2/28 Shore's ROH on HDNet Live Coverage: The Top Prospect Tournament continues featuring Mike Bennett vs. Adam Cole, and Christopher Daniels vs. Kenny King for the ROH TV Title

By Chris Shore

ROH on HDNet
Taped in Philadelphia, Penn.

A video recapped the beginning of the Top Prospect Tournament and Kyle O'Reilly's win in the first round…The opening video aired, followed by the tournament bracket, and Mike Hogewood said we would complete the first round tonight…

1. Mike Bennett (w/Brutal Bob) defeated Adam Cole at 7:42. Bennett refused to shake hands and went to a headlock to start. Cole couldn't whip out, so he reversed it. Bennett reversed into a head scissor, and Cole popped out and hit two arm drags. Bennett slapped Cole and screamed, "I'm the prodigy!"

Cole chopped Bennett back in the corner and the ref made the break. Bennett rolled to the floor and talked with Brutal Bob. Cole jumped over the top rope and hit a flying head scissor on the floor. He rolled Bennett into the ring and grabbed his feet. Bennett kicked him back against the railing and then followed with a slam on the floor.

Bennett rolled Cole in the ring for a near fall and then stomped him in the corner. Bob screamed at Cole right up in his face. Bennett pulled him out and worked a rest hold on the back. Cole escaped and ran the ropes, but Bennett picked him up and tossed him into the turnbuckle. Bennett whipped Cole and popped him up. Cole reversed into a DDT.

Cole hit a kick to the face and a strike from the second rope for two. They worked a series of reversals at the ropes and Cole hit a flying cross body from the top for two. Cole hit a superkick to the back of the head, followed by a bridging German suplex for two. Bennett reversed a whip and hit a side effect type move for the win.

Post-match, Steve Corino cut a promo on Bennett. He told Bennett that overconfidence was his worst enemy. He said this was ROH and anybody could beat him. Bennett took the mic and told Corino to sit down and let the real athletes handle this. Corino sold the line and sat down…[C]

Shore's Slant: Well that's the best I've ever seen Bennett to date, but it wasn't very impressive. The ending came out of nowhere. One move, over. I like the idea of that, but I don't think they've build Bennett to the point where that looks believable. Still, I'm encouraged by Bennett's growth in this match.

2. Mike Elgin (w/Truth Martini) defeated Bobby Dempsey at 3:22. I don't know what the history is with Bobby Dempsey, but the crowd loves him. They shook hands and locked up. They pushed each other off and Elgin conferred with Truth.

They did the big guy shoulder tackle challenge until Elgin cheated with an elbow. Dempsey came back with a body block and then charged at Elgin in the corner. Elgin moved and then hit a Samoan drop on Dempsey for two.

Dempsey powered back and took his single strap down. He hit a sidewalk slam for two and then climbed the ropes. Elgin ran up and lifted Dempsey into a running powerbomb for the win. Post-match Corino put over Elgin. He said Elgin had what it took, but he didn't need Truth. He wished him luck in the next round…[C]

Shore's Slant: Fun match really. I was surprised at the two big guys. They were very good. I'm much more impressed with Elgin than I am Bennett. Not sure that's the plan.

Back from commercial, Andy "Right Leg" Ridge and Grizzy Redwood talked about their match and what it would mean to win the tournament. Steve Corino walked up and interrupted. He reminded them they were the future of ROH and they were in control of their futures. Ridge and Grizzly looked confused at the interruption…

3. Andy "Right Leg" Ridge defeated Grizzy Redwood at 5:56. Grizzly took early control and hit a log roll on a running Ridge to send him to the floor. He ran for a dive, but Ridge hit a sick looking kick. Ridge followed with a few more kicks and worked a chin lock.

Grizzly made his feet and Ridge worked kicks in the corner. Grizzly traded spots and hit two chops. He ran the ropes and did a tilt a whirl lift into an abdominal stretch. Ridge rolled him up for two to escape. They traded blows in the center of the ring and Ridge hit a stiff kick to the face.

He called for a superkick, but Grizzly blocked it and dropped Ridge on the second rope. He botched a 619, botched jumping over the top rope and then may have botched the jump off the rope. Ridge superkicked him out of the air to put him out of his misery…

Princess Mia was shown as Prince Nana and Ernesto Osiris walked up. Nana said they were back in ROH…[C]

Shore's Slant: Princess Mia is indy star Mia Yim. Poor Grizzly. That was a tough ending. It happens to everybody.

Back from commercial, Roderick Strong was interviewed about his fourway match next week with Jay Briscoe, Homicide and El Generico. The interviewer (I'd learn his name, but they have five weeks left) asked Strong about what he said last year about handing the title over if Truth ever interfered. He said they had proof that Truth had done so. Truth cut him off and said none of the four guys next week could beat Strong and that was the truth…

4. Christopher Daniels defeated Kenny King for the ROH Television Championship at 11:21. They put on a two and a half minute clinic on mat wrestling that included just about every reversal I have ever seen. Head locks, hammer locks and arm bars, oh my! It ended when they started trading chops in the corner and then fought out into the center of the ring. King hit a back elbow for one and went to work.

King hit a suplex and floated over into punches. Daniels reversed a whip to the corner. King tried to go up and over, but Daniels pushed him off and hit a neck breaker for two. King sold it as having his bell rung and Daniels attacked the neck. He hit a drop toe hold that dropped King on the second rope and followed with a rude awakening neck breaker for two.

Daniels hit a front suplex and floated over into a crossface. King spun around until his foot made the ropes. Daniels setup for another neck breaker, but King arm dragged out and hit a heel kick to take control.

King hit a spinebuster for two, and then a sommersault into a double knee for two. Daniels came back with the palnt and hopped up for the BME. King rolled out of the way and Daniels landed on his feet. King tried for a crucifix and then they rolled it all the way to the ground in reversals. Daniels made his feet and hit the Angel's wing's for the pinfall victory. They shook hands to end the show…

Shore's Slant: Very good match. No surprises here because we saw Daniels with the title Saturday and ROH works in real time, not TV time. That took away from it a little bit, but not horrible. Kenny King is a stud, and someone I think we'll see bought out soon. I'll have more to say tomorrow in the hitlist. Thanks for reading and I'll see you then.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or on Twitter @the_shore_slant with whatever is on your mind.