Ring Of Honor Results: Joe Keys vs. Jonathan Gresham [Pure Title Match]

After winning a gauntlet match on ROH Week by Week, ROH dojo student Joe Keys gets the biggest match of his career. He faces one of his trainers, Jonathan Gresham for the Pure Title. It will not be an easy win for Keys, but this is for more than just him. Keys wants to win for his original coach, R.J Meyer, who died of leukemia back in November. Gresham will not be taking Keys lightly, and Keys will need to remember that Gresham is a double champion for a reason.

Joe Keys Is No Slouch

After Code Of Honor was adhered too, this one got started. Keys got the headlock takeover, but could not keep Gresham on the mat or keep control. Gresham applied the headscissors until it stuck, forcing Keys to free himself using his first rope break, barely over a minute into the match. Keys got free all the same, and Gresham helped him to this feet in a show of respect, and Keys got back on the offensive.

He’d force Gresham down to the mat and get some pinfall attempts, before Gresham would try to do the same. Keys had a tight waist lock, and forced Gresham to use up a rope break, putting both men to two. They’d trade shoulder tackles in the middle of the ring, and Gresham fell first due to the size disadvantage as we went to a commercial break.

Jonathan Gresham Is The Foundation Of Ring Of Honor

Coming back from the break, Keys had maintained the advantage with some heavy backbreakers and blows, but Gresham wasn’t going down easy. He’d sweep the leg after dodging a lariat, attack the arm and get a deep arm drag. The arm was the target, something which was hurt during the gauntlet match. Gresham trapped the arm and hit a scoop slam, and Keys couldn’t even get an irish whip.

He’d manage to power Gresham up with the good arm for another backbreaker. The elbow was attacked when he tried to follow up, before taking some running chops from Gresham. A small package was countered with a suplex from Keys, before he’d get a German Suplex. Gresham kicked out and grabbed the Double Wrist Lock, but Keys went back to the backbreaker. Are we sure Roderick Strong wasn’t his trainer?

The single leg crab made Gresham use his second rope break, and Keys went right for the diving headbutt, and Gresham was out of rope breaks! Gresham would throw forearms before getting enziguri and German Suplex, before a huge lariat dropped him. Going back to the flying headbutt, Gresham dodged and hit the hip toss, applied a tight hammerlock and that was it.

Keys had a breakout performance here, with his trainer giving him a ton of shine in this match. He practically had Gresham beat, but the damage to the arm made him an easy target. Another example of how Pure Rules matches are simple yet effective. Match Rating: 3.25/5 (*** ¼)

Who will defeat Jonathan Gresham to take the Pure Title? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.

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