Tonight is the final PPV of 2017 for Ring Of Honor, Final Battle, from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Final Battle is always a show that cleans up old storylines and shows the world what to expect when it comes to who will lead Ring of Honor into 2018. Myself, The Curtain Jerker and The Wrestling Brain come up with our own thoughts and predictions on the title matches of the show:
The Hung Bucks (Hangman Page, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs Dragon Lee, Titan and Flip Gordon (ROH 6 man Tag Team Titles match)
The Wrestling Brain: I only occasionally watch ROH, just because it doesn’t air here in the UK. So my knowledge of the product is quite limited, but I watch a lot of Being The Elite and NJPW so thankfully I know a fair amount of most of the ROH roster. I’m almost certain that the team of Matt and Nick Jackson alongside their fellow Bullet Club member Hangman Page will win this one. But watch out for Flip Gordon, the last match I watched him in was another 6 man tag against The Elite and he was incredibly impressive, also there’s slowly a friendship brewing between the Bucks and Flip on Being The Elite, so I wouldn’t be shocked if that comes into play during this match.
The Curtain Jerker: It looks like Callum and I both agree on who will win this match. ROH seems to be all in on pushing The Bullet Club as an unstoppable force and Final Battle will be no different. I’m a huge fan of their 3 opponents, as I’ve seen Flip Gordon live in October and thought he was one of the most impressive young talents I’ve seen in quite a while. Dragon Lee and Titan are CMLL mainstays, but have made forays into New Japan to some success. The Hung Bucks win, although I believe it could be because Dragon Lee, who has shown himself to have traits of being a part of Los Ingobernables, will turn on his teammates.
Winners: The Hung Bucks
Kenny King vs Punishment Martinez vs Shane Taylor vs Silas Young (ROH World TV Championship)
The Wrestling Brain: So one of my first experiences of watching ROH earlier this year was seeing Punishment Martinez crush Jay White and Will Ospreay, and straight away I saw a star in the making. Around 7ft, and has a very similar look to Baron Corbin he has everything going for him. There’ll be a sort of mini-reunion in this match as Shane Taylor and Kenny King used to be a tag team, so perhaps they will work together to take out the other two participants. Silas Young, a veteran of Ring Of Honor has spent nearly a decade with the promotion and if he were to win it would be his first singles championship with ROH. Kenny King won the title only 3 months ago, so I would be surprised if the championship changed hands again, however my prediction is for Punishment Martinez to win and become the new ROH World Television Champion.
The Curtain Jerker: Kenny King has started to grow on me as ROH TV Champion with a pretty solid reign against an array of opponents. I think Shane Taylor is just involved to be window-dressing, not do much. I love Punishment Martinez as well, and I think he could be a major breakout star in 2018. However, Silas Young has been on a great run in 2017, even becoming one of the few to win a feud with Jay Lethal. His hard work over the past decade will pay off as he will win the ROH TV Title.
Winners: The Wrestling Brain: Punishment Martinez
The Curtain Jerker: Silas Young
Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) vs Best Friends (Chuckie T and Beretta) (ROH World Tag Team Championship Match)
The Wrestling Brain: I have said in our NJPW predictions articles, how much I like Trent Beretta and genuinely feel he was underutilized in WWE and perhaps he would be a star in 2017. Going back to what I was saying about Flip Gordon, his tag team partners in that 6 man tag was, in fact, Beretta and Chuckie T and I personally really enjoyed it. Now as for Motor City Machine Guns I’ve never seen a full match of there’s (just clips of the matches) so I’m excited to see what they can do. But just because I know more about them and I’m a fan of Beretta I’m supporting and therefore predicting Best Friends to win and become new champions.
The Curtain Jerker: I did see the 6-man tag involving the Hung Bucks against Flip Gordon, Trent Beretta, and Chuckie T live and it was the beginning of my belief that Beretta could become a major SINGLES star in NJPW. Check out Beretta’s match with Kenny Omega for the IWGP U.S. title from New Japan’s “Power Struggle” and you’ll be convinced as well. However, this is tag team wrestling and The Motor City Machine Guns are at the top of their game, so it’s easy for me to pick them.
Winners: The Wrestling Brain: Best Friends
The Curtain Jerker: Motor City Machine Guns
Cody Rhodes vs Dalton Castle (ROH World Championship)
The Wrestling Brain: In the main event of ROH’s biggest show of the year it will the champion Cody Rhodes defending his title against the flamboyant Dalton Castle. Now personally I think this is an easy match to predict, just because in 3 weeks time it’s already been announced that Cody will defend his title against Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 12, and I know plans can change, but I very much doubt they will, so my prediction is Cody Rhodes retains. But here’s the big part I’m predicting that at Supercard Of Honor in April it will be Cody Rhodes vs Kenny Omega, I doubt anything will be teased here, but I have it in writing that the Supercard of Honor main event will be Cody vs Kenny.
The Curtain Jerker: Someday, it will be Dalton Castle’s time, but not while The Bullet Club are going to be the highest-paid members of the Ring Of Honor roster. Cody retains, and I and Callum are on the exact same page when it comes to a future Cody vs. Omega feud, and I’ll post my spoiler here. Omega loses to Chris Jericho at Wrestle Kingdom, then at New Japan’s “New Year’s Dash” (similar to the RAW after WrestleMania, where the big storylines come out), Omega gets violently kicked out of Bullet Club by Cody, just like AJ Styles did by Omega in 2016 after Wrestle Kingdom. Omega doesn’t appear on any shows until ROH’s 16th Anniversary Show in early March, after Cody retains and attacks him, leading to their epic and historic encounter in New Orleans at SuperCard of Honor.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
So there you have it, predictions from The Wrestling Brian and The Curtain Jerker! Do you agree with who we think will win tonight? Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter or Facebook!
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