By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 520)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Aired September 4, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
Quinn McKay checked in from the studio following the ROH opening video. She hyped the women’s tournament matches and the eight-man tag main event…
A video package aired on the Trish Adora vs. Miranda Alize match. Adora spoke about strategy and said she’s looking to submit Alize. Meanwhile, Alize recalled beating Adora when she arrived in ROH and said she would do it again…
The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni, Lenny Leonard, and Chelsea Green checked in from their perch while ring announcer Bobby Cruise handled the introductions for the opening match… [C]
1. Trish Adora vs. Miranda Alize, and Angelina Love vs. Rok-C in semifinal ROH Women’s Championship tournament match. Adora hoisted Alize onto her shoulders. Alize broke free with some elbows to the head and then performed a lung blower (Backstabber) that led to an early two count. Adora battled back and tossed Alize to ringside. Adora went to the floor where Alize threw some forearms and then ran Adora into the ringside barricade. [C]
Back inside the ring, Adora and Alize traded forearm strikes. Adora got the better of the exchange and performed a running cross body block. Adora caught Alize in a sleeper, but Alize reached the bottom rope with her foot to break the hold. Adora went after Alize’s arm, but Alize tripped her up and applied a Miranda Rights crossface that Adora eventually broke. Alize remained in offensive control and performed a neckbreaker for a two count.
Adora caught Alize on her shoulders and shrugged off some elbow strikes before performing a Samoan Drop that led to a two count. Adora applied a butterfly submission with a bridge that never really came together. Alize escaped and then caught Adora with a kick to the back of the head. Alize threw a ripcord knee and a stunner, then followed up with her version of a Drive By kick. Alize performed a head-scissors takedown and applied the Miranda Rights finisher again. Adora inched toward the ropes, but Alize pulled her back and got the submission win.
Miranda Alize defeated Trish Adora in 12:16 to advance to the finals of the ROH Women’s Championship tournament.
Alize and Adora shook hands afterward. Adora got emotional. Alize went to ringside and posed next to the ROH Women’s World Championship belt. She said you have to be more than just a wrestler to be a champion. A graphic listed the other semifinal match as coming up after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: A nice match. They built up Adora as a sympathetic figure by saying she was fighting for her mother, so I legitimately thought there was a chance that she would win the tournament. Alize has impressed throughout the tournament and she’s a great choice to make the finals.
A video package set up the Angelina Love vs. Rok-C match. Love implied that she was set up by Maria Kanellis in that she had to face Max The Impaler in the second round. She said she’s injured, but she’s in the semifinals and will get the last laugh. Love said she’s been wrestling longer than Rok-C has been alive.
Rok-C said she didn’t know if she could pull off a win over Sumie Sakai in round one, but she did. She said her match against Quinn McKay was one of the most competitive that she’s ever had in her career and she was able to pull it out too. She said the odds were against her in facing Love, who has been wrestling longer than she’s been alive. She said the odds have been against her since she started. She said the fans named her The Prodigy and she has to beat Love…
2. Angelina Love vs. Rok-C in a semifinal ROH Women’s Championship tournament match. Love passed on the Code of Honor. Riccaboni said Love has never adhered to the Code of Honor. Love sold a left shoulder injury. Rok-C went after the injury. “I am injured,” Love barked at her while selling against the ropes. Love slapped Rok-C, who charged her, and then Love dumped her to ringside. Back in the ring, Rok-C performed a side Russian leg sweep. [C]
Love caught Rok-C with a good looking DDT for a near fall. Rok-C came right back and caught Love in a crossface. Love rolled onto Rok-C to break the hold and got a two count. Rok-C reversed it for a two count of her own. Rok-C put Love’s bad arm in a Fujiwara armbar and got the submission win.
Rok-C defeated Angelina Love to advance to the finals of the ROH Women’s Championship tournament.
“Rok-C has done the unthinkable,” Riccaboni exclaimed. Rok-C flashed a look of disbelief over her win. Miranda Alize came out and applauded form the stage and then had a tense long distance staredown with Rok-C. A graphic liked Alize vs. Rok-C for the tournament finals at the Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view… [C]
Powell’s POV: Love’s injury seemed to be worked to give her an out for losing while also creating the need for a rematch with Rok-C somewhere down the road. Rok-C has shined throughout the tournament and I love that she’s going to the finals. Beating veterans Sakai and Love really means something in ROH, so the creative forces really seem to be behind her. I can definitely see her going all the way and winning the championship on Sunday and that’s my official prediction. That said, there’s a case to be made for having the young star come up short and then chase Miranda Alize for the title. Either way, ROH announced that they have signed both women, which is a great sign that they are committed to doing more with the women’s division.
A video package listed each ROH Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view matches for Sunday’s event…
“La Faccion Ingobernable” members Rush, Dragon Lee, Kenny King, and Bestia del Ring stood backstage for a brief promo. King flubbed his line by saying Shane Taylor was “looking down up at us” the last time they were all in the ring together. He said this would be no different. Rush said they would destroy everybody…
Powell’s POV: Why not do a second take of that promo? Why not show us footage of the attack on Shane Taylor that Kenny King referenced. In addition to there being new viewers, some folks are forgetful and some watch way too much wrestling to remember everything (I fit into both of those categories).
Shane Taylor Promotions made their entrance. A promo aired with Taylor saying it’s not four-on-one this time around. He said the LFI empire would come crumbling down at the hands of STP. LFI made their entrance and the STP faction was waiting for them at ringside. The factions brawled until they were pulled apart by security. [C]
3. “Shane Taylor Promotions” Shane Taylor, Moses, Kaun, and O’Shay Edwards vs. “La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dragon Lee, Kenny King, and Bestia del Ring. Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were on commentary for the match. The teams were in the ring. King teased a handshake with a willing Moses, but King hit him with a cheap shot to start the match. Moses got the better of it and then mocked the size of Lee. Kaun tagged and knocked Lee down with a shoulder block. Lee and Kaun traded forearm shots.
Edwards tagged in and slammed Lee in front of his corner. Bestia ran in and speared Edwards, then tossed him to ringside where the other LFI members put the boots to him until his teammates arrived. Back in the ring, Bestia suplexed Edwards and covered him for a two count. Edwards rallied with a power slam, but Rush immediately knocked him down with a running forearm.
Rush called for “baby boy” Taylor to face him. Taylor and Rush traded strikes. Taylor got the better of it, but Rush came back with a suplex and a knee to the face. Moses hopped over the top rope to the apron and then tried to dive at Rush, who was being held by Moses and Edwards, but Bestia ran in front of him as he was leaping. Moses landed awkwardly and Edwards had to leap over him, yet sold knee pain.
In the ring, Lee went for a knee strike that Taylor blocked. Taylor kicked Lee, who responded with a knee to the head. Taylor headbutted Lee and then piledrove him. Taylor had the pin, but Rush and Bestia pulled the referee to the floor and pointed at Moses, who was down on the floor. In the ring, King kicked Taylor below the belt while the referee was distracted and got the three count once the referee returned to the ring.
“La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dragon Lee, Kenny King, and Bestia del Ring defeated “Shane Taylor Promotions” Shane Taylor, Moses, Kaun, and O’Shay Edwards.
LFI stood in the ring and each put a foot on Taylor while touching raised fists. Riccaboni hyped Chris Dickinson and Homicide vs. Dragon Lee and Kenny King for the ROH Tag Titles. King talked smack into the camera at ringside to close the show…
Powell’s POV: ROH didn’t include any match graphics for next week’s show. In addition to the ROH Tag Title match that Riccaboni hyped, Kevin Eck’s blog on the ROH website also lists Bandido and Rey Horus vs. Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe, and Josh Woods vs. Will Ferrara in a Pure Rules match for next week’s television show.
LFI going over in the main event was logical given that they will challenge Taylor, Moses, and Kaun for the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles at Sunday’s pay-per-view. I am surprised that ROH didn’t go with one the semifinal matches to close the show simply to make the tournament feel more prestigious. Nevertheless, ROH has done a really nice job with the women’s tournament. It was fun to watch these matches and not feel like the outcomes were as predictable as most television matches. The tournament final should be strong and I’m looking forward to seeing who they go with as the champion. My weekly audio review of ROH Wrestling will be available for Dot Net Members later today.
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