By Paul Fontaine, WrestlingObserver.com
The Big Takeaway: Two great matches, including one that wouldn’t be out of place as a PPV main event in the Briscoes and War Machine.
Adam Page beat ACH
This show was taped in Hopkins, MN and I was actually there live. (The above picture was taken by yours truly after the main event of today’s show). ACH was over pretty big with a huge A-C-H chant during his entrance. Page doesn’t want to adhere to the Code of Honor so ACH shakes hands with some ringside fans.
Page doing some serious stalling at the start, which riles up the fans. They must’ve been used to this, being Nick Bockwinkle country. ACH fires up the crowd with a picture perfect dropkick but Page tosses him out of the ring just after that. ACH whips Page into the guardrail covered by a Canadian flag and Corino give a shut-out to the 2-0-4, that’s my area code! ACH does a lap around the ring and then hits a headscissors on Page, using the ringpost for leverage.
Back in the ring and Page is in control. Another ACH chant but Page shuts them up with a clothesline and then a headlock, as we go to break. Back from break and it’s a plug for the ROH Codeline. This week’s question is about which ROH wrestler is upset with his manager, Moose or Jay Lethal. Call 1-800-885-4ROH to find out.
They trade chops to WHOOO chants. Both guys down after that and another ACH chant. Corino mentions the heat and it was hot in there. ACH hits a series of kicks on Page that knock him off his feet and then hits a running lariat for a 2. Page hits a jumping DDT for a 2. Page toying with ACH, kicking his limp body. Page then hits a vicious clothesline for 2 as we go to another break.
Back and they’re having a suplex battle but neither guy can get the other up. Page ends up taking them both outside the ring and we get a THIS IS AWESOME chant. Sounds suspiciously like me starting it, mookieghana might be able to confirm that. Page hits a shooting star from the ring apron onto ACH outside the ring and then a backbreaker in the ring but only gets a 2.
THIS IS WRESTLING or THIS IS AWESOME chants, the fans can’t seem to make up their minds. Page goes for a superplex but ACH knocks him off the apron and hits the double foot-stomp to the back of the head for a 2. He then misses the Midnight Star. Page grabs the ref and hits ACH with a mule kick to the ding-ding while the ref is distracted and get the Rudo pinfall.
A ringside fan with a fine beard holds up a BOO THIS MAN sign. No Code of Honor after the match, as ACH takes down Page and they brawl, bring out security and young boys to break it up while the fans chant LET THEM FIGHT. ACH takes out a bunch of security guys with a suicide dive but Page bails without taking any of it.
Highlights of the KRD reveal and tag team title change take us into break. Next week is an ROH TV title match between Jay Lethal and Kyle O’Reilly. That was a fantastic PPV quality match and definitely worth checking out.
Back from break and it’s a backstage promo with Jay Lethal and Truth Martini plugging Lethal’s DVD. He goes over all the guys he hasn’t beat but Truth stops short before saying Jay Briscoe. We then get brief clips of an August 2014 match between the Briscoes and War Machine spliced in with a Briscoes backstage promo that leads us into the main event.
MAIN EVENT – The Briscoes (Mark and Jay Briscoe) beat War Machine (Rowe/Hanson)
We get the intros and a MAN UP chant, the Code of Honor, and then a quick commercial break. Back from break and the action’s underway but Kelly is too busy plugging the ROH codeline to describe it. Mark Briscoe is the redneck in peril as War Machine has the ring cut off. Briscoe makes the hot tag to Brother Jay and he and Rowe get into a clubberin’ match.
Now it’s the Briscoes chance to cut off the ring and as they tag in and out, taking turns beating on Rowe. Rowe tags in Hanson and he and Mark get an extended sequence. Very physical match as you’d expect. Rowe almost knocks Mark out with knees to the head and the ref checks on him but he can continue. Fans chanting MAN UP to spur him on. Hanson gets a 2 on Mark after a War Machine double-team.
Backbreaker by Hanson gets another 2. Mark gets the hot tag to Jay and he lays out Rowe with a clothesline. MAN UP chant. Mark back in and trading with Rowe. Now it’s the Briscoes with Rowe isolated in their corner as we go to break again.
Rowe hits a backbreaker and tags in Hanson. He nearly takes Jay’s head off with a clothesline and then sets him up on the top turnbuckle and hits 10 hammerfists on his chest as the crowd counts along. Mark runs in and Rowe takes him out but that allows Jay to recover and he hits a neckbreaker. Tries for a Jay Driller but Hanson breaks it up.
Mark takes out Rowe with a double-mule kick. We get a standoff in the ring with all four guys facing off and the fans are losing it. Jay and Hanson tumble outside the ring after a running clothesline by Briscoe. Rowe sends Mark flying over the top turnbuckle with a backbodydrop. Jay attacks Rowe from behind. Fans chanting THIS IS WRESTLING. War Machine going for fallout but Mark knocks Hanson off the top turnbuckle.
Rowe fights out of a Jay Driller attempt. Mark goes to the top to hit a Doomsday device but Rowe knocks him off the turnbuckle. War Machine hits a double chokeslam on Jay but only get a two. Mark drops Rowe neck first onto the turnbuckle and then comes off the top rope onto Hanson but Hanson catches him and hits a powerbomb. He then powerbombs Jay onto Mark.
WAR MACHINE chant. They go for Fallout again but Jay knocks Rowe into the turnbuckles, knocking Hanson off of them. He then hoists Rowe onto his shoulders and Mark comes off the top for the Doomsday but Rowe rolls out of the ring. Mark follows him out and takes him down with a neckbreaker from the ring apron.
Now it’s Jay and Hanson in the ring and the fans are going nuts with ROH chants. Hanson takes down Jay with a Mongolian chop but Briscoe hits a Jay Driller…..for a 2! Fans are incredulous and a THIS IS AWESOME chants breaks out. Bricoe hits a series of running kicks and then another Jay Driller and that finishes it.
Halfway into this, I was thinking that I remember it being better live but I forgot how awesome the last 5-10 minutes was. This was a PPV quality match, maybe even PPV main event quality. Just fantastic.