Csonka’s ROH TV Review 10.27.16

Csonka’s ROH TV Review 10.27.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle defeated Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu @ 5:25 via pin [**]
– Kyle O’Reilly defeated Jonathan Gresham @ 8:06 via pin [**¾]
– Punishment Martinez and BJ Whitmer defeated Cheeseburger and Will Ferrara @ 4:05 via pin [¼*]
– Naito and EVIL defeated Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin @ 9:10 via [**½]

---

Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu vs. Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle w/The Boys: Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu were NJPW Young Lions, debuting in 2012. They developed quickly and became good in ring performers, and were sent to CMLL on their learning excursion. They will now be working some ROH dates as well, since all three companies are best friends now. Komatsu and Cabana to begin, they did some back and forth with Tanaka tagging in and them working double teams. Tanaka looked to take control, Castle tagged in and he and Cabana posed and confused the young men from Japan. We got comedy as Corino made puns with Komatsu and Tanaka’s names. Cabana then tagged in, and he worked the heat on Komatsu; the sunset flip got 2. Castle got the tag, looked to keep control but Komatsu hit a superkick and got the tag to Tanaka. Tanaka hit a pair of clotheslines, and covered for 2. Cabana tagged back in and he and Castle worked over Tanaka, with Cabana getting a cover for 2. Cabana slammed Tanaka; Castle then missed the top rope splash. Komatsu tagged in, Castle tried to fight them off and hit suplexes on both. Bang a rang on Komatsu, and Castle picks up the pin. Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle defeated Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu @ 5:25 via pin [**] This was a dominating win for Colt Cabana and Dalton Castle, which on one hand is fine because they are the top contenders for the tag titles, but it also hurt Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu. They came off as glorified enhancement guys here, they never really got any run of substance, not even off the hot tag near the end. The structure felt lazy as they just did stuff, it was fine and then Cabana and Castle won in anticlimactic fashion. Commentary kept mentioning that they recently started teaming and that Komatsu and Tanaka have been tagging regularly for a year, but the work never reflected that.

– During the break, the Briscoes had words with Castle and Cabana. The Briscoes promised to challenge for the tag titles at Final Battle.

– Adam Cole and Jay Lethal cut promos about their title match in London. Kyle O’Reilly then cut a promo, saying that he has something to prove if he faces Jay Lethal, but says there would be nothing sweeter than defeating Adam Cole for the ROH Title. He gets the winner of Cole and lethal at Final Battle.

Jonathan Gresham vs. Kyle O’Reilly: They grappled early, with both men trying to attack the arm. Really smooth back and forth from both guys here, as O’Reilly stayed one step ahead of Gresham early. O’Reilly has the left shoulder taped up and keeps favoring it as Gresham constantly goes after it. They did a hip toss counter spot and both went to the floor, and then rolled back in. They actually worked a criss cross spot, which led to another series of hip toss attempts and a stalemate. O’Reilly then laid in leg kicks when Gresham attacked the shoulder, Gresham again attacked the arm and took control as we went to a break. Post break, O’Reilly fought back with knee strikes and then attacked the arm of Gresham, before working the knee bar. Gresham got the ropes, but O’Reilly went back to the leg kicks. Gresham came back with a RANA, and then rolled into a crucifix for a near fall. O’Reilly fired away with a series of strikes, ripped off the shoulder tape and went for the brain buster. Gresham countered, so O’Reilly worked a guillotine. Gresham went out and O’Reilly hit the brain buster and that was that. Kyle O’Reilly defeated Jonathan Gresham @ 8:06 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good match overall, but it lacked something to take it to the next level. Gresham keeps delivering though, I have no idea why the guy has not been signed yet, he works well with the roster.

– Hangman Page attacked post match and worked over the shoulder of O’Reilly. Fish arrived for the save, but then Adam Cole arrived and attacked Fish and all four brawled. O’Reilly got sent to the barricade, Fish worked over Cole but Page hit Fish with a chair shot to the gut. Page landed another chair shot to the gut and then laid in repeated shots as Bullet Club tries to take out Fish. Security finally arrives.

– We get a video package on the feud between Steve Corino, Punishment Martinez, BJ Whitmer and Kevin Sullivan.

– Cheeseburger and Ferrara call out Punishment Martinez and BJ Whitmer. They want to die.

Cheeseburger and Will Ferrara vs. Punishment Martinez and BJ Whitmer w/Kevin Sullivan: Sullivan joined commentary. Corino tried to beg for the lives of Cheeseburger and Ferrara, but Sullivan said that he was lost and needed to be at his right hand. Martinez and Whitmer dominated, Cheeseburger tried to make a comeback as Corino said he summoned the haze and Sullivan spoke about “Uncle Mark” and said Corino circumvented the father. Martinez then destroyed Ferrara, and then tossed Cheeseburger onto him. Martinez hit a superman punch and Whitmer covered for the win. Punishment Martinez and BJ Whitmer defeated Cheeseburger and Will Ferrara @ 4:05 via pin [¼*] This was a squash that went too long, and had too much bullshit from Corino and Sullivan. Nothing was a accomplished here, and they continue to waste TV time on this angle when so many others need it. I keep waiting for them to do something to get me interested, and I am still waiting.

– Whitmer and Martinez continued the attack post match, and Corino then hit the ring to make the save.

– Post break, Corino was given the spike and almost attacked Cheeseburger and Ferrara, but then left the ring.

– We get highlights from ladder war.

– Sabin cuts a pre-match promo, saying that they will never be broken as a team. Nigel told them he appreciated their efforts and were given the night off, but they refused. They love the fans and company and don’t take nights off. Shelley says that they walked out of ladder war with the other four, and all of them went to the ER post match because they put their bodies on the line for the fans. YAY PANDERING BABYFACE PROMO.

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. Tetsuya Naito and EVIL: EVIL and Naito attacked Sabin at the bell, Shelley came to the rescue and EVIL got tossed to the floor. The Guns double teamed Naito, sent him to the floor and then they hit dives. Shelley hit a kick off the ropes and worked over EVIL, Naito tripped him up and then he pulled Sabin to the floor and slammed him to the barricade. EVIL to the floor, wrapped a chair around Shelley’s head and posted him. Naito tagged in, and is on “Road to” work mode, not even removing his shirt to even choke anyone out, and working at half speed. EVIL worked the heat on Shelley as we went to a commercial break. Post break, Naito hit a basement dropkick and covered for 2. Shelley tried to make a comeback, and hit the tornado DDT on Naito and made the tag to Sabin. Almost no reaction for the tag here as Sabin runs wild to near silence. The hot tag offense was good here, and he eventually got the crowd into it, but it felt flat. Sabin fought off both Naito and EVIL. Shelley returned and hit a high cross and Sabin wiped both out with a suicide dive. Back in, Shelley misses a double stomp but he and Sabin work double teams on Naito. Corino then starts to ignore the match and talks about the Sullivan angle. Fucks sake. Naito and EVIL made a comeback, it broke down and EVIL hit the STO on Shelley. Sabin tried to fight them off, but Naito hit Gloria for a near fall. Destino followed and EVIL held off Shelley as Naito covered for the win. Naito and EVIL defeated Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin [**½] This was a solid, but disappointing main event, devoid of intensity and energy. Naito was largely in night off mode. The lack of crowd reaction really hurt this as well.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia.”

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

This was a solid, but unspectacular effort this week. It wasn’t bad, they did work to set things up and advance angles, but the show had a lifeless feel and there was nothing that came close to must see.