Ring of Honor TV results (10/14): Jay Lethal defends the TV title against Watanabe

The Big Takeaway: 

Jay Lethal with his first title defence since the PPV and match 4 in the best of 5 series between ACH and Matt Sydal highlight this show.  

Show Recap:

We finally get a show taped after the All-Star Extravaganza PPV, which took place 3 weekends ago. San Antonio, TX, was the site of this taping.

ACH vs “Reborn” Matt Sydal

This is match 4 of the best of 5 series. ACH is up 2-1 going in and Kevin Kelly informs us that 75% of sporting teams that win game 3 of a best  of 5 series go on to win the series. ACH won the third match at All-Star Extravaganza. A statistic they didn’t mention is that in best of 5 series or best of 7 series in pro wrestling, they virtually always go to the deciding match so there is approximately a 100% chance that Sydal wins here.

They adhere to the Code of Honor to start but there is a little tension building off the previous 3 matches. Sydal worked a very subtle heel style at the PPV and with this taking place in ACH’s home state, it stands to reason the crowd would be behind him in this match.

They do some mat wrestling early with neither guy getting the advantage. Then a bunch of flips. Crowd was fairly dead for all of this until Sydal knocked ACH out of the ring and followed him out and they brawled in front of the crowd. Sydal whipping ACH into the guard rail but ACH recovered right away and they were back in the ring quickly.

ACH hit the “Dum-Dum” stomp (double foot-stomp to the back of the head from the top rope) on Sydal but only got two. They went to break with guys down after a couple more failed pin attempts by ACH. Back from break and Sydal is out of the ring and ACH nails him with a sliding dropkick in front of the announce desk. Duelling chants for both guys, with the ACH chants slightly louder.

Back in the ring and ACH attempts a top rope move but Sydal nails him with a thrust kick in midair. Sydal chops him down with knees and then hits a leg lariat for a two. Fans chant THAT WAS TWO after Sydal argues with the ref. ACH stumbles to his feet and then falls and the ref is checking to see if he’s unconscious. Sydal is all over him instead of letting the ref check on him, which the announcers point out.

ACH recovers fairly quickly and hits a running elbow in the corner, followed by a German suplex with a bridge to get a two. Sydal hits a top rope Rana but ACH lands on his feet. ACH hits a roaring elbow, followed by a swinging neckbreaker but Sydal kicks out right before the three. Crowd thought that was the finish.

ACH sets up for the Midnight star but Sydal rolls out of the ring. ACH hits the Fosbury flop dive outside the ring and the crowd is going nuts. In the ring, Sydal hits two jumping knees to the head and then goes to the top rope. ACH hits a dropkick from the canvas to the top to knock Sydal off the ropes. ACH then hit a brainbuster and went to the top for the Midnight Star. Sydal got his knees up though.

Sydal hit a standing Rana that dropped ACH right on his head and then went to the top rope. Shooting Star Press and it’s over.

WINNER – MATT SYDAL by pinfall

 Match started slow but really picked up at the end to turn into the usual 3.5-4 star match that these two usually have. They shook hands at the end and then were jumped by the Addiction and Chris Sabin. Both guys were laid out with Celebrity Rehap.

After a commercial break, the Addiction were still in the ring. Kazarian is upset because their World tag team championships of the World were stolen from them. Kazarian rips on Texas, saying they may not believe in bathing or education but they believe in justice. They demand that justice be served. Daniels gets on the mic and says he’s not talking to the fans, cause they’re beneath him, they are talking to whomever interfered in the title match at the PPV, costing them their belts.

“We were not pinned, we were not beaten and therefore we are still the World tag team champion of the World”. They then challenged the champions to bring them out their belts. Instead of the Kingdom, they get the All-Night Express of Kenny King and Rhett Titus. “ALL NIGHT” chants from the crowd greet them.

Kenny King claims that they are the linear tag team champions as they were never beaten for the titles, they were beaten by politics. Seems like they’re setting up either a 3 way for the titles or a program between these two teams.

After a break, Kevin Kelly informs us that we will get a match next weeks between the Addiction and ANX. Kelly and Corino also inform us for the first time (if we didn’t watch the PPV) that Silas Young beat Dalton Castle to win the boys, which leads into the next match.

Silas Young is out with the Beer City Bruiser and the Boys. Young chastises them for wearing “Dalton Castle crap” when he told them to wear wrestling gear. So their first lesson is how to take a whupping from a man.

“Pro Wrestling’s Last Real Man” Silas Young/Beer City Bruiser vs The Boys

Young says “take care of them Bruiser” and leaves the ring. Bruiser does just that, mandhandling them for a couple of minutes. Bruiser goes for a top rope splash but the Boys move out of the way. Boys ride him like a bucking bronco in a very “unmanly” way, which brings in Young. He lays them both out and hits misery on one to get the win.

WINNERS – SILAS YOUNG/BEER CITY BRUISER

Bruiser and Young carry the beaten boys to the back over their shoulders. Jay Lethal and Truth Martini do a backstage promo hyping up Lethal’s TV title defence against Watanabe in tonight’s main event. Nothing much to this.

“Inside ROH” with Mandy Leon is next and tonight we look at the Kingdom and specifically Adam Cole’s involvement in the main event match between Jay Lethal and Kyle O’Reilly. ReDRagon cut an angry promo on Cole. O’Reilly says he pities him and he’s dug his own grave because he’s going to be eating his meals through a straw after ReDRagon are done with him. Cole rebuts with a promo of his own. He explains his actions by saying that when he was out with his shoulder injury, he got sick and tired of people saying Kyle O’Reilly would be the next ROH champion. He will be the next champion. Kyle O’Reilly is a “lesser Adam Cole. The segment closes with highlights of the tag title match at the PPV and Kingdom winning the belts.

ROH TV Champion Jay Lethal w/Truth Martini vs Takaaki Watanabe

We get highlights of the Gauntlet match that Watanabe won to earn this title shot. They adhere to the code of Honor, as Lethal usually does. Duelling chants early on and Kevin Kelly informs us that in addition to the tag match announced earlier, Jay Briscoe and Adam Page will meet in a no-DQ match and The Kingdom will have an in-ring promo.

Watanabe gets the early advantage and Lethal bails outside the ring. Watanabe follows him out and rolls him back into the ring but Lethal uses an eye poke and then some interference from Martini to get the advantage. He then this the Trifecta of “Crash and Burns” and poses on the top rope as we go to break. Fans loving this.

Back from break and Lethal screams at Watanabe “I’m the Ring of Honor Champion” and the fans respond with a YES YOU ARE chant. Lethal having his way with the challenger and using illegal tactics, just cause he can. Ref arguing with him but Lethal doesn’t really care. He throws Watanabe out of the ring and then stops to chat with Martini. This looks very much like a Ric Flair title defence on TV in the mid-80’s against an overmatched challenger.

Watanabe gets brief flurry of offence but Lethal stops that with a kick to the head and a lacklustre cover for two. Lethal acts like he’s going to go for a running kick but instead stops and puts a headlock on Watanabe, which the crowd eats up. Watanabe whips Lethal into the corner five times in a row to get the advantage. He then hits an overhead suplex with a release but Lethal comes back with a bicycle kick and goes for the Lethal Injection but Watanabe breaks it up with a Full Nelson attempt.

Lethal powers out with elbows but then Watanabe nearly takes his head off with a short-arm clothesline. He covers but only gets a two off of that. Martini slides in the Book of Truth and while the ref is distracted getting it out of the ring, Lethal hits a low blow. He follows up with the Lethal Injection for the win.

WINNER AND STILL ROH TV CHAMPION – JAY LETHAL by pinfall

Match was nothing special but a fine showcase for Lethal. Fans chant for AJ Styles after the match and Lethal annoyed by it as he leaves to the ring to close the show. Styles won a #1 contenders match at All-Star Extravaganza so that will be Lethal’s next program.