By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 433)
Taped December 15, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired January 4, 2020 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
The ROH opening kicked off the show and then footage aired of PCO defeating Rush to win the ROH Championship at the Final Battle pay-per-view…
Show hosts Ian Riccaboni and Quinn McKay checked in and hyped the replay of the Final Battle pay-per-view. They also hyped the tag team main event from the Final Battle Fallout show…
“Villain Enterprises” PCO, Marty Scurll, Brody King, and Flip Gordon headed to the ring along with Destro. Clips aired of Scurll delivering a promo about PCO winning the ROH Championship followed by PCO thanking the fans “from the bottom of my car battery.”
Rush appeared on the big screen and announced that he’s bringing a new version of Los Ingobernables to ROH. He held up a Kenny King shirt, then King and Amy Rose entered the picture. Rush introduced his brother Dragon Lee as the other member of the new faction. PCO said Rush may have his faction, “but we are Villain Enterprises”… [C]
Powell’s POV: I can’t say that King would have stood out as strong candidate if someone had told me that Rush and Lee were starting a faction with a third man in ROH. We’ll see how it goes. But I do like the idea of having Rush head up a faction. ROH lost its coolness when Cody and the Young Bucks left the company. Perhaps Rush and/or Marty Scurll can help improve that in 2020.
PJ Black was shown talking with Josh Woods about his partnership with Silas Young was going. Black said he was thinking of mentoring someone too. Young showed up and asked what they were talking about. Woods informed Young that Black wants to be a mentor too. Young said he couldn’t be a mentor like the Last Real Man. Brian Johnson walked past the trio. Young suggested that Black mentor Johnson. Black wasn’t crazy about the idea, but Young pushed him and said he would give him as much time as he needs and then their students could have a match…
The hosts set up a match from Final Battle Fallout…
1. Dak Draper vs. Shaheem Ali. Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were on commentary. They cut to break early in the match. [C] Draper went for a move off the top rope, but Ali caught and suplexed him. Draper came back with a springboard back elbow and then hit his Magnum KO finisher for the win. After the match, Draper placed a participation ribbon on Ali…
Dak Draper defeated Shaheem Ali.
Powell’s POV: A solid match. We need to learn more about Top Prospect Tournament winner Draper. He’s had a little mic time, but not nearly enough. As much as ROH prides itself on having good wrestling, they really need to do a better job of establishing the personalities of their talented wrestlers.
A video package recapped Vincent beating Matt Taven at Final Battle… [C]
Footage aired of Colt Cabana, Ian Riccaboni, Gary Juster, Todd Sinclair, and cameraman Gator beating Shane Taylor, Soldiers of Savagery, Ron Hunt, and Brian Johnson at ROH Unauthorized when Johnson was pinned by Cabana…
Johnson was shown sitting backstage when PJ Black approached him about being his mentor. Johnson declined. Black asked him to think about it, but Johnson sent him on his way…
Highlights aired of Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham defeating Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe to win the ROH Tag Titles at the Final Battle pay-per-view…
A cameraman followed Lethal and Gresham backstage. Lethal was initially bothered by the cameraman, but then called him into a room so that he could deliver a message. Lethal said their tag title win was clouded by the fact that wrestlers in ROH do whatever the hell they want and are rewarded for it. He said they proved it by doing the same thing. Lethal said Gresham was right about it and he’s sorry it took him so long to figure it out. Gresham said they couldn’t stop there, they need to recreate the company in their image. Lethal said it was only a matter of time before the Briscoes started asking for a rematch…
The hosts spoke about Lethal and Gresham winning the tag titles, then Riccaboni hyped this weekend’s live events…
Brian Zane hosted his top five moments of Final Battle.
5. Jeff Cobb vs. Dan Maff.
4. Maria Manic mauling Angelina Love.
3. Bandido and Flamita vs. Marty Scurll and Flip Gordon.
2. Mark Haskins vs. Bully Ray in a street fight.
1. The ROH World Championship, ROH TV Title, and ROH Tag Titles all changing hands. [C]
Ring entrances for the main event took place while ring announcer Bobby Cruise introduced both teams… [C]
2. PCO (w/Destro) and Marty Scurll vs. Jeff Cobb and Dan Maff. Scurll had Maff in a seated position when he slapped the top of his head and then went to ringside for a victory lap. There was a strange moment when Maff seemed to tease a suicide dive even though no one was in his sights. Maff stopped and simply went to ringside, then PCO walked up behind him and roughed him up. Scurll ended up being isolated by Cobb and Maff. Cobb performed a standing moonsault for a two count going into a break. [C]
Scurll backdropped PCO over the top rope and onto Maff at ringside. PCO returned and went to the ropes. Scurll put Cobb in a Boston crab, then PCO performed a leg drop from the second rope. Cobb used an inside cradle for a two count. A short time later, Maff caught Scurll coming off the middle rope with a cutter that led to a two count. Maff followed up with another cutter and had the pin, but PCO broke it up.
PCO sent Cobb to ringside, then performed a Canadian Destroyer on Maff. Scurll covered Maff for two. Cobb returned to break up another pin attempt. Moments later, PCO and Cobb fought at ringside. Maff performed a spear or a Pounce on Scurll in the ring. Maff tried to dive onto PCO, but he ended up taking out Cobb instead. PCO rolled Cobb back inside the ring and over the apron, then did his insane dive from the top rope where he lands back first on the edge of the apron. Maff went for a Burning Hammer on Scurll, who countered into an inside cradle and got the pin for his team.
PCO and Marty Scurll defeated Jeff Cobb and Dan Maff.
A replay was shown and then PCO and Scurll celebrated in the ring to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A good television main event with the Villain Enterprises duo beating the powerhouse tag team. It will be interesting to see if Cobb takes issue with Maff accidentally diving onto him.
ROH was finally able to run a followup to Final Battle three weeks after the event took place. Yes, the holidays led to two weeks of “best of” shows, but this is actually the norm for ROH and unfortunately there’s no reason to believe there will be a change the programming airing on this type of delay.
Overall, it felt like a fairly ordinary show to start the new year. And despite the fact that this was the first show from the most recent tapings and thus everything is in the can, they didn’t offer viewers any incentive to watch next week. Why not advertise the main event or give viewers some type of hook? I will be by later today with my audio review of this episode for Dot Net Members.
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