Post by Cauchi on May 31, 2017 14:20:35 GMT -5
A brief video package plays hyping some of RoH’s biggest draft acquisitions before finishing with the tag line “A New Era of Honor Begins!” We then go to a brand new opening video set to the music of Shinedown’s “Devour”. Once the video ends, the lights begin to flash and the pyro explodes from the stage as we are officially live with ROH’s first show.
Ranallo: Welcome everybody to the first edition of Ring of Honor TV! We are live at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York for what is sure to be a show to remember!
Graves: The road to Death Before Dishonour starts tonight Mauro! It’s a new era of Honor, and of course it couldn’t have been possible without the voice of RoH, me!
I’M BACK! AND BETTER THAN EVER!
Eric Bischoff’s music begins to play as he walks down to the ring to a thunderous reaction from the crowd.
Bischoff: What can I say other than its good to be back! Tonight we set the tone for what will be the most exciting WRESTLING show on television. The slate is wiped clean tonight, your win loss records at this point mean nothing to me, because RoH is going to be the land of opportunity. Speaking of opportunity, there were certain individuals over this past week who had the guts to come up to me and seize opportunities for themselves. The Young Bucks and Marty Scurll called me dozens of times asking to be drafted to Ring of Honor, because they knew any show ran by me would be the must see brand! Now, to reward that loyalty, I’ve decided to reinstate The Young Bucks as RoH Tag Team Champions, and Marty Scurll as RoH TV Champion, titles that they never lost in the first place!
*The crowd boos*
The other individual, well he was little different. He offered to wash my car, cut my grass, and even babysit my grandchildren just to get himself a job! I saw this person as annoying, clumsy, disgusting, and even down right stupid! Then, it hit me. He wasn’t annoying, he was dedicated. He wasn’t clumsy, he was determined, and excited. He wasn’t stupid, he was loyal. Ladies and gentlemen here is your General Manager, James Ellsworth!
(Ellsworth springs down to the ring, slipping and falling on the ramp before actually getting in. He shakes Bischoff’s hand and takes the microphone from his as Eric leaves the ring.)
Ellsworth: Thank you, thank you very much. It’s a real “honour” to be given this opportunity! Speaking of opportunities, my first announcement as GM of RoH is that each and every week here on RoH TV, we are going to be holding a James Ellsworth Opportunity Challenge! Each and every week I will select an aspiring RoH Superstar and give them the opportunity to have a match against one of our own. If they win, they get a RoH contract, and an opportunity to live their dream just like I…..
(Ellsworth is cut off by Seth Rollins, as RoH’s number 1 draft pick makes his way to the ring.)
Rollins: James, no one cares about your stupid opportunity challenge! The people here in the crowd, hell, the boys in the back want to know who is going to be your RoH World Heavyweight Champion. As the first pick for RoH in the draft, I am clearly the most highly regarded superstar on this roster, so it’s only fair to assume I should be named RoH Champion.
Ellsworth: Well, yeah okay I guess…
Rollins: Alright then do it! Name me RoH Champion!
Ellsworth: Okay, as of this moment, you are officially…
GLORIOUS
NO I WON’T GIVE IN, I WON’T GIVE IN, TILL I’M VICTORIOUS
AND I WILL DEFEND, I WILL DEFEND
Roode: Hold on a second here! If you’re just going to give away the most prestigious title in the company, I demand you give it to me! I’m been the World Champion everywhere I’ve gone. Not only am I the best choice, but I’m simply, GLORIOUS!
Ellsworth: Okay, I guess you’re right, but Seth asked firs……
Balor: James, I’m not going to come out here and ask to be RoH Champion, because I’ll let my fists do the talking, but if anyone should be the RoH Champion, it should be me!
The crowd seems to agree with him.
Nakamura: Count, Nakamura, in. I am, King of Strongstyle, and next, Ring of Honor, Champion!
Ellsworth: Okay, well how about this, um. We can have a tournament, yeah! I’ll give all four of you matches and the winners can move on to a Fatal-Four Way match at Best in the World. Yeah, that sounds great, and it will be for the RoH Championship! Tonight, um, Shinsuke you’ll have the first match, and uh Finn Balor, you’re in the main event for match two!
**COMMERCIAL**
Tommy End vs. Matt Sydal
The first match of the new RoH era is a short one. Sydal charges at Tommy End right at the bell, but End steps out of the way and catches Sydal with the Black Mass spinning heel kick for the quick 3 count. After the match Sydal, visibly upset can’t believe how quickly he lost. Tommy End just stares at him in the middle of the ring as Sydal shakes his head and mouths the words “Next time” to End before leaving the ring.
Winner: Tommy End by pinfall (Black Mass)
**COMMERCIAL**
Backstage in Tommy End’s locker room, End is taking the tape off his hands, when in walk Chris Hero and Cesaro looking more than happy to see Tommy, End however does not look as impressed. Hero introduces Cesaro and Tommy to each other explaining how they used to team together. Hero then begins to tell End how impressed they were with his quick win over Matt Sydal in the last match, before bringing up the idea that Tommy End should join The Kings of Wrestling. Tommy gives them no response, he just stares at Hero and Cesaro who both have their hands extended. End then goes back to unwrapping his hands. Slightly annoyed, Hero informs End that he and Cesaro have a match next week against the Tag Team Champions. Hero suggests that End watch that match closely, and hopefully makes a decision next week. Cesaro and Hero then leave as we go to the ring for our next match.
The Dudley Boyz vs. reDRagon
The old guard versus the new in this tag match. Both teams with an even amount of time in control as Bubba really works over Kyle O’Reilly with frequent tags, but eventually Devon is unable to hold O’Reilly away from his corner, and he makes the hot tag to Bobby Fish who returns the earlier punishment on Devon. The finish comes when O’Reilly the legal man in laying outside of the ring. Seeing an opportunity to inflict more damage, Bubba hold Fish in place for the Wassup? but O’Reilly is able to make it up in enough time to toss Devon off the top rope before taking Bubba down with a missile dropkick. This shift in momentum allows O’Reilly and Fish to hit Chasing the Dragon on Bubba for the 1,2,3! After the match, Bubba and Devon go up to the boys that just got one over on them. Looking like they are about to attack, The Dudleyz instead shake hands with their opponents and hug them in the middle of the ring. The grizzled veterans raise their arms of the victors as we transition backstage.
Winners: reDRagon by pinfall (Chasing the Dragon)
We go backstage to the APA’s “club house” as JBL and Ron Simmons are shown playing poker with Mark and Jay Briscoe, sharing a few cigars as well as a couple of cans of Budweiser. JBL tosses down his hand showing 3 Aces with 1 in his hand and 2 in the flop. He reaches in to grab the pot, until Jay Briscoe throws down 4 Aces with 2 in his hand and 2 in the flop. Simmons, shocked realizes that there are 5 Aces on the table right now and accuses the Briscoe boys of cheating, but Jay claims these are JBL’s cards, and says if anyone is guilty of putting extra Aces in the deck it would be him. This escalates in to a brief club house brawl, which is finished as backstage officials pull the two teams apart. With the Briscoes now gone, Bradshawn turns over to Simmon and says “Those boys sure know how to fight” before putting the 5th Ace back in the deck. This is met with the usual Ron Simmons reaction of “DAMN” before the two sit back down again with their cigars.
**COMMERCIAL**
We return from commercial to see James Ellsworth in his office, when Marty Scurrl and The Young Bucks walk in gloating about Bischoff’s decision to reinstate them as champions. Ellsworth says he’s glad to see them as he had just finished talking about the 3. He then tells Marty that next week there will be a triple threat match between Roderick Strong, Pete Dunne and Ricochet to determine the number one contender for the TV title at Death Before Dishonour. Next he tells The Young Bucks that they will also be defending their tag team titles at the PPV against Matt and Jeff Hardy. Enraged, Marty Scurll offers to discuss this with James over a tea party, but the Bucks suggest a Superkick Party instead. Terrified, Ellsworth cowers under his desk before offering to put Kenny Omega in the RoH Title Tournament next week. The Bullet club members agree that is a good enough compromise and leave Ellsworth’s office as we go back to the ring for our next match.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Zack Sabre, Jr.
RoH World Title Tournament Match #1
COMPLETE TECHNICAL CLINIC! The two brought the action to each other in a big way. Highlight of the match was Zack Sabre turning Sabre Driver in to the Jim Breaks Armbar mid connection, which looked to have Nakamura trapped, before Shinsuke was able to roll out of the submission attempt. The battle went to the floor with Sabre taking all of Nakamura’s dive to the outside. Near falls from both men had the crowd chanting “this is awesome” at more than one point during the match. The finish came when Sabre jumping off the top rope was met on the way down with a perfectly timed Kinshasa from Nakamura for the 1…..2……3! Nakamura wins and becomes the first superstar to advance to the Fatal-Four Way at Death Before Dishonour.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall (Kinshasa)
**COMMERCIAL**
James Ellsworth Contract Opportunity Challenge with Greg Roberts
Corey Graves is in the ring with local talent Greg Roberts who is the first ever participant in the James Ellsworth Opportunity Challenge. Graves asks Roberts if he is ready for this match and Greg says not at all. He is visibly shaken which causes Graves to laugh at his response. Graves then asks if Greg has any last words, to which Greg replies “Please let it be anyone but Strowman.”
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR
Almost instantaneously, Braun Strowman’s music blares through the area as the 6’8” 385lb behemoth makes his way down to the ring. Braun enters the ring as Greg has now cowered himsef in to the corner. As the bell rings, Braun slowly walks over to Roberts who is begging him for mercy. Strowman grabs him and tosses him hallway across the ring, causing Greg to yelp as if he had just been hit by a car. Strowman picks him up and hits him with a Running Powerslam before covering him for the win. After the match James Ellsworth comes down to the ring and presents Greg with a participant’s gift, an official James Ellsworth t-shirt. Still unconscious from the assault, Greg is unable to accept the shirt, so Ellsworth just leaves it beside him before heading to the back. The camera can pick up Ellsworth clearly saying “I think this was a great success!”
Winner: Braun Strowman via pinfall (Running Powerslam)
(We are transported to The Hardy Compound where Matt and Jeff are both standing out front of the house. Reby comes outside to tell Matt she just received a phone call from a man named…)
Matt: JAMES! HA yeeeeeees I knew he’d call, I had a PREEEEMMMMOOOOOONIIIITTTTTIIIOOOONNNN! Myself and Brother Nero, we continue our Quest for GOOOOOLD at Death Before Dishonour against those Bucks of Youth. Brother Nero, we have been recruited by the one they call BEEESHOFF to join his crusade against the MeekMahon’s and have been rewarded with this WONDERFUL opportunity. Come Death Before Dishonour we will DELETE the Bucks of Youth, and we will render the Club made from Bullets OBSOLETE! Come spot monkey, we have much to do in preparation for this battle HA HA YES WONDERFUL!
**COMMERCIAL**
Main Event: Mike Bennett w/ Maria vs. Finn Balor
RoH World Title Tournament Match #2
Bennett attacks Balor before the bell, taking the opportunity to get the early advantage in this important match. He then tosses Balor to the outside, but proceeds to follow him out there, sending Balor shoulder first in to the steel steps. Bennett stomps on Balor’s body as he fights to get back to his feet, seeing a second to react, Balor pulls Bennet forward, causing him to smash his face off the steps. With Bennett down in pain, and Maria checking on him, Balor rolls back in to the ring to catch his breath. Bennett eventually rolls in to the ring while Maria argues with the referee about why Balor wasn’t disqualified for using the steps, even though the bell hadn’t even rung yet. Once order is restored, the referee calls to officially start this match. Bennett and Balor lock up, as Bennet muscles Finn in to the corner, where he begins to inflict more punishment. Fast forward to the middle of the match, Maria attempts to get herself involved after Balor takes Bennet out with a 373 but is tossed from ringside by the referee, much to the dismay of both Mike Bennett and his wife Maria. Bennett is able to hit the hfdfdfh on Balor, but Finn gets a shoulder up after a close 2 count. The finish comes when Bennett tosses Balor in to the corner, and charges towards him with a running clothesline. Balor is able to move out of the way, sending Bennett crashing in to the corner, where Balor the catches him at the side of the head with a Pele kick, dropping Bennett to the matt. Sensing his opportunity, Balor climbs up to the top rope and comes crashing down with the Coup de Grace for the 3! Following the match, Shinsuke Nakamura comes out on to the stage and points at Balor, smiling. Balor does the same, acknowledging that the two rivals have both secured their spots in the Fatl Four-Way match.
Winner: Finn Balor via pinfall (Coup de Grace)
**END OF THE SHOW**