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.

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Ring of Honor
Date: December 30, 2020
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s time for a Christmas special with the annual Christmas Surprise tag team match. In other words, there will be two captains (the Briscoes in this case) and they will draw four names to make a random ten man tag. That’s better than having some random singles matches to fill in time until we get to the Final Battle fallout. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

It’s time to pick some names, so Jay Briscoe picks….well we’ll find out later.

Eric Martin and Ken Dixon are rookies from the ROH Dojo and while they don’t have a ton of experience. Martin likes to take it to people but seems a bit low key. Dixon on the other hand is a bit of a good old boy who likes the idea of getting paid for something that would usually get you arrested.

Dante Caballero and Joe Keys are from the MCW Training Center and they know Dixon from training. They started wrestling together but found out that they were in over their head. Jonathan Gresham helped them take away everything else and get back to basics. Tonight they’re here to prove that they belong.

Dante Caballero/Joe Keys vs. Eric Martin/Ken Dixon

They’re all in the basic black trunks because Ring of Honor REALLY wants to be New Japan. Caballero and Dixon go to the mat to start with Caballero getting two off a hammerlock into a crucifix. Martin comes in and it’s some double teaming to put Caballero in trouble in the corner. A quick escape allows the tag to Keys, who is dropkicked down in a hurry. Dixon shoulders Keys down for two and a hard whip into the corner sends us to a break. Back with Dixon coming in again and letting Keys make the tag.

Keys slams Martin down and dives over for the tag to Caballero to start the comeback. The Crossface is broken up by Dixon, who snaps off a powerslam for two on Caballero. The hot tag brings Keys back in and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker hits Dixon. There’s a Swan Dive to Dixon as well but it bangs Keys up at the same time. He’s fine enough to grab a half crab, which is broken up in a hurry too. Caballero comes back in with a spear though and a half crab makes Dixon tap at 12:14.

Rating: C. The match was your standard run of the mill low level tag match, but can we please drop the “we’ve stripped them of their identities deal?” I know it’s what New Japan does and ROH loves itself some New Japan, but these people have a history and Caballero was already in the Top Prospect Tournament with his full deal. It’s ok to do something of your own instead of copying someone else. Stop overthinking it.

Mark Briscoe doesn’t like that his older brother got first pick of the presents but he seems happy with his choices too.

Brian Johnson joins commentary and has Team Bozo shirts for Ian and Caprice.

Team Mark vs. Team Jay

Team Mark: Mark Briscoe, Beer City Bruiser, Dak Draper, Tracy Williams, Dalton Castle

Team Jay: Jay Briscoe, Flip Gordon, Brawler Milonas, John Walters, PCO

In a nice bonus, each wrestler’s stats are replaced with their Christmas wish list. I can always appreciate little touches like that as they show some thinking and effort. Walters and Williams go technical (stunning indeed) to start with Williams snapping off an armdrag for a standoff. Draper comes in and gets dropkicked by Gordon, who grabs a choke for a bonus. Milonas comes in and gets to face…..the Bruiser, as the Colossal Jostle is on. Bruiser gets knocked down but misses the legdrop, setting up the stereo crossbodies.

Castle, in a turtleneck, comes in to face PCO and I want these two in a buddy cop comedy. PCO doesn’t like being sent into the buckle as commentary brags about Jim Cornette’s endorsement. We take a break and come back with a fired up PCO saying bring it on. Castle thinks about it but hands it off to Mark instead. Jay comes in as well and it’s time to run the ropes. That doesn’t suit them though and the slugout is on, drawing in everyone else for more of the same.

Flip hits a big springboard flip dive onto Bruiser, followed by PCO diving onto just about everyone. Back in and Jay uppercuts Mark, followed by Walters getting two off an elbow to the face. PCO comes in to whip Mark into the corner but Mark elbows Walters down and hands it off to Bruiser as we take another break. Back again with Mark chopping at Walters as commentary wonders about a Briscoe Family Christmas. Ian: “Family matters to the Briscoes.” Johnson: “Family matters? Urkel wouldn’t even hang out with those two!” Ian: “Well Laura would.” And that’s why I smile at Ian Riccaboni’s commentary.

The nerve hold has Walters in trouble and a chokeslam into a cutter (cool) puts Walters down again. That makes everything break down and we hit the parade of secondary finishers. Walters triangle chokes Williams but Bruiser breaks it up with a frog splash. PCO runs Draper over and finishes with the PCOsault at 17:31.

Rating: B-. This was the usual fun, completely irrelevant and entertaining match that we always get out of the Christmas special. You don’t need to do anything more than have a laid back match here but there are enough people to set up some interesting matchups. It’s a fun tradition and they did well with it here so nice job.

Overall Rating: C+. It’s a Christmas special so it isn’t the kind of show you can complain about all that much. The main event was fun and the opener was fine (annoying visuals aside) and….well what else are you wanting on a show like this? They always take a break around Christmas and this was perfectly acceptable all around.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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IMG Credit: Ring Of Honor Wrestling

Ring of Honor
Date: November 11, 2020
Location: UMBC Events Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

So now the Pure Title Tournament is over and that means we are going to be seeing what else Ring of Honor has. I’m not sure what that is going to mean going forward but at the end of the day, Ring of Honor has done rather well so far since their restart so hopefully they can keep it going as we get a bit more back to normal. Let’s get to it.

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

Quinn McKay sends us to the end of the Pure Title Tournament finals with Jonathan Gresham winning the title.

Gresham talks about Ring of Honor always trying to be the alternative to professional wrestling. Rush has not been living up to that as World Champion so now the Pure Title is on the same level. This company will be that again with him as the Pure Wrestling Champion.

Quinn previews what we have coming up tonight.

Dak Draper talks about growing up as a success and knowing that he was going to be a star when he young. He was a star in wrestling and football growing up and then got a WWE contract. That wasn’t what he wanted so he traveled around and then won the Top Prospect Tournament here in Ring of Honor and knew he would be a star in the Pure Title Tournament. Ring of Honor made him an alternate though, just like Brian Johnson, who is already jealous of everything Draper has.

Brian Johnson talks about being born in Philadelphia and getting bitten by the wrestling bug. He would buy the toys and the tapes and when he ran out of stuff to watch, he would go to sleep so he could dream about it. There was no football or other sports because he became a heck of a professional wrestler. Then he was given a robe and called Number One, so he had to take over the Ring of Honor Dojo by outworking everyone. Draper showed up and got an easy ride through the Top Prospect Tournament while Johnson failed and failed and failed again. Tonight, Draper better be ready because this isn’t just another match for Johnson.

Dak Draper vs. Brian Johnson

Pure Rules as they were the alternates in the tournament. The bell rings and Johnson punches him in the face to take over, including sending him outside for a suicide dive. Back in and a top rope clothesline hits Draper for two. Draper punches him in the face but a running crossbody puts both of them on the floor. Johnson comes up favoring his arm and barely beats the count so Draper is right back with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam for two. Draper stays on the arm and we take a break.

Back with Johnson not being able to get a double underhook due to the arm. A Doctor Bomb gives Draper two with Johnson using the rope for the second time. Draper’s running boot only hits corner and Johnson hits a cutter for two. A slingshot rollup gets two more on Johnson but he’s back with a crucifix for the same.

They go into a series of rollups for two each until Johnson hits a clothesline from the apron, with Johnson putting his feet on the ropes….which counts as his third rope break. Johnson’s neckbreaker spun into a faceplant gets two more, with Draper using his first rope break. Back up and Draper hits the Magnum KO (fireman’s carry into a World’s Strongest Slam) for the pin at 11:03.

Rating: C. This started fast but slowed down a good bit by the ending. Neither of these two have ever impressed me all that much and that was the case again here, though Johnson did show some fire to make it a little more interesting. Draper does seem to be the better prospect so I’m not surprised by the result, but at some point he needs to actually do something, and winning an alternates match isn’t it.

Brody King talks about being straightedge since he was 16 years old and gravitating towards music. He didn’t start wrestling until he was 27 but since he spent so much time stage diving in music, wrestling dives were easy. This is the first time that he has been on his own and he’s ready to do everything, including going after Rush. He’ll throw everything at you and he isn’t sure which Dalton Castle he’s getting this week. King wants the Castle that was World Champion, not the one who came back from injury.

Dalton Castle talks about his failures in the Pure Title Tournament. Now it’s time to make adjustments and that starts with taking down Brody King. Castle has never been more focused or enraged than he is now. Starting tonight, you get to see how dangerous he really can be.

Dalton Castle vs. Brody King

King powers him up against the rope to block the single leg attempt. That works so well that King does it again and then drives Castle into the corner. Castle slips over the top in the corner and sweeps the leg but King blocks a choke attempt. King charges into a boot to the face so Castle hits some running knees to actually slow King down for a second. That just earns Castle a kick to the chest to slow him down as well and King pounds him down in the corner.

We take a break and come back with King slapping on the neck crank. Some forearms to the chest give King two but Castle fights back up with a knee to the ribs into a DDT. The jump on the back choke strategy doesn’t work but an exploder suplex sends King flying for a change. A quick piledriver plants Castle for the same and it’s takes them both a second to get up.

King wins a forearm exchange and then sends Castle outside for trying the choke again. Castle swings underneath the bottom rope for a hurricanrana, only to get sent over the barricade for his efforts. Back in and Castle catches him on top, setting up the reverse Sling Blade for two. King plants him down for two of his own and snaps off a German suplex. One heck of a clothesline sets up the Gonzo Bomb for the pin at 14:45.

Rating: C+. I got into this one a good bit and it’s nice to see King getting a showcase match. He’s a big guy who can move and has an awesome finisher so he might be in for a move up the card in the near future. At the same time, it’s strange to see a former World Champion losing over and over like Castle, as that really isn’t something you see very often in Ring of Honor. Maybe he’s on his way out or maybe he’s just putting people over, but it’s still odd to see.

A banged up Castle shakes his hand to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. While I wouldn’t call it bad at all, this was a downgrade from recent shows as it felt like something that was more just there than anything else. I’m not wild on the interviews with people before every match as they feel more like filler than anything else. I get that they are exactly that, but find a way to make them feel less like filler. It’s one thing with someone brand new or making their first appearance since the restart, but did we need to hear the same thing from Castle? The show was fine and it’s hard to complain at just an hour. They’ve earned the credit for an off week and that’s impressive.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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IMG Credit: Ring of Honor Wrestling

Ring of Honor
Date: January 8, 2020
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni
Hosts: Ian Riccaboni, Quinn McKay

We’re onto the Final Ball Fallout shows, meaning I should probably watch Final Battle at some point. At least we get some fresh content this week, but I’m not sure what to expect from everything else going on. Hopefully things pick up a bit in the new year, but I’m not sure I would get my hopes up. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

We look at PCO winning the World Title at Final Battle in a big upset.

The announcers recap Final Battle and hype up tonight’s show.

Here’s Villain Enterprises so PCO can get in his first address as the World Champion. The fact that Marty Scurll has yet to win the title but PCO has is mind boggling. Scurll praises PCO for wrestling longer than he has even been alive and finally achieving the destiny. PCO thanks the fans for believing in him but we’re clipped to Rush popping up on screen to say he’s coming for the title. They couldn’t even show the full segment?

Rush has his own friends now, with Kenny King (including Amy Rose) and Dragon Lee, who get their own jerseys as part of La Faction Ingobernable. PC says he isn’t giving the title back because they are Villain Enterprises. This was really flat and just set up a not exactly surprising rematch. Also Kenny King as Rush and Lee’s buddy? Really?

PJ Black and Josh Woods are in the back when Silas Young comes in. Black wants to be a Real Man and suggests that his student could beat Young’s student. Brian Johnson passes by so Young says go train him. The match seems to be made.

Clips of Dragon Lee winning the TV Title.

Dak Draper vs. Shaheem Ali

Kind of a random match. Draper headlocks him to start so Ali slips out and tries a shoulder block. An armdrag takes Draper down and hits a belly to back suplex as we take a break. Back with Draper hitting a delayed gutwrench suplex so the cockiness can get cranked up. Ali chops away and flips out of a belly to back suplex, setting up a release northern lights suplex. There’s a side kick and a running splash in the corner, setting up a running basement dropkick to rock Draper again. A Doctor Bomb gets two on Draper but he winds up on the apron and nails a springboard back elbow. The Magnum KO finishes Ali at 7:24.

Rating: C-. Not too bad here but Draper isn’t exactly the thrilling guy they seem to think he is. The participation ribbon is a nice touch but it’s the problem with the Top Prospect Tournament most years: these guys are billed as brand new names and most of the time they’re starting from scratch. Draper is kind of a hard one to go from brand new to something interesting and it’s a long way to go given his rather basic (not a bad thing) style.

Video on Vincent beating Matt Taven at Final Battle.

We look at the wacky tag match from Unauthorized with a wrestling referee and Ian dropping a top rope elbow. Brian Johnson took the pin and seemed rather humiliated.

PJ Black offers Johnson his support but Johnson respectfully declines. Johnson insists he doesn’t need a manager.

We look at Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham cheating to win the Tag Team Titles at Final Battle.

Gresham and Lethal are rather pleased. Lethal is sorry that it took him so long to see that Gresham was right. No one gets punished for what they do around here so he might as well cheat and enjoy the success. Gresham wants to remake the company in their image.

Brian Zane from Wrestling With Wregret gives us his top five Final Battle 2019 moments, with all of the new champions at the top of the list.

PCO/Marty Scurll vs. Dan Maff/Jeff Cobb

Scurll spins out of Cobb’s wristlock to start and makes the mistake of trying a shoulder. A dropkick puts Scurll down and it’s Maff coming in to miss the big elbow. Scurll slaps him on the top of the bald head and then runs away from the threat of violence. PCO comes in instead and the fans are rather pleased with the change. The staredown sets up the double suplex to drop the Villains but Scurll is right back with a cheap shot to Matt to take over.

Maff is so annoyed that he doesn’t see PCO coming from behind with a dropkick. Scurll gets thrown down though and Cobb elbows him in the face for a bonus. An overhead suplex sends Scurll flying for two and the standing moonsault is good for the same as we take a break. Back with Maff press slamming Scurll and driving PCO into the corner. The Cannonball crushes PCO and Maff drops a splash for two.

PCO gets taken into the corner for some chops but fights out with some rather slow punches to both of them. A double clothesline gets PCO out of trouble and it’s Scurll coming in to chop/strike away. Scurll DDTs both of them out of the corner and backdrops PCO onto Maff on the floor. A Boston crab/middle rope legdrop to the back of Cobb’s neck gets two and a suplex is good for the same. Scurll dives into a cutter from Maff though and he even mocks the bird pose before another cutter gets another two.

The French Canadian Destroyer gets two on Maff, because YOU NEED A DESTROYER IN EVERY SINGLE MATCH! PCO’s Cannonball gets two on Maff and a flip dive through the ropes knocks Cobb down again. Scurll tries his own dive but walks into the spear from Maff. That means a big dive from Maff, which doesn’t seem to hut PCO. The Swanton to the apron only hits apron and PCO is done again. Back in and Scurll small packages Maff for the pin at 15:16.

Overall Rating: C. This was their big fallout show from their biggest show of the year and I’m kind of disappointed. We got some recaps of a few things, but at the same time it felt like a show that just came and went. What was on here that would make me want to keep watching? An old World Champion while Scurll STILL feels like the biggest star in the company who is nowhere near the top of the card. It’s a weird place and I don’t know how they are going to get out of the whole situation.