Ring of Honor TV
Episode #388
Aired on Fite 2/25/19
Centerstage, Atlanta GA
Ian Riccobani, Caprice Coleman & Colt Cabana on commentary.
Triple Threat Match
JENNY ROSE vs SUMIE SAKAI vs MADISON RAYNE
We get a Code of Honor all around. Bell rings and everyone begins by taking shots at everyone with Sumie striking first. Suplex by Sumie puts Rose down but Rayne rolls up Sumie for 2. Rayne with another rollup for 2. Rose take out both Sumie and Rayne with a double clothesline and then crushes them in the corner, follows with a Fisherwoman Suplex on Sumie but Rayne breaks it at 2. Rose with a spinning side slam on Rayne, covers but only gets 2. Rayne with a nice enziguri, covers Rose but only 2.
Rayne looks for a DDT on Rose but Sumie kicks Rayne down, covers Rayne but only gets 2. Sumie looks for a High Angle Boston Crab but Rayne gets a sleeper on Sumie from behind. Counter by Sumie into a cross armbar on Rayne but Rayne gets to the ropes, the ref doesnt see it due to Rose who then breaks up the hold. Rayne rolls to the apron as Rose hits a release German, Sumie is up (FIGHTING SPIRIT!) But Rose puts her down with a lariat for a nearfall as we go to BREAK.
We’re back as Sumie drills Rose with elbows and plants her with a Fisherwomans Buster, cover but Rose is out at 2. Sumie pushes Rayne down to the floor and looks to climb but misses the moonsault attempt. Codebreaker from Rose followed by a spear, cover but Rayne breaks it up. Rayne hits a nice Northern Lights suplex, bridges into a cover but only gets 2. Rayne hits the Rayne Check, hits another one on Sumie and covers but Sumie kicks out at 2. Sumie reverses Rayne into a TJ Neckbreaker but can’t follow up.
Sumie kicks Rayne outside, where Rose is as well, and hits a dropkick off the apron to take both down. Rayne gets rolled back in, Sumie covers but still only 2. Sumie looks for Smash Mouth, Rayne looks to reverse but Sumie gets a cover for 2, but Rayne follows with an inverted DDT and covers, gets the 3 count and picks up a big WIN!
Madison Rayne defeats Sumie Sakai & Jenny Rose by pinfall after a Reverse DDT
JAY’S RATING: 2.5 out of 5
This was fine, if a bit sluggish and lackluster. Rayne and Sumie are solid workers though, and Rose is growing, so they were able to keep fairly well locked in, even if the crowd didnt seem to fully care. The finish came a little out of nowhere, and I dont know that a reverse DDT is the most interesting move within Rayne’s arsenal at the moment to use as a finisher (which I think was also why the end caught everyone off guard, after the Rayne Check didnt get it done and which is in my opinion a far more impactful move in terms of Finisher feel). But overall, this was a solid match that puts Rayne back in the title conversation down the road.
LIFEBLOOD
(David Finlay, Tracy Williams, Mark Haskins, Bandido & Juice Robinson)
vs
TEAM LETHAL
(Jonathan Gresham, Flip Gordon, Dalton Castle, Jeff Cobb & Jay Lethal)
Tenille Dashwood joins commentary. Jay and Juice start us off. Jay snags a headlock, Juice whips him off and a tackle moves no one. Second one doesnt budge but a third one puts Jay down. Show of respect from Jay to Juice, and then Dalton stands on the middle rope and says he likes what he sees and he wants to show some of his honor, baby! Chants for Dalton. Those are followed by chants for Bandido, but Juice says one moment, which the crowd doesnt want. Dalton starts jawing at Bandido and Juice snatches a rollup for 2.
Lockup moves to the corner and they keep throwing and ducking shots, and finally we get a peacock pose at the stand off. Juice does a peacock pose in return which brings Dalton in, Juice catches him with jabs, looks for Left Hand of God but I think the moment got botched, as Dalton then slinks out of the ring. Tag to Tracy for Lifeblood, tag to Gresham on Lethal’s side. Some beautiful fast mat and grappling work to start us off, as they go move for move. Rollup by Tracy gets 2 and Tracy looks for the crossface but they trade counters until Gresham is able to hold on with a headscissors and ground Tracy. Tracy headstands to escape, and then offers his hand to help Gresham up, and we get a standoff as we go to BREAK.
We’re back and Lethal is in with Finlay who blocks a Jay hiptoss, they hit the ropes and they keep evading each others moves until Finlay is able to land a nice dropkick to send Jay into the corner. Tag to Haskins, who calls out Cobb. Cobb shows the power advantage to start. Tackle puts Haskins down but he pops up and goes for low kicks. Cobb pops up Haskins to a bomb, Haskins sunset flips out but cant get Cobb over, Cobb pulls him up and Haskins lays in kicks, Cobb asks for more and Haskins hits a straight shot to the face! Haskins looks for the body scissors roll but Cobb holds on and deadlifts Haskins into position for a German suplex. Haskins looks for a PK but Cobb evades and kips up to a standoff. Nice pop.
They tease the tag to Bandido, who is THE MOST OVER. Chants for Flip, which… yeah thats an exciting prospect. Tag to Flip and the tension builds. Handshake in the middle and they start fast with some INSANE moves and countermoves and they are both SMOOTH. AS. BUTTER. Dang. They both trade dropkick attempts and stand off. BIG “ROH” chant. Takes us to BREAK. We’re back and Jay is in with Bandido and puts Bandido down with an elbow, cover but only 2. Tag to Dalton who works Bandido on the mat, hoists Bandido into a gutwrench suplex and grounds Bandido, they work into the corner but Dalton gets under Bandido and throws him into his own corner.
Tag to Flip but Bandido fights back and hits a gamengiri in the corner that drops Flip, tags in Tracy who throws Flip into a cover but gets 1 before Jay comes in. Tracy works over Tracy before tagging in Haskins who keeps Flip grounded and works the arm. Flip fights back and looks for a rollup but Haskins rolls it over into a LeBell Lock, Flip fights for the ropes but Haskins looks for a Rings of Saturn but the hold gets interrupted by Team Lethal. Tag to Juice who stays on Flip’s arm. Nice back suplex from Juice, followed by a standing senton on Flip, then tag to Finlay who hits a senton of his own.
Body slam by Finlay in front of Bandido who hits the senton over the top, then tags Finlay back in. Flip looks to fight back again and is able to snag a springboard Sling Blade to put Finlay down. Tags to Haskins and Jay who clear the opposing aprons and then go at each other fast, with Jay hitting the cartwheel dropkick as we go to BREAK. We’re back and Jay is standing while Haskins is not, Jay climbs but Haskins blocks Hail to the King, Jay looks for a Figure Four instead but Haskins gets out and Juice comes in to crush Jay in the corner and follows with a great cannonball.
Full Nelson Slam by Juice puts Jay down but Flip takes Juice out with a springboard dropkick before eating a Finlay spear. Dalton with an inverted Sling Blade but Bandido hits a great sitout Dr. Bomb. Gresham in fast to take out Bandido but Tracy floors him with a lariat before Cobb hits a Sidewinder Suplex and standing moonsault. Haskins in next for the PK on Cobb, Cobb rolls out so Haskins hits a suicide dive on Cobb and Dalton. A brawl breaks out at ringside as Flip pops up the ropes and hits a great dive all the way to the floor. Bandido in next, the crowd pops as Bandido climbs up top and hits a corkscrew tornillo from the top all the way to the floor!
Bandido throws Jay back in but Jay dropkicks him outside. Haskins and Jay in but Gresham in next and they hit an awesome double team move into a stunner by Gresham, cover by Jay but Lifeblood breaks it up. Tag to Dalton, shots traded with Haskins before Dalton throws him, Haskins tries a dive but Dalton looks for Bangarang until Haskins is able to turn it into the Sharpshooter! Team Lethal tries to get to him in time but Dalton has no choice but to tap and Lifeblood picks up a big WIN!
Lifeblood defeats Team Lethal by submission after the Sharpshooter
JAY’S RATING: 3.9 out of 5
This was a fun main event to close out the show, that was held back just a bit by some communication and pace issues (also the commercial breaks felt weird to me and threw of the momentum at times in my watch). But everyone here is pretty fantastic, and everyone had a chance to strut their stuff a bit as Ring of Honor gets back to its roots. I will say, I dont know that the 10-man tag was the best avenue for that story though, as its also a lot to track. But I love the spirit of it, and I think a 2019 ROH that continues to get back in touch with its roots but in a here-and-now form, that still feels VERY exciting to me. While everyone delivered, it must be said that Bandido is on a ridiclous rise right now and the crowd can not get enough of him. Its pretty awesome, the feeling of that response. Overall a well done outing that delivered some hot sequences of action and moved the “Honor Renewed” story forward.
After the match both sides stand off. Lifeblood extends hands as we get an “All These Guys” chant. Both teams end with a Code of Honor. Tenille Dashwood joins the ring as well as we close out the show.
JAY’S THOUGHTS:
Not much to say here really other than it was nice seeing Madison Rayne get a bit of a bump, and the final match did its job very well with Bandido standing out amongst a really great crop of talent. There’s so much to be excited for here in ROH. I hope they know what to do with it – some of the broadcast timing/story issues still make me a little worried – but all of the pieces are in place for an awesome 2019 for Ring of Honor, and we’re barely into the year yet. Exciting stuff.