Ring of Honor
Date: December 22, 2021
Location: UMBC Event Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We continue the final shows of the original era of the promotion and that means we are in for a bunch of one off matches. Thankfully that is what Ring of Honor has a tendency to do time after time so it isn’t like this is going to be much different. I’m not sure what to expect here as usual and again, that’s kind of a nice feeling. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Quinn McKay gives us the welcome and opening rundown. This week even has a theme, in the form of the Top Prospect Special.

Eric Martin vs. Adrian Soriano vs. Rayo vs. Joe Keys

One fall to a finish, Martin has Will Ferrara with him and Soriano has the rest of Primal Fear with him. Keys gets kicked outside to start and it’s Soriano getting to clean house early on. Martin is sent outside as well but Keys is back in for some rolling German suplexes on Soriano. That’s broken up by Martin, who chops it out with Keys and then plants him with a powerbomb.

A sitout powerbomb gets two on Rayo but Soriano is back in with a neckbreaker for two on Keys. We take a break and come back with Rayo hitting a sitout bulldog on Soriano. Primal Fear offers a distraction though and Soriano takes Rayo off the top in the crash. Keys is back in with a spinning faceplant on Soriano as momentum changes again.

Rayo and Martin fight over a backslide but Keys breaks that up as well. Soriano comes back in but misses a frog splash. Everyone but Rayo is sent outside so he can dive onto them from the apron. Martin runs Rayo over and sends him back inside, where Rayo gets a knee up in the corner. The springboard tornado DDT plants Martin and a top rope elbow gives Rayo the pin at 7:57.

Rating: C+. This was one of those matches that had everyone flying around doing all kinds of big spots and getting in as many spots as possible. It was nice to get these guys some focus, but there was nothing that makes them stand out in any way. In other words, it felt like an independent match with everyone cramming in everything that they can as fast as they can with no one getting to stand out.

We look at various stars winning the Top Prospect Tournament over the years.

Dante Caballero vs. Matt Makowski

Makowski has a rather New York manager named Rocco, who has never been seen before but has an entrance video suggesting he has been around for a bit. Either way, Makowski is treated as a big deal due to his mixed martial arts days, with commentary freaking out over his mere presence. Makowski takes him down to start with Caballero not being able to get very far. A front facelock suplex drops Caballero and he has to block a cross armbreaker attempt.

We take a break and come back with Caballero hitting some shoulders for two. You don’t do that to Makowski, who kicks him down and busts out the Pentagon arm snap. Another cross armbreaker attempt is blocked so Makowski grabs an Omoplata. The rope is grabbed in a hurry and it’s a Falcon Arrow for two on Makowski. A spinebuster gets the same and Makowski is sent to the apron so Caballero can elbow away.

Back in and Makowski hammers away, setting up a springboard kick to the face for two. Rocco: “YOU CAN’T WIN TONIGHT! MAYBE TOMORROW OR MAYBE NEXT WEEK BUT NOT TONIGHT!” Caballero comes back with a running boot to the face but Rocco offers a distraction. Makowski is back up with a kick to the head and something like a Wasteland into a cross armbreaker to make Caballero tap at 12:06.

Rating: C+. This was a bit of a strange one as Makowski felt like a monster but took his time beating a dojo student. Makowski looked like a killer at times but there were parts where he looked like a prospect as well. The good thing is that the parts that worked worked very well and I could go for more Makowski down the line…whenever that is.

More people have won the Top Prospect Tournament.

Dak Draper vs. Josh Woods

Non-title and these are the two most recent Top Prospect Tournament winners. Hold on though as here is Dalton Castle with the Baby Chickens, but for some reason he is carrying hot dogs. Castle wants some risk involved here so Woods should put the Pure Title on the line. That isn’t happening so Castle calls it boring and Draper leaves. That’s enough to get the title match made.

Pure Title: Dak Draper vs. Josh Woods

Woods is defending and lists Draper up to start, sending him into the ropes for an early first break. They go with the grappling on the mat with Draper working on the ankle until Woods makes him spin out for a standoff. More grappling doesn’t go anywhere as they get up to strike it out. Draper hits a right hand to the face for the first illegal shot, setting up an apron superplex.

We take a break and come back with Woods in trouble in the corner and Draper down to one rope break. Draper hits a gutwrench suplex but Woods scores with a springboard kick to the face for a double knockdown. Woods hits the running strikes in the corner but Draper powerslams him for two.

Back up and Draper tries coming off the top, only to get kneed out of the air. Woods’ running knee connects, meaning Draper has to use his last rope break. A cross armbreaker goes on, with Draper powerbombing his way to freedom and a near fall. Draper gets up and gets caught in the Gorilla Slam out of nowhere to retain Woods’ title at 13:45.

Rating: B. These are guys who are tailor made for a match like this and they made it work as a result. The Castle stuff at the beginning was a big unnecessary but at least they turned the stakes up a bit. One of the best things about the show coming to an end is you don’t know what you’re going to see, and that was the case again here. Good match between two talented people.

Overall Rating: B. Another solid show, but they have to be running out of first run material. Odds are the Christmas show will be the big finale and that should be enough to carry us into the new year. That’s a shame as they have stayed on a roll for a long time now, but there is only so much that you can do with no fans and almost no income. Anyway, good stuff, as you should expect around here.

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Ring of Honor
Date: September 22, 2021
Location: UMBC Event Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We are firmly away from Death Before Dishonor and in theory this should be the tapings where we see some fallout. That being said, last week we got some pre-fallout (Fall-in?) with the Tag Team Titles changing hands. Not that it makes much of a difference given how often they have been swapped as of late, but it’s certainly an event. 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, with a focus on the Pure Rules division.

Pure Rules Gauntlet Match

No word on how many entrants and lost rope breaks carry over from one fall to another. Eric Martin is in at #1 and World Famous CB is in at #2 with Brian Milonas on commentary. They trade the grappling to start with Martin going to the ropes to avoid a drop toehold, which seems a little dumb. Then he uses the next two in rapid fashion and is out of breaks after less than a minute and a half. Martin kicks CB off the top for a crash to the floor and it’s a running corner clothesline back inside. CB is right back with a kick to the face and a choke with knees in the back for the tap at 3:14.

Delirious is in at #3 and it’s time for more grappling to get things going. They hit the mat with both guys tripping the other for some short form control. CB’s headscissors sends Delirious over to the ropes for a break and it’s time to run the ropes in an awkward manner. A dragon suplex sends Delirious flying but he twists around into a cobra clutch. That’s broken up as well so CB tries a bunch of rollups to no avail. Delirious is right back with a cobra clutch backbreaker into a triangle choke while bending the arm the wrong way (GEEZ) for the tap at 13:23.

LSG is in at #4 and after a break, Delirious’ headlock doesn’t work very well. Instead they just hit each other in the face until Delirious grabs a neckbreaker for two. LSG blocks a suplex though and strikes away, including some running forearms. With Delirious rocked, LSG pulls him into a Muta Lock for the tap at 21:13.

Joe Keys is in at #5 and, after a break, gets taken down by a headlock takeover (popular way to start). Keys snaps off a backbreaker but gets sent into the corner, only to come out with an abdominal stretch. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker keeps LSG’s back in trouble and we hit a half crab. That means LSG needs to use his second rope break so Keys rolls some German suplexes, meaning LSG needs his third and final break. Keys takes him up top for a superplex but LSG turns it into a crossbody for the pin at 30:28.

Brian Johnson is in at #6 and talks about how he is the best and about to rewrite everything around here. Johnson drives the beaten up LSG into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs but LSG is back with Rocket By Baby. A rope break gets Johnson out of trouble so he throws a right hand (one more and he’s disqualified) and throws his feet on the ropes (which is fine because LSG is out of breaks so it doesn’t count….which I think makes sense) to pin LSG and win the whole thing at 32:56.

Rating: C+. These things are always a little weird to grade because it’s a bunch of mini matches in a row. What we got here was good though, with the right person winning. Johnson coming in to beat a worn down LSG for the win is the perfect thing for him and I liked enough of this to make it work. Nothing great, but it wasn’t exactly supposed to be given the circumstances.

Post match Johnson insists on a handshake, because he’s good at being a villain.

Rhett Titus vs. Mike Bennett

Pure Rules again. They go with the grappling to start and try a test of strength to no avail, with both of them kicking the other away. That’s good for a standoff so Titus grabs a headlock to put Bennett in some trouble. The Cobra Twist makes it worse and we take a break. Back with Titus working on the leg and the threat of a Boston crab makes Bennett burn a rope break.

Bennett has to use a second to save himself from another hold so Bennett goes after the arm. That doesn’t work either so it’s time to chop it out instead. Bennett blasts him with a discus forearm to the jaw and Titus has to use his first break. Bennett pulls him back to the mat and snaps off a DDT onto the leg as we take a break.

We come back with Bennett having to use his third break before getting gutwrench suplexed for two. An ankle lock sends Titus going for the ropes again so Bennett ties up the legs again. That’s fine with Titus, who starts a slap fight from the mat. Back up and Titus’ leg gives out but he’s able to block the piledriver. Bennett kicks the leg out again but gets rolled up for two. They fight over a bunch of rollups and trade clotheslines until the time limit expires at 15:00. The judges give it to Bennett.

Rating: B-. They were doing a grappling exhibition here and that worked out rather well. Titus has come a long way over the last year and a lot of that is due to being in the ring so often. Put him in there against better wrestlers and he is going to get better as well. Bennett held his own here too and it was a good main event as a result.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a very wrestling focused show and it worked out fairly well. What mattered here was they focused on something and it was entertaining enough. It was certainly another show from before Death Before Dishonor and it’s nice to see something like this be able to fill in a week.

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

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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:

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AND

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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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