10 Thoughts on … Ring of Honor December 10, 2016 (Women of Honor, Kelly Klein versus ODB, Mandy Leon)

10 Thoughts, Columns, Reviews, Top Story

Thought Zero – It is a Women of Honor episode today and I can only hope it is as good as the last one was. In fact, I’d like to see these a little more often, ROH. On with the show.

1) First match pits Deonna Purrazzo versus Candice LaRae. I don’t know much about Purrazzo except that she has been around TNA and NXT a bit. I think I saw Asuka kill her once. Candice LaRae has of course been around a while. The cute one is also married to one half of the NXT tag team champions (hint – It isn’t Ciampa).

2) ROH is doing little backstage interview vignettes to introduce the wrestlers. I like it so far. Nothing earth-shattering, but it does give the home viewer a chance to invest a little in them. Plus, we learn that LaRae’s grasp of the English language could be a little better. “Funnest?” Really? I do like the blonde/blue/gray tinting of LaRae’s hair though.

3) I think Deonna is missing the mark here for a gimmick. Her last name is Purrazzo. Let’s go with a Car Woman thing already. Her last name is PURRazzo, after all. What? Come on, it’ll be Indyrific!

4) This is a pretty solid match with good mat-based wrestling, solid arm work (including a nice finishing Fujiwara arm bar by Purrazzo), some high flying, and a pretty good amount of selling (mostly by LaRae, I must admit). Good work from both women, I must say. I am impressed. Good start.

5) Next match is a tag team match with Veda Scott and Kennadi Brink versus Faye Jackson and Sumie Sakai. Veda, you’ve been missed. Faye Jackson it trying to do her best Nia Jax impersonation (only with more twerking). Sakai with a very nice Ace Crusher after a slam into Jackson’s butt.

6) Veda still has work to do if she wants to mainly wrestle. She can move and has good psychology, but her moves just look soft. Almost like she slows them down before they “hit” because she is a little unsure.

7) Kennedi Brink has a little fun with Scott as she plucks her own partner off the top rope and then using her as a battering ram and human missle. That was fun. Sakai and Jackson win with a double team top-rope cannonball move.

8) Next match is Jassica Havoc versus Mandy Leon. Leon was in a FANTASTIC match against Hania the Huntress on the first Women of Honor special, so let’s see if she can make it two in a row. A brief promo from Leon covers a feud with Taeler Hendrix which I didn’t even know was happening. Apparently, Jessica Havok has been sent by Hendrix to destroy Leon. Decent set-up. It’s simple, but it works.

9) The size difference between these two ladies is dramatic. But Mandy just grows more aggressive as the match goes on. This match was not bad, but couldn’t live up to my own hype from Leon versus Hania. Jessica Havoc had the match won but picked up Leon before the three count. Then she went for a chair, but Deonna Purrazzo came out from the back to grab the chair and Leon got the distracted roll up for the three count.

10) The Main Event includes Kelly Klein and ODB. I have no interest in ODB, so let’s go Klein. They are still promoting Kelly Klein’s unbeaten streak, so that’s still a thing. They pushed this as strength versus strength and Klein looked pretty good but they both looked a little sloppy. Klein reversed an ODB attack into the Guillotine Choke in the end for the victory.

 

Overall, another pretty good episode of Women of Honor. Admittedly, I didn’t think anything was as great as the Leon versus Hania match from the first special, but it was a solid show all around. Plus, no BJ Whitmer in Kelly Klein’s corner this time, so that’s a plus.

Next week we are going to check out the fall out from Final Battle. See you then!

Human. I think.