It is the aftermath of Steel Cage Warfare. SCUM has been vanquished thanks to the actions of the four members of the team and Nigel McGuinness.
We are in Providence, Rhode Island and your announcers are Kevin ‘There’s Something About’ Kelly and Nigel ‘Matchmaker Matchmaker . . . Make Up Your Match’ McGuinness.
Match Number One: 3.0 (Shane Matthews and Scott Parker) versus Adrenaline Rush (Tadarius Thomas and ACH)
Parker and ACH start things off and ACH with a side head lock. ACH floats over and he hits a drop kick. Parker avoids ACH in the corner but ACH with an elbow. Matthews drops ACH across the top rope and Parker with a drop kick to the back followed by an elbow drop. Matthews tags in and he connects with an elbow but ACH with forearms and a slap.
Parker is back in and he knocks Thomas off the apron. ACH with a back drop to Parker and he tags in Parker. Thomas with punchesa and head butts to Parker and Matthews. Thomas with a kick to Matthews and he avoids Parker and Parker accidentally clotheslines his partner. Thoams with a slap to Parker followed by a series of kicks and a half nelson suplex for a near fall.
Matthews comes in and Thomas with knees and kicks to Matthews. ACH tags in and he leaps over Matthews but Parker with an elbow to the chest. ACH with a kick to Parker and Parker sends ACH over his head into a spear from Matthews. Parker gets a near fall. Matthews tags in and ACH with chops to both men but Matthews backs ACH into the corner and Parker with an enzuigiri.
Parker with a flying Yakuza kick to Thomas that knocks him off the apron. Parker with a flap jack to ACH followed by a power bomb by Matthews and he calls for and applies a Boston Crab. Parker goes after Thomas but Tadarius moves out of the way and Parker goes to the floor. The referee keeps Thomas from interfering but that is momentary because Thomas with a kick to the midsection and Matthews releases the hold.
Thomas goes to the apron and he hits a moonsault onto Parker on the floor. ACH with a package DDT to Matthews for the three count.
Winners: Tadarius Thomas and ACH
We go to commercial.
We are back and Nigel McGuinness is in the ring and he says that we are at unprecedented moment in the history of Ring of Honor. Due to the injuries suffered by Jay Briscoe two weeks ago on television, he was forced to strip Jay of the World Title.
Today, for the first time in history, the Ring of Honor World Title is vacant. The War with SCUM is over and honor was restored. One of the casualties will be Jay’s title reign. Nigel says that it was not an easy decision and it was not his decision. No one questions Jay’s toughness or what he has done. When the doctor looks at Jay’s shoulder and says that Jay will not be able to wrestle for 3 or 4 months, there is nothing that he can do.
Nigel says that he has the decision to make a new Ring of Honor World Champion. In three weeks, we will start a tournament with sixteen of the top competitors. It will end in the home town of Ring of Honor . . . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
It is time to refocus on rebuilding this company. In the absence of a World Champion, he is going to put an emphasis on the tag titles and he will bring in some of the top tag teams from around the world.
The Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish make their way to the ring.
Nigel says that Kyle and Bobby are the best tag team in the world today.
Bobby takes the mic and he says that Nigel said it. They are the greatest tag team in the world today. It is no secret that since these titles have been around their waists, TV ratings are up. The live attendance is up. They are here to do Nigel and Ring of Honor a favor. The tag title defenses are piling up and their mythical level as champions has made them man up.
Tonight, they have the Forever Fooligans . . . Hooligans in a Proving Ground match. As the saviors of Ring of Honor, he has an offer for Nigel. Instead of a Proving Ground match, why not make it a World Tag Title match.
Bobby says not to get this twisted. They did not do it for the fans.
Nigel says that sounds like a fantastic idea so we will have the match.
Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards make their way to the ring.
Nigel asks Davey and Eddie what they have to say about the title match later tonight.
Davey says that he is giving them props for having the balls to put the titles on the line. Romero and Koslov are a great team. The champions are a great team. However, the former champions, Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards are not in the World Title Tournament because they are ready to become World Tag Team Champions. Whatever happens tonight, he tells the champions to keep the belts warm because they are coming to collect.
We go to commercial.
We are back with Inside Ring of Honor and we take a look at what is going to happen with the World Title.
We see footage from Jay Briscoe after he was stripped of the title.
Kevin says that Jay Briscoe will be out between three and six months.
We go to footage of Michael Elgin saying that he will not accept being handed the title because he would not be the best. The best earns everything he has. He refuses to be handed the World Title.
Sixteen men will enter a tournament to see who will become the next World Champion starting in a few weeks and ending at Death Before Dishonor in Philadelphia. Every match in the tournament will be on television.
We go to comments from Michael Elgin. He says he did everything Nigel wanted in Ring of Honor and now Nigel has done what he asked. Sixteen men to determine who will be the next World Champion. Any man can win a match, but it takes a real man and a true champion to win four matches. Michael says that he has fought long and hard for Ring of Honor and now he will fight for himself.
Before the tournament starts, we have a qualifying match between Adam Page and Silas Young on this week’s show.
We go to commercial.
We are back and QT Marshall is at the announce table trying to argue that he should be in the tournament.
Before the match starts, QT gets in the ring and he tells Nigel that it is ridiculous and utterly appalling to have the people decide whether he should be in this tournament. QT says that the people would want him fired right now.
Page takes the mic and he says the people did not come here to hear QT Marshall talk. Adam tells Nigel to put the doofus in the match.
Nigel tells the referee to ring the bell and all three men are in the match.
Match Number Two: Adam Page versus Silas Young versus QT Marshall in a Ring of Honor World Title Tournament Qualifying Match
Page with a punch to Young and then he chops Marshall. Page avoids a charge by Young and Young with a shoulder to Marshall in the corner. Young lands on his feet when Page tries for a belly-to-back suplex. Page avoids a clothesline from Young and Page with a reverse atomic drop and a drop kick. Page goes for a pescado but Marshall catches him and hits a power slam for a near fall.
Young with a slingshot elbow drop to Page and Marshall with a rollup for a near fall. Young and Marshall alternate forearms and kicks. Marshall with a Fameasser for a near fall. Page with a chop to Marshall. Marshall with an elbow to Page. Page with a spinning heel kick and Young pulls Page off Marshall. Page with an enzuigiri to Young.
Page is sent to the apron by Marshall and Page with a forearm. Young with a clothesline to Marshall and then he stops Page on the turnbuckles. Young tries for a superplex but Page pushes him off. Young climbs the turnbuckles again and Marshall goes under for a tower of doom attempt but Young bites Marshall’s forehead. Young is stopped on the superplex and he is dropped to the mat.
Page with a cross body to Marshall followed by a forearm to Young’s head. Page with a drop kick to Marshall and he turns it into a moonsault on Young for a near fall that is broken up by Marshall. Marshall sends Page to the apron but Page with a shoulder to Marshall and he back drops Marshall to the floor.
Young with a uranage back breaker followed by a lariat on the knee for a near fall on Page. Young with a Finlay slam and he tries for the headstand into the Arabian press but Page moves. Page goes to the turnbuckles but Marshall pushes Page off the turnbuckle and onto the apron. Young with a small package for the three count.
Winner: Silas Young (Advances to face Tommaso Ciampa in the First Round of the World Title Tournament)
Match Number Three: Rocky Romero and Alex Koslov versus Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish for the Ring of Honor Tag Team Titles
Romero and Fish start things off and they lock up. Fish with a clean break. They lock up again and Romero works on the wrist. Fish with a drop toe hold and he applies a side head lock. Romero with a top wrist lock but Fish with a waist lock and take down. Fish slaps Romero in the head and Romero escapes and he slaps Fish in the head. Romero with a waist lock and he takes Fish to the mat.
Fish gets to the ropes and Romero breaks the hold. Fish with an elbow but he misses a kick. Romero with a back heel kick and a drop kick to the head and Romero tags in Koslov. Romero with a slam and then Romero assists Koslov with a slingshot splash onto Fish for a near fall.
Fish with a knee and he tags in Kyle. Koslov with an arm drag and chops. Koslov with a drop kick and he knocks Fish off the apron. He does the same to O’Reilly. Fish with a knee to Koslov. Fish mises an elbow and Koslov with a flip dive onto O’Reilly on the floor.
Romero props himself into the ropes and Fish charges at him but Romero moves. Fish goes to the floor and Romero with a suicide dive onto Kyle and Bobby. We go to commercial.
We are back and Koslov rolls Kyle back into the ring. Koslov with an arm bar and he tags in Romero. They Irish whip Kyle into the corner and then Koslov sends Romero into the corner to clothesline Kyle. Koslov prepares to hit a running clothesline but Romero stops him and Romero with another clothesline into the corner. He stops Koslov a second time and Romero with a third clothesline to Kyle.
Koslov wants to clothesline O’Reilly but Romero stops him again. They argue and act like hooligans, but before they start fighting, they realize that it is better to hug it out.
Romero with a chop and reverse atomic drop. Kyle with an Irish whip but Romero with a clothesline out of the corner. Fish with a clothesline to Romero. Koslov gets back into the match without a tag and he goes after O’Reilly. Koslov with punches but Kyle sends Alex to the floor.
Fish runs Koslov into the guardrails and then Kyle with a running hesitation drop kick off the apron.
Fish punches Romero in the ring and the referee warns Fish. Kyle with a boot to the back and then he tags in Fish. Fish punches Romero and then connects with a knee against the ropes. Fish with a suplex and he gets a near fall. Fish sends Romero into the turnbuckles and Kyle tags back in. Kyle Irish whips Romero into the corner and then he sends Bobby into the corner who connects with a knee to the chest. Kyle with a running knee.
Fish with a back breaker to Romero and Kyle with a knee drop from the turnbuckles for a near fall. Kyle with a seated abdominal stretch on Romero and he gets a near fall with a rollup. Kyle with a snap mare and then Fish is tagged in and he hits a slingshot senton for a near fall. Fish with knees to the chest followed by an Irish whip and drop kick.
Fish with a near fall on Romero. Romero with slaps while Fish with forearms. Fish with a few kicks but Romero blocks a kick. Romero tries for a kick but Fish blocks it. Romero misses an enzuigiri but he connects with a mule kick. Kyle comes in and he keeps Romero from making the tag momentarily but Rocky kicks Kyle away and he tags in Koslov.
Koslov with a springboard cross body to Fish and then he hits a head scissors take down. Koslov with a clothesline to O’Reilly and then one to Fish. Kyle with an Irish whip but Koslov goes to the apron to avoid a charge by Kyle. Koslov with a springboard drop kick. Fish misses a round kick. Koslov misses a kick but he connects with a
dragon whip.
Romero tosses Koslov his had and he does the traditional Russian dance and kicks Fish in the back. Koslov with a double stomp for a near fall. Romero stops Kyle but Kyle with a forearm. Romero with an uppercut and then Koslov gets Kyle on his shoulders. Romero goes up top and connects with a knee to the chest and Kyle falls to the mat.
Romero with a clothesline into the corner and then Koslov runs Romero’s knees into Fish. Romero gets Fish up for a slam but he turns it into a modified tombstone piledriver. Koslov goes up top and he hits a shooting star press but Kyle breaks up the cover.
Romero slaps Kyle and kicks him but Kyle fires back with kicks and knees to Romero. Kyle with a leg sweep. Koslov with an enzuigiri to Kyle. Fish with a Saito suplex and everyone is down in the ring even though only two are legal. Romero and Kyle tag in and they exchange forearms. Kyle with the advantage and he tries for a leg sweep but Romero leaps over Kyle. Romero with a leaping knee to the head.
Kyle with a knee to the head and Fish goes for a round kick but Romero ducks it and Romero with a rollup. Kyle with an axe kick to Romero. Fish with a back heel kick and Kyle with a Regalplex to Romero for a near fall. Koslov breaks up the cover.
While the action is going on in the ring, we see people in the front row banging the guardrails. We go back to the
wrestling and Koslov with punches to Fish and O’Reilly. Fish with a forearm and Kyle with a roaring elbow. Fish runs Romero into the turnbuckles and then O’Reilly follows up with a Yakuza Kick.
Fish with a German suplex to Romero and then Kyle and Bobby go high and low on Romero but they can only get a two count. They
set for Chasing the Dragon but Koslov grabs Fish and pulls him down. Romero with a backslide for the three count.
Winners: Rocky Romero and Alex Koslov
After the match, Fish and O’Reilly argue with the referee while Romero and Koslov
celebratetheir victory.
We go to credits.
