Ring of Honor TV – February 13, 2019: When Did This Show Learn To Be Great?

IMG Credit: Ring of Honor Wrestling

Ring of Honor
Date: February 13, 2019
Location: Center Stage Theater, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana, Caprice Coleman

We’re still down in Atlanta and this time around it’s an old school feeling with the NWA World Title on the line as champion Nick Aldis defending against PJ Black. Neither of them are exactly regulars around here, but that’s never stopped ROH when guest stars are involved. We should be getting ready for a big show around here, though it’s kind of hard to tell which one it is around here. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

John Skyler, Corey Hollis and Josey Quinn (also not regulars) are in the ring and say they deserve the attention. No six man team can beat them, and I think you know where this is going.

John Skyler/Corey Hollis/Josey Quinn vs. Villain Enterprises

Before the match, Marty Scurll says he used to be like the three of them because they’re not a bit jaded. He’s sure the three of them are going to make a huge impact, but tonight they’re going to feel the wrath of Villain Enterprises. The fight is on in a hurry with Enterprises taking over with a grand total of no effort and standing tall in the ring.

We come back from a break for the opening bell with Quinn making the mistake of chopping someone who attaches himself to car batteries. PCO chops him right back in the corner, which amazingly enough works far better. A swinging slam draws in Skyler and Hollis, who get beaten up just as well. Skyler gets tossed into the corner and then chokeslammed for a bonus as PCO is doing this by himself.

A missed flip dive onto the apron just wakes PCO up even more and Hollis’ dive just earns himself a shove into the barricade. Scurll comes in for a chop of his own but Skyler takes him down with a slingshot spear. The villains (as opposed to the Villains) take over in the corner and Hollis grabs a chinlock. The comeback doesn’t take long as Scurll knocks Hollis away and brings in King for the house cleaning.

Skyler gets put in 619 position for a running cannonball to the back for a change of pace. A running backsplash crushes Skyler so it’s off to Hollis, who gets powerbombed into a Boston Crab. PCO adds a middle rope legdrop but his flip dive through the ropes sees his legs caught in the rope for a somewhat scary botch. King’s Gonzo Bomb (Dominator into a piledriver) sets up the chickenwing to make Hollis tap at 6:33.

Rating: C. The Villains were a lot of fun here and that’s what they were shooting for in a match like this. You set up three guys at the beginning of the show and have these guys destroy them, especially when it contains acts like Marty and company, who are going to be beloved around this place. Fun match here and a lot more entertaining than I was expecting.

Post match the Kingdom pops up to say they’re the best trio in the world and are glad to defend against anyone anytime, especially Melvin Enterprises. The match can take place…but not tonight.

Post break the Kingdom doesn’t think much of Villain Enterprises because the Kingdom is in control. He’s Matt Taven and this is his kingdom.

Jay Lethal says it’s getting hard to keep track of everyone in line for a title shot when Taven is running around with a fake title. Taven has his attention now.

Kelly Klein defended the title in a big match….which isn’t important enough to put on TV so you can see it on Honor Club.

NWA World Title: Nick Aldis vs. PJ Black

Aldis, with Kamilla Kaine is defending in the first title defense in Atlanta since 1993. They fight over arm control to start until Aldis gets backed into the ropes. A legsweep takes Aldis down but he pops up with a headlock takeover as they’re certainly sticking with the basics so far. Black bails away from the threat of a right hand and asks for a time out, though Colt doesn’t think that’s an option.

Another takeover puts Aldis down this time and Black gives him a clean break as well. Aldis gets two off a backslide and it’s another standoff. The next legsweep attempt works this time and Black stomps him in the back, only to get dropkicked for his efforts. A headscissors sends Aldis outside for a breather but he slides right back in and Black pokes him in the eye. You can’t be called the DAREWOLF and have your big spot so far be a Three Stooges move. Black loads up the dive but Kaine gets in his way, allowing Aldis to run him over as we take a break.

Back with Black fighting out of a chinlock so it’s off to a front facelock to keep him in trouble. That’s broken up as well so Black hits a spinwheel kick to set up a top rope elbow to the head. A top rope double stomp to a standing Aldis connects for two but he’s right back up with a powerbomb for two. It’s too early for the Kingsland Cloverleaf so Aldis crotches him on top instead. That means a release German superplex for a somewhat delayed two and we take another break.

Back again with Black hitting a super hurricanrana into a moonsault press for a rather weak cover. Black goes with something like a dragon sleeper, which Aldis countered into a Tombstone. A top rope elbow gives Aldis another near fall so he tells Kaine to throw in the title. With Kaine on the apron for a distraction, Black goes Eddie Guerrero by grabbing the title and throwing it to Aldis and dropping to the mat.

It’s enough of a distraction for Black to grab the Billy Goat’s Curse (Colt’s reverse Boston crab) but a rope is reached in a hurry. With Aldis on the floor, Black’s dropkick through the ropes hits Kaine by mistake, which is a huge deal because a wrestler taking a dropkick is something horrible. Back in and Aldis rolls through a high crossbody for two, followed by the Cloverleaf to make Black tap at 20:25.

Rating: B-. Well that was….long. It was a perfectly fine and even good at times match but it’s nothing that I needed to see and it just kind of came and went. Aldis is a nice choice for the title and certainly better than some of the losers that have held the NWA Title over the last few years. This worked well enough, though I really don’t need this title around ROH more than very infrequently. Again good, but it felt like a special attraction that no one was asking to see.

Clip of Bandido vs. Mark Haskins from last week.

Here’s Juice Robinson for a chat. He said you would be seeing more of him around here and he didn’t just mean for a tour here and there. Robinson knows this company stands for honor and he’s had something in the works for awhile now. Tonight the pieces come together right here in Atlanta. This place was founded by people like Samoa Joe and AJ Styles. The lifeblood of Ring of Honor has been due to people like Bryan Danielson and Tyler Black (Seth Rollins) because they cared about honor.

The Code of Honor was in effect and it was all about mutual respect. So what has happened around here over the last few years (An over-reliance on New Japan and WWE taking all the top guys?)? Tonight is a new beginning though and it starts right now. That brings up the heart rate monitor….and here are Bandido, Mark Haskins, Tenille Dashwood, Tracy Williams and David Finlay. They are Lifeblood and they’re bringing honor back to ROH. I have heard far worse ideas than this one.

Overall Rating: B+. When did this company get really good? The main event was a little more than it needed to be but the opener was fun and the ending segment makes me want to see more. Under the right circumstances, they could have a really interesting future and that’s the first time I’ve been able to say that in a LONG time. This worked quite well and for once, I want to see where things are going. Well done indeed, especially after some rather uninteresting months.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

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