SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
NASHVILLE, TN AT NASHVILLE FAIRGROUNDS
AIRED ON ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosts: Ian Riccaboni, Quinn McKay
Opening theme.
-We went right into the finish of the champions vs. all-stars eight man tag from Saturday Night At Center Stage on August 24. Rush pinned Shane Taylor to win the match. Rush and Jeff Cobb were the sole survivors for Team All-Stars. Afterwards Cobb offered a handshake but Rush kicked it away and bumped shoulders with him as he left. Riccaboni wondered if we might see a match between them.
(Pageot’s Perspective: We will. October 27 in Bolton, England at Honor United for Rush’s ROH world title.)
-Riccaboni and McKay checked in.
-Highlights aired of Shinobi Shadow Squad vs. Silas Young and CMLL stars Felino & Okumura from Saturday Night At Center Stage. Josh Woods was in Young’s corner. Felino pinned Ryan Nova off a second rope powerbomb. Post-match Woods low blowed the CMLL stars at Young’s prompting and he and Young laughed.
In first-run footage Woods was on the phone backstage, telling his girlfriend about what happened. Young showed up. He looked through Woods’ notebook and put out his cigarette in the pages. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: Every other time before this and since this Woods has been opposed to heel tactics so I don’t know why we were shown this footage again when it doesn’t fit into the narrative.)
-Out of the break Soldiers Of Savagery were mid-entrance against two enhancement wrestlers.
(1) SOLDIERS OF SAVAGERY (Moses & Kaun) vs. MICHAEL STEVENS & SAL RINAURO
S.O.S. hit their double chokeslam, now called Promised Land, to jobber #1. Then they hit it to jobber #2 onto jobber #1.
WINNERS: Soldiers Of Savagery in 0:48. [C]
-The second the pinfall was counted we cut away to our hosts as quickly as possible.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Who cares? This accomplishes nothing. They appear for less than a minute, hit one move twice, and then we cut away immediately. This isn’t building them up or putting them over. This was the first time they’ve even been seen or mentioned in seven weeks and the last time they appeared it was the exact same thing. What happened to them attacking Lifeblood in their initial appearances? What about the tease of them aligning with Shane Taylor? This was meaningless.)
-In first-run footage McKay met with Jeff Cobb backstage in Nashville ahead of Defy Or Deny. His strategy was that he wanted to win. He said he needed another shot at Matt Taven.
(Pageot’s Perspective: He might still get a rematch against Taven but it won’t be for the title.)
-The Master & The Machine made their entrance for what would presumably be an enhancement match. They’re two young guys who have appeared once previously this year, losing to The Bouncers back on February 17 TV. Then a bootleg Hurricane Helms superhero video played on the screen and Dalton Castle’s former Boys came out wearing capes. This was their first appearance since getting punked out by Castle again on June 2 TV.
(2) THE TATE TWINS (Brandon Tate & Brent Tate) vs. THE MASTER & THE MACHINE (Marcus Kross & Griff Garrison)
Very basic action. [C]
Garrison got a hot tag and handily took out both Boys. Springboard kick into a powerbomb from M&M. Tandem wheelbarrow facebuster to Kross for the pin.
WINNERS: The Tate Twins in 6:55.
(Pageot’s Perspective: It’s so bizarre that matches like this one and the S.O.S. squash are what ROH has decided should air in full as TV exclusives. The new ROH television format is literally just their version of WWE Superstars. Are they trying to get cancelled? Do they want out of their deal? What is the ulterior motive in producing the worst possible show they can?)
-Our hosts spoke about the Top Prospect tournament and hinted that the winner (Dak Draper) would get his TV title shot on the Honor United UK tour at the end of October.
-Highlights aired of Mark Haskins defeating Hangman Page with a pumphandle driver in the finals of the first International Cup on August 18, 2018 in Doncaster, England. [C]
-In first run footage Jay Lethal was found backstage in Nashville ahead of Defy Or Deny. He explained all the rules to Defy Or Deny.
-My original report from Honor For All on August 25 is as follows…
-Rhett Titus joined commentary for the main event. He was wearing a shirt, shifting away from his fitness idol gimmick into the role of the humble family man.
(3) MATT TAVEN vs. JEFF COBB vs. JAY LETHAL vs. KENNY KING (w/Amy Rose) – DEFY OR DENY
Defy Or Deny is an elimination match. If a challenger wins, they earn a future world title match. If Taven wins, the person he defeats to end the match can never challenge again so long as he’s champion.
Taven boasted about beating all three of them already. They triple-teamed him but Lethal spun King around and clocked him in the face. After some disarray Lethal and Cobb faced off. They knocked the heels off the apron and kept fighting. King pulled Lethal to the floor. Cobb with a delayed vertical suplex to Taven. Taven and King somewhat stumbled into a working alliance in order to eliminate Lethal from the match. King went for a schoolboy on Taven at 10:00 to end their partnership. Taven with a figure four to Lethal. King went up top. Cobb caught him and hit a Razor’s Edge onto Taven. Cobb put down all three. Standing moonsault to Lethal. Helicopter slam to Taven. Blockbuster from King to Cobb. King looked for the Royal Flush on Cobb but Taven went after King, stopping it. Lethal Injection blocked by Taven. Climax blocked by Lethal. Cutter to Taven. DDT to Cobb from Taven. Everyone was down at 14:30. Corkscrew kick from King to Taven. Lethal Injection avoided by King. Lethal Combination connected. Amy Rose grabbed the world title belt. Lethal ordered her backstage. Taven hit Cobb with the belt. Referee Todd Sinclair saw it and the bell rang.
Matt Taven was eliminated via disqualification at 16:12.
Taven hit Lethal with the belt too. King with the Royal Flush to Lethal.
Jay Lethal was eliminated at 16:44.
As the ring announcer tried to clarify to the live crowd what just happened King picked up Cobb for the Royal Flush but Cobb avoided it. Roll-up with the feet on the ropes but Cobb kicked out. Tour Of The Islands.
WINNER: Jeff Cobb in 18:33 to become #1 contender to the world title.
(Pageot’s Perspective: The match had potential and started to pick up once they passed the ten minute mark but that ending was far too rushed. In just over two minutes Rose got involved for the first time and all three men were eliminated. So Cobb gets another title shot but it’s not clear when. Taven defends against Volador Jr. at Global Wars: Chicago on September 7. He’ll of course retain and then the next big show is the Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view on September 28. Will it be Cobb challenging again there or Rush? Or do we get a three-way in order to help kill time until Taven-Rush can happen in a singles match for the first time at Final Battle in December?
Update: Rush defeated Taven at Death Before Dishonor. Cobb challenges Rush on October 27. The winner of the #1 contender tournament (either PCO, Dalton Castle, Marty Scurll, or Jay Lethal) will challenge either Rush or Cobb at Final Battle on December 13.)
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