Blog Archives
ROH 15th Anniversary Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
From the Murphy Rec Center in Philadelphia, Pa. to Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, NV., Ring Of Honor has undergone plenty in its 15-year history.
It was only appropriate that the face of the “old times” that hadn’t gone to World Wrestling Entertainment, Christopher Daniels, would get his last chance at the ROH World Championship, a belt that alluded him his whole career.
It was also right that the current Champion was Adam Cole, Bullet Club leader, which represented the “new school” ways of ROH.
Of course this show will be regarded as “the one where TK O’Ryan got hurt,” but there was plenty of happiness to go around the card as well.
Notes In Observance – AML Wrestling LIVE! 1/13/17: Going Hardcore
Photo courtesy of Eventbrite.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 1/13/17)
Going Hardcore
– This review will chronicle Episodes #79-85, with the first being the AML Prestige Championship Four-Way Elimination between Cedric Alexander, Jordan Kage, Caprice Coleman and Sean Denny to crown the inaugural Champion. We liked the idea of the Prestige Championship as a means of an Intercontinental Championship of sorts to give upper midcarders a nice accolade. There was plenty of buildup here too, given how everyone in the match won four-ways of their own. The twist here was that this was elimination style, as opposed to the one-fall qualifiers. The contenders also made sense too. Alexander had momentum with THE Tommy Thomas as his manager, Kage had his “Picture Perfect” gimmick going for him, Coleman was probably AML’s most over guy and then Denny had an injury to overcome given to him from AML Tag Team Champions The Heatseekers. All the ingredients here for a thriller. There was a brief production blunder since they gave a “Let’s Hear From The Contestants” graphic without any actual promos to follow. Alexander had a big pop upon his entrance with “Best In The World” chants galore. In swiveling heel fashion, he also trolled a little girl at ringside by pretending to give her a high-five only to pull out at the last second. This Alexander’s awesome. Sean Denny smartly sold his injury as he walked to the ring. Coleman had the biggest reaction and hugged a group of kids by the ring. What a gentleman. As things went underway, Alexander lured the injured Denny to take him on as he mocked his walking stance. He targeted the knee and hit the Lumbar Check to quickly eliminate him. Makes sense after all. It did get a little predictable here, since Coleman was being worked over by Kage/Alexander (two heels), that it’d come down to him/Alexander. Coleman battled back with a nice double huracanrana. The Trinity eliminated Kage as we figured, to leave it down to the final two. At this point, it got ultra-competitive and it worked because of their similar styles. Lots of history to play up on too as they were former partners in the C & C Wrestle Factory. Coleman hit an awesome huracanrana from the canvas to the floor. Alexander landed on his feet off a Leap of Faith attempt. Alexander had the Sky Splitter scouted and went for a brainbuster for a two. Some shenanigans from Thomas and a foreign object slipped into the ring in the finish made it clear that Alexander would emerge victorious. Still great though, as was Alexander’s post-match trolling with the fans, as he literally went around the first row and made them individually say he was the “Best In The World.”
Notes In Observance – AML Wrestling 12/29/16: Honor And Prestige
Photo courtesy of Eventbrite.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/29/16)
Honor And Prestige
– This episodes highlights Episodes #73-78 and the majority focused on AML Wrestling’s Prestige Championship Tournament, set up similarly to Lucha Underground’s Battle Of The Bulls. Four separate Fatal Four-Ways where each winner would face off in their own Fatal Four-Way with that winner being the new Prestige Champion. It’s hard to tell right away where the belt falls on the talent spectrum, but it appears to be the upper midcard. Not a bad idea, since we could use more gold around these parts. The AML Wrestling Prestige Championship Tournament Qualifying match between Matt Sigmon, Elliott Russell, Sean Denny and Brandon Scott had a cool angle of seeing The Heatseekers compete against each other while you also had Scott of Team Axcellence and Denny from The Geordie Bulldogs, who were in a feud with The Heatseekers. Backstage promos came from Team Axellence (who pushed being in the Tourney together and how one was better than the other), The Heatseekers (who also spoke about the Tourney, as Sigmon was unaware that Russell was also in it) and GB (as Mark Denny thought he was in the Tournament instead of his partner) in a nice mix. They made plenty use of the “Tag Team Flavor.” Rightfully so. We liked how Sigmon tried to intimidate Mark Denny before the bell as he asked how his neck was, a direct reference to The Heatseekers’ attack. The match’s tag-in format killed a little buzz for us, since you had to know that The Heatseekers would obviously stick together. Formulaic action until we got a standoff between The Heatseekers, as Russell shoved Sigmon, but then hugged him, an obvious “troll” moment. The hug set up Denny’s flawless double missile dropkick. Scott hit the Scottbuster on Russell for a near-fall. In the end, Denny spit mist into Rusell’s eyes and scooped him up in a school boy to pin him. Denny’s advancement brings some tag team legitimacy to the Finals. The magic came with The Heatseekers’ brutal chair attack on Denny’s ankle as they slammed his ankle in between the chair numerous times. Denny sold the injuries brilliantly as he covered his face and even sped his breathing up, while other officials and even Owner Tracy Myers checked on him. Logical way to advance the GB-Heatseekers feud and one has to question Denny’s condition and perhaps the scenario where Mark steps in for him. Mark’s post-match promo was great, as he kept it serious (as opposed to his jokey self) and professed revenge for his brother and wanted the AML Wrestling Tag Team Championships.
Notes In Observance – AML Wrestling LIVE! 12/23/16: Beyond Regulation
Photo courtesy of Eventbrite.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/23/16)
Beyond Regulation
– This round of reviews will chronicle AML Wrestling LIVE’s Episodes #68-72 and an “online exclusive” bout. It has been some time since AML had been around, so we were eager to dive into the pool. The Online Exclusive match between The Regulator and JR Reynolds was the result of Regulator’s (a masked, agile Braun Strowman-esque monster) backstage assault on his former opponents in a tag team called LaBron James. Yes, that’s their names. A constant with these episodes was that the mic audio was hard to pick up with the crowd out there. Luckily, Regulator had a great manager in “THE” Tommy Thomas and we didn’t even need to hear him to get what he said. Reynolds came out as “the next victim” and had a fair, though generic build with a beard, tattooed body and muscles. It was noted to be his debut, as he expected a Regulator squash at the least. Commentator Blake Chadwick noted the improved entranceway, though it looked unspectacular. The match’s story was decent as we saw Regulator dominate early on with a body scissors submission before Reynolds battled back. In fact, this was the most vulnerable Regulator has looked, especially when he almost lost after Reynolds hit a modified frog splash. However, as quickly as that came, the momentum switched again and Regulator hit his double underhook sit-down powerbomb finisher to end it. Might we suggest they name it “Pure Regulation”? Anyways, Thomas’ post-match promo christened his protege a “future Champion” as he bullied around Interviewer Tim Blaze.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 12/21/16: An Honored Champion
Image provided courtesy of Ring Of Honor.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 12/21/16)
An Honored Champion
– The opening video recapped Final Battle 2016, so an immediate sigh of relief came about, since this promised new television that wasn’t a glorified repeat. The package played up the event’s biggest occurrence (no, not Broken Matt Hardy’s onscreen appearance) in Kyle O’Reilly’s big victory as he defeated Adam Cole to win the ROH World Championship. After all, the guy did it as he laid in thumbtacks. That has to be a first somewhere.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 11/2/16: Time To Go To Work
Image provided courtesy of Ring Of Honor.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 11/2/16)
Time To Go To Work
– Ring Of Honor’s mainstream storyline as Final Battle draws near seems to be a steady “war” between Bullet Club and ROH. It helps BC that they have the ROH World Championship (Adam Cole), the ROH World Tag Team Championships (The Young Bucks) and someone who has the ROH World Television Championship (Hangman Page) on the radar. BC made their quest for complete domination known, plus they seamlessly weaved in Page as an unhinged henchman of sorts, as his main job is to incapacitate Kyle O’Reilly (blood rival to Cole) from World Title contention, their biggest obstacle from complete ownage. The opening video looked at last week’s interaction between Cole/Page and reDRagon, as ROH World Television Champion Bobby Fish came to save his partner.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 10/19/16: A Vow For Control
Image provided courtesy of Ring Of Honor.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 10/19/16)
A Vow For Control
– The opening video logically showed highlights of Ring Of Honor’s biggest occurrence in the year’s second half – Ladder War VI from All Star Extravaganza, as The Young Bucks overcame The Addiction and The Motor City Machine Guns to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions.
ROH All Star Extravaganza VIII Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
As the days wind down to Ring Of Honor’s biggest show of the year, Final Battle, at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Dec. 2, we could see pieces begin to take shape.
ROH World Champion Adam Cole was on a tear.
While he had foes like Jay Lethal and Kyle O’Reilly on his tail, he seemed destined to go to war with the two of them eventually.
On a show remembered best for some great headline matches, the first thought that’ll come about is the Ladder VI main event that was for the ROH World Tag Team Championships between Champions The Addiction, The Young Bucks and The Motor City Machine Guns.
Lowell, Massachussets was in for a treat.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 9/21/16: Prepped For Ladder War
Image provided courtesy of Ring Of Honor.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 9/21/16)
Prepped For Ladder War
– This episode was best known for Steve Corino’s “return” to color commentary on Ring Of Honor television after a one-year suspension. Yes, the catchphrases are back and they won’t have to sub in “Mr. Wrestling III” anymore. Of course, we have our fears of BJ Whitmer back in the picture, but let’s stay optimistic.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 9/7/16: Some Lethal Backup
Image provided courtesy of Ring Of Honor.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 9/7/16)
Some Lethal Backup
– The opening video sent us back to Ring Of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor XIV Pay-Per-View when ROH World Champion Adam Cole shocked the world and defeated Jay Lethal to win the belt before he was soundly laid out by an angry Kyle O’Reilly.
Pro Wrestling Opinion 