Just as the title says, I'm going to be looking back at the top ten matches on Ring of Honor Wrestling Television in ROH, as well as some honorable mentions. It was a pretty good year for Ring of Honor, as far as matches on television were concerned. We have a lot of great matches from a variety of different wrestlers. Let's not waist any time!
Top Ten Matches on ROH TV in 2014
1.) ROH on SBG (11/22/14) - "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles vs.
Hanson: ****1/4
Now these first three matches were pretty close for me, so it was a bit hard to decide which match should place where. In the end, I think I'm pretty confident with my order. Now, it's no surprise that the Best Match on ROH TV in 2014 involved AJ Styles. His 2014 was nothing short of phenomenal (pun intended), and he proved his worth all over the world. However, it is a surprise to a lot of people that Hanson, a guy who wasn't even in the company in 2013, would have one of the Best Matches on ROH TV in 2014. He came into 2014 as a relative unknown, but he ended the year as ROH's newest breakout star. After a motorcycle accident took his War Machine tag team partner Raymond Rowe out of action, Hanson got thrust into the singles scene, and this was definitely the highlight of his run thus far. A truly awesome match with AJ Styles. Like I said earlier, AJ Styles proved why he's one of the Best in the World, while Hanson showed why he's someone who could very well be the future of ROH.
Now these first three matches were pretty close for me, so it was a bit hard to decide which match should place where. In the end, I think I'm pretty confident with my order. Now, it's no surprise that the Best Match on ROH TV in 2014 involved AJ Styles. His 2014 was nothing short of phenomenal (pun intended), and he proved his worth all over the world. However, it is a surprise to a lot of people that Hanson, a guy who wasn't even in the company in 2013, would have one of the Best Matches on ROH TV in 2014. He came into 2014 as a relative unknown, but he ended the year as ROH's newest breakout star. After a motorcycle accident took his War Machine tag team partner Raymond Rowe out of action, Hanson got thrust into the singles scene, and this was definitely the highlight of his run thus far. A truly awesome match with AJ Styles. Like I said earlier, AJ Styles proved why he's one of the Best in the World, while Hanson showed why he's someone who could very well be the future of ROH.
2.) ROH on SBG (12/13/14) - Tag Wars 2014 Qualifying Match - The
Young Bucks vs. ACH & Matt Sydal: ****1/4
This match was part of Tag Wars 2014. On one side you have The Young Bucks, who need no introduction. On the other side, however, you had a team in ACH & Matt Sydal who had never teamed together before. Despite that, these two teams had a really awesome match! Whenever you get ACH, Matt Sydal & The Young Bucks together in one ring, you know you're going to get a great match. Great fast-paced action throughout the whole match. ACH & Matt Sydal would eventually score the upset win over The Young Bucks!
3.) ROH on SBG (8/9/14) - ROH World Title - "Unbreakable"
Michael Elgin vs. ROH World Tag Team Champion Kyle O'Reilly: ****1/4
Here we have a match that I think people might forget about, but one that was actually really great. We had Michael Elgin making his 3rd Defense of the ROH World Title against one half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions in Kyle O'Reilly. Now these two have had awesome matches in other independent promotions, such as PWG, and this match was no different. Just really great wrestling between these two. No matter what, you're guaranteed to get a very good match whenever these two are involved. Elgin would eventually pick up the win & retained his ROH World Title.
Here we have a match that I think people might forget about, but one that was actually really great. We had Michael Elgin making his 3rd Defense of the ROH World Title against one half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions in Kyle O'Reilly. Now these two have had awesome matches in other independent promotions, such as PWG, and this match was no different. Just really great wrestling between these two. No matter what, you're guaranteed to get a very good match whenever these two are involved. Elgin would eventually pick up the win & retained his ROH World Title.
4.) ROH on SBG (2/1/14) - "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong: ****
This match received a ton of attention, as AJ Styles was making his return to Ring of Honor, recently released from TNA. It marked Styles' first appearance in ROH since 2006! I feel like Roderick Strong was the perfect opponent for AJ Styles, and he ended up proving that by having an awesome match with "The Phenomenal One". Lots of back & forth action, and the crowd was really into it. Of course, the match ended on a scary note as Roderick Strong landed on his head/neck while taking the Styles Clash, but still, the match was really good, and despite the fact that it happened in January, it stood throughout the year as one of the best ROH TV Matches of 2014.
This match received a ton of attention, as AJ Styles was making his return to Ring of Honor, recently released from TNA. It marked Styles' first appearance in ROH since 2006! I feel like Roderick Strong was the perfect opponent for AJ Styles, and he ended up proving that by having an awesome match with "The Phenomenal One". Lots of back & forth action, and the crowd was really into it. Of course, the match ended on a scary note as Roderick Strong landed on his head/neck while taking the Styles Clash, but still, the match was really good, and despite the fact that it happened in January, it stood throughout the year as one of the best ROH TV Matches of 2014.
5.) ROH on SBG (8/23/14) - ROH World TV Title - Jay Lethal (with
Truth Martini) vs. ACH: ****
ACH earned this title opportunity after winning a Six Man Scramble Match at the Best In The World PPV. This was a really great title match! These two have really good chemistry together (as seen in their match from Honor In The Heart Of Texas in June of 2013), but this had the added dynamic of Lethal being the heel champion. Awesome action throughout this match, and despite the fact that the match ended in a Time Limit Draw, it was still amazing to watch. ACH is definitely going to be a star.
6.) ROH on SBG (9/6/14) - The Young Bucks vs. The Addiction
(Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian): ****
On the same TV Taping as the Lethal/ACH World TV Title Match (Philadelphia), we also got this great tag team encounter. Really not much storyline behind this one, but it was a lot of fun to watch. You have two of the best tag teams in the entire world in The Young Bucks & The Addiction, so it's no surprise that this match was awesome. It wouldn't be quite as good as the match they would have in PWG on Night 2 of the 2014 Battle of Los Angeles, but it was still really great in it's own right. The Addiction would get the win in this one.
On the same TV Taping as the Lethal/ACH World TV Title Match (Philadelphia), we also got this great tag team encounter. Really not much storyline behind this one, but it was a lot of fun to watch. You have two of the best tag teams in the entire world in The Young Bucks & The Addiction, so it's no surprise that this match was awesome. It wouldn't be quite as good as the match they would have in PWG on Night 2 of the 2014 Battle of Los Angeles, but it was still really great in it's own right. The Addiction would get the win in this one.
7.) ROH on SBG (12/20/14) - No DQ Match - "Sicilian
Psychopath" Tommaso Ciampa vs. Cedric Alexander: ****
This match came about after Ciampa lost to Cedric Alexander at a TV Taping in Florida via reverse decision (he used a rope of some kind) and then attacked him in the post match. People weren't talking a lot about this match going into it, but this match was actually pretty great. These two just went at it right from the opening bell and it was an all out brawl. Lots of hardcore spots in this one. I think doing these types of matches only every so often, as a novelty, is perfectly fine, and it can result in great matches like this one. Ciampa would eventually get the win over Alexander.
8.) ROH on SBG (10/18/14) - Adam Cole vs. Cedric Alexander: ****
Another Cedric Alexander match makes my Top 10 list, but surprisingly, this is the only Adam Cole match on my Top 10 list. This is another match where there really wasn't any story behind him, but it was just an awesome, action packed match. Cole obviously works great as a heel and Alexander does a fine job in his babyface role. Adam Cole would get the win, but Cedric Alexander looked good in defeat.
9.) ROH on SBG (5/17/14) - #1 Contender's Match -
"Unbreakable" Michael Elgin vs. "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles:
****
These two actually had a match at a TV Taping earlier in the year (in Philadelphia during the weekend of the 12th Anniversary Show) which ended in a draw. This is the rematch, and I believe this was also a #1 Contender's Match. As you would expect, this was a really great match. AJ Styles & Michael Elgin are two of the best wrestlers in the world, so it was no surprise that this was awesome. Lots of good action throughout this one. Elgin would eventually pick up the victory, in what is, to this day, the only match that AJ Styles has lost in ROH since his return.
10.) ROH on SBG (7/26/14) - Non-Title Match - ROH World Tag Team
Champions reDRagon vs. The Monster Mafia: ****
Here we have another match on my list that I think most people won't remember, but was actually quite good. It featured the ROH World Tag Team Champions reDRagon going against The Monster Mafia of Ethan Page & Josh Alexander, in a Non-Title Match. This was just a really awesome tag team match. We all know how great Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly are, and The Monster Mafia is a team of guys who have been tearing it up in various independents (like AAW & AIW) and definitely deserved the opportunity. Lots of great action throughout this one. Page & Alexander looked really good, but in the end, they would fall to the Two Man Smash Machine.
Here we have another match on my list that I think most people won't remember, but was actually quite good. It featured the ROH World Tag Team Champions reDRagon going against The Monster Mafia of Ethan Page & Josh Alexander, in a Non-Title Match. This was just a really awesome tag team match. We all know how great Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly are, and The Monster Mafia is a team of guys who have been tearing it up in various independents (like AAW & AIW) and definitely deserved the opportunity. Lots of great action throughout this one. Page & Alexander looked really good, but in the end, they would fall to the Two Man Smash Machine.
Honorable Mentions
11.) ROH on SBG (11/1/14) - IWGP Heavyweight Champion "The
Phenomenal" AJ Styles vs. Matt Sydal: ****
Matt Sydal had been released by WWE a few months prior, and was making his return. It was his first match in ROH since 2007. What better way to reintroduce him than to put him up against AJ Styles! This was a really good match, as you would expect. Styles got in a lot of offense, but Sydal looked really good as well. Just a really great match that had a lot of good action. Styles would get the win, but Sydal looked pretty solid in his return.
Matt Sydal had been released by WWE a few months prior, and was making his return. It was his first match in ROH since 2007. What better way to reintroduce him than to put him up against AJ Styles! This was a really good match, as you would expect. Styles got in a lot of offense, but Sydal looked really good as well. Just a really great match that had a lot of good action. Styles would get the win, but Sydal looked pretty solid in his return.
12.) ROH on SBG (12/27/14) - ROH World Tag Team Titles - Tag Wars
2014 Finals - reDRagon vs. The Briscoes vs. The Addiction vs. ACH & Matt
Sydal: ****
This is the third match from the TV Tapings that took place in Baltimore in November, which goes to show the quality of that particular TV Taping. Here we have the Finals of the Tag Wars 2014. It's been a few years since we've seen Tag Wars (I believe the last one was in 2010), and I think this was a fitting conclusion to the 2014 edition of it. You have four really good tag teams in there so it was really hard for it to be bad. I think some were surprised that The Briscoes were eliminated first, as well as the fact that ACH & Matt Sydal, the newest tag team of the bunch, were the last team eliminated. A lot of great tag team action in this one. Eventually reDRagon would get the win and retain the ROH World Tag Team Titles in what would be the final episode of ROH TV in 2014.
There you have it! The Top Ten ROH TV Matches of 2014. Ring of Honor put on a lot of great TV Matches in 2014, and hopefully 2015 will be just as good!
This is the third match from the TV Tapings that took place in Baltimore in November, which goes to show the quality of that particular TV Taping. Here we have the Finals of the Tag Wars 2014. It's been a few years since we've seen Tag Wars (I believe the last one was in 2010), and I think this was a fitting conclusion to the 2014 edition of it. You have four really good tag teams in there so it was really hard for it to be bad. I think some were surprised that The Briscoes were eliminated first, as well as the fact that ACH & Matt Sydal, the newest tag team of the bunch, were the last team eliminated. A lot of great tag team action in this one. Eventually reDRagon would get the win and retain the ROH World Tag Team Titles in what would be the final episode of ROH TV in 2014.
There you have it! The Top Ten ROH TV Matches of 2014. Ring of Honor put on a lot of great TV Matches in 2014, and hopefully 2015 will be just as good!
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