ROH State of the Art
ROH State of the Art (2/8/2014)- San Antonio, TX
The show opens with Jay Briscoe coming out and says he wants to have his match with Adam Cole right now instead of in the main event. Cole comes out and we get…
MATCH FOR JAY BRISCOE’S â€"REAL†ROH WORLD TITLE: Jay Briscoe(c) vs. Adam Cole- 6.75/10
Great opener, and the crowd was very hot, but I hated the finish. If Jay is going to get a title shot out of this match, just have him beat Cole clean. Don’t have the babyface take advantage of the heel being distracted with the referee.
CAPRICE COLEMAN vs. THE ROMANTIC TOUCH- 5/10
Steve Corino and Kevin Kelly mention that they have both heard rumors that the reason Veda Scott is not here tonight because the Romantic Touch f*cked her really, really hard last night. They used a few more words than that, but I swear that was what they were hinting at. They also both put over the fact that what despite what Veda has been claiming on TV, The Romantic Touch is not Rhett Titus. Got that, everyone? The Romantic is DEFINITELY NOT RHETT TITUS.
RAYMOND ROWE vs. BJ WHITMER (w/the Decade)- 5.5/10
The announcers did a fantastic job of explaining the Decade's motivations and attitudes. Hearing Steve Corino as the babyface voice of reason was really weird, though. These two gave us some decent mat wrestling, then two big guys just going for power moves. They did a great job with the slow pacing, too. Rowe looked strong in defeat, but still didn't earn the Decade's respect because they didn't shake his hand.
JIMMY JACOBS POST-MATCH PROMO- good
He thinks ROH has gotten too lax with who they let in to the company. they are unhappy with guys like AJ Styles and Chris Hero who left the company but are now coming back, and they don't think the newer guys have earned it yet. Among the young guys in particular, they are unhappy with Cedric Alexander because he used one of Roddy's signature moves at Wrestling's Finest in two weeks ago in Pittsburgh. For this reason they say that Cedric is being disrespectful... which is kind of true, but this point about the importance of respect might have been better illustrated if, BJ Whitmer hadn't kept turning to the camera and talking WHILE JACOBS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF CUTTING THIS PROMO, making it hard to hear Jimmy.
CEDRIC ALEXANDER vs. JIMMY JACOBS (w/Roderick Strong)- 6/10
They told a good story with Jacobs pretty much trying "punish" Cedric for using a move similar to one of Roddy's signature backbreakers at Wrestling's Finest and Cedric fighting a perhaps vain battle to earn Jimmy's respect. When Cedric had the advantage, he pointed at Roddy, then hit the same move. He and Roddy then had a staredown, allowing Jimmy to spear Cedric for the win.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT-
Cedric offered Jacobs a handshake after the match, but Roddy jumped into the ring and lectured him instead, talking about various backstage rules like not using other people's moves. Roddy demanded that Cedric unlace Jimmy's boots, which is (according to Corino) something that is done in Japan, but considered a humiliating the US. Cedric refuses, so Jacobs gets angry and gives him a lecture, too, telling a story about how as a mere sixteen year-old, he didn't know that you were supposed to get Ricky Morton's robe when Ricky made a hot tag (I think that's what he said but I couldn't quite make out one or two of the words), so CM Punk and Adam Pearce gave him a swirly (Corino immediately confirmed that this was true). Lecturing a guy in front of the locker room is one thing, but giving him a f*cking swirly? That's a bit of an overreaction, don't you think?
Cedric still refuses, so Jacobs and Roddy announce that, as the veterans, they are kicking him out of the locker room (and Whitmer soon showed up carrying Cedric's bag and through it on the ground in the ringside area. Okay... where are the Briscoes or Steen or Jay Lethal or Nigel? Why aren't they coming out and telling these guys that they are going to far (on commentary, Corino made it quite clear that they were) and that they don't run the locker room? Hell.. why not CORINO HIMSELF?!
Anyway, Cedric wanted to go back into the lockeroom but Jacobs and Whitmer stop him, so Cedric dejectedly goes to sit in the crowd.
ALEX RAINS vs. WEEZY WOO- 4/10
Yes, Weezy Woo really is his name. And, shockingly, despite this, he seems to be over.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- R.D. Evans came through the crowd with his own referee, getting a HUGE pop. He pinned Rains, then tried to pin Woo, but Woo kicked out. R.D. then quickly grabbed a mic and started sucking up to Weezy Woo before quickly rolling him up with a school boy for the pin. The crowd went NUTS for this. R.D.'s personal ref then ran to the back and got a sign that said "31-0 #TheNewStreak." R.D> then cut a fun promo, ending it by saying that at this point, he should be called "Mr. ROH."
This brought out a very angry Roderick Strong, and we got...
RODERICK STRONG vs. R.D. EVANS- 4.25/10
Cedric Alexander came out from the crowd to do commentary. Cedric's presence was a source of distraction to Roddy, who kept trying to antagonize him. At one point after Roddy spit on him a few times, Cedric tried to get into the ring to attack Roddy, but accidentally hit R.D. instead, giving Evans the DQ victory (THE NEW STREAK CONTINUES!), then brawled with Roddy.
MARK BRISCOE vs. MICHAEL BENNETT (w/Maria Kanellis)- 5.5/10
A fun match. The crowd was really into all of Mark's stuff. after the match, Bennett cut a heel promo putting Cole over and challenging Jay to put his "Real" ROH World Title on the line against him tonight. Jay came out and they brawled, then Cole came out and attacked Jay and then we wound up with both heels brawling with both Briscoes. That could be a fun match for down the line.
PROVING GROUND MATCH: ROH World Tag Team Champions reDRagon vs. Adrenaline Rush- 8/10
Awesome match. ACH and Thomas win, finally earning themselves a tag title shot.
Apparently there have been some last minute changes, so instead of a regular Four Corner Survival Match, this is now a...
FATAL FOUR WAY MATCH FOR A FUTURE SHOT AT THE ROH WORLD TITLE: Michael Elgin vs. Jay Lethal vs. Kevin Steen vs. Tommaso Ciampa- 7.75/10
Almost twenty minutes of all-action, but it was still disappointing considering the ridiculous amount of talent involved. The winner cut an awesome promo after the match.
A great show from ROH, in front of a great crowd. It's great to see ROH cultivating new markets in Texas and Ohio over the last few years, just like they have done in years past in Toronto and the Midwest.
Hold #712: ARM BAR!
The show opens with Jay Briscoe coming out and says he wants to have his match with Adam Cole right now instead of in the main event. Cole comes out and we get…
MATCH FOR JAY BRISCOE’S â€"REAL†ROH WORLD TITLE: Jay Briscoe(c) vs. Adam Cole- 6.75/10
Great opener, and the crowd was very hot, but I hated the finish. If Jay is going to get a title shot out of this match, just have him beat Cole clean. Don’t have the babyface take advantage of the heel being distracted with the referee.
CAPRICE COLEMAN vs. THE ROMANTIC TOUCH- 5/10
Steve Corino and Kevin Kelly mention that they have both heard rumors that the reason Veda Scott is not here tonight because the Romantic Touch f*cked her really, really hard last night. They used a few more words than that, but I swear that was what they were hinting at. They also both put over the fact that what despite what Veda has been claiming on TV, The Romantic Touch is not Rhett Titus. Got that, everyone? The Romantic is DEFINITELY NOT RHETT TITUS.
RAYMOND ROWE vs. BJ WHITMER (w/the Decade)- 5.5/10
The announcers did a fantastic job of explaining the Decade's motivations and attitudes. Hearing Steve Corino as the babyface voice of reason was really weird, though. These two gave us some decent mat wrestling, then two big guys just going for power moves. They did a great job with the slow pacing, too. Rowe looked strong in defeat, but still didn't earn the Decade's respect because they didn't shake his hand.
JIMMY JACOBS POST-MATCH PROMO- good
He thinks ROH has gotten too lax with who they let in to the company. they are unhappy with guys like AJ Styles and Chris Hero who left the company but are now coming back, and they don't think the newer guys have earned it yet. Among the young guys in particular, they are unhappy with Cedric Alexander because he used one of Roddy's signature moves at Wrestling's Finest in two weeks ago in Pittsburgh. For this reason they say that Cedric is being disrespectful... which is kind of true, but this point about the importance of respect might have been better illustrated if, BJ Whitmer hadn't kept turning to the camera and talking WHILE JACOBS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF CUTTING THIS PROMO, making it hard to hear Jimmy.
CEDRIC ALEXANDER vs. JIMMY JACOBS (w/Roderick Strong)- 6/10
They told a good story with Jacobs pretty much trying "punish" Cedric for using a move similar to one of Roddy's signature backbreakers at Wrestling's Finest and Cedric fighting a perhaps vain battle to earn Jimmy's respect. When Cedric had the advantage, he pointed at Roddy, then hit the same move. He and Roddy then had a staredown, allowing Jimmy to spear Cedric for the win.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT-
Cedric offered Jacobs a handshake after the match, but Roddy jumped into the ring and lectured him instead, talking about various backstage rules like not using other people's moves. Roddy demanded that Cedric unlace Jimmy's boots, which is (according to Corino) something that is done in Japan, but considered a humiliating the US. Cedric refuses, so Jacobs gets angry and gives him a lecture, too, telling a story about how as a mere sixteen year-old, he didn't know that you were supposed to get Ricky Morton's robe when Ricky made a hot tag (I think that's what he said but I couldn't quite make out one or two of the words), so CM Punk and Adam Pearce gave him a swirly (Corino immediately confirmed that this was true). Lecturing a guy in front of the locker room is one thing, but giving him a f*cking swirly? That's a bit of an overreaction, don't you think?
Cedric still refuses, so Jacobs and Roddy announce that, as the veterans, they are kicking him out of the locker room (and Whitmer soon showed up carrying Cedric's bag and through it on the ground in the ringside area. Okay... where are the Briscoes or Steen or Jay Lethal or Nigel? Why aren't they coming out and telling these guys that they are going to far (on commentary, Corino made it quite clear that they were) and that they don't run the locker room? Hell.. why not CORINO HIMSELF?!
Anyway, Cedric wanted to go back into the lockeroom but Jacobs and Whitmer stop him, so Cedric dejectedly goes to sit in the crowd.
ALEX RAINS vs. WEEZY WOO- 4/10
Yes, Weezy Woo really is his name. And, shockingly, despite this, he seems to be over.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- R.D. Evans came through the crowd with his own referee, getting a HUGE pop. He pinned Rains, then tried to pin Woo, but Woo kicked out. R.D. then quickly grabbed a mic and started sucking up to Weezy Woo before quickly rolling him up with a school boy for the pin. The crowd went NUTS for this. R.D.'s personal ref then ran to the back and got a sign that said "31-0 #TheNewStreak." R.D> then cut a fun promo, ending it by saying that at this point, he should be called "Mr. ROH."
This brought out a very angry Roderick Strong, and we got...
RODERICK STRONG vs. R.D. EVANS- 4.25/10
Cedric Alexander came out from the crowd to do commentary. Cedric's presence was a source of distraction to Roddy, who kept trying to antagonize him. At one point after Roddy spit on him a few times, Cedric tried to get into the ring to attack Roddy, but accidentally hit R.D. instead, giving Evans the DQ victory (THE NEW STREAK CONTINUES!), then brawled with Roddy.
MARK BRISCOE vs. MICHAEL BENNETT (w/Maria Kanellis)- 5.5/10
A fun match. The crowd was really into all of Mark's stuff. after the match, Bennett cut a heel promo putting Cole over and challenging Jay to put his "Real" ROH World Title on the line against him tonight. Jay came out and they brawled, then Cole came out and attacked Jay and then we wound up with both heels brawling with both Briscoes. That could be a fun match for down the line.
PROVING GROUND MATCH: ROH World Tag Team Champions reDRagon vs. Adrenaline Rush- 8/10
Awesome match. ACH and Thomas win, finally earning themselves a tag title shot.
Apparently there have been some last minute changes, so instead of a regular Four Corner Survival Match, this is now a...
FATAL FOUR WAY MATCH FOR A FUTURE SHOT AT THE ROH WORLD TITLE: Michael Elgin vs. Jay Lethal vs. Kevin Steen vs. Tommaso Ciampa- 7.75/10
Almost twenty minutes of all-action, but it was still disappointing considering the ridiculous amount of talent involved. The winner cut an awesome promo after the match.
A great show from ROH, in front of a great crowd. It's great to see ROH cultivating new markets in Texas and Ohio over the last few years, just like they have done in years past in Toronto and the Midwest.
Hold #712: ARM BAR!