Ring of Honor TV – February 14, 2018: Punishing Peacocks
Ring of Honor
Date: February 14, 2018
Location: Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
What does it say when this is one of the shows I’m looking forward to more than almost any other during the week? Well actually it says that I’m in for an entertaining hour, which is always nice to hear. We’re coming up on the 16th Anniversary Show and that means we need a pay per view card. Let’s get to it.
Dalton Castle is always ready and never surprised, though he seems a bit surprised that the Boys were standing behind him. Make it not much surprises him, so he knew he’d become the biggest target in Ring of Honor as soon as he became World Champion. Punishment Martinez attacking him wasn’t a surprise either because he’d want any advantage he could get if he was fighting himself. He’s not the same Castle as before because this is a champion. The only plan Castle has is to come out swinging and he’s going to retain this title. Castle is still rather odd, but the fire is there and he’s starting to feel like the top dog.
Opening sequence.
Coast 2 Coast vs. Beer City Bruiser/Brian Milonas
Bruiser is big but Milonas is just ridiculous looking. The big guys jump them at the bell as the announcers even talk about how huge Milonas is. Bruiser crushes LSG with a backsplash for two and Brian stomps him in the corner. LSG dropkicks them into each other though and it’s off to Ali for some headbutts. A Stroke/Downward Spiral gets two on Bruiser but Silas Young pulls Ali to the floor. Kenny King runs in for the save and it’s a no contest at 3:05.
Rating: D+. Nothing to see here and that’s the right ending. You had built up Coast 2 Coast with their win a few weeks ago and you have a brand new team so giving one of them a clean (or even a somewhat dirty) loss would have been a bad idea. We might as well ring the bell for the six man though and that’s what makes sense.
Coast 2 Coast/Kenny King vs. Beer City Bruiser/Brian Milonas/Silas Young
It’s a brawl to start with King hitting a slingshot corkscrew dive to take Milonas down. Bruiser is right back with a running cannonball from the apron, only to have Ali dive onto everyone. Young springboard clotheslines LSG down and gives Ali a Rock Bottom onto the apron. We settle down to LSG in trouble, including Young throwing a shirt at him. You don’t do that to LSG who…tags out to Ali for a clothesline to Young.
It’s already back to King but Bruiser gets in a cheap shot from behind. All three villains surround King with Coast 2 Coast just watching it happen from the apron. They finally come in after King has been crushed between the two big guys but do manage to send them outside. LSG hits a big springboard dive to take out Milonas and Bruiser, leaving Ali and Young to slug it out. King is back up though and it’s a Royal Flush to pin Young at 5:12.
Rating: C. Again, that’s probably the smartest move as it gives King a reason to get another title shot. Teaming Young with Milonas and Bruiser has been one of the best things that Ring of Honor could have done as he’s so far ahead of those two that it’s made him look great on all regards. King vs. Young should be good and hopefully Coast 2 Coast goes over these two lunkheads in their rematch.
The Dawgs want to take out Coast 2 Coast. Take them wherever you want. Just don’t make me watch the Dawgs.
Mandy Leon is a Ring of Honor dojo graduate who wants to bring a great division to Ring of Honor.
Madison Rayne thinks the women’s division is pretty awesome. Rayne was actually here a long time ago and wants to win the first Women’s Title.
Women’s Title Tournament First Round: Mandy Leon vs. Madison Rayne
Deonna Purrazzo is on commentary. Feeling out process to start with an exchange of headlocks. Mandy takes her down and hits a Hennig necksnap, only to get caught with a dropkick as we take an early break with the match still in first gear. Back with Madison getting frustrated and getting caught in a double faceplant for a double knockdown.
Mandy comes back with a Koji Clutch for a few seconds before sending Madison outside. A flip dive from the apron sets up a missile dropkick for two but Madison grabs a cutter (the Rayne Check) for the same. The Rayne Drop gets two more but Mandy is right back up with a pumphandle driver (Astral Projection) for the pin at 8:43.
Rating: C-. It’s pretty clear that Ring of Honor wants Mandy to be their Trish Stratus and it’s easy to see why. She’s not a bad promo, has a good look and is getting better in the ring, but she needs a lot more experience. Mandy is twenty five and hasn’t even been wrestling for four years yet. She doesn’t have the best fire in the ring, but that’s something that can be fixed over time.
The match itself was completely watchable and it’s a very good idea to have some more established names like Rayne and Tenille Dashwood in the tournament. The women’s division isn’t very well known and wins over those names will help the lesser known wrestlers. This was a big win for Mandy and I wouldn’t be shocked to see her in the finals.
Cody wants to know where the Young Bucks were last week when he was getting beaten down. They claim their flight was late, which Cody calls a “Kenny Thing”. Cody storms off when Marty Scurll comes in with a fan made sign. The Bucks don’t want to hear it right now and point out that his name is spelled wrong (Scurl).
The Brisco Brothers don’t care what the fans think of them because it’s all about making statements. One statement is that they’re the baddest team ever and they’re coming to get their property back.
Ring of Honor World Title: Dalton Castle vs. Punishment Martinez
Dalton is defending with Scurll on commentary. Marty rants about why Martinez and Castle got their shots at the title before him as Castle pretends to have something of his hand before slapping Martinez in the face. Punishment blocks a suplex attempt but gets low bridged to the floor for a suicide dive. The chokeslam onto the apron is broken up and Castle sends him into the steps as we take a break.
Back with Martinez hitting a spinning kick to the head to knock Castle off the ropes for a good looking crash. Martinez slows the pace, sending Marty into hysterics over him not taking advantage of his opportunity. The springboard corkscrew splash gives Martinez two and Castle rolls to the floor for a good fanning. Back in and we hit the chinlock and take another break.
We come back again with Castle getting two off a German suplex, followed by some more suplexes to really stagger the monster. A Falcon Arrow gives Martinez two of his own and he hits the big dive over the post onto Castle and the Boys (Marty: “CRIKEY!!!!!”). Back in and Martinez’s top rope spinwheel kick gets two in a kickout that should have gotten a better reaction. Instead of the South of Heaven chokeslam, Martinez loads up the Psycho Driver but gets rolled up to retain Castle’s title at 13:52.
Rating: B. This was VERY similar to Chris Benoit vs. Kane at Bad Blood 2004, even down to the rollup to retain the title. That’s a good thing too as the original was an awesome match with the underdog champion fighting through everything and catching the monster with a quick win. Castle has grown on me like few others and giving him a come from behind win like this is the best thing for him.
Post match, Martinez beats up the Boys.
Overall Rating: B-. The main event is the thing that matters most here and that’s enough to carry the show. The World Title scene has been the show’s strong point for a long time now and there’s nothing wrong with that. I liked the women’s match well enough and it’s nice to FINALLY see that division get some actual air time as the women need to get some attention so people can know anything about them. As has been the case of late, Ring of Honor is an easy watch with at least one good match included, which is more than you get on a lot of shows.
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