ROH WRESTLING TELEVISION, Episode 341

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

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Kenny King & Dalton Castle w/ The Boys VS The Briscoes; The Briscoes win.
• Cheeseburger VS Kikutaro; no contest.
• Women of Honor Championship Tournament: Deonna Purrazzo VS Mayu Iwatani; Mayu wins and moves on to the semifinals to face Kelly Klein.

PLAY BY PLAY

Kenny King & Dalton Castle w/ The Boys VS The Briscoes!

It’s a #ChampionsChallenge as the ROH World Television and Heavyweight Champions take on the World Tag Team Champions this close to Supercard of Honor! Will the K I N G and the Peacock gain momentum before facing the Last Real Man and the Villain in respective singles matches? Or will #DemBoyz prove to King, Castle as well as Jay Lethal and Hiroshi Tanahashi why they’re the baddest tag team on the planet?

Speaking of the Villain, Marty Scurll joins commentary to keep an eye on the champion he challenges in New Orleans.

Castle and Mark start and circle, tie up, and Castle gets a leg. Mark slips out and floats to a waistlock, but Castle revereses back. Castle gets the waistlock then the gut wrench lift but Mark slips out. Mark swings but Castle gets another waistlock. Mark resists the German Suplex and backs Castle down into the Briscoe corner. Jay tags in and the Briscoes stomp a mudhole into Castle. Jay rocks Castle with a European Uppercut, then whips, but Castle ducks to hit his Peacock Pose. Castle’s ribs bother him, so he tags out to King. King and Jay circle, tie up, and King gets the headlock. Jay powers out but King runs him over, to dance and pose.

King gets moving again, but Jay grabs him into a sleeper hold. King slips out to a waistlock but Jay gets the standing switch and hammerlock, only for King to spin around and Japanese arm-drag Jay! The ROH singles champions are even with the Tag Team Champions while we go to break.

ROH returns to King bringing Jay over to his corner, Castle tags in. Castle gets Jay in a waistlock and brings him out for a slam. He lifts Jay again for another slam, then puts on a facelock. Castle suplexes but Jay slips out to elbow Castle down. Jay brings Castle over, tags in Mark, and Mark kicks Castle down. Mark suplexes Castle for a brainbuster, cover, TWO. Mark drags Castle back up for a facelock, then some kicks, but Castle dumps him down and rocks him with a knee. Castle brings Mark back up, but Mark fights back with body shots. Mark shoves Castle, Castle comes back but Mark evades. Jay kicks Castle in the back, so Castle hits Jay with a right forearm!

Mark swings but Castle ducks to jab and chop. Castle whips but Mark reverses, Jay returns to elbow Castle down! Mark takes King out for good measure, topping it off with a wrecking ball dropkick! Jay throws Castle out and both Briscoes go after Castle and King on the outside. Mark scoop slams Castle, Scurll enjoys every second of it. Jay throws Castle into the ring while Scurll tries to start a “Dead Boys!” chant, then shifts to the more appropriate “Man Up!” chant. Mark grabs Castle, puts him in a corner, and hits a sliding shotgun kick. Mark grinds a boot into Castle’s chin while Jay keeps The Boys away.

Things return to the Briscoes’ corner, where Mark gives Castle a sharp chop in the chest. Mark chops again, but Castle blocks to lift and dump Mark down. Castle knocks Jay away, then slips past Mark, but Jay gets past him to knock King down again! Jay then runs Castle down and Mark stomps away in their corner. Jay tags back in, he drags Castle up for another EuroUpper. The fans cheer, “Dalton Castle!”, but Jay bumps him off a buckle to then stand on him at the ropes. Jay backs off to drag Castle over, tag to Mark. The Briscoes mug Castle, then Mark brings Castle up for a Russian Leg Sweep! Fans chant “Fan Up!” while Mark drops elbows on Castle. Cover, TWO, tag to Jay.

The Briscoes drag Castle up, double whip, double shoulder tackles! Castle ends up outside the ring but Jay pursues. Jay brings Castle up and holds him in a double chickenwing, for Mark’s apron shotgun kick!

Mark drags Castle up but Castle pushes him away. Jay is upon Castle in the ring while we go to break.

ROH returns again as Castle fights his way out of Mark’s headlock. Mark shifts but Castle denies the slam. Mark shoves Castle, but Castle uses that to knock Jay down again. Castle goes to kick Mark, Mark blocks, so Castle rocks him with a right hand. Mark staggers, Castle ducks under to tag in King! King rallies on Mark, whips and heel kicks Mark down! Jay returns and clobbers King, but King retaliates with the spin around and roundhouse. King runs at Mark, Mark boots him away, but Mark runs into King’s spinebuster! Cover, TWO, but King keeps his cool. He whips Mark, Mark reverses, Jay comes in for the big corner clothesline. Mark throws King with the yurinagi, then tags in Jay.

Jay drags King up, turns him, neckbreaker! He brings King back up, to clobber him with a lariat! Cover, TWO! But it was close, and Jay knows it. He drags King up again, then hits him with EuroUpper. Scurll tauntingly says hello to Castle while Jay hoists King up to the top rope. King and Jay brawl while Jay makes the climb. Jay gives headbutts while Mark blasts Castle off the corner with a dropkick! Jay hits the SUPERPLEX, then Mark hops up for Froggy-Bow!

Cover, Castle breaks it just in time! Scurll protests the “blatant cheating”, Mark chops Caslte! Castle chops back, so Mark gives another chop. Castle comes back with hard right hands, then catches Mark’s boot to throw him with a saido suplex! Jay boots Castle down, then goes after King, but King catches him into an Exploder! King runs in at Jay, shotgun knees in the corner, but he can’t capitalize because of exhaustion. And that’s when Silas Young decides to appear.

The Last Real Man has his eyes on King, and King locks his eyes back on Silas. Silas trash talks King, but King still sees Jay coming. King throws hands but runs into a huricanrana! Jay gets King up, for the Jay Driller!

Cover, Mark intercepts Castle, the Briscoes win!

Winners: The Briscoes (Jay & Mark, Jay pinning)

#DemBoyz win because they are the ROH World Tag Team Champions. They raise their belts up high, but will they still have those belts going up against the Franchise and the Ace in New Orleans?

Meanwhile, Silas has snatched the ROH World Television Championship belt and he’s entering the ring with it. Silas throws his shirt at King, then holds that belt over him. King only just got that belt back at the 16th Anniversary, will he lose it back to Silas in a Last (Real) Man Standing match at Supercard of Honor?

Scurll decides to be a copycat as he grabs the ROH WHC belt and brings it into the ring. He takes aim at Castle, ready to hit him with the belt! But when Castle turns around, Scurll plays nice, and simply offers to return the belt to the current champion.

The Peacock takes his belt back, and Scurll leaves peacefully. Castle says he’s keeping an eye on Scurll, too, but whose hand will be raised after Supercard of Honor’s “double main event”?

The Kingdom speaks on Bully Ray’s Supercard decision.

According to the Enforcer of Honor, Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan & Vinnie Marseglia aren’t getting their ROH World Six Man Tag Championship rematch yet. It’s been a year, it’s been 365 days, and ROH won’t give them a rematch for the titles they never really lost! They thought Bully Ray was going to be their hero, who “would see past all the politics”, but he’s just another Melvin. If Bully thinks he can stop the Kingdom from being at Supercard, then maybe those concussions really have added up. The Kingdom will kill the conspiracy, “Because I’M Matt Taven, and this is my Kingdom!” Will the Kingdom get what they feel they deserve in New Orleans?

Cheeseburger VS Kikutaro!

If there’s one thing The Dawgs, Rhett Titus & Will Ferrara, can’t stand, it’s Cheeseburger. And yet, they’re on commentary to watch him take on the 8-time DDT Pro Ironman Heavyweight Champion in this first-time-ever encounter that is a dream come true for Burger.

Can Lil’ Willie contain his blood thirst for the beef he has with Burger while Burger and “Jumbo Kiku” duke it out in the ring?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings and the two circle. Burger gets the arm wrench and wristlock on Kiku. Kiku reverses, Burger rolls and spins through, then reverses back on Kiku. Kiku reverses, Burger reverses, Kiku reverses and dips Burger before they stand off, then pose together.

The fans applaud, Kiku suggests they pose for the other side, but then rolls Burger up! TWO, and close. Kiku jabs Burger while Ferrara laughs. Kiku puts on a headlock but Burger powers out, only for Kiku to run him over. Burger kip-ups while “Kiku Hogan” flexes. Kiku turns around, and “Lex Burger” flexes back. Kiku runs, Burger drops down, Kiku kicks him in the head. He puts Burger in a corner and chops him, then whips Burger corner to corner. Kiku runs in, but Burger boots him away. Burger boots Kiku away again, and fans want “One More Time!” Kiku whips the referee in at Burger, but Burger dodges. Burger sees Kiku coming in, and has the referee boot Kiku away for him!

Kiku staggers, Burger runs and rallies with a forearm. Cover, TWO! Burger rallies the fans and prepares the palm. He runs, but into a powerslam, cover, TWO! Kiku drags Burger up and asks for a mic? The mic comes in, and the referee holds it so Kiku can speak. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Thank you for coming Ring of Honor show tonight.” But enough is enough for The Dawgs, they pounce on Kiku and Burger!

No Contest

The Dawgs stomp Kiku and Burger out, throwing the DDT Pro legend out of the ring to focus just on Burger. Big Rhett brings Burger up while Lil’ Willie hops up, and together they hit Burger with Who Let the Dawgs Out!

Titus & Ferrara enjoy themselves, until Bully Ray appears! He hits the ring, the Dawgs go running.

Titus & Ferrara get away for now while Bully helps Burger up. Will Bully help give Burger a chance at payback against his bullies down the line?

ROH gives an update on the WOH Championship Tournament.

The quarterfinals are wrapping up! Ms. #AllAboutMe, Tenille Dashwood, defeated Mrs. American Nightmare, Brandi Rhodes at the 16th Anniversary Show, and veteran Sumie Sakai managed the sweep on Oedo Tai when she defeated Kagetsu. The Gatekeeper, Kelly Klein, found a way to cheat the Exotic Goddess, Mandy Leon, out of her dream. All that’s left now is to see if The Virtuosa or The Icon of Stardom will be joining them to give us our semifinal match-ups.

Women of Honor Championship Tournament: Deonna Purrazzo VS Mayu Iwatani!

Both the Sky Blue of Stardom’s Future and founding mother of WOH know what it’s like to be a Women’s Champion in other promotions, but they both want to be the inaugural WOH Champion here in ROH. Which woman will move on to challenge Kelly Klein in the next round?

The Code of Honor is upheld, and the bell rings. The fans rally as the women circle, then tie up. Mayu gets the waistlock and brings Deonna down, but Deonna gets up and goes for the arm. Mayu knows Deonna loves the Fujiwara, so she rolls and reverses to a headlock and takeover. Deonna headscissors but Mayu pops out, and they have a stand-off.

Mayu and Deonna circle again, fans rallying. They tie up, Deonna gets the headlock but Mayu powers out. Deonna runs Mayu over, then runs to cartwheel over Mayu. Mayu runs but Deonna follows to hit running headscissors! Mayu gets up and gets moving again, she gives Deonna a flying headscissors right back! She dropkicks Deonna down and the fans applaud. Deonna gets back up, but Mayu blocks and counters to the acrobatic arm drag! Mayu is all fired up in her American debut as she dropkicks Deonna with the killer baseball slide! Deonna gets out of the ring, Mayu builds speed, but Deonna intercepts her flight with a shoulder. Deonna gets back in the ring and suplexes Mayu. Cover, TWO, and we go to break.

ROH returns as Deonna gives Mayu a sharp chop. The fans duel, and Mayu gives a chop just as sharp back. Deonna chops again, Mayu falls to her knees, but comes back to chop and chop with double ax handles. Mayu whips but Deonna reverses, only to end up in Mayu’s Northern Lights suplex with bridge!

TWO, and Mayu can’t believe it. She goes back to Deonna to put her in position, then climbs up. Mayu takes aim, jumps, but Deonna dodges the double stomps. Deonna runs out, kicks Mayu, then whips her into the corner. Mayu kicks back with that roundhouse, and Deonna ends up outside the ring again. Mayu climbs up, takes aim, and JUMPS!

But Deonna catches her into the Fujiwara!

A tap out won’t matter outside the ring, but damage is still being done. The ring count begins, and Deonna lets go at 5. She drags Mayu up and into the ring, then drags her up for a swift kick. She brings Mayu up again, brainbuster! Cover, TWO! Deonna argues with the ref, but that was only two. She goes back to Mayu, forearms Mayu then whips her, but Mayu wheelbarrows, only for Deonna to turn it into a German Suplex! Deonna holds on to roll Mayu over, for another German! She won’t stop there, she brings Mayu up, and hits the hat trick!

Both Deonna and Mayu get up, Deonna swings but into Mayu’s Dragon Suplex! Mayu doesn’t have the energy to bridge, both women are down, and the ref starts a 10 count. They stir at 4, but the climb reaches 7 before they start brawling on their knees. The haymakers are heavy but slow, and both Deonna and Mayu stand up, before Deonna gives another sharp chop! Mayu falls but gets up, Deonna runs, into a slingblade! Mayu fires herself up, and decides to climb again. Deonna stands, Mayu hits the missile dropkick! Mayu covers, TWO! Mayu’s too tired to be shocked or frustrated, so she just brings Deonna up for forearms. Mayu puts on a headlock, Deonna pops out for the Fujiwara!

Deonna has Mayu in the ring this time, wrenching that arm back. Mayu endures, and uses a leg to get the ropebreak. Deonna lets go at 4, and fires up the fans. She runs, but Mayu dodges the kick to give a kick back! Mayu takes aim as Deonna sits up, for the mule kick to buzzsaw! Mayu isn’t done there, she calls for the finish and grabs Deonna in a waistlock. She deadlifts Deonna, then shifts to the full nelson for the bridging Dragon Suplex!

Mayu wins!

Winner: Mayu, by pinfall

The Icon of Stardom, who has held all the gold possible in Stardom, takes the next step towards adding another title to her resume! And though her dream falls short, the Virtuosa respectfully congratulates the victor.

Supercard of Honor will have the semifinals, will Mayu get past the Gatekeeper? And will it be Sumie Sakai or Tenille Dashwood that wins on the other end of the bracket?

Cody heads to the ring!

The American Nightmare will face The Cleaner at Supercard of Honor to settle what all started with Cody hitting Kenny Omega with a Cross Rhodes. And according to him, “Bullet Club is Fine.” Fans say, “No It’s Not!” But Cody ignores them to say that with Supercard just around the corner, it’s the deep breath before the plunge. Cody asks everyone a question. “Can anyone here name me a Kenny Omega match that they thought was great? That made them feel something? A match that didn’t include Okada, or bonafide superstar, Chris Jericho?” Turns out, “No, you can’t!”

Because that’s what Omega is! “He’s that underground band, that you swear you love”, but you can’t name any of their songs. There’s “the perception that Kenny Omega is the greatest wrestler in the world today”, but the reality is that Cody dominates the news feed, monopolizes the budget, and is the leader of the Bullet Club while Omega & Ibushi are a publicity stunt! Omega called Cody a reject from his former company, but the reality is that Omega is a reject from that company’s developmental system! The reality that Omega “had the gall, had the nerves, had the balls” to put his hands on Brandi Rhodes– But wait, Kenny Omega is here!

And he’s bringing the head of Bury the Bear. Omega enters the ring, confronting Cody with a mic of his own. “What was it you said to open the promo? ‘The Bullet Club is fine, the Bullet Club is mine’?” Nice ring to it, but they should talk about that at the next board of directors meeting. Cody needs to think before using that as a catchphrase. He needs to think of bringing it up with the leader. The fans cheer for that leader, “Kenny! Kenny!” And as for his wife, Brandi, “when she forced herself upon me, and kissed me in the middle of the ring,” Omega was confused. Omega is even more confused by Cody’s reaction. Omega was pretty sure that wasn’t the first time it happened. Cody gets riled up by those words, and starts taking off his jacket.

Omega wants Cody to calm down. “What’s done is done”, but what Cody should worry about is that the kiss was so “suspiciously long”, it suggests she wanted to do it again. Cody won’t stand for any more, he rushes at Omega! Cleaner and Nightmare throw fast and furious hands all around the ring, and out comes Hangman Page!

The Problem Solver tries to separate them but it’s no use. Marty Scurll and security come out now, but they’re still not enough, so here come The Young Bucks, with Flip Gordon in tow! This is what it takes to keep Omega and Cody apart, but there won’t be anything that keeps them apart in New Orleans! Whether it’s the Cleaner of the American Nightmare who wins, will this finally make Bullet Club fine again?

My Thoughts:

ROH put a great go-home together right here (at least, I think this counts as the go-home). The “Champions Challenge” was a great match, ended cleanly, Scurll was great on commentary, and there was great story with Silas showing up. Three championship stories built in one match, that’s impressive. Then they go right into the Six Man Championship story with Kingdom threatening to do something at Supercard of Honor. Considering the titles will be on the line in a Ladder Match, that opens the door to these three running in, climbing up and literally taking the titles to hold them hostage until they’re given their actual rematch.

The comedy match of Kikutaro-Cheeseburger and the Dawgs ruining it could set up something for at least Burger, Ferrara and Titus down the line that could also bridge into an ROH World Tag Team Championship program. The WOH match was incredible, great for the main event of the card, and definitely an improvement over some of the first round matches. I am very surprised but also pleased that Stardom’s Mayu went over, it’s definitely different than Deonna VS Kelly. There’s still a good chance Kelly goes over, and chances are it’ll be Tenille “Emma” Dashwood meeting her in the finals, but perhaps things like this will lead to a Stardom VS WOH event a la Honor Rising. Then the closing segment was great, both Cody and Omega give great lines, and the brawl was just the right amount to tease us for Supercard.

My Score: 8.5/10