IMG Credit: Ring Of Honor

Ring of Honor
Date: October 10, 2018
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, BJ Whitmer

We have to be getting close to the end of this taping cycle and therefore getting closer to everything that happened at Death Before Dishonor. Ignore the fact that we’re two days away from Glory By Honor, which is a major event in its own right. I’m not sure when things will be back to normal, but anytime soon would be nice. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Kingdom vs. Coast To Coast

Vinny Marseglia and TK O’Ryan for the Kingdom here. Marseglia throws LSG to the floor to start where he has to kick O’Ryan in the face. Back in and things speed up until O’Ryan grabs LSG’s foot, allowing Marseglia to take over. Ali comes in for a double suplex as the fans are behind the Kingdom here. Coast to Coast is right back with forearms to the jaw and an uppercut into a neckbreaker for two on Marseglia. A kick to the ribs cuts LSG down though and we take a break.

Back with LSG rolling over for the hot tag off to Ali as the pace picks up. It’s time to unleash the balloons (I guess he was really desperate for a thing.) and Marseglia pops one next to Ali’s head, setting up a powerslam for two. A spinebuster into a middle rope headbutt gets two and a double flapjack (always loved that) is good for the same. The neck crank keeps Ali down until he fights up and rolls over to LSG for the hot tag.

Everything breaks down and a spinning gutbuster into a running neckbreaker drops O’Ryan. Marseglia is right back up with some running forearms in the corner and LSG gets beaten up on the floor. Ali makes the save with a quick dive so Marseglia dives onto everyone at once. LSG flip dives onto everyone as well and it’s LSG rolling O’Ryan up for the pin at 12:34. Apparently neither of them were legal, but that’s never mattered much around here.

Rating: C+. Fun match here, though a bunch of the dives started to get annoying after awhile. The Kingdom being ripped off again isn’t the most thrilling story in the world either as they feel like they’ve been doing the same thing for months now. It was a fine enough match, though as usual a little too messy for my tastes.

Post match the Kingdom yells and beats up referees.

Clip of Marty Scurll beating the Hurricane via cheating six weeks ago.

Scurll is ready to beat up Hurricane again and vanquish him once and for all.

Hurricane Helms vs. Marty Scurll

Have we ever gotten an explanation or even a mention of the title that Hurricane wears? Or why this is happening TWICE in 2018? We don’t get a handshake to start and Marty shrugs off an early chokeslam attempt. A tornado DDT drops Hurricane but he pops back up like Kane. Another chokeslam attempt is countered into a Backstabber for two…and Hurricane Hulks Up. A knee to the face gets two on Marty and it’s time for a People’s Elbow of all things, only to have Marty knock him outside for a suicide dive.

The fans are WAY into Marty as we take a break. Back with Marty hitting a brainbuster for two and Hurricane shrugging off some chops. A Ghostbuster gives Marty two more and he knocks Marty to the floor, only to have his tornado DDT countered into a northern lights suplex. Back in and they slug it out until Hurricane gets two off his reverse Unprettier. A Rainmaker gives Marty two but the Chickenwing attempt is reversed into a whip into the post.

Marty is fine enough for a superplex into a near fall, followed by a superkick to the back of Hurricane’s head. The referee gets distracted so Marty can hit a low blow into the Eye of the Hurricane for two more. Marty’s chokeslam is reversed into the regular version but the Vertebreaker is countered. They go into a rollup exchange with Hurricane stacking him up for the pin at 12:22.

Rating: D. Are you kidding me? Scurll is one of the hottest names on the indy scene at the moment and he loses clean to the HURRICANE??? Seriously, this is the best thing that they can come up with for Scurll at the moment? I know he’s not the most popular guy in the world with some people, but there is no excusing him losing to a glorified comedy guy like Hurricane, who isn’t even a regular anymore. Yeah it’s leading to a blowoff match but that’s the point: this should have been a one off and nothing more.

We recap the two matches so far.

Will Ferrara is ready to finish Cheeseburger and put it behind him.

Video on Cheeseburger vs. Will Ferrara. They were a tag team over a year ago and had some issues, so now it’s a Fight Without Honor. A freaking year later. And now I get to watch Cheeseburger in a main event. I’m so happy.

Cheeseburger doesn’t care about Ferrara anymore and is going to the top, with or without him.

Cheeseburger vs. Will Ferrara

Anything goes and Ferrara tells Rhett Titus to stay in the back for this. They get aggressive to start and Cheeseburger hits a running forearm. It’s too early for the palm strike though and Ferrara bails to the floor, only to get taken down with a dive and more right hands. Back in and Ferrara whips him with a belt, which Whitmer describes as funny. I do tend to get enjoyment out of Cheeseburger being in pain.

Ferrara chokes with the belt so Cheeseburger suplexes his way to freedom. Now it’s time for Ferrara to get whipped and he crawls over to the ropes for a breather. That’s fine with Cheeseburger, who chokes with the belt to keep Ferrara in trouble. Ferrara gets to the floor and Cheeseburger drives the hand into the post to take over. Back from a break with Ferrara missing a chair shot to the hand but connecting with one to the back for two.

Cheeseburger superkicks the chair into Ferrara’s face and unloads on him in the corner, followed by a DDT onto the chair. It’s table time but here’s Titus to run Cheeseburger over from behind. Cheeseburger escapes a powerbomb through the table but here are Eli Isom and Ryan Nova to powerbomb Titus through the table. Ferrara has a chain but punches the chair, allowing Cheeseburger to chair him in the back, setting up the palm strike with a chain for the pin at 10:30.

Rating: D+. Good for them. Now maybe we can move on to a feud where Cheeseburger gets beaten up by someone bigger than him and told that he shouldn’t be in this business. Then someone will feel sorry for Cheeseburger because he just fights oh so hard and then Cheeseburger wins the blowoff match. BECAUSE THAT WOULD NEVER GET OLD AND REPETITIVE AT ANY TIME OVER THE LAST FOUR FREAKING YEARS RIGHT???

Overall Rating: F. Absolutely unacceptable here on almost every level. Aside from the perfectly acceptable first match, you have the freaking HURRICANE winning a match over a top level star (you know, the guy who was main eventing a major pay per view earlier this year for your World Title) and your other match, the main event of your show, is blowing off a Cheeseburger “feud” that was started sixteen months ago and has barely been mentioned since.

Ring of Honor has an hour of television a week and this is what they decide to use it on? With all of the other talent that they have, and they have a lot, this is the best they can do in an hour? You don’t have some other people you could run out there? Or do some promos to set up some matches later? Really? That wasn’t an option?

We’ve been stuck with the stand alone episodes for weeks and this is what you expect to make us want to tune in next week? This was a failure on every level (again, save for the opener) and I haven’t been this dumbfounded by a show in a long, long time. If Ring of Honor wants to be seen as a major promotion, they need to get far, far away from everything like this because it makes them look like they don’t now what they’re doing.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Smackdown Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

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

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

When Could Chris Jericho Be Leaving WWE?

http://wrestlingrumors.net/when-could-chris-jericho-be-leaving-wwe/

What Other Gimmicks Were Considered for Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks? December 7, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/what-other-gimmicks-were-considered-for-charlotte-vs-sasha-banks/

Two NXT Tag Team Title Matches Announced. December 8, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/two-nxt-tag-team-title-matches-announced/

Update on the NXT Title Situation. December 8, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/update-on-the-nxt-title-situation/

Ring of Honor Title to be Defended at “Wrestle Kingdom 11.” December 8, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/ring-honor-title-defended-wrestle-kingdom-11/

Vince McMahon Changes Mind on WWE Network. December 8, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/vince-mcmahon-changes-mind-wwe-network/

Two More “Smackdown Live” Wrestlers Injured. December 8, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/two-smackdown-live-wrestlers-injured/

WWE Wishes Legend Happy Birthday, Return Possible? December 9, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/wwe-wishes-legend-happy-birthday-return-possible/

AJ Styles Pulled From More Shows. December 9, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/aj-styles-pulled-shows/

Two TNA Talents Reportedly Gone. December 10, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/two-tna-talents-reportedly-gone/

So as you might have noticed, I’m not doing as many news stories and articles around here lately.  This is due to me basically becoming a full time news reporter at WrestlingRumors.net, which takes up a lot of my time.  However, it occurred to me that I had a list of articles I’ve written with the links up so I might as well put them on here as well.  These are just going to be links and headlines but the articles include my take on them at the end.  I don’t know if I’ll do these every day but I’ll do them more often than not.

John Cena Nominated for Award. December 2, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/john-cena-nominated-for-award/

John Cena Hosting “Saturday Night Live” on December 10. December 2, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/john-cena-hosting-saturday-night-live/

Free Match: AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe. December 2, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/free-match-aj-styles-vs-christopher-daniels-vs-samoa-joe/

Major Development at NXT House Show *SPOILERS INCLUDED* December 3, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/major-development-at-nxt-house-show-spoilers-included/

Broken Matt Hardy Appears at ROH’s “Final Battle 2016”. December 3, 2016.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/broken-matt-hardy-appears-at-rohs-final-battle-2016/

Ring of Honor
Date: October 5, 2016
Location: MCU Park, Brooklyn, New York
Attendance: 1,500
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino

It’s the first show after a pay per view and that means…..well I have no idea what that means actually as this could be anything for the most part. We could be getting a special look at someone or a special show with nothing to do with the regular shows. Or it could just be a stand alone show that focuses on some midcard storylines. My guess: New Japan. Let’s get to it.

We’re going to a special show called Field of Honor from Brooklyn back on August 27, 2016.

National Anthem.

Opening sequence.

TV Title: Bobby Fish vs. Evil

Fish is defending and gets his eyes raked to start. An early kneebar attempt sends Evil outside and Fish is right there to kick at the leg. Evil is right back up with a chair to the back before wrapping it around Fish’s throat to send it into the post. It’s not a DQ for reasons that aren’t clear and we take a break.

Back with Fish suplexing Evil into the corner because that’s a required spot these days. They trade forearms until Fish gets in a Samoan drop for a breather. A half and half suplex gets two for Evil and he takes Fish’s head off with a clothesline. Fish pops right back up with a falcon arrow into a kneebar and Evil taps at 10:40.

Rating: C+. This is the kind of match that I can always go with: simple wrestling with a random challenger coming for a title despite there being no chance of a title change (partially because this was taped six weeks ago). I’m not big on Evil but he was the perfect choice to go after the champ like this. Fun little match.

IWGP Intercontinental Title: Michael Elgin vs. Donovan Dijak

Elgin is defending and this title has never been on the line in New York before. Dijak gets powered into the corner but he punches Mike in the cut on his forehead. That goes nowhere so Elgin shoulders him down and follows with the delayed vertical suplex. Dijak avoids a charge in the corner and lifts Elgin up for some knees to the back. It’s too early to finish the champ off though and he muscles Dijak up for a suplex as we take another break.

Back with Elgin hitting Dijak in the face and getting two off a really hard clothesline. The Elgin Bomb gets two and Dijak grabs a fireman’s carry into a sitout powerbomb of his own for two more. A chokebreaker sets up Dijak’s moonsault for two. Elgin shrugs that off too and hits a quick Death Valley Driver onto the apron. A German superplex knocks Dijak silly and it’s a buckle bomb into the Elgin Bomb to retain the title at 11:45.

Rating: B-. I had a lot of fun with this as they just beat each other up for a long time. There was nothing scientific here and that’s all it was supposed to be. Elgin is a beast who can run people over and Dijak is the kind of athletic freak that you only get every now and then. Fun match here as this show has been good so far.

Bullet Club vs. ACH/Lio Rush/Motor City Machine Guns

Yujiro Takahashi/Hangman Page/Young Bucks for the Bullet Club here and ACH/Lio Rush and the Motor City Machine Guns for ACH/Lio Rush/Motor City Machine Guns. We have to wait for ACH to run around the bases before it’s time to get going. Matt and Lio start things off and it’s a thumb to the eye to give the Club the early advantage. Rush flips around and starts kicking both Bucks so we can take a break.

Back with Sabin headlocking Page and bringing Shelley in for a top rope armdrag. Nick gets hung over the top with three guys holding him in place for Rush’s top rope double stomp. Quadruple strikes have Nick in even more trouble and the rest of the Club FINALLY comes in for the save. A bunch of superkicks have Rush and ACH down so the fans gets behind the Club. Of course they do. Back in and the powerbomb into a kick to the head knocks Rush silly.

We come back from another break with Rush diving at the corner but getting suplexed over for two. Matt grabs a camel clutch so Nick can run the ropes, only to stop for a Too Sweet poke to the eyes. Rush doesn’t seem interested in sucking it so he makes the hot tag to ACH. Everything breaks down with ACH doing a bunch of dives and kicks to the head of anyone he can find.

A belly to back suplex gets two on Page and the Guns hit a Magic Killer on Matt. Rush starts firing off suicide dives and some superkicks send Page into a German suplex for two. The Guns start their rapid fire offense on the Bucks but a double superkick knocks Rush to the floor. Now we get the Bucks firing off dives but ACH hits an even bigger one to take everyone down. Back in and a double superkick into the Rite of Passage knocks Sabin out for the pin at 15:29.

Rating: B. This was exactly what it needed to be with eight guys who were there to fly all over the place and pop the crowd all over the place. The Bullet Club continues to dominate the promotion because that’s what Ring of Honor is about anymore. The Guns/Rush/ACH are fine enough for a group to lose to the Club so it’s all gravy here.

Overall Rating: B. Now this is the kind of show that I can get into. They aren’t trying anything over the top or anything stupid like the Kevin Sullivan story and just went with the wrestling, which is what you need every now and then. There’s good stuff in this promotion (meaning it doesn’t need New Japan) and it’s fun to watch them from time to time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book, KB’s Complete 2014 Raw and Smackdown Reviews Part I at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY6766K#nav-subnav

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

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

A look at some of the other stories from the weekend, including whatever the main event was.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/kbs-review-in-other-news-summerslam-edition/

Ring of Honor
Date: August 14, 2016
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 850
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly

It’s the go home show for Death Before Dishonor and they’ve actually done a good job of setting up the main event with Jay Lethal defending the ROH World Title against Adam Cole. Unfortunately the only other match that has gotten any real time is the TV Title match with Bobby Fish defending against Mark Briscoe. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of Cole getting himself a title shot by taunting Lethal last week.

Opening sequence.

War Machine and the Motor City Machine Guns are both out with injuries so the Tag Team Title situation is up in the air.

Donovan Dijak vs. Lio Rush

Rush still doesn’t do anything for me. Dijak throws him outside to start but Rush reverses a whip into the barricade. It works so well that Rush does it again but Prince Nana won’t let Rush get back inside. Well it’s not like he does anything else. Back in and Dijak kicks him in the face for two.

Another toss sends Rush flying as the size difference is staggering here. Rush comes back with strikes because that’s how you make comebacks in ROH. A suicide dive is caught in midair but Rush kicks him a few more times and hits a springboard corkscrew dive as we go to a break. Back with Rush knocking Dijak down until a frog splash is countered with a choke.

The chokeslam is countered into an attempt at a victory roll but Dijak reverses into Feast Your Eyes. That’s countered into another rollup, followed by a low DDT and a kick to the head for two. A chokebreaker finally slows Rush down but Nana wants one more. You really should see where this is going and of course Rush gives him a reverse hurricanrana. A kick to the head and the frog splash…only get two on Dijak. Ok they actually fooled me there. Feast Your Eyes is countered into a crucifix to give Rush the big upset at 12:26.

Rating: C+. That near fall alone brings this up though I’m not wild on Dijak losing to Rush. Lio is entertaining enough but there’s nothing about him that makes him stand out. Dijak might not be great but he has potential and he’s been built up long enough. It’s a good match though and my only issue is I’m not a Rush fan.

Jay White and Kamitachi come out for back to back saves, only to have Dijak and Kamitachi beat White down. These four are in a four way for the #1 contendership to the TV Title on Friday. You might mention that in the first place but I’ll take what I can get.

The Cabinet warns Dalton Castle that his Boys might be in danger. Can we just get rid of this Cabinet gimmick already? They’re not entertaining, they’re nothing unique and they barely wrestle.

Earlier today, Shane Taylor and Keith Lee beat down War Machine to take them out of the Tag Team Title shot.

Hangman (Adam) Page talks about the Bullet Club wanting every piece of gold they can find. That includes the Briscoe Brothers and their IWGP Tag Team Titles. Cue Jay Briscoe for the brawl until security breaks it up.

Earlier tonight Addiction said they have the night off but Roppangi Vice came out to say they should deserve a shot due to being undefeated in Japan for a month. Well if it was in Japan then of course it does. This brought out the Young Bucks to say this is going to be a two and a half star match at best so let’s make it a five star classic. Nigel says he can’t do it but he can make a #1 contenders match for the title shot in two weeks.

Young Bucks vs. Roppangi Vice

Matt pounds on Romero to start as the Addiction is on commentary with Daniels listing off various Japanese teams they could fight. They’ll be defending against Naito/Evil and Tanahashi/Elgin at the pay per view, because of course having them fight an ROH team was out of the question. Romero chops at Matt’s chest before it’s off to Trent, only to have the Superkick Party begin.

Some stereo suicide dives keep Vice in trouble but Romero knocks Matt to the floor as we take a break. Back with Vice in control until Romero is sent outside for yet another superkick. Matt’s top rope elbow gets two on Barretta and it’s time to SUCK IT over and over. That earns Matt a double knee to the face, followed by Romero cleaning house with clotheslines.

The over the back piledriver on the floor is broken up though and it’s time for Addiction to take some superkicks. More superkicks abound and Nick’s 450 gives Matt a near fall. Nick moonsaults onto Addiction, leaving Trent to hit the Dudebuster (kneeling tombstone) for two. Of course it’s two because that means that would imply the Bucks aren’t the most amazing team ever. A running knee gets two on Matt but the cover is countered into a rollup to give Matt the pin at 12:16.

Rating: C. Just give the Bucks the titles already so it can officially be the Bullet Club Era instead of just pretending that it has been for six months now. At least they could have had the Bucks vs. the Addiction for the titles which now has a TV build, but instead we’re getting the Addiction vs. two teams from New Japan because YAY NEW JAPAN. I’m not a fan of anyone involved here but the booking is even worse.

Post match Addiction gives Matt Celebrity Rehab onto the title belt.

Here are Lethal and Cole for a contract signing. Cole says it’s Story Time and asks Lethal if he really believes that he’s ready for Friday. Everyone here believes they’re two of the best in the world and they’re facing off at Death Before Dishonor. Cole doesn’t sign yet but it’s Lethal’s turn to talk. Every match Jay has had in Ring of Honor has always been around the ROH World Title.

No matter what he was doing, including beating an outsider like Alberto El Patron, it was about the title. The titles are the most prestigious things in the wrestling business. For the first time though, this is personal and not about a title. Lethal doesn’t have catchphrases and one liners. He’s coming to Las Vegas to fight and he signs the paper. Cole says Lethal just signed away the title so he goes to sign as well but Lethal throws scissors on the table. The fight is on (Cole signed) and there’s a superkick for Jay but Cole spends too much time talking and gets hit low. Jay goes for Cole’s hair but the Bucks make the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The wrestling was acceptable and we got a strong push to the main event but there’s a lot of stuff that just wasn’t touched upon here. Death Before Dishonor is an eight match card and this show built up four (including the Tag Team Title match which was only mentioned). But no worries, because all you need to do is say New Japan is on the card and that makes it better. Anyway, if you combine this show with last week’s you have a strong go home show but on its own, this was just more hype for the main event.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book, KB’s WWE Grab Bag at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IH7O904

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

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

Three previews in one, meaning my fingers are rather tired.

http://wrestlingrumors.net/kbs-review-ill-die-before-i-dishonor-brooklyn-by-going-back-to-takeover-summerslam/

I usually don’t talk about these things but this is worth mentioning.Impact – 266,000 viewers
ROH – 227,000 viewers

ROH airs at 11pm and has already aired in syndication by the time it airs on Destination America. Now it’s within shouting distance of TNA’s new episodes. I know there was a debate last night as well as the World Series, but ROH is now close to even in viewers with Impact while airing a show that debuted in syndication days earlier.  That’s not good for TNA no matter how you look at it.

Ring of Honor
Date: October 7, 2015
Location: MCU Park, Brooklyn, New York
Attendance: 2,000
Commentators: Prince Nana, Kevin Kelly, King Corino

This is a special change of pace as Ring of Honor held an event called Field of Honor at a baseball stadium in Brooklyn back in August. Therefore tonight, we’ll be taking a look at some of the bigger matches from the card before we finally get back to the updated storyline stuff that we’ve been waiting the better part of a month to actually see. Let’s get to it.

Time Splitters vs. Briscoe Brothers

Jay and Kushida get things going. Nana: “When was the last time we saw Jay and Mark team up?” Corino: “Yesterday.” It’s off to Mark before anything happens and Kushida gets stomped down into the corner. Kushida comes back and takes both Briscoes down with a headscissors and bulldog, only to have Mark punch him in the face. The Time Splitters speed things up and take over on Mark with rapid fire strikes as we take a break.

Back with Alex working on Mark’s arm but Mark sends Alex into a distracted Kushida who cranks on his partner’s arm by mistake. I’ve seen them do that spot before and it makes them look like stupid heels. They get their act together though and take turns on a wristlock as Corino lists off various Japanese wrestlers he worked with over the years. You know, because this is the New Japan show instead of Ring of Honor. A quick tag brings in Jay for a clothesline and it’s off to a front facelock.

Jay elbows Shelley in the face for two and we hit the chinlock. Shelley fights up and dropkicks both Briscoes down, allowing for tag to Kushida. Things speed up again until Jay breaks up a springboard. Shelley dives off the apron to knee Jay in the face, knocking him into the infield. Mark’s kung fu doesn’t get him very far as Kushida kicks him in the arm and puts on the Hoverboard Lock. Jay makes the save and all four are back in with Shelley holding his jaw.

The Splitters bust out some Motor City Machine Guns style offense, complete with a You Can’t See Me from Kushida. A moonsault/knee drop combo gets two on Mark but Jay comes back in for a Razor’s Edge/neckbreaker combo for two on Shelley. Two straight Jay Driller attempts are broken up until Mark suplexes Kushida down, setting up the Jay Driller on Alex for the pin at 14:30.

Rating: C+. This is a great example of how Ring of Honor gets on my nerves and makes me want to stop watching it. Most of the match was spent namedropping various Japanese wrestlers that these guys have worked with like it’s the most amazing accomplishment in the world to have worked a tour of Japan as a midcard tag act. It’s very pretentious and makes Japan sound like it’s a million miles ahead of any other wrestling on the planet.

The more Corino talks, the more he sounds like you’re a knuckle dragging moron if you don’t watch every Japanese show in history, which I hear enough of on the internet. It’s cool stuff, but stop pretending like it’s the only thing in the world. There’s other stuff out there, including Ring of Honor, which comes off like it’s nothing compared to the wonders of Japan.

Clips of Watanabe winning a gauntlet match for a TV Title shot next week. We see a good chunk of Watanabe vs. Cedric Alexander until Moose came out to interfere, allowing Watanabe to get the pin with an STO. Not enough of the match was shown to rate but I still don’t get Watanabe. I do however get the appeal of Veda Scott. Good lord.

Video on Adam Page vs. Jay Briscoe. Page must have something up his sleeve because he’s going to get killed.

Nigel McGuinness joins commentary.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Roderick Strong

Okada’s IWGP World Title isn’t on the line. They trade arm work to start until Okada grabs a freaky variation of the abdominal stretch (picture an STO but instead of driving him down, Okada grabs the arm and bends Strong around to stretch his ribs. That’s rather cool looking.), sending Strong to the ropes. A nice dropkick puts Okada down for two and we take a break. It’s Strong in control as we come back but Okada is quickly out of a chinlock. Instead it’s a kick to the face for two more as this has been almost all Strong so far.

We hit a one arm camel clutch until Okada grabs a rope. It’s cool to see Strong working on a body part to set up his finisher. I love basic psychology like that and it’s always going to work. They head outside and chop away until Strong drops him back first and then ribs first onto the barricade. Back in and we hit a chinlock with Okada’s arm trapped to stretch the ribs. Okada fights up with some running forearms and a DDT, followed by a nipup. What rib injury?

An enziguri out of the corner and a belly to back faceplant gets two for Roderick. Well if Okada won’t sell the ribs and back why not go for the face instead? Okada dropkicks him off the top and out to the floor as we take another break. Back again with nothing having changed and Strong dropping Okada onto the apron for two. A White Noise backbreaker gets the same for Okada but Strong hooks an Angle Slam.

Strong’s superplex gets two and there’s the Strong Hold (Boston crab) but Okada makes the rope. It’s not like he would sell it anyway so Strong was just wasting his time anyway. The Rainmaker is countered by three straight jumping knees to the face, a fireman’s carry gutbuster and the Sick Kick for two. Well of course it’s just two because Okada is Japanese and therefore unbeatable. Okada pops up, tombstones Strong twice and rolls some Germans for the pin at 17:24.

Rating: C-. This is Ring of Honor summed up in a single match. There’s no question that this was an exciting match, but the quality isn’t there. Strong wrestled a logical match (his finisher is a Boston crab and he worked the back) but Okada WOULDN’T SELL THE THING. I mean, put your hand on your ribs at least. It’s exciting and entertaining, but it gets really old trying to explain to ROH and New Japan fans that there’s a bit difference between exciting and quality.

Overall Rating: C. We’ll go with right in the middle for this one as neither match did much for me but neither was bad. I’m sick of these New Japan shows though as you can take or leave them without missing anything. I like the stories that ROH has but we’re stuck waiting for a month between the updates because of their taping schedule. In between though we get to worship at the altar of New Japan and hear the fans tell us that THIS IS AWESOME because so many of this company’s fans equate excitement with being good. It’s very Michael Bay-esque of them and that’s only a good thing on occasion.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2

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

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Ring of Honor
Date: September 23, 2015
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: King Corino, Kevin Kelly

This is one of those weird shows where the pay per view has taken place but there’s almost no way to talk about it because this episode was taped a month prior. Therefore, expect a lot of odd commentary where nothing is really revealed because the announcers don’t know the details yet. Let’s get to it.

Michael Elgin vs. Silas Young

We get right to it as the announcers say Young is dealing with the fallout from All-Star Extravaganza, despite a lack of any sort of details of what happened at the show. Young’s shoulders have no effect as the announcers talk about Elgin’s success in the G-1 Climax tournament in Japan. A big gorilla press puts Silas down and Elgin shows off with a long delayed vertical suplex for two.

Young gets creative with a DDT onto the apron and a slingshot double stomp (ow), sending us to a break. Back with Elgin missing a charge and something like an Irish Curse getting two for Silas. Michael comes back with big right hands (why overcomplicate things?) and a sitout Rock Bottom for two of his own. Elgin wins a slugout until Young kicks him in the face and hits his headstand into a springboard moonsault for two. That’s really not a very heelish move.

Michael kicks him in the face as well and scores with a discus lariat, followed by an apron superplex into a falcon’s arrow for two. Cool looking move there. Misery (TKO) puts Elgin on the floor and Silas pulls the padding back, only to get powerbombed into the barricade. Elgin is all ticked off and the Elgin Bomb is good for the pin at 11:28.

Rating: B-. This was a way to say that Elgin is back after his trip to Japan and it worked quite well in that regard. Young shouldn’t have lost after winning such a big match at All-Star Extravaganza but that’s part of the danger of taping shows this far in advance. Good opener here though and a fun match.

Adam Cole says his match with Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the best wrestlers in the world, but Cole is THE best in the world, which he’ll prove next week in Philadelphia. Simple, yet effective.

ACH vs. Caprice Coleman

Feeling out process to start as they fight over a wristlock and trade flips, capped off by Coleman getting no count off a dropkick. The announcers sell the idea that ACH is this generation’s Coleman as Caprice trips ACH and drops a leg for two. ACH comes back with a running kick to the face from the apron but his bottom rope clothesline is blocked.

Coleman grabs three rolling northern lights suplexes and we get a pretty awkward striking sequence, including a one inch punch from Coleman. It actually stops ACH from hitting his big dive and Caprice nails the Sky Splitter (top rope Rough Ryder) for two. ACH is still screwed up from the punch (Corino: “Holy Ox Baker!”) but he comes back with a quick brainbuster and the Midnight Star (450) for the pin at 6:52.

Rating: C. The one inch punch was a little awkward but at least ACH finally won something. They could make him something like the Kofi Kingston of this company but he needs to quit losing so much. Coleman is a good veteran who can make anyone look good and there’s some amazing value in that kind of a role player.

Post match Corino asks Coleman about the envelope that Prince Nana gave him a few weeks ago. There was money and a letter inside. Coleman took the money and read the letter over and over. At first it didn’t make sense but now he knows that Nana was right. Nothing more is explained.

Roppongi Vice/Kazuchika Okada vs. Briscoe Brothers/Hiroki Goto

Okada, part of Chaos with Vice, is IWGP Heavyweight Champions and Goto is the IWGP Intercontinental Champion. Well as of this taping at least. Jay and Okada get things going for what ROH would consider a dream match. They slug it out with Okada kicking Jay in the face to take over. Off to Rocky Romero (of Rocky Romero/Trent Baretta) who doesn’t do as well so here are Goto and Trent.

Hiroki scores with some shoulders before it’s off to Mark for shoulders of his own. Mark is fascinated by Trent’s headband and puts it on, setting up redneck kung fu and a dropkick. Vice starts some double teaming on Mark and Okada adds a slingshot hilo for two. All three members of Chaos rake Mark’s eyes until Mark grabs a Death Valley Driver on Okada. Goto comes in to fight Okada like he wants but he gets kicked in the face, setting up Okada’s top rope elbow.

The Rainmaker is countered into a backbreaker and we take a break. Back with Jay cleaning house before it’s off to Mark, who gets clotheslined in the corner to change control again. Jay comes back in with a powerbomb into a neckbreaker as everything breaks down. Mark counters the Rainmaker into a suplex but Romero kicks him in the face. Trent makes a blind tag but gets caught in a Doomsday Device from the apron to the floor.

Back in and the Froggy Bow gets a VERY close two on Trent but Okada comes back in with a tombstone. Goto breaks up the Rainmaker with a headbutt and everyone is down again. That’s enough for Jay as he blasts Trent in the face and scores with the Jay Driller for the pin at 14:05.

Rating: B. This was your usual fun six man New Japan match which is a great option to fill in the gaps on shows like this one. The Briscoes continue to look awesome as a team and would be a great addition to the already stacked tag division at this point. Okada vs. Goto was treated like a side story here, which is probably best considering they don’t work for this company.

Overall Rating: B+. This is one of the better shows the company has had on Destination America as everyone was on point and rolling this week with three good matches that served no real purpose other than filling in time. I’m not sure when we get to the next story driven shows but at least we had an entertaining show this week, which is all you can ask for here.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2

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

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