3/9 ROH TV Report – Top Prospect Finals, Daniels vs. Dalton Castle, more

ROH TV Report
Aired March 6, 2016 in syndication
Aired March 9, 2016 on Comet TV
Taped 2/6 in Nashville, Tenn.
Report by Mike Metzger (@md0uble), PWTorch contributor

Backstage: Soothing spa music played, as Dalton Castle reminisced
about just the other night when he and “the boys” were enjoying a
lavender-scented salt bath and sipping on mojitos. It occurred to him
that he was very hungry. Despite having a mouth full of macaroons
already, it wasn’t sweets he was craving- it was victories. Castle has
his eyes set on the moon, and then promised to break Christopher
Daniels’s heart tonight.

The ROH TV opening aired.

Brian Fury walked slowly to the ring for the finals of the Top
Prospect Tournament. Clips aired from last week when he promised Kevin
Kelly he would win the tourney. Lio Rush then made his entrance, as
clips aired of his post-match interview from last week’s episode.
Kevin Kelly and Mr. Wrestling III really sold how Rush took a beating
from Punisher Martinez last week, despite getting the victory.

1 – BRIAN FURY vs. LIO RUSH – Top Prospect Tournament finals

Both men shook hands and then the bell rang. Fury had a five-inch
height advantage on Rush. They felt each other out for the first 30
seconds. Rush hit a drop toe hold and then a front chancery, but Fury
was able to wrestle his way out. Both men jockeyed for position until
they made their way over to a corner. The ref called for a clean
break, but Fury threw an elbow.

Both men ran the ropes. Rush broke into a flurry of acrobatics and
then a jumping enziguri that knocked Fury to the outside. Lio followed
up with a big dive! Rush threw some chops at Fury. Rush charged at
him, but Fury easily catapulted him into the barricade, as the show
cut to its first break at the 2:36 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 5:06, Rush was fighting out from underneath. He ran the ropes,
but ran right into Fury’s elbow. Fury went for the cover, but Rush
kicked out. He fought back with a dropkick and then some forearm
smashes. Rush hit a couple of impressive strikes and kicks, but Fury
came right back with a clothesline that turned Rush inside-out.

Both men began trading blows in the center at the 6:30 mark. Fury came
out on top with headbutt. He went for a pop-up powerbomb, but Rush
reversed into a hurricanrana! He followed up with a Tornado DDT and
then went for the cover, but Fury kicked out at two. Rush hit an
enziguri, but Fury picked him up and hit him with a modified Gory Bomb
and another nearfall. Fury positioned Rush up top and then hit him
with a stiff chop. He went for a superplex, but Rush headbutted him to
the mat and then hit a huge frogsplash! He covered Fury, but could
only get a two-count!

There was a slight dueling chant. Rush went for a sunset flip, but
Fury reversed. He held onto the rope, but referee Todd Sinclair caught
him and then kicked his arm off the rope, which allowed Rush to
roll-up Fury for two!  Fury hit a pop-up powerbomb, and went for the
cover, but somehow Rush kicked out! They jockeyed for position again,
until Rush hit his John Morrison/Sin Cara-style jumping moonsault side
slam for the victory!

WINNER: Lio Rush via pinfall at 9:51 to win the 2016 Top Prospect Tournament.

After the match, ROH matchmaker Nigel Mcguinness and ROH ambassador
Cary Silkin came out to congratulate Lio Rush.

ANALYSIS: The wrong guy definitely went over here. Lio Rush is very
impressive, but the last thing ROH needs is yet another undersized,
high-flying underdog. This role is already filled by A.C.H., who
hasn’t really moved up the card at all in that spot. I was really
liking Fury playing the grizzled veteran who was skillfully able to
cheat with plausible deniability. Oh well. (**1/2)

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish cut a promo. Fish talked up
the tag division, and then hyped a 7-team Tag Team Gauntlet match next
week on ROH TV. Fish wondered if people realized that 7 was his lucky
number. O’Reilly talked up reDRagon’s chances, claiming that no one
could touch them.

Moose was out next. On commentary, Kevin Kelly wondered about “Big
Stoke’s” whereabouts. Mr. Wrestling III had it on good authority that
Stokely wanted to see if Moose could handle things on his own. Mr.
Wrestling III then referenced Moose’s match against Kazuchika Okada in
the vaguest of terms. (Like he had no idea Moose would be losing to
Okada when this was taped…)

2 – MOOSE vs. KONGO

There was no handshake, as both men stared each other down. Kongo had
appeared previously on ROH TV. He basically plays a fat, barefooted
South American warrior. Both men traded blows to start. Kongo seemed
to get the upper hand. He charged at Moose, but the former NFL player
met him with a back elbow. Kongo bounced back with a big splash onto
Moose in the ropes. Moose came right back with a beautiful dropkick
that sent Kongo to the outside.

Kongo drove Moose’s back into the ring frame. He grabbed his opponent,
but Moose reversed and threw Kongo into the hockey boards at ringside.
Kongo then hit a reversal of his own and tossed Moose into the
barricade, followed up with a huge Cannonball! Back in the ring, Kongo
splashed Moose in the corner and then snapmared him to the mat. He hit
a splash and went for the cover, but Moose kicked out at two. Kongo
followed up with some headbutts while Moose was down at the mat. Kongo
kept pounding on him, but Moose resiliently got to his feet. He nailed
Kongo and then splashed him in the corner 3 consecutive times!

Moose threw punches as the fans chanted, “Moose!” Kongo broke it up
with an exploder suplex, but Moose got right up to his feet! He hit a
discus clothesline and went for the cover, but Kongo kicked out! Moose
hit some headbutts on Kongo, but the South American warrior bounced
off the ropes with a huge pounce, followed by another nearfall. Kongo
measured Moose, before splashing him in the corner. He went for
another splash, but Moose came out of the corner with a bicycle kick
and then a flying cross body off the top rope! Moose then hit a spear
for the win.

WINNER: Moose via pinfall in 5:03.

ANALYSIS: Good win for Moose. Hey, ROH, why not push this guy as a
challenger for Jay Lethal? Even if it’s just a one-off, it could be
good experience for Moose and it would give ROH fans something to talk
about. (**1/4)

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: The Young Bucks talked up best week’s Tag Team Gauntlet.
Nick said that the reason they signed was to be part of ROH’s stacked
tag division. That’s an understatement. Matt wanted competition and to
“play with the big boys.” They said it would be “Young Bucks versus
the world” and there was a superkick party invitation for the rest of
the teams.

Clips then aired of Mike “P Dogg” Posey and his “Getalong Gang”
freestyling in the ring earlier in the evening. Posey insulted the
crowd, which brought out Cheeseburger to break up the shenanigans.
Cheeseburger got in some offense, but the numbers game was too much
for him. It all went downhill when Cheeseburger stopped himself from
palm-striking one of the female members of Posey’s posse.

Merica, a tall, muscular woman from Posey’s posse, proceeded to get in
Cheeseburger’s face. Cheeseburger hesitated, but then nailed her with
a  palm strike! Cheeseburger threw one more big palm strike at Posey.
For those who don’t remember, it was New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Jushin
“Thunder” Liger who taught Cheeseburger the dreaded palm stike last
year. Believe it or not, this whole thing served as a chance for Kevin
Kelly to hype that the stars of NJPW would be featured on ROH TV
starting in two weeks.

Two weeks ago: Veda Scott offered Jonathan Gresham a large sum of
money if he forfeited his ROH TV Title opportunity against Roderick
Strong. Gresham, who has been a thorn in the side of Veda Scott and
Cedric Alexander in recent weeks, flat-out refused.

3 – CEDRIC ALEXANDER (w/Veda Scott) vs. ADAM PAGE

Page came out to what sounded like a remixed version of The Decade’s
theme. Page posed in a corner, but out of nowhere, B.J. Whitmer ran
out and attacked him from behind. Whitmer hit an exploder suplex into
the corner and then viciously stomped Page on the mat. The bell rang
several times, as Cedric joined in and stomped Page as well. Jonathan
Gresham appeared. He went after Cedric, as Page came to life against
Whitmer. The babyfaces stood tall, as Whitmer and Cedric retreated.

WINNER: No match.

Page grabbed the microphone and promised Whitmer that it wasn’t over
between them. Whitmer agreed, and then walked to the back.

ANALYSIS: The Decade saga gets tangled up with this bland
Cedric-Gresham feud. Great.

[Commercial Break]

Last week: Silas Young and Beer City Bruiser defeated “the boys” in a
match where Silas put his career on the line. The heels beat down “the
boys” after the match. Dalton Castle tried to make the save, but the
numbers game was too much for him.

Silas Young joined the commentators at ringside for the main event
between Dalton Castle and Silas Young. Kelly echoed the sentiments of
many ROH fans when he asked Silas when he was going to “let this go
with Dalton Castle.” Silas deflected the question, as Daniels made his
entrance. Silas downplayed his feud with Castle, instead claiming that
Daniels asked him to be out there. Castle walked out and proclaimed
himself, “the future champion of everything.”

[Commercial Break]

4 – DALTON CASTLE (w/”the boys”) vs. CHRISTOPHER DANIELS (w/Frankie Kazarian)

Castle adhered to the Code of Honor by softly clasping his hands
around Daniels’s, and then slowly pulling them away. The bell rang, as
Daniels looked a bit perturbed. There were a couple of false starts.
before Silas Young stood up and Castle took notice. Daniels and Castle
tied up. There was a clean break in the corner, followed by Castle
doing his peacock pose. Daniels hit a shoulder tackle and then mocked
Castle. Dalton took a break and got fanned by “the boys” in the
corner.

They ran the ropes again, until there was a stalemate at the 2:30
mark. Castle again leaned all the way back in his signature pose.
Daniels tried to match him, but leaned too far back and fell to the
mat. Cute spot. Castle took control with some mat wrestling. He picked
up Daniels for a gut wrench. Daniels tried to reverse, but Castle was
able to hang on and slam Daniels to the mat! Daniels fought back with
a strike to the throat. He climbed up top, but Castle kicked his legs
out from under him, and then hit a running boot from the apron!

They brawled on the outside, where Castle regained control. He went
for a hurricanrana off the ring apron, but Daniels reversed by tossing
Dalton into the barricade. Daniels took control in the ring, as
Kazarian complained to the commentators that “the boys” didn’t have a
manger’s license. Daniels rammed Castle in the mid-section and then
dropped an elbow, which was good for a nearfall. Daniels threw Castle
chest-first into the corner. He followed up with some knee strikes and
applied a rest hold, as the show cut to its final break at the 5:50
point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:50, Daniels was still in control. He grabbed Castle by the
chin and then punched him in the gut a couple times. He followed with
a knee to the head. Castle fought back with an elbow and then some
chops. He ran the ropes and nailed Daniels with a clothesline! Castle
hit a running knee and then an exploder suplex, before yelling out
like a peacock. He charged at Daniels, but ran into his boot. Daniels
came off the ropes, but Castle caught him and followed up with an
overhead suplex!

Castle picked up Daniels for a delayed German suplex, which was good
for another nearfall. Daniels rammed Castle into the corner, but
walked right into a forearm from Dalton. Daniels ducked a charge,
which sent Castle to the outside. They brawled around ringside, and
this time Castle was able to hit his patented hurricanrana off the
apron. Kaz tried to get involved, but Castle held him at bay. He went
for a flying cross body in the ring, but Daniels ducked out of the
way. Daniels was about to use a weapon, but he got distracted by “the
boys” on the apron. Castle went for the Bangarang, but Kaz grabbed
Dalton’s leg from the outside, which allowed Daniels to reverse into
Angel’s Wings for the victory!

WINNER: Christopher Daniels via pinfall in 10:30.

After the match, Daniels and Kaz talked trash to Castle and “the
boys,” as they retreated up the aisle way. Silas Young got on the
apron and had some words of his own for Castle, claiming that Castle
“couldn’t beat anybody.” Castle was being fanned by “the boys,” before
one of them handed him a mic. He said that he normally thought what
came out of Silas’s mouth was “absolute trash,” but tonight he was
correct. Castle was confused because he thought of himself as
“fantastic” and then reiterated his mission to “win every championship
that this world has to offer.”

Dalton said he couldn’t accomplish that goal while being focused so
much on Silas. Dalton thought that he and Silas were done, but said he
felt on the inside like Young’s face looked on the outside. Castle
offered to end the feud in the only appropriate way- in a “Fight
without Honor!” Silas nodded his head, as the show faded to black.

ANALYSIS: Basic match between these guys. Not sure why Castle lost
here. It would’ve made more sense if Silas interfered instead of Kaz.
Interference or not, Castle should’t be needlessly losing to anyone at
this point, as he is perhaps the most buzz-worthy act in the entire
promotion right now. I did like Dalton’s mission statement, though,
and it looks like the light at the end of the 10-month Silas
Young-Dalton Castle tunnel is finally near. (**1/4)

FINAL REAX: Maintenance show. Lio Rush winning the Top Prospect
Tournament was newsworthy, although follow-up is really key. Other
than that, ROH fans were just treated to the latest chapters of the
Page-Whitmer and Castle-Young storylines. With stories moving at such
a glacial pace, it’s no surprise that wrestling fans in general are
not excited ROH right now.