Ring of Honor Wrestling on Sinclair
August 2, 2014
Dearborn, Michigan (Ford Community & Performing Arts Center)
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
We see the usual intro, then go to what will be the only match on this week’s show, a 6-Man Golden Gauntlet Match to determine a #1 Contender to the Ring of Honor World Title. The first two participants are introduced.
6-Man Golden Gauntlet for a future Ring of Honor World Title shot: “The Buzzsaw” BJ Whitmer w/Adam Page & TD Thomas vs. Caprice Coleman vs. Matt Taven vs. The Romantic Touch vs. Cedric Alexander vs. Ring of Honor Television Champion Jay Lethal w/Truth Martini & Seleziya Sparx
Whitmer & Coleman start. Chain wrestling early. Coleman with a side headlock, but Whitmer counters out into a top wristlock. Whitmer now with a side headlock, followed by a shoulder tackle. Whitmer then with a side headlock takeover, Coleman gets out with a headscissors, Whitmer escapes. Coleman with 2 armdrags, but Whitmer with a knee to the ribs and a right hand. Whitmer off the ropes, but Coleman with a dropkick. Hook kick to the ribs by Coleman, followed by a leaping axe kick for a nearfall. Whitmer begs off, but then pokes Coleman in the eyes. Whitmer with chops in the corner, but Coleman responds with some of his own. Chop exchange, then Whitmer with another eye poke. Coleman sidesteps a back body drop attempt and hits more chops, but Whitmer catches him off the ropes with a forearm. Snap suplex by Whitmer, then taunts the crowd. Back suplex by Whitmer for a nearfall. Coleman goes back to the headscissors, but Whitmer quickly gets to the ropes. Whitmer with a kick to the ribs of Coleman, followed by a right hand. More chops by Whitmer in the corner, but Coleman fights back. Snapmare into a chinlock by Whitmer. Coleman fights back, but Whitmer drives him back down. Whitmer with a back elbow for a nearfall. Whitmer stomps away at Coleman, then slaps at him. Coleman fights back and they exchange slaps. Whitmer with a knee to the ribs, then stomps away at Coleman in the corner, followed by choking him with his boot. Slam by Whitmer as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Whitmer misses a clothesline, then Coleman misses one and they clothesline each other, both men down. Coleman with a series of right hands, Whitmer misses one and Coleman with a big one that backs Whitmer into the corner. Coleman runs into a back elbow by Whitmer, but misses another right hand and Coleman hits a springboard crossbody for a nearfall. Coleman goes for the Trinity, but Whitmer fights out. Coleman with a Russian Leg Sweep into a unique Crossface variation. Whitmer spins over and gains a nearfall. Coleman runs into a boot in the corner by Whitmer, then Whitmer heads up to the middle rope, but Coleman with a right hand. TD hops up on the apron to distract the ref and when Coleman goes for the No-Hands Rana, Page holds onto Whitmer’s foot, sending Coleman crashing to the ropes.
Big clothesline by Whitmer for the win.
Caprice Coleman has been eliminated. (Via pinfall by a BJ Whitmer clothesline)
Matt Taven is out next, but Whitmer instantly attacks him. Taven goes up & over, Whitmer misses a clothesline, runs into a boot by Taven, then Taven goes to the middle rope and hits a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Whitmer then sends Taven into the middle turnbuckle. Series of chops in the corner by Whitmer, but Taven responds with some of his own. Whitmer misses a chop and Taven hits a dropkick that sends Whitmer to the outside. Taven with a head of steam, but Whitmer avoids it. Taven gives chase to Whitmer, Page misses a clothesline on the outside and Taven lays him out with a superkick, but it allows Whitmer to hit Taven with a knee to the ribs. Whitmer sends Taven into the barricade, then feigns it a second time when the crowd wants it and throws Taven back in. Whitmer stomps away at Taven, then hits an elbow to the face. Taven fights back, but Whitmer with a chop, then sends Taven hard into the corner. Whitmer stands on Taven’s chest and gains a 1 count. Page piefaces Taven from the outside and Whitmer with an overhand chop to Taven while in the ropes. Whitmer gains a nearfall. Whitmer with a slap in the corner, but Taven avoids him off a charge and hits an enziguri. Whitmer avoids a springboard moonsault, but misses a clothesline and Taven hits a superkick for a nearfall. Whitmer blocks a suplex, but Taven slips out of one. Taven off the ropes, but Whitmer catches him with a snap slam for a nearfall. Spinning Fisherman/Fisherman combo by Whitmer for a nearfall. Whitmer goes for the Exploder, but Taven slips out and hits the Cyclone Kill as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Taven heads up top, but Whitmer avoids him. Whitmer misses a clothesline and Taven hits a back handspring into a roundhouse.
Taven heads up top, Air Taven to Whitmer for the win.
BJ Whitmer has been eliminated. (Via pinfall by Air Taven by Matt Taven)
The Romantic Touch is out next. Taven has fun with Touch, then they high-five and embrace, but then Touch with a roll-up for a nearfall. Touch begs off and says its all about the title shot. They hug again, but then Touch with a side headlock takeover. Taven gets out with a headscissors, but Touch goes back to the side headlock. Taven reverses out and hits a shoulder tackle, followed by some hip swiveling. Series of evasions, then Taven with an armdrag into an armbar. Chain wrestling, then Taven avoids a Touch charge, but then Touch with a springboard back elbow off the middle rope for a nearfall. Sliding dropkick by Touch for a nearfall. Touch unloads with right hands from the mount. Touch goes up & over, but then Taven springs to the top and hits a moonsault press for a nearfall. Touch runs into a back elbow, but avoids Taven off the ropes. Taven with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Taven goes for the Climax, but Touch counters out with an Atomic Drop, followed by a Belly-to-Belly for a nearfall. Touch stomps away at Taven, then hits a chop. Taven slips out of a slam by Touch and hits a spin kick, followed by a springboard corkscrew senton for a nearfall. Touch sidesteps a back body drop attempt, then when Taven springs off Touch’s blind side, Touch catches him in mid-air with a dropkick for a nearfall. Touch goes for a Crucifix Bomb, but Taven slips out.
Taven with a head kick, then this time hits the Climax for the win.
The Romantic Touch has been eliminated. (Via pinfall by a Matt Taven Climax)
Jay Lethal is out next and the two rivals stare each other down as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Taven & Lethal brawl with each other in the ring. Lethal with chops, but Taven responds with some of his own. They head outside, with Taven sending Lethal into the barricade multiple times. Running boot by Taven, then he slams Lethal on the floor! Taven chases off Seleziya and goes back in with Lethal. Lethal quickly heads back out and sends Taven into the barricade. Back in, Lethal gains a nearfall. Taven sends Lethal onto the apron and knocks him off with a springboard dropkick. Taven with a head of steam and wipes out Lethal with a No-Hands Plancha! Seleziya throws Lethal back in, then has words with Taven. Martini creeps up from behind, but Taven catches him. Taven sends Seleziya into Martini, knocking them down. Back in, Taven with a spin kick and a draping swinging neckbreaker to Lethal for a nearfall. Seleziya helps Martini to the back, then in the ring, Taven blocks the Lethal Combination. Taven avoids Lethal in the corner, but Lethal hits an enziguri, then this time hits the Lethal Combination for a nearfall. Lethal goes outside, grabs the ROH TV Title belt and brings it into the ring. Taven ducks a belt shot by Lethal and hits a superkick. Taven heads up top and goes for Air Taven, but as the ref takes the TV Title belt from Lethal, ROH Head of Security Jay Diesel hops up on the apron and crotches Taven on the ropes!
Lethal Injection by Lethal for the win.
Matt Taven has been eliminated. Via pinfall by the Lethal Injection from Jay Lethal)
Jay Diesel hops the rail afterwards, only after giving a nod to Lethal. Cedric Alexander is out last as the final participant in the Golden Gauntlet. Cedric quickly with a running roll-up for a nearfall. Backslide by Cedric for a nearfall. Cedric with a series of chops, followed by a dropkick as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Lethal is sent outside. Cedric with a head of steam, but Lethal avoids him. Cedric gives chase to Lethal, then hits a shoulder to the ribs from the apron. Slingshot Sunset flip by Cedric for a nearfall. Lethal with a knee to the ribs and a series of chops in the corner. Cedric fights back, then they exchange strikes. Cedric gains advantage, then Lethal with a knee to the ribs. Cedric sidesteps a back body drop attempt, then hits a snapmare, followed by a dropkick to the back of Lethal’s head for a nearfall. Cedric with a slam and a leaping kneedrop for a nearfall. Cedric charges in, but Lethal crotches him on the ropes. Lethal sends Cedric to the outside, then gets a head of steam and wipes out Cedric with a tope suicida! Lethal gets back in and feigns going for another one, but shoos off the crowd in disgust. Lethal goes outside and drives Cedric into the barricade. Lethal breaks the ref ‘s count, then brings Cedric back in. Lethal heads up top, double sledge for a nearfall. Chinlock applied, then Lethal with a leaping stomp. Cedric fights back, but Lethal with a gut kick and another chop in the corner. Lethal with a flying back elbow in the corner, then heads up top. Lethal feigns going for a double sledge, then drops down and hits a clothesline for a nearfall. Lethal with an uppercut, followed by a running elbow in the corner. Lethal runs into a savate kick to the ribs by Cedric, then Cedric with a springboard Tornado DDT! Cedric fires up, removes his elbow pad and he & Lethal exchange strikes, then chops. Lethal comes back, with a gut kick, followed by a DDT as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Cedric catches a pump kick by Lethal and hits a sit-out full nelson facebuster for a nearfall. Running elbow in the corner by Cedric, then he heads up top with Lethal. Lethal blocks a superplex and knocks Cedric off the ropes. Lethal hits Hail to the King, but Cedric kicks out! Cedric blocks an Irish whip, but Lethal with a chop. Cedric comes back with a superkick, then catches a superkick by Lethal, avoids an enziguri and hits a basement superkick. Cedric off the ropes, but Lethal with a superkick! Cedric SHRUGS IT OFF and TURNS LETHAL INSIDE OUT WITH A CLOTHESLINE!! Another strike exchange, then they nail each other at the same time with forearms and both go down. Lethal calls for Seleziya, but Cedric with a series of right hands. Lethal goes for the Lethal Combination, but Cedric FLIPS OUT OF IT!! Lethal with another superkick, then goes for the Lethal Injection, but Cedric catches him off the back handspring with a windmill kick to the back! Concussion on Delivery by Cedric in the corner, but Lethal slips out of a suplex. Lethal misses a clothesline and Cedric with another Concussion on Delivery, followed by a Brainbuster!
Cedric calls for the end, LUMBAR CHECK!!! 1-2-3!
Jay Lethal has been eliminated. (Via pinfall by a Cedric Alexander Lumbar Check)
Winner of the Golden Gauntlet and receiving a Ring of Honor World Title shot: Cedric Alexander
Cedric celebrates his win afterwards, then Ring of Honor World Champion Michael Elgin heads out to the rampway and applauds Cedric for his win. Cedric motions that he is coming for the Ring of Honor World Title and stares down Elgin as the show closes.