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Welcome back loyal readers to this week’s episode of ROH on HDNet. The wait is finally over as tonight is the final match in the Ring of Honor World Television Title Tournament. I’ve been waiting weeks for this match and it’s finally here. Actually it was taped over a month ago and my son and I were in attendance, but you get the idea. I FINALLY GET TO TALK ABOUT IT!!! That being said, since my articles usually hover around the 1,000 word mark, this week I am saving up most of my words to describe the main event. Let’s get to it.

Tonight’s the night…

Jim Cornette informs us that tonight is the finals of the ROH World Television Title Tournament. Thanks Jim, I already told everybody that, let’s move on shall we.

Rhett Titus vs. Tyler Black

I must take few words to single out Rhett Titus, who performs one of the most disgusting moves I’ve ever seen. ROH matches usually start off with a handshake, called the code of honor. Well, Titus sticks his hand down the front of his tights and rubs it around before pulling it out (just his hand thank god) and extending it to his opponent. Anyway, this match is pretty decent although you never really expect Titus to win. Austin Aries & Kenny King interfere but Roderick Strong makes the save for Black, who hits his finisher God’s Last Gift for the win. Afterwards, Strong and Black go at it and have to be separated by the boys in the back.

New York, New York…

Next we see a preview for the next live ROH show in New York City on May 8th. Roderick Strong will be taking on Tyler Black for the ROH World Title.

“SkullKrusher” Rasche Brown vs. James Stone

I said several weeks ago that I was no longer reviewing Brown’s matches until he has something besides a total squash match…NEXT.

The American Wolves…Is The Hunt Over?

Next is a video package covering the history of The American Wolves. We must be getting close to the big match, any moment now…

Shawn Daivari Promo

Oh never mind, it’s just Daivari. Let me sum this up, he hates Americans and judging by all the chants of “U-S-A”, they hate him too.

World Television Title – Finals – Eddie Edwards (6) vs. Davey Richards (4)

YES, I made it to the main event and it only took 410 words. My American Wolves dream matchup has come true and I am totally pumped up. I hear a lot of complaining from fans that wrestling matches today have no psychology to them anymore, the wrestlers don’t know how to tell a story. Well here are two great young storytellers who are about to tell you a classic. The first part of this match is both men feeling each other out, as you’d expect. They know each other so well that it’s hard for one to gain the advantage over the other. Like when Richards tries a hand spring elbow of the ropes but Edwards counters with a drop kick in the back. And like when Richards is on the apron and tries to suplex Edwards out of the ring. Only to have Eddie block the move and bring Davey into the ring. Only to have Davey then suplex Eddie and himself out of the ring onto the floor, right in front of me I might add. About seven minutes we have the first big spot of the match. Edwards is outside the ring and Davey runs across the ring and dives through the ropes. But he overshoots Eddie a little bit and winds up two rows deep into the crowd. This is where I jumped out of my seat for the first time. Back in the ring, Richards starts to take control with a fisherman’s suplex that he then converts into a kimura. Eddie fights out and starts to mount some offense of his own. He hits Richards with some hard shots and then climbs the ropes and hits a missile drop kick while screaming “Davey”! If you have a brother and the two of you have ever had a fight, then you know the emotions these two are conveying in the ring. This is really good stuff. Now here comes the near fall portion of the match. Edwards hits a Code Breaker off the top rope followed by a flapjack, but only gets two. Edwards puts Richards on the top rope but Davey fights back…with head butts! Both men are on the top rope head butting each other, HARD. Davey falls off and Eddie looks like he’s setting up for a moonsault but Richards runs up the ropes and delivers a German SUPER-PLEX(!!!) followed by a clothesline, running leg kick, fisherman’s suplex combination…for only two. I am out of my seat and officially “marking out” hard for this match. I have not felt this way at a live event since I was 18 years old at Halloween Havoc ’89 seeing the Road Warriors live for the first time. And we’re still only about halfway through this match. Not to be outdone, Edwards hits a Hurricanranna off the top rope followed by a power bomb for…you guessed it, a two count.

Now comes the last part of the story, the submission part. Eddie goes for the Achilles Lock, but Richards won’t tap. Davey goes for the juji-gatame (cross arm lock) but Edwards won’t give in. The turning point occurs when Richards misses a round house kick and hits the ring post, injuring his knee. Eddie is too exhausted to take advantage however and is lying in the ring. Richards gives it one last shot and climbs the ropes and hits a perfect shooting star press. I explode out of my seat as the ref counts 1-2…and Edwards kicks out. At this point I am just a puddle at ringside. Davey goes for another kimura but Eddie turns it into the Achilles Lock, and with his injured knee, Davey can’t hold out and finally taps at the twenty minute mark. Ladies and gentleman, your first ROH World Television Champion, Eddie Edwards. Richards grabs the belt from the referee and teases a Wolves breakup, but instead he puts it on Edwards himself and raises Eddie’s arm. The American Wolves live on!!! I am completely spent, my voice is shot from screaming and my nerves are frayed from all the near falls. What an amazing match this was. Five stars plus.

What else can I say, the main event was unreal. If people actually saw this match instead of watching a pretend draft involving wrestlers who all jump between shows anyway, this would be a sure fire “Match of the Year” candidate. Hopefully my words will inspire you to seek this match out online if you haven’t seen it already. Obviously, I am very passionate about ROH, I certainly don’t yell myself horse at any WWE house shows these days, so maybe I’m a little biased. But if you were ever curious about what ROH can be at its very best then give this match a try. And you too might be chanting, “ROH-ROH-ROH”.

How to Lose Stubborn Belly Fat, Get Flat Abs the Right Way.

Vince DeHoratus lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two kids. He has been a life long wrestling fan and he has passed that love onto his son. Though not quite yet “middle aged and crazy”, he is fast approaching it.

Order Ring of Honor: Greatest Rivalries on DVD by clicking here.

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