ROH vs. New Japan iPPV Results
"Global Wars 2014"
May 10, 2014
Toronto, Ont., Canada
Report by James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

- The event is live at Ustream.TV/RingofHonor. Through the first-half of the show, the stream is crisp and clean, like New Japan's iPPVs on Ustream.

(1) Mike Bennett (w/Maria Kanellis) beat A.C.H. in the opening match. Late in the match, Maria got involved on the ring apron, A.C.H. confronted her, and Mike accidentally speared Maria off the apron to the floor. Back in the ring, A.C.H. was unable to connect with a top-rope 450 splash, then Bennett nailed another spear and finished off A.C.H. moments later. Bennett gets Tanahashi next Saturday in New York City, but what will be Maria's condition?

(2) Michael Elgin beat Takaaki Watanabe at 6:47. Big reaction for Elgin in his hometown. This was a match-up of two powerhouse wrestlers trading big power moves throughout. Elgin then put together a combination Bucklebomb and sit-out Elgin Bomb for the pin and the win. Elgin gets A.J. Styles for the IWGP World Hvt. Title next Sunday in NYC.

(3) The Briscoes beat ReDragon (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) and The Decade (Jimmy Jacobs & B.J. Whitmer) at 7:55 in a three-team match. Briscoes won with a Doomsday Device on Jacobs for the win in a match full of fast-paced offense and chaotic action. Afterward, ReDragon filed a verbal complaint against referee Todd Sinclair for losing control of the match.

(4) Cedric Alexander beat Roderick Strong at 14:20. This was billed as a Battle of the Backbreakers based on Strong accusing Alexander of stealing his backbreaker finisher. Announcers Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino talked up Jim Ross being in the building, but not looking to join the ROH broadcast booth. Alexander hit his backbreaker finisher late in the match, but Strong got his foot on the bottom rope to avoid a pinfall. Strong tried to follow with a suplex, but Cedric suddenly small-packaged Roderick for the pin and the win.

Post-match: The Decade hit the ring to attack Cedric Alexander out of frustration for Strong's loss. Decade set up multiple chairs center-ring, then Strong suplexed Alexander into the chairs for an exclamation point on Strong's loss.

(5) Young Bucks beat Forever Hooligans (Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov) and Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA) at 12:22 to retain the IWGP Jr. Tag Titles. This match was presented by New Japan, and the crowd was hot for the match before it even started. Late in the match, there was a super-close nearfall for the Time Splitters on Young Buck Matt Jackson, but the referee deemed Jackson rolled his shoulder before three. This was followed by a rapid-fire sequence of big moves, including two Young Bucks superkicks. Make it four with a double for Rocky Romero, then six with a double for Koslov. Young Bucks followed with More Bang For Your Buck on Kozlov for the pin and the win. Amazing sequences throughout the match and Young Bucks continue to separate themselves from the rest of the tag team world. Next up for the Bucks is an ROH Tag Title match next Saturday in NYC.

[Intermission]

R.D. Evans came out to promote his unbeaten streak. Evans converted it to 213.7-0 in the metric system. Evans then handed a piece of paper to ring announcer Bobby Cruise to read his opponent. "Bobby Cruise?" he read. R.D. Evans then rolled up Cruise for a three count, as counted by Evans's manservant, Ramon. Full celebration for Evans on the way out.

(6) Tanahashi & Justin Liger beat IWGP IC champion Shinsuke Nakamura & Jado. Big-time atmosphere for this featured tag match. Liger was treated like a legend by the crowd. The heel duo of Nakamura and Jado dominated, but Tanahashi got the win with High Fly Flow on Gado for the pin and the win. Next up is Liger challenging for the ROH World Title next Saturday in NYC.

(7) ROH TV champion Jay Lethal (w/Truth Martini) beat Tommaso Ciampa, Matt Taven, and Silas Young to retain the ROH TV Title. The match built to Taven finally getting his hands on former manager Martini, but Lethal caught Taven with a springboard Lethal Injection for the pin and the win. Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness vowed to have a "very strong word" with the referee after the match for allowing Martini to get involved in the ring.

(8) Bullet Club (IWGP World Hvt. champion A.J. Styles & IWGP tag champion Karl Anderson) beat Okada & Gado. Another big-time atmosphere for this featured tag match from New Japan, which included referee Tiger Hattori. Michael Elgin was on commentary to discuss his IWGP World Title shot against Styles next Saturday in NYC. Styles and Anderson won with a combination Ace Crusher from Anderson, brainbuster from Styles, and Styles Clash on Gado for the pin as Okada was held back ringside.

Post-match: Michael Elgin entered the ring to confront A.J. Styles ahead of their title match next Saturday. Okada then entered the ring to remind the other two that he has the winner in Japan later this month. Great scene. Okada has developed into such a star with great ring presence. Crazy to think he's the same person who was an underling for Samoa Joe in TNA years ago.

Next up was the main event of ROH champion Adam Cole vs. Kevin Steen for the ROH World Title. Steen entered the ring first and put on a Canadian flag in his home country. Adam Cole, looking more and more like a top champion, was out next making his latest title defense.

(9) ROH World champion Adam Cole beat Kevin Steen at 19:38 to retain the ROH World Title. Steen dominated and toyed with Cole early on, driving Cole crotch-first into the ringpost multiple times. Cole then superkicked Steen in the knee back in the ring, giving Cole an opening to target Steen's left knee. Steen fought back, channeled El Generico/Sami Zayn throughout, and had multiple believable nearfalls - both of the pin and submission variety. It never felt like the title was in jeopardy, but the nearfalls were well-done. Mike Bennett got involved near the end, but Steen KO'ed him with a Package Piledriver. Steen then went for a Package Piledriver, but Cole slipped out and nailed a superkick for the pin and the win. Major boos from the crowd. Kevin Kelly quickly signed off as Cole and Steen remained in the ring selling the effects of the match.

That concluded the three-hour PPV. Strong show well-worth the replay to see top international stars in an ROH ring.

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