ROH 12/17/17 TV Review: The Elite vs Rocky Romero and The Best Friends

ROH 12/17/17 TV Review: The Elite vs Rocky Romero and The Best Friends
11/18/17
RO Funding Center
Lakeland, Florida

This week was the second episode from the set of tapings Lakeland, Florida. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana were on commentary and welcomed everyone to show.

First Match: The Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) vs. Coast 2 Coast (Leon St. Giovanni & Shaheem Ali)
The Addiction did not adhere to the code of honor, opting to shake their own hands, as did C2C, but the young upstarts then immediately took the fight to the Addiction. An early Tu Lo Sabes sent Daniels outside and C2C combined to work Kazarian into the corner as the match settled down. Kazarian chopped Ali and then spit at LSG, allowing himself the space to  hit a slingshot DDT as Daniels dropped LSG on the apron. Ali gained control during the break, but quickly lost after falling victim to a neckbreak and then an Arabian moonsault from Daniels. Al made the hot tag to LSG who hit a clothesline and then a double pop up clothesline before showing off some strength as he tossed the Addiction about the ring. Al came back in and sent  Daniels outside with a complete shot, then strung Kazarian up in the corner for a coast to coast dropkick combo, but Daniels yanked LSG down to the apron. With Ali out of the way, the Addiction hit a Best Meltzer Ever to pick up the pinfall victory. Post match LSG grabbed the mic and spoke about how they get the same result over and over during the course of the past year, continually failing. Al cut him off and grabbed the mic said that unless the team wins their next match, they should call it quits. Another good performance from C2C, working a great babyface match with the Addiction. They finally got time on the mic and their frustration was believable here. Hopefully this leads to more for the duo.

Winner: The Addiction

Second Match: Shane Taylor vs Eli Isom
Isom was immediately tossed to the corner, simply overpowered by Taylor on both occasions. He attempted to knife edge chop the big man, but the shots didn’t phase the big man at all. Taylor tossed Isom into the corner and laced Isom with his own chop, which reverberated through the arena. He followed up by tossing the smaller man across the ring and clotheslining his head off. Isom tried his best, but Taylor wound up and cracked him with his One Hitter Quitter that prompted a referee stoppage. Good squash match here, with commentary continuing the story that Taylor is a family man who is doing the best to help his daughter have a better life

Winner: Shane Taylor

The Young Bucks started a promo, which Marty Scurll hilariously though he was included in. He was chased off and Kenny Omega, speaking about how ROH ponied up the money to be there and that he and the Bucks would win later on in the episode.

A Coleman’s Pulpit aired next, with guest Brandi Rhodes. Rhodes spoke about the new E! Entertainment show she will be on, called WAGS. The two then spoke about Rhodes’s wrestling career and how she is 0-2, with the talk turning slightly contentious. Coleman kept poking fun at Brandi and she wasn’t having it,but she did make it clear that she is already ahead of Coleman in terms of her career.

Main Event: 6-Man World Tag Team Championship Match
The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) vs. Rocky Romero, Trent Beretta & Chuckie T
Matt and Romero started off for their sides, with Matt disrespecting Romero and spitting in his face before being upended with a right before attempting a hurricanrana that Matt cartwheeled out of. Romero blocked a superkick attempt and tried for a sliced brean number two, but Matt reversed into the Meltzer Driver position, with Nick teasing the move before Romero slipped out. Omega and Chuckie tagged in next but before Omega could get even footing, the Beretta came in to double team him. Omega did managed to tease a One Winged Angel, but Chuckie escaped. He and the Bucks cleared the ring and then hit the Rise of the Terminators. The Best friends gained control right before the break and kept it after the return, hitting Two Dog night before going for a hug, snubbing Romero. Matt used a springboard cutter to to finally tag out to Nick, who cleared house and then executed an absurd 450/moonsault to the outside. The match was absolutely insane, with some great triple teams spots and great effort from everyone all around, the Elite won after hitting the assisted leap frog One Winged Angel on Romero and then locking on Cease and Desist for the submission win. This match was given plenty of time and never got to cute, there was just a lot of good wrestling here, save the occasional hug. Everything worked and this match is definitely worth checking out.

Winners: The Elite

Final Reaction: B+/A-
For an episode airing right after Final Battle, this was certainly one of the better post PPV television shows of the year. The schedule shakes out in a way that the episode will never contain direct results from the PPV, but the development of Coast 2 Coast’s issue and finally getting mic time was explored well in the first segment and Taylor’s squash was an effective way on continuing him to build him up. The main event was PPV quality and made the episode a must watch this week, if only for the match alone.

Thanks for stopping by again this week and look for more Ring of Honor coverage the same time next week. Until then, please go over to Running Wild Podcast and take a listen to a show that covers oodles of wrestling news and ridiculous conversations. You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud

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