Last week: The Pure Championship Tournament’s block finals came to an end with Tracy Williams submitting Jay Lethal, and Jonathan Gresham overcoming the grappling acumen of Josh Woods with a pinning combination.
ROH TV Episode 476
October 31, 2020
Baltimore, MD
Last week, Vincent attacked Matt Taven from behind to prevent their scheduled match & execute his version of Sliced Bread on the floor. Pulling out a table and setting it up at ringside, Vincent’s plan of putting Taven through the wood would be accented by jumping off a purple ladder. Security ran out, but Vincent couldn’t be stopped. Vincent climbed the ladder, using the Redrum swanton bomb to put Taven through the table!
A recap of EC3’s ROH debut was shown that was capped off by a confrontation between himself and Shane Taylor. EC3 talked about understanding Taylor’s reason to fight, but didn’t feel Taylor has done enough to earn the right to be named among the elite of ROH; unlike The Briscoes. Taylor, on the other hand, felt disrespected by EC3 doesn’t know what Shane – a person who had to become a man at nine-years-old – has been through and declared the Soldiers of Savagery & himself will make EC3 understand why Shane is the baddest champion in the land.
The Briscoes & EC3 vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor & The Soldiers of Savagery)
Kaun actually volunteered himself to start this one off with none other than EC3. Though Kaun had the physic, it was EC3 with the power advantage. Taking down Kaun after muscling his opponent around, EC3 followed his opponent to the floor. Big back elbow from EC3 when the action returned inside; giving Mark Briscoe the chance to tag in. Mark decided to showcase his grappling abilities before landing a big knife-edge chop. Kaun stopped an incoming Mark with a back elbow in the corner, splashing him afterward. Moses tagged himself in to start a double team series that started with Moses using his partner as a shoulder tackler before Kaun hit the hilo. Unfortunately for Moses he got too close to the wrong corner that allowed Jay Briscoe to tag in and land a big boot on him prior to the commercial break.
The Briscoes were in compete control during the break, but it was EC3 that felt the wrath of the SOS before Shane Taylor came in and started knocking Mark around. Cleveland Cutter connected for Taylor on Mark, and Jay took a running knee strike for his trouble afterward. Quick tags by SOS saw them ground Jay on the wrong part of town with Moses even putting the bad mouth on the former ROH World champion. Taylor became the legal man, taking a big discus forearm that allowed Jay to tag out to his brother. Mark was on fire with dropkicks aplenty. Moses dove off the apron to wipe out Jay on the floor while EC3 knocked Taylor over the barricades. Mark followed the action to the floor to wipe out most everyone with a twisting splash. Froggy Bow missed for Mark after pushing Taylor back in. When Mark rolled to his feet he walked into Welcome to the Land to give Shane the three count for his team. EC3 seemed surprised with the result.
In a pre-taped vignette, Tracy Williams found himself finally in the spot he envisioned of himself in ROH after spending so much time coming up short. Williams has proven himself in ROH throughout this tournament – defeating unknowns and stalwarts alike. Williams saw his moment to create change through competition comes now with someone of a like-minded nature. Williams revealed that he and Gresham spoke before this tournament with “Hot Sauce” declaring they will restore the purity of ROH.
Jonathan Gresham too confirmed that he and Williams spoke before this tournament with the intent of restoring honor in ROH after the company lost its way. Though he wants to restore purity in Honor, this is truly a personal endeavor for Gresham as it his time to cement with The Foundation is with wrestling rooted in what ROH used to be. No matter the winner, according to Gresham, The Foundation wins tonight.
Pure Championship Tournament Final Match: Tracy Williams vs. Jonathan Gresham
An immediate tie-up saw them go for pinning combinations so quickly stopped the referee couldn’t get off his feet. When they locked up again it was Tracy Williams hip tossing his opponent to the floor. Williams followed with the two trading holds until they ended up in a stalemate at ringside. Williams invited Jonathan Gresham back in where Gresham had to survive several submission holds without using a rope break. “Hot Sauce’s” attention was on the left arm of his opponent until “The Octopus” got underneath and then on top of Tracy to work over Williams’ legs. Williams rolled out of the submission attempt heading into the commercial break.
Williams blocked a pair of boots in the corner, only to get his arm yanked. Big double ax handle to Williams’ arm left him prone to having his arms twisted to Gresham’s pleasure. Williams had to use a rope break to save himself from the Octopus Stretch set up. Slipping behind his opponent, Williams executed a big belly to back suplex. Gresham had to use a rope break himself when “Hot Sauce” started attacking his arm & back with the intent of making him submit. Spear from Williams did more damage to him than it did “The Octopus”. Williams was firing himself up, blocking submissions and executing a big clothesline after getting his arm wrenched. Gresham’s left leg was giving him trouble after landing on his feet, but he refused to be stopped as they traded strikes heading into the commercial.
They were battling in the corner with Gresham hooking “Hot Sauce’s” arm pits to pull his opponent & himself over the top rope. Williams was able to reenter the ring before Gresham; catching the Tag Team champion coming in with the brain buster when that rope-assisted DDT didn’t work. Williams immediately converted the buster into a crossface that had Gresham squealing in agony. Gresham had to use another rope break to save himself from the crossface as commentators Ian Riccaboni & Caprice Coleman noted this is the exact total of rope breaks Gresham used during the entire tournament thus far. Gresham fired himself up, executing a trio of running forearm strikes after he was unsuccessful with the German suplex pinning combination. Williams stopped the Octopus Stretch, executing the piledriver … for a near fall thanks to the ropes!
Gresham had used all of his rope breaks. Williams removed his shoulder guard with the plan of knocking Gresham out. Instead, Gresham caught the incoming arm to cinch in the Octopus Stretch. Williams had no choice but to verbally submit. We have a NEW CHAMPION!
Jay Lethal came out to celebrate with his partner as Gresham was awarded the championship belt and a trophy. Code of Honor followed by the competitors.
Overall: Undoubtedly one of ROH’s greatest tournaments has come to an end with the most predictable outcome as the overall favorite to win did just that with Gresham becoming the first ROH Pure champion in 14 years. Though Gresham was the favorite, by the time the match started the outcome wasn’t completely predictable as Williams did a fantastic job during the tourney and as the match progressed it seemed everything was falling into his game plan seen throughout the tournament (working over the arm of his opponent, forcing his opponent to exhaust all of his rope breaks before him). The one trick Gresham wasn’t able to successfully pull off in any tournament match was Williams’ undoing as the master of the Octopus Stretch finally locked in his patented move for the submission win. A masterful match to cap off a wonderful tournament. I can’t wait to see where Gresham & the championship goes from here.
Also it’ll be interesting to see what EC3 does following his ROH debut being spoiled by Shane Taylor. The six-man tag was really fun with EC3 fitting well with his opponents & partners. One can only assume we’ll see EC3 versus Taylor in the very near future, or maybe an unimpressed EC3 fighting the man responsible for his team’s loss. An absolutely fantastic episode topped by history being made as Jonathan Gresham is the new ROH Pure champion.
