I don’t know exactly when this will get published, but this is being written coming off 2025’s WrestleMania weekend, and is in place of the show review I was initially planning for Mania itself.

So why this match?

Comparatively, this has almost nothing in common with anything from WWE’s latest grand failure. It’s a TV match for a story nobody should’ve ever cared about in the midst of what has been a good year for the company, and it’s a rather unassuming bout a decade later. It’s also longer than all but four of those WrestleMania matches, which, with 2+ hours of wait team on each show, ew, and I’m also fully confident in saying that it’s better than every single match from Mania, baring maybe one. But again, this match isn’t special. Not in the slightest, but for something that’s opening a TV show, is moving a program forward, and respects the most basic of logic one expects in a wrestling match, it walks all over the insultingly fake “cinema” that WWE desperately tried to create all weekend. Hilarious considering the real answer to that question is that is was recommended to me on YouTube.

My excuse to air six hours of wasted time on a April weekend past, the match.

Chris Sabin starts by attacking a bandaged Kyle O’Reilly while he makes his entrance. They fight on the outside for a bit, while commentary—with special guest Adam Cole—makes note that the stitches hidden by O’Reilly’s bandage came from a attack via the Addiction. Cole also throws the first of many insults he’d throw at Kevin Kelly during the match, marking the first time I’ve laughed at anything Adam Cole has done, maybe ever. A good start, sort of a TV Wrestling 101 set up before Sabin and Kyle get to work.

Mostly, it’s what you’d expect from the side of O’Reilly. He goes after the arm of Sabin, mixes in some strikes, and the cut on his head does provide him an excuse to do the wobbly leg selling he loves so much. More interesting though, is Sabin, who turns out, has a little bit of rudo in him. There’s some eye pokes, simplified offense to taunt the crowd, and of course, the screwy finish, but he’s got some extra swagger in control that makes those moments of comeuppance where he’s suddenly a chickenshit land so well. Best of all too, his focus on being the bad guy adds a bit more to the desperation when getting out of Kyle’s holds, while the some of the more momentary selling lasts a bit longer too. There is a bit where these two can help themselves and go for the big indie-riffic exchange that ends in O’Reilly’s goofy rebound lariat, but that stupidity is salvaged a bit when Kyle goes straight through the ropes when looking to hit the move again, taking a nasty bump on the floor. In the end, both Bobby Fish and Christopher Daniels ebrawling on the outside is enough distract the referee, allowing Kazarian to rake the eyes of O’Reilly and free up a opportunity for Sabin to hit the Cradle Shock and win.

As a whole, the product is solid, maybe a bit misguided at times, but does make good use of the time. Not loud or expressive, but mechanically solid wrestling, and uncomplicated in the way the best ROH TV is. It’s not the most satisfying thing, but it does work, and it is at least one thing:

Just good TV wrestling.

Rating: ***1/2