Ring of Honor TV Episode #500 4/17/2021

Ring of Honor TV Episode #500 4/17/2021 

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/04/ring-of-honor-tv-episode-499-4102021.html 

Quinn McKay welcomes us to the show as usual. They put over this being the 500th episode.

Jay Lethal is interviewed and puts over the 500th episode. His match vs Gresham was voted in by the fans to happen tonight. He said he learns a lot by fighting Gresham but Gresham is tough and can hurt him. He said he would show us what real professional wrestling is all about. He said whatever happens, the ROH Pure Title stays in The Foundation. Good promo.

Jonathan Gresham was then interviewed. He said being champ means you have to uphold the honor of wrestling. He puts over Jay and says he is the best wrestler in the world. He said he wants to give the fans what they want and that's another match against Jay. He said we will show the world what true professional wrestling is.  

ROH Pure Wrestling Title - Jonathan Gresham (c) vs Jay Lethal

The Foundation all comes out together for this in a cool touch. They go to the mat to start, naturally. They counter each others wristlocks multiple times. Lethal takes a bunch of headlock takeovers. Lethal hiptosses him and cartwheels but is caught in a hammerlock.

We go to break and return and Jay is going for the Fujiwara armbar. Jay hammerlock backdrops him for 2. Gesham pops Jay shoulder with his amr and both are selling their arms. They collide shoulders and a little later, Jay hits a cutter. Gresham burns a rope break to get out of a pin.

We go to break and return from break with Gresham outside. Lethal throws him in and Gresham tries to walk up the ropes and springboard into a hurricanrana, but is caught with a boston crab. Gresham uses his 2nd of 3 ropebreaks. They work each others arms and Gresham is thrown by his wrist. Lethal goes for the Lethal Injection but his arm gives out. Gresham goes to attack but is caught in the crossface. Lethal gets him in the rings of saturn and Gresham uses his last rope break to get out of it. They spin each other around and Gresham wins out of nowhere with a headscissor pin. 

Thoughts: This was a good technical match and the 16 minutes they had went fast, but the finish was out of nowhere.

Mark Briscoe vs Jay Briscoe

They hit each other with forearms to start and Jay hurricanrana's him as they stand off. Mark handstands out of a headscissors and when he goes onto the apron, he gets face kicked off. Jay then dives on him off the apron.

We go to break and return with Mark getting back in and dropkicking Jay through the ropes. Mark then does a cactus jack elbow off the apron onto Jay and takes a hard fall. Mark suplexes him onto the floor. Jay comes back with forearms and chops then face kicks Mark over the barricade.

Jay boots Mark in the face and back inside, Mark hits an iconoslam then an exploder suplex. they fight on the apron with Jay hitting a headbutt and Mark coming back with a slap. Mark then running blockbusters him while Jay is on the floor. Mark sets up a chair in the ring and Jay death valley drivers him on it then neckbreakers him for 2.

We go to break and return with them exchanging shots and Mark does a rolling death valley driver. Mark hits a froggy 'bow for 2 from the top. Jay back body drops Mark then Jay Driller's him but Mark kicks out. Jay hits another Jay Driller but Mark rolls out.

Jay gets a table ready outside and is stun gunned on the barricade. Jay is put on the table and Mark froggy bow's him from the top through Jay on the table. Mark beats the count in and wins via DQ.

Thoughts: They did too much here and really blew past the selling of a couple of big moves, but it was a good match otherwise. They worked stiff with each other and the match just generally flowed well.

Next week has Eli Isom vs Dak Draper and Violence Unlimited vs LFI in trios action.

Overall thoughts: A really good episode of ROH with two strong matches. The main did have some issues on doing too much but it was still good. This was one of the better ROH TV shows I have seen.