411’s ROH TV Report 2.01.14

This is a little late because I had to wait for ROH to post the show on their website today (2/6). I have found their show on TV again here in Syracuse. They originally were on MyTV at 6pm and 10pm on Saturday’s and then seemingly vanished. Now, they are on the CW at 11:30pm. That may be a sign that they aren’t getting good ratings here in the ‘Cuse.

Kevin Kelly and the Place to be Nation released the second installment of the Kevin Kelly Show. This time around Kelly sat down and talked to AJ Styles! First it was the ROH World Champion Adam Cole and now the hottest free agent in wrestling. What’s next for the KK Show? You can check out the interview HERE

Last week we never got an answer from Adam Cole regarding the challenge made by Jay Briscoe. Since that show, it has been announced that Briscoe will indeed wrestle Adam Cole on February 8th in Texas for Jay’s self-proclaimed ROH World Championship. I’d imagine that would be taped and aired on ROH TV as well. Well, I at least hope anyway.

This week marks the return of AJ Styles on ROH television. Also, Mike Bennett returns for the first time since he got destroyed by Kevin Steen at Final Battle in December. Let’s check it out, shall we?

Ring of Honor TV
Date: 2/1/2014
From: Nashville, TN

Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino and Prince Nana are on commentary. Nana is only on commentary for the Prospect Tournament, which has been the case for the previous three weeks.

Opening Contest: Andrew Everett vs. Hanson – 2014 Top Prospect Tournament Match
Hanson puts Everett on the top rope and chops Andrew only to be met with a dropkick. Hanson counters a hurricanrana attempt but is sent to the floor thanks to a dropkick. Everett tries for a dive over the top but is caught and tossed head first into the ring post. Hanson clotheslines Everett from behind and continues to pummel the smaller Everett. Andrew counters a toss and head scissors Hanson into the corner. A double springboard hurricanrana by Everett to get Hanson off his feet. Everett hits a springboard dropkick from the apron for a near fall.

Everett tries for a sunset flip from the middle rope but Hanson countered. Everett nearly won with a roll up but is clotheslined to the floor. Hanson went for a suicide dive but missed and hit the floor! That was incredible for a big man. Everett hits a springboard shooting star press to the floor! Holy crap!

The fans are chanting for Andrew Everett, as they should be. Everett goes for a springboard back into the ring but Hanson nails him with a standing spin kick! Hanson advances to the finals.

Your Winner: Hanson @5:21
A really good TV match and the best of the tournament thus far. Folks, Andrew Everett is a lot of fun to watch. Hanson doing a suicide dive to the floor was something I was NOT expecting at all. Makes me wonder what else the guy can do. I hope Everett gets a spot in the company even if he doesn’t win the tournament. A very good way to kick off the program this week. **3/4

By the way, it was announced during the match that the triple threat between ROH TV Champion Tommasso Ciampa, Jay Lethal and Matt Taven will be on next week’s show. I asked for it and got it. Hope they deliver the goods.

Maria and Mike Bennett come out to cut a promo prior to Bennett’s match. Maria mentions how the power couple has been silent since Final Battle. She says that Kevin Steen touched her in a vile way and that Steen is everything wrong with wrestling. She doesn’t believe that Steen deserved the win at Final Battle. She isn’t afraid of any man and says Steen is a disgusting man. Maria says that Bennett has created a finisher even better than the piledriver. She feels bad for Cedric Alexander, who will be wrestling Bennett. She is not a very good promo deliverer.

Second Contest: Cedric Alexander vs. Mike Bennett
Alexander ducks a clothesline to hammer away on Bennett early on. Alexander hits a dropkick and chops away on Bennett. Alexander runs into a forearm shot by Bennett, who gains control of the bout. Bennett gets a near fall after a suplex. Cedric knocks Bennet off the apron and goes for a dive but Maria gets on the apron to stop him. Cedric decides to just leap over her and take Bennett out with a dive on the floor! Maria digs her nails into Cedric’s back, which only distracts him. We go to commercial.

Cedric is struggling on the floor and is rammed into the railing after a knee strike to the back by Bennett. Maria gets the microphone from Kelly to tell us how hot Bennett looks when he is sweaty. Corino says he needs a shower after that. Cedric super kicks Bennett on the floor but Bennett drives Cedric back first onto the apron with a spine buster. Bennett misses a splash in the corner and hits the middle rope groin first.

Bennett nails Alexander with a right hand but runs into a big boot. Alexander backdrops Bennett and hits a head scissors sending Bennett to the floor. Bennett comes back in but Cedric hits a springboard clothesline. Cedric nails Bennett with a spinning kick for a near fall. Bennett counters a springboard clothesline with a spear in midair and delivers a side slam for a near fall. Cedric dropkicks Bennett in the corner, twice. Cedric barely hits a GTS of sorts and Bennett goes to the floor.

Maria distracts Cedric as he is on the top rope. Bennett gets his knees up on a frog splash attempt. Bennett clotheslines Cedric and locks in the Anaconda Vice for the submission win! Corino freaks out saying he has never seen that move before!

Your Winner: Mike Bennett @9:04
Well, he steals CM Punk’s finishing hold. This is kind of ironic as I was just watching some Styles/Jimmy Rave stuff from 2005 where Rave took Styles move and they had a feud for most of that year. Now, I doubt we will ever see Punk in ROH again, but I just found it humorous. Anyway, it was a fine match and a competitive one at that. Cedric Alexander should have a breakout 2014 for ROH. The man is capable of greatness as proven with recent matches with AJ Styles and Jay Lethal in PWX. **1/2

Main Event: AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong
We’ve got about twenty minutes left in the show, so this got some time to deliver for the fans. Styles is really fired up to be back in ROH, but I’m sure it has to do with being in Nashville as well. The ring fills up with streamers for AJ.

They shake hands, which I don’t like here. Styles is everything Strong and the Decade hate. I wouldn’t show the code of respect. I’m nitpicking, maybe. They start off with some mat wrestling with neither man able to get the advantage for a substantial amount of time. Strong shoves AJ in the corner before backing off. Strong tells Styles that he can actually wrestle! Styles takes Strong down and they continue their mat wrestling. Roderick taunts the fans after a shoulder block and nearly pins AJ with a roll up. Styles hits a dropkick and Strong rolls to the floor. Styles hits a baseball slide sending Strong into the railing as we go to commercial.

We hear from Jay Lethal regarding the triple threat next week. He notes that Ciampa got hurt in a match they had and how Ciampa is still mad about it. Lethal is going to regain the title next week.

Styles continues to have control as he delivers a gut buster. Strong blocks a springboard attempt from the apron by dropkicking Styles in midair! Strong sends AJ into the railing shoulder first. Styles knocks Strong off the apron but Strong drives Styles back first onto the apron. They collide in the ring as they both attempted cross body blocks. AJ clotheslines Strong a couple of times. Styles hits a springboard forearm shot from the top. AJ drops Strong across his knee for a two count as we go to another commercial.

Strong gets out of the Styles Clash and connects with an Olympic Slam. Strong with a high knee in the corner and a back breaker for a near fall. Styles goes for the springboard reverse DDT but Strong gets out of it and delivers a few kicks. Styles hits the move on a second attempt for a two count. Styles goes to the top but is cut off by Strong. Strong hooks AJ up and hits a superplex for a near fall! AJ gets out of the Tiger Driver and nails Roderick with a Pele Kick! Styles drives Roddy down with a brain buster but can’t get a three count!

AJ slips on the top rope as he went for a springboard and is holding his knee. Looks like he hit Strong in the head, too. Looks like Styles is going for the Styles Clash off the middle rope but Strong gets out of it with a kick. That botch killed the crowd heat. Strong hits a back breaker and a double knee gut buster for a near win! That was really close to three! They begin to trade forearm shots until Strong delivers a knee strike. Styles gets the Calf Cutter locked in but Strong rolls AJ up for a two count.

Strong absorbs several strikes and hits the Sick Kick but Styles somehow manages to kick out at two! Styles head scissors Strong and takes a knee before hitting a discus clothesline. AJ hits the Styles Clash and Strong tucks his head to make the move look even worse. How Strong didn’t break his neck there is beyond me.

After the match, Jimmy Jacobs and BJ Whitmer attack Styles. The ROH locker room empties to run off two guys.

Your Winner: AJ Styles @18:13
A really good match that was going without a hitch until the slip by AJ. Once that happened you could just hear the crowd deflate. The finish was a scary looking moment for Roddy Strong. Why he tucked his head, I’ll never know. AJ has been doing that move for over a decade. A really good main event despite the mess ups in the closing minutes. Not a great way to build up the new heel faction by having them lose clean to a returning star. Makes me wonder if they will be a serious threat moving forward. A good match. ***1/4

Final Thoughts:
Well, this was a really good TV show as the matches all had entertaining value to them. I can’t complain with this show one bit. The best show out of the four taped in Nashville. So, they saved the best for last. A thumbs up from me.

They are in Pittsburgh next week.

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See you next week for more Ring of Honor action!

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