By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 504)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland at UMBC Arena
Aired May 15, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
Ian Riccaboni checked in from the studio after the opening video. He noted that he was filling in for Quinn McKay following her match last week, and added that she will return next week. Riccaboni hyped the three matches for this episode…
1. Rankings Battle Royal. The broadcast team was Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and guest Dalton Castle. The only televised entrances went to PCO and Mike Bennett. As Bennett came out, he was attacked from behind by Bateman, who was also in the match. The other entrants were Mark Briscoe, Danhausen, LSG, World Famous CB, Joe Keys, Dante Caballero, Eric Martin, Ken Dixon, Sledge, O’Shay Edwards, and Ryan Mooney (f/k/a Ryan Nova).
Bateman and his partner Dutch tried to drag Bennett to the back, but ROH security came out and got in their way. [C] A graphic noted that the last two entrants would be declared the winners. Dixon was eliminated by Keys. Bennett was helped to the back by ROH security and Matt Taven. Briscoe eliminated Mooney. PCO eliminated Martin.
Danhausen was eliminated by PCO and Briscoe. Danhausen pulled an El Generico mask out of his tights and put it on, then entered the ring. He was immediately eliminated by PCO and Briscoe again.
Powell’s POV: Cute, but no Delirioushausen? That could have been a fun way to set up a strange match.
LSG eliminated Caballero. CB was bumped off the top rope to the floor by Keys for his elimination. Keys followed up by eliminating Briscoe. Edwards was eliminated by Sledge. The final four were PCO, Sledge, Keys, and LSG. PCO held his head and screamed, then did a suicide dive through the ropes onto no one. Riccaboni pointed out that he did not go over the top rope and was still in the match.
PCO returned to the ring and traded forearms with Sledge. They both went for chokeslams. PCO got the better of it and shoved Sledge over the top rope. LSG and Keys immediately shoved PCO over the top rope to eliminate him and win the match.
LSG and Joe Keys were the co-winners of the rankings battle royal.
Riccaboni said that LSG and Keys will meet on a future date and the winner will get to pick whether to be in the ROH Pure Wrestling or ROH TV Title rankings. LSG and Keys shook hands… A graphic listed the ROH Six-Man Tag Title match as coming up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: I’m not a fan of the new trend of having multiple battle royal winners who then meet in future matches. Having two winners is uneventful and it’s never really been explained why they can’t simply have a match right on the spot to determine the true winner. Putting that aside, it was a pretty standard battle royal. And while I grumbled about two winners, I like that they went with a couple of guys who need to the boost rather than one of the regulars such as PCO or Briscoe, who will be just fine without winning a battle royal.
2. Shane Taylor and “SOS” Moses and Kaun vs. “Primal Fear” Matthew Omen, Adrien Soriano, and Gabriel Hodder for the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles. Brief promos aired from each team during their respective entrances, including one with Quinn McKay interviewing Taylor and SOS (so much for her recovering from her match?). A graphic noted that SOS is 2-0 against Primal Fear in Future of Honor matches.
The teams adhered to the Code of Honor. Early in the match, Soriano slapped Taylor across the face. Taylor responded with a huge forearm that knocked Soriano down heading into a break. [C] Taylor was isolated by the challengers coming out of the break and they picked up a near fall. Taylor eventually came back with a big clothesline on Soriano and then both men tagged out.
A short time later, Kaun ended up being isolated in the ring while his partners were at ringside selling. Primal Fear picked up a near fall. Hodder went back to ringside and walked the barricade and dove onto Moses, who caught him and dumped him over the barricade. In the ring, Kaun performed a top rope Jackhammer on Omen. The SOS duo hit their DDT finisher and scored the pin…
Shane Taylor and “SOS” Moses and Kaun defeated “Primal Fear” Matthew Omen, Adrien Soriano, and Gabriel Hodder in 10:17 to retain the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles.
A graphic listed the main event as coming up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: I have no problem with a young team like Primal Fear getting a title shot. And I believe Riccaboni explained it by saying that Taylor and SOS essentially issued an open challenge that they accepted. But I wish ROH would have done more to introduce viewers to the newcomers. Nevertheless, it was a solid match that gave the challengers some moments before the champions went over strong.
A Silas Young sit-down feature aired. He said people have asked him why he attacked Josh Woods. Young said he’s a former ROH TV Champion and one of the few who held the belt on multiple occasions. Young said he wasn’t selfish and tried to help Woods by teaming with him. He said no one gave a damn about Woods before he teamed with him and tried to teach him what being a great wrestler is all about. Young said he asked one thing from Woods and he blew him off. Young said we all have the right to make our own decisions, but decisions have repercussions. Young said he had a few more lessons left to teach Woods…
A Josh Woods feature aired. A producer asked him to take a seat. Woods paced around the set and eventually took a seat. The producer asked him for his thoughts on Young. Woods looked upward and was speechless. Woods then looked down intensely and then shook his head negatively before he got up and left the room…
Powell’s POV: Good stuff. The Young feature chronicled the feud nicely, and Woods showed good intensity heading into the match.
Josh Woods made his entrance and was attacked by Young before he made it to the ring. Young ran Woods into the ringside barricade, then picked him up and dropped him on the barricade. Young picked up Woods and ran him into the barricade again. Young put the boots to Woods, who got a punch in. Young grabbed a chair, but Woods kicked the chair at Young’s face. Woods ran Young into the barricade. [C]
3. Silas Young vs. Josh Woods. The match started coming out of the break. Woods removed his t-shirt and threw it at Young, then hit him with repeated knees to the gut in the corner. Woods grabbed Young from behind. Young went to the ropes and it led to Woods being clotheslined. Young removed his shirt and tossed it at Woods while verbally taunting him. Young was in control going into a break. [C]
Young put Woods in an abdominal stretch. Woods reversed it, then Young did the same, and Woods hip-tossed him. Woods picked up Young and drove him aggressively into the corner. Woods performed a series of running moves that included a forearm, a splash, and a knee to the head. Woods performed a butterfly suplex that led to a two count.
Young went to the ropes. Woods suplexed him into a bridge for a two count. Woods set up for his Gorilla Lock, but Young countered into a pin for a near fall. Young performed an anarchist suplex and covered Woods for a two count. Young asked Woods if he thought he was better than him.
Young performed a rolling senton and went to the ropes, but Woods cut him off. Woods went for a suplex, but Young rolled him into a pin for a two count. Woods ended up on the apron. Young yanked him by the hair and drove him onto the apron. Young and Woods fought for suplexes while on the opposite side of the ropes. Woods pulled Young onto the apron and they traded punches.
“That’s what you get, boy,” Young said. Woods blasted him with three forearms and asked, “Is that all you got?” Young kicked Wood and said that he still hasn’t learned. Woods tried to suplex Young off the apron, but Young held onto the ropes. Woods hip-tossed Young over the top rope and followed him into the ring where he applied an armbar. Young rolled onto Woods and used the ropes for leverage while scoring the pin…
Silas Young defeated Josh Woods in 12:06.
Graphics listed Fred Yehi vs. Rocky Romero, and Tracy Williams and Rhett Titus vs. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven for the ROH Tag Titles for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: A good main event with the right outcome. As much as I like Woods, this was the first match of the feud and therefore it was logical for heel Young to go over. Given the student/teacher dynamic, they should build to a big moment when Woods beats his mentor. I’m high on the serious Woods character. He played the lovable goofball character well, but a serious Woods an be money for ROH.
Overall, a decent hour of television. The battle royal was nothing special, the six-man tag match was solid, and the main event was enjoyable. I will have more to say about this episode in my weekly ROH Wrestling audio review for Dot Net Members coming up later today.
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