ROH TV
Episode 477
#ROH
Original Air Date: November 6, 2020
Event Date: ?
City: Baltimore, MD
Venue: UMBC Event Center (empty arena)
Commentary: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman
Ring Announcer: Bobby Cruise
Pure Match Judges: Will Ferrara, Sumie Sakai, Gary Juster
Intro Video
Video
Quinn McKay welcomes us to Ring of Honor Wrestling. She talks about the finals of the Pure Tournament where Jonathan Gresham defeating his Foundation stablemate Tracy Williams. We then see a clip of the finish of that match.
Video
After his win over Williams, Jonathan Gresham says at one time being the ROH World Champ meant more. It meant being the best in the world with the responsibility of protecting ROH as the alternative pro wrestling company and protecting pro wrestling freedom. Rush, as champion, has not continued that tradition. Rush is not the champion ROH needs. With that in mind, Gresham says the Pure Championship should mean the same thing the World Title once did. It means Gresham is the best pure wrestler in the world, and it means he has a responsibility to his locker room and the ROH fans. Gresham will once again establish ROH to the heights it once had. ROH will be purified. Welcome to a new era.
Video
A look at Dak Draper, “The Mile High Magnum.” Draper loves to be the center of attention. He’s also really confident in his abilities. As good as he is, he was surprised when he was made an alternate in the Pure Tournament instead of competing and winning the whole thing. He also thinks his opponent tonight, Brian Johnson, is lucky to be in ROH, but ROH is lucky to have Dak Draper.
Video
A look at Brian Johnson, but we will call him “The Mecca.” He’s loved pro wrestling since day one, and nobody does it like he does. He didn’t waste his time on football and stuff growing up, he dedicated all of his time to becoming the greatest pro wrestler. Johnson says he earned everything he’s gotten in ROH so far, and he’s extremely bitter about Draper being handed everything. Brian Johnson is a bitter, bitter man. Soon everyone will know, it’s Mecca versus everybody.
Match 1
Pure Wrestling Rules Match
Brian Johnson vs “The Mile High Magnum” Dak Draper
(referee: Joe Mandak)
Result: Dak Draper wins via pinfall after the Magnum KO (fireman’s carry tossed forward into a kneeling powerslam)
Time: 11:03 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. This was a battle of the Pure Tournament alternates, and as a Pure Rules match, I thought it was okay. Johnson tried to bend the rules as far as he could without breaking them, and that kind of gave the match the feeling of just any regular match. Johnson started the match with a punch to Draper’s face, and that gamble ended up hurting Johnson in the end. So yeah, I understand the intent, but it just wasn’t what I really want from a Pure Rules match. Both men looked fine though, and as a regular match I enjoyed it.
Video
A look at Brody King. King talks about getting into music and becoming straight edge since he was young. He talks about having someone to lean on as a tag wrestler for most of his time in ROH, but now he’s on his own.
Video
A look at Dalton Castle. Castle talks about finding out where he went wrong in the Pure Tournament. He also knows he needs a good plan if he wants to beat Brody King. Castle feels like something is changing within him. He has a rage inside that he can sometimes control, but sometimes it gets loose.
Match 2
Brody King vs Dalton Castle
(referee: Todd Sinclair)
Result: Brody King wins via pinfall after the Gonzo Bomb
Time: 14:45 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Great match. Castle had a plan going into the match, but it felt like King was quick to shut it down. It took a little while for Castle to figure out how to attack King, but repeated attacks began to chip away King’s power. The momentum shifted heavily a few times throughout the match, and as the fight went longer, then action gradually picked up. Moves got bigger, and each pin attempt felt like it got longer. Both men looked like they could win the match at different points, so it became a matter of who could hit the next big move (or moves) to put their opponent away. I really enjoyed the approach both men took, and I loved seeing them both have to think about how to attack their opponent as their plans were forced to change.
Show Impressions
This was a strong show. I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep watching past the end of the Pure Tournament, but the match between Brody King and Dalton Castle definitely made me want to keep tuning in.
Match of the Night
Brody King vs Dalton Castle
I expected to enjoy the match, but it was even better than I expected.