2/3 ROH TV Results – ReDragon vs. ROH Champ & Adam Cole, Strong defends TV Title, more

ROH TV Report
Aired January 31, 2016 in syndication
Aired February 3, 2016 on Comet TV
Taped 1/9 in Charlotte, N.C.
Report by Mike Metzger (@md0uble), PWTorch contributor

The ROH TV opening aired. The clips within were changed up this week,
with A.J. Styles having been completely removed from the video
package.

1 – ROH TV champion RODERICK STRONG vs. MASADA – ROH TV Title match

Kevin Kelly billed this as the latest installment of “Roddy versus The
World,” while Mr. Wrestling III referred to it as “Mr. ROH versus Mr.
Deathmatch.” Both men shook hands and then the bell rang. There was a
Test of Strength. Masada came out on top at first, but Strong was able
to wrestle him to the mat. Masada was no slouch on the mat, himself,
as he was able to reverse into a leg lock. Roddy quickly reached the
ropes, however. Both men tied up in the center. They wrestled on the
mat some more, where Masada actually scored some leverage nearfalls.

A frustrated Roddy starting throwing punches at Masada, and then both
men exchanged chops in the center. They fought to the outside, where
Masada slammed Roddy on the floor. Masada threw Roddy back into the
ring, but Strong took advantage with a jumping knee and then a
backdrop onto the apron. The show cut to its first commercial at the
2:43 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:13, Masada was back in control He threw some chops at Roddy
and followed up with a short-arm clothesline. Masada hit a back
suplex, which was good for a two count. The replay showed that Strong
appeared to jam his knee into his nose during the fall. Masada
followed up with a Death Valley Driver and another two count. Masada
threw some more chops. He went for a suplex, but Roddy wriggled free
and hit an Olympic Slam!

A determined Roddy got to his feet and charged at Masada in the
corner. He hit a running back suplex and then covered Masada, but
could only get a two count. Masada fought back with a boot, and then
was able to apply a cross armbreaker! Roddy was quickly able to get to
the rope. Masada grabbed a foreign object of some sort out of his
shorts. He swung and missed, which allowed Roddy to grab it. Strong
attempted to hit Masada with it, but he was able to dodge it and
nailed Roddy with a piledriver. Masada then attempted to stab Roddy
with a shard of bamboo, but Roddy nailed him with a jumping knee for
the victory!

WINNER: Roderick Strong via pinfall in 8:55 to retain the ROH TV Title.

ANALYSIS: Fine for what it was. I liked the story of Masada
frustrating Strong with his mat wrestling. I thought Masada played the
hungry challenger role well with several pin attempts early on. He did
look a bit limited without being able to rely on the hardcore stuff.
Just standard stuff for Roddy, but that was fine given this was
basically an enhancement match for him. (**)

After the match, Bobby Fish’s voice rang out through the arena. He
mockingly referenced “Roddy versus The World.” Fish then brought up
Final Battle. He said that since then, Strong had defended his title
against “anyone and everyone… except Bobby Fish!”

Strong grabbed the mic and reminded Fish that he retained his title
against him at Final Battle. He talked to Fish condescendingly about
being an “old man.” Fish wouldn’t let up. Strong responded by telling
Bobby that he hated him, and then he demanded Fish leave his ring.
Fish still wouldn’t shut up, which prompted Strong to angrily leave
the arena. Fish closed by saying he had no better place to be than up
in Strong’s face.

ANALYSIS: Odd promo exchange. Strong should be the heel since he won
by nefarious means at Final Battle, but Fish came across as whiny and
annoying. I don’t think Fish was trying to act like a heel, but his
delivery needs some work if he’s going to be a solo babyface.

[Commercial Break]

Clips aired from last week on ROH TV when Michael Elgin challenged The
Briscoes to a match against him and Hiroshi Tanahashi at the 14th
Anniversary PPV on February 24. Apparently the match was made
official, as a match graphic then aired.

2 — COLBY CORINO (w/B.J. Whitmer) vs. PUNISHER MARTINEZ – Top
Prospect Tournament first-round match

Colby looked scrawnier than ever without a shirt. Punisher had a huge
height advantage. Colby threw some fists and then a kick. Colby
charged at Punisher, but Martinez sent him down to the mat hard with a
shoulder tackle. Martinez pummeled Colby, and then nailed him with two
running elbow smashes in the corner. Martinez hit a unique backbreaker
and went for a cover, but Colby kicked out at two. Light “Let’s go
Colby” chant from the crowd, as Martinez slammed Colby to the mat
hard. Martinez went for a Superman Punch, but Colby reversed with a
dropkick!

Colby hit a tuck-and-roll kick and then went for a cover, but Martinez
kicked out at two. Colby followed up with a charging dropkick into the
corner, and then a Jimmy Jacobs-esque springboard stunner out of the
same corner. Colby went for the cover, but Punisher kicked out and
then rolled to the outside.Colby was right behind him with a flip
dive! Colby went to follow up with a a hurricanrana off the apron, but
Martinez caught him and powerbombed him on the floor. Punisher then
powerbombed Comby onto the apron, Kevin Owens-style. Back in the ring,
Martinez hit a chokeslam for the victory.

WINNER: Punisher Martinez via pinfall in 3:25.

ANALYSIS: Not a total squash, as Colby got some hope spots in. Man,
does Colby look scrawny. I guess I understand why he’s being featured
on the show, but his physique is the definition of indy-riffic,
perhaps even backyard wrestler-riffic. Unless ROH ends up teaming him
with Cheeseburger as a comedy act, I don’t see the justification for
keeping him on the show, as it just makes ROH look bush league.
(*3/4)

After the match, B.J. Whitmer entered the ring with a mic.Colby looked
exhausted after the beating he’d taken. Whitmer demanded that Colby
ask his father to remove his mask. Mr. Wrestling III ignored the
pleas, and just looked on from the announce desk. Whitmer continued
stirring the pot, bringing up that Steve Corino spent the holidays
with his new family and his new son, instead of with Colby. Whitmer
demanded Mr. Wrestling III remove the mask again, to no avail

Whitmer suddenly grabbed Colby by the neck. He accused Colby of
sneaking away at Christmas to call his father. Whitmer called it a
betrayal, but quickly forgave Colby. He could not forgive the sins of
his father, however, as Whitmer hit four consecutive Exploder suplexes
on Colby. Mr. Wrestling III said nothing, as Whitmer dragged Colby’s
lifeless body over to the announce desk. Mr. Wrestling III got in
Whitmer’s face at ringside. Whitmer accused Mr. Wrestling III of
sacrificing his son for his own selfishness. Mr. Wrestling III had no
response, as Kevin Kelly demanded the show cut to a break.

ANALYSIS: Yet another chapter in the Steve Corino-B.J. Whitmer saga.
The big payoff is coming one of these days…

[Commercial Break]

Clips aired from last week’s episode, when ROH matchmaker Nigel
McGuinness announced that Jay Lethal would defend the ROH World Title
against both Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly in a three-way at the 14th
Anniversary PPV.

Ringside: Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness hyped the 14th Anniversary
PPV main event. They then commented on clips of Mr. Wrestling III
helping Colby Corino to the back during the previous commercial break.

3 — ROH World champion JAY LETHAL (w/Truth Martini and Taeler Hendrix) & ADAM COLE vs. REDRAGON (KYLE O’REILLY & BOBBY FISH)

Lethal shook hands with his opponents, while Cole did not. Lethal and
O’Reilly were set to start the match. O’Reilly wanted Cole, however,
and Lethal obliged by tagging his partner. Cole entered, but quickly
tagged back out. Fish yelled, “there’s no shame in being a little
girl, Cole,” as O’Reilly and Lethal wrestled on the mat. There was a
stalemate at the 1:30 mark. Lethal went for a sunset flip, but
O’Reilly was able to reverse into an cross armbreaker. Lethal quickly
got to the bottom rope, however.

Fish tagged in and then reDRagon double-teamed Lethal for a moment.
Fish scored a couple of nearfalls on Lethal, before tagging O’Reilly
back in. Kyle worked on the left arm with some knee strikes. Fish
tagged in and continued to work the same arm. Lethal was able to
escape and tag Cole. They tried to double-team, but Fish backdropped
Lethal to the outside. Fish nailed Cole with a shot to the
mid-section. He tried to tag O’Reilly, but Cole held him at bay. A
distraction from Lethal allowed Cole to nail Fish with a neckbreaker
over the knee, which was good for a two count.

Lethal dragged Fish to the outside and then threw him into the hockey
boards at ringside. Back in the ring, Cole stomped Fish in the corner
and then did his “Adam Cole, bay bay” pose. The show then cut to a
break at the 5:15 mark of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:15, the heels were double-teaming Fish in their corner. Cole
drove his knee into Fish’s back a few times. He tried to hit O’Reilly
with a cheap shot on the apron, but Kyle hit him with a strike of his
own! Cole responded by spitting in O’Reilly’s face! Kyle tried to run
in, but was held back by referee Todd Sinclair. This allowed the heels
to double-team Fish some more behind the ref’s back. Lethal dropkicked
Fish on the mat and then posed for the crowd. Cole tagged in, but Fish
began fighting back against both Cole in the ring and Lethal on the
apron.

Fish hit Cole with a back suplex and then struggled to get over to his
corner. He eventually made the hot tag to O’Reilly, while Cole tagged
Lethal. O’Reilly nailed Lethal with a flurry of strikes and kicks.
O’Reilly then turned his attnetion to Cole and hit a running knee off
the apron! Back in the ring, Lethal tried to counter a bulldog, but
O’Reilly reversed him into a Tornado DDT! He went for another cross
armbreaker, but Cole ran in to break it up. Cole and Lethal went to
double-team O’Reilly, but Kyle sent Cole to the outside where Fish
then drove him into the barricade!

In the ring, O’Reilly and Lethal traded blows in the center at the
10:00 mark. Fish re-entered and then he and O’Reilly hit their Two-Man
Smash Machine combo. O’Reilly went for the cover, but Lethal kicked
out at two! ReDRagon went for Chasing the Dragon, but Lethal was able
to wriggle free. Cole reappeared and hit O’Reilly with a bicycle kick.
Cole then nailed Fish with a superkick, immediately followed up by a
Lethal Combination from the champ. Cole was right there with a Shining
Wizard, but he couldn’t put Fish away! Amazing sequence, as the show
cut to a late break at the 11:25 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 12:25, Lethal came off the top with his Hail to the King elbow
smash on Fish, but O’Reilly broke up the pin attempt! Martini was
frustrated on the outside, as Lethal and Fish traded blows in the
center. Fish went for a single leg and followed up with a dragon screw
legwhip. Both men were down, as they inched over to their respective
corners. Both men made the tag and it was O’Reilly and Cole,
one-on-one!

Cole and O’Reilly traded blows furiously, until Kyle came out on top
after several forearm strikes. Lethal reappeared, but O’Reilly made
short work of him. Cole capitalized on the distraction with a German
suplex on O’Reilly. Kyle came right back with a roaring elbow, but
Cole countered with a superkick! O’Reilly bounced right back with a
rebound lariat that missed Cole, but hit Lethal! Unfortunately for
O’Reilly, Cole was right there with another superkick! Fish reappeared
and nailed Cole with an Exploder suplex in the corner!

After the smoke cleared, it was Lethal and O’Reilly. Lethal hit an
enziguri and a superkick. He went for a Lethal injection, but Fish
shoved Cole into directly into Lethal’s finisher! ReDRagon threw
Lethal out of the ring and hit Chasing the Dragon on Cole. O’Reilly
then covered Cole for the victory!

WINNERS: ReDRagon via pinfall in 15:14.

ANALYSIS: Stellar main event. This had all the ingredients of a
classic- a slow build that culminated into a couple of amazing
sequences from four of the best wrestlers in the industry. While this
match made more excited to see Lethal-Cole-O’Reilly, I just hope that
they saved something for the PPV. (***3/4, maybe ****)

Next Week: War Machine defend the ROH World Tag Team Titles against
The All Night Express!

FINAL REAX: Another week, another ROH TV episode. Bigger picture
issues aside, tonight’s main event is certainly worth going out of
your way to see. ROH has something special with Lethal, O’Reilly, and
Cole. Now that they are all under contract for the near future, it’s
time for ROH to build the promotion around them, along with rising
stars Dalton Castle and Donovan Dijak. If not, ROH will continue to
slip further and further away from relevancy, and that can be very
dangerous in today’s over-saturated pro wrestling landscape.