ROH TV Report
May 25, 2014
Taped in Baltimore, Md.
Report by Mike Metzger, PWTorch VIP Member

The ROH “Creating Excellence” signature aired, followed by the ROH TV opening video.

Tonight: Kevin Steen teams with former rival Cliff Compton to face Outlaw, Inc. in a Charm City Street Fight!

1 - ETHAN PAGE vs. SILAS YOUNG

The Code of Honor was adhered to, even though Silas seemed extra annoyed tonight. Corino mentioned that Silas was having a bad week because he got into a car accident, his basement flooded, and his pet bird died. Silas started with a side headlock, and then took Page down to the mat. They ran the ropes, where Silas tried to shoulder tackle Page. Page didn’t budge, which incensed Silas. Young literally started berating Page for not budging. Page went for a shoulder tackle of his own, but was met with a dropkick by Young.

Silas was in control, until Page found a way to trip Silas from behind for a nearfall. He went for a move off the top rope, but Silas crotched him. Silas continued to taunt Page while he was down on the mat. Young followed up with a series of elbows, but could only get a two count. Young applied a chin lock for a moment. Page eventually fought out of it, and both men exchanged blows in the center of the ring. Page came out on top with a big backdrop. He followed up with a unique-looking spinning DDT, but could only get a nearfall.

Silas went for his handstand move, but Page rolled out of the way. Silas tried to remain on the offensive, but Page reversed and hit an enziguiri. Silas didn’t sell it, but instead hit his Killer Combo, which is a backbreaker followed by a lariat while Page was still over his knee. Young covered Page and scored the victory.

Post-match, Silas grabbed the microphone, as said ROH disrespected him by matching him up with a weak opponent like Page. He then declared that if ROH would not give him the opportunity he deserved, he would make his own opportunities whether everyone liked it or not.

WINNER: Silas Young via pinfall in 5:25.

ANALYSIS: Glad to see that ROH is finally spotlighting Silas Young. I’ve said it before, but I just love the gimmick and I think he can be a big star for ROH. I’m excited to see where they go with him and Kevin Steen after the hot angle at War of the Worlds. With Steen’s departure on the horizon, it seems that Young will be set for a huge victory, if the match happens. Steen is not advertised for any upcoming ROH events, but he does appear on the official Best on the World PPV poster. (**)

A video package aired, chronicling the history between Outlaw, Inc. and Kevin Steen. And rightfully so. I doubt there are many who even care about this feud, or even remember it.

[Commercial Break]

Tadarius Thomas came to the ring with Jimmy Jacobs and fellow “young boy” Adam Page. Before the match, Coleman grabbed the mic and tried to lecture the younger Thomas. He said that Thomas was a good person, but he was surrounding himself with the wrong people. Preacher Coleman told Thomas a story about a man who was born with great gifts, but people tried to make him change. The man didn’t change, so the people killed him. Three days later, however, the man came back and changed the landscape. Steve Corino wondered if Coleman was talking about him.

Thomas seemed to be considering the advice, but Jacobs immediately took him aside and told him something. Coleman went on to verbally berate the members of The Decade, especially Jacobs, who he called the love child of Marilyn Manson and Prince. Thomas did not like this and kicked Coleman in the gut, which prompted the referee to ring the bell.

2 - TADARIUS THOMAS vs. CAPRICE COLEMAN

Thomas stomped Coleman again and went for a cover, but could only get a two count. Thomas started doing some capoeira moves, but Coleman rolled him up for two out of nowhere. They ran the ropes and Coleman came out on top with a dropkick. Thomas immediately rushed Coleman into the corner and nailed him with strikes, as the show went to commercial at the one-minute mark of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 3:30, Coleman was in control. He hit Thomas with an STO, and then nailed him with some chops. Coleman did a series of German suplexes, culminating with a bridge, but could only get a nearfall. Coleman tried to lift Thomas up, but Tadarius hit him with a strike and then delivered an overhead suplex. Thomas went up top, but Coleman was able to hit an amazing huracanrana, where he jumped from the mat to the shoulders of Thomas who was sitting on the top rope! Thomas immediately came back with a capoeira kick, but Caprice no-sold it and countered with a reverse STO. Coleman went up top and delivered a big leg drop for the pin.

WINNER: Caprice Coleman via pinfall in 5:35. (*1/2)

After the match, Caprice talked to his fallen opponent. Coleman left. Jacobs came in and stepped on Thomas’s head, grinding it into the mat. Then, for good measure, he made Adam Page get on all fours so he could kick him in the gut repeatedly. Gotta pay your dues, I guess.

ANALYSIS: Fine for what it was. The Decade is over-exposed on TV, but I like the character development it’s giving to guys like Cedric Alexander and now Caprice Coleman. Adam Page and Tadarius are developing too, but they are walking a fine line with the lackey gimmick.

A commercial aired for Best in the World next month on pay per view. It looks like they are indeed going with Cole-Elgin for the ROH World Title as the main event.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Jay Lethal walked to the ring with Truth Martini. Truth grabbed the microphone and talked about why he came to ROH in the first place. He wanted to lead people to greatness and championships. He went on to say that something came to him last month. He saw a man who was a champion with no title. A man who was greatness, without being called great. He then introduced Jay Lethal to the Baltimore crowd. Perhaps not being caught-up with ROH (a common problem with how they book their TV), the crowd was still chanting for Lethal.

Lethal took the mic and told the people to stop clapping. He then went into the typical, “why did you guys turn your backs on me?” spiel. He referenced being the Survival of the Fittest 2012 winner. He was in the ring with guys like Kurt Angle and Ric Flair. On top of it all, he was now ROH World Television champion. He then issued an open challenge for a title match to anyone on the roster. Cheeseburger immediately ran to the ring, as the fans cheered. Truth took the microphone and said that he will not be held responsible for what Jay Lethal will do to him.

3 - ROH TV champion JAY LETHAL vs. CHEESEBURGER - ROH TV Title match

There was a loud “Cheeseburger” from the crowd, but Jay Lethal immediately superkicked Cheeseburger in the face. Lethal did his spot where he posed with Cheeseburger on the apron, while Martini snapped a “truthie” on his cell phone camera. Back in the ring, Cheeseburger tried to fight back, but to no avail. Lethal slammed Cheeseburger to the mat, and then called for his “Hail to the King” elbow smash.

Before Lethal could get to the top, “Brutal Bob” Evans came out to cheer on his partner Cheeseburger. Lethal nailed Cheeseburger with the elbow smash anyway, but Cheeseburger was able to kick out! The fans were firmly behind Cheeseburger, but Lethal kept him down. Cheeseburger fought back with some blows. Both men exchanged fists and chops, with Cheeseburger actually coming out on top!

Jay went for the the Lethal Injection, but Cheeseburger was able to counter it into a pinning combination, He could only get two, however. Lethal got back up and hit the Lethal Injection this time to put away Cheeseburger.

WINNER: Jay Lethal via pinfall at 4:20 to retain the ROH TV Title.

After the bell, Martini announced Lethal as the greatest TV champ of all time. Matt Taven ran out and chased the heels out of the ring. Taven was demanding a shot at the title, but Lethal and Martini were inching back toward the entranceway. They were cut off by Tommaso Ciampa, however! A pull-apart brawl between all three men ensued. After it was broken up, Lethal grabbed the microphone and said he was sick of Taven and Ciampa. He challenged them to a three-way for the title next week on ROH TV.

ANALYSIS: I am really impressed with Lethal’s work as a heel so far. His match with KUSHIDA at War of the Worlds was excellent. Some of the stuff with Martini is cheap, but Lethal has definitely altered his in-ring style to be more heel-like. I’d much rather just see Jay Lethal and Matt Taven have a great one-on-one feud, but they need something for Ciampa to do, I guess.

[Commercial Break]

4 — OUTLAW, INC. (Homicide & Eddie Kingston) vs. KEVIN STEEN & CLIFF COMPTON

Steen came out by himself. He grabbed a steel chair from a fan at ringside. The announcers mentioned that no one had heard from Compton all day. Steen paced around the ring. All of a sudden, Compton attacked Homicide and Kingston from behind with a steel chair of his own!

The bell rang and Steen and Compton continued to attack their opponents with chairs in the ring. They then brawled on the outside, where Steen and Compton continued to dominate with the chairs. After about 1:30, Homicide and Compton were in the ring, while Steen and Kingston continued to brawl on the outside. Inside, Homicide whipped Compton into a chair wedged in the corner. Homicide then dove onto Steen on the outside. On the other side of the ring, Compton nailed Kingston with a chair. In the ring, Steen nailed Homicide with a Black Hole Slam. The show went to commercial at 3:15 of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:15 of the contest, Kingston nailed Compton with a chair on the outside, as Steen grabbed a ladder from underneath the ring. Steen brought the ladder into the ring and stacked it in the corner. Homicide fought back though and hit a tornado DDT on Steen for a two count. Homicide tried to ram Steen into the ladder, but Steen put his foot on it. The ladder was either gimmicked or just cheap because it completely collapsed just by Steen stepping onto it. Homicide again tried to send Steen into the ladder, but he reversed and backdropped Homicide onto the broken ladder!

Steen then nailed Homicide with a DDT and went up top. Kingston cut him off and bit him on the forehead! Compton came in and delivered a DDT to Kingston. Compton then set up a chair and delivered a drop toehold to Kingston into the chair, Raven-style. Covered in streamers, Homicide returned to the ring. Compton whipped Homicide into the ladder again and then nailed him with a Michinoku Driver.

Compton then went to the back, as the fans chanted “this is awesome.” Compton came out with another ladder. He put it in the ring and then DDT’ed Homicide. He then placed Homicide on top of the first ladder and set up the new ladder next to it. He climbed the ladder, but Kingston ran in and pushed the ladder over, causing Compton to be crotched. Kingston nailed an Ace Crusher on Steen, but didn’t get all of it. Homicide went up top, but got crotched by Steen. Steen then hit F-Cinq on Kingston on the ladder to score the victory!

WINNER: Kevin Steen & Cliff Compton via pinfall at 11:00.

ANALYSIS: Basic stand-up brawl. Steen has really just been treading water for the past few months, and I guess now we know why. It looks like Steen will have one last match against Silas Young at Best in the World next month before departing to WWE NXT. (**1/4)

After the match, Steen extended a hand to Compton. Cliff considered it for a moment, but he left the ring and exited through the crowd. This left Steen alone in the ring, surrounded by Outlaw, Inc. on the outside. Rather than attack him, Homicide and Kingston left through the crowd as well. Kevin Kelly said that there were still a lot of questions left to be answered, as the show faded to black.

FINAL REAX: Maintenance show. If you still haven’t seen War of the Worlds, I’d definitely recommend watching that instead. ROH seems to be going the obvious route with Cole-Elgin and Hardy-Briscoe, but I think they need a little something extra if they want to maximize the buzz for Best in the World.

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