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ROH FINAL BATTLE
DECEMBER 14, 2018
NEW YORK, NY AT HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM
AIRED ON ROH HONOR CLUB
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
We opened with a narrator recapping Cody’s debut at Final Battle 2016 and loss of the world title at Final Battle 2017. Comments from Cody and Jay Lethal were juxtaposed. This led into hype for Castle-Taven, Cobb-Page, Women Of Honor, Ray-Gordon, and the ladder war.
-In the arena the crowd was on fire. Ian Riccaboni was rocking his new velvet suit and Colt Cabana was even wearing a blazer. They ran down the night’s card.
-Kenny King asked why Eli Isom is in New York and why he’s wasting his time. King said he’s the last person to pin Jay Lethal and Isom is nothing more than a commercial for the ROH Dojo. King went off on an anti-millennial rant and said Isom’s shine is a candle compared to King’s sun. He took a cheap shot and the bell rang.
(1) ELI ISOM vs. KENNY KING
King hit a corkscrew over the top rope onto Isom early. King swung but Isom ducked and King’s arm clubbed the ring post. Isom hit a flip over the top rope onto King too and took control momentarily. King stomped his foot and swept the legs. King thrust his crotch at some male fans that were chanting about how he sucks. Isom came back with a flurry and a belly to belly suplex. King hit the chinchecker and a springboard blockbuster. He likely had the three but pulled Isom up at two instead. “Asshole” chant from the crowd. King set Isom up top and hit an enziguiri. Isom countered a Royal Flush into a roll-up for two. Isom hit a Gory special for a near-fall. The crowd rallied behind him. King hit a fireman’s carry driver for the win.
WINNER: Kenny King in 8:59.
-King blew off the code of honor and left.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Very fun opening match. The crowd rallying behind Isom was great to see and King’s been reinvigorated with this heel turn. His pre-match mic work generated some good heat and the crowd was soundly against him down the stretch.)
(2) JEFF COBB vs. “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE – ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
Page went after Cobb right away with right hands and a trio of kicks to the face. Page dropkicked him to the floor. Page tried for the shooting star press off the apron but Cobb caught him and tossed him away with a belly to belly. Cobb hit a long, delayed vertical suplex from the second rope at 4:45. Page kicked out at one. Cobb hit a standing moonsault. He looked for a second but Page moved. Page with a running dropkick in the corner. Page tried for a second rope suplex of his own but Cobb fought out. He looked for a crossbody but Page caught him and rolled through into a fallaway slam. Page clotheslined Cobb to the floor. Suicide dive. Page went to the top rope for a moonsault and caught the standing Cobb on the floor. He hit two standing shooting star presses but Cobb kicked out. They traded strikes at 9:45. Cobb slapped him to the mat with some palm strikes. Cobb with a tombstone piledriver out of nowhere for two and a half. That garnered the first “this is awesome” chant of the night. Page with a superkick, an elbow, and a forearm. Cobb with a headbutt. Buckshot lariat! Cobb fought out of a Rite Of Passage attempt. Cobb with a TKO but Page kicked out. Page countered a Tour Of The Islands attempt into a pinning combo for two and three-quarters. The crowd booed the kick out. Page looked for another buckshot lariat but found himself on a Tour Of The Islands. Cobb followed with a second Tour just for insurance.
WINNER: Jeff Cobb in 13:29 to retain the TV title.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Hot damn, we’re only two matches in. That was exactly what you wanted from these two. If Page is leaving ROH the crowds should really rally behind Cobb as the new force of nature in the promotion. If the rest of the show can keep up the momentum started by these first two matches we’re in for a terrific night.)
-Mandy Leon joined commentary for the Women Of Honor match. This is apparently an elimination match.
(3) SUMIE SAKAI vs. “THE GATEKEEPER” KELLY KLEIN vs. MADISON RAYNE vs. KAREN Q – FOUR-CORNER SURVIVAL ELIMINATION MATCH FOR THE WOH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
All four men women fought out of the gate. Rayne took out Q with a crossbody on the floor. Sakai and Rayne wound up in the ring. Sakai hit her Mongolian chops in the corner. Rayne with a crossbody to her for a two-count. Sakai rolled through into a chokehold but Q broke it up. She turned it into a Spring Roll on both women. Klein returned and clotheslined Sakai and Rayne. She dumped Sakai to the floor and she and Q worked over Rayne. Klein joined in on Q’s signature running offense in the corner. The heels continued to double-team Rayne but she dodged a running kick that led to Q taking out Klein. Rayne with a crucifix bomb on Q for two. Sakai returned but Rayne caught her on the top rope. This led to a tower of doom spot with Klein powerbombing Q and Rayne but Sakai following with a top rope dropkick. Klein with a fallaway slam to Sakai. Q with a full nelson slam to Klein for one. Klein powered out of a Spring Roll and nailed K-Power for the pin.
Karen Q was eliminated at 6:31.
Klein looked for a second on Rayne but she escaped. Rayne with a tornado DDT for two. Sakai returned and took a cutter from Rayne for two. Rayne followed with a Rayne Drop for another two. Smash Mouth from Sakai on Rayne but Klein kicked her away and stole the pin.
Madison Rayne was eliminated at 8:30.
Klein and Sakai threw hands. It devolved into a hockey fight. Sakai with the same armbar that she beat Tenille Dashwood with at our last pay-per-view. Klein fought the hold and powered up into a slam. Sakai hung on, though. Klein made a rope break. Sakai hit Smash Mouth but Klein kicked out at two and a half. Klein turned a hurricanrana attempt into a powerbomb for two. K-Power connected but Sakai kicked out! Klein sat Sakai on the top rope and hit a Super K-Power for the win.
WINNER: Kelly Klein in 13:32 to capture the Women Of Honor title.
-A dazed Sakai looked at Klein from the corner. Klein walked over to her with title in hand and hugged her.
(Pageot’s Perspective: The longest match in WOH this year and one of the best, especially in the second half. Klein is the most established and polished performer all-around in the division so she’s a terrific fit for champion. The post-match show of respect is very unlike her and could be a sign of a more grudgingly-honorable character going forward. With Twisted Sisterz and Britt Baker joining recently, the women’s division has the potential of finding a real nice footing next year.)
-Sabre slapped Gresham while making his entrance. Riccaboni compared Sabre to Liam Gallagher for his attitude.
(4) ZACK SABRE JR. vs. “THE OCTOPUS” JONATHAN GRESHAM
Bear with me on trying to call this one. A lot of mat wrestling early on as expected, working each other’s joints. Sabre with a headscissors. Gresham escaped and gave him the finger. Gresham got Sabre down and manipulated the legs into a side headlock. Sabre with a shoulder tackle into a stretch but Gresham turned it around. The lanky Sabre tried to bully the short Gresham around by walking into him. Gresham fired up with chops and they went back and forth in a crazed flurry. Gresham with a step-up enziguiri. Sabre with a European uppercut. Gresham into a single-leg crab. Sabre rolled over into a triangle choke. The referee raised and dropped Gresham’s arm but he came back at three. Kick to Sabre’s arm and Gresham looked for the octopus. Sabre avoided but Gresham got a pinfall attempt for two. Gresham caught a kick. Sabre with open hand slaps. Gresham with a springboard moonsault. He looked for a bridging pin but Sabre blocked and turned it around into one of his own.
WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr. in 11:50.
(Pageot’s Perspective: My coverage did not do that one justice. I own that. Just head over to Honor Club and watch it for yourself because that one was fantastic. A little disappointing that Gresham’s fallen short once again but he continues his slow climb to the top and makes progress with every loss. How long until we get a rematch?)
-Bobby Cruise wouldn’t introduce Matt Taven as the real world champion so TK O’Ryan hit the ring and threatened him into doing so. Taven got confetti as part of his entrance and wore his fake world title and six-man title to the ring.
(5) ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPION MATT TAVEN (w/TK O’Ryan) vs. DALTON CASTLE (w/The Boys) – THE “REAL ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP”
Taven slapped Castle. They brawled into the corner and through the ropes to the floor. Castle peacocked in the ring and hit a right hand to the face. Castle with a back suplex. Knee in the corner. O’Ryan shouted encouragement. Taven hit a dropkick through the ropes onto Castle on the floor. He followed with a suicide dive and leaped over the top rope onto Castle but Castle avoided and Taven landed ribs-first across the guardrail. Castle looked to capitalize but Taven shoved him into the apron and hit a hip toss onto the entrance steps. Castle landed on his bad back, which was still taped up following his return from injury. O’Ryan rolled Castle into the ring. Taven with a backbreaker. Knees to the back. Castle avoided a Boston crab by grabbing the bottom rope. O’Ryan called him pathetic. Taven with chops in the corner and an Irish whip. Both men were down at 8:20 and slow to get up. Taven with some kicks and a DDT. O’Ryan with a suckerpunch while the ref checked on Taven. The Boys dropkicked O’Ryan to the floor.
The red balloons came out from under the ring and Vinny Marseglia appeared to attack the Boys and drag them under the ring. As O’Ryan distracted the ref Taven clocked Castle with his title belt but Castle kicked out. Riccaboni blamed the kick out on the quality of Taven’s low-rate fake belt. Taven connected with just the tip (of his knee). He went up top but Castle stopped him and hit a big knee that sent Taven to the floor. Castle with a hurricanrana off the apron. Clothesline to O’Ryan. Bang-A-Rang on Taven into the ring post! O’Ryan broke up a pin attempt by tossing a Boy through the ropes into Castle and Taven. Referee Paul Turner had enough and ejected O’Ryan from ringside. Taven with a right hand. Castle with a knee. A second Bang-A-Rang connected but Taven grabbed the bottom rope to break the pin. More knees from Castle on a defenseless Taven in the corner. Taven countered a third Bang-A-Rang into another knee and he only needed one Climax to put away Castle.
WINNER: Matt Taven in 15:49 to “retain” the real world title.
(Pageot’s Perspective: The weakest match of the night so far. Everything up to the bang-a-rang into the ring post was formula and Marseglia being under the ring and attacking The Boys was too predictable. From that point on things got a bit more interesting but it was a little too late. Despite the shenanigans Taven looks strong for surviving two finishers and only needing one to beat the former world champion.)
-Christopher Daniels entered first for the next match. He was in full SCU mode with music, sunglasses, and tasseled jacket. Marty Scurll had elaborate garb even by his standards with full bird mask, hat, coat, and umbrella.
(6) “THE VILLAIN” MARTY SCURLL vs. “THE FALLEN ANGEL” CHRISTOPHER DANIELS – WINNER EARNS A FUTURE ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Daniels and Scurll looked at each other. Scurll shoved him. Daniels shoved him back. Lock-up. The commentators spoke about Daniels’ history in ROH including being the first person to reject the code of honor. Daniels with a wristlock. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Body slam. Slingshot elbow drop. Arabian moonsault onto Scurll at ringside. Scurll with a superplex in the ring. He whipped Daniels into the guardrail. Superkick. Scurll with a slingshot that struck Daniels’ neck across the bottom rope. Riccaboni speculated this was all setting up for the chicken-wing. Neckbreaker from Scurll. European uppercut. Second rope dropkick. The commentators continued to talk about Daniels’ career possibly being in jeopardy here. Scurll with a back suplex that dropped Daniels on his head but he came right back with a blue thunder. Daniels fired up and hit an STO. Body slam. Springboard moonsault. They traded chops. Roaring elbow from Scurll. Scurll Driver for two. He called for the chicken-wing but Daniels heard him and countered into a roll-up for two. Burning hammer from Daniels for two. Scurll avoided Angel’s Wings and hit a tombstone piledriver complete with Undertaker-style cover. Daniels kicked out but Scurll snapped his fingers. Scurll tried for the chicken-wing again, Daniels fought it, so Scurll snapped his fingers a second time. Scurll looked for a roll-up with the ropes for leverage but Daniels kicked out. Angel’s wings! Scurll kicked out at two. Best Moonsault Ever but Scurll got the knees up. Lariat from Scurll. Daniels with a roll-up for two. Superkicks from Scurll. Graduation connected but Daniels kicked out. Scurll stomped away at Daniels’ neck. Chicken-wing. Daniels struggled. After seven seconds he was forced to tap.
WINNER: Marty Scurll in 17:37.
-The commentators were solemn about Daniels’ tenure in ROH coming to an end after 16 years and his career of 25 years possibly being finished. “Thank you, Daniels” chant from the crowd. Scurll left as Daniels got to his feet in the ring. Tears were in his eyes as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Daniels posed on the top rope and played to the crowd as Bully Ray suddenly appeared, low blowing him from behind and dumping him to the floor. Riccaboni was incensed. “Fuck you, Bully” chant. Ray grabbed a mic and called out Flip Gordon.
(Pageot’s Perspective: A decent match with the story of Scurll targeting Daniels’ neck. Not an all-time classic but a fine end to Daniels’ career if that really does end up being the case. Keep in mind that Ray retired at last year’s Final Battle and here we are now.)
-Gordon appeared in the balcony with the fans, dressed in tactical gear and waving an American flag. Rollins and Ambrose weren’t with him. (lol)
(7) FLIP GORDON vs. BULLY RAY – I QUIT MATCH
Gordon with a crossbody into the ring. Dropkick. Right hands on Ray. Gordon threw a chair to Ray and did an RVD-style spin kick to send the chair into Ray’s face. Gordon ran him into the guardrail. Running forearm. Ray came back with a garbage can to Gordon. Ray grabbed a table from under the ring and set it up. Riccaboni said that the blonde girl in the front row who’s been rather stoic all night is actually Gordon’s girlfriend. Gordon slid a second table into the ring. He set it up but Ray threw him back to ringside. Ray found his steel chain and wrapped it around his fist. He punched Gordon in the face. Ray talked smack at Cary Silkin. Ring announcer Bobby Cruise defended the former owner so Ray shoved him into the guardrail. Cruise went down. Senior referee Todd Sinclair lost it on Ray so Ray shoved him down too. Ray found a Singapore cane under the ring and threatened Silkin with it. Christopher Daniels returned and dove in front of Silkin, taking a cane shot to the back. Gordon flipped over the top rope onto Ray at ringside. He was bleeding badly from the forehead. Gordon charged at Ray, who backdropped him at a table. Gordon went right over and landed on the floor, though. Ray pulled Gordon’s girlfriend over the guardrail and set her up for a powerbomb through the table. Gordon begged and pleaded. Silkin hit Ray with the Singapore cane from behind. Ray walked him down. Ray grabbed the cane but Gordon’s girlfriend low blowed Ray from behind. The bloodied Gordon kissed her, sent her back to her seat, and instructed security to stand guard. Gordon hit Ray with the American flag. “USA” chant. Gordon choked Ray with the flagpole.
Silas Young hit the ring and stomped away at Gordon. Misery to Gordon. Young pulled out a bottle of lighter fluid and saturated the table in the ring. Cheeseburger showed up and fired away on Young. Young avoided a shotei, though, and hit another Misery. Young dumped Burger to the floor. Ray added more lighter fluid to the table. Colt Cabana stormed the ring. Steel chair to Young. Then Ray. Low blow from Young. Cabana dumped to the floor. Ray set up Gordon for a powerbomb through the table. Young lit a lighter. The lights went out.
When they came back up Sandman was in the ring with his own Singapore cane. Sandman unloaded on Young. Ray had the original cane and the old foes faced off. Sandman cracked open a beer, powered up, and avoided a shot from Ray. Superkick to Ray. Star-Spangled Stunner. Gordon unloaded on Ray with canes in both hands. Sinclair asked Ray if he quit and Ray screamed yes.
WINNER: Flip Gordon in 14:27.
-Sandman gave Gordon a beer and they drank and hugged. Cabana joined them to celebrate.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Yikes. Well, that was something but I’m not sure that something was “good.” From the cheesy Cena-esque over-the-top American theatrics to the bad blading job to Flip’s “girlfriend” to the tease of fire with no delivery. Sandman as the final surprise run-in wasn’t even that exciting considering we just saw him on TV recently. I kept waiting for him to turn on Gordon but instead Gordon gets a lackluster win. Hardly the big comeuppance for Ray that we’ve been clamoring for all year.)
-Caprice Coleman joined Riccaboni in lieu of Cabana’s absence. They filled for time while the ring was cleaned up.
-After full introductions for the world title match Cody took a mic. He said it sounded like the fans loved him. “We love Cody” chant. He said he thought he loved them too. He said, actually, if he loved them he’d do the Madison Square Garden show. They could all kiss his ass. Lethal was unphased. “This is my friggin’ company, jackass.” He’s leaving as champion and the shiny new toy will be dull and gone.
(8) JAY LETHAL vs. “THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE” CODY (w/Brandi Rhodes) – ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Cody appeared to hurt his injured knee on a baseball slide early on but Lethal didn’t buy it and went right into a cover and headlock. Todd Sinclair backed Lethal off and Cody used it to hit an eyepoke. He and Brandi ran laps around the ring. Cody acted like he was going to celebrate with a fan but instead slapped the guy’s beer into his face. Lethal dropkicked Cody off the apron when he tried to re-enter. Lethal beat him around ringside and bodyslammed him on the floor. Suplex in the ring for a one-count. Lethal with body shots and a clothesline in the corner. Cody with a powerslam. Delayed vertical suplex. Lethal avoided a beautiful disaster kick and clubbed Cody’s bad knee. Lethal wrapped the bad knee around the ring post. Dropkick to Cody’s knee up against the post. Kneebreaker in the ring. Lethal yanked on Cody’s leg. Lethal teased a figure four. Cody kicked him off and Lethal rolled him up but Brandi had Sinclair distracted from making the count. Lethal looked for a kick but Cody moved and he stopped short of hitting Sinclair. In the confusion Brandi speared Lethal. Cody hit CrossRhodes but Lethal kicked out.
Lethal caught Cody in the corner and hit another dropkick to the knee. Lethal set up Cody for his brother’s Shattered Dreams. Sinclair stopped him to avoid Lethal disqualifying himself with the low kick. Brandi looked for another spear but Lethal dodged and she took out her husband. Sinclair thought about calling for the DQ but Lethal stopped him. Lethal looked for a Lethal Injection but Cody pulled his wife into taking it instead. A second CrossRhodes from Cody connected but Lethal kicked out at two and a half. Cody put the figure four on Lethal. The bell rang and Adam Page was shown at the timekeeper’s table. He ran to the ring and handed the world title to Cody. Cody celebrated with the belt while Sinclair argued that Lethal didn’t tap. Cody with a roll-up but Lethal kicked out. Lethal hit Cody with a CrossRhodes of his own. Cody kicked out so apparently that move just isn’t very powerful.
Hail To The King but Cody got his knees up. Jabs from Cody. Bionic elbow. Lethal clotheslined him to the floor. He hit his signature trio of suicide dives. But if three is good, why not four? Or five? Or six? Cody blocked a seventh by spraying a mouth of water into Lethal’s face. Cody hit Din’s Fire for two. Brandi started to come to at ringside. The world title belt was still lying in the corner under the bottom rope. Lethal kicked Cody in the face and Sinclair took a bad bump. Lethal clubbed Cody in the bad knee with the title belt. Lethal gave him the middle finger, two superkicks, and a Lethal Injection. Two more superkicks but Cody blocked a second Lethal Injection. Lethal into a figure four instead. Cody almost reached the bottom rope but Lethal dragged him back to the middle of the ring and Cody frantically tapped.
WINNER: Jay Lethal in 23:46 to retain the world title.
-Cody and Brandi left and Marty Scurll hit the ring. He looked at the world title and at Lethal. As Cody and Brandi left they ran into NWA World’s Champion Nick Aldis and a woman on the ramp. The valet held his title for him while Aldis applauded Lethal. They exited. Scurll grabbed the world title away from Lethal and held it up before throwing it back to the champion.
(Pageot’s Perspective: It wouldn’t be a Cody world title match without a surplus of shenanigans. There were a few moments where you might have been able to buy into Cody possibly winning, even with all the announced information citing this as his final ROH match. I loved the story of Lethal being very acquainted with Cody and knowing full well he’d use every trick in the book to try to steal the win. Lethal was straight-faced at every new ploy and showed that he was willing to give as good as he got in the end with the title shot to the knee and the Elite-branded superkicks. Lethal vs. Scurll will likely headline the 17th Anniversary Show in February unless we get a three-way with Aldis for some reason. His appearance felt very out of place here. Was this just a token gesture as thanks for Dave Lagana making the recent Pinnacle videos?)
-Production had littered the ringside area with ladders during the pre-match video package for the main event. The Briscoes were out first. The Young Bucks were second with Rockers-inspired ’80s gear. The champions were out last. Cabana rejoined Riccaboni and Coleman on commentary.
(9) SOCAL UNCENSORED (Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) vs. THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) vs. THE BRISCOES (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) – LADDER WAR FOR THE ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Mark threw a steel chair into the ring. Kaz threw it back. SCU and the Bucks threw hands. The Briscoes pulled Nick to the floor. Things broke down immediately. Mark set up a table on the floor and Sky wound up laid across it. Jay held Matt for Mark to hit him with a chair. Jay double-stomped Sky through the table. Mark with chair shots to Matt. Jay with a garbage can to Nick. Kaz bladed after a chair shot from Mark. Garbage can shot to him too. Mark put a ladder around his head and swung into Sky and Kaz. Matt powerbombed Jay onto a ladder in the corner. Inverted code red to Sky. Signature Bucks offense to Kaz. Stereo suicide dives to the Briscoes. The Bucks paused before too sweeting each other in the middle of the ring, a big middle finger to WWE.
SCU returned to clear the Bucks and attempted to climb for the belts for the first time. The Bucks pulled them off. Nick and Kaz shoved the ladder back and forth between them. Matt dove through the ladder with a spear to Kaz. Kaz with a springboard facebuster to Nick off the ladder. Kaz started to climb but the Briscoes returned and demolished him with chairs. Mark with a ura nage to Nick onto a ladder. A back body drop sent Kaz coming down on the ladder on his knee. More chair shots to Kaz and Sky. Mark set up one chair while Jay wedged another one into the turnbuckles. Sky ended up driving him head-first into it, though. Nick hurled a chair at Mark’s head while Matt held him. Sky leaped over the top rope onto Mark. Nick followed suit.
Jay came up bloodied and back body dropped Matt over the top rope and through a table at ringside. Jay pulled out a staple gun from under the ring. Before he could use it on Kaz, Kaz low blowed him. Kaz gave Mark a slingshot cutter from in the ring, over the top rope, and through a table at ringside. Matt brought out the sledgehammer from recent episodes of Being The Elite. Jay dared him to do it. Matt threw it away instead and superkicked him. Pop-up spear from the Bucks to Sky. Sky hurricanraed Nick onto a ladder. Matt hit one end of a ladder, causing the other end to see-saw on the ropes and strike Sky in the face. Jay with a back body drop on Matt through an open chair. Nick with a facebuster to Jay onto a chair. Kaz with a DDT to Nick on the floor. Mark was also bleeding by this point as he threw a ladder over the top rope. Sky and Kaz stopped it from hitting the front row fans.
Mark climbed a ladder in the ring. The Bucks looked for a Meltzer Driver on Jay but Mark prevented it. Jay Driller to Matt. “Fight forever” chant. Mark and Sky set up more tables at ringside. Jay and Kaz fought in the ring. A ladder was set up under the belts. Mark moved it away and set up a taller one. Then he noticed an even taller one on the floor and made referee Paul Turner give it to him. The Briscoes set up two ladders to form an L-shaped structure while Kaz set up a table. Kaz avoided Redneck Boogie. Jay took a chair to the back when he tried climbing for the gold. Kaz with a Styles Clash to Jay. He scaled the ladder but Mark met him up top. Kaz knocked Mark off and had his hands on the belts but Nick intervened. They both tried to unhook the belts but Nick was sent plummeting to the floor and through a table. Jay met Kaz up top. Kaz was knocked backwards and through a table in the ring. Jay unhooked both belts.
WINNERS: The Briscoes in 22:36 to capture the tag titles.
-Bobby Cruise announced them as new and 10-time ROH tag team champions. The Briscoes paced the ring with their gold while the other four men lay among the wreckage. The show went off the air at 11:54.
(Pageot’s Perspective: A chaotic mess in the best way. They didn’t break any new ground but they made full use of every ladder + chair + table combination you can think of. If both the opposing teams are finished with ROH as expected I have no clue who the Briscoes will feud with next. The only other truly established tag teams in the promotion right now are Coast 2 Coast and The Bouncers, both of whom the Briscoes beat recently and who aren’t considered big enough stars to find their way onto this nine-match card.
Overall the show didn’t maintain the hot energy of the opening few matches but that’s understandable. Four hours is too long for a wrestling event. The predictability of the departing four Elite members all losing seemed to make the show feel fairly predictable a week ago but I talked myself into the idea that we’d get some surprise finishes leading to title changes at the TV tapings tomorrow or somehow beyond that. Instead, no, all of the names rumored to be finished with ROH after this weekend lost and are free to be on their way. I’m quite surprised PCO didn’t show up in some capacity and that we instead got Sandman and Nick Aldis. Hard to get too excited about that and the tag division is bleak as mentioned. Besides that Lethal, Cobb, and Klein as the top singles wrestlers is a strong set of champions for ROH in 2019.)
Find Harley on Twitter @talkinghonor and listen to he and Emily Fear talk the week in ROH every Tuesday on the PWTorch Livecast “Talking Honor.”
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