ROH 13th Anniversary Show Results

Ring of Honor 13th Anniversary
Aired live on pay-per-view
Las Vegas, Nevada at The Orleans Hotel & Casino

A brief ROH video opened the show, then the 13th Anniversary pay-per-view video package played. The video package had a Las Vegas theme and was narrated by Steve Corino while shots of various ROH performers were show... A shot of the Vegas Strip was shown. Kevin Kelly introduced the show from ringside as the fans in the building chanted ROH. Kelly was joined on commentary by Corino. They pointed to the Spanish broadcast team that was set up near them. Kelly and Corino ran through some of the pay-per-view matches...

Powell's POV: A good start to the show. The shot of the Strip combined with the graphics gave it a big time feel. I'm happy to see it's just Kelly and Corino on commentary, but only time will tell whether they can get through the night without turning it into a three-man booth. I am surprised they didn't address the Doc Gallows travel issues, though it's not as if he were scheduled for one of the show's top matches.

1. Cedric Alexander vs. Matt Sydal. Corino said he stumbled in around 5:00 a.m. this morning, and Sydal was up eating breakfast and feeding the homeless. Funny. The wrestlers shook hands before the bell. Cedric pulled Sydal in and jawed at him. There were dueling chants for Sydal and Alexander with the Sydal chants winning out. At 1:50, Sydal hit a great flying knee press off the ring apron and onto Alexander on the floor. There was an audio glitch that seemed to occur almost simultaneously, but it went back to normal quickly.

Alexander took control of the offense in the ring and the pace slowed down. Kelly noted that Alexander was more aggressive than he'd been in the past. Alexander put the boots to Sydal and then looked to the crowd and was booed. Sydal came back with some flashy kicks and a dropkick. Sydal set up for a standing moonsault, but Alexander rolled him up before he could perform the move. Sydal came back and hit the move for a two count.

Sydal used a pump-handle slam to get another two count at 6:45. The fans chanted "this is awesome." Alexander returned fire with a kick off the second rope and then a powerbomb for a good near fall at 7:30. Alexander and Sydal traded chops. "I hate chops," Corino said. Alexander dodged a Sydal kick and then dropped Sydal onto his knees and covered him for another good near fall, which frustrated Alexander. Sydal came back with a knee press for a two count. Alexander missed a kick and crashed in the corner, and Sydal hit Shooting Sydal Press (a/k/a Airbourne) finisher for the win. Alexander begrudgingly shook hands afterwards...

Matt Sydal beat Cedric Alexander in 9:40.

Powell's POV: Great opener. I like the story they told in the ring with Alexander's frustration growing and the way the broadcast team was right there to expand on it. The venue looks really good. I like this setup so much more than the overplayed and low budget looking fight club approach we got in NYC for Final Battle. Speaking of that event, Sydal has come a long way since then. He looks like he's either 100 percent or close to it physically.

A Moose video package was shown... A Mark Briscoe promo aired. He spoke about how he was wrestling when Moose was playing in the NFL. He said moose (hunting) season is open...

2. Mark Briscoe vs. Moose (w/Veda Scott, Stokely Hathaway). Kelly noted that the tale of the tape showed that Briscoe has a dramatic experience advantage while Moose has the size advantage. Briscoe connected with a forearm off the second rope that didn't knock Moose down. A short time later with Briscoe seated on the top rope, Moose threw a nice dropkick that knocked him to ringside. Moose went after Briscoe on the floor, grabbed him by the legs, and twisted him into the guardrail three times.

Back in the ring, Moose threw a goofy running headbutt and followed up with a splash for a throwaway two count. Moose charged at Briscoe, who held the ropes down, causing Mose to fall to the floor. Briscoe dove at Moose, who caught him, and then performed a fallaway slam into the barricade.

Corino noted that the ring is different. He said the ring on this show has traditional ropes, whereas the normal ROH rings use cables. Meanwhile, Briscoe came back and kicked Moose through the ropes, then performed a running neckbreaker off the ring apron that took Moose down on the floor. Briscoe followed up with a Cactus Jack elbow drop off the ring apron at 4:35. In the ring, Briscoe ate a spear from Moose, who covered him for the win. Briscoe offered his hand afterward and Moose was about to accept when Veda Scott stopped him...

Moose beat Mark Briscoe in 5:45.

Powell's POV: Moose is still very much a work in progress, but he's improved since Final Battle. He performs some good spots, but then he still looks a little awkward and unsure of himself when he does something basic like run the ropes. Still, a passable match thanks in large part to the efforts of Mark Briscoe.

A commercial aired for the Young Bucks merchandise available on the ROH website...

A graphic noted that the Triple Threat tag match was up next. The broadcast team noted that there were title implications involved. The Kingdom came out first, then The Addiction made their entrance. Karl Anderson made his entrance without Doc Gallows. He noted that he was a man short, but he drank 40 beers last night and feels good. He said people have asked who his partner is, but he's with the Bullet Club and doesn't need a partner. The Kingdom attacked him to start the match...

3. Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven vs. Karl Anderson in a Triple Threat tag team match. Kelly explained the situation with Gallows being unable to travel due to the weather. With the rules of the match having two men in the ring at once, Anderson ended up watching part of the match from his corner. Daniels wanted to tag Kazarian, but he was knocked off the apron, so Daniels tagged in Anderson to a good reaction at 7:15.

Kazarian ended up being tagged in and had a flurry of offense and multiple wrestlers. Kelly put over Anderson for flying solo. At 8:50, Kazarian slingshotted Anderson into the ring and hit him with a Diamond Cutter on the way down for a two count. Corino played up the disadvantage that Anderson had by not having his tag partner there to fight off outside interference.

Corino played up a Hardys move that was used and called it a "Cameron, North Carolina shoutout." Without saying Matt Hardy by name, Corino said he's a great guy to continue his character's love-fest with Hardy. Funny. The fans chanted 'this is awesome" as the action continued in the ring. Taven hit Anderson with a kick and then Bennett performed a spear on Anderson. The duo performed a spike piledriver on Anderson for the win. After the match, the duo held Anderson's NJPW tag title belt over Anderson, which the announcers acted shocked by...

Mike Bennett and Matt Taven beat Christopher Daniels & Kazarian, and Karl Anderson.

Powell's POV: A quality match with the right wrestler losing considering he didn't have a tag partner. Anderson lost nothing other than the match given the circumstances, and I like the simple yet effective post match angle with Taven and Bennett showing up Anderson.

A BJ Whitmer and Roderick Strong video package aired with both of their promos mixed in...

4. Roderick Strong vs. BJ Whitmer (w/Adam Page, Jimmy Jacobs). Strong's video wall and t-shirt read "Mr. ROH" and noted that he's a triple crown champion. Strong went right after Whitmer and got the better of the initial brawling. Jacobs sat in on commentary for the match. Once they settled into in-ring action, Whitmer hit a nice spinebuster on Strong.

Whitmer controlled the next few minutes of offense. The crowd was quiet throughout most of it, but there were some Roddy chants as Whitmer stood on Strong's fingers. Strong taunted Strong by slapping him across the face a couple times. Strong came back with a kick to Whitmer's head as Whitmer was on the second rope. Strong followed up with a superplex. Strong hit a nice running clothesline and followed up with a dropkick at 7:20.

Whitmer came back with a fisherman's suplex for a two count. Corino noted that he doesn't like Whitmer, yet said he is one of the best wrestlers in ROH. Strong came back by taking out Page at ringside with a kick and then caught Whitmer with a sick kick for a good two count. They fought on the ropes and Whitmer ended up performing a facebuster for a two count. Strong came back with a jumping knee, a forearm smash, another jumping knee, and hit the Strong Breaker for the clean win...

Roderick Strong beat BJ Whitmer in 10:55.

Powell's POV: Slow at times but always technically sound. I miss Strong as the heel measuring stick of ROH, but it was probably time for a change. The crowd was receptive to him. Meanwhile, Whitmer just doesn't draw much of a reaction either way, which has sadly been the story throughout his career.

A video package set up the women's match. It focussed on Maria, who said ODB can bring her manliness to the ring, but she's going to bring her manipulation. She said ODB can underestimate her all she wants, but "this queen lives in a castle"...

The fans chanted for ODB before the entrances. Maria came out alone carrying the "title of live." ODB and Mark Briscoe were out next. Maria took the mic and said that it's bittersweet for her because she wanted to wrestle the match, but she met with a doctor and found out..."I'm pregnant." Suddenly, Bennett showed up and superkicked Briscoe, and Maria attacked ODB. "I wonder when she's due," Corino said. Funny...

5. Maria Kanellis (w/Michael Bennett) vs. ODB (w/Mark Briscoe). Kelly said he's surprised that Corino never tried to say he was pregnant to get out of a match. "I tried, did you see all the weight I put on during my career," Corino replied. Maria caught ODB with a superkick for a two count. Bennett entered the ring and tried to superkick ODB, but ODB ducked it and Bennett caught his wife with the kick.

ODB threw Maria onto Bennett and Briscoe at ringside, then dove off the top rope onto Maria and Bennett on the floor. A short time later, Bennett accidentally speared his wife on the ring apron. Briscoe put Bennett up on his shoulders and ODB clotheslined him off the ring apron for a Doomsday Device on the floor, which drew "holy Poopie" chants. Back in the ring, ODB put Maria on her shoulders and slammed her before pinning her. After the match, Briscoe took the belt of love and tore off the pink cover and the stickers as Bennett carried his wife to the back...

ODB beat Maria Kanellis in 5:05.

Powell's POV: This was fine for what it was. The crowd liked ODB and connecting her to the Briscoes was an obvious and totally effective move. I am mildly surprised that ODB went over clean here if only because I thought they might stretch this out more since it's not like there are many women for ODB to work with in ROH.

6. A.J. Styles vs. ACH. Kelly said it would be a huge win for ACH even though the oddsmakers say it may not happen. Styles did not wear his IWGP Title belt to the ring. He got a great reaction, and both wrestlers received the streamer treatment from the fans. There were dueling chants for both men, and they shook hands before the bell. A good round of arm drags and various takedowns to start, then Styles went for the Styles Clash and the crowd came to life before ACH slipped away.

ACH played to the crowd with a big smile and a biceps flex to mostly boos after he had a run on offense. A short time later, ACH did a couple of flips coming off the ropes and Styles blasted him with a dropkick after he landed the second flip. Cool spot. At 5:30, ACH went for a running springboard move, but Styles reached up and moved the ropes, causing ACH to crash and burn.

Powell's POV: I love the way the veteran Styles has outsmarted the flashy ACH a couple times already. It's a logical story to tell given where both men are at in their respective careers.

ACH performed a Styles corkscrew dive over the top rope and onto Styles on the floor. Kelly and Corino were there to immediately point out that it's a move Styles used early in his career. At 12:35, Styles performed his springboard forearm onto ACH. Moments later, ACH came back with a kick to the face, but Styles regained control immediately with what appeared to be a snap suplex into the corner.

Styles picked up ACH and slammed him down. ACH grabbed Styles leg. Styles fought him off and went up top, but ACH recovered and knocked Styles down with a kick. Corino credited the leg grab with giving ACH enough time to recover. ACH went to the ropes, but Styles recovered and chopped him. Styles went for a Pele Kick, but ACH dodged that and then followed up with a double stomp. ACH went for the 450 Splash, but Styles avoided it and applied the Calf Killer. ACH rolled Styles into a pin for a two count to break the hold. They fought for position and Styles landed a wicked DDT, then followed up with the Styles Clash for the 1-2-3...

A.J. Styles beat ACH at 15:35.

Powell's POV: This lived up to expectations, which is actually saying a lot. ACH showed great emotion afterward by appearing to be on the verge of tears as he sat in the corner and then hugged Styles. I liked the emotion there because it felt like it was part of the match compared to what we see in NXT at times where they get caught up in real emotion and break character after their matches. Styles looks like the veteran champion that he is, and ACH comes away looking like a performer on the verge of being something special. Very nicely done.

A video package set up the tag title match... Ring entrances for the tag title match took place. Rocky Romero joined the broadcast team on commentary for the match. The Bucks were over huge. The broadcast team noted that Shayna Baszler was with the champions and that she is fresh off of celebrating Ronda Rousey's win the night before. Bobby Cruise handled the in-ring introductions for the title match...

7. Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly (w/Shayna Baszler) vs. The Young Bucks for the ROH Tag Team Championship. Matt Jackson and O'Reilly both took knees from their opposition's tag partners while running the ropes, so they both turned and knocked their opposition off the ring apron and then went at one another. The Bucks got the better of Red Dragon on the floor and then celebrated in the ring. Baszler stood on the apron and crotch chopped the Bucks. Fish returned to the ring and took out both Bucks individually via the distraction. The first one looked fine, the second one looks a little silly.

Romero said he would be teaming with Trent Barreta in Chicago and Milwaukee (his usual partner Alex Koslov is on hiatus). The red masked men showed up in the crowd. In the ring, Nick made a hot tag to Matt, who worked over O'Reilly and caught Fish with a dropkick through the ropes. After hitting a move on O'Reilly in the ring, Matt went to the floor and superkicked Fish. Back in the ring, Matt set up for a top rope move, but O'Reilly rolled under the ropes at 7:15.

O'Reilly caught Matt Jackson in an armbar over the top rope, which Nick broke up with a kick. Nick flipped off the top rope and onto Fish, who was positioned on Matt's knees. The Bucks set up for superkicks, but Fish rolled to the floor an regrouped with O'Reilly. The Bucks teamed up for a superkick into a powerbomb combo that sent Fish into O'Reilly against the barricade. They went back to the ring and got a good near fall on Fish at 9:00.

At 10:10, one of the Bucks dove onto O'Reilly, who caught him in a triangle on the way down. The Bucks eventually teamed up to break the hold. Fish went for a moonsault off the top and broke up a pin the Bucks had. The fans chanted ROH and then "this is awesome." Fish brought O'Reilly to their corner for a tag. The Bucks took out Fish, then O'Reilly performed a double leg whip on the Bucks.

O'Reilly was superkicked through the ropes and into the arms of Matt Jackson, and then they teamed up for a Meltzer Driver on the floor, which drew huge "holy Poopie" chants from the crowd. Great spot. Back in the ring, the Bucks got the better of Fish and performed Chasing The Dragon on him, which Kelly noted is the Dragon's own finisher. Fish kicked out at the last moment, and the fans chanted "that was three."

A short time later, the Bucks had Fish pinned, but Baszler pulled the referee to ringside. The Bucks went to the floor and she motioned them to bring it on as the fans chanted for a superkick. O'Reilly hit the Bucks with knees from the ring. Back inside the ring, Fish performed a superplex, then they teamed up for Chasing The Dragon, but this time it was Nick Jackson kicking out at the last moment.

Matt did the "suck it" chops and the crowd was totally into that. However, the champs came back with a double team move that sent him to ringside. Fish told the fans to suck it. Fish and O'Reilly followed up with Chasing The Dragon for the win...

Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly beat The Young Bucks to retain the ROH Tag Titles in 15:40.

Powell's POV: Damn, what fast-paced action. Those two teams work so well together and the outside interference to break up the pin totally worked because I don't think fans really expected Baszler to get involved. This is one of those matches where there's so much going on that I feel like I need to go back and watch it again just to appreciate everything. I couldn't tell if one of the Jacksons was selling an arm injury or legitimately injured afterward, but the broadcast team never played it up. It was a rough spot to have Romero in because there was so much going on and he's enough of a soft spoken guy that it was hard to hear him over the crowd at times. He mentioned the team name that he and Barreta will go by, but I couldn't make it out because of the background noise (and my poor hearing).

A video package set up the ROH TV Title match...

8. Jay Lethal (w/Truth Martini, Jay Diesel) vs. Alberto El Patron for the ROH TV Title. Cruise handled the in-ring introductions and dubbed Lethal the "greatest first generation wrestler." They shook hands before the match, though Lethal pulled back his hand cockily afterward. Diesel shoved Alberto, who then superkicked him out of the ring. Alberto and Lethal fought to ringside, where Lethal crashed into the barricade a couple times.

Lethal went on the offensive once they returned to the ring by catching El Patron with a couple kicks. Lethal threw punches to the head of Patron. Moments later, Patron caught Lethal with a Cross Arm Breaker over the top rope that he broke when the referee counted. Diesel distracted Patron briefly, then Lethal superplexed him and got a throwaway two count.

Later, the red masked men showed up again and it distracted Patron. Moments later, Lethal applied an armbar on Patron, then ended up sending him to the floor and hitting him with a few dives. Lethal was bleeding from the mouth. The last dive knocked Patron into the front row. The referee started the count and Patron returned to the ring before twenty. Lethal put the boots to Alberto.

At 9:15, Patron caught Lethal in a tree of woe and then jumped off the top and hit him with a double stomp. Alberto went for a superkick, but Lethal blocked it, then they traded punches. Lethal performed the Lethal Combination for a two count. Lethal went up top and Patron caught him with a kick.

Martini ran in and tried to hit Patron with the stupid Book of Truth, but Patron ducked and put him in the Cross Arm Breaker. Lethal dove onto Patron, who caught him in the Cross Arm Breaker. The ref turned his attention to Truth, and Lethal hit Patron with the stupid book and covered him for two. A short time later, Truth hit Patron with the stupid book again, and Lethal followed up with the Lethal Injection for the win...

Jay Lethal beat Alberto El Patron to retain the ROH TV Title in 12:35.

Powell's POV: They had a tough act to follow, but I was into the match until all of the outside interference. Patron is expected to finish with ROH next month, but I thought they might deliver a crowd pleasing finish by having him go over here and then drop the title at the TV taping or elsewhere before he goes, which would have been better than the tired book finish. Patron has been such a good talker since he left WWE that I was disappointed that we didn't hear from him. I never would have said that about Alberto Del Rio when he was a babyface in WWE, but the guy is so much better on the mic now.

Nigel McGuinness joined the broadcast team...

Samoa Joe's entrance music (Tap Out by Adam Gubman) played and the crowd erupted with the pop of the night. Joe headed to the ring wearing street clothes and slapped hands with the fans at ringside. The fans chanted Joe and then "welcome back" once he entered the ring. "Who says you can't come home?" Joe asked.

Joe said 13 years ago at a dingy rec center in the worst part of Philly, a group of wrestlers came together to start a movement to bring true pro wrestling back. The fans popped and chanted ROH. Joe said they are no in Las Vegas and he looks around and sees the movement has become a revolution and it's alive and well. The fans chanted "Joe's Gonna Kill You" and then "F--- TNA."

Joe cracked a smile briefly and then turned his focus to the main event. Joe said the four men who will go through hell because they believe in professional wrestling. He continued to put over the four men, then said "just remember, whoever walks out of the ring with the belt, your ass belongs to me." Kelly thought he was finished and started talking, but Joe yelled that he is back and will be the ROH Champion. "And I am pro wrestling," Joe said. The fans chanted "Joe" as he left the ring and slapped hands with fans on his way to the back...

Ring entrances for the main event took place. Hanson was out first. Ciampa entered with a metal mask and black hood that looked pretty badass. Elgin made his entrance and didn't get much of a response. His entrance music doesn't help matters. ROH Champion Jay Briscoe was out last to a favorable reaction as the broadcast team said it had been over two years since he was beaten. Bobby Cruise handled the in-ring introductions for the championship match...

Powell's POV: Trent Barreta (a/k/a Trent?) tweeted that he and Rocky Romero will team as Roppungi Vice.

9. Jay Briscoe vs. Hanson vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Michael Elgin in a Four Corner Survival Match for the ROH Title. The three challengers went right after Briscoe to start the match, but Elgin quickly went at the other two and it seemed to be every man for himself. Briscoe and Ciampa had a nice back and forth exchange that resulted in Briscoe clotheslining Ciampa. Briscoe then clotheslined Hanson over the top rope and went with him. The fans chanted "man up" in favor of Briscoe.

Briscoe went under the ring and sifted through all the streamers that had been swept there to pull out a table. Kelly quickly explained that he was told by referee Todd Sinclair that he was going to let the four wrestlers fight it out. Elgin performed a summersault off the second rope and onto the back of the head of Ciampa, who was draped over the ropes. It was a cool spot, but Elgin got a few scattered boos in response. However, Elgin ended up hitting a double DVD on Ciampa and Briscoe, which got a good reaction from the impressed crowd.

There was an awkward spot where Hanson dropped to his knees late and then Elgin slowly climbed onto his back and awkwardly onto the second rope before hitting a double stomp. Briscoe came back with a sunset flip powerbomb attempt on Elgin, who held the ropes and went for an ass splash, only to have Briscoe move, causing Elgin to sit down on the apron. Ciampa got a near fall on Briscoe that the fans didn't seem to buy. Elgin blasted Ciampa with a kick, then Hanson caught Elgin with a kick.

Hanson stacked Ciampa onto Briscoe on the top rope in the corner and then slammed his fist down ten times as the fans counted along. Briscoe came back by DVD'ing Hanson onto Ciampa in the corner. Briscoe threw uppercuts at Elgin and then went for a kick. Elgin caught his leg and then hit a spinning clothesline. Briscoe regained control briefly and came up with a trickle of blood on the right side of his face.

Jay went up top, but Ciampa cut him down. Hanson pulled Ciampa down, but Ciampa clotheslined him and then performed a move on Briscoe off the second rope for a two count. Later, Ciampa tried to dive onto Elgin, who caught him and then performed a Razor's Edge into the guardrail, which drew holy Poopie chants. Briscoe flipped over the top rope and over/onto Elgin. Hanson went up top and flipped onto Briscoe and Elgin on the floor.

Hanson rolled Briscoe inside the ring. After a brief back and forth, Briscoe accidentally bumped the referee off the ring apron. With the referee down, Hanson hit a move and had a visual pinfall. Three red masked men (KRD) hit the ring and took turns hitting moves on Briscoe, Ciampa, and then Hanson. Kelly noted that they were performing moves they'd seen The Kingdom wrestlers perform.

Ray Rowe hit the ring and two of the masked men ran. Row tossed the third to ringside. The masked men ran through the crowd and Rowe ran after them. The fans were very quiet during all of this. Elgin grabbed Briscoe and performed a Jay Driller off the ring apron and through a table on the floor, which drew "holy Poopie" chants. Elgin threw Briscoe inside the ring and covered Briscoe, but the referee was still down at ringside.

Elgin went underneath the ring and pulled a chair out from the pile of streamers. Elgin set Briscoe's head on the chair and then picked up another for a Conchairto, but Nigel McGuinness left the broadcast table and entered the ring to intervene. Elgin complied, then tried agin when Nigel turned away, but Nigel stopped him again. Elgin was going to hit Nigel with a chair, but Ciampia intervened. The broadcast team made a big fuss over Ciampa saving Nigel due to their history. Ciampa had another visual pinfall.

Referee Paul Turner came out and took over the match for Sinclair. Ciampa performed a powerbomb on Elgin and had him pinned, but Briscoe broke it up. Ciampa performed Project Ciampa on Briscoe, who kicked out at the last moment. Elgin recovered and hit an Elgin Bomb on Ciampa, but Briscoe broke it up. Elgin rolled up Briscoe and held his pants, but Briscoe kicked out. Hanson ran in and hit a spin kick on Briscoe, who fell onto Ciampa. Elgin pulled Hanson from the ring, and Briscoe got the three count for the win...

Jay Briscoe defeated Hanson, Tommaso Ciampa, and Michael Elgin to retain the ROH Title in 16:20.

After the match, Elgin seethed. Samoa Joe walked out and stopped to have a brief moment with a smiling Elgin, then entered the ring. Joe picked up the ROH Title and looked at it. Joe shoved the belt into Briscoe's chest and then shook his hand. Joe pulled Briscoe in for a staredown. They locked eyes as Briscoe held up his title belt to close the live show...

A video hyped that ROH returns to pay-per-view for Best in the World with every title on the line on Friday, June 19 from New York City...

Powell's POV: An overbooked mess of a finish that would have been more appropriate for a TNA anniversary show than the ROH anniversary show. The match didn't grab me on paper, and overbooking it didn't help matters. It was enjoyable at times and it felt like it was starting to build to a good finish when the ref bump occurred. Ugh. I did enjoy the post match moment that Joe had with Elgin, and even more so the staredown he had with Jay Briscoe. Now that will feel like a worthy pay-per-view main event.

Overall, this was a very good show despite the overbooked main event. The matches that looked really good on paper were really good in execution. I strongly recommend the replay. I liked the setting, the enthusiastic crowd, the fact that there was more star power than usual, and the in-ring product. A good night for ROH. I also like the move to Friday night on pay-per-view. Sunday is such a loaded night for television that it will be interesting to see how they perform on a different night. Thanks for watching along with me tonight. I'll be back late Sunday night with a member exclusive audio review.