ROH TV
Episode 501
#ROH
Original Air Date: April 23, 2021
Event Date: ?
City: Baltimore, MD
Venue: UMBC Event Center (empty arena)
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruise
Intro Video
Video
Quinn McKay welcomes us to the show and goes over tonight’s matches.
Match 1
Dak Draper vs Eli Isom
(referee: Joe Mandak)
Result: Time Limit Draw
Time: 15:00 (12:25 on TV with a commercial break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. The pace felt a little slow at times to me, but it’s hard for me to really describe how or why. Maybe it was just me, but sometimes it felt like they were both thinking about what was coming next rather than making the most of the moments they were in. I don’t know if that makes sense, but really, this was a fine match with some nice back and forth action. Both guys looked good, and considering the finish, I expect they’ll have another match against each other.
Ring Area
After the match, Draper and Isom both want to restart the match with five more minutes. When we come back from a commercial break, the extra time is about to start… but the lights in the arena go out. When the lights come back on, Dalton Castle is on the stage with four boys. Music plays, and Castle dances to ringside as his boys clap.
Addressing Draper and Isom, Castle says he’s not here to fight either one of them. Rather, Castle has been watching both of them since they’ve been in ROH. Castle enters the ring (using his boys as ring steps), and says things have gotten dull around here. Everyone’s focused on winning, while Castle is the only person thinking about the viewers at home. Castle sees something in Draper and Isom that he likes, and he sses something he doesn’t. With that Castle kicks Eli Isom in the crotch. Dak Draper laughs, but he gets a kick in the crotch as well. Having created some television drama, Castle then leaves the ring.
Backstage
Violence Unlimited hangs out backstage and talks about their group. Homicide starts, saying the members of Violence Unlimited might not even like each other very much, but they all love violence. Chris Dickinson says Violence Unlimited represents the past, present, and future of ROH. Tony Deppen says LFI will never again treat him they way they did after he beat Kenny King. Brody King says Violence Unlimited is here to establish dominance. They’re not here for Rush’s crown, they’re here for his head.
Video
A look at Beer City Bruiser versus Joe Keys in a “Week by Week” match from 4/20/21. In a short clip Bruiser beats Keys via pinfall with the Beer City DDT. After the match Eric Martin, Ken Dixon, and Dante Caballero of the ROH Dojo run out to the ring. Dixon and Caballero keep the Bruiser away from Keys, but as they have a stand off, Dixon smashes a beer bottle on Caballero’s head. Dixon then attacks Martin, and Dixon and the Bruiser do a double chokeslam on Martin over the barricade at ringside. Ken Dixon then drinks a beer.
Backstage
Quinn McKay reluctantly welcomes the Beer City Bruiser and Ken Dixon. Bruiser says he didn’t plan on what just happened in the ring, but he appreciates Dixon “picking up his bar tab.” Dixon says he doesn’t fit in with the other ROH Dojo students, so he decided to branch out on his own. Bruiser likes that, and he likes Dixon.
Ring Area
The Righteous (Bateman, Vita VonStarr, and Dutch) head to the ring. Bateman says Vincent might be gone (after his match at the ROH 19th Anniversary show), but he is still the hand guiding the knife. Dutch hands Vita some words to read. Apparently reading Vincent’s words, Vita says this is the door to a righteous rebirth. Bateman says that the good work goes on despite Vincent being gone.
Match 2
Rush (ROH World Champ) & Kenny King & La Bestia del Ring vs Brody King & Homicide & Chris Dickinson
(referee: Joe Mandak)
Result: La Facción Ingobernable win via DQ when Brody King hits La Bestia del Ring with a chair
Time: 4:31 (with 1 commercial break)
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t much of a match. It started with a chaotic brawl, then it settled down into an actual match after a commercial break. After only a few minutes though, the match ended with a disqualification. This was more of a story and rivalry building segment than it was a match. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get a good match here, but I am looking forward to later when they do have some actual matches. As for being a small plot point in a longer story line, I think this was a very good segment.
Ring Area
After the match, Violence Unlimited and LFI continue to brawl. The Foundation (Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Rhett Titus, and Tracy Williams) come out to join the fight. The segment ends with all three factions continuing to fight.
Video
Tony Deppen is sick and tired of being pushed around. He says there is violence in honor, and Violence Unlimited is going to bring that violence to every division in ROH.
Video
Tracy Williams recognizes Violence Unlimited and their presence, but he will just work harder than ever to hold on to the gold he has.
Show Impressions
For a story-building show, this was a pretty good episode of RHO TV. The actual wrestling took a backseat to story lines, so that was a little disappointing. That said, the show felt like a good jumping-on point for anyone who hadn’t been watching in a while (including me).
Match of the Night
Dak Draper vs Eli Isom
I fully expected the six-man tag to be the best match tonight, but there just wasn’t much to it. It was more of a brawl than anything else, and it being an official match felt like an afterthought.
Official Results: https://www.rohwrestling.com/news/roh-recap-violence-unlimited-la-faccion-ingobernable-six-man-tag-ends-chaos