The Glimpse:
SCUM and ROH will go to war multiple times over the course of the night. This all leads to Border Wars where SCUM will fight for an ROH World Title shot and a seat at the Ring of Honor commentary table to speak their “truth”.
The Action:
Steve Corino and SCUM are in the ring to start the show this week. Corino bad mouths the crowd and TV audience and challenges for a six man tag match between SCUM and ROH.
Match 1: Jimmy Jacobs, Rhett Titus and Cliff Compton vs BJ Whitmer, Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman
Winners: SCUM via pinfall
All out brawl to begin the action with Titus and Alexander isolated in the ring until Jacobs runs in, only to get a double team from C&C who proceed to whollop Titus in a corner. Jacobs hits a spear on Coleman to slow things down to a normal match. Jacobs gives Coleman the corner punches with the skirt over his head, drawing Whitmer in and allowing SCUM to keep Coleman in their corner. Coleman gets draped on the top and Coleman flies in with a forearm to the back and a jumping leg drop for two. Coleman takes four boots to the face in the corner then Jacobs and Compton split the wishbone. Rights from Jacobs on the grounded Coleman who can’t get going at all. Coleman blocks a snap suplex into a vertical one of his own, but Compton tags in before Coleman can escape. Back elbow off the ropes from Compton for two. Titus’ turn to tag in and he delivers a boot to the ribs once again drawing Whitmer in and the attention of the ref away. Titus gives Coleman a slingshot on the bottom rope and Jacobs hits a cheap shot, then hops in for his new signature trip and punches spot with Titus. Coleman is draped on the middle rope for a Bob Holly gut kick as SCUM takes more liberties with him. Coleman starts to fight back but gets pinned down by Titus once again, who settles into a chinlock.
The crowd rallies and Coleman flips and rolls out of a belly to back to tag in Whitmer who drops Titus multiple times and gets a two count off a powerslam. Jacobs fights in but gets tossed away, then Titus eats an exploder suplex. Compton’s turn to run interference and he gets tossed away as well. Alexander and Coleman fire up and hit stereo flip dives to the floor. Titus hits a loaded right hand (after Corino hands him some chain) to Whitmer’s jaw and gets a dirty, dirty pin. SCUM wants to keep the beating going, but Elgin and Lethal hit the ring to break it up.
Match 2: Jay Lethal vs Rhett Titus
Winner: Jay Lethal via pinfall
During the commercial, this match was set up and ring is isolated – No Elgin, no SCUM. Lethal is hitting signature offense including a hip toss and low dropkick as we come in to see the action. Titus goes to the apron and gets a triangle dropkick, then a trifecta of suicide dives. Lethal punches and chops Titus around the ring, then breaks the count, which allows Titus to pancake him onto the ring apron and stomp away at him on the floor. Titus rolls him onto the apron and delivers a boot to his head and the ring post. Lethal is up at one and Titus locks in a chinlock. Lethal is quickly up and delivers chops but gets dragged down to the mat by his hair. Titus delivers a jumping double knee drop for two. Lethal begins to fight up from his knees and gets to his feet to have an exchange of rights, which Lethal gets the best of. Titus ducks as Lethal comes off the ropes and takes a kick to the chest, then a chop in the corner. Lethal heads to the top for a missile dropkick then a running forearm in the opposite corner and a DVD. Titus is out at two and Lethal heads to the top for an elbow drop – Titus gets up and Lethal jumps over him, wanting the Lethal Injection. Titus blocks and hits a huge boot and lariat for a near two. Titus picks up a deadweight Lethal and hammers on his back, then tries a head and arm suplex. Lethal tries an enzuigiri but comes up empty. Lethal hits the Lethal Combination and rolls Titus to his feet for a superkick and the Lethal Injection for the win.
Lethal rallies the troops on the mic and says he and Elgin will eject Corino from ROH at Border Wars.
Inside Ring of Honor
Preview of Border Wars – ROH vs SCUM, the TV title and World titles will be defended with both involving the Briscoes.
Steen is beaten down by SCUM and nobody from the ROH locker room came to his aid. How will this play out at Border Wars?
Jay Briscoe/Adam Cole Contract Signing
Cole signs. Briscoe signs. They shake hands at the behest of Nigel McGuinness. Corino shows up, mic in hand for seemingly the sixth time in three shows and he brings Rhino and Matt Hardy with him. Corino says Cole shouldn’t be the number one contender – He should just defend against the next champ, Matt Hardy. Corino formally announces Rhino and Hardy, with Hardy looking like he’s got to drop a deuce. Briscoe offers to fight right now which Hardy doesn’t look too happy about. Briscoe throws the table (because this IS a contract signing after all). Nigel says let’s do it!
Match 3: Adam Cole and Jay Briscoe (ROH World Champion) vs Rhino and Matt Hardy
Winners: Adam Cole and Jay Briscoe via pinfall
Hardy throws his shirt to the crowd three times. The first two it gets tossed right back to him. The third time (to the side I was sitting on) the guy caught it and kept it, basking in “A**hole” chants. Crowd was more fired up for that than almost anything that entire night.
Cole and Hardy start it and thanks to Rhino, Hardy takes control. Into opposite corners with right hands as Cole fights his way out with rights and a clothesline, followed by a jumping neckbreaker for two. Hardy rolls away and tags in Rhino. Cole elects to stay in and lands an arm drag. Cole kicks Rhino off the ropes then hits a low dropkick to the knee and a shining wizard for a nearfall. Briscoe tags in and pounds on Rhino into a corner. The crowd entertains themselves with a “Feed Matt Less” chant as Rhino explodes out of the corner with a shoulder block. Briscoe immediately comes back with forearms and tags Cole back in. Rhino hits a back elbow off the ropes and Cole fights out of the enemy corner with multiple kicks to Rhino. Hardy grabs Cole’s leg on the middle rope, allowing Rhino to toss him to the mat and Hardy to come in and pound on him. SCUM is in control into the commercial.
Back to action, Hardy is still in control. Cole tries a cross body and gets caught for a front slam, then another from Hardy. Hardy pounds on Cole in the corner then grabs Cole by the legs, lifting him up for a sitout powerbomb and a two count. Rhino is back in and they throw Cole into the turnbuckle back first. Rhino chokes away at Cole. Cole flips out of a belly to back attempt and it’s the ROH Champ’s turn to lay some jabs and a dropkick on the manbeast. Hardy is booted to the floor and Jay lands a DDT for two. Hardy wants some and takes a roaring elbow. The distraction lets Rhino hits a belly to belly. Rhino poises for The Gore but Jay counters with a boot then hits a running boot to the head. Cole tags himself in, raising the ire of Briscoe. Hardy interjects himself and ducks a superkick from Cole, resulting in Briscoe taking the hit. Cole disposes of Hardy and then dodges the Gore with Briscoe taking it instead. Cole rolls Rhino up after The Gore for the win with a schoolboy.
Briscoe is none too happy about what just transpired and Cole chalks it up to a pair of unfortunate circumstances.
The Reaction:
Usual ROH clustermess to start a multiman match. Alexander was never even legally in the match, I believe. This was really just a set up to allow SCUM to get a dirty win and Lethal and Elgin to make the save which at least worked out effectively. I think the flying forearm and legdrop are about all Compton has done since being in ROH. Ok match, but nothing at all to write home about. Most importantly, this is the set up for Titus and Whitmer having an I Quit match at Border Wars this weekend.
Lethal really needs to save the triple suicide dive for special events. Something like that stops being special and “big” if it’s done every time he’s in the ring. Eventually he’ll have to do more and more and then we’ll end up with a set of ten suicide dives and it will be ludicrous.
A clean contract signing…will wonders never cease? The end of that match plants just enough of a seed of doubt to make people wonder if Cole did that on purpose or not. He does make a good heel, so a turn isn’t out of the question. The pretty boy heel never gets old. How will Jay Briscoe react at Border Wars?
The Preview:
Border Wars is this Saturday – Jay Briscoe defends the ROH Title against Adam Cole and SCUM takes on ROH’s finest for control of the broadcast booth vs the eviction of Steve Corino from ROH for good.
Next week, Michael Elgin takes on “Machinegun” Karl Anderson. If you are reading this, I’m telling you to watch this match. If you don’t you are missing out. Also, Davey Richards takes on Kyle O’Reilly. These are both PPV-quality matches and next week is a must watch for any ROH fan.
The Shill:
As always, if you like what you read here, let me know in the comments or on twitter @sbfantom. I sincerely would like to hear what people think and strike up some conversation!
