Ring of Honor television this past week was the first in a series of episodes taped at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas. The overall focus was the build towards future matches set for both TV and the next pay-per-view.
The Bullet Club opened the show with a promo. More specifically, it was “story time with Adam Cole BAY-BAY.” Fellow Bullet Club members Hangman Page, Yujiro Takahashi, Tama Tonga, and Tanga Roa flanked the new champion.
Cole said Bullet Club keeps their promises and they promised he would win the world title. They are the measuring sticks, so Cole says he understands he is now a target as the champion.
Boasting that he is the greatest champion, Cole scoffed at whomever is the next challenger.
With Bullet Club in the ring, Jay Lethal walked on to the stage to interrupt them. Cole mocked Lethal and noted it was his night off, so no rematch. Lethal said in the future they would meet again. Lethal was calm, which in another language is tranquilo.
Fittingly enough, Lethal’s tranquilo friends from Los Ingobernables de Japon entered the scene. Lethal had previously joined up with them on a show earlier this year in Japan.
Tetsuya Naito and EVIL walked onstage as backup for Lethal. This set up a six-man tag match for next week with Los Ingobernables vs. Bullet Club.
Announcer Kevin Kelly and matchmaker Nigel McGuinness were about to replay footage of the brawl from last week involving ladders. Tag champions The Addiction stormed out to confront them, accusing Nigel of doctoring the footage. This situation would play out throughout the show.
A video package chronicled the story of a new stable of villains led by Kevin Sullivan, which also includes BJ Whitmer and Punisher (Kelly called him “Punishment”) Martinez.
Dalton Castle (w/ The Boys) defeated Caprice Coleman (w/ The Cabinet)
There was some comedy in this match with Coleman reluctant to shake Castle’s hand for the Code of Honor. More comedy as they had a contest of puffing out their chest like peacocks.
The Cabinet’s leaders, ANX, tried to interfere and they jumped The Boys, so the referee ejected them from ringside. The Boys left as well.
Later in the match, ANX ran back down the ramp, with The Boys in-tow trying to warn Castle. The Boys jumped into the ring and did flip dives on ANX when they tried to interfere. Castle delivered the Bang-a-Rang and covered Coleman for the pinfall.
The Addiction came back out again, this time with a ladder. With the ladder set up on the stage, they claimed to be on top of the ladder in ROH. Later on, McGuinness said that gave him an idea and he was mulling it over. McGuinness would eventually make an annoucement later in the show.
In a backstage promo, Bobby Fish hyped himself defending the TV title next week against Katsuyori Shibata.
Donovan Dijak (w/ Prince Nana) defeated Manny Lemons
This was basically a complete squash. Dijak manhandled and ragdolled him. Finishing him off with Feast Your Eyes, Dijak then pinned Lemons.
In a pre-taped promo, The Briscoes talked ever so eloquently about their main event tag team match that is up next.
Mark & Jay Briscoe defeated Lio Rush & Jay White
They start off with some back-and-forth until The Briscoes do a double dropkick on White in a corner. The Briscoes began to pummel him when Rush tagged in. Rush cleaned house until Jay cut him off. Rush quickly countered and did a flip dive to the outside. Mark cut off Rush when he leapt off the apron for a blockbuster on the floor.
The Briscoes get heat on Rush until a hot tag to White, who proceeded to run wild. The teams trade near falls down the stretch as the match intensified and the pace quickened.
Mark hit Froggy-Bow and went for a cover, but White broke up the pin for a close near fall as Jay tried to make the save. The Briscoes dispatched White with stereo forearms similar to Total Elimination, but with forearms instead of kicks. The Briscoes executed the Doomsday Device on Rush for the pin.
Afterwards, McGuinness made an announcement of a stipulation for the tag team titles match at the next PPV. He decreed it would be “Ladder Wars” with The Addiction vs. The Young Bucks vs. The Motor City Machine Guns. Backstage, The Addiction were furious and throwing a tantrum as the show closed.
On the next episode of ROH that begins airing this weekend in syndication, it’s Bullet Club vs. Los Ingobernables!