30th Nov2020

‘Ring of Honor’ Wrestling Review (Nov 21st 2020)

by Nathan Favel

Welcome to this week’s Ring of Honor review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and Cameron Diaz can bite my shiny, metal ass! We’ve got EC3 here to flex his abs for twenty minutes and some other stuff. Cher is still singing about bein’ a skank-a-zoid, ‘cuz that’s wat they do and we’re gonna talk about this card, ‘cuz I said so!

Match #1: EC3 def. Jay Briscoe (Disqualification)

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

An impromptu backstage interaction brought EC3 and the Briscoes together as a team for a six-man tag match in EC3’s ROH in-ring debut two weeks ago, but the circumstances are much different for EC3’s second match. This time, EC3 and Jay Briscoe are opponents, and the match is the result of a calculated effort by EC3. Sitting in on commentary last week for the match pitting Jay and Mark Briscoe against the Soldiers of Savagery, EC3 focused much of his attention on Jay. He noted the similarities between them, such as the fact that they are both former world champions and had lengthy undefeated streaks. After the Briscoes won the match, EC3 left the announce table and stood in the aisle, impeding their path. Jay took issue with EC3’s actions, but Mark calmed his brother down and convinced him to walk past EC3 and head to the back with him. As the Briscoes departed, EC3 smirked. In a post-match interview, Jay challenged EC3 to a match this week, which EC3 quickly accepted.“Jay, I expected to fight you. Hell, you could say it was part of my plan — a plan to find if honor is real,” EC3 said. “Jay Briscoe, do you have what’s in you to control your narrative? Not only control your narrative, but control your emotions, your anger, your rage, your resentment? Do you have what is in you to show me honor is real? “If you don’t, you have been warned.” EC3, making his singles debut in ROH, extended his hand for the Code of Honor, but he refused to look Briscoe in the eye. Briscoe declined the handshake. After EC3 made a clean break in the corner, he extended his hand again, but still wouldn’t look Briscoe in the eye. This time, Briscoe responded with a shove. On EC3’s third attempt at a handshake, Briscoe knocked his hand away, and EC3 pie-faced Briscoe. That fired up Briscoe, who landed a rapid series of punches to the face that backed EC3 into the corner. EC3 slumped in the corner, and Briscoe proceeded to stomp him. Briscoe put his boot across EC3’s throat. He refused to back off before the referee’s count of five, so the referee called for the bell. EC3 was awarded the victory by disqualification just 1:57 into the match. After the match, EC3 attacked Briscoe. They exchanged punches until security came out to pull them apart. EC3 dropped to his knees and implored Briscoe to hit him. Briscoe was about to oblige, but security stopped him and got him to leave the ring. As Briscoe stood in the aisle glaring at him, EC3 said: “There is no honor in what you do.”

My Opinion: 0.8 out of 5 – This went less than two and was mostly talking.

Match #2: Jay Lethal def. LSG – Pure Rules Match

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

LSG attended an ROH show in his hometown of Edison, N.J., when he was 15, and after being impressed by a wrestler on the card who was from nearby Elizabeth, N.J., he was inspired to pursue a career in pro wrestling. That wrestler was Lethal. Now LSG has an opportunity to score a career-defining victory over Lethal, one of the best pure wrestlers in the sport, in a Pure Rules Match. “This might be just another match for you, but this match means everything to me,” LSG said in his message to Lethal. “Not just now in 2020, but the kid back in 2005 that was watching you. It’s time to prove not only to you, but to myself, that I can hang with the best in the world. The boy who wanted to be you is now the man who’s going to beat you.” Lethal said he requested the match against LSG because he wanted to reward him for traveling the world to hone his craft. “You are getting the greatest wrestler in the world one on one so that you can prove that you can hang with the greatest wrestlers out there,” Lethal said. “But, unfortunately, nothing is free in this world. In our match, LSG, get ready to pay for it.” Lethal went for the figure-four leglock, but LSG used his first rope break. After Lethal gained the advantage, he climbed to the top rope, but before he could hit a move, LSG recovered and threw Lethal to the floor. LSG followed with a baseball slide and began targeting Lethal’s neck. Lethal regained the advantage and executed his hip toss/cartwheel dropkick combination. He followed with a springboard dropkick that knocked LSG off the apron. Lethal connected on a dive to the floor and then tossed LSG back in the ring. Lethal hit an inverted DDT for a near fall. LSG answered with a rolling clothesline for a near fall. Lethal landed an Enziguri and set up for Lethal Injection, but LSG caught him and hit a swinging, face-first slam. LSG maneuvered Lethal into a crucifix for a near fall. LSG locked on a crossface. As Lethal attempted to get free, LSG transitioned into a Sharpshooter and then a Muta Lock. Lethal was in the hold for more than 20 seconds before finally getting to the ropes seconds before the time limit expired. Lethal was declared the winner by split decision. Although LSG didn’t get his hand raised, he made a huge statement by taking the two-time former ROH World Champion to the limit.

My Opinion: 4.1 out of 5 – I liked this. You get plenty of methodical, clever technical wrestling with no bizarre short-cuts or cheap tricks. This is sound grappling with the good stuff all over the place, like when a gerbil jumbles his gumble like Al Gore at the Wal-Mart. LSG was great here, using his increased wrestling skills to out-maneuver the far more experienced Jay Lethal, who better shut the f— up or I’ll pull his muffin-cap back butt-f—— blue…KABOOM! Protect and serve, mutha-f—a! Jay was more disciplined than his last Pure bout, so you can rest assured he doesn’t do a million head-stands this time. I was glad that we got reversal after reversal, instead of a thousand drop-kicks or some-thing like that. Hey, LSG sounds like a drug, but it’s a good drug…trippy. I’m trippin’ balllllllllllllllllllls…daisy, daisy, a f—– flower for you…daisy, daisy, all for the love of…the game! I forgot what I was saying. This match was good.

Match #3: (Main Event) Matt Taven def. Bateman

The following is courtesy of rohwrestling.com:

It’s been nearly a year since Taven and Bateman have been in a ring together. It’s not a pleasant memory for Taven. At Final Battle last December, Bateman aided Righteous leader Vincent in a heinous attack on Taven following the former ROH World Champion’s match against Vincent. Taven’s ankle was destroyed as a result of the attack, and he has vowed to exact revenge on his former friend Vincent. But to get to Vincent, Taven has to get past Righteous member Bateman. “I’m telling you, Matt, you don’t want Vincent,” the sinister Bateman said. “You want me. I’m a much, much nicer guy.” Said Taven: “If I have to go through this big Melvin, Master Bateman, to get to [Vincent], so be it. But, Vinny, karma comes for everyone. And that’s a trend I’m looking to continue.” Taven, seeking revenge for having his ankle shattered by Bateman and Vincent last December, went after Bateman before the opening bell. Taven attempted a springboard from the middle rope, but Bateman caught him with a clothesline to halt his momentum. Taven came back with a flurry of offense and punches to the face. Bateman hit a swinging neckbreaker. Taven answered with a face-first slam and crossface. Bateman got to the ropes to force a break and then slid outside for a breather. Taven hit Flight of the Conqueror, but his knee buckled upon landing. After getting back in the ring, Taven came up empty on a frog splash, but he managed to roll up Bateman for a three count at 9:33.

My Opinion: 2.7 out of 5 – Taven and Bateman jerked each other around like they were circle jerks that just wanted to jack each other off of the face of the Earth as easy as it would be to choke a chicken while shaving a carrot. Taven was the better of the two, but Bateman is making progress. You don’t get much in the way of robust wrestling here, but the match was a decent brawl and that’s fine.

News Of The Night:

  1. Former Pure Champion John Walters is returning.
  2. Mike Bennett returned to side with Matt Taven.

Final Verdict: 3.8/5

This was a good show, thanks to the Pure Rules Match and the lean format for the show.

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