Ring of Honor sent this in.
Ring of Honor comes back to New Jersey for the first time in several years THIS Saturday night when we make our debut at The Recreation Center in Rahway! Two titles are on the line as well as a huge first time tag team match, a No Time Limit rematch, and a whole lot more! It’s all a part of this our big return to NJ so let’s take a look at the line-up and the events that brought us to “Killer Instinct”…
ROH World Championship Match
Kevin Steen defends vs. Jay Lethal
Many weeks ago ROH Executive Producer Jim Cornette put out a call to the entire Ring of Honor locker room to step up and show some killer instinct, for someone who hadn’t yet made the attempt to prove they had what it took to be the guy to challenge Kevin Steen for the ROH World Title in Rahway. Being that Rahway is somewhat of a home for him, Lethal offered himself up only to be told he didn’t have if in him. Well that night on “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV Jay stepped up to the challenge and shockingly took out both his opponent for the evening and the referee! Following the assault he looked into the camera and essentially asked JC what he thought about that.
Lethal wasn’t done yet though. When ROH hit Charlotte, NC for “Caged Hostility” Jay elected to send another message about his desire for the World Title. First he soundly defeated Adam Page early in the night. Then, after SCUM lost in a Steel Cage Match against Rhett Titus & The Briscoes, Lethal decided to take on all Steen, Corino, & Jacobs all by himself! Cornette immediately decided that Lethal’s actions were indicative of the man he wanted to challenge Steen in Rahway and Jay was awarded this title opportunity.
Between those actions and after having dug deep to beat Homicide at “Death Before Dishonor X”, Lethal has more than proven himself capable of claiming the ROH World Title and ending Jim Cornette’s nightmare.
To Steen’s credit, he has put down 8 different challengers for his World Title since capturing it at “Border Wars” in May. That is more successful defenses in a 5 month time frame than any World Champion since Austin Aries in late 2009, and six of Steen’s title defenses have all been against former or current World champions (Strong, Edwards, Richards, Rhino, Kingston, & Homicide)!
Despite the assorted obstacles thrown in his path in that time, despite his awful disposition and actions towards ROH, it is hard to deny Steen’s success as the World Champion.
Can Lethal use his home field advantage to be the man to bring that success to a screeching halt?
3 Way ROH World Tag Team Title Match
Jimmy Jacobs & Steve Corino defend against Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer and Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin)
It was announced during their vacancy that the World Tag Team Titles would be defended when Ring of Honor debuted in Rahway, NJ for “Killer Instinct” on October 6th. So when Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs captured the championships at “Death Before Dishonor X” in Chicago Ridge, in addition to seeing ROH World Champion Kevin Steen dethroned, it became another part of Executive Producer Jim Cornette’s mission to see that S.C.U.M’s reign was short-lived.
With that in mind, and coming out of the most recent “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV Tapings, it was confirmed by ROHWrestling.com that Corino & Jacobs will defend the ROH World Tag Team Titles against not one, but TWO, different teams on 10/6!
“Does this surprise anybody?” said Steve Corino via e-mail, “Seriously, is there anyone out there who is shocked that Jim Cornette is stacking the deck against me and Jimmy? He did it in the first place by having us put our ROH careers on the line just to get into the tournament, and now that we’ve jumped over that hurdle, well I guess it’s time to throw two more in our way! Well JC, hate to tell you this, but we have made a career out of overcoming, our entire lives have been defined by overcoming odds, and you can put two or two hundred teams up against us and damn it, me and Jimmy will keep fighting if for no other reason than just to ruin your day! So Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin, Rhett Titus, and BJ Whitmer, bring it on! You won’t stop us, you can’t kill us, nothing that you or JC throw at us can kill us because like we said before, we’ve been dead a long time already!”
That’s right, like Corino said, it will be the team of WGTT (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) AND the unlikely pair of Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer who will challenge for the titles at “Killer Instinct”! Haas & Benjamin are two time champs together, and between Titus & Whitmer they can claim 5 championship reigns but not one of those are a shared experience. They are simply bound together by a shared rivalry with S.C.U.M and the desire to end Corino & Jacobs run ASAP.
Oh yes, and let’s not forget to mention the issues between Titus and WGTT that have been building for the last few months since The ANX dethroned them, and the fact that, as you will soon see on ROH TV, Haas & Benjamin had no problem pulling Whitmer into those problems as well…
No Time Limit Return Match
“The American Wolf” Davey Richards vs. “No Fear” Mike Mondo
At “The Nightmare Begins…” in June, Davey Richards and Mike Mondo clashed in a one-on-one match-up that, quite honestly, many figure was just a tune-up for the former World Champion as he headed into his ROH World Title rematch with Kevin Steen at “Best in the World 2012: Hostage Crisis”.
The reality though was something quite different as Mondo, to the shock of the ROH faithful, took Richards to a time limit draw! Unfortunately for Richards, and the fans in attendance, Mondo was unwilling to go another five minutes as he felt he proved that Davey could not beat him.
Since that draw, both Mondo’s career, as well as his personality, have actually taken an upswing and it is safe to say that the changes are a direct result of this fight with Richards. He has since challenged for both the ROH World & TV Titles, lost his negative attitude and embraced the ideals of taking on any fight, and even stated that if he could go back and do it over, he would go that extra five minutes.
“He is tough fighter,” said Richards to ROHWrestling.com, “but I admit I was shocked that Mondo went the distance with me. It’s something that has quite honestly weighed on my mind since that night and something I would love the opportunity to rectify. I want to be the absolute best, that has always been my goal, and I can’t call myself that unless I can beat everyone. My road started in Baltimore with Survival of the Fittest but I would love it to continue, for my next match outside of this tournament, to be with Mike Mondo. I heard Mondo wants the same so Ring of Honor, I am looking at you to make this happen.”
Well when ROH hits Rahway, NJ this weekend for “Killer Instinct”, both Mondo & Richards will have their chance to make up for it because ROH officials have signed the rematch!!! It will be Richards vs. Mondo II at the Rahway Rec Center and as announced in the October 2nd Newswire it has now been determined that this match will have NO TIME LIMIT! Mondo & Davey will have all the time they need to truly determine who is the better man…
First Time Ever Tag Team Match Up
Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. ROH World TV Champion Adam Cole & “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards
For the first time ever, the 7-Time former ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay & Mark Briscoe will go up against the combined might of “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards & the ROH World TV Champion Adam Cole! The Briscoes are no strangers to Edwards with Eddie having spent a great deal of time engaged with them during The American Wolves run as a pair, but it is only the second time Cole has faced off with Dem Boys (the first being at “Honor Takes Center Stage Ch. 1”).
In addition, while Edwards & Cole have proven themselves a capable duo in the past (most notably at the “10th Anniversary Event”), this is the first time the two men have teamed up in many months while Jay & Mark spend virtually every ROH event competing as a tag team, not to mention their years of experience in the field. Despite those fact, Eddie Edwards remains unphased heading into this tag team challenge…
“I know Jay and Mark well.” said Edwards to ROHWrestling.com several weeks ago, “It’s that kind of knowledge you only get when you’ve gone to war either against somebody or at their side. I have stood toe-to-toe with the Briscoes as we all gave everything we had for the right to either be called, or remain, champions and I have seen them as friends traveling the road together. I have seen every side of Dem Boys, I have seen the same of Adam Cole, and that is why I can go into Rahway with the utmost confidence that Adam and I…we will be walking out with our hands raised in victory. It will be a sweet feeling to come home from NOAH and head straight into that fight. And I’m kind of hoping Jay and Mark make it even sweeter by actually winning the tag team titles in Chicago Ridge. Becoming a champion again, now that would be a sweet homecoming.”
As he mentioned there, Eddie has spent the month September in Pro Wrestling NOAH competing alongside Bobby Fish as part of the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag League and in fact Edwards & Fish ended their tournament run with 4 points and earned the Fighting Spirit award. Also as Eddie mentioned it there, there was the potential for Jay & Mark to roll into New Jersey as the new ROH World Tag Team Champions but they did not capture the belts at “Death Before Dishonor X” in the Tag Team Title Tournament.
Still one must imagine that the future of the tag title scene could be influenced by the outcome of this match…after all Jay & Mark are looking at a potential tag title match at “Glory by Honor XI” if Corino & Jacobs retain in Rahway.
First Time Match Up
“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs. “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett
The Ring of Honor careers of both Michael Elgin and Mike Bennett began around the same time. Both men have fought their way up the ranks, defeated icons of wrestling in the process, but to this day have never met in one-on-one competition. When ROH debuts at The Rahway Recreation Center in Rahway, NJ on October 6th that will finally change…
“An unbreakable hope?” Bennett stated to ROHWrestling.com, “That is what Ring of Honor is subtitling the next iPPV event? Don’t they realize that all of those hopes are going to be dashed one week prior when I beat Michael Elgin in New Jersey? Doesn’t Ring of Honor realize that after I put Elgin down with a Box Office Smash they should take his title shot and hand it over to me? I am the guy who ROH officials have yet to see fit to challenge for the title despite my dominance of Lance Storm this year. I am the guy who ROH has yet to give a title match to despite the obvious fact that, between me and Maria, we are the most marketable faces…and bodies…you could have leading your company. Do I need to destroy some other aging artifact to prove myself? Or maybe I should simply break the unbreakable in Rahway? Because when I pin Elgin, when my hand gets raised, when it’s me and Maria celebrating in the ring, I think ROH will need to take a long hard look at just who they have challenging Kevin Steen in Canada. If it was me, you wouldn’t have to call in an unbreakable hope, you could just call it an inevitable certainty because one shot would be all I need.”
The uber-confident Mike Bennett will step into the ring with “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin on October 6th at “Killer Instinct” just one week before Elgin challenges for the ROH World Title at “Glory by Honor XI”. Will Elgin roll into Canada with the momentum of a victory in Rahway or will it be “The Prodigy” who breaks Elgin down? And of course there is all the uncertainty of just where Elgin stands with The House of Truth
Special Challenge Match #2
Roderick Strong w/ Truth Martini vs Kyle O’Reilly
This is an intriguing situation given that neither man is exactly on the top of the fan’s list of favorite people. It is a rematch of a top-shelf clash from “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV quite some time ago, but since that bout, O’Reilly has turned into…honestly…quite a dislikable jerk while Roderick has become immersed in the apparent dissolution of the House of Truth. Still, it almost seems as if Roddy is enjoying the chaos within the HoT and relishing stirring the pot as Elgin heads towards his World Title match at “Glory by Honor XI”. Kyle, on the other hand, has his sights on the World TV Title match awaiting him in Pittsburgh in November and his hopes on Adam Cole still being champion come the 3rd of that month. It will be interesting to see if the outside drama of each man’s life will play a part in this one or if Roddy & Kyle can maintain their focus on each other long enough to pick up the win.
Special Challenge Match #1
“God’s Gift” QT Marshall vs Bobby Fish
Bobby Fish is a face familiar to long-time fans of ROH as he has competed here sporadically over the years. In-between these appearances, Fish has traveled the world to garner more and more experience, and in particular as has spent a great deal of time competing in Pro Wrestling NOAH. As mentioned earlier, Bobby Fish is just now coming off a tour of NOAH where he competed alongside Eddie Edwards in the Jr. Heavyweight Tag League. Now he makes his return to ROH to face off with a new face on the scene, “God’s Gift” QT Marshall, who recently secured a contract at “Boiling Point 2012”. Marshall, who has quickly rubbed everyone the wrong way, sent word after finding out about this match that he is not happy with.
“Who the hell is Bobby Fish?” stated Marshall. “I want ROH gold and officials book me in a match against a jabrone? Easy payday but let it be known that I demand proper competition from this point forward!”
Bobby Fish is definitely not somebody Marshall needs to be taking lightly as Fish brings a strong international reputation and hard hitting style to the table. ROH officials are really looking forward to this one!
Tag Team Challenge Match
Lancelot & Harlem Bravado vs. 3.0 (Scott “Jagged” Parker and “Big Magic” Shane Matthews)
3.0 set to make their ROH tag team debut on Saturday night against The Bravados. We say tag team debut because, little known fact, Jagged actually competed in a Ring of Honor dark match many years ago.
Now those were some very bold words from the Canadian duo as they essentially called out the entire Ring of Honor locker room but now, after those statements, the onus to prove themselves is now squarely on their own shoulders. It is safe to assume that Lancelot & Harlem, two men who have cut their teeth in Ring of Honor from the get-go, have taken exception to 3.0’s words and will pull out all the stops to make Parker & Matthews earn their way.
Also at ROH’s Killer Instinct, the band Crushpile will be on hand to perform “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards’ & “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin’s ring entrance music LIVE!
In addition to this loaded card, there will also be a Special Pre-Show Autograph Signing with:
-ROH World TV Champion Adam Cole
-Jay Lethal
-“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin
-The First Lady of ROH” Maria Kanellis
AND, in addition to that, EVERYONE in attendance will receive a one-time use code for FREE access to the “Glory by Honor XI” iPPV event on October 13th! Just one way for us to say thank you to our fans for all your support!
It’s “Killer Instinct” THIS Saturday night in Rahway, NJ! Get your tickets at the door!
“Killer Instinct”
Saturday, Oct 6, 2012
Bell time – 7:30pm EDT
Rahway Recreation Center
275 East Milton Avenue
Rahway, NJ 07065