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By Caprice Coleman
Ring of Honor’s Final Battle pay-per-view this Friday is a four-hour show and the first hour is free! It’s ROH’s biggest event of the year and I’m so excited about this card.
lan Riccoboni and I will have a front row seat for the action along with special guest commentator, former ROH World Champion Dalton Castle. Here’s my take on each match:
Four-way for ROH World Television Title Shot: Tony Deppen vs. Dak Draper vs. LSG vs. Josh Woods
Any of these guys could win, but I see Woods taking it. He’s been on a roll going back to the Pure Title Tournament. It’s like watching a metahuman embracing his abilities!
Danhausen vs. Brian Johnson
Danhausen has until the end of the year to win a match or else his ROH contract is voided. If he doesn’t win at Final Battle, he probably won’t get another opportunity. Johnson presents a big problem for Danhausen. There’s no way Johnson is going to let Danhausen get past him and become another person on the roster who’s potentially above “The Mecca.” I really hope I’m wrong.
First-Ever Pure Rules Tag Match: Fred Yehi and Wheeler Yuta vs. The Foundation’s Rhett Titus and Tracy Williams
There are three rope breaks just as in Pure singles matches, but a breakup of a pinfall will also count as a rope break. Tags can only be hand to hand over the top rope with the wrestler on the apron holding onto the tag rope.This is the way tag team wrestling is supposed to be, and we’re going to see it done with four of the purest wrestlers in the world. I believe the experience of The Foundation and this being Titus’ ninth Final Battle will be the deciding factor.
OGK (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) vs. The Righteous (Vincent and Bateman)
This feud is at a boiling point. The returning Bennett and Taven finally have a shot at The Righteous without having to worry about sneak attacks. I believe this is Bennett and Taven’s chance to prove why the OG Kingdom is the best Kingdom. However, Vincent has proven to be one of the most sadistic competitors on the roster. Who knows what he has up his sleeve? An ax? A bat? Darts? This grudge match cannot be missed!
ROH World Television Title Match: Champion Dragon Lee vs. Winner of Four-Way Match
Due to the pandemic, Dragon Lee has not had a match since late February. Regardless of who his opponent is, the challenger has had time to shake the rust off and rejuvenate himself. I believe this being Lee’s first match back makes for a perfect opportunity for whoever wins the four-way to capitalize. However, if the time off proves beneficial for Lee, then we’re in for a very long TV Title reign.
ROH World Tag Team Title Match: Champions Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham of The Foundation vs. Mark Briscoe and PCO
Lethal and Gresham have vowed that if they win this match every tag title defense going forward will be under Pure rules. To get there they have to go through the two craziest guys on the roster, who combined have won 16 tag team titles. If the tag team champions win this match it will be by the skin of their teeth.
ROH Pure Title Match: Champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Flip Gordon
This will be the first time one person will be defending two titles on the same night at Final Battle. Regardless of whether Gresham’s tag team title defense precedes this match, he will have his hands full with Gordon. Gordon’s recent victory over Josh Woods was largely because Woods underestimated Gordon’s pure wrestling abilities. If Gresham does the same, we could be in for a title change.
ROH World Title Match: Champion RUSH vs. Brody King
Like his brother Dragon Lee, RUSH has not competed during the pandemic. He’s facing a man who is undefeated in ROH since the company resumed running shows, and King also has competed in New Japan Pro-Wrestling events in recent months. King has proven himself by defeating Shane Taylor and beating former ROH World Champion Dalton Castle convincingly. There will be no time for RUSH to shake off any rust with King in front of him.
Just something to think about. I call it a dose of Colemanism.
Caprice Coleman is ROH’s color analyst and has been wrestling for more than 20 years. He also is an ordained minister and motivational speaker. A Dose of Colemanism appears every Thursday
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