Welcome to the inaugural edition of the reflection of honor. We begin this week’s review flashbacking to last week’s episode.
Briscoe’s Interview: Today’s episode started with a promo by the Briscoe Brothers. Jay Briscoe expressed intrigue about the return of the Crockett Cup but also said he felt disrespected that the Briscoe brothers were not automatically qualified to enter it the Cup, given their historical track record and number of reigns as RoH tag team champions. They declare that they will be taking on Jeff Cobb and Willie Mack in a qualification match in this episode in order to earn their entry into the tournament.
Shane Taylor vs Luchasaurus
Luchasaurus, standing at the height advantage of 6’5″, gained the initial advantage of the match dishing out high and low kicks to Taylor. Taylor slowed his momentum with a unique form of a stunner or jawbreaker with Luchasaurus’ legs propped up horizontally across the top ropes as he was smashed face first into his shoulders. Taylor dominated with a heavy choke slam, demonstrating his weight and possible strength advantage. But Luchasaurus’ speed skills paid off as he took back his initial dominance of the match blocking a second chokeslam attempt, hitting Taylor with an elbow to the head and springing himself off the ropes to hit him with a devastating snake bite, followed by a shining wizard. Taylor still kicked out at a two-count, proceeded by both wrestlers trading punches, with Taylor taking back the advantage with a devastating clothesline pummeling Luchasaurus. Taylor wasted too much time trash talking his fallen opponent, which resulted in Luchasaurus capitalizing with a few surprise kicks as his energy recovered itself. This led into his own chokeslam on Taylor and a standing moonsault that connected. The momentum was halted by a Taylor as he caught Luchasaurus’ next kick attempt, pulled him in for a judo throw, which set him up for a successful execution of his finisher, pinning Luchasaurus for the three.
Winner: Shane Taylor
Katie Forbes & Mazzerati vs Sumie Sakai & Mayu Iwatani
Sumi and Mayu attempted to start the match with a handshake, only to be met with refusal and disrespect by Katie and Mazzerati, and a slap to the face of Mayu. The match quickly transcended into some quick chain wrestling with Mayu taking the advantage against and Mazzerati. Sumie and Katie were both tagged in, the latter showing her size and strength advantage reversing an Irish whip and attempting to humiliate Sumie by knocking her in the head with the side of her hips, followed with condescending mocking gestures. Mazzerati was tagged back in, taking advantage of a weakened and fatigued Sumie Sakai as she went to work on her. Mayu broke up an attempted pin, and Sumie took the match back in control by ducking an attempted kick, allowing a kick to connect to Mazzerati’s mid-section and a successful execution of her signature neck breaker. Mayu was tagged back in, only to be double teamed by both Katie and Mazzerati, clearly not wanting to see any advantage over the latter’s disadvantaged position from enduring the neck breaker. However, Mayu used her lightweight speed advantage off the ropes to take both competitors down with a double arm drag, tagging Sumie in to even the odds. Sumie hit Mazzerati with a quick missile dropkick, leaving her in pain for Sumie to easily work on. But the larger-sized Katie picked both Sumie and Mayu upon her shoulders, slamming them both with a double Samoan drop, demonstrating her sheer strength. After some fighting back and forth between all four competitors, the chaos ended with Katie still recovering slowly outside the ring, as Mayu kicked Mazzerati backward into Sumie’s grasp, setting up her finisher. With Katie dazed outside the ring and unable to stop the pinfall, Sumie consolidated the win by pinfall.
Winners: Sumie and Mayu
Crocket Cup Qualifying match:
Willie Mack (NWA Television Champion) & Jeff Cobb (ROH Television Champion) vs The Briscoes
Both teams shook hands, though the Briscoes had a subtle look of discontent on their face and in their body language, as if to respect the notion of sportsmanship, but clearly felt no positive sentiments about this matchup or their opponents in having to qualify for a tournament they feel they should already be entitled entry for. The match started with Willie and Mark locking up, leading to trading chops across their chests until their skin reddened. The pace quickly picked up with some impressive chain wrestling, and Willie took the advantage and tagged Cobb in. Cobb continued his team’s advantage, hitting Mark with a devastating suplex in which he held Mark up with just one hand cradled around his head, demonstrating the brute strength he is known for. After hitting the mat hard, Mark rolled outside the ring to catch a breather, and Jay started yelling at him, telling him to get his head in the game. The Briscoes were clearly off to a less than ideal start to this matchup. Jay was tagged in and slowed the opposing team’s advantage, with Mark stepping in to aid Jay in a double shoulder takedown that connected with Cobb. Cobb rolled outside the ring only to be hit with Mark jumping off the turnbuckle to the outside on top of him. Both Briscoes worked on Cobb, making it difficult for him to tag in Willie Mack, while the brothers took turns working on Cobb in order to wear him down while conserving their own energy.
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Cobb finally ducked a clothesline, hit Jay with a dropkick and jumped towards Willie Mack to make the tag. Willie Mack, full of energy, went into the ring in a frenzy, hitting both Briscoes with a series of power moves and hard hits. But the Briscoes took back their earlier vantage point, double-teaming Willie Mack while Cobb was on the sidelines still recovering from earlier. Jay worked on Willie Mack, wrenching his neck and head to the side. He sprung off the ropes to knock Willie down, only to walk straight into a surprise flatliner out of nowhere. Willie used the minimal energy he had left in him to tag Cobb back in, who had clearly recuperated and went into an energetic splurge of successful signature suplexes to both Briscoes including a jaw-dropping double say no suplex to both competitors. Cobb hit a moonsault on Mark that only resulted in a two count. Willie Mack was tagged back, hitting Jay with his own moonsault. Jay rolled outside the ring, baited Willie Mack by taunting him, only for Mark to make a surprise intrusion that knocked Willie Mack down hard with a kick out of nowhere to the chest. Willie Mack was tossed back in the ring, and some light chain wrestling ensued with Willie Mack taking the advantage on Jay.
Cobb broke up an attempted pinfall, avoiding a near loss, followed with both Briscoes double teaming Willie Mack and wearing him down. Cobb evened the score coming to the aid of his partner as chaos ensued. Cobb and Mack obtained the overall advantage, nearly achieving victory as Willie Mack hit a moonsault off the top rope on Mark. While Jay and Cobb were outside the ring, Willie Mack and Mark began to exchange stiff kicks to each other’s faces, taking turns springing off the ropes to add momentum as they connected hard. But as Willie Mack came off the ropes for another kick, Jay quickly slid back into the ring, jumped up on Mack’s shoulders and consolidated a hurricarana out of the blue, dazing him. Jay wasted no time lock his arms and head in order to deliver a lightning speed tiger driver without any delay from the hurricarana that ensued just a moment prior. As Cobb was down and out on the sidelines as a result of a brawl outside the ring with Jay moments earlier, Willie Mack was clearly vulnerable to being pinned with no chance of a breakup. As Willie Mack was out cold from the tiger driver, the Briscoes achieved victory as Mark, still, the legal man climbed to the top turnbuckle, and nailed Willie Mack with a devastating elbow drop. The Briscoes will enter the Crockett Cup
Winners: The Briscoes
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