Thought Zero – Ring of Honor television this week comes from the day after Best in the World. A brief compilation of stills from the title match at Best in the World starts us off so we know Jay Lethal is still the champion. Onto the matches…
1) The first match is Donovan Dijak versus Jason Kincaid. I remember being impressed with Kincaid during the Top Prospect tournament, so I am glad to see him again. As for Dijak… Maybe some new wrestling gear would help me think more of him. Or some facepaint or something. Because athletically impressive douchebag works when you are a New England Patriots’ tight end, but not so much in a world of bigger images like pro wrestling.
2) The innovation of Kincaid is impressive. I’ve watched a lot of wrestling in my life, and to see things that I have never seen before is rare. The fact that Kincaid can do that multiple times during a match is very cool. The match is basically Dijak using his strength to counter whatever Kincaid throws at him, and that dynamic works. Kincaid is a little bit sloppy with some of his more interesting moves, but they still look effective and Dijak does a good job of selling them. Good work from these too.
3) Not to take anything away from Dijak though. His power moves are impressive as well. For example, blocking a head scissors takedown attempt by just flinging his opponent through the ropes was cool. The belly-to-belly overhead suplex outside the ring into the barrier was also fantastic. But then Kincaid hits a sweet twisting springboard blockbuster from the second rope onto a seated Dijak and I just say “wow” again. And, after knocking Dijak to the floor, he hits a diving sunset flip, flinging Dijak head and neck first into the barricade. Props to Dijak for taking that bump. Later is the Grave of the Fireflies with Dijak sitting on the top rope and Kincaid standing ON the ringpost behind him. Awesome move, but was a tiny bit sloppy, so it only got a two count. Dijak used his strength again to catch Kincaid later and hit his Feast Your Eyes finisher.
4) One more note on this match involves the commentary from Kevin Kelly and Nigel MacGuinness. Interesting stories they told about both competitors. Apparently, Dijak was not only a two-sport athlete, but also had an FBI career lined up before he went into pro wrestling. Hmmm, I always suspected pro wrestling was a front for the government. And Kincaid was apparently born and raised in the Appalachian mountains with no running water or electricity. But don’t feel bad for him, he uses that as motivation. Motivation to do what though? Wrestle mid-card matches in the indys? I doubt he is getting a lot of cash to send back and help out his family. I joke, but both of these guys’ backstories could get them over huge if done right.
5) Next up is a tag team title match with The Addiction defending against Silas Young and the Beer City Bruiser. Apparently Young and the Bruiser won the ten team Tag Wars tournament to get a title shot. They show a brief clip of the final match of that tournament with Bruiser hitting a frog splash onto Rhett Titus in front of a cheering crowd. Not sure how that will help ANX’s stupid political gimmick to make wrestling great again. Oh well. Daniels puts over Young and Bruiser as being real men, not like the Motor City Machineguns.
6) Silas and Kazarian have a nice little chain wrestling sequence to start things off. They follow with a cute bit where they both congratulate each other and shake hands, but both try to cheap shot the other with a kick. They catch each other’s legs, insult each other for trying to that, then both hit each other at the same time. The next few minutes are “whatever you can do (including cheating), we can do better” by both teams.
7) The Addiction remain the World Tag Team Champions of the World as they pin Bruiser after a missed frog splash, the Best Moonsault Ever, and a springboard legdrop. A couple sub-thoughts…
7) A) Silas Young is actually very good. I wish his character wasn’t as one-note as it has become, but he is very solid in the ring.
7) B) Bruiser looked like he was having a blast out there. I love seeing people look like they are enjoying themselves into of grudgingly working through a match.
7) C) Kazarian seems like he has been a little less sloppy lately. This ROH run is doing him some good and I’m glad to see it.
7) D) Daniels is still just the best.
8) Now we get a live “Fish Tank” which is just Bobby Fish talking to people. ACH and Mark Briscoe are his two guests today. And wouldn’t you know that they are going to wrestle for the #1 Contendership to the ROH TV title. Mark Briscoe is pretty funny on the mic. Bobby Fish sounds like he’s forgotten a few of his lines and has gotten a little lost trying to get back on track. Once Briscoe makes everyone laugh, ACH seems a little more angry than you would think. He needs to get a little better with his promos.
9) Bobby Fish moves over to the announcer’s table and the match begins. Mark looks very different with the shaved head. Fish comments on Mark Briscoe being a bit of a wildcard, and I love that description for him. I mean, he’s not Charlie Day level of wildcard, but still … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYtjpIwamos(I wonder how many weeks I can throw in a clip from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.).
10) Pretty good match between these two. I’d like to see these two get more time and really go after it. Mark briscoe wins with a Froggy Bow and he and ACH show some respect to each other afterwards. I like Bobby Fish, but I think Mark Briscoe would be very entertaining as the ROH TV champion. I feel I give Mark Briscoe a bit of a short shrift in these columns. But he is really quite good in the ring and very funny. Here’s to hoping he gets that TV champion push.
That’s all for this week. Next week is Roderick Strong’s final match in Ring of Honor. Join me for that, won’t you?
