ROH The Golden Dream
ROH The Golden Dream (11/2/2013)- Cincinnati, OH
OPENING SEGMENT- Nigel announces that ROH World Champion Adam Cole can’t compete tonight because he suffered a concussion last week at Glory By Honor XII. He tells us that he has signed a replacement main event of Kevin Steen vs. Jay Briscoe. Nigel also assures us that the champ will still appear tonight.
This brings out Jay Briscoe who says that he is the real world champion and that the main event at Final Battle 2013 should be Elgin vs. Briscoe, not Elgin vs. Cole. Nigel tells Jay that he didn’t want to strip Jay of the ROH World Title back over the summer, but the powers that be at Sinclair Broadcasting made him do it. Jay isn’t the champ anymore and he has to accept that.
Jay says that he has kicked Cole’s ass before and that he will kick his ass again tonight. Nigel says that he and ROH take concussions very seriously and he warns Jay that anyone who lays a hand on Adam Cole tonight will be suspended indefinitely. He tries to calm Jay down by telling him that he will be granted a shot at the ROH World Title after Michael Elgin gets his shot at Final Battle, but this enrages Jay, who once again claims to be the real world champion.
Michael Elgin comes out and says that he used to look up to Jay but not anymore because Jay because of the way he has been acting recently. Elgin then says that ROH might not recognize Jay’s belt as the official ROH World Title, but Elgin says that he recognizes Jay’s right to wear that belt and call himself such. He tells Jay that after he takes Cole’s belt at Final Battle, he will take Jay’s belt, too.
Then Kevin Steen comes out and says that he deserves to be in the main event at Final Battle because he is missing out on his title shot tonight because of Adam Cole's injury. Nigel says that Elgin will get a title shot at Final Battle because he has earned it. He says that the other two have also earned title shots, and says that there will be a triple threat match a Final Battle between Elgin, Cole, and the winner of tonight's main event.
IF POSEY WINS, ALABAMA ATTITUDE GET AN ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE SHOT TONIGHT: Bobby Fish (w/Kyle O'Reilly) vs. Mike Posey (w/Corey Hollis)- 5.75/10
Solid opener. Posey looked good in defeat and sold very well, and Bobby Fish is a fantastically huge douchebag. He is also awesome, as evidenced by the following quote: "If I wanted to follow the rules, I'd have made them up myself."
IF HOLLIS WINS, ALABAMA ATTITUDE GET AN ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE SHOT TONIGHT: Kyle O'Reilly (w/Bobby Fish) vs. Corey Hollis (w/Mike Posey)- 5.75/10
A good showing tonight from both members of Alabama Attitude. Each time I see them in ROH, they get a little bit better.
MICHAEL ELGIN vs. SILAS YOUNG- 6/10
DAVEY RICHARDS vs. ACH- 7.75/10
Good story with Davey worked over ACH's midsection. ACH definitely came out of this one looking like a bigger star than he was going in.
ROH TV TITLE MATCH: Matt Taven(c) (w/Truth Martini & Scarlett Bordeaux) vs. Adam Page- 7/10
Scarlett's half shirt has some writing on it, but the letters are very small. I wish the camera would zoom in so I can read it.
Remember that ultra-scary bump AJ Styles took in one of the early TNA PPVs where Petey Williams gave him a German Suplex off of the apron and his back landed right on the guardrail? Well these guys one-upped that. They did a spot that I won't spoil other than saying I was dead sure Taven was going to come out of it partially paralyzed. One of the scariest spots I have ever seen. Thankfully he seemed fine, though. A bit too fine, in fact.
Jay Lethal was on commentary for this match and they really seemed to be pushing a feud between him and Taven.
JIMMY JACOBS TRIAL SERIES MATCH #5: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Roderick Strong- 8.25/10
If Jimmy won this match, he would get an ROH World Title match at the next show. BJ Whitmer joined Kevin Kelly on commentary for this match. Veda Scott came out earlier on and asked to speak to BJ Whitmer after the match.
Anyway, the match was awesome. Roddy worked over Jimmy's back and Jimmy just would not stay down. After the match Roddy shakes Jimmy's hand, showing that he has been accepted back into the locker room.
Before the scheduled Four Corner Survival for a TV Title shot at Final Battle, Maria Kanellis comes out and says that competing in contendership matches is beneath Michael Bennett, so he is withdrawing from this match so he can focus on destroying Kevin Steen.
Umm... why can't he do both? Why would you turn down the chance to earn a title shot?
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH FOR A SHOT AT THE ROH TV TITLE AT FINAL BATTLE 2013: Jay Lethal vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Tommaso Ciampa- 6.5/10
Good three way match. Taven was on commentary for this match and he and Lethal had issues that resulted in Lethal diving onto him.
ADAM COLE PROMO- he hypes up the ROH World Title match at Final Battle 2013, then reminds everyone that if Steen or Jay (or anyone else) lays a hand on him, that person will be suspended.
WINNER GETS ADDED TO THE MAIN EVENT AT FINAL BATTLE 2013: Jay Briscoe vs. Kevin Steen- 6.5/10
Adam Cole was on commentary, and spent most of the match taunting Jay Briscoe. Steen took advantage of this at one point and hit a Package Piledriver, but Maria pulled Tod Sinclair out of the ring, robbing Steen of the win. Jay eventually won the match in yet another disappointing Jay Briscoe main event.
POST-MATCH ANGLES- Jay and Cole had a stare down during which Cole disrespected the "real ROH World Title belt that Jay has been carrying around by throwing it down. Michael Elgin then came out and picked up Jay's title and teased hitting Jay with it. They got into a shoving contest and then a short brawl while Cole looked on with glee.
Nigel, some refs, and two students came out to try to diffuse the situation and eventually did, but just as they were getting Jay and Elgin to go to the back, Kevin Steen came through the curtain, dragging Maria by the hair. Steen wanted to give her a Package Piledriver, but the refs and students quickly put a stop to that. This upset Steen, so he punched the refs and gave the students and one of the refs some Package Piledrivers instead. Steen then cut a promo saying that no matter who the champion is, he wants the first title shot after Final Battle. He then vows that the next time he and Bennett meet, both Bennett and Maria will leave the building on a stretcher.
A very good show from ROH, with solid action up and down the card and two pretty good angles to close the show. I just wish the main event had really been ROH quality.
OPENING SEGMENT- Nigel announces that ROH World Champion Adam Cole can’t compete tonight because he suffered a concussion last week at Glory By Honor XII. He tells us that he has signed a replacement main event of Kevin Steen vs. Jay Briscoe. Nigel also assures us that the champ will still appear tonight.
This brings out Jay Briscoe who says that he is the real world champion and that the main event at Final Battle 2013 should be Elgin vs. Briscoe, not Elgin vs. Cole. Nigel tells Jay that he didn’t want to strip Jay of the ROH World Title back over the summer, but the powers that be at Sinclair Broadcasting made him do it. Jay isn’t the champ anymore and he has to accept that.
Jay says that he has kicked Cole’s ass before and that he will kick his ass again tonight. Nigel says that he and ROH take concussions very seriously and he warns Jay that anyone who lays a hand on Adam Cole tonight will be suspended indefinitely. He tries to calm Jay down by telling him that he will be granted a shot at the ROH World Title after Michael Elgin gets his shot at Final Battle, but this enrages Jay, who once again claims to be the real world champion.
Michael Elgin comes out and says that he used to look up to Jay but not anymore because Jay because of the way he has been acting recently. Elgin then says that ROH might not recognize Jay’s belt as the official ROH World Title, but Elgin says that he recognizes Jay’s right to wear that belt and call himself such. He tells Jay that after he takes Cole’s belt at Final Battle, he will take Jay’s belt, too.
Then Kevin Steen comes out and says that he deserves to be in the main event at Final Battle because he is missing out on his title shot tonight because of Adam Cole's injury. Nigel says that Elgin will get a title shot at Final Battle because he has earned it. He says that the other two have also earned title shots, and says that there will be a triple threat match a Final Battle between Elgin, Cole, and the winner of tonight's main event.
IF POSEY WINS, ALABAMA ATTITUDE GET AN ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE SHOT TONIGHT: Bobby Fish (w/Kyle O'Reilly) vs. Mike Posey (w/Corey Hollis)- 5.75/10
Solid opener. Posey looked good in defeat and sold very well, and Bobby Fish is a fantastically huge douchebag. He is also awesome, as evidenced by the following quote: "If I wanted to follow the rules, I'd have made them up myself."
IF HOLLIS WINS, ALABAMA ATTITUDE GET AN ROH WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE SHOT TONIGHT: Kyle O'Reilly (w/Bobby Fish) vs. Corey Hollis (w/Mike Posey)- 5.75/10
A good showing tonight from both members of Alabama Attitude. Each time I see them in ROH, they get a little bit better.
MICHAEL ELGIN vs. SILAS YOUNG- 6/10
DAVEY RICHARDS vs. ACH- 7.75/10
Good story with Davey worked over ACH's midsection. ACH definitely came out of this one looking like a bigger star than he was going in.
ROH TV TITLE MATCH: Matt Taven(c) (w/Truth Martini & Scarlett Bordeaux) vs. Adam Page- 7/10
Scarlett's half shirt has some writing on it, but the letters are very small. I wish the camera would zoom in so I can read it.
Remember that ultra-scary bump AJ Styles took in one of the early TNA PPVs where Petey Williams gave him a German Suplex off of the apron and his back landed right on the guardrail? Well these guys one-upped that. They did a spot that I won't spoil other than saying I was dead sure Taven was going to come out of it partially paralyzed. One of the scariest spots I have ever seen. Thankfully he seemed fine, though. A bit too fine, in fact.
Jay Lethal was on commentary for this match and they really seemed to be pushing a feud between him and Taven.
JIMMY JACOBS TRIAL SERIES MATCH #5: Jimmy Jacobs vs. Roderick Strong- 8.25/10
If Jimmy won this match, he would get an ROH World Title match at the next show. BJ Whitmer joined Kevin Kelly on commentary for this match. Veda Scott came out earlier on and asked to speak to BJ Whitmer after the match.
Anyway, the match was awesome. Roddy worked over Jimmy's back and Jimmy just would not stay down. After the match Roddy shakes Jimmy's hand, showing that he has been accepted back into the locker room.
Before the scheduled Four Corner Survival for a TV Title shot at Final Battle, Maria Kanellis comes out and says that competing in contendership matches is beneath Michael Bennett, so he is withdrawing from this match so he can focus on destroying Kevin Steen.
Umm... why can't he do both? Why would you turn down the chance to earn a title shot?
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH FOR A SHOT AT THE ROH TV TITLE AT FINAL BATTLE 2013: Jay Lethal vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Tommaso Ciampa- 6.5/10
Good three way match. Taven was on commentary for this match and he and Lethal had issues that resulted in Lethal diving onto him.
ADAM COLE PROMO- he hypes up the ROH World Title match at Final Battle 2013, then reminds everyone that if Steen or Jay (or anyone else) lays a hand on him, that person will be suspended.
WINNER GETS ADDED TO THE MAIN EVENT AT FINAL BATTLE 2013: Jay Briscoe vs. Kevin Steen- 6.5/10
Adam Cole was on commentary, and spent most of the match taunting Jay Briscoe. Steen took advantage of this at one point and hit a Package Piledriver, but Maria pulled Tod Sinclair out of the ring, robbing Steen of the win. Jay eventually won the match in yet another disappointing Jay Briscoe main event.
POST-MATCH ANGLES- Jay and Cole had a stare down during which Cole disrespected the "real ROH World Title belt that Jay has been carrying around by throwing it down. Michael Elgin then came out and picked up Jay's title and teased hitting Jay with it. They got into a shoving contest and then a short brawl while Cole looked on with glee.
Nigel, some refs, and two students came out to try to diffuse the situation and eventually did, but just as they were getting Jay and Elgin to go to the back, Kevin Steen came through the curtain, dragging Maria by the hair. Steen wanted to give her a Package Piledriver, but the refs and students quickly put a stop to that. This upset Steen, so he punched the refs and gave the students and one of the refs some Package Piledrivers instead. Steen then cut a promo saying that no matter who the champion is, he wants the first title shot after Final Battle. He then vows that the next time he and Bennett meet, both Bennett and Maria will leave the building on a stretcher.
A very good show from ROH, with solid action up and down the card and two pretty good angles to close the show. I just wish the main event had really been ROH quality.