Pennsylvania National Guard Armory – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – March 15, 2014
Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino are on commentary. They announce that in two weeks Michael Elgin will get his shot at AJ Styles. But tonight, it’s Tommaso Ciampa versus Jay Lethal for the ROH World TV Title!
MATCH #1: Hanson & Raymond Rowe vs. Team Benchmark
Team Benchmark is Will Ferrera and Bill Daly. Hanson and Rowe were the two finalists in the Top Prospect Tournament, and that experience led them to join forces. It doesn’t take long for Hanson and Rowe to establish dominance with their size and power. This goes on for quite a while. Daley and Ferrera get a small bit of offense in near the end, but Hanson and Rowe quickly squelch that threat. Rowe hits Ferrera with the Death Rowe to get the win.
WINNERS – Hanson & Raymond Rowe
Michael Elgin makes his way to the ring and grabs the mic. Elgin puts over both men as having earned his respect. He proposes an alliance, since Adam Cole has people watching his back Elgin thinks he should have the same. Elgin promises that he will become the ROH World Champion.
We come back from a commercial break and Kevin Steen is in the ring with something to say. Before he can speak, the music of Outlaw Inc. hits and Homicide and Eddie Kingston make their way out. Kingston offers Steen a spot in their little group, which Steen respectfully declines. Things start to get heated so Nigel McGuinness comes out to make a singles match. Homicide and Kingston play Rock Paper Scissors, and Homicide wins.
MATCH #2: Kevin Steen vs. Homicide (w/ Eddie Kingston)
This is a brawl right from the get-go, and Steen is in control. Homicide fights back and gets some sloppy looking offense in, so Steen cuts him off. They go tot he floor and Steen whips Homicide into the barricade. Back in the ring Steen hits an Air Raid Crash for two. Homicide fights back with a Tornado DDT for a near-fall. They fight up on the ropes and Steen shoves Homicide down. Steen follows with a Swanton Bomb for two. He tries the Cannonball but Kingston pulls Homicide to the floor. Steen goes to the apron and wipes out both Outlaws with a cannonball. Back in the ring Steen hits a pop-up powerbomb. Steen goes for the Package Piledriver but Kingston gets in the ring and clobbers him for the disqualification.
WINNER – Kevin Steen (DQ)
Homicide and Kingston continue to abuse Steen after the bell. For some reason Cliff Compton comes out to make the save and confuse the commentators.
Adrenaline RUSH is backstage to hype their upcoming shot at the ROH World Tag Team Titles, which they earned by defeating the Champions reDRagon in San Antonio.
Nigel McGuinness is in the ring to talk about the main event for Supercard of Honor VIII on April 4 in New Orleans. Jay Briscoe comes out with his fake World Title belt to make his case for getting a shot at Cole. McGuinness decides that the fairest thing to do would be to hang both titles above the ring and have the real ROH World Champion Adam Cole face Jay Briscoe in Ladder War V! Cole makes his way out and he is severely irritated by this announcement. Even so, Cole accepts the match. Then Mike Bennett sneaks in from behind and hits Jay with a low blow. Mark Briscoe comes out to make the save.
The Decade is backstage, hyping their six-man tag team match next week against Adrenaline RUSH & Andrew Everett.
MATCH #3: ROH World TV Title Match – Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jay Lethal
A nice video package shows how Ciampa won the title and how Lethal earned a shot. Ciampa has been the Champion since 12.14.13, and this is his fourth defense. Former TV Champion Matt Taven joins Kelly and Corino on commentary. Ciampa and Lethal don’t wait for the introductions and immediately start slugging at each other. These two have faced off numerous times and know each other very well. Lethal takes the early advantage and knocks Ciampa to the floor. That backfires though, as Ciampa grabs Lethal’s legs and swings him into the guardrail. Ciampa tries to follow up but Lethal cuts him off and hits the hiptoss / basement dropkick combo! Awesome. Back in the ring Lethal keeps up the pressure but Ciampa refuses to stay down. Ciampa fights back and hits a big superplex for a near-fall. Time for a commercial break. When we come back Lethal goes for the Lethal Injection but Ciampa counters with a backstabber. Lethal comes back by sending Ciampa to the floor and following him out with three consecutive suicide dives. Back in the ring Lethal hits Hail to the King for a two-count. They fight to the apron and Ciampa hits an Air Raid Crash! Both men are down and Truth Martini makes his way out to watch. Meanwhile, Lethal and Ciampa barely make it back to the ring at the count of 19. Ciampa hits the old Eddie Edwards face slam for two. Lethal comes back with the Lethal Combination into the Koji Clutch. Ciampa reverses that to the Sicilian Stretch. Lethal makes the ropes. Martini gets in Taven’s face, and Taven attacks him, distracting the referee and causing him to miss Lethal having Ciampa pinned for more than three seconds. Moments later Ciampa connects with Project Ciampa to get the win and retain his title.
WINNER – Tommaso Ciampa
Ciampa and Lethal exchange tense words after the match, but ultimately shake hands.
AJ Styles versus Michael Elgin – in two weeks!
