Ring of Honor TV Episode #494 3/6/2021

Ring of Honor TV Episode #494 3/6/2021

 

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/ring-of-honor-television-episode-493.html

Quinn McKay welcomes us to the show as usual and runs down the card.

We are shown clips of Kenny King turning on Shane Taylor last week.

Kenny King then did a promo. He mocked Shane for thinking he will turn on his "familia". He told him not to trust anyone and brings out Rush and Bestia del Ring.  They do a promo in English and Spanish. Rush says his faction is the past, present and the future. Rush says nothing happens unless he says so.

Josh Woods is #1 in the Pure Championship rankings.

Josh Woods is interviewed. He said he beat Castle and is surprised Castle wants more. He said it wasn't a fluke. He said Dalton's back injury wasn't the reason Dalton lost last time. He said he wants Gresham's Pure title.

Dalton Castle then was interviewed. He said he's been busy and the loss to Woods is bugging him. He said he is not sure where he's fitting in these days and says he is better than this and better than Woods. He says he has a lot of things distracting him and is sick of failing lately. He said if he can't beat Woods, he's "out" and maybe doesn't belong here anymore. 

 
Pure Rules Match - Josh Woods vs Dalton Castle

Dalton talks a little early and they do some amateur wrestling. Dalton leapfrog's early but gets caught and put into the gorilla lock and has to use a rope break. Josh says something about Castle's back brace and Castle shoves him in the face. Dalton then runs him into the apron and throws him over the rail as we go to break.

During the break, Castle hit a northern lights suplex on the floor and as we returned, Woods did a springboard knee to Dalton. Woods hit some corner moves on Dalton then did a butterly suplex then twisted him over into a slam. Woods put the gorilla lock on again and Dalton burned another rope break.

They exchange some bad open hand slaps and Castle gets dropped. Castle faked a back problem, Woods fell for it then got rolled up in a surprise finish. We missed a bunch of this due to the break and it wasn't too special. Woods busted his mouth open during this.

Silas Young then came down, shaking his head. Woods asked where has he been? Young mocked him for losing in the Pure tournament and not getting anywhere as a singles wrestler as they used to be a team. Young said Woods was made to look like a fool tonight and has a lot to learn. Young said the only way he can teach him the things he needs to know is if they go back to teaming up together.

There was a George Foreman commercial where they had him squaring off with a repairman for some home warranty service. I got all excited there for a minute.

#1 Contenders Match for the ROH World title - EC3 vs Jay Lethal vs Matt Taven vs Jay Briscoe

EC3 did an in-set promo. He is super tanned right now. I have no idea what he was talking about. He said something about the other guys in the match being addicted to getting the title and therefore not being in the right state of mind. He said people are afraid to hear the truth. Lethal did an in-set promo. He said this is a big oppurtunity. He said The Foundation is restoring honor here and they can't do that without being champions in all divisions. He said this company will change and wrestling must prevail. Matt Taven did an in-set promo. He said it has been 16 months since he has been ROH champ. He said he has lost all focus and said Vinny's ban from ROH might help him. Jay Briscoe did an in-set promo. He said you gotta be at the right place at the right time and said the people want to see him vs Rush. He said he will give the people what they want.  

We have about 18 minutes for this. JB and EC3 fight outside early then Lethal and Taven join them. JB gets whipped into Lethal and Taven and double clotheslines them. JB then gets suplexed back into the ring from the apron. Lethal dropkicks JB off the apron then flips for a lariat from EC3. Taven missile dropkciks EC3 then takes a lethal combination from Lethal.

Lethal springboard dropicks Taven from the 2nd rope and lariated over the top. Taven then dives over the top onto Taven and Lethal. JB hurricanrana's Taven and we go to break. Back from break and Lethal is overhead belly to belly suplexed into Taven in the corner.

Taven gets thrown out to the floor by EC3 then EC3 Thesz Presses and pounds on JB. EC3 then headbutts him and hurts himself as much as JB. Lethal and Taven get back in and Taven knocks everyone down with spin kicks before going down himself.

We get a tower of doom spot with EC3 being the base of it. EC3 grabs JB by the ear and tells Lethal to kick him in the face. Lethal instead opts to punch EC3. Lethal puts JB in the figure four and EC3 powerbombs Taven on them to break it. We then go to our second break during this match.

EC3 goes for a Jay Driller and JB gets mad at that. JB beats him near the barricades then chases him to the back. Veda Von Starr then appears sitting on the barricades. Taven DDT's Lethal and tells the ref to get rid of Veda. Taven does a springboard kick on Lethal then does a running knee for 2.

Veda comes up on the apron, distracting Taven and Lethal hits a cutter on Taven. Lethal then handsprings into the ropes with a cutter(Lethal Injection) to win.

Multi-man matches are tough. There's a lot going on and it's hard for anyone to do much with it. This had a lot of action and there wasn't anything wrong with it, but it wasn't that great or memorable. Taven and Lethal shook hands after.

Lethal afterwards says this is what they needed and the Foundation has a chance to save the company.

Next week: Pure Rules - Fred Yehi vs Dak Draper, Tony Deppen vs Kenny King and Flamita vs Flip Gordon

Overall thoughts: I'd give this one about a 5 out of 10. There wasn't anything wrong with it but there was nothing particularly great about it either. Neither match was too special but at least they did continue some programs here.