Proving Grounds ~ May 19th, 2012
May 31, 2012 20:28:03 GMT -7
Post by Dustin Salyers on May 31, 2012 20:28:03 GMT -7
The camera pans the capacity crowd in the Grand Ballroom of the Manhattan Center as Joey Styles welcomes everyone to Ring of Honor’s Proving Grounds. The camera cuts to the announcers position up on one of the balconies as Styles introduces his broadcast partners, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair & “the Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, and comments on the 13 National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship reigns between them. Flair makes sure to point out that he is responsible for 8 of those reigns, tying for the most all-time with Harley Race. Michaels ignores Flair and comments on tonight’s main event for the ROH Championship.
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“No More Mr. Nice Guy” blares through the speaker system as ROH Executive Producer Jim Cornette makes his way to the ring. Cornette introduces himself and thanks the fans in attendance as well as those watching on WPXN for supporting ROH. Cornette then admits that he has an announcement concerning tonight’s event and asks ROH Television Champion Roderick Strong to join him in the ring. “A Victim, A Target” cuts through the ballroom as Roderick Strong walks to the ring with the ROH TV Championship securely around his waist. Cornette shakes Strong’s hand and begins to talk about determining the top contender for the ROH Television Championship.
“Dark Beat Mix” slices through Cornette’s statement as Tommaso Ciampa stalks towards the ring. RD Evans is on his heels though and he seems to be trying to dissuade Ciampa from interrupting Cornette. Cornette welcomes them to the ring as Evans interjects that “any conversation regarding the top contender for the ROH TV Championship starts and stops with ’the Dominant Male’ Tommaso Ciampa”. Ciampa can be heard saying things like “I’m undefeated” and “I want my match” as Evans and Cornette hash things out. Finally Cornette concedes and agrees that Ciampa will have “his match… a top contenders match”. Ciampa is beside himself and begins yelling at Evans. Evans tries to calm Ciampa and again attempts to persuade Cornette that Ciampa has already proven himself to be a worthy challenger to Roderick Strong. Ciampa can be heard telling Cornette “no man can beat me one on one”. Cornette ignores Evans and addresses Ciampa “no one said it was a one on one match”.
Cornette announces that the top contender to the ROH Television Championship will be determined in a match between “’the Dominant Male’ Tommaso Ciampa… ‘the Prodigy’ Mike Bennett… ‘Dashing’ Cody Rhodes…”. Now Ciampa is growing more agitated with each name that Cornette announces, while Evans does his best to calm him. But Cornette continues “Chuck Taylor… ‘Canadian X’ Kenny Omega…” as Ciampa begins pacing the ring with Evans frantically trying to put out the fire in Tommaso’s eyes. “And… ‘the New Horror’ Sami Callihan… in a Six-Man Mayhem match!”. Ciampa lets out a roar as Cornette quickly moves to the ropes. Roderick Strong begins laughing, catching the attention of Ciampa. Ciampa moves towards Strong and the two are now nose to nose. Both men began talking as Evans attempts to squeeze in between them and push them apart. Strong eventually just smirks and steps through the ropes. Evans continues to try and calm Ciampa until Tommaso finally has enough and shoves Evans to the mat. Evans looks shocked as Ciampa roars “Is this what am I paying you for?!?” and then leaves the ring.
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The camera switches to the announcers position as Flair and Michaels begin discussing the actions of Ciampa and the lack of control that Evans obviously has of “the Dominant Male”. Michaels remarks that it should have been a walk in the park for any decent manager to get a ROH Television Championship match for an undefeated client. Styles runs down the participants of the Six-Man Mayhem match to determine the top contender to the ROH Television Championship and Flair notes Cody Rhodes and his Championship pedigree with “his Daddy knew how to win Championships”. Styles remarks that Rhodes recently lost a decision match to NWA Windy City’s Rockstar Spud to determine the NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Championship “right here in the Manhattan Center”. “MMMBop” signals the impending arrival of the Young Bucks and Styles switches gears and begins talking about the depth of the tag team division in ROH. Michaels remarks that with the NWA World Tag Team Champions Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly as well as the 7-time ROH Tag Team Champions the Briscoe Brothers sitting atop the division it will be a hard climb for any other team.
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 Kenny King |  Rhett Titus |  |  Matt Jackson |  Nick Jackson |
The first match of the night would feature two teams trying to climb that proverbial ladder that Michaels had eluded to, the aforementioned Young Bucks and the All Night Express. This match was a pure strength versus speed match-up with the unique double team moves of the Young Bucks thrown in. A combination of stereo dropkicks and then simultaneous planchas would send the show to its first commercial break.
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Commercial Break
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The show returns from commercial to find Matt working over Titus. ANX would make a comeback with quick tags forcing Matt to look for the hot tag. Nick would get his chance but it would be a One Night Stand from ANX that would prove to be the deciding factor.
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Styles would commend both teams for their efforts while Flair noted that ANX may now push for the opportunity to face the Briscoe Brothers for the ROH Tag Team Championships. Michaels would speculate that perhaps the Briscoes would be more interested in challenging the Revolution for the NWA World Tag Team Championships. Styles would once more rundown the six participants in the Six-Man Mayhem match to determine the top contender to the ROH Television Championship before sending things backstage to Joe Dombrowski who was scheduled to interview Tommaso Ciampa & RD Evans.
The camera cuts to Dombrowski standing in front of a huge ROH Proving Grounds logo while Ciampa & Evans argue. Dombrowski tries to ask a question but Ciampa simply tells Evans to “keep his ass in the back” before walking away. Dombrowski questions Evans about his tumultuous relationship with “the Dominant Male” but RD simply pushes past Joe and continues to call out for Ciampa.
“Faithfully” creeps through the speakers as Styles now ponders whether Evans will be at ringside for this next match. Flair comments that having Evans there is better than not as he can at least watch Ciampa’s back if he is at ringside. Michaels takes the other side of the coin and comments that Evans didn’t help Ciampa amass an 18-month undefeated streak or secure him a Championship match, so Ciampa might as well finish what he started alone.
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ROH Television Championship #1 Contender
Six-Man Mayhem Match
 Chuck Taylor | |  "Dashing" Cody Rhodes | |  "Canadian X" Kenny Omega |
|  "The Prodigy" Mike Bennett | |  "The New Horror" Sami Callihan | |  "The Dominant Male" Tommaso Ciampa |
ROH official Bryce Remsburg spent the next several minutes of his life looking reminiscent of a deer in headlights as he was surrounded by the chaos and non-stop action of the six men involved in this match. The match quickly spilled to the floor and each pairing got their 30 seconds of ring time at some point. Omega would connect with a moonsault to the floor on the other five men as the show headed to the next commercial break.
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Commercial Break
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The show resumes with things having slowed a bit in the ring and a string of near falls ensue. Ciampa and Callihan soon take center stage and pummel each other mercilessly. Taylor eventually interjects himself and a bit of comedy as Ciampa and Callihan attempt to stay on point with their usual intenseness. Evans eventually makes his way to ringside and becomes involved by grabbing the foot of Callihan before he could unload with a second lariat to Taylor. Callihan tries to grab Evans from the ring but is dumped to floor by Ciampa. Ciampa connects with the Project Ciampa to Taylor to secure his spot at the top contender to the ROH TV Championship.
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We cut back to the announce position as Styles points out that Evans proved to be very efficient for Ciampa on this night. Flair points out that Ciampa barely acknowledged Evans as he left ringside and Michaels questions whether Ciampa will want him in his corner when he faces Strong. Styles then announces that next week on Proving Grounds “the Dominant Male” Tommaso Ciampa will challenge Roderick Strong for the ROH Television Championship in the main event. Flair remarks that the last match was one of the most amazing things he has seen in a wrestling ring in years and hopes to see another Six-Man Mayhem match in the not to distant future.
“Unsettling Differences” tears through the ballroom as Michaels commends the last match but promises that the main event will be on another level. Styles outlines the last couple months of the feud leading into this match as well as the situation surrounding the canceled iPPV “Border Wars”. Michaels questions the affect that the extra week may have had on each competitor as well as the change of venue. Styles points out that the match was originally scheduled to take place in Canada, the home country of Kevin Steen, but with the cancellation of the event and the membership in the NWA we are now in Davey Richards backyard. “Clutch” pierces the ballroom as Flair comments on Steen’s condition, or lack thereof, and how long he will last in a long match with Richards.
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*Main Event*
Ring of Honor Championship Match
 "The American Wolf" Davey Richards | |  "Wrestling's Worst Nightmare" Kevin Steen |
Richards took control from the opening bell with a slew of kicks, putting Steen on the defensive. Steen would find his footing though by sliding under the bottom rope and then luring Richards to the floor. Steen took full advantage of the change in scenery, using the guardrail and the ring post when available. Steen would eventually roll Richards back into the ring and score several near falls. Richards would avoid a right hand and counter with a snap DDT, leaving both men laying on the canvas as the show goes to what Styles promises is the last commercial break.
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Commercial Break
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The show resumes with Richards now throwing everything he
has at Steen but getting nothing but two counts. Steen eventually counters a lariat and takes Richards to the mat with a crossface. Richards struggles as the fans attempt to will him to the ropes. Steen maintains control until Richards catches him with a Saito suplex and then climbs to the top turnbuckle. Steen grabs Richards though and drops him with the F-Cinq. Richards rolls the shoulder at two and Steen pulls him into position for the Package Piledriver. Richards drops to one knee several times before backdropping Steen. Steen rises to one knee and eats a roundhouse kick before Richards drags him to his feet for the DR Driver.
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Styles, Flair & Michaels all comment on the main event and commend both men for their efforts as Richards slowly rises to his feet and is handed the ROH Championship. Richards grabs a microphone and thanks the fans of ROH and New York City for coming out to support him, Kevin Steen & all the boys in the back. Richards then adds that he isn’t going to “tow the company line tonight” because this company “gave up on him” a few weeks ago. Richards then reiterated that Ring of Honor Wrestling was now a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and as such they now recognized CM Punk as “the only World Heavyweight Champion”. Richards adds that without losing a match he was stripped of the distinction as a World Champion because “Cornette wants to play house with his old pals”.
Richards then points up to the announce position and notes that Flair & Michaels are up there with Joey Styles. He comments that all three were added to this company because “Cornette wants to go ‘Big Time’”. Richards then flips off Flair, saying “this is for you Ric” and then “here is one for you too Shawn” as he flips off Michaels. Richards then claims that he is no longer “the American Wolf”, instead he is a “Lone Wolf”. Richards admits that the only way he will become the World Heavyweight Champion now “is to beat CM Punk… so that is exactly what I am going to do”. Richards challenges Punk to a match “now… next week… hell… the following week”. Richards tells Punk to pick the date and show up because “the hunt is on!”.
Richards drops the microphone and heads towards the ropes when “Wherever I May Roam” creeps into the ballroom. AJ Styles comes to the ring to a huge ovation and stares a hole through Richards before picking up the microphone that he dropped moments ago. Styles starts by congratulating Richards on his successful Championship defense and his stellar reign as “ROH Wor… I mean ROH Champion”. Richards takes offense and stands toe to toe with Styles. Styles assures Richards that he is not concerned with his Championship right now but that Richards has gotten attention because he thinks he “can cut in line” when it come to Punk and the NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Styles quickly points out that he is a former 4-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and that is something that “Cornette can never take from me Davey”. Styles admits that he feels Richards pain though as he was never beaten for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, instead it was “pried from my hands by the incompetent bastards running the NWA when World Championship Wrestling fell apart”. Styles adds in conclusion that he will be the one challenging Punk the next time “the false Champion comes to the ‘Big Apple’… not you Davey”. Styles adds that “so the hunt has been called off due to inclement weather”. Richards gives Styles a funny look and can be heard asking “what the hell is that supposed to mean?”. Styles just drops the microphone and then suddenly kicks Richards in the gut. Joey finally hits the trademark “OH MY GAWD!” as AJ plants Richards with the Styles Clash. Styles grabs the microphone, crawls over to the motionless Richards and adds “it means it’s overcast… because I’m guessing things are looking a little cloudy for you right now”. The show comes to an end with AJ standing in the ring as the fans cheer wildly and Joey reminds everyone to tune in next week.
