Csonka’s ROH Free Enterprise 2020 Preview

WELCOME back to column time with Larry! Today, I am going to discuss and preview the ROH Free Enterprise 2020 event, which airs tonight . The show features Mexiblood vs. The Briscoes, Marty Scurll & PCO vs. Nick Aldis & Rush, and much more. So today I will breakdown and preview the event. Feel free to make your picks in the comment section. Thanks for reading! It’s wrestling, we love it and will disagree. The only rules are “have a take, be respectful, and don’t be a dick.”

Alex Zayne vs. Andrew Everett: Zayne, who has been wrestling since 2005, created a buzz in July when video of him executing a 630 senton over the top rope that put his opponent through a door during a Game Changer Wrestling event went viral. He’s also made some NJPW appearances in 2019. He beat Bandido in his ROH debut so it looks as if they have plans for him. Everett is a consistent and strong veteran that always delivers so he’s a good dance partner for Zayne, who I feel will win here.I really hope they use Everett more in 2020, he’s a guy that has been drastically underutilized over the last few years and someone who I feel just needs a fair shot with consistent booking to deliver, and so far has been really good and consistent in ROH this year. WINNER: Alex Zayne

Session Moth Martina vs. Sumie Sakai: After what feels like her signing with ROH two-years ago, Martina finally makes her debut at Free Enterprise. I’ve been torn on Martina for the past few years, she’s really charismatic, but in the ring, she’s been hit or miss with me. I’m curious to see what she brings to ROH here after more time in Japan. She faces Sumie Sakai here, and while some mock Sumie, she’s been the most consistent woman in ROH in terms of actually having quality matches. She recently turned heel and has done well with it, and normally I’d have her win here, but this is Martina’s debut and if they want to get the division back on track (with Gresham booking & training the women it’s possible) so I think that Marina wins her debut here. WINNER: Session Moth Martina

Battle Royal For an ROH Title Shot: Judging by who is on this card and how the company likes to book these things (although I am hoping for more changes under Marty) I see this going in one of three directions. 1) Silas Young to play the reliable veteran card, he always works hard, rarely has a bad match, and has enough bad ass in him that he’s believable. 2) Cheeseburger to play the loveable underdog/comedy challenger role who gets some shine before failing. 3) Kenny King, because it’s always Kenny King, but this time makes sense as he’s a member of La Faction Ingobernable, who are feuding with Villain Enterprises. WINNER: Kenny King

Mark Haskins vs. Alex Shelley: This right here is a hell of a wrestling match on paper and I am looking foreword to this one a lot. Despite uneven booking, and a feud with Bully Ray, Mark Haskins has been killing it in ROH for the last year plus and get a great opponent to deliver again in Alex Shelley. At this point it’s safe to say that Alex Shelley is an indie legend that should have made it big and made millions instead of people making millions off of his stuff. A combination of injury issues, horrible booking choices, bad timing and stupid promotions led to him never getting his true due. The man is a hell of a technician, smooth as silk in the ring and can work with anyone. This should rule. I see Haskins winning as he’s the full time talent and could really use the boost a win over Shelley would give him ahead of his upcoming title shot. WINNER: Mark Haskins

Brody King vs. Rey Horus: This is fallout from Villain Enterprises losing the trios championships to Mexiblood & Horus. It’s a smart and easy match to book coming out of that, and then you add into the fact that stylistically, they should work well together as Brody works that SoCal big man lucha, and is also a hell of a base for smaller guys. I think this is one that may sneak up on people quality wise, it’s sneaky good if you know both guys and everyone has been working extra hard since the new year and creative changes took place. Horus has been really good since coming in, King has a chip on his shoulder and is looking to prove himself in 2020 following some injury issues in 2019, so I think they deliver here. I see Brody picking up the win here as they start the tease to Villain Enterprises getting a trios title shot. WINNER: Brody King

Flip Gordon vs. Slex: Slex is one of the newest ROH singings, is 33 from Australia and has been working for 17-years. He gained some fame backing 2017, working a great match where he more than held up his end of things against Okada for MCW. Many expected he’d get a look from NJPW following that, but that never materialized, which is ROH’s gain here. Flip has been a mainstay on ROH for the last few years, and while sidetracked by injuries at times, has shown flashes of greatness in the promotion. Flip has transitioned well to a heel role within Villain Enterprises, changing up his style to stay healthy and also reflect the heel turn. While there aren’t as many flashy flips in Flip’s game these days, he still delivers and is a good first opponent for Slex. Every debut is big but this one is huge for Slex; it’s his ROH debut, his major fed debut in the US and a match where he needs to impress. It’s his ROH debut, he’s working against a reliable name, and I strongly feel he should go over here. WINNER: Slex

Joe Hendry & Dalton Castle vs. VINCENT & Bateman: Joe Hendry & Dalton Castle have developed into a fun, wacky tag team and at this time, it feels like the perfect use for a limited Castle, who has never been the same since his severe injury issues. He’s still charismatic as all hell and can go in bursts, so the tag setting is the best for at least now. VINCENT is in the middle of a push, defeating and “injuring” former partner Matt Taven and leading a new menagerie of villains. He’s been good as of late as has newcomer Bateman, and they work well together. This should be good, VINCENT & Bateman are getting the push and need to be kept strong until Taven returns and should pick up the win here. WINNER: VINCENT & Bateman

Proving Ground Match: Champions Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham vs. Jeff Cobb & Dan Maff: Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham won the championships at Final Battle, which was the right call after their heel turn. Add in the fact that they are great and the tag division needed fresh champions and it was a perfect storm. Jeff Cobb & Dan Maff actually did hoss daddy battle at the Final Battle event, where Cobb won, but they earned each other’s respect and have formed a certified hoss daddy tag team. They have quickly developed into a really fun team, with a lot of potential. This is a proving ground match, so if Cobb & Maff can win or take the champions to a time limit draw. They will get a title shot down the line. This one has a ton of potential on paper, the champions are great and their opponents have been consistently delivering. I seethe challengers picking up a title shot through the proving ground format here. WINNER: DRAW; Jeff Cobb & Dan Maff earn a title shot

Mexiblood (Flamita & Bandido) vs. The Briscoes: I love tag team wrestling and have as far back as I can recall, likely due to my NWA roots, watching the Rock & Rolls, Midnights, Fantastics, Horsemen, Sheepherders, Roadies, and many more. The Briscoes are the greatest tag team in ROH history, and an all time great team that will likely never be given their proper accolades due to the fact that they are likely never leaving ROH. Mexiblood are without a doubt, fucking awesome and this is a huge match to give away on this free show, on one hand you could argue that ROH could have built to this down the line and it could have been a huge PPV title match some day. But at the same time ROH is in rebuilding mode/damage control and are looking to regain the trust of lapsed fans and earn new ones with this free card and I feel a match like this can go a long way to do that. In my opinion, this is the show stealing match on the show and with that being said, THIS ONE GETS THE CERTICFIED BANGER ALERT! With that being said, while you can make the argument for either team winning, I think that the Briscoes will take this one as they begin the slow rebuild to a title shot. WINNER: The Briscoes

Marty Scurll & PCO vs. Nick Aldis & Rush: This is a big tag main event for this show, as it’s not only the continuation of PCO vs. Rush, but also the Scurll vs. Aldis feud and rebirth of the ROH & NWA relationship. PCO & Rush have solid chemistry and have worked together enough that they should be fine. Marty & Nick are really good friends and also work extremely well together, so this certainly has potential. I do feel that this one will be angle heavy, possibly setting up a third PCO vs. Rush singles match, but I also see this being the match where Marty gets one up on Nick, beating him in this tag to set up the expected NWA championship match. WINNER: Marty Scurll & PCO

MAKE SURE TO JOIN 411 TODAY AT 3PM ET FOR OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SHOW!

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 88. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook hit a quick news roundup, break down the latest between NXT & AEW, including Cody getting lashed and Charlotte returning to NXT, while Larry previews NJPW New Beginning in Osaka & ROH Free Enterprise. The show is approximately 130-minutes long.

* Intro
* Quick News Roundup (Goldberg, Kross, Thatcher, Thunder Rosa, Tiered Network Announcement, More): 7:15
* AEW Dynamite (2.05.20) Review: 28:15
* NXT (2.05.20) Review: 1:04:55
* The head to head comparison: 1:29:25
* Larry’s NJPW New Beginning in Osaka & ROH Free Enterprise Previews: 1:35:40

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– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.