SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
DECEMBER 10, 2017
TAPED 11/12 IN LAKELAND, FLA. AT RP FUNDING CENTER
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
[Q1] We opened with footage of Kenny King defeating Kushida for the television title back in September, followed by clips of the Coleman’s Pulpit segment that set up Caprice Coleman challenging for the title this week.
-Opening theme.
-Silas Young was on commentary for our opening contest. He (along with Punishment Martinez and Shane Taylor) will be challenging the winner of this match in a four corner elimination match for the TV title at Final Battle. Speaking of Shane Taylor, he was accompanying Coleman to ringside after Coleman handed him an envelope of cash at the top of the stage. Riccaboni sent his condolences to King, whose mother recently passed away.
(1) CAPRICE COLEMAN (w/Shane Taylor) vs. KENNY KING – ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
Lock-up to start and King drove Coleman into the corner. Coleman bailed to ringside following double knees from King in the corner and an arm drag. [C]
Coleman took advantage by yanking King shoulder-first into the ring post. Coleman cursed at a fan in the front row and got bleeped. Coleman dropkicked King’s head into the barricade. “I think I killed Kenny,” he said into the camera. Coleman continued to control the action in the ring. Riccaboni wondered if King had been looking past Coleman. Coleman tried for a hurricanrana from the top rope but King dove out of the way and Coleman landed with his legs on the top ropes, crashing to the mat. King with a spinning heel kick for a two-count. T-bone suplex into a bridge for another two-count. Coleman with a trio of northern light suplexes for a near fall. His eyes bugged out that it wasn’t enough. Coleman to the top rope but King cut him off. Coleman shoved him down and hit his Sky Splitta finishing move but King kicked out at two and a half. Coleman tried to follow up with a piledriver but King countered out.
[Q2] Taylor jumped onto the apron. King clubbed him off and hit a corkscrew splash over the top rope onto Taylor. King re-entered the ring and got rolled up by Coleman, who hooked the tights for two. King with a spinebuster and the Royal Flush for the win.
WINNER: Kenny King at 9:47 to retain the ROH World Television Championship.
-Punishment Martinez immediately hit the ring. He tried for a kick on King but King ducked and hit Martinez with a kick of his own. Taylor into the ring. Martinez and Taylor dropped King with punches. Young left the announce table and headed to the ring as well. The three heels stomped away on King before turning on each other. They brawled into the break. [C]
(Analysis: Probably the best Caprice Coleman match I’ve seen in a long time. I don’t think anybody actually bought into a title change this close to Final Battle, but Coleman walked away with some more in-ring credibility to accompany his talk show host skills. King continues to be established as the fighting babyface champion that everyone is gunning for.)
-The Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) made their way to ringside with microphones. They’re facing War Machine in a grudge match at Final Battle. Daniels claimed that War Machine attacked them like cowards the last time they appeared. (Actually The Addiction jumped War Machine from behind.) A fan was injured in the process (as we saw two weeks ago) and Ray Rowe was faulted with a 30-day suspension. “In this day and age, when the slightest hint of a scandal turns a talented man into a pariah,” The Addiction demanded that ROH fire War Machine. Kaz didn’t give a damn about the injured fan. The rest of his speech was interrupted by Hanson rushing the ringside area and attacking both men. Running boot to Daniels. Kaz into the barricade. Daniels begged off in the ring but Hanson mounted him with punches. Kaz took a steel chair to Hanson’s back. The Addiction taped Hanson to the middle ropes with electrical tape. Daniels pulled a box cutter out of his pocket and sawed off a chunk of Hanson’s beard. He threatened to give Hanson “the Van Gogh treatment” but security hit the ring. As The Addiction fought off two security guards, a third grabbed the box cutter and cut Hanson free. He unloaded on Daniels and Kaz, who fled.
-Backstage with your ROH World Six-Man Champions The Hung Bucks (Adam Page, Nick Jackson, & Matt Jackson). At Final Battle they defend the titles against Dragon Lee, Titán, and Flip Gordon. “Where do you think you’re going? Welcome to Ring Of Honor,” Matt Jackson said yet again. [C]
(Analysis: The Addiction-War Machine segments have had a certain levity to them that helps them stand out from the other feuds in ROH at the moment. I mean, who threatens to cut a guy’s ear off? Or cut his beard off with a box cutter? The Addiction vs. the fans of ROH has been a fun feud, too. Daniels flat-out lying about past circumstances and trying to throw Rowe under the same bus as Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, etc. is just classic heel work.)
-“Do you know who we are?” over the house mic. It was Jay and Mark, The Briscoes, making their way to the ring. Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer, two guys that we consider legends and heroes, are nothing but cowards. What’s it going to take to get them in the ring with The Briscoes? They ruined Bully’s retirement. They laid Dreamer out in his own backyard. They even went to the 3D Academy and trashed the joint. But still, they haven’t answered the challenge. Bully and Dreamer are worse than cowards, they’re (bleeps). But wait…
[Q3] Bully and Dreamer were in the building after all! They made their way to ringside but a dozen security guards rushed down and stood between the two teams. Bully grabbed a chair until Ring Of Honor COO Joe Koff showed up and tried to talk him down. Bully demanded to know why Koff would let this happen. Jay quieted down the crowd. “Who’d have ever thought we’d see the day Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer would take orders from a short old man?” Koff entered the ring and got in The Briscoes’ faces. Koff said they disrespected everyone: himself, Dreamer, Ray, and every fan who’s ever had their back. He officially announced The Briscoes vs. Dreamer & Ray at Final Battle. “It’s going to be brutal, it’s going to be extreme, and f-ing hardcore.” Koff exited and Ray and Dreamer took advantage of the distraction to jump in the ring. They pounded away on The Briscoes as security tried to separate the teams. [C]
(Analysis: Well, the match is official and it’s certain to be a good one but the final match-making decision itself left something to be desired. Why wasn’t the match booked before tonight? What changed to finally convince Koff to make it official? Isn’t Bully one wrong move away from being permanently injured for life? He was ready to retire just a few weeks ago. Does he still intend to after this? If so, they should really be making a bigger deal over this being his last match ever. If not, what changed to make him suddenly healthy enough to continue competing indefinitely? I’d be willing to wait and see but Final Battle’s in five days so there won’t be any further promos or interviews between now and then.)
-Marty Scurll was on commentary for the main event. He’s facing Lethal at Final Battle while Taven is taking on Will Ospreay.
(2) MATT TAVEN (w/Vinny Marseglia & TK O’Ryan) vs. JAY LETHAL
Lethal and Taven brawled to ringside immediately and Lethal dumped Taven into the crowd before suplexing him back over the barricade to ringside. Lethal with a double axe handle from the top rope to Taven in the ring. Scurll and the commentators debated whether Lethal could or would go back to his villainous ways when he faces Scurll. Lethal with chops on Taven. Lethal tried for a figure four but Taven rolled him up for two. Marseglia grabbed Lethal’s foot behind the referee’s back and Taven took control. [C]
Taven drove Lethal headfirst into the ring post during the break. Taven tried for a springboard moonsault but Lethal got the knees up.
[Q4] The men traded fists mid-ring. Scurll was getting particularly obnoxious on commentary. Lethal locked in the figure four successfully but Taven made it to the ropes. Lethal with Hail To The King from the top rope for a two-count. Scurll left the commentary booth and slid his umbrella into the ring for Lethal. Lethal picked up the umbrella but looked conflicted. He eventually threw it back at Scurll, only for Taven to roll him up from behind and hook the tights for the win.
WINNER: Matt Taven in 9:38.
(Analysis: The Scurll-Lethal “Does Lethal still have a villain inside him?” story has felt rushed. With more time it could have been done with more subtlety. Because of the time constraints it’s hard to buy into any real heel tendencies from Lethal. He’s been one of the top heroes in ROH over the past year so why would we he suddenly choose to cheat and use an umbrella tonight?) [C]
-Your ROH World Champion Cody was in the ring dressed in a ridiculously huge fur coat over a suit and tie. His wife Brandi was seated in a chair with the title belt over her shoulder. Dalton Castle made his entrance in a glittery peacock blazer and no shirt. Cody and Brandi rocked along to Castle’s theme song in their seats. Ian Riccaboni handled introductions. Castle interrupted to say that Cody looks ridiculous. Riccaboni handed things over to Cody for opening remarks. The champion put down his cheese and meat platter, told Castle he had to try some, and then pulled all the food off the platter and shoved the empty tray toward the challenger. Riccaboni questioned Cody not taking things seriously. Cody had a servant bring over two glasses of champagne. Cody and Brandi poured their glasses into each other’s mouths. Castle stood up and glowered as Cody and Brandi shared a cheese nip.
“At Final Battle, I’m going to break your heart,” Castle said. He was excited when he heard Cody was coming ROH. He wanted to like him. He thought he was a guy who loved wrestling as much as he did. He thought Cody was a guy who would bring a lot of eyes to ROH. But when he finally arrived, Castle just saw a skinny stupid ass boy who was overdressed, overpaid, and overrated. Castle signed the contract. Cody stripped off his fur coat and blazer and signed as well. Castle stole Cody’s champagne glass out of his hand and finished it. The two men got face to face with Cody raising the belt into the air to loud “Dalton Castle” chants.
(Analysis: Again, the word that comes to mind is “fun.” Yes, the feud is serious. Yes, the two men hate each other. Yes, there is something serious at stake. But within that there is still the opportunity for humor. Cody’s fur coats and suits and cheese trays set him up as a pompous, unlikable jerk who you want to see get his comeuppance. Then you have Dalton Castle. With his outfits and speech, he is about as far from a pro wrestling “everyman” as you can get. But he’s charismatic, scrappy, and he cares about Ring of Honor. He loves wrestling, he wants the title, and he thinks that the top title in the company should be held by somebody who respects the fans. How could you not want him fighting for you? The only question now is: Can he pull it off? We’ll find out Friday.)
-Next week: it’s Best Friends & Rocky Romero vs. The Elite.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 12/3 ROH TV Report: Hangman vs. Flip, Villain vs. Bruiser, Briscoes invade Team 3D Academy, Coleman’s Pulpit
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