Note: this review first appeared on Saturday when the show debuted on Sinclair.

By Paul Fontaine, WrestlingObserver.com

The Big Takeaway: A fun, fast-moving show that will be a great showcase for the company for their first show on Destination America. Several matches were set up with angles advanced for the June PPV.

Show Recap: 

They’ve changed the TV show description on the guide. Not sure if it’s just my cable system or everywhere but it now says “ROH is based around a pure wrestling style and a Code of Honor that all wrestlers must abide by”. Seems like a straight-forward description for potential fans who may not be familiar with it.

And the very first thing that fans on Destination America will see is a Briscoes Promo! They’re hyping up the main event tonight with the House of Truth. Jay Briscoe says tonight will be a preview for what he’s going to do to Jay Lethal at Best in the World.

This show was taped in Toronto from the combined ROH/New Japan shows a couple weeks ago. With all the talk about Samoa Joe appearing on ROH and WWE TV, the first person we see coming to the ring is Will Ferrara, seen on RAW earlier this week shoving Dean Ambrose, and causing him to be “arrested”.

Kushida beat Will Ferrara by submission

Tale of the tape shows them virtually identical in height and weight. After watching Kushida the past week in the Super Juniors tournament, I gotta say that ROH definitely looks better. Crowd seems to be miced better tonight as well. Kushida is crazy over with these people and takes control of the match early. Ferrara takes over with a clothesline and Kushida rolls out so Ferrara follows him with a little “crash and burn action”.

Announcers are hyping up next week, which will feature the Bullet Club as well as a tag title rematch between the Addiction and ReDRagon. Sounds awesome. Back in the ring, Kushida gets an armbar but Ferrara makes the ropes. Kushida continuing to work on the arm and they get into a a YAY/BOO punch sequence in the center of the ring that Kushida gets the better of.

Kushida hits a nice moounsault for two and argues with the ref. KUSHIDA chants from the crowd. Kushida misses a buzzsaw kick and Ferrara rolls him up for a two. Kushida gets a rolling armbar for the submission win. They shake hands after the match and Ferrara raises his hand.

While the announcers are hyping up the belt vs belt match at Best in the World, the Addiction crash the party. They head to the announce desk to cut a promo on ReDRagon. Kazarian compares the former champs to the “entitled generation” that thinks they don’t have to earn anything. But they will get their one and only shot next week. He closes by saying that he now gives Steve and Kevin permission to worship them now.

“The Last Real Man” Silas Young beat Watanabe by pinfall

Highlights from Night 1 of the tour and Young turning on Watanabe air prior to the match. Young is 3 inches taller but they are the same weight. Young does not adhere to the Code of Honor. Guess he didn’t read the show description. There’s a New Japan ref for this match. Kelly plugs the Codeline. “Who is scheduled to face Mark Briscoe at the PPV?”. You’ll have to call to find out.

WATANABE chants from the crowd, mixed in with LETS GO SILAS. Young hits a clothesline from the top but screams at the crowd rather than covering and only gets a two when he finally does. Watanabe hits a hangman style neckbreaker and then a traditional neckbreaker but only gets a two and Young rolls to the outside.

Watanabe goes after him but Young snaps his neck on the ringrope. Watanabe clotheslines him out of the ring and follows him to the outside. Watanabe drives Young into the barricade and goes for a running splash but Young gets his knees up. Young charges him but Watanabe catches him with a German suplex.

Back in the ring and Watanabe covers for a 2. Watanabe hits a backslide for a cover but Young recovers and kicks him in the head. Young hits the airplane spin into a TKO for the win. Young mockingly shakes Watanabe’s hand as he’s out cold.

Moose w/Veda Scott and Stokely Hathaway beat Colby Corino w/BJ Whitmer and Adam Page by destruction

Highlights air of the angle where Whitmer stole a win during a tag match where these two were partners. Crowd is singing along with Moose’s ring entrance. Kelly reminds us that Moose is unbeaten in over a year in ROH. Moose, Elgin and Roderick Strong will fight for the #1 contender’s spot. Whitmer was supposed to face Moose but he decides to let someone else show that he’s the future of ROH. He said this while talking right at Adam Page but it was a SWERVE~~~! He introduced Colby Corino as the opponent and young Colby seemed more than willing. Crowd was chanting SHUT UP WHITMER through all of this.

Daddy Steve at ringside was very concerned at this. Whitmer even takes a shot at Steve Corino saying that Colby can prove he’s more of a man than his father ever was. MOOSE IS GONNA KILL YOU, the crowd serenades as Colby opens up with a slap to Moose before the bell. Moose tosses him over the top rope immediately and follows him to the outside, whipping him into the barricade several times.

Moose powerbombs him into the ring apron from the outside and then one more time into the ropes. A third powerbomb right onto the floor. Corino and Kelly are both yelling GINO, not sure who they’re supposed to be talking to. Whitmer and Page toss Colby back into the ring and Moose covers him with one foot. “Match” was exactly what it should’ve been.

In the parking lot, Jay Lethal is upset that “they” are making him and Dijak fight the Brisoces tonight. Martini says he’s got it all under control and there won’t be a free preview of the PPV tonight.

“The Exotic Goddess” Mandy Leon has a new segment called “Inside ROH” where she talks about the feud between Adam Page and ACH that has been “brewing for months now”. Various promos from both guys air, culminating in the recent match where Page won with a low blow. They brawled after the match rather than shake hands, which required a team of officials to break up. At Best in the World, ACH teams with Matt Sydal and Page with BJ Whitmer in a tag match.

Jay Lethal and Donavon Dijak are out for the main event, along with Truth Martini and J Diesel. Lethal is in street clothes and the ring announcer introduces Diesel and Dijak so looks like Lethal’s got the night off.

The Briscoes (Mark and World Champion Jay Briscoe) beat the House of Truth (Donovan Dijak/J Diesel w/Truth Martini and TV Champion Jay Lethal)

Jay Lethal joins Kelly and Corino at commentary. He wastes no time in saying that he’s not challenging Jay Briscoe, Briscoe wants what he was, which is THE ROH Championship. Dijak starts things off against Mark. Jay says that Truth got him out of the match because these people don’t deserve a sneak preview of the match at Best in the World between he and Jay Briscoe. Dijak tags out to Diesel and Mark tags in brother Jay while Kelly is plugging the Codeline again.

Briscoes cut off the ring, isolating Diesel. Jay talks about getting rid of Briscoe’s belt after he wins at Best in the World. Match is basically background for Jay Lethal’s extended promo. While Jay is posing for the crowd with his belt, Jay Briscoe grabs it, which turns things around and Diesel is able to get a tag in to Dijak.

Jay is caught in the corner of Dijak and Diesel and the tag in and out, beating on the World champ. Lethal says his Dad will be there and Kelly informs him that Papa Briscoe will be as well, which leads into a discussion of whose Daddy would win.

Jay gets the hot tag and he’s a house of fire, hitting some red necked Kung Fu on Diesel and the flying double front kick to Dijak. Mark goes to the top but the ref is distracted by Martini and Dijak pushes Mark off the top. Diesel gets a two as we go to break.

Back in the ring and Mark goes for a cross body but Dijak catches him and tosses him away “just like garbage” (Jay Lethal’s words). He and Diesel take turns working over Mark as Jay pleads for a tag.

Mark finally gets the hot tag and Jay goes wild on both Dijak and Diesel. He clotheslines Dijak out of the ring and stomps a mudhole in Diesel. Doomsday Device and it’s over. Lethal’s look after the match was a mix of disappointment and defiance, just priceless. Lethal screams at Briscoe, who’s staring a hole into him, which allows Dijak to take Mark’s head off with a clothesline outside the ring. He goes into the ring to attack Jay but he quickly turns it around.

He’s about to hit the Jay Driller on Dijak when Lethal runs in for the save. Briscoe then hits the Jay Driller on Lethal. If this was WWE, I’d say this means that Lethal is winning the title but it’s not so we’ll see.