wrestling / TV Reports

Csonka’s ROH Global Wars 2018: Lowell Review

November 8, 2018 | Posted by Larry Csonka
ROH Global Wars Lowell
7.7
The 411 Rating
Community Grade
12345678910
Your Grade
Loading...
Csonka’s ROH Global Wars 2018: Lowell Review  

Csonka’s ROH Global Wars 2018: Lowell Review


– Matt Taven defeated BUSHI @ 7:00 via pin [***]
– Juice Robinson & Dalton Castle defeated Bruiser & Milonas @ 11:37 via pin [**]
– Flip Gordon defeated Kaz @ 10:40 via pin [***½]
Proving Ground Match: Sumie Sakai defeated Jenny Rose @ 8:50 via pin [***]
– Scorpio Sky defeated Jay Briscoe @ 10:00 via pin [***]
– EVIL & SANADA defeated Bully Ray & Silas Young @ 12:55 via pin [***]
Non-Title Match: TV Champion Jeff Cobb defeated Christopher Daniels @ 8:30 via pin [***¼]
– Cody defeated Mark Briscoe @ 13:35 via pin [***½]
– Tetsuya Naito defeated Hangman Page @ 12:40 via pin [**¾]
– Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham defeated Chris Sabin & KUSHIDA, The Young Bucks, & TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia @ 12:45 via pin [****]


– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– My review of last night’s show is at this link.

– You can check out my top 49 matches of OCTOBER list at this link.

– Taven says the last time he was here, Castle refused to defend the ROH Title against him. The conspiracy is dead, the Sox are the champions, and he’s the real world champion.

Matt Taven vs. BUSHI: They lock up and Taven overpowers BUSHI to begin. BUSHI picks up the pace, hits a RANA, but gets dumped to the floor. Taven follows with the dropkick, and slams BUSHI to the barricade. BUSHI then whips him to the barricade and they trade strikes on the floor. Taven back in as BUSHI chills, and then hits an apron DDT to cut off Taven. Back in and BUSHI works the shirt choke. He follows with strikes, but Taven fires back and hits just the tip and lays in ground and pound. He then hits a suplex for 2 and grounds the action. Taven follows with a flurry of strikes and a DDT for 2. Enziguri by Taven, but BUSHI hits one of his own and follows with kicks and heads up for the missile dropkick. The fisherman’s neck breaker gets 2. They trade kicks, BUSHI takes Taven down and BUSHI uses the ref as a shield, Taven avoids the mist, hits kick of the king and the climax for the win. Matt Taven defeated BUSHI @ 7:00 via pin [***] This was a good and fun opener, with BUSHI looking competitive until Taven took the win.

– Taven helps up BUSHI post match, and BUSHI low blows him.

– Rhett Titus and his speedo arrive to do a posing routine to some sultry music.

Juice Robinson & Dalton Castle vs. Bruiser & Milonas: Juice and Castle make a majestic entrance. Juice and Bruiser to begin. They lock up, Bruiser backs him off to the ropes, and Juice works a side headlock. Bruiser fights him off but Juice hits a running elbow and senton for 2. Bruiser cuts him off and follows with rights. Bruiser attacks a boy and castle tags in and rolls up Bruiser for 2. Juice & Castle dump the Bruiser, Milonas in and they work him over with jabs. Milonas finally falls onto Castle and smothers him. Juice tries to roll him off, and the boys are in to help, but only fan. Juice gets the ref to help and Bruiser is now in and drinks a beer and they finally save Castle after an eternity. Milonas looks to attack Juice, but Juice follows with running strikes. Milonas fights off pulp friction and follows with a corner splash. The bouncers work double teams and Milonas hits a running cross body for 2. Bruiser tags in and bites Juice and follows with a suplex for 2. Milonas tags in and Bruiser hits a Samoan drop and Milonas hits his back splash for 2. Juice finally avoids an attack and tags in Castle. Castle runs wild and hits clotheslines. Bruiser fights off bangarang. Heads up top and is cut off with a knee strike and one to Milonas on the floor. The suicide dive follows and back in they work double teams and suplex Milonas onto Bruiser for 2. Milonas cuts off Castle on the floor and back in the veg-o-matic misses. Juice rolls up Bruiser for 2. Pulp friction finishes it. Juice Robinson & Dalton Castle defeated Bruiser & Milonas @ 11:37 via pin [**] It was ok, but lethargic and felt as if it went way too long.

– They share beers post match.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Flip Gordon: They work through a fun series of counters and near falls to begin. They do it again and end in a standoff. They lock up; Kaz looks to ground things, and Gordon fires up and hits the dropkick. Gordon hits a boot and hits the springboard missile dropkick. Kaz counters the missile dropkick and hits the Jerry Lynn leg drop in the ropes. Kaz follows with a Russian leg sweep, and the cover gets 2. The suplex connects and that also gets 2. Kaz now rolls into a wacky lucha like submission, it looks cool, but Gordon kicks his way out. Kaz dropkicks him to the floor, and follows with a slingshot RANA to the floor. Back in and the slingshot DDT connects and that gets 2. Gordon picks up the pace, hits a PELE and springboard spear. They trade strikes now, lighting each other up and Gordon hits a scorpion kick and does the deal with the falcon arrow for 2. Gordon then slingshots into a cutter for a good near fall. Kaz takes him up top, follows him up, and Gordon fights him off and they keep fighting and Gordon hits a Cheeky Nandos and corner dropkick. Kaz cuts him off with a code breaker for 2. They work back to the ropes and Gordon hits kinder surprise. The 450eats knees and Kaz cradles him but Gordon counters out and they trade pin attempts until Gordon cradles him for the win. Flip Gordon defeated Kaz @ 10:40 via pin [***½] This was very good, with effortless counters, and Gordon picking up another win to maintain his momentum.

– Brandi joins commentary.

Sumie Sakai vs. Jenny Rose: They lock up and work for position. They trade shoulder tackles, and Sakai follows with a dropkick. Rose cuts her off until Sakai hits a dropkick for 2. Rose follows with a suplex for 2. The bow and arrow follows, and Rose then stuns her off the ropes and covers for 2. Sakai fires back and looks for an arm bar, Rose fights and makes the ropes. Sakai hits a dropkick and then a dropkick from the apron. Rose slams her to the barricade, and follows with a spear on the floor. Back in and Rose heads up top. The clothesline follows for 2. Sakai fights back with a victory roll for 2. Rose follows with a German for 2. Rose now runs into a snap Saito suplex and both are down. They trade strikes and chops, Rose fires up and Sakai hits another Saito suplex and running knee strike for 2. Rose counters smash mouth for 2. Sakai follows with a neck breaker, misses a charge and Rose hits the code breaker. They battle up top and Sakai hits the RANA into the cradle for the win. Sumie Sakai defeated Jenny Rose @ 8:50 via pin [***] This was a good match, with an invested crowd, and a great sense of urgency from both.

Jay Briscoe vs. C: Jay attacks and they brawl to the floor to begin. Back in and Sky fires back with ground and pound. The RANA follows and Sky lays in more rights. Jay cuts him off with a dropkick and back to the floor they go. Sky hits a suplex and they fight back into the ring. Jay lays the boots to Sky and chokes him out. He follows with uppercuts and former clothesline and basement dropkick for 2. They trade strikes, but Jay rakes the eyes and grounds things. Sky tries to fire up to his feet, and scores with a neck breaker. Back to the feet and they trade strikes and Jay lays in kicks. Sky fires back, hits knee strike and a code breaker for 2. Jay hits the big lariat and neck breaker for 2. Sky fights off the Jay driller and gets a cradle for 2. The double stomp follows and the cutter follows for 2. Sky takes him up top and follows, but Mark arrives and distracts the ref, and Kaz arrives to take him out. Jay gets a chair and Sky cradles him for the win. Scorpio Sky defeated Jay Briscoe @ 10:00 via pin [***] This was a good match with smart pacing, and the babyfaces out-smarting the heels to pick up a win.

– Bully arrives and he talks shit to the crowd and mocks their streamer throwing skills. He offers $20 to anyone that hits him. Someone does and he rips up the money in front of them.

EVIL & SANADA vs. Bully Ray & Silas Young: Young and SANADA begin, they lock up and they work into some counters and work into a standoff. Young and Bully argue and Young wants a handshake with SANADA, but he had his fingers crossed and attacks. SANADA cuts him off with a dropkick and Bully bitches at Young and tags in. Bully chops EVIL, and he wants in now. EVIL tags in and attacks with kicks. He works a side headlock, but Bully shoes him away and hits a shoulder tackle. EVIL charges and Bully mows him down. Bully misses a charge and EVIL runs him over this time. He hits another shoulder tackle, and looks for a slam but Bully cuts him off and tags in Young. EVIL quickly cuts him off with a side slam and hits kicks as Bully tags in. EVIL works mounted strikes and that’s when Bully attacks and the heels hit a doomsday device on EVIL. Young lays the boots to EVIL as Bully talks shit. Bully tags back in and stomps away at EVIL. He follows with jabs, EVIL fires back but collapses on the slam attempt. Bully heads up top and SANADA distracts him, allowing EVIL to slam him off the ropes. Wholesale changes to Young and SANADA. SANADA runs wild with dropkicks and works into counters with Young and the TKO follows for 2. EVIL takes Bully to the floor, follows and rakes Bully’s eyes. SANADA locks Young up in the paradise lock. Bully in and makes the save. EVIL attacks, but Bully lariats Young and LIJ double suplex Bully. The magic killer finishes Young. EVIL & SANADA defeated Bully Ray & Silas Young @ 12:55 via pin [***] This was another good match with the crowd being into it. The Young & SANADA interactions were the highlights as they worked really well together.

– Young & Bully argue post match, and Young walks away.

Non-Title Match: TV Champion Jeff Cobb vs. Christopher Daniels: Thy lock up and Cobb overpowers him right away. Cobb now grounds things, but Daniels counters and works into a side headlock. Cobb escapes and mows down Daniels. Cobb follows with strikes, Daniels picks up the pace and punches Cobb, it has no effect and Cobb level him with a clothesline and lays in head butts. Cobb again grounds the action, but Daniels fires back with kicks but Cobb cuts him off with a dropkick and hits the delayed superplex for 2. The standing moonsault connects and that gets 2. Daniels fires back, hits enziguris and an Arabian press to the floor. Back in and Cobb hits a huge release German and running uppercut for 2. Daniels hits a desperation STO and transitions into he koji clutch. Cobb powers out but Daniels cradles him for 2. Daniels takes him up top and hits the RANA, Angel’s wings connects but Cobb kicks out at 1! Daniels follows with strikes, Cobb fires back and hits the swinging suplex and tour of the islands for the win. TV Champion Jeff Cobb defeated Christopher Daniels @ 8:30 via pin [***¼] This was another good match, with Cobb continuing to look good and Daniels selling well and laying out a smart layout to tease he could win but also make Cobb look great. Daniels is still so very good, specially at the little things.

Cody vs. Mark Briscoe: The Briscoes defeated Cody & Page last night. Brandi is out with Cody; Burnard is out of town on a business trip. They lock up, working to the ropes and Cody fires away with chops. Mark fires back and follows with a shoulder tackle. Cody powders. Back in and Cody hits the dropdown uppercut. Mark to the floor and sneaks back in and attacks. He tries to dump Cody, but he skins the cat back in, hits a superkick and suicide dive. He chases Mark, who hides behind Brandi, but back in and Mark low blows Cody and kicks him to the floor. The dropkick follows and he tosses Cody to the barricade and then chokes him out with a cable. The suplex and Cactus elbow connects. Back in and Mark covers for 2. Mark follows with chops and lays the boots to Cody. The suplex connects, and that gets 2. Mark now grounds things with a neck crank. Cody fights out, lays in rights and then runs into a lariat as Mark covers for 2. Mark lays in rights, knees and heads up top. Cody pops up and hits a toss off the top. Mark then posts him and hits a uranage. He chokes out Cody, sets him up top and follows. He bites Cody, but Cody fights off the superplex and hits the moonsault press. They trade strikes, firing up and Cody takes control and hits the snap slam for 2. The disaster kick connects and that gets 2. Mark fights off cross Rhodes, but Cody locks on the figure four. Mark turns it and Cody makes the ropes. They work to the apron and Mark dropkicks him to he floor and follows with a blockbuster. Back in and Mark heads up top and froggy bow connects but Cody makes the ropes. Mark takes him up top, looks for the cutthroat driver, but Cody shoves him into the ref, low blow, and cross Rhodes finishes it. Cody defeated Mark Briscoe @ 13:35 via pin [***½] This was very good, everyone is motivated tonight and working really hard to deliver. This was really good back and forth action, with Mark getting in a lot before Cody got revenge for last night’s loss.

Tetsuya Naito vs. Hangman Page: Naito is out in his suit and no shirt; he may mean business. Naito spits at Page and tosses him to the floor, only to tranquilo. Back in and they work into some counters, Page hits a shoulder tackle and Page dumps Naito and he traquilos. Naito attacks and shows him how it’s done. To the floor they go and Naito slams Page to the barricade. Back in and Naito rakes the eyes. The basement dropkick follows by Naito. He hits a neck breaker and that gets 2. Naito grounds the action with a cravat. Page fights to his feet, they work into an awkward exchange and Page hits the clothesline for the double down. They trade strikes; Page hits a clothesline and dumps Naito. The suicide dive follows. Back in and Page hits a corner dropkick and German for 2. Naito fires back, hits the tornado DDT and takes Page up top, the RANA follows and then a reverse DDT gets 2. Destino is fought off by Page, and he counters the corner dropkick combo and rolls for rite of passage, but Naito escapes and runs into a lariat for 2. Page dumps Naito and heads up top and hits the moonsault. Back in and page looks for buckshot lariat and hits it. The rite of passage is countered into destino and… either they blew the near fall or Page kicked out late, but it looked like 3. They trade strikes, Naito fires up, and hits the emerald flowsion for 2. Destino finally finishes it. Tetsuya Naito defeated Hangman Page @ 12:40 via pin [**¾] This was petty good, they worked extremely hard, but there were some communication issues and odd transition problems that hurt the match. The effort was there, but the execution was off.

Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham vs. Chris Sabin & KUSHIDA vs. The Young Bucks vs. TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia: Jay and KUSHIDA to begin. They lock up, working into some basic back and forth and trading shoulder tackles. Jay takes him down, they pick up the pace and KUSHIDA cuts him off with the cartwheel dropkick. Gresham tags himself in and Germans KUSHIDA. Jay tags back in and they work double teams. Jay hits the slam for 2. KUSHIDA fires back, Gresham back in and he cuts off KUSHIDA by attacking the leg. Sabin tags himself in and double teams on Gresham follow. He and KUSHIDA work double team and quick tags. They lay in a flurry of kicks on Gresham and Sabin gets a cradle for 2. Vinny tags in and he and TK work double teams on Sabin for 2. The Kingdom takes control, but the Bucks tag in and they run wild with double teams and take out the Kingdom and then Jay. Double teams on Gresham follow. The Kingdom cuts them off, and double team Matt. Sabin and KUSHIDA back in and the dream sequence follows. Sabin follows with a suicide dive, but Jay & Gresham then follow with suicide dives and hit another set and then eat superkicks. Nick hits a wild run up dive to the floor and back in, TK attacks Matt but Mat cuts him off, only for Vinny to cut him off. Nick makes the save and runs wild, Sabin & KUSHIDA in and they brawl. Time Machine follow with PKs and hit cannonball dives from the apron. Gresham & KUSHIDA brawl, Jay joins in and they cut him off and then hit a double team rolling cutter ala the Kings of Wrestling on Sabin for 2. Gresham gets the octopus, Jay gets the figure four, and the Bucks lock on sharpshooters. Gresham and Jay now brawl with the Bucks, it breaks down into a superkick party and Sabin hits the around the world tornado DDT on TK. They double team Gresham and Gresham counters skull and bones, hits the suicide dive, Lethal injection on Sabin, shooting star press by Gresham and that’s that. Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham defeated Chris Sabin & KUSHIDA, The Young Bucks, & TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia @ 12:45 via pin [****] This was an absolutely great sprint of a main event, with everyone getting some shine, a rocking crowd, and it didn’t overstay it’s welcome because not every main event needs to be 30-minutes. It warms my heart to see Gresham win a big ROH main event match.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

 photo fe36ffd0-0da4-4e3b-a2d3-b026b341dd87_zps41ef5d61.jpg
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.7
The final score: review Good
The 411
Night one was a solid, but disappointing show as the whole thing felt as if it was missing something. But ROH Global Wars 2018: Lowell was a much better show, with a hotter crowd, everyone looking like they were looking to impress, and an overall much better sense of urgency and aggression in the matches. The main event was easily the match of the night, but this was a strong and consistent show.
legend