Ring of Honor: A Whole World of Wrestling... [July 2019-]

[joshspicer]

Yeah that figures. I really want Alex to finally be a main eventer in ROH but he wants to leave.

[20LEgend]

<p>ROH Supercard of Honor 2020 Match Card</p><p> </p><p>

<span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="JYwbaCH.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/JYwbaCH.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span></p><p><img alt="TPKsu2J.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/TPKsu2J.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Champion of Champions Match for the Women of Honor World Championship; Winner Becomes The Women's "ROH Undisputed World Champion"</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>

</strong></span><img alt="OJAIX4u.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/OJAIX4u.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="eYJuJGx.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/eYJuJGx.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="3k1wHWH.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/3k1wHWH.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="ChgZRQ5.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ChgZRQ5.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span></p><p><img alt="yNYd4Dl.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/yNYd4Dl.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>ROH World Tag Team Championship Match</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>

</strong></span><img alt="eXLfATP.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/eXLfATP.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="4IMeLH1.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/4IMeLH1.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="U0OCqcS.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/U0OCqcS.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="JnXsPS4.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/JnXsPS4.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span></p><p><img alt="ZAnrRNK.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZAnrRNK.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>ROH Six Man Tag Team Championship Match</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>

</strong></span><img alt="lnaDQBd.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/lnaDQBd.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="ndPxhb6.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ndPxhb6.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="b3KTs4i.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/b3KTs4i.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="sZ4TN70.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/sZ4TN70.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="G1bJHC8.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/G1bJHC8.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="CCSygxs.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/CCSygxs.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Fight Without Honor</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><img alt="Q6DPqJ1.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Q6DPqJ1.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="1bkAAGV.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/1bkAAGV.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="VRdqLHS.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/VRdqLHS.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship (ft. Special Guest "Gatekeeper")</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>

</strong></span><img alt="C48zpWc.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/C48zpWc.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="6Sbktqj.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6Sbktqj.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><div style="text-align:center;"></div><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="YAlZyMv.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/YAlZyMv.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="BXYJnHD.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/BXYJnHD.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="2Wmxcko.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/2Wmxcko.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><hr color=black></span></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Battle Royal; Winner earns an Honor Club Championship match later in the night</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>

</strong></span><img alt="E9KoMCB.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/E9KoMCB.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="OQoYeTP.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/OQoYeTP.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="hgYUS77.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/hgYUS77.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="Lx7NIDW.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Lx7NIDW.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="mJ5pYv6.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/mJ5pYv6.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>

</strong></span><img alt="TjVWgle.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/TjVWgle.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="C2zDAok.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/C2zDAok.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="WH5iQ2j.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/WH5iQ2j.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="OAm8b6j.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/OAm8b6j.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="3QHOT7A.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/3QHOT7A.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><img alt="gTPrWkf.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/gTPrWkf.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">

</span><img alt="QpPzCbO.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/QpPzCbO.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div><p></p><p><hr color=black></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">ROH Supercard of Honor 2020 - Match Card</span></strong></p><p> </p><p>

<span style="font-size:8px;"><strong>Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship</strong></span></p><p>

Jeff Cobb © vs. Minoru Suzuki</p><p>

<span style="font-size:8px;"><em>Who will be the Special Guest "Gatekeeper" for the Steel Cage match?</em></span></p><p> </p><p>

<span style="font-size:8px;"><strong>Champion of Champions Match for the WOH World Championship</strong></span></p><p>

Madison Eagles © vs. Kelly Klein vs. Mayu Itawani vs. Sumie Sakai</p><p> </p><p>

<span style="font-size:8px;"><strong>ROH World Tag Team Championships</strong></span></p><p>

Bandido & Flamita © vs. Mistico & Rush</p><p> </p><p>

<span style="font-size:8px;"><strong>ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships</strong></span></p><p>

Jay Lethal & Lifeblood (Haskins & Williams) © vs. Blacklist (David Finlay, Fred Yehi & PJ Black)</p><p> </p><p>

<span style="font-size:8px;"><strong>ROH Honor Club Championship</strong></span></p><p>

Jonathan Gresham © vs. Battle Royal Winner</p><p>

<em><span style="font-size:8px;">Who will win the Battle Royal?</span></em></p><p> </p><p>

Flip Gordon vs. KENTA</p><p> </p><p>

<strong><span style="font-size:8px;">Fight Without Honor</span></strong></p><p>

Davey Richards vs. Jay Briscoe</p><p>

</p></div><p></p><p></p>

[Kijar]

<p>Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Jeff Cobb © </strong>vs. Minoru Suzuki</p><p>

Who will be the Special Guest "Gatekeeper" for the Steel Cage match? Minoru Tanaka</p><p> </p><p>

Champion of Champions Match for the WOH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Madison Eagles ©</strong> vs. Kelly Klein vs. Mayu Itawani vs. Sumie Sakai</p><p>

Mayu would also be a good pick</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Tag Team Championships</p><p>

<strong>Bandido & Flamita ©</strong> vs. Mistico & Rush</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships</p><p>

Jay Lethal & Lifeblood (Haskins & Williams) © vs. <strong>Blacklist (David Finlay, Fred Yehi & PJ Black)</strong></p><p> </p><p>

ROH Honor Club Championship</p><p>

<strong>Jonathan Gresham ©</strong> vs. Battle Royal Winner</p><p>

Who will win the Battle Royal? <strong>Rhett Titus</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Flip Gordon vs. K<strong>ENTA</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Fight Without Honor</p><p>

<strong>Davey Richards</strong> vs. Jay Briscoe</p><p>

just preference</p>

[Hashasheen]

<p>Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Jeff Cobb © </strong>vs. Minoru Suzuki</p><p>

Who will be the Special Guest "Gatekeeper" for the Steel Cage match? <strong>Ken Shamrock</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Champion of Champions Match for the WOH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Madison Eagles © </strong>vs. Kelly Klein vs. Mayu Itawani vs. Sumie Sakai</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Tag Team Championships</p><p>

<strong>Bandido & Flamita © </strong>vs. Mistico & Rush</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships</p><p>

Jay Lethal & Lifeblood (Haskins & Williams) © vs. <strong>Blacklist (David Finlay, Fred Yehi & PJ Black)</strong></p><p> </p><p>

ROH Honor Club Championship</p><p>

<strong>Jonathan Gresham ©</strong> vs. Battle Royal Winner</p><p>

Who will win the Battle Royal? <strong>Matt Taven</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Flip Gordon vs. <strong>KENTA</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Fight Without Honor</p><p>

<strong>Davey Richards </strong>vs. Jay Briscoe</p>

[olivertaylor276]

<p>Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship</p><p>

Jeff Cobb © vs. <strong>Minoru Suzuki</strong></p><p>

Who will be the Special Guest "Gatekeeper" for the Steel Cage match? <em>Not a clue tbh, I was going to say Keith Lee but let's go with</em> <strong>Colt Cabana</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Champion of Champions Match for the WOH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Madison Eagles ©</strong> vs. Kelly Klein vs. Mayu Itawani vs. Sumie Sakai</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Tag Team Championships</p><p>

<strong>Bandido & Flamita ©</strong> vs. Mistico & Rush</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships</p><p>

Jay Lethal & Lifeblood (Haskins & Williams) © vs. <strong>Blacklist (David Finlay, Fred Yehi & PJ Black)</strong></p><p>

<em>Lethal eats the pin on the way out. David Finlay is the man.</em></p><p> </p><p>

ROH Honor Club Championship</p><p>

Jonathan Gresham © vs. <strong>Battle Royal Winner</strong></p><p>

Who will win the Battle Royal? <strong>Matt Taven</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Flip Gordon vs. <strong>KENTA</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Fight Without Honor</p><p>

<strong>Davey Richards</strong> vs. Jay Briscoe</p>

[Powerbrock100]

<p>Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Jeff Cobb ©</strong> vs. Minoru Suzuki</p><p>

Who will be the Special Guest "Gatekeeper" for the Steel Cage match? Complete guess Tomohiro Ishii. </p><p> </p><p>

Champion of Champions Match for the WOH World Championship</p><p>

<strong>Madison Eagles © </strong> vs. Kelly Klein vs. Mayu Itawani vs. Sumie Sakai</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Tag Team Championships</p><p>

<strong>Bandido & Flamita ©</strong> vs. Mistico & Rush</p><p> </p><p>

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships</p><p>

Jay Lethal & Lifeblood (Haskins & Williams) © vs. <strong>Blacklist (David Finlay, Fred Yehi & PJ Black)</strong></p><p> </p><p>

ROH Honor Club Championship</p><p>

<strong>Jonathan Gresham ©</strong> vs. Battle Royal Winner</p><p>

Who will win the Battle Royal? Brody King</p><p> </p><p>

Flip Gordon vs. <strong>KENTA</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Fight Without Honor</p><p>

<strong>Davey Richards</strong> vs. Jay Briscoe</p>

[20LEgend]

ROH Supercard of Honor 2020

 

<hr color=black>

Announcers: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman & Colt Cabana - Location: Tampa, Florida

<hr color=black>

Battle Royal; Winner earns an Honor Club Championship match later tonight

 

The Result: Brody King won the 10 man Battle Royal, last eliminating the MVP of the match Taiji Ishimori. Matt Taven and Mark Briscoe made up the final four of the match, and each scored a couple of eliminations.

 

The Reasoning: Brody King has struggled for his place since Marty Scurll left, which was followed by the departure of his tag team partner PCO. Beginning the year looking to make a singles run, a big victory and subsequent title match is a good momentum building move for Brody King.

 

The Aftermath: The commentators put over the performance of Brody King, and note that he will face Jonthan Gresham for the Honor Club Championship later in the evening.<hr color=black>

Match #2 - Flip Gordon vs. KENTA

 

The Background: Since Villain Enterprises fell apart at the end of 2019, Flip Gordon - like Brody King - has looked to break out on his own. The Honor League was his perfect chance to do this, but after a good start to the tournament, he faded badly. This led to suggestions that Flip Gordon lacks the “cutting edge” to take his career to the next level. Of course, this got under the skin of Flip Gordon, who was desperate to prove the doubters wrong. His opponent, KENTA, is somebody that no one would suggest lacks a cutting edge, and Flip has the perfect opportunity to back up his recent talk.

 

The Result: KENTA picked up a convincing victory in his second match since returning to ROH, pinning Flip Gordon with a Go 2 Sleep. While both men got offence in during the match, it was a clear, decisive win for KENTA.

 

The Reasoning: KENTA continues to be built as a special attraction, following up his victory over Matt Taven at Final Battle with an equally impressive win. Flip Gordon has not been booked particularly strongly in recent months, due to the question marks over his future. With just this event - and the taping following Supercard of Honor - left on his contract, there was no way he was ever winning the match. ROH have now given up on resigning the homegrown star, who appears to be on his way to AEW.

 

The Aftermath: KENTA stood tall in the ring, while Flip rolled to the outside.<hr color=black>

Fight WITHOUT Honor!

Match #3 - Davey Richards vs. Jay Briscoe

 

The Background: At Final Battle 2019, Jay Briscoe was scheduled to face Nick Aldis for the NWA World title, only for the Champion to pull out due to injury. Jay Briscoe was furious, and turned to ROH management demanding a top level opponent as Aldis’ replacement.

 

When management did just that, bringing Davey Richards back to the company, Jay Briscoe was not happy. Following his defeat to Richards at Final Battle, Jay and his brother Mark set out on a campaign against Davey Richards, looking to send him out of Ring of Honor once and for all. While Davey looked to focus solely on the Honor League, an attack from The Briscoes took his eye off the ball, and potentially cost him his opportunity at the Ring of Honor World Championship. Once that tournament was over, Davey Richards had a clear message for Jay Briscoe. He was more than happy to face him, at Supercard of Honor, but demanded that the match be a Fight WITHOUT Honor!

 

The Result: From the opening bell, this wasn’t your usual Davey Richards match. Fought on Jay Briscoe’s level throughout, it appeared that Davey was more than happy with this, letting out his frustrations on the man who has stalked him since his ROH return. Of course, there were weapons involved in the match, with Jay Briscoe looking at home using anything he could find around ringside. The two went all out to create a chaotic scene throughout.

 

Both gave as good as they got, but Jay Briscoe appeared to have one last trick up his sleeve. As Davey Richards looked to close in on victory, Mark Briscoe came out from the back, turning the contest into a two-on-one handicap.

There was nothing the referee could do, given the rules of the match, and The Briscoes began to brutalise Davey Richards. It looked as though there was no way back for him in the match, but Davey Richards wasn’t without a backup plan of his own…

Davey Richards’ American Wolves partner Eddie Edwards made his Ring of Honor return, carrying a Kendo Stick with him as he came down to the ring. Anybody who has followed the last couple of years of Eddie’s career would know that he is a changed man since his time in ROH, and is certainly at home in a match with no rules.

 

Catching The Briscoes off guard, the match was now completely out of control. Eddie managed to take Mark Briscoe out of the equation, leaving Jay Briscoe to fight off the American Wolves. He couldn’t do that, and following a Superkick from Eddie Edwards and a German Suplex from Davey Richards that sent Jay through the table, the match was over.

 

The Reasoning: While the match was set up as the end of the rivalry between the two, the signing of Eddie Edwards - shortly after the expiration of his Impact Wrestling contract - changed the course of the storyline. With The American Wolves and The Briscoes set to continue the rivalry, this felt like the best way to book the return of Eddie Edwards, the lack of rules allowing him to show off his offence before the end of the match. It also protects Jay Briscoe in defeat somewhat, as his plan of outnumbering Davey couldn’t be executed.

 

The Aftermath: The American Wolves stood tall in the ring, taking in the reaction of the crowd. Ian Riccaboni puts over how long it has been since we saw Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards in a ROH ring together, and spoke excitedly about seeing them in action in the near future!<hr color=black>

ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship Match

Match #4 - Lethal & Lifeblood © vs. Blacklist

 

The Background: Earlier this year, Fred Yehi & PJ Black walked out on Jonathan Gresham during a six man tag team match. No explanation was given from the duo, until Honor Reigns Supreme, where they faced Mark Haskins & Tracy Williams. With the Lifeblood members looking in control of the match, David Finlay made his return from injury, helping Yehi & Black to victory. In the weeks that followed, the trio targeted Lethal & Lifeblood, declaring themselves “Blacklist”.

 

The reason behind their formation was to directly oppose Lifeblood, the group that David was one of the founding members of. Like Finlay, PJ Black & Fred Yehi had both been associated with the group, despite not being official members. They felt that once Jay Lethal joined Haskins & Williams, they were sidelined and marginalised, with their contributions during rivalries with The Kingdom and Villain Enterprises going unnoticed. They vowed that would change, challenging Lethal & Lifeblood to a match at Supercard of Honor. With the Six Man World Tag Team Championships on the line, Blacklist are determined to prove themselves to the trio who they felt overlooked them.

 

The Result: Blacklist looked to bend the rules throughout the match, but struggled to keep up with the well-oiled unit of Lethal & Lifeblood. That made it all the more surprising when the match came to an end, PJ Black & Fred Yehi both taking risks, and giving their team the upperhand. David Finlay was then left in the ring with Tracy Williams, and was able to beat him with Celtic Cross. Blacklist are the NEW ROH World Six Man Tag Team Champions!

 

The Reasoning: With Jay Lethal on his way out of the company, the previously uncertain result of this match was set in stone. Originally the decision would probably have gone to the wire, and been made on the night of the event, but with Lethal having only one appearance scheduled after this show, the choice was made for me. Blacklist are a relatively new group, and in my mind probably aren’t established enough to justify the titles yet. However, there was little alternative, and as such PJ Black, David Finlay and Fred Yehi pick up a win that could change the course of their ROH careers. A huge victory, over a large portion of the group we have built the company around, the three gain huge momentum from the result of the match.

 

The Aftermath: The commentators put over the upset, as Blacklist stood tall in the ring. Caprice Coleman spoke of the vindication they must be feeling, having got the results to back up their recent claims!<hr color=black>

ROH World Tag Team Championship Match

Match #5 - Bandido & Flamita © vs. Mistico & Rush

 

The Background: Originally scheduled as Rush & Dragon Lee’s rematch for the titles they lost to Bandido & Flamita, injury to Dragon Lee resulted in Mistico taking his place. While there is little personal animosity between the two teams, a competitive rivalry has seen the sides trade victories.

 

The Result: Bandido & Flamita retained their titles, when Bandido pinned Mistico. The match was back and forth, with fast-paced action, but the Champions just had that bit more in the tank when it came to the end of the match.

 

The Reasoning: With Dragon Lee out injured, and Mistico not currently scheduled for any more appearances, there was never any doubt that Bandido & Flamita would win this match. Going forward, Rush and Dragon Lee are more likely to be featured as singles competitors, having put in performances that prove them to be Main Event level talent. As a result, they will be moved away from the tag team scene going forward, with Bandido & Flamita taking their place as the centerpiece of the company’s tag team division.<hr color=black>

ROH Honor Club Championship Match

Match #6 - Jonathan Gresham © vs. Brody King

 

The Background: Earlier in the evening, Brody King won a Battle Royal to earn his shot at the Honor Club Championship. Since becoming the first Champion since the title was branded as the “Honor Club Championship”, Jonathan Gresham has defended against all comers, and was more than ready to face whoever the Battle Royal threw at him going into Supercard of Honor.

 

The Result: Despite going through 9 other men to get to the match, Brody King was surprisingly fresh coming in. He controlled large portions of the contest, but Gresham’s freshness did appear to factor in later in the match. This allowed Gresham to roll Brody King up, picking up the win from seemingly out of nowhere.

 

The Reasoning: This match was booked to make Brody King look strong throughout, but felt too soon into his push to put the title on him. With one out of the blue title change earlier in the night, this felt too close to that, and as such Gresham retained. While King dominated much of the match, the fact this was his second of the night protects him, and gives him claim to face again Gresham down the line in different circumstances.

 

The Aftermath: Jonathan Gresham celebrated his victory, standing tall as ROH’s current longest reigning Championship holder.<hr color=black>

Champion of Champions Match for the Women of Honor World Championship; Winner Becomes The Women's "ROH Undisputed Champion"

Match #7 - Madison Eagles © vs. Kelly Klein vs. Mayu Itawani vs. Sumie Sakai

 

The Background: Since the Women of Honor Championship was introduced, four competitors have held the title, and following Kelly Klein’s historic second run, Madison Eagles became that fourth title holder. After defeating Klein in the rematch, Madison Eagles wanted to prove herself the greatest Women of Honor World Champion of all time, and announced that this match had been made. Bringing together all of the women who have laid claim to the title throughout its entire history, the match will also see the Championship renamed and rebranded, the winner becoming the Women’s Undisputed World Champion of ROH.

 

The Result: Madison Eagles retained the title, stealing the victory from Mayu Itawani. Itawani appeared to have the match won, only to be thrown out of the ring. Eagles then hit the Hell Bound to Sumie Sakai, securing her as the first ROH Undisputed Champion.

 

The Reasoning: Madison Eagles has been far away the best in-ring performer throughout my tenure with Ring of Honor, bringing the women’s matches to another level since her arrival. While Mayu Itawani can match those performance levels, she is only a part-time member of the roster. Therefore, this was a straight-forward decision, securing Madison Eagles as the Undisputed Champion, and allowing us a solid, logical reason to rebrand and rename the Women of Honor World Championship. It is hoped that under the new banner, the long neglected women’s side of the roster can flourish into something much better than what has previously been presented.

 

The Aftermath: After the match, Madison Eagles was handed the new updated “ROH Undisputed Championship”, raising it high in the air as a new era for the women of ROH began.<hr color=black>Before the Main Event took place, Ian Riccaboni headed to the stage to introduce the “Special Guest Gatekeeper” for the ROH World Championship match. A man who is no stranger to fighting in a cage, Riccaboni introduced “Filthy” Tom Lawlor!

Interviewed briefly by Ian Riccaboni before the match, Tom Lawlor confirmed that he had signed with Ring of Honor, and tonight wouldn’t be the last they’d see of him!<hr color=black>

Steel Cage Match for the ROH World Championship (ft. Special Guest "Gatekeeper")

Main Event - Jeff Cobb © vs. Minoru Suzuki

 

The Background: Having originally faced off at Final Battle, this rematch was made in response to the controversial events of that show. At Final Battle, Minoru Suzuki defeated Jeff Cobb, making him pass out to the Rear Naked Choke to become the ROH World Champion. However, after Minoru Suzuki refused to release the hold, all hell broke loose. Minoru Suzuki attacked anybody who dared cross his path, including a Sinclair Broadcast Group official!

 

As a result of Suzuki’s actions, he was stripped of the ROH World Championship, and blacklisted from ever competing in Ring of Honor again. While the title was returned to the previous holder, who began his second reign as Champion, Jeff Cobb wanted to prove he deserved the Championship. He entered the Honor League, with his Championship on the line. When Jeff Cobb won the tournament, and remained the ROH World Champion, he earned the right to name his opponent for Supercard of Honor. Unhappy with how things ended last time, he chose Minoru Suzuki.

 

Initially, the interview where he gave this choice was edited out of ROH TV, but Cobb was insistent. Not only was he unhappy with how things turned out after Final Battle, so were the fans. Feeling robbed of their chance to see Minoru Suzuki have a run with the title, they spoke out against the decision, with Cobb even copping some backlash as a result. Demanding the chance to prove a point, Jeff Cobb pressured ROH management, even suggesting the ROH World Title’s prestige depended on the match being made. Eventually, with fans and wrestlers supporting the cause, Sinclair lifted the ban on Suzuki, albeit with very specific conditions.

 

Firstly, the match must be contested inside a Steel Cage, to ensure the safety of officials and those around ring. Secondly, the ban would be for one night only, or for as long as Suzuki’s title reign lasted. And finally, a specially selected “Gatekeeper” would be drafted in for the match, ensuring a decisive finish to this long-running story.

 

The Result: From the beginning of the match, the commentators put over that neither man would want to escape the Steel Cage, looking for a conclusive end to their rivalry. Throughout the match, the two men engaged in intense physicality, a style which probably benefited Minoru Suzuki. Jeff Cobb did try and bring the match to the mat on occasion, but within the Steel Cage, brutality is always around the corner.

 

During the match, Tom Lawlor also got into it with both men on occasion, heckling from the sidelines but never threatening to get involved. This clearly got to Jeff Cobb more, but he stayed focussed on Minoru Suzuki. Despite this, Cobb would once again find himself in trouble, as Minoru Suzuki locked him in a Rear Naked Choke. Of course, anything goes in a Steel Cage match, and as it looked like Suzuki was going to take the hold down to the canvas, Jeff Cobb kicked him between the legs with a back heel kick.

 

While the commentators didn’t agree with the tactic, they accepted that there are no rules to how you win a Steel Cage match, adding that Minoru Suzuki had done worse during the course of the match. What followed was even more surprising, as clearly shook up from being moments away from losing his title, Jeff Cobb turned to the door of the Steel Cage. Tom Lawlor remained vigilant, holding the door locked, but this didn’t stop Cobb. Acting out of pure desperation, Cobb threw himself feet first at the door, breaking the lock and knocking it into the face of Tom Lawlor.

 

Carrying forward his momentum, Jeff Cobb ended up outside of the Steel Cage, having gone against his pre-match words. It may not have been how he wanted to do it, but Jeff Cobb had won the match and retained the ROH World Championship.

 

The Reasoning: Since Final Battle, and throughout the Honor League, there has undoubtedly been a backlash against Jeff Cobb as Champion, some feeling that the title reverting back to him - despite his loss to Minoru Suzuki - was undeserved. Playing this into the match, Jeff Cobb’s actions were not against any rules, nor sign of an explicit “heel turn”, but would certainly have not convinced the doubters that he was any more worthy of holding the Championship.

 

Minoru Suzuki’s ban was originally intended to be permanent in storyline, but given the reaction it received, it was difficult to move forward with Jeff Cobb as Champion without some closure. In defeat, Minoru Suzuki doesn’t lose any of his aura or credibility, but also doesn’t have a claim to another match. This booking closes that chapter successfully, while opening a new one surrounding the actions of Jeff Cobb. Working on the fact that some do not like that he is still Champion, Cobb’s personality will develop with this moment as a catalyst, and opens up the avenue of a potential future match with Tom Lawlor. Morally ambiguous in his actions, this opens up more shades of grey, adding to what has been a fairly one dimensional character since Cobb came to ROH.

 

The Aftermath: Following the match, Jeff Cobb headed to the top of the stage, handed the ROH World Championship by the referee who called for the bell. Tom Lawlor returned to his feet on the outside, but was busted open by the Steel Cage’s door being driven into his face.

 

Lawlor was understably angry, and had to be held back by members of the ringside team, as Jeff Cobb closed the show as the reigning ROH World Champion!<hr color=black>

Quick Results:

Brody King won a Battle Royal to earn a shot at the Honor Club Championship (D)

KENTA bt. Flip Gordon ©

Davey Richards bt. Jay Briscoe in a Fight Without Honor! (C+)

Blacklist bt. Lethal & Lifeblood © to become the NEW ROH World Six Man Tag Team Champions (C-)

Bandido & Flamita © bt. Mistico & Rush to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championships ©

Jonathan Gresham © bt. Brody King to retain the ROH Honor Club Championship ©

Madison Eagles © bt. Kelly Klein, Mayu Itawani & Sumie Sakai to retain the WOH World Championship (renamed the ROH Undisputed Championship) (D+)

Jeff Cobb © bt. Minoru Suzuki in a Steel Cage Match to retain the ROH World Championship (C-)

Show Rating: C-

[dnmt]

I gotta say, when I was starting to look at new games to make my immediate thought was a reborn ROH, but then I found yours and realized I could never top it. The presentation, the re-focus on a more sports-based product, the graphics, who you are highlighting and booking around, etc. It's all absolutely awesome. This show was really interesting too. Keep up the good work.

[Hashasheen]

A pseudo-cowardly heel turn for Jeff Cobb is interesting.

[joshbrady91]

Really good show and a fantastic write up! Look forward to more.

[20LEgend]

<p>ROH Update</p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>ROH Update: A Difficult Few Months</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="e2kXzWZ.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/e2kXzWZ.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> Ring of Honor has long been known for its ability to create new stars, particularly following the departures of big names from their roster. Mostly recently, the departure of The Elite and their associates posed one of the most difficult rebuilds in the history of the company. The troubles didn’t end there however, with ROH going through something of a difficult transition during 2019, with things picking up towards the end of the year, and into the beginning of 2020.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> This didn’t mean the exodus was over however, as Marty Scurll, Jay Lethal and The Motor City Machine Guns all left the company during that time. Jay Lethal’s final pay-per-view match at Supercard of Honor marked a significant moment for the company, with Lethal having been part of the “core” group of talent they were looking to build around. Shortly after this, Flip Gordon was confirmed to have joined Scurll in All Elite Wrestling. In the three months following Supercard of Honor, the rebuild took something of a back seat, with keeping heads above water becoming the priority.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46849" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Matches from April taping:</strong></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> Mayu Itawani bt. Tasha Steelz - David Finlay Jr. & Fred Yehi bt. Mark Haskins & Tracy Williams - Tom Lawlor bt. Flip Gordon - KENTA & Taiji Ishimori bt. The Kingdom - Kelly Klein & Kimber Lee bt. Hollidead & Thunder Rosa - Jonathan Gresham © bt. Jay Lethal - Eddie Edwards bt. David Finlay Jr. - Rush bt. Ryan Nova - Madison Eagles bt. Sumie Sakai - Davey Richards bt. Dalton Castle - Matt Taven bt. Brody King - Jeff Cobb, Bandido & Flamita bt. Silas Young & The Briscoes</span></span></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> During the month, Jeff Cobb continued to show a more arrogant side to his personality, during interactions with Tom Lawlor. He also took the credit as he led his team to victory in the event’s final match. That match also featured The Briscoes, who ramped up their rivalry with The American Wolves, resulting in a building-wide brawl between the two sides. On the women’s side of the roster, (Cheerleader) Melissa Anderson and Nicole Savoy were amongst the debuts, as a tournament was announced for the Number One Contendership to Madison Eagles’ ROH Undisputed Championship. </span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>As well as Jay Lethal and Flip Gordon, the event marked the final appearance of Brody King in ROH.</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46849" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Matches from May taping:</strong></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> Nicole Savoy bt. Kelly Klein (Round 1) - Tom Lawlor bt. Ryan Nova - Eddie Edwards went to a no contest with Jay Briscoe - Matt Taven bt. Tracy Williams - Melissa Anderson bt. Amber Nova (Round 1) - Dragon Lee bt. Fred Yehi - David Finlay Jr. bt. Bandido - Hiroyo Matsumoto bt. Dalys la Caribeña (Round 1) - Rush bt. Mark Haskins - Kimber Lee bt. Sumie Sakai (Round 1) - Davey Richards bt. Silas Young - Jeff Cobb bt. Jonathan Gresham</span></span></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> With the Undisputed Championship tournament providing some momentum to the women’s side of the roster, the men’s side was dealt two huge blows, as </span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Rush made it clear that he would not be resigning with the company. Dragon Lee would also depart shortly after</strong></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> his brother, but before their contracts expired, the ROH “Undisputed” event was scheduled.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46849" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>Matches from June taping:</strong></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> Melissa Anderson bt. Kimber Lee (Semi-Final) - The Briscoes bt. American Wolves - Nicole Savoy bt. Hiroyo Matsumoto (Semi-Final) - Tom Lawlor bt. Dalton Castle - Rush bt. Matt Taven, Jonathan Gresham and Dragon Lee (World Title N.O.C) - Madison Eagles bt. Jessica James - Mark Haskins & Tracy Williams bt. The Kingdom - Jeff Cobb, Bandido & Flamita bt. Blacklist (David Finlay Jr, Fred Yehi and PJ Black)</span></span></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> Melissa Anderson and Nicole Savoy would go one on one at Undisputed, with the winner facing Madison Eagles in the event Main Event. The American Wolves’ defeat to The Briscoes, in controversial circumstances, was scheduled to lead to a “Fight Without Honor” rematch at Undisputed. However, </span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>an injury to Davey Richards would result in him missing six months of action</strong></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">. With the roster looking threadbare, </span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><strong>TK O’Ryan and Dalton Castle</strong></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> finished up with the company, in what was hoped would be the last departures.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> One year on from Bully Ray and Delirious leaving the company, Undisputed marked a chance to take stock of the past 12 months. While some work had been done to rebuild the reputation of the company, a look at the roster revealed that things had likely got worse. The company would have to continue to fight against the tide of top stars leaving, with Rush and Dragon Lee’s final appearance at Undisputed marking another landmark moment for Ring of Honor. Where they went after that event was unknown, with one thing for certain. ROH was once again in desperate need of reinforcements.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"> Despite that, a strong card was put together for ROH Undisputed, with management confident that those talents still with the company would produce when it matters the most.</span></p>

[Hashasheen]

<p>Damn. That's definitely a lot of losses. Perhaps necessary to a degree, but certainly a lot of losses. </p><p> </p><p>

Is that going to be the end, or merely the end of the beginning?</p>

[20LEgend]

ROH Undisputed 2020 Match Card

 

<hr color=black>

<hr color=black>

<hr color=black>

ROH World Championship Match

<hr color=black>

ROH World Tag Team Championship Match

<hr color=black>

ROH Honor Club Championship Match

<hr color=black><hr color=black>Undisputed Tournament Final; Winner Faces Madison Eagles for the ROH Undisputed Championship

ROH Undisputed Championship Match

<hr color=black>

ROH Undisputed 2020 - Match Card

 

ROH Undisputed Championship

Madison Eagles © vs. Winner of the Undisputed Tournament

 

ROH World Championship

Jeff Cobb © vs. Rush

 

ROH World Tag Team Championships

Bandido & Flamita © vs. Blacklist (Fred Yehi & PJ Black) vs. Lifeblood (Mark Haskins & Tracy Williams)

 

ROH Honor Club Championship

Jonathan Gresham © vs. Dragon Lee

 

Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards' Replacement vs. The Briscoes

 

Undisputed Tournament Final

Melissa Anderson vs. Nicole Savoy

[Texasrangers13]

ROH Undisputed 2020 - Match Card

 

ROH Undisputed Championship

Madison Eagles ©

 

ROH World Championship

Rush

 

ROH World Tag Team Championships

Blacklist (Fred Yehi & PJ Black)

 

ROH Honor Club Championship

Jonathan Gresham ©

 

Briscoes

 

Undisputed Tournament Final

Melissa Anderson

[20LEgend]

ROH Undisputed 2020

 

<hr color=black>

Announcers: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman & Colt Cabana - Venue: RWJ Barnabas Health Athletic Performance Center - Location: Piscataway, New Jersey<hr color=black>Undisputed Tournament Final; Winner Faces Madison Eagles for the ROH Undisputed Championship

The Background: Following Supercard of Honor, and the renaming of the Women of Honor World Championship as the ROH Undisputed Championship, the company announced a tournament featuring a number of new talents and some old faces to find the next Number One Contender for Madison Eagles’ title. The tournament comes to an end tonight, with Melissa Anderson and Nicole Savoy each having beaten two competitors on their way to the final. The winner of the match will compete in the night’s Main Event, having earned their shot at the ROH Undisputed Championship.

 

The Result: Both competitors gave all they had in the match, refusing to hold back despite the hope of competing in a second match later in the evening. Each managing a fairly even amount of offence, Melissa Anderson eventually came out on top, picking up a pinfall victory following a brutal looking Kudo Driver.

 

The Reasoning: Anderson’s performances throughout the tournament were significantly better than any other competitor involved, with Savoy a distant second. In the interest of having the best possible Main Event for the pay-per-view, Melissa picked up the victory and will face Madison Eagles later tonight.

 

The Aftermath: After the match, Anderson was put over as the tournament winner. It was pointed out that while she had proved herself to be the top contender, her job was only half done for the night...<hr color=black>

ROH Honor Club Championship Match

The Background: Beyond their previous matches, and interactions in a World Title Number One Contendership match they both featured in during the month, there was little build to this match. Instead, having been closely matched in the aforementioned contest, Dragon Lee was given the opportunity to become the ROH Honor Club Champion, on the same night his brother could become the ROH World Champion.

 

The Result: Jonathan Gresham picked up the win, making the 8th defence of his title. Another evenly contested match, Gresham was declared the victor following an Octopus Hold which left Dragon Lee nowhere to go.

 

The Reasoning: With Dragon Lee on his way out of the company, I decided to have his final match see him compete for the Honor Club Championship. Not only does it mirror Rush also being in title action later in the evening, but it closes a series of matches from late last year, which never really saw a decisive conclusion. Both Dragon Lee and Jonathan Gresham traded victories during that time, and with the former on his way out of the company, the decision was made for him to decisively and cleanly put over Jonathan Gresham. A no-brainer decision, despite the fact that Gresham is yet to extend his contract with the company, which expires this month.

 

The Aftermath: Following the match, and after the celebrations of Jonathan Gresham, Dragon Lee made it clear that he was saying goodbye to ROH, and said his final farewell to the fans in attendance.<hr color=black>

ROH World Tag Team Championship Match

The Background: An extension of the Lifeblood and Blacklist rivalry that has raged throughout the year, the groups find themselves as the two top contenders to the Tag Team Championships, and can’t disregard Bandido & Flamita in pursuit of a personal vendetta.

 

Following Jay Lethal’s departure from ROH, Lifeblood’s two final remaining members looked to go their own ways, but found that after disappointing singles runs, they were better together. Not looking to add to their ranks, Lifeblood targeted the regular tag team division, with two thirds of Blacklist turning their attention to the titles as a result. Fred Yehi & PJ Black have a long history with Lifeblood, spanning almost the entire year, and will look to add more gold to their group, in this World Tag Team Championships match.

 

The Result: Bandido & Flamita refused to allow the match to become all about the personal rivalry between Lifeblood & Blacklist, and stood head and shoulders above them as the best performers in the match. This was reflected in the result, as Fred Yehi was pinned by Bandido in the decisive fall of the match.

 

The Reasoning: Six of the competitors the tag team division will be built around going forward, the decision made was to keep the titles on Bandido & Flamita due to the continued catalogue of impressive performances they’ve put in. Keeping open the possibility of Lifeblood vs. Bandido & Flamita in the process, and with the hope of new teams adding to the division in the near future, there are plenty of legs left in the current Champions’ title reign.<hr color=black>Out of that match, a video package looked at the rivalry between The Briscoes and The American Wolves, ending with the moment that Davey Richards was injured by the former. Not only did the injury allow Jay & Mark to win their first battle against The Wolves, it also resulted in Richards being sidelined for 6 months. The Briscoes have shown zero remorse for their actions, having done what they set out to do, but will have to face Eddie Edwards and a partner of his choosing nonetheless...<hr color=black>

The Background: With part of the storyline recapped above, the overarching theme throughout this rivalry has been the “Gatekeeping” of The Briscoes, who feel that The American Wolves shouldn’t have been allowed to walk back into ROH like nothing happened. Still bitter about how Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards left the company in 2013, Mark & Jay vowed to target Davey until he was forced to leave for a second time. Eddie Edwards’ return during a Fight Without Honor at Supercard of Honor, saw the rivalry kicked up into another gear, but the injury to Davey Richards last month changed everything. 50% of their goal accomplished, The Briscoes are ready to complete their mission tonight, with Eddie Edwards drafting in the man who served as “Gatekeeper” to the World title match at Supercard of Honor, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor.

 

The Result: Eddie & Tom appeared to have a strong understanding from the get go in the match, but couldn’t come close to the cohesive Briscoes. While they gave a good fight, Eddie Edwards and Tom Lawlor fell to defeat (Tom’s first in ROH), when Jay Briscoe pinned Eddie Edwards following a Jay Drilla!

 

The Reasoning: Originally set to be another Fight Without Honor, with The American Wolves getting their win back (and once again beating The Briscoes at their own game), the injury to Davey Richards changed everything. Having looked around for a suitable replacement to bring in, the decision was made to pick somebody from our current roster, with Tom Lawlor feeling like the least disappointing choice. Despite the decision, the situation is not ideal, with Lawlor’s build somewhat hurt as a result of being on the losing side. While him being in the match was done to help keep the match and card looking strong, booking wise it wasn’t ideal. Eddie Edwards also takes another fall in the company, and will look to move away from the rivalry with The Briscoes, at least until Davey Richards is ready to return. Of course, that is still over 5 months away!

 

The Aftermath: With Davey Richards out of action and Eddie Edwards solidly defeated, The Briscoes were clearly feeling a sense of achievement after the match, the commentators putting over a decisive victory for Jay & Mark. What this meant for Eddie Edwards and Tom Lawlor going forward was unclear, but they were able to regroup after the match, bitterly accepting they’d lost to a more cohesive unit.<hr color=black>

ROH World Championship Match

The Background: A popular figure with the ROH fanbase, Rush became the Number One Contender for the first time, winning a Four Way match to secure his shot at Jeff Cobb. Recently showing a different side to his personality, Jeff Cobb has been rubbing a number of people up the wrong way since his victory over Minoru Suzuki, including Rush, who had his ability to step into the Main Event scene questioned by Cobb. Having achieved success all around the world, this didn’t sit well with Rush, the former ROH World Tag Team Champion vowing to give Cobb the fight of his life at Undisputed!

 

The Result: Despite his recent proclivity for testing the rules and his desperation to maintain hold of the title, there was no question about how Jeff Cobb went about securing victory in this match. Coming out strongly, having been decisively the better man, Jeff Cobb picked up a clear win over Rush, retaining the ROH World Championship with a Tour of The Islands.

 

The Reasoning: Given the fact that, like his brother Dragon Lee, Rush was out of the company after this event, there was again no doubt as to who would come out victorious in the match. Having had some questionable wins recently - including a controversial victory over Jonathan Gresham - Jeff Cobb is served by a conclusive victory, which also plays into his character. Not only with his post-match actions, but in beating somebody who has grown to have a great connection with the ROH audience. In beating Rush cleanly, somebody who the fans would have liked to see hold the title, the ill-will towards Jeff Cobb - stemming from his controversial matches with Minoru Suzuki - grows, further playing into his recent character change. Hoping this works into an antipathy towards Jeff Cobb, matches with upcoming challengers like Tom Lawlor and Jonathan Gresham should have the desired effect of creating new babyface stars in the company.

 

The Aftermath: Like his brother previously, Rush looked to take in a final reception from the ROH audience, his final time in front of them. Unlike Gresham however, the Champion refused to step aside, basking in his victory until Rush had no choice but to leave ringside. With Rush saying a final goodbye from the top of the stage, Jeff Cobb stood tall in the ring, holding the ROH World Championship in the air.<hr color=black>

ROH Undisputed Championship Match

The Background: Since coming to Ring of Honor, Madison Eagles has been unstoppable. Ending Kelly Klein’s record-breaking second run with the Women of Honor World Championship, Eagles would go onto win a match at Supercard of Honor, featuring all three former WOH World Champions. Becoming the Champion of Champions, the title was renamed the ROH Undisputed Championship, with changes promised to the women’s roster going forward. This came to fruition soon after, with a number of competitors debuting ahead of the Undisputed Contender Tournament. Having defeated two women to get to the final, Melissa Anderson beat Nicole Savoy in the show’s opener, earning her place in the Main Event.

 

The Result: Melissa Anderson gave a good showing of herself, in a match which saw both women evenly matched. A master of strategy, Madison Eagles was happy for the match to go long, knowing that Anderson’s earlier match would eventually take a toll on her. This proved to be the case, and after near falls from both sides, Madison Eagles picked up the victory, hitting a Hell Bound to Melissa Anderson.

 

The Reasoning: Despite impressive performances in the tournament for Melissa Anderson, she is still some way behind Madison Eagles. Adding in the fact that she’d been in action earlier in the night, it was a fairly straightforward decision to have Eagles win the match. Due to this being Anderson’s second match on the night, and her coming close to victory on a number of occasions, this booking leaves the door open for a rematch down the line, with Anderson having a legitimate claim to another shot. With that said, it is unknown how long Melissa Anderson will be with the company (for reasons beyond my control), and as a result, there was no way she was taking the title. Madison Eagles continues to do a great job spearheading the new chapter of women’s wrestling in ROH, the confidence in her evident by the decision to put her title defence as the Main Event. Not only that, but with the contest matching or surpassing every other match on the card, there is no question that this was merely a token gesture, but rather a sign of how far she has brought the women’s roster since coming to the company.

 

The Aftermath: After the Main Event, Madison Eagles ended ROH Undisputed, stood tall as the ROH Undisputed Champion. Having beaten every other Champion in “Women of Honor” history, and then the winner of the “Undisputed Contenders” tournament, there was no doubt that the competitor stood in the ring was undisputedly the Champion of ROH!<hr color=black>

Quick Results:

Melissa Anderson bt. Nicole Savoy to win the Undisputed Contender Tournament (D+)

Jonathan Gresham © bt. Dragon Lee to retain the ROH Honor Club Championship (C-)

Bandido & Flamita © bt. Blacklist (Fred Yehi & PJ Black) and Lifeblood (Mark Haskins & Tracy Williams) to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championships (D+)

The Briscoes bt. Eddie Edwards & Tom Lawlor ©

Jeff Cobb © bt. Rush to retain the ROH World Championship ©

Madison Eagles © bt. Melissa Anderson to retain the ROH Undisputed Championship) ©

Show Rating: C

[alpha2117]

Love the writing and the way you consider the implications of each decision. I'm a Madison Eagle mark too so that ending was always going to go over well with me. Madison & Melissa are just great workers.

[20LEgend]

ROH Update: One Year On.

 

One year ago, following an internal investigation into falling attendances and fan discontent, Bully Ray and Delirious were removed from their positions within Ring of Honor, with a new head booker installed. The company looked to rehabilitate their image and rebuild the brand, investing in a number of talents signed to long-term contracts with them, as well as adding other “credible” workers who fit the mould they would be going for.

 

The priority was to bring in talent with believable, athletic looks, and build around serious contests, with Jeff Cobb, Jonathan Gresham, Jay Lethal, Dragon Lee, Rush, Bandido and Lifeblood forming the core of that vision. Initially the changes were well received, with a positive reaction to the focus on competitors who were seen as the company’s most talented performers, and some of the best in the world regardless of promotion. Of course, when building around elite level talents, outside interest is inevitable, and multiple members of that “core group” took better deals elsewhere during the year, weakening the roster significantly in the process. As well as those departures, Dalton Castle, Marty Scurll, PCO, Flip Gordon, Brody King and The Motor City Machine Guns also left the company. While some of those names had been more utilised than others, there was no question that they would all be difficult to replace, and ultimately progress was staggered as a result.

 

Each time the company looked to move forward, a major name leaving would knock us back. Injuries and other unforeseen incidents added to these issues, with Bandido, Flamita and Davey Richards all being sidelined during the course of the year. Nick Aldis and Zack Sabre Jr., who were set to compete in marquee matches at the “cursed” Final Battle, were also pulled from the event due to injury, throwing long-term plans off course. Zack Sabre Jr. had been planned to leave the last event of the year as ROH World Champion, looking to move into 2020 with a renewed momentum. Instead, a questionable booking decision involving his replacement (Minoru Suzuki) halted our progress, resulting in the first few months of the year feeling closer to us treading water than moving forward. The Honor League in isolation was a success, producing a number of excellent matches, but it didn’t elevate anybody in the way we had hoped. In the end, the status quo was maintained, as Jeff Cobb retained the title. Our next big show was the Supercard of Honor during WrestleMania weekend, and while another solid show was put out, problems began in the immediate aftermath. The months that followed were the toughest of the past year, with departure after departure forcing a change in priorities. Again we were unable to sustain any positive momentum, with keeping our heads above water taking up all of our focus. While the women’s roster provided a small note of positivity, the period between Supercard of Honor and Undisputed produced very little in-terms of meaningful matches, nor much strong development for any of the competitors.

 

Looking back, April, May and June were booked very much on “auto-pilot”, and replacing the departing talent became harder and harder. With the framework we’d put in place, and the specific type of competitor we were looking for, our shortlist became shorter and shorter, until the current situation began to feel unsustainable. During this time, it became clear that the goal we’d set out 12 months ago wouldn’t be achieved. Our “niche” had been filled elsewhere, and the fans followed the talent out of the door. The influence of Ring of Honor was all over the American wrestling scene, from WWE and NXT to AEW, the fingerprints of the company’s style couldn’t be denied. From the alumni that made up in-ring rosters, to the producers and agents putting it all together, ROH was undoubtedly the most influential promotion of the “post-attitude” era of Professional Wrestling. But the feeling remained that we were yesterday’s promotion, a stop gap for talent destined for greater things. This was once a badge of honor, but rather than feeling like a platform for a symbiotic relationship that would help both parties, Ring of Honor was now a stepping stone. A lower budget and smaller reach compared to those companies we were lagging behind, the gap would only get bigger as time went on.

 

No longer believing in what we had set out to do, resigned to the fact that ROH would not return to its former glory, the ”Undisputed Fallout” Television Taping gave me the opportunity to air these feelings with the management who served as the proxy to our parent company, Sinclair Broadcast Group. During the meeting, it was mutually agreed that

my contract would not roll into its second year, with July 1st 2020 marking my final day as an employee of Ring of Honor Wrestling.

With a resolution found, I was informed my services wouldn’t be required for the night’s taping, and after heading to the locker room to say my goodbyes, I left the building.

 

It had been an up and down year in ROH, but within the circumstances we were placed and the obstacles the company faced, we did our best. Objectively speaking however, by cutting the project short at one year and being unable to fulfil our initial targets, my time at ROH must ultimately be considered a failure. I was unable to have the effect I believed I was capable of, and with business more or less where it was when we started, there is little to show for my time in charge of the product. The wage bill may be considerably down, but the next incumbent must immediately look to significantly strengthen the roster, a task much harder than I had anticipated.

 

As for my place in the wrestling business in 2020, I only know one thing. My journey is far from over and I hope to be back as soon as possible. While my time at Ring of Honor didn’t go exactly to plan, the positive changes implemented will not go unnoticed, and I am far from giving up on having my own small impact on the future Pro Wrestling.

 

Now we start from scratch, be it somewhere similar or somewhere completely different. We wait for the next opportunity to come our way… or perhaps create an opportunity of our own.

[Hashasheen]

Damn. Was hoping you'd pull ahead somehow, maybe reorganize and revitalize the brand with some new faces.

 

Would you consider trying an MLW game next? The roster feel there is much the same as ROH, albeit largely fresher. I'd love to see what you could do with Contra and company.

[EBEZA]

Damn, gutted to read that this has ended, but just about to start on Scratch Wrestling Federation, so looking forward to that!