Tonight, it’s time for more Pure Wrestling action from Ring Of Honor. The tournament to crown the new champion in this style is over, but two men thankfully never got the chance to enter the tournament. Dak Draper & Brian Johnson were the alternates should anyone get injured, and weren’t needed. Now, they’re going to prove that if given the chance, they could have gone all the way.
Brian Johnson & Dak Draper Use Their One Free Punch
These two ROH Dojo trainees would shake hands while they both talked trash. You get one closed fist punch in a Pure Rules match, and Brian Johnson is the type to make that the first thing he does, hitting a hard jab to the jaw of Draper. He’d get a warning, but also the advantage early in the match, following up with a shoulder tackle and diving elbow, before being slammed into the ring by his bigger, stronger opponent.
Johnson would pull Draper by the trunks and throw him to the outside, hitting the suicide dive and a diving clothesline. He’d hit a running clothesline next and got a two count. Johnson is highly outsized, but can outspeed Draper. Despite this, he got caught and burnt a rope break to free himself early. Draper would have a front kick blocked… and punched Brian Johnson in the face.
They can both no longer use a closed fist in this match, and this is trending much differently than the matches in the tournament. Draper would crash into Johnson and send them to the outside. Johnson didn’t get back in until a 17 count, and would be lifted up with ease and put onto the top rope. He’d slip off and dodge some blows from Johnson before being caught in a powerslam, thus getting a close two count.
Justice Served
Draper was in complete control, and would manhandle Johson, getting more cocky with every move. Johnson refused to give up, and would cut Draper to size but attacks on his shoulder made it impossible for him to slam Draper down. Meanwhile, Johnson would be picked up and hit with a Gutwrench Powerbomb, getting a two count, and a second pinfall attempt saw Johnson use his second rope break.
He’d dodge a running boot which sent Draper to the top rope, and he’d nail Tower Of London, a homage to McGuinness getting a near fall. Draper was right back in this, diving over the top rope for a rollup, getting a two count. Johnson would go for a pinfall attempt next, with a handful of tights but this only got a two as well. They’d continue to trade pinfalls, but neither man found three.
Draper would lift Johnson up onto his shoulders for his finisher, but Johnson slipped out and hit a springboard lariat from the apron, and then a quick dive through the ropes. This seemed like a smart move for Johnson, and he kept his feet on the ropes for leverage. He was caught, and the referee called this his final rope break.
He’d hit a throat chop and a big neckbreaker, but Draper used a rope break to break the pin, his first of the match. Draper would slam Johnson into the mat and won this match.
Would Dak Draper have won the Pure Tournament if he got in? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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