ROH Reaction of Honor 07.13.2013 (reDRagon v C&C)

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The Glimpse:

Kevin Steen has joined team ROH for Steel Cage Warfare in a couple short weeks.  reDRagon defends against C&C Wrestle Factory tonight!  And remember, although most of us know what happens in a couple of weeks, this will remain “this week” focused for those of you who do not seek out spoilers!

The Action:

Match 1: QT Marshall vs Tommaso Ciampa

Winner:  Tommaso Ciampa via pinfall 

God ran out of good gifts when Seth Rollins was doing God’s Last Gift…QT Marshall is no such thing.  QT offers the handshake and Ciampa flips him off.

Ciampa immediately delivers a knee strike to the side of the head for a very very near fall.  QT ducks to the outside and Ciampa drives him into the barricade.  Ciampa chops at him, then rolls him into the ring.  Marshall goes to the floor again and then trips Ciampa, who pulls him face first into the ring post, then kicks him into the barricade.  Fans hold QT’s arms back and Ciampa chops him again (Shouldn’t that be a DQ?) then QT runs away into the ring.  Ciampa delivers an exposed knee in the corner and when he tries to do it again, Evans tries to trip him.  Evans ends up thrown into the ring and scampers away; when Ciampa tries to hit the ropes to deliver a knee to the barrister, QT delivers a big clothesline.  Marshall puts Ciampa on the top rope, but he elbows out, only to take a dropkick to the face from QT.  Ciampa slides down with his leg caught in the ropes, but the ref frees him, so that resulted in nothing…except a commercial break.

QT is in control as we return to action, having taken advantage of Ciampa’s fall.  Ciampa fights back from his knees but gets driven to the corner.  Ciampa elbows out, but QT catches him for a knee breaker and a chop block.  QT sets up a chair on the floor and scoop slams Ciampa knee first onto it while RD Evans distracts the ref.  QT rolls him back in for a two count, then puts on an Indian deathlock.  Ciampa tries to fight out and finally breaks the hold – Both men are to their feet for a strike exchange.  Ciampa gets the best of it, but Marshall kicks him in the knee.  Ciampa responds with strikes and a back body drop, then knees Marshall to the apron.  Ciamps meets him out there and lifts QT up for a Kryptonite Krunch, but QT fights down and puts Ciampa on the top rope.  Ciampa shoves him to the floor with his legs then climbs to the top rope and delivers a body press, landing on his bad leg.  Prince Nana walks out on the apron to observe as RD Evans tries to get Marshall back in the ring.  At a count of 19, Ciampa makes it back in the ring and takes a bevy of right hands from Marshall.  Ciampa lands a Kryptonite Krunch out of nowhere for two then wants Project Ciampa – He discards Marshall to give one to Evans, who escapes, but sees Nana on the ramp.  Evans runs back into the ring and right into Project Ciampa, then Marshall scoops him for a pin.  He gets two, but holds on for a Stretch Muffler, which Ciampa turns into a small package for two.  Ciampa lands a knee to the face that leaves Marshall stunned on his knees, then delivers another with the knee brace for the win.

Match 2: Nick Merriman vs Mike Bennett

Winner:  Mike Bennett via pinfall

Off the Code of Honor handshake, Bennett hits his version of the Side Effect and the Box Office Smash TKO for a quick win.

Should he stay or go?  That’s the question Bennett poses to the crowd on his own behalf.  Bennett shows us an official ROH contract and says that while the crowd and ROH need him, he doesn’t need them.  Bennett is mad that the crowd boos him but cheers for Cheeseburger.  Bennett says maybe he should just give the contract to Cheeseburger.  CB gets in and after being given the contract and a pen, Bennett super kicks him, then pounds him.  Brutal Bob pulls Bennett off and says “that’s enough” and after a whisper from Maria, Bennett nails his trainer with the Photo Finish.  Bennett says he isn’t Bob Evans’ “Prodigy” any longer.

Jay Briscoe in Ring

Jay says there’s no way he forfeits the Ring of Honor Title.  Regardless of his busted shoulder, he’ll stand against Matt Hardy and defend the Title and ROH.

Match 3:  C&C Wrestle Factory vs reDRagon (c), ROH Tag Team Championship 

Winners:  reDRagon via pinfall

O’Reilly and Alexander start it off with a quick exchange, resulting in a side headlock from O’Reilly.  Alexander rolls out and gets sent to the ropes, flipping over O’Reilly and tagging him with a dropkick.  O’Reilly tries one of his own but gets a slingshot to the corner, an inverted atomic drop (Which sends him into Coleman’s right hand) and back into another one.  Coleman tags in and takes an immediate jawbuster, allowing a tag to Fish who runs into forearms and a scoop slam.  Coleman whiffs a leaping leg drop, then Fish whiffs a kick.  Coleman gets a two count then a leg lariat for another two.  Alexander tags back in and hits a slingshot senton for two.  Forearms from Alexander, but Fish tries to fight him off.  Fish reverses a whip and O’Reilly hits a cheap shot on the apron.  Alexander still slams Fish and dodges O’Reilly’s flying attack.  reDRagon tries a double suplex, but Coleman runs in and saves Alexander and they land a double drop kick on the tag champs.  Coleman rushes Fish in the corner, hitting his back leg kick/moonsault combination, taking out O’Reilly on the floor in the process.  Fish boots Alexander away, who low bridges Fish as he rushes him.  Coleman hits a 619 around the ringpost and this leaves the crowd ready for Alexander to fly to the floor – He takes out the Tag Team Champions as ROH goes to commercial.

Back in, The American Wolves are watching from the ramp as Coleman strikes Fish in the corner.  Coleman and Fish have a miscommunication, resulting in an awkward miss of a back elbow from Coleman and a tag to O’Reilly from Fish.  Coleman recovers and hits a back body drop and scoop slam on O’Reilly, then hits his leg drop for two.  Coleman hits a heel kick off the ropes for another two, then tags in Alexander.  Double team whip to the corner and Coleman hits a boot, but O’Reilly boots Alexander away and Coleman takes a spill to the floor.  O’Reilly catches Alexander’s leg on the next attempt and while he’s on one leg, Bobby Fish sweeps it from the floor.  Fish drives Coleman into the  corner of the barricade, leaving him in a chair, primed for O’Reilly to his his apron running dropkick.  Alexander back drops Fish to the floor then tries a plancha, but lands on his feet.  Alexander ducks a clothesline from Fish but takes one from O’Reilly, then gets rolled back in.  While this is going on, the Wolves have gotten closer to the ring and taken umbridge with Corino running his mouth in their general direction.  Corino, playing the spineless heel, immediately plays the “I’m a broadcast journalist!” card when Richards puts hands on him.  Compton and Titus attack the Wolves while O’Reilly works over Alexander in the ring.  TD and ACH join the fray on the floor while O’Reilly locks on a cross arm breaker.  Coleman climbs to the top rope and hits a diving headbutt to break it up, then Fish hits a Falcon Arrow on him.  Alexander exchanges with Fish, but eventually gets blasted by kicks from both members of reDRagon and a Bobby Fish backdrop driver.  O’Reilly makes the cover, but Alexander kicks out at two.  Fish and Coleman tag in and C&C hit their own combination of a double stomp to Fish (In a fireman’s carry), then a DVD onto Alexander’s knees.  O’Reilly’s turn to break up a pin now.  Fish gets knocked to the floor, in a scrum of about 10 guys, then Alexander hits a flip dive and takes them all out.  O’Reilly is left in the ring with Coleman and wants a brainbuster, but Coleman fights out and hits a jumping knee, then puts O’Reilly on the top rope, wanting the frankensteiner half of Overtime.  Fish holds onto his partner, leaving Coleman to tumble onto his head.  O’Reilly hits a tornado DDT, holds on and takes Coleman up for Chasing the DRagon and the win.

The show goes off the air with all the tag teams fighting in the ring.

The Reaction:

Good showing from both men, regardless of how much I like or dislike QT Marshall.  Evans gets involved in effective ways, distracting the ref and taking Project Ciampa like a champ.  Nana observing things means he may want his “Crown Jewel” back in the fold soon.  Would be interesting to see Nana and Evans in opposite corners as managers.  Evans is a good show of managers being part of the show and making an impact.  Over on NXT, we see the French Stallion as Sylvester LeFort doing basically nothing at ringside aside from occasionally trash talking before matches.  It’s just a misuse.

Sssssssssquash!  So Bennett “has a long contract” but I guess he didn’t sign it, considering he was waving it under the nose of Cheeseburger.  The split from Bob Evans was expected and now it’s exploded, with the fuse lit by Maria Kanellis.  Interesting to see it be a semi face-turn for Brutal Bob.  Maybe he takes a young up and comer under his wing?

The first half of that match was a fine, well done match.  The second half was a cluster-funk of the grandest order.  Glad to see the Wolves still acting as a unit, considering there isn’t a hell of a lot for them to do as singles guys at the moment.  It took me about match length and a half to record all that action – I just couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with all of it.  Love the “partner holds guy’s legs” finish when a top rope move is involved – Always a classic.  During most matches, Corino has started to be a bit silly with his flip flopping and his “Dingding” nonsense, but when he’s scared of Ciampa or going bananas over the actual action in the ring, he’s really interesting to hear.  The heels get a win thanks to moderate interference, although it wasn’t done for their benefit; it was just a circumstance.  That actually makes them look like a more competent tag team that just happens to be jerks.  This is GOOD.  If this ends up a 4 way tag with Wolves/Adrenaline Rush/C&C/reDRagon, I think my action summary will end up being “watch the damn match” because I don’t have enough fingers to type and keep up with that action.

The Preview:

The injured Jay Briscoe defends against Matt Hardy.  Will SCUM grab the ROH World Title?  (Well…most of us know already.)

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!

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