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Cook’s ROH TV Review 11.23.20

November 23, 2020 | Posted by Steve Cook
ROH Mike Bennett Image Credit: ROH
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Cook’s ROH TV Review 11.23.20  

Hey kids! We’re back with another week of Ring of Honor Wrestling, and we’ve got three big matches scheduled for tonight’s episode. Let’s hook ’em up!

Cook’s ROH TV Review 11.23.20

– Quinn McKay welcomes us to today’s episode. In the main event, Matt Taven goes to war with Righteous member Bateman. We also get a Pure Rules match pitting Jay Lethal against LSG, but we start with EC3 taking on Jay Briscoe.

– Jay Briscoe’s focus has been shifted. He wants to win the tag titles, but he needs to take care of EC3 first. EC3’s plan is to find out if honor is real. They’re similar guys. Jay stayed here in ROH every day and fought. Jay has his respect. Jay will honor EC3 with an asswhooping. EC3 will offer his hand before the match. Can Jay control his narrative, anger and rage. Can he show EC3 that Honor is real?

EC3 vs. Jay Briscoe: Ian & Caprice are on the call, Ian explains this went on first because they’re chomping at the bits! Very evenly matched according to the tale of the tape. Jay doesn’t want to shake hands, he just wants to fight! Tieup, into the corner, EC3 wants another handshake, still not happening. Jay gains the advantage, outwrestling EC3 early. EC3 still wants that handshake, Jay not having it, delivering some closed fists and stomps. He chokes EC3 in the corner with his boot, referee Todd Sinclair delivers the five count and disqualifies Jay? That might be an ROH first.

Winner: EC3 (1:57 via disqualification)
Match Rating: N/A

– EC3 attacks after Jay stops yelling at Todd and we’ve got an exchange of blows and grabbing at the eyes and face between both. EC3 yelling at Jay to control that narrative, and even sets himself up for the Jaydtiller! The assorted security stops that from happening. Not entirely sure what’s happening here, but it’s far from over.

– Quinn is backstage for the postmatch interview with Jay Briscoe. She asks if Jay should uphold the Code of Honor and asks why he would force the non-finish. His response: “**** him”.

– LSG loved pro wrestling as a kid. Played some baseball. He checked out an ROH show in his hometown of Edison, NJ, he was hooked. Seeing Jay Lethal, announced from Elizabeth, made him want to do this. Lethal served as an inspiration. LSG trained at the Monster Factory, then made his way to the ROH Dojo. He was thrown into a tag team, something he wasn’t accustomed to. 2019 was a failure for them. He’s taken this time to think about all the things he’s learned. He’s on a different level now. Things haven’t gone well against Jay before. But he’s watched Jay Lethal for 15 years, and he’s bigger, stronger & faster now. He’s never competed in a Pure Rules match before, but he’s studied it and has trained hard. It might just be another match to Jay Lethal, it means everything to LSG. Time to prove that he can hang with the best in the world.

– The Pure Title Tournament was bittersweet for Jay Lethal. He didn’t win, but the goal was achieved. They found out the best in the world. He’s not ashamed to admit he lost to the better man, Tracy Williams on that evening. Lethal, Williams & Jonathan Gresham want to bring structure and order back to ROH. The Foundation is searching far & wide for those who have done the work to become better wrestlers. That’s why he requested this match with LSG. LSG has been trying to become a better wrestler, and it’s time for him to be rewarded. Jay remembers when he was in LSG’s spot, waiting for that chance to prove himself against the best. For Jay, it was Samoa Joe that gave him that chance. Now, he returns that favor. He is giving LSG a chance to hang. Nothing is free though, so LSG will pay for this gift tonight.

Pure Wrestling Rules: LSG vs. Jay Lethal: Lethal is 5-6 overall in Pure matches, but has won 3 out of his last 4. Also, he did hold that championship at one point in time. Code of Honor is followed. Headlock takeover into a headscissor reversal, then some traditional wristlocks. LSG able to counter Lethal’s attempted moves early on, showcasing that he has watched Jay Lethal for 15 years. Hammerlock by LSG, Lethal fights out. LSG has to use a rope break to get out of the figure 4. LSG regroups on the outside, comes back in, and has a more traditional offense ready for Lethal. Lethal responds with a snap suplex, a backbreaker gets 2. Lethal working the lower back now. LSG fights out of the waistlock, they exchange uppercuts. Lethal still going for that figure 4, LSG reverses out of it. Lethal kicked off the corner, then LSG with a flying kick through the ropes! Lethal gets back in, and LSG still on the offensive. LSG retained control during the commercial break, and has a cravate on Lethal. Lethal gets out, but a dropkick to Lethal’s back gets 2. Back to the cravate! LSG really wants this to work, he keeps going back to it as we’re 10 minutes into the 15 minute time limit. LSG misses in the corner, Lethal with the side Russian legsweep. Hip toss, cartwheel into the dropkick by Lethal. Springboard dropkick knocks LSG to the floor, then the tope suicida by Lethal! Lethal goes up top, LSG tries to meet him up there, gets knocked off. LSG avoids the flying elbow drop. Lethal with a big reverse DDT for two. LSG with some boots in the corner, forward roll into a clothesline gets two. Series of reversals, Lethal hits the enziguri, but the Lethal Injection is blocked by LSG, who hits the rocket bye baby. Crucifix pin gets 2, then LSG locks in the crossface! Lethal’s stuck in the middle of the ring, but he works his way out. LSG then applies a sharpshooter, then the Muta lock! He’s using every submission he knows! LSG uses Lethal’s own wrist to apply more pressure, but Lethal gets to the ropes. The time limit expires, and we go to the judges! Will Ferrera, Gary Juster & Sumie Sakai have a tough decision on their hands.

Winner: Jay Lethal (15:00 via split decision)
Match Rating: ***1/2

– Not gonna lie, I would have gone LSG on that one. Dude had better counters, more effectiver submissions & controlled the pace for a lot of the match. But you can’t let it go to the judges when you’re wrestling a known quantity like Jay Lethal.

– They shake hands and exchange some post match pleasantries.

– John Walters Returns…

– We get the same video package hyping Bateman vs. Matt Taven that we got last week.

Bateman vs. Matt Taven: Taven wastes no time on his entrance, these two are going at it right away. Taven’s attempt at a flying knee gets met with a high knee. Big chops & strikes from Bateman. Bateman misses in the corner, reverse DDT followed by a senton, rollup gets two, arm drag then a vertical suplex. Bateman swings the momentum with a twisting vertical suplex of his own. Never mind, Taven is back on the offensive when we return from commercial. Taven hits the Complete Shot into the Trendsetter, which is a head & shoulder lock in a Crossface position. Bateman’s foot makes the ropes. Big kick knocks Bateman off the apron, Taven hits the Flight of the Conquerer dive, but tweaks his knee on the landing. Taven presses on. Misses the frog splash, but Taven gets the three count on a roll through on Bateman!

Winner: Matt Taven (9:33 via pin)
Match Rating: **1/2

– Perfectly average here. Not blowaway great, but nothing bad either.

– Bateman attacks after the bell, breaking up Taven & Sinclair’s moment. Vincent makes his way to the ring with a microphone. Vincent thinks Taven looks a little too comfortable, so Bateman hits a tombstone. Vincent wants to know how one person could be so embarrassing. There’s not a single soul in this place, and yet Taven is still that desperate for all the attention. No matter how hard Taven tries, he will never get the approval he’s looking for. Everything he’s done, Taven’t legacy will be nothing more than one of a failure. Bateman holds Taven while Vincent holds a dart in his hand…but the lights go out! We get a Mike Bennett logo and music! The lights go out, and Bennett is back! Wearing quite the suit! Vincent & Bateman get run off by Bennett, who celebrates with Taven as we fade to black.

7.0
The final score: review Good
The 411
Old school ROH fans would shudder at the thought of Jay Briscoe & EC3 going less than two minutes in a disqualification. It's part of a story though, and I'm willing to see how it plays out. LSG went from somebody I had no idea who the heck they were to wanting to see more of, so good job by Jay Lethal on that one. And we got a Mike Bennett/Matt Taven reunion, which for my money is the best thing you can do with either guy right now. Not one of ROH's best in-ring episodes, but some pretty good storytelling going on this week.
legend

article topics :

ROH TV, Steve Cook