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ROH GLORY BY HONOR
OCTOBER 12, 2018
BALTIMORE, MD AT UMBC EVENT CENTER
AIRED ON ROH HONOR CLUB
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
The commentators discussed the top three matches on the card and announced that Gresham-Bully was now a No DQ match. Shane Taylor’s music was the first to hit for the night.
(1) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. SHANE TAYLOR
Taylor jawed at Page before the bell, claiming that he’s only over because people like Cody and the Bucks. Taylor dominated early, hitting some frying pan chops to Page’s chest in the corner. Taylor hit a draping stunner with Page’s feet hanging across the top rope. Page tried firing up as he ran the ropes but Taylor put him back down with a clothesline. Taylor hit a cannonball with Page seated in the corner. Taylor missed a legdrop on the apron, though. Page connected with two suicide dives and a top rope moonsault onto the standing Taylor at ringside. He went back up again and hit a high crossbody on Taylor in the ring. Taylor hit a headbutt, judo throw, and standing frog-splash for two. Page asked for some forearms and was knocked loopy through the ropes but he surprised Taylor with buckshot lariat. They traded slaps. Page couldn’t get Taylor up for his finisher. Power bomb from Taylor. He mimed firing a rifle at the down Page. Taylor went to the second rope for a Vader Bomb but Page grabbed him for a power bomb. Page lifted up the 300-pounder and hit the Rite Of Passage to end it.
WINNER: Adam Page in 9:03.
(Pageot’s Perspective: A fine win for Page but Taylor stood out more here, I think, if only because Page’s offense was his usual rote stuff whereas Taylor was afforded the opportunity to show off some things that he hasn’t before. Taylor could be primed for bigger things in 2019.)
-The Kingdom entered first with Marseglia’s usual assortment of props. Flip Gordon was next. His tag partner, Kenny King, no-showed when his music played. The Kingdom jumped Gordon and beat him down while Riccaboni acknowledged that there is no enforcer or authority figure in ROH anymore and the closest thing we have is ROH senior official Todd Sinclair. Sinclair decided to make it a handicap match.
(2) THE KINGDOM (Vinny Marseglia & TK O’Ryan) vs. FLIP GORDON & CHEESEBURGER
Marseglia worked over Gordon and tagged in O’Ryan. At 2:38 Gordon managed to avoid Marseglia, which led to him colliding with his partner. They gained control again moments later, though. Marseglia hit a top rope diving headbutt. O’Ryan stayed in the ring and wouldn’t leave to Sinclair’s consternation. Cheeseburger ran down to ringside and leapt into Gordon’s corner. Riccaboni received word through his headset that the board of directors allowed the impromptu replacement partner. As The Kingdom argued the decision Gordon came back with superkicks and hit the hot tag. Burger unloaded with chops on both men. Split-leg dropkicked put down both heels. Running forearms in opposite corners and a tornado DDT for Marseglia. O’Ryan blocked a shotei. The Kingdom hit House Of A Thousand Horses (an assisted death valley driver) on Burger for the win.
WINNERS: The Kingdom in 5:27.
(Pageot’s Perspective: I wasn’t sure how King’s newfound heel turn would fit into this announced tag match so I love him no-showing. It sets up a singles match between him and Flip in the future too. Burger’s run-in got a big pop and it seemed like a prime opportunity to follow-up on his TV main event win last week but alas it only took about a minute to smack him back down to an enhancement role.)
-Caprice Coleman joined the commentary booth for the next match.
-Jeff Cobb was introduced as the Television Champion and wore the belt out, despite not having actually won it on television yet. Cabana acknowledged that it was a spoiler. Riccaboni laughingly apologized.
(3) ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION JEFF COBB vs. ELI ISOM (w/Ryan Nova) – NON-TITLE MATCH
Isom asked for this match because Cobb ruined the 2018 Top Prospect Tournament, which Isom thought he would have won. Isom hit a dropkick, forearm, and second springboard dropkick. Cobb hit a belly to belly suplex. Cobb hurled Isom around the ring, from corner to corner. Coleman talked about how dominant Cobb was in his match against Martinez (again, a match that we haven’t actually seen yet). Cobb hit a standing dropkick to Isom seated on the top turnbuckle. Isom escaped a second rope vertical suplex and kicked out Cobb’s legs. Isom hit a running blockbuster for a two-count. The commentators said it was the first time Cobb’s been off his feet in ROH. Cobb hit a big lariat. Tour Of The Islands.
WINNER: Jeff Cobb in 5:13.
-Cobb pulled Isom to his feet and offered the code of honor. He shook both Isom’s and Nova’s hands.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Isom got a surprising amount of offense in on the former god. The fact that the rookie got a two-count on the monster was surreal, even if Cobb did destroy him otherwise. Also surreal was the post-match show of respect. On the Tuesday livecast “Talking Honor” Emily Fear and I speculated that Cobb would be positioned as a cold steamroller who didn’t care whether it was faces or heels in his path. Instead this was a very babyface presentation in the vein of fellow Olympian Kurt Angle.)
(4) ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS THE BRISCOES (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) vs. THE BOUNCERS (Beer City Bruiser & Brian Milonas) – NON-TITLE MATCH
Is this heel vs. heel or did The Bouncers turn face when Silas Young walked out on them a couple weeks ago? Milonas and Mark started. Jay tagged in to help his brother. They double-teamed Milonas to send him through the ropes to the floor and Mark hit a dropkick through the ropes. Mark took out Bruiser too and threw a steel chair into the ring. Jay threw Bruiser into the guardrail. The fans cheered for the Briscoes (one of the top three heel acts out of anyone in the entire promotion), “Man up” chant. The Briscoes worked over Milonas while Cabana talked them up as hard-working champions. They tried to suplex Milonas but couldn’t budge him. Bruiser pulled Mark to the floor. The Bouncers gained an advantage over Jay. Bruiser had Jay in a chinlock and the fans clapped for Jay. Mark tagged in and took over. He locked in a sleeperhold on Bruiser’s back but Bruiser countered into a backpack stunner. Tags to Milonas and Jay. Milonas with a crossbody. Bruiser with a DDT to Mark. Milonas tagged out again. Bruiser went up top but the Briscoes shoved Milonas into him. Tower Of Doom put all four men down. Bruiser held up Mark for a second rope legdrop from Milonas. Jay broke up the pin. The Briscoes kind of hit a double suplex on Milonas. Neckbreaker from Jay to Bruiser. Froggy-bow on Bruiser seals it.
WINNER: The Briscoes in 13:36.
-The Bouncers cracked open four cans of beer and shared them with the champs. They toasted and all drank.
(Pageot’s Perspective: I don’t get it. The Briscoes, Bully Ray, and The Kingdom are probably the top three heel acts in ROH, a promotion desperately in need of more heels. Why put them in a position to be cheered? Are there so few tag teams left in the division that they were just painted into a corner with no one else around to face the champs? The next time we see the Briscoes we’ll probably be expected to boo them against SCU. This undercuts all of that.)
-Marty Scurll was backstage to discuss his feud with the Hurricane. They’re 1-1 in TV matches.
-Helms entered first. Scurll’s music played. After a delay The Villain walked out onto the stage in full regalia with his back to the camera. Suddenly Marty Scurll jumped Helms from behind in the ring and the man on the stage turned around to reveal that it was actually Adam Page dressed as The Villain. Wow, what did Helms do to piss off Page? Scurll beat Helms around ringside. They eventually entered the ring and the bell rang.
(5) “THE VILLAIN” MARTY SCURLL vs. SHANE “HURRICANE” HELMS
Helms hit the Eye Of The Hurricane on Scurll draped across the apron. Helms worked over Scurll’s knee and locked in a cloverleaf/figure four variation. Scurll hit a neckbreaker across the middle rope. Cravat from Scurll. Slow moving at this point. Helms hit a clothesline at 6:00. Another Eye Of The Hurricane gave him a two-count. Scurll with a superplex. Helms moved and referee Paul Turner took a running European uppercut from Scurll. Hurrichokeslam to Scurll and Helms had a visual pinfall with the ref down. Scurll kicked Helms between the legs and hit the ghostbuster. He called for another ref and they obeyed Scurll’s request, running out instantly and counting two before Helms kicked out. Both men went for chokeslam attempts on each other. Ref #2 told them to break it up so they both grabbed and double chokeslammed him to a huge pop. Turner came to and threw the match out as Helms and Scurll continued to brawl.
WINNER: Double disqualification in 10:32.
-Security ran in and separated the men. “Let them fight” chant from the crowd. Page ran down and chucked the security from the ring. He and Scurll advanced on Helms. Helms tackled Page but Scurll pulled him off. They both stomped away on the superhero as the commentators frowned on their actions. Scurll unmasked Helms to boos. Scurll held up the mask in the aisle and said he just made Helms his bitch.
-Helms stood in the ring alone with his head down. The camera held on him for a long time, giving the impression that this might be his last match for ROH.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Well, I said we were in need of more heels but I never would have thought of turning Helms and Page again as a solution, especially since it’s going to be so hard to get any member of Bullet Club consistently booed in 2018. I mean I’m interested to see them try and it worked about as well here as it could have with Scurll actually getting significant backlash by the end of the segment.)
-Coleman headed backstage and the newest member of the ROH roster, Madison Rayne, joined commentary for the Women Of Honor match. Rose & Grey entered together, then Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., then the Women Of Honor World Champion. Rayne said she has her eye on Baker after competing against her in the four-way at All In.
(6) WOH WORLD CHAMPION SUMIE SAKAI & DR. BRITT BAKER vs. JENNY ROSE & STELLA GREY
Baker and Rose started. Chain wrestling and arm drag exchanges. Rose tagged out to Grey. Grey with a running crossbody. Sakai tagged in and hit a running dropkick. Sakai locked in a submission but Grey made it to the ropes. Baker tagged back in and hit a slingblade. Sakai back in. Grey countered a double suplex attempt into a double DDT. Hot tag to Rose. She hit a spear on both opponents at the same time. Fisherwoman’s suplex but Sakai kicked out. Rose went up top but Baker cut her off. Sakai with a top rope hurricanrana on Rose. Running knee but Rose kicked out. Another tag. Sakai with a bulldog. Baker with a rocker dropper. Baker with a superkick. Rose broke up a pin attempt. Sakai took Rose to the floor. Grey rolled up Baker for two. Baker hit a TKO on Grey.
WINNERS: Sakai & Baker in 9:07.
(Pageot’s Perspective: A good match and I’m happy to see Baker join Women Of Honor and Grey get some more screen time. I can’t say any one person stood out in particular, though, and this didn’t appear to set up any new stories or establish a #1 contender to Sakai’s title. Rayne was quite good on commentary, bringing a logical sports-like approach to her insight. In this short opportunity I actually found her more compelling than either Beth Phoenix or Renee Young during the Mae Young Classic.)
COLEMAN’S PULPIT with BULLY RAY
Coleman said his guest was supposed to be Silas Young to talk about his renewed focus as of late but he stood him up. Bully Ray showed up and asked if Coleman was talking smack about Silas. Ray told him to sit down. Coleman asked how Spike is. Jonathan Gresham walked onto the set and asked if Ray knows who he is. Gresham reminded him of their past interactions and Ray’s low blows. Gresham challenged him to make their match tonight a no DQ. Ray said nothing, then got up and stormed off once Gresham left.
(Pageot’s Perspective: The last two times they faced off Gresham wound up hit below the belt by Ray, now he’s asked for a No DQ match. If he doesn’t come out tonight wearing a cup I’ve lost all faith in him.)
-Bobby Cruise started to introduce Ray but Ray cut him off from the stage and told him to shut up. Ray ran his mouth at Cabana and Riccaboni before making his way to the ring. He cornered Cruise into the corner, told him to introduce him, and then cut him off again, stealing the mic away. He chased referee Todd Sinclair from the ring too. Ray introduced himself over the mic. He turned on the fans next for throwing streamers at him. He mocked the fact that no fan had been able to hit him and insulted the Baltimore Orioles. He encouraged the fans to come into the ring and fight him. He patted himself on the back for being the only one able to goad the fans into throwing streamers into the ring on command.
-Gresham was fired up for his entrance and went face to face with Ray. Ray took the mic back. Cabana feigned snoring on commentary. Ray pointed out that the fans stood up for his entrance but not for Gresham’s. The fans of course stood up on command and began chanting “Gresham.” Ray said Gresham’s wife has bigger balls than he does. Gresham smacked him in the face as Cabana pointed out that Gresham and Jordynne Grace aren’t married.
(7) “THE OCTOPUS” JONATHAN GRESHAM vs. BULLY RAY – NO DISQUALIFICATION
Gresham with right hands and chops but Ray caught him with a back body drop. Gresham avoided a second rope senton and hit a lightning quick diving cannonball through the ropes. Gresham ran Ray into the ring post and face-washed him on the floor. Gresham stomped Ray between the legs. “My balls!” Ray yelled. Gresham with a corkscrew legwhip and running dropkick on the floor. Ray rolled into the ring and caught Gresham with a running shoulder tackle. Ray cleared the timekeeper’s table and tossed it over the top rope and into the ring. He tossed a couple steel chairs in too. Gresham took a chair across the back. A second crack across the spine. Ray chopped Gresham, who asked for more. Ray wound up and chopped Gresham down but he kipped back up and went to town. Gresham with a sleeperhold (the same way he defeated Shane Taylor in the recent past). Ray raked Sinclair’s eyes. Gresham with the octopus. Ray tapped out. Gresham let go to check on Sinclair. Ray with a big boot. He lay Gresham across the table and went for a second rope splash but he took too long paying attention to the fans and Gresham moved. Ray crashed through the table and Gresham covered for a two-count. Gresham grabbed a steel chair. Ray cut him off with a heart punch. Ray swung, Gresham moved, and the chair bounced off the top rope and hit Ray in the face. Gresham grabbed it and went up top. He tossed the chair to Ray and followed with a missile dropkick that sent the chair crashing into Ray’s face again. Shooting star press but Ray kicked out at two! Gresham found a kendo stick under the ring. He wound up a swing but Ray low blowed him and pinned him.
WINNER: Bully Ray in 12:19.
-Ray made Sinclair raise his hand, then shoved him down.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Maybe I fixate on the face/heel dynamics too much in ROH but matches like this really highlight what a difference it makes when you have one person the fans despise and another the fans love and want to see succeed. Ray continues to steal victory after victory. His big comeuppance has to be coming at Final Battle in December. This was fairly good overall but I hate when babyfaces are made to look stupid. We all know Ray’s finishing move these days is the low blow. For Gresham to challenge to him to a match where that’s legal and then walk into a scenario unprotected makes him look really foolish.)
-SCU had a pre-taped promo. Kaz acknowledged how many times they’ve fought Bullet Club. Daniels said they’re the toughest team they’ve ever faced. Sky pointed out that they won the last time they faced BC with the six-man titles on the line, though.
-Brandi accompanied Cody to the ring and then… Burnard was back! He had been arrested at the All In press conference after superkicking Matt and Nick’s dad.
(8) BULLET CLUB (Cody, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson w/Brandi Rhodes & Burnard The Business Bear) vs. SOCAL UNCENSORED (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, & Scorpio Sky) – ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The bell rang and Cody and Kaz started things off. They were both wearing the same shirt promoting their cigar line. Brandi brought Cody a mic. They did an As Seen On TV!-style skit while Brandi filmed them on her phone. Nick complained about this to the ref. Matt took the mic and asked if they rehearsed this bit. He noticed that Cody had his lines written on his wrist tape. Cody admitted they’d rehearsed that. He encouraged the fans to cheer for Brandi and looked for a cheap hometown pop. He shook hands with Kaz and Kaz punched him.
Kaz dropkicked Cody at 3:20 to start the match for real. There was a “free samples” chant from the crowd. Burnard had some cigars at ringside so Kaz superkicked him. Nick and Sky tagged in. Back and forth. Daniels and Matt made blind tags. Pop-up spear from the Bucks to Sky. BC isolated Daniels. Matt hit Nick with a dropkick by accident at 8:45. SCU worked over Matt, targeting his persistent back problems. Nick broke up a pin at 11:35. Matt took out Sky with an inverted code red. Hot tag to Cody. He was a house of fire on all three Californians and tore his shirt off. Figure four to Sky while the Bucks tried to fend off the Addiction. Daniels and Kaz wound in sharpshooters at the same time. Sky made a rope break. Signature offense from the Bucks to SCU. Triple-teaming to Sky while the referee just stood there and allowed it. Things broke down and Cody hit CrossRhodes on Daniels but Kaz broke up the pin. Superkick party. Daniels rolled up Cody but he kicked out. Cody looked for the same pin he won the NWA title with but Daniels kicked out. A second CrossRhodes on Daniels and the Bucks stood guard to make sure nobody broke up the pin.
WINNERS: Cody & The Young Bucks in 17:29 to retain the six-man titles.
(Pageot’s Perspective: House show match.)
-Riccaboni announced The Briscoes vs. The Young Bucks vs. The Addiction for the tag titles this Sunday at the next set of TV tapings as well as Scurll-Helms IV .
-The Kingdom made an unplanned entrance. Matt Taven carried “the real ROH world title” (with purple strap) over his shoulder. He took a mic in the ring and told the fans to stand up and show him some respect. He said he earned the title by beating all our favorites – Flip, Cody, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Eddie Edwards, Kevin Steen, the Young Bucks, Jay Lethal… Everything he’s achieved he’s earned and he’s had to work twice as hard as anyone else. He never used his last name or his friends or pandering to melvins to get over. He ran down Dalton Castle and said he should have beat him for the ROH title months ago. The Kingdom conspiracy is dead. Now that he’s world champion he will be a fighting champion but there’s not a single dork in the locker room who’s earned a shot at his title. He’s the reason they sold out Madison Square Garden. He’s Matt Taven.
-Silas Young had a backstage promo. The days of Lethal ducking Young are done. Young pointed out that he was the one person with a victory over Lethal in the past year and a half who Lethal didn’t defeat on his road to redemption tour.
-Lethal also got a pre-taped promo. He admitted that he lost to Young the last two times they faced. Young is the sole loss on his record that he didn’t avenge this summer.
(9) JAY LETHAL vs. “THE LAST REAL MAN” SILAS YOUNG – ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Riccaboni said that if Lethal retains here he will surpass Nigel McGuinness for second-most number of days as ROH world champion behind only Samoa Joe. Young hit Lethal’s signature hiptoss + dropkick combo on him. Lethal looked a little flustered while Young was more than confident. Lethal hit a hiptoss but Young avoided the follow-up dropkick. They brawled at ringside. Lethal hit his hiptoss/dropkick combo successfully. Young whipped Lethal into the barricade. Young with a suplex on the floor. In the ring Young locked in a sleeperhold. Lethal escaped and tried one of his own but Young avoided it and locked his back in. Lethal went down to the mat. Lethal fired up but Young avoided a Lethal combination. Young hit a cutter. Young looked for the Milwaukee plunge but Lethal countered into a backslide. Anarchist suplex from Young. Young ducked a springboard dropkick. Lethal Injection out of nowhere at 10:55 but Young got a shoulder up! Lethal hung his head in his hands in disbelief. The commentators tried to think of who’s kicked out of the Lethal Injection and could only come up with Jay Briscoe.
Lethal leapt onto Young and pummeled him. He called for a second Injection but Young grabbed him for the Milwaukee plunge instead. It earned him a two-count. Lethal Injection blocked. Misery countered. Lethal with Misery to Young! Lethal with his own trio of suicide dives. Missile dropkick to the back of Young’s head. Lethal Combination. Hail To The King. Lethal looked for another Injection but Young rolled him up for two and a half. The champ kicked out and hit a second Lethal Injection!
WINNER: Jay Lethal in 15:19 to retain the world title.
(Pageot’s Perspective: It bothered me when Young’s name was left out of the conversation during Lethal’s road to redemption tour so I love that they brought that up here and Lethal finally avenged the last loss on his list. The story of the match was solid too with Young having Lethal’s number and being overly confident at first only to have Lethal adapt and start to counter Young’s signature offense too. They could have easily gone another 5-10 minutes and not overstayed their welcome.)
-Cody’s music hit. After a long delay he walked out with the IWGP United States Championship around his waist. Cody acknowledged that Lethal was his first opponent in ROH. Why do the dance? Why not just get to it and make the match? He never got a one-on-one rematch for the ROH title and he wants one. He told Lethal to make the match.
-Kenny King’s music hit. He walked out with a mic and said he knew it. Look at all the politicking and chicanery going down here. He said Cody’s on a roll but only one of his championships actually says ROH on it and that’s only because he had the help of the Bucks. King’s had a strong summer too, being undefeated. They’re calling him the Bullet Club Silencer after beating Scurll and Page. Just like Lethal he’s been wrestling 17 years, held the tag titles, and held the TV title twice. “Boring” chant from the crowd.
-Lethal understood why Cody was out there but told King that disrespecting him would get him nowhere. The fans only know his name because it says it on his videotron. Lethal said whomever wants a title shot – anyone, anywhere.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Love it when multiple people are gunning for the world champion at the same time. Every singles wrestler in that locker room should want to be world champion. It still feels like it will be Taven getting the big title match come December but Lethal defending against Cody and King in the meantime will be fun and may just also set up that Cody-King NWA title match that I speculated about recently on “Talking Honor.”)
Find Harley on Twitter @talkinghonor and listen to he and Emily Fear talk all things ROH every Tuesday on the PWTorch Livecast “Talking Honor.”
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