Ring of Honor TV – August 10, 2016: They Nailed It
Ring of Honor
Date: August 10, 2016
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 850
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly
We’re on to another taping cycle here and we only have two weeks before Death Before Dishonor. It’s a big show this week though as we have Colt Cabana getting his ROH World Title shot against the now bald Jay Lethal. This should make for an interesting match as it’s almost guaranteed to be a way to set up Adam Cole as the next challenger. Let’s get to it.
We open with a recap of the Bullet Club shaving Lethal’s hair and see Jay freaking out in a mirror. Good visual there actually.
Opening sequence.
Will Ferrara vs. Jay White
White is, say it with me, from New Japan. Well at least from their Dojo. For some reason this is treated like his debut even though he was on ROH a few weeks back. White grabs a wristlock to start but Will gets up for a stalemate. A middle rope hurricanrana gets two for Ferrara but White starts twisting his wrist around to take over. Ferrara sends him outside though and a suicide dive takes us to a break. Back with Ferrara hitting a bouncing DDT but getting caught with a missile dropkick for another near fall. A loud dropkick and spinning Rock Bottom get two for White, followed by the Kiwi Crusher for the pin at 9:26.
Rating: C. This was fine as White is someone who needs ring time and some wins that go somewhere to set him up as something important. That’s all well and good but I really don’t need someone else toiling in Ring of Honor until they can go back to New Japan for their real career. White isn’t bad though and that’s a good sign, especially if he sticks around for awhile.
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Silas Young at Death Before Dishonor. That would be the latest New Japan vs. ROH match with no story announced for the pay per view because they don’t have time to set up ROH vs. ROH matches because they’re too busy doing New Japan vs. ROH matches. It’s a vicious cycle.
We look back at Mark Briscoe beating ACH to become #1 contender for the TV Title.
Here’s Mark Briscoe to be in the Fish Tank. Before Bobby Fish comes out, Mark talks about learning the inner workings of the Fish Tank. It’s Bobby Fish subliminally trying to infiltrate his brain. Fish was about to come out but Mark told the music man to play the Briscoes’ music instead. Therefore, this is now THE CHICKEN SHACK with first guest Bobby Fish! Or maybe Chris Jericho since this is screaming Ambrose Asylum/Highlight Reel.
Fish comes out in a suit and Mark approves of the clothing. Mark asks if Fish prefers chicken or fish on his flights but Bobby doesn’t eat airplane food. Question #2: “Is it true that the last time you were in Las Vegas you married an Ethiopian midget?” Fish says no comment because what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. That brings Mark to the next time Fish is going to Las Vegas which will be at Death Before Dishonor.
Fish says there is no way he’s losing the title but let’s say the impossible happens. If Mark wins the title, who will he be then? Fish knows the answer: Mark would be Jay Briscoe’s little brother holding his secondary title. See, if Mark wins the title, that title drops right back down the ladder. That’s enough for Mark who throws the chairs over but security breaks it up. Fish says Mark is looking at the champion, who will be leaving Las Vegas with the title. I really liked this segment and it made me want to see the match for the first time, which I didn’t expect.
The Addiction is ready to take care of the Motor City Machine Guns.
ROH World Title: Colt Cabana vs. Jay Lethal
Lethal is defending in a rematch after Adam Cole and the Young Bucks interfered last time. Feeling out process to start as they have a lot of time to work with here, save for an angle at the end that is. Lethal is sent outside in frustration and Cabana is nice enough to hold the ropes open for the champ.
Back in and Lethal dropkicks him outside to earn a nice face chant. Lethal holds the ropes open for Cabana and the fans are getting into the idea here. Back in again and we get some very obvious spot calling with Cabana hitting another dropkick to put Jay on the floor. They quickly switch places so Jay can hit back to back to back suicide dives and the fans are WAY into Lethal here. I think we can call that a successful face turn.
We come back from another break with Cabana charging into a boot in the corner and a slugout won by the challenger. Jay can’t get a rolling suplex but can counter the Billy Goat’s Curse. Instead Cabana hits a middle rope splash for two, only to get caught in the Lethal Combination. Hail To The King is countered into a crucifix but Jay comes back with the Lethal Injection for a near fall.
Cabana is smart enough to step to the side before Jay can try another Injection, only to catch Lethal with the Chicago Skyline (a fireman’s carry drop onto the turnbuckle) as we take another break. Back again with Cabana hitting a jumping hip attack to block the Lethal Injection for a very close two. That would have been better without the commercial right before. Another Injection doesn’t work so Lethal hits a cutter and now the Injection connects to retain the title at 14:12.
Rating: B. I liked this way more than I was expecting to and I was genuinely surprised that they went with a clean finish here. That’s a good thing though as they needed to write Cabana off as a challenger instead of letting that hang over Lethal’s title reign again. I don’t think anyone was expecting Cabana to win the title in the first place but at least they had a good match to blow it off. Lethal really works as a face too, which is kind of a surprise.
Post match Jay asks Nigel McGuinness to get in the ring. Normally Lethal would be saying there’s no one left but there’s one man left. He wants Adam Cole at Death Before Dishonor because he can’t stand by while the Bullet Club takes over. I’m not sure how they’re taking over but that’s what we’re going with. At least it’s not the Beat Down Clan. Nigel says no because there are more worthy challengers.
Cue Cole to say no one is buying this. Cole says nothing should be holding him back from being World Champion again. Unless Jay defends the title again him, that title reign means nothing. Cole calls Lethal a rather rude name and Jay snaps, basically demanding a title match. The demand and the cheering from the crowd forces Nigel to officially make the match, only about two weeks after it was announced on ROH’s website. Cole (with the skinniest arms of a main eventer I’ve seen in years) smiles and leaves to end the show.
Overall Rating: A. Maybe it’s that I watched the Urban Wrestling Federation show before this but this was the best ROH show I can remember seeing in probably six months. The opener was fine, the main event was really good, and the two promos to set up/build pay per view matches were awesome. Nothing on this show didn’t work and I had a really good time with it. Well done indeed ROH and I’m fairly shocked to say that these days.
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