Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair
August 23, 2014
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (National Guard Armory)
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
We see the usual intro, then go to the opening match.
Grudge Match: Rocky Romero vs. “The Sicilian Psychopath” Tommaso Ciampa
We see video from the Cincinnati show on July 18 when Ciampa & Romero challenged for the ROH Tag Titles unsuccessfully against reDRagon, then got into it with each other after the match. Code of Honor before the bell. Crowd chants for Ciampa as the bell sounds. Ciampa goes for a running boot early, but Romero avoids it. Strike exchange, then Romero with an eye poke. Romero with a side headlock, but Ciampa with a shoulder tackle. Ciampa misses a right hand, then Romero does the Spidey move in the ropes. Ciampa thinks about charging, then does so and Romero evades him, sending Ciampa to the outside. Romero goes to the apron and wipes out Ciampa with a leaping knee! Back in, Romero with a series of chest kicks, but runs into a back elbow in the corner. Ciampa blocks a rana by Romero, but Romero fights out of a powerbomb and hits an uppercut. Romero goes for a Shiranui, but Ciampa counters it with a backbreaker for a nearfall.
Commercial
Before we go back to the match, we see a promo from TD Thomas. TD says that recently on ROH TV, ACH got a chance to step into the ring with me and you proved you were the better man that night. BJ Whitmer puts a stop to the promo and yells at TD to not put ACH over. I give you a chance to speak and this is what you do? Whitmer slaps TD in the back of the head and yells at TD to look at him when he talks to him. TD starts to clinch his fists and Whitmer asks if he is gonna do something, then do it? A ROH attendant tries to calm Whitmer down, but Whitmer yells at him that its none of his business, boy. Get this mic off of me! Whitmer takes his mic off and walks off.
Back from commercial as Ciampa heads up top, but Romero stops him. Romero goes up top with Ciampa and hits a Top Rope Superplex. Ref begins his 10 count, both men up at 5. Ciampa misses a right hand and Romero with rapid-fire slaps. Romero does a little shimmie, Ciampa misses again and Romero with a rana that sends Ciampa to the outside. Romero with a head of steam and wipes out Ciampa with a tope suicida that sends Ciampa into the barricade! “ROH” chants by the crowd as Romero fires up. Back in, Romero heads up top, but Ciampa catches him in mid-air with a dropkick for a nearfall. Ciampa goes for Project Ciampa, but Romero slips out. Romero with a leg kick, followed by a back heel kick. Ciampa slips out of a Tornado DDT, avoids a head kick and hits a Schoolboy Driver. Down comes the kneepad and Ciampa with 2 Running Knockout Knees. Ciampa lifts up Romero and goes up to the middle rope. Romero slips out of a Super Air Raid Crash and brings Ciampa out of the corner with a powerbomb for a nearfall. “This is awesome” chants by the crowd. Romero runs into a boot, but hits a dropkick to the ankles of Ciampa when Ciampa goes to the middle rope. Romero goes up with Ciampa, but Ciampa blocks a super rana. Ciampa goes for a Super Powerbomb, but Romero counters it with a Super Rana! Romero with the Forever Clotheslines in the corner, then avoids a discus clothesline by Ciampa and hits a leaping knee. Romero with another leaping knee, avoids another discus clothesline, does the Spidey move in the ropes again, but this time Ciampa DRILLS him with the Running Knockout Knee! Emerald Frosion across the knee by Ciampa for a nearfall. Sicilian Stretch locked in by Ciampa, Romero gets to the ropes!
However, Ciampa keeps the hold applied past the ref’s 5 count twice, laughing at the ref, ref calls for the bell.
Winner: Rocky Romero by DQ
Afterwards, Ciampa has a smile on his face for what he has done. Ciampa raises his own hand, then says to the camera that he is coming for Michael Elgin, but then Romero nails Ciampa from behind and sends him to the outside. Romero wants Ciampa to get back in, but Ciampa shakes his head “no” and goes to the back.
Commercial
Before we come back from commercial, we go to a promo from ACH. ACH says to take off the blazer, loosen up the tie, step aside the booth, Superman is alive! At Best in the World, I earned my title shot to go one-on-one with Jay Lethal. So tonight in Philadelphia, I, ACH, am going back home with the TV Title around my waist and that is pure motivation.
We then go to a promo from Jay Lethal. Lethal says this is ACH’s moment, your moment to seize it all. The notoriety, fame, the money and let’s not forget, then ROH TV Title. Hey, good luck, because after all, this is your meal ticket out of the ghetto, isn’t it? Well I got news for ya, you’re gonna be living there a lot longer than you hoped.
Back from commercial, we are supposed to have a match between RD Evans against Moose with the #NewStreak on the line, but before the bell rings, Veda Scott grabs a mic. Veda says that she has made Moose an offer, not once, but twice. I’m giving you one last opportunity to take me up on my offer, everything I’ve done for RD Evans, the #NewStreak, I can do that for you. I can take you around the world, just shake his hand and let’s do this. No one here wants to see RD Evans vs. Moose. Crowd does the “YES” chant, saying that they do want to see this match. RD grabs the mic as the crowd chants for Moose. RD says Mr. Moose, from one man’s man to another, perhaps I can speak in a language you’ll understand, a little sports lingo, huh? I know a lot of people think that wrestling is an individual sport, but it doesn’t have to be, it can be a team sport. In fact, there is tag-team wrestling. When 2 great men such as ourselves and maybe even more pull our efforts, the sky is the limit. As a former NFL lineman, I know that you fully understand what being a team player is all about. So don’t fight what is being offered in front of you, especially when its offered by a respected locker-room veteran such as myself. My guidance could be invaluable to you, Moose. What I am trying to say, simply put, is that every lineman needs a quarterback. Mr. Moose, I’ll be your quarterback, will you be my lineman? RD extends his hand as the crowd does the “NO” chant. Moose shakes RD’s hand. Veda says she knew it, this is perfect, just like the #NewStreak, we are in the city of Brotherly Love, this is what I want to see, when 2 become 1, not the #NewStreak, now its Streak, Streak, Streak! Veda shakes Moose’s hand, RD does again as well, but Ramon is not happy about this. RD holds open the ropes for Moose as they leave.
We see video from Best in the World when ACH won a 6-Way Match to become the #1 Contender to the ROH TV Title.
Commercial
Before we come back from commercial, we go to a promo from Cedric Alexander. Cedric says that 2014 has been an amazing year. I’ve overcome obstacle after obstacle after obstacle, I’ve proven people wrong, left and right. But next week, Elgin, you are my next obstacle, you stand in my way of my dream to become the Ring of Honor World Champion. Next week when you & me step in the ring together, I prove to you and the rest of the world that Cedric Alexander is legit.
Main Event for the Ring of Honor Television Title: “The Last Hero” ACH vs. Jay Lethal (c) w/Truth Martini & Seleziya Sparx
Lethal backs ACH into the ropes and hits a chop, but ACH with one of his own. Exchange of spins in the corner and chops until ACH with a series of chops. Lethal goes to the outside to regroup & confer with the House of Truth. Crowd chants for ACH. Back in, Lethal with a gut kick and a series of back clubs. Lethal stomps away at ACH, then sends him into the corner. Lethal with a chop and a right hand. Short-arm clothesline by Lethal for a 1 count. ACH sent again into the corner and Lethal with a big chop that knocks ACH down and causes Martini to do a victory lap around ringside. Lethal runs into a back elbow, then ACH with a Flatliner that sends Lethal into the top turnbuckle. Big chops by ACH knock down Lethal for 2 nearfalls. ACH drives Lethal into the corner and hits a big chop. Crowd wants another big chop, but Lethal with a knee to the ribs. Lethal sends ACH to the outside, then gets a head of steam, but ACH leaps onto the apron and stops him with a forearm. Lethal goes for a springboard dropkick, but ACH backflips onto the apron, landing on his feet on the outside to avoid Lethal. Seleziya then shoves ACH face-first into the ringpost. However, the ref sees this and ejects Seleziya from ringside! Lethal & Martini are FURIOUS about this as multiple referees come out to remove Seleziya from ringside. Seleziya finally leaves as Lethal sends ACH flipping into the barricade. Ref continues his 20 count as Lethal with an uppercut, then breaks the ref’s count. ACH fights back, but Lethal with another big chop. Back in, Lethal gains a nearfall.
Commercial
Back from commercial as ACH with a kneedrop to Lethal for a nearfall. Series of gutbusters by ACH for a nearfall. Standing Frog Splash by ACH for a nearfall. Martini yells at ACH to stop staring at him. Abdominal stretch applied by ACH. ACH gets distracted by Martini and goes outside to give chase to him, but the distraction allows Lethal to creep up and nail ACH with a clothesline on the outside. Martini does another victory lap, happy at what he has done. Lethal drives ACH into the apron back-first. Back in, Lethal with a head of steam and hits a tope suicida, sending ACH into the barricade! Lethal gets back in and feigns doing another tope suicida, but flips off the crowd. ACH gets back in and flips off Lethal. Lethal charges in, but ACH pulls down the top rope, sending Lethal to the outside. Lethal quickly gets back on the apron, but ACH knocks him back down with an enziguri. ACH with a head of steam, but Martini trips him up, sending ACH crashing face-first into the mat! Martini is happy about what he has done, but the ref caught him and EJECTS MARTINI FROM RINGSIDE!! Martini is furious as Lethal has no more help from the House of Truth during this match. Lethal stomps away at ACH in the corner, then chokes him with his boot. Crowd wills on ACH. Snap suplex by Lethal for a nearfall. Lethal unloads with right hands from the mount, then mocks the crowd chanting for ACH. Headscissors applied by Lethal in the center of the ring. ACH fights back, but Lethal with a series of forearms to the head and releases the hold. ACH sent onto the apron, Lethal catches a kick, but ACH with a slap. ACH springs back in off the bottom rope and hits Lethal with a swinging Flatliner, both men down. Ref begins his 10 count, both men up at 9. Strike exchange, then a chop exchange, ACH gains advantage. ACH with a clothesline and a back elbow, but is sent onto the apron again. ACH hot-shots Lethal across the top rope, then springs to the top and hits a flying back elbow. Crowd chants for ACH. ACH runs into a boot, but catches Lethal charging in with a rolling elbow, followed by a German for a nearfall.
Commercial
Back from commercial as both men fight on top. ACH knocks Lethal off the ropes, then hits a Mushroom Stomp for a nearfall. ACH stops Lethal from going up & over and sends him face-first off the mat, followed by a double stomp to the back. ACH heads up top and goes for the Best 450 Ever, but Lethal moves out of the way, with ACH landing on his feet. ACH charges in, but Lethal catches him with the Lethal Combination. Lethal heads up top and hits Hail to the Champ, but ACH KICKS OUT!! LETHAL CAN’T BELIEVE IT! “This is wrestling” chants by the crowd. Dueling chants for both men. ACH slips out of a suplex, Lethal blocks an O’Connor Roll and TURNS ACH INSIDE OUT WITH A SUPERKICK!!! 1-2…..ACH KICKS OUT AGAIN!! LETHAL IS IN SHOCK!! “ROH” chants by the crowd. Lethal tells the ref to check and see if ACH can continue. Lethal goes outside and grabs the TV Title belt. Lethal thinks about going in the ring to use it, but stops himself and starts heading to the back. ACH stops him and the two brawl at ringside. The ref begins his 20 count, ACH sends Lethal into the barricade. Lethal with a knee to the ribs. Back in, ACH knocks Lethal off the apron with a dropkick to the knees. ACH with a head of steam and wipes out Lethal with a FOXBURY FLOP!! Back in, ACH heads up top, BEST 450 EVER!!! 1-2……LETHAL GETS HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MILLA-SECOND!!! Fans threw streamers into the ring, thinking that ACH won the title. “ROH” chants again by the crowd. “This is awesome” chants by the crowd. Another strike exchange between the two as they can barely stand up. ACH hits Lethal with his own Lethal Combination, then locks in the Koji Clutch in the middle of the ring. Lethal tries to reach the ropes, but ACH spins him over back into the center. Lethal tries to counter out with a pin, but ACH keeps the hold maintained. Ref checks the arm three times, but Lethal keeps his arm up on the third attempt. Lethal finally is able to fight out.
The two go back-and-forth, slugging it out in the middle of the ring, but the bell sounds, signaling that the 30-minute time limit has expired.
Time Limit Draw (Jay Lethal remains the Ring of Honor Television Champion)
“Five More Minutes” chant by the crowd afterwards. ACH pleads with the ref to give him five more minutes, but the ref tells him he can’t. Lethal shakes ACH’s hand, pats him on the shoulder and gives him a “thumbs up” in a disingenious manner as he leaves the ring to close the show.