Mathieson's ROH on HDNet Coverage: The Kings of Wrestling defend the ROH Tag Titles against the Briscoes, The House of Truth vs. the Super Smash Brothers, and the Embassy in action

By Joe Mathieson

10/25 Ring of Honor Wrestling on HDNet
Taped in Philadelphia, Pa.

A video package, complete with dramatic music and Dave Prazak and Mike Hogewood voiceovers, recapped Tyler Black's last ROH match against Davey Richards last week.

Tonight's main event is the Briscoes' last chance against the Kings of Wrestling...

The Embassy made their way to the ring for the first match...

1. The Embassy (Necro Butcher and Erick Stevens) defeated Grizzly Redwood and Andy "Right Leg" Ridge in 6:20. Grizzly got a bit of offense to start the match, but Necro quickly took control and Ridge and Stevens tagged in. Ridge hit a couple kicks (with his right leg, of course).

Necro and Stevens hit a double team wheelbarrow into a punch into a suplex on Ridge. Necro continued to beat on Ridge for a couple minutes, culminating with two chokeslams and a short-arm lariat before tagging in Stevens.

Ridge tried to make the hot tag after a stunner, but Stevens caught him. Eventually Ridge kicked Stevens in the head and tagged in Grizzly, who got two with a huracanrana on Stevens. Redwood went up top, but was caught coming off the ropes by Stevens, who threw him outside into a punch from Necro. Necro threw Grizzly back in the ring and Stevens hit Ghanarhea for the pin.

Joe's Judgment: Fun action from three of the wrestlers involved. Grizzly and Stevens work well together, and Ridge has potential, but I just don't care about the Embassy and the Stevens/Necro team doesn't really work. It's too bad, because as I've said for years, Stevens is talented and could really use some direction.

Kyle Durden was backstage with the Kings of Wrestling, Shane Hagadorn, and Sara Del Rey. Hagadorn said that he knew where he stood with the American Wolves, and he'd rather stand with champs than chumps. Durden asked about tonight's match with the Briscoes.

Hero said he didn't know why the Briscoes wanted another shot after the Kings beat them twice, including bloodying them in Toronto. Claudio told Durden not to look at him, and told the Briscoes that the Kings would break them.

A video hyped Roderick Strong vs. Christopher Daniels for Toronto on November 11th...

2. The House of Truth (Josh Raymond and Christian Able w/Truth Martini) defeated the Super Smash Brothers in 5:30. The HOT dominated the first several minutes, with some nice double teams including Able powerbombing Raymond onto a kneeling Player Dos.

Dos finally hit a double backflip kick and hot tagged Player Uno. The SSB hit an elevated elbow drop, and Dos sent Able to the outside. He went for a skytwister of some sort, but Able moved and Dos hit the outside. Raymond and Able hit the Tower of Truth on Uno and Able covered for the pin.

Joe's Judgment: Lots of fun while it lasted. I'm really high on Raymond and Able, so to see them get a clean pin is nice. This could have gotten a bit more time, but I do want to see more from both these teams, so this match was definitely a success in that respect.

Homicide cut a promo introducing himself to "the new Ring of Homicide." Homicide said he was one of the forefathers of ROH, and he beat everyone from Samoa Joe to CM Punk to Bryan Danielson. He said he couldn't wait to get his title back, then some stuff in Spanish, and "187".

A video recapped Kevin Steen and Steve Corino quitting ROH two weeks ago. Jim Cornette said he had a message for Steen and Corino: he had their contracts, and either they could be tied up in lawsuits forever, or they could come back and have a steel cage match against Colt Cabana and El Generico next week.

The Kings of Wrestling entered right before a commercial break... [C]

3. The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli w/Shane Hagadorn, Sara Del Rey) defeated the Briscoes to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championships in 18:22. Mark slapped Hero within the first minute, and Claudio tagged in and retaliated with a slap of his own. Mark beat Claudio up and sent him to ringside.

The Briscoes continued to mostly control things, and at 3:30 the Kings teased walking away, but eventually returned. First Jay, then Mark hit dives around 6:00. Jay and Claudio traded shots in the center of the ring, Claudio winning with a springboard European uppercut followed by a tag to Hero. Mark tagged in and got two with a crossbody.

Mark went for an exploder at 8:00, but Hero countered and hit an exploder of his own. Mark was kneeling with his head on the second rope and Sara Del Rey punched him, leading to her being ejected by Paul Turner. The Kings continued to dominate Mark. At 12:00, Mark started to make a comeback, but it was thwarted with an elbow/spinebuster combo from the Kings.

Claudio locked in a modified horse collar, but Mark got to the ropes. Hero knocked him to the floor and Claudio hit a suplex on the mat, followed by Hagadorn choking him out. Claudio hit the UFO for a two count, and held Mark for an elbow, but Mark ducked and Hero hit Claudio. Mark hit a suplex and made the tag to Jay.

Jay hit a double crossbody and then the Jaydriller. He covered, but Hero broke up the pin. Mark sent Hero to ringside and then went up top for the Doomsday Device. Hero pulled him off the top rope into a tree of woe, and Hagadorn entered the ring. He went for a piledriver on Jay, but Jay backdropped him and started menacingly toward him. Hagadorn kicked him below the belt and Claudio covered for the pin.

Post match, Mike Briscoe jumped the guardrail and beat on Hagadorn. The Kings tried to stop him, but the Briscoes prevented them from doing anything. Mike grabbed the mic and said that normally he doesn't interfere in his sons' business, but he'd be damned if he let Hagadorn kick his son in the balls.

Joe's Judgment: The match built so well to a finish that never really came. At least after the low blow have Claudio hit the Ricola Bomb or something so that Jay doesn't just lie there and get pinned by one low blow after standing on the apron for ten minutes. Whatever. Can't say I'm all that excited about the prospect of another Kings/Briscoes match, but they've exceeded my expectations twice already, so who knows?

Thanks for reading. As always, feel free to contact me at jtmathieson88@gmail.com