We fade right into our opening animation before hitting the Ohio Expo Center on the Ohio Fairgrounds in Columbus, where Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino welcome us to another hot hour of ROH TV! Corino tells us he is working on an exclusive interview with a member of the Final Battle main event, which will take place next week. With that, KK sends us to the ring!
Outlaw, Inc vs. American Wolves
Corino hates clowns. He is not alone. They are creepy. The Wolves are out second for what could be their final ROH TV match as a team, with Davey on his way out of the company. I can’t believe Homicide has been wrestling for twenty years! Insane. KK talks about how OI is chasing reDRagon but that the champs haven’t even acknowledged OI to this point. Corino warns that they should probably be a bit concerned, but perhaps they aren’t. Davey and Kingston start things off, taking their time getting adjusted. Corino and KK compare Kingston to the great Dick Murdoch. Apparently Corino and Murdoch partied together at their West Texas State fraternity. If that were even close to true, it would have made for some amazing stories. After a stalemate, EE and Homicide are in and battling on the mat. KK discusses how OI claims to be here to assist Nigel McGuinness in cleaning up ROH, starting with the tag team titles. Corino continues his crusade against EE’s chops and campaigns for a role as King of ROH. Of course, we are just one week away from Final Battle in NYC. Amazing to think the year is almost over. The Wolves have gained control of the match, using some double teams to wear down Kingston. Homicide tags in and goes right to the eyes of Davey, leading to a swing in momentum. Corino details his past with Homicide and the injuries they have levied on each other, leading to bad blood to this day. As EE comes in to turn the tide, reDRagon ambles to ringside and steals OI’s clown attire. They put the wig and mask on as we take a break.
When we return, Davey has Kingston in a leglock but Eddie reaches the ropes to break. It looks like the champs are gone now as Corino gets a dig in on Kingston’s IQ and also claims EK doesn’t have internet or TV. EE unleashes some chops as the Wolves dominate. However, some rare miscommunication leads to an EK comeback with a superplex. Homicide tags in and wipes out Davey with a flapjack, followed by a back elbow and a trio of snap suplexes. He pays tribute to Eddie Guerrero as well after the Amigos, triggering an “Eddie” chant. EE comes back and trips up Homicide as he ascended the top rope. However, things break down a bit, leading to Homicide hitting a neckbreaker as Davey attempted a springboard elbow. EE breaks up that pin attempt but he gets quickly dumped to the floor. Davey slips free of the Gringo Killer as EE makes his way back inside. They wipe out Homicide and each head to the top, but Kingston shoves EE off as Homicide avoids the double stomp from Davey. Kingston hoists Davey up on his shoulders, leading to Homicide riding him down with a bulldog off the top rope for the win. Davey is done with some big time job duty the last two weeks. Huge win for OI, their biggest to date, and a victory that immediately puts them into the legit title picture. Homicide grabs KK’s mic and demands they get a title shot at Final Battle. The match was a bit choppy but it got the point across and gave OI a good TV win.
When we return, KK breaks the news that Outlaw, Inc will indeed receive their title shot with reDRagon at Final Battle. Will they remain undefeated and take the gold? Time will tell. We also get a detailed video package setting up the big Final Battle stretcher match between Kevin Steen and Michael Bennett. The loser will no longer be used to use the piledriver during matches.
Roderick Strong vs. Jay Lethal vs. Matt Taven vs. Michael Elgin
This is a four corner survival match and it should be a good one. Truth has Scarlett and four random local ladies with him this week and KK asks if there was a power outage at the strip club tonight. Good line. Taven’s strap is not on the line but he is in here with some pretty heated rivals. This is a very good mix of talent and another big test for Taven, who is in a situation where he has to deliver yet again. Corino even drops a Mad Dog Sawyer reference on us as well as lots of STD jokes, capped by “I hope he has Magic Johnson money”. This guy is the best. Break time.
Roddy and Lethal won the coin flip and chose to start the match off. And it sounds like we have some lucha rules here, as any time anyone is bounced to the floor, a new competitor can hop into the ring. We get a flurry of action and tags to start here as KK and Corino run through the Final Battle card. Taven shuttles in and takes Elgin over with a suplex that is promptly no sold, leading to an Elgin delayed suplex that lasts about :30 and included an attempted, and failed, attack from Roddy. Lethal eventually cleans house and then tumbles into Elgin and Roddy with a series of topes but his attempt to nail Taven with one is thwarted by Scarlett being used as a shield. Taven runs Lethal into the post as we hit a break.
Hache mache, we get a risque commercial on the CW, directing us to bedside.org to learn which method of birth control is best suited for us. Too bad this site wasn’t around back when Chad Campbell’s parents were consorting.
We are back and Taven is going toe to toe with Lethal as Truth is ranting on commentary. Taven has a big match next week as a win over Tommaso Ciampa will continue his record title reign and give him a big PPV win. Elgin comes back in and starts tossing Taven around as Roddy continues to hide out a bit on the apron, playing it smart and staying fresh. Taven battles back, cracking Elgin with a jumping kick to the head. Roddy finally does tag in and he is a house of fire, running through all three opponents before taking Lethal off the top with a big superplex. Taven breaks up that pinball, but Roddy stays in control, eventually crushing Taven with a backbreaker. Roddy has been in the fucking zone over the past few months. Elgin puts Roddy across his shoulders and then hoists Lethal up before falling back and tossing them both away. Elgin loads up a power bomb on Roddy, but Taven and Lethal both crack him with superkicks. Lethal heads up top and decides to drop an elbow through Taven, who was prone on a ringside table, as opposed to diving onto Roddy in the ring. Lethal chose revenge over victory, but that was a pretty cool spot that really revved up the crowd. Back inside, Elgin pastes Roddy with a clothesline and gets a near fall. Roddy does all he can to avoid a bucklebomb and then hits a backbreaker and sick kick for a near fall. Lots of great shine for Roddy in this one, which I love to see. KK reminds us that Roddy defeated Tyler Black for the ROH World Title with that exact series of moves. Elgin avoids a Gibson Driver and cracks him with a spinning backlist, followed by a rainmaker and Elginbomb for the win. That was a very fun match that really picked up in the back half. As much as I want Roddy to win every match, I have no qualms with the finish here as Elgin needed the win heading into Final Battle. Nice showing by all four but Roddy and Elgin got the most shine.
After our final break, Steve Corino is in the ring and he brings out Jay Briscoe for an interview. Briscoe has his homemade World Title around his shoulder. Corino mentions how Briscoe has changed ever since he forfeited the title and asks him about Final Battle. Briscoe is adamant that he was ever defeated and never lost his title and should still be the champion. Corino gives him a reality check about his status as a former champion. Briscoe does not handle that well. Corino is just speaking the truth, brother! Briscoe doesn’t appreciate being called a liar. Corino recognizes that Briscoe has an open challenge but tells Jay that everyone has a match set and he just wants to talk about Final Battle. Jay threatens to beat Corino’s ass but Silas Young comes down and attacks Briscoe before anything can happen. Mark Briscoe is out now and he wraps his belt around Young’s eco and drags him down the aisle. Adam Cole shows up and tries to jump Briscoe, but Briscoe catches him and beats him down. Elgin comes out and clocks Briscoe with a backlist, but Cole drops Elgin with a super kick and then pastes Briscoe with the title. With both challengers wiped out, Cole stands tall with both title straps.
This was a solid episode with lots of Final Battle build, as it should have. The closing segment was really well done to help set up Final Battle’s main event. The four-way was the match of the night, but we didn’t really have much to choose from this week. So, there you have it. Final Battle is next week! Be sure to check it out and then head back here for a recap of next week’s TV. Until then, take care and always respect the code!
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