Ring of Honor on Sinclair Results
May 26, 2012
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s ROH on Sinclair recap.
This week is a special “Road Rage” edition of the show as they will be showing highlights from this past month’s “Border Wars” iPPV.
So, if you all are ready, then let’s get on with the show!
Kevin Kelly & Nigel McGuinness welcome us to the show and then take us to highlights of the undercard from Border Wars. For those who did not see Border Wars, here is what went down:
– “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards defeated “The Man Beast” Rhino w/Truth Martini
– The All Night Express (Kenny King & Rhett Titus) & “Technical Lightning” T.J. Perkins defeated The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) & “No Fear” Mike Mondo
– Jay Lethal defeated ‘The Dominant Male” Tommaso Ciampa w/Embassy Limited to end Ciampa’s undefeated streak
– Lance Storm defeated “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett w/”Brutal” Bob Evans
– “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin w/Truth Martini defeated Adam Cole
– Roderick Strong defeated “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay to retain the TV Title
– Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) defeated “The Baddest Tag Team on the Planet” #DemBoys The Briscoes (Jay & Mark) in a Fight Without Honor to win the Tag Team Titles
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to video of the fanfest that took place before the Border Wars show.
Kevin Kelly then brings up Davey Richards’ bad luck as of late as he was in an auto accident a few weeks back, plus the fact that due to a death in Kyle O’Reilly’s family, O’Reilly could not be at Border Wars. In addition, Executive Producer Jim Cornette could not make it across the border for Border Wars either.
We then see video of what happened a few weeks back on ROH TV when Kevin Steen faced Kyle O’Reilly.
Then, we see video of what happened a couple weeks back at a Dayton live event when Steen attacked Richards and injured his ribs.
After all this, we go to Nigel McGuinness who is with Eddie Edwards to get his thoughts on the match. Edwards says that O’Reilly is not here and he sympathizes with that. There is no one in Davey’s corner to watch Jimmy Jacobs. In the past, Davey would have asked him to be in his corner, but that will not happen. Edwards mentions Davey’s ribs and he says that nobody knows how the ribs are. Edwards says that Davey is stubborn, but he is the toughest when his back is against the wall. Edwards says that it will be a bad thing for Ring of Honor if Kevin Steen wins the title, so he is pulling for Davey even though the fans want Steen to win.
We then go to pre-match comments from Davey Richards. Richards says that when you want something for so long and when you finally get it, things come full circle. It took a lot of battles to get there and wars with the likes of Eddie Edwards, Adam Cole, and Michael Elgin. It now comes down to Kevin Steen and him tonight and it will happen in Steen’s home country, but they will be in his ring where he reigns supreme, in the same ring with athletes like Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe, not fat guys in basketball shorts. Richards says that Steen calls himself crazy, but he calls Steen desperate. Richards says that Steen will get hurt. Richards closes by telling Steen to bring it tonight because he will end him.
Finally, we go to comments from Kevin Steen. Steen says that on May 7, 2000, he had his first pro wrestling match. There have been a lot of things said about him. He chose to become a pro wrestler on his own terms, not by the typical pattern. It may have irked some people. The person who has had the most issues with this method is the person who is running Ring of Honor and that man is Jim Cornette. Steen says that what has been going on for the last six months is nothing compared to what will happen in the future. When he beats Davey Richards, Jim Cornette will have to call him the Ring of Honor World Champion.
Commercial
From Border Wars for the Ring of Honor World Title
“American Wolf” Davey Richards (c) vs. “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen w/”The Zombie Princess” Jimmy Jacobs
Steen and Richards go face to face and then both exchange words. The crowd chants ‘Next World Champ’ for Steen. Steen nails Richards with a kick and goes for the Package Piledriver, but Richards escapes. Both men then exchange right hands & forearms, with Richards getting the advantage. Richards then with a kick, followed by a clothesline that sends Steen over the top rope to the outside. Richards then gets a head of steam and hits Steen with a tope dive that sends both men into the barricade. Irish whip by Richards sends Steen into the barricade. Richards with a pair of kicks to the chest, then drives Steen back first into the apron. Richards sends Steen back into the ring, but is then distracted by Jacobs. The distraction then allows Steen to drill Richards with a hanging DDT, spiking Richards on his head.
Steen takes Richards back to the outside and gives him a receipt by Irish whipping him into the barricade. Steen does it a 2nd time, then has words with Steve Corino, who is on commentary for this match. Steen sends Richards into the barricade a 3rd time, then drives him back first into the barricade with a Russian leg sweep. Steen then sends Richards groin first into the ringpost not once, but twice. Richards is hurt as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Richards has taken control on Steen. Richards soaks in the hatred from the crowd and kicks Steen in the chest. Snapmare takeover by Richards and he locks in the Trailer Hitch, but Steen is able to get to the ropes. Steen fights back again with a chop, but Richards comes back with a kick. Richards continues to soak in the fans to add more mustard to his kicks on Steen. Irish whip by Richards, but he runs into a boot. Steen then with an elbow and heads up to the middle rope, but Richards comes back with an enzuigiri that sends Steen from the turnbuckles to the outside. Richards then kicks Jacobs, but then Steen comes back by drilling Richards with a powerbomb onto the apron.
Steen with a 2nd powerbomb onto the apron and then rolls Richards back into the ring. Steen sets Richards in the corner and then charges at him, hitting the cannonball for a nearfall. Steen goes onto the apron, but is favoring his leg. Steen heads up top, but Richards stops him, then goes up top with him. Richards with right hands to Steen, then sets up for a superplex, but Steen stops him with a headbutt. Both men then exchange headbutts until Steen bites Richards, knocking him off the ropes. Steen goes for the Steenton bomb, but Richards gets his knees up.
Richards hits a kick, followed by a German suplex. Steen, however, pops right up, but Richards drills him with a lariat for a nearfall. Richards charges and connects with the running forearm into the corner. Richards charges again, but Steen catches him tries for the F-Cinq, but Richards blocks it. Richards with a series of kicks, but then Steen drills him with a lariat and both men are down.
Both men get up and exchange forearms until Richards gains the advantage. Richards then misses a kick and Steen then hits a Ki Krusher, dropping Richards on his knee for a nearfall. Richards’ mouthpiece had dropped during the course of this and just like he did with O’Reilly a few weeks back, Steen picks it up and puts it in his mouth. Steen sets for the package piledriver but Richards blocks it. Both men then exchange forearms again until Steen gains the advantage by raking the eyes of Richards. Richards comes back with a dropkick to the knee, but then Steen catches with the Alley-Oop powerbomb for a nearfall. Then, right out of the nearfall, Steen locks in the Sharpshooter, but Richards is able to crawl his way and make it to the ropes. Both men are down as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Richards has regained the advantage by going after Steen’s injured knee. Richards puts the leg in the ropes and heads up top. Richards then hits a pair of double stomps on Steen for a nearfall. Richards then goes right into locking in the Ankle Lock, but Steen kicks Richards off. Richards then misses a kick and Steen rolls him up for a nearfall. Steen tries for the Package Piledriver again, but Richards blocks it. Steen then goes for the F-Cinq, but Richards counters and then hits the DR Driver, but Steen barely kicks out and Richards cannot believe it.
Richards with a series of Kawada kicks to the head, but Steen spits in Richards’ face. Richards with some more Kawada kicks, but then Steen slaps Richards. Both men then exchange slaps, with Steen getting the advantage. Steen lifts up Richards and hits the F-Cinq, but Richards barely kicks out and now its Steen who cannot believe it. Steen heads up top and connects with a moonsault, but he cannot instantly make the cover due to the damage of his knee. Steen crawls over to make the cover, but Richards kicks out. Steen tries for the Package Piledriver yet again, but Richards blocks it. This time, Steen lifts him up, but Richards gets back onto his feet as Steen’s knee gave way. Richards then goes off the ropes and hits a running boot for another close nearfall. Richards then drills Steen with a roundhouse kick to the head, followed by a back heel kick. Richards with a thumbs down and goes for the Knockout Kick, but Steen blocks it and locks Richards in his own Ankle Lock. Richards counters out back into his Ankle Lock, followed by grapevining the leg. Somehow, Steen is able to get out of the hold and then re-applies the Sharpshooter. Richards crawls towards the ropes and then is able to counter out back into the Ankle Lock. Steen is able to get to the corner but Richards pulls him out. However, while doing so, Steen has exposed the middle turnbuckle pad. Steen then counters out of the Ankle Lock by sending Richards face first into the exposed turnbuckle. Steen then drills Richards with a sleeper suplex.
Steen then lifts up Richards and lambasts him with the Package Piledriver for the victory.
Winner and NEW Ring of Honor World Champion: “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen by pinfall (Package Piledriver)
After the match, Cary Silkin comes into the ring as he always does to hand the ROH World Title over to the new champion, but he has 2nd thoughts and refuses to do so to Steen, walking off in disgust.
Steve Corino then comes into the ring. Corino takes off his jacket and then hugs Jacobs & Steen as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we are backstage after the show as Kevin Kelly is trying to get a word with Richards, but ROH agent Jeff Jones says now is not a good time to talk to Richards.
Kevin Steen then joins Kevin Kelly and Steen wants to know what happened to Richards. Steen says that he beat Davey Richards and now he is the world champion. Steen says that this is all an illusion. Steen says that he is ugly, gritty, and real. It is about the World Title belt around his waist and he is taking this company hostage. Steen says that he is going to enjoy every single second of it. Steen closes by welcoming everyone to “his” Ring of Honor.
My Thoughts
Well, since this show was all about the Steen-Richards title match, I might as well comment on that.
Firstly, I think it was a very bad decision for ROH to play this match in its entirety, even with commercial mixed in. That is gonna kill a lot of sales for the DVD & even the replay of the show since this was the match everyone was plopping down their $15 to see.
The match itself, since I never got the chance to comment on it when it happened live was damn good. Richards was great at playing off the crowd hating him and switching the roles for this match with him as the heel & Steen as the babyface.
Richards, to me, has always been better suited working as a heel. He shows a lot more character & charisma and is much better at pacing a match together than just going 90 MPH and doing 10 million different things. Here, a lot of his offense meant something and he focused on a limb, which was Steen’s infamously injured knee that has always given him problems.
Steen was good on the sell, was good at getting the crowd into the match and kept up with Davey on Davey’s different stretches of fast-paced offense. For someone is who not seen as athletic, Steen sure showed a ton of that in this match.
I’d recommend checking this match out because this is the money match for ROH this year and to me, it delivered ten-fold. Really good match and a definite MOTY nominee.
The rest of the show with the highlight package and pre/post-match promos were also well done because it made this Border Wars show feel like an important event in the annals of ROH history. While it was a bad night in terms of people not being able to view the show live, it was a good night because you had a very solid show with a damn good main event.
My Grade: A-
This week on the Independent Roundtable:
Well, with that, I will see you all next week for more Ring-of-Honor!