Ever since the Pure Rules division returned to Ring Of Honor, it’s arguably been the best thing in the company. The Pure Rules tournament was great, Jonathan Gresham is proving to be a great champion for the division, and it’s even expanded to Tag Team matches. Tonight, the division breaks new ground as we get the first ever Pure Rules Gauntlet Match. A wrestler’s rope breaks and closed-first warnings will carry over into each match they compete in, meaning you need to play this one smart if you want to win.
Student vs. Teacher In Pure Rules Showcase
Dante Caballero would be the first of six men to enter the ring, one of the current students of the ROH Dojo system. He was met by Will Ferrera, one of the trainers of the ROH Dojo making his return to the ring after 828 days away from the spotlight. They’d shake hands, before locking up with Caballero who had a clear power edge.
Caballero was also able to outwrestle Ferrara early on, even taunting him and ask him to use a rope break. Instead, Ferrara took Caballero down and kept him there until he was flapjacked to the mat. Ferrara went for an arm ringer, and was slammed hard into the mat by Caballero. He’d get on the third attempt, and sent Caballero hard to the mat shoulder first.
That arm became a target, and Ferrara applied a Cobra Clutch. Caballero tried to break free, but was taken down to the mat again with a deep arm drag before applying the clutch again. Ferrara would have it broken, but Caballero couldn’t get the piledriver due to the damage to the arm. A short arm scissor was applied in the middle of the ring, and Caballero did his best to fight out.
Back to their feet, Caballero would power Ferrara up, but get countered into a crucifix pinfall. Caballero countered this into a gutbuster and single leg dropkick, but looked for the piledriver, which allowed Ferrara to counter and roll him up for the pinfall after 5 minutes and 57 seconds. No rope breaks used.
Will Ferrara Gets To Pull The Thorn In His Side
Next up was World Famous CB, a man who Ferrara had bad blood with in the past, even having a Fight Without Honor together, which was his last singles match. This time will be Pure Rules, so they need to keep things clean. They’d put the past behind them and shake hands, before Ferrara got a hammerlock on CB.
CB slipped out and got an armbar, but was unable to maintain the hold. Ferrara took CB to the mat with a wrist lock, and maintained wrist control through a valiant effort from CB. CB finally was able to kick him off to create distance before getting a leg trip and a surfboard lock on Ferrara. He’d shift into a crucifix pin, getting a two count before going right back for it.
Ferrara fought back with a roll up of his own, and applied that Cobra Clutch on the mat, doing things Delirious style, but CB used his first rope break. CB had his arm attacked, before hitting a short cross armed powerbomb for the pinfall after just 4 minutes and 15 seconds of action. He will have two rope breaks going forward.
World Famous CB Meets One Of Will Ferrara’s Students
Next was another ROH Dojo student, Eric Martin. So CB beat the teacher, and now he faces one of his students. They’d shake hands, and Martin grabbed a headlock early. CB was isolated on the mat, but attacked the wrist to get free, but Martin quickly regained control.
Martin ran over CB with a shoulder tackle, before blocking an O’Connor Roll attempt. CB was rocked with a big boot and a series of quick elbow drops before looking for the Boston Crab. Martin would be kicked in the face by CB, but a body slam dropped CB.
CB would be forced to the ropes as Martin looked for the hold again, putting him down to one more for this gauntlet. A big back suplex dropped CB before Martin hit a knee drop, and applied a waist lock. CB fought free and hit some quick strikes before being dropped with a hard left arm lariat.
Martin hit a no hook suplex, before sizing CB up for a charge. CB dodged and hit a Dragon Screw Leg Whip, before taking out the leg and hitting a superkick. Martin caught CB off a springboard crossbody, slammed him down and applied a Boston Crab.
CB used his last rope break, and Martin went back to the Boston Crab but CB rolled out. Martin was hit with a Judo like throw, and CB trapped all the limbs of Martin to force a tap out at 6 minutes. He moves on, with two more opponents and no more rope breaks.
Wheeler Yuta Can Decode World Famous CB With Ease
Next up was Wheeler Yuta, who trains under World Famous CB at the Worldwide Dojo. This is another teacher vs. student affair, but Yuta is on a different level than guys like Caballero or Martin. Yuta impressed in the Pure Rules tournament, taking eventual winner Jonathan Gresham to the limit.
CB went for a quick roll up, and a Small Package, getting some near falls. A backslide got another near fall, and Yuta had a spinebuster attempt countered into an armdrag. Yuta got CB down, and hit a senton to the back. A scoop slam dropped CB for a two count, and Yuta maintained wrist control.
Yuta set up the Hangman’s Stretch, and CB fought out limb by limb to counter out with a wrist lock takeover. CB hit a big chop, and was able to get some pinfall attempts on Yuta. They’d roll around the ring but get nothing winning out of the pinfalls. Yuta hit a reverse atomic drop into a German Suplex, before going up top for a diving DDT for the win in 3 minutes.
Final man in this match would be The Savageweight, Fred Yehi. Yuta & Yehi teamed up for the first ever Pure Rules tag team match, and are both being scouted by The Foundation as potential members. This is as even of a final for a gauntlet gets, though CB must have drained some energy in the 3 minutes with Yuta.
Wheeler Yuta vs. Fred Yehi Ends This One
They’d shake hands, before Yuta rushed right into a headlock. Yuta broke free and hit a dropkick, before Yehi hit an exploder suplex. Yehi threw some heavy strikes, including a kick to the neck, before working on the arm of Yuta. The power edge of Yehi was clear, as he slammed Yuta around.
Yuta was able to slip out and hit an enziguri, and follow up with a springboard crossbody. He’d fake Yehi out on the top rope with a crossbody, but Yehi rolled through and got an ankle pick. Yuta fought free by attacking the knee of Yehi, before Yehi slipped outside and hit an exploder suplex on the floor.
Yehi applied a half nelson to Yuta before moving into the Koji Clutch. Yuta fought free by attacking the ankle and staying on that limb. Yehi moved into a rear naked choke but was blocked, but hit a chop, before Yuta got a heel hook. This forced the first rope break from Fred Yehi.
Yehi picked up the pace and hit a double stomp, hurting his ankle but going back to the Koji Clutch. Yuta went after the ankle again, but Yehi quickly let the hold go, and applied it again with the hurt ankle out of reach. Yehi would get the submission win at 6 minutes and 24 seconds.
Should Fred Yehi get the next Pure Title shot after this win? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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