After our opening animation, we head right inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, where PTB Nation remains in the house. Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino welcome us in an wish us a Happy Valentine’s Day. Corino gives some love to his wife, who KK mistakes for Adam Cole, and then the boys are joined by Veda Scott for our opener.
Romantic Touch vs. Michael Bennett
And of course, which better superstar to kick off our V-Day episode than Mr. Romantic Touch. KK mentions Veda’s issues with RT, and she maintains that Rhett Titus is indeed under this mask. Corino denies and debates. The red lights, music and roses are a cool touch for RT. Bennett and…hache mache Maria are out next. Seeing Maria live in the…flesh…again, was a highlight of my trip to Pittsburgh for sure. Maria trashes RT on the mic, bitching about how men like him act like women need them. She believes the wrong women in wresting are the ones with the power and she isn’t afraid of being in the ring with men and getting attacked. She wants to prove that women in wrestling can have power and to prove it, she taught Bennett his new finishing move. Bennett takes the mic and says he is not just the Best in the World, but he is Better Than the Best. Well, then. After that, the bell finally sounds and we are under way. RT lays a kiss on Bennett’s hand off the Code of Honor handshake, which gives him an early opening to take Bennett to the mat. Corino has heard a rumor that RT doesn’t even take his mask off when he is with a woman. Bennett takes control as Veda keep harping on her RT issues. After some back and forth, things spill to the floor, where RT is whipped into the barricade as we head to break.
When we return, Bennett has RT in a chin lock, but the Romantic one fights to his feet to break the hold. Bennett plants him with a back elbow as Corino wonders why the fans don’t like Bennett despite his skill. Touch fires back, hammers away at Bennett and then gives us a little Rude Awakening hip swivel. He follows that with a Nature Boy strut to the enjoyment of the crowd. RT gets a near fall but then distracts himself by making goo-goo eyes at Maria (I certainly can’t blame him). Bennett uses Maria as a shield to thwart an RT dive, so he slides outside instead and grabs Maria, who he dips seductively. Bennett uses the opening to hit a superkick and chuck RT back inside. Veda and Corino tout the great teamwork on display here. RT rolls through a Side Effect attempt and hits a dropkick, but as he covers, Maria gets on the apron and gyrates her hips and swings her hair around and…I will be right back.
OK, so she is still going and RT obviously breaks his own pin attempt to go join her. RT grabs his mysterious box from the corner and hands it to Maria, who opens it to reveal a whole lot of chocolate. Maria takes one and then smacks the rest into RT’s face. He falls back, Bennett takes him down and then locks in the (Anaconda) Vice for the tap and the win. I see what you did there, Michael, you cad. Bennett and Maria celebrate and leave as RT consoles himself with candy. Veda harasses him and reams him out at ringside, but RT just picks her up to abscond with her, but she wriggles free and scampers off.
Michael Elgin & Chris Hero vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. Adam Cole & Matt Hardy – Elimination Match
It is already main event time, and this should be a doozy. Elgin and Hero enter first, and they have been a somewhat untrusting alliance to this point. The Briscoes are out next, and KK points out that they haven’t teamed together in nearly a year, which seems kind of crazy. Corino does his usual mark out session as Cole & Hardy saunter to the ring to a chorus of boos. Ring announcer Bobby Cruise hops on the apron and reveals that Nigel McGuinness has deemed that anybody that picks up a pinfall or submission win over Cole will earn a future World Title shot. As Cole expresses his displeasure, we take a break.
After that word from our sponsors, Elgin and Jay start things off with a stalemate. They continue to try to one up each other, but neither man can land a substantial blow, leading to another standoff. Corino vows his next child will be named Adam Cole Matt Hardy Corino, and KK tells him he will be 60 at his new son’s graduation as it is. Jay tags his brother, and Elgin obliges and tags Hero in as we start fresh. Hero control Mark for a bit until tagging Elgin back in, who keeps the heat on, sending us to another break.
When we return, Hero and Jay are back in and Jay is grinding Hero with a front facelock. The Briscoes uses their tag experience to keep Hero on the defensive, until the big man is able to land some right hands and a boot. Cole and Hardy run their mouth until Hero and Briscoe turn towards them and they drop to the mat and back into the corner of the barricade. Hardy finally ends up tagged in, where Hero works him over. Sounds like the ROH production team drowned down some of the nasty shit the Pittsburgh fans were saying to Hardy, which is probably for the best. Elgin tags in and hits his delayed suplex, despite an attempt to break it by Cole, and then picks up a near fall. Hardy continues to be the guinea pig as the Briscoes take turns pounding him as well. Hardy is finally able to drive Mark into the corner and tag in Cole. That matchup is short lived as Mark tags in Elgin, who aggressively stomps and hammers on Cole in the corner. After getting his licks in, Elgin gives Jay a chance for redemption as well. Cole shrugs him off and drops Jay with a DVD neckbreaker for two. Cole drives Jay to the corner and tags in Hardy, who goes right to work. He and Cole work some quick tags and start to finally build sustained offense as they try to escape this match without Cole tasting defeat and gaining a new challenger. Cole’s shit talking mid-match is always fun. Jay starts to make a comeback, slugging his way out of the enemy corner and then lunges to tag in his brother, who flies in and takes out Hardy & Cole with redneck kung fu. Hardy ends up on the floor as Mark works over Cole. As Mark is whipped into the corner, Hero tags himself in. Mark instead turns his attention and flies off the apron with an elbow onto Hardy on the floor. Hero jabs Cole as we take another break.
After commercial, Mark and Elgin are dueling in the ring. Mark misses a spin kick but eats a big boot. Mark slugs him down and heads up top, but Hero trips him up. Jay makes his way in, and Elgin ends up with both Briscoes on his body and sends them both flying with a fallaway slam. Cole tries to take advantage and steal the pin, but Mark stays alive. Jay slides back in again and they hit a double team neckbreaker for two as the pin is broken up. Hardy is back in now but he eats a neckbreaker from Jay and Froggie Bow from Mark. All six men end up brawling in the ring and as things clear out, Matt hits Mark with the Twist of Fate to eliminate the Briscoes. Cole and Hardy hug enthusiastically as Jay questions his brother and then they walk off together. The fans are all over Hardy here as we reset. However, before the Briscoes leave, Jay yanks Cole off the apron and hammers him down to the ground. They are finally pushed to the back, but Hero takes advantage and rolls Hardy up for two. Hero goes to the second rope and hits a spinning blockbuster for a near fall. He tries for a neckbreaker but Hardy slips out and hits a side effect for a near fall that is broken up by Elgin. Cole is back in and hits a brainbuster into his knee. Hero is able to escape and tag in Elgin, who thwarts Cole’s offense and plants him with a spinning lariat for two. Elgin shoves Hardy to the floor but turns into a Cole enziguri. Elgin slips out of a sunset flip and eventually drills Cole with a backfist. Hardy breaks things up, but Hero tagged himself in as Elgin was knocked from the ring. Hero lands the big boot to the face but Cole kicks out at two. Hero decks him with a right hand and follows with a forearm to the back of the head. He drops down and rolls Cole up to win the match and earn the future World Title shot. Hardy hits the ring and decks Hero, working him over until Elgin makes the save with a deadlift German. As Cole tussles with Elgin, he gets spun around and eats the Hero forearm to the face. With Cole and Hardy out, Hero and Elgin have a staredown in the ring and you can tell Elgin is quite frustrated. They continue to chat as we fade out.
A lot of wrestling on today’s installment as we wrap up our trip through Pittsburgh. Chris Hero is next line to attempt to dethrone Cole but there are plenty of other challengers in the way as well. That is all for this week, until next, take care and respect the code.
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