We kicked off the show with tag team action, the team of ACH and “TD” Tadarius Thomas, Adrenaline RUSH taking on The Decade of BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs.
Jacobs and Whitmer are the prime example of being the best of friends and worst of enemies. They are former ROH World Tag Team Champions, and they’ve tried to end each other’s careers in brutal street fights and a steel cage match that needs to be seen.
Adrenaline RUSH is the most exciting tag team ROH has seen since Adam Cole and Kyle O’Riley, seemingly prematurely, split up Future Shock. They both have a fast paced high flying style with TD incorporating capoeira into his style, which makes him stand out all the more.
To start, The Decade refused to follow the Code of Honor. Jacobs made the claim that ACH and TD have to earn the handshake like they did.
Whitmer and Jacobs haven’t missed a beat teaming together. They broke out their patented sling shot spear onto ACH. In turn, ACH had a really nice combination of moves. He went for a baseball slide to the floor before popping up with a knee strike. Next, in a flash, he spring boarded off the ropes hitting a modified Winds of Change/Black Hole Slam type move on Whitmer. Later on, TD fought off Jacobs locking his arms on the top rope, kicking Jacobs back, and flipping to the ring apron. The momentum sent Jacobs to the far rope who then launched himself at TD with a spear sending TD flying to the barricade. Jacobs is probably one of the few wrestlers under 180 pounds who can pull off a Spear. Batista should take some notes…who said that? Decade picks up the win with a double team move they call the All Seeing Eye. I can best describe it as a powerslam/neckbreaker combination.
Up next were the finals of the ROH Top Prospect Tournament. The winner will receive a ROH World Television Championship match at the 12th Anniversary Show. Hanson took on Raymond Rowe. These are two nasty looking strong dudes. Just on sight alone, this was my finals pick weeks ago. Hanson is surprisingly agile for his size. Rowe went for his finisher, Death Rowe- a full nelson slam/knee strike, and he escaped by doing a cartwheel and a lariat. He is slow to follow up so Rowe gets out of the way of the Spin Kick of Doom. Next time Hanson countered Death Rowe he hit his spin kick right away and put Rowe down for three.
ROH found a great group of talent for this year’s tournament. Raymond Rowe, Corey Hollis, and Andrew Everett will all be back in ROH throughout 2014 and beyond.
Our main event followed. Tommaso Ciampa defended the ROH World TV Title against Matt Taven and Jay Lethal.
Taven came out first alone, but then Scarlett (yay!!!) and Selezyia trailing behind. Truth Martini trailed even further behind and called for a mic. He said that when Taven lost the TV Title at Final Battle he cost them their lifestyle. Truth calls Scarlett and Selyzia floozies (rude) and sends them to the dressing room (uncalled for). Truth then declares that Hoopla is dead. Say it ain't so, Truth. Say it ain't so. I don’t know who’s more upset about this me or Steve Corino.
Lethal makes his way out followed by Ciampa, who doesn't want to wait for the opening bell jumping both guys before the bell and intros. No Code of Honor, which I found strange. Taven and Ciampa were sent out to the floor and Lethal gives each man three suicide dives a piece. Lethal’s been doing this a lot lately and, I don’t know, it seems like too much at once. Ciampa continues to be aggressive launching Lethal into the barricade and suplexing Taven on the exposed floor. Back in the ring Taven slides out of Project Ciampa hitting a modified Angels’ Wings and Lethal makes the save. Lethal hit the Lethal Combination on Ciampa, Taven comes off the top with a frog splash getting a 2 count. The referee is distracted by Truth so he doesn’t see Lethal roll up Ciampa with a small package. The crowd got to 4 before the ref turned around. Lethal and Taven trade counters and wind up outside the ring. Taven tries to get back in the ring, but Truth grabs his leg. Ciampa doesn’t see this, but hits Project Ciampa for the win. He’ll face Hanson at the 12th Anniversary Show for the World TV Title. Post match, Lethal and Ciampa exchanged words. Should Ciampa retain his title, he’ll meet Lethal down the road for the Title.
Steve Corino’s Commentary Quotables
“That’s a part of that ‘cap in your ass karate’ I always talk about”- Steve Corino
“I don’t like chops, but I like when BJ gets chopped”- Steve Corino
“Get out of there, Todd! Oh wait, you’re the ref!”- Steve Corino
#ROH #TheDecade #TopProspect #TVTitle #Hoopla#SteveCorino #WatchROH
This week’s Ring of Honor Wrestling kicked off with Michael Bennett w/Maria Kanellis taking on Romantic Touch. Veda Scott was out on commentary continuing to accuse Romantic Touch of being Rhett Titus under a mask. I don’t know where she gets suchludicrous ideas. Maria cut another very good pre match promo talking about how her and Bennett want the power in ROH. I’m glad ROH has been giving Maria an opportunity to talk more and show a bit more of her personality.
Bennett and Romantic Touch worked a solid match. The comedy spots of RT gyrating and looking at Veda and/or Maria were great without taking away from the seriousness of the match. RT went for a dive through the second rope and Bennett used Maria as a shield. He pushed her towards RT who geared up for a smootch, but instead ate Bennett’s boot from a superkick. RT escaped Bennett’s attempt at a Side Effect and hit a beautiful Rhett Titus like drop kick. Oh, maybe Veda might be on to something here after all. The finish saw RT try to give Maria some Valentine’s Day Chocolates after she danced provocatively on the apron. Maria smacks the chocolates into RT’s face and Bennett slaps on his new Anaconda Vice, that Maria taught him, for the submission. Chocolate was scattered on the ring apron and Steve Corino indulged in some sweets. I guess there’s no five second rule in wrestling.
The main event was a 3 team elimination tag team match. ROH World Champion Adam Cole teamed with Matt Hardy to take on “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin and “Knockout Artist” Chris Hero and Mark and “The Real World Champion Jay the Briscoes. Before the match started Bobby Cruise announced that ROH Match Maker Nigel McGuinness informed him that should anyone make Adam Cole tap out, or beat him by pin fall that wrestler would receive a future ROH World Championship match.
As I’m watching the match, I understand why The Briscoes and Elgin/Hero would try to pin each other. It’s two less bodies to worry about in trying to secure a World Championship match. However what was lost on me was why any of the other four men would waste a pin attempt on Matt Hardy. You pin Hardy and eliminate the Cole/Hardy team. Cole’s out of the match. As a result they can’t beat Cole to secure the Title shot. Maybe I’m missing something but it just didn’t make sense to me.
On to the match. This one had a lot of hard hitting action. Cole and Hardy played it a bit cowardly, or smart depending on your point of view, by staying out of the ring for the first portion of the match. Any time anyone got close to their corer they jumped off the apron. When they did finally get in the ring, they were quick to use double team moves and take advantage of the ref’s back being turned with the time tested “clap tag” (I don’t know if it’s called that, but I’m calling it that). I’d say that they had the best team work in the match, which is strange to say considering the Briscoes are EIGHT time ROH World Tag Team Champions. Kevin Kelly did point out that this was the first time they have tagged in nearly a year. That just sounds wrong to me. Its more than likely right, it just sounds wrong. Cole and Hardy utilized a Superkick/Twist of Fate combination on Mark to eliminate The Briscoes. Jay looked a little frustrated with his little brother for taking the pin. Hero and Elgin worked surprisingly well together. I thought they’d have some issues co-existing after the World Title shot announcement. Elgin’s been obsessed with the World Championship ever since Cole beat him clean to win the vacant Title in September. Elgin did take his eye off the legal man, Cole, as he got mixed up with Matt Hardy. Just before their little brawl spilled out to the floor, Hero makes a blind tag. He countered Cole’s attempt at the Panama City Destroyer, lifted Cole up, set him down and struck with a Death Blow to the back of the head for the 3 and the World Title shot. Hero and Elgin had a stare down post match, but shook hands. Yay sportsmanship!
Steve Corino’s Commentary Quotables
“I’m a lover, you know that, and I want to wish the love of my life a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Who, Adam Cole?” (K.Kelly)
“No, my wife silly. He would have been my second choice though.”- Steve Corino
“If I was Adam Cole, and I wish I was sometimes, I wouldn’t even get in the ring.”- Steve Corino
“My next kid is going to be named Adam Cole Matt Hardy Corino. I just decided now.”- Steve Corino
-Mike