As expected, the 400th TV episode of Ring of Honor, from Pittsburgh, PA, delivered in a big way with a Ring of Honor World Championship matchup of Flip Gordon competing against Matt Taven for the title. Additionally, the Six-Man Tag Team Championship was on the line with Villain Enterprises defending them against Jay Lethal, Rush and Jeff Cobb. Despite only containing two matches, it was very memorable and a rare occasion for two championships to be defended on a single TV episode.
Ring of Honor Six Man Tag Team Title Championship
Villain Enterprises vs Jeff Cobb, Jay Lethal and Rush
To start the show-off, the Ring of Honor Six-Man Tag Team Championships were on the line as Villain Enterprises’ PCO, Brody King, and Marty Scurll defended them against Bandido, Jeff Cobb, and Jay Lethal.
The action got underway as PCO got the crowd hyped up, while Jay Lethal, looking confused, went to work on him and the two went back and forth with some chain wrestling, dropkicks, and hip tosses.
When PCO began asking Jay Lethal to bring it to him with a suicide dive to the outside instead of moving, this unorthodox tactic confused Lethal. The confusion delayed Lethal’s response, and Marty used the opportunity to come in and surprise him with a forearm to the head. PCO tagged in Marty to continue the offensive.
Rush was tagged in, and some impressive chain wrestling with Marty broke out as the two went back and forth across the ropes ducking and avoiding each other. As the two stood off, Marty tagged Brody King in. Rush responded by tagging in their big guy, Jeff Cobb, to change the pace into some heavyweight hoss wrestling between the two.
Cobb and King went at it with a dual of shoulder to shoulders, which quickly transcended into a series of chain maneuvers off the ropes with a speed that surprised the audience. After all, Brody King is known for his fast speed for a man his size, as it is what separates him from much of the other big wrestlers.
This chain of events was cut short when Cobb scored an impressive dropkick takedown as King came off the ropes. Lethal was tagged back in to double team King, who shot back with a double crossbody off the ropes into both of them.
Brody then came off the ropes and hit Cobb with a running hurricanrana, an impressive feat for a man his size, but also one of his signature maneuvers that uniquely defines this juggernaut.
Lethal then kicked both King to the outside, then repeated the maneuver on Marty on the other side of the ring. Lethal hit suicide dives through the ropes twice. But on the second attempt onto King, he was caught midair then suplexed on the hard floor on the outside.
King continued to work on Lethal who was clearly winded. But Lethal escaped from another suplex in the ring, landing on his feet, then nailed King with a cutter.
As the two struggled to crawl to their sides, Rush and Marty were tagged in. After King got a few more knocks in, Marty gained the advantage over Rush, who then headbutted him in order to gain a tag to Cobb.
Cobb came in at full force, and King came to Marty’s aid, only to be thrown backward with a German suplex. PCO came in for backup and also endured a German suplex, followed by an overhead belly to belly suplex that tossed Marty across the ring.
Cobb continued his aggression with a fireman’s carry than his signature standing moonsault. King came back with vengeance, but Cobb caught them both in a double pump handle back suplex.
While Cobb was celebrating his amazing offense, PCO showed up behind him and pushed him to the outside. Brody King then went sailing over the top ropes onto the three competitors, followed by a backdrop to PCO over the top ropes onto all of them.
King then attempted to German suplex Cobb, but he held onto the second rope. Marty did a sunset flip over both of them, giving Brody the necessary momentum to launch Cobb backward.
Brody King then did a flying cannonball off the ring apron into Rush and Lethal, while Marty attempted a pinfall on Cobb, followed by a kickout. The crowd was in a frenzy, chanting, “This is awesome.”
As Cobb was leaning on the second rope, Brody King and Marty both connected simultaneously with a 619 and a cannonball. Cobb barely kicked out again.
PCO came in but was knocked down with a superkick, but got right back up immediately after Lethal connected with an elbow drop off the top rope. In the midst of his fiery, Rush launched PCO into the turnbuckle with a belly to belly overhead suplex.
Lethal scored another elbow drop off the top rope. This time PCO did not get up, but Marty interrupted the pin attempt and Brody came in and clobbered Rush in the face. But Lethal came in and scored the injection on Marty.
Lethal attempted the injection on King, but was caught on his shoulders and rotated 90 degrees into a powerbomb. Laying in the middle of the ring, PCO scored a moonsault on him off the top rope, scoring the pinfall.
Winners: Villain Enterprises
Following a commercial break, a replay was shown of Jay Lethal exiting the ring. Kenny King came walking out slowly, still presumably blind. Suddenly, Kenny took off his sunglasses and choked Lethal out with his cane, revealing that he could see again.
Ring Of Honor World Championship
Matt Taven vs Flip Gordon
Matt Taven appeared to adhere to the code of honor, shaking Gordon’s hand, and the two circled each other for a few moments. Out of nowhere, Flip Gordon surprised Taven as he was distracted by the crowd, and scored a running shotgun dropkick on Taven’s chest, dominating the beginning of the match.
Gordon nailed Taven with a suicide dive to the outside. As the referee was checking on Taven, the Kingdom’s TK O’Ryan tried to distract Gordon or assault him, but Gordon nailed him with a kick to the face. The damage was still done, as Taven took advantage of the distraction and knocked Gordon off the ring apron.
Taven worked on Gordon for a while. He smashed Gordon’s face into the ring post. Some chain wrestling ensued and Gordon took back the upper-hand with a kick to Taven’s torso than a standing moonsault.
On the outside, Gordon came running full speed at Taven but was hip tossed into the guard rail and a chair in the corner. Gordon would not recover quickly, as Taven took the offensive position and worked on Gordon’s injured leg for a while – Gordon recently recovered from an injured leg which put him out of action for 6 months.
Gordon momentarily took away some of Taven’s steam as he was able to respond with a few kicks out of nowhere which knocked Taven down hard. The two struggled to their feet and Taven knocked Gordon back down with as he thrust his foot into Gordon’s knee, causing it to buckle.
Gordon was thrown to the outside. As Taven distracted the referee, TK gave Gordon a quick beat-down and threw him back in the ring. After some quick reversals between the two, Taven caught Gordon in a half crab.
Gordon reached the ropes, and the two traded some kicks, but Gordon was clearly struggling to regain his stamina. Out of nowhere, Gordon bought some time with a springboard spear on Taven. The referee began to countdown as both competitors lay dazed in the middle of the ring.
As the two made their way to their feet, punches were exchanged, but Gordon caught Taven with a surprise knee to the jaw. Gordon catapulted Taven into the turnbuckle and gained the upper hand.
As Gordon went to the top, Taven interrupted his climb and scored a breathtaking superplex off the very top rope. But Gordon surprised Taven and almost reversed it into a near pinfall, as he endured the full brunt of that superplex and got right back up.
Gordon ducked a punch by dropping to his back, sprung himself back up, then scored a couple of stiff kicks to Taven’s noggin, breathing some life into himself. Still trying to come out on top, recovering from that superplex, Gordon went into a state of rage and fiery. But Taven kicked him in the back.
Taven then went to the ropes for a springboard off the second rope. However, Gordon immediately followed him and also jumped onto the second rope, grabbed Taven and delivered a Russian leg sweep off the second rope.
Gordon immediately followed with a spinning falcon arrow and nearly scored the pinfall. As Gordon appeared to be in control, Taven spits in his face and surprised him. As Gordon was taken off guard in surprise, Taven launched him up and threw him down with a powerbomb, followed by slamming his hard shin to Gordon’s forehead.
Taven attempted to set Gordon up for the climax, but Gordon reversed it and took Taven out with a swingout TKO. Gordon went to the top rope but became distracted as red balloons suddenly elevated into the air out of nowhere on the outside of the ring.
Taven capitalized on this distraction and caught Gordon in his arm, delivering a climax off the ropes. Taven scored the pinfall, retaining his Ring of Honor World championship.
Winner: Matt Taven
