Ring of Honor
Date: March 31, 2021
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re done with the 19^th Anniversary Show, which I’ll get to at some point in the future. What matters here is that we had some big moments at the pay per view, though those will not be present here. I’m not sure what to expect here, but it is likely to be a stand alone episode anyway. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Quinn McKay welcomes us to the show and runs down the card, which includes a Pure Rules gauntlet. That could be interesting.

We look at Beer City Bruiser attacking Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.

Beer City Bruiser says he is tired of being the fun loving drunk and not winning.

Mike Bennett talks about how an angel on his shoulder saved his life but sometimes that angel falls asleep. Tonight won’t be a random act of violence because tonight is going to be a calculated assault.

Beer City Bruiser vs. Mike Bennett

Matt Taven is on commentary and Bruiser starts fast by knocking Bennett up against the barricade. They get inside for the first time with Taven hammering away but getting knocked down in a hurry. We take a break and come back with Bennett kicking him in the ribs and hitting a running forearm to the back of the head.

Bruiser is right back with a shot to the leg, which he then wraps around the rope. Bennett hits a few forearms into a Side Effect for a breather. Another running (or hobbling) forearm puts Bruiser down for two but he’s right back with a shot of his own. Bruiser goes to grab the beer bottle and the referee calls the DQ before he can do anything else at 10:38.

Rating: C-. Another match without much to see here but the important part is Bennett looked like a singles star instead of someone there as cannon fodder for a bigger star. He still doesn’t have much to go on here but at least he feels like someone who matters more than he did in WWE. That alone is a big upgrade and means quite the boost for him.

Post match the beatdown seems imminent but Taven makes the save.

Pure Rules Gauntlet Match

There are six entrants and each fall has a fifteen minute time limit. Another important rule is rope breaks carry over to the next fall so you don’t get them reset when someone new comes in. Dante Caballero is in at #1 and Will Ferrara is in at #2. They go to the mat to start with Ferrara getting the better of things off a front facelock. That’s broken up and Ferrara wristlocks him down onto his head for a nasty crash.

Ferrara starts in on the arm before switching into a cobra clutch. Caballero breaks that up with a right hand but the arm is too banged up for a piledriver. Instead Ferrara starts working on the short armscissors, with Caballero not being able to flip out. A crucifix gives Ferrara two so he grabs a jackknife rollup to get rid of Caballero at 5:57.

World Famous CB is in at #3 and we take a break before the fall starts. They shake hands and get things going with an exchange of wrist grabs, which sends both of them to the mat. Ferrara gets the better of a wristlock with CB not being able to roll his way to freedom. CB finally rolls over into a double arm crank to slow things down but Ferrara rolls over into a cobra clutch stretch. That sends CB to the ropes for his first break but he’s right back up with a rollup to pin Ferrara at 4:14.

Eric Martin, one of Ferrara’s students, is in at #4. An early headscissors doesn’t work for CB but neither can hit a shot to the face. Instead Martin takes him down and drops some elbows but CB gets to the ropes to avoid a Boston crab. A belly to back suplex into a knee drop gets two on CB, followed by a hard clothesline for the same.

CB gets smart with a dragon screw legwhip out of the corner. A low superkick gives CB two but Martin pulls him out of the air. That means a northern lights suplex into the Boston crab, meaning CB has to use his third rope break. This time CB pulls him down into a double arm trap (using his legs) and wraps Martin up to crank on the arms for the tap at 6:03 (seemed to be a hold from Mexico and it looked cool/painful enough).

Martin staggers out and it’s Wheeler Yuta in at #5. CB trained Yuta so he starts fast with some rollups for two each. Yuta is ready for an armdrag attempt though and a backsplash gets two on CB. A Gory Stretch has CB in even more trouble for a bit but he escapes into a pinfall reversal sequence for a lot of twos each. Yuta knocks him down though and gets up top for a super DDT and the pin at 3:09.

Fred Yehi is in at #6 to complete the field. Yuta wastes no time in hitting a dropkick so Yehi knocks him down and kicks away. The armbar has Yuta in some trouble and it’s time to crank away. That’s broken up so Yuta can hit an enziguri into an atomic drop into a springboard crossbody for two. Yehi rolls through a high crossbody for two of his own and it’s time to work on the leg. The hold doesn’t last long as Yuta gets out and dropkicks the knee, plus the side of the head.

You don’t do that to Yehi, who rides him on the mat and grabs a Koji Clutch. Yuta escapes by cranking on the leg so Yehi switches into a choke. That’s broken up with a rollup for two and Yuta’s kneebar makes Yehi use a rope break. Yehi grabs a Kofi Clutch so Yuta cranks on the leg, only to have Yehi switch sides to use the good leg and make Yuta tap at 6:24 (25:51 total, not counting time between falls and commercials).

Rating: C+. This was certainly different and it is kind of nice to see Ring of Honor stick with the Pure Rules division. It is perfectly acceptable wrestling, though it might not be a bad idea to start including some people who just want the title and aren’t interested in playing by the rules. I liked seeing Yehi and Yuta getting some time here and it is amazing how much easier it is to take CB now that he is playing it straight rather than doing the “I’m small” stuff.

Overall Rating: C. It was a total throw away show and for a total throw away show, it worked out well enough. They had something different by having so much of the focus being on the Pure Rules match. Above all else, it makes a lot of sense to have something that doesn’t play into storylines when the storylines might not have been known when the show was taped. Perfectly watchable but also perfectly skippable show here.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: March 24, 2021
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni

It’s the go home show for the 19^th Anniversary Show but in this case, that might not mean very much. Since this show is on a bit of a weird taping cycle, we might not be seeing anything about the pay per view for a few weeks, which is always a bit of a weird way to go. The show could use some extra build though and maybe we can get that here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Quinn McKay runs down the card.

Eli Isom has been with Ring of Honor for three years after a standout high school athletics career. Then he got hooked on wrestling with his mom….who died in a car wreck. He was ready to quit wrestling but his mom wouldn’t be happy with him. Then he met Will Ferrara and Cheeseburger to form the Shinobi Shadow Squad. Now he knows he can hang with anyone and wants the TV Title. He has not wrestled in a good bit here (I didn’t think he had) but he is ready for Rey Horus.

Rey Horus knows that Dragon Lee beat him but Lee is not better than him. The story will be different when they meet again, but now he needs to climb the rankings by beating Eli Isom. He knows that Eli Isom is the future, but he is the present.

Eli Isom vs. Rey Horus

They fight over wrist control to start and go to the mat for an exchange of near falls into a standoff. Back up and Horus chops away before knocking Isom to the floor. That means the big running flip dive connects on Isom and we take a break. Back with Isom not being able to complete a suplex with squats so Horus Spanish Flies him for two. That means some swearing on the kickout and it’s time for a slugout. Isom charges into a suplex into the corner for two but reverses a tornado DDT into the brainbuster….for the very surprising pin at 8:01.

Rating: C. I don’t get to say this very often but they absolutely got me here. I would not have bet on Horus taking a loss at all here, let alone a clean one, so well done with the big surprise. Isom is someone they pretty clearly wanted to push so giving him a win here is a good start. ROH needs someone to step up and Isom is every bit as good as any other option they have.

Respect is shown post match.

Someone wants to restore violence. I have no idea why I would believe this, but it’s going to be Tommy Dreamer isn’t it?

Matt Taven is ready to beat Vincent at the Anniversary Show.

EC3 wants Jay Briscoe to defend his island and control his narrative.

Jay Briscoe talks about how WWE has called he and his brother time after time with top level NXT deals but they have been turned down every time because they can make that much money landscaping. EC3 wants him to shake his hand but EC3 is going to have to earn it. If not, Jay is giving him a whipping.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Foundation

Eight man tag here and we have all kinds of time for this one. Amy Rose is on commentary and this is Rush/Kenny King/Bestia/Dragon Lee vs. Jay Lethal/Jonathan Gresham/Tracy Williams/Rhett Titus. Before the match, the Foundation promises to regain power at the Anniversary Show by winning the titles, because titles mean power. Makes enough sense.

Gresham and Lee start things off and the pace picks up in a hurry, only to be cut off by some double choking. Some spitting at Lethal brings in everyone at once and it’s a quickly broken up staredown. Lee flips Gresham off though and it’s off to Bestia to stomp Williams down. Williams is back up with some striking of his own but walks into a suplex. Bestia misses a backsplash though and bails out to the floor for a breather.

Lethal and Rush give us a World Title preview with Lethal making the mistake of slapping him in the face, earning a trip into the corner. That’s broken up and Lethal enziguris him to the floor, followed by a triangle dropkick to the floor. Another brawl is teased and we take a break. Back with King and Titus shoving each other in the All Night Express reunion (nice catch by commentary).

Titus grabs a hammerlock and won’t let go, no matter how much spinning Kenny tries. Some chops in the corner rock King but a poke to the eyes gets him out of trouble. A high crossbody gives Titus two so it’s back to Williams to work on the arm. Lethal is back in to do the same, followed by Gresham with the complicated arm cranking. Everything breaks down in a hurry though and it’s the big wild brawl around the arena.

We take another break and come back with Lethal getting beaten up four on one in the corner. Lethal gets knocked to the floor so Williams takes his place and is knocked down in a hurry as well. Ian: “His chest is as red as the Ring of Honor logo!” Rose: “It matches our gear!” Titus counters Lee’s superplex but gets pulled off the ropes to put him down again.

Gresham kicks his way out of the corner and then kicks his way over to Titus for the tag (that is some serious honor when all of La Faccion is in there at once). Everything breaks down again and it’s Lee slugging it out with Titus, setting off the parade of big shots to the face. Gresham hits a big flip dive through the ropes to take out a bunch of people, leaving Titus to take the Bestia Driver for the pin at 18:50.

Rating: B. This got time and built up all of the title matches well, though I was rather surprised at the champions winning, especially with one of the challenges taking the fall. That being said, this was a rather intense match and I was rather pleased that they didn’t throw it out with the big brawl. It’s a nice way to build up four title matches at once, which is a tricky thing to do but made a bit easier when those matches are faction vs. faction. Er, Faccion.

La Faccion poses and brags a lot.

As usual, we wrap it up with the pay per view card rundown, which makes sense. Jay Lethal gets in a quick promo about how he is going to set this company right and even throws in some Spanish for a bonus.

Overall Rating: B-. It is never easy to do a rapid fire built to a Ring of Honor pay per view because they have such a weird schedule. What we got here was good enough, but I’m not sure I could tell you who is getting a shot at which title. The show does look pretty good on paper and at this point, that is as good as anything else I could expect. Ring of Honor has gotten mostly back to normal since the pandemic, so hopefully everything winds up feeling like one of their better pay per views.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: March 17, 2021
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re on the way to the 19^th Anniversary Show and that means things are starting to get interesting. One of the bigger problems this promotions has is the lack of something to build towards but maybe things can get that much better with a goal in sight. Now just make the build work to go with the wrestling. Let’s get to it.

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

Quinn McKay runs down the card.

Jay Lethal is very happy about being the new #1 contender because he can get the World Title back to the Foundation. The Foundation is taking every title back at the Anniversary Show and Lethal is so fired up about the idea that he storms off.

Dak Draper thrives on success and he is chasing it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

Fred Yehi needs to beat Dak Draper because he has lost over and over and needs to secure his spot around here. If Yehi doesn’t win, he doesn’t eat. These were much shorter than the usual pre-match promos and that is a good thing.

Fred Yehi vs. Dak Draper

Pure Rules and Will Ferrara is on commentary. Draper towers over Yehi and they go for the grappling on the mat to start. That goes nowhere so they get back up and that goes just as far, meaning it’s a standoff. Draper slams him down but misses a knee drop, allowing Yehi to small package him for two. They go to the mat with Yehi grabbing a quickly broken waistlock. Back up and Draper tosses him across the ring and, after some cocky posing, throws in a chinlock.

That’s broken up in a hurry as well and Draper takes him into the corner, only to get knocked down for a slingshot dropkick. Draper blocks a rollup and tosses Yehi down as we take a break. Back with Yehi’s cradle working for two and then doing it again for the same. Draper’s powerslam gives him his own two but Yehi sweeps the leg and starts striking away. Draper is right back with a few shots to the face though and the Magnum KO finishes at 11:17.

Rating: C+. I know it’s not everyone’s favorite, but it is nice to see a company that focuses on technical wrestling so much. That is what Ring of Honor offers and it is a rather nice change of pace after what we are getting from Ring of Honor. Draper is quite the heel, though he needs to actually do something other than winning these one off matches. Yehi is a good hand, though I’m not sure if he is going to go anywhere either, which is kind of disappointing as he is pretty good at what he does.

Tony Deppen is ready to face Kenny King and become the new #1 contender to the TV Title. Yes he has to deal with La Faccion Ingobernable but he’ll be ready. That was as generic of an interview as you could get.

Kenny King is ready to go as well but doesn’t seem thrilled with Amy Rose. Quinn McKay doesn’t seem happy with how King spoke to Rose either.

Kenny King vs. Tony Deppen

Most of La Faccion is here with King, who suckers Deppen in for a shot to the face to start fast. Deppen gets stomped down in the corner and then hammered on the mat for two, with King getting annoyed at the kickout. Back up and Deppen gets caught in an over the shoulder gutbuster for two more and we hit the seated abdominal stretch, with King ripping at the face for a bonus.

We take a break and come back with King snapping off a spinebuster for two more and getting a bit cocky (well cockier) as a result. Deppen comes back with a bunch of strikes to the face and leg, followed by some running shots in the corner. A springboard backsplash to King’s back gets two and a jumping knee to the face puts him on the floor. Deppen grabs a tornado DDT on the floor and a top rope double stomp gets two back inside. A springboard doesn’t quite work for Deppen and King grabs a tiger driver for another near fall. King loads up the Royal Flush but Deppen reverses into a small package for the pin at 8:14.

Rating: C. Deppen continues to be a solid hand, though I’m not sure who looks at him (or his previous work) and thinks face. That being said, it has actually worked out well so far and fair enough on that. King losing is a surprise, but this should move Deppen on to a pretty sweet spot at the Anniversary Show.

Post match La Faccion comes in and Deppen gets laid out. Brody King makes the save but gets taken out as well. Kenny drives him through a table and La Faccion poses.

Flip Gordon vs. Flamita

Before the match, Flip says he’s sick of having matches that aren’t for the World Title. He’ll beat Flamita here, but the title shot better be next. Flamita says he’ll win. They have a quick posedown to start before Flamita hurricanranas him out to the floor. Gordon drives him into the barricade but misses a running knee. A superkick connects though and we take a break with Flamita in trouble.

Back with Flamita taking it back to the floor for a superkick of his own, meaning it’s time to talk to the camera. They head back inside where Gordon dropkicks him out of the air for a double knockdown. A slugout goes to Flamita but Gordon catches him with a jumping knee. Flamita plants him again for two, only to get crotched on top.

A superbomb into a spinning kick to the face gives Gordon two but Flamita catches him with a poisonrana. They slug it out from their knees until Flamita hits a superkick for two. Gordon is right back with a springboard Sling Blade for the same but Flamita reverses an F5. Someone slides in a chair and the distraction lets Flamita grab a rollup for the pin at 9:23.

Rating: B-. Take two people who fly around really well and let them do their thing for about ten minutes. This worked out rather well for both guys and Flamita winning is always a nice thing to see. They have something with Mexisquad and it is a good sign to have them win some singles matches at the same time. Then you have Gordon, who is pretty much the same person he has been for years now, which is not exactly surprising.

It’s Mark Briscoe, who runs off as Gordon jumps Flamita and unmasks him. The rest of Mexisquad runs in to take care of Gordon.

Overall Rating: C+. Pretty good show here, as they continue their process of focusing on one or two stories a week while throwing in some rather nice wrestling to go with it. Ring of Honor is the most basic wrestling show going these days and that is probably why it is one of my favorites to watch every week. They know what they are trying to do and then make it work, which was on display this time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: March 10, 2021
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re rapidly approaching the Anniversary Show, which will be the first major Ring of Honor event since Final Battle. The company is on a bit of a roll as of late after last week’s pretty awesome show. I’m curious to see where they are going with the Anniversary Show, which could use a card. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recapRing Of Honor TV – March 3, 2021: Pay Per View Without Paying While Viewing

Opening sequence.

We look at the end of last week’s show, with Kenny King costing Shane Taylor the World Title.

Kenny King says of course he wasn’t about to turn on Rush because they are family. Rush comes in to talk about how awesome La Faccion Ingobernable is.

Here are the Pure Championship rankings:

1. Josh Woods

2. Dak Draper

3. Rhett Titus

4. Wheeler Yuta

5. Fred Yehi

Josh Woods is proud of beating Dalton Castle and can beat anyone from any angle. Sure Castle has a bad back, but why shouldn’t he go after it? You know what you are doing when you get in the ring with a professional wrestler. Woods has beaten a lot of stars and he is ready to beat Castle again on the way to the Pure Title.

Dalton Castle did lose to Josh Woods and that one stings a lot. Woods found a hole in his offense and it is another blemish on his record. What does that mean now? Well Castle’s name is not on any of the leader boards and that is a problem. He can’t fix the past but he can fix the future by not losing to Woods again.

Dalton Castle vs. Josh Woods

Pure Rules. They start slowly with an exchange of shoves up against the ropes. It’s already time to grapple on the mat, which is quite the way to go for both of them. Woods gets the better of things and starts cranking on Castle’s arm before slapping on the Gorilla Lock to send Castle bailing to the ropes. Castle sends him outside though and drives Woods into the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Woods hitting a springboard kick to the face and nailing some running elbows in the corner. A butterfly suplex gets two on Castle and the Gorilla Lock sends him over to the ropes again. Woods wins a slugout but has to slip out of the Bang A Rang. Neither can get anywhere off of a rollup but Castle’s back gives out….but he suckers Woods in for a small package and the pin at 9:45.

Rating: C. It’s nice to see Castle get a win but I’m not sure how much longer he is going to be around here. Unless this is a rather detailed story that is going to take a long time, Castle is pretty clearly on the downswing around here. Woods could go a long way around here and he got caught instead of getting beaten here, so his future still looks pretty bright. Just let him win something.

Post match here is Silas Young, in a suit, to talk about how Josh Woods tried to go out on his own but not he is losing again. Woods couldn’t even win an opportunity at an opportunity at Final Battle, so there is only one solution: the two of them getting back together as a team and taking care of everyone. We may have a deal.

EC3 vs. Jay Lethal vs. Jay Briscoe vs. Matt Taven

The winner gets a World Title shot at the Anniversary Show and Maria Kanellis-Bennett is on commentary. During the entrances, everyone talks about why they want to be champion and what it means to them (EC3 wants to control his narrative, Lethal and the Foundation want to restore honor to the company), Taven wants the title back and Briscoe wants to fight Rush). Everyone but EC3 and Briscoe shake hands to start so the two of them go outside to brawl while Lethal chops away at Taven in the corner.

Back up and Taven knocks Lethal out to the floor and follows him down, only to have Briscoe run both of them over. Back in and EC3 suplexes Briscoe before knocking Taven off the apron. Lethal is back in with a Lethal Combination on Taven, who is right back with a clothesline to the floor. The Flight of the Conqueror works but Briscoe is back in to beat on Taven. Briscoe suplexes Lethal into Taven in the corner but EC3 throws Taven outside. EC3 hammers away at Briscoe and, after knocking Taven outside, keeps hammering away.

Briscoe and EC3 slug it out and everyone is left knocked down. It’s Taven up first but Lethal catches him in the corner. That means the Tower of Doom to put everyone down again but EC3 is up in a hurry. EC3 tells Lethal to kick Briscoe in the face so Lethal takes EC3 down into the Figure Four. That’s broken up and EC3 takes him down again.

EC3 stares at Briscoe and loads up a Jay Driller on Lethal, which draws Briscoe back in to break it up. Briscoe and EC3 brawl to the back….and here’s Vita VonStarr to watch from ringside. Taven hits Just The Tip on Lethal for two but VonStarr’s distraction lets Lethal hit the Lethal Injection for the pin and the title shot at 14:04.

Rating: B-. This was a pretty solid match, though Lethal back in the World Title scene is far from the most thrilling concept. That being said, Taven is taken and EC3 vs. Briscoe has been set up for a long time now, so who else was there? I do like the VonStarr interference here though as it keeps Taven strong and makes his feud with Vincent even more personal, if that is possible. Good but not great match.

Post match Lethal is elated while Taven is crushed.

Overall Rating: B-. The roll continues and I think that is more about the pay per view coming up than anything else. The company has been stuck for a long time now so having something to build towards helps a lot. The last few weeks have gone well and a lot of that is because they have had something to focus on. Keep that up and we could be in for an awesome run from the company. They’re having a rather nice short form run, but maybe a big one is possible too.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: March 3, 2021
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s time for a title week as Rush is defending the World Title against Shane Taylor. That alone should get your attention because this should be a heck of a showdown. I wouldn’t be stunned by a title change either and that’s a pretty nice hook for a show. I’m sure there is more going on, but I can’t imagine it matters by comparison. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the World Title match, which is all that it needs to do.

Opening sequence.

La Faccion Ingobernable is ready to keep the title on Rush but don’t like Kenny King’s suggestion of a fair fight against Shane Taylor.

We look at Shane Taylor Promotions winning the Six Man Tag Team Titles last week, plus La Faccion Ingobernable becoming #1 contenders to the Tag Team Titles.

La Faccion Ingobernable is ready to win the Tag Team Titles in a Pure Rules match.

The Foundation can’t wait to see La Faccion Ingobernable try to wrestle the titles from them.

Tag Team Titles: La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Foundation

The Foundation (Jonathan Gresham/Jay Lethal) is defending against Dragon Lee/Kenny King (with Amy Rose) and this is under Pure Rules. Lee poses in front of Gresham to start and hits a quick elbow to the jaw. That’s a bit much for Gresham, who gets caught in a wristlock as Lee keeps up the fast pace to start. They go to the rapid fire pinfall attempt exchange and it’s off to King vs. Lethal.

The feeling out process sees King take to the mat but he slaps Lethal in the face to break up a leglock attempt. Lethal takes him down and gets the Figure Four, sending King to the ropes for a break. Another quick hold makes King use the second break in a hurry and it’s time for a breather on the floor. Back in and Lethal headlocks Lee, who throws a right hand for an official warning.

We take a break and come back with Lethal putting King on top for a dropkick to the knee. A super dragon screw legwhip brings him back down and it’s off to Gresham vs. Lee. They rapid fire exchange standing switches and Lee has to use the final rope break. Everything breaks down and King’s brainbuster sets up a running knee from Lee for two, with Lethal using a rope break. Lethal is back up with a dive but hits Amy Rose by mistake. That leaves Lee to punch Gresham for the pin and the titles at 14:12.

Rating: B-. It’s still strange to see a right hand used as such a big offensive move. I know that it’s the point of the Pure Rules match but they couldn’t use it as a setup for something a bit more devastating? It was more than time to get the titles off of the Foundation here as they had held them for over a year. Good match, and the La Faccion domination continues.

Shane Taylor wants to be World Champion because it is the top title in the world. Someone like him is not supposed to be champion and yes he means an African American male. He also means someone who cares about social justice and someone who ricks the boat. That tells him that people are ready for him to be champion and he will defend it more than once every ten months. Rush is physical but Taylor is more physical and it is time to prove it.

Ring of Honor World Title: Rush vs. Shane Taylor

Taylor is challenging and has the Soldiers of Savagery with him. Kenny King is on commentary for a bonus. There is no Code of Honor and Rush takes him to the mat for a clean break to start. Neither can get anywhere off of a lockup so Rush unloads with shots to the ribs and head. That doesn’t work either as Taylor runs him over and takes it to the floor. Taylor hits a whip into the barricade and there’s a hanging DDT off of the apron as we take a break.

Back with Rush sending Taylor into the barricade for a change and then slamming the barricade door on his head. Rush whips out an electrical cord to beat on Taylor and of course choke away. They head back inside with Rush kicking him in the face in the corner so it’s time to chop it out. A heck of a clothesline gives Taylor two and a sitout spinebuster is good for the same.

Rush knees him in the face for two of his own and a legdrop in the ropes gets two more. The middle rope double stomp in the ropes keeps Taylor in trouble and it’s time to slap it out from their knees. The Marcus Garvey Driver plants Rush for two more but he throws Rush into the corner in a heap. Rush stomps away in the corner but takes the referee out by mistake. With the referee down, Rush grabs a chair, which draws Kenny King in to get in the way. King takes the chair and swings at Rush but hits Taylor in the head. It doesn’t seem to bother King, who goes to the floor as the Bull’s Horns retains the title at 18:14.

Rating: B-. That’s a surprising ending and I did not see it coming. The King stuff is fine, but they really are sticking with Rush for as long as they can. It’s nice to have him with a story in La Faccion, but I’m not sure how interesting the whole thing actually is. I can’t imagine him holding the title that much longer, but I’ve been saying that for a good while now.

Post match the big beatdown is on to leave Taylor laying to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This was far from your run of the mill show but it worked out well with two big title matches which both delivered. You can’t do a show like this every week but they did a good thing by having the whole show focusing on championships. They don’t have regular pay per views so having the last two weeks made for one of their best shows in a rather long time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: February 24, 2021
Location: UMBC Event Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re getting a big title match this week as the Six Man Tag Team Titles are on the line. Yeah I barely remember that the things are around either but Ring of Honor needs them because….I have no idea most of the time actually. Anyway it’s time for Shane Taylor Promotions to go after the belts in what should be a good match. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Quinn McKay welcomes us to the show and recaps Shane Taylor Promotions not getting their title shot at Final Battle due to Coronavirus issues. They turned down the titles to tonight is their shot.

Here’s what’s coming this week and next week.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Briscoes

That would be Kenny King and Dragon Lee, with Amy Rose, for La Faccion and this is a #1 contenders match. Kenny and Mark start things off with King headlocking him to the mat in a hurry. A Japanese armdrag into an armbar has Mark in more trouble until he fights up without much trouble. Jay and Lee come in with the former blasting him with a shoulder. Lee pops back to his feet and snaps off a hurricanrana as Jay isn’t sure what to do with someone so fast.

Mark comes back in for the exchange of chops but gets taken into the wrong corner for some clubberin. That doesn’t matter very much as it’s back to Jay, who slams Kenny on the floor. The Cactus Elbow connects and we take a break. Back with Mark escaping the Royal Flush and a double clothesline giving us a double knockdown. It’s back to Lee, who gets kicked in the face by Jay. Lee is up all over again and takes out Jay’s knee, only to get caught with a Death Valley Driver.

King catches Jay on the top and Lee hits the Alberto double stomp for two more. Kenny’s bridging t-bone suplex sets up a leglock with Mark having to make a save. Back up and it’s a double slugout with Lee hitting a running German suplex into a jumping knee into a reverse hurricanrana to drop Mark. Lee’s hurricanrana is countered though and Jay’s neckbreaker connects. The Froggy Bow is loaded up but here’s Flip Gordon to kick him down, allowing Kenny to get the rollup pin at 11:15.

Rating: B. While it wasn’t quite the Briscoes vs. Flamita/Bandido classic, it was one of the better matches that the company has had since their comeback. Lee is on another planet, King is more than good enough and the Briscoes are the Briscoes. This was a case where it wasn’t would this be good but rather how great would it be and they managed to deliver rather well.

Post match EC3 is back to say that since honor can be bought, honor cannot be real. EC3 respects Jay because he is the kind of man who does everything he is supposed to do. He even envies Jay but after everything he has done, what is next for Jay? EC3 says he is free and now Jay controls his narrative. I think I remember why I didn’t miss EC3 around here.

Mike Bennett vs. Bateman

Bennett’s ankle is still banged up coming in and this is under relaxed rules. Bennett charges straight at him and knocks Bateman out to the floor in a hurry. That’s fine with Bennett, who follows him outside to keep up the shots to the head. Vida Von Starr offers a distraction though and Bennett misses a charge into the barricade. Bateman drops him chest first onto the apron and there’s a catapult to send Bennett throat first into the ring structure.

We take a break and come back with Bennett hitting a ripcord elbow but getting suplexed down hard. A superkick into a discus lariat gives Bennett two and it’s time for the big chop off. An exchange of forearms puts both of them down until Bennett is up first. The superkick is blocked and Bateman hits a discus forearm for two. This Is A Kill is broken up though and Bateman hits a spear into a piledriver for the pin at 10:03.

Rating: C. This didn’t have the same level of charisma as something with Matt Taven and Vincent but for a side feud based off of that, everything worked out well enough here. Bennett is already being treated as a much bigger and better deal around here so at least they are doing something with him for a change. Bateman is fine for a monster, but this just made me want to see Vincent more.

Post match here’s Matt Taven to jump Bateman and it’s time to go for the leg, complete with the block of wood. Taven tells Vincent that this will happen unless he gets the match he wants. Vincent says no so Bateman’s ankle is crushed.

Video on Shane Taylor vs. Rush for the World Title next week.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Mexisquad

Shane Taylor/the Soldiers of Savagery are challenging and Maria Kanellis-Bennett is on commentary. Hands are shaken but the fight is on in a hurry with everyone going to the floor. Back in and Flamita ducks Khan’s running big boot in the corner, allowing Flamita to hit a quick takeover. A dropkick puts Khan down again but he powers Flamita into the corner, allowing the tag off to Moses.

That means a big running charge takes Flamita over (commentary is rather pleased) but he’s right back up with a twisting Stunner. Shane comes in to chase Rey Horus around until a shot to Shane’s face sends us to a break. Back with Bandido getting the hot tag to come in and hammer on Shane. That’s fine with Taylor, who shoves him into the corner for the tag off to Flamita. A walk across Bandido’s shoulders sets up a running hurricanrana with the champs sending all of them outside. That means trio of dives, followed by a trio of flips to take them down again.

Back in and a 450 gets two on Shane as commentary tries to figure out if the champs winning can be an upset. Flamita flips Bandido around to take out Khan’s legs, because that’s just something he can do. One heck of a toss splash gives Flamita two on Moses with Khan making the save. Horus accidentally DDT’s Flamita and Moses nails a double clothesline to the floor. That leaves Shane to Rock Bottom Flamita into a splash for two and Welcome To The Land gives us new champions at 12:32.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t quite the level of awesome that you expect from the Mexisquad but they have been champions for so long and I don’t think that a single loss is going to change anything for them in the long run. What matters here is that we have some fresh champions, which probably needed to happen after the long layoff. Throw in Shane getting a big win before next week’s World Title match and it is a rather well put together title match.

Overall Rating: B-. It was certainly an eventful show and that is something that this company has been needing for the time being. The title change alone, even if it is with the least important title in the promotion, made the show feel more important. That is in addition to a pretty awesome opener and there wasn’t much you could ask for in a slightly bigger than usual show.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: February 17, 2021
Location: UMBC Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

I’m not sure what to expect from this show these days and I’m also not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. The show has been far from terrible but there is something about it that feels inconsistent. Sometimes you get a good show but at times you get a show that leaves me counting the minutes until it’s over. Let’s get to it.

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

The Foundation gives Wheeler Yuta and Fred Yehi a fired up promo about bringing honor back. Tonight they’re going to shake things up a bit by having parts of the Foundation on both sides of a six man. Everyone else leaves and Jay Lethal says he and Tracy Williams will start, which is cool with Williams, who reminds Jay what happened the last time they were in the ring together (Tracy won).

Opening sequence.

Quinn McKay runs down the card.

Tony Deppen talks about how important Final Battle was for him because he has a newborn to provide for every day. He beat LSG to get to his TV Title shot against Dragon Lee and now he is going to do it again. They took different paths to get here but Deppen has the momentum here.

LSG talks about his journey starting fifteen years ago and he isn’t letting the flavor of the month take him out of this company. He is here to hang with the best and he knows Deppen can’t beat him again. LSG is Ring of Honor, but what about Deppen?

LSG vs. Tony Deppen

Deppen is getting this match due to fan response (part of Ring of Honor trying to listen to the people more). Going to the mat doesn’t last long to start so they trade some quick rollups for a variety of results. They’re on the floor for the slugout in a hurry before they go back inside, with LSG’s O’Connor roll being kicked out to the apron. Deppen hits a triangle dropkick to the floor but LSG sends him hard into the barricade. Back in and LSG grabs a neck crank as we take a break.

We come back with LSG missing an elbow drop but nailing a knee to the jaw. Something like a Gory Stretch has Deppen in more trouble but he’s right back with some slaps to the face. A basement dropkick sends LSG into the corner and Deppen gets two off some running knees in the corner. They slap it out until LSG hits Rock In Bye Baby (spinning faceplant) into a springboard spinning forearm for two.

A dropkick through the ropes rocks Deppen again but Deppen sweeps the leg from the apron. Back in and a brainbuster into a running knee gets two on LSG but the top rope double stomp misses. Some rollups give Deppen two each but LSG grabs a Gory Stretch….and flips Deppen forward into a sitout powerbomb (cool) for the pin at 11:57. Ian Riccaboni names it the Event Horizon and Caprice likes it.

Rating: C+. The ending was the big deal here, but what mattered more was the fact that I wasn’t sure who was going to win until the end. You don’t get that kind of a feeling very often and I was surprised when LSG won. Granted that might have been because I hadn’t seen the finisher before and it was rather cool looking. Rather hart to believe that Deppen wasn’t helping with the flip, but it looked great.

The Briscoes are staring at each other with Mark being annoyed at Jay for going after EC3 instead of the Tag Team Titles. The whole thing is argued using a boat metaphor and….I think they make up?

Rush and Shane Taylor are ready for their World Title match in two weeks.

Jonathan Gresham/Tracy Williams/Fred Yehi vs. Jay Lethal/Wheeler Yuta/Rhett Titus

After an extended Code of Honor, Lethal and Williams start things off, as planned. The feeling out process begins until Williams takes him down into an armbar. They fight over half crabs with neither being able to get very far so Titus comes in to take Williams down. The mat grappling goes to another standoff so it’s off to Yehi. Titus gets wrestled to the mat and bails over to the ropes, meaning Yuta comes in for some arm battling of their own.

With that broken up, Gresham comes in and is taken to the mat by the leg. Gresham’s headscissors gets us to a standoff and Yuta’s armbar sends Gresham to the rope. It’s off to Lethal to face Gresham and they go straight to the mat as well. They spin around rather fast and that’s good for another standoff with commentary sounding out of breath. Lethal cartwheels out of a headlock and another one sets up a basement dropkick to Gresham.

Titus comes in to work on the arm and hands it back to Lethal. That doesn’t go so well for Titus as Lethal spears him down by mistake, allowing the hot tag to Yehi. A snap brainbuster gets two on Yuta, who has to go to the rope to break up the Koji Clutch. We take a break and come back with the Lethal Combination dropping Williams. Hail To The King gets two but Williams gets in a shot of his own for the double knockdown.

Gresham and Titus come in with Titus nailing a belly to belly for two. Gresham hands it back to Yehi, who is clotheslined into a jackknife rollup for two more. Everything breaks down and Lethal has to save Titus from the Koji Clutch. There’s the Lethal Injection to Gresham, who shoved Yehi out of the way since he isn’t legal. Titus dropkicks Yehi down for the pin at 17:47.

Rating: B. They had an idea here and then executed it, which is all you could want them to do. There was something nice about having a much more technically sound match and that is the kind of thing that could turn into a big feud with someone down the line. Mixing the lineups up a bit here helped too as you can only do the same kind of match so many times. Good storytelling and solid action so I’m rather pleased.

A lot of handshakes end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This would be on the higher end of their shows since the return and that is great to see. Both matches worked and while I still don’t need the minute and a half promos before the matches, they let some things build and had two good matches. Ring of Honor knows how to put together a good show but they need to work on their consistency. What we got here worked well and if they can even do most of this kind of thing again, they’re going to be in a great place.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: February 10, 2021
Location: UMBC Event Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni

After finally, and I do mean finally, getting to watch Final Battle, I’m curious about why the weekly TV show feels so weak by comparison. Maybe it’s all of the promos before the matches, but there is such a gap between the pay per view and the TV shows that it is pretty jarring. Hopefully they can make it better this time around. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Quinn McKay welcomes us to the show and runs down the card.

We look at the end of last week’s show where Beer City Bruiser listened to Vincent and attacked OGK, including breaking a beet bottle over Matt Taven’s head.

Bruiser said he was done being second. Brawler Milonas came in to yell at him but Bruiser didn’t want to hear it.

Tracy Williams talks about how the Foundation wants to give wrestlers a chance. They did that with Rhett Titus and now they are going to do it with Cheeseburger. Is he really suggesting that we haven’t seen enough of Cheeseburger over the years??? With that scary thought out of the way, Williams talks about how there are things that you can’t learn out of a book like Cheeseburger has done. Tonight, he’s learning in the ring.

Cheeseburger, now in a fur coat and dubbed The World Famous CB, talks about his path through wrestling to get where he is today. Being Cheeseburger is the best and worst thing to happen to him. It got him a long way, but it made him feel like a novelty and he’s more than that (no, not really, no). Now he is the rhythm and he’ll showcase what else he can do.

World Famous CB vs. Tracy Williams

Pure Rules. Williams takes him down by the arm to start but CB is back up with his own arm cranking. A headlock takeover puts Williams on the mat and CB bounces his way to freedom for a unique escape. We take a break and come back with CB armdragging him to the mat for a rollup and then climbing onto Williams’ back for a double arm crank. That’s enough to send Williams to the ropes for a break and he takes CB down into a chinlock.

The threat of a Crossface sends CB’s foot to the ropes for his first break. Williams grabs the arm and twists it around his own leg to keep the variety up. That doesn’t last long either and Williams’ missed charge sends him flying to the ropes. Back in and CB takes him down by the arm and rolls around into an armbar, sending Williams to the ropes again.

A standing armbar sends Williams right back to the ropes for the final break, which surprises commentary. An Angle Slam into a doctor bomb gets two on CB but he’s right back with a low superkick. Williams isn’t having any more of this though and grabs the piledriver for the pin at 13:05.

Rating: C. I can’t believe I’m saying this but they might have found something for Cheeseburger. He’s right when he says that the gimmick was a blessing and a curse, but the biggest problem was he had no story other than “he’s this small underdog.” That wasn’t the case here as it was a technical exchange with Cheeseburger hanging in there throughout. If you ignore the size stuff, you might be able to get something more out of him. Imagine that.

Honor is shown post match.

Brody King want revenge on La Faccion Ingobernable for costing him the World Title at Final Battle. Tonight, it’s an eight man tag.

Briscoes/PCO/Brody King vs. La Faccion Ingobernable/Flip Gordon

Amy Rose is on commentary, it’s Rush/Dragon Lee/Bestia (the latter of whom is making his ROH debut) for La Faccion and Gordon is replacing Kenny King who can’t be here for undisclosed reasons. King and the much smaller Lee start things off but Rush comes in before there is any contact. Bestia comes in sans contact as well….and let’s have two more tags so it’s Gordon vs. Mark for the opening lockup.

Briscoe powers him into the corner and it’s PCO coming in for a corner splash as La Faccion chills on the floor. Gordon is sent outside so La Faccion sends him right back in, with Rose denying that this has anything to do with Gordon’s upcoming World Title shot. Gordon’s sleeper on King is broken up with straight power and Gordon goes outside again. La Faccion throws him back in again and PCO drops a headbutt.

Gordon has to be tossed inside again as this is certainly a unique way to go. Back up and Gordon finally gets in a shot but Rush drops to the floor before the tag. Mark covers Gordon and that’s finally enough to bring in La Faccion for the brawl, because they want the winners’ share (makes sense). Everything breaks down and they all fight to the floor. Rush chairs King in the knee and an electrical cord shot to the knee makes it even worse.

We take a break and come back with a running basement dropkick sending King to the floor again. La Faccion switches over to triple teaming PCO, who chops his way to freedom in a hurry. A running powerslam plants Gordon but Bestia kicks Gordon out to the floor for the slugout with PCO. Jay takes PCO’s place for another slugout, with a discus forearm sending Bestia outside.

That means it’s King planting Lee with a Rock Bottom but Rush and Bestia pull King off the top. Jay and PCO take out Rush and Bestia with stereo suicide dives and Mark uses a chair for a step up flip dive onto La Faccion. Rush is laid on a table but PCO’s flip dive off the top (Rose: “No no no no no!”) only hits table. The referee finally throws it out at 13:12.

Rating: C+. Total brawl here and that’s what you would have expected from these guys. The Gordon stuff was an interesting and logical twist to the whole thing, though I’m not sure why you would have expected anything other than a big mess for the finish. This worked out well for what they were doing, but it feels like just another way to extend the story to….I’m not really sure what end at this point.

The brawl continues and we see the Foundation saying this isn’t Ring of Honor to end the show. I could go for a faction war.

Overall Rating: C. They did some nice things here but it still feels like they have nowhere to go with most of it. I’m sure we’ll get a pay per view announcement at some point but until then, it’s just a bunch of stuff to fill in an hour a week. I liked the main event and CB worked out well enough, assuming you don’t expect it to mean much of anything for a bit. Not a bad show, but it still feels like a lot of wheel spinning.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Final Battle 2020
Date: December 18, 2020
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

This is the biggest show of the year and this is one of the more uniquely put together pay per views I’ve seen in a long time. The company has only been back for a short while now and a lot of the top stars have snot been around since the relaunch. The card is still pretty full though and maybe they can pull off a good one. Let’s get to it.

Commentary welcomes us to the pre-show and has some bad news: EC3, Kenny King and Bandido have been Coronavirused off the show so some things have to be changed.

Pre-Show: Tony Deppen vs. LSG vs. Josh Woods vs. Dak Draper

One fall to a finish, lucha rules and the winner gets a TV Title match later tonight. Deppen and LSG are thrown outside before the bell so it’s Woods vs. Draper to start things off. The other two get back on the apron as Woods and Draper go to the grappling to start. An exchange of headlocks doesn’t go anywhere so LSG tags himself in to dropkick Draper.

Deppen comes in as well and it’s time to run the ropes with LSG. A dropkick puts LSG down but he sends Deppen outside for a dropkick through the ropes. That means Woods and Draper can come back in to exchange rollups for two each but Draper knocks Deppen into the corner with a shot to the face. A suplex gives Draper two but the Magnum KO is broken up with some elbows to the jaw.

Deppen gets tossed around and Draper gets in some trash talk to Woods to draw him in. That doesn’t even matter this time as Draper muscles Deppen up for an apron superplex and another near fall. The running knee misses though and Deppen gets out to the floor, allowing LSG to come back in and strike away.

A springboard forearm to the face gets two on Draper but Deppen is back in with a springboard Codebreaker to Woods. Draper and LSG go to the corner, only to have Woods come back in for a Tower of Doom. That means Draper and Woods can slug it out until Draper grabs a Doctor Bomb for two. They’re knocked outside though and it’s Deppen jumping back in to roll LSG up for the pin at 11:43.

Rating: C+. This was all about the action and that’s a good way to get things going on a show like this one. It’s exactly the same idea of the cruiserweights back in WCW and it is always going to work here. Deppen winning is a bit of a surprise, but that’s the kind of thing you can get away with in a four way like this. Nice stuff to get us going.

Pre-Show: Foundation vs. Fred Yehi/Wheeler Yuta

It’s the first ever Pure Rules tag match, you have five seconds to get out of the ring after the tag and a save counts as a rope break. If you make a save when you are out of breaks, it’s a DQ. Tracy Williams and Rhett Titus are here for the Foundation. Yehi and Williams go with the grappling to start with Williams wristlocking him into the corner for the tag off to Titus.

Yehi takes him down into the Koji Clutch but the rope is reached in a hurry for the first break. Yuta comes in and Williams pulls him straight into the Texas Cloverleaf, sending Yuta to the ropes to even things up. We get some miscommunication on a tag so Yehi has the chance to come in and German suplex Williams. Titus comes in and gets caught in a Koji Clutch, with Williams making the save, good for the second rope break.

The rapid fire saves are on and we’re down to just Yehi and Yuta having one left. Titus dropkicks Yuta off the top and out to the floor in a big crash. That means Williams and Yehi come in and strike it out, with Yehi having to counter a piledriver attempt. Yehi Downward Spirals him into the Koji Clutch and the ropes aren’t there for a save. Titus can’t save him either so he sends Yuta into the hold for the break in a smart move.

It’s back to Titus vs. Yuta for an exchange of crucifixes for two each until Yuta snaps off a bridging German suplex for two more. Yehi gets in a shot of his own and Yuta’s top rope splash gets another two. The hot tag brings in Williams for a hard clothesline and a Death Valley Driver. Williams stuffs Yuta with a piledriver and Yehi makes the save for the last break. Yuta gets caught in the Crossface, with Williams using the ropes for extra leverage (perfectly legal) for the tap at 13:51.

Rating: C. The rope breaks were a nice touch but that’s about all there was to this. The Pure Rules are a nice idea but they aren’t exactly the most inspiring alternative to everything else going on. Williams and Yehi continue to be fun to watch every time but the other two were just kind of there, which is kind of a problem when they do it almost every week.

Respect is shown post match.

The opening video talks about how everything stopped this year but some wrestlers are picking up the mantle of honor. Tonight they are willing to do whatever it takes on the biggest night of the year.

Tag Team Titles: Mark Briscoe/PCO vs. Foundation

The Foundation (Jay Lethal/Jonathan Gresham) are defending and PCO is here because Jay Briscoe was moved into another match due to Coronavirus issues, which wound up being changed anyway. We get the Code of Honor and it’s Lethal vs. Briscoe to start things off, with Lethal saying this is wrestling instead of fighting. Mark isn’t having any of this wristlocking and starts chopping away, sending Lethal out to the floor for a breather.

Back in and it’s PCO coming in to say he wants to break Lethal’s arm (again). That’s enough to make Lethal stay so PCO takes him down into a cross armbreaker. A rope break lets Lethal bail out to the floor as the champs can’t get anything going so far. Gresham comes in and tries to go after PCO’s leg, which goes as well as you would expect. PCO tosses him back to the floor and the challengers start cleaning house, including Briscoe’s running cannonball off the apron to drop Lethal.

The champs are rammed into each other and Mark uses a chair as a launchpad for a flip dive over the corner onto everyone else. PCO’s top rope flip dive completely misses Lethal so it’s Mark suplexing Gresham for two. Lethal comes back in for a dropkick/German suplex combination to drop Briscoe and it’s time to stomp him down into the corner. Briscoe pops back up and brings in PCO to clean house.

What looked like a low blow puts Gresham down again and the champs are in trouble. The Froggy Bow hits Lethal’s raised knees as the PCOsault hits clean, allowing Lethal to make the save. PCO and Lethal slug it out until Gresham launches Lethal over for a cutter to hit PCO for two. The champs manage a Doomsday Device on PCO and Gresham’s shooting star press gets a near fall. PCO monsters up but Lethal offers a distraction, allowing Gresham to roll PCO up and retain at 12:50.

Rating: B-. This was a good choice for an opener as PCO and Briscoe are always fun for a watch and the Foundation do feel like one of the best teams around. The Foundation vs. the Briscoes would have been better but there is only so much you can do when the pandemic is changing everything on such a short notice. Good match here though and the right result given the situation.

Commentary explains some of the card changes due to the Coronavirus.

Rey Horus vs. Dalton Castle

Horus was supposed to defend the Six Man Tag Team Titles but a change had to be made, with Castle, again with the Boys, stepped in. Castle goes with a fast rollup to start but gets kicked away to give us a standoff. Horus avoids a charge in the corner to put Castle on the floor as frustration sets in early. Back in and Castle takes him down for a quick splash, setting up some forearms to the ribs.

They head outside with Horus managing a kick to the chest, followed by a kick to the chest. Now the big flip dive connects and Castle is in even more trouble. Castle gets sent hard over the barricade and it’s a running kick to the face to give Horus two. A tornado DDT gives Horus two more but Castle catches him on top. Something like a reverse Neutralizer gets two on Horus and there’s a release German suplex for the same. Castle goes up but Horus runs the corner for a super victory roll and the pin at 9:10.

Rating: C. Castle’s near downward spiral continues around here as now he’s losing to the lesser known luchadors. The ending certainly took me by surprise, which is a nice thing in this case, as Horus gets a nice rub out of the whole thing. There was some good enough action, but it’s one of those matches that is likely just going to come and go without making much impact.

We recap Matt Taven/Mike Bennett (OGK) vs. the Righteous. Taven and Vincent had been in the Kingdom but Vincent turned on him to strike out on his own. Then Taven went out of action for the better part of a year due to a knee injury. Now they’re both back and it’s time for the two of them to kill each other. Bennett and Bateman are here to make it a tag match.

OGK vs. Righteous

The Righteous has Vita VonStarr in their corner. The brawl is on in a hurry with Bennett saving Taven from a suplex and driving Vincent into the corner. Bateman gets in a cheap shot from behind and we settle down with Bateman driving Taven into the corner. That just earns him an enziguri and it’s a hot tag to Bennett to clean house. Vita tries to come in for a distraction though and Bateman plans Bennett with a Side Effect to take over.

Vincent’s running forearms in the corner have Bennett in more trouble and a spinning Russian legsweep gets two. Bateman comes back in with some shots to the face but it’s too early for Vincent to try Redrum. Instead he slaps on the guillotine choke but Bennett powers out with a suplex. The double tag brings in Taven to clean house on Bateman, including a Russian legsweep into a flipping neckbreaker.

That’s enough of that though as Taven heads outside and unloads on Vincent. A springboard shot to the face puts Bateman down again and Just The Tip connects. The Climax is broken up though and Vincent slingshots in, only to get caught in a backbreaker. Bateman runs Taven over again though and it’s Redrum (Swanton) connecting for two. Bennett makes the save and everyone is down again. Taven and Vincent get into the big brawl that they have been needing to have but they kick each other down.

That’s good for a double tag so Bennett can spear Bateman down. The spike piledriver connects but Taven’s knee gives out again, meaning no cover. Instead Bennett punches Bateman off the top for a crash to the apron. A Death Valley Driver onto the apron drops Bateman again as Taven is back up with a knee to Vincent. The Aurora Borealis (frog splash) hits knees but Taven pulls Vincent into a choke, sending Vincent over to the rope. Bennett is back up though and Vincent is held over the apron for Aurora Borealis to crush him again. Back in and a Backpack Stunner/running boot combination finishes Bateman at 16:20.

Rating: B. This was the first match that felt like something that belonged on the pay per view (save for maybe the opener) as Taven vs. Vincent has become a heck of a feud. Bennett already feels FAR more important here than he ever did in WWE and that’s great for him. Bateman is a good monster enforcer as well and the match worked out rather well. I still can’t get my head around how much better Taven is as a face. It’s nothing I ever would have bet on and this has been working rather well. Good match here, with everyone looking solid.

Post match Vita hits OGK with a double low blow and it’s time to zip tie Taven to the ropes. Vita headscissors Taven to make him watch as Bateman puts a board between Bennett’s feet. A chair shot crushes the ankle in a Misery style destruction.

Danhausen vs. Brian Johnson

If Danhausen (who apparently debuted September 13, 1993 at 12:37am and weighs “at least” 300lbs despite being rather skinny) wins, he gets a contract. They shake hands and Danhausen kicks him in the face for a very early two. A middle rope hurricanrana gets two on Johnson and Danhausen demands his music be played. That’s what he gets as he hits a running kick off the apron, only to get caught with a hanging cutter back inside.

Johnson isn’t pleased but he grabs a mic and says Caprice Coleman sucks at his job. The trash talk and stomping ensues and Johnson wants to know why the Honor Club Girls aren’t cheering for him. A slam into a fist drop gets two on Danhausen but he takes the mat and drives Johnson into the corner for swearing (a big negative in Danhausen’s eyes). Johnson clotheslines him down again though and it’s time to grab the microphone again.

More shouting ensues as Johnson isn’t happy that he finally made it to Final Battle and is being stuck doing this. A clothesline gets two and Johnson can’t believe it. Danhausen makes the comeback with a running shot in the corner and a German suplex into another German suplex gets two….and let’s grab a jar of teeth. The Goodnight Hausen (GTS) gets two as Johnson gets a hand on the rope.

Johnson bails to the floor and gets taken down with a suicide dive but Johnson kicks the rope on the way back in. The jar of teeth (just go with it) is poured into Danhausen’s mouth but he grabs a quick rollup for two anyway. The teeth go into the referee’s eyes though, meaning there is no cover off Johnson’s neckbreaker finisher. Rating: C+. I actually liked this as Danhausen is enough of a screwy guy to make you believe that he’s just kind of out there. They didn’t do anything too far here (the teeth are certainly a thing) and Johnson ran his mouth so much that you wanted to see him lose. This was much more about the angle than the wrestling and that’s fine in a match like this, though I could see people not being pleased.

TV Title: Dragon Lee vs. Tony Deppen

Deppen is challenging after winning a four way on the pre-show but comes in holding his neck. Amy Rose, the manager of Lee’s faction, joins commentary. They go to the mat to start with neither being able to get much of an advantage. Deppen grabs an armdrag but gets sent to the floor for the suicide dive. Back in and Lee chops away in the corner as Rose is speaking about 90% Spanish. Deppen manages a step up kick to the head to put Lee on the floor, setting up a suicide flip dive. A springboard missile dropkick gives Deppen two but Lee pounds him right down in the corner.

We hit the chinlock for a bit, with Deppen fighting up and slapping away to take over. Lee is back with the snap German suplex and a moonsault northern lights suplex (geez) which leaves both of them down. They slug it out from their knees with Lee getting the better of things, only to miss a charge in the corner.

Deppen loads up a superplex but gets knocked down for an Alberto double stomp. Back up and Deppen scores with a running knee to the face and the kickout leaves him shocked. Lee blasts him in the face though and his own running knee gets two. That’s enough for Lee, who hits Incineration (another running knee) to retain at 11:50.

Rating: C+. Lee’s offense is fast paced and exciting enough that it is easy to see why Ring of Honor wants to push the heck out of him. Deppen looked good here as well, as he made the most out of the opportunity he was given. The match wasn’t exactly in doubt but they made something out of very little so well done all things considered.

We look at Jay Briscoe and Shane Taylor arguing backstage because their matches with EC3 and Mexisquad were canceled. This was announced earlier in the night and while that’s not a great way to go, like so many other things on this show, what else are they supposed to do?

Jay Briscoe vs. Shane Taylor

The lockup doesn’t go anywhere as they shove each other around with little avail. Shane sends him into the corner and unloads with rights and lefts but Jay is right back with a headlock. Jay tries to run the ropes and is knocked down hard with a shoulder. More rights and lefts set up a big right hand to knock Jay silly, meaning it’s time to head to the floor.

Jay sends him into the barricade and scores with a good superkick before heading back inside. Shane slugs away again but gets caught with a dropkick. One heck of a right handdrops Jay again though and it’s time for a slugout. Jay’s snap jabs set up an impressive Death Valley Driver and here’s Mark Briscoe for support.

Shane is up first but Jay slaps on a choke to put Shane down. Two arm drops have Shane in real trouble but he makes it over to the rope for the break. Jay’s big clothesline gets two and the neckbreaker is good for the same. Shane is back up and hits him in the face, setting up the package piledriver. Welcome To The Land finishes Jay at 13:41.

Rating: B-. This was about hitting each other really hard but also about building Shane up as a main eventer. They had a good power brawl here and beating Jay still means quite a bit in Ring of Honor. They don’t have many people at that level or even close to it so giving Shane a win on a show like this means a lot for his future around here.

We recap Jonathan Gresham defending the Pure Title against Flip Gordon. Gresham is the first holder of the new version of the title and he says there is more to wrestling than flips. Gordon doesn’t love this company as much as he does and it’s time for both guys to prove themselves.

Pure Title: Jonathan Gresham vs. Flip Gordon

Gordon is challenging. They lock up to start with Ian saying this is like Thunder Road vs. Born To Run. Gresham grabs a hammerlock, which sends Gordon straight to the rope for the first break. With that out of the way, Gresham takes him to the mat to work on the leg, which sends Gordon over to the ropes for a second break in three minutes. Gresham tries a headlock takeover this time before switching to a crucifix.

Back up and Gresham works on the wrist a bit more as Gordon has barely done anything so far. Gresham ties up the arm and twists the foot around at the same time before letting Gordon up. A standing armbar goes on so Gordon drives him into the rope, which counts as the final rope break. Gordon finally scores with a spinning kick to the head to put Gresham down for the first time.

Gresham can’t hit a springboard hurricanrana so Gordon superkicks him down for two, with Gresham using a rope break of his own. Gordon gets knocked away but is fine enough to duck a middle rope crossbody with Gresham banging up his knee on the landing. That gives Gordon a target and the Figure Four goes on, with Gresham breaking it up in a hurry. A dropkick to the leg sets up a half crab but Gresham slips out again. This time Gresham kicks Gordon in the arm and they’re both down for a bit.

Gordon is right back on the leg so Gresham makes the rope for the second time. Another kick to the leg sets up a Falcon Arrow into Submit To Flip (STF) but Gresham elbows his way out. Back up and they slug it out with Gresham kicking him in the arm again. Gordon wins a slugout by going with the closed fist, which is good for his first warning. An enziguri into a German suplex (with Gresham raising the bad leg) gets two on Gordon but he knocks the leg out again and grabs another half crab.

That’s switched into another STF but Gresham crawls to the floor for the break. Back in and Gresham sets him on top for another kick to the arm, setting up a top rope belly to back superplex for another near fall. Gresham hits a running shot to the head for two, followed by a running shot to the head for two. Another one is loaded up but the referee stops it because Gordon can’t defend himself at 24:37.

Rating: B. I’m not wild on Gordon most of the time but he brought it here and they had a heck of a fight. Gresham was losing the technical battle, or at least close to it, and went with the hard shots to the head to win instead. It’s a good story for the match and Gresham didn’t cheat to win after a long match, making this one of the better things the Pure Title has done since it was brought back. Heck of a match here and pay per view worthy.

Post match Gordon declines the handshake and walks away.

We recap Brody King vs. Rush. King has been on a roll since Ring of Honor returned and Rush is finally back after his long hiatus. It isn’t much of a main event, but again you can’t hold that against them here.

Ring of Honor World Title: Rush vs. Brody King

King is challenging. They go with the striking to start with Rush’s shoulder putting him on a knee. King is back up with a clothesline to the floor and that means the suicide dive. Rush is whipped hard into the barricade twice in a row, meaning it’s time to grab some chairs. King slams him down onto said chairs, which isn’t a DQ because they weren’t used in an offensive manner. There’s a backsplash onto Rush onto the chairs and it’s time to go back inside.

King stomps away in the corner and hits the Cannonball for two, only to have Rush come back with a running knee to the face. They’re right back to the floor with Rush sending him into the barricade and slamming the door in the barricade on King’s head. Rush whips away with an electrical cord and then uses it to choke away. King is down so Rush asks the camera if it missed being in his house.

Back in and King unloads with chops in the corner, only to get taken down for his efforts. The running taunting kick to the face has King in more trouble and there’s a belly to belly to put King into the corner again. King heads up top but Rush catches him with a top rope superplex for two more.

The swinging Boss Man Slam gives King two and it’s time to chop it out again. Rush knocks him into the corner again and tries the Bull’s Horns, only to get cut off by a spear. The Ganso Bomb is loaded up but here is Dragon Lee (Rush’s brother) for a distraction. Bestia del Rey (Rush/Lee’s father) comes in to chair King down, meaning the Bull’s Horns to retain the title at 16:35.

Rating: B. Pretty good brawl here with both guys hitting each other rather hard. The ending seemed designed to set up something for later, though I’m not sure I can imagine Rush keeping the title that much longer due to the immigration issues. King does have a claim to a rematch due to the cheating but I’m not sure if he’ll be first in line. I know this didn’t quite feel like a Final Battle main event, but as has been the case all night, it’s understandable.

Post break La Faccion celebrates but the Foundation comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. All things considered, this is the about all you could have asked for. I know the show was lacking a lot of the way of storyline development, but there was only so much they could have done. It felt more like a collection of matches than a show if that makes sense, though it’s quite the collection of matches for the most part. Nothing is bad, and I liked what we got here for the most part. Ring of Honor works best when they’re just focusing on the wrestling and that’s what they did here in a show that felt like it belonged on the Final Battle stage.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring of Honor
Date: February 3, 2021
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

I’m really not sure what to say around here as we keep going from week to week with not all that much really feeling like it changes. We don’t have a show to build towards and while we are probably going to have some good matches, odds are they’re going to come after the same format this show has used for months now. In other words, it’s going to be pretty good but not exactly inspiring. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Joe Keys talks about how hard it has been to get here and how hard he has worked in the Ring of Honor Dojo. Jonathan Gresham was his trainer, but he isn’t the first trainer he had. That trainer passed away and now Keys wishes he could tell his trainer that he’s getting a Pure Title shot. Now he’s going to get the title to get back at Gresham for what Gresham put him through.

Jonathan Gresham talks about how hard Final Battle was and Joe Keys isn’t ready for that. Keys has earned a title shot by winning a match against other Dojo students but now he is stepping up even higher. Tonight, Keys is going to learn that this isn’t the Dojo because he is up against the Foundation.

Now that we have your required two minute promos out of the way because we must have them before almost every match, we’re ready to go.

Pure Title: Jonathan Gresham vs. Joe Keys

Keys is challenging after winning a Dojo match, thereby making the rankings even less important than your run of the mill wrestling rankings. Gresham takes him to the mat with a headscissors to start and Keys can’t do much to power out. Eventually it means the first rope break and they’re back up. A waistlock has Gresham in trouble and Keys powers him over to the ropes, where Keys has to grab said rope to avoid falling. That’s good for a rope break and we take a break to keep pace with both guys.

Back with Keys winning a slugout so Gresham grabs the armdrags to put Keys in trouble again. A quick backbreaker gives Keys a breather, only to have Gresham crank on the arm again. Keys’ German suplex gets two and there’s another backbreaker to put Gresham down again. The Boston crab sends Gresham to the rope for the break, followed by a headbutt for a third and final rope break. Keys wins another slugout and gets two off a clothesline but misses a top rope headbutt. La Majistral gives Gresham two more and he rolls Keys down into a nasty hammerlock for the tap to retain at 12:41.

Rating: C+. Keys looked fine here and the teacher vs. student idea is always going to work. It helps that Keys got to show off a bit here before the only ending the match could have had. At the same time though, I’m not exactly thrilled with seeing Ring of Honor do their best New Japan impression with the Young Lions/students thing, even if they already had characters and personae before they came here.

Matt Taven comes up to Mike Bennett, who is getting his ankle fixed up. Bennett says he’ll be fine and needs this match tonight. Taven doesn’t seem convinced but goes along with it.

Danhausen…is confused about all the lights and cameras around him. He only cares about being rich and famous and wants to know where his blimp is, as he was promised one in his contract. If he swears, he gets thrown off the air and that means he can’t be rich and famous. Danhausen likes to kick people in the face, like Brian Johnson, who yells at internet people. There is no stopping Danhausen because Danhausen is not evil. This was one of those wacky characters but it was the kind that actually worked, which is not something you get to see very often. Not too bad here.

Brian Johnson talks about how he grew up loving wrestling, even if it meant taking your vitamins or drinking a beer. Now he loves real wrestlers and can’t stand someone who lives on his couch and thinks he’s funny. Danhausen is a joke and it took a bad referee to cost him their match at Ring of Honor. Everyone has overlooked him and that isn’t happening again….whenever this match takes place.

The Bouncers are ready to face the OGK (OG Kingdom) tonight. Things have changed since Mike Bennett left though and tonight, they are the first step on the Bouncers’ path to the Tag Team Titles.

Matt Taven and Mike Bennett are ready to get back to what worked, without having to think of Vincent and the Righteous.

OGK vs. Bouncers

Bennett and Milonas start things off and Bennett finds out that he can’t do things as usual against someone this big. The ankle flares up too, including as Milonas doesn’t move off a shoulder block. Taven comes in and loads up the dive but Bruiser stands in front of him for a good visual. We settle down to Taven getting caught in a side slam/dropkick combination. Taven manages an enziguri and brings Bennett back in, only to have Bruiser run him over.

Some double teaming manages to knock Milonas down though and Taven nails a superkick but Bennett’s ankle goes out again. The Bruiser goes after the ankle with some cranking on the mat, followed by Milonas sitting on him in the corner. We take a break and come back with Bennett getting over for the hot tag to Taven to pick up the pace. The Flight of the Conqueror takes out Milonas on the floor and Aurora Borealis hits Bruiser for two back inside.

Bruiser hits a Samoan drop and we cut to a shot of the video screen for some reason. With that out of the way, Milonas hits a Side Effect on Taven but Bennett is back in with a superkick. Bruiser is back up to run Taven over but the frog splash misses. Bennett catches Bruiser with a spear but falls to the floor. That leaves Taven to grab something like a Crossface to make Bruiser tap at 11:56.

Rating: C. I continue to be astounded at how much better Taven is as a face than the heel he was for years. Bennett still isn’t much more than a guy in trunks but he has already been treated as far more important here than he ever was in WWE. If this is what he wants to do then good for him, because there was little point to him being in WWE as far as career advancement went.

Post match the Bouncers are ready for the toast but here is the Righteous with Vincent saying Bruiser has no direction. Bennett was gone for five years and he’s right back like nothing ever changed. Or Milonas, who has been around for 18 years, and has been given nothing. Taven just bought a house but where is anything for the Bouncers? The Righteous leaves and Bruiser breaks a beer bottle over Taven’s head. A twisting DDT plants Bennett and Milonas is shocked to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The ending helped the show a bit but the same problems continue around here: nothing to build towards and stories that move along at such a slow pace that they might as well not even be there. At the same time you have the same longer form promos, which work on some occasions but then there are people who have nothing to say and it shows pretty badly. The show isn’t terrible by any means but it’s often boring, which is a lot worse most of the time. That was slightly better this week, but they have a lot of things to fix.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.