-The live stream (see page one) is up and running. Somebody forgot to mute Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino, who are shooting the breeze as we get ready for tonight's show. There are four different video quality settings, and ROH has already said that if you have buffering issues, check your internet and try a lower setting.
Michael Bennett vs. ACH
Bennett has a bandaged knee, so ACH goes right after it with kicks. Mike responds with a brutal, stiff right hand which rocks ACH, but he runs into a standing dropkick and the high flyer is right back in control. Maria sweeps his legs from the apron, causing enough of a distraction for the two men to brawl to the outside. Bennett hits a big spinebuster to the floor, and is limping around the ringside area – Maria is on commentary now and says the injury is just making her man more heated in this match.
They roll back in the ring and Bennett hits a Side Effect – shades of his new mentor Matt Hardy. He starts dancing around the ring and motions for a Twist of Fate, but ACH kicks away at the injured knee and takes him down with a dragon screw. He climbs to the top turnbuckle and comes down with a double stomp directly on the knee – OUCH! Kanellis gets up on the apron again and ACH goes after her, but runs into a superkick from Bennett. He lines up for a spear, but ACH rolls out of the way and Maria gets speared off the apron to the floor!
As Mike checks on his fiance, ACH does a senton corkscrew splash, clearing the ropes and taking both of them down. The crowd pops big for that one. ACH rolls his opponent back in the ring and tries for a 450 Splash, but Bennett rolls out of the ring and spears him out of his boots. (No, not literally) Bennett wins the match with a Dominator, which I believe is a new move to his set.
Winner: Michael Bennett
KILLAM: The injured knee – which I will ask him about in regards to its legitimacy – and Maria, as always, adding enough elements to turn an OK opener into something a bit better. I'm surprised the crowd didn't respond better to the Matt Hardy moveset. ACH is a human highlight real. You had to figure Bennett would get the win, as he needed a win over a high-flyer heading into his match with Tanahashi.
