Cook’s ROH TV Review 3.18.22

Hey kids! Today starts a 2-part look at the ROH Original World Championship reign of Jonathan Gresham. He’s been keeping busy defending his title in other places, and today we get clips of some of his title defenses.

Cook’s ROH TV Review 3.18.22

Jonathan Gresham: A Champion’s Journey

Final Battle 2022: Gresham vs. Jay Lethal: From my original review.. Lethal goes for the Injection, but the left arm won’t allow it. Gresham goes for the crossface chickenwing. He doesn’t quite have it locked, Lethal eventually reverses it into a cutter. The Foundation and the rest of the locker room head down to ringside to watch the rest of the match. Gresham & Lethal exchange shots. Gresham hits an enziguri and a German suplex for two. Running forearm gets two. One more gets another two count. Gresham runs into a superkick. Lethal can’t lift Gresham, so Gresham hits another forearm for two. He should probably just go ahead and remove that wrist tape at this point, but instead opts to lift Lethal up. Lethal hits a clothesline, then goes for the Injection. Gresham reverses into a backslide for two. Inside cradle gets two for Gresham, then he goes for the Octopus. Lethal has to submit.

Gresham talks about how Lethal has been a big part of his career since their first match in North Carolina. At Final Battle, he could feel the energy in the room and the support of his comrades. It kept pushing him. Lethal is the better wrestler, but Gresham got his second wind. It was the biggest accomplishment of his career. The way things are now are the way they’re supposed to be. It was part of his destiny.

After winning the world title, his first defense was at GCW in Los Angeles. He took on AJ Gray under pure rules, and his biggest concern was watching out for Gray’s monster lariats.

GCW Blood on the Hills 12.17.22: Gresham vs. AJ Gray: Lots of cursing in GCW. Gray with a headlock, Gresham cartwheels out. Clip to Gray slapping Gresham down and punching him on the mat, but the referee informs him he can’t do that in a Pure rules match. Gresham fights back with some chops and kicks. Flying headscissors sends Gray outside. Tope Homicida sends Gray into the third row. Clip to Gresham hitting a crossbody off the top rope for a two count. Figure four! Gray uses a rope break, which Dave Prazak tells us is his second. Clip to a big chop from Gray, but his knees buckle & Gresham springboard moonsaults him before going to the anklelock. Gray gets to his feet, but Gresham German suplexes him for a two count. Gresham runs off the ropes and gets clotheslined down. Bridging powerbomb gets two. Another clothesline gets two. Gray misses a third, and Gresham locks in the Octopus! Gray falls and Gresham starts elbowing him in the head. The referee stops it.

About four and a half minutes aired. I’m always shook by AJ Gray because of past 411 experiences, so it’s tough for me to judge him fairly.

Gresham went to Alabama for New South Pro Wrestling. There, he took on one of his favorite opponents, Adam Priest.

New South The Dump Sanders Holiday Special 2021: Gresham vs. Adam Priest: The ring announcer is all decked out in his ugly Christmas suit & green Santa hat. Gresham targets Priest’s ankle early, then Priest twists him into a figure four. Can’t quite lock it though. Finally does, and Gresham powers his way to the ropes. First rope break for Gresham. Clip to a KneeDT by Priest, but Gresham goes back to Priest’s ankle with a bow & arrow. Priest gets out and gets a near-fall. Clip to Priest taking the tape off of his loaded forearm, which doesn’t seem kosher to Pure rules to me. Back suplex by Priest gets two. Gresham locks in the Octopus, but Priest manages to tumble into the ropes. Priest & Gresham exchange chops. MEDIUM MEN SLAPPING MEAT according to our announcer. Clip to Priest following Gresham up to the top rope. Superplex, Gresham locks the feet for a two count. Back & forth now, headlocks & headscissors. Gresham with a backslide, then a small package. Priest with the headlock takeover, Gresham headscissors and turns it into a three count.

About six minutes aired. I can see why Gresham likes working with Priest, seems like a very like-minded individual.

This time, Gresham is facing a more seasoned competitor. A man who’s been a mentor & a partner, but now an opponent.

Impact Wrestling Hard To Kill: Gresham vs. Chris Sabin: 26:00 Bobby Cruise & Ian Riccaboni made the trip for this one. Gresham cartwheels out of the headlock and goes to the ankle. Sabin turns into a tricky near fall. Clip to Sabin PKing Gresham. Back in the ring, Gresham gets forearmed but keeps working on Sabin’s left arm. Rana roll-through, bridge out, then Sabin drops Gresham with a DDT for two. Clip to Gresham applying the Crossface & Sabin rolling out of it. Gresham stomps on Sabin’s foot and locks in the Octopus. Now to the hammer fists, but Sabin lifts Gresham up and hits the Cradleshock. The referee counts three, but he didn’t see Gresham’s foot under the rope! Oh the humanity. Clip to both men exchanging chops. The fans like it! More chops! Gresham misses an enziguri, Sabin doesn’t miss with the slap. Then then exchange enziguris. Cradleshock is rolled out of. we end up with Gresham getting the roll up for the win.

About five and a half minutes aired. I haven’t checked other reviews but I assume this got a pretty good one? Liked what I saw.

Gresham talks about setting goals. One is to make history, the second is to wrestle legendary individuals from around the world. 2 Cold Scorpio is one of those legends.

GCW Say You Will: Gresham vs. 2 Cold Scorpio: Ring announcer with the classic SummerSlam 1994 shirt. I assume it’s on sale at WWE’s website, but still. Scorpio has the advantage on the knuckle lock, but Gresham powers out of the near falls. Series of rollups. Scorpio cartwheels out of the head scissors. Clip to the chop exchange. Scorpio wins that with a chop to the face. Another one. Gresham isn’t winning these strike exchanges, but he keeps on trying. Gresham hits some forearms, and now they’re going a bit more rapid fire. Gresham kicks Scorpio down and hits a German suplex. Clip to Scorpio snap maring Gresham off the top. Goes for an inverted suplex, but Gresham reverses into a sleeper. Scorpio rolls into the corner to break the hold. Gresham removes his wrist tape while Scorpio calls for something flippy. Instead, Gresham takes him down into a sleeper. Scorpio goes out and the referee calls for it.

About five minutes aired. If you’re expecting the 2 Cold Scorpio from thirty years ago, this wasn’t quite it. I’ve seen him have some good matches in recent years, but this felt a bit off.

Gresham made a promise to himself that he would not allow Honor go on hiatus, so he created Terminus. On the first event, he took on Josh Alexander, another of the best wrestlers in the world.

Terminus All Roads Lead Here: Gresham vs. Josh Alexander: Alexander goes to Gresham’s arm early. Gresham headscissors Alexander. Clip to Alexander riding Gresham and headlocking him over. Multiple headlock takeovers by Alexander. Gresham cartwheels out. Clip to Gresham gaining the advantage. A dropkick sends Alexander down. Gresham runs into an elxow, and Alexander boots Gresham down. Alexander works on Gresham’s ankle. Grabs an ankle lock, and Gresham uses his first rope break as we go to commercial.

Alexander stomps the ankle of Gresham, who has lost another rope break during our time away. Time for some chops! Gresham off the ropes with a basement dropkick, then the figure four leglock. Alexander uses his first rope break. Gresham with some strikes against the ropes, a headscissors, basement dropkick, goes for another figure four but Alexander punches him out of it. This draws a warning from the official. Clip to Alexander setting up for that C4 Spike, but Gresham blocks it. Gresham dragon screws Alexander. Clip to a chop exchange. Alexander’s knee buckles, Gresham with the springboard moonsault. Roll up in the middle gets two. Gresham gets caught and Tombstoned by Alexander for two. Clip to Gresham rolling up Alexander, stomping the calf and going for another figure four. Alexander blocks it by twisting Gresham’s ankle and hits the ankle lock. Apparently Gresham used his final rope break at some point since the referee’s ignoring him in the ropes. Gresham manages to pull Alexander into the ropes and break the hold, so it works out fine anyway. Alexander with the slingshot suplex off the second rope, but Gresham cradles his les into a three count! Both wrestlers’ shoulders were down, so it’s a draw! The fans chant for overtime, but that’s apparently not how the Terminus rules work.

About nine minutes aired. Seemed like they were holding back for a later encounter, so we’ll keep an eye out for that.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

It's interesting how you pick up tendencies of certain wrestlers while watching a bunch of their matches back to back. Gresham definitely has a style he's ironed out for this touring champion bit, and we saw it against a fairly good mix of talent. Also kind of a mind-f seeing Impact Wrestling footage on ROH TV. 2022, y'all.