ROH TV report - Jay Lethal vs. Jimmy Jacobs

2/16/2013 ROH TV Report

Kevin Kelly, Truth Martini and Caleb Seltzer introduce the show from the Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Kelly previews that tonight’s main event will be Jay Lethal against Jimmy Jacobs of S.C.U.M.

Kelly introduces the first of two semi-final matches in the Top Prospect Tournament with Tadarius Thomas vs QT Marshall. Veda Scott is shown interviewing Thomas when they are interrupted by Marshall who says that he is here for two reasons. The first is to let everyone know that barrister RD Evans is overseas handling very important business for Marshall. Thomas interrupts him as he starts to say the second. Thomas says that he does his talking in the ring and if Marshall likes lip-service he will get it when Thomas knocks him out in the ring. Thomas walks away and Marshall says that he will win the semi-finals and finals and go on to the 11^th Anniversary Show to become the new ROH Television Champion.

Marshall comes to the ring followed by Thomas. The “Tale Of The Tape” shows that Thomas is 31 and Marshall is 26. They circle each other and take each other’s back. Marshall takes Thomas down and starts slapping the back of his head. They get to their feet and tie up and go to the corner where Thomas slaps Marshall in the face. Thomas trips Marshall and hits some armdrags. Marshall throws Thomas who lands on the top rope and jumps over Marshall before hitting capoeira kicks. Thomas gets whipped into the ropes and goes to the apron before flipping back in. Marshall grabs him and attempts a powerbomb but Thomas backflips him over the ropes to the floor. Thomas fakes a tope suicida but catches himself on the apron and then cartwheels to the floor. Marshall kicks him in the gut and then runs Thomas’ back into the ringpost. Marshall throws Thomas back inside and hits him with forearms. Thomas is on the mat and Marshall starts dropping elbows and then steps on Thomas’ back. They are both on their feet and Marshall attempts to whip him but Thomas blocks him and starts hitting capoeira to Marshall’s head. Marshall cuts him off with a kick to the ribs but Thomas blocks a punch with a headbutt. Marshall hits an uppercut and then throws a clothesline that Thomas avoids Matrix-style. Thomas hits a clothesline for a pin attempt and then hits an elbow-smash in the corner. Marshall hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed by a powerslam for a pin attempt. Marshall attempts his “God’s Gift” Alabama Slam but Thomas gets out and hits a kick followed by a Dragon Suplex for the pinfall. Thomas advances to the finals of the tournament to face the winner of Matt Taven vs Silas Young later in the show.

Veda Scott is shown interviewing S.C.U.M. of Kevin Steen, Jimmy Jacobs and Kevin Steen. She asks ROH World Champion Steen for his thoughts about Lethal but Steen says no and walks away. Veda notes that Corino and Jacobs will be facing Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander. Jacobs says that Coleman and Alexander like to sing gospel music and they might have God on their side but that will do them no good. Jacobs says that they are S.C.U.M. and they beat the odds and they beat the gods. Corino says that it will be good vs evil and screams that evil always wins.

After a commercial break Kelly previews footage of an autograph session at Liberty Ford in which Charlie Haas was scheduled but was late and BJ Whitmer was called to take his place. Kelly says that Haas then arrives and that the footage is graphic and violent. Whitmer is then shown being introduced to staff at the dealership. Haas shows up and asks what is going on and is told that he was late. Haas asks if his time is not valuable to the company after everything he has done. Haas is told that the client comes first. Whitmer starts to interject and Haas punches him in the face. Haas is told to get out and Whitmer starts brawling with him into the parking lot. Haas throws Whitmer into a car and breaks the window. Haas then opens a car door and slams Whitmer in it before slamming him into the hood. Haas then gives Whitmer an Olympic Slam onto the hood and windshield of a car.

Nick Westgate and Brian Fury are shown coming to the ring followed by their opponents Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander. The “Tale Of The Tape” shows that Alexander is 23 and Coleman is 35 while Westgate is 24 and Fury is 29. The two teams shake hands to start and Alexander ties up with Westgate. They criss-cross and Alexander hits a high dropkick. Coleman tags in and Alexander holds Westgate for a leg lariat from Coleman. Fury comes in and gets hit with a basement dropkick from Alexander and a legdrop from Coleman. Westgate and Fury are on the outside when Coleman hits a springboard cross-body to the floor. Alexander is in the ring when Rhino appears and hits him with a gore. Steve Corino is in the ring with Rhino and takes the microphone to say that since the day they formed S.C.U.M. the mission has never changed and will never change. Corino says that evil is coming and he is warning everyone that on March 2 in Chicago on IPPV evil is coming and Ring Of Honor dies. Corino says they all will live for Ring Of SCUM.

Veda Scott is shown interviewing Silas Young and she says that people have been saying that Young is a favorite to win the tournament but first he has to beat Matt Taven. Young says that Veda should address him properly as he is the last real man in professional wrestling. Young says that the outcome for Matt Taven will not be any different than for Adam Page as Young will get him in the Stock-Lock and Taven will either tap out or Young will break him. Young says plain and simple, you ain’t got a shot.

After a commercial break Veda Scott interviews Matt Taven who says he’s been watching Silas Young for years and after seeing the first round he knows he’s in for a fight. Taven says he is on a path to the TV Title and to the finals of the Top Prospect tournament and Young is in his say.

Young is shown coming to the ring followed by Taven and Truth Martini joins the commentary table again. The “Tale Of The Tape” shows that both men are 26. They shake hands to start and then tie up and trade hammerlocks with Taven grabbing a headlock and then a wristlock. Young goes to his back and kicks off Taven. They battle for position with Young getting a single leg Boston Crab. Taven gets out and attempts to leapfrog Young who catches him in a fireman’s carry. Taven gets out with a sunset flip and hits a deep armdrag. Young gets to his feet and backs Taven to the corner and punches him. Taven hits a hurracanrana but gets blocked on an armdrag attempt. Taven backs Young into the corner with punches but Young Irish Whips Taven to the opposite corner. Taven floats over and rolls up Young who then hits Taven with a clothesline in the corner. Young taunts Taven who unloads with punches. The referee holds Taven off and Young knocks him down with a punch. Taven is on the mat and Young is kicking him. Taven gets to his feet and is worked over briefly but Taven hits a baisaku kick knocking Young to the floor. Taven goes to the apron and flies at Young who catches him and hits a powerslam onto the floor. Young rolls Taven back inside for two pin attempts and then stomps on Taven. Young tries a full nelson but Taven runs Young into the corner .Young misses a clothesline and Taven hits punches. Taven gets thrown to the apron where he attempts to run his shoulder into Young but Young hits him with a forearm and a knee-lift knocking Taven to the floor. Young then attempts a tope suicida but Taven comes back in causing Young to get tied up in the ropes. Taven is in the ring and leaps to the second rope and hits Young with an enzuiguri knocking him to the floor. Taven goes to the apron and climbs to the second rope and hits Young with a moonsault on the floor. Taven rolls Young back inside and attempts a frog splash but Young moves out of the way causing Taven to hit the mat. Young hits Taven with punches and a backbreaker but Taven rolls up Young and gets the three-count to win the match and advance to the finals of the tournament next week.

On “Inside Ring Of Honor” Kevin Kelly reviews Matt Hardy going too far at “Defy Or Deny 2” in Milwaukee recently in his match with BJ Whitmer. Kelly says that Whitmer ignored medical advice following a neck injury at Final Battle. Kelly notes that Hardy zeroed in on Whitmer’s neck with two Twists Of Fate with Whitmer kicking out both times. Hardy is shown locking on a submission hold with Whitmer refusing to tap out causing Whitmer’s tag team partner coming to ringside and throwing in the towel. ROH Match-Maker Nigel McGuinness is shown checking on Whitmer’s condition when Hardy pleads his case for a shot at the ROH TV Title. TV Champion Adam Cole comes to the ring and asks Hardy to do everyone a favor and shut his mouth. Hardy talks about beating Cole with a small package and Cole talks about what Hardy did right before that. Hardy says he is not going to tell him what he did, he is going to show him. Hardy attempts a low blow that is blocked by Cole and they get in a pull-apart brawl leading to Hardy hitting Cole in the head with the TV Title. Hardy leaves with the belt. Cole is interviewed and says that he didn’t think this “pissed off” version of Adam Cole could ever exist but he congratulates Hardy as he brought it out of him. Cole says that Hardy hit him with the title belt that means everything to him and he took it away. Cole says that Hardy proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is nothing more than a fraud. Cole says Hardy continues to live in the past and to live off this legacy where he used to be somebody that mattered and used to be someone important. Cole says that nobody cares about Hardy but he swears with every fiber of his being that next time they are in the ring together he will make people care about Hardy as he will rip him limb from limb. Kelly says that he has never heard Adam Cole talk like this but Hardy has pushed so many buttons. Kelly asks what Nigel McGuinness will have to say about this and says that he has heard that McGuinness plans to settle this once and for all next week.

Kelly says that in Milwaukee McGuinness was making an announcement about the 11^th Anniversary Event when Charlie Haas decided to step up and interrupt Nigel who is announcing the ROH World Tag Team Title match for the show. Haas says that Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team should be in that match but Nigel screwed them by booking the tag team gauntlet when Shelton Benjamin was out of the country. Haas says that Nigel knows they deserve the shot at the Briscoes. Nigel says they had their title shot and it was them against Coleman and Alexander and Haas dropped the ball. Haas says that anyone can get beaten once and that Coleman and Alexander got lucky. Haas says that he and Benjamin are two-time ROH Tag Team Champions, three-time WWE Tag Team Champions, All-Americans and national champions and their credentials speak for themselves and they deserve and demand a tag team championship match. Nigel says Haas seems pretty sure and asks Haas how sure. Haas says he will bet Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team. Nigel says that they will get their title shot against the Briscoes but if they do not get the belts that night Haas and Benjamin can never team in Ring Of Honor again. Haas says that is fine as they are very confident and Nigel says he’ll need to be. Kelly says that the match will take place in two weeks on ROH television. The Briscoes are interviewed and say that they have a full plate because not only do they have Bobby the Fish and Kyle O’Reilly who he says have only been teaming for four or five minutes and they will school them. Jay says not only do they have Fish and O’Reilly they also have Haas and Benjamin. Jay says he hates to break up such a superstar team but they are the best tag team in the world. Mark says they’ve got history but the Briscoes will make history when they break up the tag team. Mark says they’ve got a job for them as they can shovel chicken manure and pick up dead chickens.

After a commercial break Veda Scott is interviewing Jimmy Jacobs, noting that he is facing Jay Lethal tonight one week before Lethal’s 11^th Anniversary world title match with Kevin Steen (NOTE: it is two weeks before the match). Veda asks Jacobs if he has gotten any orders from Kevin. Jacobs says it is cliché and he is a highly evolved creature and for the past decade in ROH he has thrived and survived through evolution. Jacobs says that when tragedy strikes like losing the ROH Tag Team Titles he won’t roll over and die, he becomes more dangerous. Jacobs says he doesn’t know why Steen is giving Lethal a world title shot and he can throw him a bone but he’ll take it dry. Jacobs says he is going to break Lethal tonight not because Kevin needs him to but because he likes hurting people.

Jacobs is then shown coming to the ring followed by Lethal and Steve Corino joins the commentary table. The “Tale Of The Tape” shows that both men are 26. Lethal chases Jacobs to start and they go outside and start trading punches and run each other into the ringside barrier. Jacobs places Lethal against the ringpost and attempts a chop but Lethal slams Jacobs’ hand against the post. They roll inside and Jacobs continues with punches but Lethal fights back with a knee-lift and a chop. Lethal whips Jacobs into the ropes and Jacobs hits an elbow drop but Lethal hits him with a backbreaker. Jacobs lands on the ropes and Lethal rolls outside and dropkicks Jacobs in the face. Jacobs is in the ropes and hits Lethal with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors throwing Lethal into the barricade. Jacobs sits Lethal on a chair and goes inside and attempts a tope suicida. Lethal gets out of the way and Jacobs lands on the chair as the show goes to commercials. After the break Jacobs is shown hitting a reverse neckbreaker for a pin attempt. They get to their feet and trade chops and kicks. Lethal hits a forearm smash followed by a leg lariat and a reverse DDT. Jacobs comes back and rolls up Lethal who kicks out of a pin attempt and then hits his Lethal Combination. Lethal goes to the top rope but Jacobs charges and Lethal jumps over him. Lethal hits a superkick and then does a handspring but gets caught by a lungblower from Jacobs who follows up with Sliced Bread # 2. Jacobs is hitting Lethal with punches and takes him to the top ropes and attempts a hurracana but falls to the mat as Lethal holds the top rope. Jacobs climbs back to the top and punches and bites Lethal who grabs Jacobs and hits a Death Valley Driver. Lethal then climbs to the top rope and hits his top rope elbow drop for the pinfall and the win. Rhino then hi the ring in an attempt to hit the gore but Caprice Coleman makes the save and hits Rhino with punches. Coleman hits the ropes where Corino grabs his foot allowing Rhino to gore him. Rhino then attempts to hit a gore on Lethal and Jacobs hold his leg but Kevin Steen hits the ring to stop them. Steen extends his hand to Lethal who rolls out of the ring and walks to the back.

This was a fun show this week that had a lot packed into it. There were some production SNAFU’s such as promoting the ippv as if it is in one week instead of two but I don’t think anyone likely to order it will be too confused. Both tournament matches were fun and I list Taven and Thomas as two of my favorite young wrestlers so next week should be fun. Jacobs and Lethal had a good match for the main event. Momentum seems to be positive going into the ippv at this point.

Dave Musgrave

Oshawa, Ontario