ROH Wrestling Episode #390 Recap/Review: 3/11/19

It's a battle of stables in this week's episode of ROH as Villain Enterprises take on The Kingdom. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Let's dig into the rest of the episode before we get into what should an excellent main event.

The Kingdom (TK O'Ryan and Vinny Marseglia) vs. Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll and PCO)

Both teams jockey for position at the start of the match, trying to gain leverage over the other. After a distraction from O'Ryan, Marseglia slides Scurll out of the ring, slamming him into the barricade then throwing him back into the ring. Scurll manages to tag in PCO, who starts single-handedly taking out The Kingdom, shifting the advantage to VE for the time being. After sustaining a fair amount of abuse, O'Ryan hits Scurll with a desperation pele kick and tags in Marseglia.

PCO is taken out with an outside dive courtesy of Marseglia; The Kingdom then follow this up with a spinebuster/swanton bomb combination on Scurll. In a somewhat surprising turn of events, Marseglia hits another swanton, this time to PCO through a table, who shrugs it off like it's nothing. O'Ryan then hip-tosses PCO off the top rope onto a chair on the ring apron, seemingly taking him out for the time being. The Kingdom then hit Scurll with a side effect/moonsault combo; Scurll manages to kick out once again.

As PCO takes out O'Ryan on the outside, Scurll plants Marseglia with a powerbomb; VE then hits him with a boston crab/leg drop combination. PCO dives onto O'Ryan as Scurll locks in the crossface chickenwing on Marseglia, securing the victory for VE.

A solid match and a good way to kick off the show, though I am disappointed this wasn't a 6-man match for the titles. Still, the boys pulled out a decent effort here, displaying some crisp tag-team chemistry in the process. O'Ryan and Marseglia continue to impress me with how well they function as a two-man tandem; their fluidity and attack combinations are fantastic. I wouldn't have said this before, but expect them to be in the tradition tag title picture in the near future.

And this is nothing to take away from VE, who looked just as impressive in this outing. PCO did his thing by being the absolute freak of nature he is and Scurll ring-generaled (it's not a verb, but I'm making it one) his way to a victory. Good match, but I'm still bummed it wasn't a 6-man affair for the titles.

Holidead vs. Mayu Iwatani

Iwatani starts the match delivering a series of well-placed kicks, getting the early advantage. But after a quick exchange on the outside, Holidead turns the tables with a rope-hung stunner into a leg drop on the ring apron. Holidead uses her power advantage to work Iwatani over for a brief respite, Iwatani fighting back with a desperate series of kicks. She then counters Holidead's swinging side slam with a crucifix bomb.

Holidead continues to put up a fight, kicking out of a pin attempt and nailing Iwatani with a clubbing lariat. Iwatani comes back with a superkick, then a german suplex followed up by a kneeling roundhouse kick. She finishes the match with a moonsault to pick up the W.

A short, but fun match, and a nice way to bridge into the main event. The styles of both competitors gelled well here (Iwatani's speed and strikes against Holidead's strength and power), pulling out some supremely smooth sequences. While nothing mind-blowingly spectacular, a solid bout with great performances from both competitors. Holidead's reputation builds while Iwatani continues to bless the fuck out of us as champion (really hope this doesn't place any bad juju on her going into 17th Anniversary). Regardless of victory/defeat, everyone comes out looking like a million bucks here.

Dalton Castle vs. Kenny King

The match starts out with Castle grounding King, employing his technical prowess and showing off his amateur wrestling background. Shrugging off Castle's peacocking, King fights back and briefly works him over. Castle fights back with a knee strike/DDT combo, then a lariat after a series of teases. He then tosses King around with some suplexes, then hits him with a knee strike/bulldog combo out of the corner.

Following a gutwrench powerbomb from Castle, King rolls out to the outside to escape further damage. After shoving one of the Boys to the side, King then tosses the other Boy at Castle, distracting him long enough to plant him with his Royal Flush finisher for the win.

Nothing special here. Just a good match featuring more-than-capable workers that managed to have pretty solid chemistry, which is surprising given I've never really seen them face off in a 1-on-1 capacity. King builds up some momentum heading into 17th Anniversary with another W, while another loss builds up the despondency in Castle, who's seemingly teasing a heel turn with his increased aggression as of late. But aside from that, it's a decent match and a decent main event.

Post-match closer

Shortly after the match, the broadcast team runs down the card for 17th Anniversary. Shortly after, Matt Taven comes out to decry Jay Lethal, shaming him for destroying his "Real" World Title. He then invites Lethal to the ring, promising neither of his Kingdom constituents will be there. Lethal answers the call and the two briefly scuffle before O'Ryan and Marseglia come out to assist the beatdown. Jonathan Gresham tries to help, but it's to no avail as he's quickly disposed of. Taven puts Lethal through a table with a well-placed elbow drop to end the show.

A well-executed segment. It furthers support for Lethal as World Champion, while also allowing Taven to pepper in just a little bit more heel heat before the PPV. Taven's character has been one the most interesting things in ROH so far, and I'm more than hyped to see him get his well-deserved main-event spot.

A good episode and a decent go-home into 17th Anniversary. MOTN surprisingly goes to the curtain- jerker as Villain Enterprises and The Kingdom put on a damn good showing. The matches following it were decent and the closing segment was entertaining, albeit a bit formulaic as far as go-home shows go. Regardless, it's a solid episode throughout. Check it out when you get the chance.

ROH Wrestling Episode #389 Recap/Review: 3/4/19

It's another jam-packed episode of ROH as we see a Matt Taven Open Challenge as well as Jeff Cobb defending his World TV Title against Silas Young. Needless to say, I'm beyond pumped, so let's get right into it.

Silas Young vs. Jeff Cobb (c), World Television Championship match

Much to my surprise, we open the show with the title match. Cobb starts the match off slow and methodical, employing his extensive amateur wrestling background and attempting to wear Young down. Young then baits Cobb in and takes him to the outside, then back in the ring, getting the advantage for the time being. Cobb attempts fighting back, but Young finds a quick counter here and there and continues working over Cobb's back and ribs.

Young continues to command the match, keeping up with Cobb's desperate strikes and wearing down the big man with some impressive offense (including a rolling death valley driver/double stomp I haven't seen him do until now). Following a little trash talk from Young, Cobb kicks it into full gear and fights back in full force and tossing Young around like a rag doll. Cobb obliterates Young with a seemingly endless chain of german suplexes then puts the nail in the coffin as he hits the Tour Of The Islands and picks up the W, retaining his title.

A great match from bell to bell and a fantastic way to the kick the show off. What really grabbed me the most was the in-ring story being told; Young breaking Cobb down and really wearing, not letting him break out the explosive offense he's known for until later in the match. It really speaks to just how underrated Young is as a worker. He's got fantastic ring IQ, really knowing the ins and outs of the psychology of wrestling.

But that's nothing to take away from Cobb, who put on another great performance tonight. I really like how they've crafted him into a vulnerable juggernaut, which Cobb carries superbly. A superb opener to the show and an altogether excellent bout.

Vinny Marseglia vs. Rush

A complete 180 from the first match, it's full-throttle from the get-go as both men trade strikes in rapid succession; the action spills to the outside as Marsegila begins to take control, tossing Rush into the barricades a couple of times. Rush fights back and gives Marseglia a taste of his own medicine on the outside, tossing him while simultaneously teasing constant chair shots, apropos of his character. Back in the ring, the two scuffle a bit more before Rush suplexes Marseglia in the corner, hitting constant stomps then putting him away with a running front dropkick  to secure a victory.

Not too much to say about this. A fun, fast-paced affair with both competitors looking strong throughout. I've been loving Rush since he arrived and I hope this feud with The Kingdom pushes him on to bigger and better things in ROH; the dude's a megastar everywhere else, so he's more than deserving of an increased push. Here's hoping it comes sooner than later.

Matt Taven's Open Challenge

Taven comes to the ring with his Kingdom constituents, cutting a promo where he furthers his claim as being ROH's real World Champion while deriding Jay Lethal (the actual title holder). He puts out his challenge, to which Jonathan Gresham responds. Taven starts off the match with quick strikes and stomps in the corner as Gresham uses his technical acumen to fight back. Marseglia and TK O'Ryan come out to help Taven as Gresham picks up a win via disqualification.

Post-match, The Kingdom beat down on Gresham, then on Lethal. Lifeblood comes out to break up the commotion, taking Taven's faux World Title belt away from him. Tenille Dashwood cuts a brief promo proclaiming her disgust at Taven's "World Title" and suggests its destruction. Lethal takes the offer up and uses O'Ryan's bat and Marseglia's axe to tear up Taven's belt as the show ends.

A decent closing segment, and that's pretty much all I gotta say about it. Taven's really been working this "Real World Champion" gimmick brilliantly, and it showed here just as well as anywhere else. His promo was crisp, his interaction with Lifeblood was great and I loved how well he sold the destruction of his belt. It doesn't have any real merit, but the way he's been carrying himself as well as his horror at the destruction of the belt, it might as well should. A nice buildup to what should be a great match at 17th Anniversary.

Overall, a pretty damn good show from beginning to end. We had a fantastic match from Cobb/Young, a solid middle from Marseglia/Rush and more great character work from Matt Taven. I'm definitely hype for 17th, and this episode boosted it just that much more. Come for Cobb/Young and stay for the continuously great character work of Matt Taven. Or just stay for Cobb/Young. Either way, you're going to have a blast.

No Elite? No Problem: Why Ring Of Honor is better off without them and what the future holds

December 14, 2018. The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. The Elite (specifically Cody, The Young Bucks and Hangman Page) announce their departure from Ring Of Honor shortly putting on stellar performances at the company's last show of the year, Final Battle. Not too long after, Cody and The Bucks building up momentum for their own promotion, All Elite Wrestling, with their first show Double Or Nothing coming up later this spring.

Because of this, many wrestling fan began to speculate: What's next for ROH? What will they do after their top draws have left? Given the events that have transpired since then, ROH seemingly hit the reset button, and if the title of this post wasn't enough of a giveaway, it seems like maybe the company will be just fine without their presence.

New Blood

After The Elite left, ROH was missing part of the star power and brand recognition the merch masters brought to the company. They sought out new, fresh talent to add to the roster, and needless to say, they didn't disappoint. Aside from bringing in two of the world's top luchadores with Bandido (pictured) and CMLL's RUSH (leader of the Los Ingobernables stable), top independent stars such as Mark Haskins, Brody King, PCO and others were added to further deepen the roster and give it a new breath of life.

And aside from full-time competitors, ROH has added other big names to the rosters. The most well-known is Zack Sabre, Jr., who made his ROH PPV debut at Final Battle against Jonathan Gresham, then subsequently his TV debut against Tracy Williams and has been popping up in various shows ever since. Aside from ZSJ, ROH has also been graced with the presence of current IWGP United State Champion Juice Robinson, who has a funky little stable that I'll transition to...

...right now. Recently, Robinson aligned himself with Haskins, Bandido, Williams and Women Of Honor standout Tenille Dashwood, calling their group Lifeblood, which aims to restore the traditions which ROH was founded upon. However, they aren't the only stable in ROH to have recently formed, as Marty Scurll teamed up with King and PCO to form Villain Enterprises. So as far as stables go in ROH, rest assured we'll be seeing much fresher faces from here on out.

Whether it be full-time or part-time, the addition of talent has worked to ROH's advantage, as they inject a new sense of passion and direction into the company. For so long, the promotion admittedly just felt like The Elite Show as Cody and the Bucks dominated a good portion of the product, with Scurll and Page being thrown into the mix to a lesser extent. Their departure ultimately benefited the product, forcing the company to think on their toes and bring in new faces that can mold the promotion into something more fresh and interesting as opposed to just being an Elite vehicle.

The addition of new talent also benefits the existing roster, as it gives them new faces to work with and ultimately creates more interesting match-ups. One of the people who benefits the most is Scurll, who now has a chance to lead a stable of his own and really build his own brand up separate from The Elite. On top of that, the tag team division as a whole benefits; we're not gonna be seeing the same mix of Briscoes/Bucks/SoCal Uncensored (as fun as they were) anymore. Rather, we'll be seeing unique mashups throughout, congealing to the ROH product over time and building up more interest in the division. 

Pretty much everyone wins with the acquisition of new talent in ROH. Whether it's singles or tag, main-event or midcard, everything starts to feel much fresher and more interesting. The new talent build their name up in ROH and the already existing members of the roster get to work with new faces. And working with new faces ultimately builds...(dramatic tension as I reveal the next title below)

New Opportunities

With The Elite around, the title scene definitely was fun and engaging; Jay Lethal carrying the brand as World Champ, a constantly shifting TV Title scene (from Silas Young to Punishment Martinez to the pictured Jeff Cobb) and The Briscoes being the end-all, be-all of the tag division. But with all of that, you could still feel The Elite breathing down the neck of the ROH title scene; the Bucks and The Briscoes fighting until eternity, Cody poking his nose into the World Title scene whenever he could.

And don't get me wrong, it was fine and the matches were always solid to great, but something had to give eventually, and people knew that.

Heading into 17th Anniversary and we've got the same champions, but different opponents. Lethal is defending his World Title against Matt Taven and The Briscoes are defending against Brody King and PCO, and it couldn't be better. No word on Cobb yet for 17th Anniversary, but he's been defending his title on the regular on TV and other PPVs, putting on arguably the most consistently good matches and is probably the best midcard champ in the business. There's loads of talent who can gun for any title at any moment, and given none of it involves The Elite, it's all the more interesting.

And with a more interesting title picture brings more interesting feuds. At the start of the year, we saw the genesis of The Kingdom vs. Villain Enterprises, which has been put on the back-burner for now, but will likely pick back up after 17th Anniversary. Aside from that, Silas Young, Bully Ray, The Briscoes and Shane Taylor have been popping up (on TV and PPV) to disrupt various matches and generally cause havoc in ROH, much to the chagrin of Lethal and other babyfaces. Speculatively speaking, it seems like they're slowly sewing the seeds of a feud between this conglomerate and Lifeblood (insert Dave Meltzer *plans change* impression here). Time will tell, but's more than likely the clash of morals/styles will come to a head eventually, and I'm all for it.

Speaking of Scurll and Taven, let's talk about how The Elite leaving ROH benefits the mainstays of the company in all aspects (titles/feuds/etc.). Scurll, despite being a big part of ROH for the last 2 years, was always overshadowed by his Elite constituents. I mean, let's break down the ROH title success of the group, starting from when Cody and Scurll joined the group up until The Elite's separation from Bullet Club. In that time span: The Bucks are former World Tag and World 6-Man Tag Champs (at one point holding both belts simultaneously, if only briefly), Cody is a former World Champ and World 6-Man Tag Champ, Page is also a former World 6-Man Tag Champ while Scurll is a former World Television champ.

And apart from the title victories, Scurll's spots on any PPV card were always overshadowed by his constituents. He main evented both Supercard Of Honor and Best In The World last year, but Cody shrouded Scurll's spotlight both times with A) His match against Kenny Omega and B) Being part of the triple threat at BITW, which was no fault of his own, but his presence alone sort of just made Scurll seem like the sore thumb in that situation. Even at Final Battle when the World Title wasn't the main event (The Young Bucks took the honor that time), Cody still overshadowed him by wrestling Lethal for the World Title, leaving Scurll to defend his #1 Contendership against Christopher Daniels.

Scurll ultimately benefits with their departure because he now doesn't have to share as much of a spotlight and build his brand up that much more sans Elite (as far as his time in ROH is concerned). He's already got a 6-Man Tag Title shot coming and also, due to the recent partnership with NWA, a chance to capture the company's world title at the Crockett Cup, on top of the fact he's leading a stable of his own. While his future in ROH is uncertain, Scurll has more than benefitted by sticking around while the others left. I'm definitely on board for however long this ride is going.

And as far Taven goes, holy fuck does this guy deserve the push he's getting right now. Whether it was his TV Title run in 2013, tag-teaming with Mike Bennett or his current position as leader of The Kingdom, he's more than proven just how versatile of a worker he is and how deserving he is of a World Title run. With that being said, Taven and The Kingdom always took the backseat to The Elite as far as title oppotunities go. Cody covered the World Title scene while The Bucks dominated the tag scene. While deserving of their positions, it definitely took away some credibility Taven and The Kingdom were always trying to build up.

With Cody gone and ROH in need of a heel to challenge Lethal, Taven has stepped up to the plate and then some, taking advantage of the momentum the son of a son of a plumber left behind. Aside from Scurll, if anyone's going to take the title off Lethal, it's gotta be Taven. For how much work he's put in for pre- and post-Elite era ROH, he's proven without a shadow of a doubt he's deserving of the spot he's in at the moment. And even if he doesn't beat Lethal at 17th Anniversary, I have no doubt in my mind he's still going to be in the World Title/main event scene for quite some time.

Aside from Taven and Scurll, numerous other members of the roster (new acquisitions and mainstays alike) benefit. Lethal's got more interesting talent who can vie for the World Title, and the same thing can be said for The Briscoes with their tag titles; with The Young Bucks gone, the tag team division has new life breathed into it thanks to Lifeblood/Villain Enterprises/etc. And Jeff Cobb's World TV Title run has benefitted immensely, as with no mention of The Elite sniffing around his belt (with the exception of Hangman Page at Final Battle), he's been able to craft one of the most interesting title runs in ROH and wrestling as a whole.

So while all might be fine and well for ROH (as far as creativity is concerned) for the time being, The Elite is still breathing down their necks, but this time in the form of competition.

All Elite Wrestling

So unless you've been living under the rock, AEW has been the talk of the town in the wrestling world, inarguably generating the most buzz for non-WWE promotions in recent time. Ever since the rallies Vegas and Jacksonsville, numerous high-profile names in the independent wrestling scene have signed with the promotion. Names include SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian, Scorpio Sky and Christopher Daniels), Joey Janela, and PAC (formerly WWE's Neville), among other names. The biggest signees so far have been Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, who will be facing off at AEW's inaugural show Double Or Nothing.

And speaking of the show, let's talk about the success of the show. Within minutes, Double Or Nothing completely sold out, echoing the success of Cody and The Bucks' first show All In. Given the card we have so far (Jericho/Omega, Hangman Page/PAC, Bucks/Lucha Bros, etc.), it could prove to be stiff competition for all major wrestling promotions outside WWE, North American and otherwise. But with that being said, just how dangerous could AEW be? Could they overtake ROH as the top North American wrestling promotion outside WWE?

ROH in 2019 so far, Speculative bullshit and the like

Feeding from the spiciness of my questions I just asked to myself, we need to take a look at what ROH has done so far this year, as well as an ultra-huge show ROH is doing on Wrestlemania weekend, but more on that later. So far, ROH has Honor Reigns Supreme and Bound By Honor under their belts as far as PPVs go. Both shows were small but refreshing morsels in the whole meal that is ROH, serving as the aperitifs leading up to the meal. We then feed into the soup-and-salad section as 17th Anniversary approaches, with some interesting match-ups headed into it; aside from what I've previously mentioned before, we'll also see a lucha libre clash in Bandido/RUSH, Mayu Iwatani defending her newly-won Women Of Honor title against previous champion Kelly Klein and Kenny King/Marty Scurll.

And as far as the main course goes for the start of the year, let's talk about the G1 Supercard (I promise to keep the dining vernacular to a minimum from here on out). Co-produced with New Japan, the show sold out Madison Square Garden, the first to do so (North American or otherwise) since 2015, and did so in expedient fashion akin to All In and Double Or Nothing. The matches so far are sparse, but will likely blossom as the weeks unfold. 

So with all of this to consider, all of this dramatic build-up towards what'll most likely an unsatisfying payoff from my end, what's it going to be like for ROH and AEW going forward? I mean, Double Or Nothing has a fairly stacked card already, moreso than Supercard, and it's still just a little over two months away. So far, Supercard has the Guerrillas Of Destiny vs. whoever wins between Villain Enterprises and The Briscoes; it also has Jay White defending his IWGP Heavyweight Title against the winner of the New Japan Cup, but that's obviously not ROH-centric.

Given the situation at hand and what I've told you, it seems as though the vanilla midget praising ROH m**ks (censoring in case Uncle Dave sees this) should be shitting their pants in fear that AEW will take over as the newest "challenger" to WWE as far as the North American wrestling market goes; quotations aside, let's at least entertain the idea that a North American promotion could step up to WWE's level. If there was going to be any company in the NA to do so, it'd be either of these two. 

I hate to say it, but at this moment in time, and after some brief reflection, it's all in the realm of speculative bullshit. Sure, the Double Or Nothing card looks stacked and should deliver, but we don't know for sure until it happens. ROH as least has the advantage of previous material to show off, while AEW only has the previous work of their talents to speak of. On top of that, AEW doesn't even have a TV deal at this moment in time. And sure, part of why Supercard sold out MSG is because of New Japan, but that's not a valid reason to completely write off ROH in that regards. They've put in the work and then some and deserve the praise for what they've accomplished.

Time will ultimately tell what the future holds for ROH and how they'll fare against AEW, but for now it seems as though they have the edge. And putting the question of competition aside, ROH as a whole benefits immensely now The Elite are gone. It's allowed them to bring in new talent while simultaneously putting a twist on the push/development of current mainstays, altogether creating a more refreshing product in both the weekly shows and the PPVs.

Trust me when I tell you I'm in no way an ROH shill. I'm merely a fan who regularly watches the product and has observed recent happenings. As far as what's happened and what will happen, I can safely say from here on out ROH is ultimately better off as a whole, free from the NWO-esque shackles The Elite had on them. The product's been great so far, and I can't wait for the future. Now pipe down while I rewatch ZSJ/Tracy Williams.

Sources

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2019/01/chris-jericho-on-a-possible-tv-deal-for-aew-650050/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2019/01/12/pro-wrestling-free-agency-2019-kenny-omega-and-key-acquisitions-by-wwe-aew-njpw-and-roh/#362872767762

https://www.njpw1972.com/45030

https://www.njpw.co.jp/185675 

https://www.f4wonline.com/ring-honor/roh-njpw-g1-supercard-sells-out-madison-square-garden-263531

https://lastwordonprowrestling.com/2018/12/22/the-new-face-of-honor/

https://www.cagesideseats.com/2019/1/19/18189280/lifeblood-new-six-person-stable-forms-video-juice-robinson-tenille-dashwood-bandido

http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/bandido-roh-contract/

http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/rush-signs-roh-pulled-mlw/#.XHyUUohKjIU

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2019/02/07/aew-signs-kenny-omega-opens-the-door-for-possible-working-relationship-with-njpw/#6164ab29171d

https://www.rohwrestling.com/

https://www.wrestlinginc.com/events/2019/434/aew-double-or-nothing/

ROH Wrestling Episode #388 Recap/Review: 2/25/19

Another Monday, another exciting episode of ROH. It's a jam-packed main event as the newly-formed Lifeblood take on ROH World Champ Jay Lethal and four of his constituents in 10-man tag action. It should prove to be an entertaining affair, but let's get to the rest of the show first.

Jenny Rose vs. Sumie Sakai vs. Madison Rayne

It's a fairly evenly-matched affair here as all three competitors jockey for leverage, none really getting the advantage for too long; an impressive spot in particular was the Sakai dropkick to Rayne leading to a DDT on Rose. After a series of back-and-forths between the three, Rayne is laid out on the ring apron as Sakai and Rose duke it out. Sakai misses the moonsault and Rayne is back in, hitting a ripcord cutter to both of her opponents.

Sakai nails Rose with a running dropkick off the apron, then her and Rayne get back in the ring. After jockeying for position for a brief respite, Rayne hits Sakai with a reverse DDT to pick up the W.

A decent way to kick the show off. Each competitor involved got ample time with their spots and executed them well, showcasing all of their strengths: Rose's power, Rayne's mat savvy and Sakai's tenacious, high-risk offense. They showed great chemistry and I look forward to the three working together again in the future, whether it be in the same triple-threat capacity or some 1-on-1 combination.

Lifeblood (Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Tracy Williams, Bandido and Mark Haskins) vs. Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Flip Gordon, Dalton Castle and Jeff Cobb

Robinson and Lethal start match off and it's evenly contested; both wrestler trade blows with neither gaining the advantage. Castle emphatically demands a tag, which Lethal obliges. Castle and Robinson go at it for a bit, trying to gain leverage for their team; Robinson lands a few straight rights while Castle avoids the haymaker. Williams and Gresham are tagged in and the two display their technical prowess from the get-go, trading various holds and counters before Gresham gains the brief advantage.

Lethal and Finlay are tagged in and both display some impressive agility; Haskins is tagged in and demands Cobb, which Lethal obliges. Haskins tries to chop Cobb down with a series of strikes and evasion, while Cobb sticks to his power game. Gordon and Bandido are soon tagged in and it's a PWG highlight reel from the start as both wrestlers use their speed and agility to counter each other's offense.

After a couple of quick tags, Castle is back in and he begins working Bandido over with his own technical prowess. He suplexes Bandido into his team's corner then tags in Gordon; Bandido, fighting back, tags in Williams who suplexes Gordon a couple of times; Haskins is then tagged in and he starts aggressively working Gordon's left arm. Lifeblood starts making mincemeat of Gordon as they trade quick tags throughout.

Gordon manages to fight back with a springboard sling blade and ends his punishment, leaving Lethal and Haskins to duke it out. It soon devolves into chaos as each wrestler throws out their signature moves, turning into the clusterfuck I assumed it'd be. Multiple dives are traded between the teams before Haskins, Lethal and Gresham end up back in the ring, hitting Haskins with some impressive tag-team offense.

Castle is tagged back in and he goes after Haskins. He tries for the Bangarang, but Haskins counters and rolls through with a sharpshooter, tapping Castle and securing the victory for Lifeblood.

A fantastic match from bell to bell. It had everything you'd want in this kind of match: technical prowess, high-flying spots, tag-team chemistry and so much more. So much shit happened that I'm honestly having trouble trying to remember it all. If I had to pick my favorite moments, it'd either be Lifeblood teaming up to work over Gordon, the divefest or the brouhaha of offense from both teams as the sand in the hourglass began to run to the bottom. Haskins and Gordon are the MVPs of the match purely for their resiliency and toughness throughout the match. As JR would say, an absolute slobberknocker, and one you need to watch immediately.

A pretty dope episode altogether. A solid opening with the Women's triple threat, then a barn-burner of a main event. I promise you it's an absolute blast. Seek this one out ASAP; you definitely won't regret it.

ROH Wrestling Episode #387 Recap/Review: 2/18/19

Apologies if my posts have been a bit formulaic. Work's been exhausting and I haven't really put much time into my creative process. I promise to change that ASAP. Anyways, moving on. It should be a high-quality show as The Briscoes put their Tag Titles on the line in the main event. But before that, let's get to everything else.

Luchasaurus vs. Kenny King vs. Rhett Titus vs. Chris Sabin vs. Flip Gordon vs. Shane Taylor, Six-Man Mayhem

The match starts off Sabin trying to work over the bigger Luchasaurus; after a few kicks, he's successful, managing to nail him with a second-rope hurricanrana, sending him to the outside. King enters the ring as Sabin tags in Titus and the two lock horns for a bit before teaming up to take out Taylor and Luchasaurus, displaying chemistry reminiscent of their days as the All Night Express. Following this, it's pure chaos all six men weave in and out of the ring displaying their signature offense.

Taylor eventually is the last man in the ring as the other five competitors wade it out on the outside. Luchasaurus tries for a dive but is met with a straight right from Taylor, who then hits Titus and King with a cannonball off the apron. Luchasaurus quickly recovers, though, and dives onto Taylor and the former members of ANX. Out of nowhere, Gordon takes almost everyone out with a flip dive off the balcony. He tries for more offense on Taylor, but King finds an answer to it with a chair shot; this is all for naught as he gets ejected for his troubles.

Titus tries to pick up momentum with some fast offense on Luchasaurus, then shows some surprising strength with a samoan drop to Taylor; however, he quickly recovers and plants Titus with his Greeting From 216 finisher to pick up the victory.

As far curtain jerkers go, this one was an absolute blast. It was fun, unbridled chaos, with each wrestler in the match looking like a million bucks (loved the brief ANX reunion). That is, except for Sabin; I assume this was the match that caused his devastating knee injury and it especially sucks considering Sabin probably won't be able to fulfill his World Title opportunity for the rest of the year. Despite the sad feels from Sabin, this was match was entertaining as hell and a damn good way to kick off the show; a high-energy spotfest and an absolute thrill from beginning to end.

Marcus Kross and Griff Garrison vs. The Bouncers (Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas)

Kross and Garrison try their best, but it's all for naught as The Bouncers utterly destroy them before hitting Garrison with their patented Last Call (superplex/frog splash) tandem finisher for the quick W.

I like The Bouncers, but this was whatever. A quick squash I barely have any thoughts on.

Colt Cabana & Chuckie T vs. The Briscoes (Jay and Mark), ROH World Tag Team Championship match

Chuckie T comes to the entrance ramp, announcing Cabana will be replacing Beretta for the night (who's out with a family emergency). The two teams spent most of the beginning of this match on the outside, duking it out and trying to gain leverage over the other. The Briscoes seem to get the upper hand after Mark hits a wrecking ball dropkick, then an apron elbow drop. The brothers start working over Chuckie, weaving in and out of the ring and cutting him off from Cabana.

Cabana eventually gets the hot tag throws his signature offense at the brothers; first a springboard moonsault, then dual bionic elbows then a couple of flying hip attacks for their troubles. Chuckie and Jay and Chuckie are eventually tagged back in; this in-ring action devolves quickly onto the outside as the teams duke it out once again. The brothers seem to get the advantage after Cabana is met with an apron blockbuster from Mark.

Despite Cabana and Chuckie's best efforts, the brothers power through as Jay hits Chuckie with a clubbing lariat then spikes him with a Jay Driller to pick up the win and retain their titles.

A fantastic match from to bell to bell. Cabana and Chuckie proved to be a excellent combo, and enough has been said already of The Briscoes; their use of in-ring psychology is second to none, and they proved it once again here. The way they cut the ring off and double-team their opponents really is breathtaking, speaking as a man who loves him some good old-fashioned tag-team wrasslin'. The match as well-paced, all competitors picked their spots incredibly well and everyone looked strong. You really couldn't ask for more in a tag team match, as far as non-PPV matches are concerned.

Jay Lethal Segment

Lethal comes to the ring and addresses the current state of ROH. He laments the effects Bully Ray and The Briscoes have had on the product as of late, as well as Matt Taven falsely proclaiming himself to be the real ROH World Champ, pining for the ROH of old. Juice Robinson, joined by the rest of Lifeblood, interrupts Lethal to agree with his sentiments state that his stable is dedicated to restoring the same values and traditions the company was built upon.

Lethal goes down the line on the stable, handing out compliments to each member of the stable; praising Finlay's lineage and respect for the business, Williams' technical acumen, Dashwood's experience and grace under pressure following her 2018 injury, Haskins' toughness and resiliency, Bandido's rising star power as well as Robinson's status as a 2-time (and current) United States Champion. Following the showering of praise, Robinson challenged Lethal to a match between his constituency versus Lethal and four wrestlers of his choosing, which Lethal accepted.

A surprising ending to the show, but an entertaining one nonetheless. As good of a heel he was in 2014-15, Lethal shows he also excels in the babyface role, delivering a very heartfelt and genuine promo; you could definitely tell how much he cares about the company. Not only that, but the compliments he dished out at Lifeblood felt very natural; his respect for each and every one of the members really shone threw here. Aside from the segment itself, I'm hype for who Lethal brings with him to what should be an excellent match.

A damn good show, and a refreshing step up from last week. We started off strong with the excellent 6-Man match, continuing the pace with The Briscoes/Chuckie T and Cabana and ending with a sharply put together ending segment, teasing an upcoming match. I had fun from beginning to end, and I anticipate you'll have have fun with this one, even if you're not an ROH diehard such as myself.

ROH Wrestling Episode #386 Recap and Review: 2/11/19

Apologies for not getting this out sooner. I was getting caught up on other shit and completely forgot. Anyways, it's a title-themed episode as NWA World's Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis defends his belt in the main event against PJ Black. Will we see Aldis' reign come to an end? Let's tune in and find out.

Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll, PCO and Brody King) vs. John Skyler, Corey Hollis and Josey Quinn

To no one's surprise, VE gets the advantage right from the start, with PCO almost single-handedly taking out the Sons Of Anarchy cosplayers. They start fighting back, trying to isolate Scurll and break him down. A futile effort as King is tagged in and he starts laying waste to VE's opponents much like PCO did at the start. VE continue to make quick tags in and out, taking apart the opposing side. Following a Gonzo Bomb from King, Scurll locks in the Crossface Chickenwing on Hollis and secures the victory for his team.

A very entertaining squash match and a fun way to start the show. VE are an absolute unit, with PCO and King utterly destroying everyone and Scurll calling the shots as a player-coach of sorts, seemingly orchestrating everything from the get-go. The tag sequences were so fluid, it really seemed as if these guys had been tagging together for way longer for well they perform as a unit; and top it all off, the finish was more than satisfying. I love everything about VE and I'm 100% on board this train until the end.

PJ Black vs. Nick Aldis, NWA World Heavyweight Championship match

It's the very definition of a chess match as each wrestler jockey for positions, attempting to gain leverage over the other; each move is quickly countered as the match has become a stalemate of sorts. Black attempts to shift the momentum to his side through a series of mind games, including a finger-poke to the eyes. It really is surprising just how far he's shifted into heel mode, practically eschewing the high-flying essence of his "Darewolf" persona.

After a quick distraction from his valet Camille, Aldis takes control for the time being and tries to work Black over. He's successful, but only for a brief respite as Black fights back, hitting a constant succession of offense (including an inverted DDT and various top-rope strikes). Despite this, Aldis continue to fight back and even manages to plant Black with a second-rope german superplex. Aldis goes to the top rope, but is met with a super hurricanrana, then a moonsault press.

Following an impressive tombstone piledriver/diving elbow drop sequence from Aldis, Black pulls out anything that might work to his favor. He tries to pull an Eddie Guerrero and fake a weapon shot; in a roundabout way, Black is successful, distracting the referee long in order to gain the advantage. This is all for naught as Aldis fights backs and cinches in the cloverleaf to pick up the W and retain his title.

An okay match, but a bit long for my tastes, especially when nothing truly interesting of note happened. It was fairly boring, and didn't really do much for me save for the notion that Scurll will be challenging for the belt next. In all honesty, I don't really have much more to say about this match. It went on too long and not enough happened for me to keep a full vested interest in it.

Juice Robinson promo/Lifeblood formation

After the match, Robinson comes to the ring and cuts a promo on the state of ROH, lamenting its current position while speaking fondly of its glory days; a time when wrestlers shook hands before and after the match, regardless of what happened between the ropes. As he cuts this promo, Robinson is joined by Tracy Williams, Bandido, Mark Haskins, David Finlay and Tenille Dashwood. Flanked by his consituents, Robinson announces the coronation of Lifeblood, a group dedicated to restoring the respectful, honor-based traditions of old into a new and fresh climate.

If it wasn't for Villain Enterprises, this might be my new favorite stable in wrestling. I love everyone involved with it, and I dig the group's ethos of restoring ROH to the principles and fundamentals on which is founded on: honor, respect and pure in-ring work. I, for one, am hooked and look forward to seeing more of them in the future.

So this was a pretty decent episode. The Aldis/Black match sort of dragged it down for me, but there was still good stuff to be had with Villain Enterprises match and the Juice Robinson promo. Watch those two in particular if you are interested in checking this episode out.

ROH Bound By Honor Recap and Review: 2/10/19

So, admittedly I was too busy celebrating my birthday last night and forgot all about this. Regardless, I'm watching it now, so let's get to it.

Jay Briscoe vs. Rhett Titus

In a surprising change of events, we have Titus facing Briscoe as opposed to the originally scheduled Brody King. Following a beatdown on the outside, Briscoe seems to be firmly in control, with Titus doing his best to fight back (displaying his impressive athleticism in the process). After a brutal neckbreaker and a lariat, Briscoe spikes Titus with the Jay Driller to pick up the quick W.

This was a weird one, if only for the fact Briscoe was playing a face when he and his brother Mark are two of the top heels in ROH. Despite this, it was a pretty okay way to start the show off, elevated no doubt by one of my top boys (OSW Review definition) Rhett Titus.

Dalton Castle & The Boys vs. Shinobi Shadow Squad (Cheeseburger, Eli Isom & Ryan Nova)

Castle starts the match off in complete control, working Nova over until Isom is tagged in, who's surprisingly gained a considerable amount of momentum in ROH in recent time. One of the Boys is tagged in (they're interchangeable, so I'm just going to use 1 and 2 randomly throughout) only to be met with tandem offense from S3, who do an impressive job of executing quick tags and tandem offense.

With a quick distraction, Boy 2 is subbed in and the tides have turned to Castle's side in this match, showing much more aggression as they go to work on top boy Cheeseburger. Isom eventually gets the hot tag and displays quick, impressive offense. After some miscommunication between Castle and the Boys, Isom manages to plant him with a brainbuster, securing the victory for his team.

Castle's in a weird place at the moment. After being handed several L's in recent time, it seems like they're teasing a heel turn, and I don't know if it'll work. But that's just douchey speculation diverting you away from the actual match, which was better than it any reason to be. Having only recently formed, S3 work impressively well as a unit and I'm unironically excited to see what the future holds for them in ROH. The chemistry between both teams was surprisingly crisp, putting on a solid tag match. Nothing mind-blowing, but a pretty fun watch.

Zack Sabre, Jr. vs. Colt Cabana

It's a game of chess at the start as both men trade holds and trash talk, trying to get into each other's heads. The match is surprisingly evenly-matched as neither ZSJ nor Cabana holds the advantage for too long; both men always seem to have an instant answer for the other. After another long exchange, Cabana surprisingly gets the edge up on ZSJ as he works the body of his opponent (back, arms and legs in particular).

Growing frustrated at Cabana's technical work, ZSJ starts to pepper in more strikes as throws a series of uppercuts to Cabana, who takes it in stride as he puts ZSJ in his Billy Goat's Curse submission finisher. ZSJ fights out of it and throws more uppercuts at Cabana before nailing him with a penalty kick. Cabana's frustration mounts as he throws straight punches at ZSJ, who takes it as he regains his cool and reverts back to his technical ways. He works Cabana over for a bit before making him submit to a triangle/kimura combination for the win.

Best match of the card so far, without a doubt. I'm not too familiar with Cabana's work as a wrestler (I've always heard of it bu never really watched it outside a few matches), but given his performance in this match, I was absolutely impressed and am looking forward to seeing more of his work in the future. Like any ZSJ match, the technical aspect was absolutely on point as both men went hold for hold throughout, always finding counters and constantly trading momentum throughout. An impressive display from both men here.

Silas Young vs. Willie Mack vs. Kenny King vs. Marty Scurll, Four-Corner Survival

Mack and Scurll start the match out teaming up on King then Young, forming a brief alliance. Young and King pull them out of the ring and fight each other one-on-one for a bit, trading off a sequence of counters. It's back to being Scurll/Mack once again as Mack attempts for a frog splash. Everyone else tries to superplex him to no avail; Mack hits all of them with a diving crossbody then a tope con hilo, seemingly getting the upper hand at this respite.

Mack continues to dominate with an impressive display of offense, dishing out clubbing blows to each competitor then giving a corner cannonball to Scurll and King. Young manages to halt it however, and it becomes anyone's ballgame once again with near-fall after near-fall, each wrestler getting their signature spots and exchanging counters. Scurll hopes to end the match with a crossface chickenwing to Young, only for King to bring a chair into the ring, distracting the referee. Unbeknownst to the official, King low-blows Scurll and rolls him up for the 3-count.

I had a lot of fun with this one. Lots of fast-paced, back-and-forth action, the kind I expect from these kinds of matches. Each wrestler was able to pull out their signature moves while also meshing well with each other chemistry-wise. Although everyone here looked strong, I'd say the overall MVP of the match was Willie Mack. I already love this guy from his work in Lucha Underground and Impact, and I'm beyond stoked to see more of him in ROH. A fun, quick match that doesn't disappoint.

Rocky Romero vs. Jeff Cobb, ROH World Television Championship Match

The match with a basic exchange of collar-and-elbow tie-ups and waist locks, Cobb seemingly nonplussed by the fact a man of Romero's size would even try to do this. Romero spends his time employing a stick-and-move strategy, dodging Cobb while throwing opportunistic elbow strikes. After a jumping knee strike off the apron, Romero gets Cobb back in the ring, who quickly recovers and starts working Romero over with his power advantage.

Cobb continues to dominate as Romero tries to fight back, first with a drop toe-hold into the turnbuckle then a second-rope tornado DDT. After a couple of his trademark corner clotheslines and a standing shiranui, it seems Romero may have turned the tables in this match. Romero tries to continue the momentum, only for Cobb to halt it once again. Desperation sinking in, Romero counters a powerbomb with a hurricanrana.

He begins laying to Cobb with various strikes and kicks, only for Cobb to find an answer every time. After ragdolling Romero with a couple of suplexes, Cobb hits him with the Tour Of The Islands and retains his title.

Best match of the night so far. While a bit hackneyed to call it this, an excellent "David and Goliath" style of fight. Romero is an incredibly underrated talent, and he proved it here with an incredible performance, pulling out all stops and utilizing his full arsenal. He seemed destined to lose, but he was damn sure going to up a fight. But let's not take anything away from Cobb either, who's amazing here as per usual. I like the direction they're going with him as a vulnerable beast; there are ways to weaken him, but they're just hard to find. A great bout, and I really hope these two work together again in the future.

Mayu Iwatani vs. Kelly Klein, Women Of Honor World Championship Match

The match starts off with Iwatani and Klein eschewing any rest hold tie ups and go straight into throwing hard strikes, Klein using her power to gain momentum over Iwatani. Klein starts working her over with numerous clubbing blows and hanging her up on the top rope. Iwatani tries to fight back with a series of dropkicks then a top-rope crossbody to the outside; Klein answers back with a german suplex on the outside.

Back in the ring, Iwatani becomes the aggressor, with various kicks and suplexes, turning the tables on Klein. Iwatani hits her with two consecutive moonsaults to pick up the victory and take the belt off Klein.

A solid match upped by the shocking conclusion. Given how they were pushing Klein since she won the title at Final Battle, it seemed like she'd be holding it for quite some time. And speaking frankly here, I honestly would've been satisfied with either outcome. By the quickness of the match, I venture to guess it isn't over between these two. I'd definitely be down to see more of them in the future, because this rivalry could potentially light a spark in WOH. Above all else, a solid match with a (welcome) surprise ending.

Lifeblood (Juice Robinson, Bandido, Tracy Williams and Mark Haskins) vs. Coast 2 Coast (LSG & Shaheem Ali) and The Bouncers (Beer City Bruiser & Brian Milonas)

The match starts off evenly matched as Haskins and Ali share a quick sequence before Williams and Bruiser are tagged in; Bruiser gets the upper hand on Williams to tag in LSG, who is quickly subdued while Williams tags in Bandido. The two wrestlers display some impressive agility before all eight men come to the ring and squabble before it's broken up. Milonas is tagged in who seemingly shifts the momentum to his team's favor, despite the best efforts of Bandido and Haskins.

Quick tags are made amongst C2C and The Bouncers as they work Haskins over. He avoids a double splash attempt from The Bouncers and tags Robinson in, who throws as much of his trademark offense at the opposing team as possible; tags are thrown throughout as each team tries to throw out as much offense as they can in order to gain an advantage. Further chaos ensues before Bandido hits LSG with an inverted Go 2 Sleep, then his patented 21-Plex to pick up the W for his team.

As I expected, this match was chaotic as all hell and at times I wasn't really sure what the hell was going on. But damn if it wasn't an entertaining watch; both teams showed solid chemistry, playing to each other's strengths and always managing to find fun and unique combinations throughout. If I had to pick overall MVPs of the match, I'd choose Haskins and LSG. Both put on great performances in their own way; Haskins with the overall workhorse endurance and LSG for throwing out impressive offense against such talents as Robinson and Bandido. Chaotic? Yes. Confusing? Somewhat. Fun? Absolutely.

PCO vs. Mark Briscoe

As predicted, this is less match and more of a straight-up fight from the get-go, as the two throw a barrage of brutal chops and kicks. PCO no-sells a couple of Briscoe clothesline, then hits a chokeslam and a second-rope tope con hilo. Following a couple of top-rope spots (including an impressive corkscrew senton from Briscoe), the two continue to brawl out on the outside. Briscoes plants PCO on the stage with a brutal powerbomb then sends him tumbling down the entrance with a big boot.

Briscoe manages to sneak in a couple of chair shots following a referee distraction, then hits PCO with the Froggy Bow. PCO kicks out, and after planting Briscoe with some sort of slam/driver combination, hits him with the moonsault to pick up the W.

When it comes to PCO matches, you really need to take them for what they are: brutal, chaotic and a little bit silly. This match fit that criteria, and was a damn fun ride in the process. Effective spots, realistic strikes and a completely wild feel from the start. All I can say is, this is the kind of match you'd usually expect from PCO, so if you're not on board from the start, you're probably not going to enjoy it. In my case, I love PCO, and this shit was definitely right up my alley.

The Kingdom (Matt Taven, TK O'Ryan and Vinny Marseglia) vs. Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham and Rush

It's main even time as the World Six-Man Tag Champs take on the World Champ Lethal, along with one of the fastest rising stars in ROH (Gresham) and one of ROH's newest acquirees and top international star Rush. Gresham and Marseglia start the match out with their usual fare (Gresham trying to employ his technical prowess and Marseglia attempting some mind games). Rush and O'Ryan are tagged and the action speeds up as both wrestler hit a rebound german suplex on the other, with Rush getting the upper hand after a dropkick.

After Lethal and Taven confront each other, it turns into a brawl on the outside between the two teams, leaving Rush to land a tope con hilo, taking out each competitor in the process. Despite this, the brawl on the outside continues, with neither team really getting the advantage. Eventually, it settles down as both of the legal men (O'Ryan and Rush) get back in the ring; The Kingdom single out Rush and start picking him apart.

Rush tags out, then Gresham, and in comes Lethal, who takes out The Kingdom with his trademark trio of suicide dives. Lethal, Gresham and Rush attempt to gain more momentum, but to no avail. After O'Ryan and Marseglia take out Gresham and Rush with their backdrop/rolling slam combo (called 10,000 Horses), Taven blocks a Lethal Injection attempt and plants Lethal with his Climax finisher to secure the victory for his team.

Post-match, a brawl breaks out between the entirety of the ROH roster. Absolute chaos ensues, then PCO hits a moonsault onto the roster, Villain Enterprises standing tall to end the show.

The match itself was a pretty decent one and a nice way to end the show. Nice back-and-forth action throughout, and it also did a fairly good job at furthering established feuds (Lethal and Taven, Rush's growing problems with The Kingdom). Furthermore, it accomplished its primary goal of displaying The Kingdom's strength as a unit. While Lifeblood and Villain Enterprises may pick up further momentum down the road, The Kingdom still rule the roost as far as stables go in ROH. Well-executed spots, flawless chemistry and a surprisingly clean finish.

And as far as the post-match brawl goes, it was pretty apparent that it was done to set up the feuds/matches for the 17th Anniversary PPV. It looks like so far we'll have Scurll/King (which I don't mind), Villain Enterprises/Briscoes (which kind of worries given Brody King was M.I.A from the event, but we'll see how it plays out) and Taven/Lethal in a belt unification of sorts (which I definitely dig, because Taven most definitely deserves the spotlight). Plus, the whole encounter gave us one more PCO moonsault, which is never a bad thing.

While nothing special, this was still a pretty fun show overall. It was a light appetizer to the meal I'm expecting 17th Anniversary to be. For, the overall MOTN would probably be Cobb/Romero, though I'm inclined to also throw Briscoe/PCO and the Four Corner match into the conversation as well. A solid PPV, a decent way to kill some free time.