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ROH TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 18, 2018
TAPED IN NASHVILLE, TENN. AT MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM
AIRED ON SINCLAIR AFFILIATES & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
[Q1] Christopher Daniels and Scorpio Sky were backstage. Daniels spoke about the debut of SoCal Uncensored at Final Battle and their subsequent attacks on The Young Bucks and Adam Page. The end is near. Daniels and Sky began an S-C-U chant.
The ROH six-man champions were elsewhere backstage. Nick Jackson was excited to take them on tonight. They showed off the new six-man belts. Page got fired up and started shouting about how he’d break their backs, their necks… The Bucks tried to calm him down. They tried to get him to sing the “BTE is drug free, and that’s the way to be” jingle with them but he was still too crazed.
-Opening theme.
(1) FLIP GORDON vs. JAY LETHAL
Riccaboni discussed some of the matches on the Honor Rising event happening this weekend in Japan including Beretta vs. Dalton Castle for the ROH World Championship. Lethal with a shoulder block. Gordon with a standing 450 to flip over Lethal on the mat. Lethal went for a cutter but Gordon countered into a handstand, preventing him from crashing to the mat. [C]
Gordon hit two running dropkicks in the corner. Lethal avoided a third. Lethal went for a cover following an Irish whip into the corner. Knees to the back and another cover. Backbreaker and another cover attempt from Lethal. Gordon managed to catch him with him an enziguiri and hit a suicide dive onto Lethal at ringside. Lethal dumped him out the other side of the ring and returned the favor. Both men attempted a second suicide dive but both dodged it. Gordon caught him with a corkscrew flip on the floor. [C]
[Q2] Gordon and Lethal faced off mid-ring. They both pulled their elbow pads off and exchanged forearms to the face. Lethal with a figure four attempt but Gordon rolled him up for two. Gordon avoided a Lethal Injection and hit a springboard slingblade. Samoan pop and Pele kick from Gordon for two. With Lethal seated on the top rope Gordon hit a Kinder surprise but Lethal got Gordon into Styles Clash position and transitioned into a figure four. Gordon made it to the ropes. Gordon unloaded with chops, kicks, and a jumping knee. Gordon tried for a springboard stunner but slipped off the middle rope and Lethal took advantage with a dragon suplex. Lethal Injection for the win.
WINNER: Jay Lethal in 15:47.
-As Lethal made his way up the ramp he was met by Colt Cabana with some breaking news. At ROH’s 16th Anniversary Pay-Per-View on March 9 it will be Jay Lethal vs. Dalton Castle for the ROH World Championship. Lethal vowed to be a two-time… Marty Scurll stormed out of the back and grabbed the microphone. He asked who’s giving the title matches as he’s had zero world title shots joining ROH. Lethal got pissed and argued that his track record speaks for itself, including beating Scurll at Final Battle. Scurll said he wants to be Lethal’s first challenger after Lethal beats Castle for the title. Lethal gauged the crowd reaction and agreed. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: Slow but methodical through the middle. Lethal’s in-ring IQ and storytelling ability was on display here. This was a good reminder of why he’s one of the best in the company. Gordon looked good in defeat, as always. The tale of the ending was that Gordon made one mistake and Lethal, the pro that he is, capitalized. Lethal and Castle has been building since the first episode of the year. Lethal remains the face of ROH so a win over him on the 16th anniversary show and first ppv of the year will continue to help establish Castle as champion. Scurll and Matt Taven are both chasing the championship as well, though going about it in completely different ways.)
-Video package on Brandi Rhodes and Karen Q. Rhodes labeled herself the biggest underdog in the tournament. She’s been wrestling less than two years but she trains every day. Rhodes spoke respectfully of Q, who smugly listed off her recent victories over Deonna, Sumie, and Stella. Rhodes’ qualifying match for this tournament was her first win in ROH. Q was ringside during that match. Rhodes claimed she was trying to distract her and cause her to lose; Q claimed the only reason Rhodes won was due to her presence. Rhodes described her winning the tournament as a Cinderella story.
(2) KAREN Q vs. BRANDI RHODES – WOMEN OF HONOR CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT EIGHTH-FINAL MATCH
[Q3] Q attacked Rhodes from behind while she was posing in the corner before the bell. Arm drag from Rhodes. Dropkick and Q begged off in the corner, before suckering Rhodes in. Q choked Rhodes in the corner with her foot. Handspring forearm and running kicks from Q. [C]
Standing moonsault from Q for two. Rhodes rolled out of the way of a top rope frog-splash. Rhodes unloaded with chops. Slingblade from Rhodes for two. Back elbow landed but Q avoided a missile dropkick and locked Rhodes in a Boston crab. Rope break. Rhodes leapt over Q but landed awkwardly on her ankle and collapsed to the mat. As the ref checked on her, Rhodes revealed that she was faking and rolled up Q for the win.
WINNER: Brandi Rhodes in 7:30.
(Pageot’s Perspective: I’m really appreciating the video packages before the matches. They’re simple but they give each woman mic time and a chance to define their characters. A lot of the lower-card men would benefit from something like this as well. Q played a strong heel here and Rhodes was the plucky underdog. This was a nice dynamic following last week’s face/face match. Having the wife of one of the top heels in the company playing the babyface seems like an odd decision but I guess they know she’ll be cheered regardless so let’s just go with it. And she was. But it’s also clear that Rhodes should probably not be wrestling on television yet or picking up wins over much more polished competitors like Q. She was pretty green in this match and the fact that the first two people to advance in the tournament were gorgeous women who aren’t very good wrestlers (yet) is a bad look for Women Of Honor. Rhodes faces the winner of Stacy Shadows vs. Tenille Dashwood in the next round.)
-Dalton Castle and The Boys were backstage. Castle began his promo by talking about bean bag chairs and baby bunnies when Marty Scurll interrupted. Scurll reminded Castle that he beat him in his very first ROH match. Scurll requested that he be first in line should Castle defeat Lethal. Castle said that he doesn’t know what he’s asking for.
-Both teams made their entrance for the main event with the Bucks one-sweeting fans in the aisle. [C]
(3A) SOCAL UNCENSORED (“The Heavy Metal Rebel” Frankie Kazarian, “Almighty” Christopher Daniels, & Scorpio Sky) vs. THE HUNG BUCKS (Adam Page, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson) – ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Page and Kaz renewed their long rivalry, firing away with punches. Page clubbed down Kaz in the corner. Sky and Daniels cleared the Bucks from the apron and stomped away at Page. The Bucks returned to clear house. Page with a dropsault onto Daniels.
[Q4] The heels called for a time out at ringside and thought about leaving but Nick cut them off with a senton over the ropes. Triple suicide dives through the ropes from the champs. Page with a lariat for two. SoCal triple-teamed Page at ringside while the Bucks complained to the referee. If SoCal win here Daniels becomes the first ROH grand slam champion. [C]
Page fought out of the heel corner. Double clothesline left Page and Kaz down in the ring. Daniels and Matt tagged in. The Bucks took out Daniels and Sky with all of their signature offense. Frog-splash from Nick and standing moonsault from Matt for a two count on Daniels. Kaz and Sky prevented a Meltzer Driver. Matt unloaded with superkicks. Sky with a leaping splash over the ropes onto the Bucks. Page with a top rope moonsault onto everyone on the floor. Matt countered Angel’s Wings into a hurricanrana in the ring. Sharpshooter on Daniels. Nick took out Sky on the floor. Kaz yanked the ref from the ring as Daniels tapped out. Nick took out Kaz. Sky clocked Matt with the title belt. Daniels with the pin.
WINNERS: SoCal Uncensored in 10:50 to capture the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship?
-Bully Ray’s music hit and he made his way down the aisle. He described ROH as being chaotic and the wild west lately. He said they’ve been lacking honor lately. ROH COO Joe Koff gave him permission to do whatever he needs to in order to get some order back in this company. Ray doesn’t want to be a boss, a general manager, or an authority figure. But he will be an enforcer. He’s going to enforce the Code of Honor. He told SoCal they’re not getting away with their crap anymore. He said it’s not his decision and polled the fans. Yes chants all around. Ray told the referee to ring the bell.
(3B) SOCAL UNCENSORED (“The Heavy Metal Rebel” Frankie Kazarian, “Almighty” Christopher Daniels, & Scorpio Sky) vs. THE HUNG BUCKS (Adam Page, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson) – ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Three superkicks from Bullet Club. Page took out Sky at ringside. Meltzer driver on Daniels.
WINNERS: The Hung Bucks in 0:31 to retain the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
-Ray posed with the champions in the ring.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Once again ROH falls victim to their own taping schedule. This episode was recorded 29 days ago and was clearly meant to be the proper debut of Bully Ray as the new on-air authority figure despite his official first appearance ending up being at Honor Reigns Supreme last week. At least it cleared up some questions we had from that night with him being dubbed an “enforcer” but proceeding to book a match. I presume the outcome of the match here tonight leads to a rematch at the 16th anniversary show.)
-Next week: it’s Silas Young vs. Kenny King for the ROH World Television Championship and Kelly Klein vs. Bonesaw Brooks in the WOH tournament.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S ARTICLE: 2/11 ROH TV Report: Castle vs. Martinez for ROH World Title, Leon vs. Rayne in WOH tournament, King & Coast To Coast vs. Young & Bruiser & Milonas
I realize Brandi is there because her husband is there, but how much more “training” to be a wrestler does she need? Btw, I am agreeing with your point that she probably shouldn’t be on tv wrestling, much less picking up a win over a quality opponent. My point is, she has been “training” for years and really has not seemed to improve much.