After several weeks worth of “best of” specials, Ring of Honor returns with a fresh episode from Toronto as part of the War of the Worlds tour supported by talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling. In this episode, viewers are caught up on current storylines while other storys build for future directions. The episode also included some highlights from a show in Dearborn, MI.
The show opened with a recap of the closing moments of the Global Wars pay-per-view near Chicago where the Bullet Club cleaned house on everyone in sight and they revealed the newest member of the group as Adam Cole.
ACH beat Lio Rush
The match itself was a good spectacle but the story revolved around Silas Young doing commentary at ringside that would set up a feud between him and ACH. Young was playing the role of a grizzled veteran disgusted by the modern style of high flying wrestling.
Though this was taped a while before the Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay match in Japan took place, the story of Silas criticizing and ranting about the high flying style seen in this match ironically paralleled the more recent controversy surrounding Vader’s critical tweets about Ospreay vs. Ricochet.
In the narrative of this match, Silas called them “video game wrestlers” and ranted about them not being real men. Kevin Kelly noted Rush and ACH were adults and used an odd example saying they could rent cars. Silas scoffed at this notion.
Lio Rush did a big flip dive to the outside. Silas was unimpressed. Rush and ACH kept up a fast pace. Rush looked strong in hanging with ACH and getting plenty of offense, but ACH eventually delivered a brainbuster followed by his Midnight Star splash to score the pinfall.
Afterwards, Silas stormed into the ring and began berating Rush. ACH shoved him away and ordered him out of the ring. Silas begged off at first. When ACH turned his back, Silas jumped him from behind. Silas put the boots to him then chopped him and executed the Misery finisher to lay out ACH.
In the next segment, the Addiction came to the ring to brag about being the new tag team champions. They beat War Machine in Dearborn in an underhanded manner with a couple belt shots. The crowd in Toronto was giving them a warm reception so Christopher Daniels made sure to insult them to ensure they were still heels.
The Addiction claimed to be the best team in ROH and Daniels said they were undefeated. The Motor City Machine Guns were the first team to interrupt them. Chris Sabin said they beat them before in ROH. He went on to basically call them old and bald. The Addiction were not happy about such comments.
Out next to interrupt were Roppongi Vice. Rocky Romero played to the crowd and wanted to join the party. Barreta insinuated the Addiction were old and bald. Daniels had enough and lost his mind. In a fit of rage he challenges both teams to an impromptu match. Daniels adds if either team can defeat them then that team earns a tag title match.
Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) beat the Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Kazarian) & Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Trent Barreta) in a triple threat to earn a tag team title match
The focus of the match was more the challengers chasing a title match with the champions so the dynamic was different than a typical three-way match. Everybody got to shine though the Guns seemed to shine brighter since the direction was them earning the title match. The Addiction got heat on Shelley for awhile before Sabin ran wild on a hot tag. RPG Vice also ran wild for a bit.
In the end, the Guns executed their Skull and Bones (neckbreaker and high cross combo) finisher on Daniels and Shelley pinned him to earn his team the title shot. The match is likely set for Best in the World.
Roderick Strong cut a promo on Jay Briscoe. He took issue with Briscoe saying he had been there “since day one” when Jay and Mark left the company for a short time with Roddy claiming they ran off to the chicken farm to lick their wounds.
Strong mocked Briscoe for saying he was the face of the company. Roddy called Jay a great tag team wrestler but a mediocre singles wrestler. This builds towards a match between the two in Columbus, OH on June 5.
Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness made an announcement concerning BJ Whitmer and Steve Corino. Apparently, Whitmer was stalking Corino’s wife and infant son. Due to that turn of events, McGuinness announced Whitmer vs. Corino in a Fight Without Honor at Best in the World.
Highlights aired of “Hangman” Adam Page joining Bullet Club in Dearborn. In the angle, Page was supposed to tag with a team representing ROH against Bullet Club. Colt Cabana took his place after Bullet Club claimed they superkicked Page before the match. Later in the match, Page ran in and turned on his team. Page brought out a noose to signify his new “Hangman” nickname. Though most of the beat down did not air on TV, a plug ensured you could see the entire violent attack on the ROH website.
In another Bullet Club segment, Adam Cole cut a promo with the Young Bucks. They bragged about their recent attacks and admitted they made a lot of people mad. They put themselves over. Cole said the were going to break rules and he promised chaos. The Bucks were so happy about that they kissed Cole on the cheeks.
The Elite (Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson & Kenny Omega) beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin & Yoshitatsu
Matt Taven provided guest commentary to talk about former stablemate Adam Cole and him joining Bullet Club. He mocked them at one points for being dorks. Clearly, the direction is Taven vs. Cole down the road.
In the six-man match itself, they all did a lot of stuff as one would imagine with these participants. It began with a brawl. Big flip dive by Big Mike led to a big pop. Tanahashi was triple-teamed and the Elite got heat on him. The Bucks and Omega did a triple tope dive spot to the outside. In getting heat on Tanahashi the heels kept raking his back. When Tanahashi made a comeback moments later he raked all three of their backs.
Elgin ran wild with power moves off a hot tag. Great sequences and exchanges at the end. Yoshitatsu joined the fray and got a nearfall following a running knee strike. After being sprayed in the eyes with cold spray from an aerosol can, the Elite all three gave him triple superkicks for a nearfall. Omega finished Yoshitatsu off by hoisting him up and giving him the One-Winged Angel then he covered him for the pin.
The rest of Bullet Club joined their fellow members to celebrate the win. Notably missing was Cole. On commentary, Taven speculated Cole was a coward because Taven was at ringside and Cole would not face him.
Next week/this weekend on ROH TV, Jay Lethal defends the ROH world title against Donovan Dijak.
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