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Tony Khan Buys ROH


WyattSheepMask

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52 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

What is it with AEW legal that they can't sort visas out properly?

While it might get lumped together as "visa issues" the circumstances are going to vary from person to person. It's not just an AEW issue as seen with the CMLL talent getting pulled. Dragon Lee getting pulled from an NXT show was the most recent WWE example, unless you believe in the Gunther not on Elimination Chamber as he's applying for residency/citizenship and couldn't leave the country.

It's a situation that's never really recovered from COVID lockdowns.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/a-9-million-backlog-for-american-visas-deepens-the-labor-crunch

https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/us-immigration-backlog-digital-world

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ROH 07/03/24

49 minute run time! Now we're talking. Used to love it when original NXT was an hour long.

Skipped: Lee Johnson vs John Cruz, Nyla Rose vs Jobber. 

Women's TV title tournament Quarter final: Red Velvet vs Leyla Hirsch

This was great! They both wrestled very aggressively from the start, big slaps and strikes felt like a really competitive battle between two extremely well matched opponents. I can't recall either of these two having many better matches than this. Reeled the crowd in as it went and had them biting on some big near falls at the end, particularly from Hirsch's running knee followed up by a picture perfect moonsault. Hirsch does lose some points for mockingly doing the Stir it up pose, which I am certain is an act of blasphemy. 

Riccaboni completely lost his way trying to close out the segment with some Red Velvet lore riffage: "The kitchen is heating up! Especially when Red Velvet.... stands.... with the recipe". 

Could hear him chuckling to himself under his breath because he knew he'd shat the bed. Bloody marvellous. 

Infantry Promo. I didn't skip it because they were pretty good on Collision. They're making fun of The Outrunners and plugging their new shirt. Trish Adora weirdly doesn't say anything except "To Bootcamp". Will our Trish ever get a promo? Ahh we shall see. 

Abadon vs jobber

Abadon dispatched the jobber, Mercedes Martinez came out and was not impressed. Was hoping we'd get Mercedes vs Abadon this week. Boo. 

Spanish Announce Project confront Maria. They want to fight Garrison and Carter again in the feud that never ends. 

The Infantry vs The Workhorsemen vs Spanish Announce Project vs Jack Cartwheel and Gringo Loco 

Very fun match. Nice breezy ten minutes, two thirds of which were a mad sprint with loads of cool little interactions and whacky high spots. Jack Cartwheel was my highlight, backflipping out of a Canadian Destroyer attempt and doing what I think was a standing sky twister press. 

After the match Maria comes out to taunt the SAP with a stolen Serpentico mask. I think this feud is designed to make fun of me for still watching ROH. 

50 minute episode, strong women's TV title match, fun main event. 

 

ROH 14/03/23

Two hours again this week. Boo. 

Skipped: Lee Johnson vs Aaron Solo. I appreciate they're getting behind Johnson and using ROH as developmental to build him up, but I still find him terribly dull. Top Flight vs Iron Savages. Lance Archer vs Jobber, AR Fox vs Komander vs Jack Cartwheel vs Slim J. I have no doubt it was a mad spotfest but I have too much wrasslin' to watch. OC and Trent Baretta vs Koal Qatar and Griff Garrison. I did see Orange Cassidy doing the Angelico dance after the match though. 

Women's TV title quarter final: Billie Starkz vs Diamante

Another fairly substantial match in the tournament. They seemed to be a bit out of sync at times, not sure if it's the big height difference or Billie's inexperience but there were a couple of scary looking suplex botches in this one. Other than that it was a good, hard hitting scrap, with Billie drawing great sympathy from the crowd as she does. Had the people by the end for a strong closing stretch. 

Lady Frost vs Kiera Hogan vs Leyla Hirsch vs Robyn Renegade

Lady Frost now has long hair down to her shoulders and looks like Sindel from Mortal Kombat. I'm a fan of it. This was a mad sprint. Bodies flying everywhere. I enjoyed it but the crowd was near silent unfortunately. 

Athena vs Jobber

Ahh Athena is home and jobbers are once again in danger. Magnificent beatdown here against a much larger opponent. Threw her about, hung her upside down on the ropes and stomped her head into the apron. Post-match did a running double knee smash against the ring steps, then did it again. Tremendous post-match promo, slamming Atlanta, slamming the shit competition she's been offered, all building up to the classic "I've beaten everyone, is there any competition left?" invitation. Promptly answered by Hikaru Shida!! Match is official for Supercard of Honor, that will be a belter, and according to Cagematch has only ever happened once before in SHIMMER in 2014(!) Good segment setting up a very appealing match, and one I didn't see coming at all. Loved it. Hopefully a teaser for when Athena eventually comes back to the AEW main roster. When she does, almost every match feels like a mini dream match for me, even people she faced on the first run.

Extremely vanilla promo from Lee Johnson. Again though, I appreciate that they're doing the thing with him. Six wins in a row, getting promo time. Would like to see more of this sort of thing in ROH, even if Johnson himself isn't winning me over just yet. 

Nick Comoroto/Jacoby Watts vs The Workhorsemen

Nick Comoroto! I had forgotten this man existed. Very AEW Dark this match. This was very odd. Wrestled as a handicap match because Jacoby Watts got taken out early, tried to join in later but got taken out again. So Comoroto had to fight it out on his own. I did enjoy Drake and Comoroto smashing and throwing each other about. Felt very 1980s. Think Comoroto is meant to be taken in by whatever good word Jacoby Watts is spreading, though is questioning his decision to follow this guy after he was left on his own to get his ass kicked for this match. He reluctantly does leave with Watts, looks like this is going to be a thing. I miss the lolipop though. 

 

Then this happened: 

Best work of Taya Valkyrie's career. 

 

Women's TV Title tournament quarter final: Abadon vs Mercedes Martinez 

Slightly different look for Abadon with ripped up tights on her head now. Abadon always looks fantastic. Thought Mercedes did a great job here carrying the match. As I've said before, there's definitely something there with Abadon as a plucky underdog babyface too. Not as good as Hirsch/Velvet or Starkz/Diamante, but for an Abadon match of this length it was  solid. I was rooting for Abadon even though I didn't think there was much doubt about the result. Still protected Abadon with the loss being due to interference though. 

Kingston promo: 

Kingston vs Briscoe at Supercard of Honor. Very nice. I noticed they said Eddie is defending the Continental Championship on its own against Okada on Wednesday, not all three titles, so it has no bearing on this match going ahead. And this match is for the ROH World Title Only. Playing up the idea of Eddie being pulled in a lot of different directions trying to defend all of these belts. 

Not having a bad time skim-watching ROH at the moment. Little nuggets of Dalton and Athena, I've mostly enjoyed the Women's TV Title tournament, and then I can dip in and out of the filler matches if anything takes my fancy. 

Happy with both Shida vs Athena and Mark Briscoe vs Eddie Kingston for Supercard of Honor too. 

 

 

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Good grief that Dalton Castle/Taya bit was tremendous! Nearly everything Taya said had me laughing. 

"THEY'RE WITH THEY'RE DADDY... ON A MOUNTAIN TOP... LEARNING HOW TO BE MEN!!!'

Sublime. PUT IT ON PROPER TV YOU COWARDS!

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Seriously, she was born to play this role. This feud has brought out the absolute best in both Johnny TV and Taya. 

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9 hours ago, JLM said:

Extremely vanilla promo from Lee Johnson. Again though, I appreciate that they're doing the thing with him. Six wins in a row, getting promo time. Would like to see more of this sort of thing in ROH, even if Johnson himself isn't winning me over just yet.

 

I quite like him in-ring, but this backstage promo was the pits. Just the most generic, don't-really-say-anything-at-all babyface promo. And he delivered it like a CAW on a Smackdown vs Raw game. Like I say, I like him but I think putting on bangers on ROH TV is absolutely his level.

Instantly a fan of Jacoby Watts Southern preacher 'the good book' gimmick. Lets hope they actually do something with it, unlike The Righteous who are meant to be a cult yet never do anything cultish and just wrestle wrestling matches like very ordinary wrestlers.

Kingston vs Briscoe and Shida vs Athena should both be crackers. Does make me feel sorry for the amount of people who turn up on ROH TV every week who never get a shot at the PPVs mind.

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9 hours ago, JLM said:

Kingston vs Briscoe at Supercard of Honor. Very nice. I noticed they said Eddie is defending the Continental Championship on its own against Okada on Wednesday, not all three titles, so it has no bearing on this match going ahead. And this match is for the ROH World Title Only. Playing up the idea of Eddie being pulled in a lot of different directions trying to defend all of these belts. 

 

Oh, I didn't know that they were being defended separately, I obviously either missed or forgot that. I'd thought the Continental Championship had essentially replaced the ROH World Title. 

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It's kinda confusing and getting more so, IMO.

The premise that the winner of the Continental Classic became the holder of a "modern American triple crown" comprising of a belt each from AEW, RoH & NJPW('s US offshoot) was a solid one (even if I didn't personally care for the idea). 

It started getting messy with the AEW belt being a brand new one, presumably representing the victory in the tournament. But it's since become a viable "live" championship, being defended as part of the Triple Crown & now separately. So what happens when they inevitably want to repeat the tournament this coming winter?

I'm guessing the champion at the time will be forced to do the same as Eddie chose to do this year, and wager their belts against winning the whole tournament. But that hardly seems fair considering how it's been available to win the rest of the year. 

 

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Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, Lorne Malvo said:

 

Instantly a fan of Jacoby Watts Southern preacher 'the good book' gimmick. Lets hope they actually do something with it, unlike The Righteous who are meant to be a cult yet never do anything cultish and just wrestle wrestling matches like very ordinary wrestlers.

 

Yeah sadly have to agree with this. I love the gimmick and the aesthetic so much. Their little vignette on Rampage this week was cool as fuck, but yeah, they don’t do much with it. They should be trying to recruit people, or at least playing mind games trying to corrupt or mess with the babyfaces. Just to pitch this for the hundredth time, I want them to steal Lance Archer from Jake Roberts and recruit him permanently. Then they can sick him on people who refuse to join or they believe to be on the wrong path. A bit like Mordecai except Archer is imposing and violent enough to pull it off. 
 

Agreed on Watts too, I’m a fan. Also as I mentioned on his previous appearance he has lovely worked punches, which is increasingly rare in wrestling these days. Everyone’s chopping and fore arming but a good, snappy punch is hard to find. 

Edited by JLM
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My first time seeing Mina Shirakawa and I'm instantly a fan. Seems to have the goods in-ring and as soon as she came out she had a ton of infectious personality.

The ROH womens division is pretty great right now actually. Athena, Starkz, Aminata and Shida all doing really good work. And they're even making a go of Hirsh/Ellering and giving Diamante and Kiera Hogan mini-feuds to keep them busy. Good stuff.

Red Velvet vs Aminata was a really good match. Aminata seems to get better with each passing week.

Oh, and Eddie Kingston saying he has been too nice lately and needs to bring back the nasty Eddie? Yes please!

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2 hours ago, Lorne Malvo said:

My first time seeing Mina Shirakawa and I'm instantly a fan. Seems to have the goods in-ring and as soon as she came out she had a ton of infectious personality.

She’s improved so much since leaving TJPW and joining Stardom, one of my favourite women’s wrestlers of 2023.

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