6 Ups & 2 Downs From ROH Supercard Of Honor 2024
Ups...
6. The Infantry Continue The Slow Burn
Through the table!
Watch #ROHSupercard LIVE on #HonorClub ▶️ https://t.co/8dcdtxqvDf@ShawnDean773 | @CarlieBravo | @MattTaven | @RealMikeBennett pic.twitter.com/MHdGIYRo6m
— ROH - Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) April 6, 2024
In a strong effort, the Kingdom narrowly defeated the Infantry after Wardlow interfered.
Tony Khan does this a lot. He'll take a young, raw or simply unfancied act and take a long time building towards their big moment. The Infantry are on this trajectory currently, and the match was measured really rather well. The idea was as simple as it gets - to inch the babyfaces close to victory before the injustice of the finish - but the response was enthusiastic. Basically: there was enough show, don't tell here on the part of the Infantry to justify the slow-burn push. This sort of thing never works without a true crowd connection.
The Infantry impressed with some creative escapes from double-team predicaments throughout a match that began with an inspired story beat. The Kingdom immediately battered Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo.
This spot was clever on two levels: it signalled to the audience that the Kingdom feared the threat of their in-form rivals, and didn't allow a crowd that had just watched two action-packed rippers a moment to drift off. This wasn't a great match, necessarily, but it was effective. The crowd really did think Dean had Mike Bennett pinned with the Salute Splash. That it followed a spot in which Bravo blasted Matt Taven through a table was also inspired.
Anyone who uses a table is automatically worshipped as a hero. Sometimes wrestling is that easy.