It’s ROH TV Time with The Learning Tree!

For the first time ever, the ROH World Champion, Chris Jericho, is here for some TV Time! And he promises to reveal his Final Battle opponent!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Katsuyori Shibata VS Alex Reynolds w/ The Dark Order; Shibata wins.
• JD Drake & BEEF VS Waves & Curls; JD & Beef win.
• Rachael Ellering VS Trish Adora; Adora wins.
• The Gates of Agony VS Griff Garrison & Preston Vance; The Gates of Agony win.
• Billie Starkz VS Lady Frost; Billie wins.
• ROH Rewind – Final Battle 2008, ROH World Championship: Nigel McGuinness VS Naomichi Marufuji; Nigel wins and retains the title.
• Six Man Tag: Shane Taylor Promotions VS Top Flight w/ Leila Grey; Top Flight wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Grizzled Young Veterans speak.

Zack Gibson says, “We are Grizzled Young Veterans, and we’ve been very vocal recently about the disrespect that is rampant in this job. Here’s another forgotten rule: When food is being served backstage, the veterans and the talent eat before the extras! YOU! YOU, YA FAT PIG! Are ya enjoying those snacks, eh!?” Gibson & Drake storm up on some randos, and Gibson asks if cakes and muffins and biscuits are gonna make them champions around the globe. Is this how they think they’re gonna secure a job? Is this how they think they’re gonna make a mark in this industry? Go on then! Eat the cake! Eat up, mate! Is this what he came to do?!

Drake takes the cake, and he force feeds it to the guy! Gibson says this is them taking food off of GYV’s table! From their plates! They wanna leave GYV hungry when he has to go out there work and perform!? Do not DARE disrespect them like this or it will be HIS head on the chopping block! Think before you act! GYV leave, but do they need to learn about showing respect before getting it?

Katsuyori Shibata VS Alex Reynolds w/ The Dark Order!

The Wrestler wants to get back in the running for ROH titles, but for Number 3, he is avenging Evil Uno! Will Reynolds prove Dark Order is good enough for opportunities? Or will Shibata start on the road to the top of ROH?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and the two circle. They feel things out, clinch, and Shibata waistlocks. Shibata floats around but Reynolds keeps moving. Shibata keeps after Reynolds, waistlocks, but Reynolds spins to facelock. Shibata pushes Reynolds down, has the legs, then pushes through to rear mount. Reynolds rolls, Shibata gets him in a headscissors! Reynolds fights around, he’s almost in a Triangle Hold! Reynolds still finds his way to the ROPEBREAK! The fans rally as Shibata lets off cleanly. Reynolds and Shibata reset, feel things out, and knuckle lock. Shibata crosses the arms to then roll and wrangle Reynolds!

Reynolds fights around, fights to his feet, but Shibata uses a double wristlock takeover! ARMBAR! Reynolds clasps hands, shifts around, but Shibata stops the stack! Reynolds scrambles, ROPEBREAK! Shibata lets go and waits on Reynolds. Uno coaches Reynolds to just start beating the crap outta Shibata! Reynolds storms up but Shibata knees low! Shibata whips Reynolds into a corner, then fires forearms! The ref counts, Shibata lets off at 4, to then sit Reynolds down. Shibata goes corner to corner, but Uno anchors him! The fans boo but Uno scurries away. Reynolds BOOTS Shibata down! Reynolds cravats to fire knee after knee!

Reynolds hits a CRAVAT PLEX! Cover, TWO! Reynolds brings Shibata up and he turns Shibata, but Shibata fights to a fireman’s carry! Reynolds fights that off with elbows, then he reels Shibata in, DDT! Shibata flops over, Reynolds covers, TWO! Shibata is still in this but Reynolds is right on him with a neck wrench! Shibata endures and the fans rally up. Reynolds stands over Shibata as he leans on the hold, but Shibata still fights. Reynolds pushes Shibata down to drop a KNEE! Cover, ONE!! Shibata is much tougher than that, but Reynolds eggs him on. Shibata stands, he fights off the cobra clutch! So Reynolds KNEES low!

Reynolds CHOPS, but Shibata just scowls. The fans fire up for Shibata, but Reynolds CHOPS! And CHOPS! Shibata eggs Reynolds on, so the elbow pad comes off! Reynolds CHOPS, Shibata CHOPS, and then Shibata CHOPS again! And again! And again! Shibata MACHINE GUN CHOPS in the corner! The fans fire up and Shibata DOUBLE CHOPS for good measure! Then an UPPERCUT! Reynolds sits down, Shibata runs corner to corner! HYDRAULIC DROPKICK! And then HALF HATCH into the cover! TWO! Reynolds toughs it out and Uno applauds, but Shibata stomps the taped up lower back!

Shibata drags Reynolds up for a SLEEPER, but Reynolds slips out the back! COBRA CLUTCH! Shibata flails and fights while fans rally up! Shibata throws elbows into those bad ribs! Then Shibata fireman’s carries, DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Shibata hauls Reynolds up and reels him in, IRON OCTOPUS!! Reynolds endures, but he TAPS! Shibata wins!

Winner: Katsuyori Shibata, by submission

The Wrestler uses that Strong Style to win another one! Will Shibata be unstoppable, even as the year comes to a close?

Chris Jericho narrates.

“New York City’s historic Hammerstein Ballroom. It’s not just a building, it’s a time capsule filled with incredible ROH moments. Moments that captivated us. Moments that inspired us. And moments that made us believe. But the greatest ROH moment in the Hammerstein Ballroom is yet to come. Thanks, guys~!” Clearly we know who The Nueve is rooting for, and we’ll hear more from him when it’s TV Time with The Learning Tree.

Team Triple J speaks.

Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt & Satnam Singh are all here, and Sonjay says they all know about the holiday season. Jeff says it’s here! Sonjay says it’s all about friends and family. But hey, does Jeff have any ideas for a stocking stuffer? Lethal points to the Black Machismo action figure he has right in front of his face, but Jeff says he certainly has an idea. Have you seen the brand new Ringside Collectibles’ JEFF JARRETT figure? Lethal says what?! Karen says no, not everything has to revolve around Jeff. Lethal agrees, and points out the new Ringside Collectibles’ Black Machismo figure!

Just look at the detail. Get in close, check the resemblance. Freeze frame it! Sonjay even adds the macho glasses! OOOOH YEEAH~! Cream o’ the crop, and it won’t stop! Get yours for the holidays, at RingsideCollectibles.com! OOOOH YEEAH~!

And cut! Finally, a good take! Karen’s already ordered one for all the kids. And now, they can go out to eat! Lethal asks Sonjay if he got all his shopping done. Yep, preordered himself one of those Machismos. But hey, Lethal’s gotta sign one. Oh, of course! A special custom message for Sonjay’s family, too. Wait, QT Marshall walks in and announces himself, “The Doom has arrived, my friends! It is 4 o’clock, I had travel change my flight, so let’s get this over with.” But then QT spots Lethal and says his people were supposed to contact Lethal. Wait, what is this? QT takes the action figure and Lethal says that’s the new Ringside Collectibles figure.

Yeah, nice. QT would’ve given this a DOOM just for being a Lethal figure, but hey, Black Machismo, that’s cool. But hey, QT isn’t sure if Lethal saw or not, but uh, QT kinda sold out The Prudential Center all himself. See what he did with Big Boom AJ? Spoilers: Jazwares called, Doom QT action figure is on the way. Oh, okay, cool… But QT says the real reason he wants to talk with Lethal is that after everything QT’s done in the wrestling world, he is on top of the wrestling world. And it is time Lethal jumps on the QT Train. So how about this: Mr. ROH, The Franchise, greatest first-generation wrestler in ROH history against the man who was God’s Gift to Wrestling, Mr. Doom himself!

Think about all the attention and buzz they’ll get! QT was everywhere! Jimmy Fallon, Sportscenter, everything! That could be Lethal now! Lethal says he did see that, and he would love a way back into ROH. What’s Sonjay think? Sonjay has an answer. Go ahead, let him know. Lethal says he and Sonjay were talking, Lethal’s ROH return has been a long time coming. But uh, Lethal had his eyes on “bigger fish.” No offense, QT, but no thanks. Lethal heads out and QT says, “What do you mean a bigger fish?” Will QT have to give Lethal better bait than Fallon and ESPN?

It’s TV Time with The Learning Tree!

The fans are torn as the ROH World Champion, Chris Jericho, is here in person, and he has Bryan Keith with him. Jericho has a “I <3 NY” shirt to pile on that he’s the King of New York or something. Jericho waves and says, “Hi, guys~! I told you, welcome to a very special edition of TV Time. The first-time-ever on ROH, and the first time ever here in Minneap-” Jericho stops himself and fans boo. Jericho corrects himself, Indianapolis. But as we can see, Big Bill is conspicuous by his absence, for he is on a pilgrimage in the mountains of Nepal, all to study the teachings of The Learning Tree.

But do not fear, Bryan Keith is here! The fans are torn about The Bad Apple, but he shouts, “You damn right I’m here! RESPECT Chris Jericho!” Jericho reminds us that the breaking news is he has information on who he faces at Final Battle, December 20th, in the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City! And as the King of New York, as The Nueve, as the greatest ROH World Champion, Jericho loves giving the people something special. For example, here in Indy, you get to see Jericho and that’s pretty special. But as a great ROH champion like himself or Jay Briscoe, the champ always wants to keep himself on his toes.

And so, at Final Battle, Jericho has something special. Jericho will face someone from New York! Someone who has the warrior mentality and the attitude of a fighter that people from the Windy City have! Another wrong nickname… Jericho says he doesn’t know who it’ll be. Who will step up to face the King of New York? Rudy Giuliani? Tony Soprano? Johnny Rodz? Frank Sinatra? Keith says Jericho would kick Sinatra’s skinny ass! Well, Sinatra’s deceased, so… But Jericho still says he’s gonna to this “my way.” BUT WAIT! Who is this coming out here? It’s MATT CARDONA!! The Complete, the King of Deathmatches, is headed to the ring!

Cardona smirks while fans are losing their minds! Cardona steps into the ring and Jericho is stunned! Jericho shoves a cardboard tree over, but that just makes Cardona grin. The fans chant, “FIX THE TREE! FIX THE TREE!” Jericho stares down with Cardona and the fans chant, “Always Ready!” Cardona nods, but Jericho tells Cardona, “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Zack-” Cardona snatches the mic! Cardona corrects Jericho: Zack is dead! And you know my name. But if you wanna pretend you don’t, that’s fine, but Jericho better learn it fast.

Because the name of the man who faces Jericho at Final Battle in the Hammerstein Ballroom, the man who beats Jericho to become ROH World Champion, is ROH World Champion! The fans cheer for that! And by the way, Jericho, nice hat. Cardona FLIPS the Nueve hat away and Keith is furious on Jericho’s behalf! But who will be the true King of New York when these two have their Final Battle?

The Dark Order speaks.

Alex Reynolds says, “Tonight, Shibata proved that he’s as much of a legend and badass as everyone says he is.” Evil Uno says maybe Reynolds would’ve won if they were just on the same page. Reynolds says either way, there’s no shame in losing to one of the best ever in The Wrestler, Katsuyori Shibata. But then John Silver steps in and the others asks where he went. Well see, Silver saw GYV being a couple of tools to some extras, so uh, he stole their gear! Reynolds laughs and uses a bad British accent, “You naug’y, naug’y boy~!” Uno shakes his head, not as into the sophomoric prank. Can Uno get Reynolds & Silver to grow up and take this seriously?

Backstage interview with Rachael Ellering.

Lexy Nair is with the Queen of Strong Smile, and brings up her hard fought yet tough loss to Trish Adora. What is next for Rachael? Well apparently it’s Harley Cameron interrupting again. Harley tells “Rah” that she knows what Rachael is thinking. Harley’s just coming in here to tell “Rah” that she lost, what a loser she is today and every day, BUT! Harley isn’t here for that at all. Rachael did a great job tonight. Harley was rooting for Rachael. To prove it, Harley got her something. Reveal, a golden thumbs up! Oh, sorry, that’s for Orange Cassidy. THIS is what is for Rachael! A banana trophy? No, sorry, that’s for… her unmentionables.

Here it is now! A golden dog trophy for the “Top Dog!” Because Harley remembered, Rachael’s got that “dog in her!” Harley just wanted Rachael to understand this is a genuine token of appreciation and friendship. Wow, that’s really thoughtful. Harley has a hard time letting go of it, though. She claims it is some glue on her hand. Harley will go home, dissolve the glue, then return to give this to Rachael properly. Okay, well, Rachael says Harley is really growing on her. Like a little wart. Harley says she and Rachael do a hug! Bring it in! Lexy, too! They all hug and Harley says it feels so good! Oh hey look, doggo’s getting in on it.

The hug ends and Harley says this has been great. Harley heads out, Rachael and Lexy say wow. That is a lot. But y’know what? Harley might not be a bad kid after all. Will the Outcast soon have someone she can truly rely on?

Billie Starkz VS Lady Frost!

The International Women’s Cup is on the horizon, as is the ROH qualifier for that match. Minion 400,237 & 3/4ths wants to prove anything Athena can do, she can do better, so will that included beating Lady Frost? Or will the Coolest Wrestler You Know actually get hot this close to Final Battle?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and the two stare down. Billie calls for a knuckle lock but then uses that to poke fun at Frost being shorter than her. Frost slips around to waistlock, but Billie switches. Frost pries free to wrench and wristlock, then knuckle lock! Billie fights up, and she steps forward, only for Frost to trip her up! But Billie lifts Frost, pops her around, and body scissors! Billie slaps Frost around, rolls her to a GEDO CLUTCH, TWO! Frost and Billie roll and roll, and Billie has a REAR NAKED CHOKE! Frost fights free, rolls Billie to a cover, TWO! The two reset and the fans rally up.

Billie and Frost tie up, Frost waistlocks again, but Billie bucks the O’Conner! Frost runs up, Billie sidesteps then drops down, but Frost ducks the kick! Frost leaps over the monkey flip, then rolls under to handspring back! RANA! The fans fire up and Frost runs in at the corner. Billie puts her on the apron, but Frost is right up! HANDSPRING RANA into buckles! Not the cleanest but Frost waits on Billie. Billie rises, eggs Frost on, so Frost runs up. Frost LARIATS, then CHOPS! The fans “WOO~” and Billie sputters. Frost storms back up, but Billie drop toeholds Frost into ropes! Then HEEL KICK! The fans fire up as Billie now stands tall.

Billie seethes, snarls, and she bumps Frost off buckles. Billie BACK ELBOWS, KNEE LIFTS and LARIATS! Billie snapmares Frost, pushes her down, TWO! Frost stays in this but Billie’s mind is working on what else to do. Frost rises and the fans rally again. Billie brings Frost up to fire forearms! Billie whips, but Frost tilt-o-whirls to sunset flip, TWO! Billie is up but Frost BUZZSAWS then HEEL KCIKS! But Billie is right up to ROUNDHOUSE! Both women are down and the fans rally up! Both women rise slowly, and then Frost spins, but Billie ducks that kick! Roll up, high stack, BILLIE WINS!

Winner: Billie Starkz, by pinfall

Billie bails out fast, she toughs it out to take this win! Will she do it all again when a spot on the inaugural WrestleDynasty’s card is on the line?

BREAKING NEWS for Final Battle!

After weeks of the back and forth, the blindsides and the mind games, it is official! Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara will defend the ROH World Tag Team Championships against The Righteous… IN A TEXAS BULL ROPE MATCH! Will the Sons of Texas tear down good ol’ Dutch & Vincent? Or will the gold finally dig what Dutch & Vincent are saying?

Matt Taven speaks.

“Lee Moriarty. We’re playing a little bit of cat ‘n’ mouse here, aren’t we? I’m chasing you, you’re coming out after my matches, trying to play mind games with me. But I think you have the wrong person. I spent a year in this very place, taking orders from The Devil, making everyone’s life a living Hell. I could be Master of Mind Games Matt Taven now that I think about it. There is one thing that I’ve never learned in my career, and that’s patience. That’s a virtue that’s alluded me all this time. So I went to the powers that be, it looks like I have a tiny bit of stroke around this place because it’s finally gonna happen.

“Next week, right here on the Honor Club, Lee Moriarty, Matt Taven, for the Pure title, the one title I’ve never won. Next week, I’m gonna go from Master of Mind Games Matt Taven to History-Making Matt Taven! Be the ONLY man in history to win every single ROH title! Why? Because he is I and I am him, and IIII’M… Matt Taven.” Is Taven just seven days away from becoming the ROH Five Star Champion?

Six Man Tag: Shane Taylor Promotions VS Top Flight w/ Leila Grey!

Ever since seeing things Shane’s way, The Infantry has been marching up the ranks. They now battle together against Action Andretti & The Martin Brothers to settle some scores, who will rise up in the ROH Six Man Division?

The trios sort out and Action starts against Shawn Dean. The bell rings, no Code of Honor from these tense rivals, and the two tie up. Dean puts Action in a corner, but the ref counts. Dean lets off slowly, but Action pushes him back. Dean pie faces, Action pie faces, then Action blocks a pie face to CHOP! Action goes up and up and jumps around to then FLYING ARM-DRAG! Not the cleanest, but Action DROPKICKS Dean for emphasis! Tag to Darius and they double snapmare to then KICK and basement DROPKICK! Darius covers, ONE! Darius drags Dean up, wrenches, but Dean kicks low. Dean wrenches, tag to Carlie Bravo.

Dean brings Darius around but Darius kicks Carlie and goes up and over! Darius DROPKICKS Dean, then dodges Carlie to DROPKICK! Darius tags Dante then whips Carlie. Carlie reverses but Darius CLOBBERS him! Carlie gets up, Dante springboard LARIATS! Dean and Shane get back, but Dante flips up and over Carlie! JUMP KNEE, then Dante brings Carlie to the corner. Action tags in, he and Dante double whip to DOUBLE HIP TOSS into a DOUBLE BACKBREAKER! Cover, ONE!! Carlie survives but Action brings him up. Carlie breaks free to ROCK Action! Carlie whips Action to the STP corner, but Action ELBOWS back!

Action ROCKS Dean, then ducks Shane to HOTSHOT! Action BOOTS Carlie but Carlie staggers into the ref. Dean uses that distraction to trip Action! Dean spins Action around to SMACK him off the apron! Carlie goes up and out to GUILLOTINE ELBOW! Shane tags in and adds a GUILLOTINE LEG DROP! Action sputters as Shane pushes him in to cover, TWO! Shane stands Action up in the corner to CHOP! The Infantry taunt Action, and Shane brings Action up. Action SLAPS Shane, CHOPS him, but Shane eggs him on. Acdtion kicks, Shane blocks and he KNEES Action down! Tag to Carlie and Carlie digs his boots in.

Carlie stands Action up, tags Dean, but the fans rally as Dean sends Carlie in, forearm SMASH! Carlie and Dean dosido and Carlie forearm SMASHES again! Dean SPLASHES, then covers, ONE!! Action is tough but Dean stays between him and Top Flight. Dean stomps away, then drags Action up. Tag to Carlie, and Carlie runs up, but Action BOOTS him! Action ROCKS Dean and ROCKS Shane, but Dean grabs a leg! Carlie CLUBS Action down, then whips him, only for Action to handspring BACK ELBOW! Both men are down and the fans rally up! Action crawls while Carlie staggers, hot tags to Darius and Dean!

Carlie runs up but Darius RAMS into him! Darius slingshots up and over, SLAPS Dean, then ENZIGIRIS Carlie! ENZIGIRI for Dean, LARIAT for Carlie! Darius BOOTS Dean, builds speed and he CLOBBERS the captain! But in comes Shane! Darius dodges to ENZIGIRI! But Shane stays up to SHOVE Darius out of the ring! Dante SUPERKICKS! Action BOOTS! Darius is back with the STEP-IN FLATLINER! Action & Dante DIVE but into UPPERCUTS! The Infantry dump those two out to get Darius! Dean clinches, Carlie lifts the legs, BOOSTED URENAGE!! Cover, TWO?!? Darius survives and Adora is frustrated for STP!

Adora says stay on Darius, and Dean clinches again. Carlie runs, but into DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Dante & Action then DOUBLE SUPERKICK Dean! Darius scoops, POWERSLAM! Action DIVES to take out Shane! Dante tags in and goes up, MAMBA SPLASH!! Cover, TOP FLIGHT WINS!

Winners: Top Flight, by pinfall

This was certainly a battle of top units, but it was the air force that took down The Infantry! Will Action, Darius & Dante be the ones going for the ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships?

My Thoughts:

A good episode here at just over an hour and 20 that I just did not have enough time in my schedule for, though I wish I did with that great match of Nigel VS Marufuji. Maybe I’ll go back to really give that one a proper watch one day. But for now, the stuff that happened in the present was good, but still a bit on the filler side with how busy everything is for AEW, meaning that is where Tony Khan’s attention is focused. I still really like the official announcement of Dustin & Sammy VS The Righteous, and just as I was hoping, we’re getting a Bull Rope match to settle things. With that, I feel like it’s almost a given that The Righteous win, but with Dustin getting a moral victory of taking the cowbell and bull rope away from Dutch.

Clearly we’re building a Grizzled Young Veterans VS Dark Order feud, but that is going to be GYV’s to win because they are NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions, and for whatever reason we’re getting another instance of The Dark Order needing to remember their tougher, meaner side to help them get ahead. Solid stuff out of JD & Beef VS Waves & Curls as well as Rachael VS Adora. Very good promo from Rachael and Harley to set up what will probably be a swerve. It’ll look like Rachael and Harley become buddies, but then Harley will beat up Rachael and we get a match out of them to perhaps propel the winner towards a title.

Billie VS Frost was good but something about it felt like it had to be wrapped up quickly. Maybe Billie was a bit woozy from hitting buckles out of the tilt-o-whirl, and they just wanted to give her the win ASAP. They really need to keep Billie in good health. Between next week’s Fatal 4 to send someone (probably Athena) to WrestleDynasty, I still think they need to make Athena VS Billie for the ROH Women’s World Championship for Final Battle so that it brings things full circle in the one year we’ve seen this story play out. And Billie can’t do that if she’s concussed or has some other injury bothering her.

And even with Athena VS Billie being a likely move, it sadly does not seem like it’ll main event Final Battle now that we have Jericho VS Cardona on the card. Very good TV Time segment with them to set that up, I didn’t even think of Cardona after I considered Eddie Kingston’s return as a possibility. This is great stuff for Cardona, but I feel like he’s not winning because of how Jericho is trying to build ROH’s brand (more kayfabe than reality), and that story has to play out before Jericho ever comes close to losing the belt.

My Score: 8.6/10