Results Courtesy of PWInsider.com:
We are live on tape from Spartanburg, South Carolina and your announcers are Jim Cornette and Kevin Kelly.
Jim and Kevin are in the ring and they talk about how this is a special treat for the ROH fans with ROH Road Rage. Cornette talks about the non-televised events, but we will see matches that are usually available on DVD only. Kevin says that we have two Proving Ground Matches. The first one will be against Television Champion Jay Lethal and the other one will be against the Tag Team Champions (at the time it was taped) Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas.
We go to comments from the participants in the Television Title Proving Ground Match.
Jay Lethal is first and he says that he respects TJ Perkins. Jay mentions that he turned pro when he was sixteen and how TJ did the same when he was fourteen. They have one thing in mind. TJ wants what Jay has. Jay says that it is not personal. Lightning will strike and it will strike TJ. Jay says that he will keep the television title as long as he lives.
TJ Perkins says that Jay is one of the best around. They have a lot of similarities. TJ says that he came here to win titles. TJ says that he wants what he thinks should be his. Perkins says that he does not need twenty minutes to prove himself. He works faster than that. Perkins says that it is the thunder that scares you, but it is the lightning that hurts you.
Match Number One: TJ Perkins versus Jay Lethal in a Proving Ground Match
Lethal does the Savage finger wave and it starts a ‘Thank You Savage’ chant from the crowd. They lock up and Lethal backs Perkins into the corner and he gives a clean break. They go to a Greco Roman knuckle lock and Perkins traps the leg and goes for a chin lock but Lethal holds on and he gets Perkins down but Perkins with a bridge. Lethal sweeps the leg and gets a near fall. Perkins with a monkey flip but Lethal holds on to the knuckle lock and they each try to block the other and Perkins gets to his feet first after a cartwheel.
Lethal with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker and he gets a near fall. Lethal with a belly-to-back suplex and he gets a near fall. Lethal tries for the figure four leg lock but Perkins counters with an inside cradle. Lethal with a handspring back elbow for a near fall. Lethal sends Perkins into the turnbuckles and he kicks Perkins. Lethal with an Irish whip and Perkins with a kick to stop Lethal. Perkins with punches but Lethal with a hip toss and cartwheel into a drop kick for a near fall.
Lethal tries for a submission but Perkins counters and has Lethal in a rocking chair and then he gets a rollup for a near fall. Perkins with a kick to the head followed by a snap mare and leg drop for a near fall. Perkins with European uppercuts but Lethal with kicks and European uppercuts of his own.
Lethal with a back elbow and then Jay goes to the turnbuckles but Perkins crotches Jay and puts him in the Tree of Woe. Perkins with a hesitation drop kick for a near fall.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Perkins works on the arms and neck and Perkins turns it into a front face lock. Lethal sends Perkins into the corner and Lethal with chops. Perkins with a punch and Lethal with a chop. Perkins with kicks and he gets a near fall. Perkins with a chicken wing and chin lock using the leg to trap the arm. Lethal with elbows and then both men miss kicks. Perkins with a super kick but Lethal with a super kick of his own and he tries for a suplex but Perkins counters with a suplex of his own.
Lethal and Perkins exchange punches and chops. It escalates into European uppercuts and forearms. Lethal with a kick that sends Perkins to the floor and Perkins with a drop kick that sends Lethal to the floor. Perkins with a sit out power bomb for a near fall.
Perkins with a rana and roll through but Lethal counters with a rollup. Lethal with an inside cradle for a near fall. Lethal hits the Lethal Combination for a near fall. Lethal goes up top for the Savage elbow drop but Perkins gets his boot up and hits Lethal in the face. Perkins sets for the Detonation Kick but Lethal escapes. Perkins avoids a belly-to-back suplex and then Lethal hits the handspring into a Cutter for the three count.
Winner: Jay Lethal
We go to footage from the Spartanburg house show.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time to see some highlights from the Adam Cole versus Mike Bennett match.
Cole punches Bennett in the corner but Bennett pushes Cole off. Bennett runs into a super kick and Cole with a German Suplex and bridge for a near fall. Cole goes to the floor but Bennett returns to the ring. Cole with an enzuigiri from the floor. Cole hits a cross body from the top for a near fall.
Bennett with a punch followed by an Irish whip. Cole tries to float over but Bennett catches Cole and hits a TKO but Cole kicks out at two. Bennett tries for the Box Office Smash but Cole with an arm drag to counter. Cole with a cutter and then he tries for a round kick but misses. Cole with an enzuigiri followed by a round kick for a near fall.
Cole goes to the turnbuckles but Bennett blocks it. Cole goes for a sunset flip and Bennett grabs the ropes but Cole is able to get a near fall with the sunset flip. Bennett runs into a boot from Cole in the corner. Bennett pulls Cole off the turnbuckles and hits a back breaker followed by the Box Office Smash for the three count.
Winner: Mike Bennett
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jim and Kevin are in the ring with the general manager of the local Sinclair channel in Spartanburg.
We go to comments from the participants in the main event.
First we hear from the House of Truth and the ringmaster of the group Truth Martini. Martini says that the people always want them to prove something. Martini wants to know what they have to prove. They will prove that the name Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team is just a nickname they gave themselves. Roderick Strong proves every day that he is professional wrestling’s greatest athlete. Michael Elgin is the Survival of the Fittest winner so he has nothing to prove. Martini will not be responsible for what happens to Haas and Benjamin.
Haas tells the House of Truth to keep running their mouths because they are the best tag team in the world. Tonight the House of Truth will find out why. Haas says that he is a bit grumpy. Shelton Benjamin says that the beating they are going to give to the House of Truth will not be pretty.
Match Number Two: Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas versus Roderick Strong and Michael Elgin with Truth Martini in a Proving Ground Match
Benjamin and Strong start things off and they lock up but Strong with punches to the injured ribs. Strong with a snap mare and kicks to the back. Strong with a rear chin lock into a side head lock. Strong with a punch and chop out of the corner but Benjamin does not sell it. Benjamin with a punch to Strong and then Haas punches him from the apron. Benjamin chops Strong followed by an Irish whip and a Stinger Splash into the corner but he has trouble breathing because of his ribs and can only get a near fall.
Haas tags in and they hit a double shoulder tackle on Strong for a near fall. Elgin tags in and they circle each other. They lock up and Elgin with punches and a shoulder tackle but neither man goes down. Haas with a drop kick that sends Elgin to the floor. Haas blocks a kick and he sends Elgin into the corner. Benjamin tags in and punches Elgin but Elgin runs Benjamin into the corner and Strong tags in. Benjamin fights off Elgin and Strong in the corner but Martini grabs Benjamin’s leg. Benjamin sends Strong over the top rope to the apron and then he punches Elgin and knocks Strong to the floor.
Elgin with a power slam but he can only get a two count. We go to commercial.
We are back Strong tags back in and he chops and punches Benjamin followed by shoulders to the ribs. Strong puts Benjamin in the ropes and hits a running shoulder tackle. Strong gets a near fall. Elgin tags back in and he kicks Benjamin in the midsection. Elgin with a surfboard but Benjamin gets out of the hold and Elgin with a belly-to-back suplex into a side slam for a near fall.
Elgin with a delayed vertical suplex for a near fall. Elgin with a bear hug and he gets a near fall as he shows his power. Benjamin punches his way out of the hold but Elgin catches Benjamin when he tries for a tag and Elgin with a spinebuster for a near fall. Strong tags in and he stands on Benjamin’s ribs.
Martini chokes Benjamin while the referee deals with Haas on the apron and floor. Strong sends Benjamin to the floor and Haas tries to help out but the referee keeps Haas at bay while Elgin sends Benjamin into the guardrails. Strong gets a near fall. Strong with a reverse chin lock on Benjamin. Benjamin with a kick but Strong with a knee followed by an alley oop gutbuster for a near fall.
Strong tries for the Strong Hold but Benjamin fights to stay out of the hold but Strong applies it. Benjamin gets to the ropes and Strong releases the hold. Strong with forearms followed by a chop and he sets for the Gibson Driver but Benjamin fights out of the hold and Benjamin probably hits a back body drop but the camera angle was not that good.
Strong grabs Benjamin’s leg but Benjamin kicks him away. Haas and Elgin tag in and Haas punches Elgin and connects with a clothesline. Haas with a running elbow into the corner and then he kicks Strong followed by a belly-to-belly suplex on Elgin for a near fall. Elgin misses a charge into the corner. Haas tries for a belly-to-back suplex but Elgin block it. Haas with a back body drop but Strong with a forearm to Haas and Benjamin on the apron.
Haas with a standing exploder to Strong. Haas tries for the Olympic Slam on Elgin but Elgin blocks it. Haas avoids a short arm clothesline and Benjamin hits a super kick because the referees have to lose control in these matches. Haas hits the (sorry Kurt) Olympic Slam for a near fall.
Benjamin and Strong exchange punches in the center of the ring because they are not the legal people in the match. Strong with a knee to Benjamin and then Strong hits a pescado to the floor. Elgin blocks a kick and he hits an enzuigiri. Elgin with a splash into the corner followed by a running boot by Strong. Elgin runs Haas into Strong’s knee and then turns what appears to be a running power slam into a Side Effect for a near fall. Elgin with a Buckle Bomb followed by a Sick Kick for a near fall that is broken up by Benjamin.
Elgin and Strong set up for a double suplex on Benjamin because he is not the legal man in the match (and neither is Strong), but Benjamin counter and lands on his feet and hits a neck breaker on Strong. Elgin with a kick to Benjamin followed by a chop. Benjamin with a DDT and Strong blocks a kick from Benjamin. Strong tries for a roaring elbow but Benjamin blocks that. Benjamin with a dragon whip on Strong. Haas hot shots Strong and then they hit the Leap of Faith on Strong even though he is still not the legal man in the match.
Martini goes up top for some unexplained reason but Benjamin kicks the ropes and Martini gets crotched. Benjamin shakes the ropes and Martini’s olives are bruised. Elgin with a back fist to Haas followed by a Black Hole Slam to Benjamin. Elgin hits the TKO on Haas and then he goes up top for a moonsault.
Benjamin recovers and hits a double jump German superplex and Haas makes the cover for the three count.
Winners: Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin
We go to credits.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
