By Pat McNeill, PWTorch columnist

Wake the pets and call the neighbors. It's time for our semi-monthly ROH internet VOD pay-per-view preview column!

DISCLAIMER: Projections are made by myself and for myself with absolutely no assistance from Gary Juster, Nigel McGuinness or The Man With The Lizard Face. Projections are not predictions, because this is the column where everything's made up and the points don't matter. This preview has been sealed in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnall's porch since noon today. Some of our departing contestants will receive the original Mr. Coffee and genuine Mr. Coffee filters. Joe DiMaggio says it's the greatest automatic coffee system ever. Furnished by Mr. Coffee. Remember, this is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. Please, please, no wagering. This lineup is based on the best available information as of this writing. These predictions are based on what the columnist would do if he had creative control over ROH, unless a better one-liner comes along.

Is this preview a little late? Yes. Are most of you able to see this show before ROH puts it up on Monday? No. Relax and enjoy, and stay away from spoilers.

Most years, Supercard of Honor is a huge deal. It's the company's big show on the biggest wrestling weekend of the year. This year, all that changed. In case you've been living under a rock, ROH and New Japan are doing two supershows together in May. Under the circumstances, that makes it difficult to get excited about what's happening with Barrister R.D. Evans.

Ring of Honor, in an effort to appease us poor wrestling columnists, put a match from the last television taping up as an online exclusive. It's Takaaki Watanabe vs. Caprice Coleman vs. Silas Young vs. Matt Taven. Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino have the call.



And without further ado, let's roll right into this month's Wrestling History Lesson. Twenty years ago, there was this company called World Championship Wrestling (WCW). WCW had a pay-per-view called "WCW Spring Stampede 1994" on April 17, 1994, from the Rosement Horizon in Chicago. Guess who was in the opening match? It was Johnny B. Badd against Diamond Dallas Page, who had "Diamond Doll" Kimberly Page at ringside with him. Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan had the call.


WCW Spring Stampede 1994 1/12 by WCWiCoN

And, as your free gift for viewing this column, let's take you back to April 23, 2004 and Ring of Honor's "Reborn: Stage One" Show in St. Paul, Minnesota. The main event was Samoa Joe defending the ROH Heavyweight Title against Homicide. Good times. One of Gabe Sapolsky's multiple personalities had the call.



On with the projections!

I have no idea what the dark match will be for this show, but I hear The Romantic Touch is involved.

Andrew Everett & Adrenaline Rush vs. B.J. Whitmer, Jimmy Jacobs & Adam Page: I like the idea of Adam Page as the new "pledge" of the Decade. It'll also be useful if Roderick Strong gets that phone call from Stamford in the near future. Projection? Page catches ACH with a low blow to steal one for his new team

Cedric Alexander vs. Roderick Strong: This was set up last month at the 12th Anniversary show. It's nice to see an actual wrestling storyline in pro wrestling every so often. Projection? Alexander hits Strong with the brainbuster to get the win, and to continue moving up the ladder.

Silas Young vs. R.D. Evans (w/ Veda Scott): I like Silas Young, but I suspect he's not the guy to end the Barrister's "streak." Projection? Silas gets disqualified for shoving the referee, after the ref abandons his post to protect Veda Scott from The Romantic Touch.

Matt Taven vs. Mystery Wrestler (w/ Truth Martini): I don't know Truth Martini's mystery man is, but I know who I'd like to see in the role. Projection? It's Truth's real-life buddy Alex Shelley. Taven gets off to a good start, but Martini distracts Taven, and Baby Bear locks in the Shelley Clutch for a submission victory.

ReDragon (Yum!) vs. Hanson & Rowe vs. Forever Hooligans (Match For an ROH Tag Team Title Shot): Only one of these teams can face the Young Bucks in New York City. Obviously, Bucks vs. Hooligans would be a lot of fun, but I don't see Koslov & Romero advertised for May. Projection? The Dragon catches Rowe with Chasing the Dragon, and Kyle gets the victory (and the rematch) for his team.

Mark Briscoe vs. Michael Bennett (No Disqualification): You can't let Jay Briscoe do a hardcore match on a major show without letting Mark Briscoe have a hardcore match of his own. That would be un-American. Projection? I have Briscoe defeating Bennett with the Cutthroat Driver. Then again, I'm not as high on Bennett as some people are.

Tomasso Ciampa vs. Jay Lethal (2/3 Falls - ROH TV Title): Ciampa's been on a incredible roll. Lethal remembers that it was Ciampa who cost him the television title two years ago. Let's hear it for continuity. Projection? Ciampa wins two falls to one, and that's the final straw for Lethal, as he goes Full Metal Heel the next day at the ROH television taping.

Kevin Steen vs. Michael Elgin (Match for an IWGP Title Shot): You have Michael Elgin, a 25 year old main eventer ROH pushes as the future of its promotion. Then you have Kevin Steen, who recently tried out for WWE, is making noises about not re-upping with ROH when his contract expires, and tweets that he doesn't care about the IWGP Title. Tough call, isn't it? Projection The Unbreakable One defeats Mr. Wrestling with a spinning powerbomb.

Adam Cole vs. Jay Briscoe (ROH World Title - Ladder War): See, it IS possible to build to a main event for six months without fans hijacking your shows. I hated the vacant title storyline last year, but this match will put it to rest. This match *may* put one of the wrestlers to rest, so be a little careful, fellows. Projection? Matt Hardy & Michael Bennett run the interference train, allowing Cole to reach the belt and keep the championship.

Aftermath: ROH & New Japan together in May? Does it really matter what I think? Cole beats Steen in Toronto, while Elgin gives Kazuchika Okada all he can handle in New York City before succumbing to the IWGP champ.

***
Pat McNeill of Richmond, Va. has been a Torch columnist since February 2001. He doesn't think he'll get much sleep for the next, oh, three days or so.

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