Last week: Shane Taylor Promotions retained the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship over Danhausen,, Sledge & PCO after Silas Young & Rey Horus won $10,000, and Max the Impaler & Miranda Alize overcame Quinn McKay & Rok-C.
ROH TV Episode 528
November 6, 2021
Philadelphia, PA
ROH Pure Championship: Josh Woods (c) vs. LSG
Both champion and challenger had pre-match promos with LSG stating his friendship with Josh Woods isn’t at stake with this bout. But what LSG wants the champ to know is he looks down on Woods for using pro wrestling as a second route when his time in MMA didn’t work out. LSG sees his passion for the sport taking him to golden glory.
Josh Woods also noted how their friendship has nothing to do with this match. All Woods cares about is establishing his name also the rich history of ROH’s Pure Championship while simply stating that today isn’t LSG’s day to reach prominence.
Brian Johnson joined the commentators with the intent of scouting the champ or future champ for his impending title shot after winning that Pure Rules Gauntlet several episodes ago. The challenger was looking for a flash pin early, almost turning tie-ups into cradles until Josh Woods got a hold of LSG’s left arm. When Woods turned the hammerlock into a cravat, LSG sprinted to the top rope to lose his first rope break.
Turning a kimura into a modified flatliner allowed LSG to cinch in the Indian deathlock that he transformed into a Muta lock. Woods clawed his way to the bottom rope, ending the submission. When LSG went for a follow-up, the champ popped him in the mouth with an open-hand strike that knocked the challenger outside. “The Ace of Space” found himself in a slugfest until Woods caught an incoming arm as LSG went for the tornado DDT to overhead belly-to-back suplex his opposition on the floor! Woods refused to let up on the pressure, locking in that cravat again. LSG forearmed his way out of the hold, hitting a modified stunner that put both men down prior to the commercial break.
LSG was fired up, landing flying forearm attack topped by the handspring face buster. Saintspolsion connected for the challenger … only giving LSG a near fall!
Woods stumbled to his feet, feeling forearms until LSG went running. “The Technical Beast” had that reverse whiplash slam – “Beast Slam” – in mind when LSG countered with Rocket Bye Baby. Woods somehow survived the maneuver, catching LSG coming off the ropes with the cravat again. Pulling LSG into the knee strike, Woods had LSG woozy and prone to the Beast Slam. Out on his back, LSG couldn’t stop the Gorilla Lock that forced him to tap out.
– Highlights from last week’s episode was shown including Max the Impaler pulverizing Rok-C & Quinn McKay, Silas Young stealing his victory for his team from Rey Horus in their Wildcard Four Corner Survival tag, and Shane Taylor Promotions overcoming Danhausen,, Sledge & PCO to retain their ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
– Quinn McKay was in the interview area with Josh Woods after his win to get his thoughts on what happened. “The Technical Beast” simply stated, “One and (zero).”
– The Bouncers & Ken Dixon arrived with Beer City Bruiser stating Caprice Coleman illegally entered the Honor Rumble and eliminated BCB – the same Honor Rumble that Alex Zayne earned his title shot for tonight. Coleman stood up for himself as Ian Riccaboni attempted to do the same, only for Bruiser to start pushing Caprice. Coleman was ready for a fight, but Bruiser declared if Coleman can get a match they would throw down. Coleman promised to put a fist in Bruiser’s mouth.
ROH World Championship: Bandido (c) vs. Alex Zayne
The pre-match promo saw Alex Zayne remind everyone that he put Bandido down with the Taco Driver over a year ago to win his first ROH match. Zayne declared he has the sauce to add some flavor to the ROH World title scene. Bandido, however, was confident he’d walk away still the ROH World champion. Bandido has learned from his mistakes and, according to the masked man, is ready to beat another bounty. Joining the commentary team was none other than Jonathan Gresham.
Both men were cautious about locking up, but when they did the lucha style of Bandido was complemented by Zayne’s incredibly fast offense including some flash pin attempts. Bandido returned the favor by coming off the ropes and hitting a code red for an early two count. Countering a back drop, Zayne executed a unique twisting sidewalk slam before the commercial break.
Leg sweep by the challenger set up a flipping leg drop on the back of Bandido’s head. Stopping an Irish whip into the turnbuckles, Bandido gorilla press slammed Zayne into a falcon arrow for another two count. Placing the challenger on the top rope after a failed pin attempt saw “The Sauce” fight back and pull the masked champion into a hurricarana. Bandido rolled through the hurricarana,, only to get caught with an enzuguri. Both men got up swinging for the fences. “The Most Wanted” shoved Zayne backwards, putting him on the top rope for a torture rack into the piledriver off Bret’s rope … to give the champion a near fall prior to the commercial break!
Bandido had another top rope maneuver in mind when Zayne fought through the super Spanish fly. Zayne pulled the champion off with that flipping sidewalk slam off the top, yet it didn’t put Bandido away. Coming off the top was “The Sauce”. Zayne overshot whatever he had in mind, but Bandido was staggered enough for the challenger to grab his opposition. Bandido countered the Taco Driver with a roll up, only for the challenger to kick out. Bandido was able to counter Zayne’s next attack, executing the X Knee before Zayne could react. Stunned and by the ropes, Alex couldn’t stop Bandido’s 21-Plex. Bandido wasn’t done, muscling Zayne into another bridged German suplex to pin his latest challenger.
Jonathan Gresham gave Bandido the big point that he’s coming for Bandido’s gold.
Overall: The latest “Championship Edition” of ROH TV delivered again in regards to in-ring action without any significant story developments outside of them setting up a match with Bandido and Gresham, and Coleman-Bruiser. This episode still allowed both matches to get a good amount of time with both challengers really showcasing their talents in wonderful ways even though both came up short. Both bouts were completely different from one another as expected and got Woods’ title reign off to a strong start, and Zayne has the talents to be a future champion anywhere. Simply put, this is the type of episode any fan of fantastic in-ring action should watch as soon as possible.
