Ring of Honor presents Boiling Point live on iPPV, headlined by Kevin Steen defending the ROH World Title against Chikara’s Eddie Kingston in a champion vs champion match. Also on the card: Eddie Edwards and Sara Del Rey take on Mike Bennett and Maria, the Briscoes face Steve Corino and Jimmy Jacobs, Jay Lethal and Tommaso Ciampa face off in a 2 out of 3 falls match, Michael Elgin does battle with Charlie Haas, Roderick Strong steps in the ring with Mike Mondo, and Adam Cole faces Brutal Bob Evans in a Proving Ground Match.
Hey folks, Matt Waters here giving you live coverage throughout the night. As usual these things can get a little hectic and technical issues are always a possibility, so bear with me!
Roderick Strong vs. Mike Mondo
Mondo gets the better of an arm-based takedown and reversal-fest. Roddy mocks Mondo’s height with an offer of a test of strength. A chop battle obviously goes Strong’s way. Mondo locks in the absolute weirdest leg submission I have ever seen, figure-fouring Roddy’s legs, performing a handstand, and then bridging right over. Strong just chops his way free and then throws Mondo to the outside. Mondo splits Roddy’s nose open with a headbutt and gets a pretty stiff kick to the face as a receipt. Roddy stands over Mondo and reigns down various strikes. Strong continues the abuse on the outside with a suplex on the floor. Kevin Kelly claims Roddy’s nose is broken. Mondo starts a comeback with a discus lariat and things get a little sloppy. Cravate knee strikes on the apron and then a huge stomp to the back of the head. Standing moonsault press from the top by Mondo gets two and Roddy bails to the outside. Mondo hits a headscissors off the apron and then charges from the top of the ramp and creams Roddy with a pounce into the guard rail. Mondo appears to have injured himself. Ah, no, it’s a work as Todd Sinclair tries to stop the match but Mondo refuses. Smelling blood, Roddy obliterates him with a knee, a backbreaker and multiple kicks. Spinebuster by Mondo out of nowhere gets two. Yes Lock by Strong! Mondo escapes. Rolling elbow and a gutbuster get another long two. Mondo gets two near falls with roll-ups but Strong hits the jumping knee and the Sick Kick for the win.
Result: Roderick Strong def. Mike Mondo via Pin (Sick Kick)
Review: This was one of the best openers in ROH iPPV history, and while Mondo was contributing with some high spots, Roddy was excellent here. I was convinced Mondo would get the win, which would have been a shame, so pleasantly surprised there.
4-Way Match (Winner gets an ROH Contract)
Matt Taven vs Vinny Marseglia vs Antonio Thomas vs. QT Marshall
Thomas and Taven start things off a little sloppily with Taven eventually forcing Thomas into the corner, bringing in Marseglia and the pace quickens. Nice little stalemate causes Thomas and Marshall to attack both from behind. The legal men clear the ring and Taven dives to the outside. Marshall tags himself in and lariats Marseglia. Vinny’s speed gets him a brief advantage but Marshall counters and tags Thomas who sloppily presses an advantage, going for a million roll-ups. Marshall and Thomas hit a suplex/crossbody combo but then fight each other. Thomas uses Cima’s suplex/leg breaker combo but Taven breaks up the pin with a splash that could have easily injured the three intertwined wrestlers. Taven snaps off a hurricanrana and a rope-hung flipping neckbreaker. Things break down a little as Marshall cleans house with a huge belly to belly suplex and a flying leg lariat, but Taven’s agility takes him down. Taven has a three count but Marshall puts his foot on the rope. Marseglia wipes out Thomas and Marshall with a flipping dive to the outside and then heads up top and sunset bombs Taven. Marshall crotches Marseglia and then ducks a big kick attempt by Taven and delivers a running Dominator for the win and an ROH Contract.
Result: QT Marshall via Pin (Dominator to Taven)
Review: The relative freshness of these guys’ faces kept things interesting, and everyone but Thomas had some unique and exciting offense. A little sloppy in places, but hey, there were enough big spots to cover it up. Taven’s rumored to have a WWE contract, and Marshall was the obvious choice of winner given his performances recently, but I still think something could be done with Marseglia.
Proving Ground
Adam Cole vs. ‘Brutal’ Bob Evans
Brutal Bob cuts a strange little promo before the bell claiming he’ll humble and pound Cole. Yup. Cole goes for the Figure Four early and starts working the knee. Small portion of the crowd is apparently behind Evans. Bob declares it clobbering time, but Cole knocks him out of the ring. Brutal Bob gets the better of things on the outside, hitting a backbreaker on the ring apron. Crowd chanting louder for Evans now (remember, he’s local). Evans works Cole over in the corners and in the ropes before grounding him in a submission but Cole continually counters. Final Cut by Evans and more submissions. He hoists Cole up for a sidewalk slam and just drops him to a big cheer. Deadlift back suplex by Evans! Enzuigiri by Cole, followed by a shining knee. He’s slow to get up top and misses the Flying Crossbody. Evans hits a big shoulder tackle for another long two. A version of the Box Office Smash gets another. Superkick by Cole! Bob covers up so Cole superkicks his knee and locks in the Figure Four. After a brief struggle, Evans taps.
Result: Adam Cole def. ‘Brutal’ Bob Evans via Submission (Figure Four Leg Lock)
Review: Okay, Brutal Bob clearly got too much offense in against the TV Champion, who basically won out of nowhere, but to play Devil’s Advocate, Evans is a pretty big guy and they’ve never portrayed him as a cowardly pathetic manager in the mold of an R.D. Evans, and it was a veteran versus youngster story so… I can live with it to a degree, and Evans being so over in front of his home crowd helped. I would have liked to have seen more from Cole but this wasn’t bad by any means.
– Mike Bennett and Maria attack Adam Cole, but Eddie Edwards and Sara Del Rey make the save and Team Sexy retreats. Eddie’s not dressed to compete yet, so it’s just a preview of later.
– Truth Martini brings Kevin Kelly and a microphone into the ring and claims the House of Truth are strong. He claims Steen will retain the title tonight and spoils future TV episodes by claiming Rhino will beat Steen at DBDH. Kevin Kelly asks about Strong and Elgin’s issues and Martini states that his boys will go after the tag team titles. Elgin interrupts and says he’s getting a world title shot in Toronto. Roddy throws a hissy fit and says he’s on strike from the House of Truth as he was promised Elgin’s shot. He calls Elgin fat and storms out.
Michael Elgin vs. Charlie Haas
Haas has new gear completely devoid of WGTT references as the fans chant for Shelton. Elgin takes Haas from corner to corner and then hits a diving shoulder block off the second rope for two. He holds Haas up for a delayed vertical suplex for over twenty seconds, and follows with a belly to belly. Roddy reappears and heckles Elgin, allowing Haas to take out Elgin’s leg. Strong sits in a chair with some beer. Awesome. They brawl on the outside a little and Haas continues to work the knee for several minutes. Elgin tries and fails to punch his way back into it. Indian Death Lock by Haas but Elgin powers his way free and then avoids a flying Haas and destroys Charlie with a running knee. German suplex gets two. Strong throws beer on Haas trying to rejuvenate him, claiming he’s his favourite wrestler. Elgin and Strong argue some more and Haas again attacks the knee before scolding Roddy for his beer throwing. Martini gets a face full of beer as Haas and Roddy share beers. Elgin spears Haas into Roddy on the outside and then drinks a beer while pouring some on Strong. Elgin tries a powerbomb but Roddy spits beer at Elgin. The ref does nothing about it as Haas rolls Elgin up for three.
Result: Charlie Haas def. Michael Elgin via Pin (Roll-Up)
Review: A pretty slow match that lacked any kind of real buzz, but given the storyline progression before and Roddy’s hilarious (to me at least) antics on the outside there was still something to enjoy. I’ve done a complete 180 on Haas and now believe he’s destined to be a main event heel in a similar role to Bully Ray, working with youngsters to improve them. He gets genuine heel heat in a way so few on the indies are capable of, and it’s not “we’re bored, go away” heat either. Better than their previous match, but still the worst bout of the night, and Elgin losing moments after announcing he’ll finally get his world title match soon is worth raising an eyebrow over. But Haas stays looking strong and it was anything but clean and advances the Strong/Elgin feud.
The Briscoes vs. Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs
Rhode Island adores Dem Boys. Corino looks weird clean shaven. The Briscoes get rolling early, double tackling Corino. Mark completely wears Corino out and we soon have a brawl on the floor. Moonsault by Mark from the top onto everybody on the outside! After more ringside brawling Mark walks the middle rope and hits a senton. Corino finally tags Jacobs and they double team Mark. Jacobs steals the rope walk for two. Mark lands on his feet out of a back body drop and leaps for Jay who cleans house. Neckbreaker/STO combo by SCUM regains the advantage. They work Jay over for a while but he drops Corino’s face into the turnbuckle and tags are made. Red-Neck Kung Fu! John Woo! Jacobs blocks an Iconoclasm and hits a tornado suplex. Corino brings the pain with knee strikes and the Colby Shock for two. Corino is feeling Japanese-y, hitting a lariat and a pair of backdrop drivers for two. Jawbreaker by Mark and a tag to Jay who hits a Death Valley Driver. Another backdrop driver by Corino and Jacobs tries the senton but gets kneed in the back. Spear by Jacobs gets two. SCUM try the double tackle but it fails and Jacobs eats a spinebuster and the Frog Elbow for two. Rebound Ace Crusher by Jacobs gets two. He tries the Contra Code but the Briscoes counter into the Doomsday Device for the win.
Result: The Briscoes def. Jimmy Jacobs & Steve Corino via Pin (Doomsday Device)
Review: I’m happy Corino and Jacobs are getting treated like legitimate threats due to their association with Steen, and while there was a little bit of that “oh, now we’re winning, oh now you’re winning” that occurs in some Briscoes matches, it was still fun. Mark’s trademark antics were great, and the Briscoes generally were so incredibly over. I’d imagine we’ll see this match again in the tag title tournament finals next month, so this was a more than acceptable warm-up.
2 out of 3 Falls Match
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jay Lethal
New music for Ciampa 🙁 Lethal cleans house on R.D. Evans and Ciampa to no reaction at all. Superkick, Lethal Injection! Two?!? Lethal Combination gets three though…
First Fall: Jay Lethal via Pin (Lethal Combination)
Lethal hits a 10-punch in the corner and then the hip-toss/dropkick combo and Ciampa has not hit a move yet. Lethal suplexes Ciampa over the top rope and both men may be dead. Lethal hits a springboard dropkick to knock Ciampa off the apron. This is getting bizarre. Ah, there we are, Ciampa snaps and brains Lethal on the guard rail. Fear not Lethal fans, Jay reverses a suplex onto the exposed floor and hits one of his own… and one for R.D. Evans! Lethal blocks Project Ciampa three times but then gets his jaw obliterated with a knee strike and Tomasso hits it for the fall.
Second Fall: Tommaso Ciampa via Pin (Project Ciampa)
They go toe to toe and Lethal gets the better of it until Ciampa hits another knee. He tries a running knee but Ciampa hits the Lethal Combination into a turnbuckle for two. Lethal heads up top and hits a diving double sledge and then a neckbreaker. Suicide dive into R.D. Evans! Hail to the King only gets two! Air Raid Crash on the apron may have legitimately injured Lethal’s neck. Both men barely beat a 20-count. Yay/Boo strike exchange leads to an exposed knee strike to Lethal and a superkick to Ciampa for a long two. R.D. Evans distracts the ref and Ciampa low-blows Lethal. Nana is here! He attacks Evans and Ciampa throws him into the crowd. Ref is still distracted and Lethal low blows Ciampa and then hits another Lethal Injection for the win. Wow.
Third Fall: Jay Lethal via Pin (Lethal Injection)
Result: Jay Lethal def. Tommaso Ciampa 2-1.
Review: People mock seemingly every match result of ROH iPPVs for one reason or another and I roll my eyes. This one, I’m with them on. Ciampa has just completed a gimmick change and shifted allegiances so wouldn’t it make sense to reward that with him finally defeating his biggest rival to date? Lethal didn’t just win, he dominated over two thirds of the match. Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness were going on and on about Ciampa injuring his knee early on but… he was clearly able to still work, so why this? I know they’re trying to make Lethal edgier for a potential world title match, but he might as well have been wearing a red cape.
Eddie Edwards & Sara Del Rey vs. Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis
Maria gives sarcastic handshakes and pretends she wants to start, but of course it’s Bawwwston’s finest. E-Squared pops off a hurricanrana, a chop and a huge jumping senton. Superkick to the knee and a shining wizard gets two. Del Rey tags in and they take turns striking Bennett. Axe kick! Many, many kicks by Death Rey but Maria pulls her hair and then with Bennett’s help, chokes her in the ropes. Tags on both sides and Edwards nails a missile dropkick. Kobashi chops in the corner. Bennett finds himself in the tree of woe and Edwards hits a running dropkick. Del Rey adds some kicks of her own and Eddie follows with his baseball slide from the floor to the apron. Maria distracts Edwards and Bennett spears the ever-loving crap out of him as he tries an apron dive. Maria adds some token stomps as a CM Punk chant breaks out. Back elbow by Eddie and the Boston Knee Party. Huge strikes from both men and they’re both down. Maria tries to take advantage but Eddie pie-faces her and tags Del Rey who finally goes to work on Maria to surprisingly little reaction. Rolling kick attempt accidentally hits Bennett who blind-tagged. Massive suicide dive by Edwards to Bennett. Backpack stunner gets two. Bennett tries a Super Box Office Smash but Eddie executes a backflip and locks in the Achilles! Maria slaps Eddie twice but he just smiles. Del Rey sinks in the Achilles on Maria but she wriggles free and goes under the ring. Bennett locks in the Achilles now and Del Rey emerges with Maria’s clothes! She throws them at Bennett and he breaks the hold. Achilles Lock by Edwards and Bennett taps.
Result: Eddie Edwards & Sara Del Rey def. Mike Bennett & Maria via Submission (Achilles Lock)
Review: This was a lot of fun to watch. Del Rey didn’t really get to do a great deal because Maria is more limited in what she can do than her average opponent, but she got to kick both opponents several times at least. Maria was solid in the few things she did, and seemed to be trying to channel more aggression than we’re used to, recognizing what is expected of ROH performers. Bennett was good, and Eddie was elite. I know he’s probably not getting the belt back, but he really is their best wrestler when he steps up like this. The finish may have been corny, but any chance to think about Maria being naked is a good thing, and Del Rey got to be put over one last time before she heads to the WWE. Maria nudity, implied or not, is the same as the swamp monster, aka 5-stars.
– Maria finally emerges covered in Bobby Cruise’s jacket. Boooo. Still, implied Maria nudity = swamp monster, ergo 5-stars.
ROH World Championship Match
Kevin Steen (c) vs. Eddie Kingston
Oh hey it’s Anything Goes, which makes both guys grin. Kingston demonstrates the greatest hearing of all time, leaving the ring to deck Corino after he states on commentary that Kingston’s billed weight is a joke. Floor brawl. Jacobs gets involved and Kingston hits a suicide dive on all three men. He drags Jacobs and Corino by their ears to the top of the ramp and throws them backstage. I’m sure they’ll stay there, I mean why wouldn’t you? Kingston grabs a chair but eats a codebreaker into it. Chair-assisted flipping leg drop! More floor brawling. Suplex onto the guard rail! Steen props a table against the rail and ends up getting suplexed through it by Kingston. A little more brawling and Steen is back in control and powerbombs Kingston through a suspended table (which was underside-up!)!!! Steen poses for the fans as help is called for Kingston. Steen gets a mic and curses out a fan. Steen insults Jim Cornette as everybody carries Eddie away, with Steen pointing out the stupidity of them for carrying him through all the technical equipment. Steen insults Larry Sweeney and Kingston Hulks Up! Yay, they’re punching each other again! Lariat by Kingston gets two. A sick half nelson suplex gets a groan and a two count. Low blow by Steen and a rope-hung DDT onto a chair! He props the chair into Kingston’s face in the corner and hits the running cannonball! They battle for position over a half-set-up table and Kingston delivers a Backdrop Driver through it for two! Steen spits in Kingston’s face so he gets slapped and Backdrop Drivered through a chair! Corino prevents the three count! Rhett Titus comes out to no ovation and brawls with Corino to the back. Jacobs eats a Backfist! Low blow by Steen! F-5! Only two!!! Steen nails Kingston repeatedly in the back with chairs and then builds himself a little platform, onto which he delivers another F-5 for the win.
Result: Kevin Steen retains over Eddie Kingston via Pin (F-5 onto Chairs)
Review: Boy oh boy did this deliver. I don’t like to claim individual matches are worth the price of a show alone, but this was everything people could have hoped for when it was first announced they’d be facing each other earlier this year and unfortunately couldn’t get in Chikara due to some political issues. They went at it Steen and Generico style, taking disgusting bumps onto all manner of weaponry, so if you hate that then you won’t enjoy this. But for the rest of us, a lot of brutal fun. The injury spot seemed genuine for a while, and mentioning Sweeney’s name like Steen did made me feel a tad uncomfortable, but it added more intensity to the proceedings, and the finish worked for me. It was a reaaaaal shame Rhett Titus got no response at all given how they’re positioning him for a mini main event push.
– After the match Steen got into it with some fans. He kissed one of them and they responded by shoving him so Steen struck them in the face, causing the other fan to spit at him, and Steen attacked him too. He walked away with a pretty serious look on his face and Jacobs’ reaction made this seem legit. Referees helped the fans to the back so I don’t know what to think. If this is real then Steen made a bad decision, but he was physically provoked to a degree by the first fan, and 100% by the second so… time will tell.
Overall Review
The most obvious thing to say here is that the stream looked absolutely gorgeous, easily better than anything I’ve seen from any company’s iPPV, and actually better than ROH’s TV product. Could we maybe use these cameras to tape the show? Anyway, I liked every match on the show for one reason or another.
Kingston/Steen was the match of the night, while Elgin/Haas was the clunker, and while there were a few bad moments here and there, I maintain there was plenty to like from start to finish. The opener was unexpectedly fun, the New England guys impressed, Roddy’s antics were pretty funny, the Briscoes vs SCUM was good, Lethal and Ciampa used plenty of fun high spots, the intergender match was really solid and it’s pretty remarkable to see what Brutal Bob being over looks like.
Overall this isn’t a must-see show, but it wasn’t promoted as one, so it’s wrong to judge it by that standard. What you’ve got here is a solid wrestling event with no technical issues, plenty of quality wrestling and a wild main event. What more you could want from a bonus iPPV I really don’t know, but I certainly enjoyed it more than the majority of the B-PPV’s put on by WWE and TNA. If you want to hold ROH to a different standard and expect a 2005 level show every single time then I think you’re pretty insane as it is, but this wasn’t a bad show and I can’t see how that argument could be made.
Mark’s Gran Naniwa Crab Walk is the greatest thing.