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ROH TV REPORT
AUGUST 19, 2018
ATLANTA, GA AT CENTER STAGE
AIRED ON SINCLAIR AFFILIATES & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
Opening theme.
-In the arena we opened with “SCU!” SoCal Uncensored’s music hit and Scorpio Sky entered alone. Chris Sabin was still billed as representing The Motor City Machine Guns. Video recap of Sabin defeating Silas Young two weeks ago to become the #1 contender to Punishment Martinez’s television title. They followed the code of honor. ROH has a new stark white canvas to replace their former black one.
(1) CHRIS SABIN (w/Alex Shelley) vs. SCORPIO SKY
Dueling “Motor City / SCU” chants. Sky caught Sabin with a double stomp to the back at 1:20 and followed with a splash over the ropes to the floor. Sky with a leg drop to Sabin on the apron. It earned him the first two-count of the night. Sabin with a kick to the chest and another as he ran the apron and caught Sky walking along at ringside. [C]
Sabin with a top rope hurricanrana but Sky immediately came back and hit his jumping hurricanrana on Sabin from the top rope as well. Slingshot cutter to Sabin for two. Sabin countered a suplex into an inside cradle for two. Sabin with another roll-up. Enziguiri. Cradle Shock ends it.
WINNER: Chris Sabin in 8:28.
-Alex Shelley took a mic and cited how long he and Sabin have been wrestling. He said their goal upon arriving in ROH was to win the tag titles and they did it. He started to get teary while saying he doesn’t feel like he has much left to offer pro wrestling. He also doesn’t think MCMG are needed. He said the realization came when he was sitting in a dentist chair dealing with mouth surgery from a match. He said this isn’t a retirement because nobody really retires in wrestling. Shelley asked Sabin to validate them and prove that MCMG were one of the best tag teams in wrestling at one time. He wiped away his tears while Sabin looked pensive. Shelley said part of the reason they were so great was because of their individual talents. With Sabin coming out of NJPW’s Best Of Super Juniors he opened a lot of eyes and Shelley wants to see him fulfill his potential, preferably by winning the ROH television title. They hugged.
-Punishment Martinez ran down to ring in street clothes with a steel chair. He clotheslined both men from behind and stomped Sabin onto the chair. He set up Shelley for the same but Sky returned with a chair to chase off Martinez. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: There had been rumors for weeks that Shelley had retired but it wasn’t clear where or when and he was never explicit on his Twitter. Clearly this was where it stemmed from. The loss of MCMG to the tag division will be felt and I’m not sold yet on whether Sabin will succeed as a singles act but Shelley needs to do what’s right for him. I’m sure we’ll see MCMG team together again in a few years time but Shelley’s time as a full-time wrestler is almost assuredly at the end.
Meanwhile Sky continues to have the worst record of anyone in ROH this year at 0-8 now. He’s fluid in the ring and makes his opponents look good but his offense is very limited. He has about four moves and it feels like he just cycles through them in a really obvious way.)
-Kenny King was backstage. He’s found himself at a crossroads between the man he is and the champion he wants to be. The devil told him he can’t stop. It leads him to a villain. Marty Scurll doesn’t care what it takes to win so tonight King’s going to take a page out of his book.
-Kelly Klein joined the commentary booth for the next match. We got video footage from July 15 television of Klein vs. Jenny Rose. Klein had thrown away her mouthguard and lifted Rose into a firewoman’s carry. Rose fought out with hard elbows to Klein’s unprotected face and as a result Klein ended up with a chipped tooth and needed to have cosmetic surgery done. A photo was shown of Klein’s chipped tooth.
-Karen Q had a backstage promo saying she’s sick of all her losses this year. (She’s 0-4 in 2018.) She threatened Rose in Chinese.
-Rose got her own promo saying she hasn’t been on her A-game lately. (She’s 0-2 in 2018.) Her path to the Women Of Honor Championship starts with Q. Rose offered the code of honor but Q slapped her hand instead of shaking.
(2) JENNY ROSE vs. KAREN Q
Rose with an early roll-up for two, and another. Inside cradle for another. They traded shoulder blocks but neither went down. Rose with a clothesline. She missed a splash in the corner and Q took over. Q choked her with her boot in the corner. Neckbreaker. She spent too much time jawing at the fans before making the cover so Rose kicked out at one. [C]
Q with a clothesline and she choked Rose on the second rope. Q with her signature corner to corner sequence. Ura nage for a two-count. Rose fought back and hit a sidewalk slam. Northern lights suplex for two. Rose with a spear for a big two-count. Klein left commentary and jumped onto the apron. She threw her mouthguard at Rose. The distraction allowed Q to hit a full nelson slam for the win.
WINNER: Karen Q in 7:34.
-Klein jumped on Rose and punched away at her while Q just looked on, nonplussed. Q mouthed off at Klein a bit before leaving. Klein threw her dentist bill at Rose before leaving herself.
(Pageot’s Perspective: With neither women picking up a singles victory this year this could have gone either way. This was a good outcome as it gives Q some momentum as she enters WWE’s Mae Young Classic in a few weeks time and sets up a feud between Rose and Klein. The women’s division needs more full feuds and that one should be great.)
-Video package on Jonathan Gresham vs. Jay Lethal. Gresham spoke about being the best pure wrestler in the world and being in need of that one signature win. Lethal admitted to underestimating Gresham at first but loving wrestling him. They faced off in February at Honor Reigns Supreme with Lethal going over and then again in April at Masters Of The Craft with Lethal winning again. In three weeks on television it’s round three – Lethal vs. Gresham in a 30-minute iron man match for the ROH World Championship. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: That’s going to be a lot of fun. There’s no way Gresham wins the title, but it will still be a lot of fun. Their previous two matches were both around 18 minutes so theoretically a 30-minute iron man match should only end up with a final score of 2-1 or 1-0. We’ll see.)
-Alex Shelley was in the fetal position backstage with both hands over his mouth and a steel chair on the ground next to him while Sabin screamed for help. Four guys came to investigate. One got on his cellphone while Sabin told the cameraman to stop filming and go get help. Riccaboni and Cabana assumed it was the work of Punishment Martinez.
-The 2018 Top Prospect Tournament is here! Future Of Honor competitor F.R. Josie came out as the first entrant. He got a picture-in-picture promo. In a purposefully funny monotone he referred to himself as the “resident body guy” and said he’s going to… He checked the writing on his hand because he couldn’t remember the rest of his promo. …win.
-Caprice Coleman joined the commentary team. Riccaboni acknowledged that the Top Prospect Tournament usually takes place in January (but was presumably pushed back this year due to the Women Of Honor Championship tournament taking place around that time).
-In Isom’s PIP promo he pointed out that he’s the only man in the tournament with a pinfall over Christopher Daniels. He’s going to prove it wasn’t a fluke and he’s legit.
(Pageot’s Perspective: If this match actually occurs and isn’t just interrupted by Bully Ray in two minutes, I’ll be shocked.)
(3) ELI ISOM vs. F.R. JOSIE – TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT OPENING ROUND
Lock-up. Standing switch. Arm drags. Isom with a release suplex and the fans got behind him. Isom with a springboard but Josie ducked. Josie with some boots. Josie jumped off the second rope but Isom caught him and flipped him into a backbreaker. Someone ran out to interrupt the proceedings but it wasn’t Bully Ray.
WINNER: No contest in 1:55.
-Jeff Cobb clotheslined Isom and hit a belly to belly suplex. He threw Josie down next to him and lifted both men with one arm each for a back suplex. Deafening “this is awesome” chant from the crowd.
(Pageot’s Perspective: If you’re not familiar with Cobb from New Japan, Lucha Underground, or PWG you’re in for a treat. He hails from Hawaii and was a 2004 Olympic athlete. His power, intensity, and swagger reminds me a lot of a young Samoa Joe at times. ROH has been in need of some strong heels and Cobb vs. Adam Page or Jay Lethal or Dalton Castle…? Yes please.
As to what this means for the Top Prospect Tournament? Presumably we’ll get a rematch of this one in a week or two, right? Or will it just be forgotten about like when Isom tried to face Façade in the first match of the 2018 Top Prospect Tournament back in May. Ray interrupted that one and it was never mentioned again.)
-The ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Kingdom (Matt Taven, Vinny Marseglia, & TK O’Ryan) were backstage. They congratulated Cody and The Young Bucks on finally being on the same page. Taven ranted about them being handed an unearned tag title match next week.
(Pageot’s Perspective: It’s not really a good thing when your heels are totally truthful and right. Cody and the Bucks have never teamed as a trio in ROH and haven’t won a match as a trio since February in New Japan. Isom, King, & Chuckie T had to win a gauntlet match to earn a shot at the six-man titles. Why are the All In organizers simply being handed a title shot?)
-King and Scurll made their entrances for the main event. [C]
(4) “THE VILLAIN” MARTY SCURLL vs. KENNY KING
Basic back and forth action through the opening minutes. Scurll locked in a surfboard at 3:00 by pulling back on King’s nose. Chops from Scurll. Hammerlock with another dirty hook of the nose. King swept his legs. They fought at ringside. Scurll re-entered and grabbed his umbrella. King took it away, then referee Paul Turner took it from him. Scurll kicked King in the head. [C]
Scurll with an uppercut. Superplex to King. Scurll looked for the chicken-wing but King fought out to boos. Scurll tried to steal a pin by holding the ropes but King kicked out. King went back on the offense. Spinebuster for two. Scurll tried to steal the pin again using the tights but King escaped. King locked in Austin Aries’ Last Chancery on Scurll. Scurll made it to the rope break. Scurll with a clothesline. Brainbuster. King kicked out. Back and forth. Scurll stomped on King’s hand. King countered the chicken-wing into a Royal Flush attempt but Scurll countered that into a DDT. King kicked out at two. Scurll grabbed his umbrella again. Turner took it away again. In the midst of this King rolled up Scurll and put his feet on the ropes for the win.
WINNER: Kenny King in 13:18.
-The crowd showered King with loud boos which Cabana and Coleman questioned, pointing out that Scurll tried to cheat the entire match and King just gave him a taste of his own medicine.
(Pageot’s Perspective: King’s slow seduction toward the dark side begins. Is his feud with Aries actually continuing or is this going to be like Shane Taylor vs. King Mo where we just talk about him for months and never actually see him? If Aries doesn’t appear again but this leads to King finally achieving main event status as a top heel, I’m okay with that. We need some new faces in the world title picture and a tweak or two to his presentation is all it will take for King to be one of those faces. Scurll’s world title shots are behind him and he seems to be sinking back down to a role where he’s the template villain whose established use of dirty tactics and cheating allows him to fit into different spaces where they need a character like that. It might not be doing wonders for him but I guess the hope is that he’s so over with the fans that losses like this won’t have any long-term consequences for his ROH career.)
-Next week: it’s Christopher Daniels vs. Jay Briscoe, Flip Gordon vs. Silas Young, and The Kingdom vs. Cody & The Young Bucks for the six-man titles.
I try watching ROH and just find it as lame as hell. I downloaded their last PPV and the empty seats made the product just look minor. And the “talent”? Don’t think so. I’d rather watch grass grow.
I also don’t support indie wrestling federations, but still read the articles. Good for us!