-This week's show features matches from Supercard of Honor VIII held the Friday before WrestleMania.
-Jay Lethal is tried of Tomasso Ciampa, and wants to take back what was his. Lethal actually gets really animated during this promo, which is quite unusual for him.
-They really need to update their intro video. Too many guys in there that haven't competed in RoH for months.
-Hosts are Kevin Kelly & Steve Corino
-Match 1: Silas Young VS RD Evans (w/Veda Scott & Ramon)
-A rare heel vs heel match, with part of the crowd clearly behind Young. I love the gag of them making up ridiculous numbers for the streak. For now, he's supposedly 82-0. They shake hands, and Silas immediately guts Evans in fireman's carry position. Evans escapes and hits a big boot, but gets driven back into the corner. Young goes for a suplex, bur Veda trips him, and Evans gets two. Young goes after Veda then Ramon, and Evans leaps off the apron with...something. Evans goes up top as Veda joins the commentary crew, and gets caught then tossed by Young. Young gets Evans into a seated position, then back kicks him in the chest for two. Young applies a bodyscissors as we go to break.
Back from break, Evans misses a splash off the top, and Young hits a backbreaker/lariat clothesline for two. The crowd chants "you can't beat him" at Young as Kelly & Corino start talking like the streak is a serious deal. They go onto the apron, where Young hits an electric chair drop. Evans barely makes it back into the ring at 19 (it's a 20 count on the floor in RoH). Evans surprises Young with a small package for two, but then gets punted in the head. Young looks to finish, but Veda distracts. Ramon tosses his belt in the ring and Young gets it, but Evans feigns getting hit. Young pleads his case to the ref, and gets schoolboyed for two.
Young accidentally KO's the ref, but gets caught with a neckbreaker for a visual pin. Young gets a Finlay Roll, then finishes with a headstand into an Arabian Press with a second ref counting. The original ref comes to, and DQ's Young for the hit that took him out.
**1/2 The match was alright, but I don't get the announcers taking the streak seriously, and wanting it to continue.
-Evans has a total babyface celebration. I don't get anything about his whole act right now.
-Truth Martini is still pissed about being fired by Matt Taven. Martini promises to unveil his newest client at Supercard of Honor VIII.
-My new BFF Taven comes out for a match with Martini's new guy, but Martini comes out alone, and says that everyone including Taven knows that Taven is nothing without Truth. Truth tries to read the final chapter of the Book of Truth, but Taven stops him. Taven holds it, but then the book bursts into flames, and Martini kicks Taven in the nuts. Ok then.
-Backstage, Taven looks for Truth, finding him in the men's room, but ends up getting blinded by Martini.
-A video shows Tomasso Ciampa defending the RoH TV title in other promotions.
-Nigel McGuinness takes Corino's place on commentary.
-Match 2 for the RoH Television Championship: Tomasso Ciampa [c] VS Jay Lethal [2/3 Falls]
-FIRST FALL: Ciampa, who injured his leg in a match against Lethal over a year ago, removes his knee brace and hands it to Lethal during their pre-match handshake. Slow start, then things pick up when they exchange rollups, and Lethal hits a hiptoss, but Ciampa rolls out of the way before Lethal can add the dropkick he usually follows up with. Ciampa avoids a springboard dropkick, but Lethal kicks out of a swing into the barricade, and hits a couple suicide dives. The crowd chants for a third dive, which Lethal delivers to knock Ciampa into the front row as we go to break.
Back from break, Ciampa steps out of the crowd and gets punched in the forehead. Ciampa manages to shove Lethal into the post, then the barricade. Ciampa exposes his knee, and hits a running strike to the seated Lethal. Ciampa tries for the pin after that, but can't get it. Ciampa adds some chops, but Lethal fires back with his hiptoss/low dropkick combo for two. Lethal slowly works Ciampa over, and hits an elbowdrop for two. Lethal gets an overhead wristlock, but Ciampa bites his hand to escape. Lethal hits an enziguiri, then they botch a Lethal Injection-countered-into-a-lung blower spot. They fight over a suplex, and end up spilling over the top to the floor.
They exchange strikes on the floor, and almost take a double count out. Ciampa blocks another try at the Lethal Injection and gets a roll up, but Lethal rolls through to counter and gets the pin to go up 1-0.
SECOND FALL: Ciampa kicks Lethal in the face and goes for a powerbomb, but Lethal counters into a rana---> roll up for two. Ciampa fires back with an exposed knee to Lethal's face which looks to be a KO, but Lethal kicks out at two, and we go to break.
Back from break, Ciampa blocks a superkick, but falls prey to the Lethal Combination and a Koji Clutch. Ciampa escapes and gets the Sicillian Stretch (Rings of Saturn), but Lethal gets to the ropes. They slowly exchange forearms, then Ciampa avoids yet another Lethal Injection, and Ciampa counters into a Diamond Cutter for two. Ciampa goes for a Kryptonite Crunch off the turnbuckles, but Lethal escapes, and hits Project Ciampa for two. Lethal takes too much time going for Hail to the King as the crowd chants for Randy Savage, and another attempt at the Lethal Injection leads to a ref bump. Ciampa gets some rolling German suplexes as some people in the crowd chant "Chris Benoit". Ugh. Should have stopped right there Ciampa.
Ciampa knocks Lethal for a flip with a huge clothesline, and Truth Martini comes out. Martini grabs Ciampa's knee brace and slides it to Lethal, who weakly hits Ciampa with it...for two. Lethal hits Hail to the King, and Ciampa immediately kicks out. Ciampa no-sells a couple superkick and flips Lethal off, so Lethal kicks the bad leg, and finally hits the Lethal Injection to win 2-0 and regain the title.
**1/2 The finishing stretch was good and the heel turn finally came for Lethal after about 18 months of teasing, but the match itself was pretty disappointing.
-Truth raises Lethal's hand to cement the alliance, then Lethal quotes "House of the Rising Son" and says the house in New Orleans is the House of Truth. Lethal adds a cheap shot to Ciampa before leaving.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: This is what RoH is now for the most part. Solid, if unspectacular action. It's not bad per say, but if you're not already a fan, watching RoH now probably isn't going to turn you into one.
No comments:
Post a Comment