ROH TV 2/18/2012

Ring Of Honor TV
Date: 2/18/2012
From: Baltimore, MD

Tonight, Kevin Steen makes his in-ring return to ROH. Also, Charlie Haas competes against Mark Briscoe in the main event!

Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinnes welcome us to the program and we are told that Shelton Benjamin has been suspended, thus not allowing us to see the main event between Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team and the Young Bucks. Charlie Haas comes out to blame Ring of Honor, Jim Cornette and Mark Briscoe. Haas calls Mark Briscoe a dummy for running into a steel chair. He proceeds to say that he is going to wrestle one of the Briscoe Brothers because he is that damn good. Haas ends up deciding to face Mark Briscoe as long as Jay Briscoe is handcuffed to the ring post. Cornettte accepts the new main event match to take place later tonight.

Opening Contest: Kevin Steen vs. Andy Ridge
Steve Corino is on commentary for this match. Steen clotheslines Ridge early on and hammers away on Ridge in the corner with several forearm shots. Ridge is sent to the floor by Steen. Steen hits a fall away slam on the floor sending Ridge back first into the guard railing! Steen chops Ridge on the floor but Ridge tries to fight back only to be met with a head butt from Steen. Back in the ring, Ridge gets a few shots in but it was just a matter of time. Ridge delivers several kicks in the corner but is prevented from hitting a slingshot from the apron. Steen powerbombs Ridge onto the apron! Steen hits the F-5 back in the ring to win the match.

Your Winner: Kevin Steen via pin fall
Match Rating: *1/4

After the match, Steen clubs away on Ridge and goes for the Package Piledriver but the referee prevents that from happening. Steve Corino enters the ring and confronts Steen. Jimmy Jacobs runs out and brawls with Steen after tackling Steen to the canvas. Several security guys run out to breakup the fight.

Backstage, Veda Scott talks to ROH World Champion Davey Richards and Kyle O’Reilly. Richards believes that Eddie Edwards and Adam Cole have jumped into the deep end as they prepare for their first tag team match. Richards is over all the friendship talk and is going to make ankles and arms break in New York. O’Reilly suggests that Cole not expect Edwards to show him any loyalty. O’Reilly and Richards are not going to show any mercy.

Second Contest: Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole vs. Mike Mondo & Matt Taven
Taven and Cole start off the contest. Cole hip tosses Taven but is kicked away shortly after. Cole nearly rolls Taven up for a win but follows up with a dropkick. Mondo tags himself into the bout and rakes Cole’s eyes. Mondo slams Cole and knocks Edwards off the apron before taunting his own partner by showing his abs. Mondo is kicked in the corner by Edwards and Cole hits a dual dropkick with Edwards on Mondo in the corner! Taven tags in but is chopped by Edwards in the corner. Taven gets a two count on Edwards in the corner with a rollup! Edwards misses a springboard moonsault and Mondo tags himself in.

Mondo stomps away on Edwards to keep the advantage for his team. Mondo drops Edwards after several jabs and delivers a leg drop. Mondo runs into an elbow and Edwards leaps off the middle rope to hit a Code Breaker. Taven tags in but Edwards hits a hurricanrana before tagging in Cole. Cole cleans house with dropkicks and hits a crossbody off the top for a near fall on Taven. Cole kicks Taven and follows up with a neck breaker for a two count. Taven runs into Mondo and Cole hits a straight jacket German suplex to get the win.

Your Winners: Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole via pin fall
Match Rating: **

After the match, Mondo slaps Taven and plants him with a double arm DDT!

Inside ROH this week focuses on two different situations. First, we get some promotion for the Briscoe Brothers vs. Young Bucks tag team title match. The Young Bucks say they are coming for the belts and will buy Mark some new teeth only to kick them down his throat. That’s nice of them. We hear from ROH Television Champion Jay Lethal who will be wrestling against Davey Richards next week on the program. Lethal reveals that if he wins next week he will defend the ROH World Championship against Tomasso Ciampa in New York. He is going to end Ciampa’s undefeated streak. Ciampa shares some comments saying he will strip Lethal of his confidence and the ROH Television Championship will be coming home to the Embassy.

Main Event: Charlie Haas vs. ROH World Tag Team Champion Mark Briscoe
Remember, Jay Briscoe has been handcuffed to the ring post for this match. They trade blows with Mark getting the better of the exchange with several blows to Haas’s midsection. Mark sends Haas to the floor following a clothesline and hits a crossbody dive over the top rope onto the floor. Mark gets a two count back in the ring. Haas shoves Mark off the top rope and Mark is knocked to the floor. Haas delivers two kicks before hitting a German suplex for a two count. Haas sends Mark hard into a corner for a near fal. Haas hits a double under hook suplex for another near fall on Mark. Mark misses a slingshot senton and lands on Haas’s knee.

Haas drives Mark back first across the guard railing on the floor with a back suplex. Mark lands on his feet on a backdrop attempt and kicks Haas in the face! Mark delivers a few right hands to maintain control of the contest. Mark clotheslines Haas in the corner and dropkicks Haas back first into the corner for a two count. Mark hits a vertical suplex and heads to the top rope. Mark hits an elbow drop but haas kicks out at two. Haas fights back with a belly to belly suplex but Mark rolls Haas up on a second suplex attempt to win the match.

Your Winner: Mark Briscoe via pin fall
Match Rating: **

After the match, Haas hits the Olympic Slam on Mark two times. Jay is still handcuffed to the ring post. Haas grabs a chair and puts the key around his neck. Haas whacks Mark over the head with the steel chair! Haas leaves through the crowd as several officials run out. Haas has grabbed $10,000 from a bag to cover the fines and considers the Briscoe Brothers both to be dead.

Final Thoughts:
I wasn’t all that entertained by the show this week. The matchups this week just didn’t really excite me. The Kevin Steen stuff continues to be fun and all, but the rest of the show was really lacking, in my opinion. I’ll give this show a thumbs down but next weeks program will have Lethal vs. Richards which will surely deliver.

Thanks for reading.