Thought Zero – Ring of Honor brings us some action from their Field of Honor event from late August in Brooklyn, New York. The set up on a baseball diamond is a pretty fun little visual. It’s always a little odd for me to see professional wrestling in an open air setting, especially with the sun shining. Anyway, let’s see what kind of television we are in for tonight.
1) We start with the Ring of Honor Television title on the line as Bobby Fish defends against EVIL. I know I have mentioned it before, but I really think EVIL and Kevin Sullivan are sharing that dark robe. Either that or EVIL went to Sullivan’s yard sale. EVIL is really coming into his own with this new character. It is hard to believe this is the same Watanabe in Ring of Honor last year.
2) EVIL is just breaking the rules left and right, including cracking Fish with a chair a few times outside the ring. And yet, there is no disqualification. That’s odd. Even Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino are questioning why this match hasn’t been thrown out.
3) I’ve mentioned before that I like Bobby Fish but was not sure about having him go over all these tough competitors (like Ishii and Shibata). It was almost too much, trying to push Fish as the super tough guy. But, you know what, I was wrong. I think ROH has pulled it off. Bobby Fish just continues doing his thing and working hard. And it works. Plus, his Falcon Arrow transition into a knee bar is pretty darn sweet as a finish.
4) Speaking of Bobby Fish’s opponents, the next match features the guy Fish just beat at All Star Extravaganza, Donovan Dijak. Dijak is facing Michael Elgin for the IWGP Intercontinental title here. And I will just go out on a limb and say that Dijak loses because Elgin just lost that championship to Naito a week or so ago. But this could still be a fun power matchup, as long as Corino doesn’t annoy me to death bellowing “Big Mike.”
5) I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, but I will still stand by my choice of Dijak being one of four people I might start a new wrestling promotion with. He is not smooth and he is still a work in progress, but he has all the tools to make it. I would definitely rework his character some and play up the dickishness of his personality, but I still think it could be done. Maybe have him come out as a Donald Trump supporter, that should work. Oh, the match? Well, Elgin just held Dijak for a delayed suplex for about 45 seconds. That is impressive from both men – the strength by Elgin, and the balance needed by Dijak.
6) Most of this match is just power move after power move with both men landing some pretty impressive spots. Especially on such big men as each other. Dijak had a very impressive little run with a couple big boots, a discuss forearm, a chokeslam into a backbreaker, and then a very impressive moonsault. But Michael Elgin being Michael Elgin, kicked out at two and a half.
7) Oh hey, look, Elgin just “Big Mike”d up and won the match. Maybe that is my issue with Elgin, his spotty selling. Too often he just ignores the beating he took, even from a big guy like Dijak, and does the lame Hulking up bit. Oh well.
8) Main event time and we have Bullet Club (Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Yujiro Takahashi) versus Lio Rush, The Motor City Machineguns, and “Super” ACH. I’m not sure I like the Super ACH thing. But ACH does run the bases on his way out in a fun little bit and slides into “home” which is the ring.
9) This match is obviously much later in the show as the sky is now dark and the lights are on in the stadium. Unfortunately, the stadium lights make the hard camera basically unusable as it washes everyone out and makes them look even that much more indy. But the handheld camera operators are doing a good job and the editor was able to make it watchable. The teams take turns with control, including some very impressive teamwork from both sides. Way too much going on to recap, but I will pick one random move to compliment. Adam Page pulled out a move I had never seen before where he hit a fallaway slam on Lio Rush but held onto it and bridged into a pinfall attempt.
10) Overall this was a very energetic and fun match, even if it was too flippy-floppy for me. Super ACH pulled out the Lumbar Check in what had to be a bit of an FU to Cedric Alexander. I might not think it was, but with Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino talking about the guy who left the territory and that all bets are off. That’s sort of petty, guys. Just be happy for the guy. Anyway, the Bullet Club got the victory with a superkick assisted Rite of Passage.
Fun hour of wrestling this week. Next week should be a lot of fun as well. Hope to see you then.
