RADICAN’S ROH “Global Wars 2016” PPV Blog Review

ROH “Global Wars” PPV Blog
May 8, 2016
Chicago, Ill.
Report by Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist

(1) Roderick Strong vs. Adam Page vs. A.C.H. vs. Dalton Castle (w/The Boys) in a Four-way ROH World TV Title #1 Contender match. The match started slowly, but they built up to a series of dives to the floor capped by Air Jordan from A.C.H. Castle ended up hitting the bang-a-rang on Strong right onto Page. Castle then made the cover and it was good for the win.  (**1/2)

(2) The Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) vs. Cheeseburger & Jushin Liger. Liger woke up the crowd when he tagged in for the first time. Burger eventually got cut off when Daniels grabbed him from the outside. The Addiction then began working him over. Burger finally cut off Daniels and Liger got the hot tag and ran wild. The Addiction caught Liger with celebrity rehab, but Burger broke up the pin. Daniels ducked a shotei from Burger. They went back and forth and Burger rolled up Daniels for the win. (**1/2)

After the match, The Addiction attacked Liger and Burger as the crowd booed. The Addiction ended up hitting the best Meltzer ever on Burger.

(3) ROH World Tag Team champions War Machine (Hanson & Rowe) vs. The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe). Mark got isolated during the early going by War Machine. The Briscoes mounted a comeback and Jay got the legal tag. The Briscoes hit a double suplex on Hanson and began working them over. Mark took a sick bump taking a back drop over the top to the floor. Rowe tagged himself in and the action broke down. Hanson wiped out everyone with a nice dive through the ropes. Jay put Hanson through a table with a double stomp off the apron, but the live cameras missed it.

Back inside the ring, The Briscoes went to work on Hanson. Rowe and Jay both hit suplexed on each other and no-sold them. They went back and forth and Hanson recovered and got into the ring. Hanson ran wild. A few moments later.everyone was down after Mark took a huge clothesline from Hanson. Hanson kicked out of a splash from Jay and a froggy-bow from Mark to a good pop for a near fall. Rowe hit a powerbomb, but Hanson missed a moonsault on Jay. Jay hit the Jay-driller, but Hanson kicked out.

Rowe saved Hanson from the Doomesday device. Mark eventually took fallout from War Machine and Hanson jumped over Rowe while he was making the pin to dropkick Jay, who was trying to make the save. The ref counted to three and the fans booed. This was good, but the poor booking of both teams muted the crowd reaction to the finish. (***1/4)

(4) IWGP Hvt. champion Tetsuya Naito vs. Kyle O’Reilly. Naito threw his belt down on the entrance ramp as be made his way down to the ring. Naito shook hands with the ref, but not O’Reilly. The fans were way into both guys during the early going. Naito sent O’Reilly to the floor and teased a dive, but ended up hitting his tranquilo pose. The crowd seemed to be favoring Naito over O’Reilly during the early going. Naito got the upper hand and went to worn on O’Reilly. O’Reilly fired back and took out Naito with his signature strike and kick combination. O’Reilly went after Naito’s arm and got the Fujiwara armbar eventually, but Naito got the ropes. Naito fired back with a tornado DDT and both men were down.

They went back and forth and O’Reilly hit a big knee strike. They went back and forth again and O’Reilly hit a rebound lariat that left both men down on the mat. Naito fired back and went for destino, but O’Reilly countered with a Regal-plex for a near fall. O’Reilly blocked Destino again, but ate a spine buster and Destino for the win. This seemed more like an exhibition than a match. I never thought Naito was in danger. (**3/4)

Naito attacked O’Reilly after the match and kicked him the nuts. He then tossed his title down and left for the belt.

(5) Michael Elgin & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Moose & Kazuchika Okada (w/Stokely Hathaway & Gedo). Tanahashi and Okada kicked things off and the fans went nuts. The crowd booed Moose and Elgin tagging in. Elgin hit a long delayed vertical suplex on Moose that was impressive, but Moose popped right up and hit the Moose punches. Elgin cut him off and tagged in Tanahashi who tried to hit Tanahashi punches on Moose, but Moose cut him off and hit a big shoulder block. Moose and Okada hit stereo dropkicks on their opponents in the corner and the fans fired up big time for Okada and Moose. Moose hit a big splash over the ringpost to the floor to take out Tanahashi and Elgin. Okada then went to work on Tanahashi back inside the ring. The pace picked up with Elgin running wild. He hit an impressive slingshot power slam on Okada at one point. Elgin ended a big exchange with Moose with a huge clothesline.

The crowd seemed to dampen as the match went on. Okada ended a big
sequence with Tanahashi with a DDT. He followed up with an uppercut for a 2 count. Tanahashi and Okada both went for the rainmaker, but both men ducked it. Tanahashi finally hit a slug blade and Elgin for the tag. Tanahashi fed Okada to Elgin, who hit a big power slam off the turnbuckles. Elgin then slammed Tanahashi onto Okada, but Moose saved the pin. The crowd fell silent as Elgin hit a buckle bomb. Okada fired right back with a neck breaker over his knee and both men were down. The crowd fired up with a this is awesome chant. Elgin ended up taking a spear from Moose and then a rainmaker from Okada that was good for the win. Good match. The crowd was dead at times, but came up for the finish. (***)

(6) ROH World TV champion Tomohiro Ishii vs. Bobby Fish. Ishii wore down Fish with big chops and strikes. Fish fired back and hit several kicks to the leg before decking Ishii with a kick to the chest. Fish hit a clothesline, but Ishii fired back with a headbutt and both men went down as the crowd fired up. Ishii hit a delayed suplex, but Fish kicked out at 2 after kicking out earlier in the match. Ishii hit a powerbomb, but Fish kicked out again! Fish hit some light kicks to Ishii’s head on the apron.

Ishii woke up and they went back and forth. Fish got chopped in the throat, but he kicked Ishii’s legs out after spilling to the floor. Fish barely beat the 20 count as both men were down on the outside and Ishii got back into the ring first. Fish worked a sleeper and then hit several elbows. Fish ended up with a back mount and the ref called for the bell. Holy s—! What a match! (****1/4)

(7) IWGP Jr. Hvt. champion KUSHIDA & IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team champion Matt Sydal & Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Bullet Club (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson & IWGP Hvt. Tag Team champions Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa. Mr. Wrestling 3 said he had spent six grand on a superkick counter just for this match. Sabin and Sydal hit a double dive through the ropes during the early going to wipe out BC. The fans fired up for that spot. The YB cleared the ring a short time later and set up for The Terminator dive, but Sabin and Shelley cut them off with a double superkick. Mr. Wrestling 3 said they didn’t count as superkicks. The YB parents were shown watching at ringside.

Loa tagged in and dominated Shelley with his power. Shelley cut off the YB and tagged in KUSHIDA, who ran wild. The YB still hadn’t hit a superkick in the match, so the meter read zero. The YB never hit a superkick, but they managed to finish off Shelley with the Meltzer driver. This match felt more like an exhibition than a real contest where something was on the line. (**1/2)

B.J. Whitmer came out dressed like the Masked Superstar. He tore his mask off and said he was frustrated. He handed Mr. Wrestling 3 a flash drive and told him to watch it in his hotel room and think long and hard about what he’s doing.

Nigel McGuinness came out to do commentary for the main event. Colt Cabana came out to a big pop in his hometown.

(8) ROH World champion Jay Lethal (w/Taeler Hendrix) vs. Colt Cabana. The fans really fired up for Cabana before the opening bell. Hendrix tried to distract Cabana on the outside, but he managed to side-step a dive from Lethal. The fans really fired up and chanted for Cabana. Hendrix tried to distract Cabana again, but he managed to backdrop Lethal to the floor. Hendrix finally grabbed Cabana and Lethal nailed him with a series of dives. McGuinness yelled at Hendrix and the ref threw her out. Cabana mounted a comeback and both men were down after he hit a huge clothesline. Lethal fired back and hit hail to the king for a 2 count. They battled up top and Cabana hit Chicago skyline for a near fall. Cabana stopped Lethal from going for the Lethal injection and applied the Billy Goat’s curse. Hendrix pulled the ref out, though, effectively ending the match.

The Young Bucks came down to ringside and missed Hendrix with a double superkick, hitting the ref. They then hit Hendrix with a double superkick. They handed BC shirts to Cabana and Lethal. The lights went out and when they came back on Cole was in the ring with a BC shirt. The fans went nuts and the YB hit superkicks on Cabana and Lethal.

Cole cut a promo and said this is their house. Security tried to run down, but ate a bunch of superkicks. Matt got on commentary and told Mr. Wrestling 3 to put up his counter, which filled up as he screamed superkick over and over. Tonga and Loa came out and joined in on the fun. Tonga spray painted BC on a table before putting a security guard through it. Nick spray painted BC over a guardrail. The YB double superkicked Kelly and MW3. Matt and Nick did JR style commentary. Tonga tied Lethal to the top rope with a zip tie. Cole then superkicked Lethal over and over. Cole held up the title and the fans booed. Cabana took several superkicks from the YB on the floor as the meter filled.

The YB’s father got into the ring and seemed to ask what they were doing. Cole went after him, but the YB stopped him. They then decked their own dad with a double superkick. They knocked out a cameraman who left the camera in the ring. BC posed for the camera to end the show.

Overall Score: 4.5. More explanation in this week’s PWTorch Newsletter Roundtable Review.

***

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