It’s Monday night and you know what that means! Football! Wait, no. Well, I mean, there IS football on, but it’s just preseason, and that’s not what I’m talking about. It’s time for the best night of wrestling on TV, started off by ROH on HDNet! I am your indescribably handsome host Kyle Sparks, and as always I will be your host for arguably the best hour of wrestling on TV. This week we have been advertised FOUR matches, with a main event featuring Davey Richards taking on Roderick Strong with Strong’s guaranteed ROH World Title shot on the line! So, without further ado, I hope you haven’t lost power because here come the plugs!
With most of the last few days wrapped up in SummerSlam news, the opportunities for plugs here at the Pulse have been a little few and far between. That said, I found a few for your viewing pleasure:
*Naturally, Ricardo Rochetti does his typically phenomenal job of encapsulating my thoughts and opinions on all things ROH.
*Mark Allen does his typical phenomenal job of wrapping up the week that was in McMahon-land.
*Grey Scherl writes a wonderfully nostalgiac look-back at the original ECW and implores TNA to actually use some original thinking. I don’t want to get into a rant, but with their roster full of talented stars (AJ, Joe, Nigel, the Guns, Beer Money, etc. etc.), they are easily one of the most frustrating promotions in America to watch.
*Will Pruett discusses the concept of “money in the chase,” and applies it to WWE’s dropping buyrates. I’ll agree his argument has some teeth. At Final Battle 2007, everybody and their brother knew Homicide was taking the title, but when he did the pop was still up there with one of the biggest in ROH history.
There now. That was fun, wasn’t it? Now, let’s leap head first into this episode like we’re Brock Lesnar doing a shooting star press!
**We open with the short video package I posted in the preview earlier today. Roderick Strong and Davey Richards TONIGHT!
Here comes the rush!
Your Hosts are, as always, Dave Prazak and Mike Hogewood.
**We open heading right to the ring, with Rhett Titus and Austin Aries on their way to the ring! Titus’s ring vests are getting more and more bulky and furry by the week.
**“Addicted to Love” Rhett Titus (w/ Austin Aries) vs. Jerry Lynn
Titus jumps Lynn off the bell and that doesn’t work well for him. Within 5 seconds, he’s clotheslined to the floor. Titus baits Lynn into the chase and rolls back in to lay in the stomps. He whips Lynn into the corner but gets backdropped out of the ring to the floor and then absorbs a plancha from Lynn. Lynn rolls Titus in but gets thumbed in the eye to stop his momentum. A butterfly suplex by Titus is countered into the TKO, which is countered with a pushoff into an excellent dropkick for 2. Titus chokes Lynn on the ropes as Aries brags to the camera something we can’t hear, which is a shame in itself. Titus rakes Lynn across the ropes and whips him out and back into the corner and follows with an elbow. He repeats the move, only this time following it with a clothesline for 2. Titus hits the chinlock briefly before Lynn elbows out but winds up getting clubbed in the back. Lynn is able to counter a scoop slam into an inverted DDT, then hits a rolling thumb to the eye, and a springboard elbow for 2. Lynn gets backed into a corner off a front face lock, but Titus misses a charge and Lynn pounds away in the corner, until Titus reverses and Lynn in turn counters with a bodyscissors over the top to the floor. Lynn goes to dive, but Aries hooks the ankle distracting Lynn long enough for Titus to chop block him and roll him back in for a 2 count. Lynn’s Tornado DDT is countered with a throw off, and Titus hits the Muff Driver (leapfrog rocker dropper) for 2. Lynn counters a suplex into a small package for 2, but Titus cuts him off after the kickout. Titus reverses an irish whip into a tilt-a-whirl slam, and goes up top. Titus hits the diving knee for 2. Haven’t seen him hit that in awhile. Titus sets Lynn up top and hammers away, and then follows him up. Lynn blocks the superplex, but Titus tries to spring up for the Super Sex Factor (top rope X-Factor). Lynn tosses him again and hits a leaping swinging DDT for a long 2. Lynn hooks up for the Cradle Piledriver, but Aries runs distraction and blinds Lynn temporarily. Titus is able to hook up Lynn for what appears to be a splash mountain, but Lynn counters into a sunset flip for 3.
Jerry Lynn def. Rhett Titus via sunset flip in 7:29.
This was a pretty solid opener, as Rhett Titus continues to prove that he could be a damn solid midcard guy if given a legit chance. They’ve waited an awfully long time on him though, and I wonder if they’ve already passed on the iron being hot with him. (**)
**Post-match, Kenny King jumps Lynn from behind, and the three men start the beatdown until Delirious runs down with a chair to run off the All-Night Express.
**Back to Kyle Durden with Steve Corino and Kevin Steen. Corino says that the chain links Steen and himself and the chain will bring them to the top of the mountain. Steen smacks gum in Durden’s ear in the background. They promise to introduce Generico and Cabana to their new best friend soon.
**Now we go straight to the ring, without introductions, where Erick Stevens will take on El Generico!
**El Generico vs. Erick Stevens (w/ Prince Nana)
Stevens backs Generico to the corner early on as the crowd chants “Princess Nana.” Touche, Philadelphia. They lock up again and Generico gets backed into the corner again and slapped across the face, dropping Generico. Another lockup, and another push to the corner. Generico ducks the chop and unleashes a couple of his own and hits a calf kick. Generico with a flying headscissors off the whip in, and ocho punches in the corner. Generico goes for his armdrag series, but Stevens blocks the last one and hoists up Generico to a nice samoan drop. A big scoop slam, and like Prazak pointed out, Stevens does look to be in better shape too. Good for him. Stevens drops an Embassy Elbowdrop and locks in a reverse bearhug. Generico hits a chinbreaker to escape, but runs into a powerslam for 2. Stevens hits a knee but Generico fights back. Stevens hits a couple more, and Generico strikes back with elbows. Stevens responds. Yeah, if you’re Generico, trying to strike with Stevens is a bad idea. Sure enough, Generico hits a dropkick off a lift and lays in a couple chops. He goes to whip in Stevens, who reverses, but Generico moves from a corner charge and hits a high cross body for 2. Blue Thunder Driver gets 2 for Generico. Generico goes to pick up Stevens, but gets driven into the corner and Stevens just unloads on him with chops and shoulderblocks. Stevens warms up the Runaway Train, but turns around into the Yakuza Kick for 2. Generico goes up top, but gets cut off, and Stevens goes for the superplex. Generico knocks him down into the tree of woe, and goes for the Van Terminator, but here comes Steen and Corino! DQ! Steen wraps the chain around Generico’s neck and rears back until Cabana comes to the rescue with a chair.
El Generico def. Erick Stevens via DQ in 6:21.
Decent, if unspectacular match. Stevens continues to be underrated, as even Mike Hogewood points it out. These two could have a good match, given time. (*3/4)
**We’re now in back with Kyle Durden, interviewing Davey Richards with Shane Hagadorn. Hagadorn has a wedding band on? Dear God, that poor woman. Davey says that again his match with Tyler Black wasn’t match of the year because he didn’t win. He learned what he needs to do to be ROH Champion and he gained a new respect for Black. Davey promises to defeat Strong tonight, and Truth Martini interrupts, sowing seeds. The end result is that Davey has forbidden Shane Hagadorn to come out to the ring tonight for his match, and Davey promises Truth that if he gets involved, Davey will kick his ass. Well, that’s pretty clear.
**Glory by Honor IX advertisement, as I thankfully get a chance to catch up a bit. The first 25 minutes has been virtually nonstop. I’m loving it. When we come back, it’s a great video package giving the cliffs notes version of the Steen/Generico feud. It culminates in the announcement of the double chain match, pitting Cabana and Generico against Steen and Corino at GBH IX. Love it. This brings us back to Prazak and Hogewood in the studio that throw us over to an interview with the Kings of Wrestling on their match with Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin. Hero and Castagnoli say they’re very much looking forward to the match. Suffice it to say, we are too. Great, great interview.
**Now directly back to the ring, where the House of Truth is in the ring, with their life intervention expert, the world renowed author of “The Book of Truth,” the founder and leader of the House of Truth, the incomparable Truth Martini!
**The House of Truth (Josh Raymond & Christian Able) vs. Aiden Chambers & Mike Sydal
The HoT jumps the jobber team off the bat, and Christian Able grounds and pounds…and bites…Aiden Chambers. Chambers gets run into Raymond’s boot, and the HoT tags with a very nice suspended hangman’s neckbreaker/slingshot senton for 2. Raymond chops Chambers and sends him corner to corner but misses the charge, and Chambers tags in Mike Sydal. Sydal comes in with a crossbody on both members of the HoT, but gets awesome bombed face first into the turnbuckle. Ow. Able hoists up Sydal with a wheelbarrow suplex, and Raymond comes down with a vertical splash for the 3.
The House of Truth (Josh Raymond (W) and Christian Able) def. Aiden Chambers and Mike Sydal (L) via wheelbarrow suplex/vertical splash combo in 1:47.
This was squishy squashy fun. I love to see the House of Truth getting a push, but they have their moments where they’re a little sloppy. That said, hopefully they’ll develop on their way up. (1/2*)
**Next week an 8 man tag match! The Embassy vs. Rasche Brown, The Dark City Fight Club and Grizzly Redwood.
**MAIN EVENT TIME!
**After the introductions, Davey gets on the stick and asks Roderick to send Truth Martini to the back so they can do this “NRC Style” and show what Ring of Honor is all about. Truth and Strong discuss it, shake hands and leaves. Nice.
**Roderick Strong (w/ Truth Martini) vs. Davey Richards – Roderick Strong’s title shot is on the line
Slow clap to start from the fans. Yeah, they’re amped. Lockup and Strong back into the corner. Cautious clean break by Richards. Another lockup and Davey backed into the ropes. Strong technically breaks clean but shoves Davey off said break. Someone appears to have an air horn or something which temporarily distracts Strong. Chain wrestling ends with Strong grabbing a front facelock. Davey backs him into the ropes and breaks clean again. Strong responds by shoving him, and Davey paintbrushes him, causing Strong to bail. Strong comes back in with a headlock takeover, but Davey quickly counters into the headscissors. Strong escapes with a roll into a jackknife pin for 2, and grabs the front facelock off the kickout. Davey circles out into the hammerlock, which Roderick reverses. Davey sends him off, but Strong bowls him with the shoudler block. Rope running shenanigans lead to Davey getting an O’Connor Roll for 2, and then a surfboard, before rolling into 2. Strong rolls up Davey for 2, and they trade reversals and arm lock chain wrestling until Davey breaks with his kick to the shoulder and Strong bails. Back in, and Davey grabs a headlock. Strong shoots him back, but Davey is able to hit a leg lariat off it sending Strong outside. This time Davey follows him with a running kick to the chest while Davey is still standing on the apron. Davey lays in more kicks on the outside to the delight of the Philly crowd, and tosses Strong back in.
Davey continues the arm work with an elbow and a roll through russian legsweep into a sort of single leg crab/armbar/abdominal stretch combination. Strong gets his free leg to the ropes to break. Forearm exchange and Davey whips Strong off the ropes; Strong reverses and hits a back elbow, sending Davey outside this time. Strong follows him with chops on the outside around all four sides of the ring. Strong tees off on him on the apron and rolls him back in. Davey tries to fight up, but Strong just decks him with a right for 2. Reverse bearhug by Strong, now as I take a second to breathe. Davey fights out and they exchange strikes until Davey backs him into the corner and fires away with kicks. Dozens as the Philly crowd is hyped. Davey charges with the forearm and the spin kick, before nailing the snap suplex. Davey goes up top and hits the Dynamite Kid headbutt for 2. Strong kicks out and Davey transitions into the cross arm breaker, but Strong rolls up Davey for 2. Strong grabs the tights and sends Davey to the apron and knocks Davey to the floor, and hits a baseball slide dropkick through the 2nd and bottom ropes sending Davey to the guardrail. Strong presses the advantage, driving Davey into the apron and hitting a backbreaker on the guardrail. Really, Roddy, he’ll hit that tope con hilo later and probably impale himself anyway. Did you need to fast forward it?
Strong rolls in Davey for 2, and then locks in a seated abdominal stretch. Strong takes Davey completely off his feet with a chop for 2. Davey counters a back suplex and lays in forearms, but runs into a chop. He lays in more elbows and runs into another chop. He fights back with slaps now and whips Strong in but he reverses; Davey in turn hits his handspring enzugiri for 2. Strong gets the boot up in the corner, but Davey fires off a few more kicks and drops Strong, then goes up for his missile dropkick for 2 before Strong gets his foot on the ropes. Waistlock is countered and countered again and Davey pushes Strong off towards the buckle, but Strong answers with a few kicks and a uranage slam for 2. Strong hits his fireman’s carry gutbuster for 2. Davey rolls to the apron and Strong goes for his ring apron backdrop suplex, but Davey is able to counter and hit an arm wringer dropping Strong shoulder first onto the apron. German suplex blocked, and Davey flips over to counter a Strong german suplex, and Davey locks in the fujiwara armbar. Strong counters and goes for a vertical suplex. Series of reversals has Davey hit a headscissors into the fujiwara armbar again. Davey rolls it into a pinning combo for 2. Scoop slam, and Davey signals for the Shooting Star Press. Strong hits a jumping enzugiri to cut him off, and follows him up. Strong hits the traditional backbreaker on the top turnbuckle for 2. Strong goes for a canadian backbreaker, but segues it into a Widow’s Peak backbreaker variant for 2. Strong goes for the Strong Hold, but Davey fights long enough to get hit with a slingshot instead. Strong sets Davey up top, and Davey counters with a sunset flip bomb and hits a running kick to the chest. Davey hits a nice german suplex for 2, but holds on and hits a release german and a buzzsaw kick for 2. Davey again locks in the cross-arm breaker, but Strong gets his foot on the ropes.
Davey simply pulls him to center, but Strong counters into the Strong Hold. Philly implores him not to tap! Davey rolls up Strong for 2. Spin kick and they’re exchanging strikes. Strong pulls Todd Sinclair into a Davey spinning lariat and he’s down as Philly gives that the best pop of the night. Poor Todd. Shane Hagadorn makes his way to ringside to hold back Strong. Davey pulls Strong away and shoves Hagadorn off the apron and tries to get Hagadorn to leave. Strong replies with the Sick Kick for the 3!
Roderick Strong def. Davey Richards via Sick Kick in 18:59.
Great match, as you’d expect with these two. There was some selling issues that I don’t really care for, but it was still a lot of fun, and a damn fine TV main event. Hard to really split hairs or complain about it. (***3/4)
**Post-match, nothing happens, as Strong celebrates and leaves. Instead, we get an ad for next week’s ROH on HDNet. Next week, Necro Butcher, Prince Nana, Erick Stevens and Shawn Daivari against Rasche Brown, The Dark City Fight Club and Grizzly Redwood. I guess I’d prefer it be Steel Cage Warfare, but hey. Works for me.
Let’s add up the numbers. On a 50+ minute show, there was a staggering 34:36 of wrestling. The recaps done this week were phenomenal, as I loved the cliffs notes version of the Steen/Generico feud with some footage I haven’t seen a lot before, the wrestling was anywhere from “acceptable” to “great,” we’ve set up dissension between Davey Richards and Shane Hagadorn, and we’ve got 3 damn good matches set up for GBH IX. Definitely a good night.
As always, thanks for reading, never hesitate to hit me up with any comments questions or anything else and I hope to see everyone next week!
