7/17 RING OF HONOR TV REPORT: Fred Yehi vs. Rey Horus, Shane Taylor Promotions vs. The Foundation, more

RING OF HONOR TV (EPISODE #513)
JULY 17, 2021
AIRED ON SINCLAIR SYNDICATED TV & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY CHRISTOPHER MAITLAND

Host: Quinn McKay

Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruise

-The opening theme airs. Dalton Castle is in a locker room saying he is too busy to talk as he walks away. Jay Lethal, Rhett Titus, and Tracy Williams walk into the locker room talking about how the Foundation needs to her back on track while noticing that Joe Keys is taping Johnathan Gresham’s knee. They ask him what happened and Gresham said he hurt his knee training with Keys. Lethal asks Gresham if he will be able to compete in the eight man tag against Shane Taylor Promotions. Williams says that Gresham is the Pure champion and that he needs to be protected. Williams suggest that Gresham sit this one out and Keys can replace him. Lethal, Titus, Williams, and Keys agree. While excitingly leaving to get ready for the match, Keys hits Gresham on the knee. He apologies.

(Chris’ Take: Many have speculated that the Foundation may be heading towards a split and this may be planting the seeds. It would have been more effective if Gresham was removed because he had to wrestle twice at Best in the World. There was also no explanation for why Williams, who was unable to compete at Best in the World, and Lethal, who was injured at Best in World, are suddenly fine to wrestle. I know that this was taped prior to the pay per view, but this lacks continuity.)

– Brian Johnson welcomes fans to the episode by saying that Quinn McKay is unavailable because she is pretending to be a professional wrestler and Ian Riccaboni is speaking at a nerd convention. Johnson goes over the card of The Foundation & Joe Keys vs Shane Taylor Promotions, Quinn McKay vs Mandy Leon, and Fred Yehi vs Rey Horus. Johnson insults the Foundation, Keys, McKay, Yehi, and Horus and ends the segment with his catchphrase.

(Chris’ Take: I enjoyed this version of Brian Johnson better than the one on commentary. While this would not work every week, it was an entertaining break with McKay preparing for her match.)

(1) FRED YEHI vs. REY HORUS

Ian and Caprice welcome everyone to the show by plugging Best in the World. Fred Yehi makes his entrance. Ian and Caprice mention that Yehi recently lost to Jonathan Gresham in a match for the Pure title and this is first non pure wrestling match in ROH.

Rey Horus makes his entrance. It is noted in his graphic that he defeated Flamita at Best in the World, one of the few mentions of any results from that pay per view.

Code of honor adhered to. Yehi and Horus begin by trading wrestling holds. Horus misses a drop kick and Yehi goes for the Koji Clutch. Horus escapes to the corner. (c)

During the break, Yehi took control of Horus by working on his leg. Yehi throws Horus into the corner but Horus gets his leg up and hits a top rope Mexican arm drag that sends Yehi to the outside. Horus catapults himself over the top rope onto Yehi in an impressive move. Back inside, Horus hits Yehi with a splash for a two count. Horus hits a spinning clothesline and a basement kick. Yehi rolls up Horus when he tries to go for a pin for a two count. Yehi takes control until Horus drop toe holds him onto the middle turnbuckle. Horus hits a spinning frog splash for two. Yehi takes control by hitting Horus with multiple strikes to Horus’ neck until he applies the Koji Clutch. Horus reaches the ropes. Yehi begins to work on Horus’ neck and hits him with a T Bone Suplex. Yehi hits Horus with chops and an elbow but gets on the middle rope. Horus runs up the ropes and hits Yehi with the body scissors Driver for the win. They shake hands. (c)

WINNER: Rey Horus at 9:53

(Chris’ Thoughts: Quick but enjoyable television match. After taking a few loses, it is good for Horus to get a few wins. It will be interesting to see if there will be more of Yehi or if this was his swan song. As a fan of his work, I hope that is not the case.)

-Mandy Leon walks into the interview room, annoyed, and asks why she is there. A voice off camera asks her for some thoughts on Quinn McKay. Leon says she doesn’t have much to say about McKay. Leon says she is not the same woman who came to ROH ten years ago and she is not looking for validation. She contrasts herself to McKay, who Leon claims is pretending to be a good person. Leon said all McKay did was talk about the Allure and she failed in defeating Angelina Love and now wants a match with her. Love walks in and says there isn’t more to say and they walk off.

-McKay begins by talking about her loss to Love which was in part to Leon. This is her last opportunity to be in the ROH Women’s tournament. McKay is unhappy that Leon says she isn’t a wrestler and McKay mentions that Leon’s beginnings in ROH were similar to hers. McKay claims that Leon prefers to be Love’s lap dog and pretending to be something she is not. McKay says her and Leon have been on similar journeys and they are two sides of the same coin. McKay says her advantage is she sees Leon for what she truly is. She says the match is who she is against who she could have been. McKay wants Leon to give her a fair shot.

(Chris’ Thoughts: These promos do a great job of making matches seem important and teaching the audience about the wresters. Some are better than others but Leon and McKay were really good in explaining the feud, displaying their characters and discussing why this match is important.)

(2) MANDY LEON (w/Angelina Love) vs. QUINN MCKAY

Maria Kanellis Bennett is on commentary. Mandy Leon comes out first with Angelina Love. McKay enters next
Code of honor is not adhered to as Leon hits McKay with a forearm. Leon grabs the microphone to chastise McKay as a rookie who does not belong in the Allure’s ring. Leon takes control until McKay hits a clothesline and slap. Leon regains control and chokes McKay with Love looking on. After trading wrestling holds, Leon grabs McKay by the hair repeatedly and throws her to the ground. (c)

Back from commercial, McKay reverses an Irish whip and hits Leon with a forearm. Love grabs McKay off the ring apron. Leon hits a missile dropkick off the apron and suplexes McKay outside. Back inside, Leon charges McKay with a knee and kicks her. McKay hits a powerslam out of nowhere but is unable to go for the pin. Leon regains control until McKay hits a series of neckbreakers for a two count. McKay locks in the Tangerine Dream. Leon tops but Love distracts the referee who doesn’t see it. Love hands Leon brass knuckles. McKay goes for a back suplex but Leon punches her with the brass knuckles and pins her. Leon and Love taunt McKay after the match. Kanellis Bennett says as a member of the Board of Directors, she can take action due to this result.

WINNER: Mandy Leon in 7:44

(Chris’ Thoughts: I assumed this match was booked so that McKay gets a win to head into the Women’s tournament. If she needs Kanellis Bennett to grant her a third chance, it makes it difficult for her to stand out as a worthy entrant. That being said, it is a positive note in wrestling that when heels cheat, there are some consequences. Leon and McKay played their roles well in this match.)

(3) SHANE TAYLOR PROMOTIONS (SHANE TAYLOR, SOS, AND O’SHAY EDWARDS) vs THE FOUNDATION (JAY LETHAL, RHETT TITUS, TRACY WILLIAMS) AND JOE KEYS

Shane Taylor Promotions enter first. They tell the Foundation that they are leading Joe Keys as a lamb to slaughter and with the addition of Edwards, the baddest have only gotten better. The Foundation and Keys enter next. In their promo, Keys interrupts Williams to say Gresham taught him everything he knows and if anyone doubts them they will find out why they shouldn’t.
Edwards and Keys start and trade wrestling holds. Edwards takes control and splashes Keys in the corner. When he does it for the second time, Keys reverses and hits a dragon leg screw. Keys tries to Irish whip Edwards but is unsuccessful. Keys and Edwards trade blows until Keys sends Edwards down with a forearm. This causes Edwards to tag Taylor who misses a right but counters with a huge clothesline on Keys. Taylor yells to the Foundation to get their rookie out before he gets hurt and Keys tags Lethal.(c)

Lethal and Taylor trade strikes until Taylor misses a knee. Moses and Williams tag in and trade forearms. Williams tries to take Moses off his feet but is unable to do so. Williams traps Moses in the ropes for an arm breaker and tags in Titus. Moses kicks out of two after a double team move from the former tag team champions. Lethal tags in and he and Titus continue to work over Moses. Lethal goes for a pin that is broken up by Kaun. Lethal and Kaun argue. Moses ends Lethal outside and Lethal pulls Kaun off the apron. Moses recovers, knocks Lethal to the ground and tags in Kaun. Kaun hits Lethal with forearms and throws him into the corner. Kaun tags Edwards who hits Lethal with shoulder blocks. Taylor tags in and punches Lethal in the ribs. Lethal fights back with forearms until one blow from Taylor sends Lethal through the ropes. STP mock Lethal while the Foundation come to his aid. Coleman is over the top with his excitement. (c)

Kaun and Lethal are in the ring. Lethal fights off Kaun and tags Titus while Kaun tags Moses. Titus takes out Moses, Kaun, and Edwards and hits Moses with a knee drop from the top rope for a two count. Keys tags in and he and Titus hit a dropkick/german suplex combination that is broken up by Edwards. Edwards drags Moses to the ring and tags himself in. Everyone runs into the ring. The Foundation gets sent outside, leaving Keys on his own. Moses dives onto Williams and Lethal. Keys is cornered by Kaun, Taylor, and Edwards but fights his way out. Taylor hits Keys with a headbutt and the pin attempt by Edwards is broken up by Williams and Titus. A brawl break outs with different wrestlers coming in and out. Williams and Titus hit Kaun with an assisted double arm suplex. Taylor comes into the ring and clothesline the former tag team champions out of the ring. Lethal comes in, goes for a Lethal Injection, gets blocked by Taylor, who attempts Welcome to the Land but Lethal escapes and dives outside onto Moses. Keys hits Taylor with a missile dropkick but he doesn’t see Edwards reenter the ring. Edwards hits Keys with a forearm, throws him into the ropes and connects with a spinebuster for the victory. After a replay of the finish, STP celebrate.

-A graphic shows the matches for next week as Sledge vs PCO and Eli Isom vs Dalton Castle vs Dak Draper.

WINNER: Shane Taylor Promotions at 16:54

(Chris’ Thoughts: Enjoyable back and forth main event with the highlights being Taylor’s show of force on Lethal and Kaun and Lethal’s interactions. STP got a huge ovation at Best in the World so I expect to see more of them. Time will tell if this match is the beginning of the end for the Foundation. With Gresham as the only champion, there is possibility for dissension in the ranks. Though I was happy there were some mentions of the results of Best in the World. It would be nice if ROH acknowledged on their first television show after the pay per view that they had a new World champion.)

CATCH-UP: ROH HITS & MISSES 7/16: Lack of crowds and noise distract, Yehi vs. Horus miss on tone, eight-man tag delivers, more