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Tag: Ring Of Honor

  • ROH house show report 10-24 Dayton, OH: Champions vs. All Stars Elimination Match

    Ring of Honor: Glory By Honor XIV results, Dayton, OH
    by Justin McClelland

    Prior to the show, they announced AJ Styles was out with an undisclosed injury and ACH was out with a concussion. The original Champions vs. All Stars main event of Jay Lethal, Matt Taven and Michael Bennett vs. Roderick Strong, ACH and Styles was now Lethal, Taven, Bennett and Roderick Strong (since he won the TV title the night before) vs. Dalton Castle, Moose and the Addiction.

    1. Dark Match: Kongo (who naturally hails from South America and wears a caveman-looking singlet) beat the Outlaw (who naturally wears a cowboy hat).

    2. Kelly Klein (w/ BJ Whitmer) defeated Ray Lynn in about 2 minutes with a guillotine choke. After the match Whitmer gave a speech putting Kline over as a bad ass force. I was unsure if this was taped for the DVD or just a dark match because it was held before Kevin Kelly came out and the usual “fans cheering wildly” opening.

    3. Adam Cole defeated Will Ferrera. The top rope broke early in the match but they worked around it fine. Ferrera did the plucky underdog who is outmatched but refuses to give up role.

    4. The All Night Express beat Beer City Bruiser and Silas Young.  Before the match Young berated the Boys and had them fight for a minute. The Boys were actually holding their own with the ANX, but when they stopped to fan Titus, Young and BCB attacked them and took over the match. King looked to have been hurt on a botched Samoan drop by BCB but came back for the finish which was a combination Powerbomb and Blockbuster on the Bruiser.

    Caprice Coleman beat Sampson Walker. Coleman seems to be a heel now, as he cut a smug promo on Walker noting this was the latter’s “try to get a job” match but Coleman was going to make sure he failed. Walker did a weird/gross thing of biting Coleman’s stomach and back. At the end, Coleman did the Eddie Guerrero “pretend to be hit with a chair when the ref isn’t looking” routing. As Walker tried to argue his case with the ref, Coleman school-boyed him for the cheap win.

    5. Michael Elgin beat Donovan Dijak  (with Truth Martini) with the spinning power in a 20 minute match.  Match went too long as crowd lost interest by the 15 minute point, especially after Elgin hit a top rope senton. Both guys looked good and worked a hard hitting match, but it drug in places.

    6. Joey “Diesel” Daddy-iego (with Truth Martini) beat Shereh Ali. Daddy-iego is the former J. Diesel, with the new gimmick that allows him and Truth to yell “Whose Your Daddy?” constantly. Basically a squash to showcase the new gimmick.

    7. Cliff Compton won a four-way over Bob Evans, Cedric Alexander (with Veda Scott) and Adam Page (with BJ Whitmer). First Evans cut a promo mocking Cheeseburger who he said he injured the night before. Then Compton cut a promo, noting he had a seizure in August and thanked the fans for helping him recover. This led to later Alexander mocking Compton’s seizure, which got massive go-away, disgusted heat. There was a comedy bit where the ref tossed all the seconds after each interfered. Finally, Cheeseburger ran out and clocked Evans so Compton got the win. Cheeseburger noted Evans was an idiot who had “broken the wrong hand” (i.e. his non-punching hand”) and challenged Evans for a match at Final Battle.

    8. The Briscoes defeated War Machine. This was a good 20 minute match with crazy moved. Unfortunately the fans were distracted early by streamers that got caught in the ceiling fan and sundry attempts to get the streamers down. They did a lot of moves including each team giving their finishers to the other before Jay pinned Rowe (I think) with the Jay Driller.

    9. The Champions beat the All Stars in an elimination match. Dalton Castle was at worst the second most over guy on the show behind the Briscoes and maybe even exceeded their popularity and was definitely the star of this match. The Kingdom pinned Kazarian with a spike piledriver. Daniels pinned Taven and then Bennett. Lethal pinned Daniels. Castle and Moose fought the two singles champs for a long time until Lethal pinned Castle with the Lethal Injection after Truth Martini interfered and Moose was pinned by Stong shortly thereafter. Afterwards, Lethal had a staredown with Strong as each held up their belts. Then AJ Styles (Who was doing commentary) got in the ring and had a staredown with Lethal. A fun main event with a lot of comedy from Castle, who did his whole crazy routine and nobody knowing what to make of it, and Lethal who did some great heel stuff.

  • Ring of Honor TV results (10/14): Jay Lethal defends the TV title against Watanabe

    The Big Takeaway: 

    Jay Lethal with his first title defence since the PPV and match 4 in the best of 5 series between ACH and Matt Sydal highlight this show.  

    Show Recap:

    We finally get a show taped after the All-Star Extravaganza PPV, which took place 3 weekends ago. San Antonio, TX, was the site of this taping.

    ACH vs “Reborn” Matt Sydal

    This is match 4 of the best of 5 series. ACH is up 2-1 going in and Kevin Kelly informs us that 75% of sporting teams that win game 3 of a best  of 5 series go on to win the series. ACH won the third match at All-Star Extravaganza. A statistic they didn’t mention is that in best of 5 series or best of 7 series in pro wrestling, they virtually always go to the deciding match so there is approximately a 100% chance that Sydal wins here.

    They adhere to the Code of Honor to start but there is a little tension building off the previous 3 matches. Sydal worked a very subtle heel style at the PPV and with this taking place in ACH’s home state, it stands to reason the crowd would be behind him in this match.

    They do some mat wrestling early with neither guy getting the advantage. Then a bunch of flips. Crowd was fairly dead for all of this until Sydal knocked ACH out of the ring and followed him out and they brawled in front of the crowd. Sydal whipping ACH into the guard rail but ACH recovered right away and they were back in the ring quickly.

    ACH hit the “Dum-Dum” stomp (double foot-stomp to the back of the head from the top rope) on Sydal but only got two. They went to break with guys down after a couple more failed pin attempts by ACH. Back from break and Sydal is out of the ring and ACH nails him with a sliding dropkick in front of the announce desk. Duelling chants for both guys, with the ACH chants slightly louder.

    Back in the ring and ACH attempts a top rope move but Sydal nails him with a thrust kick in midair. Sydal chops him down with knees and then hits a leg lariat for a two. Fans chant THAT WAS TWO after Sydal argues with the ref. ACH stumbles to his feet and then falls and the ref is checking to see if he’s unconscious. Sydal is all over him instead of letting the ref check on him, which the announcers point out.

    ACH recovers fairly quickly and hits a running elbow in the corner, followed by a German suplex with a bridge to get a two. Sydal hits a top rope Rana but ACH lands on his feet. ACH hits a roaring elbow, followed by a swinging neckbreaker but Sydal kicks out right before the three. Crowd thought that was the finish.

    ACH sets up for the Midnight star but Sydal rolls out of the ring. ACH hits the Fosbury flop dive outside the ring and the crowd is going nuts. In the ring, Sydal hits two jumping knees to the head and then goes to the top rope. ACH hits a dropkick from the canvas to the top to knock Sydal off the ropes. ACH then hit a brainbuster and went to the top for the Midnight Star. Sydal got his knees up though.

    Sydal hit a standing Rana that dropped ACH right on his head and then went to the top rope. Shooting Star Press and it’s over.

    WINNER – MATT SYDAL by pinfall

     Match started slow but really picked up at the end to turn into the usual 3.5-4 star match that these two usually have. They shook hands at the end and then were jumped by the Addiction and Chris Sabin. Both guys were laid out with Celebrity Rehap.

    After a commercial break, the Addiction were still in the ring. Kazarian is upset because their World tag team championships of the World were stolen from them. Kazarian rips on Texas, saying they may not believe in bathing or education but they believe in justice. They demand that justice be served. Daniels gets on the mic and says he’s not talking to the fans, cause they’re beneath him, they are talking to whomever interfered in the title match at the PPV, costing them their belts.

    “We were not pinned, we were not beaten and therefore we are still the World tag team champion of the World”. They then challenged the champions to bring them out their belts. Instead of the Kingdom, they get the All-Night Express of Kenny King and Rhett Titus. “ALL NIGHT” chants from the crowd greet them.

    Kenny King claims that they are the linear tag team champions as they were never beaten for the titles, they were beaten by politics. Seems like they’re setting up either a 3 way for the titles or a program between these two teams.

    After a break, Kevin Kelly informs us that we will get a match next weeks between the Addiction and ANX. Kelly and Corino also inform us for the first time (if we didn’t watch the PPV) that Silas Young beat Dalton Castle to win the boys, which leads into the next match.

    Silas Young is out with the Beer City Bruiser and the Boys. Young chastises them for wearing “Dalton Castle crap” when he told them to wear wrestling gear. So their first lesson is how to take a whupping from a man.

    “Pro Wrestling’s Last Real Man” Silas Young/Beer City Bruiser vs The Boys

    Young says “take care of them Bruiser” and leaves the ring. Bruiser does just that, mandhandling them for a couple of minutes. Bruiser goes for a top rope splash but the Boys move out of the way. Boys ride him like a bucking bronco in a very “unmanly” way, which brings in Young. He lays them both out and hits misery on one to get the win.

    WINNERS – SILAS YOUNG/BEER CITY BRUISER

    Bruiser and Young carry the beaten boys to the back over their shoulders. Jay Lethal and Truth Martini do a backstage promo hyping up Lethal’s TV title defence against Watanabe in tonight’s main event. Nothing much to this.

    “Inside ROH” with Mandy Leon is next and tonight we look at the Kingdom and specifically Adam Cole’s involvement in the main event match between Jay Lethal and Kyle O’Reilly. ReDRagon cut an angry promo on Cole. O’Reilly says he pities him and he’s dug his own grave because he’s going to be eating his meals through a straw after ReDRagon are done with him. Cole rebuts with a promo of his own. He explains his actions by saying that when he was out with his shoulder injury, he got sick and tired of people saying Kyle O’Reilly would be the next ROH champion. He will be the next champion. Kyle O’Reilly is a “lesser Adam Cole. The segment closes with highlights of the tag title match at the PPV and Kingdom winning the belts.

    ROH TV Champion Jay Lethal w/Truth Martini vs Takaaki Watanabe

    We get highlights of the Gauntlet match that Watanabe won to earn this title shot. They adhere to the code of Honor, as Lethal usually does. Duelling chants early on and Kevin Kelly informs us that in addition to the tag match announced earlier, Jay Briscoe and Adam Page will meet in a no-DQ match and The Kingdom will have an in-ring promo.

    Watanabe gets the early advantage and Lethal bails outside the ring. Watanabe follows him out and rolls him back into the ring but Lethal uses an eye poke and then some interference from Martini to get the advantage. He then this the Trifecta of “Crash and Burns” and poses on the top rope as we go to break. Fans loving this.

    Back from break and Lethal screams at Watanabe “I’m the Ring of Honor Champion” and the fans respond with a YES YOU ARE chant. Lethal having his way with the challenger and using illegal tactics, just cause he can. Ref arguing with him but Lethal doesn’t really care. He throws Watanabe out of the ring and then stops to chat with Martini. This looks very much like a Ric Flair title defence on TV in the mid-80’s against an overmatched challenger.

    Watanabe gets brief flurry of offence but Lethal stops that with a kick to the head and a lacklustre cover for two. Lethal acts like he’s going to go for a running kick but instead stops and puts a headlock on Watanabe, which the crowd eats up. Watanabe whips Lethal into the corner five times in a row to get the advantage. He then hits an overhead suplex with a release but Lethal comes back with a bicycle kick and goes for the Lethal Injection but Watanabe breaks it up with a Full Nelson attempt.

    Lethal powers out with elbows but then Watanabe nearly takes his head off with a short-arm clothesline. He covers but only gets a two off of that. Martini slides in the Book of Truth and while the ref is distracted getting it out of the ring, Lethal hits a low blow. He follows up with the Lethal Injection for the win.

    WINNER AND STILL ROH TV CHAMPION – JAY LETHAL by pinfall

    Match was nothing special but a fine showcase for Lethal. Fans chant for AJ Styles after the match and Lethal annoyed by it as he leaves to the ring to close the show. Styles won a #1 contenders match at All-Star Extravaganza so that will be Lethal’s next program.

  • Ring of Honor results and recap 10/3: Kazuchika Okada vs Roderick Strong

    The Big Takeaway – More canned matches that were taped before the PPV and no follow-up from All-Star Extravanza more than two weeks after that show. The main event was one of the best TV matches in North America so far this year.

    This show was taped from the Field of Honor event in Brooklyn on Summerslam weekend and took place in a Baseball stadium. Very cool visual. This also kept up the theme of ROH vs New Japan.

    The Time Splitters (IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion Kushida/Alex Shelley) vs The Briscoes (Mark and Jay Briscoe)

    Briscoes were in and out of the crowd during their entrance and when they did wide shots, you got a really good picture of how empty the stadium actually was but the main shot made it look like the place was packed. They also had the crowd miced really well. Prince Nana joined Kelly and Corino on commentary.

    Early on the commentators were talking more about Adam Page and Jay Briscoe than anything in this match. Shelley and Kushida were kind of teasing dissension as at one point, Kushida had his back to the ring and was slamming Shelley’s arm against the ropes repeatedly with the idea that it was one of the Briscoes’ arm but Kushida didn’t know. Then Shelley had his back to the ring when Kushida was trying to make a tag. The announcers didn’t even reference any of this. Then just as quickly as all of that started, it was dropped and the Time Splitters were working together again.

    Shelley took out Jay Briscoe with a jumping knee off the apron, which allowed Kushida to hit a moonsault press for a near three. They brawled in the ring for a bit. Jay recovered and was brawling on the outside with Shelley. Kushida locked in the Hoverboard lock on Mark, while Jay was still outside the ring but Jay made it in to  make the save.

    All four in the ring and Shelley stretched Jay out, while Kushida did the “You can’t see me” gesture to him and hit the sliding dropkick on him. Double running knees on Mark and then the Time Splitters hit a combination Superfly splash (Shelley) and standing Shooting Star Press (Kushida) on Mark but Briscoe kicked out at two. Shelley actually counted along with the ref and reacted the same as he did on the kickout.

    Time Splitters were setting up a doubleteam Sliced Bread but Jay broke it up. Razor’s edge by Mark into a Diamond Cutter by Jay on Shelley only got a two count. Jay then hit a Jay Driller on Shelley for the win. The last five minutes were fun.

    WINNERS – THE BRISCOES by pinfall

    All four guys shook hands after the match. After a break, we got a gauntlet for a TV title match that was joined in progress with Cedric Alexander vs Watanabe. Alexander was laying cocky heel and wasted too much time, allowing Watanabe to roll away from a frog splash. He then hit a neckbreaer/Sunton splash for two.

    Alexander hit a Death Valley Driver for 2. Alexanders hit a series of running dropkicks in the corner to fire up the crowd. This brought out Moose. The distraction allowed Watanabe to hit a German suplex and a Half Nelson Suplex. A headbutt, followed by a forearm smash and finally the STO got the pin for Watanabe, who will now get a TV title shot (and by “will get”, the match happened two weeks ago….more on this later).

    Inside ROH was up next with Mandy Leon, sporting Jay Lethal’s new T-shirt. This week focused on the Adam Page/Jay Briscoe feud, complete with Page calling out Briscoe a couple months back when Briscoe wasn’t even there. Then we got the verbal exchange from them a couple weeks later, when Briscoe answered the challenge but BJ Whitmer wouldn’t accept. Then we got the match, which wasn’t really a match as much as a 3  on 1 attack at the hands of the Decade. This ended with Page hitting the Rampage onto a pile of chairs and setting up next week’s main event, which is a NO-DQ rematch of the two.

    Main Event – Roderick Strong vs IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada (non-title)

    Nigel replaced Nana on commentary. Okada was insanely over with this crowd, as they exploded on the opening notes of his entrance theme and chanted his name throughout the entrance. They did adhere to the Code of Honor prior to the match.

    LETS GO RODDY/O-KA-DA chants before they even locked up. Strong got the better of things early on, leading in and out of the first commercial break, slowing down the match with mat work and submission set-up moves. Strong was very subtly acting like a heel, taunting Okada after hitting moves.

    After about 10 minutes, they were brawling outside on the field and Strong suplexed Okada into the crowd, drawing a HOLY $hit chant from the crowd. Strong then hit a gourbuster onto the ring barricade and then went back into the ring to try and get a countdown win. Nigel criticized this strategy, saying he was giving Okada too much time to recover and should’ve stayed on him.

    Okada made it back before the 20 count and Okada soon took control with a neckbreaker. They went back and forth for the next few minutes with both guys hitting moves but not going for covers. Crowd chants of THIS IS WRESTLING started up. Okada hit a standing dropkick onto Strong, who was on the top turnbuckle, to knock him out of the ring going into a second break.

    Back from break and Strong hit a backbreaker onto the ring apron on Okada and then rolled him into the ring for a 2 count. Okada hit a shoulderbreaker and both guys were down in the centre of the ring. When they got back to their feet, they treaded forearm uppercuts and chops and Shelley got the better of it. Shelley set up for a superplex but Okada pushed him off the top. Shelley hit an enziguri on Okada, who was still on the top rope and then hit the Superplex but only got a 2.

    Strong then locked in the Strong-hold (Boston Crab) in the center of the ring. Okada managed to make it to the ropes to break it up. Strong then hit a series of forearms and whipped Okada into the ropes but Okada hit the picture perfect dropkick to stop his momentum. Okada set up the Rainmaker but Strong powered out with a forearm smash and a series of jumping knees and then hit the Sick Kick for the near fall that everyone thought was the finish.

    Crowd and the announcers were going nuts at this point. Okada then hit a tombstone piledriver but didn’t go for the cover. A second Tombstone and then the Rainmaker pose but again, Shelley powered out of it. German suplex by Okada and looked like he was going to go for a second but hit the Rainmaker instead, which was of course the finish.

    WINNER – KAZUCHIKA OKADA by pinfall

    Just an outstanding main event that would not be out of place as a PPV main event. They pushed that the rest of the card is available on the ROH as a VOD and that next week, we’ll get the TV title match between Jay Lethal and Watanabe.

    Which brings me to a point that needs to be made here. This is now the third show since the PPV and there has been zero follow-up on any of the stuff from that show, which is a problem in 2015. The Adam Cole angle where he reunited with the Kingdom is something that they absolutely should be talking about by now. As well, one of the big selling features of the show was the angle between Dalton Castle and Silas Young and “the boys”. We should be seeing vignettes with Young trying to turn the boys into men by now. I would hope they’re coming but by the time they do, the match will be a couple months old. This is something they really need to work on if they hope to expand their fanbase. Bell to bell, they’re without a doubt the best company in North America, at least in terms of ones that have television but they need to update their presentation.

  • Ring of Honor 9/30 TV results: Adam Cole vs Nakamura

    The Big Takeaway – Great television show continuing with the ROH vs New Japan matches taped in Philadelphia last month. PPV quality matches bookend this show with former ROH and IWGP champions headlining it.

    “Reborn” Matt Sydal vs IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Kushida (non-title)

    These guys are both phenomenal wresters but I could honestly just listen to both of their entrance themes on a loop for the next 15 minutes and I’m be happy. Kushida was greeted with a loud KUSHIDA chant from the crowd during his entrance. They were chanting THIS IS AWESOME 5 seconds after the opening bell, before they’d even locked up.

    Some great chain wrestling early, which Kushida got the better of. THIS IS WRESTLING chant. This crowd is really hot for this match. Kushida did the John Cena “You Can’t See Me” gesture a couple of times after doing a cartwheel out of an armdrag. Fans did not like that at all.

    Sydal slowed him down by knocking him to the canvas with an Enziguri as we went to break. Back from break and Sydal still in control. Announcers are putting over how he’s wrestling differently by focusing on specific body parts. Kushida gets the advantage briefly and goes to the top but gets hit by a thrust kick from Sydal. Shortly after, Kushida hit a top rope moonsault to the outside on Sydal. Sydal took almost the full 20 count to get back in after that.

    Kushida hit another moonsault, this time in the ring, for a near three-count. Sydal sweeped the leg and then hit a standing shooting star press but Kushida got his knees up to block it. Kushida then locked on the Hoverboard lock but Sydal made the ropes to break it up.

    They did the YAY/BOO spot in the centre, with the fans firmly behind Kushida. Sydal got the better of it, and then hit a standing Rana for a two. Sydal went for a shooting star press from the top rope but Kushida rolled out of the way and then locked on the Hoverboard lock again. Sydal fought it off and they had a standing striking battle in the centre of the ring which ended with Kushida flat on the canvas.

    Sydal to the top and this time he hit the Shooting Star press for the win.

    WINNER – MATT SYDAL by pinfall

    After a break, BJ Whitmer is in the ring with Adam Page and he’s got a mic. He wants to know where Adam Page’s match is. A WWE cameraman answered the call.

    4 Corners Survival Match – Adam Page (w/BJ Whitmer and Colby Corino) vs Will Ferrara vs Takaaki Watanabe vs Moose w/Stokely Hathaway

    Page starts out with Watanabe. Ferrara makes a blind tag after Watanabe gets the early advantage. Ferrara all over him so Page tags in Moose. Moose quickly takes Ferrara down with a clothesline and then Page tags himself in but not before verbally berating Moose, which was a funny visual.

    Ferrara gets beat on for a bit and then tags in Watanabe, who’s house of fire on Page. Watanabe hits a Fisherman’s Buster on Page for a near fall but Moose breaks it up. Ferrara then comes and somehow Moose and Ferrara are both legal. Moose tosses him out onto Page and Watanabe and is in the ring by himself. At this point, Colby Corino gets on the apron and it verbally berating Moose.

    Moose knocks him to the floor with a big boot and Adam Page tries to take advantage of the distraction but Moose floors him with a spear. Ferrara in to challenge and he actually takes Moose down with a Tornado DDT. Watanabe in and takes  out Ferrara with a German Suplex. He tries the same on Moose but the big man blocks it on the first attempt but Watanabe gets it on try #2. While he’s celebrating, Ferrara rolls him up for a 2. Watanabe comes back and hits the STO for the pin.

    WINNER – TATAAKI WATANABE by pinfall

    After a break, Kelly and Corino are talking about the last match and a bit about Adam Cole when randomly Bushwhacker Luke is behind them, doing his Bushwhacker walk and licking fans. They showed highlights from “earlier  tonight” when Brutal Bob and “his son” attacked Cheeseburger and Bushwhacker Luke made the save, ending with a stunner on the “son”, which the crowd  loved.

    Luke then grabbed Cheeseburger in a headlock and nailed the guy, who they then called “Hughes the Stooge”, to knock him out of the ring. Luke and Burger then celebrated by doing the Bushwhacker walk around the ring.

    Luke then was interviewed by Kelly and Corino at ringside. He looked great. He said Corino looked like a bag of salad and wanted to taste him and then of course licked his head. A promo piece for next week, with action from Field of Honor appeared next. Looked great.

    Main Event – Adam Cole vs Shinsuke Nakamura

    Nigel joins Kelly and Corino at commentary. This was taped before the PPV but the commentators were talking about his actions there, so they either did post-production or knew it was coming. He was announced as representing The Kingdom so the turn on Kyle O’Reilly was set up well.

    Nakamura gets an amazing reaction with one of the biggest streamer showers I’ve ever seen. Nakamura/Adam Cole duelling chants but the “Adam Cole” responses are very faint. They do adhere to the Code of Honor at the start.

    Cole does the “Adam Cole Baby” pose, which the crowd chants loudly for and Nakamura feigns reaction that he’s impressed. Just before the first break, Nakamura gets knocked out of the ring and Cole mocks him by doing some of his mannerisms, teasing that he’s going to dive to the outside but then doesn’t do it and does the “stick it” mannerism to the fans.

    After the break, they’re both on the outside and Nakamura charges Cole, who’s draped against the barricade but Cole hits a Superkick to stop his momentum. Cole rolls him into the ring and takes over for the next few minutes. Cole runs the ropes, teasing a kick to the head but instead locks on a headlock, which draws heavy boos from the crowd.

    Cole whips Nakamura into the ropes and then stops to do a strongman pose. Cole acting very cocky and then starts clapping and mocking the fans when they chant along. Nakamura finally stops the momentum with a series of kicks and they’re both down and the duelling chants start up again.

    Nakamura with a series of knees to the head of Cole and then hits a gourdbuster for 2. Nakamura sets up a suplex but Cole blocks it with elbows and then does a series of kicks, ending with a Shining Wizard but only gets a two. Somewhere in here, a light USA chant started up but was quickly drowned out by boos.

    As the crowd is booing Cole with the advantage, he smiles and eggs them on to boo louder. Cole sets up a figure four but Nakamura makes the ropes to break it up as we go to another break.

    Back from break and Cole gets the Figure Four in the centre of the ring. Nakamura actually tries to break it by pulling the legs of Cole, which I don’t recall ever seeing before. More duelling chants and Nakamura manages to get to the ropes after about a minute in the hold. Nakamura heavily selling his knee and Cole takes him down with a couple dragon screw legwhips.

    Cole “taking his sweet time” as Nigel put it. He went to apply the Figure Four again but Nakamura grabbed his head and went for a triangle/arm bar submission combination. Cole rolls it into a pinfall attempt and Nakamura has to break the hold in order to escape the pinfall.

    YAY/BOO spot in the centre and I will say that the boos are much quieter for Cole here than they were for Sydal in the opener. Despite Cole’s best efforts, these fans do not want to hate him. Both guys ends up down after a running knee from Cole.

    Cole hits another Shining Wizard but only gets a two. Cole hits the Florida Key but only gets two and then starts arguing with the ref about a slow count. Cole then does the throat slit gesture and sets up for a brainbuster suplex. Nakamura blocks it but Cole hits a thrust kick to back him into the ropes. Cole charges but Nakamura gets a knee up to block it and then hops up to the second rope and hits a flying knee to knock Cole down. Nakamura still selling the damage to the knee from earlier though and writhes on the math, clutching his knee.

    Nigel is doing a great job on commentary selling the damage to Nakamura’s knee and wondering why Cole isn’t focusing on it. Cole finally hits a kick to the knee and follows up with a kick to the head to stagger Nakamura. Nakamura then hits an axe kick and a running knee to the head but Cole kicks out right before the three. Nakamura riles up the crowd and then goes for another running knee but Cole blocks it. Cole then spit in his face and nailed a shoulderbreaker. Crowd going nuts and Cole marching around the ring to rile them up even more.

    Cole setting up for a brainbuster but Nakamura blocks it twice and then hits his Landslide. He follows up with another running knee to the head to get the pin. Great match.

    WINNER – SHINSUKE NAKAMURA by pinfall