Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair
February 1, 2014
Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville Fairgrounds)
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Top Prospect Tournament Semi-Final: Andrew Everett vs. Hanson
Code of Honor before the bell. Hanson easily gets out of a go-behind, then places Everett on the turnbuckles. Overhand chop and a right hand. Hanson taunts the crowd, but it allows Everett to hit a missile dropkick. Hanson blocks a rana, but Everett slips out of a powerbomb. Hanson misses a clothesline and Everett hits a dropkick, sending Hanson to the outside. Everett with a head of steam, but Hanson catches him off the Foxbury Flop and LAWNDARTS Everett into the ringpost! Chest club, followed by a back club. Another chest club, then back in, Hanson gains a nearfall. Everett fights back, but Hanson hits a Northern Lariat for a nearfall. Everett fights back again with a series of forearms, but Hanson shoves him down. Hanson goes for a slam, but Everett counters with a headscissors, sending Hanson into the turnbuckles. Running forearm in the corner by Everett, then he heads up top and hits Hanson with a rana. Everett goes to the apron and hits Hanson with a springboard dropkick for a nearfall. Hanson throws Everett into the turnbuckles, but Everett gets his boot up off a charge. Everett goes for a Sunset Flip, but Hanson blocks it. Hanson goes for a Deadlift Suplex, but Everett counters out with an O’Connor Roll for a nearfall. Hanson clotheslines Everett to the outside. Hanson with a head of steam, but Everett avoids the tope suicida, sending Hanson crashing and burning into the barricade! Everett gets back in, then wipes out Hanson with a Springboard Shooting Star Press! Crowd chants for Everett as he gets Hanson back in.
Everett goes for another springboard, but Hanson catches him in mid-air with the spin kick for the win.
Winner and advancing to the Finals of the 2014 Top Prospect Tournament: Hanson by pinfall (Spin Kick)
Commercial
Before the next match, Maria Kanellis has a mic. Maria says that nobody has heard from ROH’s power couple since what happened at Final Battle. And that’s because Kevin Steen touched me in the most vile way. He is everything that’s wrong with wrestling. But you know what, I’m not even mad that he hit a girl, I’m mad that he received a victory that he did not deserve. I’m a woman, a woman that believes in equality. I know everytime that I come out to this ring, its gonna be a war. I know that I might be in harm’s way, but I am not afraid of any man. But Kevin Steen isn’t just any man, he’s a disgusting man, he looks just like each and every one of you. We are far above him, so I found someone to take care of Kevin Steen that’s at his level. And Kevin Steen may have taken our piledriver, but Michael Bennett has created a finisher even better and I feel bad for Cedric Alexander because he is gonna be finished. In this ring, when Michael Bennett & I are in it, its not a Ring of Honor, its a Ring of Power.
Michael Bennett w/”The First Lady of ROH” Maria Kanellis vs. Cedric Alexander
Code of Honor before the bell. Bennett misses a right hand early and Cedric with right hands of his own. Cedric with a Tiger Flip, followed by a dropkick. Big chops in the corner, but Bennett with a back elbow. Bennett with some chops of his own in the corner, followed by a clothesline. Suplex for a 1 count. Cedric blocks a right hand and hits some of his own. Big uppercut, but Bennett with a gut kick. Bennett with a right hand, but Cedric slides out to the outside. Cedric plays cat & mouse with Bennett and knocks him off the apron. Cedric goes to dive, but Maria hops up on the apron to get in-between Cedric & Bennett. Cedric instead with a head of steam and leaps over Maria to wipe out Bennett with a flip dive! Cedric gets Bennett back in, but Maria rakes his back.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Bennett has Cedric down on the outside. Bennett with a high knee to the back of Cedric, sending him into the barricade. Bennett taunts the crowd, then gets Cedric back in. Maria joins commentary to say how hot Bennett is. Bennett gains a nearfall. Bennett sends Cedric back out to the outside. Cedric sent into the barricade, but catches Bennett with a dropkick. Cedric charges in, but Bennett catches him with a SPINEBUSTER ON THE APRON!! Back in, Bennett charges, but Cedric avoids him and Bennett crotches himself in the turnbuckles. Cedric blocks being whipped, but Bennett with a big right hand. Bennett runs into a boot, then Cedric with a high back body drop. Crowd wills on Cedric. Bennett misses a right hand and Cedric with a spinning headscissors, sending Bennett to the outside. Bennett gets back in before Cedric can dive on him, but Cedric catches him with a springboard clothesline. Bennett avoids a charge and a kick by Cedric, but Cedric makes the third time a charm as he DRILLS Bennett with a windmill kick for a nearfall. Cedric heads up top, but Bennett catches him in mid-air off a springboard with a Spear! Box Office Smash, but Cedric kicks out! Bennett goes for the Photo Finish, but Cedric slips out and hits Concussion on Delivery! Cedric lifts up Bennett and hits Kick 2 Kill, but Bennett rolls out to the outside to avoid being pinned. Cedric gets Bennett back in and heads up top, but Maria distracts him. Cedric goes for a Frog Splash, but Bennett gets his knees up!
Bennett clotheslines Cedric and locks him in the Anaconda Vice, Cedric taps.
Winner: Michael Bennett by submission (The Anaconda Vice)
Bennett & Maria celebrate his win afterwards.
Commercial
ROH matchmaker Nigel McGuinness joins commentary for our main event.
Main Event: “Mr. ROH” Roderick Strong vs. “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles
Loud “Welcome Back” chants for AJ on his entrance. Code of Honor before the bell. Strong with an amateur takedown, but AJ takes him down with a top wristlock. Strong counters with a hammerlock, but AJ reverses out and takes down Strong. Strong counters out with a headscissors, but AJ gets free and applies a side headlock. AJ switches to a chinlock. Strong tries to get to his feet, but AJ takes him back down. Strong back AJ into the corner and shoves him. Strong says that AJ is in his ring. “I’m not Sting, I can actually wrestle.” AJ quickly takes down Strong with a double-leg takedown, then says if you wanna wrestle, let’s wrestle then. AJ blocks Strong from taking him down and takes down Strong again with a double-leg. Strong gets free as the crowd chants “this is wrestling.” Strong with a gut kick, then applies a side headlock. Strong with a shoulder tackle, then mocks AJ. Roll-up for a nearfall. AJ with a gut kick and a chop. Leapfrog, followed by the Phenomenal Dropkick that sends Strong to the outside. AJ with a head of steam and DRILLS Strong with a baseball slide!
Commercial
Before we go back to the match, we go to a promo from Jay Lethal. Lethal says that next week on ROH TV, a Triple Threat has been signed for the ROH TV Title. Now, I love walking around with a smile on my face, but its been a little hard to lately, especially with the people in this Triple Threat. Because you got me, you got Matt Taven and you got the newly-crowned TV Champion Tommaso Ciampa. Now, try and follow this story, because its giving me a little bit of trouble. Now on one side of the coin, you got Tommaso Ciampa. Tommaso, you & I have a bit of history, you got hurt in one of our matches, you’re all mad and back for revenge, but I’m not going anywhere, Tommaso, I’m right here. On the other coin, you got Matt Taven. Surrounds himself with beautiful women and people who think for him so he doesn’t have to do it for himself and we are also in the middle of this war, Taven, that you are about to lose, but that doesn’t matter because there is only one thing that matters and that’s me re-capturing the ROH TV Title.
Back to the match as AJ with a pumphandle gutbuster on Strong. AJ pulls Strong’s head to his chest, but Strong fights out. Strong with gut shots, but AJ with some back clubs. AJ gets his boots up off a charge, then goes to springboard, but Strong catches him in mid-air with a dropkick. Strong goes to the outside and sends AJ into the barricade. AJ sent again into the barricade. Strong goes onto the apron with AJ, but AJ slips out of a back suplex and knocks Strong off the apron with a forearm. AJ goes for another baseball slide, but Strong catches him with a wheelbarrow into a half-nelson backbreaker onto the apron! Back in, Strong gains a nearfall. Strong applies a reverse bearhug as the crowd with dueling chants for both men. AJ fights out with back elbows, but Strong with a back club. AJ slips out of another back suplex, then both men collide with one another in mid-air as both went for crossbodies! AJ with a clothesline and a back elbow. Spin kick, then AJ sent onto the apron. AJ with a forearm, then hits the springboard flying forearm. Fireman’s Carry Neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Commercial
Back from commercial as AJ motions for the Styles Clash, but Strong counters with a Sunset Flip. AJ rolls through it and tries again for the Styles Clash, but Strong kicks him off. Strong with a knee to the ribs, then hits an Olympic Slam. Running knee and a running forearm in the corner, followed by the Urnangi Backbreaker for a nearfall. Strong goes for Death by Roderick, but AJ slips out. Standing switch, but AJ with a back elbow. AJ goes for the Phenomenon, but Strong blocks it. AJ runs into a boot, then Strong with a enziguri. Strong misses a clothesline and AJ this time hits the Phenomenon for a nearfall. AJ heads up top, but Strong stops him. Big chop, then Strong heads up with AJ. Top Rope Superplex for a nearfall. “This is wrestling” chants by the crowd. AJ counters the Gibson Driver with a kick, then avoids a charge and hits the Pele Kick. BLOODY SUNDAY BY AJ!! 1-2…………STRONG KICKS OUT!!! “ROH” chants by the crowd. AJ goes for a springboard, but slips and lands on Strong with a knee to the head. AJ is limping as he goes to the middle rope. AJ goes for an Avalanche Styles Clash, but Strong slips out and hits an enziguri. Strong brings out AJ with a backbreaker, then hits Death by Roderick, but now its AJ who kicks out! Strong cannot believe it. Strong with forearms, but AJ with forearms of his own. Strong with a leaping knee, but AJ avoids a discus forearm, then takes down Strong and locks him in the Calf Killer. Strong spins over and pins AJ for a nearfall. Forearm exchange, then a chop exchange. AJ with a series of strikes, ending with a spinning backfist. AJ misses a big forearm and Strong goes off the ropes and DRILLS AJ with the Sick Kick! 1-2………….AJ KICKS OUT AGAIN!!! Strong is in shock. Strong goes for the End of Heartache, but AJ counters out with a rana. Strong with another leaping knee, but AJ turns him inside out with a discus clothesline!
AJ hits the Styles Clash (with Strong landing right on his head) for the win.
Winner: “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles by pinfall (Styles Clash)
The Decade run out afterwards and attack AJ. Whitmer stomps away at AJ while Jacobs chokes him with his shirt. The assault continues until Jay Lethal, TD Thomas, Mark Briscoe, Michael Elgin & Chris Hero run out to make the save. Lethal helps AJ to his feet as we go to credits.