Ring of Honor TV
Episode #400 (!!!!!)
Aired on Fite 5/20/19
Stage AE, Pittsburgh PA
Ian Riccobani welcomes us to the 400TH EPISODE OF RING OF HONOR TV! He is on commentary alongside Caprice Coleman.
Ring of Honor World 6-Man Tag Team Championship
JEFF COBB, RUSH & JAY LETHAL vs VILLAIN ENTERPRISES (c)
We get a quick break before the match, with tweets from ROH personnel about this being the 400th Episode of ROH TV. We’re back and the crowd is chanting for PCO as we get the bell. PCO starts us off with Jay and tells Jay to hit him as he does his monster thing. Love it. They run the ropes and PCO absorbs a chop and it has no effect. More PCO chants. They run the ropes again and Jay is able to get a basement dropkick and a series of cartwheel dropkicks, and PCO keeps getting up. Triangle dropkick dumps PCO outside, Jay looks to dive and PCO screams for him to do it and Jay stops, which lets Marty get a cheap shot from behind. Tag to Marty but Jay gets a tag to Rush. Rush says he wants Brody. They run the ropes as Kenny King (still “blinded”) joins commentary. Rush and Marty cant land a move and Marty tags in Brody. Tag to Cobb. Tackles move no one, but Cobb seems to get the advantage, they run the ropes like juniors and Cobb hits a great dropkick! Tag to Jay but Brody takes both down with a running crossbody, and Brody gets a running rana on Jay. Jay dumpes Brody and looks to dive but Marty gets a shot, and Jay now hits the dive on Marty, then dives on Brody but gets caught and hoisted into a stalling suplex, which leaves Jay open to eat an apron superkick by Marty before getting dropped on the floor as we go to BREAK. We’re back and Jay tries to suplex Brody but cant quite, drops behind and hits a cutter instead. Tags to Marty and Rush, and Rush comes in hot, gets Brody seated in the corner and gets the fakeout kick and Tranquilo. Marty in and goes for the fingers, Rush counters but Marty gets Just Kidding and a low enziguri.
Chickenwing Crossface is called for, but Rush fires off a headbutt and tags Cobb who floors Cobb and hits a big German on both Brody and PCO. Marty flies out of the corner but gets caught in a release belly to belly. Big running corner Euro connects, Cobb follows with the Samoan Drop, kip up and standing moonsault, covers but Brody kicks out at 2. Brody and Marty look to double team but Cobb reverses and LIFTS BOTH BRODY AND MARTY and drops them in a suplex. PCO in and throttles Cobb, Cobb throttles PCO, they trade and PCO dumps Cobb and VE is all in the ring. Tope con giro by BRODY KING! Assistaed cannonball onto the opponents by PCO follows! “PCO” chants again. Cobb sent back in, VE gets a double team German suplex and Brody takes out Jay and Rush at ringside as Marty gets 2 on Cobb. “This is Awesome” chants. 619/cannonball combo on Cobb by Marty and Brody but it only gets 2. “Marty” chants. Tag to PCO. Superkick by Cobb connects, Rush takes out VE and Jay hits Hail to the King on PCO, but PCO POPS UP. Rush with a basement dropkick, but PCO IS STILL ALIVE! HE’S NOT HUMAN! Rush follows with a belly to belly into the corner on PCO, Jay climbs and hits another Hail to the King, covers but Marty breaks it up at 2. Marty hits a powerbomb on Rush and gets a double team senton with Brody on Rush, Jay gets the Lethal Injection on Marty but gets caught by Brody into a torture rack Blue Thunder Bomb and PCO flies off the top with the moonsault! Cover, and PCO PINS JAY LETHAL!!!
Villain Enterprises defeats Jay Lethal, Jeff Cobb and Rush by pinfall via the PCO-sault
JAY’S RATING: 3.75 out of 5
This was a really strong opening match for the 400th episode, with PCO picking up a big win for the team by getting the fall on the franchise of ROH. This was an all action outing, but was also very well laid out and kept the audience engaged from jump and allowing everyone a great chance to shine. It shows why 6-Man Tag matches can be SO MUCH FUN. Really well done match.
VIDEO: Flip Gordon
We get a package recapping Flip Gordon’s knee giving out and now being in line for an ROH Title Shot, which he is getting tonight against Taven.
We get more tweets and responses from fans now about the 400th episode of ROH.
RECAP: King/Lethal During the Break
After the match we just saw, Kenny King attacks Jay Lethal on the ramp! HE CAN SEE! ITS A MIRACLE! King chokes out Jay with his can before being removed.
RECAP: Soldiers of Savagery
We get footage of the debuting Soldiers of Savagery taking out Lifeblood, leaving both Bully Ray and Shane Taylor confused as to why they seemed to be helping them.
VIDEO PACKAGE: Taven/Flip for the ROH Title
We see how we got to tonights main event.
Ring of Honor World Championship
FLIP GORDON vs MATT TAVEN (c)
We get more tweets before the match. Split crowd. We get a Code of Honor, which is interesting from Taven, and we get the bell. John Woo connects early from Flip, who goes right after Taven. Big monkey flip by Flip (ha), Taven blocks the next one and dumps Flip to the floor, and TK teases some interference. Flip back in and evades a Taven knee and dumps Taven, and connects with a suicide dive. Back inside but TK tries to interfere, Flip evades but Taven gets a shot in that dumps Flip again and he crashes into the barricade. Taven slams Flip on the outside on top of one of the ROH barricade signs, and then sends Flip hard into the ringpost. Back inside and Taven stays ahead of Flip who is favoring the knee, but Flip hits a nice PK and standing moonsault for 2. Taven bails but evades Flip’s dive, Flip’s knee is hurting and Taven dumps Flip again, but misses the wrecking ball dropkick and Flip hits a superkick but Taven gets a BIG hiptoss into the barricade as we go to BREAK. We’re back and Taven is targeting the bad knee. Dragon screw by Taven and he keeps things slow and keeps Flip grounded in focusing on the knee, and Flip rolls outside where TK gets some shots in and rolls Flip back inside. Taven maintains control and keeps on the knee. Nice enziguri and Blue Thunder by Taven gets 2, but he transitions immediately into the half crab, but Flip is able to make the ropes.
Flip fires back from the ground but eats a boot by Taven. Spring spear by Flip connects and both are down. Shots traded, Flip (sort of) gets a reverse Alabama Slam into the buckles, and hits an inverted Unprettier and covers but only gets 2 as we go to BREAK. We’re back as the crowd is chanting “This is Awesome”. Flip climbs, Taven cuts him off, they fight in the corner and Taven is able to get a big superplex off the top but Flip gets a surprise cradle for 2, then fires back with a Pele. Taven goes right back to the knee to kill the momentum but Flip counters a Taven spring into a Russian Legsweep off the ropes, hits a low superkick and follows with the FALCON ARROW! Cover, but TAVEN IS OUT AT 2! NO ONE KICKS OUT OF THE FALCON ARROW! Flip looks for a firemans but Taven counters, spits in Flips face, hits a powerbomb and follows with Just The Tip… Of The Knee and covers for 2. Climax is countered and Flip gets the F5-TKO, climbs the corner for the 450 but we get Vinny’s red balloons, which distracts Flip long enough for Taven to crotch Flip, and he follows with a rope hung Climax that hits HARD. Cover, and thats the 3 for Taven to retain.
Matt Taven defeats Flip Gordon by pinfall via a rope-hung Climax
JAY’S RATING: 3.5 out of 5
This was a nice TV main event, even if it didnt quite get to that next gear for me as a ROH Title match. Taven is super smooth and confident as champ, though, and Flip told a good story with having to fight through the injured knee and is a great fight-from-underneath babyface. Strong work all around.
JAY’S THOUGHTS:
On the one hand, both matches were VERY good. Flip definitely is showing that he will be hanging more fully in the title picture soon, and Taven notches a defense on his belt to further his championship reign. And the 6-Man Title match was SUPER entertaining, and made even more interesting with PCO picking up the fall against Jay Lethal. However, for the 400th episode of ROH TV… I dont necessarily see what made it special. Two title matches? I mean, sure, but that in and of itself does not a big milestone make. The TV presence (especially given the consistent wonkiness with the taping and airing schedule) is EASILY the weak point of ROH, and I just wish someone would do something – ANYTHING – to address it. Le Sigh. But, doesnt take away from the talent on display here, as everyone delivered good work from top to bottom.