ROH Wrestling Television, Episode 403!

The partnership of ROH and NWA continues as Colt Cabana puts up the NWA National Heavyweight Championship against Cowboy James Storm! Plus, LifeBlood wants revenge on Bully Ray in the worst way, but will they get it in the ring?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• NWA National Heavyweight Championship: Colt Cabana VS James Storm; Time Limit Draw, Cabana retains the NWA National Heavyweight Championship.
• Silas Young VS ???; Young wins.
• LifeBlood VS Bully Ray & Shane Taylor; No Contest.

PLAY BY PLAY

NWA National Heavyweight Championship: Colt Cabana VS James Storm!

Not only does this newest NWA title return to ROH, not only does Chicago’s own return to action on ROH TV, but The Cowboy makes an ROH debut! But will Cabana leave Chicago still holding the gold? Or will Storm have to apologize ’bout Colt’s damn luck?

Introductions are made, Nick Aldis joins commentary to take Colt’s place, and the belt is raised. Obviously Chicago cheers on their own as he takes off his windbreaker jacket and headband. The bell rings and we begin this NWA guess spot match!

Storm stares daggers at Colt as fans cheer. Colt is all smiles, though, as he circles and ties up with Storm. They go around and Storm puts Colt in the corner. Storm backs off but throws a sucker punch, but Colt ducks and dodges. Colt wags a finger at Storm, then has the ref properly reprimand Storm. The two circle again and Colt makes the pecs dance. He ties up with Storm and Storm puts Colt on the ropes. Storm lets up again, to kick low. But Colt blocks that, and now he’s getting upset. Colt wants this to be clean but Storm just brushes him off. Storm and Colt circle again and tie up.

Colt gets a headlock and then wrenches to a hammerlock, then to a facelock. He goes back to the hammerlock to go back to the headlock, but Storm powers out. Colt runs him over, then shows off his agility, to get the headlock again! Chicago cheers as Colt grinds Storm down. Storm pries his way out to get his own headlock, but Colt powers out. Colt goes to hip toss but Colt counters with his own! Storm whips but Colt reverses, only for Storm to go up and over, Slingblade! “Who’s the man now?!” Colt avoids the Last Call Superkick! Colt bails out and consults with Chicago while we go to break.

ROH returns and it’s James Storm having to return to the ring now. He trash talks the Chicago fans over it, then circles with Colt again. They tie up and Colt wrenches the arm. Colt clamps on tight, then wrenches through again. He hammerlocks Storm then spins him around to wring him out. Colt cartwheels to a “Superman” double leg clutch cover! TWO, but Colt stays on Storm with a snapmare and slow splash! Cover, TWO! Colt brings Storm up but Storm powers him to ropes. Storm knees low then throws a big haymaker! He slides out and trips Colt up to pull him out. Storm turns Colt around on the apron to BOOT him back in! Fans boo but Storm gives thumbs up.

Storm drags Colt back out to club away on the apron. The ref counts but Storm takes his time returning. Storm drags Colt up as Chicago rallies. Storm snapmares and runs, to hit a sliding lariat! Cover, TWO! Storm keeps his cool, but Colt gets a ghost pin! TWO, and Storm hammers Colt for that one. Colt gets away to ropes but Storm chokes him into the ropes! The ref counts and Storm lets up, only to choke and fish hook Colt on the other side! Storm lets up to soak up the heat, but Colt CHOPS him! Storm haymakers but Colt CHOPS again! Colt gets to a corner but Storm pokes his eyes! Storm stomps a mudhole into Colt, but lets up at the ref’s count.

Storm comes back to drag Colt up, but fans rally. Colt endures a cravat but arm-drags out! They speed up but it’s Storm who hits Colt with the Harley Race knee! Storm takes a bow as Chicago boos. Colt sits up but Storm covers, TWO! Storm grows annoyed but he keeps on Colt with a chinlock. Colt fights up but Storm clubs him down. Storm tells the fans to settle down, and he drags Colt into a powerbomb position. Colt resists the lift, then slips under to haymaker back! Storm staggers but swings a punch, Colt dodges to CHOP again! Colt whips Storm to throw him out, but Storm skins the cat. Colt dodges again, and even tilt-o-whirls to a headscissors! Storm staggers away again but both men are down! Fans rally up as both men slowly stir.

Storm uses the ropes to get up but Colt sits up on his own! Colt and Storm glare at each other, and Colt is the one to throw big hands! Colt whips but Storm reverses, only for Colt to dodge and jab! He jabs over and over, then powers up, Bionic Elbow! Storm ends up in a corner and Colt runs in, for the Flying Apple elbow! Colt throws Storm down and hops up, to flex and leap! Storm evades but Colt just jumps again to splash down! Cover, TWO! Storm survives and we go to break.

ROH returns again and Storm starts pulling up floor mats. He drags Colt over to the blue concrete to throw him into barriers. Storm refreshes the count to then go back and pull up even more floor mats! He drags Colt up but Colt blocks the suplex! Colt goes to suplex Storm but Storm fights him off to throw him into barriers! Storm takes a moment to stare down Aldis on commentary. He refreshes the count again, but Colt hip tosses Storm on the concrete! Colt puts Storm in the ring, climbs up top, and MOONSAULTS! Cover, TWO!! Storm survives and Colt can’t believe it. Chicago swears “That Was Three!”

Colt goes after Storm with big hands, but Storm gives them back. They trade haymakers back and forth, but Colt dodges to power up the elbow. Storm hits the Last Call SUPERKICK! And another!! He crosses the legs, for a Texas Cloverleaf! Colt endures and fans rally up! Colt reaches but Storm drags him away from ropes! Storm sits down deep but the bell rings! But Colt didn’t tap out, that was the TIME LIMIT!!

Time Limit Draw; Colt Cabana is still NWA National Heavyweight Champion

Fans want “Five More Minutes!” while Storm just wants to have the belt flat out. Colt gets a mic and tells Storm, “Now all of Chicago knows there was no way I was gonna tap out to that.” But he does realize what it looks like. And that belt is not Storm’s yet. If he wants to earn it, then they should go five more minutes! Chicago loves the fighting champion Colt Cabana is, but what does Storm say? Colt just says ring the bell and let’s go!

But wait! The Briscoes attack Cabana from behind!? Aldis is furious but Storm just laughs and leaves. Jay picks up that mic and wants everyone here to know: “The Hell with the NWA!” The NWA screwed the Briscoes out of the Crockett Cup! ROH screwed the Briscoes out of everything! So now #DemBoyz are gonna screw everyone! Mark keeps on Colt with haymakers while Jay says, “ain’t nobody got the balls to stop us!” Jay calls out Aldis! The National Treasure knows he was here to do commentary, but he’s not going to let the Briscoes disrespect him and his promotion. Aldis heads to the ring, and starts fighting the Briscoes! He throws Jay into barriers but Mark stomps Aldis out! Mark puts Aldis in a corner but Aldis hits back!

Aldis throws furious haymakers and then bumps Mark off buckles. But Jay saves his brother to throw hands back on Aldis. The Briscoes mug the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and then mug Colt the second he’s back in the ring. They choke Aldis with his own shirt collar, stomp Colt out, then feed Aldis to a BOOT! Chicago boos, but the Briscoes don’t care. They have nothing to lose, but will they drag everyone else down with them?

ROH returns without Nick Aldis.

After what The Briscoes did to him before the break, both Aldis and Colt Cabana have been taken to the trainer’s room. ROH shares footage during the break of The Briscoes more or less spitting on the NWA National Heavyweight Championship belt, and by extension, the partnership of NWA and ROH. What action will be taken by both NWA and ROH management to address the attitudes of Jay & Mark Briscoe?

ROH Best in the World is on the horizon!

On Friday, June 28th, the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, Maryland will host the best in ROH, such as Dalton Castle challenging Dragon Lee as a vendetta against Lee’s brother, Rush. Plus, the ROH World Television Championship will be on the line as we get another match of Shane Taylor VS Bandido. And of course, THE ROH World Championship will be defended as Matt Taven takes on the Hawaiian Juggernaut, Jeff Cobb! Will the champions leave with the titles? Or will the challengers prove who really are the Best in the World?

ROH continues its closer look at Jeff Cobb.

The transition from amateur to professional wrestler began in 2008. Cobb was more than ready for the training, because he was already at his peak physical condition. He remembers that Hawaii did have pro-wrestling, and went to a show near his home. He borrowed a car, bought a ticket, and fell in love.

Cobb’s first day was doing 500 squats. That’s not easy, but Cobb isn’t a normal man. Cobb blasted out the 500, ran the ropes, and was more than ready when it came to physical attributes. However, the challenge was in the other part of pro-wrestling. Cobb’s first match was in 2009, during a NJPW tour. He talked to War Machine, Ray Rowe and Hanson, and they got him into ROH. Cobb admits there was pressure to make an impression, but a three-minute title win sure does help. Punishment Martinez was quite the challenge, but Cobb was too much of a challenge for Martinez! He would go on to also be NEVER Openweight Champion simultaneously, but would also lose them both. However, Cobb shrugs that off because he has a shot at THE ROH World Championship at Best in the World!

This will be his first shot, and his first main event, so the pressure is on. But Cobb is Cobb’s worst critic, no one can get in his head. Cobb is ready to show Matt Taven that he, the only man to not be pinned or submitted in ROH, will bring his A Game to prove he is the best. Will it be another one shot, one win for the strongest rising star in ROH today? Or will The Kingdom keep the gold because iiiiiit’s Matt Taven?

Silas Young VS ???

The Last Real Man also claims he’s the “Last Real Technician” in wrestling after the highly suspect methods he used to defeat Jonathan Gresham. Silas has the mic now to say that it’s “fairly obvious to anybody that’s been paying attention” that Silas has turned over a new leaf. “Gone are the days of taking shortcuts and doing what I thought was necessary to win a match.” This new leaf shows that there is no one who can wrestle the way Silas does. There is not a better pure wrestler today than The Last Real Man. Silas could have a match with anyone on the ROH roster, but he would mop the floor with them, 1 2 3.

But Silas wants to push himself, to kick it up a notch. He found someone who is perhaps one of the greatest of all time. Silas found someone trained by Lou Thesz, who beat Johnny Saint and Billy Robinson. Surely everyone knows who he means: The Squid! And out comes a man in a squid mask… This is clearly just Silas making fun of The Octopus, Jonathan Gresham. Either way, this match is actually happening, does The Squid stand a chance?

Chicago chants “Squid is Gonna Kill~ You!” The ref calls for it, and the Code of Honor is upheld. The bell rings and Silas ties up with The Squid. Silas waistlock, slams and floats all over Squid. Squid backs off and gets to his feet, but Silas is on him with an arm wernch. Squid wrenches back but Silas rolls and handsprings to show off his agility. Silas then wrings Squid back, and offers a handshake? Squid isn’t sure what to make of this, but he does shake Silas’ hand. They tie up and Silas hammerlocks to headlocks to another hammerlock. He headlocks again and gets the takedown. Squid gets the headscissors and Chicago cheers! But Silas moves around to rolls Squid over, and rolls him back into a Crab!

Squid scrambles to the ropes to get the ropebreak. Silas lets go fast to offer another handshake. Squid is still skeptical, but he again accepts the handshake. Silas uses it to reel Squid into a headlock! Squid powers out but Silas runs him over! Silas claps and fans rally as he speeds things up. Squid goes to hip toss but Silas blocks to spin Squid around and around into a Cobra Twist! Squid taps, Silas wins!!

Winner: Silas Young, by submission

Silas doesn’t let go, no matter how much Squid taps! Silas even lights a cigarette while he pulls on Squid harder! The ref reprimands Silas and Silas finally lets Squid go. Silas bows and finishes his cigarette, but if this is a new leaf, it’s a rotten one. When and where will Gresham return to show Silas that a Squid is nothing compared to the Octopus?

In ROH, Bully Ray is why bad things happen to good people.

Even before LifeBlood arrived in ROH, Bully Ray was ruining the lives of many fan favorites like Flip Gordon and Cheeseburger. But with LifeBlood’s mission to restore the Honor to Ring of Honor, the Bully has felt threatened by them. Attacking David Finlay and Mark Haskins backstage was one thing, but Bully would make Tenille Dashwood’s last night in ROH the worst night ever! LifeBlood confronted him in the ring, but Bully was saved by the Soldiers of Savagery! It was completely by SOS’s own volition, but does that mean Bully has new friends in this fight for honor?

Mark Haskins is here!

Mr. Overkill represents LifeBlood as he walks to the ring here in Chicago. Haskins almost had the ROH World Championship if not for Bully, so this grudge goes even deeper for him. Haskins grabs a mic to say he came to ROH because “this is a place where wrestling matters.” Haskins didn’t bust his ass for 15 years to be labeled an “entertainer.” He is a wrestler! He is a “gritty, in-your-face, fight you any day of the week and twice on Sunday, kind of wrestler!” Chicago applauds that, because they appreciate it, because we all love pro-wrestling! Haskins has a fight in his heart that just doesn’t quit.

From day one here, Haskins tore it up with the best talents in the world, like Bandido. They left it all in the ring, and then the first person to meet them backstage was Juice Robinson. He saw something special in them, and asked them to be part of his vision for ROH. That is how LifeBlood began. A group of up-and-coming wrestlers like Hot Sauce, Tracy Williams, and the Fighting Irish, David Finlay! David’s hurt but get well soon because he is missed. Then there was another: Tenille. “A girl ready to come back from injury and show the world what she was capable of.” But that was taken from her by a man… No, not a man. By the dirtiest “piece of scum” Haskins has ever seen and hates just as much as the fans.

Bully needs to know that Haskins is the kind of guy who when he has something to say, he’ll say it to that person’s face. Haskins dares Bully to show up and meet him face to face! Haskins paces but we go to break. Will we see Bully on the other side?

ROH returns and Bully shows up to ask, “You dare me?” A dare? Haskins is ready to go, and Bully accepts that dare. Bully walks to the ring, and tells the ring announcer to get out. The ref, too, get out. Sit down, Bobby Cruz. Ref, go sit in the corner. They do as they’re told, and Bully gets in the ring. Bully asks Haskins something: “Are you going to bark all day, little doggy? Or are you gonna bite?” This is exactly why Haskins hates Bully. The people are fed up with him, so Bully should do us a favor and go back to the cesspool he crawled out of! “Please, please, pretty please, RETIRE!” Retire? Fans chant “Please Retire!” But this shows how much fans forget.

Bully lets Haskins in on something. Haskins wasn’t here a year ago, when Bully actually tried to retire. Bully tried to retire in Chicago, in this arena, in this ring. Fans say “Try Again!” But the fans begged him not to retire! Does no one remember that? This entire arena gave him a standing ovation of “Thank You, Bully!” Grown men sitting front row WEPT over Bully’s retirement! And who could forget this little kid in the ring, and Bully gave that kid a hug and said, “This is the last table I’m ever going to break and it was for you.” And the fans all wept. And why was that? Because they’re all suckers! They all bought it! Bully lied to them, and has been lying his entire career. It’s what Bully does!

And not Haskins, not other legends, not a single man has stopped him. “What makes you think you’re the guy that’s finally going to shut me up?” Haskins smirks as he says, “I don’t think, I know.” So how about they just do this here and now?! But wait, here comes Shane Taylor! Bully cheers on his pal, the Notorious Hitman and ROH World TV Champion! Taylor joins Bully in the ring but Haskins doesn’t back down. Because he has back-up in Hot Sauce! LifeBlood stares down the Bully and his buddy, because the time for talk is over. It’s time for a fight, and this looks like a good fight right here! It’ll be tag team action as the ref gets in the ring, and Bully allows it.

LifeBlood VS Bully Ray & Shane Taylor!

The teams sort out and Bully starts with Haskins. The bell rings and Bully dares Haskins to tie up with him. Haskins is a wrestler, isn’t he? Haskins approaches, but the Soldiers of Savagery attack again!!

No Contest

Moses Maddox attacks Haskins while Jasper Kaun attacks Williams! Fans boo but the beating continues while Bully and Shane just watch. Again, the SOS seem to be doing this on their own as they give Haskins a Samoan Drop and Williams a gutbuster drop! But Bully and Shane do help out, by getting a table! Bully puts the table in while SOS stomp Williams out. Taylor talks trash to Williams while SOS grind their feet in. Bully finishes setting up a table while Taylor throws Williams into barriers! “I thought he wanted to fight!” Kaun feeds Haskins into the ring, and Bully is right on him.

But PJ Black comes in to SMACK SOS with a chair! He hits Bully, but Moses stops him, and then Taylor gives PJ a headbutt! But Taylor says PJ isn’t going to get chair shots, he’s getting the TABLE! SOS bring PJ to Bully on the top rope, for a SUPER POWERBOMB through the table!! The Darewolf is down and out as fans boo and jeer! Are the Soldiers of Savagery now Bully’s lieutenants in this war for honor? Can LifeBlood recover and retaliate?

My Thoughts:

A fairly good episode right here, though not much was resolved, just extended. Cabana VS Storm was a really good match for only being roughly 15 minutes, but I was with the fans and Colt on giving it five more minutes. Instead, we immediately detour into this Briscoes story where they hate ROH and NWA management. I expect a tag match of Briscoes VS Cabana & Aldis, putting the NWA National and World Champions together on one team. It could even be for both titles just to add some drama to it! Then Silas Young obviously taunts Gresham with this Squid guy. I did like that his mask was basically a stuffed animal squid gutted to be a mask. Squid is also the first jobber I’ve ever seen lose to a rest hold submission. That’s actually rather creative in the grand scheme of things. Gresham totally has to win the rematch.

These Jeff Cobb videos are great. He is great, I loved reliving that shock win over Punishment Martinez, and his match with Taven at Best in the World is going to be huge. I don’t know the chances of Cobb doing another first shot victory like with the TV title, but it would be so great if he did. As I said before, even if The Kingdom interferes, it’d be amazing for Cobb to toss them aside to still give Taven a Tour of the Islands. The only low point of the night might’ve been the swerve on this whole LifeBlood tag match thing. We thought Haskins would be fighting Bully, or maybe Taylor, but then we get a tag match that doesn’t even happen because Soldiers of Savagery attack. Not only do they take down LifeBlood but they take out PJ Black.

Maybe while Finlay is still recovering, PJ joins in for that 8 Man Tag: Bully, Taylor & SOS VS LifeBlood & Darewolf. I wonder if it’ll be in time for Best in the World, given Juice was in NJPW during all this. I suppose he could do a video message to pose the match and then be live for BITW. And I would hope LifeBlood wins it, to shut Bully up for a bit.

My Score: 8/10