Background: Following the first TV taping of 2015, Ring of Honor had the opportunity to welcome former WWE champion Alberto El Patron to the company. El Patron immediately drew the ire of ROH Television champion Jay Lethal before defeating Christopher Daniels in a thriller of a bout. Fans grew more enthused as more matches were announced featuring A.E.P. including the first leg of ROH’s “Winter Warriors Tour” where the company returned to Dearborn featuring a modern day dream match of El Patron vs. ACH.
Winter Warriors Tour: Dearborn
Dearborn, MI
January 30, 2015
Alberto El Patron vs. ACH
The two locked up, only for ACH to get a little angry with El Patron refusing to take his shirt off. You know a guy is popular when men in the audience celebrate another man taking his shirt off. ACH kicked his opponent’s legs in hopes of bringing him down, but got punched to the mat instead. The international World champion had ACH reeling, taking his time to mock him a little bit. ACH started cart wheeling and rolling to set up a dropkick that was topped by his belly to back suplex. Things were getting a little sloppy, so El Patron decided to keep it simple and kick his opponent into the ropes. ACH back dropped the incoming Alberto over the top rope, with El Patron grabbing the ring apron on the way down. When ACH went to dive on him, El Patron threw the ripped ring banner to blind him. ACH landed on his feet, prone to a sick enzuguri. After whipping ACH across the ringside area, El Patron landed a super kick on the tree of woe placed opposition.
ACH tried to punch his way off the mat, only to get caught in a modified cross arm bar across the ropes. Alberto almost turned his opponent inside out with the follow up clothesline before scaling the ropes. This time, ACH was ready, dropkicking El Patron out of midair. ACH fired off some clotheslines of his own, using a head scissors to nastily dump A.E.P. on the floor. El Patron slowly rose, getting his chest kicked as hard as ACH could. ACH rolled Alberto back in, landing a Ricky Steamboat-like cross body block from the top rope seconds later. ACH scaled the ropes again as a “U-S-A!” chant broke out. Alberto stopped ACH’s ascent, reverse superplexing ACH … for a near fall!
The fans were clapping and stomping in support of the rising El Patron – who was starting to motion for the Cross Arm Bar. ACH blocked the submission, sending Alberto shoulder first into the steel ring post. A sly smile graced ACH’s face before he double stomped the back of El Patron’s head … for a two count!
ACH decided to do a little jaw jacking before motioning for a maneuver that Alberto easily countered and executed a sick arm breaker over his knees. Kneeling super kick from Alberto didn’t result in a three count. ACH rolled onto the apron, catching the incoming El Patron with the hotshot before clotheslining him to the floor. The flying tiger special landed for ACH to a positive response. Rather than go for the pin, ACH pushed Alberto into the ring for a 450 Splash attempt. El Patron avoided the attack, going for his submission finisher. Rolling through the Cross Arm Bar attempt, ACH was able to German suplex El Patron … to gain another two count!
Not taking a chance to let Alberto recover, ACH scaled the ropes once again. At the last second was Alberto getting his knees up to stop ACH’s 450 Splash. ACH literally bounced into the Cross Arm Bar. ACH had no choice but to tap out.
Winner: Alberto El Patron (15:04)
Is It A Classic: The highly anticipated El Patron vs. ACH match saw the wrestlers having a hard time getting in synch with each other, causing the first few minutes to be incredibly sloppy. Then things turned around and the match you’d expect from these two finally happened as they started going full throttle. It was also nice to see ACH show a little attitude with the mouthing off and sly smiles before his inevitable demise.
