Tonight was set to close out with Jonathan Gresham taking on Bandido for the ROH World Championship, but that wasn’t life’s plan. Bandido would test positive for COVID-19 just days before this match. Instead, he will face his team mate and close friend Jay Lethal – in a match which should show just why Ring of Honor is a beloved brand.
The winner takes home the original Ring of Honor championship, making this truly the end of an era. Before the match, Bryan Danielson had a message – hoping that this isn’t the end, but thanking ROH for making him the wrestler he is today. A video showing every ROH World Champion came first, and potentially the final will be crowned here today.
Big Match Feel For This Huge Main Event
These two know each other well, but still have to feel out the mood for tonight. Some early grappling showed an even match, with Lethal getting the first pinfall attempt by shoving the shoulders of Gresham down for a one count. Lethal would look for the cartwheel and Gresham grabbed the arm, before taking the Lethal Combination.
Gresham would send Lethal to the apron, and dropkick him to the floor – getting a chance to breathe. Lethal would find himself in the grasp of The Octopus, with his arm hammer locked and shoulders pinned into the pinfall – but only got a two count. Gresham would take the cartwheel dropkick, before Lethal hit some big chops.
Lethal would follow up with some boots to the face, sending Gresham outside for the first dive. Back in the ring, Lethal caught Gresham with a big slam. Gresham would keep on fighting, but being forced into the corner just had him go for a shotgun dropkick and almost end up in a Figure Four.
The Locker Room Needed A Closer Look As Jonathan Gresham Closes Out This Era Of Ring Of Honor
He’d slip free into a pinfall, and try to keep the pressure on Lethal. Lethal however is the big match wrestler, and was showing it. He’d set the pace for a chop off, before Gresham kicked the arm… and ran into a snap powerslam. Hail to The King was incoming, but Gresham rolled away and caught Lethal up top. He’d be fought off, and knowing the counter was coming, Lethal hopped down to look for the Figure Four Leg Lock.
Gresham was able to avoid the hold and got the big sunset flip to start an exchange of falls, with Lethal coming out on top before nailing Hail To The King. Lethal Injection was called, but the arm couldn’t get the handspring and Gresham was right on him with the crossface chickenwing.
The entire ROH roster flooded the ringside area, as Lethal & Gresham traded forearms. Gresham landed the Dragon Suplex and two Bayonet forearms for the two count. Lethal couldn’t get him up with the hurt arm, but survived another blow! It was a relentless attack, but Lethal nailed one big lariat! Lethal Injection was blocked into a backslide, then an inside cradle! OCTOPUS HOLD APPLIED AND LETHAL TAPS OUT!
This might have not been the best match on a technical level between Gresham & Lethal, but they truly showed what makes ROH special here. Lethal is a big match player, but Gresham was new to the main event. He survived the signatures and neutralized the Lethal Injection. When the locker room swarmed the ring, the emotion was real – and the finish was perfect. For emotion alone, and for capping off this show perfectly – it’s a classic match worthy of five stars. Match Rating: 5/5 (*****)
When one era ends, another one begins. April 2022 is when ROH comes back, and it might not look like tonight – but the heart beats on. Will Gresham carry that belt proudly back to ROH in 2022? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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