6/29 ROH TV Results – Metzger’s Report on “Women of Honor” themed show, including very good singles match, Overall Reax

ROH TV Report
Aired June 26, 2016 in syndication
Aired June 29, 2016 on Comet TV
Taped February 6, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn.
Report by Mike Metzger (@md0uble), PWTorch contributor

A Best in the World graphic aired, when an unfamiliar voice announced that the fall-out from the PPV will air in two weeks on ROH TV. Tonight’s episode will be entirely dedicated to The Women of Honor.

The regular ROH TV opening aired.

The participants for the opening contest made their entrances, while the unnamed voice revealed himself to be ROH correspondent Ian Riccaboni, who was joined by ROH matchmaker Nigel McGuinness at ringside for commentary.

1 – VEDA SCOTT & AMBER GALLOWS & ALLYSIN KAY (Sienna in TNA) vs. SUMIE SAKAI & THUNDERKITTY & “CRAZY” MARY DOBSON – six-woman tag team match

The Code of Honor was adhered to before the bell. Gallows and Thunderkitty started the match. Gallows gained the early advantage with some stomps in the corner. Thunderkitty came back and charged at Gallows in the corner. She dropped her Thunder Thigh on Gallows, which was good for a nearfall. Gallows fought right back with a kick to the face and a nearfall of her own. She tagged in Kay, who came in and was clapped in the ears by Thunderkitty. Kitty then tagged in Dobson. Kay and Dobson jockeyed for position until Kay hit a fisherman buster, which was good for a two-count.

Veda tagged in, but Dobson took her down and hit a basement dropkick before tagging in Sakai. Veda cut her off with some kicks, but Sakai came right back with a suplex. Dobson and Thunderkitty entered and triple-teamed Veda, followed by a nearfall by Sakai. Veda fought back, as the show cut to its first break at the 3:58 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:28, Gallows was in firm control of Sakai. She hit her with an A Factor facebuster, and then threw up the “too sweet” while going for a lackadaisical cover. She went for the A Factor again, but Sakai reversed with a fisherman buster. Both ladies crawled to their respective corners, as “Crazy” Mary Dobson tagged in and dropkicked both Veda and Kay. Kay and Sakai battled in the corner, until the other four women ran over and then they all hit a big pyramid superplex!

When the smoke cleared, Gallows and Thunderkitty began trading blows in the center. Thunderkitty came out on top with a stiff DDT. Veda hit a rolling kick, then Sakai hit a missile dropkick. Dobson then hit Kay with a pele kick and followed up with a moonsault. The count was broken up by Veda and Gallows. Dobson tried to fight out, but ate a superkick by Gallows and then a Saito suplex from Veda. Kay was right there with a discus clothesline for the victory.

WINNERS: Amber Gallows, Allysin Kay & Veda Scott via pinfall in 10:28.

ANALYSIS: Stand-out multiple-person women’s match. There was good workrate throughout that built to a big highspot with the pyramid superplex toward the end. There wasn’t much of an issue between the ladies involved as this was the ROH TV debut for five out of the six participants, but they definitely made a statement with an impressive showing here. (**3/4)

[Commercial Break]

Video package: ROH Dojo graduate Faye Jackson talked about her training ahead of her debut match tonight. Clips of her training were shown, while Jackson talked about her opponent tonight, ODB. Jackson called ODB a “bad ass” and said they had a similar wrestling style. But, she warned ODB not to mess with her because she was “nothing to mess with.”

2 – FAYE JACKSON vs. ODB

Both ladies shook hands and then the bell rang. The crowd looked particularly empty, which was not a great visual. They felt each other out for the opening minute, until ODB drank some “liquid courage” after a break in the corner. ODB hit a shoulder a tackle and then chopped Jackson in the corner. ODB charged, but Jackson came back with a clothesline. They ran the ropes and Jackson hit a cross-body, which was good for a two-count. Jackson hit a series of three Umaga-style running charges in the corner, but ODB kicked out of the pin attempt.

ODB followed up with an ugly-looking Bronco Buster. She went to lift up Jackson, but couldn’t get her off her feet. ODB grabbed Jackson by the hair and rammed Jackson’s head into the top turnbuckle several times. ODB then hit a Thesz Press off the second rope and scored the pin.

WINNER: ODB via pinfall in 4:15.

ANALYSIS: Not good at all. Announcer Ian Riccaboni lost a lot of credibility when he called it “an impressive debut for Faye Jackson.” Jackson looked awkward and clunky in the ring, to the point that ODB wasn’t looking that great either. You have to start somewhere I guess. You don’t necessarily have to televise it, though. (1/2*)

[Commercial Break]

Vignette: Mandy Leon billed herself as “The Exotic Goddess.” She talked about how hard she had worked on the Inside ROH segments for the TV show. Mandy said that she was also a wrestler and now had to stop asking the questions, and start answering them. Many referenced “The Howling Huntress” Hania as the woman wrestler who impressed her the most. Hania appeared and claimed to be “the most athletic woman in the business.” The segment cut back-and-forth between both ladies. Mandy talked about ROH being her home and that she had something to prove, while Hania promised to make all of the Women of Honor’s worst nightmares come true.

3 – MANDY LEON vs. HANIA

The Code of Honor was adhered to before the bell. There was some technical wrestling to start. Mandy came out on top of the exchange with an arm drag at the 1:15 mark. There was a Test of Strength that Hania broke up with a monkey flip. Mandy went right back on the attack and hit a monkey flip of her own. They continued with some decent mat wrestling, until Hania hit a shoulder tackle and then howled for the crowd.

They traded pin attempts. Hania got on her feet and nailed Mandy with some chops, but Mandy quickly fought back with an impressive headscissors takeover. Hania rolled to the outside. Mandy went for a springboard move, but Hania yanked her leg and sent her face-first onto the apron. Hania threw Mandy into the barricade at ringside, as the show cut to a break at the 4:13 point in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:43, Hania hit a missile dropkick, which was good for a nearfall. Mandy fought back with a jawbreaker, but got caught when she climbed up top. Mandy persevered with a victory roll and a two-count. Hania came back with a move she calls the Full Moon and a two-count. Hania stayed on the attack with a headbutt and some srikes. Mandy dodged a charge into he corner and then applied a hangman’s neckbreaker hold. Mandy let it go and went for a cover, but Hania kicked out at two.

They jockeyed for position in the corner. Mandy climbed up top and went for a superplex, but Hania fought out. Mandy came right back with a handstand hurricanrana out of the corner. She went for a moonsault, but Hania rolled out of the way! There was a double-clothesline at the 10:00 mark. Both ladies struggled to get to their feet. They got to their knees and traded strikes in the center. Hania kicked Mandy a couple of times, but Mandy egged her on for more. Hania obliged, but Mandy then got to her feet and nailed Hania with a couple of corner clotheslines and a bulldog. She went for the cover, but Hania kicked out at two.

Both ladies got to their feet and Hania hit a spinning heel kick. She went for Hania-lation, but Mandy countered into a reverse STO, and then immediately applied a Koji Clutch! Hania was too close to the ropes, however, which caused a break. Both ladies traded slaps in the center at the 12:55 mark. Mandy came out on top when she did a split and then slapped Hania in the face. Mandy missed a charge in the corner and then Hania yanked her down by the hair. Hania immediately followed up with a a Codebreaker for the victory!

WINNER: Hania via pinfall in 13:28.

ANALYSIS: What a match! These ladies put on a clinic, as they executed the different aspects of a great match quite well. There was mat-wrestling and counters, stiff spots, and compelling nearfalls. Match quality-wise, this was right up there with Bayley-Sasha Banks from NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. Obviously the back-story and emotion from 13,000 fans were missing, but this was a technical showcase worth going out of your way to see. (***1/2)

B.J. Whitmer cut a promo on Kelly Klein. He talked her up as a college softball player, and then referenced the other successful athletes in her family. Whitmer said that while the rest of the women were vacuuming and going out with their girlfriends, Kelly Klein was in the ring “choking b—— out.”

[Commercial Break]

Video package: Taeler Hendrix talked about her career and how she’s wrestled around the world. She was speaking in the tone of an evil sorceress versus the spoiled brat persona that’s she’s had in recent weeks. She promised to make everyone “Hail Hendrix,” but then talked about how everyone was talking about Kelly Klein. She then broke into the spoiled brat persona and yelled about being “the H.B.I.C.” and how ROH was her house.

4 – TAELER HENDRIX (w/Truth Martini) vs. KELLY KLEIN (w/B.J. Whitmer)

This was so dated that not only did Truth Martini make an appearance, but Whitmer came out to The Decade’s theme music and logo on the big screen. There was no handshake before the bell. Instead, both ladies stared each other down mid-ring. Klein went for a clothesline, but Hendrix dodged it with a Matrix-like backward stretch. Klein applied an abdominal stretch, but Hendrix reversed. Klein tried to break free, but Taeler jumped on her back and applied a sleeper. Klein was able to reverse into a bear hug. Taeler struggled for a few moments before breaking free with a headbutt. Klein responded by tossing Hendrix to the outside, as the show cut to its final break at the 2:10 point.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 3:10, Klein had a rear naked choke on Hendrix in the corner. Taeler broke free with an impressive boot to the face from the standing position. Taeler went for a back handspring into the corner, but Klein cut her off and scored a nearfall. Taeler fought back with a couple of forearm smashes. She posed for the crowd and then connected with a spin kick to the mid-section. Taeler hit a palm strike and then a standing scissor kick, followed by a series of impressive kicks and a couple of pin attempts. Taeler voiced her frustration to the ref, and then hit a sidewalk slam into a sloppy-looking variation of a facebuster. She scored another two-count before kissing Klein on the mouth, a move she calls the Kiss Goodnight, and then hit a Tombstone piledriver! She went for the cover, but Klein kicked out at two! Hendrix took too long to follow up, which opened her up for a Guillotine choke from Klein for the win!

WINNER: Kelly Klein via submission in 6:33.

ANALYSIS: This was good, albeit too short and a bit sloppy at times. Hendrix utilized her long legs well with some impressive kicks. I’m surprised Taeler didn’t go over here since she is featured heavily on ROH TV and live events, but it makes sense for ROH to establish some other acts if they are serious about expanding the Women of Honor division. (*3/4)

Next Week: A “Best of 2016” edition of ROH TV.

FINAL REAX: A worthwhile effort from ROH’s women’s division. The six-woman match was solid and Leon-Hania was one of the best women’s matches I’ve seen so far this year. Whether you are a fan of women’s wrestling or not, this episode is certainly worth seeking out and I am looking forward to seeing more. I wouldn’t mind if these matches were sprinkled into the regular TV product, although this format definitely works for the PPV weeks in between TV tapings.

Normally I’d criticize another week of filler, but next week’s best-of show makes sense because of the holiday weekend. For more of my thoughts on Best in the World, please check out my full report on the show and VIP members can listen to the Audio Roundtable I recorded with Sean Radican and Brian Leahy this past weekend.