Ring of Honor on Sinclair
December 22, 2012
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s ROH on Sinclair recap. If you all are ready, then let’s get on with the show!
Its a “Best of” show this week, as Kevin Kelly welcomes us to the show in the ROH studios.
Kelly says this week we will see the 3 best matches to air on ROH television this year.
We kick off by looking at the storied rivalry of Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards throughout 2011 with clips of their 2 matches at Best in the World & Final Battle of last year.
We now go to their 3rd match that took place this past June on ROH television.
From the June 9th edition of Ring of Honor on Sinclair in the “Die Hard Challenge”: “American Wolf” Davey Richards vs. “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards
Both men adhere to the Code of Honor as the bell sounds to kick off Richards-Edwards IV. Lock-up and both men each jockey for position in the lock-up before Richards backs Edwards in the corner and breaks clean. Another lock-up and Richards with a wristlock. Edwards spins out, kips up and reverses into his own wristlock. Richards spins out, does a cartwheel and then takes Edwards down with an overhead wristlock takedown. Edwards with a headscissors to counter, but Richards kicks out of that. Edwards with an armdrag, but Richards then with one of his own. Edwards misses a chop, Richards then gets a kick blocked by Edwards, then both men go for kicks and catch each other’s foot and we are at a stalemate as they release each other’s foot and back away.
Crowd chants for Edwards as they lock-up again. Richards with a hammerlock, then switches to a snapmare takeover, but Edwards slips out and gets Richards in his own hammerlock. Richards backs Edwards into the corner and Edwards is forced to break the hold. Edwards breaks, but then Richards with an Irish whip. Edwards then goes up & over, followed by a front kip-up. Richards charges, but Edwards takes him down. Edwards goes off the ropes, Richards leapfrogs, but then when Richards goes off the ropes and Edwards tries his own leapfrog, Richards catches him in mid-air with a spinning heel kick. Richards then starts playing to the crowd, especially the fans who were chanting for Edwards beforehand. Edwards goes out to the outside as Richards begins to get a head of steam. Richards charges, but Edwards slides back in the ring. Edwards goes off the ropes, but Richards comes back in the ring and nails Edwards with a boot to the head. Richards goes off the ropes, but Edwards slides back out to the outside. Richards goes out after him, but again Edwards slides back into the ring. Edwards then goes off the ropes and as Richards gets onto the apron, Edwards nails him with a running Yakuza Kick, sending Richards off the apron and crashing hard into the barricade. The crowd continues to chant for Edwards as he goes to the outside. Edwards with a series of chops to Richards around ringside, then sends him back into the ring. Edwards then hits a running kick, almost a version of a Shining Wizard, for a close nearfall. Irish whip by Edwards, but he runs into a boot by Richards. Richards goes up to the middle rope, but Edwards nails him with an enziguri. Edwards goes for the Chin Checker, but on the way down, Richards grabs a hold of Edwards’ arm and turns it into a cross armbreaker. However, Edwards is able to get his feet onto the ropes to force Richards to break the hold.
Edwards rolls out to the apron as Richards goes out after him. Both men exchange kicks & chops, until Richards gains the advantage with his kicks. Richards goes for another kick, but Edwards catches his leg and nails him with a pair of chops. Edwards goes for another chop, but this time its Richards who catches Edwards’ hand, then grabs a hold of his other arm and proceeds to do an arm whip, sending Edwards’ shoulder that was in the cross armbreaker previously, to land square on the apron. Richards walks around the ring as the crowd boos him and points at Corino on commentary, almost sending a message to Kevin Steen. Edwards is writhing in pain on the outside as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Richards props up Edwards on a chair at ringside and begins to unload with a series of kicks to Edwards’ injured arm & shoulder. Richards with another kick to the shoulder, then goes back in the ring as this is a completely different Davey Richards than what we are used to seeing. Richards continues to mock the crowd who is cheering for Edwards as Edwards is still down in pain on the outside. Edwards tries to get back in the ring as the fans, through digitized blurring, are showing Richards what they think of him. Edwards rolls back in the ring, but Richards goes right back on the attack, with an elbow to the injured arm, followed by a hammerlock and finally a back suplex while Edwards’ arm was still in a hammerlock position. Richards gains a nearfall, then hooks both of Edwards’ arms in a unique manner and then proceeds to bridge backward, putting all of Richards’ body weight onto the arms of Edwards. Richards breaks, then stomps the arm before hooking in the Thames Barrier (reverse Short Arm Scissors). The crowd wills on Edwards as he is able to get Richards’ shoulders on the mat, while still in the hold, for a nearfall. Richards then hammerlocks Edwards and sends him shoulder first into the top turnbuckle. Richards continues to have words with the crowd and even a dirty look for the referee before Edwards begins to fight back with a pair of chops. However, Richards comes back with an arm wrench, followed by a pair of elbows to the shoulder of Edwards. Richards with another elbow to the shoulder, then goes for a suplex, but Edwards drops down to a knee to block it. Both men jockey for position to get the other over for a suplex until Richards tries to take Edwards down, but Edwards rolls through it. However, Richards comes right back with a kick to the gut, followed by an Irish whip. However, Edwards reverses it and then when Richards tries to do a handspring move, Edwards catches him and hits a reverse Falcon Arrow and now both men are down.
Both men get back to their feet as Edwards charges, but runs into a boot by Richards. Richards charges, but Edwards nails him with a chop. Edwards goes off the ropes, but Richards catches him with a kick to the chest. Richards charges, but Edwards sidesteps him and sends Richards through the ropes and to the outside. Edwards then gets a head of steam and nails Richards with a tope dive that sends both men crashing into the barricade. The crowd is fired up as both men are down on the outside, with Edwards clutching onto his injured shoulder. Edwards is able to get to his feet first and sends Richards back into the ring. Edwards heads up top and then connects with a front missile dropkick on Richards for a close nearfall. The crowd continues to chant for Edwards as he nails Richards with another chop. Edwards with a pair of chops, but Richards fights back with a series of kicks to the injured arm of Edwards. Richards with a spinning back kick to the gut, but then misses a spinning roundhouse as Edwards then hooks both of Richards’ arms and hits a Tiger Suplex for another close nearfall.
Edwards can’t believe it, but then goes to head back up top. Richards is able to get back up and stop Edwards on the ropes with a left-handed gut shot. Richards then goes up with Edwards and hooks him in a Kimura. Edwards fights out with gut shots, followed by knocking Richards off the ropes with a series of headbutts. Richards then comes back with a kick to the head and then goes back up with Edwards. Richards unloads with a flurry of headbutts to the back of Edwards’ head while doing damage to himself in the process. Both men are now on the top rope as Richards hits a superplex, followed by holding on to the front facelock and finally hitting a Falcon Arrow back into the cross armbreaker on the injured arm of Edwards. Somehow, Edwards is able to escape the hold by getting to his feet and then locking Richards in the Achilles’ Lock. However, due to the damage done to Edwards’ arm, he doesn’t have the hold completely cinched in and that allows Richards to reverse out into the Ankle Lock. Edwards is able to kick off Richards to break the hold, but then both men nail each other with running boots to the head. Both men nail each other a 2nd time, then Richards comes back by hooking Edwards with a flying armbar right in the center of the ring. Edwards gets to his feet and tries to hook Richards in a Jackknife Pin, but Richards rolls through and then hooks both of Edwards’ legs for a nearfall. Edwards then reverses into a pin attempt for his own nearfall. Richards then with a Jackknife pin for a nearfall. Then, Edwards counters into another pin attempt for another nearfall. Edwards now with his own Jackknife Pin for a nearfall, but then Richards bridges out and turns it into a backslide for a close nearfall.
Edwards with a chop, then goes off the ropes, but Richards throws him up and nails him with the Alarm Clock kick on the way down. Edwards then comes back with a superkick, followed by Richards nailing him with a spinning roundhouse kick, followed by Edwards drilling Richards with a chop to the face, followed by Richards turning Edwards inside out with a discus clothesline and both men are down. The referee begins his 20 count as the crowd is fired up, enjoying what they are seeing. The crowd wills on Edwards as he begins to get back to his feet. Both men get back to their feet as Richards then charges, but he runs into a boot by Edwards. Edwards heads back up top, but Richards again stops him with a left-handed gut shot. Richards with a chop, then goes back up with Edwards. Richards setups for a super rana, but Edwards lifts him on his shoulders and hits a super fallaway facebuster. Edwards then hits the C.Y.F.(Chop Your Face), but Richards just barely kicks out. Edwards goes back up top once more and this time leaps off, going for a double stomp, but Richards moves out of the way as Edwards lands on his feet, clutching his leg. Richards with a wheelbarrow roll through back into the Ankle Lock in the center of the ring. Richards is yelling at Edwards to tap as the crowd wills on Edwards, who is trying to crawl to the ropes. Edwards kicks Richards off again, but the momentum sends Richards off the ropes, where he proceeds to drill Edwards with the running kick to the head. All of a sudden, Richards goes out to the apron and goes for the running kick on someone, who turns out to be Jimmy Jacobs, but Jacobs is able to duck. Richards heads up top, but Jacobs hops up the apron and Richards kicks him off.
Richards leaps, going for a front missile dropkick, but Edwards catches Richards’ feet and then hooks him in another Jackknife Pin for the victory.
Winner: “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards by pinfall (Jackknife Pin)
Jacobs does the “Shhh” signal with a sick smile on his face as Edwards does not know what happened. Richards & Edwards adhere to the Code of Honor after the match and Richards raises Edwards’ hand.
Back in the ROH studios, Kelly mentions that at last week’s Final Battle iPPV, Richards & Edwards reunited as the American Wolves and hypes up the iPPV replay of Final Battle on ROHWrestling.com.
Kelly also hypes up the next ROH television tapings on January 5th, back at the Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
We then see a clip from the “Brew City Beatdown” show back in July where in that show’s main event was a crazy brawl between The Briscoes against ROH champion Kevin Steen & Jimmy Jacobs that saw Mark Briscoe jump off a balcony in the venue into the ring, splashing Steen through a table in a moment that has to be seen to be believed.
Commercial
Back from commercial and before our next match, we see video of the 1st 2 matches between “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett and Canadian wrestling legend Lance Storm at Showdown in the Sun and Border Wars this year, in which Storm & Bennett each obtained a victory.
We now move onto their rubber match on ROH television this past August.
From the August 4th edition of ROH television in Storm-Bennett III: “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett w/”Brutal” Bob Evans & “The 1st Lady of ROH” Maria Kanellis vs. Lance Storm
Code of Honor not adhered to. Pleasantaries exchanged along with a shoving match. Storm backs Bennett into the corner before breaking clean. Bennett goes to work on the arm, but Storm counters out. Storm now works on Bennett’s arm and sends Bennett into the corner. Uppercut by Storm, but Bennett nails Storm with a back elbow after reversing Storm’s Irish whip. Bennett with some strikes in the corner, but Storm fights back with chops. Bennett holds onto the ropes off of Storm’s Irish whip and nails Storm with a boot on a charge in. Storm then rolls out of Bennett’s Sunset flip attempt and goes for the Maple Leaf, but Bennett gets to the ropes. Bennett goes to the outside to catch a breather, but Storm goes out after him. Back in the ring, Bennett wants a time-out, but Storm will have nothing of it. Storm with a suplex for a nearfall. Bennett comes back with a slam, followed by a pair of elbowdrops for a nearfall. Storm comes back with a jawbreaker, followed by a dropkick for a nearfall. Elbow by Storm, but Bennett comes back and whips Storm into the corner. Storm, however, moves out of the way on Bennett’s charge and Bennett’s crotch region catches nothing but turnbuckle. Storm with a stomp to the abdomen, followed by a pair of elbowdrops for a nearfall. Storm with a club, but Bennett then drives Storm back first into the corner. Bennett does it 2 more times, but catches nothing mat on a dropkick attempt as Storm held onto the ropes off a Bennett Irish whip. Storm with a jackknife pin for a nearfall. Storm sends Bennett into the corner, then Bennett tries to send Storm to the outside, but Storm holds on and stays on the apron. Storm goes to suplex Bennett to the outside, but Bennett holds on and goes to the apron. Both men exchange strikes until Bennett rakes Storm’s eyes and throws him off the apron and into the barricade. Bennett then with a flying clothesline off the apron and both men are down as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Bennett nails Storm in the ring with a dropkick for a nearfall. Bennett with a back suplex for another nearfall. Bennett with a chinlock with his knee driven into Storm’s injred back as the crowd wills on Storm. Storm tries to break free, but Bennett then sends Storm shoulder first into the ringpost. Bennett drives Storm’s arm into the ringpost, then hits a boot to the injured arm. Bennett then goes off the apron and pulls down Storm’s arm into the top rope for a nearfall. Bennett goes to a head and arm lock as the crowd again wills on Storm. Storm breaks free of the hold and hits a headbutt. Bennett then comes back with an armbar takedown off of Storm’s Irish whip, doing more damage to Storm’s injured arm as Bennett gets a nearfall. Bennett removes Storm’s elbow pad and stomps on the injured arm multiple times. Storm tries to fight back with one good arm, then counters Bennett’s suplex into an inside cradle for a nearfall. Bennett then comes right back and drills Storm with a clothesline for another nearfall. Bennett locks in an armbar as the crowd again wills on Storm. Storm breaks free as both men exchange strikes. Storm comes back with a step-up enziguri for a nearfall. Storm goes out to the apron, but Bennett sends him into the top turnbuckle. Bennett does it a 2nd time, this time injured arm first. Bennett goes out onto the apron and goes for a suplex, motioning that its over, but Storm counters out and clotheslines Bennett back into the ring. Storm goes for a slingshot move, but Bennett rolls out of the way and gains another nearfall. Bennett talks trash to Storm as both men exchange right hands from their knees. Both men then exchange strikes after they get to their feet until Storm nails Bennett with a back elbow off an Irish whip. Storm with a left arm clothesline, followed by a leg lariat off another Irish whip for a nearfall. Storm with another left arm clothesline off a corner whip and heads out onto the apron. Storm with a springboard left arm clothesline for a close nearfall. Bennett comes back with a right hand, then counters Storm’s roll through into the Maple Leaf attempt by hooking both legs for a close nearfall. Bennett then ducks under Storm’s enziguri and goes to hook Storm in his own Maple Leaf hold. Storm is able to kick Bennett off and then hits Bennett’s own Box Office Smash for another close nearfall. Storm motions that its over and lifts up Bennett, but Bennett breaks free. Bennett lifts up Storm, but Storm breaks free and then does the roll through into the Maple Leaf. Bennett, though, is able to reach the ropes to break the hold. Storm places Bennett on the top turnbuckle and goes up with him. Storm goes for a superplex, but Evans grabs onto Storm’s foot. Storm swipes at Evans, but that allows Bennett to hit a super neckbreaker for a close nearfall. Maria then gets on the apron as Evans throws a steel chair into the ring.
Bennett lifts up Storm and hits the Photo Finish (TKO) right on the steel chair for the victory.
Winner: “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett by pinfall (Photo Finish on a Steel Chair)
Back in the ROH studios, Kelly mentions Bennett’s match with Jerry Lynn on last week’s Final Battle iPPV before we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we see video highlighting the title changes in Ring of Honor with Kevin Steen winning the World Title, Roderick Strong winning the TV Title and Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team, The All Night Express & S.C.U.M. winning the Tag Titles.
We now go to another title change, the only one to take place on ROH television this year, as the final match on this week’s show.
From the July 28th edition of ROH television for the Ring of Honor Television Title: Roderick Strong (c) w/Truth Martini vs. Adam Cole
Both men adhere to the Code of Honor before the bell sounds. Then, Martini wants to adhere to it as well. Cole obliges, but it was a trap as Strong nails Cole with a dropkick as the bell sounds. Strong throws Cole through the ropes and to the outside, then goes out after him. Strong with a chop, then sends Cole into the barricade. Strong with another chop, followed by a knee to the gut. Strong lifts up Cole in a torture rack position and then drops him back first across the apron. Strong says to the camera “Nobody f***s with my belt”, then has words with the referee.
Back in the ring, Strong gains a nearfall. Strong with a kick to the chest, a club to the back and another kick to the chest. In the corner, Strong with a shoulder to the gut, followed by a hard chop that knocks Cole down. Strong talks trash to Cole, then unloads with a series of stomps to the chest. Then, while Strong is with the referee, this allows Martini to get involved as he chokes Cole. Cole tries to fight back, but Strong with a right hand. Cole with a forearm, but Strong with a chop. Cole with another forearm, but Strong with another chop. Cole with another forearm, then blocks Strong’s chop and nails Strong with a boot to the face. Cole charges, but Strong catches him and then hotshots him chest first across the top rope. Strong with a uranagi backbreaker for a nearfall. Strong with a kick to the chest, then pulls at Cole’s face before hitting a club to the chest. Cole fights back with gut shots, but Strong comes back with another chop. Strong with a stomp, then throws Cole through the ropes and to the outside yet again. Strong goes out after Cole again and goes to whip him again to the barricade, but Cole reverses and this time its Strong who is sent into the barricade. Strong then comes back with a boot to the face. Strong lifts up Cole in a Fireman’s Carry position and proceeds to throw him side first into the ringpost.
Martini does a victory lap around the ring as Strong goes back into the ring while the referee will start his 20 count. Strong then goes back out after Cole and nails him with a chop. Strong with another chop, followed by a forearm. Strong then places Cole across the apron and hits a suplex on the outside. Strong sends Cole back into the ring and gains another nearfall. Strong locks Cole in a chinlock while the crowd tries to will on Cole as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cole & Strong exchange forearms & chops. Cole gains the advantage with a series of forearms, but Strong comes right back with a dropkick to the leg of Cole, knocking him down. Strong lifts up Cole for something, but Cole counters with a crucfix for a nearfall. Strong charges, but Cole catches him and hooks Strong in a backslide for another nearfall. Cole goes for a suplex, but his back gives out on him from all the damage done by Strong. This allows Strong to take advantage and lock Cole in the Strong Hold in the center of the ring, with his knee driven into the small of Cole’s back. Cole tries to crawl and reach the ropes, but Strong pulls him back to the center, switching to a Texas Cloverleaf. Somehow, Cole is able to crawl his way over and this time reach the ropes to force Strong to break the hold. Strong goes for a back suplex, but Cole breaks free. Cole tries to go off the ropes, but Strong pulls him back in by the tights and waistlocks Cole. Cole breaks free with a back elbow, then drills Strong with an enziguri and both men are down.
Strong charges in, but Cole nails him with a forearm. Cole then unloads with a plethora of forearms to the head of Strong and Cole is all fired up. Irish whip by Cole, but Strong sidesteps his back drop attempt with a kick to the chest. Cole charges in, but Strong nails him with a chop. Cole charges in again and this time nails Strong with a clothesline that sends Strong over the ropes and to the outside. Cole then gets a head of steam and takes out Strong with a tope dive. Cole sends Strong back into the ring and heads up top. Cole connects with a crossbody on Strong for a nearfall. Strong is in the corner as Cole charges in, but Strong gets his boots up. Strong with a chop, followed by a corner whip. Strong charges and connects with a running knee in the corner, then goes off the ropes, but Cole catches him with a dropkick to his leg. Cole now goes off the ropes and connects with a Shining Wizard for another nearfall. Martini tries to will on Strong as Cole has a look of determination on his face. Cole waistlocks Strong, trying for the Florida Key, but Strong single legs him down. Cole kicks Strong off into the corner, then charges, but Strong greets him with a back elbow. Cole charges in again, but Strong catches and places him on the top turnbuckle with Cole facing the crowd. Cole tries to fight Strong off, but Strong drills him with an enziguri to the back of the head. Strong goes up with Cole and creams him with a backbreaker across the top turnbuckle for a close nearfall. Strong goes for the End of Heartache, but Cole counters out with a knee to the head. Cole goes off the ropes, but Strong comes in on the blind side and hits Cole with a knee to the gut. Strong lifts up Cole and hits the Death by Roderick for another close nearfall.
Strong & Martini can’t believe it as Strong setups Cole for the Gibson Driver, but Cole counters it with a rana. Strong charges in, but Cole pulls down the top rope, sending Strong over the ropes, but Strong holds on and stays on the apron. Cole with a kick to the gut, then drills Strong with a slingshot DDT on the apron. Back in the ring, Cole gains a close nearfall and now he can’t believe it. Martini hops up on the apron now and tries to hit Cole with the Book of Truth, however Cole ducks and grabs a hold of Martini. Cole then throws Martini over the ropes and to the outside. However, that distraction allows Strong to drill Cole with a roaring forearm. Strong goes for the End of Heartache again, but before he can plant his knees into the back of Cole, Cole lands on his feet and tries to hook Strong in the Figure Four, but Strong counters it with an inside cradle for a nearfall. Cole then drills Strong with a superkick, followed by connecting with the brainbuster across the knee for a close nearfall. Cole this time is able to lock Strong in the Figure Four as we see Michael Elgin make his way to ringside. Martini wants Elgin to help out Strong as Strong is able to make it to the ropes. Elgin is having 2nd thoughts about getting involved while Strong shoos him away. however that distraction allows Cole to hook Strong in an inside cradle for a nearfall. Strong drills Cole with another roaring forearm, but Cole comes back with a boot to the face. Strong then goes for another roaring forearm, but before he can do so, Cole drills him with a superkick.
Cole then connects with the Florida Key on Strong to win the title.
Winner and NEW Ring of Honor Television Champion: Adam Cole by pinfall (Florida Key)
Adam Cole celebrates his title win while it looks like there are continued problems within the House of Truth.
One more time in the ROH studios, Kelly mentions that next week, we will see who won the ROH match of the year for 2012, as well as other 2012 highlights.
“HONOR LIVES & MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ROH!”
Wrestleview VIPs:
The Independent Roundtable is on hiatus until the 2nd week of 2013 (January 10th), but I wanna take the time to thank everyone who has ever listened to the Independent Roundtable this year for doing so.
There is a WSU DVD Review & a ROH Final Battle iPPV Review with one CJ Bowman, WWE Main Event recapper on WrestleView for WrestleView VIPs in the Roundtable’s place.
Also this coming week, there will be a CHIKARA “Under the Hood” iPPV Review with my Roundtable co-host, Nicholas Gray.
Finally, there will be the 2012 Wrestleview Year-End Awards reveal podcast with “Mr. V” Anthony Valvo that will go up next week, all for WrestleView VIPs.
Thank you all again for your support of the ROH on Sinclair recap, the Independent Roundtable and all other independent wrestling coverage here on WrestleView in 2012. I look forward to doing a bunch more of it in 2013.
In closing, have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone and I’ll be back next week for another edition of Ring-Of-Honor!