Ring of Honor
Date: May 23, 2018
Location: Stage AE, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re still on the way to Best in the World and I’m not sure where things go on the way there. Several people want the World Title and two of them are in action tonight as Jay Lethal faces Punishment Martinez in what could be an interesting match. We’re also likely getting some more on Bully Ray’s heel turn which has had me agreeing with him the entire way so far. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Jay Lethal vs. Punishment Martinez

Both guys say they’ll win on the way to the ring. Martinez goes right after him to start but gets clotheslined to the floor. That means the triple suicide dives into the barricade….but Jay goes INSANE by making it seven straight as Coleman is losing his mind. Lethal starts in on the knee but gets kicked away as we take a break.

Back with Lethal still on the leg in a smart move to keep Martinez down. The Figure Four is blocked and Martinez elbows him in the corner. Martinez gets caught on top and punched in the knee again, followed by a running dropkick to the leg. You can’t say Lethal isn’t going with a smart game plan here. Martinez knocks Lethal down and scores with a top rope clothesline for two but Jay suplexes him down to take us to a break.

Back with Lethal holding Martinez in the Figure Four but Martinez reaches up to get a rope. The Lethal Injection is countered into a full nelson faceplant and a curb stomp. Must have watched Rollins vs. Miz recently. Martinez takes Lethal up top, only to be cut off by a shot to the knee. The top rope elbow gives Lethal two and frustration is starting to set in. The chokeslam is broken up and Martinez’s knee gives out. A superkick sets up the Lethal Injection to give Jay the pin at 16:28.

Result: Jay Lethal b. Punishment Martinez – Lethal Injection (16:28)

Video on Sumie Sakai vs. Jenny Rose for the Women’s Title next week.

Joey Daddiego vs. Shane Taylor

Daddiego says everyone has to go to work and he’s ready to do that harder than everyone else. Joey slugs away but can’t lift the much bigger Taylor. That earns him a heck of a forearm to the jaw and an even harder chokebomb. Taylor gets two off a splash but misses a Cannonball as the fans are behind Daddiego a bit. A hard right hand staggers Taylor and Daddiego gets two off an AA.

They head outside with Daddiego being sent into the barricade over and over. Taylor lays the mostly out cold Daddiego across two open chairs for a splash off the apron in a SCARY spot. The referee yells at Taylor and gets chokeslammed on the floor. Security runs in and gets beaten down as well, meaning it’s a no contest at about 5:00.

Result: Shane Taylor vs. Joey Daddiego went to a no contest (5:00)

Cody keeps cutting Brandi off and says that he’s getting his rematch at Best in the World.

We recap Bully Ray’s heel turn on Cheeseburger, which brought him out of retirement and back to the active roster.

We look at the Briscoes attacking Bullet Club last week in a good angle.

So Cal Uncensored vs. Bullet Club

Non-title. Cody, Adam Page and Marty Scurll here (with Bernard the Business Bear) in the latest six man main event, which seems almost like a semiannual tradition anymore. Cody cranks on Sky’s arm to start and hits a delayed gordbuster of all things to send us to a break. Back with Daniels sitting on the mat and Scurll patting him on the head. Page comes in to a nice reaction and gets to face Kazarian.

They slug it out with Page getting the better of it and dropkicking Daniels into a moonsault on Kazarian. Cody tries a Disaster Kick but hits Scurll by mistake, with the announcers debating his intent. Daniels leg lariats Cody down and the and Sky hits a super hurricanrana as we take a break.

Back again with Cody and Daniels hitting a double clothesline and the hot tag bringing in Scurll for some rapid fire stomps on Sky. Page adds a running shooting star and Scurll superkicks Sky from the apron. That means it’s time for the dives with Sky hitting the last one to put all six down. Daniels goes up top with Cody and that means a superplex to bring Daniels onto everyone else.

Everyone dives in at nine and Daniels pokes Marty in the eye for the sake of saving his fingers. Kazarian slingshots Page in for a cutter and Sky slingshots himself in to cut Cody. Scurll can’t hook the chickenwing on Sky so Page hits a double Buckshot Lariat on Daniels and Kazarian. Din’s Fire (Vertebreaker) hits Kazarian and the Rite of Passage puts Sky away at 15:06.

Result: Bullet Club b. So Cal Uncensored – Rite of Passage to Sky (15:06)

The fight keeps going post match and Marty hits Cody in the face with the umbrella to end the show.

Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 27 wrestling books. His latest book is the NXT: The Full Sail Years Volume III: From Dallas To New Orleans.

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