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We are live at the Hammerstein Ballroom for Ring of Honor Best in the World 2011! There were less than 300 tickets left this morning, so it appears the company will end up with a sellout as there is a HUGE walk-up.
Announcing for the PPV tonight will be handled by Kevin Kelly and Eric Santamaria. They entered the ring and did a live pre-game show inside the ring.
Kelly and Santamaria previewed the main event and introduced ROH champion Eddie Edwards, who came to the ring. Kelly said it was the biggest match in his career and the first time that the champion has ever challenged the challenger and asked for his thoughts. Edwards said that he challenged Davey Richards not because he disliked Richards or has a problem with Davey, but one with himself. He said that he asks himself if he deserves the championship and whether he's better than Richards. He said that at an event titled "Best in the World" they are going to leave it all in the ring and find out who the better man is. Edwards said that ROH is going to show everyone why they, the company, are the best in the the world tonight.
Generation Me vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reily
Generation Me got a huge "welcome back" chant from the NYC faithful, followed by a louder "F*** TNA" chant.
O'Reily and Jeremy started out. O'Reily nailed him with some offense. Cole and Kyle double teamed Jeremy with some hot, fast attraction. Jeremy ended up on the outside and O'Riley went for a running dive off the apron but Max grabbed his leg. He kicked off Max and Cole hit a dive to the outside on Max. O'Riley then hit a running dropkick off the apron on Jeremy. Huge "ROH" chant.
The former Bucks took over and hit a dive on Cole. They took turns working over Cole, tagging in and out. Jeremy stomped away at Cole and cinched in an armbar. He brought Cole over to the corner and Max came off with a double stomp to the arm, screaming "Yoshino" as he did it.
Gen Me continued double teaming Cole as O'Riley rallied the crowd for his partner. Cole nailed a jawbreaker and made the hot tag. O'Riley nailed a kick to Jeremy sending him to the floor. He nailed both Bucks with a series of kicks and nailed a double Dragon Screw legwhip on both at the same time. He then nailed a missile dropkick on Max for a two count. The crowd chanted, "This is awesome."
O'Riley nailed a series of butterfly supleses. Cole hit a German on Max for a two count. Max backdropped Cole to the floor and hit a twisting springboard Ace Crusher on O'Riley for a two count. He tried to nail a sunset flip bomb on Cole who fought it but was nailed by Jeremy and finally Max hit it. The Bucks nailed O'Riley and Max hit a 450 splash for a two count.
Max accidentally nailed his brother on a charge. O'Riley drilled him with a kick. He nailed a tornado DDT. Cole superkicked Max as he was picked up for a suplex. Cole and O'Riley sunk in stereo guillotine chokes but before anyone could tap, the Bravado Brothers.
Winners by DQ, Generation Me!
The other teams dispatched the Bravados. The crowd chanted, "Let them fight" but it was not to be. They all shook hands and showed respect to each other. The crowd applauded but you could hear some people yelling, "Bullsh**" as well.
Dave Prazak is now at ringside, so he is doing announcing tonight after all.
Jim Cornette and Cary Silkin came to ringside to a big pop. Cornette joined the announcing team in the ring.
The PPV opened with all three in the ring. Kelly welcomed everyone. Cornette said that for everyone in the Hammerstein Ballroom for being the biggest crowd in ROH history. He said that it's not only the biggest crowd in company history but the early indications are that today's PPV is the most watched company event in history.
Cornette said that thanks to all the support of the fans around the world, today is a new era for ROH. He said that for everyone that thinks pro wrestling is dead and it's all sports-entertainment now, he has a message for them and that's, "kiss my bit fat white butt."
Cornette asked the crowd if they were ready to see the ROH wrestlers set the ring on fire and said let's get to it.
Colt Cabana vs. Tommaso Ciampa (with Prince Nana, RE Barrister andErnesto Osiris)
No Princess Mia Yim.
They locked up and Cabana got the better of the early exchange. Ciampa grabbed an arm but Cabana reversed it and maneuvered him into an elbow to the mush. Cabana played games with Ciampa's head and rolled him up for a two count. Cabana began working over his leg but was kicked in the head.
Cabana continued to thwart Ciampa's offense until turning his attention to Nana and Osiris, kicking at them. That allowed Ciampa to nail a flap jack, hanging Cabana on the ropes and nailing him with a dropkick.
Ciampa worked over Cabana, including stomping him hard in the corner. He nailed a running knee to Cabana's face for a two count. Ciampa drilled him with a right hand and slammed him facefirst into the turnbuckles. Ciampa snapmared Cabana over and cinched in a side chinlock.
Cabana fought his way out and nailed a series of rights. He went for a quebrada but Ciampa saw it coming and pulled his knees up. Cabana kicked him off from a charge. He Hotshotted him into the turnbuckles. Cabana nailed a series of rights and did some clubbering.
Cabana nailed the Butt Butt on Ciampa and went to whip him into the corner. Ciampa reversed and sent Cabana into the corner. He positioned Cabana on the second rope and nailed a bridging German suplex for a two count.
Cabana tried to go for the Billy Goat's Curse but Ciampa grabbed the ropes. Cabana went for the Flying A****le but Ciampa kicked him. He nailed his finisher, the powerbomb over the knees and it didn't look smooth but did the job.
Your winner, Tommaso Ciampa!
Decent opener. I liked it.
Mike Bennett (with Brutal Bob Evans) vs. Jay Lethal
Lethal got a huge welcoming committee as the ring was showered with streamers. He looked surprised by that. Big "welcome back" chant followed by a "F**k TNA" chant followed by a "F*** Hulk Hogan" chant.
The crowd then began chanting, "Randy Savage." Lethal did the Savage finger twirl.
They locked up and Bennet forced Lethal into the corner. He gave a clean break in a condenscending way and laughed at Lethal. They locked up again and Bennett grabbed an arm. He again did the clean break, mocking Lethal.
Lethal shoulderblocked him down, evaded a leapfrog and nailed a hard chop. Lethal nailed the cartwheel into the dropkick and covered Bennett for a two count. The crows chanted for Lethal as he chopped away at Bennett in the corner.
He whipped Bennett into the corner but was lifted up and over. Lethal came back into the ring with a leaping rana that sent Bennett to the outside, then followed up with a great suicide dive.
Bennett kicked off Lethal as he returned to the ring. Evans grabbed him and nailed a sideslam on the apron. Bennett worked over Lethal on the floor and posed, mocking him. Bennett tossed Lethal back into the ring for a two count.
Bennett continued to work over Lethal with chops and headbutts. Lethal fired back but was kicked in the gut. Bennett nailed a nice vertical suplex for another two count. Bennett used a surfboard to try and force a submission but Lethal forced his way to his feet and out of the move. Bennett maneuvered him back into it and twisted Lethal's back.
Lethal elbowed his way out but Bennett drilled him. Lethal escaped a charge in the corner and unloaded with a series of hot moves, including a springboard handspring elbow. Lethal went to the middle rope and nailed a leaping leg lariat for a two count. Lethal went to the top rope but Evans distracted him. Lethal nailed him but Bennett drilled Lethal and superplexed him into the ring for a two count.
Bennett went to the top rope but missed an elbow. Lethal nailed a superkick and went to the top for the flying elbow, scoring the pin.
Your winner, Jay Lethal!
Very good back and forth match. This may have been the best Bennett has looked to date in ROH. Lethal's homecoming was a great one.
Lethal led a huge "Macho Man" chant before heading out.
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