Pre-Show Notes:
ROH will return to the Hammerstein Ballroom on Sunday 6/26 at 4 PM....Evan Bourne, who is in town for WWE at Madison Square Garden, was backstage visiting before the show.
Truth Martini came out with the House of Truth and cut a promo about Roderick Strong's ROH title bout against Roderick Strong's title defense against Eddie Edwards tonight. He introduced Mike Mondo, saying he was newest member of the House of Truth, unofficially. He said that Mondo's last test is tonight in New York City.
Michael Elgin & Mike Mondo vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reily
Mondo worked over O'Reilly early. Kyle tried to nail several shoulderblocks but couldn't move Mondo. Cole tagged in but both he and O'Reilly were shoulderblocked down. They came back with a double dropkick. Elgin tagged in but was caught with an armbar. O'Reilly drilled Elgin with a kneedrop and scored several near falls.
Cole and O'Reilly tied up Elgin in the tree of woe and nailed a double dropkick. They worked over the House of Truth. O'Reilly was caught by a Mondo clothesline. He came back with a sunset flip but Mondo dropkicked him in the face. Mondo covered O'Reily as the fans started chanted "Spirit Squad" at him. The House of Truth worked over O'Reily but he came back with a tornado DDT.
O'Reily made the hot tag to Cole, who came back with a big boot and a clotheslines off the ropes. Mondo missed a charge in the corner and nailed his shoulder on the post. Cole nailed a flying bodypress for a two count. He drilled Mondo with an enziguri but was caugbt by a slingshot elbow into the ring by Elgin.
Elgin missed a top rope moonsault. O'Reilly tagged in and he and Cole hit a series of synchronized strikes and kicks. Elgin caught Cole on h$e shoulders then caught O'Reilly trying to come off the top rope. He nailed a fall away slam and Samoan drop at the same time.
Cole and O'Reilly nailed a series of moves on the Mondo, finally getting the pin with a belly to back suplex.
Your winners, Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reilly!
After the match, Elgin laid out Mondo.
The Embassy came to the ring. Nana introduced all the members.
Tomasso Ciampa vs. Grizzly Redwood
They did some early spots early where Redwood tried to overpower Ciampa but it wasn't working. They had some good back and forth wrestling on the mat. They went to the outside but I couldn't see what they were doing.
Back in the ring, Ciampa nailed Redwood with a flapjack. Ciampa began working on Redwood's arm. He tossed Redwood into the turnbuckles but was kicked off. Redwood used a Crucifix for a two count. Ciampa cut him off and began stomping away at him in the corner. He drilled Redwood in the corner with a big kick and covered him for a two count.
Ciampa went for his finisher but Redwood slipped out and grabbed him with a sleeper. Redwood came off the ropes with a Thesz Press and then nailed a rana for a two count. Ciampa drilled him with a stiff clothesline and covered him for a two count.
Redwood came back with a series of kicks. Ciampa came back with a powerbomb across the knees for the pin.
Your winner, Tomasso Ciampa!
The Embassy all put the boots to Redwood but Steve Corino hit the ring. Fans chanted "We want Steen" and he responded that he does too. Corino told Redwood that he would be there for him but now he wanted to know if Redwood would be there for him as well.
Mike Bennett's music hit and he came to the ring with Bob Evans. Bennett took the mic and handed it to Evans. Evans said that he's had enough of washed up athletes. Bennett took the mic and said it's only old man Corino and he could handle this. He said that tonight was the night was Corino was going to fall off the wagon. Corino said that he was going to say this to him in the back but instead he'll say it in front of everyone. He said that there's not one place in the world that hates him more than NYC but at least he's not from Boston. He said that was his go-home line and that if facing Bennett means that his road to pro wrestling recovery, he'll let Bennet pin him.
Bennet said that Corino will fight him if he has to drag Corino into it. Bennett demanded that Corino face him and Corino apologized, saying that he can't do this. He said it took him a long time to admit what an a**hole he was and he didn't want to do this, because he's been doing the right thing and he's sorry. Bennett kept goading Corino, who finally said he was going to regret it, but ring the bell.
Steve Corino vs. Mike Bennett
Corino and Bennet battled back and forth. Corino caught him with a leg lariat. They went to the outside, where Corino whipped him into the guard rails. Bennett took control and tssed Corino back into the ring. Corino made a comeback and nailed a superplex. They battled back and forth with strikes.
Corino nailed Bennett with a powerslam for a two count. Corino drilled Bennett and locked him in an abdominal stretch. Corino stuck his thumb in his rear to add to the pain. Bob Evans into the corner then nailed a Uranage and scored the pin.
Your winner, Mike Bennett!
Jim Cornette came out to cut a promo. He joked that here in ROH, their main events last more than a minute and a half. Fans chanted "F*** TNA." He said that if fans still want to actually spend money on PPV, ROH will have two Internet PPVs in April in Atlanta. He said that he had one more announcement to make and that's that the last event for ROH in the Manhattan Center, because they have to move downstairs to the Hammerstein Ballroom. He pushed the 6/26 date in the Hammerstein Ballroom and said the company is planning the "biggest event in Ring of Honor history." He said Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin as well as everyone on the ROH roster are scheduled for the show. He said that the theme of the event will be everyone trying to prove they are the "Best in the World."
The All Night Express vs. The Briscoe Brothers
Jay and Rhett Titus. Titus slapped Briscoe, who forced him back into the corner. They went back and forth. Titus and King double teamed Briscoe. Mark tagged in and worked over King. Titus tagged in with a flying clothesline and drilled Mark with a Yakuza kick. Jay broke up a pinfall but was sent to the floor. Titus hit a nice dive over the top to the floor on Jay.
Titus whipped Jay into the railing on the floor. King and Mark soon followed and all four brawled on the outside. When they returned, The Briscoes worked over Titus. Titus, who was busted open from the battle outside, fired back but was cut off. Jay Briscoe dropkicked him in the back of the head.
The Briscoes continued the beating, chopping away at Titus. Jay clobbered him with a clothesline for a two count. The beating on Titus continued. The Briscoes went for a double superplex but Titus fought off Mark and dropped down, powerbombing Jay into the turnbuckle. He made the tag to King and the crowd exploded.
King drilled Jay with a spinebuster for a two count. He went for a German suplex on Jay but Mark drilled him with an enziguiri. Titus broke up the count. Mark went for an Ace Cutter off the top but King broke it up. Jay went for the Jay Driller on Titus but King jumped him. He fought off King. Jay went for it on Titus but Titus kneed him in the mid-section and went for a Razor's Edge. Mark pulled Jay down. King charged but the Briscoes pulled the ropes down and he went over the top.
Titus surprised Jay with a small package and scored the pin.
Your winners, The All Night Express!
The Briscoes attacked The Express afterward and left them laying. A number of wrestlers from the back hit the ring but The Briscoes laid them out as well. Kenny King hit a 450 splash off the top onto the pile The brawl continued for some time. Best thing on the show thus far. It was designed to be a double turn and it seemed to work based on the crowd reactions.
El Generico vs. TJ Perkins
Perkins and Generico went back and forth with some nice counter wrestling, then faced off. The crowd liked it. Generico scored with a series of armdrags. He worked Perkins into the corner and chopped at him, then drilled him with a series of punches.
Generico went for a sunset flip but Perkins rolled through and drilled him with a pair of knees to the chest. Perkins scored with several near falls but Generico kept getting huis shoulder up. Generico hit a series of rapid fire kicks but Perkins came back with a stiff kick to the back.
Perkins rolled Generico face-first onto the mat and then beat him into it using his knees. They battled back and forth until Generico caught him with a package Michinoku Driver for a two count. Generico went for a running kick in the corner but was blocked. Perkins caught him with a sitdown powerbomb for a two count.
Generico was locked in a Sharpshooter. Perkins went for a dive but Generico caught him coming and nailed a brainbuster on the apron, then rolled him in for the pin.
Your winner, El Generico!
Very good match. They shook hands after. The crowd chanted, "Please come back."
ROH Tag Team champions The Kings of Wrestling vs. LAX
The fans did dual chants for the teams as the bell rang. Hero and Homicide locked up to kick off the match. Homicide went for a hiptoss but Hero avoided it. They locked u and Homicide blocked him into the corner. Hero nailed him and tagged in Claudio Castagnoli.
Hernandez tagged in. He shoved Claudio into the corner. Claudio came off the ropes and they drilled each other with shoulderblocks. Hernande got the better of the exchange. Claudio nailed a clothesline but Hernandez leapdfrogged him and killed him with a clothesline. Hernandez held a long standing suplex and held him for a crowd count of about 75.
LAX doubled on Claudio on the corner and Homicide clotheslined him for a two count. Homicide wrenched him with an armwringer but Claudio kneed him in the gut. He tagged Hero and suplexed Claudio across Hero's knees. Hero nailed a catapult under the rppes on Homicide.
Hero chopped away at Homicide in the corner but Homicide started psyching himself up. He grabbed Homicide and choked him in the corner. Claudi tagged in then pressed and dropped him over the rop rope.
Claudio locked in a rear chinlock but Homicide began fighting out of it. He nailed Claudio with a back suplex and the crowd began rallying him to make the hot tag. Hero drilled Hernandez to prevent it. The Kings worked over Homicide but Hernanez used the ropes for a slingshot double clotheslne. He hit a running splash in the corner on bothm then Bealed him into the corner.
It broke down to Claudio and Hernandez. Claudio hit a spinning torture rack that was awesome. Hero drilled Hernandez with his discus forearm for a two count. Hernandez caught him with a tilowhirl backbreaker. Hernandez tagged in Homicide, who cleaned houses with a series of rights and the Three Amigos.
Hernandez joined in. Hero pulled Homicide to the outside and sent him into the railing. Hernandez went for the Border Toss on Claudio but Hero hit the ring and nailed his forearm smash. Hernandez hit the Border Toss on his own partner to the outside, taking out the Kings. Hernandez then hit a dive over the top onto them.
Fans began chanting, "This is awesome" and they were right. Hernandez hit a sit down powerbomb. Homicide came off with a flying headbutt for a two count. He called for a lariat but Sara Del Rey grabbed his leg. Hero went for the loaded forearm but Homicide ducked it, fought him off and ripped it off. He went for the Cop Killa but Hero escaped. Hero and Claudio nailed a double kick to the face. Claudio nailed Homicide with a big uppercut and scored the pin.
Your winners, The Kings of Wrestling!
Really good match. The crowd absolutely loved this. There's no denying that The Kings of Wrestling are the franchise here.
After the match, Hernandez and Homicide recovered and raised the other's hands. Fans chanted "F*** TNA." Homicide took the mic and told the fans they were the best in the world and thanked them. LAX got a big pop on the way out.
Pure Wrestling Rules: ROH TV champion Christopher Daniels vs. Davey Richards
Under Pure Rules, you can use the ropes to break moves three times but then can't use them at all. They had some nice wrestling early. Daniels nailed Richards with a suplex. Daniels charged Richards in the corner but was sent up and over to the floor. Richards hit a moonsault out of the ring to the floor.
Richards hit a missile dropkick off the top but was kicked as he charged into the corner. Daniels peppered him with forearms but was caught with a leg lariat for a two count. Richards locked in a Sharpshooter. Daniels used a rope break.
They beat the crap out of each other with stiff strikes. Daniels nailed him with a kick. He went for a leg lock but Richards kicked him off. Richards escaped an Arabian Press off the ropes. They battled on the outside. Richards came off the top with a crazy dive.
Back in the ring, Richards drilled him with a running forearm, then a superplex. He held on and pulled Daniels up into another suplex across the knees. He locked on an armbar but Daniels grabbed the ropes.
They went to the outside on the apron where Daniels was drilled with kicks to the chest. Davey picked him up for a Fireman's Carry but Daniels used the ropes to lock in an abdominal stretch type move.
Richards kicked off Davey. Davey caught him in the ropes and locked on an anklelock. Daniels pulled himself outside and Richards fell to the floor. Daniels pulled Richards to the top and locked in a guillotine choke while on the top rope. Richards battled back with a series of headbutts. He locked on a Sharpshooter from the top rope.
Richards came off the top with a headbutt. He went to the top for a shooting star press but misjudged the jump and instead came down on the ropes ribs first in a scary looking bump. Daniels went after him but Richards rolled him up and scored the pin.
Your winner, Davey Richards!
Beyond the scary moment at the end, a hell of a match. Great stuff.
ROH champion Roderick Strong vs. Eddie Edwards
Strong sent Truth Martini to the back, saying he's got this handled. They have some really good back and forth wrestling. Strong drilled him with a kick to the face. He went to the top but Edwards slipped out of the ring and nailed him.
Edwards tied Strong to the tree of woe and chopped away at him. Edwards went to the top and came in but Strong nailed him with a kick to the head. He dumped Edwards to the outside. Strong followed and they battled back and forth on the outside.
Once they returned, Strong snapped him over with a suplex for a two count. Strong locked on a Boston crab but couldn't force a submission. Strong went for a powerbomb outside but it was turned into a rana. Edwards hit a dive to the outside.
Back in the ring, Edwards drilled Strong in the corner. Edwards nailed several suplexes but Strong kept kicking up. Edwards went for a back suplex but Strong escaped and nailed a superkick. He picked up Edwards and snapped him over the turnbuckles for a two count.
They exchanged chops in the ring. It was a hellacious exchange. Think Flair vs. Garvin. Strong nailed him with a high knee. He rebounded off the ropes but was caught with a lariat by Edwards for a two count.
Strong rolled to the apron, where Edwards nailed him with a superkick. He brought Strong to the top rope. They battled back and forth on the top. Edwards knocked him off to the apron and came off with a double stomp to his chest. He then nailed a double stomp off the top across Strong's back.
Edwards locked in a single leg crab but Martini ran out to break it up. Strong nailed him with a backbreaker but Edwards kicked up and the crowd came alive. Strong spit in his face which only fired Eddie up. Strong naiiled a lariat for a two count then locked in a Boston Crab, Edwards made it to the ropes.
They went back and forth with a series of moves until Edwards rolled him up and scored the pin.
Your winner and new ROH champion, Eddie Edwards!
AWESOME main event,.
