Ring of Honor has been its own worst enemy lately, having technical mishaps that plagued nearly every internet pay-per-view the company has shown. However, tonight on ROH Death Before Dishonor XI, the company reembarks on its iPPV path by reembarking on a crowning a new ROH World Champion. Adam Cole, Michael Elgin, Kevin Steen, and Tommaso Ciampa battle it out to be the best. All that and more on ROH Death Before Dishonor XI!
We are live from Philadelphia, Penn. Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness have the call for tonight.
Former ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe with the belt. Briscoe recaps all of the hard work and dedication he has put in for the company. Briscoe expresses his anger over the stripping of his title due to injury, but he promises to come back stronger and he will challenge whatever man holds the belt.
Adam Cole, the new Ring of Honor World champion, poses backstage after the show. Photos by George Tahinos
Match One: Silas Young vs. Jay Lethal
Lockup starts us off and Jay Lethal muscles Silas Young into the corner. Another lockup leads to some chain grappling between the two men, exchanging armlocks and Young gets a shoulder block. Lethal with a leg lariat as Young runs the ropes. Lethal moves to the floor and dropkiks Young on the second rope for a nearfall.
Young outside and Lethal chases, allowing Young to regain control with some grounding strikes. Both men going at it and exchanging some daredevil maneuvers before Lethal gets a suicide dive outside. Sunset flip inside from Lethal gets nothing and Young regains control with stomps and strikes. Hard whip into the opposite corner gets Young a nearfall.
Young working Lethal and uses a suplex to get a nearfall. Front facelock in for Young and Lethal disengages with body blows. Momentum in the favor of Lethal as he lands clothesline after clothesline. STO connects and Lethal gets the nearfall as Young grabs the bottom rope.
Hail to the King elbow drop attempt from Lethal is met by Young, but Young tossed back down to the mat. Lethal taking too long and a jackknife cover from Young nearly gets the win. Backbreaker gets another close nearfall.
Lethal with a springboard back elbow, but Young catches him with a German Suplex. Lethal fighting back, but Young nearly hits a springboard maneuver off a series of counters. Lethal Injection after the miss.
Winner by pinfall: Jay Lethal
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Young refuses to adhere to the Code of Honor post-match.
Recap of the roads to the semifinals for Tommaso Ciampa and Adam Cole.
Ring of Honor World Championship Tournament Semifinals Match Two: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Adam Cole
Tommaso Ciampa comes right after Adam Cole as soon as the bell starts. Adam Cole getting stomped down in the corner and these men exchanging some hard blows, as Cole gets Ciampa with a big boot off the ropes. Ciampa on the apron and Cole with an enzuigiri and a suicide dive.
Ciampa runs Cole right into the apron. Running knee from Ciampa in two corners of ringside. Cole with a counter attempt, but Ciampa powerbombs him right through the chair to land a third. Ciampa breaks the count and takes the mat off the floor. Suplex attempts exchanged by the two men, but Ciampa gets the front facelock and drives Cole into the floor. Nearfall back inside.
Cole sent off the ropes and he comes back with a dropkick to the knee and a shining wizard for a nearfall. Cole looking for more offense, but Ciampa fighting him off. Up on the shoulders of Cole, Ciampa comes down on a neckbreaker across the knee that gets Cole a nearfall.
Battle on the apron and Cole inside runs into the knee of Ciampa on the apron. Ciampa looking for a suplex, but Cole with a kick to the ribs and a jumping DDT onto the apron for a nearfall. Burning Hammer from Ciampa after a hard knee for a nearfall.
Down in the corner, Cole is on the receiving end of three running knees. Ciampa with Cole on his shoulders and a Kryptonite Crusher from the top rope for a nearfall. Ciampa again has Cole up top and Cole working Ciampa over on his injured left knee. Cole locking in the Figure-Four Leglock and Ciampa getting worked, but he turns over and the hold is broken as Cole gets to the rope.
Both men exchanging strikes in the middle of the ring. Cole kicks the knee and lands a shining wizard with the knee. Kick after kick after kick landing from Cole and Ciampa still hanging on. Ciampa catches Cole with a brutal lariat and hits Project Ciampa for a close nearfall.
Neckbreaker by Cole connects and he locks in the Figure-Four Leglock. Both men slapping each other and Cole ducks back. Thrust kicks right to the face of Ciampa and he looks knocked out. The referee counts.
Winner by pinfall: Adam Cole
Rating 3.25 out of 5 stars
Recap of the roads to the semifinals for Michael Elgin and Kevin Steen.
Ring of Honor World Championship Tournament Semifinals Match Three: Kevin Steen vs. Michael Elgin
Lockups between the two men lead to stalemates. Kevin Steen with an ankle pick into a front facelock. Michael Elgin counters into an arm wrench and Steen gets the rope break. Both men demonstrating some technical wrestling and countering out of high impact moves after failed shoulder bumps.
Action resets into the old-fashioned test of strength. Steen is taken down by the torque on the wrists, but he gets a monkey flip. Elgin cornered and Steen working strikes to keep Elgin occupied. Both men exchanging forearms and Elgin with a big boot. Springboard moonsault from Elgin gets a nearfall.
Deliberate pace from both men as they trade shots instead of holds and moves. Boot from Steen and he heads off the ropes, only to be caught int a tilt-a-whirl side slam from Steen. Action moves to the floor and Steen heads inside to land shots on the apron as Elgin returns to the ring. Kick to the head and a DDT from Steen get a nearfall.
Up top, Steen is met by some Elgin strikes. Elgin heads up where he is bit by Steen. Crossbody block from Steen connects for a quick nearfall. Both men head off the ropes and collide. Both men now down. The men exchanging and Steen with a series of big boots. Elgin with an enzuigiri andf a lariat for a close nearfall.
Deadlift German Suplex does no convert and the men going back and forth here. Steen is corralled into the corner on his shoulder. Crossface attempt by Elgin is quickly shook out of by Steen as he makes it to the ropes. Steen ran into the ringpost on the apron and Elgin looking for a deadlift superplex. Steen hooks the leg and Elgin tumbles to the mat. Senton from the top connects from Steen for a nearfall.
Steen looking for a Package Piledriver, but Elgin out and he goes to the corner. Elgin with a mulekick and both men going back and forth. F-Cinq converts for Steen, but he only gets a nearfall.
Cannonball in the corner misses for Steen. Deadlift German Suplex from Elgin lands and a bridging nearfall leads to a Crossface. Steen fighting and inching to the ropes. Steen gets there. Both men now exchanging forearm after forearm. Boot from Steen is met by a boot from Elgin and a backfist. Elgin with a deadlift powerbomb and he hits the Buckle Bomb. Both men fighting and Steen tosses Elgin to get the Sharpshooter, but Elgin makes his way to the ropes to prompt a break again.
Sleeper suplex attempt from Steen is being thwarted by Elgin holding the ropes. Elgin out and he pulls Steen in, but Steen connects with the lariat. Sleeper suplex converts for Steen, but Elgin again kicks out. Steen hits another sleeper suplex and his shoulder acting up, allowing Elgin to land a desperation lariat. Package Piledriver from Steen is flipped through by Elgin, who locks in the Crossface. Steen’s shoulder contorted and he can’t make it to the rope.
Winner by submission: Michael Elgin
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Match Three for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Forever Hooligans (c) vs. The American Wolves
Rocky Romero starts out with Eddie Edwards. Both men exchanging chain grappling and Edwards with the legs to roll Romero up for a nearfall. More mat wrestling from the two leads to Alex Koslov and Davey Richards being brought in. Richards with an armlock and he rolls through into a heel hook that Koslov gets a rope break for.
Side headlock from Loslov into a shoulder block. Richards with a dropkick to send Koslov outside. Edwards and Romero back in and Romero chopping the chest of Edwards. Edwards answers back and Romero with a kick to the legs. Edwards counters with a facebuster into a heel kick for a nearfall.
American Wolves inside the ring and they land dual suicide dives to their opponents outside. Forever Hooligans in opposite corners and Richards uses Koslov to run a knee into Romero’s face. Snap suplex from Edwards for a nearfall.
The American Wolves trading quick tags as Richards is quickly in and out. Forever Hooligans isolating Eddie Edwards in their corner to stomp down. Koslov in with a snapmare and now working the rear chinlock on Edwards. Romero in with a knee drop and some strikes. Edwards now fighting his way back into it, but Forever Hooligans tie up both American Wolves in submission holds.
Edwards worn, but he fights off both Hooligans to bring in Richards. Richards with in the corner on Romero and he unloads a barrage of body kicks. Forearm smash and a spinning back kick gets Richards a nearfall. Richards with a German Suplex on Romero to get another nearfall.
American Wolves looking to double-team Romero, but Richards accidentally enzuigiris his own partner. Forever Hooligans double-teaming Richards now. Kicks to the back of the head of Richards and a running knee battering ram. Edwards attempts to get back into the match, but Romero holds him back. Richards with a dual submission on both Hooligans, but a rope breaks resets all of it.
Koslov sat up top by Richards. Richards trying to fight, but he is tossed down. Edwards with a running enzuigiri that connects, but he is taken out by a Romero kick. Richards with a huge head kick on Romero, but neither team can get the upper hand as both partners are having trouble staying in the matchup. Richards up top and Romero with a hurricanrana. Shooting star press from Koslov connects. Edwards breaks the pin. Contract Killer after Edwards is sent away.
Winners by pinfall and still IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: Forever Hooligans
Match Rating 2.75 out of 5 stars
Stream starts encountering some problems as we hit intermission.
Veda Scott and RD Evans out and discussing the injustices perpetrated on them. Adam Page comes out and wants to settle things physically.
Match Four: RD Evans (w/Veda Scott) vs. Adam Page
Adam Page controls all aspects of the match. RD Evans gets the hat of Page off, but Page soon picks him up and reverse piledrives him into the mat.
Winner by pinfall: Adam Page
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Stream issues again popping up.
Match Five: Ricky Marvin vs. Roderick Strong
Lockup between the two leads to a stalemate. The two men monkey-flipping each other around the ring before resetting the offense. Roderick Strong grabs the side headlock, but Ricky Marvin sends him into the ropes. Shoulder bump from Strong. Headscissors from Marvin sends Strong out.
Action outside moves back into the ring. Marvin holds the side headlock, but Strong muscles him into the corner and the two exchanging vicious chops. Marvin sent into the corner and tries a back elbow.
Stream has completely cut out.
We return with Strong hitting a superplex on Marvin. Reverse hurricanrana and a lariat from Marvin are followed up by a brainbuster of sorts for a close nearfall. Marvin taken out by a jumping knee and a Sick Kick. Tiger Bomb puts Marvin out.
Winner by pinfall: Roderick Strong
Rating: N/A
BJ Whitmer here to update everyone on his condition. Whitmer thanks everyone involved for his training and his entire wrestling career. After all the doctor visits and tests, Whitmer has decided to end his in-ring career. Whitmer has more one more request and calls Jimmy Jacobs out.
Whitmer thanks Jacobs for bringing out the best in him in one of the bloodiest feuds in ROH history. The heart of Jacobs is what Whitmer believes should give him another shot at a job with the company.
Stream once again cutting before the segment is over.
Eight-Man Tag Match Six: reDRagon, Matt Taven, & Michael Bennett (w/Truth Martini & Maria Kanellis) vs. Adrenaline RUSH & C&C Wrestle Factory
Match is not watchable due to the streaming issues.
Overtime from Cedric Alexander takes out Kyle O’Reilly as the stream returns.
Winners by pinfall: Adrenaline RUSH & C&C Wrestle Factory
Rating: N/A
Outlaw Inc. clears the ring post-match and declares their reentry into ROH to make their presence felt.
Judges for the title bout are Cary Silkin, Joe Koff, and Prince Nana.
 |
|
Adam Cole superkicks former champion Jay Briscoe.
|
ROH World Championship Tournament Final Match Seven: Michael Elgin vs. Adam Cole
Lockup and Michael Elgin tosses Adam Cole to the mat. Side headlock from Cole and shoulder bump stalemate. Elgin with a clothesline and Cole moves out to regroup. Action back inside and Elgin with a back elbow as Cole gets his back. Powerslam nearfall by Elgin gets a nearfall.
Cole dumped outside by Elgin after taking the back again. Test of strength allows Elgin to feign into the waistlock. Both men grappling and Elgin gets the front facelock. Cole transitions into one of his own. Exchange of armlocks between the two and Elgin ends it with a dropkick. Elgin with a gorilla press nearfall.
Cole now taking control of the action with a dropkick nearfall. Neck crank locked in by Cole. Submission hold still locked and Elgin with a Saito Suplex to get out for a nearfall. Chops from Elgin are followed by punches. DDT counter by Cole gets another nearfall.
Elgin with some chops and forearms, but Cole gets the back for a sleeper. Big boot and enzuigiri from Cole are met by a discus forearm from Elgin. Splash attempt in the corner misses for Elgin, but he lands an STO. Elgin swinging forearms all over.
Stream again cuts out.
From the brief action between lagging, Cole seems to be working Elgin down on the mat. Action shows Cole getting a nearfall on Elgin. Both men have gone through a table apparently. Referees now checking on them outside on the floor. Elgin barely makes it inside.
An apparent controversial decision has went down as referee Todd Sinclair missed a count by a split second to cost Elgin a pinfall. Cole brought inside and he dropkicks the knee. Figure-Four Leglock in on Elgin. Elgin struggles to the ropes and gets the rope break.
Stream returns with Cole hitting the Florida Key.
Winner by pinfall and NEW ROH World Champion: Adam Cole
Rating: N/A
Jay Briscoe hands over the title belt to Adam Cole. The two shake hands and Cole with a Superkick to the back to head of Briscoe. Cole clocks Elgin with the ROH belt and walks out to close the show.