SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
MAY 12, 2019
PITTSBURGH, PA AT STAGE AE
AIRED ON SINCLAIR AFFILIATES & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
Opening theme.
-As the teams entered for our opening three-way footage recapped Coast 2 Coast & Colin Delaney losing to Shinobi Shadow Squad at Road To G1 Supercard: Baltimore on March 31. C2C blamed Delaney for the loss. Footage also played from Masters Of The Craft on April 14. C2C teamed with The Bouncers in a losing effort to the team of Shane Taylor, Silas Young, & The Briscoes. After the match C2C refused to share the toast of honor with The Bouncers.
(1) THE BOUNCERS (Beer City Bruiser & Brawler Milonas) vs. COAST 2 COAST (LSG & Shaheem Ali) vs. SHINOBI SHADOW SQUAD (Cheeseburger & Ryan Nova w/Eli Isom)
LSG and Nova started. 3S controlled the opening minutes until the Bouncers jumped in and squashed them both with running splashes in the corner. C2C took some splashes as well and Bruiser gummed everybody. Ali took out his four opponents with a flip over the top rope onto them at ringside. [C]
C2C isolated Burger. Ali knocked Nova off the apron to prevent the tag so Burger tagged Milonas. The Bouncers squashed LSG. Milonas with a sidewalk slam to Ali. Bruiser shoved Nova to the floor. Ali tried to bodyslam Milonas but was flattened for the effort. Nova tagged Ali to bring himself in. 3S with stereo superkicks to Milonas. Burger with a springboard splash to C2C on the floor. Closing Time to Nova.
WINNERS: The Bouncers in 8:31.
-C2C and 3S traded words at ringside and got into a shoving match.
(Pageot’s Perspective: The story here was the continued heel turn of Coast 2 Coast. It makes sense as The Kingdom are the only real heel team left in the tag division at this point. The champions, Guerrillas Of Destiny, are heels but they’ve yet to make any TV appearances so I don’t even consider them part of the division. This was The Bouncers’ fifth TV win in a row. I wish I believed that it was leading to a title shot but they just lost to L.I.J. in a throwaway match on Saturday at War Of The Worlds: Grand Rapids so it doesn’t seem like it.)
-Video recap from two weeks ago on TV where Flip Gordon announced he was cashing in the world title shot he earned on the Jericho cruise after winning the Sea Of Honor tournament. He challenges Matt Taven for the title on next week’s episode. [C]
-Video recap from last week of Lifeblood (Tracy Williams & Mark Haskins) calling out Bully Ray, The Allure attacking Kelly Klein and Jenny Rose, and Dalton Castle beating up his Boys again.
-Video recap of Kenny King entering at #1 and going on to win the Honor Rumble at G1 Supercard. He is also owed a world title match as a result. Unfortunately it will have to wait as The Great Muta sprayed mist in his eyes after the match and King has been blind ever since, awaiting emergency surgery.
King was helped to the ring with his dark sunglasses and cane by timekeeper Amy Rose. He said he should be the happiest guy in the room. He told us all he’d become the first man to start at #1 and win the Honor Rumble and he did. He bragged about tossing out Jushin Thunder Liger and The Great Muta to win the match and blamed Muta’s mist for his loss of sight. He turned his attention to the world champion and said he and Taven are homies. One day they’ll have to sit down like kings and discuss Taven’s terms of surrender. But Taven’s not his focus right now. His attention is on Jay Lethal. Once he’s had his surgery and he can see again he’s fixing both eyes on Lethal. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: It’s been 36 days since G1 Supercard. We’ve seen King play the blind man four times since then but we’re only finally getting this introductory promo setting it all up now. Good grief.)
-Video package on Flip Gordon talking about his knee injury while footage aired of the injury occurring during a match against Tracy Williams at Honor Reigns Supreme on January 13. He spoke about willing himself to come back from injury sooner than the timeline established by doctors. He had spent his time off preparing to challenge Jay Lethal for the world title, not expecting Matt Taven to win.
(2) JOSH “THE GOODS” WOODS vs. FLEX SIMMONS
Spear to the enhancement talent. Two throws. Seismic Toss.
WINNER: Josh Woods in 0:36.
(Pageot’s Perspective: This was Woods’ first appearance since December 2 TV and his previous appearance to that was September 2 TV. The commentators said he went back to college and has been focusing on his Brazilian jiu-jitsiu training. I’ve always been intrigued by Woods and was curious to see what he could do in more high profile matches. I just don’t see a spot for him anywhere on the roster right now. I fear he’ll be losing Honor Club matches within two months.)
-Shane Taylor was shown shadowboxing backstage ahead of the main event. [C]
-New backstage interviewer Quinn McKay caught up with Woods. She ran down his résumé, including winning the 2017 Top Prospect tournament. She asked what he’s been up to. He said it’s not about what he’s been up to, it’s about what he just did. He is always down… to… fight.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Wow, this was such a WWE segment. The cute female backstage interviewer asked one question, then the wrestler replied in platitudes and concluded with a cheesy catchphrase. Down to fight. Get it? DTF. If you didn’t, Coleman made sure you did on commentary.)
(3) ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION SHANE TAYLOR vs. BANDIDO – NON-TITLE MATCH
Bandido sped around Taylor and took him out with a suicide dive. He followed with a flip over the ropes that took out Taylor again at ringside. [C]
Chokeslam from Taylor. He tossed Bandido across the ring and jawed with the fans. Another throw sent the luchador flying. Taylor stood on Bandido. Clothesline. Knockout punch but Bandido kicked out. High knee. Bandido kicked out again. [C]
They traded strikes. Bandido no-sold a clothesline. He hit Taylor with a series of kicks but Taylor chokeslammed him again. Headbutt. Ripcord flatliner. Bandido kicked out again. Right hand. Slingshot stunner. Another kick out. Springboard crossbody from Bandido. He hoisted Taylor up for a Go To Sleep variation. 21plex for the win.
WINNER: Bandido in 12:06.
-Bully Ray tried to ambush Bandido but Haskins and Williams ran out to join their Lifeblood partner. Two men Riccaboni called The Soldiers Of Savagery jumped the trio from behind. The crowd was silent. The one man wore riot gear and speared Williams. They fist-bumped and then hit an assisted DDT to Williams. Ray and Taylor looked puzzled.
(Pageot’s Perspective: LOL at your new TV champion losing clean in his first televised match after winning the title. The bootleg Shield guys that showed up at the end were former Maryland Championship Wrestling tag champions Bishop Khan and Michael Moses. In MCW they were known as Sons Of Savagery. They might be replacing the Briscoes in Ray’s unofficial faction alongside Taylor and Silas Young as it appeared the Briscoes turned face again at War Of The Worlds: Chicago in their match against Guerrillas Of Destiny.)
-Next week: it’s the 400th episode of ROH television with Matt Taven vs. Flip Gordon for the world title and Villain Enterprises vs. Jay Lethal, Jeff Cobb, & Rush for the six-man titles.
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