Eck’s Files: Who Has The Advantage In Revised World TV And Tag Title Matches At 19th Anniversary? Maria Kanellis Bennett To Make Special Announcement

Eck’s Files: Who Has The Advantage In Revised World TV And Tag Title Matches At 19th Anniversary? Maria Kanellis Bennett To Make Special Announcement

March 26, 2021

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By Kevin Eck

The big news broke earlier this week that the ROH World Television Title and World Tag Team Title matches at tonight’s 19th Anniversary pay-per-view had to be changed because double champion Dragon Lee is unable to travel due to undergoing surgery to repair his ruptured eardrum.

Lee’s La Facción Ingobernable stablemate, Kenny King, will defend the TV Title on his behalf against Tracy Williams, and Bestia del Ring will step in for his son and team with King as they put the tag team belts on the line against The Foundation’s Williams and Rhett Titus (pictured above).

So which side has the advantage in this situation? 

One could argue that Lee has been at the top of his game and would’ve been the favorite against Williams, and therefore Williams has a better chance at defeating King.

However, King is a two-time former ROH World Television Champion, and he beat Williams in their only one-on-one meeting two years ago. 

As for the tag title match, I think Williams and Titus clearly have the advantage. They’re 2-0 as a team, while King and Bestia have never teamed together in a traditional tag match (they were on the same side in an eight-man tag bout).

My prediction is that King retains the TV Title for Lee, and Williams and Titus win the tag team title. That would make it 1-1 between LFI and The Foundation heading into the main event, where LFI’s RUSH defends the ROH World Title against The Foundation’s Jay Lethal.

Judging by how dominant RUSH has been in ROH (he’s only been pinned once since making his debut in December 2018) and the fact that Lethal has lost two of his past three one-on-one matches, this almost seems like a mismatch.

But then you remember that we’re talking about “The Franchise,” the man who has held the ROH World Title for more days than anyone. Plus, Lethal is super-motivated to wrest the championship he holds so dear from the ungovernable RUSH and restore honor to it.

This one could go either way, but I’m leaning towards RUSH because he has shown that he’ll stop at nothing to keep his title.

The other matches on the loaded pay-per-view are:

— Jay Briscoe vs EC3
— Unsanctioned Match: Matt Taven vs. Vincent
— Pure Title Match: Champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Dak Draper
— Dalton Castle vs. Josh Woods (w/Silas Young)
— Flip Gordon vs. Mark Briscoe

 

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I’ve been told that ROH Board of Directors member Maria Kanellis Bennett will be making a special announcement during the pay-per-view tonight. Let the speculation begin.

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I’ll be joining Ian Riccaboni for the 19th Anniversary post-show streaming live on YouTube at midnight Eastern right after the pay-per-view concludes. We’ll have special guests and exclusive interviews.

Remember, the first hour of the four-hour Anniversary show is free and features ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Shane Taylor Promotions defending against MexiSquad, and a Four Corner Survival Match between Danhausen, Eli Isom, Brian Johnson and LSG.

19th Anniversary Hour One airs at 8 p.m. Eastern on HonorClub, ROH Best on the Planet, STIRR City, Facebook, YouTube, FITE and channels carrying the pay-per-view.

The 19th Anniversary pay-per-view event begins at 9 p.m. Eastern exclusively on HonorClub, pay-per-view and FITE.

Also, Riccaboni will host the 19th Anniversary Hour One watch party on Zoom exclusively for HonorClub members.

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ROH Joe Koff was my guest for Episode 50 of “The ROHStrong Podcast,” which drops this Monday morning on ROHWrestling.com and most podcast platforms.

Koff talked about ROH’s approach to doing business during the pandemic; the company celebrating its 19th anniversary and nearing its 500th episode of TV; the possibility of ROH working with other promotions; whether there will be an ROH Hall of Fame; growing up as a wrestling fan in New York and working with Championship Wrestling from Florida in the 80s, and much more.

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Kenny King finally broke his silence regarding his betrayal of Shane Taylor in Taylor’s ROH World Title Match against RUSH last month.

“What’d you think I joined the bridge club? You think this is the Eagle Scouts?” King said. “I did not ask, nor did I apply; I was selected to become an Ingobernable. There’s not an application process for this. So you don’t even get to be in the ballgame if you’re not blood in, blood out.

“This is Ingobernable over blood, over everything.”

 

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A reminder that ROH Best On The Planet is presenting a three-hour special showcasing the entire Pure Title Tournament on Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Best On The Planet is ROH’s free 24/7 streaming channel on the Live TV section of the STIRR and PLEX apps, which are available in all major app stores.

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This weekend’s episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling” features a grudge match between Mike Bennett and Beer City Bruiser and the first-ever Pure wrestling gauntlet.

 

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Voting has begun in the second round of the Bracket of Honor online tournament on ROHWrestling.com to determine the greatest faction in ROH history.

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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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Be sure to visit Ring of Honor for more news and updates

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