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[mcmahonfan85]

[mcmahonfan85]

ROH YEAR IN REVIEW – THE CONCLUSION OF 2014



Following the World Title shocker in Toronto, Jay Briscoe entered the National Television taping in Wheeling, WV with a bull’s-eye squarely upon him. But how would the now two-time ROH World Champion face the pressure? Head on, as he told the raucous crowd at the WesBanco Arena.

Despite being down on the list of title contenders, Adam Cole told the new champ that winning the Honor Rumble later that night would earn the former champion another shot at the gold. It was clear that the heated words exchanged between Jay Briscoe and Adam Cole meant it their rivalry would never be over. Would Adam Cole’s plan come to fruition?

As each man entered the “Honor Rumble” by luck of the draw, it was clear that everyone was hungry for opportunity. One young man surprised everyone and most importantly, Jay Lethal, when newcomer Will Ferrara eliminated the World Television Champion from the over-the-top-rope match. When Cedric Alexander’s name was called, the Panther from Charlotte was nowhere to be found. That was because Tommaso Ciampa beat down the up-and-coming star to gain entrance into the “Honor Rumble”.

But why? Why would Ciampa take out Alexander? Stung by suspension, the Sicilian Psychopath was delusional and the actions of the rage-driven star worsened his standing with Ring of Honor officials. This would lead to a violent series of matches between Ciampa and Alexander later in the year and the announcement of a “zero tolerance policy” for Ciampa going forward.

Late in the contest, Adam Cole and fellow Kingdom member Michael Bennett were two of the last three men left in the Honor Rumble. It would be a night for celebration for the Kingdom but not for the former ROH World Champion as Bennett won the World Title shot, capturing victory in the “Honor Rumble”. Cole was in disbelief and openly questioned Bennett’s motives but Maria Kanellis was able to calm the situation. Confident in proclaiming that “Matt’s” return to Ring of Honor was imminent, the First Lady of ROH was surprisingly calm in a wake of controversy.

Jay Briscoe defeated Michael Bennett at the Reloaded Tour event to retain the ROH World Championship but was crushed by the Kingdom at the conclusion. Maria was right… “Matt” did return but it was Matt Taven who came back to ROH and joined the Kingdom, making the Kingdom stronger than ever.

Another “Matt” who returned to ROH in Wheeling was Matt Sydal, who faced “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles in a match that not only featured high-flying moves but also tremendous technical wrestling. Sydal’s return would find him “Reborn” in Ring of Honor.

October

Wedding bells rang for Maria Kanellis and Michael Bennett but not before a special “Bachelor Party” event hosted by Adam Cole. A night filled with debauchery and antics, Michael Bennett’s Bachelor Party is one event not to be missed on ROHWrestling.com.

All fun and games would end, however, at “Champions vs All Stars” in Kalamazoo, MI as the four reigning ROH Champions faced off against four top contenders in an 8-Man Elimination main event. The standout of the night was ACH, who shocked Jay Lethal was an immediate elimination and then later scored victory over one-half of reDRagon. But ACH’s night was ended by the dominance of World Champ Jay Briscoe, who shook the hand of the mercurial young man from Austin, TX when the night was over.

Much had been written about the very public collapse of former ROH World Champion “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin which began with losing to Jay Briscoe. Would Elgin quit or be fired? ROH officials hoped for a peaceful outcome but Elgin made a noisy return in Kalamazoo, jumping the guardrail and trying to interject himself in the main event. This would not be the last of embarrassing displays from Elgin in 2014.

At the end of October, the bright lights of television burned bright for the debut of ROH in the legendary wrestling hotbed of Lakeland, FL as the “Road to Final Battle” was paved with aggressive actions.

The Decade came apart at the seams as Roderick Strong had enough of Adam Page and BJ Whitmer, fighting both and looking for revenge. With Jimmy Jacobs absent, Whitmer seemed to enjoy stirring the pot and favoring his pick of the “Young Boy” litter. Fueled by his quest to get back on top of Ring of Honor, Roderick Strong chased Page and Whitmer after BJ made a challenge to Roddy to face Adam Page at Final Battle.

Jay Briscoe teamed with his brother, Mark to face the Kingdom’s team of Michael Bennett and Matt Taven. Despite the win, the Briscoe’s were once again flattened by the Kingdom’s numbers advantage, as the devastating foursome, led by Maria Kanellis stood tall. It seemed at this point that the Briscoe’s had no answer to combat the Kingdom.

Cedric Alexander looked to get even against Tommaso Ciampa for costing him a potential World Title shot in the Honor Rumble. Unable to strike any non-wrestling ROH personnel, Ciampa focused his intensity on Alexander but got himself disqualified in their singles bout and then brutalized Cedric after the unfavorable decision was announced. These two were just getting started.

“The New Streak” continued with Moose and RD Evans gaining another tag team win but Prince Nana had words with RD’s sign carrier, Ramon, as the former leader of the Embassy made a promise of revenge against RD Evans.

Unsure of what “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin would do after being contractually obligated to appear in Lakeland by ROH officials, the former World Champion continued down a self-destructive path by refusing to wrestle in a scheduled match against Caprice Coleman, embarrassing himself once again. Many long-time Elgin supporters began to wonder if he had lost his mind after losing the title.

In a rematch from a “Match of the Year” contender, Jay Lethal bested ACH to retain the ROH World Television Championship. Lethal targeted ACH’s neck, which had been weakened in post-match attack by Lethal and Truth Martini at Champions vs All Stars two weeks prior and that led to the victory. Providing color commentary for the match was “Reborn” Matt Sydal, who had been courted by Martini for a spot in the House of Truth. Following the win over ACH, Lethal invited Sydal to come into the ring and shake hands with the TV Champ to seal the deal. But Sydal refused, simply pointing to Lethal’s World Television title belt.

Lethal was enraged and insulted but many speculated he was also concerned about the possibility of facing Matt Sydal at Final Battle. The World Television Champion attacked Sydal following his match against Adam Cole but that did not prevent Sydal vs Lethal from being signed for December 7th with the gold on the line.

AJ Styles returned to ROH action and had his hands full with War Machine’s Hanson. Could Hanson exceed all forecasts by scoring the biggest win of his career? The Lynn, MA native nearly came through with the win but “The Phenomenal One” told the Lakeland crowd that Hanson was the real deal and would be a champion in ROH one day soon.

Also in Lakeland, QT Marshall came back to ROH TV.

November

Columbus, OH hosted Night One of “Survival of the Fittest” with six qualifying matches and a barnburner of a “No-DQ” main event. The red-hot crowd at the State Fairgrounds saw a huge upset as Hanson bested Jay Lethal to advance to the finals as well as The Addiction downing the Decade in tag team action.

In other qualifying matches, Matt Sydal topped ACH, Tommaso Ciampa beat Will Ferrara, Adam Page surprised Cedric Alexander, Roderick Strong came back to stop Tadarius Thomas with an amazing final flurry but what about Adam Cole?

Ever since losing the ROH World Championship at “Best In The World”, Adam Cole wanted to get back in the title hunt. Coming up short in his rematch at “Field of Honor” meant Cole’s climb would be more arduous and the former champ became more frustrated with each passing day. Adam Cole’s final chance to go for the ROH World Title at Final Battle would be at “Survival of the Fittest”.

His qualifying match opponent was Delirious, a former “Survival of the Fittest” winner who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Fearing defeat, Cole aggressively attacked Delirious outside the ring and took a countout win into the finals the following night. Would Adam Cole make good on his promise to face Jay Briscoe at “Final Battle”?

The night was not over for the Kingdom, as Michael Bennett and Matt Taven faced the Briscoe Brothers in the main event. A wild brawl with anything not nailed down used as a weapon and the ending was as brutal as the beginning. With Jay tied in the ropes, Taven and Bennett hit a spike pile driver through four chairs on Mark Briscoe, as Maria Kanellis enjoyed the view. Soon after, Adam Cole came down and the Kingdom dominated the Briscoe Brothers again. Would Jay Briscoe ever get even with Adam Cole?

“Survival of the Fittest: Night Two” capped an amazing comeback for Adam Cole, cemented Hanson as a future main-eventer and saw the agenda of Michael Elgin finally come into focus. But what would Maria Kanellis do after being speared by Michael Bennett during his win over Will Ferrara?

The answer was she would be left unresponsive at the announcer’s table during the immediately following match with Matt Taven facing ACH. How callous and uncaring could the newly married Bennett be to his bride? Anything it takes to win for the Kingdom!

Thankfully for the fans, the Kingdom kept their noses out of the Briscoe Brothers tag team match against the Addiction that had the Toledo crowd on their feet and “The New Streak” lived on with RD Evans and Moose continuing the winning ways, one week before RD Evans’ biggest test against Jay Lethal.

The main event was the finals of “Survival of the Fittest” featuring the six winners from qualifying matches the night before. The winner would face the ROH World Champion at “Final Battle”. Tommaso Ciampa looked strong early on while Adam Page did everything he could to avoid Roderick Strong. It also appeared that the other finalists were content to leave Hanson on the apron for as long as possible.

When the Top Prospect winner did make it in, he was an immediate force. Ciampa continued to press the pace when the music stopped… and Michael Elgin appeared. Within seconds, Ciampa and Elgin were brawling, with Elgin eventually driving Ciampa through a table. How sad that a former World Champion who had seemingly thrown his career away would now cost Tommaso Ciampa his chance at the World Title?

To make matters worse, after destroying Ciampa, Elgin also turned on Hanson, who watched Elgin’s back and never asked for anything in return. Truly, Michael Elgin had turned “Survival of the Fittest” upside down.

Somehow, Tommaso Ciampa was able to gather up the strength to come back and eliminate Matt Sydal after chasing Bennett and Taven away from the ring in their effort to help Adam Cole. But again, moments later, Elgin returned and smashed Ciampa with a steel chair, leading to Cole eliminating the “Sicilian Psychopath”.

The final two were Adam Cole and Hanson and the Toledo crowd knew their favorite was “War Beard”. Battered but not beaten, Hanson refused to stay down. Despite a super-human effort and the support of the fans, Hanson eventually fell to Cole.

Adam Cole had fulfilled the first portion of his prophecy by winning “Survival of the Fittest” and earning the World Title match at “Final Battle” but would the former champion regain the gold? We only had two events and 29 days to wait.

The next stop on the “Road to Final Battle” was “Glory By Honor XIII” in San Antonio, TX, highlighted by two “golden” opportunities for hometown favorites. Thanks to his remarkable showing in “Champions vs All Stars”, ACH earned a ROH World Championship match against Jay Briscoe and RD Evans faced Jay Lethal in a match billed “The Streak vs The Title”.

Almost mythical in level of hype and hyperbole surrounding it, “The New Streak” had grown to a record-tying 173-0. Jay Lethal had amassed more successful ROH World Television title defenses than any other champion in history. Something had to give as Lethal faced RD Evans in front of many of RD’s friends and family members.

After repeated interferences, Veda Scott, Ramon and Truth Martini were all ejected from the match. When referee Todd Sinclair accidentally was knocked down, out came Moose, who then turned on Evans by spearing his now-former tag team partner. That spear opened the door for Lethal, who pinned Evans to retain the Television title. After the match, Ramon came back out with a sign that read "173-1 A New Era" as he and Moose stood over the fallen RD Evans. The fix was in, Evans was betrayed and the Streak was over.

Would ACH be able to “man up” and unseat Jay Briscoe? The toughest test of ACH’s promising career was too much for the challenger on this night. But after the match Jay Briscoe said that ACH was the future and “manned up tonight”. Great display of sportsmanship brought San Antonio to its feet.

After a win earlier in the night over Christopher Daniels, Adam Cole’s night was not over. Following Briscoe’s win, Cole came out, challenging Jay to make their match at “Final Battle” a Fight Without Honor! Instantly, Briscoe accepted but seconds later, Matt Taven & Michael Bennett attacked Jay from behind. Hanson & Mark Briscoe then came out followed by Michael Elgin and Tommaso Ciampa.

The brawl that ensued punctuated the aggression and intensity of the Ring of Honor stars on the “Road to Final Battle”.

The last stop on the journey to New York City and the Pay-Per-View experience of a lifetime at “Final Battle” was a visit to Charm City for “Tag Wars”. Baltimore has been a home base for Ring of Honor and the hot crowd at Myers Pavilion was ready for the out-of-this-world action.

“Tag Wars”, a single night tournament where six contending teams face off in three tag matches, with the final contest featuring a four-way elimination match against reDRagon for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. Would the “Road to Final Battle” be paved with gold?

The Briscoe Brothers advanced with a win over Jay Lethal and J. Diesel of the “House of Truth”. The Addiction qualified by defeating The Decade and Matt Sydal and ACH pulled an upset over the Young Bucks. The finals would be a different story, however, against reDRagon, recently having captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles and gaining traction as the best tag team of 2014.

Another surprise in the finals as Mark and Jay Briscoe were eliminated first, followed by The Addiction, leaving reDRagon and Sydal and ACH as the last two teams remaining. After several near falls, it looked as if Sydal and ACH would walk away with the titles but in the end, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly proved their dominance and were victorious in “Tag Wars”.

Two singles matches were intertwined with violence, featuring two future opponents for a “Final Battle” match one week later. After the situation at “Survival of the Fittest” between Hanson and Michael Elgin, ROH Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness ordered a singles match between the two huge stars. In the wake of the controversial outcome of their match in Lakeland, McGuinness also made a No-Disqualification match between Tommaso Ciampa and Cedric Alexander.

Many were unsure what we would see from Michael Elgin on this night. Would he want to fight or talk? The answer was a hard right hand to the obliging jaw of Hanson, who replied with one in kind. The brawl ensued and wound up with referee Paul Turner having no choice but to throw out the melee. So tough is Hanson that he was driven through a table but got up from the wreckage, still looking to fight.

No stoppages other than pin fall or submission for the mayhem of Ciampa vs Alexander and this match featured fantastic action and heart-stopping intensity. An aggressive side of Cedric, normally dormant, surfaced late in the match but Tommaso Ciampa picked up with victory after hitting a neck breaker on the usually canvased and padded plywood boards of the ring, after the “Sicilian Psychopath” tore it apart.

FINAL BATTLE – DECEMBER 7, 2014

The biggest and best collide at Terminal 5 in New York City for “Final Battle”, Ring of Honor’s second live Pay-Per-View of the year. The highlights and moments were plentiful and will last a lifetime for ROH fans.

Hanson capped off a remarkable 2014 with a win over Mark Briscoe, Caprice Coleman and Jimmy Jacobs in a Four Corner Survival match.

Roderick Strong defeated Adam Page, when the “Young Lion” passed out after refusing to tap out to the “Stronghold”. After the match, BJ Whitmer ripped the headset away from Steve Corino at ringside to talk up Page’s toughness but infuriated Corino in the process.

“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin was victorious over Tommaso Ciampa but the story of Ciampa seemed to inadvertently strike the referee but with Nigel McGuinness at ringside, the ROH Matchmaker may not see things Ciampa’s way. Questions remained about Tommaso’s ROH future.

The Young Bucks and ACH topped The Addiction and Cedric Alexander in a wildly entertaining, fun Six-Man Tag Team Match. The win put a punctuation mark on great campaigns this year for the Bucks and ACH.

Moose destroyed RD Evans, who also saw Veda Scott turn on him, joining Moose, Stokely Hathaway and Prince Nana. Big things on the horizon for the former NFL star but questions as to what the future holds for RD are still unanswered.

ROH World Television Champion Jay Lethal got past Matt Sydal. A major highlight featured Lethal catching Sydal out of midair while “Reborn” was about to hit the Shooting Star Press on manager Truth Martini. Lethal’s confidence grows with every successful title defense.

reDRagon retained the ROH World Tag Team Championship with a win over the Time Splitters. KUSHIDA and Alex Shelley did everything and then some to gain the victory but the submission win for Fish and O’Reilly give them a 2-1 advantage in their series with the ‘Splitters.

In the “Fight Without Honor” for the ROH World Championship, Jay Briscoe defeated Adam Cole in one of the most violent World Title matches Ring of Honor has ever seen. Both men were bloodied and beaten but only Jay Briscoe was victorious. How each man recovers from this potentially career-shortening match is still up for speculation but the actions of both in this match speak to the level of hatred these two men feel for one another. It may never be over between Adam Cole and Jay Briscoe but the last chapter in the story of 2014 was written in blood and Championship glory at “Final Battle”.

[mcmahonfan85]

ROH RETURNS TO NASHVILLE THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!
7pm Bell Time - The Fairgrounds - Nashville, TN



This Saturday, Ring of Honor launches 2015 in a HUGE way when we return to Nashville! The stop of the WINTER WARRIORS TOUR is already stacked: the first round of the TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT, a Triple Treat World Television Championship match, and the debut of Alberto El Patron! But we are determined to make 2015 the biggest and best year in ROH history, and our very first event will show you how. And don't forget: our television cameras will be rolling on THIS SATURDAY, so this is your chance to make your voice heard on an episode of ROH TV! In addition to everything already announced, Nashville is primed for a whole lot more...

- ROH WORLD CHAMPION JAY BRISCOE VS. A MEMBER OF THE KINGDOM

This match has a question mark hanging over it because we don't know who *exactly* will face Jay Briscoe. Either Matt Taven OR Michael Bennett must step into the ring with the champion. However, we can confirm this will be a non-title match per the request of Jay Briscoe. It seems that even though neither member of The Kingdom has EARNED a World Championship opportunity, Briscoe would be more than happy to brutalize either one of them in a non-title situation!

But even without the championship on the line, this promises to be a heated match thanks to the long, contentious history between The Kingdom and Jay Briscoe. Plus - as we are about to see, Nigel McGuinness has yet to name a new number one contender to the World Championship following Adam Cole's defeat at FINAL BATTLE. A strong showing against Jay Briscoe definitely gives you a good argument for a future title opportunity!

Jay Briscoe had this to say about his FINAL BATTLE opponent and more as he prepares for THIS SATURDAY!

- ADAM COLE WILL BE IN NASHVILLE!

In the fallout from FINAL BATTLE, information came to light indicating that former champion Adam Cole had suffered a severe shoulder injury. Speculation ran rampant - would he be taking time off? Surgery? Something even more debilitating? Thus far, Cole has remained absolutely silent about his injury. We can confirm that he WILL be in Nashville THIS SATURDAY - and Adam Cole himself promises a full update on his reaction to FINAL BATTLE and his future!

- FIRST TIME EVER
Alberto El Patrón vs "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels

Christopher Daniels plans on welcoming Alberto El Patrón to ROH THIS SATURDAY

- THE STATE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Finally, ROH Head Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness is headed to Nashville with an update on the World Championship. Now that FINAL BATTLE is over, we know that Jay Briscoe is kicking off 2015 with the title. The question remains, however...WHO is the number one contender? Cole vs. Briscoe was such a brutal, bloody Fight Without Honor that there's whispers BOTH men emerged with major battle scars - not just physically, but mentally.

Nigel has the critical task of determining who on the ROH roster has earned the right to challenge our champion, Jay Briscoe, who proved at FINAL BATTLE that he is the toughest athlete in professional wrestling today!

Plus - Nigel McGuinness also promises to have an update on the status of Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa's reinstatement into ROH was contingent on a zero tolerance policy: no physical contact with ROH officials. At FINAL BATTLE, Ciampa took out a referee - though the circumstances left everyone asking questions about his intent. Now THIS SATURDAY we will get the full update.

- TRIPLE THREAT MATCH FOR THE ROH WORLD TV CHAMPIONSHIP
JAY LETHAL (C) W/ TRUTH MARTINI VS ACH VS MATT SYDAL

Jay Lethal says he is the “Greatest First-Generation Wrestler” but he also is a wanted man! THIS SATURDAY, Lethal defends the ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP against his two top contenders in a Triple Threat Match. Lethal emerged victorious against “Reborn” Matt Sydal at FINAL BATTLE and also has defeated ACH in Lakeland in October but this is a new year and a new challenge for the TV CHAMP.

Both ACH and Sydal are tremendous high-flyers and have given Lethal fits in their one-on-one matches but with Triple Threat rules in effect, the title is in real jeopardy and it would be a shock to no one if a NEW CHAMPION is crowned.

But Jay Lethal has had more successful title defenses than any other Television Champion in company history and looks to add to his “Golden Legacy” THIS SATURDAY.

- HANSON VS “UNBREAKABLE” MICHAEL ELGIN

Months ago, "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin put his personal stamp of approval on War Machine, the dominant new tag team formed by Raymond Rowe and Hanson. Hanson and Rowe battled each other in the finals of last year's TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT, and forged a mutual respect. Seeing that Elgin was outnumbered by Adam Cole and his crew, War Machine backed up Elgin whenever he needed. It seemed like an unstoppable trio who were on the way to unprecedented success in ROH.

But things don't always go as planned. First, Raymond Rowe was injured in a horrific motorcycle accident. He remains on the shelf, though he very publically continues to support his friend and partner, Hanson, in his ROH career. The entire tag team division is on notice for when War Machine reunites! For right now, however, Hanson is tearing through Ring of Honor on his own. And, of course, Michael Elgin's championship reign ended at ALL STAR EXTRAVAGANZA. Since that day, we have seen a significant change in the former champion. He's unstable. Paranoid. And he's turning against everyone he used to trust.

That destructive paranoia split the former partnership between Elgin and Hanson right in half! To many, it seems like Elgin has attempted to plant seeds of mistrust and resentment between Hanson and Rowe. Elgin continues to claim that his issues are not personal - that his problems lie with Ring of Honor. But for Hanson, "personal" doesn't even begin to cover it! The growing rivalry between Hanson and the former World Champion is only going to get more intense as we kick of 2015.

On a recent episode of ROH TV, Hanson and Elgin battled one-on-one! This was a war between two of the strongest, most unapologetically hard-hitting athletes in all of ROH. In the end, the ring couldn't contain the brutality, and Elgin put Hanson through a table. The indecisive conclusion of the match - no pinfall, no clear winner - incensed both competitors. Michael Elgin claims it's further evidence of the unfair treatment he receives from ROH. Meanwhile, Hanson wants to lay out Elgin in the center of the ring once and for all!

So when we kick of 2015 in Nashville, we will also witness the continuation of this rivalry. That's right! Head Matchmaker Nigel McGuinness has made the decision and signed the match for THIS SATURDAY! When the ROH WINTER WARRIORS TOUR hits Nashville, you will see the rematch between MICHAEL ELGIN and HANSON!

- THE ROH TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT IS BACK!

The search to find the next ROH star for 2015 kicks off THIS SATURDAY. We now know who will be facing whom in the opening matches. If you make it out of the first round, it's on to Philadelphia on January 24th for the semi-finals and finals. This year, the winner of the TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT is guaranteed a World Television Title opportunity when we hit Baltimore on March 7th for a TV taping. Who will be crowned the ROH TOP PROSPECT for 2015...?

TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT ROUND 1

- J. DIESEL w/ TRUTH MARTINI VS. WILL FERRARA

Truth Martini has already made his pick for 2015 TOP PROSPECT: his own private security force, J. Diesel. Since taking up with the House of Truth, Diesel has certainly seen his stock rise, including a spot in TAG WARS teaming alongside ROH World Television Champion, Jay Lethal! But Will Ferrara is ALSO on a hot streak - and he's doing it all on his own. Ferrara is determined to beat the odds and rise through the ranks of ROH. But with Truth Martini no doubt pulling the strings, does the House of Truth have this tournament locked down?

- DONOVAN DIJAK VS. JAKE DIRDEN

Battle of the Big Men! At 6'7" and 6'8" feet tall, respectively, Donovan Dijak and Jake Dirden tower over everyone else in this tournament. This promises to be a "giant" clash in styles, too. Dijak is a polished, educated athlete who uses intelligence and strategy to his advantage. On the other side of the ring stands "The Missouri Madman" Jake Dirden, known for his wild instability and deployment of the Asiatic Spike. ROH might need to reinforce the ring for this match!

- ASHLEY SIXX VS. DALTON CASTLE

Arguably the two most "unconventional" athletes in the tournament will face each other in Round One! Ashley Sixx is gritty and edgy, while "The Peacock of Pro Wrestling" Dalton Castle is a walking, talking, 24/7 party. But what these two men have in common is their talent and hype going into this tournament. Sixx and Castle are two of the most frequently mentioned athletes when the discussion turns to untapped talent waiting to breakout. But only one can advance to the second round of the 2015 ROH TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT!

- BEER CITY BRUISER VS. MIKEY WEBB
Every single opening round match of the TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT showcases the wide variety of hungry young talent out there, and this contest is no different. The Beer City Bruiser likes to drink beer, break some faces, and follow that up with a celebratory beer. Quite a contrast to Mikey Web, whose quickness and agility impressed ROH officials at training seminars and earned him a spot in this tournament. ROH has the most diverse, multi-talented locker room in all of professional wrestling. In this year's tournament, we have gathered athletes representing a multitude of styles and disciplines all with ONE thing in common: each wants to be the 2015 TOP PROSPECT!

ROH officials spent the year scouting through the Ring of Honor training seminar system. THIS SATURDAY in Nashville, the eight most promising competitors in professional wrestling will battle it out - with an ROH World Television Title match on the line! Be there LIVE to see the hungriest young athletes battle for an opportunity to compete with the best professional wrestlers on the planet. To be there for the opening rounds in Nashville, click HERE! And for tickets to our Philadelphia event hosting the semifinals and finals, click HERE!

- SIX MAN TAG ACTION FOR THE DECADE

Following Adam Page's "promotion," The Decade is apparently in search of a new young boy. We aren't exactly sure what goes into the "audition process" for such an alleged honor, but so far we've seen them vet some potential candidates through ROH pre-show matches. As evidenced by the subsequent beatdowns, so far no one has proven satisfactory.

But in Nashville, Whitmer, Jacobs, and Page will be in six man tag team action! We don't yet know their opponents - might they include some potential recruits? Or will The Decade already have a line-up of new candidates ready to carry their bags in Tennessee? The Decade is renewed and refocused for 2015, so don't miss your chance to see them in action!

- CEDRIC ALEXANDER VS. FRANKIE KAZARIAN

Cedric Alexander closed out 2014 with two very different kinds of matches. At FINAL BATTLE, Alexander teamed with The Addiction to take on ACH and The Young Bucks in a wild, high-flying, chaotic contest than many instantly said stole the entire show. FINAL BATTLE showcased Cedric Alexander as the unbelievably athletic young breakout star he became over the course of the year. But this week on ROH TV, he battles Tommaso Ciampa in a No DQ match that went further than ANYONE expected! We knew these two would go to war, but the brutality and toughness evidenced by Cedric Alexander has put the entire world on notice. There's a lot more to Cedric than just his in-ring athleticism, and he's not afraid to take it to the next level of violence when necessary.

What will 2015 bring for Cedric Alexander? His very first match is a huge test against Frankie Kazarian! Of course, at FINAL BATTLE, these two athletes were on the same side of the ring working together. But THIS SATURDAY it's definitely every man for himself! When The Addiction steps into singles competition, they don't stop being the cagey entertainers we see as a tag team. Cedric learned that for himself at CHAMPIONS VS. ALL STARS when he took on Kazarian's partner, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. While Daniels might do a lot of preening and strutting, he still lets his opponents know that his experience gives him an undeniable advantage - and Frankie Kazarian subscribes to the exact same philosophy.

There's no doubt that Kazarian was watching his partner's match with Cedric Alexander in Kalamazoo very closely. The Addiction is determined to be the best in ROH: the best tag team AND the best singles competitors. THIS SATURDAY, Daniels will face Alberto El Patron in his Ring of Honor debut. The last time we were in Nashville marked the first appearance of The Addiction, and their first World Tag Team Championship opportunity. Don't miss your chance to see The Addiction in singles action this time! For tickets to our ROH television taping featuring Cedric Alexander vs. Frankie Kazarian, click HERE!

- RODERICK STRONG VS. MARK BRISCOE

If you think about who really "defines" Ring of Honor and its history, Roderick Strong and Mark Briscoe will no doubt be right at the top of your list. These two athletes have been loyal to ROH above all else, because they truly believe that this is the best wrestling on the planet and the place they call home. Roderick Strong - "Mr. ROH" - is one of only two Triple Crown Champions in Ring of Honor history. And alongside his brother Jay, Mark Briscoe is a record-holding ROH World Tag Team Champion. These two athletes have sculpted a legacy that will live on forever in ROH. And THIS SATURDAY, Roderick Strong and Mark Briscoe face each other one-on-one!

At Michael Bennett's Bachelor Party, best man Adam Cole concocted a match pitting Strong and Briscoe against each other, with the loser banned from drinking the entire night. We suspect that their next matchup in Nashville will be a slightly different level of intensity! After his victory of Adam Page at FINAL BATTLE, Roderick Strong is slated for a huge 2015 and set to face Alberto El Patron at the end of the month in Dearborn. Meanwhile, with his brother reigning as World Champion, Mark Briscoe can refocus his efforts on his own singles career.

When you take two professional wrestlers with as much skill and experience as Roderick Strong and Mark Briscoe and put them in a ring together, you are guaranteed to witness a match defining what Ring of Honor is all about. Whether you've been a fan since day one or are brand new to ROH, THIS is the quality of competition and athleticism you can count on night after night. Want to be there LIVE when we get 2015 rolling? Get your tickets today right HERE!

ROH WINTER WARRIORS TOUR
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3RD
National TV Taping
Tennessee State Fairgrounds/Expo
625 Smith Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203

[mcmahonfan85]

Dear ROH,

Please come to Memphis so i don't have to come to Nashville and have to suffer the agonizing hell that is country music.

[mcmahonfan85]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}ODB just made her debut, and is with the Briscoes

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Lame. I'd smash ODB but she sucks.

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2015 22:25:56 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}ODB just made her debut, and is with the Briscoes

da f***? Oh yeah, Kingdom has Maria. 

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Jan 3, 2015 22:28:48 GMT -5 @jinxed said:

Jan 3, 2015 22:25:56 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}{Spoiler}ODB just made her debut, and is with the Briscoes

da f***? Oh yeah, Kingdom has Maria. 

Wasn't even thinking about that, haha. When I read that, I was like, "why in the world would they do that?" I guess that makes it more acceptable.

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2015 22:30:27 GMT -5 Magic knows Black Lives Matter said:

Jan 3, 2015 22:28:48 GMT -5 @jinxed said:

da f***? Oh yeah, Kingdom has Maria. 

Wasn't even thinking about that, haha. When I read that, I was like, "why in the world would they do that?" I guess that makes it more acceptable.

Yeah, my first thought was they were trying to start some horrible attempt at a women's division but then I remembered Jay is after Michael Bennett, Maria and his custom title.

[mcmahonfan85]

Maria is indeed why ODB is with the Briscoes. Full report later

also Alberto might be the wrestler most excited to compete in ROH ever.

[Deleted]

[Deleted]

Live results from PWPonderings, for those that cannot wait mcmahonfan85's report

SPOILER: Click to show

ROH TV Tapings
January 3rd, 2015
Nashville, TN
Estimated attendance: 700+


Four episodes are being taped
Pre Show – Cheeseburger def Chris LeRusso with a school boy


Return is on June 6 2015


Episode 1


Roderick Strong def Mark Briscoe with Strong breaker


Nigel came out and declared that Hanson vs Michael Elgin would be a #1 contenders match. Tommaso Ciampa was called out and informed that he wasn’t fired but that he would owe one to Nigel for going to the higher ups. Ciampa said that he wanted a ROH Title shot because of the match he had with Briscoe in the UK. Elgin came out and reminded Nigel that Ciampa lost to him at Final Battle. Ciampa declared that no one wanted Elgin in ROH while Elgin stated that he and Nigel were former ROH Champions and belonged in ROH. Nigel then declares that the match with Hanson would become a three way. It is still a number one contender match.


Top Prospect Tournament: Will Ferrara def Jay Diesel w/ Truth Martini with a roll up
– Truth was disgusted by the loss after the match but Diesel made it up by jumping Will afterwards


#1 Contender’s match Triple Threat
“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs Hanson vs Tommaso Ciampa was declared a DQ loss and thrown out because the ref was hit.
– there was a brawl after the match




Episode 2


Frankie Kazarian def Cedric Alexander with the unprettier


Top Prospect Tournament: Donovan Dijak def Jake Dirden with a knee to the face
– the Decade had come out to watch during the match


An Alberto El Patron interview is on-going. El Patron says that he’s not an sports entertainer and that he is after the ROH World Title until Truth Martini and ROH TV Champion Jay Lethal interrupt. Jay Lethal continues his cause to state that the ROH TV Title is THE title in Ring of Honor and not the Title Jay Briscoe holds. Alberto tries to talk Lethal into fighting but Truth tells Alberto to get in line and leaves with Lethal.
Nigel has brought out ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe to make an announcement. Briscoe declares that he wants a four way in Las Vegas for the Title with Ciampa, Hanson, and Elgin which Nigel says he will consider. Jay Briscoe calls out the Kingdom.


ROH World Championship
Jay Briscoe def Matt Taven with Jay Driller
– after match Bennett attacked Briscoe
– Mark made the save



Episode 3


The Briscoe Brothers def Kingdom (Matt Taven & Michael Bennett) via DQ when Bennett hits Jay with the belt.
– ODB came out to save the Briscoes


Top Prospect Tournament: Beer City Bruiser def Mikey Webb with a DDT


First Time Ever
Alberto El Patrón def “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels with the arm breaker submission
– Jay Lethal came out at one point during the match and attacked Alberto after the match. Jay Diesel also attacked Alberto but the Addiction made the save.


Episode 4
Moose w/ Stokely Hathaway & Veda Scott def Romantic Touch with a spear


The Decade – Jimmy Jacobs, Adam Page, & Chris LeRusso w/ BJ Whitmer def three opponents including Cedric Alexander when Page got the pinfall with the Adam’s Apple on Alexander
– LeRusso was on a “trial” but got beat up by Whitmer after they lost the match


Top Prospect Tournament: Ashley Sixx def Dalton Castle with a choke slam

Adam Cole is out to address the crowd. But he swerves everyone. He brings a chair into the ring, looks at the camera, drops the mic, and gives it the finger.

Triple Threat match for the ROH World TV Championship
Jay Lethal (c) w/ Truth Martini def ACH & Matt Sydal to retain

[mcmahonfan85]

Good news/bad news for Dalton Castle fans

The good: for those worried about how fans would respond, he was the most over of the top prospects by far

The bad:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}he lost and is out of the tournament (which got a very negative response)

[Deleted]

Jan 3, 2015 23:46:19 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

Good news/bad news for Dalton Castle fans

The good: for those worried about how fans would respond, he was the most over of the top prospects by far

The bad:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}he lost and is out of the tournament (which got a very negative response)

I'd say that might give him a better shot at getting in but a) I think he might stick with Chikara at this point which I don't know ROH would allow and b) the whole thing seems set up for Will Ferrara to win over someone from the Decade going back to GBH and how he was put over and into stuff with them.

[Dragonfly]

I hope Chris LeRusso sticks around. He's really an underrated talent. Just don't let him near a live mic.

[________ has left the building]

Jan 3, 2015 23:54:27 GMT -5 @jinxed said:

Jan 3, 2015 23:46:19 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

Good news/bad news for Dalton Castle fans

The good: for those worried about how fans would respond, he was the most over of the top prospects by far

The bad:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}{Spoiler}he lost and is out of the tournament (which got a very negative response)

I'd say that might give him a better shot at getting in but a) I think he might stick with Chikara at this point which I don't know ROH would allow and b) the whole thing seems set up for Will Ferrara to win over someone from the Decade going back to GBH and how he was put over and into stuff with them.

Yeah, ROH is using the tourney to put over Ferrara. I still don't see why but this is ROH. They still trying to push that ham sandwich Mike Bennett long after Cornette been gone.

[BlackoutCreature]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}So Briscoe vs. Elgin vs. Ciampa vs. Hanson for the title in Vegas? I'm not sure how I feel about that. What's the opposite of excited? This whole "worked shoot" gimmick that Elgin is doing just isn't working. Putting aside the fact that it's not the 90's anymore, he just doesn't have the personality to pull it off. Ciampa's pulling off his gimmick better, but it still just feels like it's not going anywhere interesting. As for Hanson, he just doesn't come off as a main eventer to me at this point in his career. Even Jay, despite being World Champ, feels like he's treading water. I get the impression he was just given the title to drop it to Cole and now that Cole is injured they have no idea what to do with him. All of this is just adding up to a completely uninteresting World Title scene right now in ROH.

[________ has left the building]

Jan 4, 2015 9:34:56 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}So Briscoe vs. Elgin vs. Ciampa vs. Hanson for the title in Vegas? I'm not sure how I feel about that. What's the opposite of excited? This whole "worked shoot" gimmick that Elgin is doing just isn't working. Putting aside the fact that it's not the 90's anymore, he just doesn't have the personality to pull it off. Ciampa's pulling off his gimmick better, but it still just feels like it's not going anywhere interesting. As for Hanson, he just doesn't come off as a main eventer to me at this point in his career. Even Jay, despite being World Champ, feels like he's treading water. I get the impression he was just given the title to drop it to Cole and now that Cole is injured they have no idea what to do with him. All of this is just adding up to a completely uninteresting World Title scene right now in ROH.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}I say give to Mark if they got nothing for Jay to with Cole down. It's been a while since the Briscoes feuded with each other and it would hold things over until they figure where the main event scene goes next. I don't want to see Elgin with the belt again. Hanson is still too unknown. And while Ciampa would bring something new, I think ROH is trying to make him the next Kevin Steen with Nigel playing Cornette.

 

[mcmahonfan85]

The whole worked-shoot part is over. he's just a straight up heel, and was a total dick to Ciampa last night. he also has a new theme, entrance atire and ring gear.

the four-way is just for the ppv, not the long haul. after last night they are pushing for an Elgin/Hanson feud.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Jan 4, 2015 0:17:36 GMT -5 Dragonfly said:

I hope Chris LeRusso sticks around. He's really an underrated talent. Just don't let him near a live mic.

I looked up some of his work on his YouTube channel. He's a good speaker and cuts good promos, but his boyish look and voice kind of take me out of his promos.