ROH 5/11/18 War of the Worlds Tour Night 2 Review
5/11/18
Ted Reeve Arena
Ontario, Toronto
Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana welcomed us to the show, with Ian particularly excited to join the tour after his night off.
IWGP United States Champion Jay White vs. Punishment Martinez
White offered his hand for the code of honor to start and then pulled out his throat slash pose when Martinez didn’t accept, almost earning himself an early chokeslam. The two traded chops and the action fell to the outside rather quickly. Martinez tossed White into the barricade twice, showing off his strength. Adam Page joined commentary as Martinez dominated White inside the ring, delivering back elbows and clotheslines to a recuperating White in the corner. White finally gained control, but it was brief, as Martinez hit a dive to the outside and scary Psycho driver that couldn’t put White away. The two traded attempts at finishers, but Martinez ultimately hit a curb stomp, but still couldn’t put White away. Frustrated, Martinez went for a chair, but before he could use it, Page ran down to the ring and took it from him, allowing White to recover and hit the Bladerunner to retain the title. This was a good opener and Page’s interference, stemming from the attacked he received at the hands of Martinez in Lakeland. Martinez stayed protected and White stayed champion. This was a good match but did not really hit the next gear like the match between the two in Vegas.
Winner: Jay White
Bully Ray vs Cheeseburger
Bully Ray came out and was quite surly indeed. He got on the mic and immediately demanded a streamer be brought to him, just so he could say that it is stupid. Real heat on an inanimate object. The crowd then started tossing more at him as he looked annoyed. He blathered on and then called for anyone to confront him-cue Cheeseburger’s music. An “impromptu” match got underway. It was all Bully Ray, and he scaled the ropes, only for Cheeseburger to score a nut shut. He went for a suplex, but Bully thwarted it and powerbombed him off the top rope. Ray then grabbed his chains and whipped Burger, earning himself a disqualification. He then ripped the mat off the arena floor and teased a powerbomb on the floor/ through a table, but dropped Burger and walked off.
Winner: Cheeseburger
Tetsuya Naito vs. The Beer City Bruiser
The match started off with shenanigans, as Bruiser offered his hand, but Naito stood him up. Naito avoided locking up until Bruiser finally attacked him from behind. Naito quickly evaded him and pulled the top rope down, sending BCB to the outside. The stream got wonky and upon its return the two were in the ring, with BCB in control. Naito hit a basement dropkick and was able to take control, but he took BCB to the apron and was dropped with a DVD on the apron, rolling lifelessly to the arena floor. Naito faked not rolling into the ring, but then finally did and beat the countout. BCB tossed him into the corner and hit a running senton. Naito blocked a powerbomb attempt and hit a rope assisted tornado DDT that took both men out. The two traded rights until BCB floored Naito with a clothesline, but only scored a two count. He then went for a frog splash but missed and Naito hit him with two Destinos to win the match via pinfall.
Winner: Naito
Whitmer came out and sent Cabana to the back, explaining the big wigs needed to speak to him.
The Young Bucks vs. Super Smash Bros
Matt started off against Evil Uno after the two teams adhered to the code of honor. Matt quickly out-maneuvered Evil Uno and got so fired up her took on his weight belt, seemingly having no back issues. Uno tagged out and Matt way for Nick as well. Nick sent Grayson to the outside quick and then he and Matt dominated Grayson for a stretch until Grayson sent Matt to the outside. Uno followed up back dropping Matt back first on the apron and delivering a devastating back scratch before sending Matt back inside. Matt took a great deal of punishment and fought to make the tag out, very nearly getting out twice before he finally tagged in Nick, who cleared house. The Bucks then set up for superkicks on Uno, but Uno bit Matt’ foot and sent Nick’s kick at Matt. Grayson flew over the post to wipe out the Bucks and send Matt inside, hitting chasing the dragon, but Matt managed to kick out. Matt escaped a Fatality attempt and Grayson hit Uno by mistake, only for Nick to accidentally catch Matt with a knee. Uno and Matt traded right mid-ring until Matt halted Uno and superkicked him. Despite this, SSB hit Fatality on Nick, but Matt shoved Grayson into the pinfall attempt just in time. Grayson used Uno and Nick’s shoulders as stepping stones off the rope rope and hit an incredible hurricanrana, followed by a 450 on Nick that couldn’t seal the deal. SSB tried throwing their own superkick party, but got their legs tangled and ate some superkicks themselves. The Bucks were finally able to hit Grayson with a 5 Star Meltzer and with Uno on the outside after a Nick superkick, earned the victory via pinfall. Post-match the Bucks put SSB over until the Briscoes hit the ring and attacked everyone. Mark locked a rear naked choke on Matt and then Jay hit a Jay driller on Nick. Jay then grabbed a mic and reminded the crowd that they are the champs, before yelling at the crowd, saying that anyone wearing Bucks or Bullet Club shirts could burn in hell. Jay ended by telling the Bucks to stick to selling shirts and that they will never be man enough to win the titles. Easily the best match of the tour thus far and then post-match tied nicely into the TV match they will have that was actually taped weeks ago.
Winners: The Young Bucks
WOH Tag Team Match
Alexia Nicole & Xandra Bale vs. Jenny Rose & Tenille Dashwood
Sumie Sakai joined commentary before the match. Nicole traded wrist locks and waistlocks with Rose to start, who quickly made way for Dashwood. Dashwood stayed in control and tagged Rose back in quickly, but Bale helped her partner out a bit and allowed Nicole to keep Rose on the wrong side of the ring. Bale finally did tag in and took Rose down with a boot to the face and another spinning kick to the face that earned her a two count on a pinfall attempt. Some miscommunication led to a Nicole spear hitting Bale. Rose tagged out and Dashwood took both out, locking a tarantula on Nicole. She used a drop toe hold to send Bale into Nicole and hit Taste of Tenille, but Nicole broke up the pinfall attempt. Rose came in and hit a chokebreaker/chokeslam combination to pick up the pinfall victory on Bale. Neither team seemed to have any real chemistry here and this felt like a way to continue to make Rose look strong ber her title shot.
Winners: Rose & Dashwood
SoCal Uncensored vs. Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh
Kazarian started off against Romero with a good spurt of chain wrestling, eventually forcing Kaz to tag out and make way for Daniels, who was quickly floored. Romero tagged out to Yo who combined with Sho to take Daniels and then Sky down. Sho took over but was yanked to the floor by Kaz and Sky who put the boots to him before rolling him back inside. SCU worked Sho over, delivering two assisted moonsaults before Daniels hit an Asai moonsault, but could only get a two count. Eventually a fresh Rocky tagged in and hit forever clotheslines and a double hurricanrana to Daniels and Kaz before Roppongi 3 K sent SCU to the outside and hit simultaneous dives. SCU was able to isolate Romero on the inside, hitting Celebrity Rehab followed by a Sky kick to the head that earned the team the victory. This was a good match, but the crowd just did not seem into this one.
Winners: SoCal Uncensored
ROH Television Championship Match
Silas Young(c) vs. Adam Page
Before Page could enter the ring, Martinez attacked him, but Page seemed prepared and tossed Martinez into the ring, followed by a chair. Martinez tossed it at Page and needed to be helped to the back. Young demanded that referee Paul Turner ring the bell and Page gutted his way back to the ring. Young dominated early on and it seemed like this would be squash match against the injured Page, but Page managed to fight back, even hitting his moonsault to the outside and connecting with a buckshot lariat, but it was all for naught. Young was able to drive Page through the mat with Misery to pick up the pinfall victory and retain the title. A Nice underdog story told here, Young stayed champion while Page was able to show some guts here. The crowd did not really get behind him here, except for the bigger spots.
Winner: Silas Young
Cody vs. Jushin Liger
Cody eased his way into the match, taking his time before finally engaging with Liger. He even stepped out to drink some water as Liger tried to get him to come in, but only Burnard cheering for Liger prompted him to really get into gear. Burnard did show whose side he was on by tripping Liger, allowing Cody to put the boots to the legend and lock on a figure four. Cody tried going to the top but Liger seized his moment and hit a superplex, firing him up to connect with a hurricanrana and shotei, but it wasn’t enough. Cody missed a disaster kicked and then referee Todd Sinclair was taken out accidentally. Cody took advantage and went to use a couple of chairs, but the plan backfired as Sinclair stopped him and Liger cracked him with the second chair. Cody managed to kick out of a small package and hit the Cross Rhodes for the win. The match was much better than expected, going to show how much Liger still has left in the tank, but the ref bump was not needed here and seemed superfluous.
Winner: Cody
Hiromu Takahashi, EVIL & SANADA w/ Bushi,vs. Jay Lethal, Kenny King & Colt Cabana
Flip Gordon’s flight was delayed and Castle’s injury led to Cabana stepping into the main event as a surprise here. Lethal started off against SANADA. The two teams traded some offense here, with Cabana working against Daryl Jr., who is a minor still, so this felt very wrong. Bushi worked Lethal on the outside as Sinclair tended to an “Injured” Takahashi. Lethal was sent back in and SANADA came in, continuing to work over Lethal came into and tied Lethal up like a pretzel in the bottom rope, allowing Bushi to attack, only to have Cabana save Lethal from the outside. EVIL came in and continued the attack, showing some good team chemistry until Lethal was finally able to tag Cabana in. Cabana cleared house briefly but was overtaken by EVIL who crushed Cabana in the corner before calling SANADA in. Cabana barely managed to kick out of a lariat, but quickly called for the magic killer combo. King was able to make the save and then things broke down, with Lethal sending everyone outside and hitting SEVEN consecutive topes. He went for Hail to the King on EVIL, but thought better of it as Cabana locked on Cubs win. EVIL was able to reach the ropes to break it and then Takahashi hit the sunsetbomb to the outside to take Lethal out. BUSHI pulled King off the apron as Caba hoisted EVIL up, then hit Cabana with a poison mist to allow EVIL to hit an STO for the pinfall victory.
Winners: LIJ
Final Reaction: C-
Through not fault of its own, ROH had to change the main event of the show, slotting Cabana in for Gordon and taking him off commentary. Riccaboni and Whitmer did well on commentary, but the chemistry between Cabana and Riccaboni was missed for a majority of the night. The Kingdom’s presence was felt here, especially as they are the new 6-Man tag team champions and the change in the main on what felt like the weakest night of the tour thus far. To the company’s credit, Cabana stepping in was a nice moment, but the lack of guys like Gresham, Taylor, Castle, the Kingdom, Gordon and the Machine Guns was felt here and affected the overall quality of the show.
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