By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 516)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Aired August 7, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
After the opening video, Ian Riccaboni checked in from the studio and noted that he was filling in for Quinn McKay, who would be wrestling on the show. Riccaboni set up highlights of Allysin Kay beating Willow to advance in the ROH Women’s Championship tournament in a match that streamed on the ROH YouTube page. Riccaboni hyped this show’s three matches…
Powell’s POV: Are they ever going to make a fuss over the company crowning a new ROH World Champion at the Best in the World pay-per-view? I’m guessing they will finally get to it in the show’s main event, but it’s so strange that last week’s show had footage of Chelsea Green at the pay-per-view, yet they still haven’t spotlighted the top title and other titles changing hands.
A video package aired on the Quinn McKay vs. Mandy Leon match. McKay said she’s been given more opportunities to prove herself going into the tournament. She said she gets that she needs to prove herself, but The Allure duo of Leon and Angelina Love have tried to ruin every chance she’s had. She said The Allure are no longer allowed to accompany each other to ringside. She said she would close the book on Leon once and for all.
Mandy Leon spoke about McKay getting yet another opportunity. Leon said she’s a ten-year veteran of the business and finds it disrespectful that someone like McKay gets a spot in the prestigious tournament. Leon called McKay a steppingstone on her way to the ROH Women’s Championship… [C]
The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and Lenny Leonard checked in on commentary while ring announcer Bobby Cruise handled the introductions. Riccaboni noted that the winner of the match will face Rok-C in the quarterfinals…
1. Quinn McKay vs. Mandy Leon in an ROH Women’s Championship tournament first round match. The bell rang and McKay speared Leon. McKay went for the Tangerine Dream, but Leon escaped. McKay dropkicked Leon, who rolled to ringside. Leon pulled McKay to the floor. McKay tossed Leon into the ringside barricade and then suplexed her on the floor. Back inside the ring, Leon took offensive control heading into a break. [C]
Leon continued to dominate until McKay went for the Tangerine Dream again. Leon avoided it with a backpack stunner. Leon set up for a pump-handle slam, but McKay rolled out of it and then rolled Leon into a pin and got the three count.
Quinn McKay beat Mandy Leon in 7:12 to advance in the tournament.
After the match, McKay celebrated her first television win and the broadcast team put it over with major enthusiasm. McKay looked into the camera and said, “Stay the course.” McKay hopped the barricade and ran over and celebrated with the broadcast team members…
A graphic listed the second tournament match as coming up next… [C]
Powell’s POV: A very nice payoff to McKay’s previous losses to Leon and Angelina Love. ROH has done a really nice job of making McKay a feel good story. I wonder if it ends here or if they will have her go further in the tournament. Either way, this was fun.
A video package aired on the Marti Belle vs. Trish Adora match. Belle said she was a tomboy who played volleyball, danced, and acted. She said wrestling was the perfect way to blend everything she loves. She said no one has to fit in one box.
Trish Adora took her turn and said she grew up in Washington DC and played rugby in college. She spoke of her time in the military and a photo of her in uniform was shown. Belle said she faced Adora once before and it was a very technical fight. She said she beat Adora once and didn’t know why she wouldn’t beat her again. Belle spoke about her history in high profile positions and said Adora doesn’t have that. Adora got emotional as she said her mother was recently diagnosed with cancer. She said she would do everything in the tournament for her…
2. Marti Belle vs. Trish Adora in an ROH Women’s Championship tournament first round match. Chelsea Green sat on commentary with Riccaboni and Leonard and said Adora is a rising star. Both women adhered to the Code of Honor. Riccaboni put over Adora’s Lariat Tubman. She went for the move seconds later, but Belle blocked it. [C]
Adora threw a couple of forearms and performed a running cross body. She followed up a short time later with a kick to the arm of Belle. Adora took Belle down and covered her for a two count. Adora threw some kicks at Belle’s head and rolled her into a cradle for another two count. Adora threw another kick at Belle’s arm and then performed a version of Cattle Mutilation to get the submission win.
Trish Adora beat Marti Belle in 7:13 to advance in the tournament.
The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor afterward. Adora will face Allysin Kay in the next round… A graphic listed the main event tag match… [C]
Powell’s POV: I like the way Adora told a story by targeting the arm before applying the submission hold. The broadcast team did a nice job of teasing a Belle win by pointing out that she would face her best friend Kay if she was victorious.
Footage finally aired of Bandido beating Rush on July 11 at the Best in the World pay-per-view to win the ROH World Championship. They also caught some great shocked fan reactions from fans who were in the building that night… A graphic listed Bandido vs. Flip Gordon for the ROH World Championship for one of the Glory By Honor events that will be held August 20-21 in Philadelphia…
Entrances for the main event took place with Brody King and Chris Dickinson coming out first. A pre-taped promo aired with King congratulating Bandido, and then congratulating Dickinson for becoming one-half of the ROH Tag Titles with Homicide. Dickinson said he and King are no strangers to tag team wrestling. He said he didn’t forget his previous encounter with Bandido and said this would be a big time match.
Rey Horus made his entrance and then Bandido entered while making his first appearance as the ROH World Champion. The name plate on the title belt still listed Rush. A pre-tape aired with Horus congratulating Bandido and then they both delivered a promo in Spanish while subtitles were shown regarding the main event. Bandido stated in English that this is the Most Wanted Champion Era…
3. Bandido and Rey Horus vs. Brody King and Chris Dickinson. Silas Young sat in on commentary and it was noted that he would face Horus on one of the Glory By Honor shows. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor. Bandido and Horus hit King and Dickinson, which they no-sold by talking to one another and then both turned and hit their opponents to start the match. King got the better of Horus heading into a break. [C]
Bandido eventually took a hot tag and performed a corkscrew dive onto Dickinson, then knocked King off the apron. Bandido pressed Dickinson over his head and threw him onto King at ringside. Bandido performed a Fosbury Flop dive onto both opponents, then Horus performed a springboard corkscrew dive onto all three men on the floor.
Back in the ring, Bandido performed a running shooting star press on Dickinson and had the pin, but King broke it up. All four men ended up inside the ring. Dickinson performed a running Death Valley Driver on Horus. King performed a senton on Horus, who was cleared to ringside. King and Dickinson doubled up on Bandido. King put Bandido in a Boston Crab. Dickinson dropped a knee on Bandido’s back. Horus returned and threw a couple of kicks at King, who didn’t release the hold.
Dickinson put Horus in an STF while King still had Bandido in the Boston Crab. Bandido eventually reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Dickinson tagged in and performed a brainbuster on Bandido and had him pinned, but Horus broke it up. King charged Horus, who held the top rope down. Horus performed a huracanrana on King at ringside. In the ring, Dickinson stuffed Bandido’s 21 Plex and then suplexed him. Dickinson ran the ropes and was kicked by Horus, who held him in place until Bandido performed the 21 Plex and scored the pin.
Bandido and Rey Horus defeated Brody King and Chris Dickinson.
After the match, La Faccion Ingobernable members Rush, Dragon Lee, Kenny King, and Bestia del Ring attacked Bandido. Rush removed Bandido’s mask and then hit his leg with a chair twice. The other LFI members worked over King and Horus. Homicide ran out and fought with Bestia. Rush roughed up Bandido on the floor while yelling into the camera. The brawl continued while Rush held up Bandido’s mask…
Graphics listed Max the Impaler vs. Holidead in a ROH Women’s Championship tournament match, and Champions vs. All-Stars with ROH Champion Bandido, ROH TV Champion Dragon Lee, ROH Pure Champion Jonathan Gresham, and ROH Tag Champions Chris Dickinson and Homicide vs. Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, EC3, Flip Gordon, and Josh Woods in a ten-man tag match for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: The main event was entertaining and obviously Bandido needed to go over in his first match since winning the championship. The post match angle was fine, but it left me even more frustrated that ROH had LFI beat up Bandido after he won the title rather than close the pay-per-view with the feel-good moment of Bandido celebrating his title win. I even noted that they could have saved the LFI attack for television. Instead, LFI attacked at the pay-per-view and then just did it again on the television show. I’m still baffled by how long it took ROH to acknowledge that Bandido won the title. The show was entertaining and I have liked ROH television a lot since the company’s pandemic break, but their approach to Bandido’s title win is off to a strange start. My weekly audio review of the ROH Wrestling television show will be available for Dot Net Members later today.
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