ROH TV Report
June 7, 2014
Taped in Baltimore, Md.
Report by Mike Metzger (@mD0uble), PWTorch VIP Member

The ROH TV opening aired.

Tonight: It’s “Defy or Deny III,” when ROH World Champion Adam Cole faces Mark Briscoe and Jimmy Jacobs in a three-way main event!

1 - ADAM PAGE & B.J. WHITMER vs. WAR MACHINE (Raymond Rowe & Hanson)

Rowe has grown out his beard, but he still has nothing on Hanson. Whitmer and Page were accompanied by their “young boy” Tadarius Thomas. War Machine walked out to a nice ovation from the crowd. Kevin Kelly pointed out how rare it was for ROH fans to throw streamers into the ring for a team as new as War Machine.

Page and Rowe started out. Page wrestled Rowe into the corner, but backed away, and was then admonished by Whitmer for it. They wrestled into the corner again. Page wasn’t sure if he should back away this time, but Rowe took him down during the brief moment of hesitation, and followed up with a slam. Rowe threw Page into his corner and tagged in Hanson. They double-teamed Page, with Hanson clotheslining him from behind. Hanson delivered several knees to the mid-section and then side-slammed Page for a two count.

Rowe was tagged back in. He chopped Page and then delivered a running clothesline in the corner. Rowe remained in control with a big overhead suplex. Rowe charged at Page in the corner, but was attacked by Whitmer from the outside. Whitmer tagged in and he began to chop Rowe. Rowe fought out of it and took down Whitmer. B.J. immediately went into a guard position and fought out of Rowe’s hold. Whitmer tagged Page back in, who started delivering blows to Rowe. They battled in the corner. Page took Rowe down from behind and pummeled him on the mat.

Page jumped on Rowe’s back with a headlock, but Rowe flipped him over. Page regained the momentum after hitting a dropkick. He tagged Whitmer back in, as the show went to commercial at the 5:00 mark of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 7:30, Whitmer delivered a big boot to the face of Rowe. He tagged Page in, who continued to control Rowe with some blows in the corner. Whitmer was tagged right back in. Whitmer slapped Rowe. Rowe was angered, but he was unable to mount an offense against Whitmer. Page was tagged in and went up top. Rowe moved out of the way and then delivered a huge spinebuster!

Rowe made the hot tag to Hanson, who came in and nailed Page with several double-axehandle blows. He followed up a with a big clothesline in the corner, and then Bronco Bustered Page, without the bucking motion, though.. Hanson followed up with a big powerslam, but could only get two. Rowe ran in, but was nailed directly in the head with a knee from Whitmer. Hanson and Whitmer did a sequence where Hanson was able to cartwheel out of the way and clothesline Whitmer!

Page came in, chopped the legs of Hanson, and then hit a standing Shooting Star Press! B.J. charged at Rowe, but Rowe was able to reverse into an overhead suplex. Rowe and Page then fought it out in the middle of the ring. Rowe and Hanson then hit their new finisher Fallout, where Rowe picked up Page for a back suplex, as Hanson came off the top rope and leg dropped Page! Hanson then covered Page for the victory!

WINNER: War Machine via pinfall at 11:00.

ANALYSIS: Good match. Rowe and Hanson are starting to look like a real team, and ROH TV is doing a nice job of building them up. They are also developing a nice chemistry, where Rowe and Hanson take turns hitting some big sequences. They can eventually serve as good fodder for reDRagon, at the very least. (**1/4)

[Commercial Break]

Next up, Veda Scott and Ramone came out to Tchaikovski’s “1812 Overture,” with a sign that read, “113-0.” Veda took the microphone and announced that the streak would not be defended that night. because R.D. Evans was not Baltimore. Veda was about to change the subject, but was interrupted by the theme music of Romantic Touch.

Touch entered the ring and strummed a long stem rose like an electric guitar, and then danced his ring jacket off, as the house lights raised. Veda confronted Touch, but also appeared to be hitting on him, as she rubbed the rose against his chest. Touch grabbed the rose and the microphone. Doing a weak European accent, “The Romantic One” made a sexual innuendo about a dozen roses. Touch told Veda that he loved her, as he slowly grazed the rose against her chest.

Veda appeared to be annoyed, but she grabbed the mic and said that people were telling her to follow her heart, so they should “just do it.” She asked Touch to close his eyes. Touch obliged, and was kicked in the groin for his troubles.

A video package aired about Future of Honor, which featured prospective ROH hopefuls, graduates of the Ring of Honor Dojo, and current ROH stars competing in ROH-sanctioned matches. Kevin Kelly hyped that the event will soon be available on ROHWrestling.com.

2 - TEAM BENCHMARK (Bill Daly & Will Ferrera) & ZIZOU MIDDOX vs. J. DIESEL & MOOSE & VINNY MARSEGLIA — “Future of Honor” showcase match

“Brutal” Bob Evans joined the commentary desk, as he is one of the trainers at the ROH Dojo. Middox and J. Diesel started out. Diesel is for the former head of ROH security. Middox wrestled Diesel to the corner and tagged in Ferrera. Diesel dominated for about a minute and then tagged in Marseglia. Marseglia rolled up Ferrera for two. Marseglia lifted up Ferrera for a suplex, but “The Benchmark” Bill Daly blind tagged himself into the match. He attacked Marseglia for a moment, and tagged Ferrera back in. Marseglia hit a desperation clothesline, and then made the hot tag to Moose.

Moose, a huge man and former NFL player, was a house of fire, as he knocked two of his opponents to the outside. He followed up with a big dropkick to the Daly that knocked him to the outside! Diesel dove onto his three opponents on the outside. Marseglia then hit a flip dive of his own on Daly and Ferrara, but Middox was able to get out of harm’s way. He snuck back into the ring, but Moose was waiting for him and hit a huge Monty Brown-esque Pounce! He then covered Middox for the victory!

WINNER: J. Diesel, Moose, and Vinny Marseglia via pinfall at 4:5-/

ANALYSIS: Exciting match, just too many new guys to keep track of. I really enjoy how ROH promotes new talent, though. No fancy vignettes necessary - here are just a few up-and-coming guys who are looking to earn a spot on the roster. (*3/4)

[Commercial Break]

3 - ROH World champion ADAM COLE vs. JIMMY JACOBS vs. MARK BRISCOE — non-title “Defy or Deny” match for a future ROH World Title shot

This was supposed to be a four-way, but Matt Taven was injured and could not compete. If either Jacobs or Briscoe win, they earn a future title shot. However, if Cole wins, then Jacobs and Briscoe will be denied ROH World Title shots against Cole for as long as he is champion.

The bell rang and Cole immediately went to the outside. Briscoe chased him back into the ring, allowing Jacobs to apply a guillotine choke on the champion. Briscoe came in and broke it up. Jacobs then went to the outside, leaving Brisoce and Cole alone in the ring. Mark began to use his Redneck Kung Fu, but this was broken up by Jacobs. Briscoe and Jacobs fought over who got to pummel Cole in the corner. After a brief stalemate, Briscoe and Jacobs started exchanging blows with one another, instead. Cole rolled to the outside and watched, as the show went to break at 2:05 of the match.

[Commercial Break[

Back at 4:35, Cole was shown smiling at ringside, still watching Briscoe and Jacobs battle in the ring. Briscoe was able to baseball slide into Cole on the outside, and then he dropkicked Jacobs out of the ring as well. Briscoe followed and started to pummel Cole on the outside. He threw him into the hockey boards, and then suplexed him on the floor! Michael Elgin joined Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino on commentary.

Back in the ring, Cole reversed a charge by Briscoe, which allowed Jacobs to hit Sliced Bread and score a nearfall on Mark. Cole and Jacobs exchanged blows in the corner. Cole sat Jacobs up top and went for a superplex, but Briscoe broke it up. He rolled up Cole, but Jacobs broke it up with a stomp from the second rope. Cole went for the Florida Key on Jacobs, but Briscoe ran back in and broke it up. He charged at Cole, but was kicked in the face. Jacobs then nailed another Sliced Bread, and then immediately applied a beautiful spinning headscissors take down to Cole!

Riding his momentum, Jacobs again applied a guillotine choke to the champion. Cole was able to reverse into a neckbreaker, but Mark immediately charged at Cole and nailed him with Uncle Mule Kick to the face! Briscoe went up top and hit a Froggy Bow on Jacobs, but Cole was able to superkick Briscoe out of nowhere and then pin Jacobs.

(Adam Cole eliminated Jimmy Jacobs via pinfall at 9:10.)

[Commercial Break]

Back at 11:20 of the match, Cole and Briscoe stared each other down in the middle of the ring. They did the “boo-yay” sequence. Briscoe won the battle with some more Redneck Kung Fu. Jacobs went for a back suplex, but Cole reversed with an enziguri, but could only get a two count. Cole took down his kneepad. He charged at Briscoe, but Mark reversed with a rolling fireman’s carry slam, Mr. Anderson-style. Mark went up top for another Froggy Bow, but Cole sprang up and shook the ropes, crotching Briscoe. Cole went for a superplex, but Briscoe battled out and knocked Cole to the mat. He finally hit Froggy Bow, but could only get a two count because Cole was able to get his foot on the rope!

Cole rolled to the outside, but but Briscoe immediately attacked with a Cactus Jack-like elbow drop from the apron onto the floor! Briscoe rolled Cole back in the ring and covered him, but he could only get a nearfall. Briscoe picked up Cole for a torture rack, but Cole reversed. He superkicked Briscoe in the back of the head, then the front of the head, and then hit the Florida Key for the victory!

WINNER: Adam Cole via pinfall at 15:20

ANALYSIS: I really liked the “Defy or Deny” stip. I only wish the announcers hyped it more throughout the show, perhaps actually explaining the stipulation before it was time for the match. It’s an efficient booking tool, as it gave Cole a nice win over some lower-card guys, yet kept things interesting with a realistic way for Cole to lose, especially with Michael Elgin at ringside. Average-at-best match, but it served its purpose well. (**1/2)

After the match. Michael Elgin entered the ring with a microphone in-hand. He put his hand on Cole’s chest, pointed to the title belt, and told Cole that the belt was going to “look real good around his waste. Both men stared each other down and exchanged words, as the show ended.

FINAL REAX: This show wasn’t very high on star-power, but perhaps that’s a wise decision, two weeks away from Best in the World. Still, ROH’s current PPV hype strategy still seems very disjointed. They replayed the same Best in the World commercial several times during the show, but while it hyped the main event title match between Cole and Elgin, no other matches were mentioned. The announcers also did not hype any other matches throughout the rest of the show. This is a major negative, considering ROH really needs to sell a strong undercard at this point. Cole-Elgin at BITW is a fine main event for the hardcore ROH fan, but the show is really going to need more selling points to entice the casual wrestling fan to order.

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