In the final episode of ROH TV before Final Battle both champion and challenger are in action as Davey Richards battles Michael Elgin in a Proving Ground Match and Eddie Edwards takes on Andy Ridge. All this plus a full preview of the card for Final Battle.
Eddie Edwards vs. Andy Ridge
Recap: In his last match before Final Battle, ‘Die Hard’ Eddie Edwards defeated Andy ‘Right-Leg’ Ride resoundingly with his newly perfected Dragon Sleeper, sending a message to World Champion Davey Richards. Edwards controlled most of the match but Ridge’s athleticism and ever dangerous kicks kept him alive, though Edwards was rarely in any danger, finishing Ridge off with a lariat, powerbomb and the Dragon Sleeper. Truth Martini, who had been on commentary throughout the match, then applauded Edwards, making his intention to recruit one or both of the Wolves to the House of Truth known once more.
Review: This went on a couple of minutes too long. I get that they don’t want to bury Ridge or have Edwards just go out there for 30 seconds in his last tune-up match before the iPPV, but the bigger picture needed considering. Edwards got beaten fairly easily in the grand scheme of things at Best in the World and he needed to look dangerous before the rematch and to me the best way to achieve that would have been to make Ridge look foolish and make him tap out in less than two minutes. There was nothing wrong with the match, far from it in fact, just the greater booking implications of it lasting so long and remaining competitive.
– A nice long video package was shown chronicling the Briscoes/WGTT feud. If you caught nothing that transpired between the two teams since ROH TV started then all you need to watch is this video.
– This was followed by a run-down of the full Final Battle card and another lengthy vignette, this time focusing on the world title scene since Best in the World, again showing highlights from basically every episode of ROH TV so far.
Proving Ground Match
Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin
Recap: With an ROH World Title shot hanging in the balance in the Proving Ground and a defense against Eddie Edwards on iPPV on the horizon, champion Davey Richards managed to defeat ‘Unbreakable’ Michael Elgin thanks to a roll-up reversal of a Spiral Powerbomb. The pair fought to a stand-still in the opening moments, but eventually Elgin’s power allowed him to take control, particularly after delivering a Muscle Buster on the arena floor. Richards barely made it back into the ring before being counted out and eventually found an opening, delivering multiple big kicks, a double stomp off the top and a massive german suplex that nearly earned him the victory. Unfortunately Elgin’s size and strength effectively neutralised Richards’ submission skills, and he was able to lift the champion from the mat into powerbomb position with one arm. Unable to pick up the win with any of his favourite offense, Richards turned to his quick thinking, reversing a powerbomb into a sunset flip and getting the victory.
Review: Meh. I was looking forward to this match from the moment Davey won the world title. It’s a classic small but skilled versus massive but slow match-up that everybody loves. Unfortunately this just ended up being every single 2011 Davey Richards match all over again, right down to the multiple headbutts on the top rope and getting back in the ring at 19. Indeed the most interesting parts of the match were all down to Elgin, particularly the Muscle Buster, the wrist-clutch Ki Krusher and most of all the fact Richards had no hope of making him tap out due to his immense strength. If they’d given more focus to that aspect of the match this might have been more interesting. Furthermore, I think Elgin should have won this match, not by defeating Richards, but by lasting the time-limit to show what a threat he is. Richards has spent the entire year making people tap out or knocking them out with his kicks, what would be scarier than a guy that’s too big and powerful to be kept in a hold and can walk through his strikes with minimal effect? Anyway, if you can’t quite get enough of the Davey Richards Show then this will float your boat, as for me? Bland at this point.
The Wolves Explode
Recap: After the match Michael Elgin used a distraction from Truth Martini to beat Davey Richards down, prompting Eddie Edwards to run in to try and make the save. With the world title in his hands, he swung for Elgin but instead accidentally struck Richards in the back of the head. After the House of Truth left the ringside area and Davey recovered he accused Edwards of attacking him deliberately and the pair began to brawl. Shockingly, Edwards immediately locked Richards into the Dragon Sleeper until Kyle O’Reilly, Tony Kozina and the backstage crew separated the two.
Review: This came off pretty well, but I have a minor gripe. The camera cut away to Elgin and Martini at the entrance-way almost as soon as Eddie locked in the Dragon Sleeper and when the shot returned the move had been broken up. We should have had the visual of the challenger making the champion tap out to his newest weapon front and center as the last thing we remembered heading into Final Battle. Instead it was somewhat downplayed in favor of a good old fashioned pull-apart brawl. I’m nitpicking… I’m sorry.
Overall Thoughts
– This was a go-home show, so the focus was on promoting the hell out of Final Battle. Thus it was wise to put both Eddie and Davey in matches on the same show. Eddie needed to look better than Davey so we might think the title is in trouble, so his match was easier and he won comfortably with his new finisher. So far so good. Richards still needed to look decent however to keep the world title and Richards himself look legitimate. So he defeated Michael Elgin thanks to a roll-up rather than any of his signature moves, which not only showed that he could adapt to any obstacle, but also introduced a new threat to his title in Elgin, who could not be defeated easily. Then we closed the show with champion and challenger in a pier-6 brawl. All of this plus a lot of vignettes to promote Final Battle and its matches. In summary, this was a well-executed show.
– My problem was more with the fact I’ve seen everything Davey has to offer already and thus I wasn’t thrilled by the twenty minute main event. I could have also done with seeing Eddie either defeat a tougher opponent or beat Ridge quicker than he did. Of course doing that would have required a third match (why not?) or an even longer main event, which wouldn’t have suited the stipulation.