SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT (ep. 445)
MARCH 27, 2020
AIRED ON SINCLAIR SYNDICATED TV & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY RYAN SULLIVAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Host: No Host This Week
-The opening theme aired.
-This week’s show begins with a video package, featuring Mark and Jay Briscoe, along with scenes from Delaware and their childhood home. Jay and Mark walk around the property, reminiscing on their childhood backyard wrestling days. Jay finds his first gimmick in the garage, a barbed wire covered baseball bat, one he coincidently got as a giveaway at a Delmarva Shorebirds baseball game.
(Ryan’s Reaction: Outstanding segment ROH! Certainly my enjoyment was enhanced seeing sights from my home state of Delaware my nearby home in Delaware, but this was my favorite video package I have seen from ROH in a looooong time.)
-This show shifts from this video package to a match between the Briscoes against El Generico and Kevin Steen from 2007.
(1) JAY & MARK BRISCOE (CHAMPS) vs. EL GENERICO & KEVIN STEEN (CHALLENGERS) – WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
Both teams received their full introductions from Bobby Cruise, but ROH neglected to show their entrances to the ring. Jay Briscoe and El Generico start the match with some solid mat wrestling, leading into the first commercial. (c)
Back “live”, El Generico and Kevin Steen are working well as a team, using 2-on-1 tag wrestling to work over Jay Briscoe. The match has an interesting dynamic, as El Generico wrestles as a babyface, yet Steen is working as a heat-seeking heel. The teams continue to go back-and-forth on offense, with Mark Briscoe beating on El Generico as we go to another commercial. (c)
Returning from the break, Mark Briscoe hits an incredible Moonsault off the guardrail onto Steen. Soon afterwards, the Briscoes hit a double hip-toss on El Generico, throwing him several rows into the fans at ringside. Steen quickly returns the favor, and delivers a Powerbomb on Mark Briscoe, sending him into the 3rd row.
The finish occurs when Jay Briscoe gets El Generico into position for the Jay Driller, and Mark Briscoe comes off the top rope to help deliver a Spiked Jay Driller for the win.
WINNERS: The Briscoes at 15:13
(Ryan’s Reaction: WOW… Just WOW! This was an absolutely fantastic match between four guys entering the prime of their individual careers. I knew this match would be terrific, and it far and away exceeded my expectations.)
-Next, the show is back, presumably in Delaware, inside their childhood home. Jay and Mark are sitting next to each other, and talking about growing up only a year apart in age, and how close they were as brothers. Jay and Mark start going through their accomplishments, and listing off their one-on-one matchups in Ring of Honor.
-Mark Briscoe talks about not being allowed on the first Ring of Honor show, due to his age and the Philadelphia state athletic commission. Mark then mentions Jay being in the first match against Amazing Red, and only like a brother can, starts giving his older brother grief about losing the match. They discuss several matches before we somewhat abruptly go to the ring.
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(2) JAY BRISCOE (CHAMP) vs. MARK BRISCOE (CHALLENGER) WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
This match took place at the Best In The World pay-per-view in Baltimore, back in June 2013. Mark and Jay received full introductions, but their entrances were not shown. The Code of Honor was not adhered to, as Jay declined to shake Mark’s hand. The match starts extremely slowly, with both feeling each other out as we go into commercial break. (c)
Back to action, there are dueling “Jay” and “Mark” chants by the fans. The match continues with a sluggish pace, as neither brother could gain the offensive advantage. Each man knows the other so well, obviously, that they do an impressive job countering the other’s attempts to go on offense. The action spills outside the ring about six minutes in, and Mark gets a small advantage as we go to another commercial pause. (c)
Returning “live”, Jay Briscoe is on offense, but is not able to stay that way for long, as each brother continues the excellent counter wrestling. A couple minutes later, Jay and Mark go outside the ring, and in an odd moment of collaboration, get a table from under the ring, and set it up together. After deeming it properly set, the brawl continues with both attempting to use the table on the other. Both men return to the ring, with Jay delivering punishment on Mark into commercial. (c)
We return to Mark hitting an Exploder suplex on Jay and going on offense. The action goes back outside with Mark placing Jay on the table, and delivering a top rope Froggy Bow on Jay through the table. Mark throws Jay into the ring, and hits another top rope Froggy Bow for a believable near fall.
The finish occurs when Jay hits a Jay Driller out of the blue for a long two count. Jay follows this up immediately with a devastating lariat and a 2nd Jay Driller, although Mark kicks out at 1. Jay swiftly delivers a 3rd Jay Driller on Mark, and finally gets the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Jay Briscoe at 20:53
(Ryan’s Reaction: I did not realize the match went 20 minutes, as the pacing was good and both men worked extremely hard. This was not a technical wrestling, 5-star mat classic, but a fight between two brothers. This was a great match, and leaves me hoping the company decided to revisit Mark vs Jay in the future, as we missed out on a classic when their contest at Past vs Present was, understandably, cancelled.)
-Jay is celebrating in the ring, as the show quickly fades to black.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I thoroughly enjoyed this week’s show on The Briscoes.
I will admit that I worry this format will be difficult to continue for multiple months, as the company only has so many talent on the roster. In addition, because of the Briscoes long history with ROH and their unique real-life story, they were the ideal choice to feature in the first episode of this kind. And finally, seeing the landmarks of Delaware, my home state, and knowing the Briscoes live so close to me, makes this show far more appealing to me than the average viewer.
Nonetheless, I was skeptical before watching this week’s episode, but I am left feeling like this was one of the better shows Ring of Honor has produced in 2020, and I am eagerly awaiting next week’s feature on Jay Lethal.
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