The Pure Championship Tournament’s first round ends tonight, with two matches featuring debuting talents for Ring Of Honor. Rust Taylor, previously seen within New Japan Pro Wrestling will be the first of these debuting talents. He’s practically built for the Pure ruleset, but so is his opponent.
When it was announced that this championship was coming back, everyone wanted to see Tracy Williams win it all, and his path to the gold start’s tonight. He wanted to bring ROH back to its roots as part of Lifeblood, which failed miserably, but now he has another chance.
Both men would come into this one with a laser focus, and whoever wins could take it all, being two of the best technical wrestlers in the world today.
Tracy Williams Keeps The Spirit Of Catch-Point Alive
Code of Honor would be adhered too, and they’d waste no time getting a feel for each other. It’d be a stalemate in the opening minute, both men equally matched in chain wrestling. Taylor would get Williams down to the mat, and work over the arm, only for Williams to get on-top with an Eastern Stretch, before going for a near fall.
Taylor was focusing on the arm of Williams, but was having a very hard time actually maintaining control of the limb. Williams was proving to be too much in terms of submission abilities. Taylor threw some strikes, only to have another limb trapped. This would all lead to an STF, and Taylor used his first rope break to get out.
Taylor would go for some ground and pound, and even send a forearm to the previously injured left arm. He’d bend the arm at an unnatural angle, only to be picked up and slammed into the mat before getting locked up in a hammerlock as this match was interrupted by a commercial break.
Rust Taylor Shows Great Honor
During the break, there was more damage done to the left arm of Williams, but he’d be trapped in a Cobra Twist all the same. He’d counter into a pinfall and get a two count, before going back to the arm. Williams would start throwing some hard strikes, and Taylor gladly returned them before ending up back on the mat with his arm trapped.
He’d manage to get out and trap Taylor with a headscissors, before letting it go to hit a knee drop. As the ten minute mark passes, they’d unload open hand strikes and kicks, before Taylor countered a strike into a smooth crossbreaker, forcing Williams to use his first rope break of the match to survive, and it should be noted Taylor instantly let go of the hold, no using extra seconds to punish Williams, a great show of sportsmanship.
Taylor would unleash some hard kicks onto Williams, and would have gotten the pinfall had Williams not got his foot under the rope, using his second rope break. Williams would dodge a kick and catch Taylor with a sleeper, but Taylor broke out and grabbed the arms in a move that calls back to the Rings of Saturn, trapping both arms. The final rope break of Williams would be used, and that means he can no longer use the ropes to save himself.
Williams Had His Back Against The Wall
Williams would pull himself to the ropes and have to send Taylor to the outside, to break another hold. Taylor with just two minutes left would easily win in points, him having wrestled the best match of his career. He’d throw some strikes at Williams, and wake him up. Williams would nail a massive discus lariat and went for the crossface, Taylor defending before being dropped by the piledriver. The crossface would be applied, and Williams won via submission with just thirty seconds left on the clock.
This match was incredible, and Taylor put some serious damage on Williams. He proved he belongs in Ring of Honor, and hopefully they will sign him, or he keeps working with ROH through his NJPW connections.
Tracy Williams will go on to face Fred Yehi in the next round. Will they be able to beat the Savage Weight? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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