Ring of Honor Wrestling Television, Episode 376

The ROH World Tag Team Championships are on the line this close to Final Battle! Will SoCal Uncensored even make it to the Ladder Wars they declared?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Kenny King VS Christopher Daniels; King wins.
• Jeff Cobb VS Josh Woods; Cobb wins.
• Hangman Adam Page VS Facade w/ Danni; Page wins.
• ROH World Tag Team Championships: SoCal Uncensored VS Guerrero Maya Jr. & Stuka Jr; SoCal Uncensored wins and advances to Final Battle’s Ladder War ROH World Tag Team Championship match.

PLAY BY PLAY

Last time on ROH…

The Briscoes and The Young Bucks battled to determine #1 contenders to the World Tag Team Championships, and it was another instant classic. However, the ending was marred by double disqualifications, so there is no one challenger for the titles. SoCal Uncensored’s Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky wouldn’t accept that, they want to settle the scores with both the Bucks and #DemBoyz. And the only way to do that is to wage war! Final Battle will have a LADDER WAR for the titles!

Kenny King VS Christopher Daniels!

The K I N G takes a break from being the #BulletClubSilencer to prove himself against the Almighty former ROH World Champion. However, on commentary, Marty Scurll watches and scouts his Final Battle opponent. The Villain knows Daniels wants to make SCU the top trio in the business, but he prefers “S C U R double L.” Will the Fallen Angel gain some last minute momentum going into his match with Marty?

Before the match, Kenny King speaks to Daniels. “You are, homey, a timeless talent.” Kenny uses “timeless” because there’s no one here who knows how old Daniels really is. But it turns out Daniels doesn’t have a lot of time left in ROH. So Kenny figures it’d look real good on his resume if he was one of Daniels’ last losses in ROH “as we boot you out the door.” But Kenny will be nice enough to “haul you back to SCU”, as in the Senior Citizens Unit at the hospital! Daniels gets riled up with that one, and he starts swinging with the bell!

Daniels jabs and jabs on Kenny, then whips. He knocks Kenny down with a calf kick, but he stays on him with chops. Daniels bumps Kenny off buckles then chops him more. Kenny knees back and throws forearms. Daniels ducks the heel kick and hits the quebrada! Cover, TWO! Kenny apologizes for the “joke” but Daniels doesn’t accept it. Daniels bumps him off more buckles, then gets the “SCU!” going. He whips and elbows Kenny out of the ring. Daniels builds speed and hits a baseball slide. Fans fire up and high-five Daniels. Daniels clears some fans out to whip Kenny at barriers! Kenny writhes as fans chant for the Fallen Angel. Kenny hits back but Daniels bumps Kenny off the apron. Daniels climbs up and ducks another kick, and even the Eddy Gordo kick. But then Kenny sweeps the legs! Daniels crashes and burns, and we go to break.

ROH returns as Daniels fights out of Kenny’s chinlock. Daniels swings but Kenny spins him around with a full nelson into a backbreaker, then runs Daniels over with a clothesline. Kenny grins as he reminds us all he’s the K I N G Kiiing~! Then he mocks old man Daniels before stomping him. Scurll admits this change in Kenny is working for him. Daniels gets up but Kenny runs him over with a shoulder. Kenny then does his dance before covering, TWO! Kenny keeps on Daniels with a chinlock, but fans rally up. Daniels feeds off the power and gets up to fight out again. Daniels throws forearms and chops. He runs but into Kenny’s chin checker and Eddy Gordo kick. Kenny hotshots Daniels then goes back to the apron. He springboards but Daniesl gets under. Kenny comes back but Daniels catches him into a Blue Thunder Bomb!

Both men are down but fans rally up again. Daniels gets to a corner and drags himself up. Kenny gets to another corner but Daniels runs out to rally. Daniels whips but Kenny reverses, only for Daniels to slide under and hit the STO! Fans fire up with Daniels as Kenny gets to a corner. Daniels tells Scurll he’s watching him, then he hits Kenny with a corner clothesline. Daniels brings Kenny up for a wheelbarrow facebuster! Cover, TWO! Daniels points to a corner and brings Kenny up. Kenny fights back, and gets Daniels into a spinebuster! Cover and Kenny grabs the ropes, TWO! Scurll reprimands Kenny’s cheating. Kenny brings Daniels up in the fireman’s carry but Daniels fights out and runs. Kenny elbows him but runs into Daniels’ uppercut. Daniels runs and counters Kenny’s counter into an urenage!

Daniels wants to go to the corner but Kenny grabs his feet and kicks him down! The ref gets knocked over, too, and Kenny kicks Daniels in the balls! Kenny blows a kiss good-bye, to hit the Royal Flush! Cover, Kenny wins!

Winner: Kenny King, by pinfall

The #BulletClubSilencer turns into a #FallenAngelSlayer as we head for the New Year. Will the K I N G use this to get back towards a title? Can Daniels turn things around and be ready for The Villain at Final Battle? For that matter, can Daniels do anything about his contract countdown?

Dalton Castle speaks.

“Three months. Three months is how long I was out with an injury, with one thing in mind: to regain the ROH World Championship.” The Peacock didn’t lose his focus, but he is being distracted. Castle didn’t have doctors stick needles in his spine just so he could face Matt Taven. That belt Matt wears is just a ruse! A fake! However, the rage ignited within Castle is real. Will that rage burn The Kingdom down?

Jeff Cobb VS Josh Woods!

The Hawaiian Hulk and current ROH World Television Champion also considers himself Mr. Top Prospect 2018 after he destroyed the field without ever competing. However, The Goods became Mr. Top Prospect 2017 the old fashion way: by winning the tournament. Who will prove themselves the true Top Prospect of ROH tonight?

The Code of Honor is upheld and the two approach. Cobb gets a leg and then the waistlock, but Woods drops down to reverse. Cobb gets a ropebreak and Woods honors it. They go again, but as Cobb gets the facelock, Hangman Page appears! Hangman has a chair to take a seat, and a mic for later. Cobb rolls Woods in a waistlock but Woods breaks out to roll Cobb. Woods has a leg but Cobb gets up and to the ropes. They break clean and even Hangman applauds. Woods lunges and gets Cobb down, and goes for the armbar! Cobb moves around and gets the ropebreak again, so Woods lets him go. Woods keeps after the arm and traps it to get Cobb down again. Woods still wants an armbar but Cobb powers off. They go around but Woods keeps control as he goes after the elbow and wrist.

Fans rally up and Cobb powers up. Woods spins Cobb but Cobb blocks the belly2belly. Cobb suplexes Woods back but Woods slips out. Woods goes for a sleeper but Cobb blocks and arm-drags Woods off. Woods comes back but is caught into a trap-leg exploder! Cobb runs but misses in the corner, Woods throws him down! Woods goes for the armbar again, but Cobb clasps hands! Cobb puts Woods in a cover, TWO! Woods goes to use his legs but Cobb moves around. Fans rally and Cobb deadlifts Woods! Cobb catapults Woods at buckles, and Hangman seems mildly impressed. Fans rally as both Woods and Cobb stand up. Cobb runs at Woods but Woods boots him back. Woods runs for a big knee strike! Woods keeps moving, and springboards but into Tour of the Islands!! Cover, Cobb wins!

Winner: Jeff Cobb, by pinfall

Mr. 2018 beats Mr. 2017 and rolls on towards Final Battle. Hangman gets up with his mic and heads to the ring. He stands face to face with Cobb and says “Pretty impressive, huh, guys? Jeff Cobb, TV Champion!” But Cobb should get out of the ring so Hangman can show him “how a real ass whooping is done.” Bring out Hangman’s opponent!

Hangman Adam Page VS Facade w/ Danni!

The Problem Solver won’t let the ROH World TV Champion get ahead of him, and looks to use the Neon Ninja as a tune-up. Will Hangman be able to focus on the opponent in front of him? Or will he be too busy thinking about the opponent ahead of him at Final Battle?

ROH returns as Hangman stomps a mudhole into Facade. He backs off at 4 but then clotheslines Facade out of the ring. By the way, Cobb has taken Hangman’s seat on stage so he can watch up close just as Hangman did. And Hangman makes sure Cobb saw what he just did, too. Hangman then gets on the apron and htis the shooting star shoulder! Fans fire up as Hangman puts Facade back in. Hangman enjoys the cheers a moment before going back in the ring. Hangman pumphandle deadlifts Facade to show off his strength, and then Fall Away slams to a bridge! TWO, and Danni is relieved for her Neon Ninja. She and fans rally up for Facade and Facade chops Hangman. Hangman haymakers back, so Facade chops back. Hangman rocks Facade with a right, then whips.

Facade reverses but Hangman holds ropes. Facade runs in but is put on the apron. He shoulders into Hangman then slingshots up and over. Facade runs and waistlocks but Hangman bucks him off. Facade comes back and baits Hangman. Hangman runs but Facade goes up and moonsaults over! Facade goes Matrix and then cartwheel kicks Hangman to a corner! Fans fire up as Facade runs in corner to corner. Hangman dodges but runs into boots. Facade climbs up and prepares himself. He walks the ropes but gets booted out of the sky! Scurll laughs it up on commentary while Hangman stalks Facade to a corner. Facade gets on the apron but Hangman drags him up. They fight as Hangman drags Facade to the top rope.

Hangman holds Facade, and throws him with a SUPER Fall Away Slam! Facade ends up in the opposite corner and Danni is concerned. Hangman trash talks Cobb but Cobb tells Hangman to focus. Hangman toys with Facade but Facade chops back! It does nothing, and Hangman rocks Facade with a right. Facade chops and chops and forearms, but Hangman still shrugs it all off. Facade keeps throwing strikes but gets rocked with a roaring elbow! Hangman kicks Facade around, then runs, but Facade follows for a springboard enziguri! Hangman ends up outside and Facade builds speed to double jump springboard somersault ax handle! The fans are thunderous and Danni is running laps as Facade puts Hangman in the ring. Facade springboards but has to roll through. He turns around into the Buckshot! Then the Rite of Passage! Cover, Hangman wins!

Winner: Hangman Adam Page, by pinfall

Hangman turns the Neon Ninja’s lights out while he keeps pace with Cobb. Cobb returns to the ring to stand face to face with Hangman again. The two are raring for this fight, who will win when it all goes down?

ROH revisits Survival of the Fittest 2018.

The finals came down to Marty Scurll and Christopher Daniels, and Scurll won! The Villain has a future ROH World Championship match in his back pocket, but Daniels says Scurll only won because of the gauntlet format. Hangman Page did all the work and Scurll capitalized on a tired Daniels. Scurll wouldn’t let Daniels make such excuses, which brings us to their 1v1 Final Battle match. Daniels wants Scurll to put his Survival of the Fittest shot on the line, so Scurll put it on the line. Scurll thinks Daniels’ desperation is sad, but he’s confident he’ll win and keep his shot. This first-time ever match has huge stakes on it, especially for Daniels. Can the Fallen Angel turn his luck around all in one night?

Jay Lethal speaks on his coming match with Cody.

The Franchise’s first match with The American Nightmare, Cody was here to “prove that he could hang.” Cody failed because he had to cheat. Lethal wondered when that exact moment was that Cody realized he couldn’t hang with the best in the world. But then fast forward to a rematch in the Bull Rope Match and Lethal evened the score. Lethal won’t take away from Cody’s resume, from his wins to his lineage. Deep down, Lethal likes Cody. They may not always agree or get along, Cody is still great, but Lethal also knows how Cody is. This year’s Final Battle, Cody can use all the tricks in the book, but Lethal vows to leave still ROH World Champion. Lethal vows that he will not lose to Cody, but can he keep his word?

Matt Taven speaks.

“Remember? Do you remember? Or does that memory hurt so bad that you have to bury it deep down inside?” Because Taven remembers Castle crumbling under the pressure of being top champion. But not Taven. Taven is a diamond formed by such pressure. Taven’s worked harder than anyone else to get his spotlight. Castle was a one hit wonder, but Taven is building a legacy. The Peacock will be chapter one. At Final Battle, everyone will remember Taven is the real ROH WHC, because he is Matt Taven.

The pulse quickens.

Something is coming to ROH. Something that will get hearts pounding. But what is it? When and where will it appear?

ROH World Tag Team Championships: SoCal Uncensored VS Guerrero Maya Jr. & Stuka Jr!

The Briscoes did everything they could to keep their title, such as injuring Christopher Daniels’ neck so that he couldn’t compete alongside Frankie Kazarian. However, Scorpio Sky stepped up, and he helped Kaz dethrone Jay & Mark in the star-studded Triple Threat Tag Match. The Heavy Metal Rebel and Closer have their contracts, but are they risking too much putting their titles on the line against two CMLL stars?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and the Code of Honor is upheld. The teams sort out and Scorpio starts against Maya. They circle and tie up, and Scorpio gets the wristlock. Maya reverses to a hammerlock, but Scorpio uses a drop toehold to trip him up. Scorpio gets the facelock, but Maya reverses to a Fujiwara armbar. Maya brings Scorpio up for an arm wrench but Scorpio reverses back. Scorpio puts on a headlock but Maya brings him down to a cradle cover. TWO as Scorpio lets Maya go. The two stand up but stand off as Scorpio nears a corner. Fans applaud as Scorpio and Maya circle again.

Scorpio and Maya tie up and Scorpio gets a headlock. Maya counters with a wristlock but Scorpio uses the ropes to flip through. Scorpio gets the headlock again, but Maya fights back. Maya powers out of the hold and things speed up, Scorpio runs into a tilt-o-whirl backbreaker! Maya tags out to Stuka, and Stuka stomps Scorpio. Stuka whips and gives Scorpio a tilt-o-whirl backbreaker of his own! Stuka stomps more, then drags Scorpio up for punches right to the head. Scorpio fights back and then runs, with Kaz tagging in. Scorpio dodges Stuka’s swing to whip. Things speed up, Kaz comes in with a windmill kick! Cover, TWO! Kaz brings Stuka up for a scoop but Stuka slips out. Stuka waistlocks but Kaz bucks him off to dropkick him down! Cover, TWO!

Stuka barely gets out but he doesn’t get away as Kaz tags Scorpio. SCU grab a leg each and use that to throw Stuka! Scorpio covers, TWO, and we go to one last break.

ROH returns once more, and Stuka catches Scorpio into an atomic lift. Maya runs in and Team CMLL combines for a flapjack bulldog! Stuka runs and Maya gives him a tilt-o-whirl for a splash on Scorpio! Cover as Maya intercepts Kaz with a kick, TWO! Maya and Stuka coordinate to grab a leg each, and they give Scorpio a 2v1 Mexican Surfboard! But Kaz tags from the neutral corner, which apparently is legal? Kaz runs and double covers on Team CMLL! TWO as they let Scorpio go! The fans love it, though, and the match continues. Kaz swings on Stuka but ends up in a full nelson. Kaz fights off Maya a moment, but can’t break free of Stuka. Maya comes back and gets Kaz’s leg, and Team CMLL twists Kaz in both directions!

Kaz endures and Scorpio saves him. Team CMLL double whip Kaz but Kaz sends them into each other. Hot tag to Scorpio, and the Closer rallies! Scorpio baits Maya into the corner and then slingshot headscissors him down! He gets Stuka but Stuka reverses the whip, only to get dumdum stomps! Scorpio hits Maya with a corner kick, then sweeps the legs. Kaz runs in for the swinging dropkick! Maya bails out but Stuka comes back to rally on SCU. Stuka whips but Kaz reverses. Kaz runs in but Stuka dodges to send him into the post! Stuka grabs Scorpio for a spinebuster, then hurries up top! SUPER ASAI onto Kaz! Maya goes after Scorpio and returns the headscissors. Scorpio bails out while Maya fires up. Maya DIVES to somersault tope onto Scorpio! They crash and burn into barriers but Stuka helps Maya up and in.

Team CMLL are fired up as Kaz returns. Kaz shoulders in and slingshots to DDT Maya. Stuka elbows Kaz and then kicks Scorpio. Stuka whips but Scorpio reverses and Kaz boots Stuka. SCU combine for a urenage backstabber, Burning Heart! Cover, SCU wins!

Winner: SoCal Uncensored, Scorpio Sky pinning; still ROH World Tag Team Champions

Hearts on fire, strong desire, Kaz and Scorpio win! Daniels returns to the ring to celebrate, but also to speak. “First of all, let me say, SCU. Second of all, two weeks ago, these two gentlemen walked into the ring and walked out the world tag team champions.” The first thing SCU did was negotiate their new contracts! But only for Kaz and Scorpio. That means the Fallen Angel is behind the 8 ball. He has one match remaining on his ROH contract at Final Battle, against The Villain, Marty Scurll. As we saw, Daniels challenged Scurll to put his shot on the line, and now Daniels is in position to get a “new lease on life in ROH.” If he has to go through Scurll to stay in the company he helped built and put on the map, then he will!

Scurll moves from commentary to respond to SCU directly. Fans duel as Scurll tells Daniels he’s right. Daniels did help build ROH. But does Daniels want to be known as a legend? The first-ever ROH main eventer and Grand Slam Champion. Or does he want to be remembered for a “stupid three letter catchphrase”? It would be Scurll’s pleasure to give Daniels the match of his career. But a warning: “this will be your final battle.” Daniels is a man with his back against the wall, will he stay standing in his company?

My Thoughts:

A pretty great episode, but perhaps with some issues in organizing a very important story. Firstly, the build between Jeff Cobb and Hangman Page is pretty good because it focuses on matches and action to do it. Cobb looks great against Woods and Hangman looks great against Facade, but both Woods and Facade still looked strong in return. The matches were in no way squashes, so that the midcard isn’t hurt for the sake of the champion and challenger. Cobb VS Hangman is going to be really good, really physical, and I’m sure Hangman will have a shocking moment of strength somewhere in there, but it’ll still be Cobb winning to retain. The promos this week to hype the real and “real” ROH World Championship matches were pretty good, and I’m looking forward to next week’s Six Man of The Kingdom VS Cody, Castle & Lethal.

Now, the issue I speak of is this story for Christopher Daniels. His match with Kenny King to open was great, and it works that Scurll was on commentary to talk it all up. However, I don’t know why they waited to air the Survival of the Fittest backstage scene until after another story took place, then still had Daniels come out at the end to officially inform fans. Daniels VS King should’ve been next week for the actual go-home show and have a stare down of Daniels and Scurll close the night, instead of piggybacking on tonight’s main event. SoCal Uncensored VS Team CMLL was a great tag match, perhaps with some miscues like Kaz’s weird neutral corner tag, but still great. Daniels and Scurll kinda took their spotlight, tonight should’ve ended with The Bucks or Briscoes coming out for a stare down on the way to Ladder War.

My Score: 8.5/10