ROH World TV Title
ROH World TV Champion Matt Taven w/ Truth Martini and the Hoopla Hotties defends vs. Brian Fury
Fury hits a quick Falcon Arrow and gets a two-count early in the match. Taven responds with a clothesline to gain control of the match. Taven gets caught by a nice neckbreaker, but Martini distracts the referee and allows Casee Rae to hit a hurricarana, Taven connects with a frog splash but Fury kicks out. Taven drives Fury into the mat with the STDDT to retain his title.
Winner and STILL ROH World TV Champion: Matt Taven
ROHWorld.com’s Thoughts: This was an ok match and a perfectly acceptable television title defense from the champion. It wasn’t anything more than Taven getting another title defense under his belt and to get Martini on tv. It seems like they’re building up something between McGuinness and Martini, which could be very entertaining. As for the match, it was too short to be anything more than a harmless opener.
Mark Briscoe says he has a doctor’s note saying he’s been cleared from his concussion.
Michael Elgin comes to the ring and says nothing means as much to him as the ROH World Title. He says he doesn’t have to worry about everyone else in the tournament, but they need to worry about him. That brings out Kevin Steen, who calls Elgin a liar. Steen says Elgin is worried about the one guy he can’t beat, which is Steen. Steen tells Elgin and his mullet that Elgin isn’t winning the tournament. This brings out Michael Bennett and Maria. Bennett says he sees two guys who have been given opportunity after opportunity, while he wasn’t given anything. Now, the lights begin to flash, marking the entrance of Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa gets in everyone’s face and says the next ROH World Champion is Tommaso Ciampa and then storms out as the show goes to commercial.
ACH vs Karl Anderson
After a brief feeling out process, ACH speeds the action up and sends Anderson to the outside, but the Machine Gun is able to avoid a dive attempt. Anderson then uses the opening to his advantage by unloading a diving kick on the floor that almost beheads ACH as the show goes to commercial.
Back from the break and Anderson drops ACH from a delayed vertical suplex. ACH evades a back senton attempt to even the playing field. ACH throws Anderson to the outside with an innovative headscissors and follows it up with the step up tope suicida! Anderson responds with a big boot and a running powerbomb for a two-count. ACH fights back with a 450 splash but Anderson kicks out! Anderson avoids a second 450 splash and follows it up with an ace crusher to advance to the next round of the title tournament.
Winner by Pinfall: Karl Anderson
ROHWorld.com’s Thoughts: Wow! This match was a lot of fun once it got past the initial feeling out process. That should come as no surprise when two wrestlers the caliber of ACH and Anderson square off. Anderson hard-hitting style meshed perfectly with ACH’s high-flying and speed, and it made for a very good television match.
Adam Cole vs Mark Briscoe
Neither man can get the advantage until Briscoe connects with a Nothern Lights suplex and unleashes some Redneck Kung Fu, Briscoe sends Cole to the floor and then connects with a baseball slide. Cole answers back with a superkick on the floor as the show goes to break.
Back from the commercial and Cole is still in control. A meeting of the minds puts both men down. Briscoe hits a cool dropkick and follows it up with a mule kick for a two count. Briscoe flies off the top rope and is met with a superkick. Briscoe responds with some more Redneck Kung Fu, but Cole fights back with a Shining Wizard. Bricoe hits the Froggy ‘Bow but is too fatigued to follow it up with the pin. Todd Sinclair is trying to allow Briscoe to clear the cobwebs of another possible concussion, but Cole superkicks him and hits the Jay Driller to advance in the tournament.
Winner by Pinfall: Adam Cole
ROHWorld.com’s Thoughts: I really liked the story of this match. Briscoe was coming back from allowing a concussion to heal. So what does Cole do? Attack Briscoe’s head. While there probably isn’t much in there, Briscoe’s head was vulnerable and it made Cole look absolutely ruthless. The ending only continued Cole’s heel turn as he further attacked the head using the Jay Driller to really drive the point home. It wasn’t a great match or anything, but I really enjoyed the storytelling here.