor caught Williams with a series of kicks and then covered him, but Williams used his foot to reach the ropes for his second rope break.
Taylor dodged a kick and then went for a rare naked choke, but Taylor avoided it. Taylor applied a Rings of Saturn hold. Williams reached the ropes for his third rope break, meaning that Williams could be pinned or submitted in the ropes. Taylor applied an arm hold. Williams reached the ropes and then used them for leverage to send both men to ringside.
Riccaboni said he had Taylor ahead on points and noted the possibility of the match going to the judges. Back inside the ring, Taylor threw several kicks to the chest and head of Williams, who came back with a clothesline that led to a two count. Williams followed up with a piledriver and then applied the crossface for the win…
Tracy Williams defeated Rust Taylor in 14:25 to advance to the second-round of the Pure Title Tournament.
The updated brackets showed that Williams will face Fred Yehi in the next round. Williams and Taylor shook hands after the match…
Powell’s POV: A good match that made Taylor look really good in defeat. Williams did a nice job in his profile video of setting the table for the two moves that finished the match. Even so, Taylor came out of this match looking more impressive just because of the way the match was structured. Williams will be just fine going forward because he’s established himself in ROH already, but hopefully this leads to more of Taylor in ROH. It was nice to see someone use all three rope breaks during a match.
The Tony Deppen profile piece aired. He noted that he’s from Hershey, Pennsylvania. He said the tournament is extremely important to him and he’s going to win the title. He said he didn’t play sports when he was a kid because he was a punk rocker and sports were deemed uncool by him and his friends. Deppen said punk rock and skateboarding have influenced him in his career. Deppen explained that you get back up and try again when you wipe out on a board, and the DIY aspects of punk are something he applies to his pro wrestling career.
Deepen said PJ Black’s strengths are his experience and high flying. He said he learned that about Black via Wikipedia. Deppen said he doesn’t have a Wikipedia page and Black knows nothing about him. Deppen said Black will hit him and he will keep getting up…
PJ Black’s profile video aired. He said his dad was a pro wrestler and his grandfather was a boxer. He spoke about training in different styles and said he trained shamans from the Zulu tribe and the witchdoctors from another tribe in South Africa. Black described his training as metaphysical. Black said they didn’t have a real style in South Africa, so he combined Japanese strong style and lucha libre and made a hybrid style.
Black said he’s all about pure wrestling. “Pure wrestling, pure heart, pure soul,” Black said. He also spoke about taking Brian Johnson under his wing. He said what better way to teach him the pure style than to give him a front row seat. Black mocked other wrestlers talking about winning the tournament for their families. He said he is one of the best pure wrestlers on the planet. He said that’s not bragging. Black said he tries to learn everything he can about his opponents, but he couldn’t find much about Deppen. Nevertheless, he assumed that Deppen is good given that he’s in the tournament… [C]
2. PJ Black (w/Brian Johnson) vs. Tony Deppen in a first-round Pure Title Tournament match. Riccaboni noted that this was the final match of the first round. Riccaboni noted that Johnson is the alternate for one side of the bracket, while Dak Draper is the alternate for the other. Deppen took Black down a couple minutes into the match and went for an STF, but Black used one of his rope breaks. Coleman said he never would have guessed that Black would be the first of the two to use a rope break.
Johnson barked instructions to Black from ringside. Black ended up at ringside. Deppen jumped over the top rope to the floor, then Black superkicked him. Black and Johnson high-fived. Back inside the ring, Black took offensive control and applied an abdominal stretch and drove an elbow into the ribs of Deppen just before the 5:00 mark. Back continued to target the arm and wrenched Deppen’s fingers. Black stomped the extend arm of Deppen to the mat. Black went for a springboard move, but Deppen caught him with a dropkick. [C]
Deppen picked up a near fall coming out of the break. Black avoided Deppen coming off the top rope and then threw a kick to his head. Both men exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Deppen put Black down with a headbutt, then applied an STF. Black teased tapping, but he used his second rope break instead. Black rolled to ringside and called for a timeout. Deppen performed a dive onto Black, then threw him back inside the ring. Deppen performed a top rope double stomp for a near fall.
Deppen hoisted Black onto his shoulders, but Black slipped away and performed a pumphandle into a cutter that only lead to a one count. Black put Deppen on his shoulders and spun him into a DDT for a two count. Black expressed surprise and frustration over not getting the three count. Black performed a crucifix driver and scored the clean pin…
PJ Black defeated Tony Deppen in 12:06 to advance to the second-round of the Pure Title Tournament.
Riccaboni spoke about the updated brackets Black will face Josh Woods in the second round. The wrestlers shook hands…
A black and white video aired for EC3, who is coming to ROH. It played on his “Control Your Narrative” theme. “They have all lied to you your entire life. The politicians, the corporations, the media, everyone. But the instant you realize you’re being lied to, you will finally control your narrative.” EC3’s face was not shown, but a group of people dressed in his hoodies followed him as he walked on train tracks…
Next week’s show will feature Jay Lethal vs. David Finlay, and Jonathan Gresham vs. Matt Sydal in the first of the second round matches…
Powell’s POV: Black vs. Deppen was a well worked match that once again saw the veteran making sure that the newcomer looked good before bowing out of the tournament. The EC3 post match video was a fun surprise for the end of the show. My understanding is that EC3 has remained a free agent, so that’s why he’s working for Impact Wrestling and ROH. He should give the ROH brand a nice boost of star power once he arrives.
Overall, this was another good episode. The match outcomes felt predictable because they featured ROH contracted wrestlers facing a pair of independent wrestlers, but it was still fun to see some new faces. Both newcomers had good outings, and Taylor was especially impressive. The tournament should really pick up next week with the beginning of the second round matches. Dot Net Members will hear my weekly audio review of this edition of ROH Wrestling coming up later today or on Wednesday.
Be the first to comment