6-24-12 ROH Best in the World recap and thoughts

Recap and thoughts on the June 24, 2012 ROH Best in the World iPPV

I watched the ROH Best in the World IPPV last night. I thought this was a really awesome show! Most of the matches were good to great!

On with the show.

The show started with The Briscoes coming out for their match. Then Truth Martini came out and he introduced their mystery opponents, The Guardians of Truth.  Then 2 guys came out in what looked like a new version of the old Executioner costumes. I read later on that the were the Headbangers. No one could tell because when they came out the fans chanted, “Who are You?”

The Briscoes vs. The Guardians of Truth (AKA The Headbangers). The Briscoes won when Jay got a roll up pin. The ropes were really lose in this match. I think it was because whatever holds the ropes together broke. The match was decent but because of the ropes being lose it was a bit off. Jay lifted one of the Guardians on his shoulders and Mark went up top for a Doomsday Device but the Guardian attempted to counter that with a Victory Roll and then Jay managed to drop down and get the pin. After the match The Briscoes were going to give the Doomsday Device to Truth Martini but one of the Headbanger Guardians pushed Mark off the top. Then they double teamed Jay till security ran in to break it up. This was ok but the lose ropes really had an affect on the match.

Eddie Edwards vs. Homicide. Edwards got the pin. This was a great match. They wrestled like this was the main event. Both guys really gave it their all.

Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly in a Hybrid Rules match. Cole won by submission. This was AWESOME! Easily one of the best matches on the show! The rules for this Hybrid match were a bit confusing. All I pretty much remember is that there were no pin falls. At one point in the match Adam Cole bled like crazy from the mouth. They thought his teeth were knocked out but they weren’t. Cole did have to get stitched up after the match though. Really great match! Well worth seeing! After the match Cole went to shake Kyle’s hand but Kyle smacked him in the face and walked out.

Fit Finlay vs. Michael Elgin. Elgin got the pin. This was a good match too. Finlay looked good here. He’s still in great shape. Elgin is really good too. The guy has all the makings of a star. After the match Finlay extended his hand out to Elgin. Then Truth Martini came out and he told Elgin not to shake Finlay’s hand but Elgin shook it anyway. Then Martini gets in Elgin’s face about that and then Elgin backed him into the corner and told Martini not to tell him what to do. This was good too. I have a feeling Elgin will be turning face soon.

Then they went to a 20 minute intermission.

Back to the show and out come Mike Bennett, Bob Evans & Maria. The crowed chants CM Punk since Punk & Maria used to be together. Bennett mentions that he’s from Boston and he rags on the New York fans pretty much. Then he & Maria make out AGAIN! Then out came Mike Mondo who said that he is from New York. He said that the first show he was ever at was at the Manhattan Center and he also said that it has always been his dream to wrestle in the Hammerstein. Then he challenges Bennett to a fight. Then he says that he will fight Bennett and then F Maria.

Mike Mondo vs. Mike Bennett. Mondo got the pin with an inside cradle. This was a solid match. The crowd really popped for Mondo!

Jay Lethal vs. Tomasso Ciampa vs. ROH World TV Champion Roderick Strong in a 3 Way Elimination match for the Title. Strong won after pinning Lethal. This was a good match also. Lethal got Strong in a Figure 4 and locked Ciampa in a cross face at the same time. That was cool spot. Ciampa was going for Project Ciampa on Strong but then Prince Nana came in and toppled over Ciampa. Then Strong fell on top of Ciampa and the got the pin on him. Then Lethal went for a spring board on Strong but Truth Martini hit Lethal in the back with the book of truth. Then Strong hit a suplex into a back breaker for the pin. This was a really good match too. Ciampa was upset at Nana for costing him the match. It looks like the might be turning Ciampa face too. I was hoping they would put the Title back on Lethal.

The All Night Express vs. ROH World Tag Team Champions Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team for the Titles. If WGTT lost by DQ they would lose the titles. ANX won to become the new champions. This was another great match. AT one point Kenny tossed a chair to Shelton and tried goading him into using it. Then Titus gave Shelton a DDT on the chair for a near fall. Then Toward the end Rhett was busted open and the champs were working him over. They were going for the leap of faith but then Kenny spring board dove onto Shelton. Then Rhett rolled up Charlie for the pin. The place went nuts for the title change. Afterwards Benjamin & Hass attacked the All Nights but the Champs got back and headed to the back with the titles.

Then Steve Corino came out and said that he was proud to be evil and was going to be on commentary for the main event. Then Jim Cornette came out and said that if Corino was going to be at ringside he will be too so that Corino wouldn’t get involved in the match. Then after Richards & Steen come out and the introductions were out of the way Kyle O’Reilly came out and told Richards that he has too much respect for him and that he wasn’t going to stab him in the back. He was going to stab in the f’n eye. He says that Team Ambition is done and he is looking to break out on his own. Good heel promo from Kyle.

Davey Richard vs. ROH World Champion Kevin Steen in an Anything goes match for the Title. Steen got the pin. This was the other REALLY AWESOME match of the show! These guys had a crazy brawl. At one point ring announcer Bobby Cruise got taken out. Then Davey kicked the referee. Then the other referee came out and Steen gave him a Package Piledriver. Richards got a chain and tied it to his ankle and kicked Steen in the head with it. That was nuts. There were a lot of insane bumps here. Tables broken, piledriver on a ladder. Crazy stuff. Jimmy Jacobs came in and pulled a spike out of his boot but Jim Cornette came in and took the spike out of his hands. He was going to hit Jacobs with it but then Corino was standing behind Cornette. When Cornette turned around Corino kicked him in the groin. Jacobs then got the spike back but Davey ducked and suplexed Jacobs into the corner. Then Steen got the spike and he hit Davey low. Then he hit the Package Piledriver for the 3 count. This was a really insane match! Must see stuff here! After the match Steen got the mic and said that he has been a hypocrite so that can get a Title match. He said that he does respect Davey and he says that Davey is the best in the world. Then he ragged on the fans but they cheered for him anyway. He said they have turned on everyone who has been ROH World Champion. Then he says that they can’t turn on him because he doesn’t care about the fans anyway. They still cheered for him though. Then he said that he will be the final ROH World Champion. Then Steen said that at the last Best in the World show he said F Ring of Honor and this year he is going to say what he means. He says F NYC. This was good. It looks like Steen is going to be face just because the fans cheer him. It also looks like they might be turning Davey heel. It really felt like the Bret-Austin double turn at WrestleMania 13. We’ll see if that’s what they do here. If they do I can see this working.

Overall this was a great and well worth going out of your way to see! Most of the matches were really enjoyable! The Cole-O’Reilly & Richards-Steen matches were my 2 favorite matches on the show!