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ROH champion Cody Rhodes vs. KUSHIDA.
They shook hands in the center of the ring. Cody wanted him to kiss the "Ring of Honor" but KUSHIDA gave him the finger instead. Livid, Rhodes stormed around the ring. He tossed a chair in but KUSHIDA tossed it back out. Rhodes then turned to the crowd and complained they weren't loud enough for him, saying Pittsburgh and Buffalo were better than this "dump." The crowd chanted for KUSHIDA.
They finally locked up, but Cody was distracted by the fans. He finally took control with some shots to the back but was caught with a dropkick to the face. KUSHIDA caught Rhodes going for the dropdown uppercut and snapped him into a cross armbreaker. Cody escaped and ran into the crowd, trying to kill KUSHIDA's momentum. The match turned into Cody running every time KUSHIDA had him on the run. Rhodes spewed water in KUSHIDA's face, shocking him long enough for Rhodes to nail him.
Cody worked over KUSHIDA in the corner and beat him with punches. He controlled KUSHIDA, scoring several two counts. Rhodes is pretty much playing evil Jerry Lawler from Memphis here. Rhodes continued to work over KUSHIDA, focusing on his arms and using a modified bow and arrow to wear the challenger down. He went for a figure four leglock. KUSHIDA tried to block it but was finally caught in the hold. KUSHIDA fought his way out, rolling him over and getting to the ropes.
Cody called for a brainbuster and placed KUSHIDA on the top turnbuckle. When Cody climbed up, however, KUSHIDA locked in a Hoverboard Lock and drove him off the ropes and into the ring. Rhodes slid out of the ring and attacked KUSHIDA with a kick. He dove at KUSHIDA but was slammed into the guard rail. KUSHIDA set up Cody on a chair outside on the floor and ran, dove off another chair and hit a great looking dropkick.
KUSHIDA maintrained control and cinched in the Hoverboard Lock but Cody powered out and nailed the Alabama Slam. Both men were down as the referee counted them on the mat. They fought their way to their feet. KUSHIDA trapped him in an armbar. Rhodes fought to get out and turned it into a pinfall combination for a two count. KUSHIDA continued working over Cody. He went for a handspring elbow but was caught and Rhodes attempted the Crossrhodes. KUSHIDA turned it into a forward roll and they went back and forth until KUSHIDA snapped a powerslam. Once again, they are down and being counted on the mat. The crowd is loving this and rallying both men.
Rhodes nailed the Beautiful Disaster kick. He goes for Crossrhodes but its turned into a variation of the Hoverboard Lock, trapping Cody in the center of the ring. Rhodes fought his way out and struggled to make it to the ropes but was pulled back in. They battled over brainbuster attempts until Cody snapped him with Crossrhodes for the pin.
Your winner and still ROH champion, Cody Rhodes!
Good match. They started slow and may have had a little too much stalling for a main event ROH match early on but once they hit their pacing, it was really good.
The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega vs. Flip Gordon & Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor.
The Six Man Tag Team championships are on the line under Freebird rules, pretty much.
They started off with Beretta vs. Nick Jackson. There was some comedy early. Gordon and Matt Jackson had some nice exchanges. Gordon was showboating. Matt Jackson tried to use that as a way to superkick him but Gordon had him scouted and nearly hit one of his own. They built up to Kenny Omega tagged in. He and Taylor went back and forth with shoulderblocks. They had some really nice and forth action, culminating with Omega snapping over a rana. Taylor caught Matt Jackson with an overhead suplex throw. He and Beretta set up Jackson. Beretta teased a big move but instead just rubbed his boot in Jackson's face. Taylor hit a delayed senton.
They moved into the next gear with Nick Jackson hitting some big moves as he controlled Flip Gordon. Bullet Club tagged in and out, taking Gordon down over and over. Omega took his time and played to the crowd before wiping him out with a big, hard chop. Gordon tried to fight back with forearms but was overwhelmed. They had all the Bullet Club members run out to do "ten boots" in the corner so they could run Gordon into it, playing off of something they've been doing in New Japan and earlier on in the tour. The place went nuts for all this.
The referee tossed Cody, Scurll and Page out from ringside. They continued working over Gordon who came back with a miraculous 450 for a close two count. Beretta finally made the tag but Omega drilled him with several Dragon suplexes. They went back and forth with all sorts of big spots. Beretta nailed a piledriver on the apron on Omega. The Bucks teased a Meltzer Driver but Gordon broke up the attempt. Lots of big spots and moves. All sorts of insanity and near falls.
Team Gordon set up a table at ringside. Everyone battled on the stage. They teased a double chokeslam off the stage on Matt Jackson but Nick made the save. The Bucks unloaded with supericks and they nailed three at once to send Beretta and Taylor off the stage through the table. That left Gordon alone to battle the full might of Bulley Club. He fought them off and nailed a moonsault off the stagr but was caught by Matt Jackson and Kenny Omega. Nick Jackson dove off the stage with a Meltzer Driver to the floor.
They tossed Gordon into the ring and it appeared that was all she wrote. Omega set him on his shoulders. Matt elevated Nick into the air and he drove Gordon down harder as Omega nailed the One Winged Angel.
Your winners and still ROH Six Man Tag Team champions, Bullet Club!
Early on, it was a mix of comedy to pop the crowd and some good wrestling, more comedy than I prefer but you can't argue that it's clicking with the audience. The latter half of the match was all sorts of insane brawling and big spots.
Hell of a show, especially when you factor in ROH made it free for ROH Ringside subscribers. Really strong work from top to bottom.
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