ROH TV Report
May 3, 2014
Taped in New Orleans, La.
Report by Mike Metzger, PWTorch VIP Member

The ROH TV opening aired.

There was a hard open with Tommaso Ciampa and Roderick Strong staring each other down in the ring before their match. The Decade’s “young boy” Adam Page was also in the ring with his trusty cornerman’s bucket in hand.

1 - TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Adam Page)

Before the match, Ciampa extended a hand to Strong, but Roderick kicked Ciampa’s hand away. They locked up to start the match, but they got tied up in the ropes so they had to break it up. Strong applied a wristlock. Ciampa reversed into a wristlock of his own and then proved he was a true psychopath by biting Strong’s hand!

Ciampa hit Strong with a scoop slam. Strong got right back up and responded with a slam of his own. They finished the sequence by trading nearfalls, to the applause of the crowd. They mat wrestled some more at 2:30. Both men exchanged chops in the corner, with Ciampa winning the battle by again biting Strong, this time in the head! Ciampa had Strong in the corner. He lowered his knee pad to go for his running knee strike, but Strong rolled out of the ring. Ciampa followed, grabbed Strong by the legs, and then wheelbarrowed him from the ring apron into the hockey boards on the outside! The show went to commercial at 4:00.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:30, both men were exchanging blows in the center of the ring. Ciampa won the battle, but could only get a nearfall. Ciampa hit a sunset flip, but could only get two. He immediately applied a submission hold, but Strong was able to battle out. Strong shoved Ciampa in the corner and chopped him. Ciampa, being the psychopath that he is, demanded more chops from Strong. Strong obliged and then went for a cross-body from the second rope, but Tommaso ducked. Both men exchanged blows again, but this time Ciampa got the upper hand and nailed two successive German suplexes. Strong tried to fight out of the third, but Ciampa was able to drop him on his head!

Ciampa then hit his running knee strike. He followed up with a kryptonite crunch, but could only get a two count. Ciampa then went to suplex Strong, but Strong wriggled free and kicked Tommaso in the head. Strong immediately followed up with an olympic slam. Strong hit Ciampa with strikes in the corner and followed up with his double knee gutbuster, but could only get two. Strong went to lift Ciampa again, but he escaped. They traded blows yet again. Ciampa was going for his finisher, but Adam Page got on the apron. Strong nailed Ciampa with a knee from behind. Before he could get the cheap victory, Cedric Alexander ran in an spinkicked Strong in the face! This allowed Tommaso to hit Project Ciampa and get the three count on Strong!

WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa via pinfall at 11:40 (**3/4)

ANALYSIS: Solid TV match. I really liked the hold-for-hold sequences. It felt weird seeing Ciampa fight someone other than Jay Lethal, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

After the match, Strong took the mic and said that what Cedric just did really pissed him off. He demanded Cedric come back out. Cedric returned to the ring and clotheslined Strong over the top rope! Alexander grabbed the microphone. He said that would have had Strong beat at Supercard of Honor if it wasn’t for the Decade. He challenged Strong to another match at Global Wars, but demanded Strong leave The Decade out of it.

Michael Elgin, sporting a new “Fear the Mullet” t-shirt, cut a backstage promo. He said he has been consumed with winning the ROH World Title for the last two years. He said that he now has a new goal in mind: the IWGP World Title. He then hyped tonight’s match, saying that Rocky Romero would soon find out why they call him “unbreakable.”

[Commercial Break]

Romantic Touch came to the ring with his red rose. He kissed both a man and a woman on the cheek at ringside. Corino said that was okay because “it’s 2014.” Kevin Kelly, perhaps channelling the year 1997, replied, “not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

2 - ROMANTIC TOUCH vs. SILAS YOUNG

The Code of Honor was adhered to, but Silas immediately grabbed for the mask of Touch. The bell rang and Young applied a headscissor leglock to Touch. Touch was able to roll out of it. Both men exchanged blows in the corner. Touch whipped Silas and then gyrated his hips in Silas’s face. Touch applied a modified Boston Crab while he gyrated his hips like Rick Rude once more. Touch whipped Silas to the buckle and followed up with a kick.

Touch went for a springboard splash from the apron, but Silas got his knees up. Silas was now in firm control, as he stomped Touch on the mat. Young applied a rest hold, but Touch eventually fought out. He came off the ropes, but Silas was able to nail him with a knee to midsection. Young went for a Billy Robinson-style backbreaker, but Touch was able to escape and dropkick Young into the ropes. Silas was legitimately tied up in the ropes for a moment. He got free, but then ran directly into an elbow from Touch. “The Romantic One” followed up with a lariat. After some more gyrating, Touch hit a monkeyflip out of the corner. He followed up with a backdrop and then started strutting.

Touch charged at Silas, but missed. Touch was able to stay one step ahead of Silas and nailed him with a back elbow from the second rope. Touch could only get a two count, however. Touch went to the top rope, but Silas caught him and then nailed him with a rollover senton, Mr. Anderson-style. Young followed up with his headstand springboard elbow from the top rope and scored the pin at.

WINNER: Silas Young via pinfall at 5:30. (**)

ANALYSIS: Basic TV match. Glad to see Silas get the win. I really like his look and his “Last Real Man” gimmick. I think he could be money someday as a bad-ass character babyface, and I hope ROH at least gives him a shot at it at some point in the near future.

A video package aired, recapping Kevin Steen’s promo from last week. They basically took sound bytes from the promo, but added in clips of all the history Steen referenced. Yes, next Saturday, May 10: It’s Cole-Steen for the ROH World Title at Global Wars on iPPV.

Then, it was time for clips from episode 2 of “The Fish Tank.” Apparently, Tom Selleck was the scheduled guest, but he was bumped because reDRagon didn’t have time for him. Instead, they hyped their ROH Tag Team Title re-match against the Young Bucks at War of the Worlds on May 17.

[Commercial Break]

When the show returned, Kevin Kelly hyped the first-ever live edition of “The Fish Tank” next week on ROH TV. Jimmy Jacobs made his entrance. He was flanked by not only Adam Page, but by Tadarius Thomas as well! The announcers were shocked that Thomas was wearing a Decade t-shirt.

3 - JIMMY JACOBS (w/Adam Page and Tadarius Thomas) vs. COREY HOLLIS

Jacobs immediately started nailing Hollis with blows. Jacobs charged at him in the corner, but Hollis ducked, and then kicked Jacobs in the face! Hollis charged at Jacobs in the corner, but missed. They went to the outside, where Jacobs slammed Hollis. Jacobs grabbed a chair and sat Hollis down on it. Jacobs ran back into the ring and then dove onto Hollis, while he was still sitting in the chair at ringside!

Jacobs rolled Hollis back in, while Adam Page gave him more water. Jacobs stomped on Hollis in the corner. Jimmy followed up with a neckbreaker, as Tadarius joined the commentators at the desk. Cole asked Thomas why he had joined the Decade, but Jacobs walked over and demanded he leave the commentary desk.

The distraction allowed Hollis to headscissor Jacobs. Hollis put together a nice string of moves, but he could only get a nearfall. Hollis picked up Jacobs and gave him an airplane spin. He pounced on the dazed Jacobs with a brainbuster, but could only get two. Hollis tried to come off the top rope, but Jacobs was able to hit a diamond cutter in mid air, followed by a spear for the pin.

Post-Match: Thomas and Page subserviently held the ropes open so Jacobs could exit.

WINNER: Jimmy Jacobs via pinfall at 4:00. (*)

ANALYSIS: Basically a squash for Jacobs. Tadarius joining the Decade will hopefully give him and his now former partner A.C.H. a chance to develop their personalities. I’m not sure we really needed to see more of the Decade only one week away from Global Wars, but this was fine for what it was.

[Commercial Break]

4 - MICHAEL ELGIN vs. ROCKY ROMERO

The Code of Honor was adhered to before the bell rang. They started out with some basic chain wrestling. Romero slapped Elgin and then knocked him to the outside. Romero went for a flying crossbody off the top rope, but Elgin caught him. They jockeyed for position, with Romero getting the upper hand. Romero followed up with some kicks to the knee of Elgin. He continued to ground Elgin with a headscissor leglock.

Elgin powered out, but Romero was again able to send Elgin to the outside. They fought on the apron, and this time Elgin came out on top after a powerslam. Elgin followed up with some stomps. He then called for the delayed vertical suplex. He hoisted Romero up for about 40 seconds and then slammed him to the mat! The show went to commercial at 3:35.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:35, Romero was a house of fire. He delivered a huracanrana to Elgin. Elgin tried to fight back, but was sent to the outside. Romero immediately followed up by diving onto Elgin on the outside. Romero positioned Elgin on the ropes and then dropkicked him from the top. He went for the cover, but could only get a two count. Romero did his spot where his kept charging at Elgin in the corner with successive clotheslines. Elgin eventually fought out and both men ran the ropes. Romero eventually caught Elgin in an ankle lock. After a brief struggle, Elgin was able to escape. Romero went for an enziguiri, but missed. Elgin reversed into a German suplex, but could only get a nearfall.

Elgin went for a Bucklebomb, but Romero reversed. Elgin nailed with Romero with an enziguiri in the corner. Romero tried to battle back with a huracanrana, but Elgin caught him and powerbombed him from the top rope! Elgin could only get a two count, however, as the fans battle chanted for both men. Romero kicked Elgin, but Michael battled back with some forearms. Romero nailed Elgin with a kick, but Elgin was able to counter with a forearm from behind. They jockeyed for position again, this time with Elgin nailing Romero with a lariat!

Elgin went to the top rope. He deadlifted Romero from the apron and suplexed him, Cesaro-style!. Elgin was in control. He buckle bombed Romero, but Rocky was able to roll up Elgin for two. They battled in the ropes. Romero nailed Elgin with a dragon screw leg whip on the apron. Romero went up top, but was caught by Elgin. Elgin climbed up, perhaps going for another superplex, but Romero fought back. He got free and yanked Elgin off the second rope and two the mat. Romero was in perfect position to apply another ankle lock to Elgin! Elgin was in pain, but after a short while he made it to the ropes!

Romero charged at Elgin, but Elgin just picked him up and slammed him to the mat. Elgin nailed another buckle bomb, followed by his spinning power bomb finisher for the pin. Both men shook hands after the match.

WINNER: Michael Elgin via pinfall at 12:50. (***)

ANALYSIS: Another solid match, this time showcasing Michael Elgin before his IWGP Title Match at War of the Worlds.

FINAL REAX: This very much reminded me of an old-school wrestling show. You had a couple of squash matches, book-ended by two solid main events. I really liked the show, but it didn’t seem like the final show before the "War of the Worlds" iPPV. Granted, they found some time to hype it with the Cole-Steen video package and the Strong-Alexander stuff, but there was no real call to action for viewers to order the show next Saturday. I’m very curious to see what ROH will do when tasked with hyping a real PPV in June.

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