By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 532)
Taped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired November 27, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
Quinn McKay introduced the show after the ROH opening video and hyped the show’s three matches… Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman checked in on commentary while the opening match entrances took place. Ring announcer Bobby Cruise handled the introductions…
1. Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe vs. PCO and Danhausen. Mark picked up Danhausen’s jar of teeth and pointed at his own missing teeth in an early comical moment. Jay tagged in a short time later and was getting the better of Danhausen heading into the first commercial break. [C]
Danhausen and PCO performed a double chokeslam on Mark, then bickered with one another. PCO left the ring. Sledge came out. PCO shoved Sledge and then they brawled over the barricade, leaving Danhausen alone in the ring. Jay hit the Jay Driller on some of the teeth that were scattered in the ring and then Mark covered Danhausen for the win…
Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe defeated PCO and Danhausen in 8:54.
After the match, the Briscoes picked up some of Danhausen’s teeth and inserted some in spots where Mark is missing teeth…
Powell’s POV: A fun opener. There was no doubt regarding the outcome, but they had some fun with Danhausen’s jar of teeth. PCO and Sledge continued to bicker despite being aligned with Danhausen.
A graphic listed the ROH Women’s World Championship match as coming up next… A Final Battle video package aired with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Taven spoke about his first appearance in the company and how he couldn’t believe who he was sharing the locker room with. Taven said he knew that he wanted to be in ROH forever. Bennett said this won’t be the last time that people hear the ROH name… [C]
Maria Kanellis spoke about Final Battle and how the ROH locker room made her believe in pro wrestling again. She spoke about how everyone in today’s locker room wants to help each other. She said she refuses to believe that the ROH spirit will ever die…
Powell’s POV: I like that they talent are able to put things in their own words, but the two video packages sure make Final Battle feel like the end rather the company taking a break. That said, the company could be leaning into that vibe to make the event feel more significant even if they do have every intention of returning in April.
Gia Scott made her entrance while a pre-taped promo aired. She said she should have won the ROH Women’s World Championship tournament. She said she is the greatest woman and will not be overlooked…
Rok-C made her entrance while her pre-tape aired. She recalled saying she would defend the title against anyone. She said she wasn’t underestimating Scott and hoped that Scott wasn’t underestimating her. She said she would defend the belt with honor…
2. Rok-C vs. Gia Scott for the ROH Women’s World Championship. Bobby Cruise delivered in-ring introductions for the championship match. Maria Kanellis sat in on commentary. Scott ended up at ringside. Rok-C held the ropes open for her. Scott offered a handshake with her left hand. Scott pulled Rok-C in, but Rok-C saw it coming and avoided her cheap shot attempt. Rok-C went up top while holding Scott’s arm, but she lost her balance and dropped down. Scott put Rok-C down with a shoulder block and covered her for a two count. [C]
Rok-C applied a grapevine guillotine in the middle of the ring. Scott powered her up and drove her into the corner. Rok-C came back with a moonsault knee driver for a near fall, then applied a crossface. Scott rolled Rok-C into a pin for a two count. Rok-C got up and rolled Scott into a pin for a two count. Scott shot up and speared Rok-C and covered her for another near fall. Scott went to the corner and charged, but Rok-C caught her with a knee to the head and then applied the crossface to get the submission win…
Rok-C defeated Gia Scott in 9:06 to retain the ROH Women’s World Championship.
Powell’s POV: A nice match. ROH didn’t do a good job of telling the story that led up to the match on their actual television show, but it was still entertaining once the bell rang. I could see Rok-C actually benefitting from getting out of her ROH deal. She’s gained a lot of notoriety from her performance in the tournament and I’d be stunned if WWE and AEW don’t have interest in her. I haven’t seen much of Scott, but she was also impressive in this match and clearly has upside.
A graphic listed the main event… A Shane Taylor spot aired for Final Battle. He recalled seeing The Briscoes when he watched ROH on television for the first time in 2007. He said that the dream of becoming a wrestler felt real from that point on. He said he knew ROH is where he had to be… [C]
Josh Woods was featured in a Final Battle spot. He said the company has been his home since 2017. He said you can’t compare the Woods from 2017 to the Woods of today. He said he found himself and the company did that for him…
Powell’s POV: I am very curious to see what the future holds for Taylor and Woods. As I’ve noted many times, Taylor really upped his game after Keith Lee left the company, which caused Taylor to shift to being a singles wrestler. He improved every area of his game and is one of the more well rounded performers in ROH. Meanwhile, Woods had a run in WWE developmental once before, but he’s shown so much improvement over the last year or two that I could see him being high on any company’s wish list.
Entrances for the main event took place. The EC3 video package from last week was replayed while he made his entrance. Lethal made his entrance. A pre-taped segment aired with Brian Zane interviewing Lethal, who was distraught because he hasn’t heard from the other Foundation members in days. He said he would be hurt if he were in their shoes. Lethal said he had to find the footage (that Vincent aired last week that showed Lethal saying he doesn’t like The Foundation). Zane explained that he was asking him about EC3. “Oh, um, yeah, I don’t know, I just got…” Lethal said before walking away…
3. Jay Lethal vs. EC3. Lethal offered a handshake. EC3 smiled and spoke to him, then offered his hand, which Lethal accepted. EC3 knocked Lethal down with a shoulder tackle. Lethal rolled to ringside and showed some frustration. Coleman stated on commentary that Lethal needs to get his head in the game. [C]
EC3 held the ropes open for Lethal, who was apprehensive as he reentered the ring. Once Lethal was back in the ring, he immediately dropkicked EC3, which knocked him to ringside. Lethal performed a suicide dive. Lethal worked over EC3 with punches at ringside while the broadcast team expressed their disbelief over the way Lethal was going about his business. Lethal ran EC3 into the barricade.
Lethal threw EC3 back inside the ring. EC3 dodged a charging Lethal and then clotheslined him. EC3 put Lethal in a chinlock and asked if The Foundation was watching. He asked Lethal what he would say to the faction and whether he would apologize. EC3 dominated the bulk of the action heading into the final break. [C]
EC3 chopped Lethal in the corner and then sat down next to him. EC3 spoke about failing in his marriage, his career, and in life. EC3 said the difference is that he’s found control. Lethal hit EC3, who quickly regained control and clotheslined Lethal in the corner. EC3 followed up with a superplex.
Lethal eventually made a comeback and performed a Lethal Combination. Lethal put EC3 down and went up top. EC3 asked where he was going, then told him, “Come on.” Lethal performed a top rope elbow drop. Lethal went for a superkick, but EC3 ducked it and rolled him up for a two count. EC3 followed up with another near fall.
EC3 told Lethal that he doesn’t like The Foundation. EC3 said the group has been holding Lethal back for years. “The legacy of this company is at my feet,” EC3 said. EC3 hoisted up Lethal for a move, but he slipped away and put EC3 down with a cutter.
Lethal set up for his finisher, but he was distracted by footage of him saying “I don’t even like The Foundation” playing in a loop on the big screen. Lethal eventually went for the Lethal Injection, but EC3 stuffed it and ended up applying The Purpose and got the submission win.
EC3 defeated Jay Lethal in 15:11.
After the match, EC3 patted Lethal on the shoulder while Riccaboni said that EC3’s best weapons in the match were his mind and his mouth. EC3 offered Lethal a handshake. Lethal shook it while Riccaboni read EC3’s lips and said he told Lethal to focus on himself…
Riccaboni closed out the show and graphics listed next week’s matches as Taylor Rust vs. Chris Dickinson, Willow vs. Mandy Leon for the ROH Women’s World Championship shot at Final Battle, and ROH World Champion Bandido vs. PJ Black…
Powell’s POV: This is apparently the end of the Lethal era in ROH. It was billed as his final match and he stated at the AEW Full Gear media scrum that he would not be appearing at Final Battle. So barring a change of heart, this was the end Lethal’s long and impressive run with the company. I guess that means we won’t find out where his storyline was going unless he or someone else in the know opts to put it out there. The match was entertaining. I enjoyed the way that EC3 took the negative of not having fans present and turned it into a positive by speaking to Lethal repeatedly while knowing that the microphones would actually pick up what he was saying.
Overall, this was a good episode that built nicely from the opener to the peak of the main event. And whether Final Battle is the end or just the beginning of a temporary hiatus, those videos with the talent talking about the event are going to sell some pay-per-views. I will have more to say about this episode in my weekly ROH Wrestling audio review, which is available exclusively to Dot Net Members.
I thought Ian said that Quinn McKay was joining them on commentary, unless I misheard. The little factoid that displayed during Danhausen’s entrance was pretty comical stating that the match must be pre-taped because Danhausen’s leg was still broken. That was a LOL moment.