Ring of Honor TV
Episode #387
Aired on Fite 2/18/19
Centerstage, Atlanta GA
Ian Riccobani, Colt Cabana and Caprice Coleman on commentary as we go right to the action in the ring at the bell.
Six-Man Mayhem
CHRIS SABIN vs LUCHASAURUS vs RHETT TITUS
vs
SHANE TAYLOR vs KENNY KING vs FLIP GORDON
Sabin and Saurus start us off fast with Saurus showing that he can be as agile as Sabin, Sabin ties him up in a submission and takes Saurus out at the knee but Saurus fires back with sharp kicks. Sabin gets a rana out of the corner and Saurus rolls out which brings Kenny in. Sabin walks over to Titus and tags him in, which means former tag team champs the All Night Express are now head to head. They lockup, trade arm control, Kenny looks for a signature but Titus knows its coming and counters. They hit the ropes fast and keep dodging each others moves.
Taylor comes in and applauds as a bit of a Rebellion reunion, then tries for shots but All Night teams up again to take him outsidee, Saurus in but gets double teamed as well, Kenny goes for the cover but Titus pulls him off. Titus then looks to cover, but Kenny breaks it up. They start shoving as Flip comes off the top rope with a dropkick that sends Titus outside. Chops traded between Flip and Kenny, but Flip gets a springboard spear. Taylor in but Flip evades him before eating a huge tackle from Taylor. Saurus hits the Tail Whip on Taylor, then a spinning back kick takes down Kenny before Sabin drops Saurus. Titus floors Sabin with a lariat but eats a spinning enziguri from Kenny, who then eats a great sequence from Flip as we go to BREAK.
We’re back and Sabin and Titus are duking it out until Titus takes out opponents at ringside with a dive to the outside. Taylor now in the ring, Kenny drops him throat first over the top rope and hits a springboard blockbuster to take Taylor down. Titus with shots to Kenny who then eats a boot from Saurus, but Taylor catches Saurus with a shot and then wipes out Titus and Kenny with a cannonball off the apron. Saurus in the ring and hits Meteoric Extinction, a step up tope con giro, to the outside wiping out almost everyone. Flip is now on the balcony in the crowd and dives, taking out the collection of folks at ringside!
Flip throws Taylor back in the ring and hits a beautiful 450, covers but Kenny breaks it up. Flip fights him off and looks for another shot on Taylor, but Kenny cuts him off with a chair shot. Paul Turner saw it happen, pulls over Bobby Cruise who then announces that Kenny King has been ejected from the match for using the chair. Kenny is pissed as he leaves, Saurus tosses Taylor back in, Taylor hits a big shot but gets floored by a kick from Saurus, Titus in and hits a knee lift and up and over Famouser to drop Saurus. Taylor in and Titus drops him with a big Samoan Drop, but Taylor catches a kick and throws a HUGE knee strike. Greetings from 216 drops Titus, cover by Taylor and thats the 3 count and a very big WIN for Taylor.
Shane Taylor defeats Rhett Titus, Luchasaurus, Flip Gordon, Chris Sabin & Kenny King by pinfall after Greetings from 216 on Titus
JAY’S RATING: 2.8 out of 5
This was a solid opener to the episode, everyone looked good, Titus/King was fun and I love King getting ejected just as establishing consequences for his actions as he continues his path toward another ROH title shot, Luchasaurus is SO INTERESTING, and most of all I LOVE that Taylor took the W here. I’m so hot on him right now as a big-man wrestler, I love his style and attitude, its so organic and he carries himself so confidently in the ring these days. Flip and Sabin didnt do much in general other than their usual shtick, which was fine. But this ended up being a vehicle to push Taylor forward a bit, and I’m all about it.
We hear from commentary that Chuckie T has a replacement partner for the Best Friends title shot against The Briscoes tonight, as Trent was called away with a family emergency.
MARCUS KROSS & GRIFF GARRISON vs THE BOUNCERS
Kross and Garrison are super young local dudes but get a nice pop. Code of Honor starts us off, and BCB gets a “Beer” chant going. Milonas and Kross begin, Milonas throws him off so Garrison tags in, who gets thrown off too. They try a double team, and get thrown off. Milonas decapitates both with clotheslines and tags in BCB, who keeps dominating Garrison until missing a couple of elbows. Tag to Kross who climbs and gets an assisted diving elbow on BCB, covers but not even a 1. BCB catches Kross with a firemans carry, hits a Samoan and then tags in Milonas for the fall-back senton.
Tag to BCB who picks up Kross, Kross hits Kamehameha and that allows him to get a tag to Garrison, he hits lariats and a boot to drop BCB and then takes the fight to Milonas but Milonas moves and hits a Black Hole Slam, BCB covers but Kross breaks it up. Kross tries to stay on The Bouncers, but BCB tosses Kross into a powerbomb position for Milonas, who then Buckle-Bombs Kross into Garrison in the corner. Kross is down, The Bouncers hit Last Call, BCB covers and thats the 3 count and the WIN.
The Bouncers defeat Marcus Kross & Griff Garrison by pinfall after Last Call
JAY’S RATING: Not Rated
This was essentially a squash and served its purpose well enough. Honestly, I continue to enjoy how The Bouncers are evolving and finding ways to work their size in exciting ways. A nice little match for them.
Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship
BEST FRIENDS vs THE BRISCOES (c)
We heard that Trent had to back out for personal reasons so The Briscoes are out first. The Best Friends music hits, Chuckie T is out with mic in hand. Chuckie says Trent cant be here but he came for a fight… and COLT CABANA’S MUSIC HITS! Colt stands up from the announce position and pulls off his clothes and he is dressed to wrestle! Great pop from the crowd and Chuckie and Colt hit the ring and go right for the Briscoes as a brawl breaks out and the bell rings. The action spills outside and a chair gets thrown as things stay chaotic.
Chuckie throws Jay in and they get a double team in the corner while Mark is down and out outside. A nice friendly handshake between Chuckie and Colt, Jay fires back and dumps Chuckie, then suckers Colt for a Mark kick (that sort of got botched I think?) And Mark follows with a Cactus elbow off the apron. The brawl continues at ringside, Jay and Chuckie back in and Jay drops him with a Euro and tags in Mark, who drops Chuckie and stays in control as we go to BREAK.
We’re back as Jay sends Chuckie headfirst into the steel post, and then holds him for a big boot from Mark. Mark back in with Chuckie and cuts off the tag to Colt, covers but only gets 2. Chuckie fights back, Mark cuts him off and tags Jay in. Colt in hot but the ref backs him up which opens up a double team opportunity from The Briscoes. Jay whips Chuckie to the corner but Chuckie counters and hits a middle rope dropkick and gets the tag to Colt who comes in hot and takes down both Briscoes with a GREAT quebrada, follows with the Flip Flop and Fly and crushes each with a Flying Apple! Cover on Mark but only 2.
“Colt” chants as Colt rocks Mark with shots, Mark fights back but eats an elbow before countering with a bulldog and tagging in Jay. Colt evades Jay and Chuckie tags in, lays in shots and hits Sole Food and a standing Sliced Bread! Cover by Chuckie but only gets 2. Chuckie heads outside with Jay but Mark jumps him, Colt comes over and takes out Mark. Chuckie misses a dive onto Jay and Jay gets him over with a snap suplex on the floor, Colt gets seated in a chair and Jay sits him in it so Mark can hit a blockbuster off the apron on Colt as we head to BREAK.
We’re back as Jay drills Chuckie with a big boot, and sets him up for Jay Driller. Chuckie counters and hits a knee strike, but Mark interferes, they look for Doomsday but Chuckie gets out and rolls up Jay for a nice 2 count! Superkick by Chuckie but Jay cuts him off with a clothesline, lays out Chuckie with a Jay Driller, covers and gets the 3 count and the WIN to retain their titles.
The Briscoes defeat Chuckie T & Colt Cabana by pinfall after Jay Driller to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles
JAY’S RATING: 3.5 out of 5
This was a fun title match, with a couple moments where I did actually believe an upset could have happened just because Chuckie and Colt are that fucking good in the ring and that competitive in their styles. However, the Briscoes pull another one out and remain on top of the tag team division, which for now I’m ok with because they aare really delving into the dark side more and more and I’m starting to get more and more into it. (The post-match angle helped this too.) They are just cold, angry and smart and that is legit scary, and is working for them. A fun title match with an invested crowd and great spots for all? Can’t complain too much here.
After the match Jay and Mark jump Chuckie and Mark goes under the ring and pulls out a table. Chuckie gets laid on the table and Mark hits Froggy Bow and just drives him through the table with aggression. Nice closer.
VIDEO PACKAGE: Lifeblood debuts (a couple times over)
We get a video package about the debut of Lifeblood, which “officially” happened last week. Or whatever, since we’ve seen them in various ways already.
IN-RING SEGMENT: Jay Lethal
Ian introduces Jay Lethal, who I think has another new song since Bound By Honor actually. Yeah I still like the old old one more, but this is DEFINITELY more specific than the one previous to this. Those drums were definitely the thing to hold over, and those feel so much more on brand for Lethal than whatever they were trying before. Jay comes out to a nice response and tells Ian he doesnt have to stay, and grabs the mic. “Jay” chants. Jay lays down the belt in the ring, which gets an interesting response.
Jay says there is so much pressure put on him other than being the champ. “Thank you” chants. Pressures like watching the company you love deteriorate in front of your eyes. He calls out Bully and the Briscoes. Jay says its crap and he wont stand for it anymore. And he says the worst part is someone walking around with a fake belt claiming to be World Champion. His sould is aching for ROH, and 2019 Is going to bring a change to these dark days.
We suddenly hear Juice Robinson over the speakers, and Lifeblood emerges. Juice says that he feels the same way they all feel. Jay says he doesnt want to join a group like this, but Juice cuts him off and says there was never an invitation. Jay scoffs a bit, but then says that the fact that they arent out here pandering makes him believe them, believe that they want whats best. Jay puts over the members of Lifeblood. The crowd gets behind each member as Jay goes. GOD Jay is the BEST at this. Jay says he believes that they CAN set this company back on track. But he has tried, and its not easy, so all he can say is “good luck”.
Jay looks to leave but Juice stops him and says he didnt come out to interrupt him. He says that if there are guys like us who believe in this, then we have to stop talking about it and they have to start doing it. Juice says there are 5 of them (outside of Tenille), and if Jay can find 4 partners, they can show everyone how to do it. Jay says, ok, youre saying to lead by example. Jay says he’s got a ton on his plate, but lets do it. And lets do it next week. Challenge made, challenge accepted for next week. OK. This match has me excited from a sheer Work perspective.
JAY’S THOUGHTS:
This was a fine episode of TV, definitely an improvement over last week as at least Lifeblood is quickly moving into a main event program for next week that nudges their story forward. I’m still annoyed at how Lifeblood’s debut was handled, but goddamn if a Jay Lethal promo putting you over doesnt make up for that a LOT. Jay Lethal moves me to tears sometimes, simply because I look at his work like I look at any other performance artist really, and when it comes to sheer talent craft and execution on EVERY level of what it means to be a pro wrestler, there is just no question that Jay Lethal is a true superstar, one of the best in the world and a future all time legend. If you want to stick the landing on an episode, do it like this. Plus Shane Taylor picks up a big win against some strong names and The Briscoes retain in a fun title outing against Chuckie T and Colt Cabana, and I am left a reasonably happy ROH customer. Whenever their storytelling BS isnt holding them back, god I really do love this company.