The Glimpse:
Kevin Steen seeks retribution from Adam Cole while Lethal and the C&C Wrestling Connection try to avenge ROH’s performance against SCUM as of late. Jacobs takes on Lethal and C&C take on Titus and Compton.
The Action:
ROH TV opens up with Steve Corino coming out and redeclaring that the era of SCUM has begun. He remind us that he is the new color commentator and that someone from SCUM gets a Ring of Honor World Championship shot.
Match 1: Jay Lethal vs Jimmy Jacobs
Winner: Jimmy Jacobs via pinfall
Lethal says it was a mistake to let Steen take his place at Border Wars when he hurt his leg. Lethal calls Jacobs into the ring, but Jacobs sweeps his leg and works it over on the apron. Lethal tries to whip Jacobs on the floor, but he kicks his leg out from under him. Lethal recovers and sends Jacobs into the barricade. Chops on the floor before Jacobs is rolled back into the ring. Lethal gets in gingerly and gets his leg kicked for it. Jacobs turn for chops in the corner, which Lethal answers. Lethal chops Jacobs half way around the ring and Jacobs tries to counter with a tornado DDT, only to get tossed and eat a low dropkick for two. Lethal picks Jacobs up and sends him into the ropes for a back elbow and a one count. Jacobs outspeeds Lethal once he’s back on his feet and dropkicks his knee. Lethal fights back from the mat and they throw rights back and forth before Jacobs chopblocks the bad leg. Jacobs yanks the leg but Lethal fights back with a jackknife pin for two and a DDT. Lethal calls for the Injection, but Jacobs catches him mid springboard and wrenches his leg in the top rope. The ref releases Lethal from hanging upside down as they cut to commercial.
Jacobs has Lethal in an Indian deathlock and he tries to chop out, then settles for right fists. More chops on the ropes, then Lethal whiffs an enziguiri, which Jacobs follows up by DDT’ing his foot. Jacobs yanks on the leg again then heads to the middle rope – Lethal gets the boot up and Jacobs sees it coming but ends up in a small package for two. Lethal hits the enziguiri he missed before and both men are on the mat. Strikes back and forth for a second time end Lethal hits a discus clothesline, then a regular one, followed by a back body drop. Lethal wants a superkick but the supporting left leg buckles. Jacobs walks into a second small package, then a roll up for two twos. Lethal hits the Lethal Combination and wants the Injection again. The leg gives out on the handspring and Jacobs hits a springboard cutter and the Contra Code for three.
Nigel McGuinness is in the ring, mentioning that Jay Briscoe beat Adam Cole, defending his ROH World Championship. Nigel says that Cole should get a rematch, but not right away. Nigel lists Michael Elgin. Nigel continues that Elgin wants to get his win back on Karl Anderson and rid ROH of SCUM. Next, Nigel mentions the Wolves. This brings Jay Briscoe out. Jay says he’s glad to have some strong opponents because he likes to whoop asses. Jay says nobody can beat him; anybody he faces, he’ll whoop their ass. Now Mark Briscoe comes out and says he’s tired of hearing about Jay whooping asses. Mark says that’s not how they were brought up. Mark doesn’t seem to quite know how to end this one, but reminds Jay that in Mark’s ROH debut he whooped Jay’s ass. Jay damn near begs for Mark as his opponent at Best in the World. Nigel says he’ll think about it.
Match 2: Rhett Titus and Cliff Compton vs Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman
Winners: Titus and Compton
Brawl to start it as C&C rush the ring. Caprice misses a dive and lands between SCUM, then hits a kick around the ringpost on Rhett, which Alexander follows with a flip dive, landing on his feet. Double team from C&C and a snap suplex from Coleman. Leg lariat Hart Attack for two from C&C and they intercept Compton breaking up the pin. Alexander whips Titus to the corner then hits a back body drop for two. Double back elbow from C&C for two again on Titus. Titus kicks off the ropes and Compton throws Coleman to the ringpost on an injured shoulder. Alexander runs into a Michinoku Driver from Compton. The refs come down to help Coleman. Titus sets up Alexander for Compton’s springboard forearm. Compton with a single leg dropkick for two on Alexander. Now a butterfly suplex from Compton as Alexander is left alone – The refs have removed Coleman. SCUM go to the back and return Coleman to ringside to keep beating on him. Alexander starts to fight back, but kicks from Compton and a boot to the ribs from Titus slows that down. Alexander lands on the apron after Titus throws him, then fights off both men. Alexander wants a suplex to the floor, but Compton pushes Titus’ legs back down so he can suplex Alexander into the ring. Compton tag in and eventually runs into a full nelson facebuster. Coleman gets back on the apron and gets the tag. Back elbow and a clothesline for Titus then a ludicrously big right hand that levels him. Coleman stomps Titus in the corner then hits Compton with a kick in the back of the head. Titus tries a back drop and ends up getting an Edge O Matic for a two count. Titus goes to the shoulder, then misses a dropkick. Slingshot, forearm and springboard elbow combo out of C&C, but Compton stomps it apart before two. Alexander goes into the barricade and Coleman gets his bad shoulder draped on the top rope, walking into Rhettribution, a single underhook elevated DDT. SCUM wins it.
Match 3: Adam Cole vs Kevin Steen
Winner: Adam Cole via pinfall
The Canadian crowd is thrilled to have Steen back in action. Steen with a headlock and a shoulder block. Steen jaws at Corino then drives Cole to a corner. Cole with a cheap forearm and a quick exchange, then Cole bounces off of Steen’s shoulder and gets chopped to the mat. Steen throws Cole to the corner and chops him again. Extremely aggressive Steen so far, but nothing dirty. Another big chop in the corner. Steen takes it back to the middle of the ring and Cole throws him to the floor. Cole wants a plancha and Steen casually walks out of the way, leaving Cole to splat on the floor. Steen tosses Cole to the barricade and Cole tries to fight back, but gets powerbombed on the apron. Steen takes Cole to the next side of the ring and powerbombs him on the apron again. On to side three and Cole’s back is going to be hurting tomorrow. Steen throws Cole back in and jaws at Corino again. Steen steps to the apron toward him but Cole kicks Steen’s leg then goes to work on it. Into a commercial as Steen’s leg is attacked.
Cole is still working the leg and Steen grabs his nose to break it up. Cole wants a Figure Four but gets kicked to the floor. Steen is wobbly after the assault and gets an enziguiri from the floor. Cole dives in for a cover and a two count. Steen pushes Cole off and they start to exchange strikes out of the corner. Steen with a series of forearms before Cole boots his leg and tries a single leg takedown which Steen powers out of, then hits a pop up powerbomb. Cole is down and Steen hits the mat from his hurt leg. Steen with a running lariat for a near fall. Cole crawls to the corner and Steen wants the cannonball but he’s too slow, allowing Cole to kick him in the gut, hit a German suplex and a shining wizard for two. Steen hangs on the top rope to prevent a whip which Cole answers by kicking the leg. Steen hits a fisherman buster onto his good knee and Cole kicks out in two. Steen wants the Package Piledriver but can’t get him up, letting Cole try the Figure Four which Steen fights out of. Cole settles for a Sharpshooter but Steen gets the ropes. Cole wants a superkick but gets one of his own then the F-Cinq, which Cole surprisingly kicks out of. Compton hops on the apron and gets disposed of, then Steen locks in a Sharpshooter of his own on Cole. Compton is back on the apron and Jacobs now hits a loaded right fist behind the ref’s back, then Cole lands a superkick to the back of the head and the Florida Key for the win.
The Reaction:
This match could have been half the length if they didn’t repeat the roll up spots, the chop spots and the strike exchange spots. Which is what most of this was. I’m a big fan of the ROH style, but this just went and went and went just to sell Lethal’s leg. Far from a must see.
I was more so figuring on Mark getting the TV title and a jealousy angle. Didn’t see the ego angle coming instead out of Jay. They also put this one forward extremely fast, mentioning him doing it back on the chicken farm, instead of on camera. Bit lazy and a bit shotgunned, but we all wanted this match, so it got us there. Just not as well as it could have.
Good match – C&C are always amazing energy and SCUM continues to do their thing effectively. I still don’t see the hype for Compton, he doesn’t do much compared to the other guys in SCUM in the ring, but he’s at least a strong presence. Rhett’s new finish is interesting and it’s another night of SCUM taking wins.
That Cole heel turn is coming. He’s slightly hesitant at the moment, but it’ll be a build. He was over aggressive early in the match, taking cheap shots out of the corner and trying a Steen-signature Sharpshooter on him, in Canada. Not positive Cole ends up directly in SCUM, but he’s an effective heel in PWG and elsewhere. It’s worth using him in the role he best plays. Kudos to Cole for getting Steen over for that Florida Key, too.
The Preview:
Taijiri Ishimori takes on Roderick Strong.
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!
