ROH TV Report
November 23, 2014
Taped 10/25 in Lakeland, Fla.
Report by Mike Metzger (@mD0uble), PWTorch contributor

The ROH TV opening aired.

Tonight: A.J. Styles faces Hanson in the main event! Also, Michael Elgin returns to action against Caprice Coleman!

Michael Bennett and Maria Kanellis-Bennett came out to the ring sporting “Mr.” and “Mrs.” t-shirts. They made it to the ring, and the newlyweds made out for several seconds to a chorus of boos from the crowd. Bennett grabbed the mic and asked the crowd to please rise. Corino commented that he was already there. Michael introduced himself and Maria as the “the new Mr. & Mrs. Bennett.” He said that they were an example of what true love really was. Bennett took shots at some fans in the crowd, saying that when they sat home and played video games, it was not love at all.

Bennett then turned his attention to Nigel McGuinness. Bennett was upset that Nigel has never sanctioned any championship matches for his “Title of Love.” Bennett believed that this was because Nigel didn’t believe in love. Bennett then issued an open challenge, to which the saxophone began to play and out came Romantic Touch! Touch grabbed the mic and spoke for what I believe was the first time on ROH TV. In a goofy French accent, Touch declared that the Bennetts’s honeymoon was over!

1 - MICHAEL BENNETT (w/ Maria Kanellis-Bennett) vs. ROMANTIC TOUCH — “Title of Love” title match

The ref called for the Code of Honor and Touch did his spot where he kissed the hand of his opponent. This took Bennett out of his loving mood, as he immediately stomped Touch and the bell rang. Both men took turns stomping each other in the corner. Bennett then punched Touch, slammed him, and dropped the elbow for a one count. Touch fought back with a clothesline, and then he proceeded to chop Bennett in the corner. Touch gyrated his hips and hit a monkey-flip out of the corner for a one count of his own. Touch remained in control for the next minute or so and then hit Bennett with a big dropkick, as the show went to its first commercial at the 2:15 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:45, Touch was still in control and about to hit a dive to the outside, but Bennett positioned Maria in front of him. Touch chose to roll out of the ring instead, and then nailed Bennett with an inverted atomic drop. Maria grabbed Touch’s leg, however, which opened him up for a superkick from Bennett! He immediately followed up with a side effect to Touch on the apron, which was good for a nearfall. Bennett continued to dominate, while Maria joined Kelly and Corino at the commentary desk. Bennett applied a chin lock, as Maria bragged about now being “Mrs. Bennett.”

Touch fought out of the corner and hit a clothesline and then a shoulder tackle. Touch followed up with a back body drop and a belly-to-belly suplex, but couldn’t put away Bennett. Touch called for a big move, but Maria got up on the apron. Touch gyrated her way. Bennett went to attack him from behind, but Touch moved out of the way. Bennett stopped short of clobbering Maria, and just made out with her instead. This opened him up for an O’Connor Roll from Touch, but Bennett kicked out! Touch went back toward Maria on the apron, but the distraction opened him up for a Twist of Fate from Bennett to score the victory.

WINNER: Michael Bennett via pinfall in 9:05 to retain the “Title of Love.”

ANALYSIS: Standard TV match. This served the purpose of presenting the Bennetts as a married couple for the first time, while also allowing the announcers to talk about Kingdom member Adam Cole challenging Jay Briscoe for the ROH World Title at Final Battle. (**)

[Commercial Break]

A video package on Michael Elgin aired. Clips of the ROH World Title match at All Star Extravaganza were shown. Briscoe was shown celebrating, while Elgin looked disappointed after the match. That was it, though- nothing about the visa controversy or Twitter shenanigans. If you have to ask, you’ll never know, I guess.

2 - MICHAEL ELGIN vs. CAPRICE COLEMAN

Elgin came out in street clothes, as the fans chanted, “Elgin sucks.” The commentators danced around the “Elgin controversy,” but really didn’t get into specifics. Corino summed it up by saying that Elgin was his own worst enemy. The Code of Honor was adhered to and the bell rang. Elgin backed into his corner and stayed there, as “Elgin sucks” chants continued to ring out from the crowd. Kelly said that Elgin had been exhibiting “unprofessional behavior,” while Corino talked about how Elgin un-followed all of the ROH wrestlers on Twitter. Still no mention of the reason(s) why.

Elgin laid down on the mat for Coleman, but Caprice refused to cover him. This went on for about 90 seconds. The announcers sounded disgusted and requested the show go to break while they sort out the situation in the ring.

WINNER: No match.

ANALYSIS: The mind-numbing Michael Elgin storyline continues, I guess. The announcers did a better job this week of trying to explain what had happened to Elgin, but they still left out key details. Would it have killed ROH to put together a video package where they featured some of the Twitter activity they are so fond of? Perhaps there are specific reasons why ROH is not getting into the specifics here, but my gut tells me that ROH management is just stuck in their bubble, and not able to see how disjointed this might be coming across to a casual viewer of the show. (n/a)

[Commercial Break]

A hype video aired, promoting the upcoming ROH World Title main event at the Final Battle PPV. It was a well-done package, where both Briscoe and Cole talked trash about each other, as recent clips of the two men were shown. The video even referenced the beginning of their feud, which was at Death Before Dishonor XI where Adam Cole won the World Title and then superkicked Briscoe from behind after Jay presented him with the title belt. Briscoe said he didn’t care if he killed Cole’s ass. Cole said that he would leave with everything and Cole would leave with nothing.

3 - A.J. STYLES vs. HANSON

Raymond Rowe joined the announcers on commentary. Both men shook hands and the bell rang. The felt each other out for the first minute, but it ended in a stalemate when Styles rolled out of the ring to avoid a big boot from Hanson. Back in the ring, Styles began to kick Hanson in the leg several times. Hanson caught him on the third kick, however, and then they jockeyed for position until A.J. hit his signature dropkick! Styles then pounced on Hanson in the corner and continued to work the leg. The camera shot to the commentary desk. Rowe was still unsure of his eventual return date. A.J. continued to dominate Hanson, as the match went to a commercial at the 3:10 mark.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:40, Hanson had gained control of the match. Hanson went for a big dive on the outside, but Styles moved and the big man crash-landed on the floor! A.J. went for a springboard moonsault to the outside, but Hanson caught him and threw him into the ringpost! Hanson pounded on Styles’ chest and then rolled back into the ring. The fans chanted for A.J., but Hanson continued to dominate with a big side slam.

The match slowed down a bit, as Hanson nailed Styles with several blows. This lasted for a solid minute, until A.J. fought back with some blows of his own. Styles almost hit a huracanrana, but Hanson knocked him right down and continued his offensive flurry. Hanson dominated for another minute and hit a big splash. He scored several nearfalls, but could not put Styles away. The show went to another commercial at the 11:20 mark.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 13:20, A.J. began to fight back with some blows to Hanson’s head. Hanson cut him off, though, and positioned him on the top rope. Hanson went for a superplex, but A.J. wriggled free and then slammed Hanson head-first into the turnbuckle! Styles hit an enziguri. Both men were exhausted on the mat. A.J. eventually got up and hit his flying forearm from the top rope! Both men jockeyed for position, but Hanson won out by just dropping Styles stomach-first onto the mat. Hanson followed up with a double-underhook powerbomb, but could only get a two count!

Styles momentarily regained control by snapping Hanson’s head across the top rope, but Hanson came right back with a tilt-a-whirl slam and another nearfall. Styles fought back, however, as he tackled the knee of Hanson! The big man began to noticeably sell the knee, as A.J. locked on the Calf Killer! Hanson was too close to the ropes, however, and the ref called for a break. Styles tried to capitalize, but Hanson just exploded with fists in the corner. Hanson went to follow up, but Styles reversed into a modified Brainbuster!

Styles then delivered a 450 splash directly onto the injured knee of Hanson! Styles locked on the Calf Killer again, this time in the center of the ring! Hanson tried to punch his way out of the hold, but A.J. held on! Hanson, in serious pain, delivered some more elbows which finally broke the hold. A.J. went for the Styles Clash, but couldn’t lift the big man. Hanson was able to reverse into a modified Michinoku (which looked more like a Greetings from Asbury Park, for you Bam Bam Bigelow fans), but A.J. somehow kicked out!

Hanson went up top, but A.J. got to his feet and again attacked the inured leg. Hanson fought back from the top turnbuckle, however, but A.J. hit the pele kick out of nowhere! A.J. grabbed Hanson off the top rope and hit the Styles Clash for the pin!

WINNER: A.J. Styles via pinfall in 22:40.

ANALYSIS: This seemed to go on way too long, considering Hanson’s limitations. Don’t get me wrong, Hanson is an athletic big man, but he looked really green when put in control of the match. After the long, plodding sequence in the middle, the match rebounded quite nicely with A.J. focusing on the leg he had worked on earlier in the match. The finishing sequence was solid and showcased A.J.’s ring awareness and experience. This would have easily been three stars if kept shorter. (**3/4)

FINAL REAX: Another solid hour from ROH. The build for Final Battle is progressing quite nicely. Elgin nonsense aside, ROH is in a nice place right now. It’s too bad there is not a lot of buzz for this product at the moment.

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