Cook’s ROH TV Review 12.7.20

Hey kids! I know we’re a little late here, but I was out of commission last week due to an eye injury. Feeling better now, so it seems like a good time to make my return just like Mike Bennett & John Walters! Let’s hook em up!

Cook’s ROH TV Review 12.7.20

– Quinn McKay welcomes us to Ring of Honor Wrestling and runs down the card. In tonight’s main event, former Pure Champion John Walters will take on the Foundation’s Tracy Williams. Mike Bennett will take on Vincent in a Grudge Match. Last week, Brody King defeated Shane Taylor. We see the finish and get some comments from Brody. He’s beat two former champions in two matches, which speaks for itself. He’s coming for Rush’s title at Final Battle. Violence is the answer. We also saw Josh Woods defeat Jay Lethal, they show the finish of that match and some comments from Josh. He’s here for the Pure rules, and bringing back what ROH is all about.

– Mike Bennett refuses to call him anything other than Vinny, that’s what he’s known the man as for a long time. Vincent points out that Mike left Matt Taven. Mike is pissed off and motivated. Vincent says this is the biggest mistake Mike’s ever made since joining with Matt to begin with.

– Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman are at the commentary position.

Grudge Match: Vincent vs. Mike Bennett: Vincent is 4-3 against Bennett, this is the first time they’ve met in ROH. Interesting stat for Bennett: he’s 22-3 in ROH singles matches not involving Jay Briscoe since 6/23/13. He must have had a pretty bad record against Jay is all I can figure. Bennett makes sure not to take his eyes off Vincent while doing his entrance. Bennett has the experience & weight advantage. Code of Honor isn’t followed, and we’ve got 20 minutes for this one. Vincent ducks outside, then gets the early advantage with some forearms and stomping in the corner. Bennett fights back. Kobashi-style chops in the corner, big forearm off the ropes sends Vincent down. Bennett runs into a forearm, then a rope assisted cutter. Vincent with a Saito suplex on the floor as we go to commercial. Vincent goes up top, Bennett rolls to the other side of the ring to avoid that. Big boot by Vincent followed by a German suplex, Bennett fires up, hits a DVD for two. Bennett misses in the corner, big forearms by Vincent, Side Effect gets two. Back up, Bennett with an Exploder. Superkick to a kneeling Vincent gets two. Bennett going for the backpack Stunner, Vincent fights out, jumps onto Bennett and locks in a guillotine choke, Bennett gets out, another superkick, spear by Bennett gets him back in that guillotine choke! Bennett tries to power out, but Vincent has it locked on. Now Bennett’s out, hits a brainbustaaaaaaaaaa. Strike exchange on the mat, Vincent’s begging for more. Vincent goes off the ropes, series of reversals ends in a clothesline from Bennett. Spear from Bennett, he telegraphs the piledriver and Vincent blocks it. Drives Bennett into the corner and now he’s just slugging the man down and saying things Sinclair Broadcasting doesn’t want us to hear. Referee tries to break it, Vincent is having none of that, which results in a disqualification.

Winner: Mike Bennett (11:34 via disqualification)
Match Rating: **3/4

– Kind of a wet fart of a finish there, but understandable to keep the rivalry going. Vincent sends Bennett into the barricade and the bell rings as we go to commercial. During the break things broke down further, and Ian’s yelling about fines and suspensions. Vincent’s targeting Bennett’s right knee, and telling Mike that he made a big mistake coming here. Matt Taven appears to break that up, and Bateman appears to fight him! Apparently security was holding them back previously, and here comes security to hold them back now. It’s a full-fledged scrum! Taven yells that this won’t be over until Vincent & Bateman face Bennett & him like men.

– Video package talking about how underappreciated Rhett Titus has been for fifteen years in ROH. He takes the octopus mask off to the delight of the other Foundation members.

– Mark Briscoe talks about how it’s the holiday season, the season of family, but his family is being hard-headed. Jay has other priorities right now, but Mark wants those tag team titles, and he’s found a tag team partner. He’s always wanted his own personal monster, and now he has PCO! The two craziest men in the history of this company are coming for the tag team titles. Well, I can’t argue with that.

– Tracy Williams talks about his Pure Tournament experience. He & Jonathan Gresham formed a bond, and are taking further steps to establish the foundation of ROH. To wrestlers like him, John Walters is right up there with AJ Styles & Samoa Joe as ROH forefathers. He sees a lot of similarities between him & Walters, which excites him. He’ll be gunning for that facelock to finish Walters.

– John Walters won the ROH Pure Championship back in 2004 in his hometown of Boston. He beat some of the best, and he’s back because the Pure Championship is back. He wants to be on top of the Pure wrestling ladder. He’s not a thing of the past. He’s been watching from afar. He doesn’t need one move to finish somebody off, but he favors the Sharpshooter. Tracy won’t get him in that facelock. Walters hopes Williams is ready to lose one more time. It’s not personal, Walters wants that Pure Wrestling Championship, and will move Williams out of the way.

Pure Wrestling Rules: John Walters vs. Tracy Williams: Dig the 2004 style ROH logo coming back for Walters’ tron entrance. Walters is 9-2 under Pure rules, it’s his first match in ROH since 2006. Flip Gordon is on commentary, and he’ll be challenging for the Pure Championship at Final Battle. Well, that’s a choice that I have no idea how to explain after watching 29 episodes of this show. These boys shoving each other right away! Walters has the experience and weight advantage, but Williams has the height, and presumably reach. They do shake hands after that shoving. Williams has that shoulder sling on. Walters gets the advantage on the double wristlock. Williams finds a short arm scissor, working on the mat with submissions. Walters uses that first rope break about three and a half minutes in. Williams working the knee as we go to commercial. We come back and they’re standing. Walters with a big chop in the corner. Chop block takes out Tracy’s knee and that whets Walters’ appetite. He locks in that Sharpshooter, and Williams goes right to the ropes. After that break, Williams locks in a heel hook. Smart wrestling leading to Walters’ second rope break. Williams with a Saito suplex, clothesline in the corner, superplex gets two, and he converts right into the facelock! That leads to John Walters’ third and final rope break. Tracy going for the piledriver, John fights it, series of pinfalls to wear Todd Sinclair out, Tracy goes up top, DDTs Walters on the turnbuckle, hits the piledriver and that’s all she wrote.

Winner: Tracy Williams (11:41 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***

– Next week we get Flip Gordon vs. Josh Woods under Pure Rules, and The Bouncers vs. Mark Briscoe & PCO. Should be a hoot.

– Final Battle: EC3 vs. Jay Briscoe, Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Mexisquad, PCO & Mark Briscoe vs. Gresham & Lethal, Vincent & Bateman vs. Taven & Bennett, Gordon vs. Gresham, Brody King vs. Rush.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

I can't say I was a big fan of Mike Bennett or John Walters during their initial ROH runs, which isn't a bad thing since they were both heels and I was much younger. They do add something now here in 2020 as capable performers that can work matches. Much higher on them than Flip "flat earther" Gordon.