Cook’s ROH TV Review 12.10.21

Hey kids! We’re hitting the home stretch here of new Ring of Honor television content. At least, I think we are. Maybe they taped six months of TV in an empty arena somewhere and didn’t tell anybody. That wouldn’t be shocking.

Cook’s ROH TV Review 12.10.21

Quinn McKay welcomes us to Ring of Honor Wrestling & Final Battle weekend. Three Final Battle-worthy matches await us today. The main event pits EC3 against Eli Isom. We also got Miranda Alize taking on Chelsea Green and a falls count anywhere match with Sledge & PCO.

Ian & Caprice are joined by Holidead for the first match. She enjoys the violence and lack of rules.

Brian Zane gets a word with Sledge. Sledge wants to know why Brian called him “Steve” at Best in the World when they’ve known each other ten years. He’s going to let PCO know his name too. PCO says that it’s alive.

Falls Count Anywhere: Sledge vs. PCO: Some shots exchanged. Sledge gains the advantage with a back elbow and a splash in the corner. Sledge gets the trash can & places it over PCO’s head in the corner. Big boot rings PCO’s bell. Some chairs have been placed on the ground as we go outside. Sledge sets one up, but a chop exchange happens before Sledge lets PCO sit on it. Sledge runs into a PCO boot, then PCO Russian leg sweeps him into the barricade. PCO gets the ladder, leans it on the side of the ring apron. A couple of trash can shots to Sledge’s head, but Sledge backdrops PCO on the ladder. Cover gets 2 as we go to commercial.

During the break PCO got sent through ladders & chairs, but then PCO fought back with a rana off the top and now he’s on the top rope. Big splash onto Sledge gets two. PCO goes back up, a moonsault gets nothing but Sledge’s knees and a two count. Back outside. Chop exchange as the two men get it on like two men should. PCO seems to be winning the exchange, and he sends Sledge into the barricade. PCO sets up a table & hits Sledge with the chair a couple of times. Sledge is placed on the table so PCO can go up to the top rope. CANNONBALL! Sledge kicks out at two. I have no idea how Todd Sinclair saw his shoulder go up with the table blocking his view, but the man’s been refereeing for like thirty years now. PCO sends Sledge over the barricade and they are in front of the broadcast position. The graphic informs us not to try this at home as PCO whacks Sledge with the chair two times. PCO places the chair by the barricade, but it’s his own head that gets bashed into it by Sledge. Sledge with the chairshots to PCO. Ian knows Sledge’s name, thank goodness. Sledge places PCO on the barricade, hits the clothesline and both men tumble over. Two counts for both. They go up the steps to the stage. Sledge hits the Detox DDT on the stage, and PCO does the Undertaker sit-up. Sledge looks down at the table full of various foodstuff, and decides he’s going to DDT PCO onto it. So he does that for the three count!

Winner: Sledge (14:59 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***

Good on PCO putting the youngster over here. Sledge needs a rub to get future bookings much more than PCO does.

Ian is joined by Mandy Leon & Angelina Love for the next match.

Miranda Alize vs. Chelsea Green: Green with the six inch height advantage, shockingly to me both these two started wrestling in 2014. One’s been on TV forever & one just started appearing. Alize rolls out of Green’s attempted armbar. Green with the Japanese arm drag, a dropkick & a modified neck snap. Alize rolls out of the ring. Chelsea chases her around, and they run around the ring for awhile. Chelsea gets a little tired getting into the ring and Miranda dropkicks her down to the floor. Miranda tosses Chelsea into the barricades on both sides of the ring. Back in the ring, Alize gets two with a modified basement hurricanrana. Big shot to Green as we go to commercial.

Miranda kept the offense going during the commercial, but Chelsea fights back. Codebreaker plants Miranda down. Green with a series of rollups, then clotheslines. Basement dropkick gets two for Green. Chelsea goes up top and hits the missile dropkick for two. Miranda fights back, knee to the face and a modified GTS gets two. Alize is sent into the corner, then Green curb stomps her into the bottom turnbuckle. She locks in the half crab while the Allure wander down to ringside and provide the distraction. Alize hits the cutter, then the Drive-By gets the three count while the Allure take pictures.

Winner: Miranda Alize (9:54 via pinfall)
Match Rating: *3/4

I wanted to like this one but there was a lot of “modified” stuff here if you smell what I’m cooking.

Ian & Caprice are joined by TV’s Dalton Castle for the main event.

EC3 says it’s time to stop honoring this brand. He can give us a purpose. It’s a time to jump head first into the unknown. It’s a time to join and control your narrative. Eli Isom isn’t convinced that EC3 thinks that honor is real. He will teach EC3 about honor, since he knows and is honor.

EC3 vs. Eli Isom: EC3 with the obvious edge on the tale of the tape. Long staredown during the prematch handshake. Headlock takeover by EC3. Eli turns it into a headscissors, then hits the armdrag into the armbar. Dalton takes a phone call while the action goes back & forth. Eli takes control with arm drags. Dropkick by Eli, then EC3 claps the ears. Eli sent to the apron, he gets knocked off the top rope as we go to commercial.

Eli receives some shots to the chest as we return. The baby chickens join Dalton on commentary with unplugged headsets. EC3 takes control with a suplex. Dalton likes the meat coming against the meat. EC3 asks if Dalton likes it, but Eli fires back with some meat of his own. EC3 whips Eli hard into the corner a couple of times. EC3 is beautiful & mysterious according to Castle. EC3 with the vertical suplex on the floor. Eli fights back, but EC3 hits a DDT variation. Dalton’s all worn out. EC3 hits the powerbomb. One more gives us a little too much of a look at Eli Isom. We go to commercial.

Eli fights back. Some forearms and an enziguri send EC3 into the corner. Spinning side suplex by Isom. EC3 rolls to the apron and snaps Eli’s neck on the top rope. Isom gets a two count with a backslide. Northern Lights suplex by Isom. Springboard dropkick sends EC3 outside. Eli hits a moonsault on the floor, but dings his knee on the apron. Dalton & the chickens are loving it. Eli’s knee gives him trouble going to the top rope, EC3 crotches him and hits the leg. Crossbody from Isom, he tries to lift EC3 but can’t do it. EC3 goes to the knee, then hits the Olympic Slam. EC3 pauses to have a conversation with Isom. Eli powers out of the double underhook suplex for a two count. Chop block by EC3, then hits the Moneymaker. EC3 locks in the Purpose submission, and Eli has to tap.

Winner: EC3 (16:15 via submission)
Match Rating: ***

Dalton & the baby chickens applaud. EC3 whispers into Isom’s ear. Isom wants the handshake but doesn’t get it.

Next Week’s Top Prospect Special: Eric Martin vs. Rayo vs. Adrian Soriano vs. Joe Keys, Dante Caballero vs. Matt Makowski, Dak Draper vs. Josh Woods

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

I should point out that I liked the Sledge vs. PCO match better, but EC3 vs. Eli got bumped up to the same level because of Dalton Castle's commentary. He's amusing. We got a bunch of ROH Dojo kids showing up next week, so that should be fun!