We’re a few weeks away from the Supercard of Honor pay-per-view, but it’s the NWA that is ensuring that Honor Still Lives in the ring, as their season premiere gets underway on Fite.TV. Not only is there a tag match between Ring of Honor stalwarts The Briscoes and The OGK, but the NWA Junior Heavyweight match at the main event will be contested by ROH legends Homicide and Austin Aries.
Damn Skippy we’ll step Into The Fire at the Skyway Studios in Nashville, TN. Joe Galli, Tim Storm, and Velvet Sky have the call, and there is a lot of action tonight.
However, before we do that, Kyle Davis is at The Podium and has the “pleasure (?)” to introduce Matt Cardona and The Cardona Family of VSK and Mike Know. Davis straight up tells the champ that at night two of The Crockett Cup, he kept the belt in a less than championship-like fashion. Cardona is glad he kept the belt, otherwise we would’ve had to call it the Nashville Screw job. He blames everyone from William Patrick Corgan, to Jeff Jarrett to Mickie James for making his life difficult, but he’s still “Alwayz Ready” and *Still* your champion. Davis addresses Cardona tapping out before the disqualification call, and Cardona counters that he did not tap out, but was trying to get “crowd participation.” It doesn’t matters as he and The Cardonas are The Saviors of this company.
We got to footage from the other night in the aftermath of the PPV, and Kyle Davis is with Special Guest Referee Jeff Jarrett to walk through what happened in the main event. Jarrett recalls getting hit from behind, and saw Mickie James in his peripheral and assumed she was involved (not realizing that Chelsea Green took the shot to his … err, “little slapnuts.” He’s been NWA since the beginning and done everything as a kid from putting up the ring to refereeing, and notes it is a hard job, but he did it to the best of his ability since there’s no instant replay.
I’m sure there’s more fallout from that, but for now let’s get to the First Match of the night between…
Courtesy of the NWA
The Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark Briscoe) vs. The OGK (Mike Bennett and Matt Taven)
For me, this is the first time in ages I’m seeing a ROH match since I last covered Final Battle 2020, and this looks to be a barnburner, as Galli notes there is history between these two tag teams over the years, and there’s appears to be no end, as Dem Boys have the momentum, since the Crockett Cup, and The OGK wanting to avenge their early exit in the tournament.
The match is fast paced and dead even between Taven and Jay Briscoe, matching hold for hold. At one point, all four men brawl on the outside, but is The Briscoes getting that Redneck Kung Fu, and ground Bennett to a halt and isolate in the corner. But soon the OGK turn the tide by getting Mark with a big boot to a discus forearm in the back to a dropkick by Taven to cover for a two count.
Taven chops away at Mark and sends him to the ropes, and a sneak tag by Jay gets him in the action and land a huracanrana. Once again, the match favors “Dem Boys,” as Mark uses a chair and launches himself from the ring to a somersault senton onto The OGK. Back in the ring, and Jay goes to work on Taven, but he gets a tag to Bennett, and they utilize a lungblower/slingshot elbow double team, and Bennet pins Jay for a two count. Now Mark is back in and he’s a Chicken en Fuego with Redneck Kung Fu moves on Bennet. Tag back to Jay, and before he can nail the Jay Driller, Bennett bails out, and tags to Taven who is a Trend en Fuego. He gets a spinning neckbreaker on Jay, and Bennet hits a running DVD, with Taven finishing with the Shining Wizard to cover, but Mark breaks the count. Chaos takes hold in the ring, but Jay is still the legal man, and gets Taven with an Oklahoma Roll for the pin.
Your Winners via Pinfall: The Briscoes
The OGK fell short, but the crowd was superhot for this match. Here’s hoping we see more of the ROH favorites in the weeks ahead.
May Valentine is back stage with La Rebelión, and she inquires their thoughts on what we saw with the tag action in the ring moments ago. Bestia 666 says something in Spanish, but MechaWolf provides the translation they don’t care, as they as still the campeónes in the NWA. So bring on all the teams, including The Briscoes.
We go to a bonus match, and it’s…
Trevor Murdoch vs. Brett Buffshay
For those who don’t know, the man in the ring opposite the former champ is a fellow Utah native who’s wrestled for the promotion Devotion Championship Wrestling, and he has the dubious honor of facing the very pissed off Trevor Murdoch
(Author’s Note: While I state I never recap squash matches, I will break with that tradition, as anytime a Utahn is in the spotlight in a major promotion, I will highlight them as much as possible….even if they are facing a possible death sentence in the ring).
That’s the case here, as Murdoch is not breaking sweat, and he is very stoic and intense pummeling Buffshay, who is bumping like a human pinball. He tries to fire up, but Murdoch ain’t having none of this. One piledriver, and thanks for participating and offering your testimony, Brett.
Your Winner via Pinfall: Trevor Murdoch
Kyle Davis is with Murdoch at The Podium about what took place. Murdoch goes full Russell Crowe and asks the crowd, “Are you not entertained?!” He goes on that now people wanna check on him (some fan in back yells “We love you, Trevor!” while another yells, “Not me!”). Murdoch makes it clear that management in the NWA asked for this, and he no longer has the patience for this horses***! He end by stating that if they continue to feed him “hacks” then the blood is on their hands, not his. Damn, if that is another side of Murdoch we’ve never seen, and I do not want to cross him when he’s in that mood.
We go to footage last night, as Kyle Davis talked to Mickie James and Nick Aldis after the main event. James said she was getting rid of Green, and can’t believe Jarrett would think she would do that to him. She promises that this is far from over with her and The Hot Mess. As for Aldis, he understands Jarrett’s perspective and doesn’t blame him. However, he has a message for Cardona and his stooges, promising that their luck will run out. He’ll take his title back, and Cardona will run off to the circus.
Kyle Davis is now with Tyrus and Austin Idol at The Podium, and Idol shills for client. Davis states he was told they had an announcement and tries to ask about it, but Idol says it’s not any of his damn business. Davis tries to pull info about it, and Tyrus grabs the mic (with Davis’ hand), and says no one can take him off his feet, and no one can challenge him. He offers a chance for anyone that can bodyslam him in the ring, he’ll offer a shot at the NWA Television championship belt. ‘Nuff said.
Now for something different, here’s some action in the women’s division for the…
Courtesy of the NWA
NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championship: The Hex (Allysin Kay and Marti Belle) (c) vs. Jennacide and Paola Blaze (with Taryn Terrell)
The added stipulation is if Jennacide and Paola Blaze lose, they need to split up for good. Jennacide is still looking good, and Blaze showcases a darker, more emo side in her ring gear, but it matters not for the Hex as they take her to school. Blaze ducks away and tags to Jennacide, and the Bionic Beast is more than a match for Kay. She gets Kay with a spinebuster for a two count, and then she cinches a Cravat to knee strikes, and isolates the Hex member in her corner. Blaze and Jennacide tag in, but really it’s the Bionic one doing the work tonight wearing down Kay with submissions and keeps her grounded. Jennacide gets Kay in the Tree of Woe and a sliding clothesline. Tag to Blaze, as she attempts the Meteora that misses as Kay escapes and gets the hot tag to Belle, who’s cleaning house. Belle with a front sweep facebuster to a pin on Blaze, and Jennacide breaks the count. Now she picks up Belle, and nails a TKO to a pin, but the ref points out that Blaze had done a blind tag, and Jennacide can’t believe it. Blaze goes for the win, but a Belle rolls her up, and pins her clean.
Your Winners and Still the NWA Women’s Tag Team Champions: The Hex
Afterwards, Jennacide walks away despite Terrell’s pleas, because She. Is. Done with them, and I don’t blame her one bit.
May Valentine now talks to Jax Dane, and she wants to congratulate him for the win, but really Mayweather deserves better. Dane doesn’t care what fans want. He killed Crimson, and murdered Mayweather, and he left him buried. The fact is, he states, that his mouth writes checks he can cash. You’re welcome for his time.
Back to The Podium, as Kyle Davis has the power couple of the NWA, the NWA Women’s champion Kamille and Thom Latimer. Latimer addresses the rumor that Strictly Business is out of business, so to speak. He writes his own destiny, and Kamille adds that they needed to drop that “dead weight Chris Adonis” for some time, because Latimer’s time is now. She emphatically adds, “It’s us versus all of y’all!” Curious how Adonis will respond to that in the weeks ahead.
But, now, it’s time for the Main Event, where Honor Lives, and it’s for the…
Courtesy of the NWA
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship: “The Notorious Legend” Homicide (c) vs. “No Moniker Needed” Austin Aries
Folks, I am giddy at seeing both these ROH legends getting ready to wrestle for the first time in possibly over fifteen years. As the bell rings, both men lock up and they go hold for counter hold, but Homicide is able to outwrestle The Greatest Man that Ever Lived. Aries is getting frustrated and shoves Homicide, and he shoves back. The match favors the champ, as he gets Aries up top for the Koji Cutter, but he gets shoved off, and he delivers a flying European uppercut to his back, as Aries covers for a two count.
Aries gets him in the corner with stomps, but Homicide fights his way out. Aries puts on the brakes and hits what Tim Storm states that Aries wants to be referred as the “Side Ukrainian leg sweep” and covers for another two count. He gets a neck wrench on Homicide, but the champ fights his way back to his feet, and hits the ropes, but both men collide and collapse in a heap in the ring. Aries comes back up first, goes to the ropes, but Homicide answers with a belly to belly suplex that had such rotation it was almost a standing Spanish Fly to cover Aries for a two count. Aries picks up the champ in a fireman’s carry, but Homicide reverses to a Koji cutter. He cover, but Aries has the ring presence to get his foot on the ropes. Now Homicide gets him in the STF to a crossface, and Aries struggles, but he manages to reach the ropes. Homicide sets him up for Cop Killa, but Aries rolls out to get his signature Discus Five-arm to pin for a two count, but he quickly transitions to the Last Chancery, and Homicide writhes in pain as he crawls to reach the ropes to break the submission. Aries turns up the offense with a neckbreaker to an IED, then to the brainbuster to cover for the one, two…Homicide just gets his foot on to the ropes to break the count. Now Aries up top for some high risk offense, and Homicide cuts him off at the pass on the top turnbuckle. One avalanche Koji Cutter and the Notorious Legend covers for one, two, and three.
Your Winner, and Still NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion: Homicide
The champ is successful in his first title defense and it is an honorable end as the show goes to credits.
Final Thoughts:
That is how you kickstart a program right after a pay-per-view! Again, no wasted effort, no throwaway matches. From the Briscoes/OGK opener to the NWA Junior Heavyweight main event. they entertained and told a story. Even the Womens tag match and the Trevor Murdoch squash match laid down the foundation of what’s to come in the weeks ahead.
I, for one, am excited for what’s next, so see you in seven!
