The show took place at the Convention Center at the Infinite Energy Arena and Convention Center. The other conference room on the same floor was hosting a Magic: The Gathering tournament. It reminded me a bit of being at Dragoncon. The ring was elevated , but it was difficult to see the entrances from where we sat, about six rows back from the ring. It was also difficult to see once action spilled outside. Many in our section chose not to sit in seats, but stand on the sides near the concession stands to get a better view of the action.
The preshow match featured Matt "Sex" Sells against P-Dogg. P-Dogg came out with a posse that featured Marko Polo, Nina Monet, Devyn Nicole, Raphael King, C.B. Suave and Merica Strong. He came out rapping about how he wasn't buying what Sells was selling. Sells began the match with a series of arm drags and a snapmare. P-Dogg's posse provided ringside distraction that allowed him to gain control. He hit Sells with a leg drop for two. He followed up with a body slam and a series of three leg drops for another two count. Sells hit P-Dogg with a neckbreaker for two. P-Dogg got the win with a flying leg drop. It was amazing to me to see Sells return to Atlanta and wrestle in an ROH ring. He's come a long way since moving to Philadelphia to pursue bigger opportunities to hone his craft.
The show opened with Corey Hollis vs. Dalton Castle. If you've never seen Dalton Castle, his entrance alone is worth the price of admission. He has two mask wearing minions who fan him with peacock feathers, and he wears a lavish golden cloak. Castle postured and preened before locking up with Hollis. Hollis mocked Castle's dandy demeanor. Castle is mostly fluff, taunting, and evasion in the early part of the match. He finally got serious when he rolled up Hollis, suplexed him, then followed up with a vicious knee in the corner. Hollis answered with chops. Castle kneed Hollis in the face, then tossed him into the barricade. Hollis tossed Castle off the apron, then hit him with an enzuigiri. Hollis went over the top rope to hit Castle on the outside. Castle tried to suplex Hollis, but Hollis countered with a stunner. Hollis powerbombed Castle over the top rope. Once back in the ring, Castle suplexed Hollis for a near fall. Castle won the match with the Bang a rang, a spinning double leg facebuster, that's as flashy as he is. Hollis's technical ability and Castle's showmanship played off each other well for an entertaining match.
AJ Styles came out to shouts of "Thank you AJ". He stated that ROH is one of the best promotions he'd worked for, and that he didn't know where he'd be without them. "Enjoy yourself and remember this night. You've got questions, and I've got answers." Jay Lethal interrupted, " Nobody gives a good goddamn about what you've got to say. This is not the AJ Styles show. This is the show for The House of Truth.Lethal declared he wouldn't defend his title in such a crappy place as Duluth, GA. Roderick Strong interrupted him, "You're the greatest champion?" he asked Lethal. "No I'm the greatest champion. If you aren't defending, I'm not defending because this town sucks." Strong then addressed Styles "I don't care where you're going or what you're doing, get out of my ring."
The Bullet Club entered. "Tonight our heat isn't with you AJ, it's with these two losers." Gallows pointed at Strong and Lethal. "Maybe all the champs at Ring of Honor are a bunch of pussies. Notice "beardmachine" isn't even out here". On cue, Warmachine came out, and a massive beatdown between all involved parties ensued. Young Bucks and the other members of Bullet Club turned it into a Superkick party.
A match involving Styles was teased. P-Dogg's crew came out and Styles hit him with a Styles clash.
The next match featured the All Night Express (Rhett Titus and Kenny King) against Cheeseburger and Moose. Moose showcased his physical power slamming King. He followed with stiff strikes and elbows to Titus. Cheeseburger is small, but he is quick.The audience adored him and chanted for him throughout the match. Moose threw Cheeseburger onto Titus for a two count. King attempted to hit Moose, and it looked like he was trying to hit a brick wall. King and Titus tried a double team maneuver on Moose, but he suplexed them both. They both kicked Cheeseburger and managed a two count. Moose tagged back in and beat up on both members of ANX. He did a crossbody on both members of ANX. Moose tried to punch Titus, but King pushed him out of Moose's way. Moose dodged King's kick, and he and Cheeseburger double teamed King. Titus flipped out of the ring onto Moose. Cheeseburger attempted a move from the top rope, but King caught him. ANX doubleteamed Cheeseburger and picked up the win. ANX acted like they'd do the postmatch handshake, but they gave Moose and Cheeseburger the brush-off.
Cedric Alexander faced Mark Briscoe. Alexander has an athletic, acrobatic style while Briscoe fights like a wildman. Briscoe hit Alexander with a back drop followed by a kick and a discus elbow. Alexander hit Briscoe with a spinning kick then stomped Briscoe. Alexander argued with the referee. He then stomped Briscoe's face. Briscoe suplexed Alexander for a two count. He then punched Alexander. Briscoe hit Alexander with a lariat, then went for a flying elbow. Alexander raised his knees. Alexander won the match with the Lumbar Check, a belly to back suplex dropped into a double knee backbreaker.
Ring announcer Scarlet Bourdeaux announced changes to the main event. It would feature The Bullet Club against all 4 ROH Champs. The tag team, television and world heavyweight titles would all be on the line in the 8 man tag team event.
ACH, Matt Sydal and Alex Shelley took on Michael Elgin, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O'Reilly. ACH, Sydal and Shelley displayed both energy and synergy in the course of the match. Elgin displayed his strength by holding Sydal up for several seconds in a standing suplex position. They finally had to push Sydal over to release the hold. ACH dropkicked Fish and O'Reilly. Sydal moonsaulted to the outside of the ring onto his opponents. Elgin powerbombed ACH out of the ring on top of everyone else. ACH was isolated for a bit, showing his resilience. He received a cross armbreaker from O'Reilly, but fought out. Elgin manhandled ACH, and Shelley broke up a submission attempt with an eyepoke. ACH tookdown both Fish and O'Reilly. He then kicked Elgin in the face. O'Reilly and Shelley traded submission attempts and exchanged blows. Sydal hit Fish with a standing moonsault. Elgin suplexed Sydal, then ACH and Sydal simultaneously. He hit Shelley with a back body drop. O'Reilly and Fish hit Shelley with a combo and Elgin hit him with a lariat. Elgin managed only a two count. Shelley hit Elgin with sliced bread, ACH hit him with a 450 splash, then Sydal hit him with Air Sydal, a shooting star press, for the win.
After a brief intermission, there was a Women of Honor attraction match between Veda Scott and Amber Gallows. Despite the efforts put forth by the competitors, crowd energy was low coming off the high of the 6 man tag and the lull of intermission. Gallows hit Scott with aggressive chops, crisp kicks and hard hitting strikes. Scott tried to tie Gallows into a submission, and pinned her shoulders for two. They clotheslined each other, then Gallows hit a facebuster for a two count. The referee caught Gallows trying to use her feet for leverage during a pin attempt. Gallows rolled Scott up and used her feet for leverage again, but this time the referee was oblivious to her nefarious moves.
Adam Page, Frankie Kazarian, Will Fererra, Silas Young, Caprice Coleman, and Jay Briscoe competed in a six-man scramble that was chaotic from the get-go. Briscoe and Kazarian started the match. Kazarian tried to tag in anyone so he didn't have to face Briscoe. During one point, all six men were trying to do sleeper holds on each other. That was broken up by Ferrera. Caprice Coleman did a moonsault from the second rope onto his competitors who were outside the ring. Kazarian hit a suplex for a two count. Silas Young did a gorgeous neckbreaker. BJ Whitmer tried to interfere in the match. Jay Briscoe won it with a piledriver.
Whitmer addressed Briscoe explaining how he'd elevated Fererra and that Fererra had stabbed him in the back. He appealed to Briscoe to join forces with him, and extended his hand to Briscoe. Briscoe promptly flipped him off. Page, Fererra and Briscoe gave Whitmer a beatdown. They grabbed a fan sign that said "Please hit BJ Whitmer with this sign" and crunched it over his head.
Adam Cole faced ECW legend Stevie Richards. Richards worked Cole's shoulder. Richards hit Cole with a spinebuster for two. Cole superkicked Richards then slammed him into the barricade. He then threw Richards over the rail into the crowd. Cole hit Richards with a neckbreaker. Richards regained control and bashed Cole into the barricades twice. He hit Cole with four neckbreakers. The two exchanged superkicks and spit in each other's faces. Cole put Richards in a figure four. Richards attempted to roll up Cole, then put him in a figure four. Cole got his foot to the rope. Cole hit Richards with a kick from the outside. Cole won after a body slam and The Florida Key, a straight jacket suplex.
Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) of the Bullet Club faced Roderick Strong, Jay Lethal, and Warmachine (Raymond Rowe and Hanson) in the Main Event. The ROH world heavyweight champsionship, the television title and the tag team titles were all on the line, and the action spilled outside the ring early. Nick Jackson flipped out of the ring onto everyone. The Bullet Club isolated Strong. They did multiple DX style crotch chops mocking him, then proceeded to beat him down in their corner. Lethal stomped Matt Jackson. Strong hit a gorgeous dropkick. Anderson hit Rowe with a dropkick. Rowe answered with a body slam. Gallows attempted to clothesline Hanson several times, gave up, and superkicked him. Strong struck Gallows, but Gallows answered with a European uppercut. The Bucks acrobatically double teamed Strong. The entire Bullet Club superkicked Strong for a two count. Nick Jackson landed a 450 splash onto Strong for a two count. Strong evaded Jackson's offenses then Lethal, Rowe and Hanson teamed up on Jackson. Rowe got the final pin for his team and the reigning champions retained the titles.
The show was three and a half hours long, but it rarely dragged. The passionate audience favors the acrobatic nature of the promotion that seems to put athletic ring performance over characterization and story. When Ring of Honor returns to the Atlanta area, you can bet I'd attend again.
The preshow match featured Matt "Sex" Sells against P-Dogg. P-Dogg came out with a posse that featured Marko Polo, Nina Monet, Devyn Nicole, Raphael King, C.B. Suave and Merica Strong. He came out rapping about how he wasn't buying what Sells was selling. Sells began the match with a series of arm drags and a snapmare. P-Dogg's posse provided ringside distraction that allowed him to gain control. He hit Sells with a leg drop for two. He followed up with a body slam and a series of three leg drops for another two count. Sells hit P-Dogg with a neckbreaker for two. P-Dogg got the win with a flying leg drop. It was amazing to me to see Sells return to Atlanta and wrestle in an ROH ring. He's come a long way since moving to Philadelphia to pursue bigger opportunities to hone his craft.
The show opened with Corey Hollis vs. Dalton Castle. If you've never seen Dalton Castle, his entrance alone is worth the price of admission. He has two mask wearing minions who fan him with peacock feathers, and he wears a lavish golden cloak. Castle postured and preened before locking up with Hollis. Hollis mocked Castle's dandy demeanor. Castle is mostly fluff, taunting, and evasion in the early part of the match. He finally got serious when he rolled up Hollis, suplexed him, then followed up with a vicious knee in the corner. Hollis answered with chops. Castle kneed Hollis in the face, then tossed him into the barricade. Hollis tossed Castle off the apron, then hit him with an enzuigiri. Hollis went over the top rope to hit Castle on the outside. Castle tried to suplex Hollis, but Hollis countered with a stunner. Hollis powerbombed Castle over the top rope. Once back in the ring, Castle suplexed Hollis for a near fall. Castle won the match with the Bang a rang, a spinning double leg facebuster, that's as flashy as he is. Hollis's technical ability and Castle's showmanship played off each other well for an entertaining match.
AJ Styles came out to shouts of "Thank you AJ". He stated that ROH is one of the best promotions he'd worked for, and that he didn't know where he'd be without them. "Enjoy yourself and remember this night. You've got questions, and I've got answers." Jay Lethal interrupted, " Nobody gives a good goddamn about what you've got to say. This is not the AJ Styles show. This is the show for The House of Truth.Lethal declared he wouldn't defend his title in such a crappy place as Duluth, GA. Roderick Strong interrupted him, "You're the greatest champion?" he asked Lethal. "No I'm the greatest champion. If you aren't defending, I'm not defending because this town sucks." Strong then addressed Styles "I don't care where you're going or what you're doing, get out of my ring."
The Bullet Club entered. "Tonight our heat isn't with you AJ, it's with these two losers." Gallows pointed at Strong and Lethal. "Maybe all the champs at Ring of Honor are a bunch of pussies. Notice "beardmachine" isn't even out here". On cue, Warmachine came out, and a massive beatdown between all involved parties ensued. Young Bucks and the other members of Bullet Club turned it into a Superkick party.
A match involving Styles was teased. P-Dogg's crew came out and Styles hit him with a Styles clash.
The next match featured the All Night Express (Rhett Titus and Kenny King) against Cheeseburger and Moose. Moose showcased his physical power slamming King. He followed with stiff strikes and elbows to Titus. Cheeseburger is small, but he is quick.The audience adored him and chanted for him throughout the match. Moose threw Cheeseburger onto Titus for a two count. King attempted to hit Moose, and it looked like he was trying to hit a brick wall. King and Titus tried a double team maneuver on Moose, but he suplexed them both. They both kicked Cheeseburger and managed a two count. Moose tagged back in and beat up on both members of ANX. He did a crossbody on both members of ANX. Moose tried to punch Titus, but King pushed him out of Moose's way. Moose dodged King's kick, and he and Cheeseburger double teamed King. Titus flipped out of the ring onto Moose. Cheeseburger attempted a move from the top rope, but King caught him. ANX doubleteamed Cheeseburger and picked up the win. ANX acted like they'd do the postmatch handshake, but they gave Moose and Cheeseburger the brush-off.
Cedric Alexander faced Mark Briscoe. Alexander has an athletic, acrobatic style while Briscoe fights like a wildman. Briscoe hit Alexander with a back drop followed by a kick and a discus elbow. Alexander hit Briscoe with a spinning kick then stomped Briscoe. Alexander argued with the referee. He then stomped Briscoe's face. Briscoe suplexed Alexander for a two count. He then punched Alexander. Briscoe hit Alexander with a lariat, then went for a flying elbow. Alexander raised his knees. Alexander won the match with the Lumbar Check, a belly to back suplex dropped into a double knee backbreaker.
Ring announcer Scarlet Bourdeaux announced changes to the main event. It would feature The Bullet Club against all 4 ROH Champs. The tag team, television and world heavyweight titles would all be on the line in the 8 man tag team event.
ACH, Matt Sydal and Alex Shelley took on Michael Elgin, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O'Reilly. ACH, Sydal and Shelley displayed both energy and synergy in the course of the match. Elgin displayed his strength by holding Sydal up for several seconds in a standing suplex position. They finally had to push Sydal over to release the hold. ACH dropkicked Fish and O'Reilly. Sydal moonsaulted to the outside of the ring onto his opponents. Elgin powerbombed ACH out of the ring on top of everyone else. ACH was isolated for a bit, showing his resilience. He received a cross armbreaker from O'Reilly, but fought out. Elgin manhandled ACH, and Shelley broke up a submission attempt with an eyepoke. ACH tookdown both Fish and O'Reilly. He then kicked Elgin in the face. O'Reilly and Shelley traded submission attempts and exchanged blows. Sydal hit Fish with a standing moonsault. Elgin suplexed Sydal, then ACH and Sydal simultaneously. He hit Shelley with a back body drop. O'Reilly and Fish hit Shelley with a combo and Elgin hit him with a lariat. Elgin managed only a two count. Shelley hit Elgin with sliced bread, ACH hit him with a 450 splash, then Sydal hit him with Air Sydal, a shooting star press, for the win.
After a brief intermission, there was a Women of Honor attraction match between Veda Scott and Amber Gallows. Despite the efforts put forth by the competitors, crowd energy was low coming off the high of the 6 man tag and the lull of intermission. Gallows hit Scott with aggressive chops, crisp kicks and hard hitting strikes. Scott tried to tie Gallows into a submission, and pinned her shoulders for two. They clotheslined each other, then Gallows hit a facebuster for a two count. The referee caught Gallows trying to use her feet for leverage during a pin attempt. Gallows rolled Scott up and used her feet for leverage again, but this time the referee was oblivious to her nefarious moves.
Adam Page, Frankie Kazarian, Will Fererra, Silas Young, Caprice Coleman, and Jay Briscoe competed in a six-man scramble that was chaotic from the get-go. Briscoe and Kazarian started the match. Kazarian tried to tag in anyone so he didn't have to face Briscoe. During one point, all six men were trying to do sleeper holds on each other. That was broken up by Ferrera. Caprice Coleman did a moonsault from the second rope onto his competitors who were outside the ring. Kazarian hit a suplex for a two count. Silas Young did a gorgeous neckbreaker. BJ Whitmer tried to interfere in the match. Jay Briscoe won it with a piledriver.
Whitmer addressed Briscoe explaining how he'd elevated Fererra and that Fererra had stabbed him in the back. He appealed to Briscoe to join forces with him, and extended his hand to Briscoe. Briscoe promptly flipped him off. Page, Fererra and Briscoe gave Whitmer a beatdown. They grabbed a fan sign that said "Please hit BJ Whitmer with this sign" and crunched it over his head.
Adam Cole faced ECW legend Stevie Richards. Richards worked Cole's shoulder. Richards hit Cole with a spinebuster for two. Cole superkicked Richards then slammed him into the barricade. He then threw Richards over the rail into the crowd. Cole hit Richards with a neckbreaker. Richards regained control and bashed Cole into the barricades twice. He hit Cole with four neckbreakers. The two exchanged superkicks and spit in each other's faces. Cole put Richards in a figure four. Richards attempted to roll up Cole, then put him in a figure four. Cole got his foot to the rope. Cole hit Richards with a kick from the outside. Cole won after a body slam and The Florida Key, a straight jacket suplex.
Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) of the Bullet Club faced Roderick Strong, Jay Lethal, and Warmachine (Raymond Rowe and Hanson) in the Main Event. The ROH world heavyweight champsionship, the television title and the tag team titles were all on the line, and the action spilled outside the ring early. Nick Jackson flipped out of the ring onto everyone. The Bullet Club isolated Strong. They did multiple DX style crotch chops mocking him, then proceeded to beat him down in their corner. Lethal stomped Matt Jackson. Strong hit a gorgeous dropkick. Anderson hit Rowe with a dropkick. Rowe answered with a body slam. Gallows attempted to clothesline Hanson several times, gave up, and superkicked him. Strong struck Gallows, but Gallows answered with a European uppercut. The Bucks acrobatically double teamed Strong. The entire Bullet Club superkicked Strong for a two count. Nick Jackson landed a 450 splash onto Strong for a two count. Strong evaded Jackson's offenses then Lethal, Rowe and Hanson teamed up on Jackson. Rowe got the final pin for his team and the reigning champions retained the titles.
The show was three and a half hours long, but it rarely dragged. The passionate audience favors the acrobatic nature of the promotion that seems to put athletic ring performance over characterization and story. When Ring of Honor returns to the Atlanta area, you can bet I'd attend again.
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