SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
MARCH 4, 2018
ATLANTA, GA AT CENTER STAGE
AIRED ON SINCLAIR AFFILIATES & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
[Q1] Opening theme.
-Footage was replayed from four weeks ago on TV when The Briscoes interfered in a tag title match between Best Friends and the Motor City Machine Guns, causing the match to be thrown out and costing the BFF a chance at capturing gold.
(1) THE BRISCOES (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) vs. BEST FRIENDS (Beretta & Chuckie T)
The Briscoes jumped Taylor and Beretta before the bell and beat them around the ringside area. Jay held Taylor in the ring while Mark laid in with punches. Beretta tagged in and dropkicked Jay off the apron. Forearm train from the friends to Mark in the corner and they capped it off with a hug. Jay returned to the ring for a back elbow on Beretta. Low dropkick from Mark and he suplexed Beretta on the floor. [C]
Mark worked over Beretta out of the break but Beretta countered with a tornado DDT. Both men with the tag. Taylor unloaded with chops on Jay. Jay attempted a hurricanrana but Taylor turned it into a sit-out power bomb. Jay landed a dropkick off the ropes and tagged out. Jay was cleared from the ring and Best Friends hit Soul Food on Mark. Beretta flipped over the ropes, taking out both Briscoes at ringside. Lawn dart cutter on Mark for a two-count. Taylor went up top but Jay ran around the ring and shoved him off. Mark with a ura nage on Beretta. Beretta fought out of a Jay Driller attempt. Jay hit it successfully a minute later and Mark followed with a froggy-bow for the pin.
WINNERS: The Briscoes in 8:44.
-Your tag team champions Motor City Machine Guns ran to the ring during the replay of the finish. They clubbed both Briscoes in the head with the ROH tag belts. Alex Shelley choked Mark with a steel chain as Chris Sabin planted Jay with a Jay Driller. The champions stood tall over the #1 contenders with the titles held high.
(Pageot’s Perspective: This was obviously taped weeks ago as Beretta is now out on injury with a torn bicep and torn pectoral muscle. No time frame for a return but it could be as much as six months. Taylor teamed with Cheeseburger at Saturday night’s Manhattan Mayhem event as Chuckie Cheese but that may have just been a one-off. The Briscoes challenge MCMG for the tag titles at this Friday’s 16th Anniversary pay-per-view. They’ve had nearly all of the upper hand in the feud so the post-match aggression from the Guns here was a nice reminder of how heated things have become. I’ll be quite surprised if they make it out of Las Vegas still the champions, though.)
-Video recap of last week’s main event where Kenny King recaptured the TV title from Silas Young and Bully Ray did some enforcing by sending Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas to the back. [C]
[Q2] -Video recap on the Women Of Honor Championship tournament so far. Mandy Leon over Madison Rayne, Brandi Rhodes over Karen Q, Kelly Klein over Bonesaw Brooks, and Deonna Purrazzo over Holidead. The tournament continues next week with wrestlers from the Japanese company World Wonder Ring Stardom.
-Christopher Daniels came out with Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky for the next match, while Hangman Page was alone. Before the bell could ring Bully Ray hit the stage. He said that earlier in the day he told both factions that he didn’t want anyone at ringside for this one. He thanked Bullet Club for listening and threw up a too sweet. He told Kaz and Sky that they had until the count of five to get out or Daniels was disqualified and suspended for thirty days. Ray got the crowd to count to five as Kaz and Sky ran to the back as quickly as they could. “Ring the bell and kick his ass, Page,” Ray said before heading backstage himself.
(2) “ALMIGHTY” CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPION HANGMAN PAGE
Page went nuts on Daniels in the corner with clubs and stomps. Loud “Let’s go, Hangman” chant from the crowd. Page threw Daniels into the barricade three times and followed with a big chop. Page tossed a chair in the ring but referee Tod Sinclair quickly got rid of it. Page with a sleeperhold on Daniels in the ropes but Daniels took over by yanking Page throat-first into the top rope. [C]
[Q3] Daniels slapped Page across the back of the neck. Yay/boo exchange of fists. Cabana and Riccaboni wondered whether Page came out alone because Ray told him to or whether it’s because of the discord in Bullet Club at the moment. Page landed a huge power bomb and followed with a superkick. Shooting star shoulder tackle off the apron onto Daniels on the floor. Daniels avoided a buckshot lariat and rolled up Page for two. Daniels dropped Page with a judo throw but Page avoided Best Moonsault Ever. Buckshot lariat connected on the second attempt and was good for the win.
WINNER: Hangman Page in 8:51.
-As Page celebrated Daniels wrapped his arms around his right leg, keeping him from escaping as Shane Taylor charged the ring. Taylor pummeled Page and squashed him in the corner. The One-Hitter Quitter punch put Page down. Daniels and Taylor grinned and hugged. “This is the best money I’ve ever spent!” Daniels yelled. But as they walked off in victory, Bully Ray was back on the stage to block their exit. Daniels argued that Ray said nothing against Taylor being at ringside. Taylor and Ray bumped shoulders accidentally and Taylor glowered at him. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: Page and the Young Bucks defend the six-man titles against SoCal Uncensored in a street fight at the 16th Anniversary, while Taylor’s continuing his hired gun gimmick. This is a decent use of Ray. He’s not overpowering the show or overstaying his welcome. His mission statement is to restore honor to Ring Of Honor, which plants him firmly against the heels on the roster. This makes it mean more when people break the rules and lets people like Daniels look even smarter when they continue to find loopholes in Ray’s wording. Page continues to pick up big wins, this time defeating a former world champion.)
-A picture-in-picture promo aired from Martinez warning Scurll to stay out of his way in this match. Scurll got his own promo. He doesn’t care whether Castle or Lethal leave the pay-per-view as champion. He and Martinez face off at 16th Anniversary for the right to challenge for the world title in the future.
-Lethal sent a brief warning to Castle through his picture-in-picture. Castle called tonight’s main event interesting and giggled to himself. [C]
(3) PUNISHMENT MARTINEZ & “THE VILLAIN” MARTY SCURLL vs. JAY LETHAL & ROH WORLD CHAMPION DALTON CASTLE (w/The Boys)
Martinez and Castle began. Scurll comically gripped his tag rope tightly and held it up high in the air. Castle complimented him on following the rules. Lethal asked for a tag before Castle and Martinez ever touched each other.
[Q4] Headlock from Martinez and a shoulder tackle. Choke slam attempt early but Lethal escaped. Lethal avoided two kicks and hit some chops that had no effect. Scurll asked for a tag. Loud “Marty” chants. Castle climbed to the second rope and yelled “Jay, I want a piece of that!”, pointing at Scurll. Dueling chants for Castle and Scurll. Scurll shoved Castle. Castle booped Scurll on the nose. After some mat wrestling exchanges Scurll offered a handshake but booped Castle on the nose instead. Castle laughed it off but then fired up with chops and a suplex. Tag to Lethal. Back elbow on Scurll. Tag out again. Suplex from Castle. Tag again. Suplex from Lethal. Scurll took over and landed a kick to Lethal’s head. [C]
Martinez had Lethal in a chin lock. Torture rack but Lethal flips out. Both men tagged out. Castle clotheslined Scurll. Amateur wrestling throws on Scurll. Martinez jumped into the ring. Castle peacocked and charged Martinez in the corner with jumping knees. German suplex on Scurll for two. Tag to Lethal. Scurll ducked a kick and Lethal connected on Castle. Ghostbuster from Scurll on Lethal. He called for the chicken wing but Martinez tagged himself in instead. Martinez with the Psycho Driver on Lethal and a curb stomp for two. He signalled for the South of Heaven choke slam but Scurll tagged himself in. All four men into the ring. Scurll took a Lethal Combination. Martinez with a ripcord kick on Lethal. Jumping back elbow on Castle but Castle caught him out of the air and turned it into a German suplex. Scurll suplexed Castle into the corner. Lethal dumped Scurll to the floor, ducked a clothesline from Martinez, and hit a suicide dive on Scurll. The Boys were on the apron to fan Castle. Martinez grabbed one by the throat and yanked him over the top rope, slamming him to the mat. Lethal tried to capitalize off the distraction. Scurll returned with two handfuls of flour and threw them at Lethal behind the ref’s back. Lethal ducked and Martinez was blasted in the face. The referee could see the flour everywhere on the mat and in the air but didn’t know how to call it. Lethal shoved Scurll into a blinded Martinez. Castle clotheslined Martinez and himself over the top rope. Lethal with a Lethal Injection on Scurll.
WINNERS: Jay Lethal & Dalton Castle in 14:18.
-The world champion and #1 contender celebrated together, while eyeing each other warily.
(Pageot’s Perspective: I wonder if Bully Ray is going to have something to say to Scurll about using flour during his match for the second time in a month. There were no big issues between Castle and Lethal here, which is the only reason this weekend’s title match feels a little flat. They’re the two top names in ROH and both excellent athletes but it’s simply a friendly competition for the gold with no real bad blood between them.)
-A video package for Friday’s 16th Anniversary PPV played to close the show, running down all the matches and giving each opponent dueling promos.
-Next week: the Women Of Honor Championship tournament continues.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.