Csonka’s ROH TV Review 3.01.17

Csonka’s ROH TV Review 3.01.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Adam Cole & Hangman Page defeated The Addiction @ 7:30 via pin [**½]
– ROH Top Prospect Tournament Match: John Skyler defeated Sean Carr @ 6:13 via pin [***]
– ROH TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll defeated Donovan Dijak @ 13:45 via submission [****]

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– Christopher Daniels is out to cut a promo; he won the decade of excellence tournament and will challenge for the ROH world title on match 10th at the ROH 15th anniversary PPV. Daniels gives us a history lesson about his time in ROH, and what it means to him; he even jokes about being young and having long hair at the ROH debut show. He has always wanted to become ROH champion, and now has that chance after beating the great Jay Briscoe; he will face either Adam Cole or Bobby Fish, depending on the Manhattan mayhem match. Adam Cole (BAY BAY!) among with his weird head tumor then makes their way to the ring and claims that he will beat Fish, will beat Daniels and will stay ROH champion forever. Hangman Page attacked Daniels, but Kazarian made the save and proclaimed that Daniels would become the next world champion; the major issue with this promo segment was that Bobby Fish would not shut up. I get that he has a stake in this because of the fact that he has an ROH title shot coming, I also get that he’s usually not a commentator, but you can’t talk over the guys while doing commentary like that.

The Addiction vs. Adam Cole & Hangman Page: The Addiction ran wild after the shady heel attack, worked over Cole and Page, including hitting some dives. It was a fun opening clip; Bullet Club would cut off Daniels with a double team and we took a commercial break. Post break, Bullet Club worked quick tags and had the heat on Daniels. Cole worked him over, but Daniels cut him off with the STO and got a hot tag to Kaz. Great fire from Kaz, as he tosses Page around and gets a near fall on Page with the slingshot cutter. The Addiction then ran through some double teams, Kaz took Page to the floor as Cole battled with Daniels. Daniels hit the uranage, went for the best moonsault ever, Page got up the boot and then cradled Daniels for the win. Adam Cole & Hangman Page defeated The Addiction @ 7:30 via pin [**½] This was a match that was perfectly solid in the ring, having some fun moments but had an absolutely horrible finish with Daniels losing. Daniels wins the title shot, and they have told a great story of his desire to be ROH champion with the tease that this is likely his last chance. And then instead of keeping his momentum going, they have Cole pin him clean as a sheet here; Kaz and page were right there, doing nothing and I am pretty sure they had time on their schedule to take a loss. If you insist on Daniels losing here, at least fuck him over to add to the sympathy his character is getting; here he got caught and the better man (the evil heel) won.

– Post match, Kaz verbally laid into Daniels for losing.

– Fish then cut a fired up promo, claming that Cole didn’t have what it takes to rule over and be king of ROH; after March 4th, he will be the ROH Champion.

– Post break, The Addiction argues in a stairwell, with Kazarian running down Daniels, telling him that he’s not the only one with everything on the line.

Top Prospect Tournament Match: John Skyler vs. Sean Carr: Bob Evans is out to do commentary (and possibly offer national dark match opportunities) with Ian Riccaboni. Skyler, who is a guy ROG should be using on the regular, is wearing something out of the 1997 Fit Finlay jacket collection. I approve. They worked a nice, fast paced, back and forth beginning. Carr took control until Skyler hit a lariat and tiger driver for the near fall. Skyler then took the heat and grounded Carr. Considering ROH’s talent situation, Evans discussing ROH building from within and promoting rising young talents came across as laughable. Carr cut off Skyler with superkicks and a suicide dive. They battled on the apron, with Skyler hitting a bicycle kick and spear. Slingshot spear back in the ring by Skyler got 2. Carr then hit the code breaker off the ropes for a good near fall. Carr then hit a moonsault for another near fall. Skyler up top, cut off and Carr follows him up, but Skyler hit southern salvation (Finlay roll off the ropes) for the win. John Skyler defeated Sean Carr @ 6:13 via pin [***] This was a good match, with both guys working hard and making the most of their time; there was no wasted motion and both men were working to win instead of just having a match.

– The Kingdom cut a promo about The Rebellion, noting that they are three rock star kings and better than anyone.

– The Tempura Boys (I hate that name) made their way to the ring for a match. They were supposed to face the Machine Guns, but they never came out because they were attacked backstage.

– It was revealed that Dalton castle & The Boys, after losing to the rebellion, and after the Boys just lost a handicap match to Colt Cabana, that they are getting a shot at the trios titles at the 15th anniversary PPV. On what Earth does that make sense? Someone get Harrison wells and Cisco on that ASAP.

TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll vs. Donovan Dijak: Dijak looks to abide by the code of honor, but Scurll was a kick and kicked his hand away. Dijak then kicked him in the face and hits a FUCKING SASUKE SPECIAL to the floor. He followed with a springboard elbow drop back in the ring, which got a great early near fall. They worked through the break, and post break the action spilled to the floor, where Scurll posted the bigger challenger and followed with a tornado DDT. Back in the ring, Scurll worked over Dijak with kicks and forearms, but Dijak fired up and demanded the handshake that Scurll blew off at the beginning; this proved to be a mistake as Scurll kicked him in the face with a PK off the apron. Scurll then started to isolate the arm of Dijak, Dijak then tried to use his power advantage, hitting repeated backbreakers and then tossing Scurll across the ring with ease. Scurll fought off the choke breaker, took out the knees of Dijak and we see Lio Rush arrive on the ramp to scout as he has a TV title match at the 15th anniversary PPV. They worked through another commercial break, and post break they traded strikes but Scurll hit a brain buster for a great near fall. The crowd loves this, and they work through a series of counters, Scurll then hit the short, stuff piledriver but Dijak SAYS FUCK YOU AND KICKS OUT AT ONE Road Warrior Hawk style! Feast your eyes by Dijak, but SCURLL KICKS OUT! Dijak again demanded a handshake, but Scurll did the finger break spot. He then stomped on the hand and slapped the shit out of Dijak; this fired up Dijak, choke breaker! Dijak then misses a corkscrew moonsault, allowing Scurll to lock in the chicken wing (where he did the finger break spot again) and Dijak had to tap. Fucking great stuff. Champion Marty Scurll defeated Donovan Dijak @ 13:45 via submission [****] This was, unfortunately for ROH fans, Dijak’s final ROH appearance; they clearly dropped the ball with him, but he went out in a blaze of glory in an absolutely great main event. He gave the champion all he had, hit him with all of his big offense, and looked like a star as he made his exit, putting over the current TV champion clean. This was a great farewell from Dijak, and a signature win for Scurll’s TV title run. Dijak could have been so much more, a giant heavyweight that can be a bully to the smaller monster, but can also do some impressive flying; he had a very diverse game in the ring, but ROH’s loss will likely be someone else’s gain.

– Post break, Rush hit the ring; Scurll told him that he wasn’t shit and laid him out with a belt shot. The Rebellion, who has been trying to recruit Rush. Jay White & The Machine Guns arrive, they are buddies with Rush, but the tease was that the Rebellion laid out the Machine Guns.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia.”

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

After two rough, bordering on bad weeks of TV, ROH picks up some momentum with a great main event, some good effort paid on giving Manhattan Mayhem & the 15th anniversary PPV some positive attention. This was an overall good show, with a must see main event.