Ring Of Honor July 8 TV results & recap: The Kingdom vs. reDRagon & Michael Elgin
Photo: ROHwrestling.com
By Josh Nason, WrestlingObserver.com
The Big News:
Jay Lethal learned that he’ll have to defend both the ROH World and TV title. Also, I’m doing an ROH TV recap this week (Destination America version) as Paul Fontaine is en route to Las Vegas for the WrestlingObserver.com convention. THAT is big news. Also, the main event tag team match was excellent!
Show Recap:
Our show opens with black and white stills from the Best In The World main event between Jay Briscoe and Jay Lethal just like WWE used to do back in the day. I miss that aspect of “You should have bought the show, man.”
This week’s show comes to us from Terminal 5 in New York City.
Watanabe vs. Dalton Castle
My God, Castle is something else with the two helpers, the outfit, the entrance…amazing! As the two exchange shoulderblock knockdowns, we get a fun moment when Watanabe summons the boys to fan him as they earlier did with Castle. We later get the two attempting to small package each other and rolling around the ring in another comedy spot.
Castle hits a deadlift German suplex that is pretty impressive, but Watanabe matches with a move that looks like a Texas Clover Leaf setup that turns into a knee jam when he dropped back to the mat. The end comes when Castle reverses Watanabe into a spinning front face splash for the pin and win.
Post-match, Castle grabs the mic and says there’s a lot of boys out here tonight, snaps his fingers and the the boys conform themselves into a human chair. That brings out Silas Young who yells at Castle until we go to break. Castle beat Young at Best In The World so their feud must continue.
Jay Lethal speaks
Nigel McGuinness introduces the ROH TV Champion and NEW ROH World Champion. Lethal is flanked by Truth Martini, Jay Diesel, and Donovan Dijak. Nigel shakes his hand and congratulates him, but as he hands the mic to Lethal, Martini intervenes. He puts over Lethal as the man and then lets Lethal talk. Lethal says he’s the best in the world and doesn’t say much else of consequence.
McGuinness wants to know which belt he’s going to vacate, and Lethal is furious. He’s not going to give up either title as he earned both of them. McGuinness says that means he’s going to have to defend both titles separately and that while he’s got Roderick Strong in a few weeks for the World title, he’s got Mark Briscoe next week for the TV title. Lethal isn’t happy with all of this, but intensely says that he will do it.
This brings out Strong who wants Lethal to square up to him and shoves his shoulder. He says a few things that aren’t that interesting and we move on. Good segment overall, but unfortunately, Strong didn’t add anything to it with his quick promo.
The Kingdom (Adam Cole and IWGP Tag Champions Matt Taven/Michael Bennett) w/Maria vs. Michael Elgin & reDRagon (Kyle O’Reilly/Bobby Fish)
Before the match starts, Maria grabs the mic and tells Cole that while he’s upset about Best In The World, it’s not his fault. She says that as the leader of the Kingdom, she takes full responsibility. There was no replay of what happened, so I have no idea what happened to Cole.
Elgin gets a tepid reaction coming out, but the NY faithful love them some reDRagon. After Elgin held Bennett up for a long vertical suplex, including two attempts by Cole and Taven to break it up without Elgin dropping him, they changed their tune. I’m late to the ROH party, but Elgin is a strong dude, eh?
The heels worked over Elgin for a long time and prevented him from getting a tag to reDRagon after the break by attacking Fish and O’Reilly on the apron. Elgin regained the advantage with an Okada roll/big stomp on Bennett and following that with a Codebreaker on Cole while senton bombing a grounded Bennett. I’m an Elgin fan now!
Hot tag to reDRagon who are not just one but two houses of fire. Then we get some gyrating into a DDT/wheelbarrow suplex combo on Taven for a near fall. As the Kingdom regains control, our hero Elgin lifts Taven and Bennett for a double Samoan drop, fends off Cole, and still pulls it off.
What followed was five minutes of tag team action that was too much to recap here. What you need to know was that is was amazingly awesome. Near falls, huge spots, Canadian Destroyers, dives over the top, finishers, kickouts, more finishers, “This is wrestling” chants….what a fun match. Go watch it already!
The end came when O’Reilly somewhat sold a superkick into the Dean Ambrose rope spot into a lariat clothesline which led to a Chasing The Dragon finish for the win. Post match, Cole raised O’Reilly’s hand and walked out without the Kingdom as Maria angrily looked on.
Final Thoughts:
The whole show was really entertaining, especially the main event tag team match which I implore you to watch ASAP. There may have not been a lot of selling, but if you enjoy spotfests, this was for you.