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COMPLETE RING OF HONOR BEST IN THE WORLD PPV BLOG

Welcome one and all to Ring of Honor and the BEST IN THE WORLD. 

Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman, looking only as resplendent as they can in tuxedos, immediately start calling the action as the Mexisquad begins their final destruction as Demonic Flamita and Rey Horus square off. It is absolutely fantastic seeing fans at an ROH show.  As great as their TV has been, there's nothing like a crowd cheering and booing to really get you into the mood.  These two guys know each other so well, coming up together.  Great way to get the crowd fired up, giving them action like this.  Flamita is settling nicely into this persona and Horus is a great babyface.  Ian and Caprice are pushing the TV title rankings a little but, so I'd think your winner here will be in line for a shot relatively soon.  

Flamita ate knees off of a splash, and the announcers put over the idea that he was distracted by the crowd, having to readjust himself to having them there. This opener reminds me so much of an old Nitro Cruiserweight match, but with more time.  Horus gets the win here but Flamita with some post match shenanigans.  Flamita leaves Horus laying.  This rivalry is far from over.  Nice way to start the show, if you ask me.

We get treated to a little video package hyping tonight's main event: Rush defending the ROH World Championship against Bandido.

Here comes Kenny King, looking fresh and he's got something to say.  Despite being a heel, he is happy to welcome the fans back to the Arena.  He hypes up La Faccion Ingobernoble, starting with Dragon Lee's challenge to Tony Deppen tonight.  He Joe Namath's a guarantee that Dragon Lee will win it all tonight.

I absolutely love ROH, but my fear is that they're falling too deep into faction warfare as they boast LFI, VLNCE UNLTD, The Foundation, Shane T Promotions.  It's almost feeling as though if you're not in a faction, you may not matter so much.

Matt Taven is in the ring, looking VERY disheveled.  Scraggly beard, hair unkempt and he basically says that his life is ruined because of Vincent. Before he can say much more, here comes Vincent alongside Dutch, Vita Von Starr and Bateman.  Vincent enters the ring after a very odd, Manson-like dance.  He sits at the table. This presentation of Vincent is great.  I completely get him as a cult leader, insane to the bone.  Taven has a contract for Philadelphia.  Win, lose or draw, Taven will leave Ring of Honor no matter what.  Vincent, playing some mind games, refuses to sign.  Torturing Taven is what makes him happy.  Vincent's counter offer?  He wants Taven's title shot. Taven agrees to an August 21st match inside a steel cage with his title shot on the line. Needless to say The Righteous destroy Taven and leave him laying.  Great way to hype the upcoming Philly swing.

Quinn McKay addresses the crowd, hyping ROH TV.  Brian Zane has joined the booth as the Bouncers with Ken Dixon come out for their match vs. Danhausen and PCO.  I love the camera work as Danhuasen makes his entrance.    I'm really glad ROH didn't do the obvious and break the team up.  Milonas works much better as a heel and he and the Bruiser have great chemistry.  Danhausen is really becoming popular amongst the underground community.  Heck, even Jim Cornette is entertained by him and that I never saw coming.  In (finally!) to save Danhausen comes Perfect Creation One.  This guy has zero regard for his own well being. Cory Strode and I often lament and worry about the longevity of one Darby Allin.  Seeing PCO doing his thing gives me some hope.

ROH TV crew just missed a big Milonas dive off the apron.  They gotta tighten this up.  The presentation is critical.  PCO with a moonsault The Great Muta would be proud of to get what I think is a very nice, very evil upset.

That's is for Hour One. The Best in the World PPV proper is up next.  

Hey folks, it appears Honor Club COMPLETELY sharted the bed and I had to create a 2nd FITE TV account to link it.  DAMN I hate missing a Brian Johnson match but so be it.

EC3 and Flip Gordon are going at it.  It's funny, I can't figure out where these two guys stand right now in the company.  Gordon for the last 3-4 years has been VERY consistent but they've been reluctant to really commit to him as a tippy top guy.  EC3, on the other hand, checks every box.  In a vaccum, both of these guys should be at the very top of the card.  It's not a stretch to say that these guys could very realistically main event this show with the World Title on the line.

It's impossible for these two to have a bad match against each other and they're meeting the expectation.  The money here says Gordon needs to win this, since he has the World Title shot in Philadelphia in hand.  He needs to look incredibly strong going in against Rush (who I assume is winning tonight's main event).  EC3 has a better physique than me. EC3 with the facebuster and Gordon taps out.  Honestly didn't see this coming.  Unless Bandido scores the upset tonight, I can't see how Gordan can come off as a credible next challenger.

Gordon answers EC3's request for the Code of Honor with a pair of slaps and then spits directly in his face.  THAT doesn't seem sanitary.  They need to put Gordon on a 6 week path of destruction to re build him.

I love ROH shows for the mere fact that there's no wasted motion. We're going straight to the ridiculously underpushed ROH World Six Man tag team champions, Shane Taylor, Moses and Kaun.  The very odd pairing of Dalton Castle, Eli Isom and Dak Draper are the challengers.  Dalton with a spectacular choreographed entrance.  The teaming is odd but on ROH TV, Castle has acted as a "cheerleading antagonist" for Isom and Draper

O'Shay Edwards is with Shane T Promotions, GREAT addition to the group, if you ask me.  I'm got to give it up to Taylor and Isom.  Isom has has had a slow rise. He's not at that top level yet, but just being in this position here will elevate his profile.  Taylor is real, a word I know people hate to see thrown around in the world of pro wrestling but I have no other adjective.  I see Draper as a TV champion by this time next year. You forget how big Moses is as he tackles the hell out of Isom.  Dalton Castle tags in and I'm glad to hear he's healthy.  Shane Taylor tags in and I can't help these two could have a banger as Castle is ridiculously strong.  Taylor just took his head off with a clothesline (Think Akeem vs. Shawn Michaels at Mania V).

Ian and Caprice are exceptionally enthusiastic.  Despite ST Promotions being heels, they're getting over the work Shane is doing behind the scenes to elevate African American wrestlers.  It really humanizes him and gives him more layers from a viewers perspective.  The story here is that Dalton wants him and his partners to be theatrical, putting showmanship above the ROH belts while Isom and Draper see this as a big opportunity.  This leads to the challengers to fight amongst themselves. Moses with a cannonball to Castle and Isom on the outside.  Crowd loved it.  Draper just caught Moses in mid air and set him up on his shoulder for a powerslam.  That, ladies and gentlemen, is power. Isom saves Draper and hits the DVD on Taylor.  Did not think he had that in him.  Castle distracts Isom long enough for Moses to hit a jackhammer off the 2nd rope.  Shane T finally puts Draper away with Welcome to the Land and the champs retain.  Wild and fun match.  The champs looked great and the challengers (well, Draper and Isom at least) showed a ton of grit in the effort.

Last Man Standing time as Silas Young takes on Josh the Goods Woods in the rubber match.  Woods attacks at the bell.  Woods is another young stud ROH has on the roster.  I expect a tremendous brawl here with Woods showing some technical power prowess.  We're wasting no time at all bringing out the plunder as Silas strikes first with a chair.  So far this is exactly what you'd expect.  Young is one of ROH's best brawlers. Woods crotches him on the post and we have our first 10 count attempt.  Young survives it.  Woods is looking a lot more confident in recent months. He played the naive Silas Young fanboy to perfection and now is done trying to mend fences.  He wants his pound of flesh.  Woods drives him through a table and Ian & Caprice break down the level of difficulty of breaking a table.  It's little things like that that really make me appreciate their work.

Silas taps out to the Gorilla Lock BUT no submissions here.  Deadlift waistlock by Woods.  I know I sound like a broken record but that is amazing strength.  As if to up himself, Woods, from a seated position, catches Young attempting a cannonball and powerbombs him on the floor. We've got a ring full of chairs.  That propect pales in comparison to the face that Woods just German Suplexed Woods off the apron through two tables set up.  In an actual ending that makes sense, Silas Young can't answer the bell and Josh Woods has what I'd call THE defining win of his young career.  Great brawl.

Quinn McKay catches up with Matt Taven, who's releived as hell to know he's on a collision course with Vincent.

Brody King vs. Jay Lethal in a first time ever match is up next in a battle of what Ian described as the leaders of VLNCE UNLTD and the Foundation.  Oddly, I consider Gresham to be the leader, as he was the one who convinced Lethal to join him in his quest to purify ROH.  Tracey Williams is accompanying Lethal.  Glad to see him up and about after being hit by a car.  

Props to the fans, by the way. They're been loud and enthusiastic but not obnoxious.  I'm glad they got a good crowd tonight. ROH had some definite attendance problems prior to the shut down.

Lethal pulls the straps of his singlet down right away.  That's code for "I mean business".  Lethal connects with Lethal Injection less than 2 minutes in.  Brody kicks out at one but the statement was made.  King stays on his feet through three topes suicidas.  He doesn't bother to even register a dropkick.  He's a monster and wants us all to know it. Lethal is a made man here.  Brody needs the credibility of a win here.  Lethal is taking a hell of beating as this point but is able to execute a power bomb as Brody mounted the ropes.  Doesn't last long as Brody just regains the domination.  I'm a little worried because Brody's has so dominant here that I'm afraid Lethal is going to "catch a quick one" on him for the win.

Brody with a pair of Gonzo Bombs and there's your pinfall.  WOW!  Brody King was a freaking beast here.  He put away THE Franchise of ROH clean in the middle.  Big star-making turn as far as I'm concerned.

Time for my favorite thing in wrestling today, the Pure Championship as Mike Bennett challenges Jonathan Gresham.  This is one fall, sixty minutes.  I'm perfectly OK if this goes the distance.  Bennett's comeback has been a great story.  Funny how Gresham was trained by Mr. Hughes, as I wouldn't think of Hughes training a guy like Gresham who, pardon the pun, is one of the best Pure wrestlers on the planet.  Cary Silkin has joined the booth.  I can't recommend he and Ian's "Last Stop Penn Station" podcast as well as their "55 in 5" You Tube show- great look into wrestling's past without going too long.  The story here is that Gresham truly believes Bennett doesn't belong here.  Bennett, after his tremendously bad WWE run (NOT his fault), is searching for his own redemption.

Three minutes in and Gresham used a rope break.  That might loom large as we get to the deep waters in this match. Gresham with joint manipulation, he so good at this.  He's even playing a little game of humiliation, he actually spanked Bennett.  This is the Gresham we started seeing, pre Pandemic: cocky, arrogant but backing it up so so well.  Gresham's strategy seems to be slapping submission holds, trying to get him to use the breaks.  He used one.  Bennett actually tapped out to a Kimura on the floor but it has to be in the ring.  Bennett climbed back in and used his second rope break.  

By the way, thank you for saving this company way back when, Cary Silkin. 

Bennett, surprisingly, makes Gresham use his second rope break. We're 10 minutes in and each man only has one break left.  Gresham is all over him but Bennett hits a hard elbow.  Bennett, in desperation, uses the ropes to escape the Octopus.  Bennett is all out of breaks.  NOW we're in the deep waters. No closed fists at this point.  After an exchange of pin attempts, Gresham has him right where he wants him, in a crossface submission.  Bennett can't get the ropes, try as he might.  Bennett with a big piledriver, Gresham happened to land with his foot under the rope so the pinfall got negated.  Gresham hyperextends the knee and can't fight off the Calf Crusher.  Bennett taps out.  No shame in that.  Gresham retains.  GREAT match!  Seriously go out of your way to watch this one.

Oh man this is cool.  Jay Lethal was scheduled to fill in for Tracey Williams in the ROH tag title match.  Lethal can't go go Jonathan Gresham, fresh off of the hell he just went through, is stepping in and stepping up!

TV title time as Dragon Lee challenges Tony Deppen.  A personal story: 3 weeks ago I was at Beyond Wrestling and Deppen was on the card.  Towards the end of the night, I noticed him watching the show.  I went up to him. Now, I've been to a million meet and greets so I know these guys want and, quite frankly, deserve a little cash for their time. I asked Mr. Deppen if he'd take a $20 for a picture.  His response was, "Dude, I can't believe someone wants to meet me.  He actually said to give him a minute and he went and retreived the ROH TV belt for the photo.  That was class.  Dude then signed a bunch of autographs for free.  He's gold in my book.  And the just hit a sunset flip through the ropes.  

Bestia Del Ring is seconding his son tonight.  These guys are going fast and furious.  I'm real glad that Mike Johnson said "nah I'll do the Play by Play".  They are exchanging snap Germans.  That's crazy. Caprice just yelled "HOW ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!?"  We are Caprice, we are!

Please send me at least $10,000 and I'll consider standing there for some of these chops.  Ouch!  Lee is just laying in the kicks and knees.  We still have 2 title matches left.  Lee nails Incineration for the pin. Tremdously stiff action between both guys.

Chris Dickinson and Homicide run into save Deppen from future harm and here comes Rhett Titus and Jonathan Gresham.  We've got the World Tag Team Title match (A Fight Without Honor) immediately.

This should play right into VLNCE UNLTD as there's nothing Pure about this.  Great seeing Homicide back on this stage after so many years.  I'm guessing they show is running long so they needed to skip the pagentry.  Titus hit a Falcon Arrow through the table.  Homicide is yelling about his ribs (thankfully not his hole).  They're telling the story that they need to work on Gresham as he's just got through a 20 minute war.

There's no bother tagging in and out of this one.  This one's just an out and out brawl.  Dickinson ate a dropkick by Titus on a chair.  Dickinson broke up a desperation Octopus by sending Titus into them.  Homicide has a fork and want to dig in.  Titus stops him, thank goodness.  Dickinson with the Razors Edge on Titus off the second rope while Homicide hits the 187 on Gresham for the pin.

Chris Dickinson and Homicide are your new World Tag Team Champions.  This was nuts.

Maria Kanellis introduces Lenny Leonard as the special guest announcer for the ROH Women's tournament.  The belt is unveiled.  The brackets are unveiled but Vita Von Starr has been disqualified for her actions.  Chelsea Green is introduced to the crowd.  She is finally in Ring of Honor.  Great coup by ROH.  She's coming for every single thing her previous employer said she couldn't have. She is not cleared as of this time and will miss the tournament.  She vows to be at ringside for every match in the tournament and puts every woman in the company on notice.  She'll be cleared soon.

Main event time.  Man, I have to say ROH really brought it tonight and I say that having missed the opener due to HonorClub issues.  Rush is flanked by LFI as he is challenged by Bandido.  Rush comes off as such a credible champion, a real international flavor, a guy who has no problem crawling through the muck to keep what's his.  Champ wastes no time nailing the Bulls Horns but decides to brag and boast.  THAT may come back haunt him.  He takes Bandido to the outside, where he's known for his complete and total dominance.  Here come the camera cables and Rush just annihilates Bandido with them.  Todd Sinclair has what Kevin Kelly calls the long whistle in terms of not DQ'ing the champion for his actions. 

Bandido is taking a heck of a beating here.  Rush puts everything into what he does.  The rest of LFI seems to have left.  Bandido has some fight left in him, nailing a tope corkscrew.  Big shooting star by the challenger for 2.  I think I'm positive Rush retains, but with Flip Gordon in line, I'm just not 100% sure.  These two have made the most of their minutes.  I don't want to say they're rushing but this is very fast paced.  

Plunder, which you knew was coming in to play in a Rush match, comes into play.  Bandido just hit a diving spanish fly through a table.  I think Bandido got the worst of it, just barely beating the 20 count.  Crowd is fired up and, interestingly, Cary Silkin just showed up to ringside.  As ROH ambassador, he presents championships to new champions.  Hmmm...

Rush hit a suplex off the 2nd rope for 2.  They're leaving it all out there.  A 21 Plex almost wins it for Bandido.  The crowd loves this!  HOLY CRAP, Bandido caught a rollup for the pin.  Bandido has shocked the world.  Bandido is the new World Champion.  LFI is having none of it.  They leave the new titleholder laying as we go off the air.

Whew! What a night!

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