I only counted about 200-300 people here, which is much different from the 500 estimated. Since I counted each head, I'm sticking with mine.
I'd like to note that the arena was freezing cold since it was an ice rink. There was also air blowing from somewhere and combined with the hard benches, it made for a miserable experience environment wise. The show lasted about 4 and a half hours so it was long.
They had Mike Mondo out before the show talking to fans and apparently if you were one of the first 300 fans, you could get your picture taken with the Briscoes.
Derrick Dean vs Jimmy Nutts/James Nutter
Dead did a handstand walkout of a head lock and botched a corner flip out reversal. Nutter won with a nothern lights suplex. Not a good match with both guys looking really indy.
The Briscoes came out and called out the locker room minus Lethal, SCUM and WGTT. They announced Nigel as the new match maker and Nigel promised to clean up ROH. Nigel said the current ROH isn't as awesome as the old one used to be.
Allysin Kay vs MsChif
Stiff kicks and clotheslines from Kay. Mschif hit a low blow and a Code Green. Good match which the crowd liked. Rating: **
Tadarius Thomas vs Roderick Strong
Truth chased after Roddy but was ignored. Truth was at the booth with no hat on. Strong threw TD into the post on the apron from the burning hammer position. Strong won with a suplex into a backbreaker. After the match, Strong said he was done with the House of Truth called Truth a "little piece of sh!t". This was really stiff and it was quite good. Tadarius looked pretty good again with his awesome capoiera. The crowd was into it. The finish was NOT an Orange Crush.
Nigel announced a new TV title belt and said that Jerry Lynn would be at Final Battle.
TV SHOW 1 Main Event
ROH TV title - Adam Cole vs Kyle O'Reilly
Kyle had a cool enzugiri on Cole when Cole tried to dive to the outside. He also dropkicked Cole off of a crossbody from the top. Davey Richards came out and sat at the booth. Kyle took a DDT on his head on the apron. The crowd chanted, "This is Awesome", then both did a Frye/Takayama punching spot. Cole won with the Florida Key in a strong match. The crowd loved this. Rating:***1/4
TV Show 2
WGTT came out and complained about not getting a title shot at Final Battle. Nigel then said if they win their match, they can get a shot.
WGTT vs Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander
Haas ripped on the Pitt Panthers losing to Notre Dame and got big heat for it. Coleman got lots of air here flying around. BJ Whitmer and Rhett Titus came out. There was a long heat segment on Coleman until Alexander hit the Trouble in Paradise kick. Alexander did Masaaki Mochizuki's triangle enzugiri kick and then a fight broke out with Haas hitting Whitmer, then getting beaten up by Whitmer and Titus. Shelton hit a top rope belly to belly suplex on Coleman but Alexander hit him with a splash from the top while he was down for the pin. Good match with lots of heat. Rating:***
Ryan McBride vs Bobby Fish
This was mostly a squash with Fish winning with a high kick. Fish did a dive, a top rope headbutt and a moonsault. Veda Scott interviewed him after and mentioned Japan. Fish said he was looking forward to seeing what happened with Davey and Kyle O'Reilly.
Davey came out and called out O'Reilly. He mentioned that Kyle got married and Davey said he didn't miss his partner, but his friend. They shook hands until Kyle turned on Davey. Fish came out and they kicked Davey and beat him up.
TV MAIN EVENT
ROH Tag Titles - Jimmy Jacobs and Steve Corino vs BJ Whitmer and Rhett Titus
Jacobs hit a reverse hurricanrana on BJ. BJ hit a suplex over the top on Jacobs and both crashed on the floor hard. WFTT came out and hit a move on BJ on the rails. Corino then pinned Titus with a backdrop hold. This was alright but I'm not into either team. After the match, WGTT beat up Rhett and choked him. They did a long beatdown on him.
SHOW 3
The Headbangers vs The Briscoe Brothers
Mark got a face first suplex off the apron and a backdrop over the top to the floor. Jay got the win here with a roll-up. This was a decent match with a good pace. After the match, The Briscoes ripped up a "Real mean wear skirts sign".
Adam Page vs QT Marshall
QT's robe is indeed really awesome in person. I've never seen something shine like that. QT got his nose busted open from a cartwheel kick. Page hit a top rope splash and got a knee in the gut. Then he was hit with a running dominator for the QT win. After the match, Prince Nana came down and did a dive on RD Evans from the top rope. He then ripped up RD's clothes, leaving him in his underwear. We then got a "this is wrestling" chant, but I don't know why. RD cut a promo blaming Nigel for this in an angry tone. Nigel told him to "keep his pants on". Nigel said RD had genitals the size of a 4-year old and signed RD vs Nana for Final Battle.
TV Main Event 3
Davey Richards vs Michael Elgin
Truth came out and promised not to let Elgin down again. Truth then said Elgin needed to promise not to fight Strong at Final Battle and he would lead him to the title. Elgin said no.
Elgin hit Davey with an impressive deadlift superplex. Elgin hit a falling death valley driver into the buckles on Davey. The crowd went nuts for this whole match. Elgin then deadlifted Davey again from a triangle choke into a buckle bomb. Elgin hit a chaos theory on Davey. They traded machine gun Kawada kicks and knees. Elgin hit a twisting white noise on Davey from the top, a twisting splash, a buckle bomb and a liger bomb for the win. Excellent match that will be a MOTYC. The crowd chanted "that was awesome" and loved all of this. Rating:****
TV Show 4
Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly vs The Bravado's
Lance hit a chaos theory. Harlem hit a blockbuster and a diamond dust. Fish and Kyle hit a total elimination for the win. Good match here.
Rich Silvio vs Jay Lethal
Lethal complained about ROH and promised to get a title shot at Final Battle whether he was in the championship match or not. Since he won SOTF, he can do this. Lethal messed up his handstand into the ropes into an elbow spot and looked like he hurt his neck. Lethal ended up winning with a lethal injection.
TV Main Event for Show 4
ROH Title - Kevin Steen vs Mike Bennett
Corino came out with a white cowboy hat for commentary and the crowd chanted, "JCL". Maria did not come out here. I don't know why. Bob Evans did come out though. Steen wore a pink "I'm a lady" shirt, mocking Maria's "I'm a lady" shirt (Thanks to Johnny Cimpo for that). Steen attacked early and hit a stiff hanging DDT. Steen hit an asai moonsault and a top rope splash. Steen threw Mike out of the ring right onto Bob Evans. Steen then hit him with a powerbomb into the apron. Steen hit a package piledriver for the win. Good match but it was mostly a squash. Sucks to be Bennett as I thought this was going to be a breakout match. Steen ripped on Lethal and then Lethal came down and had to be held back.
Show 5
Vinny Marseglia vs Davey Richards
Richards won with a kick. This was all squash here.
Mike Mondo came out and cut a long interview with Kevin Kelly. He talked about getting injured and talked about his dreams of being a wrestler. Strong came out and kicked Mondo's crutch. Elgin came out but ended up getting hit with a crutch from Strong. Due to the audio, it was hard to hear anything all night, especially Mondo's interview.
TV Main Event for Show 5
Steel City Street Fight - Steve Corino vs Jay Briscoe
Corino wore a suit and wrestled in it minus the jacket. Jay hit Corino with a full water bottle and a nike shoe. Jay hit a double stomp on Corino on a table. Jay also hit the ring bell with a hammer over Corino's head. Corino used a roll of quarters that Jimmy Jacob's gave him. Mark Briscoe then came out with a wheelbarrow filled with chairs. He threw the chairs into the ring except one which he pushed into Jacobs from the wheelbarrow. Corino suplexed Jay onto a chair. Mark brought out a guard rail which got stuck on the curtain. They almost pulled the stage down with that. Corino backdropped Jay through a table. Jay suplexed Corino from the top through a guard rail held up by chairs. Jay then got the pin as C&C came down to dive on people. Corino ended up getting stretchered out.
Steen cut a promo with El Generico's mask to end the show.
Overall, this was a great show. There were only two so-so matches and they were squashes. Other than that, awesome stuff all around with the arena being not so awesome. I don't know if I would go again though due to the arena being in the middle of nowhere plus being so cold and uncomfortable.
I agree completely. This was my second ROH events at this area and the building WAS TOO darn cold for a 4 hour show, but I enjoyed the show and would return in warmer days. Too bad there were no autographs or photos at intermission. All seats were good seats. Everyone could see everything which is a plus. Richards vs. Elgin was the match of the night.
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