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Thursday, April 19, 2012

RoH Showdown in the Sun Day One

-3/30/12

-From Ft. Lauderdale, FL

-Hosts are Kevin Kelly & Nigel McGuinness

-Match 1: Shane Haste & Mikey Nichols VS RoH World Tag Team Champions The Briscoes [Proving Ground Match]

-For those unfamiliar with the concept, the "Proving Ground" match is a non-title match where if the potential challengers can win or last 15 minutes, then they get a title shot at some point in the near future.

Match immediately spills outside, where the Briscoes dominate. Back in the ring, Mark holds Haste for a big boot from Jay. Haste & Nichols finally manage to get a couple double teams on Mark to turn the tide, including a slingshot double stomp to the back by Haste. Mark fights out of the corner with headbutts. Haste catches Mark with a slap followed by a hurricrana off the second rope. Mark flips out of a backdrop and tags Jay, who cleans house, hitting a Falcon Arrow on Nichols for two.

H & N fight back, with Nichols hitting a running powerslam on Mark, then Haste jumps off Nichols' back to cannonball Jay in the corner. H & N hit Jay with their finisher...for two. Briscoes come back, and Jay hits Nichols with a frog splash into an elbowdrop for two. Briscoes finish Nichols shortly after that with the Doomsday Device. Good opener. Would like to see more of Haste & Nichols.

-Kevin & Nigel talk about the NWA: Ring Warriors show the night before, and Adam Pearce defeating Adam Cole to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

-This leads to Jim Cornette bringing out Adam Pearce. Pearce says Cole is damned good, but not great. Pearce thinks Cornette is ribbing him when Cornette chastises Pearce for using a low blow to win last night. Cole comes out and says he guarantees that he can beat Pearce. Pearce wants to do it RIGHT NOW, and that he guarantees that he can beat Cole in two minutes.

-Match 2: NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce VS Adam Cole

-Pearce wrestles in his street clothes. Pearce gets the early jump, but Cole hits a dropkick to send Pearce outside, and follows with a suicide dive. Pearce begs off, but it doesn't work. Pearce does hit a MASSIVE chokeslam to take control. Pearce hits a backdrop for two. Pearce hits a nice move that's really hard to describe which drops Cole on his head for two. Cole fights back, but misses a cross-body off the top. Cole comes back with a superkick and a shining wizard for two.

Pearce fights out of the Florida Keys (straightjacket suplex) and goes for a piledriver, but that move is currently banned in RoH, and Cole counters a sunset flip with a cradle for the pin. Pearce surprises everyone by shaking Cole's hand, then raising it. Decent match. At least they're making a go with Cole, after it looked for a while like he may be the Marty Jannetty of Futureshock.

-Kevin & Nigel preview the next match. The Young Bucks & All-Night Express had a coin flip to determine who could choose the stipulation. The Bucks won, and chose a tornado match.

-Match 3: The Young Bucks VS The All-Night Express [Tornado Match]


-No tags, everyone is legal. Titus is coming off a knee injury caused by the Bucks. At this point on the live feed, there were issues with the stream, so a lot of people who bought the show didn't get to see this live. Rhett hits Matt with a neckbreaker for two right off the bat. Rhett whips Matt into a leaping leg lariat from King. ANX hit stereo dives to the outside. Bucks catch ANX getting back into the ring and gain control. Bucks use some signature double teams to work mainly on King.

King catches Matt with a kick to the head, but takes a spin kick to the gut from Nick. Rhett finally gets back in the match and cleans house. Rhett hits Nick with a dropkick for two. Rhett catches Nick when Nick tries a superkick, and sends him into King for a capture suplex. Rhett hits Matt with a Samoan drop for two. ANX take too long setting up their finisher. Nick catches Rhett with a superkick, then the Bucks hit King with a double superkick.

The Bucks hit stereo 450s, but both ANX members kick out at two. Bucks set up for More Bang For Your Buck, but ANX fight it off, and Rhett ends up rolling Matt up for the pin. OK match that mainly set up the rematch for day two.

-Nick hits Rhett in the bad knee with a chair and stomps on it. The Bucks bail before King can get a hold of the chair.

-Before the TV title match, The Embassy members Prince Nana, RD Evans, & Tomasso Ciampa hit the ring. Nigel compares their appearance to an "unscheduled herpes flair up". I didn't know you could schedule those. RoH has threatened to fine and suspend the Embassy if the TV title belt is not returned to RoH within 24 hours. Evans says the belt is not in Florida, but Ernesto Osiris is en route to get the belt from Ciampa's trophy case, and Ciampa will return the belt at Day Two.

-Match 4 for the RoH Television Championship: Jay Lethal [c] VS Kyle O'Reilly

-Ciampa comes back out to sit at ringside and watch the match. They fight over a collar-and-elbow lockup, with neither gaining an advantage. It takes O'Reilly a few tries to escape a wristlock, and when he does, O'Reilly slaps Lethal across the face. Lethal hits the hiptoss/low dropkick combo. Lethal chains a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, a Russian leg sweep, and a submission together. O'Reilly comes back and locks on a modified abdominal stretch, which he turns into a rollup for two.

They go onto the wooden stage area, where O'Reilly hits a leg sweep to send Lethal crashing down onto it. O'Reilly hits some kicks to the midsection, then applies a modified octopus hold. O'Reilly locks on a guillotine choke and refuses to let go even after getting mashed into the turnbuckles, but Lethal does manage to turn that into the Lethal Combination.

Lethal wins a strike exchange and hits a handspring elbow for two. O'Reilly comes back with a belly-to-back suplex off the top for two. O'Reilly gets cocky, but Lethal avoids the legsweep and hits a superkick, which sets up the Lethal Injection (handspring diamond cutter) for the pin. Another decent match, hurt by the fact that because of the Lethal/Ciampa angle, O'Reilly had no shot to win. Match did further O'Reilly's heel character, if nothing else.

-Lethal calls out Ciampa, who walks away.

-Intermission time.

-Match 5: Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander VS Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team

-WGTT get the early jump, but C & C quickly clean house. Haas alley-oops Coleman onto the apron, right into a superkick from Benjamin. Coleman becomes the face-in-peril off that. Benjamin hits a spine buster for two. Haas drops Coleman back-first onto the barricade. Haas gets a couple near-falls, then tags in Benjamin, who hits a throw for two.

WGTT slowly work Coleman over. Coleman manages to avoid a Stinger splash and finally make the hot tag to Alexander, who cleans house. Alexander hits Benjamin with a bulldog for two. Alexander sets Haas up top for a Coleman hurricarana, but they take too long to follow up, and Benjamin throws Coleman into the ropes, which crotches Alexander on the top turnbuckle. Haas hits Coleman with an Angle slam, and Benjamin finishes Alexander with an overhead belly-to-belly throw off the top. Match was OK, but WGTT are getting more and more exposed as not fitting with the RoH style.

-Match 6: Mike Bennett (w/Maria) VS Lance Storm

-Storm wins a fight over a wristlock, earning a "you still got it!" chant. Storm completely dominates the first few minutes, working on Bennett's arm. Storm hits a nice dropkick for two before going back to the arm. Bennett uses the ref to finally get some offense in, hitting a neckbreaker in the ropes. They fight outside for a bit, then Bennett hits a dropkick of his own for two.

Bennett goes for a sunset flip off the second rope, but Storm rolls through and goes for the half-crab, but Bennett kicks him off. Storm wins a slugfest, and hits a leg lariat for two. Storm hits a springboard clothesline for two. Bennett counters a superkick, and hits a spinebuster for two. Storm fights out of one Box Office Smash, but after some awkwardness, Bennett connects with it for two.

Bennett goes for a single-leg crab, but Storm fights out and hits a superkick for two. Bennett avoids the rolling single-leg crab, and hits a spear for two. Storm works on the leg, but Bennett avoids the single-leg crab. Bennett goes for a TKO, but Storm gets out, and applies the single-leg crab. Bennett makes it to the ropes. Maria helps Bennett block a superplex, and Bennett hits the Box Office Smash off the second rope...for two.

Bennett pounds away, yelling at Storm to die in the process. Bennett hits the TKO to finally put Storm down for three. Best match so far by far, even if the early arm work didn't go anywhere. Good story with the veteran out-classing the youngster early, only for the active wrestler to wear him down and get the win.

-Storm gets the sympathy ovation after the loss. Bennett shakes Storm's hand...then hits him with the Box Office Smash. Kevin freaks out over that.

-Match 7: El Generico VS Kevin Steen ["La Revancha" Last Man Standing Match]

-Generico attacks with a running Yakuza kick and a throw into the buckles before the ring intros can even start. Generico follows with a dive that clearly misses. They fight on the outside, and Steen chokes Generico with the Canadian flag. Generico grabs some stuff from underneath the ring, including the extra ring ropes, which he hits Steen with it. Generico grabs a chair, but Steen kicks him to prevent Generico from using t. Generico pounds on Steen in the corner, getting to about 25 punches before stopping.

Generico tries a slingshot, but Steen counters with a Diamond Cutter. Steen hits a chairshot across the back. They fight over the chair, and Steen hits a chair-assisted code breaker before laying the chair on Generico's head, and hitting a front-flip legdrop. Generico gets up at 7. Generico goes for a tornado DDT, but Steen counters that into a backbreaker. Steen hits a cannonball in the corner, then puts a chair on Generico before adding a second one. Crowd is just about 100% behind Steen here.

Match goes back outside, where Steen hits a powerbomb onto the apron. Steen ends up accidentally hitting a ringside attendant with a superkick. Generico takes the opportunity to hit a couple Yakuza kicks. They fight on the stage, where Generico hits a modified Michinoku Driver. Steen slides off the stage to get on his feet at 9. Generico dives off the stage, over the announce table, onto Steen.

When Steen gets up, Generico hits a tornado DDT on the floor. Generico tries to pull a table from underneath the ring, but it gets caught on something. A tech ends up helping Generico get it out. Generico puts Steen on the table, but Steen fights back, rams Generico into the ringpost, and hits a running dive over the top, through the table. Steen sets two chairs up in the ring, but ends up taking a half-nelson suplex onto them. The chairs don't bend. OUCH!

Generico hits a chairshot to the back, and goes for a brainbuster through the other chair, but Steen counters, and hits a pumphandle driver through the chair. Steen goes up, but Generico hits a running Yakuza kick to knock Steen off the top, through the timekeeper's table. Steen barely makes it up at 9. They counter each other's finishers a couple times before Generico hits a brainbuster. Steen wins a chair duel and kicks Generico low. Steen looks like he's going to paste Generico in the head with the chair, when Jimmy Jacobs runs out.

Jacobs stops Steen from hitting Generico with the chair. Generico hits a half-nelson suplex, and Jacobs hands Generico the chair...before grabbing a spike and stabbing Generico in the head with it. Steen hands Jacobs the chair, and he cracks Generico in the head, giving Steen the win. Great match. Steen & Generico have tremendous chemistry and reacted appropriately to the situation they were in. Match was also helped by the referee counting like a normal person and not taking 10 seconds in between counts and slow the match down.

-Steen & Jacobs celebrate. It's interesting because RoH is trying everything they can to make Steen an ultra-heel, but the crowd reaction is threatening to turn Steen into their version of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

-Kevin & Nigel preview the main event.

-Match 8 for the RoH World Championship: Davey Richards [c] VS Roderick Strong (w/Truth Martini) VS Eddie Edwards [3 Way Dance]

-They keep saying "triple threat", but this is elimination style, like the ECW 3 Way Dance. Strong goes right after the other two. Strong gets a roll-up on Edwards, but Richards breaks it up with a kick to the chest. Edwards works on Richards, while Strong mostly stands outside and watches. Richards gets a Tequila Sunrise on Edwards, but Strong breaks it up. Strong works on both opponents, including a stomp to Richards' nuts. Strong hits Richards with a Nightmare on Helms' Street for two.

Nice spot as Richards rolls up Edwards, then catches Strong with a Northern Lights' suplex, getting two counts on both at the same time. All three get laid out with big strikes. Three-way slugfest ends with Richards & Edwards teaming up against Strong. Strong ducks out of a kick sandwich, and the shins of Edwards and Richards collide. Strong hits Richards with a urinage backbreaker followed by a Blue Thunder bomb for two.

Richards fights out of a tiger driver, but takes a dragon suplex from Edwards, who then hits Strong with a backpack chinbreaker. Strong dumps Edwards outside, but Richards counters Death From Above into the anklelock, then the Trailer Hitch. For some dumb reason, Edwards kicks at Richards to try to break the hold. It doesn't work, and Richards ends up catching Edwards with the anklelock while keeping the Tralier Hitch on Strong.

Edwards tries to give Strong the Die Hard on the apron, but Strong drops Edwards back-first onto the apron, then Richards hits Strong with a suicide dive. Edwards hits an Asai moonsault onto both opponents. Back in the ring, Edwards hits Strong with a fisherman's suplex for two. Richards hits Edwards with a superplex, holds on and hits a falcon arrow, then turns that into an armbreaker. Strong sneaks in, and locks the Stronghold on Richards.

Strong and Edwards exchange chops. Edwards tosses Strong into an alarm clock from Richards. Edwards hits Richards with a superkick, but ends up taking the Sick Kick from Strong for two. Great sequence there. Strong sets both opponents on the top rope, but Edwards blocks a superplex, and dumps Strong, right into a double stomp to the back from Richards.

Richards hits Strong with a German suplex, but Edwards hits a double stomp on Richards before dropping Strong on his head for two. Edwards/Richards hit Strong with a powerbomb/lung blower combo. Michael Elgin makes his way to ringside. Edwards knocks Martini onto Elgin, but then walks into a small package from Strong, and is eliminated. Weak sauce.

Richards goes right on the attack, hitting a full nelson suplex for two. Strong gets out of the anklelock, and hits the Sick Kick for two. Strong hits a tiger driver for two. Richards KO's Martini with a kick, hits double stomps first to Strong's back, then hits chest for two, and follows up with his own tiger driver for two. Richards hits a superkick, then finishes with a spinning buzzsaw kick to retain. Questionable psychology aside (what else did you expect with these guys?), this was a strong main event. Pretty much all action bell-to-bell.

-Michael Elgin (who faces Richards for the title on Day Two) attacks Richards, and lays him out with the spinning sit-out powerbomb. Martini says soon there will be a new RoH World Champion.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: The undercard was ok, but nothing special. Too much was just there to set up Day Two. The last two matches were tremendous, and would have been worth the iPPV price by themselves.