SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
AUGUST 18, 2019
NEW YORK, NY AT HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM
AIRED ON ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosts: Ian Riccaboni, Quinn McKay
Opening theme.
-Highlights aired of last week’s main event, which saw PJ Black & Lifeblood defeat Villain Enterprises in eight-man action. Despite Lifeblood being owed a shot at the six-man titles Shinobi Shadow Squad would be challenging for the belts first, on this very episode.
-Riccaboni and McKay checked in and discussed the two title matches on the show.
-WOH World Champion Kelly Klein was backstage for a promo. She respected that Karissa Rivera wanted to earn a title shot (which she did by pinning Sumie Sakai three weeks ago on TV) instead of just having one handed to her.
-Rush vs. TK O’Ryan from Manhattan Mayhem aired in an abridged form. Riccaboni, Colt Cabana, and Caprice Coleman were on commentary. Rush won with The Bull’s Horns. Roughly four minutes of the 7:45 match aired. [C]
-Cheeseburger’s ninja squad were shown warming up backstage.
-Our hosts showed the bracket for the 2019 Top Prospect Tournament but there was still no word on when that will actually start.
-A series of videos recapped Silas Young defeating Josh Woods by low blow on TV, them being separated by security backstage, Young claiming Woods needs him to learn how to be great, Woods low blowing Young in a four-way on YouTube, Young congratulating him last week on learning one lesson, and Young defeating PJ Black at Mass Hysteria after Black was crotched on the top turnbuckle.
After that match Woods found Young backstage and handed him a pack of cigarettes. He kept one for himself and said “Some teachers like apples” before walking off. [C]
(1) “THE GATEKEEPER” KELLY KLEIN vs. KARISSA RIVERA – WOH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Riccaboni and Cabana were on commentary. The champion controlled things easily but Rivera showed more pluck than some might expect. [C]
Body slam. A second. Cabana said that Rivera has shown him nothing so far, pointing out that she’s been on defense the entire match. Suplex from the champ. Fallaway slam. Rivera avoided a second and hit a pump-kick (Angelina Love’s finisher!) for her first offense of the match. She also managed a dropkick and spinebuster but took K-Power seconds later.
WINNER: Kelly Klein in 7:24 to retain the women’s title.
-Sumie Sakai made her way to the ring. She helped Rivera to her feet, apparently mentoring her since their singles match. Klein said Rivera’s not ready for the title yet but she is ready for Women Of Honor. They shook hands and hugged.
The lights went out and The Allure made their entrance minus Mandy Leon. Velvet Sky asked if they were having a moment. She had to screech to be heard over the boos. They blathered about a conspiracy preventing Angelina Love from challenging for the belt. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: A straight enhancement match, which is fine. If you want the division to be a real division you need to have something of a hierarchy and this establishes Klein as the strong champion and Rivera as the upstart underdog, not a far cry from Eli Isom’s role in the men’s division. Hopefully Rivera doesn’t disappear for an extended period of time now like Jenny Rose, who hasn’t been heard from in almost five weeks, and Maria Manic, who debuted almost two months ago but has yet to wrestle a single match.)
-Cameras caught the babyface trio backstage. Klein said women like The Allure don’t deserve to be in ROH.
-An abridged form of the Defy Or Deny match from State Of The Art on June 2 aired. PCO was disqualified for using a chair, Matt Taven pinned Mark Haskins with a handful of tights, and then Taven pinned babyface Flip Gordon clean. As such Gordon is not allowed to challenge for the world title again so long as Taven is champion. The 25:50 match was condensed down to about five and a half minutes of TV time. [C]
(2) VILLAIN ENTERPRISES (Marty Scurll, PCO, & Brody King w/Flip Gordon) vs. SHINOBI SHADOW SQUAD (Cheeseburger, Eli Isom, & Ryan Nova) – ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Burger and Nova attacked PCO before the bell but he shrugged them off and dumped them to the floor. PCO turned his back on Isom and encouraged the rookie to hit him. He did, to no effect. Burger and Nova returned and were promptly disposed of again. [C]
Isom knocked Scurll off the apron and backdropped PCO over the ropes onto Scurll and King at ringside. Springboard moonsault to the champs. Three-man dogpile cover on PCO but he kicked out. Burger hit the shotei on PCO to no effect. King jumped in and took out the kids. Scurll & King with a combination sunset flip German suplex to Burger. Nova tagged in and went after Scurll but got punked out again. The villains went on a roll and handily disposed of the ninjas, Scurll pinning Nova off a back senton from King.
WINNERS: Villain Enterprises in 7:49 to retain the six-man titles.
(Pageot’s Perspective: Well, that brings a close to the story of 3S chasing the six-man titles. Maybe Isom can get a singles push now with Burger & Nova playing enhancement in the tag division. Isom vs. Woods could be a quality long-form feud to get over both guys if ROH did those types of feuds and knew how to get people over in 2019.)
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