ROH WRESTLING TELEVISION, Episode 339

All images courtesy of the Fite.TV app and streaming service

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• The Dawgs VS Team Coast 2 Coast; C2C wins.
• WOH Championship Tournament Opening Round match: Mayu Iwatani VS HZK; Mayu wins and advances to face Deonna Purrazzo in the quarterfinals.
• 10 Man Tag: The Bullet Club VS The Kingdom & SoCal Uncensored; The Bullet Club wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

ROH reviews the union struck between The Kingdom and SoCal Uncensored.

Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan & Vinnie Marseglia have cried conspiracy for months over not being given a rematch for the ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships. Worse yet, the Bullet Club is falling apart, yet the company still puts all their eggs in that basket. Cody works to keep the Bullet Club together, defending that his issues with Kenny Omega have nothing to do with the Club as a whole, but it doesn’t seem anyone else believes him.

The Fallen Angel and Heavy Metal Rebel let The Kingdom know they agreed. The Addiction dealt with conspiracy from the company before, and still deal with it now, because their contracts are on a countdown. Both trios have had problems with the Bullet Club in regards to championships, so why not work together to get rid of them once and for all? Cody warned the Bullet Club about this, but the others lumped that in with his insistence that “Bullet Club is fine.” This could be a turning point not just in ROH but in all of the wrestling world. Will Bullet Club survive the coming war? Or will there be a change in “the pecking order”?

The Beer City Bruiser & Brian Milonas join commentary for the opening match.

The literally biggest duo in ROH’s Tag Team Division are here to watch two teams who might be in their way in the hunt of the World Tag Team Championships.

The Dawgs VS Team Coast 2 Coast!

Big Rhett and his Little Willie are back and ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Atlanta. And while Georgia fell short of the pot of gold–#RollTide–they’ll have some dawgs they can cheer for. However, Atlanta seems more supportive of Shaheem Ali & Leon St. Giovanni, the team that kept itself together to defeat even War Machine. Which team will rise up and roll towards the titles?

The teams uphold the Code of Honor, though tensely. LSG starts against Big Rhett and the bell rings. They circle and tie up, Rhett gets the waistlock slam and floats all over LSG before slapping his head. LSG tries to slip away but Rhett gets the facelock. Rhett arm wrenches, LSG handsprings and reverses, but Rhett spins around and rocks LSG with a right hand. Rhett whips LSG to a corner but LSG goes up and over to then waistlock. LSG holds on but Rhett bucks him off, then Rhett runs LSG over with a shoulder. The Big Dawg shows off the muscles but then things speed up, Rhett still catches LSG into a powerslam.

The Dawgs celebrate while fans boo and jeer, Ferrara surprises Rhett with a tag. Ferrara insists he’s gonna bring C2C down, but LSG springs up to dropkick Ferrara back. LSG wrenches and whips Ferrara into C2C’s corner and rams in a shoulder. Ali tags in, he gives a forearm smash then a kick, snapmare to a running low dropkick. Cover, TWO, and Ferrara kicks back. Rhett gets distracted with fans and walks away from his corner, leaving Ferrara without a tag! Ali grabs him and forearms him back ot C2C territory, tag to LSG. C2C double whip then hip toss, for Tu Lo Sabes!

Cover, TWO, but LSG keeps focused. He brings Ferrara up but Ferrara knees low. Ferrara runs but Rhett tags him on the head. LSG lifts Ferrara but Rhett comes in, Ferrara feeds LSG to Rhett’s dropkick. Ferrara blows snot on Ali, and Ali gives chase! Ferrara leads Ali around the corners of the ring, Rhett blindsides Ali with a big lariat! The Dawgs swagger while we go to break.

ROH returns to the Dawgs still in control, but squabbling as always. Rhett shoves Ferrara over, to use him in the catapult splash. Rhett adds his own splash, covers, TWO. Beer City Bruiser notes that the reason for The Dawgs’ dominance is those “12 ounce curls” drinking the night away, like BCB and Milonas do. Back in the ring, Ali rallies the fans while Rhett puts LSG in the armlock. LSG fights back but Rhett clubs him down. Rhett brings LSG to the Dawgs’ corner, tags Ferrara, then puts LSG in the adjacent corner. Ferrara joins in to criss-cross and double whip LSG backwards.

Ferrara wants to whip Rhett in but Rhett says “Nuh-uh!” and whips Ferrara in instead for the shoulder ram. Rhett sees the fiery Ferrara coming and turns him around for another shoulder into LSG. Ferrara grows annoyed and runs at Rhett again, so Rhett adds an extra time around for him, only to feed Ferrara to LSG’s boot! Rhett runs in but LSG dumps him to the outside. LSG shoves Ferrara away, and somersaults for the leaping lariat! Ferrara and LSG are down but fans are rallying. LSG crawls for his corner, but Rhett intercepts by tripping Ali off the apron. Rhett then boots Ali down some stairs, and Ali falls in a heap on top of arena staff.

Ferrara grabs LSG but LSG fights back with chops and haymakers. LSG goes for a double underhook but Ferrara spins out and barrels him back. Rhett comes in for one helluva boot, and feeds him to Ferrara’s hammerlock lariat, the BLR! Ferrara tags Rhett, Rhett climbs up, and hits the Doggy Splash!

Double cover from both Dawgs, TWO!? How did LSG survive?! Bruiser blames the referee. The fans rally for the Human Rocket, but he’s still at the mercy of the Dawgs. Rhett brings him up while Ferrara climbs, but LSG shoves Rhett backwards. The Dawgs avoid colliding, but LSG ducks to springboard clothesline Ferrara down to the ground! He dodges Rhett, kicks and runs the ropes, but Rhett stops the tornado DDT with power. Rhett puts LSG in the corner, then backs off to see Ali standing there. Rhett backs off again, but LSG rolls for the hot tag!

Ali rallies on Rhett with haymakers and chops, then the back elbow. He ducks Rhett’s clothesline to then rock the Big Dawg with a headbutt! Ferrara tags in but Ali catches him for the sidewalk slam. Ali kip-up and fans fire up. Rhett runs in but Ali back drops him onto Ferrara! Ali clotheslines Rhett out then tells LSG to go up. LSG does, and takes aim at Rhett, for the SUPER cannonball!

Ferrara runs at Ali but Ali scoops him, for a big swinging side slam! Ali fires up, he and LSG regroup to bring Ferrara up. LSG puts Ferrara in the double underhook while Ali climbs up. LSG hits the Saintsplosion slam, and Ali adds on the frog splash!

Cover, Coast 2 Coast wins! Ali & LSG are on a win streak, can they ride it all the way to the top?

But Bruiser & Brian have to “take care of some business.”

In other words, they go after Coast 2 Coast!

Bruiser throws LSG out and The Kingpin brings Ali up to feed him to Bruiser’s body check! Milonas adds on his back senton to flatten Ali, and Bruiser says, “That’s why we’re the biggest and the baddest!” Will C2C be able to climb this new mountain in order to reach the ROH Tag Team Championships?

Marty Scurll speaks.

The Villain congratulates the Peacock, Dalton Castle, on defeating Jay Lethal to retain the ROH World Championship. The Cinderall story lives on. But every good story needs a Villain. Scurll vows that at Supercard of Honor XII, ROH’s biggest show ever, the fans will chant “Marty! Marty!” And Castle will fall victim to Scurll as he gets what is rightfully his, becoming the new ROH World Champion! Will the Villain’s story have a happy ending in New Orleans?

Dalton Castle responds.

“Marty Scurll. This must be so exciting for you, right?” Scurll finally gets what he’s asked for: a shot at the ROH World Championship. And it’s at Supercard of Honor XII in New Orleans. Or is it Nawlens? Castle’s never been good at the Cajun accent. But Peacock’s “really damn good with big events.” This is THE biggest crowd in ROH history, and Scurll gets his shot at the title. But Scurll must have miscalculated how it belongs to Castle. Castle worked too long and too hard to get it, so there’s “no way in hell” Scurll walks away with Castle’s World Championship. Can Castle keep hold of his gold when ROH hits NOLA?

The Women of Honor Championship Tournament continues!

Two matches in the quarterfinals have been formed as the Gatekeeper is set to meet the Exotic Goddess, and Mrs. American Nightmare will meet the newest recruit who makes it #AllAboutHer. Now ROH throws it to their partner Stardom to determine who faces The Virtuosa.

WOH Championship Tournament Opening Round match: Mayu Iwatani VS HZK!

All the way from Osaka, two top talents of World Wonder Ring Stardom battle for the chance to move forward in the ROH Women of Honor Division towards history. Will the Artist of Stardom Champion, Hazuki (in the pink and black) or the Icon of Stardom (in the blue and white) be one step closer to becoming the WOH Champion?

HZK offers Mayu her lollipop, Mayu takes it only to throw it away. Mayu herself enjoys the shower of streamers from the fans. After clean-up, the bell rings and the two circle. HZK calls for a test of strength, and Mayu accepts. They’re even, so HZK kicks low and whips. Mayu reverses but runs into a boot. HZK hops up but only baits Mayu in to hop down and roll her, then HZK runs corner to corner and goes up and over. Mayu runs into an arm-drag but she arm-drags back. HZK gets the headlock takeover, Mayu headscissors and HZK pops out. The two stand off, and the fans applaud.

They circle again and Mayu kicks to snapmare. She kicks HZK stiff in the back, then stands on her for a cocky cover, ONE. Mayu drags HZK up, and slaps her across the face. Mayu runs, but into HZK’s double ax handle. HZK stomps Mayu in return, then drags her up for the arm wrench. HZK laces Mayu’s arm between the ropes and pulls, that boot going right into Mayu’s shoulder. The referee counts, and HZK lets go at 4. She kicks that arm, then stomps Mayu in the corner. Mayu fires up from the toying and taunting, but HZK keeps boot-washing her face. HZK runs, but Mayu evades! Mayu retaliates with a leg sweep, then a stiff kick to HZK’s face! Mayu gets running, and she dropkicks HZK in the heart!

HZK tumbles down and out but Mayu keeps the fans rallying. The front row and ringside observers move aside while Mayu climbs up. Mayu takes aim as HZK stands back up, then FLIES to splash down on her!

HZK goes down again while we go to break.

ROH returns to HZK and Mayu back in the ring. HZK swings but Mayu counters into a crucifix, but HZK swings her off and retaliates with a bicycle boot. HZK kicks Mayu again to drop her to her knees, then runs to flatten her with a back senton to the back. She rolls her over for the cover, TWO, but HZK keeps on by putting Mayu in a Crossface! Mayu endures and turns herself to reduce the stretch. She reaches for ropes, her teammates cheering her own, and she gets the ropebreak. HZK lets go but then shifts into a bodyscissors roll!

They roll and roll and roll to a cover, TWO, to roll and roll and roll the other way. HZK rolls Mayu for a full lap around the ring before stopping, TWO!! Whether it was Mayu running on instinct or HZK too tired to hold her own cover, the match continues. HZK slowly stands up and drags Mayu, but Mayu is dead weight. HZK puts on the full nelson, but Mayu revives and breaks free! Mayu lifts HZK for the Northern Lights, but HZK counters with a stiff DDT! HZK drags Mayu up, then runs, for a blasting dropkick. She isn’t done there, she drags Mayu up and scoops her for the Michinoku Driver. Fans rally while HZK climbs up top. HZK takes aim, and leaps for the frog splash seated senton!

Cover, TWO!! HZK knows she’s so close. She sits Mayu up again, and runs for the sliding knee. Cover, TWO, and HZK grows frustrated. Both women are down, having already done so much to each other. HZK gets up again and brings Mayu up for another scoop. Mayu slips out and to the waistlock for a high-angle German Suplex, with bridge! TWO, Mayu is frustrated but the fans are loving this. Mayu stands up and climbs up now. She takes aim, and jumps for double stomps! Cover, TWO, but barely! This won’t deter Mayu. The fans rally while she drags HZK up for the full nelsons. HZK breaks out, so Mayu swings her out for the roundhouse! Then the SUPERKICK, and the running Crucifix Bomb!

TWO!? Somehow HZK survives, but Mayu is far from done. She brings HZK up in a waistlock, picks her up then shifts to the full-nelson for the bridging Dragon Suplex!

Mayu wins!! The young Hazuki pushed her pretty far, but the Sky Blue Icon still succeeds. Will Deonna Purrazzo have her work cut out for her when she meets Mayu in the quarterfinals?

10 Man Tag: The Bullet Club VS The Kingdom & SoCal Uncensored!

The biggest forces in ROH collide in this powerful 5v5 main event match! The Addiction and Matt Taven’s trio both want to rid themselves of a common enemy. Meanwhile, the American Nightmare just wants his team to stick together, despite what’s going on between him and The Cleaner, Kenny Omega. Will Cody, Scurll, Hangman & The Young Bucks prove “The Bullet Club is Fine”? Or will this new alliance clear up the supposed conspiracies against them?

Though, one has to question why Cody felt the need to enter separately from the others… Oh, and he brings out his wife, Brandi, and the Bullet Club mascot, Bury the Bear!

Perhaps the American Nightmare’s ego may be part of the problem… But at least Hangman is happy to see Bury. Cody even passes out #BulletClubisFine shirts to the others. Things calm down and sort out while we go to break.

ROH returns to the Bullet Club wearing the shirts, but also being surrounded on all sides. The fans chant “Too Sweet! Woop Woop!” while the Bullet Club huddles up and plans a SUPERKICK PARTY!

The bell rings and the Bullet Club waits for someone to step up. Vinnie tries but gets a wrecking ball dropkick from Matt Jackson. Scurll sees Kaz approaching, so he hops out to the apron for a mule kick. Nick hits Daniels with a triangle dropkick, and Hangman tackles O’Ryan with the shooting star press! Cody and the Bucks are in the ring, so Cody hops up and leaps onto all of the Kingdom! The Bullet Club regroups, and Cody calls for the “One Sweet”. Hangman’s with him, but Scurll’s conflicted. Scurll decides to join in, but the Bucks aren’t so eager. Just as Matt & Nick are about to give in, the Addiction and Kingdom pounce!

The Addiction and Kingdom all clobber the Bullet Club, and the brawl(s) spill out of the ring. Hangman counters O’Ryan while Taven hammers Scurll in the bleachers. Scurll fights back as Hangman throws O’Ryan so hard, the ROH panel falls off the guard rails. Cody takes Daniels while Taven trades off to go after Nick. It’s chaos as Hangman scoop slams O’Ryan on that panel and Cody puts Daniels in the ring. Cody gives Daniels strikes and stomps before whipping. Daniels reverses but Cody ducks under for the reverse STO. In the lull, Matt goes up to Cody and asks why his tights read “Leader”!

Why does Cody have that on his tights when he’s not the Bullet Club leader?! The argument gives Daniels an opening but Cody kicks him down to save Matt. Matt honors Cody with the Rhodes dropping uppercut, and Cody returns the favor by using a SUPERKICK to knock Daniels down. Cody and Matt shake hands, but Daniels jawbreaker counters. He tags out to O’Ryan and O’Ryan climbs up, but flies into Cody’s body shot. Cody tags to The Villain, and Scurll flaps his wings while Cody holds O’Ryan. Scurll jumps for the ax handle then flaps his wings at the rest of the Addiction-Kingdom.

Scurll brings O’Ryan down with a wristlock, then back up for the double wristlock. He then stands on O’Ryan’s hands to pull on his hair, and the nose. Scurll flaps his wings then goes to stomp the hands, but O’Ryan gets them clear. O’Ryan taunts, “T K O!”, but Scurll dropkicks O’Ryan down. The fans applaud while Scurll tags to Hangman. Hangman kicks O’Ryan but O’Ryan uppercuts and tags out to Kazarian. Their personal rivalry reignites and they throw fiery right hands! The two slow down then collide with lariats. They go again, but neither falls over. Kaz swings again but Hangman ducks under to suplex. Kaz slips out and jumps up but Hangman catches him in the fireman’s carry. Daniels rushes in but Hangman sees him coming. He kicks Daniels, dumps Kaz, and uses Daniels for the Dropsault! Cover, TWO, but fans are fired up for Hangman.

Hangman shows off the “lasso”, then the Bucks lead a chant of “That was Awesome!” Cody tags in, kicks Kaz and puts him in the corner for stiff chops. He whips but Kaz reverses, so Cody hops up and over for the spinning powerslam! TWO, but Kaz calls for a time-out. There’s no time-outs in wrestling! Even so, Kaz stands up, and mocks Cody with the TOO Sweet, which the Bullet Club is prohibited from doing. Cody kicks Kaz for that, then gives him forearms and haymakers. He whips but Kaz reverses, and Daniels tries to trip Cody up. Cody stomps Daniels’ hand, then fights off The Kingdom. He sees Kaz coming and chops him, then whips again. Kaz still reverses and Daniels succeeds in tripping Cody up this time. Kaz springboards for the leg drop!

The Bullet Club protests, but this only gives Kaz the opening for a rain of right hands on Cody. Kaz tags to Taven, and Taven goes after his grudge with furious hands and stomps. He grinds Cody in the corner, but the referee has him back off. Taven drags Cody all the way over and tags in Vinnie, who rains his own rights down on Cody. The Horror King tags out to the Sassy Wild Horse, and now O’Ryan rains down rights. O’Ryan embraces the heat as he brings Cody up for a European Uppercut. Fans rally for Cody while Vinnie tags back in. Vinnie hits Cody but Cody hits back. Cody drops down but Vinnie blocks the kick to roll Cody back up. Vinnie puts on a headlock, Cody powers out but not until after O’Ryan tags in.

Cody focuses on Vinnie as they run, but O’Ryan slips in to hit Cody with a spinebuster! Vinnie hops up then jumps off for the diving headbutt, and O’Ryan jackknife covers. but Scurll breaks the cover. O’Ryan tags in Daniels, he and Kaz blast the Bullet Club off the apron. The Addiction double whip Cody corner to corner, then Kaz hits a back elbow before feeding Cody to Daniels’ atomic drop. Kaz cravats for the bulldog to Daniels’ knee, and Daniels tops it off with the STO! Cover, TWO, so Daniels rains angry rights on Cody. The Bullet Club is in trouble while we go to break.

ROH returns again to see Hangman protesting the cheap tactics of the Addiction & Kingdom. However, that only gives them an opening to all stomp Cody out while Kaz keeps him down with a chinlock. Scurll calms Hangman down and Taven “tags” in to drag Cody up. He whips Cody but Cody sunset flips, only for Taven to roll through and Penalty Kick Cody down. “Because I’m Matt Taven!” He covers with a cocky grin, TWO. Taven shrugs it off as he taunts Cody. The fans rally while Cody stands, but Taven brings him in for the dragon sleeper. Cody slips out to hit Taven with a cutter!

Both men are down, and the fans rally as they crawl. Cody and Taven hot tag Vinnie and Matt, but Nick and The Addiction join in. The Bucks double dropkick Vinnie, then each kick Daniels & Kaz before Nick runs for the alley-oop two-for-one! Matt helps Nick as he acrobatically dropkick-crossbodies The Addiction. Vinnie gets back up and goes after Matt, but Matt backs him down and holds him for Nick’s corner Shining Wizard. Matt then brings Vinnie out and Nick helps him for the Sliced Bread! Nick adds on another Shining Wizard and the fans fire up! Scurll even hops up into the crowd to get them all the more hyped. Vinnie staggers to his feet but Cody tags back in? He grabs Vinnie in the full nelson for the Snap Dragon Suplex! That’s Kenny’s move… Cody covers, TWO, and the Bucks question Cody’s motives.

Cody drags Vinnie up and whips to drop toehold, Scurll adds a low dropkick, then Hangman adds the standing shooting star. Matt moves Vinnie over for Nick as he climbs up. Matt and Scurll are on either side as the fans fire up, and together they hit Vinnie with a knee drop, standing moonsault and frog splash!

Cody covers, but Kaz breaks it. The Kingdom and Daniels follow but The Bullet Club is ready. They throw everyone else back out, but Kaz fights against the Club alone. He groups the five together and tells them all to “SUCK IT!”–another thing Bullet Club can’t do–but he runs right into a QUINTUPLE SUPERKICK!!

The fans are loving it, and everyone grabs the ropes to feel the electricity. Except for Cody. But Cody does lead them in the Terminator Kneel? Fans don’t really like that either, but the Bucks give in and go along. The drums start up, and the Terminators rise. Cody builds up speed and the Bucks follow, for a TRIPLE DIVE!

Daniels gets up, he hits the Arabian Press onto Cody and the Bucks. Hangman climbs up, SUPER MOONSAULT for everyone else! Taven sees the other nine men grouped, then builds speed, to FLY!

Taven topples everyone over, but wait. Bury the Bear wants to do something? He climbs up while Nick gets clear, and the BEAR FLIES!

Nick has to admit, he kinda likes Bury now. Bury is okay, and he hugs it out with Cody. Cody puts Vinnie in the ring, then runs in corner to corner. Vinnie knees him away, and Daniels distracts the referee while the missing piece of SoCal Uncensored appears. Yes, Scorpio Sky slinks in and climbs up top. He takes aim at Cody and jumps, but Cody moves, the missile dropkick hits Vinnie!

Cody throws Scorpio out, then finishes Vinnie with the Cross Rhodes!!

The Bullet Club wins!! Scurll celebrates with the fans while Bury points to his shirt to emphasize the message. Does winning really fix everything for Cody and the rest of the Club?

However, losing hurts alliances.

Taven blames Scorpio but Kaz defends him, and Daniels just tries to keep the peace. It doesn’t work out, things break down into a brawl! The two trios pair off and spill out of the ring, and end up fighting all the way downstairs to the back. The Bullet Club watches, rather confused by that development. Cody even wanted to have a few words, but we’re out of time. Does this leave Bullet Club in the clear from outside forces?

My Thoughts:

In a vacuum, this was a great episode of ROH. But when you factor in this is being aired after the major events of the 16th Anniversary Show, it’s actually a mishandled operation from top to bottom. The majority of this episode wasn’t really affected, it was just anything with The Bullet Club. Dawgs VS C2C was great, and great to see C2C is on a roll since winning their #DoOrDie match. Clearly it’ll boil down to Bruiser & Milonas VS C2C to determine #1 contenders to the ROH World Tag Team Championships. Given that The Briscoes are the current champions and are currently Heels, I suspect the Face Ali & LSG will win out to challenge them. The WOH Stardom match was really good, compared to the matches we’ve seen so far. Mayu VS Deonna is gonna be another solid match for the quarterfinals.

Now we get to the inconsistencies. Marty Scurll and Dalton Castle have promos aimed at each other to set up their Supercard of Honor ROH WHC match. Therefore, this episode takes place after the 16th Anniversary show. However, Cody comes out with Bury the Bear, even after Kenny Omega revealed himself. Not only does this bring up the question “Who was Bury to begin with?”, it also exposes ROH as a company to be disorganized. Things like this will be the obstacle to ROH besting competition, and hopefully they can iron this out in future taping sessions. But again, in a vacuum, it was a great 10-man tag, and it was quite surprising to see how fragile the SCU-Kingdom alliance was. Those two teams will probably make for the rare Heels VS Heels contenders program to later challenge the “Hung Bucks” for the ROH World Six Man Tag titles.

My Score: 8/10