SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT (ep.441)
FEBRUARY 28, 2020
AIRED ON SINCLAIR SYNDICATED TV & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY RYAN SULLIVAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Host: Quinn McKay
-The opening theme aired.
-The show starts a video package showing the MexiSquad (Bandido, Flamita, and Rey Horus) facing, and eventually defeating, Villain Enterprises for the Six-Man titles back in January. Do yourself a favor and watch this match if you have not already done so.
-Quinn McKay is hosting solo this week. She hypes up the main event, Bandido and Flamita verses The Briscoes. But first, she sends us to the ring for our opening contest.
(1) ALEX ZAYNE vs. ANDREW EVERETT
This match was from Free Enterprises. Both men got their full ring entrance and introductions. Zayne and Everett adhered to the Code of Honor. The contest begins with quick, high-impact, almost Lucha Libre style action into the first commercial break. (c)
Back from commercial, Everett is in control of the action, until he becomes distracted by the fans: this allows Zayne to go on the offensive. Zayne hit an impressive somersault guillotine maneuver about four minutes into the contest. A few minutes later, Everett performed an amazing corkscrew springboard splash onto Zayne.
The finish happens when Everett misses a shooting star press, allowing Zayne to deliver his infamous shooting star knees to Everett, followed by a pump-handle cobra driver for the win.
WINNER: Alex Zayne at 8:08
(Ryan’s Reaction: This match was terrific, and definitely worth watching. I worry about Zayne’s finishing move, which looks dangerous, and I think his look is a bit too similar to Matt Taven’s. That said both Zayne and Everett are extremely talented, and would be excellent additions to the Ring of Honor midcard scene.)
-The Code of Honor was adhered to after the match, and Zayne celebrated as they go to commercial. (c)
-The show returns with a video package showing a training session between P.J. Black and his protégé, Brian Johnson. Black asks Johnson if he has a finishing move. Next we see Black working with Johnson in the ring, and Johnson responding with hard work. At the end, Black says he is proud of Johnson, and gives him a white belt in approval of his diligence. Johnson runs off celebrating a bit “too much”, as this package ends.
-They quickly go into another video package with Brian Zane, who tells us the critical information of the top-5 matches he would like to see in Ring of Honor in 2020, counting down from 5.
5) The Bouncers vs. Bandido and Flamita
4) Maria Manic vs. Session Moth Martina
3) Dragon Lee vs. Dak Draper for the World Television Title
2) Dan Maff vs. Bully Ray
1) La Faccion Ingobernable vs. The Righteous (c)
(Ryan’s Reaction: Please, make sure Brian never gets the book for the company. This segment was dreadful.)
-Back from commercial, we are in the locker room with Silas Young and Josh Woods. Silas asks Woods if he has seen his jeans. Woods has a mischievous look on his face, and finally admits he bought Silas a new pair of jeans as a gift. Oh, and he also threw out his old jeans. Woods is over-the-top excited to give him this present. The jeans are obnoxiously skinny, and Silas tries to put them on, but nearly falls over in this attempt. Josh decides to awkwardly get behind Silas, in hopes of helping him slide into these pants. Silas finally storms off, while Woods mutters “I care a lot” to end the segment.
-Quickly, the show shifts to highlights of a match from 2002 between Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe. This was shown to highlight their match later this month at ROH Past vs. Present. After about 3 minutes of highlights, Mark Briscoe hits a modified Death Valley Driver to defeat his brother Jay. (c)
-Abruptly, we shift straight to introductions for our main event.
(2) MEXABLOOD (BANDIDO & FLAMITA) vs. THE BRISCOES
Both teams received their full entrances, and after some hesitancy from the Mexabloods, the Code of Honor was performed by all four men. Mark and Flamita begin the match, and set a tremendous pace with some intense, back-and-forth action. Jay and Bandido simultaneously join the contest, and they continue the fast-paced action into a commercial pause. (c)
Returning “live” Flamita quickly hits a crazy Asai Moonsault on both Briscoes, only to be followed by a springboard shooting star press by Bandido onto Jay and Mark. Wow! The battle moved to the outside, and the Briscoes took this opportunity to gain the advantage. (c)
The action resumes with the Briscoes beating on Bandido. A minute later Bandido turns the tide by hitting an “X Knee” on Jay for a near fall. Flamita then delivered a 450 splash for another believable, near fall. The crowd started a well-earned “This is awesome” chant about 12 minutes into the match. The Briscoes soon responded with a “Redneck Boogie” on Flamita for a long two count.
The finish occurs when Mark Briscoe hits a brain buster suplex on the edge of the ring to Bandido, allowing the Briscoes to isolate Flamita. The Briscoes then hit their “Doomsday Device” finisher to Flamita for the win.
WINNERS: The Briscoes at 16:17
(Ryan’s Reaction: Wow! I had big expectations for this match, and it over-delivered. In particular, the other three men went out of their way to make Flamita look like a star. Flamita delivered multiple high-impact moves, and the Briscoes sold for him. This contest should rank highly in the category of “Best Tag-Team matches in 2020” at the end of the year. 4+ Stars!)
-Streamers shower the ring as the show fades to black.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was the best show Ring of Honor has produced in 2020. Both matches were outstanding, and the video packages involving the wrestlers were all entertaining and helped further future storylines. The Brian Zane segment was nearly four minutes long, and complete filler – if this was deleted from the show, it would be an A+ from me. Nonetheless, this was a terrific hour of wrestling.
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