Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair (Pursuit Night #1 Edition #2)
November 30, 2013
Dearborn, Michigan (Ford Community & Performing Arts Center)
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
We see the same video package on tonight’s Adam Cole vs. Jimmy Jacobs main event for the ROH World Title as we did last week.
We see the usual intro, then go to the opening match.
Roderick Strong vs. Davey Richards w/Eddie Edwards
Code of Honor before the bell. Davey goes to work on the arm of Strong early. Strong reverses and wrings out Davey’s arm. Davey regains control and takes Strong down into a surfboard. Pinning predicament for a nearfall. Strong then applies a surfboard of his own. Pinning predicament by Strong for a nearfall. Davey goes back to work on the arm. Exchange of reversals, both go for strikes and we have a stalemate as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Strong catches Davey off a handspring and hits a backbreaker. Davey runs into an elbow, then a boot by Strong, Davey misses a clothesline and Strong with a sit-out clothesline. Strong avoids a corner charge and hits a running forearm, then a boot to the head. Slingshot Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Davey blocks the half-nelson backbreaker, then counters with a crucifix for a nearfall. Strong off the blind side with a knee to the ribs, Olympic Slam for a nearfall. Crowd wants a backbreaker from Strong. Davey slips off Strong’s back, then hits a back heel kick. Davey slips out of the Gibson Driver, double stomp for a nearfall. Dueling chants for both men. Davey with a slam and heads up top, but is favoring his back. Strong avoids the double stomp, but Davey blocks an enziguri on the apron and wraps up Strong in a leglock while in the ropes. Davey heads back up top, but this time Strong hits the enziguri as Davey nearly falls off the turnbuckles. Strong goes up with Davey and hits a Top Rope Superplex for a nearfall. Strike exchange, then Strong runs into a head kick. Strong with a leaping knee, Davey with a spinning back kick. Both exchange rolling forearms, Davey with a release German, STRONG POPS RIGHT UP!! SICK KICK!!! Both men down. “ROH” chants by the crowd. Both up by the count of 9. Chop and kick exchange between the two. Alarm Clock by Davey, followed by a running chest kick in the corner. Davey heads up top and hits the double stomp for a nearfall. Davey transitions right into the Ankle Lock. Strong tries to get out, but Davey holds on.
Strong then counters with an inside cradle for the win.
Winner: Roderick Strong by pinfall (Inside Cradle)
Code of Honor between the two afterwards as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to a promo from Mark Briscoe. Mark asks Silas Young if he is indeed the last real man. I think there is nothing worse than a liar. By you saying that you are the last real man, that makes you a liar. You got this chest hair, halfway decent mustache, but that don’t make you the last real man more than it makes me a woman. You gonna whoop me with a belt, as if I’m the one that deserves the whooping? You the one that needs the whooping. Not only are you not a man, you’re a coward. Mark then takes off his belt and feigns him whipping Silas with it at Final Battle. Mark says his daddy taught him that people need whoopings when they acting out and Silas is acting out and he needs straightening out. You think you a real man, well I will treat you like a boy.
Mark Briscoe vs. Michael Elgin
Code of Honor before the bell. Elgin throws down Mark to start. Mark avoids a clothesline and hits some Redneck Kung Fu. Mark with a leapfrog, but Elgin with a shoulder knockdown. Mark says Elgin is a “strong young’n.” “Man Up” chants for Mark. Mark wants to do a Test of Strength, but first, warms up by doing push-ups. Mark with a go-behind, both block each other’s strikes, Mark backflips onto his feet and we have a stalemate. Elgin with a side headlock, but Mark reverses. Mark slips out of a slam, then blocks a pump kick. Mark with a spinning heel kick, but Elgin catches Mark off a charge with the ST-Joe for a nearfall. Time to get your watches, folks. Elgin lifts up Mark in a delayed suplex for 10…….20…….30……40…..45 seconds for a nearfall. Mark slips out of the Buckle Bomb, then Elgin runs into an elbow. Mark lands on his feet off a backdrop attempt, but then Elgin with a back elbow. Mark comes back with a jawbreaker and the Uncle Mule Kick for a nearfall. Back suplex, followed by a leaping elbow drop for a nearfall. Headbutts, then Elgin is sent to the outside. Mark with a head of steam and he nails Elgin with a baseball slide. Elgin avoids Mark leaping off the apron, then catches Mark charging in with a Black Hole Slam on the outside!!
Commercial
Back from commercial, but we go back to the match, we go to a promo from Tommaso Ciampa. Tommaso says that Final Battle feels like the moment that I’ve been working towards my entire career. When I tore my ACL a year ago, there was some concern that I might not wrestle again, some concern that I might not return to the ring quite the man I left. But you have seen it for yourself. The Sicilian Psychopath returned, bigger and badder, stronger and faster than ever before. Now at Final Battle, I have the opportunity of a lifetime. To take Matt Taven and the H.O.T’s prize possession from them. Now that’s exactly what I am gonna do. I’m going to accomplish what I set out for on day one. At the end of the day, at the end of the year, ROH is gonna have a new TV Champion, the Sicilian Psychopath.
Back to the match as Elgin calls for the Buckle Bomb. Mark counters with a jackknife pin for a nearfall. Elgin with a big forearm, but misses a clothesline and Mark with some Redneck Kung Fu, but Elgin does not go down. Mark with some more Redneck Kung Fu, but Elgin still won’t go down. Mark heads up top and hits a tomahawk chop to finally knock down Elgin. Elgin blocks an Exploder, but Mark with a Urnangi for a nearfall. Mark heads up top for the Froggy Bow, but Elgin stops him with a big right hand, sending Mark onto the apron. Elgin goes to the middle rope, but Mark slips out of the Deadlift Superplex. Elgin charges, but Mark catches him with the cartwheel DVD. Mark heads back up top, but Silas Young comes out and grabs Mark’s foot. Jay Briscoe comes out and goes after Silas on the outside. Elgin charges and nails both Jay & Silas with a baseball slide. Elgin goes after both Jay & Silas, then Mark heads up top. Mark wipes out everyone with a moonsault and the ref calls for the bell.
No Contest
Referees & security come out to separate everyone. Crowd chants “let them fight” as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Main Event for the Ring of Honor World Title: Jimmy Jacobs w/BJ Whitmer vs. Adam Cole (c)
Nigel McGuinness joins commentary for this match. Pre-match intros and Code of Honor before the bell. Cole backs Jacobs into the corner and shoves him before yelling “Adam Cole Ba-By!!! Jacobs with a go-behind, inside cradle for a 1 count. Chain wrestling between the two, stalemate. Cole pie-faces Jacobs and talks trash. Jacobs with right hands and a back suplex for a nearfall. Cole sent off the turnbuckles. Jacobs runs into double boots. Cole pins Jacobs with his feet on the ropes, but Whitmer shoves the feet off the ropes. Jacobs with a savate kick to the ribs, followed by a running dropkick for a nearfall. Jacobs pulls back on Cole’s arms and slams him face-first into the mat multiple times for a nearfall. Back elbow in the corner, then Cole slides out to the outside. Jacobs nails Cole with a baseball slide. Jacobs gets Cole back in, but Cole dropkicks him off the apron. Cole with a head of steam, but Jacobs catches him with a forearm. Jacobs applies End Time in the ropes, but has to break by the count of 5 to avoid being DQ’d. Jacobs now with a head of steam, but Cole catches his baseball slide and hits a wheelbarrow suplex onto the apron!
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cole with a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Jacobs blocks the Florida Key, but Cole blocks a roll-up attempt and locks Jacobs in the Figure Four, right in the middle of the ring. Jacobs is somehow to crawl over and reach the ropes, but Cole uses all of the 5 count before breaking. Jacobs sends Cole to the outside, then headscissors him. Jacobs with a head of steam, but Cole sidesteps his tope suicida attempt, sending Jacobs crashing off the floor. Whitmer goes to check on Jacobs, but Cole shoves him aside. Cole gets the limp Jacobs back in, then measures him, connecting with a basement superkick, but JACOBS KICKS OUT!! Crowd chants for Jacobs. Jacobs again fights out of the Florida Key, but Cole with the Fireman’s Carry Neckbreaker, followed by another Shining Wizard, but Jacobs kicks out AGAIN!! Cole is beginning to get frustrated as the crowd again chants for Jacobs. Jacobs played possum being limp as he locks Cole in End Time. Cole gets to his feet and lifts up Jacobs to get out. Jacobs then counters by SPIKING COLE with a reverse rana, but COLE POPS RIGHT UP and hits a pump kick! Jacobs POPS RIGHT UP and SPEARS COLE, both men down!! “ROH” chants by the crowd. Cole rolls out to the apron to avoid being pinned. Jacobs goes out after him, but Cole with a boot to the head. Cole goes for a German on the apron, but Jacobs fights out with elbows. Cole avoids the Contra Code, sending Jacobs back into the ring. Jacobs then with a head of steam and he SPEARS COLE, sending both to the outside and Cole into the barricade!! Ref begins his 20 count as both are still down. Whitmer wills on his friend, Jacobs, as both men start to stir at the count of 15. Jacobs gets in at 16 and Cole barely gets back in before the count of 20. Jacobs instantly goes to the middle rope and hits the Inward Ace Crusher, but COLE KICKS OUT!! End Time re-applied, right in the center of the ring. Crowd chants for Cole to tap as he starts to fade. Ref checks Cole’s arm three times and he shows life at the third attempt. Cole gets to his feet and hits the Brainbuster across the knee, but in doing so, Jacobs’s feet struck the ref in the face, knocking him down. Cole grabs the ROH World Title belt and goes to strike Jacobs with it, but Whitmer grabs the belt from him. Whitmer feigns hitting Cole with it, but then throws it to Jacobs and leaves the ring. Cole begs off as Jacobs contemplates hitting Cole with the belt. Jacobs tosses the belt to Cole and kicks him in the ribs. CONTRA CODE!!!! 1-2…….COLE KICKS OUT AGAIN!!! Jacobs cannot believe it. Nigel says on commentary that Jacobs just proved to him that he is honorable by not using the title belt on Cole while the ref was down. Jacobs heads up top, but Cole avoids the back senton. Jacobs kicks Cole away when he tries the Figure Four again, then goes again for the Inward Ace Crusher, but COLE DRILLS HIM in mid-air with a superkick to the back of the head!! Another Brainbuster across the knee, FLORIDA KEY!!! 1-2………..JACOBS KICKS OUT!!! Now its Cole who cannot believe it. Whitmer continues to will on his friend as the crowd chants for Jacobs. “This is awesome” chants by the crowd. Cole places Jacobs up top, with Jacobs facing the crowd. Cole goes up with Jacobs, but Jacobs with elbows. Jacobs goes for the Super Contra Code, but Cole holds onto the ropes, sending Jacobs crashing to the mat.
PANAMA SUNRISE!!! 1-2-3! What a match!
Winner and STILL Ring of Honor World Champion: Adam Cole by pinfall (Panama Sunrise)
Cole celebrates his title retention afterwards, while Whitmer and referees check on Jacobs as we go to credits.