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Ring of Honor - November 12, 2011

by SamoaRowe

-Video recap of last week’s main event, where Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team defeated Caprice Coleman and Cedric Alexander in a Proving Ground match. Again, the package is more exciting than the match itself was.

-From Louisville, KY. Our hosts, as usual, are Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness. They pimp the big main event pitting The American Wolves against The House of Truth.

The Bravado Brothers vs. The Young Bucks

The Young Bucks are billed as one of the most controversial teams in the wrestling industry. The Bucks are in the midst of a heel turn fueled by the disrespect they were served in TNA and WWE. Harlem Bravado kicks off against Nick Jackson. Lancelot Bravado tags and assists in a double hip toss. Nick nails a chin breaker and tags in his brother, Matt. The Young Bucks deliver their own double hip toss and stereo drop-kicks. Lancelot is isolated as the Bucks effectively cut the ring in half. The Young Bucks deliver their flashy offense with a sense of arrogance, which is a tricky balance to effectively pull off as a heel team. Harlem gets a tag and cleans house. The Bravados win over the crowd with their high flying offense. Matt Jackson fights off both Bravados momentarily before eating a German suplex. Nick wipes out Lancelot with a plancha. Nick kicks Harlem in the head and set up a double face plant. Nick dives onto Lancelot again, allowing Matt to set Harlem up for More Bang for your Buck. The Bravados are finished at 6:07. They packed a lot of action into this one, more of an exhibition than a squash.
Winners: The Young Bucks

-The Young Bucks refuse handshakes after the match. Now the Bravados know how Booker T feels.

-ROH Tag Team Champions Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, collectively known as Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team, come to the ring for an interview. Kevin Kelly brings up their scheduled title defense against the Briscoes at Final Battle. Haas calls the Briscoes cowards for jumping them at Best in the World. Benjamin says the sneak attack doesn’t matter because they never liked the Briscoes in the first place. At Final Battle, their ass is grass (ugh) and they’re going to show them what real men are. They are joined in the ring by Kenny King and Rhett Titus, the All Night Express. King feels like WGTT and the Briscoes have overlooked them. King renames WGTT “Donald and Daffy” because they’re a couple of ducks. Titus reminds us that they’ve beaten the Briscoes a few times. The ANX can kick it all night. Pretty good segment, it’ll be interesting to see where the ANX fit in going forward.

-Welcome to Inside Ring of Honor. This week we get an in-depth look at Kevin Steen. They take us back to Final Battle 2009 when Steen turned on El Generico. From there, it was revealed that Steve Corino influenced Steen to betray his friend because he was being held back by dead weight. At Glory by Honor IX, Steen stole Generico’s mask. Then, at Final Battle 2010 Generico defeated Steen in a match that cost Steen his ROH career. Steve Corino was so ashamed that he ruined Steen’s career that it sent him on a journey for redemption and later invited Steen back. At Best in the World, Steen was given a live mic and took the opportunity to proclaim “F(bleep)k Ring of Honor!” Steen then attacked Corino and was escorted from the building by force. At Death Before Dishonor 2010, Steen crashed the show and tried to hurt Cary Silkin. Now, Steen has surrounded himself with lawyers and is trying to get reinstated in ROH. Great video package that catches new viewers up to speed. It helps that I love this long term storyline.

-Jay Lethal is annoyed that Mike Bennett keeps saying he should be ROH Television Champion. Lethal welcomes a rematch so he can beat Bennett once and for all. Bennett scoffs at the notion that Lethal wants a rematch just to clear things up. Bennett spins it that he’s giving Lethal a rematch, not the other way around. However, Bennett refuses to have Todd Sinclair as the referee, and suggests his manager, Brutal Bob, would be up for the job.

-Steve Corino interrupts Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness on commentary. Corino restates that he’s an evil person but he has finally found a solution to a problem. Corino begs Jim Cornette for just five minutes of his time. And that’s all.

-Video recap of Roderick Strong’s recent outing against Kyle O’Reilly. This includes the post-match chaos when Davey Richards had to save his protégé from Strong and Michael Elgin. Finally, Eddie Edwards joined the fray, and it set up tonight’s main event.

Roderick Strong and Michael Elgin (with Truth Martini) vs. The American Wolves

Eddie Edwards finds himself pummeled into the corner in the early going. Edwards dumps Strong to ringside, where Davey Richards kicks him in the head. Edwards plants Elgin for a missile drop-kick from Richards, giving us an early near fall. Elgin is hapless as the well oiled Wolves machine runs wild on him. Elgin and Edwards trade chops, and Strong gains the advantage with a tag. Richards tags and goes to work punishing Elgin. Elgin catches on his shoulders for a backbreaker. Strong tags and squares off with his old enemy. The House of Truth isolate Richards. Edwards gains a blind tag and assists Richards in stereo suicide dives to the floor! Edwards controls Strong in the ring, delivering a backpack chin breaker and then the Achilles lock. Strong retaliates with a back suplex on the apron! Cue the commercial! After the break, Elgin delivers a delayed vertical suplex on Edwards, who really needs a tag. Edwards blocks a double suplex and nails a double knee to the face of both opponents. Richards gets the hot tag and nails a double missile drop-kick. Richards suplexes Strong while locking the legs of Elgin! Richards lands on his feet after a suplex from Elgin and applies the ankle lock. Edwards makes another blind tag but the referee didn’t see it, as he counts Richards’ German suplex pin attempt. The American Wolves’ double flying attack is blocked and Elgin nearly puts Richards away. Edwards saves Richards from a pin after suffering a vertical suplex. Things break down with all four men in the ring nailing stiff shots. Elgin suplexes both Wolves! Everyone dukes it out, with Elgin ultimately being left alone with the Wolves. The flying double stomps would have finished it but Strong makes the save. Elgin takes numerous shots to the head and still kicks out. Elgin kicks Richards in the head and nails a sit-out power bomb for 2! Truth Martini and the referee get into an argument, ruining Elgin’s sit-out power bomb. Edwards traps Elgin in a Dragon Sleeper until he passes out. The ref returns in time to see Richards pin Elgin, who is still out after the Sleeper. The Wolves win at 16:02 (shown). Terrific main event here, great action that was supported by the ongoing angles. It’s also safe to say that Michael Elgin has arrived, ****.
Winners: Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards

Final Thoughts: This was a good episode that continued the positive momentum ROH has going into Final Battle. The great main event was the icing on the cake. This show continues to be my current favorite weekly wrestling product. Thumbs up.

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