Ring of Honor
Date: August 28, 2019
Location: Mattamy Athletic Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
Hosts: Quinn McCay, Ian Riccaboni

The slow decline of this show and possibly the promotion continues as they try whatever they can to get Matt Taven over as World Champion. This time around it means Alex Shelley as the veteran challenger with no chance of winning the title. It’s not like they have anyone else that Taven hasn’t already beaten, other than Rush, who seems to be the one to take the title off of him. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We look at Shelley injecting himself into the World Title picture.

Clips of Alex Shelley/Jay Lethal/Jonathan Gresham beating the Kingdom at Mass Hysteria when Shelley made Marseglia tap.

Shelley is ready to take the title from Taven in Toronto.

We look at Tasha Steelz pinning Angelina Love twice in a row but needing Kelly Klein to save her from the Allure.

Clips of Klein retaining the Women of Honor Title over Steelz at Summer Supercard. Angelina jumped them both after the match. Just put the title on her already and get it over with.

Klein jumped Angelina in the back.

Lifeblood is ready for Villain Enterprises. Again.

We see Flip Gordon attacking Tracy Williams, which seemed to cost Williams the TV Title match later in the night.

Taylor is tired of not being promoted as a big star.

Highlights from Ladder War in Toronto with the Briscoes defending against Guerrillas of Destiny, which has to be clipped due to violence. It certainly does look carnagey.

The announcers give a quick Top Prospect Tournament preview.

Ring of Honor World Title: Matt Taven vs. Alex Shelley

Taven is defending and OF COURSE we have all the time in the world for him. They go to the mat to start with Taven holding a headscissors until Shelley blows his nose on him for a standoff. It’s back to the mat for a rollup on Taven and they stare at each other again. That works so well that they do it again for yet another standoff. A third rollup into MORE STARING lets Shelley do some pushups as they’re staying in first gear.

Taven bails to the floor to change things up a bit before coming back in for….another rollup for two. Back from a break with Shelley’s Sliced Bread off the post attempt being shoved through a table as something finally happens. Shelley dives back in to beat the count so Taven hits a backbreaker for two. The back is bent over Taven’s knee, followed by a butterfly backbreaker for two more. A Liontamer makes the back even worse but Shelley makes the rope in a hurry.

Taven goes with a rolling neckbreaker for two but Shelley is back up with a slingshot DDT onto the apron for the double knockdown. Sliced Bread onto the barricade rocks Taven, who pops right back up with the dive over the barricade. Back in and Jay White’s Blade Runner gets two on Taven, followed by a pair of superkicks. Sliced Bread gets two more but Taven hits the Climax. The cover is countered into a rollup to give Shelley two but Taven knees him in the head and hits the Climax to retain at 15:22.

Rating: C+. The ending got better but all of the stuff with both guys’ backs being banged up just came and went. Taven’s seemingly never ending title reign continues with another pretty good but not great match. The problem is everything in between as the whole thing just keeps going, whether or not anyone wants to see it continue. Shelley never felt like a real threat to the title, but that is the case a lot of the time when Taven defends.

Overall Rating: C-. Well at least they finally moved forward to a slightly newer show. That being said, having the show focus on Taven isn’t an interesting way to go and I don’t quite see things getting much better. The whole company is searching for bright spots these days and that has been the case for a long time now. The problem is they’re getting further and further apart and that’s not going to work in the long term. The show wasn’t bad, but it isn’t something that makes me want to keep watching. Given their attendance issues of late, that is the case for a lot of people.

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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Ring of Honor
Date: July 17, 2019
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana

We’re finally at a new taping cycle which means I should probably finish watching Best In The World at some point. Unfortunately that means more Matt Taven, who hasn’t been the most thrilling World Champion in the world so far. There is a lot to cover around here but odds are we won’t be seeing much of it tonight. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Best In The World. That show that almost a month ago.

Opening sequence.

Rhett Titus vs. Shane Taylor

Non-title and Titus makes sure to get in some workouts on his way into the ring. Shane spits on the offer of a handshake so Titus rubs it into his chest. Uh yeah. A headlock doesn’t get Titus very far but a shoulder gets him knocked down. For some reason Titus tries a fireman’s carry and gets his head clotheslined off instead. We take an early break and come back with Taylor dropping the apron leg.

The big right hands have Titus in more trouble but he comes right back with some running boots in the corner. Now the fireman’s carry works for a Samoan drop but Taylor blasts him with a running knee to the face. Back up and more forearms finally stagger Taylor for more than a second….so he headbutts the heck out of Titus for the pin at 7:46.

Rating: C-. Titus is someone who just does not have much interest and there isn’t much of a way around that. Taylor on the other hand has gone from just a heavy to someone with some actual potential. He’s a good giant for someone to slay and whoever takes the title from him is going to get a nice rub. Not a bad match, but Titus held it down a bit.

Post match Kenny King comes to the ring and says Titus disgusts him. They used to be the Tag Team Champions as the All Night Express and now, Titus is this. Titus has the body of a god and the heart of a b****. King talks about Titus’ wife and son being embarrassed by him but Titus can’t bring himself to hit him. Titus’ wife doesn’t seem happy.

Kelly Klein is happy with the competition around here and wants to defend against them all.

Video on Jay Lethal vs. Matt Taven, who fight for the World Title on July 20. They talked trash to each other until Alex Shelley made his return. His fingerprints are all over wrestling so maybe he should just play his veteran’s card. Shelley wants a shot at the winner.

Angelina Love vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Stella Grey vs. Jenny Rose

#1 contenders match with one fall to a finish and Women’s Champion Kelly Klein is on commentary. Before the match, Velvet Sky says Love is the only one who matters and she doesn’t know who Tasha is. It’s a fight to start with Tasha and Stella trading armdrags inside as the other two brawl on the floor. Love comes back in with some dropkicks to the back so Stella can be thrown outside.

Jenny spears Love for two but Tasha is back in with a hiptoss to Love. The sliding legdrop misses and Love just stares at her. Tasha wins a slugout but Mandy Leon pulls her down to the floor in a smart heel move. That earns Mandy and Velvet an ejection and we take a break. Back with everyone inside and a series of rollups that have no chance of working. Stella and Jenny go outside so Tasha can dive onto both of them, allowing Love to dive onto all three of them.

Hang on though as Love needs to shout at Kelly, who comes down to the ring. The distraction lets Love get powerbombed out of the corner so Tasha can stop to dance. Klein returns to commentary as Stella grabs a Koquina Clutch on Tasha. At the same time, Love puts Rose in a Koji Clutch but Rose is in the rope in a hurry. That lets Love break up the Koquina Clutch, which probably should have finished Tasha earlier. The Botox Injection (Brogue Kick) sends Stella outside but Tasha hits the cutter to finish Love at 10:24.

Rating: D+. Just a match here with four women who aren’t interesting, including Love. The entire Allure deal isn’t working and feels like they’re channeling Impact nostalgia instead of something that could actually work. As usual, the women still have no characters and I have no reason to care about them, and the company seems fine with that.

Post match Maria Manic pops up to stare Tasha down. Security gets beaten up.

Rush wants to face Dalton Castle for attacking his brother.

Bouncers/Jay Lethal vs. The Kingdom

Jay and Marseglia slug it out to start with Lethal hiptossing him into the basement dropkick. Milonas and O’Ryan come in with O’Ryan not being sure about this. Instead Lethal comes back in and gets shouldered down a few times as O’Ryan is more comfortable this time around. It’s already off to Bruiser (who might be a bit slimmer than before) who gets to face Taven.

Hang on again though as Taven wants to face Lethal as the lack of action continues. Lethal comes in and slugs it out with Taven, who takes over off a cheap shot and some choking. Back from a break with Lethal fighting out of trouble and getting over for the tag to Bruiser. The Downward Spiral DDT gets two on O’Ryan and it’s time to not bite Marseglia.

Milonas comes in and starts cleaning house, including dropping back onto Taven. A crossbody gets two on Marseglia and there’s the fall away slam/Samoan drop combination to Taven and O’Ryan. Lethal dives onto all three of them in a row but O’Ryan comes in off a blind tag. That’s fine with Bruiser, who catches him diving in. Closing Time finishes O’Ryan at 9:55.

Rating: C+. More Bouncers fun here and that’s a lot more than I was expecting from them. They even got a nice win here and it’s hardly a stretch as they could conceivably beat the Kingdom, especially with an assist from Lethal. It’s fine for a big time main event, but nothing that you really need to see.

Post match Taven gets in the Climax to Lethal on the floor to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. As usual, these shows aren’t all that interesting because a lot of the people involved aren’t all that interesting. That’s what I got out of this show: the talent involved just is not interesting for the most part. You have three main stories here and they focused on Rhett Titus, the Allure and Matt Taven. How good of a show can that actually be? The wrestling was fine, but I really do not care about these people and it’s getting worse.

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s History Of In Your House (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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

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