By Anthony Pires on 2021-08-21 10:19:00
Welcome to PWInsider.com's coverage of Night 1 of Glory by Honor. My apologies for the tardiness, but when your wife gets you concert tickets to see Southside Johnny for your birthday, you gotta go.
Philadelphia is alive as we go on the air. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman run down the card. Two big championship matches are on tap. I'm going to do this more blog-style as opposed to play by play
Rey Horus vs. Silas Young
Interesting to see where ROH goes with both of these guys, considering Young has been so closely connected to Josh Woods for the last 2+ years and Horus, at this moment, needs something to break himself out from being the odd man out since the breakup of MexiSquad. Young grabs the mic and seemingly hypes up Philadelphia and then, BAM, runs it down, runs Horus down and runs the people down. Horus puts an end to the shenanigans. We're told that this is a very important match in the TV Title Rankings and we get the top 5 rundown.
CHAMPION: Dragon Lee
1. Eli Isom
2. Tony Deppen
3. Rey Horus
4. Demonic Flamita
5. Dalton Castle
If Silas wins this, he moves into the rankings. I love how Silas is a classic jerk but yet always adheres to the Code of Honor. I also really admire how Young has that innate ability to adjust his game based upon who he's in the ring with. No one will ever mistake Horus for a bruiser like Josh Woods, but Young can make his style fit both. Cary Silkin is in the front row, as he should be. ROH fans were so lucky to have him. Horus nails a running hurancanrana on the outside and Young got catapulted into the rail. Horus then does a sommersault over the turnbuckle on to Young on the outside. Horus, despite his high-flying, fights like a heavyweight. Young twists Horus' mask, blinding him, and Young nails Misery Loves Company for the pin.
WINNER: Silas Young
Very solid opener.
Six Man Mayhem: Danhausen vs. Eli Isom vs. Dak Draper vs. PJ Black vs. Demonic Flamita vs. Mike Bennett
Tonight's winner gets placed in the top 5 of the World Title rankings. Perfect opportunity for TV Title #1 contender Isom, who gets his TV title shot this upcoming episode of ROH TV, he can slip right into the world title rankings. Danhausen isn't for everyone, I get that, but I absolutely love at least his presentation. Dalton Castle and the Boys emerge through the crowd. He doesn't want Draper and Isom, his "friends" to hurt each other here. Castle then joins the booth. There's an interesting story emerging with Black. He's had The Mecca Brian Johnson as his protege for the last 2 years or so. Now, it kind of seems like Johnson is rubbing off on Black, as Black has been subtly heeling. We're doing Lucha Rules here, where only 2 are in the ring others can claim the ring when a participant goes to the outside.
Danhausen with a BIG double biceps pose and Ian Riccaboni compares him to the incomparable Gary Strydom, TWO TIME WBF champion (and no, I didn't order either on PPV).
Seems like ROH has real plans for Eli Isom, but I can't sleep on Demonic Flamita, whose presentation since his heel turn has been a 180. He's embraced this ROH heel turn fully. The 350 lb Danhausen somehow can't apply a double chokeslam to Draper and Bennett. Isom is clearing the ring. Black powerbombs Draper, who's applying a superplex to Isom. Isom kicks Bennett and Flamita on the way down and Danhausen celebrates, now believing this is a Last Man Standing Match. Brawl ensues and Flamita hits a gut buster off of a Muscle Buster on Danhausen for the pinhausen.
WINNER: Demonic Flamita
Ian and Caprice run down round 2 of the Women's Championship Tournament as Chelsea Green joins the booth.
Vita Von Starr & ??? vs. Mandy Leon and Angelina Love
I always forget that Von Starr was a Cirque De Solei performer. Max the Impaler with Amy Rose is your mystery partner. I would not want to run into her in a dark alley, that's for sure. The Allure want absolutely no part of the Impaler. Von Starr is absolutely dominating Leon and Leon is playing the terrified "Mean Girl" to the hilt. To her credit, Love is on a completely different level here but finds herself in the wrong corner and gets scared off by Max. At least she didn't sell the Max screetch like she'd been injured.
Von Starr has been running solo so far, making the Impaler's impending tag in a big deal. The announcers are pushing Rose as the first manager to have the ROH, TV and Tag Team Champions under contract at the same time. I really wish they hadn't broken her off from LFI. I thought she fit in perfectly with the group.
Max has finally tagged in and I'm guessing Mandy Leon is about to take a beating. Instead, she tags out and Von Starr just rolls Leon up for the pin.
WINNERS: Max The Impaler and Vita Von Starr
Max grabs a table as Von Starr pounds away at Leon (Love is long gone by now, having been scared off by Max). Max with a uranage through the table to Leon. To her credit, Love attempted to run back to save her but got laid out by Von Starr
This wasn't so much a match as it was to get Max over as a killer. I kind of wanted to see more of her in the ring.
Brian Johnson with a standing ovation as he makes his way to the ring. He storms the ring and grabs Bobby Cruise's mic. He puts Philly over as the hometown boy.
ECIII vs. Brian Johnson
Will Ian reference the "striations" of ECIII? Phily is on fire for Johnson. Looks like ROH sold a lot of "Mecca vs. Everybody" shirts here tonight. ECIII just looks like a mega star. I'd ask how WWE could have missed the boat on this guy but it's almost redundant at this point. But, hey, congrats on the stock options. I'd love to see ECIII in the G1. Flying tackle by Johnson and Philly eats it up. Johnson's wrestling like a fired up babyface and ECIII with a lariat that looks like it took the Mecca's head off. ECIII has had no problems switching gears and playing the heel in this one. This is Johnson's crowd and he's not turning them around. Might as well enjoy it and improvise. Uranage off the top rope by ECIII.
Johnson with the big comeback into a pair of lariats, he is not backing backing down from the bigger man as he tosses ECIII to the outside and nails a tope.
BTW I want to take this opportunity to wish Big D, a friend and reader, continued good wishes as he kicked out of COVID at 2 and 3/4.
Johnson has messed up his hand, allegedly. Of course it's a ruse as he goes for a low blow. ECIII blocks it a slaps on The Process. Johnson fights it off as long as he can but finally has to tap.
WINNER: ECIII
Great storytelling here as the hometown boy gets a raucous standing ovation as he exits the ring. Props to ECIII for immediately exiting the ring, knowing this is what the audience wants.
There's been a change to the card as one of the participants in tonight's tag team match did not pass protocol. We're not told, for obvious reasons, which one it was.
Bateman w/Dutch vs. Mark Briscoe
Well, Dutch's appearance kind of hints at who didn't pass protocol. Whatever is up, I hope they're OK. I hope to see this tag team match in the near future. We sure aren't going to get classic catch as catch can wrestling here. Now the announcers are talking about Jay Briscoe having COVID. I really hope he's ok but it does make me wonder how long Mark had been quarantined away from him. ROH may have wanted to err on the side of caution and bring in another team (The Bouncers maybe) to take on Bateman and Dutch. Kind of out of nowhere, Mark Briscoe nails the Froggy Bow for the pin.
WINNER: Mark Briscoe
The Righteous immediately attack Briscoe until Mike Bennett makes the save. The finish of this one came out of nowhere, as it seemed like we were just getting into 2nd gear before the finish.
Josh Woods joins the booth for our next match
ROH Pure Championship: Jonathan Gresham (champion) vs. Rhett Titus
I love how the Foundation, as a group, have no issues with members competing against each other in the spirit of competition. Titus and Gresham come out together, nice touch. Given my love of these matches, I'm going to switch to a more play by play mode for this one.
Before we get underway, we're shown the ROH Pure Rankings:
Champion: Gresham
1. Josh Woods
2. Titus
3. Fred Yehi
4. LSG
5. Brian Milonas
Code of Honor adhered to. Referee is Todd Sinclair. Philly has already declared this awesome. Lockup, arm drag by Titus into a side headlock. Headscissors escape by Gresham. Test of strength, won by Titus, Gresham rolls out and gets an arm twist. Front facelock by Titus. The action spills to the ropes and they break, sinclair does not charge either with a break. Abdominal stretch by Gresham into a hip toss by Titus. Gresham with a rollup for 2. Another rollup but Titus maintains the armbar. Gresham hooks the ankle, forcing Titus to break his hold. Single leg sweep by Gresham, the champ applies an Indian Death Lock. Titus rolls over and grabs the rope for his first charged rope break.
5 minutes have elapsed.
Titus is a little upset as Gresham held the Indian Leglock to the count of 4.
Lockup, we get a break in the corner. Gresham "accidentally" with an eye poke. Gresham with a side headlock into a flying headlock takedown. Back suplex by Titus, Gresham maintains the headlock. Titus escapes and nails a powerslam off of a Gresham leapfrog attempt. 2 count by Titus, he applies a chinlock. Front facelock by Rhett, they exchange suplex attempts until Gresham scores a headlock takedown.
10 minutes have elapsed.
Big belly to belly by Titus, Gresham uses the rope to escape the pin for his first break. Forearms to the back by Titus, Gresham snatches a side headlock, Titus with the unforced error and uses the rope for his 2nd break. I don't think Titus had that in mind. Gresham right back to the side headlock. Shoulderblock, both men go down. Both men tumble over the top on a suplex exchange. Sinclair applies the count. Ian reminds us that the title can change hands on a countout. Rollup by Titus for 2.Gresham with a rollup of his own for 2. We get in very fast succession, a series of locks, holds, throws and escapes, way too fast to keep up. Gresham is able to lock up his rollup and scores the pin.
WINNER AND STILL PURE CHAMPION: Jonathan Gresham
Code of Honor adhered to. I love these matches. It'll be Gresham vs. Josh Woods at Death Before Dishonor.
Josh Woods confronts Gresham in the aisle and we get the expected handshake.
LFI (Rush, Bestia Del Ring, Dragon Lee & Kenny King) vs. VLNCE UNLTD (Tony Deppen, Brodie King, Chris Dickinson and Homicide)
Shane Taylor has joined the booth. Let's not forget that LFI, Kenny King specifically, cost Taylor his shot at the ROH World Title. I do really like the gang warfare aspect that ROH has going on right now but my fear is that the VERY valuable titles that ROH features is going to get lost in the shuffle if they keep moving them from person to person. I did have to be reminded that Homicide and Dickinson (who I love as a team) are, in fact, ROH World Tag Team Champions, having beaten the Foundation, who beat LFI, who beat the Foundation. Congratulations are in order to Dragon Lee and his wife on the birth of their child. Deppen blows his nose on Lee's LFI jersey. This just denigrated into an all out brawl and referee Joe Mandack calls for the bell
NO CONTEST
Philly is NOT happy. Rush demands a no disqualification match and the brawl resumes. No bell has rung, Rush and Brodie King are chopping the hell out of each other. VLNCE UNLTD wants it restarted, as this arena isn't exactly known for it's rich history of disqualifications.
Referee Todd Sinclair comes out and makes it official.
Philadelphia street fight: LFI (Rush, Bestia Del Ring, Dragon Lee & Kenny King) vs. VLNCE UNLTD (Tony Deppen, Brodie King, Chris Dickinson and Homicide)
Not even going to pretend to attempt play by play here. Eight guys just beating the holy hell out of each other while Lee and Deppen are having some semblance of a match in the ring. They're not afraid to call the 2300 Arena what it really is, the ECW Arena. Homicide has the fork out by Kenny King stops him. Bestia with a chair shot to Brodie King. Brody King gets slammed into a pair of chairs, that can't feel good. Here comes a whole lot more plunder. We got a ladder, a table, 3 chairs, a trash can and Homicide's ever present fork.
Kenny King tries to roll Brody King back in the ring but Brody slips and his head hit the apron hard. I really appreciate Deppen's story that he feels he needs to "prove himself" to his more experienced and possibly more "violent" teammates. Homicide with the classic Terry Funk airplane spin with the ladder takes out LFI, 20 or rotations and he's VERY dizzy. Shotgun dropkick by Kenny King to Homicide into the ladder, Dickinson makes the save.
Amidst all this chaos, I have to say this is a very wild, very well put together brawl. ROH played a nice trick on us tonight, thinking we weren't getting this match after the first 2 minutes. This things has been wild! Kenny King with a corkscrew dive onto Dickinson through a table on the outside. LFI chops away at Deppen in the ring. Deppen seems to have lost a tooth. I swear, these guys are tough. I stub my toe and I'm on the DL for 2 days.
Bestia sets up a Vader bomb on Deppen through a table but Brody King with the save into a powerbomb. Brody launches Lee into Rush and nails a running elbow to Bestia for the pin.
WINNERS: VLNCE UNLTD
Wild, just wild.
Shane Taylor goes right after Kenny King. LFI saves him but the Soldiers of Savagery come out as well and the ROH Six man champions go to work.. O'Shay Edwards joins up with his Shane Taylor Promotions mates. ROH officials finally restore some order
ROH World Championship: Bandido (ROH World Champion) vs. Flip Gordon
Ian and Caprice remind us that Kyle O'Riley is the last ROH world champion to not have a successful defense. ECIII has joined commentary. I am really intrigued by this as ROH caught a diamond when they got Bandido BUT on the other hand, they've brought Flip Gordon up slowly through the years. I imagine Flip is loyal to ROH (I have ZERO inside info but I'd imagine The Elite would have signed him to AEW if he so wanted. He'd be ideal in New Japan), so I really have no idea where they go here.
Cary Silkin is at ringside, that has been established. He always presents a new champion with his new belt. For purposes of consistency, here are your new top 5 world title rankings:
Champion: Bandido
1. Flip Gordon
2. Brody King
3. ECIII
4. Demonic Flamita
5. Rush
Bandido and Gordon seem like the gearing up for length here, long, hard lockups, taking things slow. We know both of these guys can fly, but they seem content here in the early going to stick to wrestling. Make the big stuff matter.
BTW I will say that FITE TV again has it all over the ROH Honor Club. Linking the Honor Club to FITE has made for a much more satisfying viewing experience. A series of swings and misses with fists and feet have champion and challenger in a stare down.
A series of mat based back and forth and a frustrated Gordon brings out a kendo stick. This isn't no-DQ as a reminder. Bandido nails him with a tope, throws Gordon back in and hits a corkscrew moonsault for 2. A hard crucifix bomb by Bandido for 2. THAT was close.
BTW did anything else happen in wrestling tonight? Much respect to CM Punk for putting Ring of Honor over in his promo on Rampage.
Action here definitely picks up and both men exchange those hard chops. Gordon nails a big clothesline in the corner and takes to the sky with a springboard moonsault for 2. Enziguri by Bandido but the champion eats a superkick on the top rope. Torture Rack slam by Gordon and he hooks on a deep crossface. Bandido barely makes the ropes. THAT was close. Flip 5 and Gordon scores a 2, as close to 3 as you can get. The champ fights back and, this time, successfully nails a fallaway slam from the top for 2. Bandido goes for the 21 Plex but Gordon with a superkick. Bandido with a standing destroyer into a 21 Plex and Bandido scores the pin.
WINNER AND STILL ROH WORLD CHAMPION: Bandido
ECIII comes out to the ring and stares down the champion. This brings out Brody King, who declares that he's next in line for a title shot. ECIII exits the ring and shoves King. They start to brawl and ROH officials separate them. Demonic Flamita comes through the crowd and lays out Bandido. Flamita with a running dropkick in the corner as we go off the air.
Excellent main event. Glory by Honor Night 2 has a lot to live up to