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ROH : Glory by Honor
October 12, 2019

by Samoa Rowe

Disclaimer: I am feeling a tad bit salty because I was under the impression that this event was part of Honor Club's "On Tour" collection, meaning it was included automatically with membership. Turns out, they're considering it to be a $9.99 pay-per-view, so I had to shell out an extra five dollars to get the show ("half off" for Honor Club members, whoa boy!). Also, the show was advertised for an 8:00 start time, and it's 8:12 and I'm still looking at a graphic telling me the show will begin shortly. I feel that my time with ROH's subscription service may be coming to an end soon.

The "don't pirate this" warning hits the screen at 8:31. I wish I'd ordered the GCW show instead.

From the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. The building is a heavily curtained off arena with another sparse crowd. Our hosts are Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and Colt Cabana.

#1 Contender Battle Royal

Particpants: Brian Milonas, Beer City Bruiser, Kenny King, Joe Hendry, Silas Young, Josh Woods, Rhett Titus, Cheeseburger, LSG, Shaheem Ali, Big Daddy Yum Yum, and some jobbers.
The winner faces new ROH Champion Rush later tonight. The Bouncers, Kenny King, and Joe Hendry get televised entrances. Hendry hands out autographs to fans and to Josh Woods, who is overly pleased to get one. A couple of jobbers I've never heard of are immediately tossed. It's all punching and kicking from there, though Beer City Bruiser's biting is excused because he doesn't have any teeth. Cheeseburger gets knocked off the apron by Silas Young. Titus skins the cat to hit a tornado DDT on Ali, but Young tosses him too. Titus finds Kenny King hiding under the ring and puts him back in for Hendry to easily eliminate. Young then tosses Hendry, eliminating possibly the only possible interesting potential winner. Coast to Coast work together to eliminate Bruiser and but Milonas dumps them both in retaliation. Milonas and Yum Yum duke it out, and Milonas counters a crossbody and throws him out. Milonas continues to cook with a crossbody on Josh Woods, but Young helps toss him out. It's down to just Woods and Young tricks his buddy to easily throw him out for the win at 7:36. This was a whole lot of nothing, *.
Winner: Silas Young

#1 Contender Tournament - Second Round
Dalton Castle vs. PCO

The winner of this tournament faces the ROH Champion at Final Battle. Castle scores an early cheap shot so PCO turns his back and dares him to do it again. Castle obliges with a flurry of shots and a German suplex, but PCO pops right up. PCO clotheslines Castle to set up a DDT and running dropkick to the back. They chop it out at ringside and PCO delivers a chokeslam onto the apron. PCO exposes some concrete and tries to chokeslam Castle off the top rope, but can't complete the move due to a sudden migraine. Castle knees the head and is kind enough to suplex PCO onto the padding and not on the exposed concrete. Castle hits a t-bone suplex followed by an overhead suplex. Castle drops PCO into the exposed floor and waits for the countout. PCO is up, and Castle again gives up a chance to use the bare concrete by hitting a hip toss onto padding. Castle stands a pair of chairs and puts PCO through them via spinebuster! That spot woke the fans up. Castle attempts to win via countout again but PCO is back at the 19 count. Castle hits three DDT's and a running knee for only 2. PCO rallies and hits a flying shoulder block through the ropes. Chokeslam by PCO and the moonsault finishes Castle at 12:26. This was mostly disjointed and heatless, and I'm quickly tiring of PCO suffering "electrical malfunctions" in a cartoonish fashion during his matches, **.
Winner: PCO

#1 Contender Tournament - Second Round
Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll

Code of Honor but Lethal goes right for the throat, knocking Scurll out for a pair of suicide dives. Lethal dropkicks to set up a third dive. Scurll blocks Hail to the King but Lethal sweeps his leg out on the apron and tries again, but Scurll counters into a crucifix. Scurll blocks the Lethal Injection, but Lethal hits a normal cutter instead. Lethals delayed vertical suplex gets 2. Scurll rebounds with a superkick on the apron. They trade chops until Scurll hits a backbreaker for 1. Scurll extends Lethal's arm for a brutal stomp, which warrants a celebratory muscle flex pose. Scurll hits a delayed vertical suplex of his own. The pace quickens again and Lethal counters with a power slam. Lethal is selling his back but hits Hail to the King anyway for only 2. Scurll fakes Lethal out with a superkick to the knee and seems to have won the crowd over as he signals the Chicken wing. Lethal counters into the figure four. Scurll powers into a reversal! Scurll is hurt but manages a half dragon suplex and hard lariat for 2. Lethal's victory roll gets 2 and he counters the chicken wing for a scary close nearfall. Scurll reapplies the chicken wing and Lethal taps out at 11:29. Really strong outing, with Scurll gradually breaking down Lethal, ***½.
Winner: Marty Scurll

ROH TV Champion Shane Taylor cuts a passionate promo about overcoming stereotypes early in his career. He didn't fit the mold so he started his own brand. Taylor says he's the same kid from east Cleveland who beat up anyone who disrespected him, and now that extends to his old rival, J. Spade.

ROH Television Championship:
Shane Taylor © vs. J. Spade

I have no idea who J.Spade is, I hope he's good. Taylor has been exceeding my expectations throughout this reign, so I'm feeling optimistic. Bell rings, and Spade uses his athleticism to escape the corner and nail a dropkick. Spade impresses with a cannonball senton through the ropes. Taylor counters a springboard move with a sitout powerbomb. The fans get behind Spade as Taylor picks him apart. Spade comes back with some clotheslines and an enziguri. Spade's springboard shoulder block gets 2. Spade's Blue Thunder Bomb gets a startlingly close nearfall. Taylor is done messing around and hits a uranage and splash, but Spade kicks out. Taylor's package piledriver ends it at 5:43. Good short match, with Spade looking credible enough to make Taylor sweat a little before pulling out a dominant victory, **½.
Winner and still ROH Television Champion: Shane Taylor

Shane Taylor Promotions airs a commercial casting Taylor as a martyr, who has been marginalized by ROH. Cabana wonders where Taylor is getting the money for this... because apparently working for ROH doesn't pay (unless you're Matt Taven, I guess).

Women of Honor Championship:
Angelina Love © (with Mandy Leon) vs. Kelly Klein

My feed freezes for the first time at the opening bell. We're back and Klein is taking the fight to Love. Klein's overhead suplex with a bridge gets a 2 count. Klein is distracted by Leon, and Love kicks her off the apron. Love chokes Klein with her shinbone and takes charge of the match. Love cuts off Klein's comeback and locks on the Koji Clutch. Klein is stuck in the hold for an eternity before getting a rope break. Klein blocks the Botox Injection and hits a desperation DDT. Crowd is completely dead right before Klein starts hitting suplexes. K-Power is good but Love kicks out. Love hits the Botox Injection and it's Klein's turn to kick out of a finisher. Love hits a flying crossbody to the floor and the fans are threatening to get into the match. Klein barely avoids a countout loss and botches a ref bump hitting K-Power. That was the worst ref bump I've ever seen. Mandy Leon attacks with a chair and the lights go out. The lights come back to reveal Maria Manic, and she no-sells Leon's chair shots. Maria puts Mandy in the torture rack and finishes with a burning hammer. Maria clotheslines Love just because and lets Klein hit a third K-Power to reclaim the title at 11:48. This went from boring to almost interesting to mind-numbingly stupid in record time, *½.
Winner and new Women of Honor Champion: Kelly Klein

Hype video setting up tonight's tag team title match between the Briscoes and the father/son team of Luke and Perry Hawx. The Hawx guys look like they could be brothers themselves.

ROH Tag Team Championship:
Jay and Mark Briscoe © vs. Luke and Perry Hawx

The Briscoes are eager to "murder a whole-ass family." Luke makes his son start against Mark, who is gleeful at the opportunity to work over a young guy. Perry counters into a takedown and delivers rapid fire pinning predicaments. Mark escapes and lights up Perry's chest and serves him up for Jay. Perry flees with a tag to Luke, but the Briscoes take out both father and son at ringside. Mark catapults off a chair to wipe out Perry and celebrates by stealing a straw hat from a fan. Perry is suddenly the legal man as the Briscoes work him over. Luke gets the hot tag (to an actual pop from what's been an unenthusiastic crowd). Luke hits Jay with a stun gun on the apron, and Perry takes out both Briscoes with a dive off the apron as well. Luke hits a moonsault off the ropes for a good 2 count. Jay rebounds with a shoulder block, and superplexes Luke into place for Mark's froggy elbow drop. Perry breaks the cover! Perry saves his dad from a Doomsday Clothesline and pops up Mark for Luke's powerbomb for a good nearfall. Mark hits Luke with a uranage, and Perry defiantly gets into his face with a slap. Mark is amused and challenges Perry to do it again and then shows him how it's done. Perry counters with a sick German suplex, but Jay ambushes with a clothesline. The Briscoes hit their double team neckbreaker and the J-Driller finishes Perry at 10:49. This match had an appealing story with the father/son team standing up to the well oiled Briscoe machine, ***.
Winners and still ROH Tag Team Champions: Jay and Mark Briscoe

Jonathan Gresham vs. Alex Shelley

This has the potential to be very good. Gresham grabs the wrist and pulls Shelly through a fireman's carry and continues to trap the arm while Shelley counters. They wrestle to a stalemate and the crowd gives them a round of applause. Match restarts with Gresham targeting the arm again, but Shelly is game to counter into an abdominal stretch. Shelley follows with a cravat but Gresham breaks loose. This has been awesome in the early going. Shelley pokes the eyes to escape a hold in the corner and drives Gresham shoulder-first into the buckles. Gresham kicks the shin and dropkicks Shelley off his feet. Shelley hits a snap suplex to set up a knee drop for 1 count. Shelly ups the aggression with a Billy Goat's Curse with a pendulum. Gresham comes back with a springboard moonsault. Gresham wraps himself around the arm of Shelley at several sickening angles. Shelley desperately tries to quicken the pace and get back into it and has to counter out of numerous Gresham arm attacks before hitting an enziguri. Shelley's crossbody leads to them rolling all over the ring before Gresham gets a 2 count. Gresham repeatedly kicks and stomps the freshly injured arm but can't gain the pinfall. Another rapid fire countering sequence leads to Shelley countering with a super atomic drop. Shelley's swinging DDT sets up a superkick. Shelley blocks the Octopus and puts Gresham's shoulders down for the 3 count at 14:32! This was a total joy to watch with Shelley surviving Gresham's relentless arm attacks to pull out a gutsy win, ***¾.
Winner: Alex Shelley

Gresham is furious over the loss and brings a chair into the ring. Jay Lethal arrives on the scene to talk some sense into his protege. Gresham teases turning on Lethal (again) but seems to think better of it. Shelley and Gresham shake hands and the trio leaves together.

Life Blood (Tracy Williams and Mark Haskins) vs. Villain Enterprises (Brody King and Flip Gordon)

Gordon and Haskins kick it off with aggressive chain wrestling. Gordon takes time to clock Williams on the apron, but quickly tags in King to avoid having to face him. King tries to intimidate with a mean knuckle lock but Williams is quick and connects with a flurry of strikes. King stomps a mudhole but Williams counters a running boot into an ankle lock through the ropes. King nails a Black Hole Slam, allowing Villain Enterprises to work Williams over for a while. Hot tag to Haskins, who avoids King's chokeslam. Williams makes a blind tag and launches Gordon backwards from a springboard position to take a scary and dangerous tumble into the barricade. Life Blood double team Gordon until King makes the save. Life Blood go for simultaneous submissions, but Gordon counters by powerbombing Williams onto his partner. King hits a running cannonball onto Life Blood piled in the corner. Gordon brings in a kendo stick but accidentally hits King. Haskins wipes out the dazed King with a dive, leaving Williams to lariat Gordon off his feet. Williams' piledriver finishes Gordon at 10:56. Breezy match here that provided some neat moments, ***.
Winners: Life Blood

Bully Ray runs in to ambush Life Blood during their celebration. Flip Gordon considers attacking his old enemy with the kendo stick but instead hands it to Bully to continue dishing out abuse on Haskins.

Bobby Cruise introduces The Genius Lanny Poffo as a guest commentator and he gets absolutely no reaction, which makes me wonder if these NOLA fans have any clue who he is.

ROH World Championship:
Rush © vs. Silas Young

Seeing as there's no possible way Rush is going to lose, and I'm tired, let's keep this short. Bell rings and they keep a quick pace early, and Rush sweeps the legs for a quick Bulls Horns, but Young counters with a spear! Young takes his time on offense, talking a lot of smack in between deliberate attacks. The crowd looks and sounds incredibly bored. Rush rallies out of nowhere, throwing Young into a chair at ringside. Rush paints Young's face with his boot and fakes him out on a Bulls Horn to kick the face instead and pose. Rush slams Young down for a double stomp but he crashes and burns on a senton. Young hits a rolling slam fand split legged plunge for 2. Young hits another slam for 2, but Rush bounces back with an overhead toss counter into the buckles. Bulls Horns finishes at 10:24. Man, this was ice cold and just dragged, **.
Winner and still ROH World Champion: Rush

Recently on TV, someone took out Kingdom members Vinny Marseglia and TK O'Ryan. Back to New Orleans, Matt Taven and Vinny Marselgia storm to the ring and demand that the melvin who attacked them come out and get what's coming to him. Instead, the lights go out, and hidden camera footage of Taven and Marseglia going about their business plays on the video wall. Crowd could not possibly care less. Taven and Marseglia march to the back.

#1 Contender Tournament Finals:
PCO (with Destro) vs. Marty Scurll

Scurll takes the mic and says that it was inevitable that they'd meet in the finals and wants a clean match where the best man wins. They shake hands and Scurll cheap shots with his umbrella and nearly steals the match at the 3 second mark. Scurll hits a pair of superkicks but PCO fires back with an avalanche. PCO looks dazed on the top rope and nearly falls off while Scurll tries to set up a super over head arm drag. Scurll drives PCO into the guard rail and exchanges middle fingers with a mouthy fan. Scurll stomps the hyperextended arm and they trade chops. PCO fires back with a pop-up powerbomb. PCO's chokeslam and somersault senton only get a 2 count. Scurll blocks another chokeslam by snapping the fingers. PCO sets up a table but ends up going through it when Scurll press slams him off the top rope! That woke the crowd up. The ref takes a bump as PCO breaks up a chicken wing and he gets a visual pinfall on Scurll. Brody King runs in and attacks stablemate PCO with a black hole slam, allowing Scurll to get a scary nearfall. Scurll inadvertently knocks King off the apron and turns around into PCO's sidewalk slam. PCO blocks Scurll's superplex but knocks the ref down yet again, so Flip Gordon ambushes with a high leaping kick. Scurll nails a belt shot for another close nearfall (crowd pops hard for the kick out). PCO takes out Gordon and King with a dive and hits a double arm chokeslam on Scurll. PCO nails his moonsault but Scurll kicks out! PCO misses a somersault senton onto the apron and takes a nasty landing! Scurll hits a big lariat for 2. PCO hits another moonsault for the win at 13:22. Dramatic match here with Villain Enterprises effectively turning on PCO and forcing him to overcome numerous obstacles on his way to victory, ***¼.
Winner: PCO

PCO basks in victory while Gordon and King help Scurll back onto his feet. Scurll takes a mic but doesn't seem to know what to say. After a PCO chant, Scurll says that despite his three years in ROH, he's never been World Champion and blames PCO for taking away his opportunity. Scurll offers up a congratulations anyway and puts over the 52 year old PCO for being the Villain in his prime. Scurll understands that PCO has never been a world champion either, and this is probably his final chance. They shake hands and embrace, and the groups stands tall together. I guess all is forgiven.

Final Thoughts: This was an okay show during a time when ROH needs to start hitting home runs again. There's nothing here you have to see, so despite a string of ***+ matches, it's difficult to recommend.

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