ROH TV results: Jay Lethal vs. Kenny King best-of-three series begins

From the Odeum in Villa Park, Illinois, Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana called the action.

Flip Gordon defeated Karl Fredericks

Some chain wrestling started the match until Gordon used a handstand to catch Fredericks in a hurricanrana that sent him to the floor. Gordon followed that up with a suicide dive onto Fredericks.

After the commercial, Gordon nailed a Pele kick — but Fredericks then caught Gordon off of a springboard into a spinebuster. Fredericks earned a few near falls. Gordon fired back, but he ate a big dropkick from Fredericks.

Again Gordon fired back and then nailed a springboard dropkick and a springboard neckbreaker. Fredericks ate a big superkick, which allowed Gordon to complete a wheelbarrow roll through into an STF submission. Fredericks tapped out immediately.

– A recap of Matt Taven defeating PCO to retain the ROH World Championship aired. It featured a sunset flip powerbomb from Taven onto PCO on the outside and a railroad spike to the eye of PCO.

– Another recap aired — this one was of Shane Taylor winning the ROH TV title from Jeff Cobb by stealing the pin on Brody King after Cobb had hit the Tour of the Islands.

– A third recap aired of Kenny King winning the Honor Rumble and talking about his suffering eye site from the Great Muta mist. King said he would make Jay Lethal “bend the knee.”

– Jeff Cobb came out for an in-ring promo. He said he wasn’t there to ask for his rematch with Taylor. He said he wanted Taven instead.

This brought Taven out onto the ramp with a microphone. Taven told Cobb to relax. He proclaimed that he is the best ROH World Champion in history and he fears no man. Taven said that he’d be willing to defend the strap anywhere, anytime — but just not tonight. He then chucked his mic at Cobb and walked away.

– Kenny King was backstage singing. He said that his eyes were healed and that he doesn’t care that ROH officials made it a best-of-three series with Jay Lethal. He told Lethal to get out the broom because it was going to be a clean sweep.

– Silas Young came out to the ring with a microphone and Baxter Bellafonte in tow. Young said that he was going to put on a seminar. He asked Bobby Cruise to get in the ring and hold the mic.

Young then applied a wrist lock and an arm lock to Bellafonte while talking about the holds being applied. He then fish hooked and eye gouged him. He showed what it would take to get disqualified using those two moves. Then he said that another move that could get you disqualified would be a low blow. He kicked Bellafonte in the groin. Young left, but not before threatening Cruise.

Kenny King defeated Jay Lethal in the first match of their best-of-three series

This match took a while to get started as King kept stalling. Eventually, King hit a single-leg takedown and a shoulder tackle. King countered a hip toss and cartwheel dropkick into a submission hold. King cut off Lethal and managed to stay one step ahead for the first part of the match.

However, arrogance got the better of King. It allowed Lethal to dropkick King off the apron to the floor. Lethal went for his patented suicide dives, but King caught Lethal on the first attempt, then slammed Lethal’s back into the ring post. From that point, King went to work attacking the back of Lethal.

After the final commercial, King used an eye poke to keep the advantage. Lethal managed to connect with a few chops, but he ate a dropkick and was sent to the floor. King said he was going to do Lethal’s dives but faked out the crowd. Instead, he went out to the floor and Lethal caught him with a DDT.

Both men crawled into the ring. A crazy brawl ensued with Lethal getting the better of the exchange. This time, Lethal managed to use his hip toss dropkick effectively and sent King to the floor. Lethal followed it up with one suicide dive. He tossed King back in and went up top. He then nailed the big elbow from the top turnbuckle, but it only got a two count.

With Lethal in control and looking for the Lethal Injection, King grabbed ahold of Lethal’s tights and connected with his reverse knee and DDT combo. He covered Lethal but only got a two count. He stood Lethal up and hoisted him up for the Royal Flush, but Lethal landed on his feet and hit a pump kick and a spinning wheel kick.

Lethal went for the Lethal Injection again, but King evaded twice. Lethal nearly ran into the referee, which caused the ref to turn his back. This left the opening for King to kick Lethal low and then hit his own version of the Lethal Injection for the victory. King leads the series 1-0.