Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair
February 23, 2013
Baltimore, Maryland (Du Burns Arena)
Commentators: Kevin Kelly and Caleb Seltzer
Report by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair recap. If you all are ready, then let’s get to the show!
We see the usual intro, then Kevin Kelly & Caleb Seltzer welcome us to the show, from the Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Kelly hypes up the finals of the 2013 Top Prospect tournament and a 6-Man tag-team main event.
We see video of the end of last week’s show when ROH champion Kevin Steen stood in the way of Rhino potentially goring Jay Lethal, then the music of the champ hits as Kevin Steen makes his way to the ring.
Steen has a mic and says that people say he’s changed. What else is changed over the past few years, ROH has gone through many changes. Steen says when he won the ROH title last year, he wasn’t happy to be the ROH champion. The only reason Steen says he wanted the ROH title is to help kill ROH. However, Steen says he didn’t want to kill ROH because he hated it. On the contrary, he loved ROH and still does. Steen says he needed to kill ROH to put it out of its misery because of what Jim Cornette was doing to it. ROH was about young, talented wrestlers, busting their asses to show that they belong. The truth is, ever since Jim Cornette left, ROH is now exactly about what it should be and that’s pro wrestling. Steen says you can call him a lot of things, sick, an a**hole, but you can’t say that he doesn’t love pro wrestling. I’ve bled for it, I’ve cried for it and I’m not stopping anytime soon. Steen says what he has realized is that since Cornette’s departure, I care about ROH and I’m proud to be ROH World Champion. Steen says that is why he is giving Jay Lethal a title shot, not because I have to, but because Lethal deserves it. However, as talented as Lethal is, you don’t deserve it because you’re a good wrestler, you don’t deserve because you’ve beaten good wrestlers, you deserve it because truthfully, you’re the one who got rid of Cornette. Steen says to be clear, Lethal is great, but since winning the title, I’ve been Eddie Edwards, Davey Richards, Roderick Strong, Rhino, Michael Elgin, El Generico, just to name a few. Steen says he has put himself through hell and now, more than ever, I will do everything and anything to keep this title. Steen says to Lethal, what makes you think you can beat me? The truth is, Jay Lethal, you can’t beat me.
We go to video of comments from the finalists in the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament, Tadarius Thomas & Matt Taven.
Tadarius says he has gone through a lot of emotions since joining ROH, the biggest one is that he gets to be in the ring with all these top guys.
Taven says his 1st match in ROH was in 2009, now in 2013, I’m finally getting the opportunity that I think I deserve.
Tadarius says he has been on the independents for 4 years, but ROH is the top place in the world.
Taven says he was jealous of Tadarius last year because he got the spot that I wanted and now he is in my way to getting what I feel like I deserve.
Tadarius says his knowledge on Taven is limited in terms of his background. The only thing I know is what I see in his matches and I’ve done my homework. As far as the type of person is, that doesn’t matter, what matters is what he does in the ring. The style that I bring is something I’m sure he has never dealt with and that is my African style of Capoeira, which can be very unorthodox.
Taven says for years, he has made his name in other areas, but this tournament his is breakout moment.
Tadarius says I’ve accumulated some losses, but I have been able to learn from them.
Taven says people are finally talking about me in the way I want them to and winning this tournament is gonna skyrocket my career to the top.
Tadarius says this tournament will be the one thing that will give me a jumpstart like Frankenstein.
Taven says that Tadarius is a humble, likable guy but tonight, he is a stepping stone, a launching pad to where I wanna be.
Tadarius says he hopes Taven is ready, because I am gonna bring everything I got to the table.
Taven says he wants that TV Title shot and nothing, not even Tadarius, is gonna get in my way.
The finals of the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament are………..NEXT!
Commercial
Before we come back from commercial, we see a hype promo for the 11th Anniversary iPPV as Veda Scott interviews The C & C Wrestlefactory, who will be taking on SCUM. Cedric Alexander says he hopes SCUM has got a lot of tricks in the bag, because they will need everything they have because C & C will be taking it Overtime. Caprice Coleman says those silly rabbits should know, tricks are for kids. SCUM wants to degrade their job, don’t like where they at and they wanna ruin everything. Coleman says that Cedric and himself have been trying to get in ROH for years and we’re gonna show SCUM that people wanna work in ROH and do the right thing and we sending it to Overtime, while SCUM will be going home on Workman’s comp.
Back from commercial, its time for the finals of the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament, however, conspicuous by his absence is Truth Martini, who sat on commentary for all the prior tournament matches.
2013 Top Prospect Tournament Finals (winner receives a ROH TV Title shot at the 11th Anniversary iPPV): Matt Taven vs. “T.D.” Tadarius Thomas
Code of Honor adhered to before the bell sounds. Thomas with a waistlock, but Taven with a side headlock. Thomas goes to his own side headlock, then counters out of a Taven back suplex attempt into a waistlock. Taven with a switch, then goes for an O’Connor Roll, but Thomas holds onto the ropes. However, Taven comes back with a dropkick. Taven goes for a running basement knee, but Thomas avoids it and kips up. Taven goes for a running boot, but Thomas avoids again and hits a Capoeira kick to the ribs, followed by another one to the head for a nearfall. Thomas goes for another Capoeira kick, but Taven avoids it. Thomas reverses a corner whip, but Taven springs to the top and hits a moonsault press, but Thomas rolls through it to gain a nearfall. Thomas goes back to a side headlock, but Taven nails him with a spinning heel kick off of a whip for a nearfall. Taven now with a side headlock, but Thomas backs him into the ropes. Thomas breaks clean, but Taven nails him with a right hand. Taven with a forearm, but Thomas reverses a whip and hits an armdrag as we see Truth Martini make his way out to ringside. Thomas with another armdrag, followed by a dropkick. Thomas goes for a cover, but Taven is too close to the ropes. Taven comes back with a spinning back kick to the ribs, followed by a gut punch. Taven with a shoulder, followed by a corner whip and finally a backbreaker/gutbuster combination for another nearfall. Thomas fights back, but Taven goes back to the ribs. Taven with a delayed suplex, followed by kipping up. Taven with springboard corkscrew senton for another nearfall. Taven charges and connects with a clothesline in the corner. Taven with a corner whip, but Thomas goes up and over and hooks Taven in a Sunset Flip for a nearfall. Thomas then with an Oklahoma Roll for another nearfall. Thomas with a back kick to the ribs, followed by a clothesline in the corner. Thomas with a corner whip, but Taven uses his foot to allow himself to back roll onto his feet to avoid Thomas’s charge. Taven then nails Thomas with an enziguri for a 1 count. Taven gets another 1 count, then hits a forearm. Thomas reverses a whip and Martini pulls at Taven’s foot as he was going off the ropes. Taven is distracted and this allows Thomas to connect with an STO takedown.
Thomas gets the crowd behind him as he charges and connects with a back elbow, followed by another Capoeira kick to the head for a nearfall. Taven reverses a corner whip, but runs into a boot by Thomas. Thomas with a right hand, but Taven responds with one of his own. Taven off the ropes, but Thomas catches him with the Slingblade for a close nearfall. Taven misses a head kick and Thomas hits his Tiger Suplex, but Taven is able to kick out. Thomas can’t believe it as he goes for a suplex, but Taven slips out. Taven shoves Thomas, who puts on the brakes before striking the ref. Taven goes for a spinning kick, but Thomas ducks and the referee is drilled with kick, knocking him down. Taven is checking on the ref while Martini throws his boot to Thomas, telling him to use it. Thomas throws the boot back, saying he won’t use it. However, Taven picks it up and goes to hit Thomas with it, but he ducks and then waistlocks Taven. Taven runs to the ropes to break the waistlock and in doing so, Martini proceeds to drill Thomas with the Book of Truth.
The referee comes to as Taven pins Thomas to win the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament.
Winner of the 2013 Top Prospect Tournament: Matt Taven by pinfall (Thanks to the Book of Truth)
After the match, Taven is not happy that Martini helped him win. He goes to leave, but Martini grabs him and says something in his ear that begins to change his mind. Taven extends his hand and Martini shakes it, so it appears that we have a new member of the House of Truth. Taven & Martini celebrate as we go to commercial.
Commercial
“Inside Ring of Honor”
This week’s Inside ROH is a run-down of next week’s 11th Anniversary iPPV, with insert promos from the participants in the matches.
1st is Charlie Haas vs. BJ Whitmer in a No Holds Barred Match. Haas says there’s not gonna be a match with Whitmer because Whitmer won’t be there due to the beating he suffered at the car dealership last week. The only sweat Haas says he’ll break is by opening a case of Chuck Lights.
2nd is SCUM vs. The C & C Wrestlefactory. Cedric Alexander says that SCUM has done everything to break them both mentally and physically, but they are still standing and at the Anniversary, they will be ready for a fight. Caprice Coleman says that SCUM can line up the princes beside the dummy, you can bring the zombie beside the mummy, but we will show you what happens when you have 2 people that are working on the grind, from the bottom all the way to the top. Coleman says SCUM got their tricks, ain’t nobody got time for that. At the Anniversary, SCUM is gonna see what happens when C & C goes into overtime. Alexander ends with an “Amen!”
3rd is the American Wolves vs. The Forever Hooligans. Davey Richards says that he & Rocky Romero had some fun back in the day, we tore up Japan, up and down the island, Tokyo Dome to Korakuen Hall. But, this ain’t Japan, this is America and we are the American Wolves, the best tag-team in America, if you don’t believe us, you’ll find out soon enough. Eddie Edwards says that Romero & Davey were partners with No Remorse, but the American Wolves are brothers. We are the American Wolves, we are Ring of Honor and the hunt is on!
4th is the Tag Title match with champs the Briscoes vs. reDRagon. O’Reilly says to Fish that did he know the Briscoes were the most decorated tag-team in ROH history? O’Reilly says this is 2013, this is our year and the Briscoes’ 8th title reign will be sadly short-lived. Fish says that he would love to call Jay Briscoe the brains of the operation, but that would be an oxymoron. Now, pass a message to your brother, rooster, c**k, chicken. Let him know not to bring that Redneck Kung Fu crap to Chicago.
5th is the TV Title match between champ Adam Cole and Matt Taven, but all we see is Truth Martini laughing maniacally.
6th is the 2 out of 3 falls match between Roderick Strong & Michael Elgin. Elgin says he was taught growing up that you don’t pick fights that you can’t win and that’s exactly what Strong has done. Strong has signed his own death certificate and Elgin says that he is about to engrave the tombstone.
Finally, 7th is the main event ROH World Title match between champ Kevin Steen and Jay Lethal. Jay Lethal says to Steen that this is it, March 2nd in Chicago Ridge, the 11th Anniversary, we’ve reached our defining moment and Steen, I got your number. Lethal says he’s focused, all my distractions are gone, my parents, miles away, in Chicago Ridge, Kevin, I’m coming for everything you got.
Commercial
Back from commercial, it is supposed to be time for the main event, but Jay Lethal comes out and grabs a microphone. Lethal says he has something to say to Kevin Steen. Lethal says he thinks its great that Steen, all of a sudden, has a change of heart. I think its great that you love ROH and want to be an honorable champion, But, Lethal says he also thinks that Steen is full of s**t. Lethal says he has Steen all figured out, Steen likes to get in the heads of his opponents and most of his matches are won before the bell rings. To prove it, Steen came out and said everything he thinks the fans wants to hear. Also, Lethal thinks that Davey Richards is one of the best in the world and the mind job you pulled on him to win the ROH World Title was nothing short of amazing. But, Lethal says in Chicago, he can guarantee that it will not happen to him. Lethal says he has gotten it all mapped out, he has forgiven the past, his parents will be far away, he has moved all of his distractions. On March 2nd, when people talk about the great ROH champions, they will say Samoa Joe, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and then, they will say that there was one of us. But, the only difference and to answer the question Steen proposed of why Lethal thinks he can beat him? The answer is simple, Lethal says he thinks he can win because Steen thinks that Lethal can’t.
We go to video from earlier today as Veda Scott interviewed reDRagon & Roderick Strong. Strong says that he is 2-0 against Michael Elgin, what will be different tonight? Nothing, it will only prove that you are very breakable and I am very unbeatable. Bobby Fish says that they just be the American Wolves to earn our ROH Tag Team Title shot, so if ROH needs us to put a whooping’ on them one more time, myself & Kyle will be more than happy to oblige. O’Reilly says the American Wolves have been running their mouths, time and time again. Are you gonna bark all day, little doggies, or are you gonna bite?
The Briscoes join Kelly & Seltzer at the commentary table for our main event.
Main Event in a 6-Man Tag Team Grudge Match: reDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) & “The Messiah of the Backbreaker” Roderick Strong vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards) & “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin
No Code of Honor as all 6 men begin brawling with one another as the bell sounds. They go to the outside as they paired off with Richards/O’Reilly, Fish/Edwards & Elgin/Strong. Elgin sends Strong to the barricade while Fish does the same to Edwards. Edwards with a pair of chops to Fish before Richards sends him back in the ring. Another referee comes out so order can be maintained in this match. Double whip by the Wolves, but Edwards runs into a boot by Fish as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Elgin charges and connects with an avalanche onto all 3 men of the opposition in the corner. Elgin 1st squishes Strong, then charges and squishes O’Reilly. The Wolves then whip Fish to Elgin, who hits a hip-toss on him. Richards covers Fish for a nearfall. Fish is sent into the head of Edwards before he is tagged in. Double whip by the Wolves, followed by a double back elbow for a nearfall. Tag to Elgin, who hits a double sledge to the back. Elgin lifts up Fish for a delayed suplex as the Wolves knock Strong & O’Reilly off the apron to prevent them from breaking the suplex up. The Wolves stand guard as Elgin continues to keep Fish in the air. At around 1 minute, Elgin drops him down to gain a nearfall. Tag to Richards, who hits a gut punch. Fish reverses a whip and O’Reilly nails Richards with a knee to the back as he was going off the ropes. Richards goes for a kick, but O’Reilly catches his boot, allowing Fish to nail him from behind.
Fish with shots to the back of Richards’s neck, then tags in O’Reilly. They begin triple-teaming Richards until the ref comes in to admonish them. O’Reilly with a knee drop to the head for a nearfall. Strong is tagged in as he hits a gut kick, followed by sending Richards into the corner. Strong with a back club, followed by a big chop. Strong with another chop, but Richards comes back with a left hand. They exchange strikes until Strong connects with a dropkick for a nearfall. Tag to Fish, who hits a slingshot senton for a nearfall. Fish with a gut punch, followed by a kick to the chest for another nearfall. Fish with shots to both Elgin & Edwards, but that allows Richards to begin to fight back. Fish comes back with a forearm, then tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly & Richards exchange strikes now until O’Reilly hits a flurry of strikes, ending with a leg sweep. Tag to Strong, who taunts Elgin. Strong lifts up Richards for a delayed suplex and is seeming to try and one-up Elgin from earlier. However, Richards gets out with a knee to the head. Richards then with an inside cradle for a nearfall, but Strong comes right back with another dropkick for his own nearfall. Richards with a leaping stomp, then tags in Fish. Fish with a snapmare, followed by an elbow drop for a nearfall. Richards backs Fish to Fish’s corner and hits some shoulders to the ribs, but that allows Strong to tag back in. Strong with a kick to the kidneys, but then he & Richards trade strikes again until Richards hits a spinning back kick to the ribs. Richards tries to make the tag, but Strong lifts him up and sends him back to his corner. Strong mocks the Wolves’ wolf howl, then tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly with a snapmare, then locks in a unique version of an abdominal stretch, with Richards’ legs also wrapped up. O’Reilly falls back and gains a nearfall. Richards goes for a kick, but O’Reilly catches it and takes Richards down with a nasty looking Dragon Screw leg whip. Tag to Fish, who gains another nearfall. Fish goes to work on Richards’ injured leg as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Strong gets the tag to Fish as he & O’Reilly come in and knock Edwards & Elgin off the apron, preventing Richards from making the tag. reDRagon with a double whip, but Richards with a front kick to Fish to side step a back drop attempt. Richards sends O’Reilly into Fish, then hits a dropkick to Fish, causing him to DDT O’Reilly.
Tag to Edwards, who heads up top and hits a front missile dropkick to both Fish & O’Reilly. Edwards with a kip-up, followed by a series of chops to Fish. Edwards with Kobashi-style chops to Fish, but Fish reverses a corner whip. Fish charges, but runs into a boot by Edwards. Edwards charges, but he runs into a forearm by Fish. Fish off the ropes, but Edwards avoids a clothesline and knocks O’Reilly off the apron with a running Yakuza kick. Edwards slides under Fish’s legs and nails him with a savate kick to the knee, followed by a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Edwards goes for a clothesline, but Fish avoids it and then connects with a Falcon Arrow. Strong is tagged in and he charges, but runs into a boot by Edwards. Edwards leaps to the 2nd rope and goes for the Boston Knee Party, but Strong catches him and goes for the Strong Hold, but Edwards kicks him off. Strong charges, but Edwards rolls through and goes for the Achilles’ Lock, but now its Strong who kicks Edwards off. They exchange chops until Strong with a flurry of them. Strong off the ropes, but Richards comes back in and the Wolves hit the assisted Alarm Clock kick. Richards waistlocks Strong, but O’Reilly nails him from behind, while Fish with a shot to the ribs of Edwards. reDRagon with stereo whips, but the Wolves hold onto the ropes. reDRagon charges, but the Wolves pull down the top rope and send reDRagon onto the apron. The Wolves charge and hit stereo kicks to the backs of reDRagon, knocking them to the outside. The Wolves then with a head of steam, soaring and scoring with stereo tope dives onto reDRagon, sending them crashing into the barricade. Elgin got the tag in as he is left alone with Strong, who is the legal man for his team. Strong charges, but Elgin throws him into the corner and unloads with right hands on Strong, followed by a series of clotheslines in the corner. Strong tries to counter a whip, but to no avail as Elgin lifts him up and sends him head-first into the top turnbuckle, followed by a STO takedown. Elgin charges and connects with a clothesline, whips Strong to the far corner, follows in him with another clothesline, then pulls Strong in so he connect with a spinning side slam for a nearfall. Elgin setups for a powerbomb, but O’Reilly comes in and leaps on Elgin’s back. Elgin sends O’Reilly to the corner, then greets a charging Fish with a boot. Again, O’Reilly leaps onto Elgin’s back, trying for a sleeper, but then Elgin, while O’Reilly is on his back, deadlifts Fish and GERMAN SUPLEXES HIM WHILE DROPPING O’REILLY DOWN TO THE MAT!!!
Edwards heads up top and does a double stomp to a doubled over Fish, then on the other side, Richards heads up top, does a wolf howl and squishes Strong with his own double stomp. Elgin then with a Hellavator to Strong, but O’Reilly breaks it up. O’Reilly & Fish send the Wolves to the outside, but then Elgin nails Fish with clotheslines to the chest and back in rapid-fire succession. Elgin off the ropes, but O’Reilly nails him with a boot to the head. Elgin nails O’Reilly with a spinning backfist, but then Strong with a knee to the ribs. Strong lifts up Elgin and hits the Death by Roderick, followed by reDRagon connecting with their version of Total Elimination, but the Wolves come in to break it up. The Wolves & reDRagon exchange strikes until reDRagon gains advantage. reDRagon off the ropes, but they run into kicks by the Wolves. Richards with a head kick to O’Reilly, then he & Fish have the same idea multiple times on kicks to one another as they hit at the same time. Richards misses a clothesline, but Fish misses an enziguri, allowing Richards to lock him in the Ankle Lock. However, Strong breaks it up, lifts up Richards and hits an inverted Death by Roderick. Strong charges and connects with a running elbow to Elgin in the corner. Strong with another charge, but Elgin lifts him up, however Strong slips out. Elgin sidesteps another Strong charge and goes for Chaos Theory, but Strong holds onto the ropes. Elgin charges, but Strong side steps him and hits a leaping knee strike, followed by an enziguri. Strong off the ropes and hits the Sick Kick, but Elgin is able to kick out. Elgin with a forearm, but Strong with another leaping knee strike, followed by a series of forearms, a spinning back elbow and a rolling elbow and finally a 3rd leaping knee strike.
Strong then hits the End of Heartache on Elgin for the victory.
Winner: reDRagon & Roderick Strong by pinfall (End of Heartache)
Kevin Kelly gives a final hype for the 11th Anniversary iPPV next weekend as we go to credits.