By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 530)
Taped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired November 13, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
Quinn McKay checked in from the studio following the standard ROH opening video. McKay ran through the three match lineup… Ian Riccaboni and Silas Young checked in on commentary. It was noted that Young was filling due to usual color commentator Caprice Coleman working a match.
The entrances for the opening match took place and ring announcer Bobby Cruise handled the introductions. A brief pre-taped Bouncers promo aired with Beer City Bruiser once again complaining about Coleman eliminating him from the Honor Rumble. Coleman made his entrance.
Young said he gives Riccaboni a hard time, but he felt that Bruiser crossed the line by going after him and Coleman. In the ring, Bruiser told Coleman that he doesn’t think he has what it takes to step in the ROH ring any longer. Bruiser said Ken Dixon wanted to prove that he belongs with The Bouncers. Bruiser told Coleman that if he beat Dixon, then he could have a shot at him…
1. Caprice Coleman vs. Ken Dixon (w/Beer City Bruiser, Brian Milonas). Riccaboni noted that Coleman is the champion of the AML independent promotion, which he said shot down Bruiser’s claims that Coleman is no longer an active wrestler. Coleman had a couple of early takedowns heading into a commercial break. [C]
Coleman performed a head-scissors takedown of Dixon at ringside. Bruiser tried to interfere, but Coleman fought him off. Back inside the ring, Coleman performed two nice suplexes and then applied his Father Time submission hold. Bruiser entered the ring and punched Coleman for the DQ finish.
Caprice Coleman defeated Ken Dixon by DQ in 8:01.
Afterward, The Bouncers worked over Coleman and left him lying. Bruiser told Coleman that he’s a commentator and is in his world now, then put him down with a DDT… A graphic listed the tag team match as coming up after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: I was happy to see the angle that put Dixon in the match rather than Bruiser. The angle that set up the match aired on last week’s show. And while it was a solid angle, it felt too soon to go right to the Coleman vs. Bruiser match. The post match angle was an effective way to put more heat on Bruiser heading into the eventual match with Coleman.
Footage aired of Flip Gordon taking a piledriver onto a chair at the Glory By Honor event. They also aired the backstage footage that showed a disoriented Gordon wondering where Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson were. Additional footage aired of PJ Black conducting therapy sessions with Gordon. They cut to a shot of Gordon waking up in a tree and then calling Black and saying that he had a dream that he was a mercenary. He was informed that it was real. He said he didn’t want to take another potion, but he would trust the process…
Gordon showed up to a therapy session dressed in a suit. He said Cody used to tell him that it’s professional wrestling, so he should look professional. Black told Gordon to “never listen to that guy.” Funny. Black told Gordon to document his dreams and they will meet again next week…
Powell’s POV: Finally. That video package was long overdue. I assume that a lot of this played out on ROH’s online shows. As someone who only watches the weekly television show, this is the first time that I actually feel up to speed on Gordon’s amnesia angle.
Entrances for the tag match took place. A Bennett and Taven pre-tape aired. Taven said Gordon is like the little brother that he never asked for. He said Gordon is annoying, but he loves “that little Melvin.” Bennett said Gordon is stuck in the past, but OGK is focussed on the future, and their future is tag team gold…
Powell’s POV: Bennett and Taven captured the ROH Tag Titles at the Honor For All special that streamed on HonorClub after this show was taped. They will defend the ROH Tag Titles against The Briscoes at the Final Battle event next month.
2. “The OGK” Mike Bennett and Matt Taven vs. PJ Black and Flip Gordon. At one point, Taven told Gordon that he’s sick of it. He said they were going to wrestle and Gordon was going to lose and then go to the back. Riccaboni said it’s amazing that Gordon has been cleared to wrestle. Young said concussions are not synonymous with amnesia. [C]
Bennett performed a brainbuster on Black and covered him for two. Taven tagged in. Black avoided a double team move and tagged in Gordon, who hit both opponents with a dropkick. Gordon superkicked Taven to ringside, then performed suicide dives on him and Bennett.
Back in the ring, Taven avoided a 450 splash. Gordon performed a moonsault Samoan Drop, a standing shooting star press, and a corkscrew dive from the middle rope and covered Taven, but Bennett broke up the pin. Gordon put Taven in electric chair position and then Black leapt from the top rope and performed a top Canadian Destroyer on Taven. Bennett once again broke up the pin attempt.
Gordon and Black took turns superkicking Bennett. Gordon went for another, but Bennett avoided it, and Gordon accidentally took out his tag team partner. Bennett speared Gordon and then Taven performed a spike piledriver. Taven covered Gordon for the three count…
“The OGK” Mike Bennett and Matt Taven defeated PJ Black and Flip Gordon in 9:43.
Powell’s POV: A good tag team match. I like that while Taven won the match, he was still sold his neck afterward due to the Destroyer that he took.
A graphic listed the main event as coming up next… [C] Graphics for the Honor For All matches were shown for the show that streamed Sunday via HonorClub… Entrances for the main event took place. A pre-taped promo aired with Tracy Williams saying that Vincent’s purity talk is a joke…
3. “The Righteous” Vincent, Bateman, and Dutch (w/Vita VonStarr) vs. “The Foundation” Jonathan Gresham, Rhett Titus, and Tracy Williams (w/Jay Lethal). Vincent called for a mic. He asked Lethal why he was standing in the corner of The Foundation. He told him to come over with his real friends. Lethal said he was with his friends. Vincent had footage play that had Lethal saying, “I don’t even like The Foundation.” Lethal told his faction mates that he didn’t say that. Williams had a protesting Lethal go the the back. [C]
Gresham was isolated. Bateman slammed Gresham, then Dutch powerbombed him. Vincent performed his Redrum moonsault on Gresham and covered him, but Titus and Williams broke up the pin. Young questioned what kind of pure wrestling was on display when Titus and Williams broke up the pin illegally. [C]
Late in the match, legal men Titus and Dutch were left in ring together after their partners had fought to ringside. Dutch hit a ripcord sidewalk slam on Titus and pinned him clean. Young stated on commentary that honor prevailed. He said the team that held the tag ropes and played by the rules won the match. Riccaboni was outraged and said Vincent’s actions were a facade.
“The Righteous” Vincent, Bateman, and Dutch defeated “The Foundation” Jonathan Gresham, Rhett Titus, and Tracy Williams in 12:25.
After the match, Lethal returned to ringside. Gresham gave Lethal a suspicious look, which Riccaboni called out on commentary. Lethal tried to explain himself to his crew.
Graphics for next week’s show listed John Walters vs. Brian Johnson in a Pure Rules match, Mandy Leon vs. Allysin Kay vs. Trish Adora, and Dragon Lee vs. Dalton Castle for the ROH TV Title…
Powell’s POV: Another well worked main event. Overall, a good episode with some solid storytelling in each match. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll get the full story that they had in mind for Lethal and The Righteous now that Lethal has left the company and signed with AEW and stated that he won’t appear at Final Battle. I will have more to say about this episode in my weekly Dot Net Members’ exclusive audio review later today.
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