ROH 13th Anniversary PPV report
March 1, 2014
Las Vegas, Nev.
By Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist

(1) Matt Sydal vs. Cedric Alexander. Really good opener. Alexander showed an aggressive side early and the fans booed. The fans were into the back and forth action late in the match with key spots being Sydal kicking out of a lumbar check. Alexander missed a dropkick in the corner and Sydal hit the SSP off the top for the win.

WINNER: Matt Sydal. Star rating: (***)

(2) Moose (w/Veda Scott & Stokely Hathaway) vs. Mark Briscoe. Moose hit an insane dropkick knocking Briscoe off the top to the floor. Mark sold the heck out of Moose's offense and the crowd really popped for his power moves. Mark mounted a comeback and hit a running blockbuster off the apron to the floor. He followed up with the cactus elbow and the fans fired up. Moose ended up hitting a big spear after avoiding Mark coming off the top and it was good for the win. This was short, but good while it lasted. The crowd booed Moose getting the win, but once he turns face it looks like he's going to be way over. Scott wouldn't let Moose follow the code of honor before or after the match.

WINNER: Moose. Star rating: (**3/4)

Karl Anderson came out alone for the three-way tag match. He got a big pop and got on the mic. He said he was on his own and had had 49 beers last night and was ready for the match. He said he's The Bullet Club and doesn't need a partner. The Kingdom then jumped Anderson and the match began. The announcers said weather issues had caused Doc Gallows to miss the show.

(3) The Addiction (Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Michael Bennett) vs. Bullet Club (Karl Anderson) in a three-way tag match. Kelly said you can only get Bullet Club shorts at ROH live events. I know of other places they can be purchased, but I digress. The Addiction worked over Bennett once the action settled down. Maria wasn't with the Kingdom because she was preparing for her match with ODB. Bennett fired back and tagged in Taven, who worked over Daniels. Anderson tagged himself in and continued to work on Daniels.

The action broke down and The Addiction caught Taven going for a dive and eventually tossed him into Bennett and they flew into the barricade. The Kingdom quickly got the upper hand and began working over Daniels. Daniels mounted a comeback, but Bennett had taken Kazarian off the apron. Anderson tagged himself in and ran wild on The Kingdom. He nailed Taven with a huge dropkick. Bennett went for a spear, but Anderson stepped aside and he nailed Taven. Bennett avoided a gun stun and Kazarian tagged in. The pace picked up and the fans fired up after Kazarian got a near fall on Taven. Daniels took out Anderson and immediately wiped out The Kingdom with a dive through the ropes. Kazarian caught Anderson with an ace crusher, but he kicked out at two.

Bennett landed the twist of fate on Kazarian and Taven followed up with a Swanton for a nearfall on Kazarian. The pace really picked up and Taven eventually hit a double clothesline on Daniels and Anderson. The crowd fired up with everyone down. Bennett and Taven isolated Anderson and pinned him with a spiked piledriver. This should set up The Kingdom for a shot at the IWGP Hvt. Tag Titles in NJPW. This was a good match that built slowly and really picked up down the stretch to get the fans into it.

WINNER: Michael Bennett & Matt Taven. Star rating: (***)

(4) B.J. Whitmer (w/The Decade) vs. Roderick Strong. Strong went after Whitmer right away and the action spilled to the outside. Jacobs got in on commentary and said he would let Whitmer handle his business in his own in this match. Whitmer fired back on the outside and they ended up back in the ring where Whitmer eventually hit a big spine buster. The crowd fell silent with Whitmer in control of the action for a long period of time. Strong finally mounted a comeback and hit a big enzuguri on Whitmer on the turnbuckles. He followed up with a superplex. Strong dominated with some high impact offense and Whitmer eventfully fired back with a pair of fisherman suplexes for a two count.

Page grabbed Strong's foot, but Strong wiped him out with a dropkick through the ropes. Strong hit a gut buster and a sick kick for a near fall. Whitmer countered a superplex into a sit-out face buster for a two count. Whitmer kissed Strong, but Strong fired back and hit end of heartache for the win. Good showing from Strong, but the crowd was dead for Whitmer's offense.

WINNER: Roderick Strong. Star rating: (**)

Maria got in the mic before her match with ODB. She said she had met with the doctor before her match and failed because she's pregnant. She was wearing a long black shirt. Bennett got into the ring and superkicked Mark and Maria wiped out ODB with the title of love for a near fall as the match started.

(5) Maria (w/Michael Bennett) vs. ODB (w/Mark Briscoe). ODB fired back on the outside and hit a fall away slam into the barricade on Maria. Mark had also taken care of Bennett in the outside. Bennett accidentally speared Maria for a near fall. ODB tossed Maria to the floor to wipe out Bennett and Mark. She then wiped out everyone with a dive off the top to the floor. Bennett accidentally speared Maria on the apron. Mark then lifted up Bennett and ODB connected with the domesday device. She then hit BAM on Maria for the win. This was fun for what it was while it lasted. ODB took the fur of Jay Briscoe's version of the ROH World Title after the match.

WINNER: ODB. Star rating: (**1/2)

(6) A.J. Styles vs. ACH. They had a fast paced exchange early and Styles rolled through and nearly had the Styles clash, but ACH fought out of it. ACH hit a big dropkick and did Style's pose, which drew some boos. Styles fired back and caught ACH with a big dropkicks and the fans popped. ACH went for Air Jordan to the floor, but Styles popped up and cut him off. Styles worked over ACH, but he managed to fire back with a slingshot face buster through the ropes. ACH hit Styles's signature knee drop a short time later, which drew some boos. Styles fired back and hit a neck breaker over his knee. ACH managed to fire back and sent Styles to the outside and followed up with the Fosbury flop. Corino mentioned that this was a move Styles used in the past. ACH hit the Big Bang attack, which Corino said was his new move for a 2 count after they got back into the ring. The fans chanted for both men as they ended up on the apron. ACH eventually went for a kick from the apron to the floor, but Styles caught his leg and tripped him to the floor.

Styles hit a springboard forearm after tossing ACH back into the ring. Styles ducked a charge in the corner a short time later and suplexed ACH into the turnbuckles. ACH cut Styles off when he went up top and nailed him with a kick. ACH sent up top, but Styles cut him off. ACH fought him off and hit a double stomp. ACH went for a 450, but missed. Styles got the calf killer, but ACH rolled him up for a near fall. Styles fired back and hit the Bloody Sunday DDT and the Styles clash for the win.

This was a good match. ACH sold being emotional after the match and hugged Styles. He had a good showing against Styles and went toe-to-toe with him throughout the match before getting caught with Styles's finishing sequence in the end.

WINNER: A.J. Styles. Star rating: (***1/2)

(7) ROH World Tag Team champions ReDRagon (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish w/Shayna Baszler) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson). Rocky Romero was in on commentary. It was hard to hear Romero on commentary. The fans fired up with all four men exchanging punches during the early going. The fans were red hot after the Young Bucks surprised ReDRagon with a double dive. Baszler got up on the apron and ReDRagon took out the YB from behind. Romero announced that his partner is Trent. Kelly announced they would be debuting on March 13 for ROH. The KRD was shown watching the match in the crowd. ReDRagon controlled the action and worked over Nick for a long period of time. I've finally made the hit tag and Matt ran wild. O'Reilly caught Matt in an arm bar in the ropes. Nick wiped out Fish with a dive over them and then nailed O'Reilly with a superkick from the floor.

The action got really insane with The YB running wild on ReDRagon. O'Reilly ended up getting power bombed into Fish against the guardrail. Fish finally cut Matt off with a Samoan drop. Nick went for a springboard, but O'Reilly caught him in a triangle and transitioned into an arm bar after Fish nailed him with a headbutt off the top. Matt eventually broke it up with a splash. All four men ended up down on the mat as the fans lost their minds. The Young Bucks eventually hit the IndyTaker on the floor on O'Reilly and the fans lost their minds. YB hit chasing the dragon on Fish, but he kicked out at the last second. YB hit more bang for your buck, but Baszler dragged the ref to the floor. The YB went after Baszler, but O'Reilly flew into the picture and wiped them out. Fish and O'Reilly isolated Nick and hit chasing the dragon, but Matt dragged the ref to the floor. Matt threw crotched chops at O'Reilly and Fish and the crowd chanted suck it when each chop, but ReDRagon wiped him out. They then hit chasing the dragon on Nick for the win. This was an amazing match with great heat.

WINNERS: Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles. Star rating: (****1/2)

(8) ROH TV Champion Jay Lethal (w/The HOT) vs. Alberto El Patron. Diesel tried to take a cheap shot, but Patron wiped him out. He wiped Lethal out with a dive and the fans went nuts. Lethal eventually cut Patron off by crotching him on the ropes. Patron caught Lethal with an arm bar in the ropes and the fans popped, but the fed made him break it. Diesel grabbed Patron's foot from the outside and Lethal eventually hit a superplex. The KRD came back out during the match. Patron fired up and cut Lethal off and hit a sliced bread variation off the top that left both men down. Patron took control and hit a back breaker. He locked eyes with the KRD and set up for the arm bar, but Lethal applied one of his own. Patron stiff up and managed right free, but Lethal sent him to the floor and nailed him with a trio of dives through the ropes. The third dive sent Patron into the crowd. The announcers mentioned that the KRD had left ringside.

Lethal set up for another superplex, but Patron hung him upside down and hit a double stomp. Martini tried to attack Patron with the Book of Truth, but Patron caught him in an arm bar. Lethal came off the top with hail to the king, but Patron caught him in an arm bar. Lethal eventually broke free by hitting Patron with the book for a near fall with the ref distracted. Patron rolled up Lethal a short time later, but Lethal kicked out and Martini hit him with the Book of Truth through the ropes. Lethal after being unable to hit the lethal injection due to the damage to his arm, managed to hit it to finish off Patron. This was very good and I was impressed with Patron here.

WINNER: Jay Lethal to retain the ROH TV Title. Star rating: (***)

Samoa Joe came out next to a gigantic pop. He went around ringside and gave out some high fives to the fans. He got showered in streamers once he got into the ring. Joe talked about the beginnings of ROH and said the movement the wrestlers started had become a revolution. Joe discussed the main event and put over the ROH World Title. Joe said he would face who whoever won the main event and become ROH a World Champion. Joe concluded his passionate promo by saying that he is pro wrestling.

Corino and Kelly congratulated Nigel McGuinness, who was in on commentary, for signing Joe.

Hanson was out first for the main event. Ciampa was I next with a cool mask and hood. Elgin was out next and he didn't get much of a reaction. Briscoe was out last to a good reaction. The announcers mentioned it has been over two years since Jay was pinned or submitted.

(9) ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe vs. Hanson vs. Tomasso Ciampa vs. Michael Elgin in a Four Corner Survival match. Everyone went after Jay after the bell rang. Jay took control and wiped out Elgin and then Hanson before clotheslining Hanson over the top to the floor. The announcers mentioned Jay doesn't have to be pinned to lose the championship. Elgin ended up holding Briscoe and Ciampa. He tossed them both over his head and the fans popped. Ciampa got some time to shine and nailed Elgin and Hanson with a pair of running knees to send them to the floor. He then hit a STO variation on Briscoe for a near fall. Hanson set up Briscoe and Ciampa over the turnbuckles and nailed them with a series of punches. Briscoe fired up and hit a DVD on Hanson that sent him into Ciampa in the corner. He caught Elgin with a DVD a short time later for a 2 count.

The action continued at a rapid pace with everyone getting a turn holding the upper hand. Elgin caught Ciampa on the outside and hit a razor's edge into the barricade in him. Jay then wiped Elgin out with a flip dive. Hanson wiped out Elgin and Briscoe with a flip dive off the top. Jay bumped the ref off the apron while running the ropes and he went into the barricade. Hanson got a visual pin after hitting a Rikishi driver. The KRF came out and went after Hanson. They hit Kingdom style offense on Briscoe, Ciampa, and Hanson. Ray Rowe came out and chased the KRD out of the ring. Rowe followed them out into the crowd. Elgin recovered and hit a Jay driller on Briscoe through a table at ringside. The fans popped big for the spot and Elgin smiled. Elgin made the cover, but there was still no ref.

Elgin got a steel chair and set Jay up for a conchairto, but McGuinness stopped him. Elgin out the chair down and picked it up again. McGuinness toon the chair away and Elgin went for a buckle bomb, but Ciampa saved him. Ciampa nailed Elgin with the chair and got a visual pin, but there was no ref. Another ref finally came down to the ring. Ciampa eventually hit project Ciampa on Briscoe for a near fall. Hanson hit a spin kick on Briscoe. Elgin dragged Hanson to the floor, but Briscoe fell on top of Ciampa for the win.

Main event thoughts: The action was good, but once the ref bump happened the match fell apart and was overbooked. The fans weren't into the match at all and this was the only down note on an otherwise strong show.

Elgin sold shock after the match. The announcers said luck was on Briscoe's side in Vegas. Joe came down to the ring after the match and Elgin smiled at him before leaving. Joe grabbed the title and handed it to Jay. They went face-to-face to end the show.

WINNER: Jay Briscoe to retain the ROH World Title. Star rating: (**)

A graphic aired saying the next PPV would take place on June 19 at Best in the World in NYC.

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