ROH TV Report
October 5, 2014
Taped 8/23 in Chicago Ridge, Ill.
Report by Mike Metzger (@mD0uble), PWTorch contributor

The ROH “Creating Excellence” signature aired. It still culminated with footage of Michael Elgin capturing the the ROH World Title at Best in the World.

Then-ROH World Champion Michael Elgin cut a brief promo backstage. He hyped tonight’s main event against Tommaso Ciampa. Elgin said that if Ciampa wanted him, he would get what he asked for tonight!

The ROH TV opening aired.

Tonight: More action from Death Before Dishonor XI Night 2, taped what seems like an eternity ago in Chicago!

1 - HANSON vs. ADAM COLE

The storyline here is that Adam Cole was pinned in the four-way ROH World Title match at Field of Honor, therefore he is now “at the back of the line.” The Code of Honor was adhered to and the bell rang. Both men locked up in the center. Cole quickly rolled out of the ring and did his “Adam Cole, bay-bay!” spot on the outside. He rolled back in and applied a side headlock to Hanson. Hanson battled out and tried to slam his opponent, but Cole wriggled free. Cole slapped Hanson, but the big man came back with a right hand that sent Cole out of the ring!

Hanson attempted to pull Cole back in the ring, but Cole reversed into a jawbreaker across the top rope. Cole tried to go on the offensive, but he received a big kick from Hanson. The big man dragged Cole back to the outside and pummeled him on the apron. Cole raked Hanson’s eyes and created some separation. He charged at Hanson, but received a big back body drop! Hanson followed up with a weak-looking slingshot into the ringpost. Hanson followed up by throwing Cole face-first into the ringpost, lawn dart-style.

Back in the ring, Hanson delivered several blows to Cole in the corner, but Cole was able to escape the corner and super kick Hanson directly in the back of the knee, as the show went to its first commercial break at 3:40.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:50, Cole pulled Hanson toward the outside and then slammed his leg into the ringpost. Hanson tried to mount a comeback, but Cole hit an enziguiri and scored a nearfall. Cole rammed Hanson’s head into the turnbuckle a couple of times, but Hanson no-sold it. Cole went for some more blows, but Hanson whipped Cole into the corner a couple times, and then delivered a big clothesline! Hanson could not capitalize, however, as Cole chop-blocked the big man’s knee from behind.

Hanson fought right back with another back drop, and then just pounded the Cole’s chest while he was laid across the top rope in the corner. Cole countered with a dropkick, but Hanson came right back with a big powerslam and a two count. Hanson went for a spin kick, but missed. Cole went for the figure- four leglock. Hanson kicked out of it and then clotheslined Cole to the floor. Hanson went for a big flip dive to the outside, but Cole desperately moved out of the way, which caused Hanson to crash and burn on the floor!

Cole retired to his corner, while the referee counted. The count got to 13, but Hanson was able to roll back into the ring. He immediately ate a superkick from Cole! The former ROH champ could only get a two count, but immediately applied the figure-four leglock in the center of the ring! Hanson struggled for about 30 seconds, but then sat up and kicked Cole directly in the chest, which forced him to break the hold!

Both men exchanged blows in the center, but Cole got the upper hand when he kicked Hanson in the knee again. Hanson came back with a cartwheel, but Cole moved out of the way and then superkicked Hanson. The big man got tied up in the ropes, Andre the Giant-style, and Cole just pummeled him. Somehow, Hanson got free and superkicked Cole! Hanson went for the Spin Kick of Doom, but Cole ducked and quickly rolled up Hanson for the victory.

WINNER: Adam Cole via pinfall at 12:45.

ANALYSIS: Great showing from Hanson, who is really impressing me as a singles star. Sure, he had Adam Cole in there to carry him to a better-than-average match, but Hanson can definitely hold his own with his impressive moveset. It seems like Hanson is just treading water until partner Raymond Rowe returns to action, but an eventual singles run would be fun to see play out. (***)

After the match, Hanson went to shake Cole’s hand, but the former champion flipped off his opponent instead. An angry Hanson went to attack Cole, but Michael Bennett and Maria Kanellis quickly ran out, and the Kingdom double-teamed Hanson. Cole grabbed the mic and said it was “story time with Adam Cole, bay-bay!” He said that no one cared about Hanson or War Machine. Hanson tried to get back up, but Bennett immediately stomped him down and demanded he pay attention to story time. This drew a brief “story time” chant from the crowd.

Cole went on to say that Raymond Rowe recently got into a motorcycle accident. He said that no one even cared about it, and if the accident were any worse, no one would ever remember Raymond Rowe. This was too much for War Machine’s mentor Michael Elgin, as he ran out to break it up.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Elgin and Hanson were still in the ring together. This actually gave the show a live feel that it normally doesn’t have, since the separate segments neatly fit between the commercial breaks. All of a sudden, Tommaso Ciampa’s music played, and out came the “Sicilian Psychopath.” Elgin and Ciampa stared each other down, and Elgin grabbed the microphone. He said there was no need to wait, and demanded a referee come out and start the match.

2 - ROH World champion MICHAEL ELGIN vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA - ROH World Title match

Both men started exchanging blows, as the opening bell rang. Ciampa backed Elgin into a corner and pummeled him. CIampa stomped Elgin several times, and then hit a series of running knee strikes. Elgin rolled to the outside, but CIampa was right behind him. Ciampa threw the champ into the hockey boards, and then hit two consecutive running knee strikes. Ciampa broke the count, and then positioned Elgin in another spot on the outside for yet another running knee strike, this time running so fast that he ended up landing in the crowd, who were very much pro-Ciampa.

Ciampa jumped off the hockey boards at Elgin, but Elgin caught him and then delivered a Yuri Nagi on Ciampa through a plastic chair on the outside! Elgin rolled back into the ring, as the show went to a break at the 3:10 mark.

[Commercial Break]

(During the commercial, Mark Briscoe hyped the Honor Rumble on next week’s episode of ROH TV.)

Back at 5:40, Elgin was still in control of Ciampa on the outside. Elgin hoisted up Ciampa and then powerbombed him into the hockey boards. He rolled Ciampa back into the ring and hit a huge top-rope senton splash, but could only get a two count! Elgin then lifted up Ciampa for his delayed vertical suplex, but Tommaso reversed by applying the dreaded testicular claw to Elgin! The claw was applied so viciously that Elgin’s crotch was actually blurred out. Elgin no-sold it (perhaps yet another unwise decision by Elgin) and stared Ciampa down.

Elgin then sat down in the middle of the ring, and invited Ciampa to kick him in the back. Tommaso did so and then sat down and made the same offer, but Elgin instead delivered two consecutive German suplexes. The crowd chanted “fourteen more,” in reference to the Brock Lesnar-John Cena match at SummerSlam. Elgin obliged, at least momentarily, and delivered another German suplex where he threw Ciampa directly onto the top turnbuckle!

Elgin went for his deadlift superplex, but Ciampa fought out and then removed the padding at ringside. Ciampa went for a superplex to Elgin toward the floor, but Elgin revered into a Michinoku Driver through a table on the outside! Both men were down and out, as the camera shot to Kevin Kelly, who insisted referee Todd Sinclair stop the match. Sinclair counted to 16 when Elgin rolled back in. Somehow, Ciampa sprang to life and rolled in at 19, as the show went to another commercial at 12:00.

[Commercial Break]

(During the commercial, they showed clips of ROH Aftershock in July, where Matt Hardy awarded his “Iconic Title” to Maria Kanellis. The Kingdom then cut a backstage promo where they talked about how they have been reigning supreme throughout the world. Bennett talked about them being stronger than ever. Maria then mentioned that Matt was coming back. Long promo to air in the middle of a match.)

Back at 16:45, both men were jockeying for position in the center of the ring. They furiously went back-and-forth, until Ciampa ate a lariat from Elgin. Elgin hit CIampa with a Buckle Bomb, but Ciampa came right back with a Kryptonite Crunch, but could only get a two count.

Both men were down on the mat. Ciampa slapped himself in the face a few times and got to his feet. He positioned Elgin on the top rope and chopped him. Ciampa went up for the superplex, but Elgin fought back with fists. Ciampa came right back with several headbutts! Ciampa then went for the Kryptonite Crunch again, but Elgin reversed into two consecutive powerbombs! Somehow, Ciampa kicked out, but Elgin immediately locked on the crossface. Ciampa was too close to the ropes, however, and the referee broke the hold. There was yet another commercial at 20:30.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 22:30, Elgin was in control. He went for his deadlift superplex again, but Ciampa reversed into Project Ciampa! Somehow Elgin kicked out of the pin attempt! Ciampa immediately went for the Sicilian Stretch, but Elgin reversed into the crossface. A brief struggle ensured. Elgin nailed CIampa with a backfist and then just drove his knee directly to the back of Ciampa’s head several times, until referee Todd Sinclair stopped the match.

WINNER: Michael Elgin via referee stoppage at 24:00.

ANALYSIS: This was a really hard match to rate, considering it contained three commercial breaks and a full-length promo from the Kingdom. It was your typical ROH main event, complete with dueling power moves, brawling on the outside, and a big spot through the table at ringside. Don’t get me wrong- It was an excellent match and a reminder of how good Ciampa is in the ring. I’m also breathing a sigh of relief because this was the last of Elgin’s old title defenses that were yet to be aired on TV! (***3/4)

After the match, Elgin extended his hand. Ciampa grabbed the ROH World Title belt to award it to Elgin, but just couldn’t go through with it and instead threw the belt to the ground. Elgin left the ring, as Ciampa was distraught on the ring apron. A crew member offered Ciampa some assistance. This caused Ciampa to snap, as he threw the attendant into the hockey boards. Kevin Kelly stood up to Ciampa at ringside, which caused the “Sicialian Psychopath” to grab Kelly and throw him into the ring. Steve Corino got up to break it up, but it looked as if Ciampa was going to deliver Project Ciampa to Kelly. At least a dozen ROH officials and crew members ran into the ring, and the situation was quickly disarmed.

Now alone in the ring, Ciampa posed in the corner. He left the ring and appeared to be walking away, but suddenly turned around and re-entered the ring. He grabbed ring announcer Bobby Cruise and stomped him in the corner. He then grabbed Cruise by the shirt collar and asked if Cruise thought he was playing. Ciampa then delivered several running knee strikes to the head of defenseless Cruise. This played out with no commentary, as the show faded to black.

FINAL REAX: With the exception of the opener, this episode was as stale as it gets. Another Michael Elgin title defense (this time a full month after he lost the championship at All-Star Extravaganza)? Check. Maria Kanellis still referring to Jay Briscoe’s title belt as the “Iconic Title” (despite renaming yet again at All-Star Extravaganza)? Yes. The Tommaso Ciampa angle, almost a month-and-a-half after being plastered all over ROHwrestling.com and social media? You got it!

To be fair, ROH TV is fun to watch if you enjoy great wrestling matches in a vacuum. This week’s episode was no exception. ROH is lucky to have a handful of hardcore fans who continually praise the show on Twitter and message boards. Unfortunately for ROH, mainstream wrestling fans will not accept such a stale product in 2014.

I have been one of the biggest proponents of ROH shaking up their TV product since I started reporting on the shows for the Torch in February. I hate to continually sound so negative toward this aspect of the shows, but it just doesn’t seem that difficult for ROH to apply some “quick fixes” in post-production. Yes, the title switch to Jay Briscoe was a last-minute decision. But, why couldn’t ROH just burn through the two Elgin defenses on the first episode or two after the ASE iPPV? They could have even had a “Stay Tuned for Breaking News” crawler at the bottom of the screen, and then have announced the title change at the end of the episode. It wouldn’t have been perfect, but the remaining Death Before Dishonor TV episodes would have felt much less stale overall.

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