ROH World Championship
Michael Elgin (c) vs. Jay Briscoe
They shake hands to start the match, but Briscoe shoves him across the ring, and Elgin comes back with a big clothesline. The story here is that Jay hasn’t been pinned in a singles match in two years, and Elgin is the home-court champion. Technically Jay was beaten in a ladder match back in April, and he’s lost plenty of tag matches in the last two years, but it’s wrestling…
Mike sets the challenger on the second rope and comes off the second turnbuckle with an agile senton splash, squashing him into the mat. They start to trade punches, but Elgin levels him with a kick. He controls the match for several minutes, as the crowd really can’t decide who they’re behind. Briscoe comes back with a dropkick on the floor, as the referee is counting. Eventually he just stops counting and goes to the outside to yell at them… Elgin throws him into the barricade hard, and Briscoe responds by doing the same. A table is brought out from under the ring, and the champ continues to beat down Jay with kicks. Apparently the ref is just going to let anything go, as he tosses the table into the challenger’s face. Jay comes back with a few forearm shots, and sets up to put his opponent through the time-keeper’s table. Elgin hits an STO on the floor, and something of Jay’s hits a chair hard on the way down, making a sick noise. They eventually roll back int he ring, and Elgin deadlift’s him with a German suplex. He sets up for the bucklebomb, but Briscoe fights free and battles back with kicks to the head. He hits a clothesline and a sick neckbreaker for a two-count. They fight up the ropes, but Elgin shoves him to the floor and hits a Codebreaker from the second turnbuckle. Bucklebomb attempt again, but Briscoe fights back and goes for a powerbomb on the big man, settling for the Death Valley Driver instead. Elgin comes back and locks in the Sharpshooter – big pop from the crowd – and sits down hard on the hold. Jay eventually gets to the ropes, so Elgin puts him on his shoulders and walks out onto the apron. Jay counters and hits the Jay Driller off the apron, through the table! He slowly rolls the champ back in the ring, Nigel goes to check on them, but Elgin somehow kicks out at two-and-a-half. Jay starts throwing cocky right hands, but Elgin piefaces him and catches him with a rolling elbow. The bucklebomb connects, but Briscoe recovers and hits the Jay Driller! 1…2…3!
Winner and NEW CHAMPION: Jay Briscoe
Briscoe extends his hand to the former champion, but Elgin grabs the title back from him. He teases a heel turn, but instead puts the title around Jay Briscoe’s waist. The crowd really isn’t sure how to react to that one, so for the most part, they just don’t.
