Ring of Honor sent this in.
This Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, Ring of Honor heads back to Toronto & The Ted Reeve Arena for two huge live events! The first, “Border Wars 2013”, airs live on iPPV on ROHWrestling.com and features two title defenses, GHC JR Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori in action representing Pro Wrestling NOAH , the long-awaited return after ten years of an ROH original in Paul London, and a whole lot more! The second event will see that same original in action in another first time bout, Ishimori in action, and a “Hunt For Gold” rematch between two of the best teams in ROH history! Plus each day will feature a special autograph signing, including an absolutely FREE one on Sunday! Tickets for both events can be purchased here or at the door on the day of the events. Now let’s take a look at what brought us to the dance this weekend:
BORDER WARS 2013
May 4, 2013
Doors – 6:00pm
Bell time – 7:30pm
ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Jay Briscoe defends against Adam Cole
On April 5th at “Supercard of Honor VII”, to the delight of fans in NYC and around the world, Jay Briscoe captured the ROH World Title by dethroning Kevin Steen in an emotional bout. The jubilant celebration that followed saw the Briscoe family swarm the ring and Steen not only shake the hand of his opponent but also give a hug to Ma & Papa Briscoe. Twenty four hours later, when the ROH TV tapings kicked off in NYC, the focus shifted from celebration to Jay’s first impending defense at “Border Wars 2013” against former World TV Champion Adam Cole. Following the S.C.U.M onslaught at the “11th Anniversary Event”, ROH Match Maker Nigel McGuinness had declared Cole would receive a title match in Toronto against whoever the champion may be and “Panama’s Finest” had been waiting patiently to see how the title scene would flesh out come May 4th.
On the April 13th edition of ROH TV, after Jay was introduced to the world as the new champion, he and Adam Cole had a respectful face-to-face confrontation in which Cole showed no fear, declaring that Jay’s reign would be short-lived. In Briscoe fashion, Jay declared he respected the “mighty big balls” Cole showed but he would “get his ass whooped” in Toronto.
This last weekend on the 4/27 edition of ROH TV, the official contract signing was held for the Briscoe/Cole World Title bout but it was unceremoniously interrupted be Steve Corino & S.C.U.M who challenged the duo to fight a pair of S.C.U.M members in tag team action. The end result was a Briscoe/Cole victory after Adam rolled up Rhino to get the win, but it came at the cost of Jay eating a Gore intended for Cole that the former TV Champion evaded.
Now we head into Toronto for our first S.C.U.M-free World Title match in nearly a year between two of the men who have stood tall for ROH since the nightmare first began at last year’s “Border Wars” event. Jay Briscoe does not want to be the guy who lost the belt in his first title defense but neither does Adam Cole want be the man who didn’t achieve his full potential. Everyone has labeled him future World Champion since the day he set foot in ROH and this is the biggest opportunity the young man has had to achieve that dream and fulfill those expectations. And to the victor: a meeting with “The Buzzsaw” BJ Whitmer in Richmond, VA on May 18th…
PRO WRESTLING NOAH vs RING OF HONOR
Non-Title: GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori vs. “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards
You would be hard-pressed to find a man on the ROH roster more familiar with Pro Wrestling NOAH than Eddie Edwards. He spent months in their dojo training with the likes of Go Shiozaki, Naomichi Marufuji, and even his opponent for “Border Wars 2013”. Edwards has been up and down the road with Ishimori in Japan over the years, he is fresh off competing in the 2013 Global Tag League alongside Bobby Fish and, in fact, departed NOAH after an April 28th non-title victory over GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Champions Genba Hirayanagi & SUWA in the semi-main event of a Korakuen Hall event.
Ishimori, the reigning GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion since January 27th, successfully defended his title against Hirayanagi on April 13th but, alongside Atsushi Kotouge, failed to capture the tag titles from Genba & SUWA on April 21st. Now Ishimori will make his first excursion to Ring of Honor outside of Japan to go one-on-one with the very first Triple Crown Champion in ROH history!
FIRST TIME EVER
“Intrepid Traveler” Paul London vs. “American Wolf” Davey Richards
Originally slated to be Naomichi Marufuji versus Richards, an unfortunate injury to Marufuji that forced him to pull out of the Global Tag League in NOAH opened the door for the return of an ROH original, a man who had not graced an ROH ring in nearly a decade, the “Intrepid Traveler” Paul London! One of the man who helped put ROH on the map with his battles against Michael Shane, Xavier, Bryan Danielson, and AJ Styles, London departed ROH in the summer of 2003 and, since the day he once again became available for bookings, has been arguably the most fan-demanded return. Well in Toronto the fans will finally get what they have been asking for as London comes back for the first time in ten years to battle Davey Richards for the first time ever! It is a battle Richards has said he is looking forward to because, as we well know, “The American Wolf” loves nothing more than the thrill of competition and being pushed to excel. Can London possibly be prepared for the aggressive punishment that Richards will bring to the ring?
ROH World TV Championship
Matt Taven w/ Truth Martini defends against Mark Briscoe
Recently on “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV, ROH Match Maker Nigel McGuinness set up an atypical 5 Way Scramble, pitting the five individuals who stood up for ROH in the ten man tag at “Supercard of Honor VII” against one another with a shot at the World TV Title up for grabs.
The bout got off to an auspicious start as, before the match could even begin, Roderick Strong came out to question McGuinness’ choice to include Mike Mondo in the bout instead of “Mr. Ring of Honor” as Strong likes to refer to himself. Eventually a fight broke out between Strong and Mondo before the other competitors came to the ring but once it was settled down and Roddy was taken away from ringside, the action got underway.
Mondo, BJ Whitmer, Caprice Coleman, Cedric Alexander, and Mark Briscoe gave it all they had to earn the World TV Title match at “Border Wars 2013” but it came down to Mark scoring with the Froggy Elbow on Cedric to get the victory. Now it will be Matt Taven squaring off with Mark Briscoe on May 4th in Toronto…
“Matt Taven is the face ROH needs for TV.” said Truth Martini to ROHWrestling.com, “He is the type of man to draw in the female demographic, the male demographic, every demographic. He is sex appeal and ratings and that’s saying nothing of his abilities between the……ropes. Ask Adam Cole and Matt Hardy about Matt Taven’s abilities and if they don’t tell you he is the best they have ever faced, then you know they are liars. Mark Briscoe, the truth can hurt as we all know and on May 4th the cold hard truth is that it will not be your night to become a champion. You will not follow in your brother’s footsteps and take Matt Taven’s championship away from the HoT! In Toronto Canada Mark Briscoe you will find out what the HOOPLA is all about!”
I Quit Match
BJ Whitmer vs. Rhett Titus
What a difference a few months makes…
Last time Ring of Honor crossed our northern border into Canada for “Glory by Honor XI” last October, Rhett Titus & BJ Whitmer stood side-by-side to take on WGTT. It was a losing effort as the pair fought from behind from before the bell even rang after Charlie & Shelton attacked them during their entrance. It came to a head when Titus got crotched on the top rope and Whitmer ate a Double Powerbomb to take the pinfall.
Fast forward to April 2013 and the portrait is very different. At the “11th Anniversary Event” Titus violently turned his back on not just BJ Whitmer but Ring of Honor as a whole when he aligned himself with Steve Corino, S.C.U.M, and their mission to tear down ROH brick by brick. Since that night, Whitmer has been on the receiving end of several beatings at the hands of Titus & S.C.U.M including at “WAR” in Asheville when Rhett pinned Whitmer after using a roll of quarters just like his idol Corino.
Now, on a night where the outcome of the Lethal/Elgin vs. S.C.U.M tag match could put a World Title match and the announcers booth in Corino’s hands, Rhett and BJ will go one-on-one once more but this time the stakes are going to be even higher!
“Rhett I have known you a long time.”, Whitmer offered to ROHWrestling.com, “I was there when you started cutting your teeth on the pre-shows and I saw you come up from being that awkward kid asking everyone who would give you the time of day for advice to a pretty solid wrestler. While I was gone taking care of my personal business, I watched the DVDs and saw that you’d become a pretty bad ass dude. You and Kenny were going toe-to-toe with The Briscoes in a Ladder War and Street Fights, all of the toughest matches ROH could throw at you and you survived, hell boy you thrived. That’s why I was willing to stand by your side Rhett, because I thought you had finally grown into your own and become a man. Now I’m seeing what you really are, running around with Corino, I see that you’re still just the same damn awkward starstruck kid, only now you’re on Steve’s d***! You might think those numbers make you safe? Boy you were the one sitting at ringside while I went to war with CZW with a broken ankle, by myself if I had to, getting dollar bills stapled to my forehead, and you think I give a damn about SCUM and your numbers? You and me Rhett, we are going to fight in Toronto and I am putting you to the test. You want to be tough? You want to show me you’re a badass? ‘I Quit’ Rhett…those are the two words I am going to make you cry at Border Wars. In case you forget how violent I can be…Rhettski…ask Jimmy Jacobs how far I’m willing to go now that you two are best buds.”
ROH vs S.C.U.M Match
“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin & Jay Lethal vs. 2 SCUM Members of Steve Corino’s choosing
**If SCUM wins, one member will receive a World Title match AND Corino returns to commentary**
**If Team ROH wins, Corino is gone from ROH**
Recently on “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV, after Steve Corino & S.C.U.M assaulted Jorge Santi and Tadarius Thomas before their match could really get underway, a verbal confrontation occurred between Nigel McGuinness and Corino.
Essentially Corino played the game and attempted to goad Nigel into giving S.C.U.M a World Title shot by insulting McGuinness’ career, his documentary, and anything else that crossed his mind. Nigel, having had enough, extended an offer to give S.C.U.M a chance at “Border Wars 2012″…if two members of S.C.U.M could beat Michael Elgin & Jay Lethal than a member of S.C.U.M (who Steve essentially stated would be his “spiritual son” Matt Hardy) would get a World Title shot BUT if they failed, then Corino would leave Ring of Honor forever.
Corino, surprisingly, shot it down…he wanted to sweeten the pot with one addendum to the deal. If S.C.U.M won the battle at “Border Wars 2013”, not only would they get a World Title shot but Steve would also become the new color commentator alongside Kevin Kelly, filling a vacancy left by Caleb Seltzer’s absence, one caused by Corino assaulting Seltzer at “Supercard of Honor VII”.
Nigel, willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of Corino and further weaken the threat of S.C.U.M, agreed….
“It’s a risk.” said McGuinness to ROHWrestling.com, “But it’s a risk that I am willing to take and that Lethal and Elgin are willing to bear the responsibility for. I know I am asking a lot of those two men, I know I am giving SCUM an in to the World Title, but the chance to rid Ring of Honor of Steve Corino makes it a risk worth taking. He is the head of the snake and without Corino, SCUM will cease to function, they will wither and die. If cracking open the door to the World Title is what I have to do to see ROH safely through, than that is what I will do. I trust Elgin and Lethal to do the job I have asked of them, and I know that Jay in particular would love nothing more than to shut Corino’s gob once and for all.”
It’s S.C.U.M versus Jay Lethal & Michael Elgin at “Border Wars 2013”! If Team ROH wins, then Corino will leave ROH but if S.C.U.M wins, then a member will get a future ROH title shot and Corino will sit next to Kevin Kelly as color commentator. The stakes are high in Toronto
Special Tag Team Challenge Match
Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. ACH & Tadarius Thomas
C&C Wrestle Factory, as the ROH faithful have affectionately dubbed them, have themselves been in the position of ACH & Tadarius Thomas. The new team on the block, looking to make their name in the toughest tag team division in pro wrestling today, and doing so under the glaring spotlight of TV and iPPV events. Caprice and Cedric, through trials and tribulations, have fought every step against WGTT, The Briscoes, The Wolves, S.C.U.M, and proven themselves worthy of standing alongside the elite teams in wrestling. Now ACH & TD look to follow in their footsteps, to prove they are a championship level team, and they hope to make a statement live on iPPV against C&C. This battle will no doubt have ramifications on the future of the tag team division…
Plus Roderick Strong is also signed to compete AND former World Champion Kevin Steen, despite not being signed to a match, has promised he will be in Toronto as well!
There will be an Autograph Signing prior to the start of the Live Event @ 6pm featuring
-The Briscoes
-Paul London
-Maria Kanellis
-Jay Lethal
-Adam Cole
-PRO WRESTLING NOAH’s GHC JR Heavyweight Champion, Taiji Ishimori
PLUS ROH Match Maker & former World Champion Nigel McGuinness will be available at the Merchandise table prior to the show to sign copies of his must-see documentary “The Last of McGuinness”!
“RING OF HONOR WRESTLING” TV TAPING
May 5, 2013
Doors – 12:30pm
Bell time- 2:00pm
FIRST TIME EVER
“Intrepid Traveler” Paul London vs. “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin
As with Richards, this was originally scheduled to be Elgin taking on Marufuji but injuries changed all that. Now Elgin and London will collided in a first-time ever bout as part of the first ever international ROH TV Tapings and it is one Elgin has told ROH officials he is extremely excited about because London was one of the first guys who got his attention in Ring of Honor. London, on his first weekend back in ROH after ten years, is being put through the wringer as he goes from the vicious striking and grappling of Richards to the unparalled power of “Unbreakable”. It’s a homecoming that has fans excited but one can imagine that, for London, it’s a homecoming that is going to leave some scars!
PRO WRESTLING NOAH vs RING OF HONOR
Current GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori vs. Roderick Strong
At “Northern Navigation” on July 25, 2008 it was Marufuji who had his hand raised at the Ted Reeve Arena after defeating Roderick in a bout available on the “Roderick Strong: Messiah of the Backbreaker” DVD set. Now, nearly 5 years later, Roderick returns to the scene of the crime to face off with another NOAH superstar in Taiji Ishimori. Strong is hoping use a victory over Ishimori to get back on the winning track, particularly after his recent losses to Michael Elgin at the “11th Anniversary Event” & Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson at “Supercard of Honor VII”, and prove he deserves to be back in the World Title picture.
HUNT FOR THE GOLD REMATCH
Mark & Jay Briscoe vs. The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
On January 17th in Dearborn, Ring of Honor presented “The Hunt For Gold” and what a way to get into 2013 with an instant classic in The Proving Ground battle between Adam Cole & Jimmy Jacobs, the gutsy World Title challenge of Tadarius Thomas as he took it to Kevin Steen, and the must-see World Tag Title main event of Jay & Mark Briscoe taking on The American Wolves of Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards for the first time in over two years.
It was the type of classic ROH battle one would expect from two of the elite teams in professional wrestling and that night, as it had been every time in ROH history that the duos clashed, Jay & Mark Briscoe were victorious and retained the World Tag Team Titles.
Since that January night the landscape of ROH has certainly changed; Jay and Mark lost the tag team titles to reDRagon (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) at the “11th Anniversary Event”, in Supercard of Honor VII’s Tag Title bout Davey and Eddie fell in defeat to O’Reilly & Fish, and then in the final bout of the evening, one of the most memorable events in ROH’s 11+ year history occurred when Jay captured the ROH World Title from Kevin Steen.
“That was a moment well deserved.” said Eddie Edwards via e-mail from NOAH, “Jay has been one of THE guys since the beginning of ROH and it’s tough to think of anyone, besides Mark, who bleeds ROH as much as Jay Briscoe. I’m proud of him but no matter how much respect Davey and I have for Dem Boys, they are still that monkey on our back. They are the team that has had our number every time we’ve locked up; they ended our title run, they stopped our return this year from really kicking off with the titles, those crazy boys from Delaware have been the toughest guys we have ever competed with. So with Kyle and Bobby hiding away during ROH’s trip to Toronto, and trust me I’ve called Fish out on that since we’ve been in Japan, what say we give the people of Toronto some of that Wolves/Briscoes magic? I know Jay and Mark have their title fights on Saturday but Sunday looks wide open right now? What do you say Briscoes? Nigel?”
It did not take much convincing for ROH Match Maker Nigel McGuinness to sign this one after receiving the e-mail! So on Sunday May 5th, as part of the “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV Tapings in Toronto, it will be The American Wolves (Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards) vs. ROH World Champion Jay & Mark Briscoe!
It will be intriguing to see if both, one, or neither Briscoe shows up on Sunday with a championship in their possession, not to mention how/if this could affect the scheduled reDRagon/Briscoes World Tag Team Title match set for May 12th’s Belle Vernon event!
ROH STARS SIGNED TO APPEAR
-CURRENT ROH WORLD TV CHAMPION MATT TAVEN with TRUTH MARTINI
-JAY LETHAL
-BJ WHITMER
-CAPRICE COLEMAN & CEDRIC ALEXANDER
-PEPPER PARKS
Prior to the start of the ROH TV Taping, we will be holding a FREE Fan Appreciation autograph signing with the following wrestlers:
-The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
-C&C Wrestle Factory (Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander)
-“The Prodigy” Mike Bennett & “The First Lady of ROH” Maria Kanellis
-MsChif
From Toronto, it’s “Border Wars 2013” live on iPPV this Saturday night and our first ever international “Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV Taping on Sunday afternoon! Title matches, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Paul London’s return, Grudge Matches, tag team battles, this weekend has it all and Tickets for both events can be purchased here () in the ROH Store or at the door on the day of the events!!! Honor lives in Toronto all weekend long!