Last week: ROH ended 2020 with its annual wildcard ten-man tag as Jay Briscoe’s team of himself, Flip Gordon, Brian Milonas, John Walters & PCO overcame his brother Mark’s quintet featuring Briscoe, Beer City Bruiser, Dak Draper, Tracy Williams & Dalton Castle.
ROH TV Episode 485
January, 2 2020
Baltimore, MD
We got some stills of the action from “Final Battle 2020” that saw no title change hands and The Foundation confronting La Faccion Ingobernables.
Quinn McKay was here to introduce us to a special edition of ROH TV recapping how the Corona Virus affected ROH starting with the cancellations that came during the beginning of Covid-19’s spread. McKay promoted two matches that were filmed during the “Anniversary” weekend when the world began to shut down.
Matt Taven, who was excited about working the “Anniversary” shows in Sam’s Town in Las Vegas prior to the pandemic, found himself concerned about his friends & co-workers who live outside of the United States. Taven revealed that commentator Ian Riccaboni ordered around $700 worth of food to potentially live through the apocalypse; worrying the former ROH World champion about his live being in danger. Relying on his friends, family & ROH staff, Taven trusted in the process that was to come.
Flip Gordon noted the craziness of 2020 that saw him excited to get a ROH World title shot before the shows that could’ve changed his career were canceled due to the pandemic. Glad to take the opportunity to wrestle in front of no crowd since a majority of the roster had flown into Las Vegas, Gordon found himself in the ring with Bandido that weekend in March.
ROH World Six-Man Tag Team champion Bandido vs. Flip Gordon
Code of Honor followed between the two opposing faction members (at the time). The early moments saw Flip Gordon attempting to out-wrestle the masked man. Bandido was right there with Flip; leading to a stand-off. Gordon kipped his way around the ring to set up a dive on the floor after sending Bandido out of the ring. Bandido was ready, avoiding the dive feign to knock Gordon to the floor. Bandido came at Gordon with the baseball slide, only for Flip to use the ring apron to tie up his opponent for a beating prior to the commercial break.
Gordon still had control, whipping Bandido into the barricades before slamming him on the floor. The action returned inside with Gordon aiming for Bandido’s back with strikes and holds. Getting to the ropes to save himself from the bow & arrow, Bandido got up throwing hands. Coming off the top after gaining some distance, Bandido executed a corkscrew cross body. Bandido was picking up the pace, landing several strikes before drilling Gordon for a two count. Avoiding a clothesline, Gordon landed the Pele to set up something from the top rope. Bandido stopped whatever Gordon\ had in mind, only to be yanked into a sunset flip that Flip turned into a roundhouse kick on the kneeling Bandido. Bandido attempted to muscle Flip into the air, failing prior to grabbing Flip again; pulling off the X-Knee … to give Bandido a near fall!
Making a big mistake was Bandido by sending Gordon into the ropes. Flip came off with the spear before pulling off a springboard spear. Hoisting Bandido up, Gordon hit his Flip-5 to pin one-third of the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team champions.
We got some travel stories from the likes of Beer City Bruiser, Session Moth Martina who lives in Ireland, and Cheeseburger – who, like Burger, didn’t know until their planes landed in Las Vegas that the “Anniversary” shows had been canceled. BCB, Cheeseburger & Martina reflected on wrestling in front of no fans while trying to provide the best action possible – something she hopes to take part in by returning to ROH in the very near future.
Jay Lethal vs. Mark Haskins w/ Vicky Haskins
After some mouthing off, they intensely grappled with Mark Haskins almost pinning Lethal before snatching the former ROH World champion in a cross arm bar. Jay Lethal had to make his way to the ropes to reset the action. Haskins’ grappling talents were on point as he countered everything Lethal had to offer. Jay was the first to throw a strike, landing a knife-edge chop. “Overkill” responded with a leg lariat that sent Lethal to the floor for a running kick off the apron. Focusing on the arm of his opponent, Haskins had Lethal scurrying to the ropes as his only haven before the commercial break.
Lethal found himself being knocked around and held down by Haskins until he left the ring and avoided a baseball slide. Haskins countered an Irish whip int the barricades by jumping over his predicament. Lethal countered whatever Haskins had in mind to execute an ace crusher on the floor … for a near fall!
Haskins stopped the Lethal Injection, but not the Lethal Combination. Haskins kicked out at two following Lethal’s pin attempt. Climbing the corner, Lethal had Hail to the King in mind. Haskins caught the incoming Lethal in the cross arm bar he converted into a modified bow & arrow. Lethal flailed until he was able to contort his body to make it to the ropes. Haskins wouldn’t be denied, landing a brain buster before looking for the pin. The Sharpshooter worked for Haskins, actually forcing Lethal to submit.
Mark Briscoe actually brought his wife to Las Vegas for the eventually canceled events. Amy Rose is thankful for how much ROH has taken care of her & everyone else on the roster. Slex is too thankful for ROH for looking out for his health while intending to return in 2021.
Overall: A very interesting episode of ROH TV with the focus being on the on-going reactions to Covid-19 and how it changed ROH in 2020. First of all it was great ROH finally covered some of the results from “Final Battle”. One can only assume all the action we’ve seen pre-this episode were taped before “FB” and that’s why ROH had to wait until this episode to give viewers some PPV coverage. The “lost” “Anniversary” bouts were very good with some interesting results tying into what was going on at the time. Haskins – who looked like a true main event talent here – was scheduled to wrestle for the ROH World title during that weekend and him defeating Jay Lethal made sense considering everyone believed this global pandemic & the world subsequently shutting down wouldn’t last as long as it did.
Gordon, as noted in his talking segment, was a ROH World title contender as well. With MexiSquad winning the Six-Man title from Villain Enterprises that Gordon was a part of before Marty Scurll’s exile, him overcoming Bandido in a very good match also made sense for the time as it kept Gordon strong as a singles competitor while setting the stage for another VE-MexiSquad clash. Once again this isn’t a must-see episode, but something different that worked very well thanks to the inclusion of two very enjoyable bouts.
