By Joe Mathieson

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

Jim Cornette stood in the ring with Tyler Black to open the show. He said that Black's ROH contract was near expiration and there had been a bidding war between all the major promotions in North America and ROH might have been outbid. He asked Tyler to comment on his current contract status.

Black said that 2010 had been the best year of his life so far. He talked about how much he loves ROH, but also that "nobody outbids a billionaire from Connecticut". Cornette asked Black to address the people who claimed he needed to show more loyalty to ROH. Tyler said that they were the same people who showed up just to boo him, and he didn't need to respect them at all. He said that his contract stipulated that he show up for his matches and wrestle in them, not play dead for anyone.

Tyler asked how much he would be worth if he showed up some Monday night with the world title belt on another network as the first ever reigning world champion to show up on another company's TV show. Tyler said that when he left, he was taking the belt with him.

Joe's Judgment: That was the best promo of Tyler's career to date. His tongue still seems a little too big for his mouth, but he showed what seemed like genuine emotion. This angle may be a bit rushed but it's off to a good start here.

1. The House of Truth (Roderick Strong, Josh Raymond, and Christin Able w/ Truth Martini) defeated Mike Bennett, Jay Freddie, and Andy "Right Leg" Ridge in 3:48. Bennett looked fairly impressive for a little while, getting some offense on Strong before tagging in Ridge. Ridge got a couple kicks in but was pretty much dominated before tagging in Freddie. Freddie took a gutbuster and Sick Kick from Strong who covered with a knee for the win.

Strong told Truth to get him the mic. Strong asked if it was a coincidence that since he "saw the Truth", he hadn't lost a match. He said that didn't mean Jim Cornette wouldn't try to screw him over, but that didn't matter because he believed in Roderick Strong, and that was the truth.

Joe's Judgment: Love that Raymond and Able are getting the rub from Strong. The match was a squash that still somehow made Bennett (who recently signed a contract with ROH) look okay.

Kevin Steen and Steve Corino cut a promo. Corino said he hated New York and Colt Cabana and he could get rid of both of them at once. Steen said he would rip Generico's head off.

Colt Cabana cut a promo of his own with El Generico standing next to him. He said that Steen and Corino loved when the odds were on their side and it was 2 on 1, but when it was 2 on 2, the odds didn't look so good. Cabana said that he liked the chain because it meant Corino couldn't run from him, and the scars on his and Steen's bodies would come from Cabana and Generico.

Joe's Judgment: Two really good promos there. Cabana has been fantastic as Generico's mouthpiece and this feud has really reinvigorated him. Can't wait for the double chain match.

2. The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli w/ Shane Hagadorn) defeated Colt Cabana and El Generico in 9:45. Cabana got a couple nearfalls on Hero, but after a few minutes, the Kings were in control on Generico. They got a nearfall at 6:30 with the giant swing into a dropkick which Cabana broke up. Generico made his comeback with a headscissors on Hero and hot tagged Cabana, who hit a double moonsault block on both Kings.

Cabana got a couple nearfalls with pinning combinations and then knelt next to the ropes for Generico to dive, which he did. Kevin Steen appeared on the ramp and whipped the ramp with a steel chain, distracting Cabana and allowing Hero to hit him with an elbow strike and get the pin. [C]

Joe's Judgment: The distraction actually worked here because Hero's elbow is a great flash finisher. There's still the question of whether a single elbow should be a finisher, but at least there was no stupid loaded elbow pad and the Kings got a win.

Back from commercial and Austin Aries vs. Delirious in a lumberjack match was announced for two weeks from now when ROH returns.

Eddie Edwards was in the ring for the Ten Minute Hunt, again complete with its own title graphic. This week's contestant is Mike Sydal, brother of former ROH wrestler Matt Sydal, who is now Evan Bourne. Sydal is apparently from "Paradise City".

3. Eddie Edwards defeated Mike Sydal in a Ten Minute Hunt match in 0:36. One kick and the Achilles lock for the tapout win for Edwards.

Jim Cornette was backstage talking about how last time in New York there were referee problems and he wanted somebody to make sure things went well and there would be no outside interference. He talked about how he was telling his friend all that and his friend volunteered for the job. Cornette said that was a great idea, and that's why the "ringside vigilante" in the world title match at Glory By Honor IX will be Terry Funk.

A pre-taped video of Funk talking to Cornette was shown and Funk said that he was meaner than a rattlesnake, tougher than shoe leather, and more dangerous than a hollow-eyed scorpion and he would make sure nobody interfered in NYC.

Mike Hogewood and Dave Prazak ran down the big matches for Glory By Honor...

4. Tyler Black defeated Steve Corino (w/ Kevin Steen) in a non-title match in 9:49. Corino came out with a chain and Todd Sinclair took it away from him. They brawled at ringside for a bit, throwing each other into the guardrails and stuff. Back in the ring and Corino got a nearfall with a second rope knee drop.

Corino took off some of his wrist tape and choked Black with it before Sinclair caught him. Black hit his springboard lariat and followed up with a standing shooting star for two. Corino hit a clothesline and the Eternal Dream sliding lariat for two.

Corino grabbed the chain but Sinclair again took it away. Corino went into his boot and grabbed a fork. Before he could use it, though, Black caught him with the buckle bomb and superkick and scored the pin.

Post match, Steen jumped Black and he and Corino beat on him with the chain. Colt Cabana and El Generico came out with chains of their own and brawled with Steen and Corino. Roderick Strong jumped the guardrail in street clothes with Truth Martini close behind. Strong and Black traded shots in the ring to close the show.

A video hyped the triple main event coming up at GBH...

Joe's Judgment: Formula Black. Corino can still go, but this was not a great way to show that. The brawl segment effectively highlighted the matches that should be spotlighted for GBH. I wish there were a couple more matches announced at this point, but really the top three should be enough to sell the PPV. This show rightly focused on them, and the Embassy, Briscoes, and other non-main event acts were absent, which led to a very good show.

ROH is pre-empted for Labor Day next week, so this is the last show before GBH on September 11th. If there's anything you'd like to say or ask me, feel free to email me at jtmathieson88@gmail.com

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