Disc One
Alex Shelley vs. Jonathan Gresham
“Glory By Honor NOLA” – New Orleans, LA – 10.12.2019
Chain wrestling leads to Shelley sending Gresham shoulder first into the turnbuckles. Gresham picks up the pace and takes Shelley down with a dropkick. Shelley kicks Gresham in the back and drops a knee across his chest. He embarasses Gresham in a pendulum stretch, then hooks him into a crucifix pin for two. Some purposeful misdirection allows for Gresham to land a moonsault press and kick out Shelley’s left arm from underneath him. He outstretches and manipulates Shelley’s arm on the mat, pushing him onto his shoulders for a pin attempt twice in the process. Shelley utilizes headscissors to keep Gresham away from his arm, as well as pulling at his ear when Gresham takes him to the ropes, and when Gresham hits him with an enzuigiri, Shelley dropkicks Gresham’s leg so he can catch his breath. Gresham rolls through a crossbody, rolling Shelley around on the mat before stacking him on his shoulders and earning another two count. He stomps Shelley’s shoulder before getting yet another two count in a Magistral cradle. After trading positioning on the mat, Gresham halts Shelley on the second turnbuckle. Shelley counters Gresham’s offense with a super atomic drop. Gresham counters an attempted Sliced Bread #2 with a backslide for two. Shelley comes back with the Golden Gate Swing and a superkick. Gresham counters the Shellshock but Shelley pulls him down into a Mouse Trap pin for the surprise victory at 14:32! I think Shelley’s more aggressive approach made sense, as it’s something we had seen out of Gresham lately as well, and it felt like he was striking first before Gresham could. Gresham wanted to out wrestle Shelley, and in many ways he did, but Shelley was able to put him on the defensive long enough to catch him in a pinning combo he couldn’t escape. It is a bit strange Gresham’s momentum from defeating Jay Lethal at “Death Before Dishonor” did not continue, but there’s no denying this was an excellent wrestling match. ***¾
Gresham is so frustrated by his loss that he almost hits Shelley with a chair, but Jay Lethal comes out to calm him down. Shelley and the crowd want a handshake, and Gresham obliges. Lethal shakes his hand as well before leaving Shelley to bask in the crowd’s adulation.
ROH World Championship #1 Contenders Tournament Final Round Match
PCO vs. Marty Scurll
“Glory By Honor NOLA” – New Orleans, LA – 10.12.2019
The winner of this match will challenge for the ROH World Championship at Final Battle. PCO defeated Kenny King and Dalton Castle en route to the finals, while Scurll defeated Colt Cabana and Jay Lethal. Scurll cheap shots PCO with the umbrella before the bell but can’t get a pin. PCO also withstands a bunch of superkicks from the apron. PCO goes to the top rope after a body block, but Scurll throws him down cannonball style in the same fashion he was utilized as a weapon during his Quebecer tenure during the Bomb de la Rougeau. Scurll keeps on top of PCO until he catches Scurll with a pop-up powerbomb, a spear, and a Jon Woo dropkick. He lands a top rope Swanton bomb for two. Scurll snaps PCO’s fingers to avoid a chokeslam but gets kicked to the floor. PCO sets up a table ringside, and instead of splashing onto Scurll, Scurll tosses PCO off the top turnbuckle and through the table! In the ring, PCO backs into the corner to avoid a chicken wing, inadvertently knocking down referee Todd Sinclair. PCO hits the French Canadian Slam but Todd is unable to count. Brody King interferes with a big boot and Black Hole Slam to PCO, placing Scurll on top of PCO, but only getting a two count. Scurll accidentally forearms King off the apron, and PCO gives Scurll a sidewalk slam. Todd gets knocked down again due to an errant elbow. Flip Gordon springboard kicks PCO off the top to halt his moonsault. Scurll then nails PCO in the head with his Six Man tag title, and PCO kicks out of Scurll’s pin attempt. Scurll wipes out King and Gordon on the floor with a tope suicida. He drops Scurll with a choke bomb before hitting the PCOsault, but only for two! PCO misses a somersault senton onto the ring apron. Scurll capitalizes with a lariat back inside the ring. PCO kicks out of that and knocks down Scurll with his own clothesline. He hits the PCOsault again and this time gets the pin at 13:25. I thought this match was going along just fine, and then the two referee bumps and double interference hindered the progress significantly. The crowd was into the nearfalls and seemed happy PCO won, but the ending of this match was such a dragged out mess I would’ve found it difficult to be totally behind either participant by the end. *½
Scurll says although PCO took away his chance to win the World title at Final Battle, he still offers him congratulations for the victory and says nobody is more deserving of being World champion than him. The two Villain Enterprise members then embrace.
Jay Lethal vs. Mark Briscoe
“Honor United: London” – London, England – 10.25.2019
After an intense lock-up, Mark blisters Lethal with chops throughout their opening exchange. Mark gives Lethal a free chop, then comes off the second rope with a back elbow. Lethal hits the hip toss cartwheel dropkick and manages to dropkick Mark to the floor. However, Mark delivers a suplex on the floor and comes off the apron with the Cactus elbow. He scores with a superplex back inside. Lethal and Mark trade chops and forearms when they get back to their feet. Lethal weaves under an irish whip and strings together a superkick, pump kick, and enzuigiri. Mark counters the Lethal Injection with a German suplex. He hits another German suplex and an exploder suplex for a two count. Mark misses the Froggy Bow. Mark kicks out of Lethal’s small package, but Lethal then connects with the Lethal Injection. Mark kicks out and then rolls to the floor. Lethal takes him to the aprons here Mark is able to give Lethal a back suplex on the apron! From underneath the ring comes Jonathan Gresham who sends Mark face first into the ring post and goes back under the ring, with neither Lethal or the referee any the wiser. With Mark now bleeding, Jay Briscoe comes out and chases Gresham out from under the ring! Gresham comes into the ring with a chair. Lethal berates Gresham, but then cracks Jay across the face with the chair! Greshasm laughs before he and Lethal pummel Jay Briscoe in the corner. This triggers an all out brawl with all four wrestlers which is broken up by officials and staff. No bell and no winner announced means a No Contest around the 13:30 mark. This entire match was to turn Lethal heel and set up the tag team match for Final Battle, and did so successfully. Some good wrestling preceded the match, which also makes me think the tag match should be even better. A totally solid means to an end bout. ***
RUSH & Jeff Cobb vs. Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll & Flip Gordon)
“Honor United: London” – London, England – 10.25.2019
This takes place just two days before Cobb is set to challenge RUSH for the ROH World championship. Gordon puts in a diligent effort against Cobb and ends up relatively unscathed before deciding to tag in Scurll. RUSH also tags in. They wrestle to a stalemate, with RUSH spitting at Gordon on the apron. RUSH takes down Gordon with a belly-to-belly suplex, then lets Cobb toy with Gordon by throwing him around the ring. Scurll illegally interjects, knocking RUSH off the apron and superkicking Cobb from the apron as Gordon holds Cobb’s arms behind his back. Villain Enterprises wear down Cobb until he avoids a chicken wing from Scurll and muscles both Scurrl and Gordon at the exact same time into a double back suplex. RUSH runs roughshod upon tagging in, passing off Gordon to Cobb for a standing moonsault. Gordon is able to take down Cobb with a tornado DDT shortly after and tag in a recovered Scurll. They double team Cobb, and Gordon even hits a dropkick through the ropes onto RUSH to prevent him from interjecting. Gordon hits the Kinder Surprise and Scurll the Cheeky Nando’s kick before giving Cobb a shiranui powerbomb for two. Scurll accidentally enzuigiri’s Gordon when they double charge Cobb in the corner. Cobb deadlifts Scurll from the apron up into a superplex! A flurry of offense leaves all four men laying. Cobb accidentally clotheslines RUSH and gets his fingers snapped by Scurll. Cobb sends Scurll outside with a running knee strike. RUSH belly-to-belly suplexes Gordon into the corner and hits the Bull’s Horns. Cobb takes out Scurll on the floor and blind tags himself in. Tour of the Islands on Cobb gets his team the pin at 18:09. This was a good way to build some tension between the World title challenger and champion while establishing more of a rapport between Scurll and Gordon. As dopey as Gordon is in real life he can do some fun stuff in the ring. ***½
Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll & Flip Gordon) vs. Schadenfreude (Kyle Fletcher & Lucky Kid)
“Honor United: Bolton” – Bolton, Great Manchester, England – 10.27.2019
Fletcher and Kid lost to the other two members of Villain Enterprises (PCO and Brody King) two nights prior. After Kid and Gordon have an even exchange, Scurll rakes Fletcher’s eyes with glee. Fletcher dropkicks Scurll and pulls him over to his corner. Fletcher slams Kid onto Scurll three times, with Kid needing a respite after the fact. Scurll gives Fletcher a dragonscrew leg whip and tags in Gordon. After Gordon takes down Fletcher with a slingshot Diamond Dust, Scurll knocks Kid off the apron and superkicks Fletcher from the apron as Gordon holds onto him. As Villain Enterprises have Fletcher isolated, Scurll wastes too much time focusing on the crowd that Fletcher gets the strength to reverse a suplex attempt. Kid fights off both Villain Enterprise members, sending Scurll face first with a complete shot into Gordon’s groin. Kid then uses the ropes to execute a wristlock Ace Crusher for two. Fletcher assists kid with a lungblower onto Gordon, then sunset flips Gordon after a dropkick from Kid for two. Scurll tornado DDT’s Fletcher right into a superkick from Gordon. Fletcher eats several more superkicks from Scurll and Gordon. Kid comes back in. He gives Scurll a standing shiranui and wipes out Gordon with a tope con hilo. Fletcher in the ring gives Scrull a sit-out powerbomb for two. Knees, strikes, and destroyers leave everyone laying. Scurll accidentally gamengiri’s Gordon in the corner. Fletcher pescado’s after Scurll and with Kid smothers Scrull with attacks in the corner. Gordon stops Schadenfreude’s Powerplex attempt with a Kinder Surprise to Fletcher. Kid eats Scurll’s Cheeky Nandos Kick and with Gordon gives him with the shiranui powerbomb for two. Scurll kicks out of Kid’s small package attempt, and Kid kicks out of the Scurll Driver. The Flip-5 from Gordon does the trick, giving Villain Enterprises the win at 17:04. Kid and Fletcher had the chance to wrestle eight of ROH’s top wrestlers over three dates, and although they didn’t win, they had really impressive showings with their final effort maybe being their best. It was clear at this time Gordon and Scurll were starting to be utilized more and more as a duo, and so Schadenfreude wasn’t likely to win, but what’s also clear is that Fletcher and Kid proved to be more than worthy of being part of ROH events, and I hope when this ‘rona nonsense ends, we’ll see them (and perhaps their pals Chris and Mark) back in ROH sooner than later. ***½
ROH World Television Championship
Shane Taylor vs. Mark Haskins vs. Matt Taven vs. Tracy Williams
“Honor United: Bolton” – Bolton, Great Manchester, England – 10.27.2019
Taylor has been champion since 5.9.2019 and this is his eleventh defense. Taylor put out an open challenge to any local talent wanting to challenge for the title, but instead ended up with someone looking for revenge over a tainted TV title loss (Williams), a gold hungry Taven, and the closest to a local in Haskins who was scheduled to face Taven later in the evening. His wife Vicky Haskins is in his corner. Taylor gets sent to the floor, then the Lifeblood contingent of Williams and Haskins double team Taven, then reach a stand off after wrestling one another. Taylor interjecting makes them decide to instead go after Taven and Taylor on the floor. Taven and Taylor turn things around, but when Taven has Williams pinned with a neckbreaker, Taylor of course breaks it up. Taven knocks out Taylor with a springboard kick. Williams gets Taven in a crossface, which Haskins breaks so he can put Taven in a crossface. Taylor breaks that, so Haskins puts Taylor and Taven in a double armbreaker, but Williams breaks up the pile with a frog splash. Hawkins shoulder soldier rolls Williams for two. Taven hits Just the Tip on all three of his opponents. Taven’s double Climax on Lifeblood turns into a double submission from Lifeblood, which Taylor has to save him from to save his title. Taven wipes out Taylor outside with a big dive, then Haskins dives onto Taven. Williams tries to help but ends up hitting Haskins with a flying knee off the apron instead. Taylor cannonballs onto everyone. Inside, Taylor misses a splash on Williams and Haskins tries to help with a piledriver. Instead he gets distracted by Taven chatting up his wife. Taylor shoves Williams into Haskins and hits Welcome To The Land (formerly Greetings From 216) on Williams for the pin at 9:42. This was action packed and worked out in such a manner that everyone more or less was involved at all times. I also appreciate that they didn’t need to use the makeshift tag match trope to make that work. It was also a nice solid win for Taylor, as he leaves the U.K. 3-0 in TV title matches. ***
ROH World Championship
RUSH vs. Jeff Cobb
“Honor United: Bolton” – Bolton, Great Manchester, England – 10.27.2019
RUSH has been champion since 9.27.2019 and this is his second defense. The winner goes on to Final Battle to face #1 contender PCO. RUSH violates the Code of Honor which starts the match on an aggressive note. An fast, even exchange sees RUSH sending Cobb outside with a flying forearm strike and taunting him with the “Tranquilo” pose. Cobb German suplexes RUSH on the outside for good measure, then gives RUSH his own “Tranquilo” pose. Cobb further wears down RUSH’s back inside the ring. RUSH escapes a corner attack and dropkicks Cobb back outside where he sends him into the barricades several times. RUSH foolishly tries a suplex which Cobb is able to counter. RUSH spits at Cobb as Cobb chops him. Cobb embarasses RUSH by making him flinch with a boot, so RUSH hits a rebound German suplex and a running knee strike for two before applying a triangle choke in the ropes. RUSH hits a bicycle knee and Mexican destroyer. Cobb manages a lariat before falling to the mat. Cobb deadlift superplexes RUSH after dropkicking RUSH to the apron. He also lands a standing moonsault for a two count. Cobb goes back up top, but this time RUSH uses the predicament to land a superplex for two. RUSH double stomps Cobb down into a tree of woe position, pulling him down for a pin where he gets two again. Cobb spears RUSH mid-air to block the Bull’s Horns! He pulls down his straps and hoists up RUSH for Tour of the Islands. RUSH counters mid-move with a small package. He superkicks Cobb and then belly-to-belly suplexes him into the corner. The Bull’s Horns connects twice for the pin at 15:51. This lacked a spirited audience and the belief a new champion was an actual possibility, but these two produced as good a title match main event you could have without these two elements. Their differing styles created a fun dynamic as did their attitudes. I would be down to see these two clash again down the line. ***½
Jeff Cobb vs. Dragon Lee
“The Experience” – Pittsburgh, PA – 11.2.2019
Cobb was chosen in a fan poll to face Lee, defeating PJ Black, Kenny King, and Eli Isom for the distinction. Lee uses his speed to stay on top of Cobb, making Lee angry with the “Tranquilo” pose after giving him a double stomp. Cobb drags Lee around the ring in a headlock. Lee sends him outside with a running Frankensteiner. He follows with a suicide dive, but Cobb catches him, suplxes him on the apron, and gives him a clothesline! Cobb tackles Lee into the corner. Lee however side steps a leaping knee strike in the corner. He knocks down Cobb in the corner with a slingshot kick and follows up with Dragon’s Fire (a running dropkick.) Lee tries the Frankensteiner off the apron, but Cobb flips him back into the ring. Lee knee strikes Cobb to the floor and tope con hilos after him. A top rope double stomp gets him a two count. Cobb ends a strike exchange with a lariat, spin-out slam, and standing moonsault for his own nearfall. Lee sweeps out Cobb’s legs when he tries a deadlift superplex, double stomping Cobb in a tree of woe and blasting him with a bicycle knee strike. Lee spikes Cobb with a reverse Frankensteiner and drills Cobb with another knee strike under the chin, but Cobb still won’t stay down. Cobb kicks out at ONE after yet another knee strike. Cobb ducks another Lee and gives Lee a German suplex. Lee reverses Cobb’s Tour of the Islands into a crucifix pin to finally pin the former TV champion at 11:15. Dragon Lee would end up challenging for the TV title at Final Battle, so putting some steam behind him by defeating a former champion whose size is similar to the current champion makes a lot of sense. The fans made a great voting choice, as they had a really fun match, knowing how to intertwine their differing styles perfectly. ***¼
Disc Two
Last Man Standing Match
Tracy Williams vs. Flip Gordon
“The Experience” – Pittsburgh, PA – 11.2.2019
Fans rightfully chose this stipulation over strap and singapore cane. This is a rivalry that has been going since June when Gordon was offered to join Lifeblood, but instead chose to join Villain Enterprises. Williams defeated Gordon in a No Disqualification match at “Death Before Dishonor Fallout.” Despite Gordon trying to attack Williams before the bell, Williams controls the early portion of the match around ringside. Gordon turns things around with a neckbreaker on the floor. Strikes are traded in the ring. Williams takes down Gordon with a hammerlock suplex. Williams follows Gordon into the crowd where he throws Gordon into the side of a trash can. He throws several body shots before nailing a knee strike to Gordon who is now seated in a chair. Gordon attempts a comeback with a tornado DDT ringside, only to be suplexed onto a chair. Although Gordon goes after Williams’ eyes and nose, Williams scores with a running Death Valley Driver moments later. Williams also scores with his jumping DDT onto a chair! Gordon gets up before the ten count and sunset flips Williams into a rolling shoulder kick. He throws Williams head first into the guardrail before German suplexing him onto the floor. Gordon sets up a table in the ring. Williams blasts Gordon with a kendo stick grom under the ring, but when he attempts a double axe handle off the balcony, Gordon catches Williams mid-air with a kendo stick shot. Williams blocks another kendo stick attack and nails Gordon with a rolling lariat. In the ring Williams gives Gordon a piledriver. Gordon places Williams on the chair after driving a chair into his chest and stomach. Williams throws the chair at Goron’s head to stop him on the top turnbuckle. Bateman of all people interferes, powerbombing Wiliams through the table. Williams stays down for a ten count, making Gordon the winner at 16:10. I don’t love that someone else won the match for Gordon, especially at Williams’ expense. I liked the intensity Williams brought but admittedly this match moved a bit slowly before getting cooking in the final minutes. **¾
Backstage we see that Kingdom members Vinny Marseglia and TK O’Ryan have been attacked. This was another in the string of recent Kingdom attacks. Matt Taven hits the ring, fed up, and says he’s going nowhere until the attacker meets him face to face. The lights go out and Vinny Marseglia attacks Taven from behind with his hatchet and slices open his forehead! Gruesome. Music plays as batches of red balloons rise out from under the ring. He smiles and plays with Taven’s blood, even placing it on his tongue and forehead. Marseglia (who would just be known as Vincent going forward) strikes Taven with the handle of the hatchet for good measure before exiting. This certainly did it’s job in making Vincent look like a maniac.
ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championship
Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll & PCO) & Dan Maff vs. Cheeseburger, Colt Cabana & Jeff Cobb
“The Experience” – Pittsburgh, PA – 11.2.2019
Villain Enterprises have been champions since 3.16.2019 and this is their sixth defense. Maff is a replacement for the injured Brody King, and this is his first match with ROH since leaving unceremoniously in March of 2005. This is Cobb’s second match of the evening, losing to Dragon Lee in the opening contest. Cabana has some fun with Scurll while they wrestle. Scurll proclaims he’s a heavyweight, so Cabana tags in another heavyweight…Cheeseburger. Cheeseburger puts up a solid fight against PCO but he can’t inflict enough damage. Maff and Cobb match their power against one another. Cobb gets the better of the exchange with a superkick. He and Cabana knock PCO and Scurll off the apron, then bucket toss Cheeseburger to Maff for a stunner. Maff comes back with a clothesline to Cobb and Cabana, then crushes Cheeseburger with a backpack senton into the buckles! Scurll superkicks Cheeseburger from the apron, and the champions wisely pick apart the smallest challenger of the bunch. Cheeseburger rolls under an attack from Scurll, allowing him to tag in Cabana. He cleans house on the opposition, scoring a two count on Scurll with a Flying Asshole. PCO sends Cabana and Cobb outside where Scurll assists him with a tope con hilo. Maff joins the party with a sucidie dive. Cobb is mobbed in the ring. He’s able to score a superplex on Maff. All challengers get in offense on Scurll. Cheeseburger looks for a shotei after Scurll kicks out of Cobb’s standing moonsault. Scurll ducks and gives Cheeseburger a half-dragon suplex. Cobb and Cabana save Cheeseburger from PCO’s apron Swanton. PCO kicks out of a triple team that ends with a double stomp from Cheeseburger. PCO absorbs Cheeseburger’s shotei’s. He double chokeslams Cobb and Cabana while giving Cheeseburger a tombstone piledriver, then lands the PCOsault on Cheeseburger. Maff gives Cheeseburger the Burning Hammer for the pin at 16:40. Not bad at all for a mixed partner situation. Maff gave the audience just a taste of what he can do before his official debut against PCO the next night, even setting a little bit of the table for that match by stealing PCO’s glory at the end. For two teams that had never teamed before, they did a very good job keeping synchronized and stringing their offense together, making for a fun watch. ***¼
Último Guerrero vs. Jonathan Gresham
“Unauthorized” – Columbus, OH – 11.3.2019
Gresham now comes to the ring with a dope octopus headpiece. Guerrero takes control on the mat with a surfboard stretch, which Gresham turns into an ankle lock. When Gresham digs his knees into Guerrero’s back, Guerrero flips over into a lateral press earning a two count. After more back and forth on the mat, Guerrero and Gresham trade chops, with Guerrero even wiping Gresham’s sweat off of him before chopping him. This makes Gresham angry, so he nut taps Guerrero and kicks out his arm. He sends Guerrero shoulder first into the buckles twice. Guerrero halts the third attempt, sweeping out Gresham’s legs and dropkicking him to the floor. He gives Gresham a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. Gresham scores a moonsault press, then stomps on Guerrero’s arm before hooking him up in a Magistral cradle for two. Although Gresham manipulates his digits on the second turnbuckle, Guerrero brings Gresham down with a super Gourd buster. Gresham brings down Guerrero the next time he goes up top with a super Frankensteiner. They roll around on the mat looking for a pin in a sunset position. Gresham then brings down Guerrero with a version of La Mistica. Guerrero however traps Gresham on the top and brings down Gresham with the Guerrero Especial for the pin at 12:02. As expected, these two had a really engaging match, with a lot of mat work and limb work, and I like Gresham’s new presentation a lot. Hendry added some liveliness to the affair by singing all of his commentary. ***¼
Lucha de Apuesta – Masks vs. Masks
Jéfe Cobbo & El Villainisto vs. Delirious & Mini Delirious
“Unauthorized” – Columbus, OH – 11.3.2019
The individual who is pinned or submitted must ask. It’s obvious who Cobbo and Villainisto are, but I have no idea who Mini Delirious is. The name “Swoggle” on the side of the pants certainly isn’t a clue. Villainisto has an identical mask to Matt Classic. The Delirious’ go nuts at the bell, with mini Swoggle blowing up. Delirious couldn’t knock down Villainisto with a running shoulder block, but Mini Delirious does! With Cobbo’s help, Villainisto walks the top rope and sends Mini Delirious outside with a wristlock takeover. Mini Delirious is so short that Villainisto misses his apron superkick and is thrown into the barricade. The Delirious’ slip under the ring to avoid a double dive. Cobbo and Villainisto go under the ring and come back with their own Delirious masks on! Delirious gets confused and thinks Villainisto is his partner, leading to Villainisto “breaking” both his and Mini Delirious’ fingers. The Delirious’ bite their opposition’s buttocks after Villainisto takes off his Delirious mask. Mini Delirious German suplexes Villainisto and Cobbo. A bunch of superkicks are thrown. Delirious nails a running clothesline on Villainisto. Cobbo stops the Delirious’ from giving Villainisto a Doomsday Device. Villainisto tiger feint kicks Mini Delirious into a standing moonsault from Cobbo, giving them the pin at 13:27. Silly as heck, but that is the theme of the evening, and it was pretty fun to boot. To everyone’s total shock, Mini Delirious is none other than Swoggle! **
Colt Cabana, Camera Man Gator, Ian Riccaboni, Gary Juster & Todd Sinclair vs. Shane Taylor, Bishop Khan, Malcolm Moses, Ron Hunt & Brian Johnson
“Unauthorized” – Columbus, OH – 11.3.2019
As you can see from the first team, this is a team made up entirely of Colt Cabana and ROH staff from across the board. This is because Cabana was so confident in defeating Taylor and his cronies all by himself that he would be successful if he chose literally anybody to be his teammates. Brian Johnson came out bellyaching about not being on the show and entered himself in the match. Cabana obliged and decided to add Sinclair to his team to even it up. However, Johnson starts the match, and all of his teammates abandon him. He gets Sinclair in a side headlock. Sinclair shoots him off the ropes and gives him a double Steamboat chop! Cabana knocks Johnson down from behind to help make Sinclair think he was responsible for knocking him down. Cabana holds Johnson so Juster can chop him. Cabana knocks Johnson down with the Flip, Flop, and Fly, and an excited Ian Riccaboni hits an elbow drop off the top rope! Cabana then pins Johnson at 4:28. Everything about this was surreal and awesome.
Unsanctioned Match
PCO vs. Dan Maff
“Unauthorized” – Columbus, OH – 11.3.2019
Maff lands a dive on the outside. PCO absorbs it and delivers his own dive. The two tough son’s of guns take turns throwing each other face first into the guardrail. The two of them toss a bunch of cinder blocks into the ring, then go back to the guardrails. Maff gives PCO a Burning Hammer on the floor and pronounces PCO dead! By the time he sets up a table in the ring, PCO is back inside and spears Maff through it. PCO sets up two tables in the ring. Maff plays possum so he can get up and put PCO through both of them, but PCO kicks out when Maff pins him! PCO comes back with a Canadian Destroyer onto a pile of chairs for two. PCO mises a Swanton on the apron. Maff takes the time to group all the cinder blocks together, then pours some thumbtacks on the apron. PCO chokeslams Maff onto the tacks, and a bunch of them stick in his back. PCO gets backdropped into them but not nearly as many are in his back, but Maff puts the tacks in PCO’s mouth and superkicks him! Maff places PCO on the cinder blocks. PCO gets up, stopping Maff on the top rope. He grabs Maff’s groin and throws him onto the cinder blocks, still with tacks in his back! Amazingly Maff kicks out. Maff crotches PCO to stop the PCOSault. He gives PCO a Burning Hammer onto the cinder blocks! PCO gets his arm up to Maff’s shock. PCO fires up when Maff his him across the back with a chair. PCO clobbers Maff in the head with a cinder block, then gives him a chokeslam. The PCOsault finally does Maff in at 17:52. These matches can be overdone across independent wrestling, but are so rarely seen in ROH that it made an impact. It showed how much damage PCO can endure and inflict going into his ROH World title opportunity against RUSH at Final Battle. Maff had two really solid showings over the weekend and I am not surprised he signed with the promotion shortly after the fact. For garbage matches this was very fun and served a purpose. Mileage definitely will vary. ***¼
Marty Scurll gives PCO a nice “go get em” speech regarding his upcoming World title bout.
Mexablood (Bandido & Flamita) vs. Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll & Flip Gordon)
“Final Battle 2019” – Baltimore, MD – 12.13.2019
It’s about time we saw Bandido and Flamita on this compilation! This is their first time teaming in ROH. Flamita and Gordon impress with their agility, reaching a stalemate. Bandido sends Scurll to the floor then dropkicks Gordon upon entering the ring. After a double corner attack, Bandido superkicks Gordon in the side of the head, then assists Flamita with a splash off of his shoulders for two. Gordon pokes Flamita’s eyes before tripping him and pulling him outside for a superkick from Scurll. Flamita is trapped in the Villain Enterprises corner until he enzuigiri’s Gordon and superkicks a charging Scurll. Bandido tags in and lands a corkscrew splash onto Scurll. Flamita tiger feint kicks Scurll, then lands a second rope splash. Bandido gets a two count with a running shooting star press. Gordon is taken down by the Dream Sequence, then takes double moonsaults, but Scurll stops their pin attempt. They superkick Scurll out to the floor with Gordon, then Bandido aids Flamita with a somersault senton off the top rope. Back inside, Flamita lands an assisted moonsault onto Gordon. Scurll blasts Flamita with a running uppercut and tornado DDT, with Gordon superkicking Flamita afterwards for two. Bandido stops their superkick assault on Flamita with a springboard double dropkick, then Fosbury Flops onto Villain Enterprises! Scurll lariats Bandido to stop the 21 Plex back in the ring. Flamita takes out Gordon with a Spanish Fly leaving all four men laying. Gordon knocks Bandido off the top rope with a Kinder surprise. He then hits the Shiranui Bomb with Scurll on Flamita for two. Scurll gamengiri’s Gordon by accident, and Flamita superkicks him after. Bandido falls to a half-nelson suplex from Scurll and a twisting neckbreaker from Gordon. Even so, he manages to deliver a super moonsault slam to Gordon. Scurll however locks Bandido in the chickenwing upon landing. Bandido escapes and Flamita lands a springboard 450 splash onto Scurll. Flamita wipes out Gordon with a Bermuda Triangle, then in the ring Bandido lays him out with the x-Knee. Scurll is superkicked onto Gordon, and Mexablood hits a 21 Plex/tiger feint kick combo on both of Villain Enterprises for the pin on Scurll at 13:51. This was all action and a tremendous first showing for Bandido and Flamita as a tandem. Right away they made an impact against a team who had been recently making waves in ROH and currently hold the six man titles. It also kicked off the PPV with a lot of energy. Awesome match. ****
ROH World Championship – No Rules Friday the 13th Massacre Match
RUSH vs. PCO
“Final Battle 2019” – Baltimore, MD – 12.13.2019
RUSH has been champion since 9.27.2019 and this is his third defense. PCO has the advantage to start. When he goes for a dive, RUSH stops him mid-air with a chair and shot and throws him into the barricades. He then whips PCO with a production cable. He fakes out the Bull’s Horns in the ring, striking the “tranquilo” pose after a corner dropkick. He uses a small ladder to inflict more damage to PCO, showboating along the way. PCO stops RUSH with a corner splash, throwing him into the ladder before giving him a pop-up powerbomb. PCO follows RUSH to the floor with a tope suicida! He misses a Swanton on the ring apron, allowing RUSH to take back over with a suplex onto the timekeeper’s table. RUSH takes PCO over to the entrance stage where he tosses PCO off onto a pile of guardrails and chairs. RUSH is satisfied with his handy work until PCO’s manager Destro comes out and uses the battery in a hearse that just so happens to be in the entrance area to revive PCO. PCO chokeslams RUSH onto the hood of the car and also gives RUSH a chokeslam onto the hood right after. RUSH avoids being hit by a crowbar and throws a production case at PCO. Back in the ring RUSH sets up doors in opposing corners. PCO kicks out of a pumping knee and a super senton. RUSH breaks a door over his head, then suplexes him through a door in the corner. As RUSH sets up for the Bull’s Horns, PCO spears RUSH through a table. RUSH kicks out, so PCO hits the PCOsault. RUSH kicks out, so PCO hits a second PCOsault through a table to win the match and title at 22:22. This started off really well, then got really hokey and dragged on, in a very similar vein to how PCO earned the title shot in the first place. The crowd loves PCO, and this win definitely feels more like a lifetime achievement situation rather than the company getting behind PCO as the guy who’s gonna tear it down in main event title matches. (Spoiler?) He would lose the title back to RUSH two months later, so like Homicide’s win, this was more about the chase than the actual title reign. I don’t think it’s too controversial to say from a match quality standpoint that this is the poorest ROH World title change. **
Overall: The third installment of the 2019 series was my favorite, and unfortunately, the final is my least favorite. Part of that has to do with ROH’s fourth quarter of 2019 being relatively weak in general, but also this compilation lacked a lot of diversity in talent. ROH had done a good job including all the title changes on these sets, but they missed two title changes from Final Battle (the tag title switch being one of ROH’s best matches from 2019), and there there were plenty of so-so offerings on this set that could’ve been dropped to make sure they were featured. If you’re picking and choosing your compilations on ROH’s website, I think you’re OK passing on this one.
You can purchase the ROH 2019 Volume 4 DVD on the ROH Pro Shop.
For more information on Ring of Honor, check out their official website and the great ROH World.