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On this day in history in ....
1973 - Johnny Powers & Pat Patterson come to Japan for a tour and are billed as National Wrestling Federation North American Tag Team Champions, making them the first team to hold the belts without actually winning them in a tournament or match.
1981 - Junkyard Dog defeats The Great Kabuki in New Orleans, Louisiana for the Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Title, beginning his third reign with the belt.
1987 - NBC taped WWF's 14th Saturday Night's Main Event program at the Landover Arena in Landover, Maryland. The show would air on January 2, 1988. The show saw the following results:
- WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeat King Kong Bundy with a legdrop. After the match, Andre The Giant attacked Hogan.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Strike Force (Rick Martel & Tito Santana) defeat The Bolsheviks (Boris Zuhkov & Nikolai Volkoff) in two straight falls of a three falls match. Martel made Zuhkov submit to a Boston crab to win the first fall, and Santana pinned Zuhkov after he collided with Volkoff to win the second.
- Jake Roberts defeat Sika with a rollup. After the match, Roberts DDT'd manager Mr. Fuji.
- Greg Valentine defeated Koko B. Ware with a figure four leglock.
1987 - Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura defeat Antonio Inoki & Dick Murdoch to win the New Japan Pro Wrestling's Japan Cup Tag League in Tokyo.
1988 - The NWA held their fourth Clash Of The Champions event, subtitled "Seasons Beatings" at the UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Here are the results of the show, which was aired lived on TBS:
- The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) defeated Eddie Gilbert & Ron Simmons in a tournament final to win the United States Tag Team Title. The belts had been vacated the previous September when then-champions The Midnight Express won the NWA World Tag Team Title.
- Steve Williams defeated The Italian Stallion.
- Ivan Koloff defeated Paul Jones. Koloff had to wrestle with one hand tied behind his back.
- Road Warrior Animal defeated Dusty Rhodes by disqualification. As a result, The Road Warriors gained possession of the World Six Man Tag Team Title that they had shared with Rhodes. They selected Genichiro Tenryu as their new partner.
- Ric Flair & Barry Windham defeated The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) when Windham pinned Eaton.
1989 - Riki Choshu defeats Shinya Hashimoto to win New Japan Pro Wrestling's World Cup Tournament in Tokyo, Japan at Sumo Hall. Choshu defeats Masahiro Chono in the semifinals, while Hashimoto defeated Steve Williams.
1990 - Terry Gordy & Steve Williams win the All Japan World Tag Team Title by winning the annual Real World Tag League tournament in Tokyo, Japan. The belts had been vacated in July when The Great Kabuki (who held the belts with Jumbo Tsuruta) jumped with Genichiro Tenryu to SWS (Super World Sports). William & Gordy defeat Stan Hansen & Danny Spivey on the final night of the tournament, winning the tournament by one point.
1992 - Leslie Belanger defeats Miss Texas in Memphis, Tennessee to win the USWA Women's Heavyweight Title, ending Miss Texas' fourth reign as champion.
1996 - Raven defeats The Sandman in a Barbed Wire match in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the ECW Arena to win the ECW World Heavyweight Title for a second time. This was the fourth no-ropes barbed wire match in ECW history (there were only five total in ECW). This would end Sandman's fourth ECW Title reign, and it would be over four years before he would win it back.
1997 - WWF held their D-Generation X Pay-per-view in Springfield, Massachusetts at the Civic Center. This event saw the return of Owen Hart to WWF television for the first time since the Survivor Series "Montreal Screwjob" the previous month. Here are the results:
- TAKA Michinoku defeated Brian Christopher with the Michinoku Driver in the finals of a month long tournament to win the WWF World Light Heavyweight Title. TAKA defeated Devon Storm and Mr. Aguila to reach the finals, while Christopher defeated Flash Flanagan and Scott Taylor (Scott 2 Hotty).
- Los Boricuas (Miguel Perez, Jesus Castillo & Jose Estrada) defeated DOA (Chainz, Skull and Eight Ball) when Estrada pinned Chainz.
- Butterbean defeated Marc Mero via DQ in the fourth round of a Toughman boxing match when Mero hit Butterbean with a lowblow.
- WWF World Tag Team Champions Billy Gunn & Road Dogg defeated The Legion of Doom via DQ when Hawk took a slop bucket from Henry Godwinn (who had come down to interfere) and used it as a weapon.
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Sgt. Slaughter in a Bootcamp match with a Pedigree after Chyna gave Slaughter a low blow.
- Jeff Jarrett defeated The Undertaker via DQ when Kane interfered and chokeslammed Jarrett when Jarrett got in his way as he went after Undertaker.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Steve Austin defeated Rocky Maivia with a stunner.
- Ken Shamrock defeated WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels via DQ when Triple H and Chyna attacked Shamrock as he had Michaels in an anklelock. After the match, Owen Hart came out from the crowd and attacked Michaels, the first time Owen had been seen since Montreal. Sadly, WWF dropped the ball and decided not to to follow-up with a Owen vs. Shawn feud.
2002 - Ring Of Honor held their "Night Of The Butcher" event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here are the results:
- Paul E. Normous defeated Mace.
- American Dragon defeated Marcos.
- Paul London defeated Angel Dust.
- Da Hit Squad defeated The Outkast Killaz.
- AJ Styles defeated Jimmy Rave.
- Michael Shane defeated Jeremy Lopez.
- Colt Cabana defeated CM Punk.
- Paul London defeated EZ Money.
- American Dragon defeated Chad Collyer.
- Jose & Joel Maximo defeated Special K, Da Hit Squad, and Jay Briscoe & Amazing Red in a Tag Team Scramble match.
- Divine Storm defeated Jeff Starr & Shockwave.
- Paul London defeated American Dragon.
- Ring Of Honor Champion Xavier defeated AJ Styles.
- Homicide & Abdullah The Butcher defeated The Carnage Crew.
2009 - WWE broadcast Raw. Ed Shirreffs filed the following TV report:
The Pearl Harbor Day Monday Night Raw comes to us live from Dallas, Texas, where maverick Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will be hosting the show. Richard Trionfo is watching his beloved Washington Capitals in Tampa Bay, so I'll do my best to fill in. TLC is just 6 days away. That won't stop the Miz from defending his United States Title against Mark Henry tonight. Also, Chris Jericho has to take on DX by himself in a Handicapped Match.
Mark Cuban makes an entrance from the crowd. He's wearing a faded Mavericks sweatshirt. He's just like us! He plans on having a "showdown" between Sheamus and John Cena, who Cuban calls his "main man". They will get to tell each other exactly what they think. No holds barred talking! But first, a match.
John Cena vs. Carlito
Carlito gave Cena a healthy dose of truth on the mic last week. The Bella Twins are shown in the crowd with Cuban. Carlito gets Cena into the corner and kicks him repeatedly. Carlito with more kicks out of the corner, followed by a knee lift. He escapes an Attitude Adjustment attempt and hits a dropkick for two. Cena gets whipped into the corner, but comes out strong with shoulderblocks. Blue Thunder Driver, but before he can hit a Five Knuckle Shuffle, Sheamus' music plays and the Celtic Warrior gets on stage. Cuban goes out to confront him. He gets security to keep Sheamus from going any further. Sheamus retreats. Carlito takes advantage and attacks Cena, but Cena catches him on the Backstabber attempt with an Attitude Adjustment for the win.
Your winner, John Cena!
Next week's Raw is three hours since the Slammy Awards will be presented.
Randy Orton and Legacy come out to a recap of last week's beatdown on Kofi. Orton congratulates Cuban on his Championship Showdown, which he predicts will end in chaos. He gets down to brass tacks and tells Cuban he is going to lift his ban on championship matches against John Cena. Ted tells Cuban he doesn't have to be stupid. He shows a clip of the last time Orton and Cuban were in the ring together, over six years ago at Survivor Series. Orton laid Cuban out with an RKO. Cuban responds and manages to get some shots in at referees. Cuban makes a match between Orton and Kofi, with Cuban as the guest referee. Cody tells Cuban that Orton will hurt him. Much like the Mavericks, Cuban is all talk. Cody offers to face Cuban in the ring. If Cody wins, Randy's ban is lifted. Cuban wants to take this up in June after the Mavericks win the NBA title. Always the optimist! Cuban gives Legacy a match against Evan Bourne & Primo Colon.
Legacy (Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase) vs. Evan Bourne & Primo Colon
The match is in progress after the break. Ted with a two count on Primo. Cody and Ted work Primo over in the corner. Cody in with a stomp for two after double teams on Colon. Ted in with a dropkick to Primo. DiBiase punches Primo. Primo with a back drop, but Cody tags in and prevents the tag. Legacy double team Primo and Cody covers for two.
Cody and Primo collide, knocking both men down. Cody and Primo make the tags. Bourne in with a rana on Ted. He kicks Cody. Quick clothesline to Ted. He goes to the top, but DiBiase meets him. Bourne knocks him down and drives Ted to the mat with double knees for two. Cody interferes, but is taken out by Primo. Bourne misses a kick and DiBiase hits Dream Street for the win.
Your winners, Legacy!
After the match, Cuban ejects Rhodes and DiBiase from the American Airlines Arena. Video package on Sheamus follows.
TLC promo featuring various chairs, ladders and tables. It'll be weird to see a TLC PPV without blood. Kelly Kelly is the guest ring announcer for the Diva match.
Maryse vs. Gail Kim
Kim takes Maryse down and tosses her. Kim blocks a kick and clotheslines Maryse. Charge in the corner by Kim and she rolls up Maryse for two. Stinger Splash by Kim and she chokes Maryse in the corner. Maryse with five fingers to the face. Maryse bails and Kim gives chase. Kim goes to jump to the top, but Maryse kicks her to the mat and pins her with the assistance of the ropes.
Your winner, Maryse!
Maryse tells Kelly to call her the next Divas Champion and those two start to scuffle. Melina comes out to assist Kelly Kelly and tells Maryse to run.
Back from the break, DX has another Christmas commercial. If you like their usual shenanigans, you'll like this. I do question the makeup of anyone that would wear a DX skullcap, Santa Hat, scarf or slippers. Shawn has the new Smackdown vs. Raw video game for Hunter. DX are beating up Jericho and Big Show on the screen. Hunter already got a copy for free. Trips gives Shawn a Hornswoggle. Hornswoggle is wearing his own personal DX t-shirt. No subtitles this week. I wonder how Buck feels about Shawn comparing Horny to Chewbacca. They pull out a script and start criticizing it. A writer runs off screen. Inside references! Horny knocks the Christmas tree and DX to the floor.
Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston w/ Special Guest Referee Mark Cuban
Orton and Kofi lock up. It goes to the corner and Kofi ducks a punch. Kingston knocks Orton out of the ring with a clothesline, then hits a suicide dive. Kofi throws Orton back in the ring, but misses a splash in the corner and Orton clotheslines him. Orton clubs Kofi across the chest, then stomps him in the lower abdomen repeatedly.
Kofi tries to kick back, but Orton with a scoop slam and knee drop. Chinlock by Orton. Kofi tries to get out, but he is thrown back down to the mat. Orton with another chinlock. Kofi gets out and punches Orton. Cuban steps in to stop the punches, but Kofi goes right back to it and nails Orton with a sick European Uppercut. Side Russian Leg Sweep and a Boom Boom to Orton. Kingston misses Trouble in Paradise and Orton hits a backbreaker. Orton slithers on the mat like the Viper he is. Kofi blocks an RKO and gives Orton a back slide. Cuban with a fast count and Kofi wins.
Your winner, Kofi Kingston!
Cuban says he waited six years for payback and he got Orton. It's now 1-1 between Kofi and Randy. Cuban sets up the rubber match for Sunday at TLC.
United States Championship Match: The Miz (c) vs. Mark Henry
Henry uses his power early. Miz with a Sunset Flip attempt. He avoids Henry, who tries to sit on him. Kick by Miz for two. Miz ducks a punch from Henry. Henry knocks Miz down. Military press by Henry, but Miz goes for the eyes to get out and kicks Henry out of the ring. Miz gets on the apron and kicks Henry into the ring post. Henry grabs Miz by the throat and shoves him. Back in the ring, Miz goes to the top and leaps onto Henry. Henry catches him and goes for the World's Strongest Slam, but Miz turns it into a DDT for the win.
Your winner, The Miz!
Eve Torres & Hornswoggle vs. Jillian Hall & Chavo Guerrero
Hall has recovered from being killed by Henry last week and she keeps Eve on the mat. Eve back with clotheslines and dropkicks for two. Eve blocks a splash from Jillian and hits a somersault for the win.
Your winners, Eve & Hornswoggle.
After the match, Chavo goes after Horny. Didn't they patch things up? Eve stops him from doing major damage. She'll knock you out, Chavo. Just ask Matt Hardy! Chris Masters gets in the ring to confront Chavo. Chavo pokes Masters in his pecs, which start to move all on their own. Is this his version of Hulking up? Masterlock into a Full Nelson Slam on Chavo.Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole get in the ring to rundown the current PPV lineup.
Before his match, Chris Jericho gets on the mic. The crowd chants "You suck." Jericho: "No, I don't." He plans on repeating as Superstar of the Year, and also predicts wins in OMG Moment of the Year, Match of the Year and Tag Team of the Year. Jericho calls himself bigger than Raw or Smackdown. He's omnipotent and goes where he wants, when he wants. He'll stay on Raw as long as he wants to stay on Raw. He tells DX they will lose on Sunday. He says after they rid WWE of DX, the new catchphrase will be never underestimate Chris Jericho. Great promo.
Chris Jericho vs. DeGeneration X (Shawn Michaels & Triple H)
DX beat on Jericho in the corner. Shawn with a stiff chop and some kicks to Jericho. DX keep tagging each other in to stay fresh. Jericho makes the ropes and shoves the referee into HHH. Michaels comes back in, but Big Show beats down HBK. HHH with a chair shot to Big Show. Big Show shrugs it off and punches the chair into HHH's face. Michaels gets a ladder from under the rung, but Jericho with a baseball slide to knock the ladder into Shawn's chest. Big Show picks the ladder up and hits DX with it. Michaels and HHH are put into the ladder. Jericho hits the ladder with a chair as Big Show holds DX in it. Jericho holds the titles up and says they will never have them. Jericho poses atop the ladder. Great segment setting up their TLC match.
Championship Showdown: John Cena talks to Sheamus
Mark Cuban is your moderator. There is a press conference table in the ring. It looks like they are trying to make this like a big time boxing match. He'll ask each man three questions, nothing is off limits.
Q1: Why do you feel you'll win this Sunday?
Sheamus: He claims what took Cena years to win (the WWE title) will take Sheamus weeks. He's obsessed with the sound Cena made going through a table and he plans on hearing it again on Sunday.
Cena: No comment.
Q2: Is either man concerned about the dangers of being in a tables match?
Sheamus: Sheamus says Cena isn't concerned enough since he wants a rematch at TLC if he loses. Sheamus says if that happens, he'll put him through a table again. Cena has never faced anyone like Sheamus and he'll lose everything at TLC, his title, health and state of mind.
Cena: No comment.
Q3: What do you want to say directly to your opponent?
Cena: He has a question for Sheamus. Cena's been in WWE for seven years. He's faced them all in that time. Shawn Michaels to Keven Federline. They all came at Cena because he's always been the man to beat. A lot of guys saying the same things Sheamus said. He's been in arenas where they stand behind him and in arenas where they can't stand him. Cena believes in Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. He's earned the right to say the Champ Is Here! He calls himself 250 pounds of problem that is very angry. He tells Sheamus to back up what he says or he will be a footnote in WWE history. He is impressed by Sheamus, but not intimidated. He never gets around to the question.
Sheamus and Cena knock down the conference set up. Cuban is shoved by Sheamus and Sheamus with a bicycle kick to Cena. Sheamus sets a table up in the corner. Another kick to Cena's head. Cuban back up with a shove that knocks Sheamus down. Sheamus looks shocked he would do that. Sheamus does what David Stern has wanted to do for years and puts Cuban through a table. The Celtic Warrior calls himself the new WWE Champion. Some of the Dallas Mavericks leaver their seats and Sheamus walks off. Where were you when your boss went through the table, guys? Cena gets back up and stares at Sheamus to end the show.
2010 - WWE kicked off the fourth season of NXT. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
Today is a day that will live in infamy. On the sixty-ninth anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, we start the fourth season of NXT and after what turned out to be an okay third season of female rookies after a very slow start. This time we have six male rookies. The big question going into Season Four is if the announcing will as inconsequential as it was during season three with Michael Cole and his new mirror image Josh Mathews.
We are live on tape on the internet and your announcers are Todd ‘I Hope I Care’ Grisham and Josh ‘Minor Cole Miner’ Mathews. Your host is Matt ‘The Saving Grace of Season Three’ Striker.
Matt introduces the pros. R Truth comes out first and he asks ‘What’s Up’ and then he brings out his rookie. He says that this is the hottest guy since grits, Johnny Curtis. Ted DiBiase and Maryse are out next and Ted introduces the biggest, most intimidating powerhouse ever to be on NXT, Brodus Clay. Chris Masters comes out and he appears to have forgotten his shirt and introduction by Matt Striker. He says that his rookie is a bit brash and cocky. He might not be a masterpiece, but he comes close. He introduces Byron Saxton.
Dolph Ziggler comes out and he forgot a shirt but has a jacket. He says that he is awesome at what he does and if his rookie listens, he will be almost as good as him. He introduces his rookie Jacob Novak. Jacob also has the jacket and no shirt look going on. The next pro is Season One rookie Daniel Bryan. He brings out his rookie who is manly, so manly oh so manly that his name is Derrick Bateman. Ricardo Rodriguez introduces Alberto Del Rio who drives into the building. While Alberto poses, Ricardo introduces Conor O’Brian.
Matt welcomes the rookies and says that they are going to get the chance to do what many wish they can do, become WWE Superstars. He says that everyone is watching what they are doing. There will be voting from the pros and WWE Universe. The winner of NXT will earn a Championship match.
It is time for our rookies to introduce themselves to the world.
Johnny Curtis says that he wants to do something different. He wants to make a few shout outs. First he wants to give one to the WWE Universe. Then he wants to give one to his fourth grade gym teacher. He says that a vote for him is a vote for freedom.
Brodus Clay says that he is coming at this competition with lemon juice and razor blades. He says that if you aren’t cool with it, there are two options, nothing or like it.
Byron Saxton is next and he says he looks forward to building a bond of importance and strength. Together they will become WWE’s next breakout star.
Jacob Novak wants to ask the universe if they grew up playing board games. His board game of choice was Monopoly because you got to own your competition and that is what he is going to do on Season Four. He will own the board.
Derrick Bateman wants to mentions that he is honored and privileged to debut in his home state of Ohio. Today is a day that will live in infamy because it is NXT Season Four. He is the superstar who is Mantastic.
Conor O’Brian says hey to Ohio. He says that he has been made fun of his entire life because he looks like a rat. Rats are survivors because they strike at the right moment. He says that takes the cheese.
Alberto tells Conor that if he is going to be his rookie, he needs to do a better job because he is boring. He says that Conor is just like Daniel Bryan.
Bryan tells Conor not to listen to Del Rio. He says that O’Brian did okay even though he looks like a rat. Bryan says that Del Rio is jealous because he has never won a title.
Matt gets between Alberto and Daniel and we are going to have a tag match with Alberto and Conor O’Brian versus Derrick Bateman and Daniel Bryan.
Todd and Josh talk about the promos and it is time to take a look at the Byron Saxton video package.
Bryon is from Virginia and he says that he is better because he had a privileged background. He always listened to his parents and never missed a day of school. Since he was four years old, he knew this is what he wanted to do. He was a newscaster in the past and he calls himself a multimedia man. Byron says that NXT is an opportunity after his time on ECW came crashing down. He wants people to go home and look in the mirror and say that you can be just like Byron. He says that it is his time and he does not lose.
We go to commercial.
Match Number One: Johnny Curtis versus Jacob Novak
Curtis with a waist lock and hammer lock. Novak makes it to the ropes. The pros give some advice to their rookies. Novak with shoulders in the corner but Curtis with an Irish whip. Curtis with a forearm and Irish whip but Curtis is sent to the apron. Curtis with a shoulder and he flips over Novak and returns to the ring and gets a near fall with a backslide. Novak with a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Novak punches Curtis and the referee warns Novak. Novak with punches to Curtis. Curtis with a kick but Novak with another knee. Novak with a boot to Curtis for a near fall. Novak with a reverse chin lock.
We see some of the pros on the stage as the match continues.
Curtis with punches to Novak followed by a discus clothesline. Novak with a kick but Curtis with a power slam for a near fall. Curtis misses a knee into the corner but Novak misses a splash into the corner. Curtis with a spinning heel kick followed by a leg drop from the top turnbuckle for the three count.
Winner: Johnny Curtis
It is time for the Brodus Clay video package. He says that it was tough growing up and he was in foster homes. He was aggressive as a child and that kept him and his brother together. Before joining the WWE, he was involved in executive protection. He worked for Snoop Dogg. He goes into business for himself in WWE. He gets all of the benefits and rewards. He gets the paycheck, the glory, and the fame. The contract allows him to be his own guy and do things his own way.
We go to commercial.
The rookies are on the stage for the first rookie challenge. Matt tells the challenges will give the winner immunity points that will help at the time of eliminations.
It is time for capture the flag. They will need to bring the ladder into the ring, climb the ladder, climb the ladder, get the flag, and return to the start/stop line.
Johnny Curtis is first and his time is 28.6 seconds. Conor O’Brian is next and his time is 28.2 seconds and he takes the lead. The third rookie is Brodus Clay and his time is 33.5 seconds.
Byron Saxton is next and he has some trouble with the ladder and he falls of the ladder and he has to go down again. Byron takes his time getting to the start/finish line and his time is an emphatic 56.8 seconds. Jacob Novak is next and his time is 26.9 seconds even after jogging up the ramp to take the lead. The final rookie is Derrick Bateman and while Bateman climbs the ladder, Bryan is encouraging Derrick and his time is 27.3 seconds.
The winner of the first challenge is Jacob Novak while Josh suggests that the official timer might not have been on the up and up.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time for a Raw Rebound with the moment that made me a big fan of the Viper.
Ted and Maryse are in the back and Maryse say that Ted don’t listen to her. Ted asks for Brodus to give us a second so they can argue in private in front of the cameras. Ted wants Maryse to put this behind them. Ted tells Brodus that he is big and intimidating. They need to turn that presence into strength and power. Maryse say that he needs a makeover. Ted says that Brodus has all of the tools and if they listen to him this competition is his to lose. Brodus and Ted leave and Maryse stand there.
Chris Masters sees Bryon using some moisturizer to emphasize his muscles. Chris says that Byron is going to be money with him as his trainer. Chris says that he has some tips for Byron and Byron says that he is the master of the P90X workout. Masters and Saxton pose and then Byron says that he has a photo shoot for wwe.com.
Match Number Two: Daniel Bryan and Derrick Bateman versus Alberto Del Rio and Conor O’Brian
The rookies start off and Bateman and O’Brian lock up . O’Brian with a side head lock and punch followed by a snap mare and kicks. O’Brian with kicks in the corner and the referee warns him. Del Rio tags in and he connects with a running kick into the corner. Del Rio with a snap mare and drop kick to the back. Del Rio knocks Bryan off the apron and then he sends Bateman into the turnbuckles and slams him. O’Brian tags in and he kicks Bateman in the head and gets a near fall. Bateman tries for a sunset flip but O’Brian punches and kicks Bateman.
O’Brian with a suplex for a near fall. Del Rio tags in and he kicks Bateman in the ribs. Del Rio with a back elbow and gets a near fall. Del Rio with a kick to the back and he gets a near fall. Del Rio backs Bateman into the corner and O’Brian tags in and he kicks Bateman but Bateman with punches but O’Brian gets a near fall. Bateman with an airplane spin and he makes the tag to Bryan.
Bryan puts O’Brian into another airplane spin and he shows his rookie how to do it. Bryan with a drop kick that sends O’Brian to the floor and then Bryan knocks Del Rio to the floor. Bateman tags in and he hits a tope suicida onto Del Rio and O’Brian as we go to commercial.
We are back and Bryan with a double sledge to O’Brian as he is tagged back in. Bryan with an arm bar to O’Brian. Bryan with kicks into the corner and the referee pulls him off. Bryan with an Irish whip and Del Rio pulls O’Brian out of the way when Bryan tries for the running drop kick. Del Rio tags in and he kicks Bryan and gets a near fall. Del Rio with a back breaker to Bryan for a near fall. Del Rio works on the back and puts him in a rear chin lock. Bryan with forearms followed by a sunset flip for a near fall. Del Rio with a drop kick and he gets a near fall. Del Rio returns to the back with kicks. O’Brian tags back in and he hits a suplex and gets a near fall.
Ziggler makes his comments about the match on a live mic as Del Rio tags in.
Bryan with freoarms to O’Brian and Del Rio but Del Rio with a knee. Del Rio runs into a boot and Bryan with a running Yakuza Kick out of the corner and both men are down. Bateman tags in and he hits a clothesline or two on Del Rio. Bateman with a drop kick into the corner and then he gets a near fall. Del Rio with a kick and he tries for a slam but Bateman gets out of the hold and hits a swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Bryan sends O’Brian to the floor and hits a pescado. Del Rio with an Irish whip and he runs into an elbow. Bateman misses a move from the turnbuckles and he hits the cross arm breaker and Bateman taps out.
Winners: Conor O’Brian and Alberto Del Rio
We go to credits.
2011 - WWE broadcast NXT. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are Wild and Young from Jacksonville, Florida and your announcers are Josh ‘That Poor Guy from Friday Night’ Mathews and Matt ‘Teaching Public Speaking’ Striker.
The Usos are on the mic before the opening match and Jimmy and Jey ask everyone if they are ready for some NXT and then they try to get the crowd behind them.
Derrick Bateman interrupts the festivities and he wants to talk about last week and how he had one of the biggest wins of his life, but his alleged fiancée left with Johnny Curtis.
Jimmy tells Derrick that Tamina and JTG told him, but Maxine isn’t playing games with Derrick. Jey says that Maxine left by herself last week.
Match Number One: The Usos versus Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks
Curt and Jimmy start things off and they lock up. They lock up again and Curt with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Jimmy sets for a superkick but Curt avoids it and backs into his corner to tag in Tyler.
Reks with a kick to the midsection but he misses a short arm clothesline and Jimmy with an uppercut. Jey with a clothesline to Reks for a near fall. Jey slides into a side head lock. Reks with a hip toss but Jey kicks him off and hits a hip toss of his own and a diving head butt for a near fall. Jimmy tags back in and they double team Reks and get a near fall.
Jimmy floats over on an Irish whip and then Jimmy dances and gives Reks a back body drop. Curt tries to interfere and then the Usos with a double clothesline that sends Reks and Hawkins to the floor.
Reks kicks Jey when Curt holds on to his leg. Jey is sent onto the top turnbuckle and Reks punches him. Curt tags back in and he kicks Jey and applies a reverse chin lock. Curt tries for a belly-to-back suplex but Jey with a lateral press. Jey tries for a slingshot move but Hawkins pushes Jey to the floor and we go to commercial.
We are back and Reks with a slam on Jey for a near fall. Curt tags in and he kicks Jey and mocks the Usos. Reks tags back in and he kicks Jey. Jey with punches and a kick to Reks when Tyler charges at him. Hawkins tags in and he attacks Jey to keep him from making the tag. Hawkins with a reverse chin lock and forearm to the back. Jey with an Irish whip and a spinning forearm and both men are down.
Reks tags in and so does Jimmy. Jimmy with clotheslines to Reks and Hawkins. Jimmy sends Reks into Hawkins and then Jimmy hits a Samoan drop followed by a running butt splash for a near fall. Jimmy misses a splash into the corner and Reks with a flatline into the turnbuckles for a near fall.
Reks tries for a slam but Jimmy escapes and he gets a near fall with a rollup. Reks with a clothesline to Jimmy and then he sets for the Burning Hammer but Jimmy counters with a bulldog for a near fall that is broken up but Hawkins. Jey almost super kicks his brother but he blocks it. Jimmy whips Jey’s leg into Hawkins to take care of him. Jimmy with a super kick to Reks. Jey tags in and hits the superfly splash for the three count.
Winners: The Usos
Derrick Bateman is walking in the back and he asks Tyson Kidd if he has seen Maxine and Tyson says that he cannot stand her. He stops Trent Barreta and Justin Gabriel to ask them if they have seen Maxine and they have not seen her. Derrick thinks that he sees Maxine but it is Maxine’s mother and she asks him if that is any way to talk to his future mother in law. Derrick says that he is flustered about what happened last week and she calms him down. She says that Maxine was a little grumpy and has had problems with her boyfriends in the past. She tells Derrick that Maxine doesn’t know how lucky she is.
Johnny Curtis stops by and sees what has been going on and Maxine’s mom slaps Derrick and walks away. Derrick says that it wasn’t what it looks like. Johnny says that he would never leave with another man’s fiancée, but he says that he was with Derrick’s mom last week. Derrick goes after Johnny but he is stopped by Trent, Tyson, and Justin.
Tyson asks Johnny if he is okay and he says that he is fantastic.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we are told that we will see Derrick Bateman versus Johnny Curtis in the main event.
Match Number Two: Titus O’Neil and Percy Watson versus JTG and Darren Young with Tamina
Percy and JTG start things off and they lock up with Percy backing JTG into the corner. Watson with a clean break and then they lock up again. JTG with a side head lock but he holds on when Watson tries for an Irish whip. Watson with a leg lariat followed by a butterfly suplex for a near fall. Watson with a European uppercut to JTG followed by an Irish whip but JTG with an elbow when Percy charges.
Young tags in and he comes off the turnbuckles but Watson with a punch to the midsection followed by jabs and a right that sends Young to the floor. Young with a belly-to-back suplex onto the apron and he gets a near fall.
Young sends Watson’s head into JTG’s boot. JTG tags in and they send Watson back first into the turnbuckles. JTG with a snap mare and forearm to the back. JTG says something to Titus and that allows Percy to recover and he punches JTG. JTG with a neck breaker for a near fall.
JTG with an arm bar on Watson as he tries to wear down his opponent. JTG with an elbow to the midsection. Titus tries to encourage Percy to fight back but JTG with an uppercut. Watson with a rollup but JTG with a shoulder tackle and he gets a near fall. JTG returns to the reverse chin lock on Percy. Percy with a punch to the midsection but JTG with a knee of his own.
JTG with the sliding uppercut and then he goes to the turnbuckles but Watson meets him with a drop kick and both men are down. Young and O’Neil tag in and Titus with punches and then he sends Darren into the turnbuckles and punches him. Titus with an Irish whip and shoulder tackle. Titus with a forearm to JTG that knocks him off the apron. Titus with a big boot and he barks. Titus with a shoulder breaker to Young for a near fall. Watson is sent to the apron by JTG but JTG is pulled to the floor by Watson.
Titus gets distracted by Tamina and Young with a knee to the back and a rollup for the three count.
Winners: Darren Young and JTG with an assist from Tamina
After the match, Titus and Percy discuss their loss and Titus shows some frustration over the loss. Titus takes a mic and he says that it he has been on this show for thirty-nine weeks. He says that last year he said that he would come back to make it a win. He has worked as hard as he could. He says that Darren Young only cares about himself. Titus says that he does not mind the boos and he has been told that he cannot do it his entire life. Titus says that he has two kids at home that he loves. He talks about how everyone comes with their families week after week to support this. Titus challenges Darren Young to come out next week and show that he is a man. Titus says that he will prove that he is the next WWE breakout star.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time to see the WWE Network video package.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Derrick Bateman versus Johnny Curtis in what should be a Maxine on a Pole Match
Curtis retreats to the ropes to avoid Bateman at the start of the match. Curtis with a clothesline and then he slaps and chops Derrick. Curtis with a running back elbow and then he gets a near fall on Bateman. Bateman with a flying forearm and chops to Curtis. Derrick with a kick and punches in the corner. Curtis kicks and punches Derrick and sends him into the turnbuckles.
Curtis with a hard Irish whip to Curtis. Bateman with a kick and chops to Curtis. Bateman with forearms and chops in the corner followed by a hard Irish whip. Bateman starts bleeding from the nose and then he hits a running drop kick to Curtis and Johnny goes to the floor. Bateman with a baseball slide to Curtis and then he goes to the apron and tries for a drop kick off the apron but Curtis side steps him and Bateman appears to have hurt his elbow as we go to commercial.
We are back and Curtis works on Bateman’s elbow with a key lock. Curtis with a knee drop to the arm. Curtis uses the turnbuckle to work on the arm and then he drops the arm on the top turnbuckle. Curtis with a wrist clutch elbow drop to the injured arm for a near fall. Curtis with an arm drag into an arm bar and then he works on the wrist.
Curtis with a key lock but Bateman tries for a head scissors and Curtis fights him off. Curtis with a forearm to the elbow and a punch to the head. Bateman with chops and punches as he tries to fight one handed. Curtis reverses an Irish whip and Bateman goes elbow first into the turnbuckles. Bateman with an Irish whip and back body drop but Bateman still feels the pain in his elbow.
Bateman with a clothesline and running back elbow for a near fall. Bateman with the running drop kick into the corner and then he goes up top and hits a cross body but Curtis rolls through and gets a near fall. Bateman with a back slide for a near fall. Curtis and Bateman exchange chops and then they bump heads.
Bateman with the side head lock DDT for the three count.
Winner: Derrick Bateman
After the match, Maxine’s music plays and she makes her way to the ring. Maxine asks if Derrick is going to stoop that low and do that to her mother. She says that she is disgusted by Derrick. Maxine takes off the ring and says that the engagement is off. Maxine leaves the ring and walks away.
Johnny Curtis has an evil smile on his face as Maxine walks into the credits.
2012 - Eric Young announced that he had signed a new deal with TNA.
2013 - The Wrestling Cares Asssociation held their Semi-Finals in the Race for the Ring tournament. Mike Epsenhart filed the following live report from Culver City, CA:
Welcome to Pwinsider.com for live coverage of Wrestling Cares Association’s Race for the Ring Semi-Finals LIVE from Culver City, CA.
Tonight’s show is hosted by Shelly Martinez and will help benefit The Wildlife Waystation. As I state every time, the charitable portion of Wrestling Cares is such an added benefit to the promotion, it makes you proud to support it and proud to be a wrestling fan as David Jackson uses his promotion to help benefit others.
The event starts with David Jackson, Les Thatcher, and Nigel McGuiness in the ring as all of the night’s competitors are presented to the crowd. Big reaction to Scorpio Sky, Adam Cole, Drake Younger and Johnny Gargano. They are the clear crowd favorites tonight. There are a few more guys that I predict the crowd will be popping big for by the time the night.
We have a very classy 10 bell salute to the late Roland Alexander followed by a saxophone rendition of the national anthem.
Shelly Martinez hosts tonight and immediately says she loves dives and asks the crowd if they want to see some dives…ummm not this product Shelly. The boys then point out there is no real room between the ring and the guard rails either with somebody asking Shelly if “she’s stupid.” Shelly responds “I’m not stupid, it is a challenge…okay maybe not.”
Shelly puts over the charity aspect of the promotion and gets a “This is wrestling!” chant started.
Match One: Golden State Tag Team Trophy Tournament Ballard Brothers vs. Forever Hooligans
Lots of solid mat wrestling early, including a really nice scramble between one of the Ballards and Romero that ended with them facing off on their feet. Romero then picked up the pace with a rana and a twisting kick. He tagged in Kozlov and they hit an assisted slingshot splash before the Ballards turned the tables and started cutting off the ring on Kozlov isolating him away from his partner.
The Ballards went for a double team where they both grab arm wringers, then cross each other, and hit a backbreaker on Koslov, but they collided during the cross over and it looked clumsy and awkward. The Ballards then went for a Hart Attack on Kozlov, but Romero got the blind tag and cut off the Bret clothesline with a kick. He went for a Lung Blower on the Ballard who obliviously held up Kozlov forever waiting for his partner to his the clothesline and botched it badly…this was the finish.
Not good at all.
Winners: Forever Hooligans!
Match Two: Technical Challenge Drake Younger vs DJ Hyde
If a man is caught breaking the rules he loses. Referee explains the rules and tells the wrestlers there will be zero tolerance. DJ immediately doesn’t break clean on the first exchange double slapping Drake in the chest. I guess there is a little tolerance. Some of the fans call for a DQ.
Drake takes down DJ and peppers him with slaps to the back of the head trying to get DJ to break the rules and punch him. DJ almost does but realizes it will cost him the match and stops.
The story is DJ is able to shield the ref from seeing him break the rules hitting a closed fist in one exchange and pulling the tights on a pin attempt. Fans chant “Ref is blind!”
DJ starts to take over off of a big boot on a Drake charge. Crowd is rally behind Drake.
Drake rallies with a half nelson throw and a seated kick to the chest for a near fall.
Drake takes off to run the ropes but DJ chases behind him and when Drake spins nails him with a spear for a near fall.
DJ grabs Drake in the chicken wing and goes for a submission. Drake fights back, nails several clotheslines, and scores a near fall.
Drake goes for the Killswitch but DJ powers out and hits a nice head and arm suplex for a near fall.
DJ calls for the Lariat but Drake counters and hits the Copkiller for the fall.
Good match! It didn’t rely too much on the guys trying to get each other DQ’d stuff and once it got rolling we had some good wrestling.
Winner: Drake Younger!
Match Three: Oliver John and Timothy Thatcher vs. Scorpio Sky and Ryan Taylor
Taylor with a goofy dance when he hit the ring. The winners go on to face Forever Hooligans for the Golden State Tag Trophy.
Oliver John is just awesome in the ring, everything he does is crisp and looks like it is designed to hurt you. He took down Taylor for a cross arm breaker, Taylor stacked him up, turned him into a Boston Crab and Oliver powered like a beast before chasing Taylor across the ring and missing with a killer palm strike. Nice!
Thatcher tags in and has a great reversal exchange on the mat with Ryan Taylor.
Thatcher hits a great gutwrench suplex and tags in Oliver who delivers a Dynamite Kid level snap suplex. So good.
I love small touches and the partners on the apron are communicating and giving advice to the guys in the ring like you hear outside the cage when watching Ultimate Fighter.
Thatcher and John have isolated Taylor and they are picking apart his arms and legs. John tags in and hits a great belly to back suplex. He goes for another one and Taylor flips out of it, hits him with a high kick, and an axe kick. Hot tag to Sky who opens up the offense on John for a near fall…and immediately tags in Taylor who has had no time to recover from getting his ass kicked. The quick tag backfires as John hits his great powerslam out of nowhere for the finish. Loved it! Loved the fact that the quick tag to Taylor cost his team the match because he didn’t have enough time to recover on the apron.
Winners: Oliver John and Timothy Thatcher
Match Four: Semi-Final Match Papadon vs Johnny Gargano
This is a 15 minute time limit. I have high expectations for this one. Both of these guys are really good.
Great exchange leads to the first fall and Papadon scores it with a brainbuster. Papadon leads 1-0. Papadon nearly goes up 2-0 with a great flying uppercut off the middle rope. Gargano is bleeding from the nose after the uppercut and Papadon is getting cocky. Gargano fires up and hits his spear from the apron through the ropes for a near fall.
Gargano sets Papadon up across the middle turnbuckle and hits him with both knees in the midsection followed by a kick for a near fall.
Another great exchange has Papadon hit a TKO onto his own knee, Gargano has enough to deliver a kick, Papadon falls back into the ropes and hits a lariat. Both guys are spent.
Gargano leaps on Papadon going for the submission, Papadon reverses for a near fall, and Gargano scores with a flying rollup to tie it at 1-1.
Papadon absolutely destroys Gargano with a strike and both men struggle to recover from the beatings that have been delivered over the first 13 minutes of the match.
Gargano goes to the apron and hits a slingshot DDT for a near fall. Crowd is chanting this is awesome. It is!
Papadon goes for a neckbreaker but has to release because his arm is injured.Gargano fires off with a superkick. He goes to the top and leaps right into a European uppercut for another great near fall. They have an exchange of pinfall reversals and after some more action scores with the Backlund Bridge for a 2-1 lead. Papadon frantically tries to score a pin as the seconds run down but fails. Fantastic!
Winner: Johnny Gargano 2-1
After the match Papadon shakes Gargano’s hand and tells him “you earned it.”
Intermission
January 18th is announced as the final round of the tournament with the return of Maria Kanellis as the host of the show.
Charity time! David, Les, and Nigel are in the ring with Shelly Martinez to present the check to the Wildlife Waystation. David thanks the fans in attendance and introduces the representative from the Wildlife Waystation and presents the giant check. The Waystation has saved over 1,000 animals and is currently taking care of over 400 exotic animals.
Angelo announces that the third show is now available on DVD so look for that soon on www.wrestlingcares.com
Match Five: Ladies Beat the Champ Challenge Katarina Leigh (c) vs. Tracy Taylor
Tracy Taylor forces Katarina to start a little quicker than expected. She ties up Katarina’s legs and literally surfs her across the ring. Not your traditional wrestling surfboard. Tracy scores the first fall with the Rough Ryder. Katarina has 7 minutes to make a comeback.
Tracy hits a series of leg kicks, Katarina tries to respond with a head kick but Tracy catches her foot and nails a dragon screw. Katarina fights up and scores with a jawbreaker and then hits one of her unique backbreakers for the fall. 1-1 tie. Now Katarina is working over Tracy’s back trying to take her out just like she did to Taeler Hendrix.
Really rough sequence where Tracy ducks a big boot and is slow to recover to roll up Katarina leaving Katarina stumbling for way too long waiting to get rolled up. Katarina kicks out and then drives Tracy into the corner head first and rolls her up for the pin. Katarina 2-1.
The exchange some near falls in the final seconds but Tracy is unable to score and Katarina remains an unstoppable machine here at Wrestling Cares. Not as good as Kat vs Taeler. Hit and miss action.
Winner: Katarina Leigh 2-1
They announce that her challenger for January is Cheerleader Melissa!
Match Six: Finals Golden State Trophy Tournament Forever Hooligans vs. Oliver John and Timothy Thatcher.
They have a big trophy to present to the winners. I wonder if the US wrestling tradition of the trophy being destroyed will carry on tonight.
Let’s see if the Hooligans can redeem themselves for the opening match. If they can’t have a good one with John and Thatcher then it just isn’t their night.
Thatcher does the little things so well. After having to release a leglock he had on Romero, Romero was able to get to his feet first, Thatcher noticed this and made sure he covered up as the second man to rise. I love the little things.
The story early is that Romero wants to quicken the pace, but Thatcher has been able to take him down and work over his leg, then his arm. Failing to pick up the pace Romero takes in Kozlov. Thatcher tags in John.
Kozlov grabs a side headlock and really works it. John counters with a back suplex but Kozlov keeps the headlock. John slides out finally and wraps Kozlov’s arm with his legs and hits two falling armbreakers. Good wrestling here.
Kozlov yanks John’s leg twice forcing John into a seated position and hits his Cosack kicks followed by a flying stomp. John fights back up and hits a German suplex tagging in Thatcher. Thatcher takes it right to leg submissions. The crowd is VERY into this.
John tags back in and hits Kozlov with a piledriver, Kozlov falls outside the ring. He crawls back into the ring at 6. John and Thatcher exchange again and Thatcher goes for a series of falls on the hurt Kozlov.
Anderson style Thatcher ties up the leg of Kozlov and reaches back to tag in John while preventing Kozlov from tagging Romero. He grabs a leglock on the other leg, followed by a power bomb, and a tag back to Thatcher.
They have isolated Kozlov old school style (no pun intended) and the crowd is trying to rally him to make the tag.
Oliver John goes up top, but takes too long and misses the big splash. Kozlov is finally able to make the tag and a fresh Romero is finally able to pick up the pace of the match. He scores a near fall with a rana. Little thing alert. Romero looks to Kozlov and sees he isn’t ready to be tagged in after the beating he took and avoids the mistake Scorpio Sky made in round one by going back to work on Thatcher with a single leg crab and then turns it into an STF. As the crowd LOUDLY chants please don’t tap.
Kozlov is tagged back in and the Hoolgians double Thatcher in the corner leading to a Kozlov DDT for a near fall. Another tag to Romero who scores a near fall on Thatcher which is broken when Timothy grabs the bottom rope.
Romero misses a cross body off the middle rope and now it is Thatcher trying to regain control. He vertical suplexes Romero who’s legs break the ceiling fan on the way up (INDY WRESTLING!) Kozlov floats over the back and rolls up Thatcher for a near fall.
Romero pushes Thatcher into the ropes for a roll up but a blind tag is made to John. Romero tags in Kozlov who gets killed with a powerslam. Thatcher jumps in the ring to cut off Romero from making save but the ref pushes Thatcher out of the ring allowing Romero to jump into the ring kick John in the back of the head and reverse Kozlov on top of him for the fall. Excellent tag team match.
Winners: Forever Hooligans!
After the match Les Thatcher and Nigel McGuiness make their way to the ring. The fans are chanting that John and Thatcher got screwed. The decision is made to reverse the decision and hold up the trophy for a return in January under Race for the Ring rules!
Golden State Tag Trophy is in ABEYANCE.
Match Seven: Semi-Final Match: Adam Cole vs. Steve Anthony
Adam Cole scores the opening point 4 minutes in with the Shining Wizard. Really great sequence lead up to the fall with both guys exchanging near falls and Anthony killing the other ceiling fan during a reverse twisting slingshot suplex that scored a near fall for him.
Great sequence ties the score. Anthony and Cole cracked heads, but Anthony recovered first. He went up top for the 450, Cole avoided it but Anthony landed on his feet, rolled through, hit a superkick, and a German Suplex for the fall.
After a series of reversals Steve Anthony takes a 2-1 lead with the O’Connor roll into the Backlund Bridge.
Anthony tries to press the advantage but runs right into a bicycle kick for a near fall for Cole. Cole goes up top, but Anthony catches him and sets for a superplex. Cole fights him off and counters into a top rope powerbomb into a near fall. Cole keeps pushing and locks the figure 4 leglock on Anthony. Anthony still rattled by the power bomb gets caught in a near fall. Since Anthony has the lead he doesn’t want to tap and he’s risking the leg damage by staying in the hold. He’s finally able to turn the hold over and Cole releases.
Cole hits a Fireman’s Carry dropping the back of Anthony’s head across his knee for another near fall. Anthony scoops up Cole for a powerslam but his legs give allowing Cole to slide out. Anthony goes for a counter roll up, but Cole sits down on hit it for the fall and the tie score.
Cole goes back to the figure 4 once again punishing the legs of Anthony. Anthony is able to break it with a forearm to the face but his legs might be shot. Cole goes up top, but Anthony finds a way to get to the top rope with him and launches him with a belly to belly. With time running out and legs damaged Anthony goes for the 450. Cole avoids it, rolls up Anthony in a small package, Anthony reverses the small package and Cole kicks out at the last second. We head to OVERTIME.
In OT Cole hits the Florida Keys but Anthony kicks out of a very near fall. Cole goes for it again but Anthony rolls through for a near fall off a nice counter. Cole with the better legs gets up first and drills Anthony with a superkick. Cole goes up top but Anthony cuts him off again and hits an electric chair.
Anthony finally hits the 450 but Cole kicks out and the crowd goes nuts. Anthony presses the advantage with a belly to back suplex and gets his shoulder up at 2, but the ref counts 3. Steve Anthony’s shoulders were down, he pinned himself. It was the Sting vs Muta Bash 89 finish without the controversy. Very good match.
Winner: Adam Cole
We are set for Cole vs Gargano in the finals in January. That should be a kickass match in this format.
5 of 7 matches hit the mark tonight. Overall it was another successful show for Wrestling Cares. It really is a true alternative and I recommend anybody looking for something different from the business to check it out. That is all from Culver City.
2014 - Ring of Honor held their 2014 Final Battle on PPV from NYC. Stu Carapola filed the following PPV report:
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live coverage of ROH Final Battle 2014 on PPV!
After a great opening video that really drove home what a huge year ROH has had, we head to Terminal 5 in New York City, which looks absolutely awesome on TV. I don't know if this is the biggest crowd ROH has ever done, but it looks like it could be on TV.
Crowd chants "Final Battle" as Kevin Kelly, Steve Corino, and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to Final Battle and run down a few of the top matches before sending us to the ring for our first match.
Four Corner Survival: Mark Briscoe vs Hanson vs Caprice Coleman vs Jimmy Jacobs
Mark has new entrance music, and Jacobs has BJ Whitmer in his corner. Mark and Coleman start us off with a quick back and forth exchange, then Jacobs tags in and demands Coleman tag out to Hanson. Coleman obliges, so Jacobs gets right in Hanson's face and is promptly launched across the ring. Jacobs tries a couple of chops, but Hanson shrugs it off and tosses Jacobs again, so Jacobs decides to let Coleman try Hanson after all. Coleman tries using his speed to avoid getting nailed, catches Hanson with a couple of dropkicks, but eventually gets caught coming off the ropes and side suplexed. Now Mark comes in to have a shot at Hanson, and they trade blows in the middle of the ring until Mark clotheslines Hanson to the floor. Mark goes out after Hanson and gets slammed into the barricade, then Coleman jumps Hanson and hits a swinging dropkick around the post on Hanson. Jacobs tries a crossbody over the ropes, but Hanson catches him. He waits too long and Mark takes Hanson out with a dropkick off the apron, then brings Hanson back inside and gets a running boot to the face for 1. Coleman tags in and gets 2 off a series of flying kicks, but Jacobs tags himself in and hits the top rope senton on Hanson for 2. He charges Hanson and gets caught in a spinning powerslam for 2, then Hanson hits a series of clubbing forearms in the corner and finally squashes Jacobs with a Bronco Buster. He covers for 2, tosses Coleman when he sticks his nose in, and then misses a charge at Jacobs and gets caught with the springboard Ace Crusher. Mark tags himself in and goes to town on all three opponents, impressively flattening Hanson with a running clothesline before Jacobs comes in and spears Mark and then Coleman. Jacobs tries to spear Hanson, but Hanson just catches him in midair and turns it into a gutwrench powerbomb. Hanson tags himself back in and goes at it with Mark, cartwheeling past a shot from Briscoe and turning him inside out with a clothesline. Coleman tags himself in as Mark falls out of the ring, hits some weak looking martial arts punch that apparently knocks Hanson out cold, then hits Mark with a top rope Frankensteiner. Coleman with the rolling northern lights suplexes on Mark, catches Jacobs on the third for a double northern lights, and both of them roll out to the floor. Hanson takes both Mark and Jacobs out with a dive, then Coleman hits Hanson with one of his own, but they come back inside and Hanson spinkicks Coleman into next week and covers for the win.
Winner: Hanson
Well, if the goal of this match was to make Hanson look like a monster, then mission accomplished. He came out of this looking like a million bucks, hopefully it's something he can use to springboard to greater things in 2015.
We see the video package for the next match, then we go back to the ring as Jimmy Jacobs, still in the ring with Whitmer, says that there's a kid in the locker room who will take his spot as a full fledged member of the Decade tonight, and his name is Adam Page.
Adam Page vs Roderick Strong
Page tries getting the jump on Strong, but Strong dodges and lays in some chops. Page is game and fires back at Strong, but Strong catches Page with a leg lariat, shoves him into the corner, and stomps his skull in. Strong with a side backbreaker, Page tries another charge and Strong sidesteps and sends Page out to the floor, then follows him out with a dive. Strong continues hammering on Page on the floor and backdrops him into the crowd, but then Strong gets distracted by Whitmer and gives Page an opportunity to springboard off the barricade with a clothesline. Now Page is in control and brutally attacks Strong in the ring, gouging his face and hammering him with hard forearms before hitting a rolling neckbreaker off the second rope for 2. Strong finally connects with a sharp dropkick to the chin and both men are down. Page is up first, but he runs right into a flurry of offense from Strong. Strong with a running clothesline, some chops, and then gives Whitmer a shot after Whitmer tried grabbing his leg from the outside. Strong follows that with a baseball slide to Whitmer, catches Page coming off the apron, and hits a backbreaker on the ring apron. Strong rolls Page inside and hits a leaping enziguiri and another backbreaker for 2. Page is bleeding from the mouth, but he has the presence of mind to snap Strong over with a powerslam as he charges in. Strong quickly recovers and hits the gutbuster for 2, then drills Page with the Sick Kick, but Page is out at 2. Strong spits at BJ Whitmer and Jacobs holds Whitmer back as Strong puts Page on the top rope. Page fights Strong off and they trade blows on the top rope before Page hits Strong with the Mustache Ride for 2. They trade blows again, Page gets backdropped to the apron, and he comes back in with the somersault clothesline for 2. Trading more blows, Strong with a pair of leaping kneestrikes, the vertical backbreaker, and cranks Page over in the Stronghold. Strong has it in deep right in the middle of the ring, but Strong puts his knee right in the back of Page's head. Page isn't submitting, but mostly because he passed out. The referee notices that too and stops the match.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Another great showing by a younger member of the roster, as Adam Page looked like a star tonight. Jacobs shakes his hand after the match and tells Page he earned his spot, then Whitmer goes out to the broadcast table, pulls Steve Corino's headset off, and uses it to tell the TV audience that Page proved he's one of them. Corino didn't appreciate that, and gets up and shoves Whitmer. ROH officials have to separate the two of them.
Michael Elgin vs Tommaso Ciampa
Something tells me Ciampa isn't coming out and squashing Elgin in two minutes like he did to Taven last year. In fact, Elgin has won both of their previous two matches. They share a tense handshake before the match, then proceed to pound each other's skulls in. Ciampa German suplexes Elgin into the corner, Elgin gets Ciampa up for a delayed vertical suplex, but Ciampa...well, he squeezes Elgin's junk to get him to release the hold. Ciampa won't release his for several seconds, however, and Elgin is so mad that he immediately snaps Ciampa over with that vertical suplex, minus the delay, once Ciampa lets go. Ciampa rolls out to the apron and trades blows again with Elgin, but misses a shoulderblock through the ropes and Elgin nails him, then comes off the second rope with a guillotine legdrop. Elgin comes off the ropes with a splash for 2, but then Ciampa simply bowls Elgin out of the ring and bashes him into the barricade. Ciampa lays in some shots, but then Elgin rams Ciampa into the barricade and grabs the timekeeper's table, presumably thinking to let Ciampa use it for a forced nap. They go to the ring apron and Elgin sets for a powerbomb through the table, but Ciampa blocks and hits an air raid crash on the apron. He quickly rolls Elgin back inside and covers, but only gets 2. Ciampa goes to the top, but Elgin nails him and hits what started like the Razor's Edge, but Elgin turned him all the way over and plants Ciampa on his face. Elgin follows up with the sitout powerbomb, but Ciampa kicks out at 2, then knocks elgin silly with a kneestrike to the face. Elgin drills Ciampa with a leaping enziguiri and then powerbombs him into the corner, but Elgin tries to go up for the twisting senton and Ciampa catches him with Project Ciampa. Elgin is out at 2, so now they've both kicked out of each other's finishers. Ciampa sets that table up near the corner and then he and Elgin go to the top rope and Ciampa tries to superplex Elgin through the table. Elgin fights Ciampa off, nails him with a leaping enziguiri, and hits an overhead release superplex. Elgin pulls down his knee brace and goes for Ciampa's own running knees. Ciampa dodges, but Elgin hits a pair of spinning backfists, mocks Ciampa, and comes off the ropes...right into a huge clothesline from Ciampa that turns Elgin inside out. Ciampa covers for 2 and then goes for Project Ciampa, but Elgin backdrops, rolls through, and powerbombs Ciampa into the corner. Ciampa comes out with a clothesline, but Elgin dodges and Ciampa takes the referee out. Ciampa immediately begins freaking out and pleading to Nigel that he didn't mean to do that, and even the announcers are telling Nigel that it didn't look intentional. An angry Nigel gets up and walks to the back as Elgin nails a distraught Ciampa from behind, hits the double underhook DDT as the referee comes to, and covers Ciampa for the win.
Winner: Michael Elgin
Hell of a brawl, and Ciampa really looks unhappy that his ROH career could be coming to an end after what just happened.
ROH's 13th anniversary show will be on PPV on March 1st, live from Las Vegas!
Cedric Alexander & The Addiction vs ACH & The Young Bucks
Great ring entrance as Cedric was an honorary third member of the Addiction. Crowd chants F TNA, but Daniels redirects them into an ROH chant. Nick and Cedric start off doing a fast back and forth, Cedric nails Nick with a dropkick, but Matt tags in and the Bucks lay Cedric out with a series of double teams. Cedric dumps Matt out to the floor and takes him out with a dive, then tags Daniels in and the Addiction works Matt over with some double teams of their own. ACH tags in and goes back and forth with Daniels and nails him with a nice dropkick, then sets him up for the double handspring backrake from Matt. Nick tags in, but Daniels catches him with an STO and then Cedric tags in, tries to take Matt out with a dive to the floor, but Matt dodges, and I can't describe the double team the Bucks hit Cedric with at this point, but it was really cool, Anyway, Cedric is in trouble for a brief moment before ACH tries to be cute by moonsaulting to the floor to avoid a shot from Cedric, only to be caught and parachute slammed on the floor by the Addiction. Matt tags in and clotheslines Daniels to the floor, nails him with a dive, then backdrops Nick over the top rope and into a tornado DDT on the floor on Daniels. That was just nuts. Matt superkicks Cedric for good measure, then the Bucks take everyone out with dives. We finally go back into the ring where Matt nails a top rope elbowdrop on Daniels for 2, Daniels responds with an STO for 2, Matt counters Angel's Wings to a backdrop, and he tags ACH in to hit a top rope something on Daniels for 2. Cedric tags in and hits a Michinoku Driver for 2, then all six men wind up in the ring at once. We do spot-spot-spot-spot-spot until all six men are down. Then everyone gets up and more spot-spot-spot-spot-spot until the Bucks hit Cedric with a spike Tombstone and then ACH finishes Cedric with a 450 splash.
Winners: ACH & The Young Bucks
A lot of very impressive spots here, but that's all it was. That finishing sequence was awesome, though.
Moose vs RD Evans
Evans slaps Moose to start the match, and they do a back and forth that ends with Moose dropkicking Evans square in the face. Evans dodges a charge and Moose tumbles out to the floor, but Evans tries a dive, Moose catches him, and gives Evans an F5 into the ringpost. Moose then picks Evans up for a giant swing and swings him back and forth from one barricade to the other. Veda Scott comes out from the back looking visibly concerned as Moose brings Evans inside and backdrops him into the next zip code. Evans hits a discus punch, but Moose pops Evans up and tears his head off with a clothesline as he comes down. Moose covers Evans with a boot in the chest for 2, but misses a charge and Evans nails Moose with a running Yakuza kick in the corner. Evans snaps Moose's neck down on the top rope, tries a springboard move twice and slips off the ropes both times, then goes for it a third time and barely makes it into the ring for a real weak looking shot to Moose that Moose is nice enough to sell anyway. The fans let him know about that, so Evans comes off the top rope with another shot, but Moose nails Evans the third time and goes for a side suplex, but Evans rolls through and hits a Scorpion Deathdrop for 2. Evans goes for the Sharpshooter, fights like hell to get Moose over, but finally gets the hold right in the middle of the ring. Nana slides a chair in to Moose, so the referee kicks Nana and Ramon out and literally herds them to the back. Veda Scott gets in to stop Moose from spearing Evans, and as if everyone doesn't see the turn coming from a mile away, she acts like she cares about Evans long enough to give her a Flair uppercut so Moose can spear Evans and pin him for the win.
Winner: Moose
Yeesh...Everything was going okay until Evans missed those springboard moves and that seemed to take all the air out of the fans and put both guys off their games. Plus, any idiot could see the Veda heel turn coming the instant she got in the ring while everyone else was in the aisle. Not what I think they were hoping to do out there. Nana, with his arm around Veda, gets a mic and says that karma is a bitch.
ROH TV Title Match: Jay Lethal vs Matt Sydal
They do some feeling out stuff to start, then things pick up with a back and forth that sees Sydal avoid an attempt at the Lethal Injection. Another back and forth sees Sydal get a few lucha moves and nails Lethal with a dropkick. Sydal tries going to the top rope, Lethal blocks him and follows him up, but ends up bailing to the floor when Sydal fights him back off. Lethal gets back in and backs Sydal to the corner and puts the boots to him, but Sydal counters a hiptoss attempt to a flying headscissors, high knee, and leg lariat for 2. Lethal nails Sydal and goes ot the top rope, but Sydal catches Lethal with a kick on the way down and works Lethal over with several more kicks. Lethal tries escaping to the floor, so Sydal nails him with a baseball slide and goes to the top for a dive. Jay Diesel steps in his way and tries to distract Sydal, but Sydal dodges an attempt at a Yakuza kick and starts to hammer Lethal with more kicks. He charges Lethal in the corner and gets backdropped onto the top rope, and Sydal looks like he might have hurt his leg catching it on the ropes coming down. Sydal is down and Lethal is putting the boots to him and makes a cover for 2. Truth yanks Sydal out to the floor behind the referee's back, but Sydal lands on his feet and grabs Truth. Lethal takes Sydal out with a dive and then rams him into the barricade, then puts his feet on Sydal to pose for a picture by Truth. Sydal goes for a backslide and only gets 2, and Lethal just drills him with a punch to the face. Lethal chokes Sydal on the ropes and covers for 2, but Sydal rolls through a sunset flip attempt and double stomps Lethal to turn the tide. Sydal hits a leaping kneestrike to the jaw and covers for a very close 2, then hits the stepover deathdrop for another 2. Sydal hits the diving clothesline in the corner, but Lethal catches him coming in and counters to the Lethal Combination for 2. Lethal goes for Hail to the King, Sydal gets the boot up, but Lethal sees that and stops short, gives Sydal a backbreaker, and hits Hail to the King on the second attempt. Sydal kicks out at 2, then catches Lethal out of nowhere with a flying headscissors, diving clothesline in the corner, hits Meteora off the top, and finally hits the shooting star press and makes a cover. Truth Martini pulls the referee out of the ring at 2 (which I hate seeing because it's a DQ and referees look stupid for not calling it), so Sydal takes out Jay diesel, superkicks the Book of Truth into Truth Martini's face, and goes to the top rope to nail Truth with the shooting star press. Lethal catches him coming down with a Lethal Injection, then hits a second Lethal Injection for the win.
Winner: Jay Lethal
Great match, terrible finish.I really, really want to stop seeing that "pulling the ref out at 2" spot because it's as direct interference as if Truth jumped in the ring and kicked Sydal in the face. Other than the finish, match was terrific.
ROH World Tag Team Title Match: reDRagon vs Time Splitters
reDRagon looks great with all those title belts, having defeated the Time Splitters for the IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Team Title recently and added it to their ROH title. Kushida and O'Reilly start us off with some mat wrestling, then Fish and Shelley tag in and Shelley picks up the pace, drilling Fish wish some dropkicks and then taking O'Reilly back to his corner to do some double teams with Kushida. O'Reilly bails to the floor to break up the momentum, but Time Splitters outmaneuver reDRagon and lay them both out on the floor. Kushida sends O'Reilly back inside and Shelley comes off the top with a splash for 2. Fish distracts Shelley and allows O'Reilly to snap Shelley's arm down on the top rope, then Fish does it again from the outside while the referee is distracted. O'Reilly traps Shelley in an abdominal stretch, and Shelley fights his way free, but continues absorbing a beating for several minutes. Shelley nearly makes the tag, but O'Reilly yanks Kushida off the ring apron and Fish manages to pull Shelley back to the middle of the ring before Kushida can get back up. O'Reilly slams Shelley to set him up for a top rope move from Fish, but Shelley kicks O'Reilly off into the ropes, shaking Fish and causing him to slip and land on his ding ding, and Shelley makes the tag to Kushida. Kushida comes in and cleans house, and plants O'Reilly with the Chaos Theory for 2. Fish and Shelley go at it on the floor and Fish rams Shelley into the barricade, O'Reilly goes for the crazy dropkick off the apron but gets superkicked, then Kushida comes off the apron and takes everyone out. Kushida quickly goes for a pin on O'Reilly and gets about 2.99999999. reDRagon catches Kushida with the double goozle, but Kushida is out at 2. Shelley and Fish go back out to the floor while Kushida and O'Reilly go at it in the ring and O'Reilly gets a guillotine choke, Kushida gets out and Shelley hits O'Reilly with Sliced Bread #2, but Fish comes in and nails Shelley. Time Splitters hit a series of Motor City Machine Guns double teams on Fish, then Shelley hits a top rope Sliced Bread #2 on O'Reilly. Fish barely breaks the cover at 2, Shelley dumps him to the floor and goes for a dive but misses as Kushida goes for a moonsault on O'Reilly and gets caught in a triangle choke. O'Reilly turns that into a cross armbreaker and Fish adds to it with a top rope headbutt, but then Shelley comes off the top with a double stomp to O'Reilly. Now reDRagon takes back over, hammering both Time Splitters with hard hitting offense, but Kushida escapes Chasing the Dragon and superkicks O'Reilly so hard his mouth guard comes flying out. Kushida backdrops Fish to the floor, so Fish takes Shelley out with a dive as O'Reilly hits Nigel McGuinness' rebound lariat and a brainbuster on Kushida for 2. Fish is back in and they hit Chasing the Dragon, but Kushida kicks out, so O'Reilly gets the cross armbreaker, also hooks Kushida's leg to keep him from struggling, and Kushida is finally forced to tap out.
Winners: reDRagon
There was a lot going on in this one, and maybe I'd feel differently if I wasn't trying to type up play by play, but this felt a lot more spot-centric that I expected from this match.
Fight Without Honor/ROH World Title Match: Jay Briscoe vs Adam Cole
These guys have been fighting over the title for a year and a half and Cole has yet to score a pinfall win over Jay, even though he did win the Ladder War earlier this year. Cole gives Jay the double bird to get under his skin, and it leads to Jay beating the crap out of him and hitting the Jay Driller just like that. He makes a cover and Cole barely kicks out at 2 and rolls to the floor to catch a break. Everything is legal in this one as Jay follows Cole to the floor and hammers him with right hands before kicking the timekeeper out of his table again and putting Cole on it. Jay gets on the apron, gets a running start, and double stomps Cole through the table, and we get a great slow motion replay of that for emphasis. Briscoe pulls a staplegun out of his pocket, but cole BASHES Jay over the skull with a chair before Jay gets a chance to use it. Cole reaches over the barricade to the two seats he purchased for Jay's parents, takes a picture of Papa Briscoe off of one of the empty chairs, and staples it to Jay's head before ramming him into the barricade. They head back inside as Cole kicks Jay in the face and snaps him over with a suplex. The paper is still stapled to Jay's head as Cole grabs the chair from ringside and sits in it to gouge at Jay's mouth. Jay hits a jawbreaker to knock Cole backward into the chair and then drills him with a running boot. Jay continues beating on Cole, wedges the chair in a corner, and then rams Cole into it. Jay with a hard slam and then he just chokes the hell out of Cole before going under the ring and pulling out...another table! The table goes into the ring and Jay sets it up in the corner and tries to ram Cole through it, but Cole blocks and hits Jay with a brainbuster onto the knee for 2. Cole sets up two chairs to make a little platform and tries to toss Jay onto them, but Jay blocks and gives Cole a falcon arrow suplex through the chairs. Jay now gets a Singapore cane from under the ring and menaces Cole with it, but Cole goes to the eyes, gets the cane, and pounds on Jay with it. Jay no-sells and tells Cole to hit him again, so Cole cracks him square in the skull and Jay goes down like a brick. Cole covers for 2, then goes back to hammering Jay with the cane, drags him to the corner, and rams his knee into the post. He tries to do it again, but Jay pulls up on his legs and pulls Cole into the post. Cole is bleeding from the skull as he gets back to his feet just in time to take a shot across the head from the Singapore cane. Jay brings Cole back into the ring and Cole is bleeding so heavily that the doctor from the NY State Athletic Commission comes down to ringside to stop the match and check on Cole. The crowd doesn't like that, so Jay goes out to the floor, fights the doctor and the security that accompanied him off, and tosses Cole back into the ring to continue stomping on his face. Jay hits a neckbreaker in the middle of the ring, but Cole is out at 2. Jay continues punching Cole in the face as the crowd is 50/50 behind both me. They go to the top rope and Jay tries to superplex Cole to the floor, but Cole drops into the ring and superkicks Jay, sending Jay backward through the table at ringside. Cole grabs the World Title belt from ringside, measures Jay when he comes back in the ring, and smashes him in the face with the belt. Cole covers Jay for 2, then kisses the belt and tosses it aside, superkicks Jay in the back of the head, and hits the Florida Key for 2. Cole goes to the second rope for the leaping Panamaninan Destroyer, but Jay catches Cole in a fireman's carry and gives him a running death valley driver through the table in the corner. Jay grabs a purple bag from under the ring and turns it upside down to pour a huge sea of thumbtacks all over the mat. Cole punches Jay in the ding ding and looks at the tacks, grabs a handful, pours them in Jay's mouth, and superkicks him in the face. What a jerk! Cole makes a cover but Jay kicks out at 2, blocks the Florida Key, drills Cole with a pair of Yakuza kicks, and finally backdrops Cole onto the tacks. Ouch. Jay with another Jay Driller, but Cole again somehow kicks out at 2. The crowd is going nuts as Jay picks up his title belt, lays it on the mat, and waits for Cole to get to his feet. Cole crawls to his knees, looks down at the belt that was once his, then looks up at Jay and realizes his fate. Jay with another Jay Driller, this time on the belt, and Cole collapses onto the tacks for good measure. Jay covers Cole and picks up the extremely hard fought win and remain undefeated against Adam Cole.
Winner: Jay Briscoe
Hell of a fight to top off a solid show. It'll be interesting to see what's next for each of these guys since I feel like this had to close out their feud. Both men are still laying in the ring as the show closes with another spot for the 13th Anniversary Show from Las Vegas.
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