Kyle O’Reilly vs. Tomasso Ciampa

Pretty good match but from the beginning Tommaso looks stronger.  Maybe its because he is in the bigger story right now, over the TV title.  Or maybe its because of the Embassy.  But either way there is a feeling that he will win.  So win Ciampa hits that knee strike its no surprise.  What is a surprise is how devastating it is.  Booking someone as an MMA guy may not work but booking someone who knows how to hurt someone, well that will always get over.  If he keeps shooting hits like that, I’ll pay more attention to Ciampa.

Ryan McBride vs. Davey Richards.

I wrote one word in my notes about this match:  Destroy!  If you weren’t sold on Davey before just watch him carve a path through Ryan’s body.  Its sick.  Davey is like Taz’s ECW rise but amped up for modern day.

Kevin Steen with a great promo.  It accomplishes what it is meant to when Steen and Davey Richards almost go at it.  I am again predicting Steen to be ROH champion by the end of the year.  After this exchange I’ll predict a possible match of the year out of these two as well.

Mike Bennett (with Maria) vs. Eddie Edwards.

Ring of Honor brings a mystery every week.  Look at this match.  Eddie is a former world champion and it would certainly make sense for him to win this tournament.  Bennett is being built up into a star and has who some have said is the hottest woman in wrestling next to him.  So it would be logical for him to win the whole thing as well.  Compare this to WWE or TNA when you know who will win the match before it even begins.  I’m writing this up before WrestleMania and I can tell you with certainty who will win half the ‘Mania matches.  Eddie’s back is torn asunder and it has an effect!  WWE doesn’t do blood and everyone else doesn’t do it right.  His back looks like a horror show and because of this the crowd is into the match.  Will Bennett take advantage?  Is Eddie to hurt to continue?  Since I started watching ROH weekly this has been the best match of the show.  Eddie dives through the ropes and takes out not only Mike, but Brutal Bob as well.

Speaking of things you don’t see too often anymore.  Maria has become a woman who knows how to run a spot.  She gets on the ropes, fakes an injury, and distracts the referee.  What do you know, Bennett ends up getting the pin.  I’m sure she didn’t learn how to do any of this as a Diva.  But as a Ring of Honor employee she has grown more than her entire time in WWE.

An excellent week of Ring of Honor wrestling!