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MCW “Shattered Dreams” w/Goldust on April 27 in Joppa, MD!
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
*The Following Press Release Was Issued By Phillip Stamper*
ROH Global Wars 2016 Reaction
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
Ring Of Honor doesn’t hide that New Japan Pro Wrestling has their fingerprints all over their television shows and as you see here, their Pay-Per-View events.
Their 14th Anniversary Show featured notable NJPW talent like Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi as a selling point and that’s all fine and good.
It’s just the fact that it might be misleading to build this PPV as “Global Wars” when there were no true stakes. Besides featuring more NJPW guys on an ROH show, there was nothing extraordinary about this.
In fact, the best things to come from this show were just ROH storylines and talent on their own. You’ll see our thoughts on everything and that oh-so-illustrious ending below, but don’t get your hopes high.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 3/30/16: Hit By The Truth
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 3/30/16)
Hit By The Truth
– The Four Corner Survival match between Roderick Strong, Moose (w/Stokely Hathaway), Adam Page and Matt Sydal gave us a decent ensemble of clashing personalities. Page was angry, Roddy was cocky, Moose was fancy and Sydal liked to fly. It just worked. Good near-falls down the stretch. Page drew close to a win, but a BJ Whitmer distraction allowed Strong to hit him with a knee strike and win.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 3/2/16: A Reborn Rush Of Real Bruising Fury
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 3/2/16)
A Reborn Rush Of Real Bruising Fury
– Even though it’s a feud that’ll never end, it hasn’t stopped short of being entertaining with many stipulation bouts that have teetered the momentum both ways. Which feud could we possibly be talking about? Well, it’s the Silas Young-Dalton Castle one of course, with Dalton’s Boys and The Beer City Bruiser thrown in for good measure. This opening tag match with Young/BCB-Boys had some hype for a few weeks now and they upped the ante by having Young put his ROH career on the line out of overconfidence, perhaps placing a little anger from getting attacked from behind by Castle before the bell on that decision. This was a fun match while it lasted, with us getting to see what The Boys could offer in the future if they develop further. Some of their spots didn’t connect and there are times where we wish they could talk and not be ROH’s version of The Usos, but we won’t complain. In the land of Post-ROH-Pay-Per-View TV, this gave a seemingly throwaway show a little reason to watch. We even rooted for The Boys there for a moment, but reality came crashing down in the form of cannonballs, particularly from BCB that finished them off. Given how Castle had to be held back by security before the match, it was logical for him to have a second go at things. This feud won’t die and we’re loving every second of it.
ROH 14th Anniversary Show Reaction
Photo courtesy of Ring Of Honor.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Despite the adage, what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas, since Ring Of Honor held its 14th Anniversary Show live on Pay-Per-View and stars from New Japan Pro-Wrestling were also here for the party at Sam’s Town.
An underwhelming undercard was made up for by a better second half, fronted by the triple-threat for the ROH World Championship between Champion Jay Lethal, Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole and an insane six-man tag.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 2/17/16: The Page Turns
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 2/17/16)
The Page Turns
– Easily the match of the hour was the one that started it off (yes, we know what the main event was, but we stand by this, more for the surprises) as we had Jason Kincaid (who resembled a deranged, homeless wizard with his attire) taking on Lio Rush (who came off as a young punk-rocker with a nice mohawk with one year wrestling experience) and the results were great on both ends. To Kincaid’s credit, he managed to turn critics into fans, right around the point he broke out the coast-to-coast and then the cutter through the ropes and to the floor below. The crowd was hot at that point and we would’ve been okay with Kincaid going on to the next round, but then Rush hit a nice finisher (described as a “one-man Spanish fly”) and all was forgiven. Seriously though, we want to see more of what Kincaid can bring to the dance.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 1/13/16: The Boys Are Back In Town
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 1/13/16)
The Boys Are Back In Town
– Ever since returning to Ring Of Honor unannounced, it has been expected that fans would buy back All-Night Express as an unstoppable force, with no explanation of their whereabouts the last three years. We only know they’re doing well and want the World Tag Team Titles, like any team should. The lack of explanation and character development for ANX has alienated fans from embracing them and that led to the story told in the opening match between ANX and Roppongi Vice, which was a keen way to kick of the hour with good action. It appears ANX – already the #1 Contender’s – are showing more heel tendencies and reacting to the crowd’s lack of enthusiasm for their moves and maneuvers. As the match progressed, their actions became more ruthless and calculated. The finish served to make ANX look clever by way of ring awareness, as King blindly tagged in right before Rhett Titus was seemingly finished off, as King snuck in the winning pinfall. Rocky Romero stood out in the match for his enthusiasm and Trent Barretta also shined in his aerial moves. Wish we knew more about Roppongi Vice from an ROH perspective, because they rock a swagger all their own. Creatively, this was a better way to tell the story with ANX going forward and with War Machine as Champs, it makes it possible.
ROH Final Battle 2015 Reaction
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Following the ways of now-defunct World Championship Wrestling, Ring Of Honor prides itself on concluding the year with its biggest show – a little year-end bash called “Final Battle.”
2015 ROH boasts competitive matches plenty, a fierce Tag Team division, logical storylines and above all else, ROH World Champion Jay Lethal arguably in the prime of his career.
This edition of Final Battle delivered on the hype, even if it was more about being predictable to set up storylines for the new year than creating true moments to drop our jaws.
In this case, it doesn’t hurt to be predictable.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 12/16/15: Primed For A Final Battle
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 12/16/15)
Primed For A Final Battle
– The Adam Cole-Corey Hollis match served as a basic squash (guess Hollis doesn’t only job in NXT) but we still think Cole gave up more offense than necessary, but it did its job. Cole messed with first-row fans by telling them to get up and move acting like he’d throw Hollis over the barricade only to tease them by tossing him back into the ring. It wasn’t long before Cole put Corey to sleep and as expected, he promised to end Kyle O’Reilly at Final Battle once and for all.
Notes In Observance – ROH Wrestling 10/14/15: All Night Long
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 10/14/15)
All Night Long
– The Fourth Match in the Best-Of-Five Series between Matt Sydal and ACH saw highlights of ACH beating Sydal at All-Star Extravaganza VII to get the 2-1 advantage. Going in, we knew Sydal had pressure to win or the series would end. Would be nice if there was a prize for the winner like a Title shot or something like that, but the match itself was great. We saw both guys’ usual athleticism, with harsh kicks and chops, having a “video game battle” feel through it all. ACH countering a Frankensteiner by landing on his feet was insane, while Sydal showed a more sinister side at times. The match’s final minute was super crazy, right from ACH’s top rope kick to Sydal finally hitting the Shooting Star press to get the win, establishing that it’d be going to a match five. The Addiction plus Chris Sabin suddenly hit the ring, laying both guys out. Good commercial hook to see what these guys wanted.
Pro Wrestling Opinion 