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Ring of Honor
METZGER'S ROH TV RESULTS 8/9: ROH champ Elgin vs. O'Reilly main event, more strong singles matches

Aug 10, 2014 - 10:50:41 PM
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ROH TV Report
August 9, 2014
Taped in Dearborn, Mich.
Report by Mike Metzger (@mD0uble), PWTorch VIP Member


The Ring of Honor TV opening aired.

Tonight: Michael Elgin’s first ROH World Title defense against ROH tag champ Kyle O’Reilly!

1 - ADAM COLE vs. ROCKY ROMERO

The Code of Honor was adhered to and then the bell rang. Both men locked up to start. They exchanged writstlocks for about thirty seconds, until Cole knocked Romero to the mat with a forearm. Both men then exchanged forearms in the middle of the ring, this time broken up when Romero raked Cole’s eyes. Romero hit a standing huracanrana, followed up by a big dive to Cole on the outside!

Romero rolled the former ROH champ back into the ring, and then chopped Cole in the corner several times. Romero even taunted Cole between chops. Cole fought back, however, when he just yanked Romero’s leg off the second rope and sent him crashing to the mat. He followed up by sending Romero shoulder-first into the ringpost two consecutive times. Cole then grabbed Romero and sent him face-first into the hockey boards at ringside. Cole raised his arms and yelled, “Adam Cole, baby!” as the show went to commercial at the 4:00 mark of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:42, Romero jumped into the ropes, Matrix-style. Cole was lured right in, as he missed Rocky and dove through the ropes to the floor. Romero followed up with a kick from the apron to Cole on the floor. Back in the ring, Romero did his consecutive charging clotheslines in the carner spot, culminating with a huge lariat that turned Cole inside out. Cole was in the ropes, which allowed Romero to follow up with a double foot stomp from the ropes.

Cole went for a Shining Wizard, but missed. Cole was able to gain momentum by dropkicking the knee of Romero. Cole went up top, perhaps for a Canadian Destroyer, but Romero retaliated with dropkick of his own to the knee of Cole! Romero immediately hit a top-rope huracanrana, followed up by Sliced Bread for a two count. Romero kicked Cole in the head again, but could still only get two.

Cole struggled to his feet. He went for a superkick, but Romero blocked and again jumped into the ropes, matrix-style. Cole had it scouted, though, as he superkicked Romero in the face and then hit his patented brainbuster over his knee. Cole applied a figure-four leg lock. Romero struggled for about thirty seconds, but eventually tapped out. Cole looked into the camera and demanded a rematch with Michael Elgin for the ROH World Title.

WINNER: Adam Cole via submission at 11:15.

ANALYSIS: Great TV return for Cole after losing his title at Best in the World. The match itself was a bit odd at the start because both men have been portrayed as heels in ROH. It worked out, though, because Romero was able to win over the crowd with his offense. A very efficient use of both Cole and a top international talent on free TV. (**3/4)

[Commercial Break]

2 — ADAM PAGE (w/Roderick Strong) vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA

Page, despite being the competitor in this contest, had to hold the ropes open for Strong, his elder. The announcers wondered if Page’s association with The Decade was hurting or helping his career. Ciampa immediately charged at Strong on the apron with a big boot, but Strong dropped to the floor. This allowed Page to roll up Ciampa for a quick two count. Ciampa was knocked to the outside, which allowed Page to hit a beautiful shooting star press from the apron onto Ciampa!

Back in the ring, Page delivered a back suplex to Tommaso, but could only get a two count. Page went up top for a flying cross-body, but Ciampa ducked. He hit Page right in the jaw and went for Project Ciampa, but Page reversed into a pinning combination for two. They struggled on the mat, until Page found himself inside of Ciampa’s Sicilian Stretch! Page struggled for about 15 seconds, but was able to make it to the ropes.

Page rolled onto the apron, and then got up and exchanged blows with Ciampa. Tommaso went to charge at Page, but Adam launched off the ropes and hit a big clothesline! Page put CIampa over his shoulders and then hit him with a backbreaker, but could only get a two count. “Messiah of the Backbreaker” Roderick Strong was livid at ringside. The momentary distraction allowed Tommaso to hit Project Ciampa for the win!

WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa via pinfall in 3:45.

ANALYSIS: Page continues to shine, despite being shackled with the Decade storyline. His shooting star press off the apron definitely makes him stand out. Things appear to be looking up for him too, as he might be the next “disrespectful young boy” to feud with Strong, Jacobs, and Whitmer. (*1/2)

After the match, Ciampa took the microphone and said a lot of people called him crazy. He said he wasn’t crazy, it was just that the average person doesn’t freely speak their mind anymore. Ciampa decided to speak out by addressing ROH World Champion Michael Elgin. Ciampa said that when Elgin challenged any former champion to a title match, he was overlooking Ciampa in the process.

This brought out Silas Young, who was tired of hearing Ciampa complain. Silas hyped the “Death Before Dishonor” show in Milwaukee, Wisc. on August 22 and promised to win the ROH World Title. After that, Young declared there would be no more open challenges because people would have to earn their title shots when he is champ. Silas got in the face of Ciampa, and said he didn’t think Ciampa had “what it takes.” Ciampa responded by headbutting Young, who then fled the ringside area.

[Commercial Break]

Clips aired from the "Aftershock" VOD show on July 12 in Hopkins, Minn. Elgin then stood in the ring and declared that a champion didn’t prove his worth by winning a world title, he proved it by being tested. Cole came out and insisted that Elgin was just keeping “his” belt warm for him. A brawl between Elgin and War Machine versus Cole, Matt Hardy, and Mike Bennett ensued. After it was broken up, Elgin challenged Hardy to a title match that night.

The video package went on to show moments from Matt Hardy’s critcally-acclaimed speech where he surrendered his “Iconic title” belt to Maria Kanellis. Maria dropped to her hands and knees to accept the belt, and then kissed the feet of “wrestling god” Matt Hardy. Clips of the main even title match between Elgin and Hardy aired. Shenanigans from Maria and the Kingdom almost cost Elgin the title, but he was able to retain with some help from the Briscoes. In my opinion, this was the pinnacle of blending a video package with an ad for a show on DVD/VOD, as a graphic for ROHWrestling.com was present throughout.

3 - ROH World Champion MICHAEL ELGIN vs. ROH Tag Champion KYLE O’REILLY (w/Bobby Fish) - ROH World Title match

Before the match, Bobby Fish was being his loud, obnoxious self in the ring. Elgin grabbed the microphone and told Fish to shut up. Elgin appeared to be going for a cheap pop by saying that Dearborn, Mich. was close to his hometown of Windsor, Ontario. He didn’t stop there, though, as he mentioned that the close proximity ensured that a friend he broke into the business with, Tyler Dux, would be in his corner to keep an eye on Fish.

The Code of Honor was adhered to and the bell rang. Bobby Fish walked over to the timekeeper’s table, while Kevin Kelly spoke about how both wrestlers entered ROH around the same time. Both men locked up and exchanged wrist locks for a few moments. Elgin had the upper-hand for most of the exchange. O’Reilly went for a shoulder block, but to no avail. He hit Elgin with some strikes and tried to shoulder block him again, but still nothing. Elgin went for a suplex, but O’Reilly was able to wriggle free. O’Reilly jumped into Elgin, but Elgin caught and powerslammed him for a nearfall.

Elgin sent O’Reilly upside-down into the corner and then went for a running kick, but Fish pulled his partner to the outside. This didn’t help O’Reilly much, as Elgin followed him out and rolled him back into the ring. Elgin went up top, but Fish grabbed his leg. Dux quickly ran over to break it up, but the momentary distraction allowed O’Reilly to take control, as the show went to commercial at the 4:00 mark.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:35, O’Reilly was still in control of the match. He jumped off the second rope and delivered a knee to the back of Elgin, but could only get a two count. Both men exchanged blows in the center, until O’Reilly grabbed Elgin’s arm. Elgin created separation, though, and hit O’Reilly with a Black Hole Slam! Both men were down on the mat, as Dux cheered on Elgin at ringside. They got up and exchanged forearms. Elgin threw O’Reilly to the ropes, but Fish jumped onto the apron and held onto his partner. Dux came over and broke it up. Elgin hit O’Reilly with a kick and then a diving shoulder block. He followed up with a dead-lift German suplex, but could only get two.

Both men were exhausted. Elgin lifted up O’Reilly for his standing dead-lift suplex. O’Reilly escaped, but Elgin was able to hold onto Kyle and hit him with another Black Hole Slam! Despite this, Elgin still couldn’t finish off O’Reilly. Elgin went for a Buckle Bomb, but O’Reilly shoved him into the corner. Elgin went for another Buckle Bomb, but O’Reilly reversed into a guillotine choke! Elgin tried to power his way out of it, but O’Reilly wouldn’t let go of the hold. Elgin eventually used his strength to suplex O’Reilly and break the hold.

O’Reilly followed up with a spinning DDT. He got a two count, and then immediately applied a cross armbreaker. O’Reilly put the pressure on, while Elgin tried to roll out of it. At one point he did, but O’Reilly quickly turned it into a triangle choke! Elgin maneuvered out, but O’Reilly came right back with his “Axe and Smash” kicks. They jockeyed for position for a moment, until O’Reilly applied another cross armbreaker! Elgin struggled to get his foot on the bottom rope, while Fish literally pulled the rope away from Elgin on the outside. The champion was eventually able to make it to the ropes.

O’Reilly started kicking Elgin right in the mid-section several times. This seemed to only annoy Elgin, as he encouraged O’Reilly to keep the kicks coming. Another back-and-forth sequence occurred, this time Elgin chopped and O’Reilly kicked. Out of nowhere, O’Reilly was again able to apply a guillotine choke, but Elgin slammed his way out of it. The show went to another commercial at the 13:55 mark.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 15:55, Elgin was setting up O’Reilly for a dead-lift superplex, but O’Reilly was able to grab Elgin’s arm and slam it across the top rope. Sitting on the top turnbuckle, Elgin lifted O’Reilly onto his shoulders. O’Reilly elbowed his way out and applied another cross armbreaker, while Elgin was still sitting on the top turnbuckle! Elgin was able to reverse into a top rope powerbomb, followed by his spinning Elgin Bomb finisher for the victory!

WINNER: Michael Elgin via pinfall at 17:30.

ANALYSIS: Great action from these two, although I thought the two commercial breaks knocked this match out of four-star territory. Elgin can have an outstanding match with just about any wrestler in the world, so having O’Reilly as his opponent felt like a special treat. The announcers really did a great job talking about the similar career paths of both men. This match-up could easily end up headlining ROH shows in the next year or two. (***)

After the match, Silas Young ran to the ring, blind-sided Tyson Dux, and then attacked Elgin from behind. CIampa ran out to intercept Silas. All of a sudden, Adam Cole ran out and put the boots to Elgin. This brought out Cedric Alexander to brawl with Cole. The Briscoes and War Machine ran out, and a big brawl ensued. Mark Briscoe and then Cedric Alexander each hit a “dive onto the entire roster at ringside.” In the ring, Cole grabbed the title belt and was about to nail Elgin with it. Elgin blocked, however, and then powerbombed Cole onto the entire roster at ringside to close the show!

FINAL REAX: Newsworthy show on many levels. As critical as I’ve been of the ROH TV product, tonight’s show felt like a throw-back to waiting in anticipation to see the new champion in action for the first time since winning the title. That being said, a month-and-a-half feels like an eternity in 2014, and ROH is definitely risking the loss of all their momentum from earlier this spring. Bigger picture aside, this was another good show that was fun to watch.

It looks like ROH might be planting the seed for a Ciampa heel turn. This could be a much-needed change of pace for Ciampa, who has never really clicked as a babyface. Judging by the final segment, it looks like Delirious is starting to book another “crowded world title scene,” this time with several up-and-coming ROH stars. I definitely recommend this episode if you want to be caught up on the ROH World Title picture.


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METZGER'S ROH TV REPORT 9/20 & 9/23: New Japan's top champions Okada & Goto in tag main event, ROH/NJPW announcement, more; Reax to post-PPV episode
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