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http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-b-players-podcast-latest-episodes/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-b-players-podcast-latest-episodes/#comments Tue, 14 Jul 2015 13:50:21 +0000 B+ Players CH Podcast John Cena NJPW Ring of Honor ROH TNA Total Nonstop Action World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Federation WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12140 32 – Fantasy Draft: 3 Months Later 31 – The Shawn Donavan Interview 30 – America’s Birthday Podcast 29 – The Power Hour Podcast 28 – Balls-in on Ballers 27 – The Last ‘Cast in California 26 – Lord of the Rungs 25 – The Outsiders’ Edge #8 24 – Beginners Guide to ROH 23 […]

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/roh-champions-top-13-longest-reigns/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/roh-champions-top-13-longest-reigns/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2015 17:30:52 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Top Lists Adam Cole Austin Aries Bryan Danielson Daniel Bryan Davey Richards Eddie Edwards Jay Briscoe Kevin Steen Nigel McGuinness Ring of Honor Roderick Strong ROH ROH Champion Samoa Joe Seth Rollins Takeshi Morishima Tyler Black Xavier http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12692 Welcome back to another exclusive list here at Cheap-Heat.com! In the past I’ve covered title belts in terms of great champions, iconic names in the industry, longest reigning NWA champions, WWE champions, cool designs and so much more! But it struck me–I never did a countdown of the Top 13 Longest Reigning Champions in Ring […]

Welcome back to another exclusive list here at Cheap-Heat.com! In the past I’ve covered title belts in terms of great champions, iconic names in the industry, longest reigning NWA champions, WWE champions, cool designs and so much more! But it struck me–I never did a countdown of the Top 13 Longest Reigning Champions in Ring of Honor History. This is a WHO’S WHO in the wrestling business, featuring some huge names and a couple of surprises that you probably didn’t see coming. Ready? Let’s get to it!

13. Eddie Edwards
Days as Champion: 99
Number of Reigns: 1
Coming in at number thirteen is one half of the American Wolves—Eddie Edwards. Edwards just missed the hundred day mark with 99 days as champion, and successfully defended his title a total of 3 times during his 3-month run. He won the championship on March 19, 2011 in New York City when he defeated the current number one contender to the ROH title, Roderick Strong. The end came for Edwards and his reign as champion on June 26, 2011 when he was unseated by his now-tag team partner, Davey Richards.

12. Xavier
Days as Champion: 182
Number of Reigns: 1
The name Xavier might not resonate with many casual fans, but Ring of Honor historians know him as the second man to hold the coveted ROH World title. Xavier defeated Low Ki on September 21, 2002 and held onto the championship through four title defenses. It was the fifth however, that cost Xavier the strap, when he dropped it to Samoa Joe on March 22, 2003.

11. Roderick Strong
Days as Champion: 189
Number of Reigns: 1
He is the current number one contender to Jay Lethal's Ring of Honor championship, and should he be successful in his upcoming effort, Roderick Strong will be just one of three men to hold the title twice. Roddy—as his friends and fans call him—won the ROH World Championship on September 11, 2010 in New York City from the current WWE Champion, Seth Rollins AKA Tyler Black. Roderick maintained his championship for over six months with five successful title defenses to his credit. He was finally defeated on March 19, 2011 by the first "American Wolf" to hold the title, Eddie Edwards.

10. Tyler Black
Days as Champion: 210
Number of Reigns: 1
He is the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion and in just three weeks will head into battle against the "Beast" Brock Lesnar. But once upon a time, Seth Rollins was known as Tyler Black—the tenth longest reigning ROH World Champion in history. Black defeated seven challengers during his time as champion, after first conquering the 2-time ROH Champion Austin Aries. Black held the title for the better part of seven months, and finally dropped the title to Roderick Strong on September 11, 2010 in New York.

9. Takeshi Morishima
Days as Champion: 231
Number of Reigns: 1
The only man on our countdown from the "Land of the Rising Sun" is the one and only Takeshi Morishima. Morishima's size and speed made him a formidable force when mixing it up with the smaller-statured American Indy workers, and on February 17, 2007, he defeated Homicide for the coveted ROH championship. Morishima's title defense record blows the previous numbers out of the water by nearly tripling Tyler Black's defense record with a total of 20 vanquished challengers. Morishima's unprecedented 231-days as champion came to a close on October 6, 2007 when Nigel McGuinness took the gold, and held it for nearly 2 years.

8. Adam Cole
Days as Champion: 275
Number of Reigns: 1
If you started watching Ring of Honor when they began airing their pay-per-views on traditional cable systems, then Adam Cole might very well have been champion when you became a fan! Adam Cole is currently the leader of the Kingdom, and is the eighth longest-reigning ROH champion ever. Adam Cole won his first world title on September 20, 2013 when he defeated Michael Elgin in the tournament finals at Death Before Dishonor. He went on to carry the belt with him for an astounding 275 days and thirteen successful title defenses, until he was ultimately defeated by the man he bested in September, "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin.

7. Davey Richards
Days as Champion: 321
Number of Reigns: 1
Joining his tag team partner is the other half of the American Wolves, Davey Richards. Richards didn't beat just anyone either, but his beloved friend and confidant Eddie Edwards. That's right, the two men who are currently competing with the Dirty Heels to decide the undisputed TNA Tag Team Championship are both former ROH World Title holders. Richards won the belt on June 26, 2011 and managed to retain his title for just shy of eleven months. During his run, Richards beat ten challengers, but finally succumbed to the eleventh on May 12, 2012. The man who beat him is the current reigning NXT Champion, Kevin Owens AKA Kevin Steen.

6. Kevin Steen
Days as Champion: 328
Number of Reigns: 1
From Davey Richards to Kevin Steen, the next few names are actually listed in chronological order. Kevin Steen outdid Richards' reign by one week, and an additional 8 title defenses. With 18 challengers sent packing, Kevin Steen was among the most active world champions up to that time, with but a few noteworthy exceptions. Kevin Steen eventually dropped his title to Jay Briscoe on April 5, 2013 at Supercard of Honor VII in New York City.

5. Jay Briscoe
Days as Champion: 375
Number of Reigns: 2
And from Kevin Steen to Jay Briscoe! Jay Briscoe beat Kevin Steen after the formers 328-day reign as champion, but Briscoe would eventually outdo Steen over the course of TWO title runs. Only two men have ever held the Ring of Honor Championship twice; combining his first 89 days as champion with his other 286, Jay Briscoe ranks toward the top with 375 days. His first reign was cut short due to "injury," and the title was vacated and put up for grabs in a championship tournament won by Adam Cole. He then won the championship again from Michael Elgin, and carried it for nine months until recently losing it to Jay Lethal at Best in the World.

4. Austin Aries
Days as Champion: 419
Number of Reigns: 2
The only other man besides Jay Briscoe to hold the ROH Championship twice is the guy that likes to go by "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived." Austin Aries first won the championship on December 26, 2004 when he defeated the longest reigning ROH Champion in history, but more on that in a few moments. His first reign lasted for 174 days, and consisted of sixteen successful title defenses. He was eventually bested by CM Punk, but regained his title on June 13, 2009 when he knocked off veteran journeyman Jerry Lynn. His second reign lasted even longer—a total of 245 days—and included an additional 13 successful defenses. Aries second championship reign came to an end on February 13, 2010 when he was beaten by the man who would one day be known as Seth Rollins—Tyler Black.

3. Bryan Danielson
Days as Champion: 462
Number of Reigns: 1
Everyone's favorite underdog wasn't always so cute and cuddly, in fact he was one of the most vicious wrestlers to ever work inside a ROH ring. Bryan Danielson, more commonly known as Daniel Bryan, won the ROH Championship on September 17, 2005 when he defeated another WWE fixture, Jamie Noble AKA James Gibson. Danielson made a name for himself by setting the record for the most successful title defenses at 38, during which time he bested some of the greatest wrestlers on the planet. Danielson carried the ROH strap for 462 days—just over five months—until finally losing to Homicide at Final Battle 2006.

2. Nigel McGuinness
Days as Champion: 545
Number of Reigns: 1
Nigel McGuinness is the current ROH Matchmaker, and with 18+ months as world champion under his belt, is a shoe-in for any future ROH Hall of Fame. Nigel initially won the championship from the monstrous Takeshi Morishima on October 6, 2007 and went on to tie Bryan Danielson's defensive record at 38. Nigel McGuinness was one of the most prolific title holders in company history, as his reign spanned three calendar years from the tail end of 2007 to the spring of 2009. Nigel was the kind of despicable heel champion that could have only been beaten by a returning legend, and on April 3 ^rd , 2009, Nigel McGuinness lost the championship to Jerry Lynn.

1. Samoa Joe
Days as Champion: 645
Number of Reigns: 1
Samoa Joe made his WWE debut in 2015 at the age of 36. For many casual "Universe" fans, this was the first time they were afforded the chance to see Joe in action. Sure some of them got to know the "Samoan Submission Machine" thanks to his work in TNA, but not many fans are aware of what an important role Joe played in establishing Ring of Honor as a viable promotion. Samoa Joe is the longest reigning Ring of Honor Champion in history, and unlike Jay Briscoe and Austin Aries, his numbers are the result of a single run with the title. Joe debuted for Ring of Honor not long after the company debuted, and on March 22, 2003, defeated Xavier to become just the third man to hold the gold. During his 21 and a half months as champion, Joe defeated 22 challengers including some of the best and brightest from every corner of the globe. Joe was finally defeated the night after Christmas 2004 at Final Battle, by another fruitful champion and future ex-member of the TNA roster, Austin Aries. With 645 days as champion to his name, it's not hard to see why Samoa Joe's return to ROH this year was heralded as such a momentous occasion.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-roh-tv-62415/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-roh-tv-62415/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2015 19:21:11 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Reviews AJ Styles Destination America Gedo Kazuchika Okada Michael Elgin Ring of Honor Rocky Romero Roddy Strong Roderick Strong ROH Shinsuke Nakamura The Bullet Club The Young Bucks wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12634 Welcome back everybody to the once-weekly recap of Ring of Honor wrestling, now available on Destination America! This was the first time I was afforded the chance to watch Ring of Honor in crystal clear HD, as I finally live somewhere in which Destination America is available! This was an absolutely incredible show, complete with […]

Welcome back everybody to the once-weekly recap of Ring of Honor wrestling, now available on Destination America! This was the first time I was afforded the chance to watch Ring of Honor in crystal clear HD, as I finally live somewhere in which Destination America is available! This was an absolutely incredible show, complete with darn-near five star matches from some of the best performers in the world. If you've been down on the debut of ROH on Destination America, then this is a must-see show.

The opening contest tonight features the number one contender to Jay Lethal's ROH World Title, Roderick Strong, as he goes into action against another STRONG— the "King of Strong Style" Shinsuke Nakamura. One of my absolute best friends in the world is a dude by the name of Matt Sloyan. For those of you that listen to my podcast, he's a dude you might better know as "PG" Matt S. This was the first time Matt ever had the chance to check out Ring of Honor, and this is his first match. Does it get any better? Roddy is the first to enter the arena, followed by the insanely flamboyant Nakamura. The fans chant for the former IWGP Intercontinental Champion and adorn him with colored streamers. This match kicks off with a stiff tie-up and Roddy Strong takes advantage from the early going. Roderick's ground game is on point, as he manipulates the Japanese star's arm, leading him around the ring. Nakamura is just about four inches taller than Strong, and outweighs him by just about fifteen pounds. Roddy continues to work his ground-game, keeping Shinsuke stranded on the canvas, and unable to achieve any offense. Things take a turn however as this bout is taken to the arena floor. Nakamura uses a litany of high knees and aggressive kicks to knock the former ROH champion off his balance. It's time for a quick commercial break and once we return, Shinsuke Nakamura is proving why he is the undisputed "King of Strong Style." Hard forearms and elbows drill into Strong's face, but the 15-year veteran Roddy won't give up without a fight. Strong hits him with a combination of running knees and clotheslines, and finishing the combination with a modified backstabber. Roderick tries for his patented "Strong Hold," but Nakamura counters with a sleeper hold. Roddy hits Shinsuke with a high knee on the top rope and Nakamura is crotched on the top rope. Roddy climbs to the second rope and hits his opponent with a sidewalk slam on the top turnbuckle. Back and forth, this match is absolutely bonkers with both individuals gaining the advantage, and then losing it moments later. Shinsuke hits a hard knee, but Roddy comes back with another double-knee attack of his own. Strong locks Nakamura in the "Strong Hold," but can only maintain it for a mere moment until Nakamura reached the ropes. They begin to exchange hard right hands in the center of the ring; both men are groggy and struggling to stand. Roddy ducks beneath Nakamura's attack and hits a vicious "Sick Kick," for a near fall. The fans at the Tedreeve Arena chant for both the former IWGP IC Champion and the ROH Triple Crown Winner. "This is awesome," rains down from the rooftop as Nakamura hits Roddy Strong with an incredibly stiff superkick that extended across Roddy's face. Your winner is the FUTURE IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, the "King of Strong Style" Shinsuke Nakamura!

Up next is another cross-promotional battle between NJPW's head booker, Gedo, and the former ROH champion, "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin. Elgin is wearing a very cool robe comprised of red, black and silver. This is a quick contest featuring two somewhat unknown entities to the mainstream wrestling audience. I revert to my buddy who saw ROH for the first time tonight, and his reaction to Michael Elgin was: "His music is boring." But it's hard to fault Elgin for his in-ring style. Elgin is giving up quite an experience edge to the wily Gedo, but it's not enough to silence the psychotic Elgin. He hits Gedo with a big brainbuster and maintains control for the majority of the bout from there. He sends Gedo spiraling into the corner with the "Buckle Bomb," and finishes the sequence with a sit-down powerbomb. Michael Elgin is your winner.

Tonight's main event is a trios contest between two warring factions. On one side is the boisterous Bullet Club, made up of The Young Bucks and the current IWGP World Champion AJ Styles. Their opponents are the former IWGP champion Kazuchika Okada, and the tag team tandem of Berretta and Rocky Romero. The numbers definitely favor the Bullet Club, as they enter the arena with the former IWGP tag team champions, and fellow "Bullet Brothers," Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. This is a fun match right out of the gate with an enormity of high spots, without sacrificing selling or psychology. I feel as though the word "polarizing" is used far too often in professional wrestling. Yes, we get it—not everybody likes John Cena. But the Young Bucks are one such team who can be called polarizing, without any additional hyperbole. Newcomers such as "PG" Matt S see the Bucks, and immediately think: "Wait—so are they just a Shawn Michaels rip off?" Well, short answer: "Yes with an if"; long answer: "No, with a but." I stole that line from Reverend Lovejoy on the Simpsons. The Bucks and other members of the Bullet Club most certainly use mannerisms otherwise associated with HBK and his Kliq, but more so as an homage than anything else. It's really hard to keep track of the action in this bout, as five of the six participants are among the most lightning quick performers in the world. Even Okada—the odd man out in terms of speed—is a rapid fire type individual who comes within a Frog's Hair of the "Rainmaker" within seconds of the bell. Rocky Romero is perhaps the most underrated wrestler in this match, but that's not to say he isn't a highly respected "Sports Entertainer." Rocky might not have the international name recognition as his contemporaries, but he has no issue in hanging with them throughout the match. Trent Beretta is also a very talented individual, who I remember loving as part of the "Dude Busters" during his WWE run. An absolutely incredible match from start to finish, ending with a series of amazing spots! The Young Bucks hit Trent Beretta with not one, but two Meltzer Drivers, followed by a Styles Clash con Superkick from the combined forces of The Young Bucks and AJ Styles. Following the match, AJ and the Bucks posed for the fans, while Okada stood by in defeat.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/ring-of-honor-best-in-the-world-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/ring-of-honor-best-in-the-world-2015/#comments Sat, 20 Jun 2015 03:53:01 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Live Show Blogs Best in the World Destination America Jay Briscoe Jay Lethal NXT Pay Per View Ring of Honor ROH Truth Martini WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12525 Welcome back to my once-quarterly coverage of Ring of Honor pay-per-view events. This is an interesting time for ROH as the perpetual third-party brand is finally available to fans nationwide. We just witnessed the third week of programming on Destination America, which just so happened to be a go-home show for their biggest event of […]

Welcome back to my once-quarterly coverage of Ring of Honor pay-per-view events. This is an interesting time for ROH as the perpetual third-party brand is finally available to fans nationwide. We just witnessed the third week of programming on Destination America, which just so happened to be a go-home show for their biggest event of the summer. I had mixed feelings heading into this show, as a number of matches on the card seemed rather forced . There were certainly a few slower-paced bouts, but nothing stood out as BAD . In fact, this was a pretty stellar show from top to bottom.

Donovan Dijak w/ Truth Martini vs. Mark Briscoe w/ ODB
The opening match tonight is a one-on-one preliminary bout between members of the Briscoe Clan and the House of Truth. Donovan Dijak is going head to head with Mark Briscoe, who comes to the ring with ODB. This is a fun match from start to finish, and really set the pace for things to come. I feel that people are down on Donovan Dijak for no reason; he's a rookie with very little time in the ring under his belt. That being said, I think he's pretty darn impressive, and works perfectly as part of Truth Martini's stable. My favorite part of the match was when ODB captured the valuable "Book of Truth" and tore it to shreds! The match was over when Mark Briscoe leapt from the top rope, taking out Dijak with a flying elbow. Mark Briscoe is your winner.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
Rating: 3 Stars ***

The Decade w/ Colby Corino vs. ACH and Matt Sydal
Our next contest is a tag team grudge match pitting the evilly egotistical Decade against the fan favorite duo of ACH and Matt Sydal. ACH has been feuding with BJ Whitmer and Adam Page for a number of weeks—maybe even months at this point—and Matt Sydal seems to be along for the ride. As always, the Decade is accompanied to the ring by King Steve Corino's son Colby, who holds his team's towel and a bucket of ice water. This is a fast-paced throw down wherein styles aren't so much meshing, as they are evolving to create a strong-style of sports entertainment. BJ Whitmer is a sadistic man who earns the ire of the New York crowd, and even prompts them to chant "Fuck You Whitmer." The Decade gets the pinfall thanks to Adam Page and an interruption by Colby Corino. Your winners are BJ Whitmer and Adam Page, but this rivalry is far from over.
Winner: The Decade
Rating: 3.25 Stars ***1/4

Dalton Castle vs. Silas Young
This was the match I was most looking forward to on the entire card, if you can believe that. I absolutely adore the Dalton Castle character, and have always had an affinity for Silas Young as well. Silas is the cigarette smoking nephew of Stan Hanson, whereas Dalton is an ambiguously eccentric showman who hits the ring wearing a "Freddie Mercury" jump suit, flocked by his "boys." Silas controls the pace of the match from the get-go, putting the relative newcomer through the ringer. Silas offered his hand in the "Code of Conduct," but Castle refused, presenting his hand for kiss instead. Silas gets a warm ovation from the audience despite his regular role as a heel. Castle comes back toward the tail end of the match by employing his amateur background, much to the surprise of Silas Young. He hits Silas with the Deadlift German Suplex for a near fall, sending the crowd into a frenzy! Silas gets angry with referee Todd Sinclair, and shoves him into the corner. Dalton takes advantage and rolls the veteran up with a school boy to earn an impressive victory. Your winner is Dalton Castle!
Winner: Dalton Castle
Rating: 2.5 Stars **1/2

War Machine vs. C and C Wrestling Factory
Cedric Alexander is coming into the match after earning a huge victory over the previously undefeated Moose on ROH TV. Tonight Cedric reforms C and C Wrestling Factory with Caprice Coleman to take on the dominant duo of Warbeard Hanson and Raymond Row—War Machine. Cedric defeated Moose on television this week after introducing a wrench to his opponents skull, and tried to pick up another win the same way. However Caprice Coleman was less enthused to take the low road and refused to act on Cedric's idea. War Machine was able to take advantage and pick up a win within mere moments. After the match, Cedric wrestled with whether or not to strike his partner, but decided against it. He stood across from Caprice and told him, "You and me? It's over." Cedric left Caprice in the ring. Your winners are War Machine!
Winner: War Machine
Rating: 2 Stars **

Number One Contender's Match
Michael Elgin vs. Moose vs. Roderick Strong
Moose gets a Wrestlemania entrance along with cheerleaders and football-inspired entrance gear. Admittedly—I was streaming this show illegally. And when you do things like that, it's only a matter of time before you're bit in the ass. Or at the very least, you witness somebody biting somebody else's ass. I was streaming the show and immediately following the introductions, the stream cut away to some of the most hardcore gay porn you've ever seen. Or maybe not, it really depends on what kind of gay porn you're use to watching, I guess. When the problem was fixed, this match was well underway and Roddy Strong was in firm control. He hit Moose with a sidewalk slam from the top rope and hit him with a double knee gut buster for a near fall. Roddy was moving at a hundred miles-per-hour, and took home the win after hitting Moose with two jumping knees and a SICK KICK! Roddy Strong wins, but the action is far from finished. Following the bell, Cedric Alexander returned and attacked Moose, claiming this was his match, and that he's the only person that matters.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Rating: 3.25 Stars ***1/4

The Bullet Club vs. The Kingdom
The following contest is a six man tag team match featuring two of the most popular stables in the world. In one corner are the current IWGP tag team champions Matt Taven and Michael Bennet, alongside the former ROH World Champion Adam Cole. Their opponents are the highly decorated threesome of the Young Bucks and AJ Styles. Before the match can begin, both teams approach one another as if to engage in the "Code of Conduct," but the BC crotch chops, and the Kingdom hold up four fingers, signifying their four-person team including Maria Kanellis. Right off the bat this is perhaps the most enjoyable match of the night, and why wouldn't it be? AJ Styles is currently the IWGP champion, as well as the UK Heavyweight title holder, and his partners are the guys that made Super Kicks cool again. And the Kingdom? Matt Taven is a former world TV champion, Michael Bennett is a highly accomplished mat-technician, and Adam Cole is destined for NXT greatness. Back and forth the momentum shifts as both teams employ their signature spots including more kicks to the face than I could begin to count. The match took a turn for the Bullet Club when the �Bucks hit the Double Meltzer Driver, and even dragged Maria into the match. AJ hit Cole with "Bloody Sunday" for what was presumed to be the finale, but the Kingdom refused to give up! The fans chanted: "This is Wrestling," along with the incredible athleticism on the stage. Adam Cole was along in the ring with the Bullet Club, and it was only a matter of time before the end was at hand. The Young Bucks performed another beautiful Meltzer Driver on Cole, followed by a "Styles Clash" by AJ, earning the pinfall victory and bragging rights for the Bullet Club.
Winner: The Bullet Club
Rating: 3.75 Stars ***3/4

No Disqualification Tag Team Match
ROH World Tag Team Titles
The Addiction (c) vs. reDRagon
This is a bona fied grudge match between two teams that despise one another. The Addiction defeated reDRagon for their world titles just a few months ago when they were revealed to be two-thirds of the mysterious "Knights of the Red Dawn." Kyle O'Reilly received an opportunity at the titles by himself when Bobby Fish was unfit for competition, but this is their first official rematch since the title switch. Things are off to a hard-hitting start and all four men waste no time in leaving the ring for greener pastures—IE the narrow entry way and the unforgiving ring side area. The "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels is rocking a brand new wardrobe tonight; from his Gestapo-inspired entrance attire to an all-black singlet, Christopher Daniels is feeling rather festive tonight. This is most certainly a no disqualification match, as nobody hesitates in regards to turning up the heat on the competition. Frankie Kazarian gets backdropped from the entry way onto the floor, earning a boisterous "Holy Shit" from the New Yorkers in attendance. ReDRagon is on fire; Bobby Fish puts both members of the Addiction in one chair on the outside and holds another steel chair in front of them. Kyle O'Reilly heads to the apron and runs toward the Addiction, hitting the Double Foot Stomp on the chair, and into Daniels and Kaz. ReDRagon is far more sadistic than we've seen in recent years, but that's in response to their inordinate opponents. The Addiction has a plan however. They tape Bobby Fish to the middle rope with a roll of white wrist tape, and lay into him with a punishing assault. They set their sights on Kyle O'Reilly, and this match is all but finished. That's when O'Reilly summoned the strength to apply the Triangle Choke, breaking the Addiction's momentum and allowing for an opportune opening. This match teetered from side-to-side with both team's earning the right to be called champion, but in the end, only two men would walk away with the titles. Frankie Kazarian successfully hits "Celebrity Rehab," following a distraction by fellow KRD member Chris Sabin. Kazarian gets the 1-2-3 ; your winners and still world tag team champions, the Addiction.
Winner: The Addiction
Rating: 4 Stars ****

World Championship vs. Television Championship
Jay Briscoe (World Champ) vs. Jay Lethal (TV Champ)
This show was in many ways a "one match show," where fans were excited to see a card of carnage, but were most intrigued by the main event. The pomp and circumstance associated with this match is unequalled by previous bouts, save for Christopher Daniel's SS uniform. Jay Lethal is escorted by the entire House of Truth, including Truth Martini who has a brand new "Book of Truth," with a shimmering white cover. Jay Briscoe gets an enormous ovation and the fans battle Briscoe chants against Lethal for nearly five minutes after the bell. Both men's parents are in attendance; Jay's mom and dad made the quick trip from Elizabeth New Jersey, whereas "Papa Briscoe" drove up from Sandy Fork, Delaware. This match has everything I want as a wrestling fan. The athleticism is truly main event caliber, and the story being told couldn't be any more personal if it needed to be. Referee Todd Sinclair, who's been on a hot streak tonight, sends Truth's cronies back to the locker room after Dijak gets involved early on. Jay Briscoe might not be my favorite wrestler in the world, but he's looking pretty darn good in this match. Lethal is undoubtedly more marketable, so it would seem almost inevitable that a now-nationwide company would hand the ball to someone such as "Black Machismo." Especially if he truly is the "Greatest First Generation Wrestler Ever." This is an awesome match, that could take the cake for "Match of the Night," but I think the Addiction and reDRagon might give the champs a run for their money. This was a seesaw-style contest, which allowed for both men to wow the crowd, and earn their share of adoration in the process. I like Jay Briscoe when he wears pants instead of shorts, and when he's completely bald instead of all stubbly. He looked like a real champion tonight, and despite my affinity for Jay Lethal, I was fully supportive of Briscoe's efforts. Briscoe locks Lethal in a dangerous submission hold, and nobody is louder than Lethal's dad at ringside! He slams his hand against the barricade, screaming for his son to regain his composure! Back and forth, both men have an equal shot of walking out of New York City with TWO championships! TWO titles! That's unprecedented within the confines of Ring of Honor Wrestling, and yet somebody is going to do it once the bell rings. Nigel McGuinness—who always sits ringside for the main event matches—grew tired of Truth Martini's interference, and as head match maker, kicked him out of the arena! This distraction gave the world champion an opening to delivery the "Jay Driller" to the world television champion through a table from the apron. They returned to the ring by the 18-count from senior official Todd Sinclair, and this match continued. Jay Briscoe hit the Jay Driller! Jay Briscoe hit the RAIN MAKER! But Jay Lethal refused to quit! The fans, who might otherwise loathe Lethal, cheered with all their might for both men—knowing full well that their New York accents would be hoarse the next morning. Jay Lethal rallied on account of the support and hit the Lethal Injection—for a TWO COUNT! Jay Lethal struggled to hit Briscoe with his own finishing move, but couldn't quite get it. Briscoe hit Lethal with a sunset flip, but Lethal was ready and delivered THE JAY DRILLER to the innovator of the move himself. Lethal smiled and ran toward the ropes, hit the springboard and came back for another successful LETHAL INJECTION! Jay Lethal pinned Jay Briscoe for the one, two—THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jay Lethal becomes the Ring of Honor World Champion for the first time in his life, and even shakes hands with Jay Briscoe following the match. Lethal fell to his knees with tears in his eyes as his parents cheered from ringside and the audience chanted: "You deserve it!"
Winner: Jay Lethal
Rating: 4.5 Stars ****1/2

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-61715/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-61715/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2015 18:43:28 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews ACH BJ Whitmer Cedric Alexander Colby Corino Hiroshi Tanahashi Jay Briscoe Jay Lethal Matt Sydal Moose NJPW Ring of Honor ROH Steve Corino Tanahashi Tetsuya Naito TNA War Machine World Champion WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12476 Welcome back to another edition of "Honorable Mention," the once-weekly Ring of Honor report exclusively available at Cheap-Heat.com. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I am pleased as punch to be here just two days shy of Ring of Honor "Best in the World" live on pay-per-view. This was an excellent hour of professional […]

Welcome back to another edition of "Honorable Mention," the once-weekly Ring of Honor report exclusively available at Cheap-Heat.com. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I am pleased as punch to be here just two days shy of Ring of Honor "Best in the World" live on pay-per-view. This was an excellent hour of professional wrestling and finally hit the crescendo that we ROH fans have been anticipating for three weeks.

This week's show comes to us from the Tedreeve Arena in Toronto, Canada with Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino calling the action. There's another Corino in the arena! It's Steve's son Colby, who accompanies the Decade's BJ Whitmer and Adam Page to the ring for their match against War Machine. Colby fell victim to the menacing Moose just a few weeks ago, but has returned to the ring where he'll fulfill the necessary "Young Boy" duties bestowed upon him by BJ. Whitmer gets the microphone and tells the angry fans that a live mic is "way louder than they are." The fans try hard to bury BJ's voice, but it's no use: "Two weeks ago Colby, you came out here and you showed the world how much of a man you are, and you came within an inch of beating that big goofy bastard Moose. But I don't think your father gets it. I don't think he understands. And I think he needs to see it— AGAIN !" BJ tells Colby Corino to "step up and take his place in the match." Colby immediately takes a roll of white tape and begins to wrap it around his wrists. As soon as the bell sounds, Adam Page tags Colby into action against Raymond Rowe, who doesn't want to wrestle Corino. "You're not ready Colby," yelled Rowe, as he begged the Young Boy to listen to his father. Colby slapped Rowe across the face, causing King Corino to stand and scream: "Who taught you this?" Rowe tags out, fearful of what he might do to Steve Corino's son. According to Kevin Kelly, Ray Rowe has known Colby ever since he was ten years old, and opts to allow "Warbeard" to handle the light work. Hanson slams Colby, and tags Rowe back in, but Rowe continues to ignore the challenge, ordering the other members of the Decade to tag into the match. Rowe is forced to attack Colby Corino with a vicious backbreaker-gutbuster-powerbomb combo. Adam Page refused to tag in, and War Machine picked up the victory mere seconds later. BJ Whitmer continued to rile King Corino at ringside, to the point where the former world champion broadcaster tossed down his headset and prepared to fight. Before anything could happen however, Kevin Kelly threw the show to a break, in an attempt to restore order.

"Around this time last year, I was considered THE breakout star in Ring of Honor," Cedric Alexander is in the center of the ring, telling the fans how he is no longer the breakout star he once was. "Right now for Cedric Alexander it's do-or-die. I need to start picking up WINS ! I need to start picking up wins to prove to my family that this dream of being a professional wrestler isn't a waste of time." Cedric Alexander is ready to challenge anyone in the locker room, and decides to call out the undefeated Moose! Moose comes to the ring per usual alongside Stokley Hathaway and Veda Scott, prepared to meet whatever challenge awaits him. Cedric keeps up with the big man, evading every one of his drop kicks, and landing a sizzling sidekick to the back of Moose's head. The action spills to the outside, and Cedric is still in control over the burly Moose, but not for long! Once they return to the ring, Moose hits Cedric with a successful drop kick, sending Cedric Alexander back to the outside. We head into a commercial—for Ring of Honor Best in the World—and once we return, Moose and Cedric are still going back and forth. Cedric is very good at reversing the rookie Moose's moves, but has a tough time building any sort of discernible offense that might win him the match. The announcers make frequent mention of how Moose is friends with the majority of men and women in the back, including his manager Stokley Hathaway, as well as his opponent Cedric Alexander. Veda Scott however, has other plans for the future of Moose, and would rather see him turn a blind eye to the rest of the Ring of Honor roster. This match is heating up and Moose scores a near fall following a decapitating lariat. The fans battle chant-for-chant: "Let's go Moose" versus "Let's go Cedric," until this match devolves into a series of forearm strikes. Moose heads to the top rope, but Cedric catches him and prepares to end the undefeated streak of his friend following a litany of high impact drop kicks to the head. "Moose's eyes are dimming," says Kevin Kelly! Just before Cedric can deliver his final kick, Moose summons the strength to employ his somersault Spear. Both men are down and at the mercy of the referee's count. Veda yells at Stokley to distract the referee, and she hands a wrench to Moose. Moose refuses to use the tool to gain the victory, but Cedric Alexander has no problem earning a win that way! Cedric uses Moose's confusion against him and seizes the wrench, smacks him across the skull with it, and hands Moose the very first loss in his wrestling career.

Mandy Leone is backstage giving us a history lesson on what went down between reDRagon and the Addiction when the latter team stole the coveted tag titles from the former. Adam Cole interrupts Mandy, and cuts a promo on his return to pay-per-view this Friday night alongside Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. They'll be heading into six-man-competition this weekend against the Bullet Club's AJ Styles and The Young Bucks.

The main event tonight is—well, it's a contract signing. BUT the main event match this evening is a tag team contest. ACH and Matt Sydal will head into battle against the record-setting seven-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi and the former NEVER Openweight Champion Tetsuya Naito. The NJPW team refuses to adhere to the code of honor, despite Sydal and ACH's insistence. Things kick off with Tanahashi against Matt Sydal, as both men decide take things to the mat. Naito taunts Sydal from the apron, and soon ACH is part of this match. Things wage forward with both teams earning the upper hand, and the NJPW team playing a bit of a heel role. While that might seem odd to NJPW fans familiar with Tanahashi and Naito, it makes perfect sense across the Pacific Ocean where ACH and Matt Sydal are far more popular. Tanahashi scurries back to his corner like a cowardly heel, and things speed up when ACH and Naito take control of the contest. Naito's eyeball gimmick is sort of strange, and even odder when mocked by the inordinately agile ACH. Tanahashi takes ACH to the outside and tosses him into the barricade behind referee Todd Sinclair's back; the New Japan team is most certainly the more dastardly of the two this evening. We head into a commercial break and when we return, ACH has fallen victim to both of his opponents, as Sydal struggles to get back into the action. Naito attempts a Superplex but is sent spiraling down to the canvas. ACH takes advantage of Naito's slip up and applies a double foot stomp to the back of his opponents shoulders. He tags Sydal into the match, and the former Evan Bourne gets to work in settling the score against these two international stars. The waning moments of the match are exciting and unpredictable—both Sydal and Tanahashi battle for dominance before ACH returns for a final go at the former IWGP champion. ACH hits Tanahashi with more than a dozen standing sidekicks for a near fall, and follows up with a German Suplex with a bridge for a 2 and 9/10ths count. ACH mocks Tanahashi to his face, and is awarded a Texas Cloverleaf for his efforts. Before he can reach the bottom rope, Sydal returns with a jumping knee to the face of Hiroshi Tanahashi. The match ends with a frog splash by Tanahashi on ACH for the 1-2-3, and a definitive end to an extraordinary match.

The final segment tonight, and dare I say the main event, is a contract signing between the ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe, and the ROH World Television Champion Jay Lethal. They're set to meet this Friday night at Terminal One in New York City, where both of their belts will be on the line. Lethal hits the ring first, dressed like Lou Bega (Mambo Number 5) and flanked by Truth Martini. Jay Briscoe is accompanied by his brother Mark, who will be in action on Friday against another member of the House of Truth, in Donavan Dijak. Things are tense between the champions; Jay Lethal has said on multiple occasions that his TV title is far more prestigious than the World Championship held by Briscoe. Former World Champion and current ROH matchmaker Nigel McGuinness is presiding over the precedings, and explains the rules and time limit. Nigel says that this will be the biggest match in Ring of Honor history, and asks both men for their final words going into the fight. Lethal says that the only reason he doesn't flip the table over and "beat [Briscoe] where he stands" is because he "needs him at his best." Lethal says that after June 19 ^th —after Best in the World—Jay Briscoe will no business in Ring of Honor anymore. Jay Briscoe responds in kind, angered by Lethal's overconfident demeanor: "June 19 ^th , when I get done whoopin' yo ass, when I get done with you boy , you gonna have to go back to being the �Black Machismo' man!" Take that TNA! Lethal flips the table and both men remove their shirts, and hold their belts side by side as they continue to talk smack while the camera's fade out. Great show.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-61015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-61015/#comments Sat, 13 Jun 2015 03:50:14 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews Destination America Ring of Honor ROH TNA TNA Impact http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12362 Welcome back to another edition of "Honorable Mention," the once-weekly Ring of Honor report exclusively available at Cheap-Heat.com. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and in addition to my production credits at the "B+ Players Podcast," I'm the resident ROH reviewer at Cheap-Heat, so I couldn't be happier now that Ring of Honor is more […]

This week's episode of Ring of Honor opens on the ROH World Tag Team Champion Addiction, telling reDRagon that their "bitching, and moaning, and complaining" has finally earned them a championship opportunity. The action this week comes to us from the Tedreeve Arena in Toronto, Ontario and was originally part of ROH's Canadian cross over with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Tonight's scheduled main event is the Addiction defending their newly won tag titles against the former champions, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish. But the Addiction makes a surprise appearance early in the night, deciding to instead cut a promo to open the show. Because now that Ring of Honor is on cable television, they should probably abide by the same tropes that WWE and TNA do, right? Christopher Daniels alerts the audience that Bobby Fish isn't currently cleared to compete—which according to Kevin Kelly, is the result of an assault by the Addiction. Daniels says that this is bad news for Fish and O'Reilly, because their rematch was scheduled for tonight, and the Addiction is ready to compete with reDRagon or a comparable team.

The challenge is answered by Kyle O'Reilly who is prepared to fight both members of the Addiction on his own. He charges to the ring and this match is underway! O'Reilly fires away on the Addiction and creates enough fast-paced confusion to lock in his "Arm-ageddon" arm bar within moments of the bell. The submission gives Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels a chance to regroup and the champions begin to double team the man who came in second this year in the "Best of the Super Juniors" tournament. Kazarian is wrestling with a shirt on—strange, for a toned performer that isn't Alberto El Patron, but I'll let it go because it definitely gives him a unique look. This is a pretty darn good handicap match. This week has been awesome as far as handicap competition; Monday Night Raw featured Seth Rollins versus J and J Security in the main event, and now Kyle O'Reilly is challenging for the tag titles on his own! O'Reilly gets a second wind and flies from the apron, taking out both members of the Addiction in one shot. O'Reilly is well on his way to victory when the "Fallen Angel" introduces one of the title belts to O'Reilly's skull. This causes an immediate disqualification, and the Addiction continues putting the boots to O'Reilly, but high-tail it for the back when ACH and Matt Sydal make the save. Your winner by disqualification is Kyle O'Reilly of reDRagon!

After a quick promo by the "Sussex County Chicken" AKA Mark Briscoe, we are privy to my absolute favorite performer in all of Ring of Honor—DALTON CASTLE! I love his voice—he puts on this overly effeminate Rip Taylor/Paul Lynd act while hollering, "I'm Dalton Castle!" I'd also like to note that Dalton Castle is billed from Catalina Island, which just so happens to be a quaint little spot just across the water from me here in Long Beach. I can literally see it from where I'm sitting as I type this. Dalton climbs his burly manservants to the squared circle and finishes his entrance, as he prepares to go one-on-one with the one and only Jushin Thunder Liger! The fans in attendance can't seem to pick their favorite, as they opt to chant: "Dalton Liger" and "Jushin Castle." Liger wastes little time stretching the seven-year pro, employing a litany of moves such as his signature surfboard. Liger is a 31-year pro, and works wonders alongside some of the younger talent such as Dalton. Liger worked Chase Owens earlier this year, and then once more in the "Best of the Super Juniors." We head into a commercial as Dalton is firing on all cylinders, and after a quick "Health Alert Hotline" commercial starring Jay Lethal, we're back in the Tedreeve Arena where both competitors are exchanging blows in the center of the ring. Liger sends Castle to the outside and calls Dalton Castle's "boys" into the ring, where he proceeds to pose like Castle, complete with all of the necessary accruement. Dalton heads back into the action and gains the advantage through what Kevin Kelly refers to as "Greco Roman Wrestling"—"He's very strong," Kelly says! Jushin Thunder Liger pulls out a victory over the uncanny Castle following a "Liger Bomb" and a Brainbuster. After the match, Castle and Liger embraced, and posed together for the audience alongside Castle's "boys."

Up next is a grudge match between former tag team partners Brutal Bob Evans and Cheeseburger. Bob is the first to strike, but Cheeseburger makes no bones about defending himself and keeping Brutal Bob at a safe distance. Bob inevitably resorts to a number of dirty tactics so as to hurt his former ally. Cheeseburger is able to reverse Bob on multiple occasions, but it's no use after Brutal Bob sidewalk slams Cheeseburger off the apron and through a ringside table. The referee immediately calls for the bell as Kevin Kelly screams: "I think he just killed Cheeseburger!"

There's this awesome advertisement for catheters. I should clarify that I'm watching on Ring of Honor's website. It's a commercial for "nearly painless catheters" and there's a cowboy, swearing that they're the best catheters he's ever used. Awesome. Couldn't get Jay Lethal for this one? Speaking of Lethal, Mandy Leone is on hand, for a special look back at the world TV champion's rivalry with the world heavyweight champion Jay Briscoe. Back inside the arena it's time for the main event tag team match between "Machine Gun" Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows of the Bullet Club versus Matt Taven and Mike Bennett of the Kingdom. The Kingdom are the current IWGP tag team champions, after capturing the titles from the Bullet Club earlier in the year. Both teams are impressive throughout the bout, including some huge power moves by Guns and Gallows, and a litany of high flying offense by the Kingdom. The match degenerated into a street fight that will lead to their championship rematch on pay per view; Karl Anderson tosses the referee down, and Taven does the same. Both teams are disqualified, but the Bullet Club has the last laugh by sending Matt Taven spiraling through a set of steel chair. Not an awesome main event.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook, and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-ring-of-honor-roh-road-to-best-in-the-world-53015-oklahoma-city-ok/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/results-ring-of-honor-roh-road-to-best-in-the-world-53015-oklahoma-city-ok/#comments Sun, 31 May 2015 05:12:49 +0000 Cassidy Haynes Indy/Puro/Lucha Best in the World BITW Ring of Honor Road to Best in the World ROH http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12097 ROH Road to Best in the World May 30, 2015 Oklahoma City, OK Credit: ROHworld.com Caprice Coleman def Andy Dalton TV Title shot – Mark Briscoe def Matt Taven and Raymond Rowe Silas Young def Romantic Touch ROH Title Shot – Hanson def Michael Bennett and BJ Whitmer Roderick Strong def Will Ferrera Michael Elgin […]

ROH Road to Best in the World
May 30, 2015
Oklahoma City, OK
Credit: ROHworld.com

Caprice Coleman def Andy Dalton

TV Title shot – Mark Briscoe def Matt Taven and Raymond Rowe

Silas Young def Romantic Touch

ROH Title Shot – Hanson def Michael Bennett and BJ Whitmer

Roderick Strong def Will Ferrera

Michael Elgin def Dalton Castle

Adam Cole def ACH

TV Title – Jay Lethal def Mark Briscoe to retain

ROH Title – Jay Briscoe def Hanson to retain

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-smackdown-52815/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/whats-cookin-what-doesnt-matter-smackdown-52815/#comments Fri, 29 May 2015 02:10:35 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews Brock Lesnar Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose ECW HHH John Cena Kevin Owens NXT RAW Ring of Honor ROH Roman Reigns Seth Rollins Smackdown TNA WCW wrestling WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12059 The WWE has been on a roll as of late, I'm not sure if you guys feel the same way or not, feel free to chime in below in the comments. Payback wasn't a dramatically terrible show; NXT Takeover Unstoppable featured the arrival of Samoa Joe and a potential 5-star women's title match; and Kevin […]

The WWE has been on a roll as of late, I'm not sure if you guys feel the same way or not, feel free to chime in below in the comments. Payback wasn't a dramatically terrible show; NXT Takeover Unstoppable featured the arrival of Samoa Joe and a potential 5-star women's title match; and Kevin Owens has been pushed to the top of the card where he will meet John Cena this weekend at Elimination Chamber. I mean—just look at the Chamber itself, and you can see why I'm optimistic about what's to come in the very near future. We've got the first-EVER tag team elimination chamber match—an event that us video game nerds have witnessed before, but never thought we'd see portrayed live! And with six teams involved! And an intercontinental title match—inside the most demonic structure that Satan (Eric Bischoff) could have ever constructed? Sign me up! Seriously guys, all exaggerations and hyperbole aside, it's a good time to be a WWE fan, and Brock Lesnar hasn't even come back yet. Money in the Bank is still one month away, and Monday Night Raw has been consistently splendid for four weeks in a row. What year is this? Where am I? Who is the President? Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and this is "What's Cookin' and What Doesn't Matter."

Tonight's episode opens with the "Lunatic Fringe" Dean Ambrose , who makes his way to the ring wearing a t-shirt, rather than a dumb fucking leather jacket. Dean recounts the events of Monday Night when he was arrested so that he wouldn't be able to sign his contract for his upcoming match against Seth Rollins at Elimination Chamber. Dean cuts a very natural promo and says that he was given one phone call whilst in custody and decided to drop the dime on Roman Reigns. He asked Roman to "buy him some time," so that he could figure a way out of jail. Dean then showed a WWE YouTube video, wherein Seth Rollins is caught pushing the camera man into Dean. This was all the cops needed to release the �Lunatic; the New York police officers gave him a ride back to the arena and "even let him drive the paddy wagon." Dean warns Seth that he will beat the hell out of him at Elimination Chamber, and will do the same during their tag team match in tonight's main event. This was about 5 minutes long and didn't lead to any ridiculous dialogue with the Authority, so I was really happy to see the way it turned out. It was COOKIN' for sure.

The first match tonight is a tag team lumberjack match between Kidd and Cesaro and the Lucha Dragons. Tyson Kidd is wearing a baseball cap and Cesaro is wearing a bandana over the bottom portion of his face. Tyson Kidd starts things out against Sin Cara with nine additional athletes positioned around ringside. The WWE tag division has been a shell of its former self in recent years and is finally returning to its past glory, and might even be surpassing previous expectations. Why is that? A lot of it has to do with the quality of the current roster, but much can be owed to the make-up of various teams. In the past we've seen "Super Teams" dominate the tag division; Chris Jericho and the Big Show, Randy Orton and Edge, John Cena and Shawn Michaels, Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin, Steve Austin and Dude Love, the BROTHERS OF DESTRUCTION! While they were awesome teams, clearly capable of securing gold, they were short lived programs that were meant to build to an ultimate singles encounter. These teams are actual tag teams, similar to the Hart Foundation, the British Bulldogs, or Strike Force! Both teams involved in this match are well-versed in tag team competition and know how to utilize their partner to gain the advantage through teamwork. The various teams surrounding the ring are equally dedicated to their tandems and perform better as a result. This was an awesome match, and when the dust settled, it was the former NXT tag team champion Lucha Dragons who held their hands high. Tyson Kidd reversed an attempted hurricanrana by Kalisto into the Sharpshooter, but Sin Cara spring-boarded from the top rope to break things up. The New Day distracted Kidd from the action and Kalisto gets the victory. It's the first match of the night, but this might just be the—uh, well—MATCH OF THE NIGHT! This was COOKIN' like anybody might expect. Definite must-see.

I'm really convinced that R Truth's character is based on a PCP-addicted underground rapper from the New York tristate area. I told this story before, but I'd like to sum it up as a limerick—

"There once was a rapper on drugs,
Who swore he was covered in bugs.
Lost all his wits,
And ate a girls tits.
And he spoke to invisible thugs."

So I mean—R Truth has an imaginary friend, he's irrationally afraid of spiders, he's a rapper. If he consumes a woman's breasts then there's really no question as to where his character comes from. Obviously I'm kidding. Not about the rapper on PCP, that's real. R Truth is wrestling King Bad News Wade Barrett in a preview bout for this weekend's Elimination Chamber match for the intercontinental championship. Surprisingly, R Truth picked up a win, but was immediately blindsided by the Celtic Warrior. Sheamus entered the ring and attacked his adversaries, before leaving with his head held high. This was COOKIN' because R Truth beat Wade Barrett clean, and that was pretty neat to see. It was also short enough that it's worth checking out between segments anyway. Main event? No way. Match of the night? Hell no. But a decent bout nonetheless.

There's a quick backstage promo featuring Lana as she speaks with Renee Young regarding the events on Raw involving Rusev. She says that she is "no possession" of any man, and isn't a prize to be won. Renee asks about her relationship with Dolph Ziggler; Lana says there is no relationship with Dolph Ziggler, despite the footage suggesting the contrary. Lana is interrupted by Rusev and asks if he's there to start screaming again, and wants to know if he's going to keep acting like a child. Rusev smiles: "Why bother? I already had my way with your little Dolph Ziggler. Where is he now? Is he in the medical facility? Is he at home drinking hot cocoa? Or maybe he's just afraid to show up because he knows I'm here." He says he isn't jealous of Dolph, which appears to weigh heavy on his former main squeeze. He leave her with the words: "You dug your grave, now you rot in it." This was fucking ridiculously cool. It was COOKIN', for sure, and lead into the events of the next segment.

Ryback is going head-to-head with the "Bulgarian Brute," who continues to carry the Red, White, and GREEN of his native Bulgaria. If I was Miroslav Barnyashev—Rusev's real name—I would be pretty jazzed to finally carry my own nation's banner to the ring. That's pretty rad. I'm happy to see how Rusev is being treated, especially following that exchange with Lana just moments ago. I was worried that Rusev might be forced into the jealous ex-boyfriend position, set to snap at every given opportunity. I was hoping Lana was playing her part to help Rusev win the Intercontinental Championship. Perhaps she will use her feminine wilds to attract Dolph and put him off his game? But if that was the case, wouldn't Lana be flirting with EVERY one of Rusev's opponents? I also don't think there's much to achieve from a 2-week storyline featuring Dolph Ziggler for no reason. So I'm inclined to believe Lana will remain with Ziggler for the time being. Although it is interesting to speculate on what could be going through the mind of the "Ravishing Russian." Dolph said from the start that he knew Lana was playing games, and that he didn't mind. Now it seems that Rusev doesn't mind either. So what's Lana have to do to get what she wants now that the aforementioned feminine wilds aren't getting the job done? This match was what it was—a "Big Hoss" match between two big bad powerhouses. Ryback is most certainly going to get a visit from Bray Wyatt this Sunday, and as for Rusev? As of this writing, Rusev is reported to have suffered an injury that could sideline him come Sunday. If he does enter the Elimination Chamber, I'm sure he'll fall victim to some sort of tomfoolery involving Dolph and Lana. This match lasted longer than I would have guessed, spanning the one-hour mark and earning both men a chance to look strong in front of a world-wide audience. Rusev lost the match via disqualification after repeatedly slamming Ryback's head into the steel post. Rusev won the battle, but the war will continue this Sunday at the Elimination Chamber. A match that was most certainly COOKIN'!

Up next is a Diva's match between the two women who will simultaneously challenge Nikki Bella for her title at the Elimination Chamber. Paige and Naomi have unfinished business stemming from the Monday Night Raw in England when Naomi attacked Paige after a Diva's Battle Royal. I'm not incredibly impressed with Naomi. Everyone seems to be enamored with her "in-ring ability," and to that I wonder—what IN RING ability? I guess in the grand scheme of Playboy Bunnies and Bella Twins, Naomi is a pretty decent athlete, but context plays a huge part in how good Naomi really is. When facing someone as seasoned and reputable as Paige, Naomi is exposed for how inexperienced she truly is. Paige is the only woman in WWE history to hold both the NXT and Diva's championship. Not only that, but she held them at the same time, until being forced to relinquish her NXT title upon her "promotion" to Raw. Naomi relies heavily on slow-paced rest holds and over-the-top character work that doesn't sell me on her as a wrestler. Paige, on the other hand, is fluid and makes every movement appear almost effortless. The 2-time Diva's Champion hit Naomi with the "Rampaige" for the 1-2-3 and Paige will head into the Elimination Chamber with a psychological edge over Naomi. I hate to say the first and only women's match of the night DOESN'T MATTER—especially since everything up until now has been COOKIN', but I've got to be fair and weight each segment honestly. Following the bell, Nikki and Brie appeared on the stage, and everyone stared everyone else down—who the fuck are the babyfaces? Because they're all coming off like arrogant heels.

Kevin Owens is on Smackdown to talk about his upcoming match with John Cena at Elimination Chamber with Michael Cole. Before Cole can say anything, Jerry Lawler reacts to his appearance on Smackdown by exclaiming: "Ah! Look who it is!" Like Michael Cole isn't on Smackdown all the time, or something. Cole introduces Owens, who receives a mixed reaction from a WWE Universe seemingly unaware of his stardom. Those fans that know Owens are losing their shit, and the little kids who saw him powerbomb Cena and stomp on his title are throwing him the "thumbs down" by the thousands. Owens doesn't care who knows his name, he only cares about fighting and making money, which is why he doesn't give Michael Cole any respect. He points and laughs at the TitanTron during the replay of what went down between he and John Cena and Michael Cole begins by saying, "Kevin you've been in the WWE for two weeks now…" Kevin cut him off, explaining that while he's been a part of the main roster for the first time, he's been a dominant aspect of NXT for several months. In fact, been in this business for fifteen years. "I've competed all over the world—not just competed mind you, but dominated." Michael Cole says that John Cena isn't a normal competitor, but Kevin cuts him off again and lists Cena's accolades himself: "Fifteen world championships, two Royal Rumble Match victories, eleven Wrestlemanias, 57 varieties of terrible t-shirt designs. And over 1000 ways to SUCK. See I am the NXT Champion. Yet, John Cena walks around and acts like I've got something to prove to him, when in fact, if you ask me—John Cena is the one that's got something to prove to me." Michael Cole said he has a unique perspective, and quoted John Cena's earlier words regarding Owens' inability to "finish" a fight. "Why don't we take a look at what I did to Sami Zayn Michael," Owens said, "And you can tell me if I know how to finish a fight." After the video, Cole raised his microphone to respond, and Owens pushed it away. "At NXT Takeover: Unstoppable, I did exactly what I told the world I would do, and that's further my career by taking out Sami Zayn for good. But Sami Zayn is my best friend. Sami Zayn is someone I traveled the world with for ten years. SAMI ZAYN is I was closer to than anyone else on the planet. And that's what I did to him. Now if I'll do that to someone I care about, imagine what I'll do to John Cena." Owens began to turn away and thought again, "Actually you don't have to imagine it, just watch Elimination Chamber and you will witness it first-hand. And once I do that, there will be no question that the REAL champ—is here." COOKIN'! COOKIN'! COOKIN'! COOKIN'!

The next match is the main event tag team bout between Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns and the Authority's Kane and the world champion Seth Rollins. The producers in �Gorilla' didn't wait for Kevin Owens to return through the curtain; Dean Ambrose's music hit as Owens was making his way up the ramp, and the two exchanged looks before going their separate ways. I have to say, I really like the direction they're heading with Dean Ambrose, which is saying a lot. If you're a regular reader, then you know I'm not the biggest fan of the "Lunatic Fringe," but his last few weeks on top of the roster have been a welcome change to the inordinate antics and exceptional losing streak we were privy to just three months ago. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose have a very interesting relationship, and despite how goofy it was, I actually liked the story about Dean calling Roman from jail and asking him to "buy some time." That's the kind of storytelling I like, quite frankly. I said during my Raw recap this week that Kane is best served in these tag team matches that don't expose his weaknesses and allow for him to remain an ancillary character in support of the principle acts. What does that mean? It means when he's in one-on-one competition he looks like a fucking joke, while tag team competition appears to be his bread and butter. This match was full of really cool moments that weren't so absurd that they rendered the athleticism obsolete. I think the program between Rollins and Ambrose allows for a fair amount of both brawling as well as technique. Rollins and Reigns went one-on-one during the final moments of the match where Roman went for a "Superman Punch," but missed, and instead opted for a powerbomb. The former "Architect" of the Shield wormed his way out of harm's way only to catch that same "Superman Punch" the next time around. Roman dropped for the cover, but J&J Security caused the disqualification before the champion could be pinned. After the match, all hell broke loose involving the participants of the match, and then the New Day! The tag team champions joined in and attacked number one contender and Roman Reigns, but received a slew of signature maneuvers for their trouble before Kane and Seth Rollins finally achieved the upper hand. Seth Rollins hit Dean Ambrose with the Pedigree and another episode of Thursday—er I mean Friday—wait no, yeah Thursday Night Smackdown is in the books.

Smackdown always tends to deliver because it's a taped show full of backstage shenanigans and cosmetic edits, not to mention it's only two hours long. I enjoyed this week's show as much as any other episode of Smackdown in recent memory, but can't help but wonder what—if anything—could get Smackdown to that next level. We can rule out taking the show live unless the WWE wants to completely overhaul their production model. Maybe an exclusive title? What do you guys think? Comment below or feel free to hit me up in social media. Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook, and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-52715/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/viva-la-lucha-libre-52715/#comments Thu, 28 May 2015 22:25:33 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews John Cena Konnan Lucha Underground Matt Striker NJPW NXT Prince Puma RAW Ring of Honor ROH The El Rey Network TNA Vampiro WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12047 Bienvenidos amigos! Damas y caballeros, mi nombre es Marcos y esto es Viva La Lucha Libre! Marcos Adam Haggerty, to be precise. Welcome to my weekly Lucha Underground recap, featuring move-by-move reviews and analytical insights based on what we've seen thus far. This has been an absolutely insane week for professional wrestling; Lucha Underground and […]

Bienvenidos amigos! Damas y caballeros, mi nombre es Marcos y esto es Viva La Lucha Libre! Marcos Adam Haggerty, to be precise. Welcome to my weekly Lucha Underground recap, featuring move-by-move reviews and analytical insights based on what we've seen thus far. This has been an absolutely insane week for professional wrestling; Lucha Underground and NXT have long been established as the Wednesday night wrestling shows, but come next week, they'll have two new programs with which to compete. Destination America is moving TNA Impact to Wednesday, and will be adding Ring of Honor TV to their lineup as well! Hump day is fast becoming my favorite day of the week, and hopefully after reading this review, you'll have a better understanding as to why!

This week's opening video is dedicated to the return of Mil Muertes and the impending "Death Match" with his arch rival Fenix. In addition, we are reminded of the anarchy surrounding the Lucha Underground title; Hernandez is the number one contender to Prince Puma's belt, but Johnny Mundo and Alberto El Patron have their sights set on the prize as well. The show begins with Chavo Guerrero confronting Black Lotus. He tells her that he's been given the task of watching over her as she seeks retribution from Dario Cueto, and revenge against his brother Matanza. Chavo tells Lotus that if she really wants revenge, that she has to do it in the ring so that the entire world can see. "My grandfather was there the day he killed your parents," Chavo told Lotus, referring to the savagery associated with Matanza. "Los Guerrero's—we hate the Cueto's as much as you do."

Inside the Temple, the �Faithful are rockin' and rollin' to the velvet fog of Los Rayobacks—not to be confused with Ryan Reeves, aka El Rayoback. Matt Striker and Vampiro put over the main event match between Mil Muertes and Fenix, and then send things to Melissa Santos who introduces the opening contest. Johnny Mundo is set to compete against Aerostar, and arrives to a mixed response from the Temple fans, a result of his recent decision to attack Alberto El Patron. The fans chant for "Aerostar" as the bell sounds and this match is underway! Johnny was never the biggest guy on the WWE roster, but towers over the majority of his opponents now that he's battling it out in Boyle Heights. He has no trouble overpowering Aerostar and immediately sends him on a first-class trip toward the canvas with vapid effort. Johnny is allowing subtle heel tendencies to sneak through his otherwise cheerful demeanor, and actually reminds me of Kurt Angle during his WWE rookie year. Aerostar counters Johnny's offense with a series of high flying tactics, including a picture-perfect plancha from inside the ring to an unsuspecting Mundo on the arena floor. Johnny takes a cheap shot on Aerostar's knee and uses the advantage to lay into the smaller performer with a ground and pound game, capped off by a side-Russian Leg sweep. Johnny maintains firm control over Aerostar, despite an obvious advantage in terms of fan support. During the match, Vampiro asks Matt Striker, "Did you know that there's a drinking game for every time I say brother?" He then proceeded to say brother eight times in rapid succession. Back to the bout—Aerostar countered Johnny's "End of the World" signature finishing move, but that wasn't enough to keep the record-setting WWE tag team champion down. He hit Aerostar with a "Northern Lights Fling," according to Vampiro, a modified suplex-turned-throw, only to finally hit the "End of the World." Johnny Mundo picked up the win over Aerostar, as anybody might have predicted.

The Vampiro interview segments are quickly becoming my favorite part of this weekly series. Each time he appears, the program flashes red and freezes with the words "VAMPIRO: Announcer/Legend" superimposed on the screen. He doesn't take shit from his interviewees, as was the case last week with Johnny Mundo and in the past with Brian Cage, Texano, and even the Trios Tag Team Champions. Tonight Vampiro is sitting down with one of the most talented female competitors on the planet—Sexy Star. Vampiro asks about her rivalry with Pentagon Jr., and she responds en Español: "Pentagon Jr. is nothing but a bully. I don't care who he is, I'm not afraid of him and I can assume the consequences." Vampiro appears worried for Sexy, and Sexy Star wonders if Vampiro would ask her about her safety if she was a man? She says that she hasn't heard from Super Fly since their Mask vs. Mask match wherein Super Fly lost his "identity" and was subsequently crippled by Pentagon Jr. Sexy says that she's not afraid, and looks forward to her upcoming Submission Match against Pentagon next week on the El Rey Network.

The Lucha Underground Championship is on the line between Hernandez and the current title holder—accompanied by Konnan—Prince Puma. Puma enters the Temple to a wild ovation, whereas Hernandez was introduced as being from "Ooston, Tejas." I think that's Houston, Texas. I think. Maybe it's like Baja California—not actually in California, but in Mexico. Anyway. This is NOT the main event, which is mighty telling of what's to come from Mil Muertes and Fenix later on. Hernandez is an extraordinary talent considering his size, his age, and his obvious limitations. That being said, he has no issue soaring through the air with the best of the Luchadors, and tearing it up between the ropes alongside talented individuals like Patron, Mundo, and even Prince Puma. Matt Striker says that Puma is "using space to his advantage," referring to the way in which Puma would strike Hernandez while keeping on the run. Hernandez finally achieved the advantage through a slew of slow-paced power moves, and a cringe-worthy display of knife-edge chops. Konnan attempted to get into the match, but merely served as a distraction for his protégé Prince Puma to strike with a steel chair. Puma caught Hernandez in the skull and followed up with a high flying flip up and over the top onto the already grounded Hernandez.

The man sometimes known as Super-Mex powered back and powerbombed Puma on the crux of the ring apron. He went for a second, running crucifix power bomb, but Puma escaped and grabbed the ledge of the balcony. He twisted and turned almost instantly and, returning the offense to the monstrous Hernandez. Senior Official Marty Elias made the count, and both men returned to action before the ten. The crowd chanted, "This is Awesome," because that's what wrestling fans do, and Prince Puma went for his patented 630 Senton Splash, and missed! Hernandez delivered his finishing move, but failed to earn the three. The match continued and Hernandez sought to solidify his spot as the second Lucha Underground Champion ever with a front powerslam followed by an attempted top rope splash. Puma raised his knees and caught Hernandez in the chest, and fired away with a number of hard kicks directly to the cranium of the veteran Hernandez. Puma put the final nail in his opponents coffin with a successful 630 Senton to retain his world title.

Speaking of coffins. The next match is the main event and it is a "Death Match" between the recently "resurrected" Mil Muertes and the fiery Fenix! Fenix looks like the third member of the "Mega Maniacs"—the tag team combination of Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. He's wearing red and yellow and walks across the ropes with ease. Mil Muertes comes to the ring wearing an elaborate costume that is removed by a group of men wearing skull masks to conceal their identities. Catrina is also part of Mil's entourage, and looks on from ringside as Mil makes short work of his most hated enemy since debuting on Lucha Underground. Fenix goes for a plancha but is immediately thrown off his game by a series of brutal strikes and closed-fist punches to the face. This is a "Death Match," so anything goes and Fenix will have to fight for his life if he hopes to survive until next week. Muertes talks to Fenix as they fight—probably to plan their next move but—apparently trash talking and wishing him ill-will. Mil Muertes climbs to the top rope, which is where the big man is taken off his game. If only for a moment.

Fenix attacks Mil, who becomes crotched in the corner of the ring; Fenix ascended the opposing ropes and walked across the top to drop kick the ghastly Muertes. This match goes outside the ring and Mil is once again in control after a heinous lariat leaves Fenix unable to respond. Mil introduces a steel chair to the bout and slams it across the top of his opponent's head. He then slammed Fenix repeatedly into the guard rai with a brutal tenacity that isn't oftentimes seen in any sort of professional wrestling. Muertes flew from the top rope to the outside in a beautiful cross body, then hit Fenix with the chair once more. He mounted Fenix across his shoulders and carried him to the top of Dario's office. He carried Fenix like he weighed nothing, as he swung the door to the roof open and proceeded to powerbomb him through the roof and into the office. Marty Elias screamed for help as we head into the final commercial break of the evening.

When we return, Muertes is in the center of the ring, and Catrina's masked "druids" are retrieving Fenix's body from the wreckage. They bring him back to the squared-circle, where Mil Muertes finishes the job with a flat liner for good measure. Your winner as a result of a pinfall is Mil Muertes. This guy only has incredible matches.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook, and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-roh-tv-52315/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/honorable-mention-roh-tv-52315/#comments Wed, 27 May 2015 19:06:59 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Reviews Bobby Fish Caprice Coleman Destination America Jay Briscoe Jay Lethal Kevin Kelly Kyle O'Reilly Michael Elgin reDRagon Ring of Honor ROH Steve Corino TNA Todd Sinclair wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=11999 Welcome back to another edition of "Honorable Mention," the once-weekly Ring of Honor report exclusively available at Cheap-Heat.com. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and in addition to my production credits at the "B+ Players Podcast," I'm the resident ROH reviewer at Cheap-Heat. It's tough being a Ring of Honor fan in Southern California as […]

Welcome back to another edition of "Honorable Mention," the once-weekly Ring of Honor report exclusively available at Cheap-Heat.com. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and in addition to my production credits at the "B+ Players Podcast," I'm the resident ROH reviewer at Cheap-Heat. It's tough being a Ring of Honor fan in Southern California as I've mentioned in the past; Sinclair Broadcasting, ROH's parent company, doesn't currently distribute their programming in Los Angeles, making it increasingly difficult to get my weekly fix without forking over a couple of dollars. But as JR likes to say: "That will not be my hill to die on." I appreciate and value the ROH product, and I recognize the strides they've made in recent years, so I can get over the lack of syndication in SoCal. For now. As a matter of fact, I finally forked over the $7.99 to subscribe to the official website, and I have to say I'm very satisfied with what Ring of Honor has to offer.

EDIT: DESTINATION AMERICA just announced Ring of Honor will debut on their network this Wednesday before a brand new episode of TNA Impact.

This week's episode of Ring of Honor TV comes to us from the Eisenhower Community Center in Hopkins, Minnesota and kicks off with none other than "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin. Does Elgin remind anybody else of the "Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan? Not only does he dress like the former leader of the Dungeon of Doom, but he's also fucking crazy. Elgin is one of my favorite performers in Ring of Honor; I wasn't sold on him during his time as champion because I didn't buy him as a babyface title holder. Tonight Elgin is going one on one with Caprice Coleman, who has been conspicuous by his absence in recent months, aside from his role on commentary during the "Top Prospect Tournament." Coleman is looking to shut Elgin up once and for all, and arrives to an extraordinary ovation and a sea of streamers. According to the Tale of the Tape, Caprice Coleman has been lacing up his boots since 1998, and has no problem adhering to the "Code of Conduct." Despite his wily ways, Elgin is also receptive to the initial handshake, and then immediately takes the fight to Caprice. After a successful headlock takeover, shades of the great Brad Armstrong, Caprice was rushed to the outside of the ring by an imposing Elgin, who was unwilling to waiver at such an early stage in the match. We head into a quick commercial—even on the official website that I PAY for—and when we return, Caprice is on the offensive and putting the former world champion through his paces. Caprice hit Michael Elgin with his signature "Sky-Splitter" leg drop from the top rope, but achieved only a two count before Elgin responded. Once on his feet again, Elgin proceeded to dominate Coleman with a series of turnbuckle and spinning powerbombs for the 1-2-3.

The next match is for the world television title; Jay Lethal has been champion for over 400 days, and is the only man to wear the coveted TV belt on two separate occasions. His opponent and challenger is the former ROH world tag team champion, and one half of reDRagon, Kyle O'Reilly. Jay Lethal has become accustomed to calling himself the "Ring of Honor Champion," and has customized his television title by removing the "TV" and superimposing a golden globe. Kyle O'Reilly is only one of a handful of wrestlers on the ROH roster who actually poses a threat to the longevity of Lethal's title reign, and wastes little time in showing the "Greatest First Generation Wrestler" why he is a world-renowned professional athlete. O'Reilly is currently competing in Japan as part of the "Best of the Super Juniors" tournament along with his longtime partner Bobby Fish, but tonight O'Reilly's eyes are on the prize. He keeps Lethal grounded with an onslaught of educated feet, and an impressive precision-based mat style that would make Drew Gulak dizzy. Lethal hits Kyle with a belly-to-back suplex, but the Irish-American O'Reilly is unwilling to relent on the vice-like headlock.

After another commercial break—this time an advertisement reminding us to WATCH Ring of Honor—we head back to the ring where O'Reilly is continuing to prove himself to the current title holder. Lethal is finally coming around by now, and returns the offense with a drop kick to Kyle's jaw and a number of knees to the midsection. The TV champion Irish-whipped O'Reilly across the squared circle into the opposing corner for a near fall, and then applied an incredibly innovative submission to the technically-sound Kyle O'Reilly. This match continued back and forth with both men gaining the advantage. Truth Martini tried to council his charge, but was unable to save him from the brutality of the former ROH world tag team champion. O'Reilly locked Lethal in a submission hold around the top rope, but was blindsided by the "Book of Truth," wielded by the veteran manager Martini. Lethal took advantage by slamming O'Reilly directly into the Canadian flag adorning the ringside barricade. He then wrapped the red and white maple leaf around O'Reilly's neck and choked him until referee Todd Sinclair ordered him to cease. The action returned to the ring before the 20-count and Lethal attempted to end things quickly; he climbed the ropes, "Hailed the King" and hit a double axe handle across the skull of O'Reilly. Back and forth, kick for kick and shot for shot, both men fought valiantly for the right to be champion. There aren't many men who can go toe-to-toe with O'Reilly in terms of kicks, but Lethal is eager to try his luck at matching his opponent's veteran BJJ-skills.

Kyle O'Reilly landed a strong knee to the jaw of Jay Lethal, nearly knocking the champion unconscious in the process. He applied the "Guillotine" submission hold, which caused Lethal to fade ever so slowly, until he summoned the strength for a LETHAL COMBINATION! Jay covered Kyle for a two count, and this contest continued to a chorus of "This is Wrestling," from an army of anti-establishment former �Federation fans. O'Reilly attempted to finish the job with what could have been a Superplex, but ultimately became a full-fledged "Hail to the King" elbow drop by Lethal. Lethal tried for a Superplex of his own, but was countered into "Arm-ageddon" in the center of the ring. Lethal jockeyed for the ropes and both men went flying to the outside, where Truth Martini checked on the welfare of his champion as Todd Sinclair counted higher and higher toward twenty. Jay Lethal returned to the ring at thirteen, and O'Reilly made it just after nineteen, thanks to some fans at ringside who helped him to his feet! The two men met in the ring and stared each other down before engaging in what would be the final moments of this incredible contest.

O'Reilly almost fell from the ring but returned in much the same way as Terry Funk, or Dean Ambrose, and hit the champion with a massive lariat for this trouble. He hit Lethal with a brainbuster, and once again, locked him in the lethal—no pun intended—"Arm-ageddon" cross arm bar. Both men refused to lose as Lethal made it to the ropes and both wrestlers staggered to regain their composure. Kevin Kelly reminds the audience at home that we are less than three minutes removed from the time limit, a concept that this wrestling fan completely forgot about! Lethal went for the "Lethal Injection," but O'Reilly caught him in his patented arm-bar. The bell sounded; the time limit was up! The fans chanted "Five More Minutes," and O'Reilly led them in their cry. Lethal was given the microphone and it was on the champion to decide whether or not he would continue.

The fans chanted "Man Up"—the popular catchphrase belonging to world champion Jay Briscoe—and Lethal informed everyone that he was GOING to accept the challenge, but the fans ruined it. He left the arena just as the world champion was making his way down to ringside. "Jay Lethal stay in the back, boy," Jay Briscoe began, "Let a real fighting champion show you how it's done." Briscoe told O'Reilly that he just went to war: "To hell with five more minutes, I don't care if this takes all night!" Jay Briscoe was ready to give Kyle O'Reilly a world title match, but once the bell rang, Lethal returned to cause the disqualification.

All in all, a much better program than last week's show that never really delivered. I've said on recent episodes of "The Outsiders' Edge" that I would rather three or four two-star matches to one or two four-stars. Yes, I love to watch wrestling, but weekly broadcasts are meant to introduce the fan base to the entire roster, and that's hard to do when you're limited to just one or two matches within an hour long show. The big breaking news as of this writing is that Destination America—the current home to TNA Impact—will begin to feature Ring of Honor as early as this Wednesday, June the 3 ^rd . Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook, and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News!

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