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WHAT TO WATCH: Matt Taven vs. Silas Young is the highlight of the show. Thomas versus Marshall had a lot of energy. The main event of Lethal vs. Jacobs had some good spots, but it didn’t stand out as anything you need to see.
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Dark Match: Brutal Bob def. Vinny Marseglia in 5 minutes – This came off as a squash match for Brutal Bob, who looked stiff and tough as hell. Vinny got in a couple of decent moves like a twisting senton off the second rope, but Bob dominated. As Vinny came off the top rope Bob delivered a wicked shoulder block. He hit some vicious chops and a deadlift slam. When Vinny went for a Stinger Splash, Bob just caught him and threw him down. Bob rolled him up and, not that he needed to, grabbed Vinny’s tights for the win.
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Match 1: Tadarius Thomas def. QT Marshall in the semifinals of the ROH Top Prospect Tournament in 6.5 minutes – Truth Martini was on commentary. Before the match, QT was pelted with toilet paper. He laughed it off. Marshall is doing a better job getting heel heat as the crowed was all over him. As they chanted, “QT sucks,” one guy in the front row yelled, “I think you’re doing a great job,” which got a laugh from the crowd.
Both men looked inspired during this match. Thomas’s capoeira style served him well. He used it to generate some clever counters. QT drove Thomas back first into the ring post, but Thomas recovered. He delivered three kicks to Marshall who responded with his own kick to the chest. Ultimately, Thomas locked in what looked like a version of the Florida Key where he looped QT’s arms in his without the wristlock and nailed the German suplex for the pin.
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Match 2: Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander and Nick Westgate & Brian Fury go to a no contest after 1 minute – Coleman did a big dive off the top rope to the floor. As Cedric looked to do something similar, he turned around to gain momentum by bouncing off the rope and ran right into a gore from Rhino. Steve Corino, who came out encouraging Rhino, entered the ring, elbowed Coleman in the head and grabbed the mic.
CORINO: Since the day that we formed S.C.U.M. the mission has never and will never change. I’m warning all of you. On March 2, from Chicago Ridge on PPV, evil is coming. Ring of Honor dies.
Corino backed up the ramp with Rhino following intensely behind. The refs ran out to tend to Coleman.
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Match 3: Matt Taven def. Silas Young in the semifinals of the ROH Top Prospect Tournament in 5.5 minutes – Silas was sporting a mustache that made him look like a villain from Walker: Texas Ranger. As the crowd threw stuff at him, Silas caught it and threw it right back. Taven was over and well supported by the fans in attendance.
Overall, this was a fun match worth watching. The tenor was a lot of back and forth based on counters and taunts. Things were a little sloppy at points, but it was still good stuff. Some highlights were when Taven sprung over the top from the apron only to be caught and slammed by Silas. Taven performed a beautiful (and scary looking) moonsault from the second rope onto Silas on the outside. Taven missed a top rope frog splash, Silas hit a spinning neckbreaker and went for the big lariat. Taven ducked and rolled him up for the pin. Cool finish.
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Ring announcer Bobby Cruise made the announcement that ROH has a tradition of throwing streamers and toilet paper, but please refrain from throwing cupcakes. Bizarre.
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Match 4: Jay Lethal def. Jimmy Jacobs in 8 minutes – The crowd was very pro-Lethal. The match started as a slugfest on the outside, where Jimmy set Jay up on a chair, tried a Tope, missed and crashed into the chair. Back in the ring, Jimmy speared Jay coming off the top, but Jay responded with a Lethal Combination. Jay took too long and Jimmy hit him with a superkick, went for what looked like a Lethal Injection, but turned it into a Codebreaker followed by Sliced Bread, but Jay was in the ropes. Two count.
Jimmy’s top rope hurricanrana was blocked. Jay responded with a running Death Valley Driver and Hail to the King for the three count.
Immediately, Corino and Rhino charged the ring. Cedric Alexander ran out to make the save but Rhino KILLED him with a Gore. Rhino set up Lethal for the same, but Kevin Steen ran out and stood between them. He told Jimmy to back off. Steen looked at Jay and extended his hand to help him up. Jay just backed off. After, Corino and Steen seemed to be having a verbal disagreement in the ring.
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