By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 498)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland at UMBC Arena
Aired April 3, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
The ROH opening video opened the show. Quinn McKay checked in from the studio and hyped the main event. She also recalled Fred Yehi winning last week’s Pure Rules gauntlet match. The closing moments of the match aired…
Footage aired of McKay interviewing Yehi after the match. Yehi grumbled about Dak Draper punching him in the mouth when they met in a Pure Rules match and then having to shake his hand afterward. He shifted the focus to celebrating his win in the first ever Pure Rules gauntlet match…
Back in the studio, McKay hyped the opening match…
A Brian Johnson sit-down feature aired. He said they could spend an entire week of ROH Wrestling talking about how much he loves pro wrestling, and an entire month talking about how much he hates Danhausen. He called his match with Danhausen the most anticipated match on the internet. Johnson said he’s not a student of the game, he’s a professor. He said he wasn’t taking Danhausen to school, he was sending him to one on one private detention. Johnson said Danhausen has made a mockery of the sport he loves and he’s putting an end to it…
A Danhausen feature aired. He spoke about beating Johnson fair and square at Final Battle, then losing the rematch when Johnson cheated. He held up what he said was a sack of money. He said he doesn’t know what rubber match means, but it will help him refill his sack of money when he beats Johnson again… [C]
Powell’s POV: Johnson continues to cut fun angry promos. Danhausen’s promo was tame by his standards, but he’s done a nice job of generating online buzz for his character.
The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman checked in while entrances for the opening match entrances took place. Mark Briscoe joined the broadcast team for the first math. Bobby Cruise was the ring announcer…
1. Danhausen vs. Brian Johnson. Before the match, Johnson barked at Danhausen about cheating. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor. Johnson performed an early Stun Gun to take offensive controol. Johsnon draped Danhausen over the ropes and then gave him a Tower of London that led two a two count. A short time later, Johnson performed a top rope clothesline, then followed up with a standard clothesline for another two count.
Danhausen eventually came back and rolled Johnson into a pin for a two count. Danhausen followed up with a snap German suplex heading into a break. [C] Danhausen performed an overhead Northern Lights Suplex and set up for a GTS, but Johnson slipped away. Danhausen performed another German suplex into a bridge for a near fall.
Danhausen dumped Johnson to ringside. Danhausen went to the apron and performed a clunky huracanrana. Back inside the ring, Johnson poked the eyes of Danhausen, but then tripped and sold a knee injury when he tried to run the ropes. Danhausen scooped him up and performed a Goodnight Hausen (GTS). Danhausen had the visual pinfall, but referee Todd Sinclair was bumped when Johnson’s legs knocked him over.
Johnson dove onto Danhausen and had him pinned while using the ropes for leverage, but Sinclair spotted it. Johnson continued to sell a knee injury while barking at Sinclair. Danhausen shoved Johnson into the corner where Sinclair took cover to avoid them. Johnson used the distraction to deliver a low blow kick. Johnson performed The Process and scored the pin.
Brian Johnson defeated Danhausen.
Afterward, Johnson took a mic and said it was about damn time that the mic was put in his hand. Johnson said he was putting the whole roster on notice. “It’s Mecca versus everybody,” Johnson said. Johnson put the mic down and told Bobby Cruise to fetch it like the dog that he is. He also barked at Riccaboni, Coleman, and Briscoe. “Go on your way, Brian Johnson,” Briscoe said. “You don’t want that, Brian Johnson”…
Powell’s POV: A fun match between two of ROH’s more entertaining undercard acts.
A Jonathan Gresham backstage promo aired. Gresham said he would defend the ROH Pure Rules Championship against Jay Lethal on the 500th episode of ROH Wrestling in two weeks… They cut to Lethal, who delivered his own brief promo about the match…
Powell’s POV: ROH has also announced Jay Briscoe vs. Mark Briscoe for the 500th episode.
An LSG sit-down feature aired. He said people have asked him why he entered the ROH TV Title division. He spoke about guys who won the title before moving up and said it’s the launchpad that he needs. LSG recalled having a match against Isom that he thought would put them both on the map. He said this is a new era. He said Isom is one of the best athletes on the roster and he has the heart of a champion, but he’s not there yet. LSG said he knows Isom’s strengths and weaknesses and that he lacks a killer instinct. LSG said that anyone who wants to make a name for themselves in ROH has to go through him…
An Eli Isom feature aired. Isom recalled his victory over Rey Horus. He said LSG is an interesting matchup for him. He said LSG has seen him since he was at ringside grabbing streamers. He said that LSG knows his game, but he also knows LSG’s game. Isom said he’s no longer the same kid that LSG wrestled in the past. Isom recalled LSG saying that people have to go through him. “Challenge accepted,” Isom said…
Powell’s POV: LSG strikes me as having more upside than being the gatekeeper that he essentially described himself as being. But at least he’s being booked more consistently coming out of the pandemic than he was when he was teaming with Shaheem Ali in Coast 2 Coast.
Entrances for the main event took place. LSG walked aggressively toward Isom, who shoved him heading into a break… [C]
2. LSG vs. Eli Isom. Both men adhered to the Code of Honor with a tense handshake. Riccaboni said that LSG was his wife Sarah’s favorite wrestler when they were coming up together at the Monster Factory, then snuck in a happy birthday greeting for her. LSG ducked a kick and then performed a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. [C]
Isom performed a neckbreaker of his own coming out of the break. A short time later, Isom performed a sidewinder back suplex. LSG rolled to ringside to avoid being covered. LSG performed a moonsault onto him and then rolled him back inside the ring. Isom performed a nice double arm trap German suplex for a near fall.
LSG rallied and performed a springboard forearm and a Saintsplosion for a good near fall. LSG showed some frustration and then fired some punches at Isom heading into the final break. [C] Isom rolled through LSG’s crossbody block from the ropes, then hoisted him onto his shoulders and performed a side slam that led to a two count.
LSG went to the apron. Isom ran the ropes and spared LSG through the ropes in Big E style and they both fell to the floor. LSG drove Isom into the barricade and then rushed back to the ring where he indicated that the referee should speed up his count. Isom beat the count by returning to the ring at the referee’s 19 count. Both men traded forearm shots in the middle of the ring.
Isom caught LSG in a backslide for a two count. LSG came right back with a takedown into a pin for a two count. Isom set up for his finisher, but LSG escaped it and went for his own finisher, but Isom avoided and hit The Promise brainbuster and scored the pin.
Eli Isom defeated LSG.
The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor after the match…
A Mark Briscoe promo aired. He talked about the 500th episode coming up in two weeks. Mark said he would face his brother Jay Briscoe on that show. Mark said he hopes Jay is ready to go. They cut to Jay Briscoe, who spoke about how he and his brother revolutionized tag team wrestling. He said they might get bloody and nasty, but things will be alright. He also said he would shake his brother’s hand after he whoops his ass…
Powell’s POV: It was great to see Isom and LSG get some time in the main event. They made the most of it. This was a well worked match between the underutilized LSG and potential breakout star Isom. The right guy went over in this case because Isom was fresh off a win over Rey Horus. ROH made the mistake of not following up on his wins prior to the pandemic, but hopefully that’s changing. Meanwhile, here’s hoping that the talented LSG finally catches a break in ROH.
Overall, the show was enjoyable, but it’s frustrating that ROH hasn’t been been able to pump out a 19th Anniversary pay-per-view followup show. I understand to a point during normal times, but with the pay-per-view being taped, I’m surprised they couldn’t come up with a quicker turnaround for the followup show airing on TV. Again, though, it was a solid hour of television even if there wasn’t much in the way of storyline developments. My weekly ROH Wrestling audio review of this episode will be available later today for Dot Net Members.
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