ROH TV Report
Aired August 9, 2015 in syndication
To air August 12, 2015 on Dest. America
Taped 7/25 in Baltimore, Md.
Report by Mike Metzger (@md0uble), PWTorch Contributor

The ROH "Creating Excellence" signature aired, followed by the ROH TV opening.

The camera panned the crowd, as Kevin Kelly announced that reDRgaon would face The Kingdom in tonight's main event!

1 -- WATANABE vs. A.C.H.

Announcer Steve Corino said that he spoke to Watanabe earlier in the day and he admitted that he "needs to make an immediate impact for future considerations." Kelly said that the same was true for A.C.H. Both men shook hands and then the bell rang. They charged at each other, but neither would budge. They then traded chops in the center, to which Watanabe got on one knee and gave A.C.H. a free shot. A.C.H. nailed Watanabe with a stiff chop and then returned the favor by getting on one knee and offering Watanabe a free shot. Watanabe nailed A.C.H. and then they repeated the sequence one more time, with Watanabe getting the upper hand.

A.C.H. came back with some acrobatics and a dropkick. Watanabe called for a Test of Strength and A.C.H. obliged. Watanabe quickly broke it up with a kick to the mid-section, but A.C.H. fought back with kicks of his own. Watanabe went to the outside. A.C.H. went for a kick from the apron, but Watanabe blocked. Watanabe charged at A.C.H. again, but this time A.C.H. nailed the kick with such impact that both men went down. The show then went to a break at the 2:30 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:00, A.C.H. was working Watanabe's arm. A.C.H. went for a Tornado DDT, but Watanabe blocked and dropped his opponent face-first onto the mat. Watanabe drove A.C.H. into the mat with his boot and then hit a running senton, which was good for a two count. Watanabe applied a chin lock, as the crowd was split between both men. A.C.H. fought out with an enziguri that knocked Watanabe to the floor. A.C.H. followed up with a big dive in which he changed position in mid-air!

Back in the ring, A.C.H. hit a charging forearm, but immediately ran into a stiff lariat from Watanabe. Watanabe went for a fisherman buster, but A.C.H. reversed into a small package. Watanabe kicked out at two, but A.C.H. kicked him in the head and scored another nearfall. They fought to the outside. Watanabe attempted to throw his opponent into the ringpost, but A.C.H. was able to backflip off of it and sloppily land on his feet. A.C.H. was a little too proud of his backflip, though, as Watanabe was right behind him with a German suplex on the floor!

Watanabe went for a fisherman buster in the ring and nailed it. He went for the cover, but A.C.H. kicked out at two! Watanabe appeared to go for a modified STO, but A.C.H. fought out. Watanabe responded with a nasty-looking headbutt, but A.C.H. came right back with a superkick out of nowhere! A.C.H. then hit a brainbuster, followed by his Midnight Star 450 splash for the victory!

WINNER: A.C.H. via pinfall in 9:42.

ANALYSIS: Good win for A.C.H. I liked how the announcers subtly built this up as a must-win for both wrestlers going into the match. Just a few quick words from the announcers gave this a sports-like feel and put something on the line. (**1/2)

Backstage: ReDRagon cut a tongue-in-cheek promo about their match against The Kingdom tonight. Bobby Fish called the Kingdom "jerks" and said they could either run away now, or stay in the way and get run over.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, ROH matchmaker Nigel McGuinness addressed the crowd. He talked about the 60-minute time-limit draw between ROH World & TV champion Jay Lethal and Roderick Strong at "Death Before Dishonor" last month. Nigel defended the decision not to go "five more minutes" because of concern over possible injuries. Nigel understood that the fans wanted to see a clear winner and a clear loser, and Roderick Strong agreed with him. Nigel said that Strong wanted a re-match and would receive it at the next set of TV tapings in Philadelphia on August 21.

McGuinness then announced that the winner of that match would defend the ROH World Title against Kyle O'Reilly at the All Star Extravaganza iPPV in September. He also announced that Bobby Fish will receive a shot at the ROH TV Championship on that show as well.

[Reax: Pretty anti-climactic, as Nigel didn't offer any reasoning for O'Reilly and Fish receiving their respective title shots. Combine that with the Baltimore crowd not being overly excited about all of these matches taking place in other cities, and this segment just felt like a dud.]

[Commercial Break]

2 -- HOUSE OF TRUTH (J. DIESEL & DONOVAN DIJAK w/ROH World & TV champion Jay Lethal & Truth Martini) vs. WAR MACHINE (HANSON & ROWE)

Lethal joined the commentary table for this match. J. Diesel looked like a little person standing next to Dijak, Hanson, and Rowe. Dijak and Diseel refused the Code of Honor and instead attacked their opponents. The bell rang and Diesel lifted up Rowe for a big boot from Dijak. The House of Truth isolated Rowe in the corner, while the announcers talked to Lethal about his many upcoming title defenses. Lethal laughed off the list of title defenses by saying he also had to "buy a new car next month, too."

Hanson got the tag and hit Dijak with his Cartwheel Clothesline. Hanson then piled Dijak and Diesel on the top rope and nailed them with forearm smashes. The heels fell down in the corner, which put them in perfect position for a double Bronco Buster from Hanson! Hanson then charged at Dijak, but ate a boot from the big man instead! Dijak isolated Hanson in the corner, but Hanson fought back and tagged in Rowe!

Rowe came in and hit throws on both Dijak and Diesel. He followed up by hitting Shotgun Knees on Dijak. Hanson tagged back in, as Rowe and Diesel brawled on the outside. Dijak nailed Hanson with a suplex and then Diesel snuck in and hit Hanson with a spear, which was good for a two count. The House of Truth went for a double-team, but Rowe yanked Diesel out of the ring. This allowed War Machine to double-team Dijak. Rowe hit a powerbomb, followed by a huge top-rope splash from Hanson! Diesel ran in, but Hanson nailed him with the Spinkick of Doom! War Machine then hit their Fallout finisher for the victory.

WINNERS: War Machine via pinfall in 4:50.

After the match, Lethal talked trash to Hanson, his opponent for the ROH TV Title in three weeks. They exchanged words until Lethal threw down his headset and walked to the back.

ANALYSIS: Nice win for War Machine. It looks like they are being built up to a title shot against ROH tag champions The Addiction, which should be a good program for both teams. Lethal was great on commentary, acting nonchalantly about having to defend both titles. The guy has come a long way on the mic since Black Machismo. (**)

[Commercial Break]

3 -- ADAM PAGE (w/B.J. Whitmer & Colby Corino) vs. TIM HUGHES

The Decade made their entrance, as clips from Death Before Dishonor aired of Page hitting his Rite of Passage piledriver on A.C.H. through a table at ringside. Colby had to lift Page's kneepads into position for him before the match. Page refused to shake hands with Hughes, as the the fans chanted "Let's go jobber!" The bell rang and Page immediately hit the Rite of Passage for the victory!

WINNER: Adam Page via pinfall in 0:22.

After the match, B.J. Whitmer entered the ring on his crutches and praised Page on the mic. Whitmer bashed ROH for giving Page such a "ham'n egger" of an opponent. Whitmer asked Page if he was ready. Page walked over and yelled for Jay Briscoe to come out and fight him! The announcers were incensed that Page would call out Jay Briscoe when they knew he wasn't in the building. Page then called Briscoe a "scared little tool" since he wouldn't come out and fight.

Whitmer left the ring and got in Corino's face. Whitmer said Corino should lose his commentary job for putting his hands on him a couple weeks ago on ROH TV. Corino responded by accusing Whitmer of faking his knee injury. Before things got out of hand, Nigel McGuinness came out and broke it up.

ANALYSIS: Very cool to see a up-and-coming guy like Adam Page get a total squash win like this. I am intrigued by a potential Decade-Briscoes feud, but I feel that A.C.H. really needs a big win over The Decade before the book is closed on that feud. (n/a)

[Commercial Break]

Steve Corino was shown being escorted to the back by Nigel McGuinness and ROH officials. Kevin Kelly threw to clips of Corino putting his hands on Whitmer two weeks ago on ROH TV. Kelly talked about the "big stink" Whitmer was making out of the incident all week and explained that Corino had left the broadcast position to cool off.

4 -- THE KINGDOM (MICHAEL BENNETT & MATT TAVEN w/Maria Kanellis) vs. REDRAGON (KYLE O'REILLY & BOBBY FISH)

All four men shook hands, as Fish comedically yelled out about being "sportsmen." The bell rang with O'Reilly and Taven starting out. Adam Cole walked down to ringside. Maria seemed unhappy, as Cole sat down with Kevin Kelly. O'Reilly and Taven felt each other out in the ring, while Cole said he was having trouble getting in touch with his fellow Kingdom members recently. Cole talked up his close personal friendship with O'Reilly, as O'Reilly applied a cross arm-breaker on Taven in the ring! Taven quickly broke free, as O'Reilly tagged Fish.

Taven tagged Bennett and then he and Fish tied up in the center. Fish took control after some kicks and then tagged O'Reilly. Kyle scored a quick nearfall and then tagged Fish again. Fish hit a springboard senton which was good for another nearfall. O'Reilly quickly tagged back in, but Bennett fought back and tagged Taven. O'Reilly was holding off both Kingdom members, as the show cut to a commercial at 4:00.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:00, O'Reilly had a cross arm-breaker on Taven in the ropes! O'Reilly let him go and then Fish kicked Taven's legs out from under him, while O'Reilly dove onto Bennett on the outside! Clips then aired from during the break where Fish took out the Kingdom with a flip dive to the outside. ReDRagon paid tribute to "Ravishing" Rick Rude with some hip gyrations in the ring. Maria distracted Kyle, which allowed Taven to kick O'Reilly to the outside. Taven threw O'Reilly into the hockey boards and stomped him.

Back in the ring, Taven tagged his partner. Bennett came in and applied a chin lock. O'Reilly fought out, but Bennett settled him back down with a Thesz Press and then a Steve Austin-like forearm smash on the mat! Taven tagged back in and shoved his boot in Kyle's face, but O'Reilly grabbed his leg and applied a hold! Bennett tagged in, however, and then the Kingdom hit a double dropkick on O'Reilly, which was good for a two count.

The Kingdom continued to double-team O'Reilly until a miscommunication caused Taven to clothesline Bennett! O'Reilly delivered several kicks to Taven and then made the hot tag to Fish! Fish came in and dominated Taven with some kicks. Fish went for an exploder suplex, but Taven blocked. After some jockeying for position, Fish hit the exploder on Taven and then hit a Samoan Drop on Bennett! O'Reilly reappeared and then reDRagon hit Taven with their backbreaker/knee drop combo!

ReDRagon called for Chasing the Dragon, but Taven broke free and hit Fish with a spin kick. Bennett came in, but O'Reilly jumped on his back and applied a chokehold. This put O'Reilly in place for the Kingdom's Proton Pack double-team, but Taven couldn't go for the pin because he wasn't the legal man. Instead, Bennett hit a Twist of Fate on Fish followed by a Swanton Bomb from Taven. The Kingdom went for their Hail Mary spike piledriver, but Fish reversed and then reDRagon hit a double-arm DDT/German suplex combo, which was an old Future Shock move.

Reset at 11:50, as O'Reilly and Bennett traded blows in the center. O'Reilly appeared to be coming out on top with his Ax and Smash combo, but Bennett reversed with a superkick! Taven hit an enziguiri on Fish, but then found himself on the receiving end of Ax and Smash from O'Reilly. Taven came right back, though, and nailed O'Reilly with spin kick. O'Reilly went for a rebound clothesline, but Bennet superkicked him in mid-rebound from the outside! The Kingdom then hit their Hail Mary spike piledriver on O'Reilly on the floor!

Fish was alone against Bennett and Taven. He fought them off for a moment, but Taven eventually nailed him with a superkick and then Bennett speared him. The Kingdom then hit Hail Mary on Fish for the victory!

WINNERS: The Kingdom via pinfall in 14:10.

Adam Cole was upset on commentary, citing that O'Reilly had neck issues in the past. After the match, the Kingdom were going for another Hail Mary on Fish, but Cole ran in and broke it up. Cole exchanged words with his Kingdom teammates, as the show faded to black.

ANALYSIS: Excellent match that built to a really hot finish. I was a little surprised to see reDRagon pinned cleanly, but it makes sense considering their upcoming singles title shots. I'm a little upset that the reDRagon-Addiction feud seems to be over (or on a long hiatus, at the very least), but the Adam Cole-reDRagon partnership is pretty intriguing. (***3/4)

FINAL REAX: This show had an old-school feel with several squash matches leading to a star-studded main event. I give ROH credit for staying true to its booking philosophy and not changing its TV format to be more WWE/TNA-like. That being said, it remains to be seen if an old-school format like this can build and sustain a TV audience in 2015. I personally enjoy it, but I wonder if it strikes the casual fan as "appointment television." It is hard to accurately compare ratings since ROH lost their 8:00 PM EST timeslot, but their numbers seem to fluctuate quite a bit on a week-to-week basis. Perhaps we will get a better indication of ROH's TV drawing power if the show is indeed the only wrestling show on Destination America come September.

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