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Hey, we're back! It's the first show since the big 14th Anniversary Show, although I'm expecting very little of that to get addressed on this episode. Let's get right to it!
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Kevin Kelly and Mr. Wrestling III welcome us. We're still in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium this week! As expected, no real references to the 14th Anniversary show, just "order it if you missed it!" TV taping schedules can be a cruel mistress.
Silas Young & Beer City Bruiser def. The Boys
Instead of The Boys appearing to start the match, Dalton Castle appears and clubbers Silas and Bruiser, clearing the ring. He gets restrained and removed by ROH security. He screams "MAKE ME PROUD" at the Boys as he heads to the back.
Silas grabs the microphone and runs down the Boys. He says if the Boys can beat him and the Bruiser, he will LEAVE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING. This just became a luchas de apuestas match. The Boys get some good hope spots in this, but ultimately get crushed by Young and Bruiser.
What we learned: The Castle/Boys/Young blood feud never ends. It goes on and on, my friend.
I wonder if the Bruiser ever pulls the "Oh please, please. My father is Mr. Bruiser. You can call me Beer City."
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Adam Cole cuts a standard backstage dress shirt-and-man bun promo on Sydal. I'm looking forward to this main event.
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Top Prospect Tournament Semi-Final Match: Brian Fury def. Action Ortiz
Hey, we're in the semi-finals already! Since I started doing these recaps in the second week of this tournament, this is my first look at Brian Fury. He apparently cheated to win in his first match.
Action Ortiz, if you'll recall, is the guy compared to Bam Bam Bigelow who has the 2003 e-fed name and the skeleton bodysuit. He gets the highest spot in this match with an absolutely WILD topé con hilo to the outside. Might have been the most massive dive I've ever seen.
As in last week's tournament match, Ortiz gets the lion's share of the impressive moments, but gets caught with a pop-up powerbomb and pinned.
What we learned: Fury advances to the finals, where he will face either Lio Rush or Punisher Martinez. In a post-match promo, he says it doesn't matter who he faces. He's beaten many men like both of them over the course of his career.
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Oh hey, the second semi-final match in the tournament is happening right now!
Top Prospect Tournament Semi-Final Match: Lio Rush def. Punisher Martinez
Lio Rush has been in the business for under a year, while Fury has been wrestling for 16 years. You know; a prospect. It seems like that's a pretty tailor-made matchup for the finals.
Rush is like hysterically smaller than Martinez. At one point, Martinez goes for a massive chokeslam and Mr. Wrestling makes a 911 reference. ECW sure was a long time ago, wasn't it? Rush and Martinez have a fun Ki/Red-esque kung fu dodging sequence.
Martinez hits a topé con hilo of his own and tried to murder Rush on the apron like he did Colby Corino, but Rush survives. Martinez keeps hitting him with massive bombs but just can't put Rush away. Rush eventually manages to reverse a top-rope chokeslam into a Spanish Fly for the pin.
What we learned: Indeed, the finals will be Rush vs. Fury. The winner of the Top Prospect Tournament not only wins a Ring of Honor contract, but also a World Television Championship title match. So stakes is high. Should be a fun match. I also wouldn't be surprised to see most of the other men in this tournament back on television soon.
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Matt Sydal def. Adam Cole
As I've mentioned before, I've been nothing but overjoyed about what Sydal has been doing since becoming "Reborn" on the indies. He's at the peak of his ability and he's a delight to watch. He and Cole put together a rock-solid TV main event that is worth your time.
There's a fantastic strike exchange at the end, after which Sydal manages to hit a reverse rana and the shooting star press for the big victory.
What we learned: Sydal is getting a world title shot against Jay Lethal soon and this is a strong win over a former champ that definitely earned him that right. I'm excited to see him get a main-event title match on a big show. It should be a lot of fun.
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That's it for this week. You can watch ROH's weekly television on Comet or in syndication on Sinclair stations, or with a Ringside Membership on ROHwrestling.com.