Ring of Honor TV results: Jerry Lynn confronts Jay Lethal
The go-home show leading to Final Battle was the second installment in the current series of Ring of Honor television episodes from the Nashville Fairgrounds. The focus was on building the pay-per-view and every match had some purpose in an upcoming PPV match. Jerry Lynn returned to ROH for an interview segment and a confrontation with ROH world champion Jay Lethal. After this show aired, ROH announced Lynn would also appear at Final Battle.
The show opened with the entrance of Adam Cole. The announcers, Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuiness, talked about Cole’s upcoming match at Final Battle against Kyle O’Reilly.
Adam Cole beat Corey Hollis
Cole began squashing him while showcasing a variety a moves like a fireman’s carry into a neckbreaker and a shining wizard. Hollis made a comeback but Cole quickly cut him off. Though he was over with the crowd, the villainous Cole mocked some ringside fans. Hollis sidestepped an attempted superkick and used a schoolboy to roll up Cole for a nearfall.
Moments later, Cole hit a bicycle kick that they had teased earlier in the match. Hollis countered a suplex into a stunner then did a fireman’s carry into a spinebuster. Hollis jumped off the top rope and ate a superkick. Cole picked him up for a suplex into a neckbreaker for the pinfall. Afterwards, Cole remained in the ring to cut a promo. He promised to keep it short and said when he makes a promise he means it. He promised to beat O’Reilly at Final Battle and “end” him in Ring of Honor.
Last week on ROH TV, the show ended with three tag teams brawling. In a follow-up, Kevin joined Nigel (who is also the matchmaker in storyline) in announcing a three-way tag match at Final Battle with the Briscoes vs. Young Bucks vs. ANX.
Related to the tag team picture, the next match on the go-home show showcased War Machine as they readied to challenge the Kingdom on the PPV for the tag team titles.
War Machine (Hanson & Raymond Rowe) beat the Washington Bullets (Jon & Trey Williams)
In an updated version of a Road Warriors squash match, Hanson and Rowe wrecked shop on the Bullets. They did power moves all over the place and manhandled their opponents. Rowe held one Bullet over his knee while Hanson jumped off the ropes with flying legdrop for the pin. War Machine looked impressive and menacing.
Before the next match, Mike Posey from “the hood” in Trussville, Alabama, marched to the ring with a posse. His five-person entourage included three dudes and two women. In doing a white rapper gimmick, Posey began rapping badly and dissing Dalton Castle. Poesy’s entourage encouraged his behavior.
Dalton Castle beat Mike Posey
The announcers talked up Castle’s return grudge match at Final Battle with Silas Young over who should rightly have custody of The Boys. Castle took most of the offense in this match with Posey. At one point, the entourage caused a distraction allowing Posey some offense. Posey dove off the top rope into the arms of Castle, who caught him and tossed him over the ropes on to the posse at ringside. Castle gave Posey his finish, the Bang-a-Rang, to score the pin.
In a post-match promo, Castle eloquently compared himself to the Aurora Borealis and vowed to kick Silas Young’s ass before calling him out right then. Instead of Silas confronting him, The Boys sauntered to the ring and confronted Dalton.
With Dalton distracted by The Boys and their newfound attitudes, Silas attacks him from behind and gives him the Misery finisher to leave Castle down and out. The Boys raised the hands of Silas and acted as if their time with the “Last Real Man” truly has transformed them, creating another layer to the drama that will play out at Final Battle.
In an in-ring interview segment, Kevin Kelly brought out Jerry Lynn. Kelly asked Lynn about his recent surgery and Lynn thanked the fans for their support during his recovery. Kevin brought up the upcoming ROH world title match at Final Battle and asked for Jerry to predict a winner.
Though he tried to avoid directly answering the question, Kelly pressed him while Lynn dodged the question putting over both guys in the process. Cue House of Truth theme music and Jay Lethal emerges carrying his ROH world title belt while also accompanied by Truth Martini and Taeler Hendrix.
Lethal confronted Lynn, who offered a friendly handshake. Lethal no-sold the handshake and said he was out there for one reason, which was he really wanted to hear the answer to the question. Lethal instructed Lynn to “turn your hearing aid up because he asked you a question.”
The expression on Lynn’s face immediately changed. Lynn said he knew Lethal and his family for years.
“You are not the Jay Lethal that I knew back then,” Lynn said. “You’re an arrogant prick!”
Lynn then basically said that overconfidence would be Lethal’s downfall and AJ Styles will beat him to become the champion. The crowd chanted for AJ in response. Lethal ordered the audience to shut up before saying Lynn and everybody else blindly follows AJ and Lethal said he “don’t give a damn” what Lynn thought. He threatened to kick Lynn’s ass.
Lynn countered by bringing up he has known Lethal’s parents for as long as he has known Lethal. Lynn said Lethal wanted to make them proud, but by attacking him they would be ashamed instead. Lethal thought it over for a moment before snapping.
Lethal yelled at Lynn saying he was standing in the ring with the ROH champion and claimed he was the greatest wrestler in the world. Lethal shouted about climbing a ladder this past year to get where he is while AJ only climbed a step stool. With just a touch of trepidation in his voice Lethal continued screaming about AJ being pushed to the main events and the title picture unfairly.
Lethal went on to say he would not attack Lynn because he needed Lynn healthy so Jerry could console AJ when Lethal beats him at Final Battle. Lethal said that is when AJ will learn Lethal himself is the greatest just like he claims. Before storming off, Lethal concluded with the proclamation, “I am professional wrestling.”
Following an announcement of Moose vs. Michael Elgin being signed for Final Battle, a video package highlighted their feud. Their story is they both want a shot at the ROH world title and each stands in the other’s way on their journey to a title shot.
Alex Shelley came to ringside to provide guest commentary for the main event tag match. They quickly recapped the scene from last week in which Shelley unveiled himself as the mysterious masked character that had been causing grief for Chris Sabin and the Addiction. Shelley is set to team with Matt Sydal and ACH in a six-man tag match at against the Addiction at Final Battle.
Matt Sydal & ACH beat Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Trent Baretta)
Sydal and Romero start slow but quickly picked up the pace with Sydal executing a monkey flip and later a hurricanrana on Romero, who begged off. ACH and Baretta squared off. At one point, ACH did a backflip then immediately sprung up with a dropkick.
After a commercial break, Roppongi Vice were in control with Romero getting heat on Sydal. ACH came in off the hot tag. He does a crossbody off the top, an enzuigiri on Romero and catches Baretta on the outside with a soccer kick. ACH then runs across the ring, springs off the middle rope with one foot and does his crazy flip dive over the ropes to the outside.
Romero and Baretta cut off ACH with a series of great double team moves. Sydal makes a bling tag only to get caught with sliced bread from Romero. However, ACH jumps off the top with a double foot stomp on Romero. Sydal and Baretta exchange strikes with Sydal gaining the advantage. Romero jumped in to make the save for Baretta and ACH jumps in to make the save for Sydal moments later.
ACH did a handspring over the ropes into a dive on the floor. Sydal went for the shooting star press but Baretta got his knees up. Roppongi Vice went for their finisher. As Romero did a springboard off the top rope, ACH flew in out of nowhere off a springboard to wipe out Romero. Sydal executed a code red on Baretta to score the pin.