Baltimore TV Taping (8/03/12)

[Jeremy]

These tapings sound absolutely awful. Haas/Rhett as a team makes no sense, Rhino is main eventing a PPV in 2012 (ROH has only the freshest of stars, of course), the tag tournament is already a gigantic clusterfuck, Steen is a face again for no reason what so ever, Ciampa is still working jobbers aimlessly, Edwards AGAIN is losing without any purpose and will probably lose to Bennett at Boiling Point to give Bennett his heat "back" from his recent losses.

Not to mention Mike Mondo apparently got Jim Cornette's loving affection once Mondo gave that long pro-ROH twitter nonsense.

Fuck this fed, really. People say this sounds like Russo booking. If Russo booked ROH, it would at least look more modern than it is now and be a watchable trainwreck. As it stands with the garbage they do like this taping, the fed is just pathetic.

[187_Joeism]

There are things that i like from the tapings and things that i don´t:

Rhino is a good choice to face Steen, i said after the Pittsburgh show that he will recieve a title shot so is not a surprise for me, he is a fresh challenger wich is something like everybody complain about, having the same wrestlers challenging for the title.

I don´t understand all the drama with Edwards he is a triple crown champion, he jusut have a title shot, he is feuding with Bennett to help him get over, if not like they were putting him in throw together matches or something.

I don´t like the idea of having Haas/Titus as a tag team during the tournament, but i will see how they explain it on tv before rant about it. If you put SCUM in the tournament you have to come out with some stip if not is just dumb bookingwise, C&C winning is awesome news, we all like the Bucks but is pointless put them over a team that is current sign with the company. I think everything but the Haas/Titus team makes sense i don´t see where is the problem.

I think Mondo vs Cole will be a good match but i would choose Bennett before Mondo to face Cole at DBD.

Lethal turning heel is a good thing for him to show more character and the Ciampa/Embassy thing is interesting let´s see if they bring someone to face Ciampa representing the Embassy.

[ROHFanAnthony]

Wait wasn't there supposed to be a Kyle O'reilly vs Tony Kozina match on here?

[Marketh.]

Wait wasn't there supposed to be a Kyle O'reilly vs Tony Kozina match on here?

Kyle's a few years over Kozina's 20-year-old age limit.

[ROHWorld_Steven]

Wait wasn't there supposed to be a Kyle O'reilly vs Tony Kozina match on here?

I heard something about them turning up, putting their gear on and then driving off? Probably incorrect though.

[Jeremy]

I'm still trying to make sense out of the mess that is Haas/Titus.

So Rhett is forced to vacant the tag titles....

.... But is allowed to enter the tournament with a new partner despite the fact he's still the rightful champion....

.... So he chooses a guy he knows he can't trust to win them back only to say he will immediately beat Haas to win the belts for himself (Which is the position he should be in already seeing as how he never "lost" them)....

.... And then pick a new partner after ending things with Haas. So why even hold a tournament then if you're going to let the champion enter? He's allowed a new partner for tournament purposes but not allowed a new partner for title reign purposes? Why is he picking Haas now, instead of picking the partner he has planned after he wins said abysmal tournament w/ Haas then beating Haas in a singles match to win the tag team titles? Doesn't that just put him in the EXACT same position as he was before they decided to hold this failure of a tournament?

Rhino is a good choice to face Steen, i said after the Pittsburgh show that he will recieve a title shot so is not a surprise for me, he is a fresh challenger wich is something like everybody complain about, having the same wrestlers challenging for the title.

I don´t understand all the drama with Edwards he is a triple crown champion, he jusut have a title shot, he is feuding with Bennett to help him get over, if not like they were putting him in throw together matches or something.

Lethal turning heel is a good thing for him to show more character and the Ciampa/Embassy thing is interesting let´s see if they bring someone to face Ciampa representing the Embassy.

It's still perfectly fine Ciampa is doing the exact same thing he was in August 2011 (An entire year ago) of squashing jobbers without any purpose what so ever?

You also think it's okay Edwards has more or less become the jobber of the fed to make the other guys look better? Shouldn't he actually WIN sometimes to make his losses more effective to his opponents? He's done so much for the fed and they honestly can't find any storyline for him other than being Bennett's bitch (Sorry, my mistake, Bennett's, Brutal Bob's, and Maria's bitch) and losing to guys like Homicide and Steen regularly without any or limited build-up?

And you can say without a shred of irony it's a good idea Rhino is getting a ROH title match on PAY-PER-VIEW in 2012? I know ROH has changed a lot, but I never thought we'd see RHINO of all people get a title match in the year we're in, on PPV no less.

[syxxpakk]

And you can say without a shred of irony it's a good idea Rhino is getting a ROH title match on PAY-PER-VIEW in 2012? I know ROH has changed a lot, but I never thought we'd see RHINO of all people get a title match in the year we're in, on PPV no less.

This times a billion. I've welcomed the changes in ROH as best I can. I know change is necessary sometimes, I respect that despite however different change might be. But this? I just can't accept it. Want to bring in guys like Mondo, Ciampa, or Bennett who don't work the traditional ROH-style? Fine, at least they work hard and I can respect that. Want to have a match with multiple ref bumps, tons of outside interference, etc. that completely flies in the face of everything ROH has ever been? Fine, but I don't like it and never will. But this? Rhino main eventing? No, fuck that. I won't buy that iPPV on principle alone.

[jackalope3]

I'm still trying to make sense out of the mess that is Haas/Titus.

So Rhett is forced to vacant the tag titles....

.... But is allowed to enter the tournament with a new partner despite the fact he's still the rightful champion....

.... So he chooses a guy he knows he can't trust to win them back only to say he will immediately beat Haas to win the belts for himself (Which is the position he should be in already seeing as how he never "lost" them)....

.... And then pick a new partner after ending things with Haas. So why even hold a tournament then if you're going to let the champion enter? He's allowed a new partner for tournament purposes but not allowed a new partner for title reign purposes? Why is he picking Haas now, instead of picking the partner he has planned after he wins said abysmal tournament w/ Haas then beating Haas in a singles match to win the tag team titles? Doesn't that just put him in the EXACT same position as he was before they decided to hold this failure of a tournament?

This is what I was trying to get across in my earlier post..the total lack of logic in teaming Rhett and Haas up but allowing them to fight each other for the belts afterwards. Thanks for doing a better job of explaining it than I could (no sarcasm intended).

[JustSkiff]

Didn't Rhino get a title shot against Davey?

[ROHWorld_Steven]

Didn't Rhino get a title shot against Davey?

He got a Proving Ground match but lost. I can't recall a title match.

[SeanWrestling]

To the people complaining about Rhino vs. Steen, Rhino is credible as he's been a World champ in TNA and ECW and an upper midcarder in WWE.He can still go, and him vs. Steen is a fresh match, so I like the idea of this match.I don't like the idea of Mondo vs. Cole at DBDX though.I'm sure it will be good, but Perkins vs. Cole would be MILES better and more appealing.Perkins is one of the best on the roster and if this was old ROH, they would have him wrestle on every card just to guarantee one more good match.

[DBSommer]

You know, it occurs to me the whole 'Titus and Haas team up to win the titles only to fight over them with different partners to decide the real champs' angle is almost *too* senseless. Now obviously if they don't get the belts it means nothing, but should they win, I'm thinking the company won't let them pick different partners to duel over the belts. Instead they'll be forced to stay together or vacate them altogether like they were... well, before the tournament started. Which means you'll have the 'champs that hate each other but want the gold more' angle like ECW did with Storm and Candido (ironically am watching that angle right this minute on an old ECW disc)

On the other hand, the bookers might be idiotic enough to do what they're implying as well.

[TYFDK]

You know, it just occurs to me the whole 'Titus and Haas team up to win the titles only to fight over them with different partners to decide the real champs' angle is almost *too* senseless. Now obviously if they don't get the belts it means nothing, but should they win, I'm thinking the company won't let them pick different partners to duel over the belts. Instead they'll be forced to stay together or vacate them altogether like they were... well, before the tournament started. Which means you'll have the 'champs that hate each other but want the gold more' angle like ECW did with Storm and Candido (ironically am watching that angle right this minute on an old ECW disc)

On the other hand, the bookers might be idiotic enough to do what they're implying as well.

I hadn't thought of that Storm/Candido connection. I really hope they do that.

These tapings really don't even look THAT bad to me, though I'm in the same boat as everyone when I say Mondo shouldn't have won Six Man Mayhem.

Wonder what's in store for next month's tapings to make it the biggest ever in Baltimore.

[YimYac]

Rhino gets a title shot"? People bitch and moan. No surprise here.

Rhino has had great matches and been a force to be reckoned with in ROH.

He is a former world champ and as credible as they come. WTF is the problem?

To people bitching about Rhino I ask you this

Who should have gotten the title shot?

Elgin vs Steen is obviously happening at Canada

Cole is busy atm

Mondo got his shot

The Rhett vs Steen angle hasn't started.

Lethal vs Steen is likely New Jersey (Lethal's hometown)

Davey, Roddy and Eddie got their shots

Jay Briscoe is likely going to be busy with the tag tournament for a title shot

BJ would be out of no where and he isn't a credible threat.


Rhino makes perfect sense considering the state of things, but of course idiots whine

[187_Joeism]

It's still perfectly fine Ciampa is doing the exact same thing he was in August 2011 (An entire year ago) of squashing jobbers without any purpose what so ever?

You also think it's okay Edwards has more or less become the jobber of the fed to make the other guys look better? Shouldn't he actually WIN sometimes to make his losses more effective to his opponents? He's done so much for the fed and they honestly can't find any storyline for him other than being Bennett's bitch (Sorry, my mistake, Bennett's, Brutal Bob's, and Maria's bitch) and losing to guys like Homicide and Steen regularly without any or limited build-up?

And you can say without a shred of irony it's a good idea Rhino is getting a ROH title match on PAY-PER-VIEW in 2012? I know ROH has changed a lot, but I never thought we'd see RHINO of all people get a title match in the year we're in, on PPV no less.

Ciampa: If you have an hour show you have to use squashes to keep wrestlers in TV, you could like more or less but is a fact. Ciampa has develop his caracter a lot since last year so i don´t understand why do you say that he is doing the same after all the things that he did this year.

Edwards: He is not losing always, look his record this year, he is having a feud with Bennett to elevate him right now is not like he was jobbing everyone in pointless matches.

And Yim Yac responded the Rhino thing for me with his post.

[YimYac]

I agree, Ciampa has had a ton of character development

Also he now is being managed by Barrister RD

[187_Joeism]

Yeah, he went from a generic indy wrestler to find himself in the Sicilian Pyschopat gimmick without having the opportunities that people like Cole, O´Reilly, Elgin or Bennett had.

[JigsawVs.Jason]

Rhino gets a title shot"? People bitch and moan. No surprise here.

Rhino has had great matches and been a force to be reckoned with in ROH.

He is a former world champ and as credible as they come. WTF is the problem?

To people bitching about Rhino I ask you this

Who should have gotten the title shot?

Elgin vs Steen is obviously happening at Canada

Cole is busy atm

Mondo got his shot

The Rhett vs Steen angle hasn't started.

Lethal vs Steen is likely New Jersey (Lethal's hometown)

Davey, Roddy and Eddie got their shots

Jay Briscoe is likely going to be busy with the tag tournament for a title shot

BJ would be out of no where and he isn't a credible threat.


Rhino makes perfect sense considering the state of things, but of course idiots whine

your explanations for Titus and Lethal are not really convincing. They could have easily made it Steen vs Titus in NJ and Titus vs Lethal at DBD. Since when did the Titus angle not begin? I don't recall Rhino being in an angle with Steen?! Point is they could have easily furthered the Steen/Titus storyline (which at least has begun in Milwaulkee, while Rhino was not once invloved with Steen) at the TV tapings. But apparently Cornette thinks Rhino is what fans want to see as the main event of a trademark show like Death before Dishonor, I predict buyrates will tell a different story.
My point of criticism is: Rhino should be nowhere near the main event of an ROH show much less an ROH iPPV. Why on earth did they have the match vs Eddie or the match vs Roddy on a house show, and now book Rhino to be in the main event of an iPPV???!!! That's the point I'm trying to make, it's just a case of horrible, lazy booking! Nobody would complain if Rhino would get a title shot at the TV tapings or somewhere in the midcard of a house show, while Eddie or Strong or even Homicide would be perfect for an iPPV main event. Rhino is and never was a main eventer, and should definitely not be in the main event of an promotion that claims to stand for "the best wrestling in the business"
And nobody can honestly defend ROH for putting Rhino in an iPPV main event, that should have never happened and it really divulges the terrible and obviously Cornette influenced booking!

[YimYac]

your explanations for Titus and Lethal are not really convincing. They could have easily made it Steen vs Titus in NJ and Titus vs Lethal at DBD. Since when did the Titus angle not begin? I don't recall Rhino being in an angle with Steen?! Point is they could have easily furthered the Steen/Titus storyline (which at least has begun in Milwaulkee, while Rhino was not once invloved with Steen) at the TV tapings. But apparently Cornette thinks Rhino is what fans want to see as the main event of a trademark show like Death before Dishonor, I predict buyrates will tell a different story.
My point of criticism is: Rhino should be nowhere near the main event of an ROH show much less an ROH iPPV. Why on earth did they have the match vs Eddie or the match vs Roddy on a house show, and now book Rhino to be in the main event of an iPPV???!!! That's the point I'm trying to make, it's just a case of horrible, lazy booking! Nobody would complain if Rhino would get a title shot at the TV tapings or somewhere in the midcard of a house show, while Eddie or Strong or even Homicide would be perfect for an iPPV main event. Rhino is and never was a main eventer, and should definitely not be in the main event of an promotion that claims to stand for "the best wrestling in the business"
And nobody can honestly defend ROH for putting Rhino in an iPPV main event, that should have never happened and it really divulges the terrible and obviously Cornette influenced booking!

Formatting dude, formatting >.<. Very hard to read.

The Titus vs Steen angle isn't really coming to a head until the Carolina Cage Match, which they can build up with the TV show after DBD.

Why would Titus get his title shot a week after the cage match? Titus/Briscoes beat SCUM, this gives ROH a chance to give Jay Briscoe and Rhett Titus future title shots.

Why wouldn't they do Lethal vs Steen in NJ? Where Lethal is from? Classic hometown hero trying to take down a monster, sells itself.

Rhino vs Steen angle has been developed over the TV tapings. That is 4 weeks of developing an angle, not counting any Inside ROH segments they filmed. I'd say that is decent enough build for a PPV Main Event. Also remember Rhino still has name value.

Maybe Eddie and Roddy aren't the Main Events because fans are tired of them in that spot on IPPVs? Weren't people just complaining a few months/weeks ago about them? Now you suddenly want them back in the IPPV main event spot?

Lastly, you really think Homicide vs Steen would create more buyrates than Steen vs Rhino? Get out of here.

Rhino has been one of the best investments by ROH, he hasn't had one match in ROH that has made me go "Get this guy out here he's terrible".

I keep seeing people bashing Rhino but nobody provides examples of bad matches he has had.

Hell his worst match was probably the Street Fight vs Homicide and even that was good.

Lethal/Homicide vs Ciampa/Rhino was good.

Eddie Edwards vs Rhino at Border Wars was downright excellent and one of the best openers of the year.

Rhino vs Davey was incredibly solid

I've yet to see Eddie vs Rhino 2 and 3, but I've heard nothing but good reviews.

[JigsawVs.Jason]

your explanations for Titus and Lethal are not really convincing. They could have easily made it Steen vs Titus in NJ and Titus vs Lethal at DBD. Since when did the Titus angle not begin? I don't recall Rhino being in an angle with Steen?! Point is they could have easily furthered the Steen/Titus storyline (which at least has begun in Milwaulkee, while Rhino was not once invloved with Steen) at the TV tapings. But apparently Cornette thinks Rhino is what fans want to see as the main event of a trademark show like Death before Dishonor, I predict buyrates will tell a different story.
My point of criticism is: Rhino should be nowhere near the main event of an ROH show much less an ROH iPPV. Why on earth did they have the match vs Eddie or the match vs Roddy on a house show, and now book Rhino to be in the main event of an iPPV???!!! That's the point I'm trying to make, it's just a case of horrible, lazy booking! Nobody would complain if Rhino would get a title shot at the TV tapings or somewhere in the midcard of a house show, while Eddie or Strong or even Homicide would be perfect for an iPPV main event. Rhino is and never was a main eventer, and should definitely not be in the main event of an promotion that claims to stand for "the best wrestling in the business"
And nobody can honestly defend ROH for putting Rhino in an iPPV main event, that should have never happened and it really divulges the terrible and obviously Cornette influenced booking!

Formatting dude, formatting >.<. Very hard to read.

The Titus vs Steen angle isn't really coming to a head until the Carolina Cage Match, which they can build up with the TV show after DBD.

Why would Titus get his title shot a week after the cage match? Titus/Briscoes beat SCUM, this gives ROH a chance to give Jay Briscoe and Rhett Titus future title shots.

Why wouldn't they do Lethal vs Steen in NJ? Where Lethal is from? Classic hometown hero trying to take down a monster, sells itself.

Rhino vs Steen angle has been developed over the TV tapings. That is 4 weeks of developing an angle, not counting any Inside ROH segments they filmed. I'd say that is decent enough build for a PPV Main Event. Also remember Rhino still has name value.

Maybe Eddie and Roddy aren't the Main Events because fans are tired of them in that spot on IPPVs? Weren't people just complaining a few months/weeks ago about them? Now you suddenly want them back in the IPPV main event spot?

Lastly, you really think Homicide vs Steen would create more buyrates than Steen vs Rhino? Get out of here.

Rhino has been one of the best investments by ROH, he hasn't had one match in ROH that has made me go "Get this guy out here he's terrible".

I keep seeing people bashing Rhino but nobody provides examples of bad matches he has had.

Hell his worst match was probably the Street Fight vs Homicide and even that was good.

Lethal/Homicide vs Ciampa/Rhino was good.

Eddie Edwards vs Rhino at Border Wars was downright excellent and one of the best openers of the year.

Rhino vs Davey was incredibly solid

I've yet to see Eddie vs Rhino 2 and 3, but I've heard nothing but good reviews.

Titus is from NJ as well, him being used in a house show main event and Lethal in the iPPV main event would be ideal booking I'd say, you simply need a bigger (by that I mean someone who's good in the ring and can deliver an iPPV worthy main event match) guy like Lethal for such a big show, it's not a random house show and Rhino should never be in the main event of such an important show, he's just an old, boring never-was, who should be used to bring young midcarders over, and definitely not to defeat Eddie and be in an ROH PPV!!

why would Titus get a title shot after the cage match? hmm maybe he pins Steen in the cage match? yeah you're right that would be too logical...
Thing is, both Titus and Jay Briscoe would be bigger opponents for Steen (as in delivering a better match) for DBD X

yes and it would have been much more effective if they had used the four weeks of TV tapings - which they wasted for Rhino - to further the Steen/Titus feud and actually capitalise on the King situation. Which would also be much more ligical, as they have already hinted at Steen/Titus in Milwaukee.

I doubt many fans would bitch more about Strong or Eddie getting the shot at DBD (under the assumption they would have used jobbers like Rhino, Homicide for the past house shows instead of Steen/Eddie and Steen/Roddy) than people are now complaining that one of the biggest shows of the year is headlined by a washed up ECW has-been. Don't bring up Lynn, he's lightyears better than Rhino...

Yes, I'm 100% confident Steen vs Homicide would equal more buyrates, mind elaborating why you scoff at that thought?

You're right, he did not have a downright horrible match, damn I think he could be entertaining jobbing to midcarders in fun 10 minute matches, but he in no shape, way or form should he be anywhere near an ROH main event!

so let's turn the tables, name any GREAT match Rhino has had since coming to ROH, hell name me one match in his career that was great!
he's simply not a good wrestler, especially not in a promotion that supposedly features the best wrestling on the planet