The show opened with the identity of the mystery man in the tourney. Christopher Daniels’ music played and a hooded figure came out, but once he got in the ring it was revealed to be C.M. Punk. Punk said he left Daniels laying in Ohio, and tonight planned to take a page out of the Prophecy’s playbook, namely to win all the gold in ROH, starting tonight…
1. C.M. Punk vs. John Walters (Pure Wrestling title opening round): Good match with solid heat due to Walters being from Mass. Punk wins when he reverses a Walters pin attempt.
2. Doug Williams vs. Chris Sabin (Pure Wrestling title opening round): Good back and forth match that Williams wins with the Chaos Effect.
3. Matt Stryker vs. Josh Daniels (Pure Wrestling title opening round): Solid little match that Stryker won with the Strykerlock.
4. AJ Styles vs. Jimmy Rave (Pure Wrestling title opening round): Styles injured his leg during the match, which Rave went right to work on. Styles picked up the win with a discus clothesline.
The next match was supposed to be the Ring Crew Express vs. Scott Clark and Jack Jackson (not sure of the names but it’s a moot point). But before the match could start, the Outkast Killaz came down the ring and ripped on the fans and the RCE (Clark and Jackson took off). The Killas attacked but Dunn and Marcoss hulked up when the PA began playing “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and drove the Killaz to the back. Silly but fun segment that would have been better served in the post-intermission slot.
5. Special K (Izzy & Dizie & Hydro) vs. Carnage Crew (Justin Credible & HC Loc & Devito) in a country whipping match: Chaotic match as everyone brawled around ringside. Everyone juiced, and Dixie was especially bleeding profusely. The Crew was about to hit the spike piledriver on Hydro, until they chased someone to the back (couldn’t see who from my vantage point, may have been a Special K valet). That left Loc alone with Special K, and he was pinned after a nasty piledriver off the apron though a table.
Gary Michael Cappetta spoke with “J-Train” Juluis Smokes about Homicide’s whereabouts. Long story short, Smokes doesn’t know, as Homicide hasn’t been returning any phone calls.
6. C.M. Punk vs. Doug Williams (Semi-finals): Williams befuddled Punk early with his chain wrestling. Williams missed a kneedrop off the top and Punk went to work on the leg. Williams was able to hit the Chaos Theory, but his knee gave out, and Punk was able to lift his shoulder and was declared the winner.
7. AJ Styles vs. Matt Stryker (Semi-finals): Match went a bit too long since everyone knew Styles was going to the finals. Styker worked over Styles legs some more, but AJ scored the pin with a springboard 450 splash.
8. Briscoes vs. Backseat Boyz (ROH Tag Title Match): Short and disappointing match. It seemed both teams weren’t on the same page. After Trent Acid took a spinning DDT off the apron to the floor, Johnny Kashmere was pinned with a spiked Jay-Driller.
9. Samoa Joe vs. Low Ki vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Dan Maff: The World title and #1 contender’s trophy was on the line here. If anyone beat Joe they won the title. If Joe beat anyone the #1 contender’s trophy was vacant. And if anyone beat anyone else they would be the #1 contender and have a one-on-one match with Joe down the road. Started out like a tag match with Joe & Ki vs. Whitmer & Maff. During a brawl outside the ring Joe cut his hand open bad and they had to tape it up mid-match. Pretty soon Joe and Ki went at it. Ultimately Joe choked out Whitmer for the win. Crowd was very into the match and return of Low Ki.
10. AJ Styles vs. C.M. Punk (Finals of the Pure Wrestling Title tournament): Oddly enough, the only match of the night contested under the Pure Wrestling rules, which are basically:
1. Each wrestler is allowed three ropebreaks to escape pins/submissions
2. No closed fists
3. There is a 20 count if wrestlers go outside the ring.
The established #3 early as both AJ and Punk were fighting outside the ring and realized they were going to get counted out, so they rushed back in. Both men ran out of ropebreaks, and when Punk had a submission move and AJ grabbed the ropes, the ref wouldn’t break the hold. So AJ climbed up the ropes and escaped that way. Crowd seemed to understand and appreciate the effort. AJ won the match with a scary Styles Clash off the top rope (where he jumped backwards instead of forwards).
Post-match the locker room comes out to congratulate AJ. Samoa Joe comes out with his title and congratulates AJ, then reminds him that the only reason he has that title is that he couldn’t beat Joe for the World Title. AJ states that the Pure Wrestling title won’t be the last belt he wins, then celebrates in-ring to close the show.
A very good show. The jury is out if the Pure Wrestling Title experiment will succeed, but it does seem to be off to a good start.
Categories