Last week: Eli Isom picked up another big win by overcoming LSG after Brian Johnson overcame Danhausen.
ROH TV Episode 499
April 10, 2021
Baltimore, MD
We got footage & still-shots from the action at “19th Anniversary” including the title changes (Tracy Williams becoming the Television titleholder while also winning the Tag Team Championship alongside Rhett Titus) and title retentions. But tonight it’s about the title rankings with two bouts (Delirious vs. Rocky Romero, and Gresham & Lethal vs. MexiSquad).
Delirious (through subtitles) reflected on his time fighting in ROH including his wars with Rocky Romero – his opponent for tonight. It was during the time when the No Remorse Corps ran strong did Delirious find the most vicious side of himself to ward off the violence of Rocky & his allies. Tonight, Delirious dips into what helped him overcome Romero all those years ago.
Rocky Romero noted how during the early days of Honor when he and Delirious fought on a constant basis he was pretty much a cocky jerk who wasn’t ready for the spotlight. But now Rocky is a grizzled veteran who is still going strong in New Japan – a company he’d love to bring the Pure title to so he could defend it against the best the wrestling world has to offer. Romero closed out his promo with a little Delirious-ese language.
Delirious vs. Rocky Romero
The early going was nothing but immaculate grappling with Rocky Romero almost cinching in the Diablo Arm Bar barely two minutes into the match. Delirious showcased his impeccable counter-wrestling, only for Romero to be one-step ahead of him by locking in the knee bar. Delirious had no choice but to grab the bottom rope to save himself. Delirious took advantage of the separation to take control by grabbing onto Romero’s left wrist. Rocky freed himself before landing a dropkick that send Delirious out of the ring. The masked man reentered and was infuriated. Romero responded to Delirious’ intelligible babbling with a chop. The pace quickened with some misdirection running from Delirious to set up a flying clothesline. Avoiding an attack in the corner, Romero was able to land a pair of clotheslines of his own before hitting the lariat at the five minute mark & prior to the commercial break.
Delirious stopped a roundhouse kick after having his left arm kicked several times to toss Rocky in position for a pinpoint elbow drop to the right shoulder. Delirious yanked Rocky into the Cobra Stretch, only for Romero’s foot to find the bottom rope. Slipping around Delirious’ incoming arm, Rocky pulled him into another arm submission for a Delirious rope break. Romero didn’t let up, using the gourd buster to put Delirious on the top rope for a flying dropkick aimed at his opponent’s torso.
Blocking & reversing a suplex, Delirious executed a brain buster. Stomping Delirious’ bare feet to stop the head & arm triangle didn’t work for Romero as Delirious rolled both himself & Rocky until Romero was in the Cobra Stretch again. Romero opted not to use the ropes, rolling through the hold; only to be taken down by a big clothesline that gave Delirious a two count. From their knees they were slugging it out until Rocky went for sliced bread. Delirious countered the sliced bread into a backbreaker-Cobra Stretch combo. Romero stopped the submission, setting off a failed pinning combination series until Delirious unleashed a punch. The referee reprimanded Delirious for breaking the rules, only for the masked man to get swept into the Diablo Arm Bar after a failed pin attempt. With only nine seconds left in the time limit, Delirious tapped out to give Rocky the victory.
After the match, Rocky pretty much called out every name that has participated in the Pure division to see if they’re ready for him.
We got footage from the “19th Anniversary” where VLNCE UNLTD debuted as Brody King, Homicide, Tony Deppen & Chris Dickinson beat up La Faccion Ingobernable.
Quinn McKay pulled Bandido & Rey Horus into the backstage interview area to inform the viewing audience that Horus can’t compete tonight as scheduled against Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham. Flamita joined his MexiSquad partners to volunteer his services even though he seemed to be the odd man out in terms of friendship after the pay-per-view where he blamed them for their loss against Shane Taylor Promotions and refused to follow the Code of Honor. Bandido & Horus were okay with Flamita replacing Rey, but Flamita’s evil laugh after they left the scene seemed to tell a different tale.
Jay Lethal was fired up as he declared their opponents are taking on a pissed off Foundation, though Gresham was hoping his partner would calm down.
Jay Lethal & Jonathan Gresham vs. MexiSquad
It was Jay Lethal and Flamita starting off for their respective teams as Flamita showcased incredible grappling by rolling through holds to apply other holds aiming for the left arm. Lethal countered with a hip toss, but missed the dropkick. Flamita countered another hip toss attempt with the head scissors to send Lethal out of the ring. Jay tagged out so the Pure champion could go shoulder block for shoulder block before coming off the ropes with an arm drag of his own. Gresham was in complete control before the commercial break.
Bandido had tagged in and was looking to put Gresham away early after executing a reverse suplex into the knee strike. Gresham rolled out of the ring while tagging in Lethal. Bandido was slipping, sliding & hand-standing his way out of maneuvers before pulling off a gorilla press slam on Lethal. Flamita became the legal man, double stomping Lethal’s extended arm helped by Bandido. A quick double team saw MexiSquad go full-blown Motor City Machine Guns. Bandido wanted Flamita to go for the pin, but his partner wanted to do another double team.
The argument between the partners allowed Lethal to recover and tag out to Gresham blindly so “The Octopus” could catch Flamita unexpectedly with the German suplex. Gresham had Flamita all kinds of twisted up to put Flamita on the wrong part of town so when Lethal tagged in he could pounce his opponent for the arm bar. Flamita couldn’t stand as the pain running down his arm hindered him from fighting back. Flamita had to constantly use the ropes to save himself as the show entered a commercial break.
Flamita’s arm & torso hindered his ability to fight back with strikes. Gresham’s stature hindered him from locking in the Octopus Stretch. Bandido ran in to save his partner, but Gresham saw it coming and caused Bandido to accidentally hit Flamita. Flamita got up & shoved Bandido into the clutches of Lethal as he dragged his fellow masked man out of the ring. Gresham couldn’t follow up as he was taken down by Flamita’s Spanish fly.
Both partners wanted in and got tags that led to Bandido almost pinning Lethal off the crucifix bomb. Lethal took a dropkick to the back as Flamita knocked Gresham out of the ring. A double team attempt by MexiSquad saw Flamita drop Bandido. Bandido thought Flamita did it on purpose, so Flamita popped him in the mouth. Their opponents took advantage of the situation, knocking Flamita out of the ring before power bombing Bandido in position for Lethal’s figure four leg lock. Flamita mocked Bandido as he struggled to his partner before leaving Bandido behind. Bandido couldn’t stop the submission and tapped out.
The Foundation helped Bandido to his feet before following the Code of Honor as Bandido realized he was all alone in regards to his lucha ally.
Overall: The first episode to truly follow the events of ROH’s “19th Anniversary” pay-per-view looked to establish new stories and, most importantly, title contenders. Rocky Romero and Delirious had a very good Pure Rules that had something of a surprising outcome as New Japan’s Romero won and definitely set the stage for future appearances; potentially challenging Gresham for the Pure title. The came a fantastic main event that told an even better story as the breakdown in communication between Flamita and Bandido resulted in Flamita potentially breaking up one of the few trios in ROH right now. It’ll be interesting to see what this potential turn takes MexiSquad, Flamita, and Bandido going forward. Good stuff from everyone involved this week and the hype for ROH TV episode 500 is off the charts coming off this episode.
