Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair (12th Anniversary Edition #1)
March 1, 2014
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (National Guard Armory)
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Over the next 3 weeks, ROH TV will be matches from the February 21st “12th Anniversary” show in Philadelphia.
Michael Elgin makes his way to the ring. Commentary mentions that Matt Hardy couldn’t make the show due to flight issues, so Hardy vs. Elgin has been canceled. Elgin has the mic and says for the last week, there has been 2 things that I have been looking forward to. Eventually becoming the ROH Champion & sending Matt Hardy out of Philadelphia on a stretcher or a bodybag. But, I got here and I found out that Matt Hardy’s “flight got canceled.” See, for a long time, I thought Matt Hardy was stupid. But now tonight, I realize just how smart he is because he decided to stay in North Carolina. We are here for a reason tonight and that’s to celebrate 12 years of the greatest wrestling company on the planet and ROH is the best wrestling on the planet because it gives wrestlers a chance. They bring in the virtually unknown and make them stars. Every night, I sit back and watch the show and say to myself, who is gonna be the next star, who is gonna be given the next opportunity. Without opportunities, I wouldn’t be standing here myself. So tonight, Raymond Rowe, I know you’re back there. 12 years strong for ROH and tonight, Rowe, you get to come out here and prove to me that you belong, or you don’t.
“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs. Raymond Rowe
Code of Honor before the bell. Rowe instantly hits Shotgun Knees. Elgin gets out of Death Rowe, then catches a charging Rowe with ST-Joe. Elgin with the delayed vertical, but Rowe fights out with knee strikes. Rowe tries his own, but Elgin blocks it. Rowe tries to fight out again with knees, but Elgin lifts him back up in the delayed vertical, then completes it after 50 seconds.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Rowe has Elgin down. Elgin blocks a Deadlift German, then a series of standing switches until Elgin hits an enziguri. Rowe fights out of a Deadlift German with elbows, then both take turns going off each other’s blind sides until Rowe hits an Exploder, but Elgin POPS RIGHT UP!! Elgin with an Exploder. Both clothesline each other at the same time twice. Elgin misses a right hand clothesline, but hits the left, however ROWE KICKS OUT AT 1! Another big lariat by Elgin, but Rowe kicks out! Rowe slips out of a Buckle Bomb and hits an Overhead Belly-to-Belly, sending Elgin to the outside. Rowe with a head of steam, but Elgin avoids a tope suicida with Rowe crashing into the floor! Elgin lifts up Rowe and BUCKLE BOMBS HIM INTO THE BARRICADE!!
Back in, Elgin with the Elgin Bomb for the win.
Winner: “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin by pinfall (Elgin Bomb)
Code of Honor afterwards. Elgin celebrates his win, but all of a sudden, ROH World Champion Adam Cole runs out. Cole goes to hit Elgin with the ROH Title belt, but Rowe stops him. Rowe & Cole have a shoving match until Cole backs into Elgin. Elgin goes to Buckle Bomb Cole, but Michael Bennett runs out and low blows both Rowe & Elgin. Cole & Bennett stomp away at Elgin until Jay Briscoe runs out to make the save. Cole is cleared from the ring as Briscoe & Bennett exchange right hands. Jay peppers Bennett with jabs until Bennett rakes the eyes. Jay sends Bennett to the outside as Cole flees to the back.
Commercial
Back from commercial, Jay Briscoe has a mic as matchmaker Nigel McGuinness comes out to ringside. Jay asks if Philadelphia is ready to see Michael Bennett get his ass whooped. Nigel, these people are ready, I’m ready to defend my title, ring the bell, let’s do this s**t!
“Real” ROH World Title: Jay Briscoe (c) vs. Michael Bennett w/”The First Lady of ROH” Maria Kanellis
Bennett pulls Jay to the outside and the two begin brawling around ringside with Jay having the advantage early. Bennett sent into the barricade. Commentary mentions that we were supposed to see Tommaso Ciampa vs. Hanson for the ROH TV Title this week, but because of Briscoe & Bennett, that match will be pushed back to next week. Bennett sent again into the barricade. Jay chokes Bennett with his t-shirt. Bennett comes back and sends Jay into the barricade. Jay then whips Bennett hard into the barricade. Jay then BRAINBUSTERS BENNETT ON THE APRON!! They brawl to the entranceway with Jay continuing to take over. We see Maria come out on the entranceway and the distraction allows Bennett to hit Jay from behind. Jay sent again into the barricade, this time multiple times. Jay blocks a suplex and SUPLEXES BENNETT ON THE RAMP!! They finally get into the ring, with Jay hitting a headbutt. Maria complains that this match shouldn’t be taking place this early. Maria says she had nothing to do with Bennett coming out to help Adam Cole. Jay with a shoulder tackle for a nearfall. Big boot by Jay, then he applies a chinlock. Maria says that Bennett wanting to help out Cole just shows that powerful, sexy people wanna help each other. Bennett avoids a Jay corner charge and begin hitting some stiff right hands. Slam, followed by an elbow drop for a nearfall. Crowd chants that Bennett sucks. Jay fights back, but Bennett with another stiff right hand. Jay avoids a Bennett charge, sending Bennett crotch-first into the turnbuckles. Jay with a back elbow for a nearfall. Headbutts by Jay, but Bennett with a right hand. Strike exchange, then Bennett comes back with a spinebuster for a nearfall.
Commercial
We go to a promo from ROH World Champion Adam Cole. Cole says that next week on ROH TV, I defend my title against Chris Hero. Chris, I wanna congratulate you because your return thus far has been great. In New York City, when you left me & Matt Hardy laying in the middle of the ring, you had the wrestling world buzzed. Then, you were fortunate enough to pin me in Pittsburgh to earn yourself a title shot in Philadelphia. Chris, as great as your return has been, unfortunately, it will not go without flaws. Because this title match you have with me in Philadelphia will not go as planned. As good as you are, you will never be as good as Adam Cole and next week, I prove that to you.
Back from commercial as Jay fights back by peppering Bennett with more jabs. Bennett comes back with a superkick, but Jay with a discus forearm and a hangman’s neckbreaker for a nearfall. Jay slams down Bennett, then heads up top. Bennett stops him with another stiff right hand. Bennett heads up with Jay, but Jay blocks a superplex and headbutts him off the turnbuckles. Jay with a Frog Splash, but Bennett kicks out! Jay cannot believe it. “Man Up” chants by the crowd to will on Jay. Bennett slips off Jay’s back, then counters another discus forearm with the Box Office Smash, but now its Jay who kicks out! Maria shrieks out in frustration. Bennett goes to set up the Anaconda Vice, but Jay avoids the clothesline with a superkick. Falcon Arrow for another nearfall. “Let’s Go Briscoe” chants by the crowd. Jay points to Maria and says “this is for you, b***h!” Jay goes for the Jay Driller, but Adam Cole runs out and hops up on the apron to distract Jay. Cole spits at Jay and the distraction allows Bennett to low blow Jay and roll him up, but Jay again kicks out! Both Maria and Cole hop up on the apron to complain to the ref, but that distraction allows Jay to low blow Bennett!
JAY DRILLER! 1-2-3!
Winner: Jay Briscoe by pinfall (Jay Driller)
Jay celebrates his win, staring down Cole in the rampway.
Commercial
Nigel McGuinness joins commentary for our main event.
Main Event: Jay Lethal vs. “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles
Big reaction for AJ in Philadelphia. Code of Honor before the bell. Knucklelock early for a Test of Strength. Styles backs Lethal into the corner and breaks clean. Styles with a side headlock. Lethal reverses out as the crowd with dueling chants. Styles gets free and re-applies the side headlock. Lethal reverses again, then maintains the hold when Styles tries to Irish whip him. Styles gets free and goes to work on Lethal’s arm. Lethal reverses out and works on Styles’ arm. Styles to roll out of the hold, but Lethal rolls with him to keep the hold maintained. Styles with a leapfrog, then Lethal holds onto the ropes. Styles sent onto the apron, then Lethal knocks him off with a springboard dropkick. Lethal with a head of steam, but Styles gets back in and clotheslines Lethal to the outside, almost wiping out ring announcer Scarlett Bordeaux. Styles goes to the apron and hits a back kick, but Lethal avoids an apron moonsault, gets back in with a head of steam and wipes out Styles with a tope suicida!
Commercial
Back from commercial as Styles with gut shots to Lethal back in. Lethal trips him up, then avoids Styles’ kip-up headscissors. Lethal with the hiptoss/cartwheel/dropkick combo for a nearfall. Kondo Clutch applied by Lethal with his legs placed underneath Styles’ arms. Lethal has his shoulders down on the mat for Styles to get a nearfall. Styles is then able to reach the ropes. Styles with back elbows to the ribs, but Lethal with a chop that sends Styles onto the apron. Styles blocks being suplexed back in the ring, then Lethal does the same to avoid being suplexed to the outside. Styles gets Lethal onto the apron and SUPLEXES HIM ON IT!! Both men fall to the outside as the ref checks on Lethal. Styles whips Lethal hard into the barricade. Back in, Styles SNAP SUPLEXES LETHAL INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!! Styles gains a nearfall. Lethal fights back with gut shots and a right hand. Styles with a back club, but Lethal sidesteps a backdrop. Lethal off the ropes, but Styles catches him with the Phenomenal Dropkick. Styles locks Lethal in an Indian Deathlock with a bridging facelock, but Lethal gets to the ropes. Styles with a kick to the leg, but Lethal fights back with forearms. Styles with a snapmare into applying a chinlock. Crowd wills on Lethal. Lethal fights back, but Styles with a knee to the ribs. Styles goes for a front chancery, then a bearhug, but Lethal fights out both times. Chop exchange, then a strike exchange. Lethal avoids a Styles spinning roundhouse and hits the Lethal Combination.
AJ misses a clothesline and Lethal hits the Lethal Ejection for a nearfall. Chop by Lethal in the corner. Lethal places Styles up top and goes up with him. Styles slips out of a Top Rope Superplex and pulls Lethal down to the mat. Springboard Forearm by Styles for a nearfall. Styles motions for the Styles Clash, but Lethal slips out and hits a spinning back kick to the ribs. Lethal with 2 clotheslines, then blocks a Styles discus clothesline with his boot and hits a superkick. Styles comes back with a series of strikes, ending with a spinning backfist and a discus clothesline, turning Lethal inside out. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Lethal gets to the ropes and kicks Styles off. Lethal goes to the middle rope and hits a missile dropkick, both men down. Ref begins his 10 count and both men get to their feet by the count of 7. Styles misses a clothesline, then a series of standing switches. Styles gets free off a Dragon Suplex attempt and hits the Pele. Strike exchange, then Lethal catches a discus clothesline and this time hits the release Dragon. Lethal heads up top and hits Hail to the King, but Styles kicks out! Lethal cannot believe it. Lethal calls for the Lethal Injection, but Styles catches him off the back handspring with a powerbomb!
Styles holds on and hits the Styles Clash for the win.
Winner: “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles by pinfall (Styles Clash)
Styles celebrates his win, then he & Lethal adhere to the Code of Honor as the crowd chants “ROH” and the show closes.