ROH TV Review 11.05.16

Location: Lowell, Massachusetts inside Lowell Memorial Auditorium

One on One!

“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs. Toru Yano

Winner: Michael Elgin via Elgin Bomb

Commentary hyped this match up as a rematch from the G1 Climax from earlier this year where Yano got the upset victory over Elgin. Yano really plays up Elgin’s strength game. They work a fun little move where Yano gets stuck in the ropes, and Elgin turns it into a see-saw of punches. Yano hits a drop toehold on the outside onto the entryway steps, and then gets the trusty pliers to break off the top turnbuckle pad. Elgin almost eats the exposed turnbuckle, but stops himself only to take the turnbuckle pad to the face. Yano gets pressing his advantage as we go to commercial break.

We return to see Yano choking Elgin with the tag rope. Elgin blocks Yano’s attempt to send him into the exposed turnbuckle, and goes on an awesome power move run. Yano goes for the hair, but Elgin doesn’t have any! So, he opts for the beard! Elgin gets the advantage once again with his front to back short clothesline spot. Then, he grabs the pliers, and gives Yano a taste of his own medicine with the turnbuckle pad he cut off.

Elgin eats a slingshot into the exposed buckle! Yano goes for the low blow, but the referee stops him! Elgin goes a german, but Yano finally gets the low blow! The small package from Yano gets him the near fall! Elgin goes on a tear, and finally puts Yano away to avenge his G1 loss! A very entertaining match from both guys. You get Yano’s usual stuff, and Michael Elgin’s awesome work thrown in. ** and ¾ *

We get a hype video for Dragon Lee, where some of his highlights from All Star Extravaganza are shown in his match against Kamaitachi! He faces Bobby Fish next!

After a commercial break, we are shown some highlights of Adam Page’s attack on Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly from a couple of weeks ago. Bobby Fish gets some promo time afterward, as they will be facing off for the Television Title in a next week on Ring of Honor TV! Bobby says that Page isn’t the man to unseat the king! I’m starting to wonder who is.

Proving Ground Match!

World Television Champion Bobby Fish vs. Dragon Lee

Winner: Dragon Lee via La Magistra Cradle

Bobby still has his ribs taped up. If you’re unfamiliar with the Proving Ground concept, if the challenger can beat the champion, or go to the time limit draw with him, he’ll earn a future title shot. The two lock up, and work the usual mat wrestling opening in a Bobby Fish match. Dragon Lee uses his speed to his advantage, and arm drags Bobby down, and he sells the rib injury so well by rolling out of the ring with a grimace. Dragon continues to one up Bobby in the ground game, and throws some heavy forearms, but Lee strikes back just as fiercely. Hurricanran and the fastest tope suicida I’ve seen all damn year follows from Dragon Lee!

We return from commercial Dragon Lee continuing to one up Bobby, and commentary does a good job of playing up how the injury is slowing Bobby down. Dragon Lee with two northern light suplexes, and finishes up with a brainbuster! Lee gets a near fall, and I don’t want to ever stop watching this guy wrestle. Bobby keeps fighting, but Dragon Lee continues to stay a few steps ahead of Bobby. Fish goes for a suplex, but the rib injury keeps him from following. Lee takes advantage, and gets the pinfall! Dragon Lee earns the future title shot, and the Code of Honor follows. Fun match, made the better by the in-ring storytelling. ** and ¾ *

Matt Taven promo time! Time is up, and Matt Taven’s new Kingdom is upon us! Time’s up Bullet Club!

We get some highlights of the matches that took place in the top part of the bracket, where Super ACH/KUSHIDA/Jay White found their way to the finals by beating The Briscoes/Toru Yano and The Cabinet. Team CMLL take on The Addiction & Kamaitachi next week in the other opening round match in the bottom of the bracket.

World Six Man Tag Team Title Tournament Match!

The Bullet Club (Adam Cole & The Young Bucks) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven, T.K. O’Ryan, and Vinny Marseglia)

Winners: The Kingdom via Reverse Sit-out Tombstone/The Climax/Senton Bomb combo

Well, I haven’t seen the two guys working with Taven before. Plus, with the World Tag Team Champions & the World Champion on the other side of the ring, things look bleak for the New Kingdom. They open with a huge brawl on the floor, and the Bullet Club are getting their butts handed to them. The Kingdom celebrate up on the apron, but they eat a trio of dropkicks. Terminator banging, but The Kingdom pull them to the outside! However, The Bullet Club powerbomb each member of the Kingdom on the apron, and we the triple tope suicida!

The Kingdom isolate Matt Jackson, and go to work. Vinny gets some time to work over Matt, Taven gets the blind tag, and hits a beautiful slingshot moonsault. Taven’s got a lot of fire in him, and seems to have improved since the injury a year ago. We get a package stunner/running knee combo from Taven & O’Ryan. Matt starts fighting back, and makes the hot tag to his brother! Nick Jackson literally hits a rolling everything to send us to a commercial break.

We come back from commercial, and Nick runs through the younger members of The Kingdom. He tags in Adam Cole, and he’s in the ring with Matt Taven! The feud is alive folks! They’re spiting and flinging snot at each other in between moves. Each man fights out of each other’s finishers, and Taven hits the rolling Neckbreaker for a near fall. The Kingdom botch up a triple team manuever, but still land it and get a near fall.

Superkick Party on the outside! Superkick Party on the inside! Cole with the destroyer on Taven, but the Kingdom break up the pinfall. The Bullet Club setup for a Double Meltzer Driver, but Vinny puts a stop to that. Low blows behind the referee’s back! It’s enough for The Kingdom to steal the win! UPSET CITY! Really fun opening to the match, but the middle dragged a bit, only to lead up to the shocking finish. Overall, it was an enjoyable main event. I’d like to see more of T.K. O’Ryan and Vinny Marseglia before I judge them, but they have promise. ***

Bobby Fish defends the Television Title against Hangman Page next week!

Overall Rating: 6 out of 10 Good wrestling this week on Ring of Honor, and some story development as far as the main event and the Television Title are concerned. Once again, nothing blow away here, but it’s an easy hour of wrestling to sit through.