Reflection of Honor for Episode #397 – 4/26/19

In the latest edition of the reflection of honor ROH review, the show started off with a promo video replaying key moments of Taven’s victory in capturing the Ring of Honor championship at Madison Square Garden at the G1 Supercard from April 6. Following the promo, Taven made his way to the ring with his newly acquired championship belt and had a few things to say. In summary, he exclaimed that he is the most deserving of winning the championship, and proceeded to run down a list of his accomplishments over the last year.

He reminded the audience that anyone who disagreed with him in this regard is probably just bitter because they have accomplished nothing in their lives.

Flip challenges Taven

He concluded his speech stating that anyone who wants a title shot against him will have to earn it in the same way he did. Flip Gordon’s music suddenly hit and he came out to interject.

Flip got on the microphone and reminded Taven that he earned his opportunity when he won the Sea of Honor tournament on Chris Jericho’s cruise. Taven shot back, undermining his accomplishment by stating that winning a tournament on a cruise when “everyone is at the bar living it up” pales in comparison to winning the Championship at Madison Square Garden.

Flip exclaimed that he already talked to officials in the back and obtained confirmation that he is the new number one contender for the Ring of Honor championship. Taven appeared to be frustrated in receiving this news.

Jonathan Gresham vs Silas Young

Gresham and Young have had quite the bitter heat between them in recent times. Their last match never transpired at the 17th Anniversary PPV, as Gresham was assaulted by The Kingdom, resulting in a knee injury. Silas mocked him and further assaulted his knee backstage as Gresham was being carried.

Finally, Gresham obtained his opportunity against Silas two weeks ago on ROH TV. But when Gresham accidentally stumbled into the referee and decided to check on his well being out of concern.  Silas used the opportunity to low blow him and consolidated a rollup stealing the win from Gresham.

On this episode of ROH, Gresham obtained another match against Silas. The match started out with both wrestlers talking down to each other, with Gresham refusing to release his grip from their pre-match handshake. Various lockups transpired, but Silas demonstrated his strength consolidating a couple of shoulder to shoulder takedowns that pummeled Gresham.

Some impressive chain wrestling ensued and the match went to the outside where some back and forth submission wrestling took place on the floor.

Following a commercial break, fast chain wrestling continued, as both wrestlers countered numerous belly to back holds on each other. This match was furiously fast in pace for the entire first half.

The second half of the match slowed down, and both men continued to talk down to each other again. This was followed by a chest chopping contest, in which Gresham consolidated the upper hand by clobbering Silas in the face by surprise.

But Silas again shot back with more verbal insults as it became apparent that getting under the skin of Gresham was his apparent strategy for this match. Silas unexpectedly offered his wrist to Gresham, challenging him to lock him up.

Gresham, slightly confused at the offer, nonetheless proceeded to grab Silas’ wrist in a lockup. Silas immediately shot back with some lightning quick reversals, catching Gresham in his own high wrist lock, but Gresham escaped.

Silas again offered his wrist to Gresham, asking for a second chance. Gresham again proceeded, but this time Silas spun him around and gave him a northern lights suplex, obtaining the upper hand.

Gresham used Silas’ own mind games and offered him his own wrist this time. But Silas had other games in mind.  Silas grabbed Gresham’s wrist, but immediately moved behind his back and clobbered him with a surprise forearm, pummeling him.

Silas went to work on a fallen Gresham, but the match quickly evolved into some quick grappling between both competitors. Gresham took back the upper hand with a dropkick takedown and proceeded with an offensive consolidating some hard hits on Silas.

Following some quick reversals, Gresham again impressed, scoring an around the world DDT. Silas rolled to the outside of the ring and grabbed a chair in frustration. According to the announcers, they witnessed Silas apparently put the ring bell’s hammer in his back underpants.

The referee grabbed the chair from Silas and went to place the chair outside the ring. As the referee was turned in doing so, Silas used this golden moment to pull out the hammer from his underpants and clobber Gresham in the head with it.

Silas put the unconscious Gresham into an abdominal stretch and the referee called for the bell, declaring Silas the winner.
Winner: Silas Young

Traci and Haskins challenge The Kingdom next week

The show jumped to an interview with Traci Williams and Mark Haskins. They addressed Bully Ray and reminded him that they got their revenge against him at Madison Square Garden a few weeks ago.

They proceeded to challenge The Kingdom to a tag team match on the next episode of ROH TV for some unfinished business. This was in response to the Kingdom’s interference in the Street Fight match at Madison Square Garden with Bully Ray.

Mark and Jay Briscoe vs Soberano Jr. and Caristico (Representing CMLL)

The match started with the code of honor, followed by some pushing and shoving between the two teams. Mark and Soberano Jr. started the match locking up. Following some fast grappling between the two, Soberano reversed a wrist lock executing a springboard hurricarana on Mark.

Mark tagged in Jay, and following a few rounds of reversals, Soberano scored a surprise hurricarana that sent him rolling to the outside. The Briscoes rethought their gameplan on the outside, and both entered the ring brawling with Soberano and Caristico momentarily before scoring some double team maneuvers on the latter.

Mark nailed a hard elbow drop off the ring apron onto Soberano who was laying on the floor, followed by a high boot to the face from Jay. The Briscoes went into a frenzy, consolidating the advantage thus far in the match.

Briscoes took turns working on Caristico utilizing double team maneuvers every chance they got. But Caristico was able to make the tag to Soberano after knocking down both competitors with a handspring double elbow off the ropes.

Caristico and Soberano dominated for a while, using teamwork and high aerial maneuvers onto both Briscoes, including a high cross body to the outside.

Marko was whipped into the turnbuckle by Caristico, but quickly turned around and caught him with a stiff forearm. Marko used his brawling abilities to work him down, including some loud palm strikes. But Caristico quickly scored a springboard crossbody and tagged in Soberano.

Jay Briscoe and Caristico brawled outside the ring. Jay smacked Caristico’s face into a chair Soberano and Mark squared off in the ring. Jay got back in the ring and the Briscoes double teamed Caristico with some hard-hitting teamwork.

Caristico scored a high boot to Jay, now the legal man, and sprung off the ropes to press his luck further. But Jay caught him in a Spicolli driver. Jay then set him up for a piledriver. But it was interrupted up as Soberano returned to the ring, only to be met with a superkick by Jay.

Mark dumped Soberano back outside of the ring and the Briscoes both executed a powerbomb-neck breaker combination on Caristico. Caristico kicked out, so Jay followed up by nailing him with a Jay-driller (tiger driver).

Mark scored the elbow drop off the top rope, then went over to lock up with Soberano to ensure he did not come back in to interrupt the pinfall. Jay scored the pinfall on Caristico and the Briscoes consolidated the victory.
Winner: Briscoes

This concludes this week’s edition of Reflection of Honor. To read last week’s edition of Reflection of Honor Episode #396 click here.

Micah Shapiro, a native of Seattle, a father, and a husband, holds a Master of Science degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, and is a war and history junkie with a fascination for the dramatization and narration of human conflicts (obviously, pro wrestling fits that spectrum very well). He avidly watches independent pro wrestling as an escape from the daily anxieties of life in general, and his logistics day job. Though a typical hermit, sometimes he'll actually leave his house to go to DEFY's shows. Besides pro wrestling and global conflicts, he enjoys BBQ'ing (his specialty is Turkish Aleppo-pepper chicken kabobs), playing adventure and RPG video games, board games, painting war game miniatures, and reading science fiction, horror and fantasy novels.