ROH WRESTLING TELEVISION, Episode 340

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

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• WOH Championship Tournament, Quarterfinal Match: Kelly Klein VS Mandy Leon; Kelly wins and advances to the semifinals.
• The Boys VS Hangman Page & Marty Scurll; Page & Scurll win.
• Scorpio Sky VS Flip Gordon; Gordon wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

The Kingdom are in Vegas!

Finally, after weeks and weeks of crying conspiracy, Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan and Vinnie Marseglia were granted their rematch for the ROH World Six Man Tag Championships! But it wasn’t because they were following the rules or earned it, it was because they attacked the “Hung Bucks” during the 16th Anniversary Show!

Taven speaks, saying that he “is not a man that likes to repeat himself.” But there is a Kingdom Conspiracy in ROH! The 16th Anniversary Show proved as much, when Cody was allowed to bring his wife, a mascot and “a whole damn circus” ringside for their grudge match, but TK and Vinnie get banned! But the conspiracy ends now! Taven vows the Kingdom will get back the titles they never truly lost. “And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it!” But that’s when the Enforcer, Bully Ray, appears!

Bully walks to the ring, mic in hand, while the Kingdom makes a fuss. Bully asks them, “Don’t you ever get tired of coming out here and complaining about a conspiracy?” There is NO conspiracy! Maybe the Kingdom just sucks! Fans agree, they chant “You Suck! You Suck!” at Taven, O’Ryan & Vinnie. Bully continues by saying this is all they do, they come out and complain and interfere in matches. They stick their nose in where it doesn’t belong, but it won’t get them anywhere. “Because you’re not needed at Supercard of Honor!” What’s he talking about? What word is Taven stuck on? Bully says that the Kingdom won’t have a match at Supercard! They won’t need to even show up in New Orleans!

Taven counters, The Kingdom deserves their rematch at Supercard! Bully says, “No.” Then who died and put Bully in charge? Since when can Bully make matches? And what makes Bully think the Kindom won’t show up anyway? Bully dares them to, because if they were really that tough, they’d “come get some” right now! The Kingdom huddles up to discuss, but Bully mocks them as being “three bodies, one brain.” He repeats that they’ll not be on Supercard of Honor, neither the PPV nor the building, nor even here tonight! Bully says that if he could, he’d just fire them here and now! O’Ryan and Vinnie hold Taven back while Bully takes his leave. Will the Enforcer’s decision stand once the executives hear about it?

ROH recaps WOH Championship Tournament opening round action.

WOH’s Jenny Rose visited Stardom to take on Kagetsu, and fought her heart out only to succumb to the two-time Goddesses of Stardom tag team champion. Meanwhile, Kagetsu’s teammate, Hana Kimura, would go up against Sumie Sakai as part of the ROH 16th Anniversary Show. Unlike Kagetsu, this Goddess of Stardom would fall to Sumie’s superior experience. But then, Kagetsu appeared and helped Hana beat up Sumie after the match. Sumie beat one half of the Goddesses of Stardom tag championship team, can she get the clean sweep in the quarterfinals?

WOH Championship Tournament, Quarterfinal Match: Kelly Klein VS Mandy Leon!

While the Gatekeeper is no longer undefeated, she is still the most dominant woman in the entire division. As for the Exotic Goddess, she has fought so hard just to make the WOH Division go from dream to reality. Now these pioneers of WOH fight to take one more step towards the Women of Honor Championship!

Mandy doesn’t even slow down for her entrance, she goes right into the ring to get in Kelly’s face. This is the first time these women have faced off, so while that means Mandy hasn’t defeated Kelly, Kelly hasn’t defeated Mandy. Who will prove themselves more worthy of the name, “Queen of Honor”?

Neither woman shakes hands for the Code of Honor, so the bell rings and Kelly slaps Mandy! Mandy slaps back, so Kelly slaps her back. They go back and forth, then Mandy ducks a punch to fire off chops and forearms. Kelly swings but misses again and Mandy gives more forearms. Kelly gets her with forearms, so Mandy kicks low. Mandy kicks Kelly to a knee, then gives more kicks and even a right hand, but runs right into Kelly’s pendulum backbreaker! Kelly doesn’t cover, she just toys with Mandy instead. The fans rally for Mandy as she drags herself up. Mandy throws a punch but Kelly puts her in a cravat. Kelly rams knees into Mandy, showing all the fans what she’s doing to the Exotic Goddess. She then snapmares and kicks Mandy in the back, covers, TWO.

Kelly keeps her cool as she shoves Mandy and toys with her again. Mandy hits back again, but Kelly clubs away on her back. Mandy hits and whips but Kelly reverses. Kelly runs in, big corner clothesline then a big back elbow and another clothesline. Kelly runs and boots Mandy down! Fans applaud while she looms over Mandy. A cocky cover, TWO, but Kelly keeps calm as she drags Mandy up into a chinlock. Fans rally again, and Mandy works her way up to her feet. Mandy fights back but Kelly wrangles her down with authority to then thrash Mandy in that sleeper hold. She shifts it to a neck wrench, clamping Mandy’s jaw, then shifts again into a chinlock. Kelly stretches Mandy against her knee, but Mandy stands up and turns around. Mandy throws a haymaker then ducks Kelly’s, only to miss in the corner.

Kelly runs in for a big body check, then slips out to the apron, but Mandy shoves her down! Mandy goes to the apron and takes aim, to hit Kelly with an apron cannonball!

The Exotic Goddess has the fans fired up while we go to break.

ROH returns to Mandy climbing up top. She aims at Kelly, and flies for the missile dropkick! Mandy fires up the fans while Kelly gets to a corner. Mandy runs in corner to corner for double knees! She scrapes her boot on Kelly’s face, then runs corner to corner again, but Kelly dodges to send her into buckles. Kelly brings Mandy out for clubbing forearms, then prepares a powerbomb, only for Mandy to lift Kelly up and into the Air Raid! Cover, ropebreak! Kelly couldn’t kick out, but that still frustrates Mandy. Mandy climbs up again, but Kelly bumps the ropes to wobble Mandy. Mandy fights Kelly off, but Kelly rushes right back to turn Mandy around. Kelly climbs up and the two fight each other. Kelly gets the edge, and picks Mandy up for a SUPER Fall Away Slam!

The fans applaud while both women are down. Mandy gets herself to the opposite corner but Kelly doesn’t stir. A ten count begins and reaches 5 before either woman heads for each other. They’re still crawling at 7 but start brawling at 8. Back and forth with forearms, Kelly and Mandy then grab hair and stand up for more heavy hits. Mandy backs Kelly down to a corner and rams shoulder after shoulder in! She kicks and sets up Kelly’s leg on the ropes to kick away at the inner thigh. Mandy then grabs that leg, trips Kelly and wrenches the knee. Kelly endures as Mandy digs an elbow into the joint, but Kelly uses that for a dragon sleeper and half bodyscissors.

Mandy is nowhere near ropes, but she manages to pop out of the bodyscissors and rolls around and around until she pops out of the sleeper. She goes after Kelly’s legs, rolls her over and drags her up by her hair to club away on the back. Mandy gets Kelly into the pumphandle, for Astral Projection!

Cover, TWO!? Mandy’s best move, yet Kelly survives? Mandy drags Kelly back up to finish this, and works to put Kelly in the Havana Dreams, her submission! Kelly endures this standing Muta Lock, and sneaks a tap-out where the ref isn’t looking! Mandy knows Kelly is tapping so she lets go, but the match doesn’t end! The referee is confused, which confuses Mandy. Kelly grins to herself, she got away with it. And then she attacks Mandy with a kick, snap suplex, and float over to the guillotine!

Mandy is stuck again, flailing but fading, the ref calls it!

Winner: Kelly Klein, by referee decision

The Gatekeeper uses guile and treachery to cheat the Goddess of ROH out of her dream! Kelly joins Tenille Dashwood, who won at the ROH 16th Anniversary Show. Who will Kelly face after the Virtuosa, Deonna Purrazzo, and the Icon of Stardom, Mayu Iwatani, do battle next week on ROH TV?

Jay Lethal speaks.

“April 7th, in New Orleans, it’s already signed, sealed and delivered.” The Franchise is ready to capture another title in ROH, and that is of course, the World Tag Team Championships. The Briscoes hold those titles, and they’re one of the greatest tag teams in the world, which is why Lethal needs a partner who isn’t just great but “a frickin’ rockstar”! Lethal is speaking of none other than NJPW’s Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi!

Lethal hopes the Once in a Century Talent will show up in New Orleans for this amazing match! And should Tanahashi appear, can these two incredible singles competitors manage to defeat #DemBoyz at what they do best?

ROH looks back at the Las Vegas Street Fight at the 16th Anniversary Show.

Frankie Kazarian was bloody, Hangman Page was handcuffed, but that wasn’t all. Christopher Daniels made Nick Jackson watch as Scorpio Sky choked his brother, Matt, with a kendo stick and Kaz tortured Matt’s back with a Boston Crab. Matt couldn’t endure the pain, so he tapped out, crowning SoCal Uncensored the new ROH World Six Man Tag Champions!

SoCal Uncensored now speaks on their victory.

The Addiction told Scorpio Sky to trust them, and he did. They stood together and the result was becoming champion. Kaz says that with the countdown to Final Battle still on their contracts, ROH can be “damn sure” SCU will do whatever it takes to keep the titles. They’ll “throw caution to the wind”, then into a grave and bury it. Will Daniels, Kazarian & Sky reign all the way to their last day in the company?

The Boys w/ Dalton Castle VS Hangman Page & Marty Scurll!

Whether or not The Bullet Club is fine, what is certain is that the Problem Solver and Villain won’t allow themselves to lose to Dalton Castle’s sidekicks. But wait, is Scurll not dressed to compete? He’s set to challenge The Peacock for the ROH World Championship, but is he backing out of this match?

Castle joins commentary while the fans chant “Woop Woop!” for Scurll. It seems Scurll will compete, but he doesn’t take the Boys seriously enough to worry about his attire. He starts with the darker haired Boy 2 at the bell. Scurll takes off his watches and jacket and hands that to Hangman to then roll up his sleeves. He trash talks Boy 2, then tags out to Page. Page grins, enjoying his pal’s jocularity. Scurll starts a chant of “Hangman! Hangman!” and even Hangman doesn’t take Boy 2 seriously. He wants to give Boy 2 a chance, in a test of strength. Fans chant “Test of Strength! Test of Strength!” and Boy 2 agrees to the challenge.

Hangman and Boy 2 tie up, and Hangman “suffers” the double wristlock. He just grins and stands back up, to rock Boy 2 with a forearm. Bullet Club toys with the Boys while we go to break.

ROH returns to the Boys in control of the ring. Hangman and Scurll regroup, then Hangman rushes in to beat up both Boys. He boots Boy 1 down then shoves Boy 2 into the corner and then another. Hangman runs in but Boy 2 dodges, Boy 1 returns and runs in, only for Hangman to shove his leaping splash away. Boy 2 runs in but his headscissors is blocked int a buckle bump! Castle complains that Scurll isn’t taking this seriously. Not just because the Boys aren’t to be underestimated, but because Scurll needs to stay sharp for when he faces Castle. Hangman drags Boy 2 up and with fans cheering, tags in Scurll. Scurll fires the fans up more, to then tag Hangman back in. However, while Hangman questions Scurll’s motives, the Boys pull off Twin Magic!

Boy 1 waits for Hangman, and gets the small package! TWO, but Boy 1 runs to springboard for a crossbody. Hangman catches and throws Boy 1 but Boy 1 springs back up to chop and forearm Hangman. Boy 1 whips Hangman but Hangman reverses, then catches Boy 1 as he tries to go up and over. He puts Boy 1 on the apron but Boy 1 swing kicks, then flies for a missile dropkick! The fans rally with the Boys as Boy 2 joins his brother. They double whip but Hangman blocks to fight back with heavy hands and elbows. Scurll paces outside the ring to approach commentary while Hangman whips Boy 2.

Boy 2 tries to tilt-o-whirl into a DDT but Hangman blocks with power. Hangman tosses Boy 2 up to rock him with a right hand on the way down. Scurll and Castle trash talk while Hangman throws Boy 1 out. Boy 1 slips back in as Hangman slingshots out, but then Hangman slingshots back in for the Buck Shot!

Cover, Bullet Club wins!

Winners: Page & Scurll, Page pins

Despite Castle’s confidence is his Boys and Scurll’s arrogance about himself, Bullet Club wins with just Hangman doing all the work. Scurll is so confident in himself that he takes the title belt and holds it up as if it were alraedy his own.

Hangman builds momentum towards his match with Kota Ibushi, but does this really give Scurll momentum towards his ROH WHC match with The Peacock at Supercard of Honor?

Silas Young and Kenny King brawl backstage!

The Last Real Man and K I N G of Sin City still aren’t through with each other, even after King took back the ROH World Television Championship at the 16th Anniversary Show. Silas puts King into the door and then clubs him in the back, but ROH cuts away in order to restore order.

The Briscoes speak.

“Do you know who we are?” They’re the ROH World Tag Team Champions, and on Supercard of Honor Weekend, “the professional wrestling universe is gonna converge on New Orleans.” Matches, spectacle, but the conversation will be about the beating #DemBoyz give Lethal & Tanahashi! Two of the best singles competitors are going into a tag team match with the best tag team! Will the Franchise & the Ace survive when it’s Sandy Fork VS Everybody?

ROH returns, but that brawl continues?!

Silas Young knocks Kenny King out onto the stage, but Kenny turns things around with a boot! Silas tumbles down the ramp and to ringside, but Kenny won’t let it end there. Security tries to stop them but get knocked down for their troubles. Kenny and Silas continue to throw hands on each other, so more security comes out, only to get the same! Silas throws one guard into Kenny to slow him down, so that he can club away on the World TV Champion more. Security regroups and drags Silas away while keeping Kenny back. Referees come out to do the same, but this isn’t cooling down so easily.

Bully Ray comes out while Silas takes a mic. “What the Hell, Bully?!” They saw what happened at 16th Anniversary, Silas got screwed! Give him his rematch! Kenny doesn’t seem to mind, so Bully lets him say it himself! “You can’t beat me in this ring, you’re not tougher than I am, and you damn sure ain’t a better man than I am!” Kenny is sick of Silas’s fake tough guy image, so it’s time for a LAST MAN STANDING! Silas may dominate that match type, but Kenny asks how Silas is gonna stand up, after Kenny breaks both his legs!? Kenny leaves while glaring down Silas, who will be the last real man standing after their match?

Scorpio Sky VS Flip Gordon!

The Captain and the Closer were on the same side once, until Scorpio ditched Flip for The Addiction. Scorpio then attacked Flip seemingly at random, and now Flip wants to get even with the man who stabbed him in the back.

Scorpio offers the Code of Honor handshake, but Flip’s been tricked by handshakes too many times in the past. The bell rings, and Flip thrusts a kick, but Scorpio narrowly avoids it. Scorpio kicks but Flip blocks it, then fakes the right hand to snapmare and run. Scorpio ducks under that kick to roll Flip, but Flip rolls through to dropkick Scorpio. Flip kip-up and fans applaud, but Scorpio knees low to club Flip stiffly across the back. Scorpio runs, but Flip follows to run him over with a shoulder. Flip’s back slows him down a little but he gets moving again, to handstand walk over Scorpio. Scorpio kicks at an arm but Flip avoids it by standing on one hand, then gets Scorpio with the headscissor throw! Scorpio slips out of the ring and fans chant for “Flip! Flip!” as he builds speed, and FLIES!

He takes out Scorpio and the fans keep chanting “Flip! Flip!” while we go to break.

ROH returns once more, to Flip going for the Four-Fif-Knee, but Scorpio rolls out of the way so Flip lands on his feet. Flip runs but Scorpio puts him on the apron, Flip kicks Scorpio back. Scorpio disrupts the springboard, then boots Flip off the ropes. He snapmares and scrapes Flip’s face, then kicks him in the back. Flip writhes while Scorpio walks around. Scorpio slaps Flip, Flip slaps back! Scorpio drags Flip up and into a corner, and unloads boxing body shots! The referee counts, Scorpio backs off at 4 to embrace the heat. Flip hits back but Scorpio keeps him down. Scorpio whips Flip out and back in, then gives a big leaping shoulder tackle! Cover, TWO, but Scorpio keeps his cool.

The fans rally for Flip while Scorpio stands up and kicks Flip back down. Scorpio looms but Flip chops away! Scorpio puts Flip in a corner but Flip elbows and boots his way out. Flip hops up then jumps over, but runs into the waistlock. Flip fights out and rallies on Scorpio, runs and fakes Scorpio out, for the elevated 619! Scorpio goes down and fans fire up. Flip climbs up top and takes aim, but has to jump over Scorpio. He still turns Scorpio around for fireman’s carry, but Scorpio slips out and shoves Flip to ropes. Flip uses that to springboard up and over, for the Springblade!

Scorpio is down again, but here comes Daniels!

Daniels argues with the referee, but naturally this is a distraction for Kazarian’s sneak attack!

Kaz then back suplexes Flip, but Flip slips out! Flip dumps Kaz out, then gets Scorpio in the victory roll pin! Flip wins!

Winner: Gordon, by pinfall

But he doesn’t get to enjoy it, because The Addiction rushes him at the bell! The SoCal Uncensored group together to stomp out and beat up Flip. But just like before, The Young Bucks make the save!

Matt & Nick Jackson run the SCU off again, and the fans cheer them on. The SCU remind the Bucks who have the ROH Six Man titles, and Flip is just as confused as he was the last time this happened. The fans chant “All In! All In!” as the Bucks look at Flip. Matt again offers a handshake.

The fans want him to accept it, but Flip is hesitant. He sees the SCU watching, and goes to leave, but then stops, to go back and accept it!

The SCU can’t believe it, and even Nick looks surprised. Matt won’t let go of the handshake, though. Not to mess with Flip, but to give him a hug!

Again, Nick is rather surprised by this. But he does applaud, proud of his brother for making a new friend. And wait, Bully Ray reappears!

The Enforcer says, “it’s about damn time.” This is an interesting mix here. Bully gives Flip credit for enduring the ribbing and testing, and did it the old school way of taking it like a champ to then earn his spot in ROH. The fans chant for Flip while Bully continues to say, “Three of you and three of you.” And there’s no match for these six at Supercard of Honor just yet. Bully thinks Flip and the Bucks would make an interesting trio, and the ROH World Six Man Tag Champions need contenders. “So why don’t we do this?” Supercard of Honor: SoCal Uncensored VS The Bucks & Flip Gordon, and to make it more interesting, in a Ladder Match! Can this unlikely friendship help Flip & The Bucks cut SCU’s reign short?

My Thoughts:

A real fun episode this close to Supercard. Bully seems to be making an interesting turn, as far as his role in ROH’s administration. He insisted he didn’t want to be a General Manager, but he’s doing General Manager things like making matches. Or rather, unmaking them, as he says the Kingdom won’t be getting their ROH World Six Man title match at Supercard, even though ROH executives apparently said they would. However, fans seem okay with screwing over Heels, so no one is changing alignments. I do expect the Kingdom to double down on being Heel to get their match, though. Bully does do some other great stuff, like helping Silas and Kenny King create their newest grudge match, that Last Man Standing Match will be really good.

Great announcement for the ROH World Tag Team Championships, Lethal & Tanahashi is a great team, and I doubt there will be dysfunction to tear them apart. If those two don’t defeat the Briscoes, it’s because the Briscoes will use Heel tactics of distraction. The WOH Championship Tournament match tonight was great, definitely a step up from some of the other ROH VS ROH matches. Kelly Klein was brilliant in that hidden tap-out, she is THE Heel in the division right now. And though they were recaps, I did like the story of the top right bracket, showing us the relationship of Stardom’s Oeda Tai even as Heels to soften up Sumie before the next round. With Tenille into the next round already, she’s gotta be one of the finalists, and probably taking on Klein to prove whether or not she deserves to be in ROH.

There is so much great stuff going on with The Bullet Club, even on top of their “Bullet Club is (not) Fine” story. Hangman basically won a handicap match against The Boys since Scurll was just there to troll Castle. At the same time, Castle teams with Kenny King to go up against the Briscoes. The Briscoes will use that to prove they can beat two talented singles wrestlers, but I bet either Scurll or Silas will show up to screw over Castle & King “just days before” Supercard. Then the main event, Flip VS Scorpio, great stuff and great for Flip to get a win for himself. The closing segment was even better, as Flip is no longer a target for Bullet Club to bully. The Six Man Ladder Match for the titles could go either way, and could add more wrinkles to the Bullet Club story.

My Score: 8.5/10