By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 506)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Aired May 29, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
After the opening montage, footage aired from the finish of last week’s ROH Tag Title match with Rhett Titus and Tracy Williams beating Mike Bennett and Matt Taven…
Quinn McKay checked in from the backstage area and interviewed Titus and Williams coming out of the match. Williams said he needed some ice for his back and put over Bennett and Taven for giving them a great fight despite Taven entering the match with an injury. Williams announced that when they defend the tag titles going forward, the matches will be fought under Pure Rules…
McKay checked in from the studio and hyped the eight-man tag main event and the opening match. McKay recalled that LSG and Joe Keys were the last two men standing in the rankings battle royal. The winner of their match can choose whether to be ranked in the Pure or ROH TV Title division…
Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman checked in on commentary and then ring announcer Bobby Cruise handled the ring entrances. Joe Keys came out first. A pre-taped promo aired. Keys spoke about being tired of wearing his ROH Dojo t-shirt and said he would win the match and get himself in the rankings where he belongs.
LSG made his entrance and also had a pre-taped promo. LSG said everyone is always talking about the future. He said that he and Keys are the now. LSG said he respects everything that Keys does and stands for, but the match would launch him to his rightful place amongst the stars…
1. Joe Keys vs. LSG. Early in the match, Keys pushed LSG into the corner. Keys chopped LSG instead of going with a clean break. LSG returned the favor a short time later. Keys ended up performing a nice backbreaker heading into a commercial break. [C] After some back and forth action, LSG rolled Keys into a crucifix pin for the three count.
LSG defeated Joe Keys to earn a spot in the rankings.
The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor after the match… [C]
Powell’s POV: A nice match. I was a fan of the Coast 2 Coast tag team with LSG and Shaheem Ali and never understood why ROH didn’t do more with them, so it’s good to see LSG finally seems to be catching a break as a singles wrestler. By the way, my apologies for being later than usual with this review. Blame the holiday weekend (or something).
Backstage, McKay interviewed LSG coming out of his match. LSG said Keys is a pure wrestler and added that he believes in what The Foundation stands for. As such, he declared that he would be ranked in the Pure Rules division…
Highlights aired from Silas Young turning on Josh Woods at the ROH 19th Anniversary pay-per-view, and then Young beating Woods two weeks ago…
Footage aired of McKay interviewing Young coming out of the match with Woods. She noted that Young cheated, but he won the match. Young asked if she was a reporter or a fangirl. Woods showed up and said Young couldn’t beat him fair and square. Young said he could beat Woods in a Pure Rules match. Woods laughed at Young. A graphic listed Young vs. Woods in a Pure Rules match for next week…
A brief video touted that Survival of the Fittest tournament starting on next week’s television show…
A Violence Unlimited promo aired with Brody King, Tony Deppen, Chris Dickinson and Homicide each talking. Homicide mocked The Foundation members. Deppen said there’s violence in honor and his faction mates are the most violent people. Deppen told The Foundation to get ready for some real violence…
The Foundation members Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Tracy Williams and Rhett Titus delivered their own promo. Lethal did all of the talking and said that he was surprised by Deppen joining King’s faction. Lethal said he thought that Deppen felt like they did, but apparently he couldn’t cut it in pro wrestling. Lethal said he didn’t know anything about Dickinson, but noted that Homicide was the biggest bully during Lethal’s early days in ROH. A graphic listed the main event… [C]
Ring entrances for the main event took place…
2. “Violence Unlimited” Brody King, Tony Deppen, Chris Dickinson and Homicide vs. “The Foundation” Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Tracy Williams and Rhett Titus. Kenny King sat in on commentary. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor, but King held Lethal’s hand, which led to pushing and shoving. Early in the match, Lethal and Homicide ended up in the ring together. Lethal said he’d been waiting for that moment. Homicide tagged in Dickinson. [C]
Dickinson told Lethal that he’s been hiding. Lethal fired chops at Dickinson, who no-sold the chops and laughed at Lethal. The broadcast team put over Dickinson as a lunatic. Later, Lethal and Homicide ended up in the ring together. Homicide begged off. Lethal slammed him. [C]
Gresham and Homicide were in the ring together coming out of the break. A short time later, Titus had a nice offensive flurry that saw him work over King, Dickinson, and Deppen. Titus went up top and dropped a knee to the back of King’s head and then covered him for a two count. [C]
All eight men ended up in the ring and then paired off and fought in or around the ring. Homicide went for the Cop Killer on Lethal, who avoided it. Homicide dove onto two opponents at ringside. Lethal went after King. Homicide climbed into the apron and was knocked off when Lethal went for a Lethal Injection. King took advantage of what Coleman called Homicide’s sacrifice by hitting him with the Gonzo Bomb and then scoring the pin.
“Violence Unlimited” Brody King, Tony Deppen, Chris Dickinson and Homicide defeated “The Foundation” Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Tracy Williams and Rhett Titus.
After the match, Homicide laid on top of Lethal and kissed his hand. King stood guard while the rest of his faction mates posed over Lethal. The Foundation eventually went to ringside while Violence Unlimited taunted them from inside the ring…
Graphics listed Rey Horus vs. Flamita, and Josh Woods vs. Silas Young in a Pure Rules match for the next episode… The Survival of the Fittest teaser video aired again to tout that it begins next week (with Horus vs. Flamita)…
Powell’s POV: An entertaining eight-man tag. There was a lot of smack talk between the wrestlers, which added to the intensity in the empty venue. My only real complaint is that they sold us on Lethal wanting to get his hands on Homicide, then went to break just seconds after Lethal and Homicide ended up in the ring together. Still, the match did a good job of establishing the individual personas of the Violence Unlimited faction members and everybody had a chance to shine. The new faction went over, which was logical.
Overall, this was a good episode and I like that they found time to push next week’s main event between Silas Young and Josh Woods while also displaying graphics for both of that show’s matches. My weekly audio review of this episode will be available for Dot Net Members later today.
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