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WE HAVE OUR FIRST UNITED STATES MATCH OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE! BULLET CLUB VS. TEAM ROH AND MORE: COMPLETE RING OF HONOR IN PHILADELPHIA, PA COVERAGE

By Mike Johnson on 2015-01-24 23:00:00
Welcome to PWInsider.com’s live, ongoing coverage of Ring of Honor’s return to Philadelphia, PA at the 2300 Arena. The show is completely sold out with a little over 1,000 fans, including standing room. The show will be featured on future ROH TV episodes as well, so SPOILER warnings if you don’t want to know what’s going to go down.

Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff entered the ring and said that Philly is the home of Ring of Honor and it’s fantastic to be home. The crowd chanted, “ROH.” Koff said that he wanted to say thank you to the fans. He actually mentioned PWInsider and asked that we have a “Best Fan” category and if so, the ROH fans would win. He thanked everyone for being great fans and wished them a great show.

They then had a dark match, which Bob Evans and Cheeseburger won. I didn’t catch the name of their opponents. After the match, Evans said he wanted to see the semi-finals and the finals of the Top Prospect tournament because he’s been at every one of the seminars and his legacy is training and mentoring over half the locker room. He put over each of the competitors.

They then had the official opening for the show and introduced commentators Steve Corino and Kevin Kelly.

The company now has two Titantron like screens.

HOUR ONE:

Caprice Coleman was introduced and joined them on commentary.

Top Prospect Tournament Semi-Final:Donovan Dijac vs. Ashley Sixx

Dijac showed off some big power spots early and sent Sixx to the floor. Sixx made a comeback but was wiped out with a big boot. The crowd was into Dijac’s offense. Sixx gained control and hit a backwards dive, butt first, to the floor. Sixx went for a Uranage but it was blocked. Dijac nailed a Torture Race into a knee and scored the pin.

Your winner, advancing to the finals, Donovan Dijac!

Good opener. They each had moments where they impressed. You can see Dijac’s potential the second he walked out.

Top Prospect Tournament Semi-Finals: The Beer City Bruiser vs. Will Ferrara

Ferrara avoided the larger Bruiser and worked him over with big rights. He went for a slam but couldn’t get him up. That left him open to getting nailed across the back. Bruiser worked him over for some time. Bruiser hit a splash in the corner, then nailed several suplex variations. Ferrara made a comeback and attempted the slam again but fell down and was almost pinned. Bruiser nailed a running back splash in the corner for a two count. Ferrara began firing back with right hands and finally nailed a nice running elbow. He went for a bulldog but was tossed over the top rudely by Bruiser.

Bruiser went to the apron and hit the old Cactus Jack forward flip off onto Ferrara. Ferrara was tossed in but came back and nailed a leaping DDT out of the ring to the floor. He brought Bruiser in for a two count. Bruiser nailed a clothesline for a two count.

Ferrara tried to pick up Bruiser again but dropped him then drilled him with a kick to the head and scored the pin.

Your winner, Will Ferrara!

Really good match that the crowd was super into. The finish was a little awkward but everything was real good until then.

Ring of Honor and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team champions ReDragon came out for a live edition of The Fish Tan. Kyle O’Reilly did a long introduction for Fish, calling him his “life partner” by accident before correcting himself. Fish said tonight was a celebration of the reign of terror they have been on across the world of professional wrestling that has brought them so many titles. They began talking about the next PPV on 3/1 in Las Vegas. Kyle said they have guests and it’s their opponents at the PPVs, The Young Bucks. The crowd went nuts and chanted for the Bucks.

Fish got all upset about the reaction for the Bucks and called them a bunch of no ones. He calmed himself and said they have a few questions for The Bucks. They asked The Bucks how it feels to be in the ring with a team so superior. Kyle then answered for them, saying it really sucked. The second question was whether the biggest influence was The Midnight Express, The Rock N’ Roll Express or the Lex Express. Kyle responded that his favorite was the Lex Express.

Kyle then asked them how it felt to fly their family across the world to Tokyo for WrestleKingdom 9 so their pathetic family could watch them lose. Fish laughed and turned his back as Kyle asked, missing The Bucks respond with a double superkick on Kyle. Everyone ran out to try and stop a scuffle. The Bucks superkicked anyone in their way. ReDragon went to the floor. That set up one of The Bucks hitting a dive to the floor. ReDragon scrambled up the apron and The Bucks held the belts up to mock them. Someone from the ring crew tried to get the belts and was superkicked.

Really good segment. Fish and O’Reilly were just tremendous here as the scumbag tag team. The Bucks finally blowing their tops and wiping them out was well done. Great way to build issues as they head to the PPV.

QT Marshall came out and said he was back in Philadelphia. He said a lot of stars were made in Philadelphia in ROH, naming Tyler Black, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. He then said there’s never been a star brighter than QT Marshall. He said that Roderick Strong is Mr. ROH but he came out of his mother’s womb as “God’s Gift to Professional Wrestling.” Strong’s music hit and he came out.

Roderick Strong vs. QT Marshall

They locked up but neither man got the advantage. Strong backed him into the corner and broke clean. Mashall slapped him. Strong drilled him with a knee to the face and a leg lariat and scored the pin.

Your winner, Roderick Strong!

BJ Whitmer and Adam Page came out in the aisle. Whitmer asked if he was trying to play mind games. Whitmer said it was cute that Roderick thinks he’s on his level. Strong said he doesn’t know about cute but what he’s doing right now is really f***ing annoying. Strong said that he knows Whitmer is an old man who has been dropped on his head a few times. Whitmer said that before he brought Roderick to the Decade, he was heading to irrelevance. Strong said he was tired of talk and told him to get in the ring and f***ing fight. Whitmer said Philly was a fighting town and teased getting in the ring, but stopped and said he would do it when he wants to do it. Strong said that when he finally gets in the ring, Strong will end that “string you hold onot that you call a career for good.” Solid promo work from each.

Briscoes & ODB vs. Michael Bennett & Matt Taven & Maria Kanellis

They started out with Mark and The Briscoes controlling Taven. Maria nailed Mark as he was rebounding off the ropes, so ODB chased her around the ring Bennett got in her face. Mark dropkicked him through the ropes to the outside. He then nailed the Cactus Elbow off the apron. Jay got involved and Matt Taven hit a dive over the top to everyone.

The Briscoes continued to control as Adam Cole came to ringside. ODB was nailed by Taven. Maria tagged in but could do no damage. She ran to tag out. ODB nailed Bennett and Taven. Mark tagged in and wiped out Taven with a kick but Bennett broke up the pin. He locked in a chinlock. Mark tried to fight his way out but was nailed. Bennett charged but was nailed with Marl’s Redneck Kung-Fu.

Jay tagged in. He and Taven brawled back and forth with big boots and stiff shots. Jay got the better of the exchange for a two count. The Briscoes ran the Kingdom into the buckles, only ODB was sitting there with her legs open. Funny spot. Jay nailed the Cactus clothesline over the top to the floor om Bennett.

Mark and Taven battled in the ring. Mark was tossed over the top but landed on the apron. Taven nailed a springboard kick, sending him to the floor. Jay went for the Jay-Driller but The Kingdom double teamed him. Taven nailed a senton off the ropes for a two count. ODB got on Bennett’s back but was flipped off.

The Briscoes made a comeback and they held the Kingdom on their shoulders. ODB came off with a double flying Doomsday Device clothesline. Maria broke up the pin, so they decided to do it to her. Cole shoot the ropes to prevent ODB from leaping. The Kingdom then nailed low blows to stop it. They nailed double suiperkick on ODB and let Maria scored the pin.

Really, really good tag match. The finish made sense to build the feud.

For more on Ring of Honor, visit www.ROHWrestling.com.

Coverage continues on Page 2 shortly!


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