Ring of Honor TV
Episode #396
Aired on Fite 4/22/19
Sam’s Town Live, Las Vegas NV
Ian Riccobani, Caprice Coleman and NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis on commentary.
KENNY KING vs TRACY WILLIAMS
Tracy offers the hand and King declines as we get the bell. They grapple to begin, with King forcing Tracy into the corner for a break. They trade holds and escapes with Tracy getting the advantage on the 2nd go. Tackle by Tracy drops King, King comes back and gets a headlock and talks shit. Nice counter by Tracy as he grounds King. Rollup by Tracy for 2 and transitions into a unique arm and chinlock as we go to BREAK. We’re back and they trade headscissors and quick escapes and we get a standoff. Tracy extends the hand again but King answers with a jab instead, and King looks to take control. Chops and a nice wrist-clutch suplex by Tracy, cover but only 2. Head and arm suplex combo connects by Tracy who climbs, but King knocks him off and onto the top rope, Tracy is at ringside but evades the King dive and drops King onto the apron face first.
They brawl at ringside, Tracy tries to send King back but King answers with a parkour dive off the apron to drop Tracy. Back inside and King hits a nice snap suplex, rolls into a ground and pound and covers but barely 2. Backbreaker by King who grounds Tracy. Nice backbreaker into a spinebuster by King gets a 2 count. Tracy comes back but King thumbs the eye, Tracy fires back and climbs but King hits Shoryu-Ken to stun Tracy, looks for a superplex but Tracy looks for the front face DDT on the turnbuckle, King escapes but eats a missile dropkick. Tracy looks to climb again but eats a jumping kick from King, but Tracy lands that front face DDT and plants King with the DVD for 2 as we go to another BREAK. We’re back as Tracy gets a rollup for 2 and tries for the Crossface, but King fights it off. King with a nice sequence into a Last Chancery, but Tracy fights it off. King with a strike series and a cover for 2.
Tracy on the apron but King hits Eddie Gordo and climbs, tracy evades and looks for the piledriver, King counters into a rollup with the ropes but Tracy gets out at 2. Chops by King, Tracy fires back up and loses the shoulder brace again and lays in chops of his own, looks for a throw, King counters and looks for the Royal Flush but Tracy gets a rollup for 2. Eddie Gordo is blocked and Tracy lands a lariat and a nice Fisherman Buster, cover but still only 2. Tracy climbs to the top for a crossbody but King rolls through, pops Tracy up to a firemans carry and connects with the Royal Flush and covers for the 3 count.
Kenny King defeats Tracy Williams by pinfall after the Royal Flush
JAY’S RATING: 3 out of 5
This was a strong opener by two strong ROH talents. I know folks have been frustrated by King a bit, but I like his take on the superior, “upper-class”, shit-talking heel, and he is consistently strong in the ring and will cheat to win but as seen here doesnt have to, which is a good way to keep his story developing toward the ROH Title. Tracy Williams is such a perfect fit for ROH its just ridiculous, and I LOVE when he fires up. I’d love to see Tracy wear gold in some way soon – perhaps a Tag Title run with Haskins? Hmmm…
VIDEO PACKAGE: PJ/Bandido II Tonight
We get a video package recapping the build to tonight’s main event with the friendly rivalry between Bandido and PJ Black. The same package from PJ we’ve seen before. Its fine. PJ finally pulled out a strong showing on ROH programming recently after a string of lethargic outings. Hopeful for the main event.
VIDEO PACKAGE: Crockett Cup / NWA Title Match Hype
We get a package of Marty Scurll challenging Nick Aldis for the NWA Title. Long Live The Villain.
RENO SCUM vs THE BOUNCERS
I cant even really put my finger on it… but I kinda get why The Bouncers are getting over lately! Reno Scum had a run in ROH a while back and are 12 year vets, and its cool to see them back. We get a Code of Honor and the bell. Headlock by Adam but Milonas escapes and drops him with a big tackle. Tag to Luster. Shot by Luster but Milonas counters, hoists Luster with ease and hits a big body slam and tags in BCB. Big running crossbody by BCB connects, jabs follow, Luster fires back and Adam gets offense in from the apron to take control. Luster keeps on BCB working him over in Scum’s corner. Tag to Adam for the double team and he sends BCB into Luster’s own head. Cool. Tag to Luster and Scum gets a double body slam, assisted senton and falling headbutt for 2. “Beer” chants. Mongolian chop and shots by Luster, and he bearhugs BCB. Tag to Adam, BCB fights back and Luster runs into the post, Milonas fires the crowd up and gets the tag from BCB. Milonas runs wild taking down Scum, tags BCB again who drops Luster to the outside, Adam is set up and Last Call connects for the 3 count.
The Bouncers defeat Reno Scum by pinfall after Last Call
JAY’S RATING: 2.5 out of 5
This was fine, and I still very much dig The Bouncers as fun faces, but if Scum was going to get this much offense in I feel like it needed more time for the Bouncers to also get more of their shit in to show some more dominance. Instead, Scum ended up looking better than The Bouncers here, and The Bouncers havent been looking bad lately, so it just feels like a missed opportunity. But, the match did its job well enough nonetheless.
PJ BLACK vs BANDIDO
They are still calling PJ “The Darewolf”… that nickname hasnt really fit him well in terms of his ringwork lately, so I’m hopeful for a change to that here. We get the Code of Honor and the bell. Fast lockup and hold trades to start, quick rollup by PJ for 2 and they trade escapes as Bandido picks the leg and covers for 1, PJ counters into a rollup of his own for 2 and they standoff. PJ gets the wrist, Bandido with a cool headstand counter, PJ gets a headscissors, we get more counterwrestling and a standoff. Fun little “bullet catch” and “bow and arrow” play between them, PJ hits a tackle but Bandido pops right back up. Armdrags by both, another headstand counter by Bandido and a kip up, PJ lands on his feet out of a hiptoss, 1 counts traded, PJ misses an elbow and eats a dropkick that sends him outside. PJ evades a Bandido baseball slide, PJ on the apron but Bandido drops him and looks to dive but PJ comes back in with an elbow. PJ hits an interesting Black Tornado Driver for 2 as we go to BREAK.
We’re back as PJ hits a diving kick and a nice tornillo to drop Bandido on the outside. That’s more Darewolf-y! PJ climbs but Bandido begs off, PJ tries a dive but Bandido kicks him in the head coming, then hits a vertical suplex on the outside. Bandido climbs and hits a great moonsault from the top all the way to the floor, dropping PJ. “Bandido” chants. Bandido misses a big cannonball and runs full speed into the barricade, and ref Todd Sinclair is counting both. Shots traded at ringside and Bandido is sent inside, they trade some more, nice strikes by PJ and Bandido is down. PJ climbs again but Bandido crotches him, PJ shoves Bandido off but he hops back up for an avalanche rana but PJ rolls it through into a Styles Clash! Cover, but only 2. The Wellness Policy (Pumphandle Cutter) connects by PJ but he only gets 2. Shots traded, Bandido with a nice roll through and almost botches a cradle brainbuster on the knee but lands enough of it and covers for 2 as we go to BREAK.
We’re back and PJ crotches Bandido on the top, Bandido blocks a superplex attempt but PJ connects with a super rana and a HUGE top rope standing moonsault into a cover for 2. THATS MORE LIKE IT. Big knee by Bandido, rolling elbow from PJ, but Bandido catches a standing Spanish Fly for 2, but Bandido pauses to be stunned and PJ gets a rollup for 2 and a kick to the face. “This is Awesome” chants. Bandido comes flying at the corner but PJ gets the boots up and hits a GREAT Mushroom Stomp off the top, covers but only 2. I agree with Caprice – I like this PJ Black. PJ lines up Bandido, Bandido counters and sits PJ on the top and looks for the Avalanche Spanish Fly, and connects it PERFECTLY. Cover, but PJ kicks out at 2! Bandido hops to the top and tries a moonsault but PJ gets the feet up to counter! Spring moonsault from the top by PJ misses and Bandido hits the West Knee, PJ is against the ropes and Bandido connects with a brilliant 21-Plex, bridges to cover and thats the 3 count!
Bandido defeats PJ Black by pinfall after the 21-Plex
JAY’S RATING: 3.75 out of 5
This was a super fun match between these two and EASILY PJ’s best outing in ROH thus far. Finally we are seeing some URGENCY from him, some real heart and will to win, which was really missing when he first arrived (hell, even Caprice cracked a line of “he would have given up already a long time ago” or something along those lines). This was totally different. And while of course he cant pull off all of the stuff he used to do as Justin Gabriel, he picked his spots well here to really make the “Darewolf” feel right in this match, which was also great. I would LOVE to see more of this PJ in the company. And Bandido is… well its already been said: TOTAL STAR. Really great work from both here, and cheers to PJ – he’s taking it seriously and it shows in all of the best ways. Really strong work all around.
After the match we get “PJ” chants, “both these guys” chants and a Code of Honor.
BACKSTAGE: Tenille Is Taken Out… by Bully Ray
We cut to backstage and see Tenille put through a table, and Bully Ray emerges to talk shit. He stands over her and says he will tell Lifeblood she said goodbye. Eh, decent way to write her out of the company at the end of the day.
JAY’S THOUGHTS:
This was a strong episode of TV as we can start moving forward with some post-G1 Supercard storytelling. PJ/Bandido ended up being a great way to cap off the episode, with Bandido continuing his star-rise and PJ showing what we’ve been wanting him to show since he got here. That, plus a solid opener and decently entertaining mid-card match made for some good ROH TV this week.