Honorable Mention
ROH TV 2/14/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
Love is in the air, everywhere you look around! It's Valentine's Day at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia and Ring of Honor is back in action with another star-studded hour of power, just two weeks away from the Thirteenth Anniversary Show in Las Vegas. I'll be heading out to Sin City, as it's just a quick car ride out of Southern California, and I'll be looking forward to shooting some dice with the Young Bucks and perhaps having an appletini or two if Chris Daniels is around. This week's episode of ROH TV helped further establish the rivalries going into their biggest show of the year so far. What was the match of the night and what could we have done without seeing? Let's waste no time and get right into the thick of things with our commentators Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino, and very special guest ROH world heavyweight champion Jay Briscoe.
The show begins as Ring of Honor world champion Jay Briscoe makes his way to ringside, getting set to join the usual duo of Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino on commentary. Tonight's episode of Ring of Honor TV will include four bouts, three of which feature participants in the upcoming four-way championship match in Las Vegas. Jimmy Jacobs is set to go one-on-one with the "Sicilian Psychopath" Tommaso Ciampa. Jacobs has been making waves in recent weeks, scouting the Top Prospect Tournament in search of the Decade's newest "young boy." The match is off to a rough start for the "Zombie Princess," as Ciampa quickly resorts to his signature blend of striking offense. Announcers at ringside made mention that Jacobs has just as much fight as anyone, despite weighing-in at just 185 pounds. The onslaught of lariats and running knee-strikes took its toll on both Jacobs and the Philadelphia audience; the fans inside the 2300 Arena were silent during the unnecessary roughness of Ciampa, except for one man who yelled, "What a maneuver!" Ciampa obliterated Jimmy Jacobs in less than five minutes, leaving the Decade member broken on the outside of the ring. The official opted to forgo a count, and declared Ciampa the winner. This breathtaking display by the �Psychopath left the champion speechless. He stood to face Ciampa, sizing up what could be his most violent competition at the Anniversary Show in two weeks.
Before ROH hit the air I knew we'd be getting a dose of The Romantic Touch—it is Valentine's Day, after all! �Touch enters the arena with a heart-shaped box of chocolates and two beautiful ladies hanging on each of his arms. As he struts to the ring, Kelly and Corino question whether the champ has enough time for romance when preparing to defend his title in two weeks. Jay Briscoe says, "Well, we've been married for seven years…" Steve Corino immediately cuts him off, "Oh don't tell me the romance is all gone!" But Jay was quick on his feet, joking back, "Oh shoot no, I'm just tryin' not to have another kid!" The Romantic Touch has a prerecorded promo wherein he warns viewers at home to treat their ladies well, otherwise he's prepared to do so. His opponent tonight however, is a little less loving than �Touch might have hoped. This is the second exhibition featuring the three number one contenders to Jay Briscoe's world title, and this time it's "Warbeard" Hanson. The impressive Hanson stands at 6'2" and weighs in at 275 pounds—not a massive individual by "New York" standards, but a menacing force inside the Ring of Honor locker room. The Romantic Touch and "Warbeard" Hanson meet to engage in the "Code of Conduct," where �Touch offers Hanson a chocolate. Hanson responds with a disastrous kick, dubbed the "Spin Kick of Doom." Hanson defeated the Romantic Touch in less than thirty seconds, and even ate one of the chocolates when he was through. After the match, Hanson met eye-to-eye with Briscoe, just the same as Ciampa before him. Hanson shouted, "Look what I did," in reference to laying out his opponent. Jay responded in kind, letting Hanson know that he "ain't no Romantic Touch."
The third and final bout featuring challengers for Jay Briscoes coveted belt pits the undefeated Moose against the former Ring of Honor world heavyweight champion Michael Elgin. Moose is escorted to the ring, per usual, by Veda Scott and Stokley Hathaway. Since defeating R.D. Evans at Final Battle in December, Moose has established the "New Streak" in Ring of Honor, and will put it on the line tonight in his greatest test to-date. Elgin enters to a chorus of boos, but doesn't allow the Philadelphia fans to breach his skin as he prepares to dismantle Moose. Both men adhere to the code of conduct before quickly engaging in battle. Elgin takes advantage of the former Atlanta Falcon within the opening seconds, lifting him into a brain buster position, and holding him there for over 10-seconds before driving him into the mat. But Moose was back up just as quick as Elgin, ready to continue with a dropkick, sending the former champion barreling to the outside. This match is already more competitive than both previous bouts on the card, which makes sense; aside from Jay Briscoe, Michael Elgin is certainly the odds-on-favorite heading into Las Vegas. Michael Elgin returns to the ring and dodges a clothesline, returning with a big boot of his own. Elgin pumped his arm, mocking the choreographed way in which Moose and his entourage enter the arena. The former champion climbed the ropes, but was distracted by Veda Scott. Elgin fought her away and cartwheeled off the turnbuckle and away from and imposing Moose. He proceeded to deliver a devastating powerbomb, and then lifted the 300 pound athlete from the canvas, into the air, for another grueling power bomb. A near-three count and the contest continues with both men reeling against the ropes. Moose then shoved Elgin through the ropes and to the outside where he was face-to-face with Jay Briscoe. Just the same as Ciampa and Hanson, Elgin stared into the eyes of the champion, but unlike the �Psychopath and "Warbeard, Michael Elgin pushed Jay Briscoe back and over his chair. Briscoe wasn't going to stand for such disrespect and immediately charged the ring where he was caught in the line of fire between Elgin and a Spear by Moose. The referee called for the bell and before long all four combatants in the Thirteenth Anniversary main event were warring inside the squared-circle, with a great deal of focus placed on the reigning world champion. Luckily Jay Briscoe was saved by his brother Mark who engaged all-comers before being put down by Moose's spine-shattering Spear.
It's time for the main event at the 2300 Arena—a trios match with Ring of Honor babyfaces squaring off against Bullet Club villains. ACH, Matt Sydal and Cedric Alexander are the first team introduced, and although all three men are among the most-over in ROH, their popularity pales in comparison to their opponents. The Bullet Club coming to America and performing on Ring of Honor TV is akin to British rock bands touring America or the Harlem Globe Trotters playing in North Korea. The Young Bucks enter first wearing black pants with fringe complete with a Bullet Club logo on the side. Just before they make it to the ringside area, the lights go down and the music slowly begins. It's as if a spiritual leader of some sort has just entered this holiest of hallowed halls; the audience is almost completely silent until AJ Styles makes his dramatic appearance. They chant, "AJ, AJ, AJ," as both Styles and the Bucks cruise into the ring amidst a sea of colored streamers. All six wrestlers shake hands before returning to their respective corners and this match is underway. It's interesting to note, as this was filmed several weeks ago, AJ is without the IWGP championship title belt. AJ, of course, won the IWGP world heavyweight championship from Hiroshi Tanahashi just this past week in Japan. The �Bucks begin by each taking turns on Matt Sydal who soon trades out to his former tag team partner ACH. The Bucks work like a well-oiled machine, working their opponents down to the mat in whatever way possible. When AJ tags into the contest he is met with immediate praise from the live audience, and sets to work attacking ACH just the same as his fellow Bullet Club members. The show goes to a commercial and when we return ACH and AJ Styles are standing in the center of the ring trading knife-edge chops with deadly precision. Nick Jackson tagged back in, hitting ACH with his patented blend of Young Bucks chicanery, poking the decorated superstar in the eyes and "too sweeting" his tag team partners in the corner.
The action heats up with all six combatants seeking to get involved at the same time. Sydal finds himself alone inside the ring with the Bullet Club, who triple team the former WWE tag team champion, before Matt Jackson takes the lead, continuing to take the fight to "Reborn" Matt Sydal. The quick tags from the Bullet Club work to their advantage as one-by-one AJ and the Bucks trade shots on their opponent, isolating him from his partners. After managing to reach his corner, the contest works toward the favor of the ROH wrestlers. Cedric Alexander takes to the skies, performing an exhilarating splash, followed by "two-out-of-three Amigos." Nick Jackson countered and proceeded to superkick ACH, who was standing on the outside, from the apron. He spring-boarded into the ring where he face-busted Cedric Alexander, only to slide back out of the ring and hit ACH once more, this time with a Tornado-DDT. Not to be outdone by his brother, Matt Jackson joined the action with a misguided Swanton bomb, crash-landing on the knees of Cedric Alexander. Cedric lifted Matt Jackson up into a powerbomb predicament, complimented by a jumping knee smash courtesy of Matt Sydal. Sydal then went toe-to-toe with AJ Styles in a battle of rights-and-lefts until he was taken off his feet by a superkick from Matt Jackson. Nick and Matt Jackson were ready to deliver superkicks to whomever may ask for one, but were caught off guard with the equally-quick superkick-game of ACH. AJ attempted a 450-splash but to no avail, once again countered by the educated knees of Cedric Alexander. This time ACH would be the one going for a 450, landing expertly on Styles. Matt Sydal would hope to follow-up with his own high-risk maneuver, the Shooting Star Press. As Sydal leapt from the top turnbuckle, he was forced to make an emergency landing on his feet, met almost immediately by duel superkicks. Nick and Matt then proceeded to superkick ACH and Cedric Alexander out of contention. The end would come for Matt Sydal as the trio put him through a combination of the "Meltzer-Driver," a hanging upside down double superkick, followed by a "Styles Clash" for the 1-2-3. Your winners are the Bullet Club.
This was an excellent edition of ROH TV, which believe it or not, I'm almost getting sick of saying each week! Ring of Honor delivers at least three—in some cases FOUR highly athletic wrestling contests every time it airs. In addition, ROH isn't bogged down by heavily scripted talking segments, instead allowing for the story to be told inside the squared-circle. That might sound like a cliché, but that's only because I've said it before. Just two more episodes of ROH TV to go until Sunday March 1st and the Thirteenth Anniversary Show in Las Vegas. Next week will feature two main-event caliber bouts—Alberto El Patron will go head-to-head with ACH, and the world television champion Jay Lethal will battle Roderick Strong. Until then, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and this has been "Honorable Mention."
