ROH Pursuit: Night 1
Dearborn, Michigan 11/15/13
The show kicks off with the self proclaimed "Real" World Champion Jay Briscoe. He talks about being added to the Final Battle Main Event and his Open Challenge tonight. Silas Young comes out to answer his challenge, saying that he'll win and take Jay's "Fake" Title home with him.
1.) "Real" World Title Open Challenge - Jay Briscoe vs. Silas Young: DUD
Their really wasn't much to this one. They brawled for a good minute or so (mostly dominated by Jay) until Silas distracts the ref so he can sneak in a weapon, but Mark Briscoe (who Silas has been feuding with) comes in and takes the ring bell hammer Silas was trying to sneak in, leading to the Jay Driller and the win. Pretty much an extended segment that advances both the Mark Briscoe/Silas Young feud and the story of Jay Briscoe's "Real" World Title.
2.) Triple Threat Match #1 - ROH World Tag Team Champion Bobby Fish vs. Cedric Alexander vs. TaDarius Thomas: ***
This is the first of two triple threat matches on this show between reDRagon, C & C Wrestle Factory, and Adrenaline RUSH. A pretty solid match here. It had a slow start but got better down the stretch. Cedric Alexander would score the win and the momentum heading into their World Tag Team Title Match in Columbus.
3.) ROH World TV Title - Matt Taven (with Truth Martini & Scarlett Bordeaux) vs. Zach Gowen: **1/4
Last time Gown was in ROH, he actually wrestled as part of the House of Truth on a weekend of shows, before being unceremoniously kicked to the curb by Truth Martini & Michael Elgin. Before the match, Taven & Martini cut a promo before the match making fun of Gowen's handicap. The match itself was fine. The crowd was really into Gowen, but Matt Taven needing the usual interference to retain doesn't make much sense in this case and I think hurts him a good deal. Taven eventually picks up the win.
After the match, the House of Truth go to beat down Gowen with a crutch but Tommaso Ciampa makes the save! Ciampa puts over Gowen. He says he doesn't want to wait until Final Battle, and wants his World TV Title Shot right now! Taven and the HOT turn him down and retreat to the back.
4.) Eddie Edwards (with Davey Richards) vs. Jay Lethal: ****
This is the first time that Lethal and Edwards have faced each other in ROH, but they did have a match in PWG earlier in the year that was pretty great. Compared to that match, I'd say this one was about on the same level, maybe slightly better. These two are great wrestlers and it's no surprise that they put on a great contest here. Jay Lethal would pull out the win.
5.) "Barrister" RD Evans (with Veda Scott) vs. Hakim Zane: **
Before the match, Veda Scott cuts a promo about how she's taken on most of RD's legal work so he can focus on wrestling. She also says Hakin Zane will be the first of a long list of victims. The match itself was ok. Of course Zane gets a good deal of offense on RD Evans and sends the Barrister backpedalling on several occasions. Zane actually looked good. In the end, however, it would be Evans who would eventually pick up a victory.
Afterwords, Veda Scott calls out Tommaso Ciampa for a match with RD Evans. As Ciampa is coming out, Matt Taven attacks him from behind with a crutch. Even though no official match had started, Veda counts out Ciampa and RD Evans claims his second "victory" of the night.
6.) Triple Threat Match #2 - ROH World Tag Team Champion Kyle O'Reilly vs. ACH vs. Caprice Coleman: ***1/4
Here we have the second of two Triple Threat Matches involving the members of reDRagon, C & C Wrestle Factory, and Adrenaline RUSH. Early in the match, all three guys were doing a leg sweep/cover sequence, and Referee Paul Turner gets caught up in it, sweeping Kyle O'Reilly and pinning him for a quick three count by ACH or Coleman (Can't remember which)!! Kevin Kelly raises Turner's hand in a really funny moment. Very CHIKARA-esque sequence there. It's actually kind of cool to see ACH & O'Reilly work a completely different style of match from the ones they've had in PWG & AAW and have it actually work. A good three way here. I think it was the better of the two. Caprice Coleman gets the win and swings more momentum the way of C & C Wrestle Factory ahead of their big title match in Columbus.
7.) "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin vs. Mark Briscoe: **3/4
This is a very interesting matchup in terms of the conflicting styles. These two were putting on a decent match until Silas Young interferes to attack Mark Briscoe. This brings out Jay who in turn goes after Silas. Elgin hits a baseball slide on the both of them, and then Mark hits a moonsault off the top rope to the floor on top of all three of them! The match is thrown out and ruled a no contest.
8.) Davey Richards (with Eddie Edwards) vs. Roderick Strong: ***3/4
These two have clashed various times over the years. They know each other very well and always seem to put on great matches. This one was no exception. While not as good as Edwards/Lethal from earlier, this was still a very good contest. Pretty much exactly what you would expect from these two. In this match, it would be Roderick Strong who would come out on top over his long time foe.
9.) ROH World Title - Adam Cole vs. Jimmy Jacobs (with BJ Whitmer): ****
BJ Whitmer is out a ringside to support his longtime rival and friend. Of course Cole and Jacobs had a great match right here in Dearborn back in January at The Hunt For Gold, so it's pretty much come full circle. Jacobs got this title shot by winning 3 out of 5 matches in his Trial Series. A pretty awesome main event. Though I would say it was only marginally better than their previous match, it was still pretty great and the fact that this time was for the ROH World Title upped the stakes for sure. Their came a point in the match where the ref was down and Cole tried to use his title belt. Whitmer ended up with the belt and gave it to Jacobs to use, but he threw it down, trying to prove that he could win the title honorably. We saw a lot of great moves and close near finishes, but in the end, Adam Cole would somehow find a way to win and retain his title.
Jacobs & Whitmer thank the fans for their support after the match to close the show.
Overall: 7.75/10
This was a pretty good show on the whole. You had three really great matches in Edwards/Lethal, Richards/Strong, and the Cole/Jacobs match for the World Title. Although the two Triple Threat matches were entertaining, the rest of the card was relatively average which brings down the rating for me. Still, I'd say this was a enjoyable show to sit throw, and even through a good portion of this show was seen on ROH TV, it's nice to watch a show as a whole without it being in separate parts and hampered by commercial breaks.
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