ROH TV Report
January 11, 2015
Taped 1/3 in Nashville, Tenn.
Report by Mike Metzger (@mD0uble), PWTorch contributor

The ROH TV opening (which still included Davey Richards, Kevin Steen, Rhino, Rhett Titus, and Mike Mondo) aired.

Tonight: The 2015 Top Prospect tournament begins and a #1 contender is named for the ROH World Title!

1 - MARK BRISCOE vs. RODERICK STRONG

Both men shook hands and then tied up in the center. Briscoe got the early advantage with a hammerlock. Strong reversed into a side headlock, but Mark wrestled out of it and there was a stalemate at the 1:00 mark. Strong hit an impressive roll-up, but Mark fought back and countered with a backslide for two. They went into two more stalemate sequences, the latter of which was capped off by Briscoe breaking out the “Karate Kid” defensive position. Briscoe hit a belly-to-belly suplex which sent Strong to the outside, and then followed up with a baseball slide for good measure. The show went to its first commercial at the 3:05 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:35, both men were down on the mat. Briscoe used some Red Neck Kung Fu and followed up with a big chop from the top rope. Briscoe went for a cover, but Strong kicked out at two. Briscoe went up top again, but Strong nailed him with an enziguri. Strong then climbed to the top and delivered a superplex to Briscoe! This drew a pretty big “ROH!” chant from the crowd. Briscoe got up and tried to hit a Yuri Nagi, but Strong elbowed him repeatedly in the head. Briscoe was relentless, however, and eventually did hit the Yuri Nagi, which sent Strong to the outside. Briscoe followed up with a cannonball dive to the outside, and then rolled Strong in for another nearfall.

Both men began to battle for position on the ring apron. Mark got the early advantage and went for a running boot, but Strong caught him and dropped Briscoe hard on the ring apron! Strong went to follow up, but Briscoe fought back. Both men exchanged blows in the ring. Briscoe went for more Red Neck Kung Fu, but Strong exploded into a flurry of offense, which culminated in his End of Heartache double-knee backbreaker for the pin.

WINNER: Roderick Strong via pinfall in 9:50.

After the match, Strong grabbed the mic and declared that in 2015 he would reclaim his crown as the “King of Ring of Honor.”

ANALYSIS: This was fine for what it was, although I think it’s way too soon to throw Strong out there with someone as popular as Mark Briscoe so soon after being turned babyface. I liked the slower pace, but both men could have sold more throughout. Strong’s impressive flurry of offense at the end brought this match up a notch. (**1/4)

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: ROH World champion Jay Briscoe hyped his match next week against a member of the Kingdom. Briscoe said that it was a non-title match, but he didn’t care if his title was on the line or not. Briscoe remembered that the Kingdom still had “his title” (the re-christened “Title of Love”), and suggested to the camera that he’ll put his belt up if the Kingdom member puts that belt up. Typical Briscoe promo.

McGuinness/Ciampa/Elgin Segment

Back in the ring, ROH Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness was set to make an announcement regarding Tommaso Ciampa’s future. For those who missed it, Ciampa accidentally hit a referee at the Final Battle PPV, but accident or not, McGuinness had already issued a “zero tolerance” policy against Ciampa for his past transgressions against ROH officials. Before getting into that, McGuinness announced that tonight’s main event between Michael Elgin and Hanson will be a #1 Contender match for the ROH World Title!

McGuinness then asked Ciampa to come down to the ring. Nigel agreed that what happened at Final Battle was indeed an accident, and it should not cost a man his job. He said the ROH higher-ups thought otherwise, however, because they believed it was truly a “zero tolerance” policy. McGuinness said that he went to the ROH executives and put his neck on the line for Ciampa because it was the right thing to do. Nigel warned Ciampa that the “zero tolerance” policy was still in effect and, on top of that, McGuinness believed that Tommaso owed him one.

Ciampa grabbed the mic and said that if it made Nigel feel better, he would “owe him one.” Ciampa then addressed ROH champ Jay Briscoe by claiming he was the true #1 contender after beating Briscoe at a Preston City Wrestling show in England. Nigel took back the microphone and said that Hanson deserved a title shot because he won his match at Final Battle. He went on to say that Michael Elgin also won his match at Final Battle when he beat Ciampa. Tommaso grabbed the microphone and began making excuses, until a voice declared, “liar! liar!” through the public address system.

Out came Michael Elgin, who said that real men don’t make excuses. Ciampa hit back by talking about how Elgin won the ROH World Title last year in Nashville, and now just seven months later, no one wants him there anymore. Elgin entered the ring and got in Ciampa’s face. Elgin said that Ciampa was 0-3 against him in an ROH ring. Elgin declared that no one in ROH could beat him and even dared McGuinness to add Ciampa to the match. Nigel made it official and announced that Ciampa, Elgin, and Hanson would collide in tonight’s main event for a shot at the title!

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: Maria Kanellis, with the “Title of Love” draped over her shoulder, answered Jay Briscoe’s challenge from earlier. Referring to the belt, she said that Briscoe’s property was “now property of the Kingdom.” She said that ROH officials would never allow Briscoe to fight her for the title, but that was okay because she had “an entire kingdom ready to protect their queen.”

Caprice Coleman joined Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino at ringside and the 2015 Top Prospect tournament bracket was shown.

2 - J. DIESEL (w/Truth Martini) vs. WILL FERRARA — 2015 Top Prospect tournament quarter-final match

Kelly Kelly and Steve Corino mentioned that Taz was one of Ferrara’s original trainers. Diesel cockily adhered to the Code of Honor. Diesel then went after Ferrara with blows in the corner, but Ferrara fought back with some strikes of his own. Diesel charged at Ferrara, but missed and fell to the outside, which allowed Ferrara to hit a big flip dive! Diesel quickly regained control, however, and hit Ferrara with a fallaway slam on the outside. Diesel rolled Ferrara back in and just pummeled him in the corner. Diesel hit a backbreaker, which was good for a two count.

Diesel applied a submission hold. Ferrara struggled for a few seconds, but quickly kicked his way out of the hold. He hoisted Diesel across his back and then just slammed him onto the mat, but could only get a one count. Diesel fought back and positioned Ferrara on the middle rope and then hit a double foot stomp to the back of Ferrara’s head! Diesel hit two “World’s Strongest Slams” on his opponent, but couldn’t put him away. Ferrara fought back with some fists. He hit a standing sunset flip powerbomb, but Diesel kicked out! Ferrara went up top, but Diesel caught him. Diesel went to slam Ferrara, but Will rolled into a victory roll for the pin!

WINNER: Will Ferrara via pinfall in 5:45 to advance in the Top Prospect tournament.

Diesel attacked Ferrara after the match, but the show quickly cut away to a break.

ANALYSIS: Ferrara is definitely being pushed hard by ROH right now. He can certainly get the fans behind him during a match, but I haven’t seen enough from him yet to truly form an opinion. Diesel, on the other hand, just comes off as a short, stocky muscle head. It made his use of Mark Henry’s “World Strongest Slam” look just ridiculous. (*3/4)

[Commercial Break]

3 - HANSON vs. MICHAEL ELGIN vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA — #1 contender match to ROH World Title

Surprisingly enough, Ciampa received the biggest ovation out of the three competitors in this match. Hanson and Ciampa shook hands. When it looked like Elgin was going to refuse the Code of Honor altogether, both Tommaso and Hanson attacked Elgin and then the bell rang. They quickly threw Elgin to the outside and went back-and-forth for about 30 seconds, until Elgin re-entered the match. Elgin charged at Hanson, but the big man just threw him over the top rope to the outside. Ciampa knocked Hanson to the floor, and then all three men brawled on the outside!

Elgin and Ciampa continued to fight on the outside. Hanson went to dive on both men, but Elgin was able to toss Ciampa directly into Hanson in mid-air! Back in the ring, Elgin hit Hanson with a codebreaker from the second rope, but could only get a nearfall. Hanson fought back and positioned Elgin on the top rope and just pounded on his chest. Ciampa snuck up on Hanson with a schoolboy, but the big man picked up Ciampa, placed him on top of Elgin int he corner, and then proceeded to pound on Ciampa’s chest!

Elgin was able to fight back and deliver a Death Valley Driver on Ciampa into Hanson in the corner! Elgin hit a splash on Ciampa, but couldn’t put him away, as the show went to its final break at the 4:55 point in the match!

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:55, Hanson missed a cartwheel clothesline on Elgin. Ciampa hit Elgin, but Hanson slammed Tommaso for a nearfall. Elgin and Hanson then squared off. Elgin hoisted Hanson across his back and then picked up CIampa for a slam, but couldn’t hold Hanson. Whether this was a botched move or not, Hanson quickly back-suplexed Elgin who was still holding Ciampa! Hanson covered Elgin, but couldn’t put him away.

Ciampa popped up and hit a Kryptonite Crunch on Hanson, but couldn’t put the big man away. Ciampa lowered his kneepad and went for a running knee strike on Hanson in the corner, but Elgin reappeared and cut off Ciampa. Tommaso got tied up in the ropes and Elgin hit a somersault leg drop. Elgin then hit both opponents with clotheslines in two separate corners. Elgin slammed Ciampa and then hit a super-hurrancanrana on Hanson, while landing on top of Ciampa! Ciampa kicked out at two. Elgin then quickly covered Hanson, but the big man kicked out!

Elgin went for a Buckle Bomb on Ciampa, but Tommaso reversed with a spinning clothesline! Ciampa was getting frustrated, but Hanson reappeared. They jockeyed for position for a moment, until Hanson hit a huge clothesline! Hanson went up top, but Elgin cut him off. The momentary distraction allowed Ciampa to sneak in and hit Project Ciampa on Hanson from the top! Referee Todd Sinclair was about to count to three, until Elgin yanked him out of the ring at the last second!

Ciampa argued with Sinclair and Elgin on the outside. Then, all of a sudden, Hanson hit a huge dive onto Ciampa, Elgin, and Sinclair! The announcers weren’t sure what was going to happen. Referee Paul Turner ran out. It appeared the match would resume, but Turner called for the bell instead. The fans promptly booed, as all three wrestlers continued to brawl inside and outside of the ring.

WINNER: No contest at around 14:30.

ANALYSIS: Solid match. It’s never good to start the year with a non-finish in the main event, but this actually builds some intrigue regarding the world title picture. Hanson looked great and really benefitted from being in the ring with two solid workers. Say what you will about Elgin, but he can definitely deliver in the ring. (***1/4)

The brawling continued, as the camera shot to Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino at ringside. They promised answers on next week’s episode, along with the debut of Alberto el Patron (Alberto del Rio)!

FINAL REAX: This didn’t quite hit “hot first show of 2015” levels, but it was certainly fun to watch. Roderick Strong is due for a big push, as is Will Ferrara as he advances forward in the Top Prospect tournament. It was also nice to see the next chapter in the ROH World Title story. With Adam Cole out of the picture due to shoulder surgery, I’m excited to see either Ciampa or Elgin fight Briscoe, while the odd man out can have a signature feud with Hanson. While I think Alberto el Patron’s debut would have made this show must-see, there is something to be said for having a hook for next week’s show.

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