By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 525)
Taped in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired October 9, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
Ian Riccaboni welcomed viewers to the show after the opening video aired. He hyped the three matches that would air during the show…
Powell’s POV: This was a voiceover from Riccaboni rather than the usual introduction from the studio. Those studio segments have been so stripped down lately that they might as well take this new approach. It’s a shame because studio host Quinn McKay is a star and the company should want her on the show every week.
Entrances for the opening match took place while Riccaboni, Jay Briscoe, and Mark Briscoe checked in on commentary. An SOS pre-taped promo aired during their entrance. Dalton Castle and Dak Draper came out with a group of Boys. A pre-tape aired with Castle and Draper talking about how busy they are. Draper was going to remove his half-shirt, but Castle told him to save it for the ring…
1. “SOS” Moses and Kaun vs. Dalton Castle and Dak Draper. Castle pulled Draper out of the way of a charging Kaun in the corner. Draper caught Kaun with a flying elbow and then tagged in Castle, who performed a knee drop from the second rope and covered Kaun for a one count heading into a break. [C]
SOS hit a Doomsday Device style clothesline on Draper without flipping him over. Moses went to ringside and yelled, which caused The Boys to scurry. Moses took out Castle on the floor and then returned to the ring where he and Kaun hit their finisher on Draper. Moses pinned Draper.
“SOS” Moses and Kaun defeated Dalton Castle and Dak Draper in 9:16.
After the match, Dragon Lee and Kenny King attacked Moses and Kaun. They laid them out with the ROH Tag Titles belts and then took a selfie while posing over Kaun. Lee and King posed for another selfie at ringside. Moses took the mic and challenged Lee and King to an ROH Tag Title match. Lee and King mockingly applauded the promo and said they would talk to their lawyer, then headed to the back…
Graphics listed the two upcoming matches… [C]
Powell’s POV: The thrill is gone with Castle’s character, at least for this viewer. I’m not really sure why Draper has been added to his act. On the bright side, I continue to enjoy the progression of the SOS tag team and I’m looking forward to them challenging Lee and King.
Entrances for the Triple Threat match. Willow danced and had a pre-tape in which she continued to be over the top happy. Alize made her entrance and had a pre-tape. She acted like she didn’t know who Willow was and said she didn’t care. She said she would storm through everyone in the locker room until she gets her hands on “that little girl again” (in reference to ROH Women’s World Champion Rok-C). The Allure made their entrance and did not have a pre-tape…
2. Miranda Alize vs. Angelina Love (w/Mandy Leon) vs. Willow in a Triple Threat for a spot in the No. 1 contenders match for the ROH Women’s World Championship. Riccaboni was joined on commentary by Caprice Coleman and Chelsea Green. Willow wanted to adhere to the Code of Honor, but both heels blew her off.
Alize had her left shoulder taped. Alize and Love worked together to start the match. Alize performed a huracanrana that was supposed to drive Willow’s head into the mat. Willow sold the move even though her head didn’t come anywhere close to the mat. The heels continued to dominate Willow. [C]
Willow went for a missile dropkick on both women, but Love shoved Alize and avoided it. Love cleared Willow to ringside and then covered Alize for a two count. The heels came to blows. Love rolled Alize into the Koji Clutch. Willow returned to the ring and threw a terrible running kick at Love to break the hold.
Willow dumped both opponents to ringside and then performed a double missile dropkick from the apron. Alize and Willow returned to the ring. Alize bit the fingers of Willow and tossed her to the floor, then performed a suicide dive onto both opponents. Alize rolled Love back inside the ring and covered her for a two count. Moments later, Love took her turn diving onto both opponents from the apron.
Love rolled Willow back inside the ring and covered her for a two count. Alize got back on the apron and was kicked to the floor by Love. Willow rolled up Love and pinned her…
Willow defeated Angelina Love and Miranda Alize in 8:32 to qualify for the match that will determine the No. 1 contender to the ROH Women’s World Championship.
A graphic listed the main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: There were a couple of clunky spots involving Willow, but it was an entertaining match overall. One can only assume that Willow’s bubbly babyface routine will work better when fans are in attendance, as she does have a likable personality. It’s worth nothing that Green was in total babyface mode and cheered on Willow from the broadcast table.
Entrances for the main event took place and both teams received pre-taped promos. Mike Bennett said as a wrestling fan he was excited about the match, and he and Taven spoke about moving up the rankings. Bandido and Horus delivered a basic babyface promo in a combination of English and Spanish…
3. ROH World Champion Bandido and Rey Horus vs. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven. Riccaboni and Coleman called the match. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor. Taven put Bandido down with a dropkick heading into a commercial break. [C]
Taven picked up a couple of near falls on Bandido and spoke with the referee in a respectful manner regarding his count. Bennett tagged in and performed a spinebuster on Bandido, who then avoided Taven’s springboard move attempt. Bandido made a hot tag to Horus, who performed a standing Spanish Fly on Bennett. Horus followed up by tagging out and then took out Bennett at ringside. Bandido performed a tornado style dive on Taven for a near fall. [C]
Taven hit his Just The Tip running knee on Bandido and then tagged out. Bennett and Taven performed a spike piledriver on Bandido and had him pinned, but Horus broke it up. Later, Bennett avoided Horus’s 450 attempt and then hoisted him onto his back. Taven threw a running kick at Horus (it missed) while Bennett performed a backpack stunner and then scored the pin.
Mike Bennett and Matt Taven defeated Bandido and Rey Horus in 12:07.
After the match, Bennett and Taven were respectful to Bandido and Horus and helped them to their feet. The teams shook hands and hugged…
Riccaboni hyped next week as a double main event. Graphics listed Kenny King and Dragon Lee vs. “SOS” Moses and Kaun for the ROH Tag Titles, and “The Foundation” Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Tracy Williams, and Rhett Titus vs. Taylor Rust, Eli Isom, World Famous CB, and Joe Keys in an eight-man tag match.
Powell’s POV: While the main event was entertaining, I still don’t feel like Bandido is coming off like the man the company is building around. It’s not even that his team lost. He’s the ROH World Champion and he’s a tremendous talent, but he just hasn’t been spotlighted properly since he won the title. Why not give him some singles match wins on the weekly television show rather than going with these tag team matches?
I keep waiting for something interesting to happen with Bennett and Taven. Their smiling babyface routine is decent, but the tag division is crowded and both men could be players in the singles division, particularly if they were working as heels. It may be toon soon for Taven to turn again, but it feels like ROH could get a lot more out of Bennett if he were slotted as a singles heel. Overall, the show was entertaining despite my concerns about the way some wrestlers are being utilized. Dot Net Members will hear my weekly ROH Wrestling audio review later today.
Be the first to comment