Ring of Honor TV – February 6, 2019: One Of The Best Shows They’ve Ever Done
IMG Credit: Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Date: February 6, 2019
Location: Center Stage Theater, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana, Juice Robinson
We’re onto a fresh set of TV tapings here with a big match between Eli Isom and Silas Young for a future TV Title shot. This is actually a tournament final, though I thought it would be slightly bigger than four people. Other than that we have the continued rise of Villain Enterprises, which could go somewhere with the right push. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Tracy Williams vs. David Finlay
This is Finlay’s debut. They trade headlocks to start with Williams taking him down and stomping on the arm. A rollup sets up a failed Crossface attempt so Finlay dropkicks him to the floor. Back in and Williams snaps off a suplex for two, setting up a quickly broken chinlock. Some loud chops just fire Finlay up for a jumping elbow to the face.
Back from a break with Williams rolling out of a Rock Bottom and hitting a DDT onto the turnbuckle. A discus lariat gets two on Finlay but he’s right back with an Irish Curse for the same. Finlay kicks him in the face for another near fall and slips out of a Crossface as a bonus. Williams gets two of his own off a Death Valley Driver, followed by a jumping piledriver for the pin at 11:10.
Rating: B. This is the kind of match that ROH built itself on: two younger, lesser known guys getting to trade big moves until one person won. It might not be the most classically structured match in the world but that’s not what they were going for here. Sometimes you need to showcase new talent and that’s what they did here, with the popular Robinson pushing how much fun it was in a very good addition.
Video on Bandido.
The Kingdom tells Villain Enterprises to get their umbrellas.
Mark Haskins vs. Bandido
Feeling out process to start with the aggressive Haskins grabbing a headlock but getting shoved up against the ropes. Bandido starts the flipping and it’s an early standoff. More flipping ensues but Haskins kicks him down and avoids a charge to the floor. That means a suicide dive to drop Bandido and we take a break.
Back with Haskins charging into a boot in the corner, setting up Bandido’s corkscrew crossbody. The big running flip dive takes Haskins down again and, amazingly enough, the fans are way into someone who can fly like this. Bandido gets two off a pop up cutter but gets kicked right back down. That just earns Haskins a superkick but they kick each other in the chest for another double knockdown, which the fans seem to appreciate.
They (the wrestlers, not the fans) slug it out until Haskins charges into a torture rack, with Bandido flipping him forward into something like a GTS for two. Haskins is right back up and spins him into a Sharpshooter (a fast one at that too) but Bandido is right next to the rope. A top rope double stomp gives Haskins two so Haskins goes back to the leg. That’s broken up in a hurry so Bandido knocks him against the ropes (619 position but standing instead of kneeling), flips forward and bounces off the ropes (ala the Tajiri handspring) for a snap German suplex and the pin at 12:12.
Rating: B+. Well that was insane. This was all about showcasing both guys and I had a great time watching it. Bandido really impressed me last year at various times and Haskins looked great as well, which is exactly what the point of this was supposed to be. I want to see these two do this more often and I’d buy a ticket to see it. Well done here, with exactly what they were shooting for.
Nick Aldis is ready to defend the NWA World Title against PJ Black next week. I know the NWA World Title has been around ROH before but it’s nice to have it actually mean something (not much of something, but something) this time around.
We look back at Bully Ray, Silas Young and the Briscoes attacking the Elite (not named) a few weeks back.
TV Title #1 Contenders Tournament Finals: Eli Isom vs. Silas Young
Silas takes him down with a hammerlock before going with the strikes instead. A quick rollup gets two on Isom and it’s off to a front facelock. Isom gets in a forearm to knock Young back a bit but misses a springboard missile dropkick. We take an early break and come back with Isom still in trouble and getting stomped down in the corner.
A release gordbuster (appropriate in Atlanta) lets Young talk some trash (as he always does) and we hit the chinlock. Isom fights up and gets two off a rollup before just unloading with right hands. White Noise gets two and we take a second break. Back again with Silas holding a full nelson of all things before dropping Isom again.
Silas’ springboard moonsault COMPLETELY misses (John Morrison would think it looked bad) but he covers for two anyway. Young hits a heck of a top rope superplex (drawing the Barry Windham comparisons) for one as Isom is getting fired up. They chop it out with their chests going very red until Misery plants Isom for the abrupt pin at 13:04.
Rating: C. This was nowhere near as good as the two previous matches, mainly due to there being no doubt as to the winner. Young beat the heck out of Isom for most of the match and I couldn’t imagine them setting up Isom as a major challenger to a monster champion. Silas won in a hurry too, as they didn’t exactly building anything up other than a quick comeback until Misery got the pin. Not bad, but just kind of there.
Post match Young talks trash about TV Champion Jeff Cobb, including insulting his family. This brings out Cobb but Shane Taylor runs in as well, putting Cobb in the middle of the villains. The fight is on with Cobb getting the better of it until a low blow cuts him down. Young and Taylor stand tall to end the show.
ROH is still beginning anew.
Overall Rating: B. That’s one of the better episodes they’ve done in a long time and if the main event had been better, it would have been an all timer. The main thing that Ring of Honor needs to do at the moment is build up new stars and they pulled that off very well here. With all the big names leaving, there’s all kind of space at the top of the card to make new names and if they’re built right, the transition could be rather smooth. Very fun show here and a breeze of an hour.
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