By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Ring of Honor TV Report
June 6, 2009 - Week 12 on HDNet
Taped 4/10 in Philadelphia, Pa.

This show concludes the second set of six TV episodes with the "PPV main event" of Jerry Lynn defending the ROH Title in the four-way title match.

After the opening video package, the show started with Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak in the studio. Hogewood talked about last week's tag title change to the American Wolves in the TV main event. They briefly talked about tonight's four-way ROH Title match in the main event.

Inset promo: Prince Nana talked up his team of Claudio Castagnoli and Dirty Ernie Osiris prior to the opening match. Claudio on Brent Albright: "It's going to be the same as every other night. You're going to lose." Claudio's delivery was so great. Dry and full of ironic humor on a basic wrestling promo. They came to the ring. Back to the inset promo room where Colt Cabana and Brent Albright talked about the match.

1 -- COLT CABANA & BRENT ALBRIGHT vs. THE EMBASSY (CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI & DIRTY ERNIE OSIRIS w/Prince Nana)

Hog said Cabana is paired up with Albright to "loosen him up" and put a smile on his face. In other words, Albright is boring and he needs to be associated with someone with charisma. Crowd hot with a "Colt Cabana" chant before the match action started. Heels cheated to get advantage on Claudio via a shoe-toss from Ernie, but Albright took a hot tag at 4:00 and went after Claudio to pick up their TV feud. Cobana then tagged in and put Ernie in the reverse Boston Crab - Curse of the Billy Goat - and Albright held off Claudio. Ernie tapped out, giving Albright a measure of revenge on the Embassy. Post-match: Kyle Durden wanted a word with the winners, but Albright stuffed Ernie's dirty shoe in Kyle's face.

WINNERS: Albright & Claudio in 6:00. Easy formula match with Albright getting a measure of revenge on Claudio, but not by getting his hands directly on Claudio to avenge two prior TV losses. Hog missed all of that and focused on the distracting shoe.

Video package: They aired comments from all four ROH Title match participants starting with Bryan Danielson. Tyler Black said he wants to carry the ROH banner. Austin Aries talked about his charisma to go with his wrestling. ROH champion Jerry Lynn also said some stuff. Basically just clips from the interviews the previous two weeks of ROH Title match build-up.

2 -- BOBBY DEMPSEY vs. SAL RINAURO

Dempsey wanted to adhere to the Code of Honor, but Sal smirked and tried to slap him. Crowd hot for Bobby, chanting: "Bobby's gonna kill you." They should do the TNA formula of putting it on a t-shirt, then having Dempsey cut promos on ROH talent vowing to kill them. Dempsey quickly won with a Death Valley Driver.

WINNER: Dempsey in 2:00. Just a squash. Crowd into Dempsey, which helped make this seem like not a complete waste of time. (n/a)

Flair interview: Hogewood and Prazak brought in Ric Flair via satellite to interview him about being a former champion. Flair talked up his past title matches against the likes of Dusty Rhodes. He said he was second-to-none in the world when he was champion, and it will be up to Jerry Lynn to take on all-comers. Hog called him the ROH ambassador (haha), then asked Flair to talk about ROH versus other promotions. Flair said they have a huge crop of young talent, have good leadership, and they're booking to advance the promotion, not trying to hurt anyone (shot at TNA). Flair gave a word to the young wrestlers to dream to be just like him and be just as good as he was and still is. He said everyone wants to be just like him, but people won't get to his level unless they work harder than everyone else, fly more than everyone else, travel more than everyone else, and give up their bodies more than everyone else. Flair came across completely full of himself here. Usually he can get away with that in different settings where his charisma takes over in "Ric Flair charisma mode," but in a subdued setting that seemed like a regular interview, Flair came across too prideful.

In-ring: Austin Aries, then Tyler Black, then Bryan Danielson came to the ring for the four-way ROH Title main event. ROH champion Jerry Lynn came out as Hog talked about Lynn starting off in 1988. Bobby Cruise handled the formal ring intros while ROH president Cary Silkin stood by in the ring. Crowd booed Aries, cheered Black, cheered Danielson louder, and booed Lynn. Ouch. Hog noted the "surprising" crowd reaction against Lynn. Silkin then came center ring and asked for a handshake. Crowd chanted, "You're going to get your f'n head kicked in" before they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- ROH champion JERRY LYNN vs. TYLER BLACK vs. BRYAN DANIELSON vs. AUSTIN ARIES -- ROH World Title match

Back from break, ref Sinclair checked with all four men before asking for the opening bell. The four men stood in their respective corners before meeting mid-ring. Aries delivered the first shot in the war on Lynn, then he paraded around the ring with a victory lap. Lynn didn't appreciate it, so he landed a rolling cannonball off the apron. Match broke down with Lynn battling Danielson in the ring and Black battling Aries on the outside. Aries re-entered the ring and had a Back and Chest Rake battle with Lynn. Funny watching them sell the old rake exchange. All four men were then in the ring together for a triple chinlock spot that Black broke up with a giant chinbreaker. Unique spot. Aries then put Lynn in a Camel Clutch while Black had Lynn in a reverse Boston Crab. Danielson broke it up with a kick strike on Aries.

At 7:00, Aries battled Lynn in the ring. He took control by crotching Lynn across the top rope. Aries so great trying to explain to the ref that he's honest in his action. Aries nailed a torpedo smash in the corner, then he kinda ran the ropes like a great heel jerk before knocking Danielson off the apron. Black then smashed Aries with a springboard clothesline and fired off on Aries, only to take the TKO from Lynn. Danielson then blasted Aries with a running knee strike. Danielson and Lynn were having a mid-ring pin exchange, so Black came off the ropes with a springboard moonsault on both men's stomachs to break it up. No pins. Aries with a back rake on Black, then a left-arm lariat. He followed with a suplex on Lynn, clearing the champ to the floor.

At 14:00, Aries and Black found themselves in the front row of the stands. Danielson then nailed a springboard dive off the top rope into the front row to nail Black as Aries moved out of the way. Aries, safe, re-entered the ring as the ref began applying a 20 count on the other three men apparently. Suddenly, Lynn re-entered the ring at 19 to stop the ref's count. Aries and Lynn picked up another mid-ring battle with Aries scoring a series of dropkicks followed by the sweet brainbuster suplex. Aries had the pin, but Lynn put his foot on the bottom rope. Crowd booed, wanting that that title switch. Aries then went for a 450 splash, but Lynn moved. Black then powerbombed Aries into Lynn in the corner. He smashed Aries with a superkick, but Lynn broke up the pin. Black then wanted a Phoenix Splash on Aries and Lynn, but Danielson snuck in and crotched Black. Danielson then gave Black a fallaway suplex onto both Aries and Lynn on the mat. Car-wreck quality spot there. Yeoch.

At 18:00, Sinclair started a ten count on all four men. Danielson made it to his feet and started stomping Black in the face. Danielson then slapped on a triangle choke. Lynn tried to break it up, but Aries rolled him for a two count before slapping on a submission. No one tapped and the crowd stomped their feet anticipating the next round of action. Traditional standing exchange led to Danielson striking Aries in the gut with a knee. Black with a Pele kick on Danielson, but Lynn broke up the pin. "F--- you, Lynn" chant from the crowd. Hog was quite indignant.

At 21:00, Aries nailed a dropkick on Black in the corner. Danielson then grappled Aries from behind for a German Suplex with bridge, but Aries kicked out. Lynn then took Danielson right out of Cattle Mutilation into a Cradle Piledriver in center ring. Awesome spot. Lynn made the cover on Danielson and Aries was too late to break up the pin, giving Lynn the victory.

WINNER: Lynn at 21:40 to retain the ROH Title. Amazing title match. Worthy of an ROH PPV main event. The multiple-man spots in the first-half of the match seemed a bit "thrown out there," but the second-half really featured a great mix of nearfalls, counters, and multiple-man spots that played off the collection of athleticism and technical skill in the ring. Aries was so great throughout the match, especially carrying the first-half with his subtle heel mannerisms like parading around the ringside area without having done anything. Vocal members of the crowd obviously wanted a title change, which added to the drama at the end of the match. All of the elements were in place for a very strong TV main event focusing on the ROH Title. (****1/2)

Post-match: Everyone caught their breath as Danielson sold near-death. Ref gave him a bottle of water as Danielson remained folded up like an accordion to sell the C-Piledriver. Hog talked up the exhaustion from all four men. Aries limped out of the ring as Prazak said Lynn might be more angry than exhausted. Aries sneered toward a fan on the front row and shot these little facial reactions to the audience. So great. Prazak said Lynn was probably upset with the detractors in the audience. He defiantly held up the ROH Title belt for the audience to get a good look at. He then limped over to Black and shook his hand. Exit Black. Lynn then went over to Danielson to help him up, but Danielson threw him away, not wanting any help. Lynn suggested they fight over the belt one-on-one down the road. Lynn and Danielson eventually shook hands and Danielson left the ring. Lynn left alone in the ring as the champ. Smattering of boos greeted Lynn, who gingerly made his way out of the ring and yelled at a double-bird-saluting detractor on the front row. Hog declared Lynn as "the man" in ROH to close the show, playing off the Ric Flair element.

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