Eck’s Files: Quinn McKay Proved Me Wrong; Survival Of The Fittest Is Returning; Rok-C Guests On ROHStrong Podcast

Eck’s Files: Quinn McKay Proved Me Wrong; Survival Of The Fittest Is Returning; Rok-C Guests On ROHStrong Podcast

May 15, 2021

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By Kevin Eck

A few words immediately came to mind after watching Quinn McKay lose to Angelina Love in her ROH in-ring debut on last weekend’s episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling.”

No, the words were not “I told you so.”

They were “I was wrong.”

I said on a number of occasions in this space and on other platforms that McKay did not belong in the same ring as Love, a seven-time former world champion and 20-year veteran still at the top of her game.

McKay proved otherwise. What she lacked in in-ring experience, McKay made up for with heart and determination. She also got herself in peak physical condition for the match.

Had it not been for Mandy Leon involving herself in the bout, McKay would’ve won.

 

Love had an opportunity to put McKay away with a Koji Clutch, but she arrogantly released the hold to humiliate McKay and inflict more punishment. It was a major miscalculation on Love’s part.

McKay rallied and put Love in a Cobra Clutch. Love was fading and McKay was mere seconds away from pulling off the upset before Leon baited her into releasing the hold.

While McKay exchanged words with Leon, Love managed to get to her feet. When McKay turned around, she was met with a match-ending Botox Injection from Love.

With the win, Love gained a first-round bye in the ROH Women’s World Title Tournament this summer and denied McKay entry into the tournament.

Because of the controversial finish, I think ROH Board of Directors member Maria Kanellis-Bennett should consider giving McKay another opportunity to earn a “ticket to gold.”

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You asked for the Survival of the Fittest tournament to come back and the ROH Board of Directors listened. The tournament returns in June on ROH TV.

Originating in 2004 and last held in 2018, the tournament is composed of a series of qualifying matches, with the winners meeting in a multi-man elimination match to determine the overall winner. The lone survivor will be rewarded with a future shot at the ROH World Championship.

Past winners of Survival of the Fittest include Bryan Danielson, Tyler Black, Jay Lethal and Adam Cole.

Survival of the Fittest was the overwhelming winner of a poll on the ROH The Experience Facebook page that asked which of ROH’s annual events fans would most like to see return in 2021.

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The Prodigy” Rok-C was my guest on the latest episode of “The ROHStrong Podcast,” which drops Monday morning on ROHWrestling.com and most podcast platforms.

She talked about receiving the first “ticket to gold” for entrance into the ROH Women’s World Title Tournament; beginning her wrestling training at 13; training under Hall of Famer Booker T; inspiring young people to follow their dreams; her cameo appearance on “Total Divas” when she was a kid, and much more.

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Flip Gordon will be interviewed on the episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling” that airs the weekend of May 22. I’m betting EC3 will be interested in what Gordon has to say.

The makeshift team of Gordon and EC3 scored a huge upset win over the Briscoes on last weekend’s show, but it’s obvious “The Mercenary” and “The Essential Character” aren’t a cohesive unit.

Gordon hit Mark Briscoe with a chain behind the referee’s back to steal the win. EC3 was unaware Gordon used the foreign object, and he didn’t seem pleased when he was told about it during the post-match interview.

 

A Pure Rules Match between Fred Yehi and Rocky Romero also has been signed for next weekend’s episode. As previously announced, the main event of the show is an ROH World Tag Team Title Match pitting champions Tracy Williams and Rhett Titus of The Foundation against The OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett).

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Speaking of the ROH World Tag Team Title, it appears that a new team has formed with the sole intention of pursuing the championship.

That team is none other than PCO and Danhausen!

Danhausen sold PCO on the idea of teaming together after Danhausen had recruited PCO to answer Brian Johnson’s open challenge on last weekend’s episode of TV.

I don’t know how successful PCO and Danhausen will be as a team, but I know for sure the ghoulish duo will be fun to watch.

 

On a side note, I have to give Johnson credit. Even though he lost to PCO, “The Mecca” more than held his own against the monstrous former ROH World Champion and even kicked out of his moonsault.

 

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This weekend’s “Ring of Honor Wrestling” is headlined by a grudge match between former tag team partners Silas Young and Josh Woods.

Also, Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor and The Soldiers of Savagery) defend the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Title against Primal Fear, and there will be a 15-man rankings battle royal. 

The battle royal participants will all be wrestlers who are not currently ranked in any of the singles divisions in ROH. The last two competitors standing will face each other on a future episode, with the winner earning a spot in the rankings of the division of his choosing.

The competitors are: Bennett, Mark Briscoe, PCO, Danhausen, Rey Horus, LSG, Bateman, World Famous CB, Joe Keys, Dante Caballero, Eric Martin, Ken Dixon, Sledge, O’Shay Edwards and Ryan Mooney.

 

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World Famous CB and Wheeler Yuta will square off in a Pure Rules Match on “ROH Week By Week,” which premieres Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern on YouTube.

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Until next time, keep safe and stay #ROHStrong!

Kevin Eck is a veteran pro wrestling journalist who has worked for The Baltimore Sun, WWE and WCW before joining ROHWrestling.com. Eck’s Files appears every Friday.

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