1/20 ROH TV – Bennett & Maria farewell match, Styles involved, more

PWTorch contributor Mike Metzger reports on this week’s ROH TV episode featuring the farewell to Kingdom members Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis, which was taped prior to their TNA TV debuts…

ROH TV Report
Aired January 17, 2016 in syndication
To air January 20, 2016 on Comet TV
Taped 12/19 in Philadelphia, Penn.
Report by Mike Metzger (@md0uble), PWTorch contributor

The ROH TV opening aired.

The camera panned the 2300 Arena, as Kevin Kelly hyped tonight’s
Philly Street Fight main event between The Young Bucks, reDRagon, and
The Kingdom. Mr. Wrestling III (Steve Corino) joined Kelly at
ringside.

1 — THE ADDICTION (CHRISTOPHER DANIELS & FRANKIE KAZARIAN w/Chris Sabin) vs. A.C.H. & ALEX SHELLEY

Chants of “Motor City” rang out from the crowd before the bell. The
Addiction refused to adhere to the Code of Honor. Kazarian and Shelley
started the match. “Alex Shelley” chants before both men tied up in
the center. Kaz backed Shelley into a corner, and the ref called for a
clean break. Kaz raked Shelley’s eyes, instead. Kaz then hit a side
Russian legsweep, but Shelley quickly fought back. Daniels grabbed
Shelley from the apron, but a miscommunication caused Kaz to nail
Daniels to the floor! Shelley hit a dropkick on Kaz and then applied a
hold, but Sabin got on the apron and stared down his former Motor City
Machine Guns partner!

Kaz capitalized on the distraction and rolled up Shelley for two.
Shelley tagged A.C.H., who came in and nailed Kaz with a leg lariat.
A.C.H. hit a chop, but Sabin grabbed his foot from the outside. This
allowed Kaz to tag Daniels. Daniels tried to seize control, but A.C.H.
was too quick and nailed him with a dropkick! A.C.H. followed up with
some chops in the corner and went up top. Kaz distracted him, though,
which allowed Daniels to grab A.C.H. and hit his his signature
cross-armed iconoclasm off the top turnbuckle. Kaz tagged in and then
The Addiction double-teamed A.C.H. a bit, which culminated with an STO
from Daniels. The show then cut to its first break at the 4:23 point
in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 6:53, A.C.H. made the hot tag to Shelley! Shelley was a house
afire and dropkicked both Kaz and Daniels in succession. Alex hit an
STO on Kaz in the corner. He tried to follow up with a double
footstomp, but Kaz moved out of the way and tagged Daniels back in.
Daniels hit his holding-hands footstomp from the second rope, which
was good for a nearfall. Daniels went for Angel’s Wings, but Shelley
reversed into a backdrop and then he kicked Daniels in the face! Both
men were down, but Shelley was able to tag A.C.H.!

A.C.H. hit a cross-body on Kaz and then superkicked Daniels in the
corner. A.C.H. hit Kaz with a running punt kick from the apron. Back
in the ring, he went for a German suplex. Daniels escaped momentarily,
but Shelley nailed him with a kick from the apron, which set him up
for the German from A.C.H.! Kaz re-entered the ring, however, and he
and Daniels hit Total Elimination on Shelly. A.C.H. came back with a
nice STO/jawbreaker combo on both members of The Addiction! A.C.H.
went up for the 450 Splash, but Sabin grabbed his leg. A.C.H. nailed
Sabin, but the momentary distraction allowed The Addiction to hit
Celebrity Rehab on A.C.H. for the victory!

WINNERS: The Addiction via pinfall in 10:07.

After the match, The Addiction attacked Shelley and then hit Celebrity
Rehab on him. Daniels grabbed the ring bell hammer and rang the bell
several times. He then re-entered the ring with the hammer. Referee
Paul Turner tried to break it up, but Daniels punched him in the face!

This brought out ROH matchmaker Nigel McGuinness. He reminded Daniels
that there was a “zero tolerance” policy in ROH when it came to
hitting a referee. McGuinness then suspended Daniels on the spot!
Daniels was shocked, as McGuinness threatened to suspend him for a
full year if he didn’t leave the arena immediately. Daniels was
reluctantly chased to the back by McGuinness and a referee, as the
fans sang the “Goodbye” song.

ANALYSIS: Good opener. I thought A.C.H. and Shelley had good chemistry, while Daniels and Kaz exhibited their usual fluidity in the ring. It’s almost as if they get smoother with age. My one critique is the announcers never explained why The Addiction returned to ROH so quickly after leaving because there was a “vast conspiracy” against them. I’m sure Daniels being suspended will play into it, but it just hurts the overall story when it’s not brought up at all. (**1/2)

[Commercial Break]

2 — ADAM PAGE (w/B.J. Whitmer & Colby Corino) vs. MARK BRISCOE

“Man up” chants from the crowd, followed by “Whit-mer sucks.” Page
refused to shake Briscoe’s hand before the bell. Both men tied up in
the center. They jockeyed for position until there was a stalemate at
the 0:45 mark. A brief distraction from Whitmer on the outside allowed
Page to blindside Briscoe with a forearm. Briscoe was down in the
corner, which allowed Colby to take a shot at him behind the ref’s
back. Mark came back with a shoulder tackle to Page. He went for a
suplex, but Page blocked. Mark came right back with chops and blows,
followed by a brainbuster. Page kicked out of the pin attempt,
however.

Mark pummeled Page in the corner. Mark charged at his opponent, but
Page reversed with a powerslam into the turnbuckles! Page went for the
cover, but Briscoe kicked out at two. Page went up top, but Mark hit
an enziguri that knocked Page to the outside. Briscoe followed up with
a dropkick through the ropes and then hit a Blockbuster off the apron!
Back in the ring, Briscoe hit a lariat and went for the cover, but
Page kicked out at two.

Mark went for a fisherman buster, but Page blocked. Both men began
trading blows at the 4:15 mark. They ran the ropes, which allowed Page
to hit a jumping DDT, which was good for a nearfall. Page lifted
Briscoe onto his shoulders, but Mark wriggled free. Page ended up on
the apron. Mark hit two big boots while Page held onto the ropes, but
he would not be knocked to the floor. Mark went for a third, but Page
caught his boot and then flipped into the ring and hit a huge lariat!
He went for the cover, but Briscoe kicked out at two!

Page went for the Rite of Passage, but Mark broke free. Briscoe
charged at Page in the corner, but ate a boot. Page was distracted by
Whitmer and Corino at ringside, though, which allowed Mark to hit the
fisherman buster, followed by Froggy Bow for the victory!

WINNER: Mark Briscoe via pinfall in 6:33.

ANALYSIS: Basic match. Page should have won, but it looks like ROH is beginning to plant the seeds of dissension within The Decade, and I have no complaints about that. (**)

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, The Decade was still in the ring. Whitmer had
something to say, despite the fans booing him loudly. Whitmer turned
his attention to Mr. Wrestling III, and demanded Corino reveal himself
since everyone knew it was him underneath the mask. He wanted Corino
to show his son Colby “what it takes to be a man.” “Mr. Wrestling”
chant from the crowd, as Corino entered the ring!

Mr. Wrestling III said that Whitmer could ask him any question he
wanted to. Whitmer started talking and the crowd just booed him
relentlessly. Whitmer refused to ask a question and just demanded Mr.
Wrestling III reveal himself. Mr. Wrestling III refused. He brought up
the “zero tolerance” policy and what had happened to Christopher
Daniels earlier in the show. Mr. Wrestling III said he knew someone
who wanted a piece of Whitmer- “his name is Steve Corino, and he will
always be an evil man!” Corino, er, Mr. Wrestling simply demanded
Whitmer leave the ring before walking out of the ring, himself.

ANALYSIS: Has ROH learned nothing from this endless Decade-Corino storyline? Fans are tired of The Decade to begin with. And then they spend a year building to a Corino-Whitmer match that never happens due to Corino’s untimely injury. Hopefully, this means that ROH is confident they will re-sign Corino, otherwise this is just more wasted TV time that can (and should) be given to anyone else on the roster.

[Commercial Break]

Commentary Desk: Kevin Kelly and Mr. Wrestling III reminded viewers of
how tonight’s main event came about. A disheveled Silas Young slowly
walked down to ringside and interrupted the announcers. Silas said
that what happened at Final Battle was a “disappointment.” Silas said
that he treated “the boys” like family. The fans responded with a “you
got dumped” chant. Silas said that “the boys” were appreciative of the
opportunities he gave them to be “real men.” Young accused Dalton
Castle of having some type of mental hold over “the boys.” Silas
offered “the boys” one last chance to be “men,” before the camera cut
away.

3 — THE KINGDOM (MICHAEL BENNETT & ADAM COLE w/Maria Kanellis & Matt Taven) vs. REDRAGON (KYLE O’REILLY & BOBBY FISH) vs. THE YOUNG BUCKS (NICK & MATT JACKSON) – three-way Philly Street Fight

The Kingdom was out first. ReDRagon appeared in the entranceway, but
they were attacked from behind by The Bucks! Nick and Matt ran to the
ring and nailed Taven with a double superkick! Cole tried to retaliate
with a superkick of his own, but hit ring announcer Bobby Cruise by
accident! So much for “zero tolerance.” The Bucks seized their
opportunity and nailed both Bennett and Cole with a pair of
superkicks. Fish and O’Reilly ran into the ring and nailed The Bucks
with some clotheslines. Theykicked Matt a few times and then isolated
Nick in the corner, before hitting him with their Two-Man Smash
Machine combo.

There was no bell during any of this, but the match appeared to be
officially underway because it was a “Philly Street Fight.” The
Kingdom re-entered the ring and attacked reDRagon. They tossed FIsh to
the outside and went after O’Reilly. Several competitors jockeyed for
position until Fish hit a big flip dive onto several men at ringside.
O’Reilly locked an armbar in the ropes on Bennett. Nick then jumped
over O’Reilly and Bennett in the ropes and hit a big flip dive to the
outside!

All six men proceeded to brawl on the outside. Maria went to the
commentary desk and claimed that” The Kingdom is forever.” In the
ring, Cole sat Matt Jackson in a chair and then applied a modified
chinlock. Jackson reversed into a jawbreaker. Jackson did a cartwheel
handspring into the corner, but then simply picked up a chair and hit
Cole with it. O’Reilly sat Nick in a chair on the outside and came off
the apron, but ended up jumping directly into a superkick from Nick!
The show then cut to a break at the 3:33 mark of the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 4:30, Matt Jackson had Cole in a shopping cart in the
aisleway. He proceeded to wheel it directly into a superkick from
Nick! Meanwhile, O’Reilly came off the apron with a running dropkick
to Bennett! “This is awesome” chant from the crowd, as reDRagon
double-teamed Matt Jackson in the ring. Nick tried to make the save,
but found himself on the receiving end of Fish and O’Reilly’s Double
Dragon double-team. On the outside, The Kingdom grabbed a ladder.
ReDRagon went for a double baseball slide into the ladder, but The
Kingdom avoided it and, instead, nailed reDRagon with said ladder.

Cole proceeded to bring the ladder into the ring and nailed both Bucks
with it. Cole then placed the ladder around his neck and spun it
around into everyone nearby, Terry Funk, Barely Legal 1997-style!
After Cole was done, he did his “Adam Cole, bay bay” pose with the
ladder still around his neck. ReDRagon reappeared though and nailed
the ladder with steel chairs.

ReDRagon hit Cole with the Two Man Smash Machine, only this time
O’Reilly came off the second rope with a chair to Cole’s face!
ReDRagon had Bennett alone in the ring. They called for a move, but
Matt Jackson yanked Fish out of the ring. Meanwhile, Bennett reversed
O’Reilly into a spinebuster on the ladder! The Bucks re-entered and
attacked Bennett. Fish got on the apron, but Nick threw a chair in his
face! The Bucks set up the ladder against the ropes and then Matt
powerbombed Bennett into it! Nick climbed up top and hit a Swanton
onto Bennett, who was still on the ladder!

The Jacksons then hit More Bang for Your Buck on Bennett. Matt went
for the cover, but Cole pulled the ref out of the ring before he could
count to three! Nick went after Cole on the outside. He told Cole to
“suck it,” but then superkicked Kevin Kelly by accident! So much for
“zero tolerance.” There was a sequence where all 6 men ended up down
on the outside, as the show cut to another break at the 10:17 point.

[Commercial Break]

Back at 11:17, Cole hit Matt with a Destroyer from the top rope, but
Nick was right there with a superkick! Bennett then reappeared and
nailed Nick with a superkick! ReDRagon hit Bennett with Chasing the
Dragon on the outside. Huge “ROH” chant from the crowd, as Cole and
O’Reilly began brawling on the outside. They brawled all the way to
the back. Fish found himself outnumbered by The Bucks in the ring, but
was able to hold his own for a bit. After knocking both Bucks into
opposite corners, Fish proceeded to go to the outside and spear
Bennett through a table!

Fish re-entered the ring and turned his attention back to The Bucks,
but the numbers game was too much for him that time. They hit Fish
with a double superkick that knocked him to the outside, followed by a
huge frogsplash from Nick! Back in the ring, The Bucks sat Bennett in
a chair. They placed a dunce cap on his head and then called for a
“superkick party.” Before they could hit a double superkick, Maria ran
in and hit both Bucks low!

Bennett grabbed the chair and was about to nail The Bucks, but A.J.
Styles appeared out of nowhere and nailed Bennett with Bloody Sunday!
Maria tried to grab the chair, but Styles stood on it. The Bucks then
hit the Meltzer Driver on Maria! Styles then assisted an IndyTaker on
Bennett, followed by a Styles Clash/double-superkick combo to put him
away!

WINNERS: The Young Bucks via pinfall in 15:48 (from the moment The
Young Bucks attacked reDRagon on the stage).

ANALYSIS: One of the best multiple-man brawls I’ve seen in a long time. Non-stop action throughout, with stellar performances by all six men (plus Maria and A.J. Styles). This was a great send-off for The Kingdom. Not sure if this will be A.J.’s final ROH TV appearance or not, but he will certainly be missed as well. I didn’t like the ignoring of the “zero tolerance” policy after Bobby Cruise and Kevin Kelly were hit. Perhaps it was because both incidents were accidents, but that’s not really “zero” tolerance. I was also upset that the announcers mostly ignored Cole and O’Reilly’s history, treating them more like two other guys in the match instead. Minor critiques aside, match is definitely worth going out of your way to see. (****1/4)

FINAL REAX: Another solid edition of ROH, although I am concerned about the future. The main event was great, but several of the participants were making their final appearances for the company, perhaps with more to follow. The Steve Corino-Decade saga dragged on another week. It looked as if the seeds were being planted for Adam Page to break away from The Decade, but it feels like the same story was told last week with Donovan Dijak and The House of Truth.

Speaking of repeats, The Addiction are the latest victims of an ROH
“grand conspiracy,” right behind Cedric Alexander and Veda Scott. Ring
of Honor really needs to evaluate its booking going forward, as that
seems to be the missing piece the company needs in order to generate a
buzz among ardent wrestling fans in 2016.