Ring Of Honor Results: John Walters vs. Tracy Williams [Pure Rules Match]

When the legends of Ring of Honors past are mentioned, one name is always left out. Former RoH Pure Champion John Walters deserves to be mentioned alongside Nigel McGunniess, Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson and more, but isn’t. That will now change, as he’s back to prove that he is still one of the best pure wrestlers in the world.

What better way to do that than get right into it with Tracy Williams, member of The Foundation and finalist in the Pure Rules Tournament from this year. This is sure to be a match that uses all of the 15 minutes provided, as both look for their signature submission… or any other opening they might find.

John Walters Is Forced To Use His First Rope Break

Code of Honor would be adhered too, and this Pure Rules match would begin. Walters & Williams would feel each other out, with Williams getting a side headlock, then moving into an armlock. He’d lose control and Walters took him to the mat with a twist of the wrist.

Williams was able to counter out, ending up in a Full Nelson after Walters got behind him. However, Williams avoided using an early rope break, and instead flung Walters to the outside. His old strategy was to abuse the rope break rule, but Williams has done his homework.

Back in the ring, Walters would ground Williams again and try to just pin him, but a bridge up from Williams prevented this. Williams went for the armbar, and Walters went after the nose of Williams to break the hold up.

This didn’t break it, and Williams would move into a different hold, and Walters had to use a rope break to get free, but he thought about it before placing his leg there. Needing to get back to it, Walters targeted the shoulder of Williams to get that advantage back.

The Sharpshooter Is Dangerous

Williams wasn’t shaken by this attack on his arm, and would quickly take Walters down to the mat and grab the leg as we went to a commercial break. By the time we came back, Walters was back up and was able to get back to his feet and regain some control. He’d nail some hard chops, but was nearly caught with the piledriver.

Walters slipped free, hit the ropes and took Williams out with a chop block, starting to work on that knee for when he can apply the sharpshooter. Walters would come at Williams with some strikes, before abusing him in the corner. Williams broke free by applying an armbar, and with both caught in the ropes, there were no rope breaks used.

Walters wasn’t letting this momentum go, and would hit a dragon screw and go right into the Sharpshooter, sending Williams running for the ropes and using his first of three rope breaks. He needs to find an answer for that hold before he runs out.

Walters went for the Sharpshooter again, and Williams would counter into a heel hook, and Walters had to use his second rope break of the match. Williams stayed steady with his strikes, and was able to go blow for blow with the veteran, before catching him with a high back suplex.

Tracy Williams Outworks The Legend

Walters took refuge in the corner, only to have Williams rush in and quickly attack. A second rope suplex would be quickly followed up with an attempt at that crossface, and Walters would use his final rope break. Now, submissions from Williams are legal in the ropes, and that’s how he beat Fred Yehi.

Williams looked for the piledriver, but Walters attacked the knee to prevent this. He’d get the single leg and wrap the leg up before they exchanged pinfall attempts. Williams tried for another crossface, but was sent to the side and into the corner, but he was able to bait Walters in and hit the DDT onto the top rope.

One piledriver later, and Tracy Williams has won the match. This is only the second Pure Rules match loss for John Walters ever. Is John Walters going to fail to make much impact in ROH with his return run, or was this first match ripe with ring rust? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.

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