ROH TV Review 11.12.16

Location: Baltimore, Maryland inside the William J. Myers Pavilion

We open with a video recap of Hangman Page’s attacks on Bobby Fish. Both Bobby and Page get some quick promos in to hype up their Television Title match taking place this evening.

First Round World Six Man Tag Team Title Tournament Match!

The Addiction (Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels) & Kamaitachi vs. Team CMLL (Ultimo Guerrero, Okumura, and Hechicero)

Winner: Team CMLL via Ultimo Guerrero’s top rope reverse suplex onto Daniels.

First, here are some quick notes about the CMLL guys if you’re new to them. Ultimo Guerrero (no relation to the Guerrero family) is the big name here, he’s on the CMLL booking team currently, he’s the current NWA World Historic Middleweight Champion, and he’s one of CMLL’s top draws. Hechicero currently holds the NWA Historic Light Heavyweight Title, and has only been with CMLL for a couple years, but has fifteen years of experience under his belt. Shigeo Okumura also has a lot of experience under his belt (about twenty year’s worth), and moved from All Japan to CMLL full-time in 2005. He’s served as the guy who gets paired with the incoming Young Lion’s from New Japan ever since, and has found some success here and there in the tag team ranks.

With that out of the way, let’s dive into this match. Kazarian and Okumura open with some brawling, and some mat work spots. It’s good work, but they aren’t doing a whole lot to get me into the match. Hechicero and Daniels come in, and Daniels rains down all sorts of boots. Kamaitachi and Ultimo come in, and the pace quickens. Guerrero runs Kamaitachi right the hell over with an awesome looking shoulder block. Team CMLL hits Kamaitachi with a triple team lifting seated senton! Okumura makes Kamaitachi take a seat, and Ultimo Guerrero flattens him by leaping over the guardrail with a crossbody block!

We return from the commercial break with The Addiction firmly in control of Hechicero. Hechicero fires back with a flapjack, and a springboard dropkick to make the hot tag to Ulitmo Guerrero. Daniels eats a handstand senton in the corner! The match breaks down, Kamaitachi hits his super senton to the floor on Okumura & Hechicero! Big move run from everybody in the match! Daniels tries to help Kamaitachi out, but eats Kamaitchi’s knee. Team CMLL takes out Kazarian and Kamaitachi, and Ultimo flattens Daniels for the big win! The match got off to a slow start, but the finish saves it from being too boring. **

Kamaitachi gets into the ring pissed off that Daniels cost them the match. Daniel’s admits fault, and tells Kamaitachi to hit him if he wants too. Kamaitachi spits on Daniel’s feet and walks out!

Keith Lee & Shane Taylor take on Colt Cabana & Dalton Castle next!

We return from the commercial break with The Cabinet coming on down to ringside. The Cabinet come on down, pissed off that they got saddled with The Cabinet gimmick. They’re done being clowns, and say there are more of them than you think. Well, that was cryptic. Good to drop that gimmick for them though, it wasn’t really working out all that well, and it’s shelf life post-election was going to be way short.

We get highlights of Castle & Cabana’s challenge against The Young Bucks for the RoH World Tag Team Titles, which didn’t go well for the plucky faces. Dalton’s backstage, looking for The Boys when he runs into Cabana. Cabana says he hasn’t seen them, and says they don’t need them. The camera gets a close up on a door, where some feathers lay scattered around the door. Uh-oh…

Tag Team Match!

Shane Taylor & Keith Lee vs. Colt Cabana & Dalton Castle

Winner: Shane Taylor & Keith Lee via Spirit Bomb/Big Splash combo.

Dalton Castle is just so over where ever Ring of Honor goes. His entrance without The Boys just feels wrong. So wrong in fact, that Castle doesn’t even know how to get into the ring without them. Castle and Taylor start us off. Castle and Taylor tag out after not doing a whole bunch. Cabana takes Lee over with a head scissors, and tells Lee to bring it on. Cabana keeps poking the bear, Castle gets the tag, and his bend and snap pose. Lee and Taylor have had enough, and just run both guys over.

We return to Taylor and Lee working the heat on Dalton. Castle’s nose has also been busted. Cabana gets the hot tag, and starts rocking Taylor with his usual striking spots. All four men are in the ring, and a double dropkick sends Taylor and Lee to the outside. Castle and Cabana tease the dives, but do the struts instead. Then, they do the rope spots. Man, these guys are just so much fun to watch work together. Deadlift german suplex on Keith Lee by Castle!

The crowd pops hard, and he goes for one on Taylor. Taylor fights out, only to get caught by Cabana in a waist lock. Dalton tries a running knee, but hits Cabana. Taylor and Lee take care of Castle, and then put the hurt Cabana down for the count! The match struggled to get going for me, but the result that keeps Taylor & Lee rolling, and teases some issues between Cabana and Castle. * and ¾ *

The Kingdom hype up their victory, and their upcoming match with Team CMLL.

Adam Cole talks about The Bullet Club’s success, and hypes his upcoming title defenses against Jay Lethal and Kyle O’Reilly.

World Television Title Match!

Bobby Fish defends against Hangman Page

Winner and STILL RoH World Television Champion: Bobby Fish via knee bar

Page jumps Fish while he’s making his entrance, and starts tossing him into the guardrails ribs first. Page grabs a chair, but Bobby Fish rolls into the ring, and the bell actually rings. Kyle O’Reilly comes down to ringside as Page works over Bobby’s ribs some more. After a commercial break, Page remains in control by continuing to work over the injured ribs. This kind of match has quickly becoming the calling card of a Bobby Fish match, and it doesn’t always work. He’ll get beat up for a while, and get some hope spots in here and there. I’m fine with that style of match, but not every time.

Page and Fish end up on the apron, and Fish hits a huge exploder suplex that sends Page sailing to the floor! The Hangman beats the count back into the ring, eats some knees to the gut, and Bobby nails the corner exploder suplex for the near fall. Page ends up back on the apron, Bobby goes for the kick from the floor, but misses. Running shooting star press from Page flattens Bobby as we go to another commercial!

Page has remained in control over the break. Fish keeps fighting back with some kicks, and hits a dragon screw leg whip. Page finds himself back on the apron. Bobby hits some forearms, and runs off the ropes, but Page floors him with the slingshot lariat for a near fall! Page goes for the Rite of Passage, but Bobby rolls through, and manages to make Page tap out just inches away from the rope. I’m not a fan of the formula, but it makes sense. Solid match, but nothing too special. ** and ½ *

Fish celebrates in the ring with Kyle O’Reilly, but Adam Cole comes out to say he’s not afraid of Kyle or Bobby! Out comes Jay Lethal! Both Lethal and Cole eye the championship, Adam Cole bails, and we’re out!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 10 The wrestling wasn’t as good as last week’s, but it’s still an hour that flies by. Once again, if you’re into what’s going on in Ring of Honor, give it a watch. Feuds continue to progress nicely, but it doesn’t feel like you NEED to watch the TV show to know what’s going on with Ring of Honor.