11/15 RING OF HONOR TV REPORT: The OGK vs. Flip Gordon vs. P.J. Black, The Righteous vs. The Foundation, more

RING OF HONOR TV (EPISODE #530)
NOVEMBER 15, 2021
AIRED ON SINCLAIR SYNDICATED TV & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY CHRISTOPHER MAITLAND

Host: Quinn McKay

Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruise

– The opening theme aired. Quinn McKay welcomes everyone to this week’s show. This week’s episode features a main event of the Righteous vs the Foundation. Other matches include the OGK vs Flip Gordon and PJ Black and the Beer City Bruiser vs Caprice Coleman.

(1) BEER CITY BRUISER vs CAPRICE COLEMAN

Ian welcomes everyone to the show. Beer City Bruiser comes out first accompanied by Brian Milonas and Ken Dixon. In a pre-match interview, Beer City Bruiser says he was prepared for a 15 man Honor Rumble but Caprice Coleman got in and eliminated him. He says Coleman was not a legal participant and that he should have been the number 1 contender. Bruiser asks Dixon what are they and Dixon responds unstoppable. Caprice Coleman comes out next. Before the match, Bruiser says to Coleman he is not in the mood to wrestle him and that Coleman doesn’t have what it takes. Bruiser says Ken Dixon wants to prove he belongs in the Bouncers and that Coleman has to beat Dixon to get a shot at Bruiser. Coleman agrees.

(Maitland’s Thoughts: This match probably should have taken place before Alex Zayne wrestled Bandido. The interaction in the Honor Rumble added to the animosity that already existed so the timing isn’t the worst thing. My assumption is the swerve of Bruiser not wanting to wrestle Coleman are just mind games but it takes away from Bruiser’s intention of having this match.)

Ken Dixon is now wrestling Coleman. Code of honor adhered to. They lock up and Dixon puts Coleman in the corner and rakes his eyes. Coleman returns the favor and shoves Dixon. Coleman takes Dixon down and gets a series of two counts. (c)

Coleman body slams Dixon and follows up with an elbow and a leg drop for a two count. Coleman Irish whips Dixon into the corners. Brian Milonas gets on the apron. Coleman charges Dixon in the corner. Dixon moves out of the way and Bruiser clotheslines Coleman. Dixon chops Coleman and hits a body slam for a one count. Dixon Irish whips Coleman into the ropes but Coleman kicks him. Coleman spring boards off the ropes but Dixon catches him and hits a fall away slam for a one count. Dixon rakes the eyes and hits Coleman with a knee. Dixon misses a clothesline and Coleman counters with a clothesline for a two count. Coleman hits a series of clotheslines followed by a scissors kick. Coleman goes for Father Time but Dixon reverses out and kicks Coleman to the outside. Bruiser throws a cigar on Coleman and throws him into the barricade. Dixon sends Coleman back in but Coleman hits a head scissors. Coleman kicks Bruiser and sends Dixon back inside. Coleman drives Dixon into the corner. Coleman hits two suplexes and puts Dixon in Father Time. Bruiser runs into the ring and punches Coleman for the disqualification.

WINNER: Coleman at 8:01

-The Bouncers attack Coleman. Bruiser hits Coleman with a DDT. (c)

(Maitland’s Thoughts: The match was basically a squash for Coleman as he showed he was better than Dixon even with the Bouncers at ringside. The match was more of a set up for something down the line. On our interview on the Honor Speak podcast, Bruiser indicated that he would be at Final Battle, so I will assume that the match against Coleman will take place there.)

-Highlights are shown of Mark Briscoe hitting Flip Gordon with the Jay Driller. Flip Gordon now thinks it’s 2018. He wakes up in a tree and says he had a dream that he was a mercenary. He says in a call with PJ Black that he trusts the process and he will see him next week. Gordon goes to see Black. Black asks him why he was wearing a suit. Gordon says because of Cody. Black says never listen to that guy. Black asks him to write out anything he sees that is unusual.

(Maitland’s Thoughts: As disappointed that I am that Ring of Honor is changing their operations at the end of December, I am happy that this storyline will come to an end. It was a good idea to move away from the Mercenary into the character that Flip Gordon portrayed initially, but there should have been a different way to get there.)

(2) THE OGK vs FLIP GORDON & PJ BLACK

PJ Black comes out first followed by Flip Gordon. Mike Bennett comes out next followed by Matt Taven. In a pre- match promo, Matt Taven refers to Flip Gordon as the little brother he didn’t ask for. Taven says Gordon is living in in the past. Bennett says OGK is focused on the future and the OGK will remind him and PJ Black that the OGK is the best tag team in the world.

(Maitland’s Thoughts: Another example of the pre-match promo only featuring one of the competitors. It telegraphs who is going to win.)

Code of not honor adhered to. Taven and Gordon start. Gordon says Taven is playing games with him and turns his back. Taven rolls him up for a two count. Taven grabs a side headlock. Gordon reverses it. Gordon releases the hold to write something down and Taven rolls him up again. Gordon asks Black for his flip pad. Taven hits a drop kick. Black tags in. Black and Taven trade moves. Black hits a t=leg sweep and a kick. Taven hits a suplex for a one count. Taven hits a drop toe hold an elbow. Taven tags Bennett. Bennett and Taven hit a double drop kick for a two count. Bennett hits Black with a series of strikes. Bennett gets Black on his shoulders but Black elbows his way out. Gordon tags in but hesitates. Gordon hits an axe handle off the top rope. (c)

Gordon hits a chop. Bennett reverses and Irish whip and knees Gordon. Bennett tags Taven and hits a Death Valley Driver. Taven kicks Gordon. Taven goes for the spike piledriver but Black pushes Taven off the top rope. Gordon hits an enziguri on Bennett. Black tags in and strikes Bennett and Taven. Black hits a DDT on Taven followed by a springboard drop on the OGK. Black chops the OGK but gets hit with a superkick followed by a spear. Taven gets a two count. Bennett tags in. Black and Bennett trade strikes. Bennett kicks Black and gets a two count. Bennett and Black trade chops. Bennett catches Black’s leg and catapults him into a kick from Taven. Taven tags in and hits an elbow drop for a two count but Black reaches the tope. Bennett tags in and knocks Gordon off the apron. Bennett hits a brain buster for a two count. Taven tags in. OGK go for the back pack but Black escapes and tags Gordon. Gordon hits a split leg dropkick on the OGK. Taven gets Gordon on his shoulders but Gordon escapes and hits a knee followed by a superkick. Gordon dives on Bennett and then Taven. Gordon misses a 450 splash but still hits a moonsault Samoan drop followed by a shooting star press and a splash for a pinning attempt. Bennett breaks it up. Bennett and Black fight but Gordon kicks Bennett off the top rope. Gordon gets Taven onto his shoulders and Black hits a destroyer. Bennett breaks up the pin. Bennett hits Black and Gordon with a series of forearms until Gordon and Black hit superkicks. Gordon goes for another superkick but hits Black after Bennett moves out of the way. Bennett hits a spear and the OGK hits the spike pile driver for the win.

WINNER: OGK at 9:43

A replay is shown of the highlights while officials tend to Taven and Gordon. (c)

(Maitland’s Thoughts: OGK was pretty even with a team that never tagged before. That doesn’t make sense with OGK wrestling for the ROH Tag Team titles on Honor for All. A good match and hopefully the spike piledriver on Gordon will end his amnesia.)

The card for Honor For All was shown. Honor For All aired on Honor Club on November 14.

(3) THE RIGHTEOUS vs THE FOUNDATION

The Righteous comes out first accompanied by Vita Von Star. The Foundation comes out next accompanied by Jay Lethal. In a pre-match promo, Tracy Williams says the Righteous is a joke but they are not laughing. He says the Righteous can show them how pure they but the Foundation will definitely show them what pure wrestling is. Highlights were shown of the Righteous helping Jay Lethal win his match during the Violence vs Pure episode.

(Maitland’s Thoughts: Another example of only half of the competitors cutting a pre match promo. This looks like a good omen for the Foundation.)

Code of honor not adhered to. Vincent and Titus start. Gresham tags in. Vincent gets the microphone and asks Lethal why is he standing with the Foundation and that he should stand with his real friends. Lethal says Vincent is confused. Vincent says if the Foundation is his real friends than his friends should hear this and motions to a video saying he doesn’t even like the Foundation. Lethal tries to explain himself to the Foundation saying he didn’t say that and it was a small part of what he said. Williams says they have a match and tells Lethal to go to the back. Lethal leaves. The Righteous attack Gresham and throw Titus to the outside. (c)

Vincent strikes Gresham repeatedly and yells at Gresham that Lethal doesn’t like the Foundation. He gets Gresham in the corner and tags Dutch. Dutch chokes Gresham with his knee. Dutch tags Bateman. Bateman strikes Gresham repeatedly. Bateman steps on Gresham’s neck and tags Vincent. Vincent elbows Gresham but Gresham responds with an elbow of his own. Gresham pops up from a forearm and hits an enziguri. Gresham tags Williams. Williams ducks a clothesline and takes out Dutch. Williams hits an elbow on Vincent and a back suplex on Bateman. Vincent kicks Williams twice but on the third one Williams reverses and hits a clothesline. Williams pins Vincent but referee Joe Mandak says Williams was not holding the tag rope and is not legal. Williams and Titus argue with Mandak. Vita Von Star dances around Gresham on the outside. Bateman and Vincent send Williams and Titus to the outside. Dutch shoves Gresham into the barricade. Dutch sends Gresham back inside. Vincent hits a series of running elbows and the Righteous triple team Gresham. Vincent hits the Red Rum but Titus and Williams break up the pin. Dutch and Williams wrestle on the outside. Dutch charges Williams but misses and runs into the ring post. (c)

Vincent grabs Gresham’s hand but Gresham kicks him away. Vincent kicks Gresham hits a back suplex and an STO for a pining attempt. Williams and Titus break up the pin. Gresham fights off the Righteous until Dutch grabs him. Vincent charges but Gresham ducks. Vincent hits Dutch off the ring apron. Gresham ducks a clothesline from Vincent and tags Titus. Vincent tags Bateman. Titus hits a dropkick on Bateman. Dutch charges Titus but Titus sends him to the outside. Bateman hits a shoulder to Titus’ midsection. Bateman jumps in the ring but Titus catches him in a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Bateman Irish whips Titus who ducks a clothesline and dives onto Dutch on the outside. Williams comes in and takes Bateman down. Titus hits a series of big boots and Williams hits a forearm. Bateman hits a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Titus puts on a half crab. Gresham tries to prevent Dutch from entering the ring. Dutch tosses Gresham into Titus to break the hold. Dutch goes onto the ring apron and Bateman tags him. Dutch splashes Titus in the corner and clotheslines Gresham. Titus hits Dutch with several strikes but Dutch hits Titus with the jackhammer. Williams hits Dutch with a pump kick. Vincent hits Williams with Orange Sunshine. Dutch grabs Titus and hits the Bossman Slam for the win.

WINNER: The Righteous at 12:25

The Righteous celebrate. Jay Lethal comes back out. Gresham argues with Lethal. Next week’s show will have John Walters vs Brian Johnson in a Pure Rules Match, Mandy Leon vs Allysin Kay vs Trish Adora, and Dalton Castle vs Dragon Lee for the ROH TV Title.

(Maitland’s Thoughts: This match had some weird moments. Why did referee Joe Mandak let Williams execute so many moves before telling him he was the legal man? On the surface, the feud is intriguing as it could have led to the breakup of the Foundation. With Jay Lethal signing with AEW, and not appearing at Final Battle it looks like we won’t get a conclusion. This show was more storyline based but because it was taped before ROH’s announcement we may never learn where a lot of the stories are headed.)

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S ROH TV REPORT: 11/8 RING OF HONOR TV REPORT: Bandido vs. Alex Zayne for ROH World Championship, Woods vs. LSG for ROH Pure Championship, more