SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
AIRED ON ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
Opening theme.
-Quinn McKay was at the news desk and spoke briefly about the two matches on the show this week.
Video package on Brian Johnson being dismissive of the code of honor and PJ Black trying to mentor him.
Johnson made his entrance with a mic. He’s not Black’s protégé anymore and he’s now in the pure division. He took over from Bobby Cruise and shouted his own introduction. PJ Black was out next. [C]
(During the break, a Carshield commercial aired with Ice-T, the Ric Flair series reportedly retired by Carshield following the now-infamous Dark Side Of The Ring episode two weeks ago.)
(1) “DAREWOLF” PJ BLACK vs. BRIAN JOHNSON – PURE RULES
Despite everything we just heard, Johnson followed the code of honor to start the match. Black sent Johnson to the floor, which rattled him. Black worked on his yoga breathing in the meantime. Johnson returned to the ring but was immediately forced into using his first rope break. Black sent him to the floor again and teased a high crossbody. Johnson walked away but got distracted by the (lack of) fans in the arena and ate a suicide dive. Black connected with a crossbody in the ring but Johnson avoided a springboard moonsault and Black crashed to the mat. [C]
Johnson was in control out of the break. He spelled out Mecca again. Black took back over and made him use his second break. Suplexes from Black. A double clothesline left them both down. They traded chest slaps. Springboard moonsault from Black. Johnson used his last rope break to save himself from the pin. Johnson shoved Black into the referee and poked Black in the eyes. He hit a twisting neckbreaker. Black kicked out on three.
WINNER: Brian Johnson in 10:58.
-Black took a mic. He said it sucks losing but Johnson had to cheat to win. He congratulated him and asked him to shake his hand. They shook. Black said he’s around if he needs him. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: A follow-up to Johnson’s first pure division win last week and seemingly the blow-off to the Black-Johnson storyline. I know they’re trying to push Johnson as a midcard heel but everything about him remains wholly generic and bland. He looks like any one of 200 other wrestlers and made his entrance wearing a plain black Honor Club t-shirt, the epitome of nothingness. He also shouts his way through most of his promos. One noun does not a character make.)
-Brian Zane met Brian Johnson backstage. Johnson called him a bozo and accused him of asking stupid questions. Black walked in. He again said it sucks losing and again said he cheated and again said he’s around if Johnson needs him. Johnson shout-spelled into the camera again.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Embarrasing. That was the exact same exchange they had in the ring. Whoever was in charge of producing this episode clearly was meant to cut one or the other but decided to leave both in instead.)
-The new Women’s Division Wednesday YouTube opening aired as a commercial for the division.
-Eli Isom was in the locker room in street clothes. He addressed Ryan Nova and spoke about their history in the Shinobi Shadow Squad. Isom’s one goal is to become the Television Champion and Isom won’t get in his way.
Ryan Mooney(?) was also in a locker room. He said this isn’t about jealousy but the subtext said otherwise.
(Pageot’s Perspective: That one happens tomorrow on ROH Week By Week(?). I’ll be totally transparent with you. I don’t know what that is.)
-Footage from Glory By Honor on August 21. It was The Foundation vs. Violence Unlimited in an eight-man tag. Jay Lethal pinned Tony Deppen with a Lethal Injection. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: Everything rides on our four-way main event because this has otherwise been another totally meaningless episode of TV. For literally years now people have criticized ROH’s TV schedule as one of the biggest things holding them back and it’s insane that they haven’t found a way to fix it. Even if next week’s TV finally delivers follow-up to Death Before Dishonor, that’s a full three weeks after the pay-per-view. Any buzz generated that night has long since dissipated. At this point NWA is getting more headlines and putting on more notable shows, which places ROH as the #5 promotion in America at best.)
-Kenny King was out first for the main event. He was not introduced as a tag champion and did not wear a belt, despite winning them two and a half weeks ago on this very show.
Shane Taylor carried his six-man title and was accompanied by S.O.S.
Brody King was out third, alone. Each competitor got a basic picture in picture promo.
Jay Lethal was out last for his first match since that Glory By Honor show over a month ago.
(2) JAY LETHAL vs. BRODY KING vs. ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPION SHANE TAYLOR (w/Moses & Kaun) vs. ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPION KENNY KING – FOUR-CORNER SURVIVAL
Kenny immediately left the ring. Lethal and Brody started. Only two men legal at a time with others required to tag in. Lethal vs. Taylor was next. Lethal vs. King. [C]
King vs. King. Kenny fired up and took out Brody and Taylor. Lethal broke up a pin attempt. Kenny sent him to the floor. Brody and Taylor became legal. They traded right hands. Things broke down. Taylor blocked a Lethal Injection. Package piledriver to Lethal. Blue thunder bomb from Kenny to Taylor. Brody hit Taylor with a lariat for the pin.
WINNER: Brody King in 9:21.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Hard to say if this means anything. This one could have been taped at any point over the past five months. Does Brody winning mean we’re heading to a traditional Brody vs. Bandido one-on-one for the title? Or, because this was clearly taped before the pay-per-view, does Brody’s loss there mean he’s out of the title picture now and this match was redundant? Who knows?)
-Next week: it’s Taylor Rust & Alex Zayne vs. The Briscoes and Violence Unlimited against unnamed opponents in an eight-man tag.
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