SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
ROH TV REPORT
AUGUST 12, 2018
FAIRFAX, VA AT EAGLE BANK ARENA
AIRED ON SINCLAIR AFFILIATES & ROHWRESTLING.COM
REPORT BY HARLEY R. PAGEOT, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana
Opening theme.
-Riccaboni and Cabana appeared on camera to run down the three matches on this episode. At a combined rate of 728 pounds The Bouncers made their entrance. Beer City Bruiser had a cigar in his mouth and carried his keg.
-Video recap of The Briscoes beating down The Young Bucks after their match at Best In The World only for SoCal Uncensored to make the save, attacking The Briscoes with steel chairs.
(1) ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS THE BRISCOES (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe) vs. THE BOUNCERS (Beer City Bruiser & Brian Milonas) – NON-TITLE MATCH
Milonas and Mark started things off. Milonas looked to overpower Mark but he used his experience to dodge some blows and fight out. Milonas caught him with a belly to belly suplex so Mark tagged to Jay. Jay knocked Bruiser off the apron but he returned quickly in a rage. They put the champions down two standing splashes. Bruiser and Jay faced off mid-ring. Jay caught him with a dropkick and looked for a suicide dive but Milonas cut him off. Jay dumped Milonas over the top rope and hit a cannonball over the ropes onto both men. The fans applauded and Mark followed with a corkscrew splash of his own from the top rope. [C]
Bruiser with a Samoan drop to Mark. Milonas with a back senton for a two-count. Bruiser held up Mark for a second rope legdrop from Milonas but Jay broke up the pinfall. Jay was squashed between both men but sidestepped a cannonball attempt from Bruiser off the apron. Bruiser crashed to the floor and the Briscoes double-teamed Milonas. They take turns hitting running clotheslines in the corner before stomping him down. Bruiser charged, the champs moved, and Bruiser hit Milonas in the corner. Mark with a blockbuster from the apron to Milonas on the floor. Jay with a neckbreaker and Mark with a froggy-bow to Bruiser for the win.
WINNERS: The Briscoes in 8:03.
-Jay took a mic and called he and his brother the baddest tag team on the planet. A faint “yes you are” chant from the crowd was the result. He pointed out that they’re 9-time ROH tag team champions and SCU aren’t taking the belts from them.
-SoCal Uncensored’s music hit. Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky posed on the stage and shouted “SCU!” They were wearing two of their new t-shirts. Sky asked if he heard somebody say SCU. He warned the Briscoes that the odds are in their favor. Jay acknowledged that it’s 3 vs. 2 but Sky offered to stay back in the aisle and let Daniels and Kaz handle things. The four men brawled in the ring but security immediately showed up and swarmed everyone. [C]
(Pageot’s Perspective: Very strange decision to book a heel vs. heel match, especially one wherein The Briscoes were put in a position to receive the fan support by default due to their veteran status and their showier offense. SCU have also been heels for a long while and only sort of soft-turned face recently so they should be doing everything they can right now to make us hate The Briscoes. The post-match was okay in that regard but the champs beating two likable wrestlers first, rather than Silas Young’s goons, would have made a big difference.)
-Karen Q got a picture-in-picture promo ahead of the Women Of Honor #1 contender’s match. She said her strategy is to work smarter, not harder. She’s going to let the others beat each other up and she’ll sneak in to steal the victory.
-Madison Rayne also got a PIP and said she’s captured championships all across the world. Her luck in ROH hasn’t been the greatest but tonight that changes.
-In Kelly Klein’s PIP she said the Women Of Honor Championship belongs around her waist. After tonight she’ll remind everyone why she’s the gatekeeper of WOH.
-Tenille Dashwood got the final PIP and said the one thing she hasn’t done is capture the women’s championship. She told Sumie Sakai to get ready because tonight is just a stepping stone.
-Dashwood and Rayne followed the code of honor. Q begrudgingly slapped their hands. Klein just glared at them.
(2) TENILLE DASHWOOD vs. “THE GATEKEEPER” KELLY KLEIN vs. MADISON RAYNE vs. KAREN Q – #1 CONTENDER TO THE WOH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Q immediately bailed to ringside. Klein beat down the two babyfaces but they worked together to clothesline her to the floor. Dashwood and Rayne exchanged roll-ups but they both kicked out at one. Q looked to take advantage but took a double suplex. Dashwood caught Rayne with a surprise right hand but Rayne came back with a headscissors. Klein yanked Dashwood to the floor and Q jumped Rayne from behind. Swinging neckbreaker from Q to Rayne for the first two-count of the match. Q missed a running kick and her leg got hung up on the rope. Dashwood and Klein continued to fight off-camera at ringside. Dashwood returned for a tarantula to Q. She played to the fans on the top rope and Q caught her off. Q couldn’t manage a superplex so Rayne came to assist. Klein turned it into a tower of doom. [C]
Dashwood with a series of clotheslines to Q. All three opponents ended up seated in different corners so Dashwood hit The Taste Of Tenille in succession on all three. Butterfly suplex to Q but Klein stopped the count. Klein dumped Dashwood and lifted Q into a firewoman’s carry. Rayne looked for a crossbody but Klein caught her too and hit a Samoan drop + fallaway slam on both women. Dashwood returned. Klein wanted another superplex but Dashwood fought her off and hit a crossbody for two. Spotlight kick from Dashwood to Klein. Q dumped Dashwood and tried to steal the pin but Klein kicked out. Rayne hit the Rayne Check on Q and pinned her.
WINNER: Madison Rayne in 8:19 to become #1 contender to Sumie Sakai’s Women Of Honor Championship.
-Sakai walked out onto the stage with the Women Of Honor title. She and Rayne looked at each other respectfully and nodded.
(Pageot’s Perspective: A bit slow at times but a fine showing for the non-Japanese Women Of Honor. I can’t say it did wonders for Rayne, though. She was 0-2 in singles action in ROH this year going into this match and didn’t exactly show off a lot in this match prior to the ending. Compare it to last week when Chris Sabin became #1 contender to the television title and he got to display a range of offense and energy. Rayne will get her title match in a few weeks on television so she definitely seems like just another stepping stone between now and whomever Sakai faces at Death Before Dishonor.)
-Cody and Brandi Rhodes made their entrance with Cody in a suit and Brandi in a blue outfit with one sparkly gold leg. Cody was still blond, which dates this footage quite a bit. [C]
Cody said he’s been rather unlucky. In both of his ROH world title rematches he’s been unsuccessful. He pointed out that neither of his rematches have been one on one, though. He apologized for the somber mood and called out somebody who’s all business. Someone who’s top of the food chain, who doesn’t sing, who doesn’t dance… It wasn’t Burnard The Business Bear who answered the call, though.
NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis strolled out in a three-piece suit. Cody reluctantly handed over the microphone. Aldis said that they shook hands in London and agreed on a title vs. title match for All In. But now Cody doesn’t have a title. So what does he have to offer Aldis? Aldis demanded Cody put something up if he wants a shot at Aldis’ title. Cody asked him to hold out his hand. Cody took off the official ring of honor and placed the ring in Aldis’ hand. He told him to consider it collateral. Aldis nodded and left with the ring.
Cody took umbrage at Aldis saying fighting Cody had nothing to offer him. He pointed out that while he’s been wrestling Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi all Aldis did was beat a 53 year-old history teacher for his title. Aldis stormed back to the ring and put on the ring of honor. He held out his first and implored Cody to kiss the ring. The Young Bucks and Adam Page ran down and held back Cody while Marty Scurll asked his friend Aldis to back down. [C]
-Cheeseburger made his entrance for a six-man tag, followed by Josh Woods. As Flip Gordon made his way down the aisle Bully Ray grabbed from behind and ran him into the ring post. Burger and Woods jumped to the rescue and Ray ran back up the ramp. Medics ran out with ice packs for Gordon. [C]
-Gordon was helped backstage during the break. Ray grabbed a mic and joined Punishment Martinez and Shane Taylor in the ring. Ray asked what they’re going to do now. He pointed out that it’s a six-man tag and they don’t have a partner so the ref should declare his team the winners by forfeit. “Colt Cabana” chant from the crowd. Cabana said he’s wearing jeans and a polo shirt and he’s in no state to wrestle. Burger said they’ll fight them three on two.
(3) TEAM BULLY RAY (Bully Ray, ROH World Television Champion Punishment Martinez, & Shane Taylor) vs. TEAM CHEESEBURGER (Cheeseburger & Josh “The Goods” Woods)
Woods and his archrival Taylor started it off. Taylor immediately tagged out to Martinez. Martinez powered Woods into the corner. Woods caught him with some strikes and a release German suplex. Martinez came back with a boot and tagged in Taylor. Taylor looked to manhandle Woods but was caught with a surprise suplex. Woods quickly tagged out to Ray. Burger demanded the tag. “Cheeseburger” chant. Tag to Burger. He got in Ray’s face and took a kick to the stomach. Ray escaped a power bomb and unloaded with right hands. He avoided a charging Ray in the corner and went up top. Ray grabbed the ref and Taylor crotched Burger behind his back. [C]
Burger tried to get to Woods but Ray dragged him back. Tag to Taylor. Frying pan chop from Taylor to Burger. Taylor knocked Woods off the apron out of nowhere and he flew into the guardrail. Burger with a surprise DDT but he had nobody to tag. Cabana ran down to the ring and jumped up onto the apron. The fans roared. Hot tag and referee Todd Sinclair will allow it! Right hands from Cabana to Taylor. Martinez looked for a jumping back elbow but Cabana moved and Martinez hit Taylor. Woods returned to take Martinez to the floor. Springboard moonsault from Cabana to Ray (while wearing jeans)! Spear from Cabana. Blind tag from Burger. Double stomp from Burger off the top rope to Ray. Cabana with a slingshot crossbody to Ray on the floor but Taylor suddenly reappeared and hit a sit-out tombstone piledriver to Burger to end it.
WINNERS: Team Bully in 6:46.
-Ray tackled Woods as Taylor unloaded with punches to Cabana. Ray whipped Cabana with a steel chain. Riccaboni started to sign off as Gordon ran out with a steel chair. Jabs and cracks to Martinez and Taylor. Ray hightailed it as Gordon swung at him.
(Pageot’s Perspective: This has to be the end of the Burger-Bully feud with Ray transitioning fully into feuds with Gordon and Cabana. Cabana’s received some of the biggest reactions out of any ROH crowd over the past few months so they’d be crazy not to let him wrestle part-time for them. They’ll especially need that star power should SCU retire at the end of this year and the Bucks decide to sign with WWE. I still don’t love Ray’s role in ROH as it seems very out of place for them to feature so heavily someone who can’t wrestle a proper match but you can’t deny that he gets reactions. Partnering him with someone like Taylor is the good solution where Ray can use his heat to help get over someone else at the same time.)
-Nothing advertised for next week but this Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday it’s the Honor Re-United tour live from the UK on Honor Club.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.