ROH TV Report
Aired July 5, 2015 in syndication
To air July 8, 2015 on Dest. America
Taped 6/20 in New York, N.Y.
Report by Mike Metzger (@md0uble), PWTorch contributor

The ROH “Creating Excellence” signature aired, which was updated to include Jay Lethal holding both the ROH World and TV Title belts in the air following his victory at Best in the World.

An artsy, still-photo recap of the “Battle of the Belts” match between Jay Briscoe and Jay Lethal then aired, also concluding with ROH World and TV champion Jay Lethal hoisting up both title belts.

The ROH TV opening aired.

The camera panned the New York City crowd, as Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino welcomed viewers to the show. Tonight, Michael Elgin and reDRagon will face off with the Kingdom. According to Kelly, Elgin has “turned over a new leaf,” so I guess that makes the team of reDRagon/Elgin the babyfaces tonight.

1 — WATANABE vs. DALTON CASTLE (w/ “his boys”)

Castle did his usual entrance, which was well-received by the NYC crowd. The Code of Honor was adhered to without any hijinks and then the bell rang. Watanabe got the early advantage, as Kelly and Corino talked about the “Battle of the Belts” match at Best in the World. Castle came back with a shoulder tackle that sent Watanabe to the corner. Castle’s “boys” fanned Watanabe in the corner, until Castle demanded they stop. Watanabe capitalized on the brief distraction with a running neckbreaker. Both men got to their feet, as the show went to a break at 2:20.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:50, both men were rolling on the mat exchanging small packages. Both men looked a bit dizzy and then collided mid-ring with a double clothesline. Castle got up and charged at Watanabe, but ate a boot and then another neckbreaker. Watanabe danced a jig in the center of the ring and then hit a standing senton splash. He went for the cover, but Castle kicked out at two. Castle fought back with some chops and then a t-bone suplex. Castle then hit a deadlift German suplex into a pinning combination, but Watanabe kicked out at two!

Castle looked a bit frustrated, but didn’t slow his attack. Watanabe responded with a headbutt, however, and then jammed his knees into Castle’s back. Watanabe followed up with a back suplex and a cover, but Castle kicked out. Watanabe went for a powerbomb, but Castle fought out and hit a tilt-a-whirl flapjack out of nowhere for the victory.

WINNER: Dalton Castle via pinfall in 9:10.

After the match, Castle grabbed the mic as his “boys” stood by his side. Castle said there were certainly a lot of "boys" out there tonight. This drew a mixed reaction from the crowd, as the “boys” laid on top of each other as human furniture for Castle. Dalton sprawled out on top of his “boys,” as he declared himself “the only real man in ROH.” This brought out and angry Silas Young, who was being held back by several officials. That’s as far as it went, as the show cut to another break.

ANALYSIS: This was fine for what it was. It made sense for Castle to be kept strong as he is one of ROH’s hottest new acts. Our society has come a long way when a guy doing a flamboyant gimmick can get over as a babyface in NYC. I’m glad ROH is sticking with Castle-Young, as it is a natural match-up for both men. (**)

[Commercial Break]

Jay Lethal’s Celebration

In the ring, ROH Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness introduced ROH World & TV Champion Jay Lethal. The new champ came out flanked by Truth Martini, J. Diesel, and Donovan Dijak. Nigel offered his hand and Lethal shook it, as the fans chanted “you deserve it.” Martini took over and said that the House of Truth members were Jay Lethal’s people, not the fans in the crowd. Martini put over Lethal as the “greatest first-generation wrestler” and now the undisputed champion.

Nigel turned his attention to Lethal. Jay said that ROH was the greatest company in the world because he was the company’s undisputed champion. Lethal said he had nothing more to say and began to leave the ring, but Nigel cut him off. Nigel asked Lethal which title he would be forfeiting. Nigel said it was up to Lethal, since Jay had been proclaiming the ROH TV Title as the most important title in the company for months.

Lethal was incensed and said he wasn’t “giving up a damn thing” because he had earned both titles. Nigel seemed to back down, but Lethal kept talking. He said that whenever he wrestled, he would be defending the “undisputed championship” and would need both titles to do that. Nigel corrected him and said that the titles would remain separate entities, so he would have to defend both titles if he wanted to keep them. Nigel used it as an opportunity to plug Lethal’s upcoming ROH World Title defense against Roderick Strong at the Death Before Dishonor iPPV and then announced an ROH TV Title defense against Mark Briscoe next week on ROH TV. Lethal angrily, yet confidently said he didn’t care and would defend both titles on the same night if he had to. Lethal said he would destroy Mark Briscoe next week and then Roderick Strong on July 24.

Roderick Strong’s music began playing and out came the #1 contender. Nigel extended the mic to Roddy. Strong demanded Lethal look him in the eye. Lethal got in his face, as Strong said that he will be walking out of Death Before Dishonor as the new ROH World Champion. Both men stared each other down, as the show cut to a graphic hyping their match at Death Before Dishonor.

[Commercial Break]

Inside ROH: Mandy Leon announced that Jay Lethal had beaten Jay Briscoe to become the ROH Undisputed Champion. She then introduced clips from their title match. The video package spent a good bit of time on Lethal’s celebration and subsequent handshake with Briscoe after the match. Mandy then announced that Roderick Strong will be challenging Lethal at the Death Before Dishonor iPPV before Strong cut a generic backstage promo.

[ Reax: Not a great use of Inside ROH this week. It felt out of place, considering Lethal had just cut his victory promo in the previous segment. Then the Strong promo made it feel like overkill. I like how they are hyping an upcoming ROH World Title match as a big deal, but featuring these two segments back-to-back just did not work. ]

Backstage: Adam Page announced that he’ll be facing Matt Sydal next week on ROH TV. He said it will be a preview of what A.C.H. is in for when they go one-on-one at Death Before Dishonor.

[Commercial Break]

The Kingdom made their entrance before the next match, as Kevin Kelly wondered if there was some friction within the group after their loss at Best in the World. Maria Kanellis grabbed the microphone and talked up The Kingdom's international accolades. Maria turned her attention to Adam Cole and said the Best in the World loss was not his fault and she would take full responsibility for the loss as The Kingdom's leader. All seemed well in the Kingdom, as a group hug broke out.

2 - THE KINGDOM (ADAM COLE & (then) IWGP Tag Team champions MICHAEL BENNETT & MATT TAVEN w/Maria Kanellis) vs. MICHAEL ELGIN & REDRAGON (KYLE O’REILLY & BOBBY FISH) — six-man tag match

Kevin Kelly again said that Elgin had "turned a new leaf" recently. No evidence was given, other than Elgin will be representing ROH at NJPW's G1 Climax tournament this summer. Corino added that Elgin has had a better reputation in the locker room recently. All six men shook hands and then the bell rang. Elgin and Bennett started the match. Bennett tried to knock down Elgin with a shoulder tackle. Elgin encouraged him to try again, but Bennett kicked him in the gut instead. Elgin fought back and hit his delayed vertical suplex. Cole tried to break it up, but Elgin lifted Bennett right back into the air! Taven then tried to break it up, but Elgin again hoisted Bennett back up! ReDRagon came in and applied holds on Cole and Taven, as Elgin held Cole in the air some more before finally suplexing him to the mat!

The smoke cleared and Elgin covered Bennett for a two count. Corino said that Elgin was "having fun again," as Elgin fought off all three Kingdom members for a moment. The numbers game caught up with him, though, as Cole and Taven pulled him to the outside and Bennett finished him off with a big dive! Bennett rolled Elgin back in and covered him, but Elgin kicked out. Cole tagged in and scored another nearfall on Elgin before tagging Taven into the match. Taven nailed Elgin with a standing dropkick. Bennett tagged in and stomped Elgin in the corner, as the Kingdom celebrated. The show went to a break at the 4:45 mark.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:45, Elgin was close to making a hot tag until Cole yanked both of Elgin's partners off the apron! The Kingdom attempted to triple team Elgin, but he fought them all off. He hit a double foot stomp on Bennett and then a Codebreaker on Bennett, before finally making the hot tag! ReDRagon came in and double-teamed Bennett. Cole came in, but the former tag champs charged at him several times in the corner and then hit a backbreaker/flying knee drop combination. They gyrated for the crowd and then hit a DDT/deadlift German suplex combo on Taven! Fish went for the cover, but Taven kicked out at two.

ReDRagon charged at Taven in the corner. O'Reilly locked Taven into an armbar in the ropes. Bennett tried to break it up from the outside, but Fish cut him off with a flip dive! Cole immediately responded with a superkick to Fish on the outside! Taven then jumped onto a sea of humanity at ringside, while Corino welcomed new Destination America viewers to Ring of Honor. Back in the ring, Elgin dominated both Bennett and Taven. Elgin picked up Bennett and Taven over his shoulders. Cole tried to break it up, but Elgin used both of his opponents to kick Cole down and then dropped both Bennett and Taven to the mat!

Taven missed an enziguiri, so Elgin went for a deadlift German suplex but Bennett interfered. Elgin responded with a stiff elbow to Bennett's head and then nailed Taven with an enziguri. Elgin went up top, but a brief distraction from Cole allowed Taven to hit Elgin with an enziguiri! Bennett and Taven then hit their Proton Pack combo on Elgin, immediately followed up with a Shining Wizard from Cole, but Elgin still kicked out at two!

The Kingdom set up for a triple-team move, but reDRagon broke it up. They knocked Cole and Bennett to the outside and then hit a double dive. Back in the ring, Elgin picked up Taven and powerbombed him onto everyone on the outside! ReDRagon brought Taven back into the ring and nailed him with Chasing the Dragon, which was immediately followed up with a super powerbomb from Elgin! Taven was down for the count, but his partners ran in to break up the cover. When the smoke cleared, Cole hit a Canadian Destroyer on Elgin. The Kingdom followed up with their Hail Mary spike piledriver, but Elgin kicked out at two!

The Kingdom went for a double dive on reDRagon, but the former ROH Tag Team Champions took control on the outside. Elgin tagged O'Reilly who then faced off with Cole one-on-one. They traded blows, as the announcers brought up their history with one another. O'Reilly came out on top with a Guillotine Choke, but Cole broke out and superkicked O'Reilly! Kyle no-sold it and nailed Cole with a lariat. Fish re-appeared and reDRagon hit Chasing the Dragon on Cole to win the match!

WINNERS: Michael Elgin & reDRagon va pinfall in 14:32.

After the match, Adam Cole went over and shook hands with his opponents, including his former Future Shock tag partner Kyle O'Reilly, to the dismay of Maria Kanellis and The Kingdom. Cole then left the ring without The Kingdom. Kevin Kelly teased dissension as the show faded to black.

ANALYSIS: Excellent main event. There were so many hard-hitting spots and creative sequences that this was right up there with Kingdom vs. Styles/Bucks from Best in the World. The 180 degree turnaround on Elgin is interesting. I appreciate the announcers doing the hard-sell on commentary, but I'm not sure if the hardcore ROH fan base will be as forgiving with Elgin. Either way, pairing Elgin with reDRagon is probably not a bad move if they want to turn him babyface. (****1/4)

FINAL REAX: Great TV episode, even if it was a week too late after the PPV. Other than an oddly-placed Inside ROH segment, the rest of the show flowed really well and built toward the Death Before Dishonor iPPV. The main event is definitely worth seeking out. The Kingdom and Elgin/reDRagon, along with Sabin/Addiction and A.J. Styles/Young Bucks are forming quite the six-man tag division for ROH, although The Kingdom's days as a three-man unit might be numbered. ROH's recent string of stellar six-man tag matches certainly sets ROH apart from WWE and TNA. We'll see if ROH can capitalize on their momentum heading toward Death Before Dishonor on July 24 and Field of Honor on August 22.

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