411’s ROH TV Report (1.18.14)

Last week, ROH returned to television with a strong main event between Hero and Steen. After the match, Steen was attacked by a fan. It turns out that fan was Cliff Compton. Apparently, Kevin Kelly said it was Compton, and I simply didn’t hear him. So, that’s the direction they are going with Steen. Why do I feel like they could do so much more with Steen than have him feud with Cliff Compton?

Anyway, I wanted to quickly plug something ROH related. Recently, a podcast named the Place to Be sat down and interviewed Steve Corino. It’s a good listen as Corino is fun to listen to. The podcast is also working with ROH play by play guy Kevin Kelly. Kelly has been a regular on the podcast and will be having his own podcast with the group. Once that starts up, I’ll pass it along at the beginning of these recaps for everyone.

You can visit the Place to Be right HERE.As a reminder, you can also check out my blog, WRESTLING RECAPS

This week, we have Tommasso Ciampa making his first ROH TV Championship defense against Silas Young. Will this be a short reign for Ciampa?

Ring of Honor TV
Date: 1/18/2014
From: Nashville, TN

Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino are on commentary. Prince Nana is joining them for the Top Prospect matches, just like last week.

Opening Contest: Andrew Everett vs. The Romantic Touch – 2014 Top Prospect Tournament Match
I had no idea that the Romantic Touch is Rhett Titus. Touch kisses Everett’s hand and got the early offense in the corner. Everett dropkicks Touch to the floor and hits a twisting dive over the top to the floor! Everett follows up with a running hurricanrana and a standing moonsault for a near fall. Touch stops Everett with a springboard back elbow from the middle rope. Touch monkey flips Everett out of the corner and Everett flips around before crashing to the mat.

Everett hits a nice springboard cross body from the apron for a near fall. Everett takes Touch down with a snap suplex but misses a springboard shooting star press! Touch knocks Everett silly with a standing dropkick. Veda Scott comes out and says this whole tournament is flawed. Scott tells the commentary team that the Romantic Touch is Rhett Titus with a mask on. Touch sees Scott and leans over the middle rope to taunt her. Everett counters a suplex with a small package and wins the match!
Winner: Andrew Everett @4:56
Well, I’d consider this the best match of the tournament thus far. Titus, or the Romantic Touch, did well in the match, but Andrew Everett was really fun to watch. His offense was entertaining and would fit in with ROH. **

A video highlighting the formation of the Decade at Final Battle where they took out Eddie Edwards.

Jay Briscoe makes his way down to the ring to cut a promo. Briscoe has an offer on the table for ROH World Champion, Adam Cole. The offer is a match with him for Jay’s belt. Briscoe calls out Adam Cole. The ROH World Champion makes his way out and paints a picture for Jay so a “dumb redneck can even understand.” Cole tells Jay he is not the real World Champion, but Adam Cole is. Cole calls Briscoe’s belt a toy, or a prop. Cole will never care about anything anyone has to say, except for Matt Hardy. Adam gets in the ring to tell Jay he will let Briscoe know next week if he will wrestle Briscoe for Jay’s belt.

Second Contest: Hanson vs. Cheeseburger – 2014 Top Prospect Tournament Match
Hanson looks like he could be a member of the Highlanders. Cheeseburger bails to the floor because he is scared of the big man known as Hanson. Cheeseburger tried for a side headlock but is tossed away. Hanson drives Cheeseburger down to the mat with a vertical suplex and hammers away on the smaller Cheeseburger. Hanson tosses Cheeseburger chest first into the corner, but Cheeseburger fights back with strikes a dropkick to the knee. Hanson hits a nice standing spin kick for the win.
Winner: Hanson @2:33
For the most part, this was just a squash match. Hanson’s offense looked really good thanks to the size difference. I’ll need to see Hanson in a more competitive match to make a proper judgment on the guy. ½*

A video highlighting Final Battle is aired. We also get a video promoting the return of AJ Styles.

Originally, we were going to get an Adam Page vs. Mark Briscoe match but the Decade comes out before the start of the match. Jacobs says they can cut in because they have been in the company for ten years. They have not been properly appreciated by the fans or the wrestlers. Except for Mark Briscoe who has been in ROH since literally day one. Jacobs is trying to recruit Mark to join the Decade. Jacobs slaps Adam Page and Briscoe fights the Decade off.

Veda Scott hypes up RD Evans undefeated streak. She hypes up RD Evans return to television next week. Evans has a new streak going on. The streak will never die.

Third Contest: Mark Briscoe & Adam Page vs. The Decade (BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs)
During a commercial, this match was made. Page hits a spinning heel kick for a two count on Jacobs. Whitmer grabs Page’s leg and Jacobs hits a DDT to gain control. Whitmer sends Jacobs into Page to hit a spear for a near fall. Briscoe gets the hot tag and hammers away on Whitmer. They trade punches in the middle of the ring with Mark getting the better of the exchange. Briscoe clotheslines Whitmer to the floor but Jacobs knees Mark from the apron. Page leaps off the apron to take BJ out with a shooting star press on the floor!

Briscoe dropkicks Jacobs to the floor and hits a running elbow drop off the apron on BJ! Page wants in and gets the tag. Page hits a standing shooting star press on Whitmer for a near fall. Jacobs crotches Page on the top rope. Whitmer hits a top rope exploder suplex on Page but Briscoe breaks up the count. Mark kicks BJ into the corner but is backdropped to the floor. Page rolls Whitmer up for a near win but BJ stops Page with a clothesline. Whitmer has Page set up for a Dominator, but Jacobs runs in to help drive Page face first into the canvas for the win.
Winners: The Decade @6:44
A competitive match which saw Adam Page standout to me with his high risk moves. Pretty clear why the Decade won here since they are the new heel stable. I honestly don’t have much interest in the group, but we will see if that changes over time. **

A promo by Kevin Steen. Last week, it was Cliff Compton who choked Steen out. Steen freaks out and wants Compton to come at him and he will put him down for good!

Main Event: (champion) Tommaso Ciampa vs. Silas Young – ROH Television Championship Match
Young has a leather strap with him. Matt Taven, the former champion, comes out to cut a promo. Taven recalls being champion for nine months. Taven tells Ciampa the belt will be his again. Taven is out here to do something he didn’t get to do at Final Battle. Taven wanted to shake hands but Young decks him to the floor. Officials prevent Taven from getting his hands on Young.

Young works over Ciampa in the ring with strikes. Ciampa pummels Silas with right hands after a side headlock takedown. On the floor, Ciampa rams his knee into Young next to the railing. Ciampa does that again with the crowd going nuts for it. Young runs away to avoid a third knee strike. Young kicks the middle rope into Ciampa’s groin and springboards off the middle rope to hit a clothesline. Ciampa fights back with a dropkick. Ciampa delivers a big boot but Young cuts off the champ with a clothesline and hits a back breaker for a two count.

Ciampa attempts to lock in the rings of Saturn but Young gets to the ropes. Ciampa avoids a leather strap shot and hits Silas with a knee. Ciampa nearly wins after a modified Burning Hammer. Ciampa misses a spear in the corner and hits the ring post. Young hits a rolling fireman’s carry and hits a handstand moonsault for a near fall. Young gets the strap but the referee prevents Young from using it. Ciampa nearly rolls Silas up for a win. Silas gets out at one after a backpack driver. Ciampa holds onto Young after a fireman’s carry and gets the win with the rings of Saturn.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa @7:56
A decent match between these two. I’m a big fan of Ciampa and feel like he could be a main event guy soon enough for ROH. I haven’t watched or seen a lot of Silas, I’ve heard he has had some good stuff in AAW, but I thought he held his own here and worked well. The handstand moonsault was something I didn’t expect out of him. I hope we get a Ciampa/Taven/Lethal three way at the next set of tapings. **1/4

After the match, Jay Lethal gets in the ring after Silas Young attacks Ciampa. Matt Taven runs out as well to get his hands on Silas. Taven superkicks Young. Ciampa, Lethal and Taven have a stare down to close the show.

Final Thoughts:
Not as good of a show as it was last week. We got a couple of okay matches this week, which is fine for a one hour program. This would be a show I’d put on as background noise, really. Corey Hollis and Andrew Everett are two of the better guys in this prospect challenge, so look out for them. ROH seems to be using guys from the PWX company in North Carolina. Anyway, overall, the show isn’t all that great as you wouldn’t miss much.

Next week on ROH:
The Top Prospect Challenge continues as Corey Hollis and Raymond Rowe will be in action
RD Evans has an open challenge to continue his undefeated streak
Jay Briscoe squares off with one half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions, Bobby Fish