Last week: Jay Lethal defeated Matt Taven, Jay Briscoe and EC3 in a Four Corner Survival match to earn a World title shot against RUSH at ROH’s “19th Anniversary”.
ROH TV Episode 495
March 13, 2021
Baltimore, MD
A celebratory Jay Lethal was interviewed by Quinn McKay. Reasonably excited, Lethal noted that while his tag team partner Jonathan Gresham isn’t upset with him for losing the ROH World Tag Team Championship he has now set the stage to help The Foundation regain it all. The Foundation wants to purify ROH and RUSH be damned because Lethal is coming for his third ROH World Championship.
Dak Draper spoke about his upcoming match with Fred Yehi, stating the latter is just happy to be here. Draper, however, is thriving on success instead of just staying humble – the mental difference-maker that will prove why Draper is better than his opponent. Yehi, on the opposite end of the spectrum, stated that he needs victory on his side because he hasn’t won in his recent appearances. Yehi is hungry for a win and wonders if Draper can handle a hungry “Savageweight”.
Pure Rules: Dak Draper vs. Fred Yehi
The opening grappling exchange resulted in neither getting a solid advantage. After rolling Draper into a pair of failed pinning combinations, Fred Yehi went back to the waist lock while looking to keep the much taller Dak on his backside. Draper worked his way off the canvas, backing Yehi into the turnbuckles before landing a big knife-edge chop.
Shockingly that wasn’t considered a rope break for Dak as Draper hip tossed Yehi across the ring. Yehi kept his composure, locking up with Draper when he got up prior to landing a chop of his own that stunned Draper enough to put him in the corner for a trio of leaping knee drops. Draper rallied to his feet while getting underneath Yehi for another big slam leading into the commercial break.
Countering a waist lock into the roll up set off a series of attempted pinning combinations from Yehi that resulted in Dak countering with a tilt-a-whirl slam. “The Mile-High Magnum” couldn’t take advantage of the counter, leading to him getting his foot stomped, his legs swept, and his face dropkicked. Draper blocked that patented Koji Clutch, landing a punch when Yehi kept throwing Pure Rules-legal strikes. Draper came off the ropes with a big clothesline after gaining a warning from the referee. Yehi, still stunned after the punch, couldn’t stop the Magnum Drop or the subsequent three count.
In a sign of disrespect, Draper gave Yehi a participation ribbon – something Yehi took great exception to.
ROH World Tag Team champion Kenny King w/ La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Tony Deppen
Quinn McKay caught up with Tony Deppen before the match to inform Tony that if he wins tonight he could be the top contender for the World Television Championship. Deppen was very straight about his upcoming chances; excited to be tested while potentially getting his rematch with Dragon Lee by beating a former TV champ – bringing his A-game in the process. Kenny King promised to embarrass the “internet darling” while proving that LFI is truly a weapon. Before Amy Rose could reiterate her client’s sentiments, King yelled at her before storming off.
Code of Honor fake-out by King allowed him to deck Deppen for a series of stomps in the corner. Snap suplex led into some ground & pound for an early two count. Tony used the momentum of an Irish whip to arm drag the Tag Team champ. Deppen’s follow-up springboard maneuver saw him getting caught and gut-busted. A big backbreaker didn’t lead to King winning via pin fall, but did see him clawing at Deppen’s face until the referee had to put a stop to his actions prior to the commercial break.
Deppen ducked a roundhouse kick, only to feel the spine buster. During the commercial it was King getting some help from Dragon Lee when the TV champ whipped Deppen into the barricades as Kenny distracted the referee. Deppen countered the Royal Flush by slipping behind his opponent before unleashing a series of slaps topped by a roundhouse kick of his own. Tony was on the move, landing running forearms as well as a leg sweep into the slingshot senton splash. Double stomp missed for Deppen, but not the flying knee strike. King rolled to the floor, avoiding a baseball slide.
King attempted to follow up with a slam, but took a tornado DDT for his trouble. Rolling King back in, Deppen connected with that double stomp to earn a two count. King blocked a brain buster attempt, setting off a series of Deppen-attempted hit & run traversals until Kenny caught Tony running with the tiger driver. But King stopped the referee’s count with the intent of finishing this one with the Royal Flush. Deppen countered the Royal Flush again, putting the Tag Team champ in the small package to pin King!
LFI immediately attacked Deppen with Lee unleashing the Incinerator before Bestia spiked him with the tombstone. Brody King ran in to lay out LFI until RUSH hit the ring and the numbers became overwhelming. Brody was long as RUSH and Kenny King pushed a table into the ring. Bestia scaled the ropes to senton splash King through the table!
Flip Gordon vs. Flamita
Flip Gordon cut a promo backstage to demand his shot at the ROH World title after he beats the former Six-Man Tag Team champion. In Flamita’s pre-match promo he reminded Gordon that he hadn’t forgotten how Flip recently unmasked him; declaring he’ll prove that he’s always better than “The Mercenary”. No Code of Honor from Gordon, leading to a strike exchange when Flip refused to break clean when they ended up in the ropes following the collar & elbow tie up. Gordon flew out of the ring after a head scissors, ducking a baseball slide to set up a running charge into the barricade. Gordon was showcasing his strength by carrying Flamita around the ring before super kicking the masked man when Flamita stopped a slam on the floor.
Gordon was entertaining himself as he chopped Flamita around the ring. Flamita got a head of steam to back handspring elbow Gordon to the floor for a super kick of his own after Gordon failed to rush him into the barricades again. Beautiful moonsault from Flamita gave him a chance to showboat a little. Flamita climbed the ropes again, jumping off when Gordon got up inside the ring; only to feel a dropkick for his trouble. Dey got up a clubberin’ until Flamita kicked Gordon in position for the tiger driver to earn a two count. Flamita’s ascent up the ropes saw him missing a flying whatever while landing on his feet behind Gordon as Flip entered the corner the masked man exited. They ended up battling on the ropes until Gordon sunset bombed Flamita for a two count. Gordon started slapping Flamita much to the referee’s disgust, only to swing himself into a poisonrana.
Both men were struggling to rise, throwing rights including Flamita’s super kick. Huge frog splash connected for Flamita, but didn’t end this one. Flamita’s chest was blood red as he rose and walked into the springboard slingblade. Gordon couldn’t believe it when Flamita kicked out of Flip’s follow-up pin. Flamita countered the Flip 5, going for the 619. Gordon caught the incoming legs with the plan of hitting the Flip 5 when a chair flew into the ring. As the referee removed the chair, Mark Briscoe popped up with another chair to crack Gordon int the back of his head. Flamita rolled Gordon up for the three count as Mark remarked that Gordon – who cost The Briscoes a match against Kenny King & Dragon Lee that led to the latter to winning the ROH World Tag Team title – didn’t get away with screwing over Dem Boys.
Infuriated, Gordon attacked the celebratory Flamita; ripping off his mask. Thankfully for Flamita, MexiSquad’s Bandido & Rey Horus made the save as officials covered Flamita’s face.
Overall: With ROH gearing up for its upcoming pay-per-view, the PPV is starting to fill up its card with some interesting developments including Tony Deppen pinning one-half of the ROH World Tag Team champions; potentially setting the stage for a “Final Battle” rematch either at the PPV or soon after. The main event also possibly gave the PPV another singles match as Mark Briscoe paid Flip back for screwing The Briscoes a few weeks ago. Add Brody King’s return and Bestia putting him through a table potentially being the catalyst for them wrestling in a singles match.
From an in-ring the show was solid with none of the matches necessarily being must-see, but enjoyable overall. It also must be noted that ROH has been doing a good job as of late letting everyone have a voice. With certain episodes not featuring sit-down interviews like those first shown during the Pure Championship tournament, ROH opted to have everyone cut promos backstage that allowed each match to feel like it had some story be it minor like Draper simply wanting to be successful to Flamita coming for revenge for being unmasked by Flip – it’s something that ROH needs to continue doing so fans can have a connection with their roster.
