Ring Of Honor
Date: November 28, 2025
Location: Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re on Friday this week due to the avoidance of Thanksgiving. It’s a week before Final Battle and thanks to AEW TV, we actually have some of the bigger matches set for the show. This includes the World Title match, but more importantly than that, we’re actually finishing the first round of the Women’s Pure Title tournament, a mere three months after it started. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Sammy Guevara reveals that due to Rush’s injury, the Tag Team Titles have been held up, so he’s teaming with The Beast Mortos to win the titles next week at Final Battle.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Dark Order

Silver takes Moriarty down to start and poses, allowing the rest of the Order to come in for some rapid fire triple teaming. Taylor comes in so Reynolds goes for his leg, only to get dropped with a hard clothesline. It’s off to Ogogo for some knees to the ribs and a slam for two and it’s back to Moriarty for a front facelock. Reynolds gets his feet up in the corner though and cuts off a charging Taylor, allowing Uno to come in for the house cleaning. A double DDT plants Moriarty and Ogogo as everything breaks down. Taylor breaks up the triple flipping slam and Moriarty Border City Stretches Uno for the win at 7:17.

Rating: B-. This was….fun? I liked a Dark Order match? Geez it must be the holiday still impacting me or something as that’s not something that often happens. These guys went out there and had a heck of an entertaining match, with everyone working hard. This was a pretty awesome surprise and I’ll take that every time.

Blake Christian is in the World Title match on a technicality and that’s ok with him. All that matters is he can win the title.

Von Erichs vs. Zack Mason/Warren Johnson

Kevin Von Erich is here too. Ross takes Mason down to start and it’s off to Marshall for a dropkick. Marshall gets taken into the corner so Johnson can come in and whip him around a bit. A backdrop out of the corner gets Marshall out of trouble and it’s back to Ross to clean house. The Claws are good enough to give the Von Erichs the double pin at 3:57.

Rating: C. Nothing to see here as it’s the same Von Erichs stuff you’ve seen time after time. They’re perfectly fine in the ring but just dull in almost every imaginable way. If nothing else, they’re a logical choice to go after the Tag Team Titles, as they have a history with LFI and are at least an established team. Just please find something to make them more interesting. There has to be a way.

Jay Lethal apologizes to Adam Priest for accidentally hitting him with a Lethal Injection. Priest’s neck is still sore but he seems to accept the apology.

Frat House vs. Adam Priest/Jay Lethal/Tommy Billington

It’s a brawl to start fast and Lethal hits Garrison with a basement dropkick. Priest comes in and gets choked in the corner, setting up the triple teaming. Lethal’s save attempt doesn’t do any good as it’s off to Jameson for an elevator slam. Taking a drink takes too long though and Jameson misses his middle rope backsplash. Priest avoids a charge into the post and brings Billington in to clean house. Everything breaks down and it’s the Lethal Injection into the Swan Dive to give Billington the pin at 6:35.

Rating: C. Nothing to this one, with the Frat House being their usual self and the other guys getting to prove that they still have it. That doesn’t really matter if they’re going to keep losing in AEW, but it’s not like wins or losses on this show matter when it comes to the bigger shows anyway. I do like Billington/Lethal/Priest as a team though, as they have some nice chemistry and it gives Lethal something to do.

Post match we’re told that Billington and Priest are in the Tag Team Title match at Final Battle. As usual, enjoy your hearty laugh at commentary so constantly telling you that teams winning title matches gets them into title contention. That’s the case with probably half a dozen teams but who gets the title shot? A team who hasn’t actually wrestled a two on two tag match in Ring Of Honor (and are winless in AEW). Again: nothing that happens around here matters because it’s just stuff being thrown together to make a card, with continuity having no impact.

Women’s Pure Rules Title Tournament First Round: Yuka Sakazaki vs. Serena Deeb

We’re told that the semifinals are taking place next week as Sakazaki starts in on the arm. Some armdrags send Deeb outside for a clothesline, followed by an ankle lock back inside. That means the first rope break from Deeb, who sends her hard into the ropes to take over. Something like a Black Widow on the mat has Sakazaki in trouble, only for her to reverse into an arm crank of her own.

Deeb uses the ropes again and crabs Sakazaki’s arm, making her use the rope for a break as well. Sakazaki hits a slingshot knee to the head and a suplex gets two. An STF makes Deeb use her third rope break so Sakazaki grabs a superplex. Sakazaki gets suckered into a slugout until it’s a Snowplow to drop Deeb. The Magic Girl Splash hits raised knees but it’s a spinning hammerlock faceplant to pin Deeb (whose foot on the rope doesn’t matter) at 10:31.

Rating: B-. Nice enough match here, even if it continues the tradition of this tournament feeling like nothing. It took about four months to complete the first round but it’s ok because we’ll have the last three matches in the span of two days. At least they had a good match on the way to the second round, though sweet goodness I lost any potential interest in the whole thing a long time ago.

Video on Persephone vs. Athena.

Premiere Athletes vs. Carrie King/Gino/Exodus Prime

Denali powers King into the corner to start and brings in Gino, with Nese hitting a quick dropkick. Prime gets the tag and is planted by Denali, setting up the Magic Carpet Splash (complete with carpet) for the pin at 3:03.

Rating: C-. It’s not a good sign when I have to figure out the jobbers’ names by listening to commentary as they didn’t even get a graphic. The match was the usual squash and therefore I have no reason to believe it changes anything for the Athletes. They’re one of the acts that gets on a lot of shows but doesn’t seem to go anywhere, which makes their continued use feel like nothing more than filler.

Main Man Oro/Beef vs. Swirl

So Christian is in a World Title match in a week and he’s in a tag match here. Right. Johnson and Oro start things off with Johnson taking it over. Christian comes in for a whip into the corner and a running dropkick to the back. It’s off to Beef, who is quickly beaten down, only to come back with a double crossbody. Oro gets the tag and is sent outside for a suicide dive, followed by a double superkick to Beef. Back in and the Swirl Stomp finishes Oro at 6:16.

Rating: C+. So again, the Swirl looks dominant here and continues their winning ways, but for some reason they’re nowhere near the Tag Team Title match. As usual, this promotion’s wins/losses have no impact on anything, which makes for quite the tedious show when there are so few storylines. It’s even more annoying when Swirl is getting better and are actually fun to watch most of the time.

We get Ricochet’s victory promo from Collision.

We run down the Final Battle card and….wait. Sammy Guevara and The Beast Mortos are in both the Tag Team and World Title matches? BUT THE REGULAR TEAMS HAVE NOTHING TO DO? If they can do that, why isn’t Swirl in the Tag Team Title match? Or the Von Erichs? Or ANYTHING THAT MAKES MORE SENSE???

Nigel McGuinness wants a thirty minute Iron Man match with Lee Moriarty at Final Battle.

Mansoor vs. Komander

The rest of MxM TV is here with Mansoor, who armdrags him down and poses in the corner. A quick rollup gives Komander two and he kicks Mansoor in the back of the trunks. Mansoor bails to the floor for a bit before his cheap shot is cut off. Instead Mansoor kicks him out to the floor and strikes a pose earning a trip out to the floor.

Valkyrie offers a distraction though and Johnny TV powerbombs her onto Komander. Back in and they slowly trade forearms until Komander grabs a middle rope facebuster. A DDT gives Komander two but TV offers a distraction. Komander uses him as a stepping stone to set up a moonsault to TV, followed by a satellite DDT to Mansoor. Cielito Lindo gives Komander the pin at 9:09.

Rating: B-. I guess this counts as building towards Komander in the World Title match. To their credit, there is something to be said about having him go through multiple people on his way to an elimination match. It’s not quite the same challenge, but you have to take what you can get around here.

Overall Rating: C+. Well it wasn’t boring and things were set up for Final Battle. If you can ignore how head scratch inducing some of those matches are, you can call this something of a success. The show still features WAY too much filler and is dying for something to break up the monotony, but at least the six man and women’s matches were good and they made Final Battle seem important. I’ll take that over the usual around here.

Results
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Dark Order – Border City Stretch to Uno
Von Erichs b. Zack Mason/Warren Johnson – Double pin
Adam Priest/Jay Lethal/Tommy Billington b. Frat House – Swan Dive to Karter
Yuka Sakazaki b. Serena Deeb – Spinning hammerlock faceplant
Premiere Athletes b. Carrie King/Gino/Exodus Prime – Magic Carpet Splash to Prime
Swirl b. Beef/Main Man Oro – Swirl Stomp to Oro
Komander b. Mansoor – Cielito Lindo

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: November 6, 2025
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re about a month away from Final Battle and that means it’s time to start getting ready to get ready for the build. Maybe in three weeks or so. You never know what you might get on that show, though there is always the chance that they throw something out there earlier. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a look back at the great Bandido vs. Mascara Dorada ROH World Title match from Collision with Bandido retaining the title.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Beef/Workhorsemen vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

The Promotions are defending. Henry and Bravo trade arm control to start and it’s off to Beef to hammer away. That doesn’t work for the Promotions, who clear the ring and pose on the apron. Taylor comes in for the forearms in the corner, followed by a running splash. Dean hits a Bronco Buster and a belly to back suplex/neckbreaker combination drops him again. Beef fights out without much trouble and brings Henry in to clean house. Anthony Ogogo offers a distraction on the floor though and Rush comes in with a belt shot to Beef’s head. The double stomp retains the title at 7:08.

Rating: C. It’s not a good sign when you need help to beat Beef and the Workhorsemen, but I’ll take a fairly nothing match like this over the titles sitting on the shelf for months. I’m not sure where that ending is leading, but I would hope that Beef and the Horsemen aren’t going to be going after the Tag Team Titles now. There has to be a better option for Final Battle. Right?

Post match the beatdown is on but SkyFlight runs in for the save.

Skyflight vs. Matt Menard/The Kingdom

Darius and Bennett get things going with Darius getting two off a rollup and armdragging him into an armbar. Dante comes in and gets tossed into a right hand but Taven is cut off with a double dropkick. It’s off to Menard as everything breaks down, leaving Menard to DDT Darius. A catapult into a kick to the face staggers Darius again and some corner clotheslines have Darius in trouble.

Taven neckbreakers Dante but misses a Lionsault, allowing Darius to grab an assisted tornado DDT for two. Sky comes in to clean house, including a Sky High (makes sense) for two on Taven. Bennett is back in with a Death Valley Driver into Just The Tip for two on Sky, who snaps off the TKO to pin Menard at 8:06.

Rating: C+. I like SkyFlight a bit more every time I see them and hopefully they get to be out there a bit more often. If nothing else, put them in the Six Man Tag Team Title scene. Or just give them the titles already. If nothing else, just getting a single win should put them in title contention.

We recap the Costco Guys vs. the Don Callis Family, with QT Marshall being dragged in to help the Guys at Full Gear.

Don Callis Family vs. The OXP/Orion

Hechicero shoves OXP in the face to start and then easily moves out of an armbar. A twist of the leg has OXP in more trouble and Hechicero pulls him out of the air again. Archer comes in to backdrop OXP onto Orion as Riccaboni recommends just walking out. A spinning facebuster plants OXP again and Hechicero grabs a surfboard. Archer gets a running start and faceplants OXP out of it, followed by a chokeslam. The spinning seated cobra clutch gives Hechicero the win at 4:05.

Rating: C. Total squash but it was fun enough while it lasted. There is something entertaining about seeing Archer throwing them around and Hechicero just tormenting them in various ways. That’s what a squash should be, especially without Callis himself being there to drag it down.

We look at Alex Windsor’s time with Yuka Sakazaki.

Alex Windsor/Yuka Sakazaki vs. Robyn Renegade/Taya Valkyrie

Sakazaki and Renegade start things off but it’s quickly off to Windsor to chop away at Valkyrie. A basement dropkick gives Windsor two and Sakazaki’s rollup gets the same. Renegade comes back in and hammers on Sakazaki, setting up Valkyrie’s running knees in the corner. Valkyrie works on the armbar but Sakazaki fights up and hits a missile dropkick.

Windsor comes back in with some corner clotheslines and a Blue Thunder Bomb for two on Renegade. A quick Eat Defeat gets two on Windsor and it’s Valkyrie gives Sakazaki a hard clothesline for two. Back up and Sakazaki grabs a quick sliding German suplex to drop Valkyrie, followed by the Magical Girl Splash for the pin at 8:28.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of a match that was technically fine but not exactly interesting. I’m assuming Windsor and Sakazaki will be a team going forward and might wind up facing the Women’s Tag Team Champions after the tournament in AEW. If nothing else, it’s nice to see some consistency. Just maybe get some slightly more interesting opponents?

We finally get it confirmed: the Women’s Pure Rules Title tournament final will be at Final Battle. That’s not exactly shocking, but dang if this is the best you can do, maybe don’t start it up so early?

Women’s Pure Rules Title Tournament First Round: Trish Adora vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Purrazzo hits her in the face for the official warning less than ten seconds in, only to be knocked right back down. Adora takes her down and hits a kick to the back, followed by a headscissors for two. Purrazzo’s quick Fujiwara armbar sends Adora to the ropes for the first time before she works on the arm as well. A big headbutt gives Purrazzo two and Adora’s bridging German suplex gets the same. Back up and Purrazzo’s Fujiwara armbar into the Venus de Milo makes Adora give up at 7:02.

Rating: C. Here’s the problem with this tournament (among many other things): the matches are just ok. We waited over a month for this thing to pick back up and we get a seven minute match that is….well, pretty much fine. There’s nothing to this that is worth getting excited over and now we’ll have a champion of this so called division in about a month. There is still no need for this title to exist and the tournament matches, which will likely ramp up soon, aren’t making it much better.

Aaron Solo/Angelika Risk vs. Death Riders

Yuta takes Solo down to start and works on the arm but Solo is back up with a middle rope armdrag. Risk comes in to yell a lot and slaps Shafir in the chest, earning a judo throw down. Shafir chokes her down and works on the arm while taking off her own shoes and socks for some reason. Risk gets up and it’s back to Solo, who double stomps Yuta. Everything breaks down and Risk gets caught in Mother’s Milk for the tap at 4:10 while Yuta knees Solo down.

Rating: C. Yeah this was the Death Riders’ weekly match as they get to squash someone else. Just in case you didn’t get to see them enough on Dynamite and Collision, here they are again. It doesn’t add anything here other than making the show go on longer, which isn’t a good feeling.

We look back at Bandido bringing his grandmother to see him for the first time. We’ve seen this package on a recent AEW show.

Satnam Singh vs. Gino Adonis

Adonis slugs away to start and has as much effect as you would imagine. Singh sends him flying and hits a lawn dart. The chokeslam finishes Adonis at 1:57.

We look at Swirl annoying Jay Lethal.

Willie Mack/Alex Zayne vs. Swirl

Mack and Johnson start things off with Mack’s headlock not getting him very far. Johnson slips out of a slam attempt but gets taken down by a running knee to the face. Zayne and Christian come in to exchange a miss of flips and kicks. Christian hammers away in the corner and sends him outside, where Johnson hits a cheating clothesline. Back in and Zayne has to fight out of the corner, allowing Mack to come back in and clean house.

It’s already back to Zayne for some running kicks in the corner, setting up the running kick/brainbuster combination…for two. Mack and Johnson go up top, where Zayne grabs a running hurricanrana to bring Johnson back down. Mack gives Christian a super Stunner for two but Mack is sent outside. That leaves Johnson to Death Valley Driver Zayne while Christian adds a top rope double stomp for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: B-. Easily the best match of the night thus far as the Swirl continues to be a pretty nice heel team. They could be a thing if they were given the chance, though that’s the problem with ROH: it takes so long for anyone to actually get a chance. Mack and Zayne were just the designated opponents here, but they did well enough as a team.

Komander vs. Lee Moriarty

Non-title Proving Ground match under Pure Rules, meaning that if Komander survives the ten minute time limit or wins, he gets a future title shot. They go to the mat to start with an exchange of grappling, with Moriarty getting the Border City Stretch. That means the first rope break for Komander, who gets tripped down to the mat.

That’s reversed into something like an Indian deathlock, sending Moriarty over to the ropes. A hurricanrana drops Moriarty again but he sends Komander into the buckle to cut him off. We reach the halfway point as Moriarty grabs a quickly broken chinlock. Moriarty switches to an armbar, with Komander using his second rope break.

Komander’s choke has Moriarty burning another rope break and a quick DDT gives Komander two. They knock each other down with two minutes to go and Moriarty misses a charge into the corner. A tornado DDT gives Komander two more and a springboard moonsault gets the same. They trade some rollup attempts until Moriarty gets a choke with thirty five seconds left. Komander flips out and ties up an arm and leg but time runs out at 10:00.

Rating: B-. They picked up here at the end, though it continues to make me wonder why Komander would be going for the win as just a tie is the same thing. In theory it’s because he’s a good guy, which fair enough, but it doesn’t make much in the way of drama at the end. Either way, nice match and you can pencil the rematch in for Final Battle.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The main event helped a bit but this show has had the same underlying problem since it came back: the majority does not feel important. There might be some stories here or there, but far too much of it comes off as “this stuff doesn’t matter”. When you have months waiting to finish the first round of a tournament, most of the matches having no long term impact and almost everything involving the World Title taking place elsewhere, it makes this show feel pretty useless. As usual, decent wrestling up and down, but nothing that makes me want to watch week after week.

Results
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Beef/Workhorsemen – Double stomp to Beef
SkyFlight b. Kingdom/Matt Menard – TKO to Menard
Don Callis Family b. OXP/Orion – Spinning seated cobra clutch to OXP
Alex Windsor/Yuka Sakazaki b. Robyn Renegade/Taya Valkyrie – Magical Girl Splash to Valkyrie
Deonna Purrazzo b. Trish Adora – Venus de Milo
Death Riders b. Aaron Solo/Angelika Risk – Mother’s Milk to Risk
Satnam Singh b. Gino Adonis – Chokeslam
Swirl b. Willie Mack/Alex Zayne – Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to Zayne
Komander vs. Lee Moriarty went to a time limit draw

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 9, 2025
Location: RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s another week of Ring Of Honor and that means we’re likely to get about the same things we get here most of the time. That doesn’t make for the most exciting shows but some of them can work pretty well. If nothing else, maybe we can find out an idea of when we’ll see the next first round match in the Women’s Pure Rules Title tournament. Nah I don’t believe it either. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a quick preview of the IWGP Women’s Title match.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

We’re mixing it up a little bit. From Arena Mexico in Mexico City.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Hechicero vs. Bandido

Bandido is defending. They go technical to start with Hechicero taking him down and cranking on the arm. That’s reversed into a bow and arrow but Hechicero reverses into a surfboard. Bandido reverses into one of his own, which is escaped as well so Bandido spins him around into an armbar. They go to a standoff before an exchange of rollups gets two each. That’s enough for Hechicero to bail out to the apron so we can reset a bit.

Back in and Bandido gets two off a sunset flip before a hurricanrana drops Hechicero again. Hechicero is able to send him to the floor, setting up a big dive. Bandido is draped over the barricade for a running knee and they have to run back inside to beat the count. Hechicero starts in on the arm and the shoulder is looking banged up. They go back outside with Bandido being sat on the barricade but Hechicero…I think misses a dropkick but it was close.

Either way, Bandido is fine enough to hit a shooting star off the apron, followed by a frog splash for two back inside. A backbreaker gives Hechicero two of his own but he hurts his knee in the process. Bandido is back with the gorilla press into another frog splash for another near fall. Hechicero goes back to the arm and sends Bandido outside, where the trainer seems to pop the shoulder back into place.

We pause for the shoulder to be taped up, which Bandido rips off. Well that’s just wasteful. They trade some running shots to the face and Hechicero’s knee is banged up, meaning Bandido can grab a poisonrana. Hechicero is smart enough to go back to the arm, followed by the headscissor driver for two. Bandido pops back up with the X Knee but can’t hit the 21 Plex. Instead he settles for a leg trap rollup to retain at 22:03.

Rating: B+. It wasn’t quite as good as their classic at Death Before Dishonor but it was more than enough to keep my interest. The shoulder giving out was a great obstacle for Bandido to overcome and Hechicero tormenting Bandido was worth seeing. Very good match here and a rather nice surprise compared to the usual stuff around here, with the venue making it even better.

We recap Skyflight losing but now they want the Trios Titles.

Shane Taylor vs. Beef

Taylor has the rest of the Promotions with him and fires off the left hands to put Beef into the corner. Beef avoids a charge though and hammers away, only to be sent crashing to the floor. Back in and Taylor fires off some knees but Beef cartwheels away and hits a dropkick. The release Rock Bottom cuts that off though and Taylor’s splash gets two. The really big right hand knocks Beef cold at 4:18.

Rating: C. This was a hoss fight and it worked well enough to make Taylor look good. Beef isn’t going to win anything important anytime soon so he can put Taylor over without losing anything. Well other than the match but that kind of goes without saying. If nothing else, at least Taylor is finally doing something after years of living off that TV Title reign.

Post match the Promotions beat Beef down until the Workhorsemen make the save. LFI run in to drop the Workhorsemen though.

Billie Starkz vs. Viva Van

Starkz has to wrestle her way out of a wristlock as commentary says Starkz might still be in a Pure Rules mode. She’s wrestled two Pure Rules matches ever and the most recent was about a month ago. Sweet goodness this Pure Rules stuff is making everything around here dumber. Van gets in a headbutt, followed by a running hurricanrana. A faceplant drops Van and Starkz hammers away but stops to yell at the referee (and at Van, whose face she hates). Starkz kicks her down but the Swanton hits raised knees. Not that it matters as she punches Van down and hits the Swanton for the win at 6:31.

Rating: C. The match was fine, but just hearing about the Pure Rules Title is getting annoying at this point. We’re coming up on two months since the first tournament match, as well as six months since the tournament was first announced. It means next to nothing in the first place, but we keep having to hear about it week in and week out. Drop the thing or just have the matches already, because this is turning into even more of a joke than it was in the first place.

We go to QTV, who talk about the Costco Guys getting challenged to a tag match at Full Gear. Big Boom AJ comes in and asks if QT Marshall is eating a chocolate cookie. Apparently this is his way of asking Marshall to be his partner.

Last week, Sareee and Alex Windsor won a tag match.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Logan Cruz/Tyshaun Perez

Angelico and Perez trade wristlocks to start and it’s off to Serpentico with a top rope double stomp to the arm. Serpentico gets hiptossed onto Cruz but he’s taken into the corner. Perez’s standing moonsault gets two but a double belly to back suplex is escaped. Angelico comes back in for some kicks to the head, followed by a cloverleaf lock to make Cruz tap at 5:18.

Rating: C. For the life of me I do not understand the thinking with the Project. They’re a fine enough team and yet they never do anything around here. Either put them into the title picture or stop putting them out here, because otherwise they’re just making these shows longer week after week.

The Frat House invaded this week’s Jacksonville Jaguars game.

We actually preview some of next week’s show, including a quick video on Shannon Moore, who debuts next week.

Blake Christian is ready to beat up a has been like Moore.

IWGP Women’s Title: Sareee vs. Alex Windsor

Sareee is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and Sareee goes to the ropes for an early break. An exchange of armdrags means it’s a standoff so Windsor fires off a forearm. Sareee is right back with a running dropkick but Windsor hammers her down. Some shots to the back have Sareee in trouble but she’s right back with the Black Widow. That’s broken up as well so Windsor sends her outside for a flip dive from the apron.

Back in and Sareee knocks her down again for a middle rope double stomp and two. Windsor knocks her right back down and the Sharpshooter goes on. Sareee is out of that again so it’s time to trade forearms. Then they trade slaps until Sareee sends her into the ropes for the hard running dropkick.

A top rope double stomp gets two on Windsor, who plants her down with a powerslam for two more. Another Sharpshooter attempt is broken up so Windsor grabs a twisting superplex for another near fall. Sareee makes the rope and fires off a bunch of headbutts to put Windsor down. A Rock Bottom suplex finishes for Sareee at 13:42.

Rating: B. Good match here, and it’s nice to actually see what Sareee can do instead of just hearing about it. She didn’t get to do much of anything last week so it’s nice to have her mixing it up in the ring this time instead. I could go with commentary not acting like the IWGP Women’s Title is more important than either the AEW or ROH Women’s Title, but at least the match was good.

We get a handshake to wrap up the show.

Overall Rating: B. The two feature matches were more than good enough to make up for the not so interesting midcard stuff. Ring Of Honor has its usual issues, which means it’s no surprise that the best parts are either not from around here or taking place elsewhere. I’ll take that for a one off show, but the usual ROH stuff was as uninteresting as ever.

Results
Bandido b. Hechicero – Leg trap rollup
Shane Taylor b. Beef – Right hand
Billie Starkz b. Viva Van – Swanton
Spanish Announce Project b. Logan Cruz/Tyshaun Perez – Cloverleaf lock to Cruz
Sareee b. Alex Windsor – Rock Bottom suplex

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Ring Of Honor
Date: October 2, 2025
Location: Marshall Health Network Arena, Huntington, West Virginia
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We continue our usual deliberate pace around here, which likely won’t include another match in the Women’s Pure Rules Title tournament. One of those took place last week so we’re probably months away from seeing the next step. Other than that, we need some new challengers for various titles so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

MxM TV is ready for a big night but apparently the TSA took away Mansoor’s giant load of Seed. It’s ok though because they’re still ridiculously good looking and ridiculously good wrestlers.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

MxM TV vs. Skyflight

Grey and Valkyrie start things off and shove each other a bit until Valkyrie misses a charge into the corner. A knee to the face staggers Valkyrie and it’s off to Darius vs. Mansoor, with the latter grabbing a headlock. That’s broken up and Darius mocks Mansoor’s pose, allowing Dante to come in, only to get dropped by Madden. A chokebomb gives Madden two and Mansoor’s running backsplash hits Dante.

Valkyrie even gets in a running hurricanrana so Madden can add a running hip attack for two more. Dante gets up and manages a springboard flip dive and it’s back to Darius as everything breaks down. Madden gives Darius a fireman’s carry flipping slam for two but he accidentally crotches Mansoor on top. Top Flight’s double double arm DDT finishes Mansoor at 6:25.

Rating: C+. I know they don’t have a chance to do anything going forward but it’s nice to see Skyflight, or in this case Top Flight, actually winning something. It’s better than nothing, as they’ve been running on a treadmill for so long that it feels like they’ll never get a chance. The villains were their usual funny selves and that’s all they needed to be here.

Workhorsemen vs. Chance Prophet/Rosario Grillo

Grillo works on Henry’s arm to start but Henry gets in a pop up knee to take over. Drake comes in and gets his eyes raked so it’s off to Prophet, who gets slammed down and headbutted. A Downward Spiral/enziguri combination finishes Prophet at 2:32. This was in fact a Workhorsemen match and there was nothing you haven’t seen them do before.

Post match LFI comes out for a staredown with the Workhorsemen. Of all the teams who might get a title shot…the Workhorsemen? That’s the best you have.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Zoey Lynn

Pure Rules and of course it’s not a tournament match. Sakazaki works on the arm to start and Lynn uses her first rope break less than forty seconds in. A dropkick puts Lynn outside and Sakazaki gives her a clothesline on the floor for two. Lynn gets in a high crossbody for two and a middle rope stomp to the back gets two more. Sakazaki kicks her in the face and grabs a spinning hammerlock slam to finish Lynn at 4:23.

Rating: D+. As a regular match it was fine, but it’s another case where the Pure Rules adds absolutely nothing. It’s adding in a match (and don’t worry because there’s another one tonight) for the sake of having Pure Rules and that’s a waste of time. The whole tournament is but we’ll be seeing it for months on end because this tournament, which was announced in April and started in August with two matches in two months, has to exist.

We go back to the Frat House, with Blue Meanie, as they get yelled at for making too much noise. The complaint comes from GLACIER, in his Coach gear. Then we cut to Glacier, in his Glacier gear, beating up some of the team. With Glacier gone, the team decides to drink anyway. What in the world am I even watching?

Frat House vs. Nick Hammer/Casey King/Corey Sparks

The House jumps them to start fast and beat up the very tall King. Sparks comes in and gets sent into the corner for a double kick to the face. That doesn’t last long either as Hammer comes in and gets to slug away but gets dropped with a discus lariat. The 450 gives Karter the pin at 2:19. If you ignore the team getting taken out by the 61 year old Glacier about five minutes ago, the Frat House can be so dumb that it’s fun. They also had a nice enough squash here.

LFI is willing to give the Workhorsemen a Tag Team Title shot at any time.

Aaron Solo vs. Jay Lethal

Solo knocks him off the top during his entrance but Lethal is right back up with a triangle dropkick. The suicide dive drops Solo again and now we ring the bell. Some kicks to the head stagger Solo but he’s able to reverse the Lethal Injection into a small package for two. Lethal hits a superkick but gets cuttered and they’re both down.

Hail To The King is countered into a rollup for two more and the Figure Four is blocked…so Lethal quickly switches legs and puts the Figure Four on the other leg (that was great). Solo escapes and hits a spinning enziguri for two, followed by a top rope double stomp. Lethal shrugs that off and the Lethal Injection finishes at 4:58.

Rating: C+. The match was the usual back and forth trading of moves with very little standing out, though that quick switch on the Figure Four was rather smart. Lethal continues to be good at just about anything he does, though he’s not going to be doing anything of note anytime soon. At least he had a nice enough match here.

Premiere Athletes vs. Cowpoke Paul/Gen Z/Reese Ramone

Daivari gives Z a rough handshake and gets shoved away to start. Z gets taken into the corner and stomped but it’s off to Paul to…well get dropped just as fast. Denali comes in and Ramone slugs away, which works about as well as you would expect. Paul gets chokeslammed and a spinebuster finishes Ramone at 2:58. Remember last week when the Athletes squashed a team? They did it again here.

Video on Serena Deeb, who wants the Pure Rules Title.

Serena Deeb vs. Katie Arquette

Pure Rules. Deeb easily wins a battle over the arm to start and a neckbreaker over the middle rope drops Arquette. Why that isn’t a rope break isn’t clear but that’s the least of this concept’s problem. A hammerlock lariat cuts Arquette off again and a Black Widow makes her give up at 2:27.

Post match Yuka Sakazaki comes out for a staredown with Deeb.

Diamante/Billie Starkz vs. Alex Windsor/Sareee

Windsor backs Starkz into the corner to start and takes her down with a headlock takeover. Sareee comes in and hits a dropkick, followed by a Mega Powers elbow for two on Starkz. Windsor misses a charge though and gets tripped down by Diamante, who comes in to take over. A double snap suplex gets two on Windsor and Diamante gets to choke her in the corner.

Starkz’s chinlock doesn’t last long as Windsor forearms her way out of trouble and it’s back to Sareee to pick up the pace. A Muta Lock has Diamante in trouble…and Sareee just lets it go. Diamante fights back and makes Windsor Stun Sareee, who pops back up with a suplex. Windsor’s Sharpshooter makes Diamante tap at 8:36.

Rating: C+. This was right back to the same issues that have plagued AEW when it comes to international stars. Rather than let us see what Sareee can do, it’s basically “she’s AWESOME” and then she has a pretty mediocre match. Outside of a pretty nothing run in NXT, Sareee is hardly that well known around here. Show us what she can do rather than tell us.

We get a preview of a sitdown interview with Lee Moriarty.

Beef vs. Dralistico

Dralistico rolls outside at the bell but the rest of LFI offers a distraction so he can take over. A running knee hits Beef on the apron and Dralistico gets to pose on the buckle. Beef comes back with a dropkick and hammers away in the corner, only to get caught with the top rope double stomp. Riccaboni declares that “Beef is ground” and a top rope Codebreaker finishes Beef at 4:03.

Rating: C. So Beef was set up with some kind of a story with Lance Archer, which was mentioned at the start of the match, and then he loses to perennial midcarder Dralistico. Why would I want to see Beef going on after this? Actually why would I want to see Beef in the first place?

Post match the beatdown is on but the Workhorsemen make the save.

Alex Windsor is happy with teaming with Sareee but challenges her for the IWGP Women’s Title for next week.

We take a quick look back at the opening video.

Johnny TV vs. AR Fox

The rest of MxM TV is here too. TV kicks him into the corner to start but Fox is right back with a spinning suplex. Mansoor offers a distraction and Fox is pulled outside, followed by a running shooting star press to give TV two. The chinlock goes on for a bit before Fox is sent outside, where the other villains get in a stomping.

Valkyrie gets in to kiss TV, who gets two off the Flying Chuck. Fox fights out of a chinlock and hits a pendulum DDT, followed by an enziguri. A rolling cutter gets two and Fox takes out the rest of the villains with a flip dive. The Swanton gets two on TV but Valkyrie offers a distraction. That doesn’t exactly work though as Fox reverses a neckbreaker into a rollup for the pin on TV at 6:47.

Rating: C+. I can go with the result, as Fox has not been having much success in recent months but has been putting in all kinds of solid performances. I have no reason to believe he’s going to become a big deal, but I’ll take a win over doing nothing. It’s not much of a main event, though there is something to seeing Fox overcome these odds.

Overall Rating: C-. My goodness I can’t believe what I just watched here. This was one of the least interesting, most useless shows I’ve ever seen. The wrestling was completely adequate, but in an hour and twenty minutes, absolutely nothing interesting happened. It was a bunch of matches from the same people who are here most of the time, naturally including TWO Pure Rules matches because that STILL has to be a thing. I haven’t been so bored during a show in a long time and unfortunately I don’t expect it to get any better anytime soon. Or ever.

Results
Skyflight b. MxM TV – Double double arm DDT to Mansoor
Workhorsemen b. Chance Prophet/Rosario Grillo – Downward Spiral/enziguri to Prophet
Yuka Sakazaki b. Zoey Lynn – Spinning hammerlock slam
Frat House b. Nick Hammer/Casey King/Corey Sparks – 450 to Hammer
Jay Lethal b. Aaron Solo – Lethal Injection
Premiere Athletes b. Cowpoke Paul/Gen Z/Reese Ramone – Spinebuster to Ramone
Serena Deeb b. Katie Arquette – Black Widow
Alex Windsor/Sareee b. Diamante/Billie Starkz – Sharpshooter to Diamante
Dralistico b. Beef – Top rope Codebreaker
AR Fox b. Johnny TV – Rollup

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: September 5, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s a special bonus show, because we didn’t get enough matches on this week’s regular show. The advertised card features eleven matches, making it a good deal longer than yesterday’s episode. I’m not sure how well that is going to go, but hopefully it’s more interesting than what we usually get. Let’s get to it.

Here are this week’s edition if you need a recap.

We open with a Death Before Dishonor recap.

Opening sequence.

Frat House vs. AR Fox/Kingdom

The Frat House pose on the floor and get taken down by some dives because Taven and Fox don’t like toasts. We start with Taven dropkicking Vance but Jakked Jameson offers a distraction, allowing Garrison to get in a cheap shot. Fox’s dive is pulled out of the air and he gets sent into the barricade, leaving Taven to get caught in a delayed suplex.

Taven manages an enziguri and brings Fox in to pick up the pace. The skin the cat dropkick sets up a cutter to Vance, followed by a flipping stomp and flipping dive. Bennett comes in and gets dropped with a discus lariat as everything breaks down. Karter misses a 450 though and Rockstar Supernova into the 450 gives Fox the pin at 7:51.

Rating: B-. Hot match to start here with a bunch of people flying around and doing their thing to get the show going. I’m not sure I can imagine Fox and the Kingdom going after the Six Man Tag Team Titles, but at least there’s a chance of something happening. Just get something happening with the titles already.

At Death Before Dishonor, Shane Taylor Promotions are happy with winning the Six Man Tag Team Titles. This might mean more if they didn’t lose so frequently in AEW/ROH but it’s still better than the Sons Of Texas. I think.

Premiere Athletes vs. Spanish Announce Project

In case you needed to know the most Ring Of Honor match possible. Before the match, Mark Sterling says he’s injured but has a contingency plan. Nese takes over on Angelico to start but they roll around a bit until Angelico snaps off a dropkick. Serpentico comes in and gets hiptossed onto Nese, followed by a falling splash for two. It’s off to Daivari, who chokes Serpentico on the ropes, which allows Nese to…well do the exact same thing actually.

Nese misses a triangle moonsault though and Serpentico rolls away, allowing the needed tag to Angelico. A kick to the head gets two on Daivari and a Downward Spiral into the Swanton gets two. Sliced Bread gets two more on Daivari but Sterling gets on the apron. Cue a rather tall woman to chokeslam Serpentico so Daivari can get the pin at 7:40.

Rating: C+. This is one of those matches where it’s hard to imagine that this is going to mean much. I like the idea of the Athletes having their version of Chyna, as it’s something that could suit them well. At the same time, this match couldn’t feel much less important given what these teams have meant over the years.

Post match Sterling announces the woman (who is a good 3-4 inches taller than the Athletes) is the contingency plan.

Rachael Ellering vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Pure Rules, but NOT a tournament match, because we need preview matches. Ellering has to burn a rope break about thirty seconds in but she’s right back with a running mare. A backsplash gets two but Ellering has to get out of a Fujiwara armbar. Another Fujiwara armbar makes Ellering use another rope break. Some forearms and a suplex get Ellering out of the armbar and Purrazzo accidentally uses a rope break to get out of an O’Connor roll. The Boss Woman Slam connects but Purrazzo is right back with the Venus de Milo for the tap at 5:13.

Rating: C. Yes, the woman in the Pure Rules tournament, who is known for her technical abilities, beat someone who…well isn’t either of those things. Why this match needed to be on this show rather than another part of the tournament is beyond me, but at least Purrazzo won in fairly convincing fashion. Now just do the tournament already so the title can almost never be defended.

Post match Trish Adora comes out to stare down Purrazzo (who she’s facing in the tournament).

Trish Adora vs. Ashley Vox

Pure Rules and Adora uses a rope break less than thirty seconds in. Adora works on the arm and powers Vox up, making Vox use her first rope break. A backpack Stunner sets up a double hammerlock to make Vox tap at 2:46.

Post match Adora kicks Vox outside.

The MxM Collection and Johnny TV are happy with the Seed fragrance and say you’ll be facing it when you face them.

Alex Zayne vs. Johnny TV

The MxM Collection and Taya Valkyrie are here with TV. Zayne starts fast but has a superplex attempt broken up. TV has to bail out of a springboard but settles for a running knee for two instead. Zayne is sent outside for a cheap shot from the Collection and TV powerbombs Valkyrie onto him against the apron. Back in and we hit the chinlock, followed by the Flying Chuck.

TV stops to kiss Valkyrie, which is enough of a distraction for Zayne to knock TV into the corner. The flipping faceplant gives Zayne two, with the Collection pulling TV outside. Zayne dives onto everyone but TV, who drops him with a superkick. Back in and a cutthroat driver connects for Zayne, only for Valkyrie to distract the referee. Mansoor sprays seed in Zayne’s eyes to give TV the win at 5:17.

Rating: B-. I was having a good time with this one and it’s nice to see the Collection getting to do something that ties into what they’re doing. Zayne is someone who can have an exciting match and do a bunch of cool stuff so he’s a fun addition to the show. Not exactly a lengthy classic, but it was at least a bit different.

The Premiere Athletes’ contingency plan is Story Denali and yes she’s an official member of the team.

Jordan Oliver vs. The Beast Mortos

Mortos uses the ropes to flip into a wristlock before Pouncing Oliver into the ropes. Oliver tries to strike away but Mortos flips over him and hits a headbutt for two. A dropkick to the knee gets Oliver out of trouble and he hits a springboard hurricanrana. Oliver dragon screw leg whips him out of the corner but Mortos is fine enough to hit a pop up Samoan drop. Oliver goes to the knee again and hits a slingshot stunner. Mortos is right back with a backbreaker into the spinning piledriver for the pin at 5:31.

Rating: C+. Oliver continues to be someone who could turn into a thing if he’s given the chance around here, though it depends on if he’s sticking around after the residency ends. On the other hand you have Mortos, who did his thing of running through everyone in front of him. That’s a style that works well for him, even if he’s not around very often.

The Outrunners say they’re down but not out.

LSG/Beef vs. Don Callis Family

Archer kicks Beef down to start and fires off the crossfaces in the ropes. Beef’s jabs are cut off with a crossbody and it’s off to Hechicero, with the fans approving. LSG comes in to jab away and is taken down just as fast. Hechicero’s running knee in the corner sets up a flapjack, with Beef making a failed save attempt. Hechicero powerbombs LSG for the pin at 3:27.

Rating: C. You know what I saw on Dynamite this week? A Lance Archer match. Last night on Ring Of Honor? Lance Archer having a match. Tonight? That would be Lance Archer in action. Archer isn’t someone who is going to mix it up very much in the first place and yet here we are, seeing him three times in three days. This is a prime example of how it feels like this show is just stretching to make the shows longer for the sake of more time.

We get a long video on Athena’s 1000 day reign as Women’s Champion. She deserves the praise, along with a full time spot in AEW but why do that when you can just keep doing the same stuff?

Josh Woods vs. Matt Mako

Pure Rules (again). They go to the grappling to start until Woods ties up the legs, sending Mako to the ropes. Ring announcer: “He has used his first rope break.” They go back to the mat but Mako uses a closed fist to take over. Woods slams the knee into the mat a few times and grabs the ankle lock, setting up a German suplex. Back up and Mako misses a spinwheel kick in the corner before they trade boots to the face for a double down. Woods is back up with the spinning suplex into the corner for the pin at 7:05.

Rating: C+. Mako has had one match here since 2021 and this was Woods’ first match here since November. These are the people who are in the third Pure Rules match of the night. This show isn’t even trying to hide that it’s content for the sake of content against this week’s Smackdown. I get why Tony Khan would want to do that, but MAYBE PUT SOME EFFORT INTO IT FOR ONCE???

Hologram vs. Aaron Solo

They trade armdrags to start until Hologram stacks up a rollup for two. A running headscissors sends Solo outside but he’s ready before the dive. Instead they trade places and Solo hits his own dive, followed by a snap suplex back inside. An elbow to the face gives Solo two more and he’s getting rather cocky. Naturally it’s time to go for the mask, which doesn’t work, and Hologram sends him outside for the big flip dive. Back in and a hammerlock faceplant gets two but Solo drops him right back. Hologram knocks him out of the air though and the torture rack bomb finishes Solo at 7:25.

Rating: C+. Well, I’m not sure what to think of the match. It might have been as good as the match Hologram had at Death Before Dishonor but not as good as the one the next night on Collision. I’m thinking it was better than the one he had last night on Ring Of Honor, but maybe I’m getting the four matches he’s had in eight days confused. Eh either way it’s not that it matters as he wins all the time and never moves up the ladder, while people like Shane Taylor Promotions never actually win and get a title shot. Such is Ring Of Honor.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Lee Johnson vs. Bandido

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Johnson (with Blake Christian) wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, he gets a future World Title shot. Johnson backs him into the corner to start and they head outside, with Bandido being dropped onto the apron. Back in and Johnson chops him down for a sliding forearm and two. Johnson gets two more off a belly to back suplex but Bandido is back up with a spinning high crossbody.

The X Knee is countered so Bandido runs him over. Christian blocks the 21 Plex though and Johnson gets in a kick to the face. The brainbuster gives Johnson two and they trade kicks to the face. Johnson hits the ropes but Bandido presses strong grapple and flicks the joystick to hit a pop up cutter. The X Knee finishes for Bandido at 5:28.

Rating: C+. You kind of had an idea of how this was going when the bell rang with only a few minutes left in the show. It’s nice to see Bandido get in the ring, but again it makes me wonder why Johnson is getting pinned, even by Bandido, when Swirl is supposed to be climbing the ranks. It’s not quite the same thing, but maybe protect your team a bit better?

Post match Christian runs in and hits a Lethal Injection to drop Bandido to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. It wasn’t as dull as last night’s show, but the problem here is how bleh the whole thing was. While I liked some of the action, we had three Pure Rules matches, plus people like Archer and Hologram making their third and fourth appearances in about a week. Throw in the Premiere Athletes and the Spanish Announce Project etc. and it’s just so repetitive every single time. Oh and we’ve had two shows since Death Before Dishonor in the same venue. Any sign of the new Six Man or Tag Team Champions? Of course not.

Results
AR Fox/Kingdom b. Frat House – 450 to Karter
Premiere Athletes b. Spanish Announce Project – Chokeslam to Serpentico
Deonna Purrazzo b. Rachael Ellering – Venus de Milo
Trish Adora b. Ashley Vox – Double hammerlock
Johnny TV b. Alex Zayne – Rollup
The Beast Mortos b. Jordan Oliver – Spinning piledriver
Don Callis Family b. Beef/LSG – Sitout powerbomb to LSG
Josh Woods b. Matt Mako – Spinning suplex into the corner
Hologram b. Aaron Solo – Torture rack bomb
Bandido b. Lee Johnson – X Knee

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: August 28, 2025
Location: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s the night before Death Before Dishonor and that means we are likely going to be getting some matches being added to the show. There are a total of four matches officially set and multiple titles have not been set for the card. Odds are we’ll get at least something set up this week, which is overdue to say the least. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Bandido and Brody King talk about losing their first match as AEW Tag Team Champions but Bandido is going to retain his ROH World Title at Death Before Dishonor. You really couldn’t just have Bandido do this alone?

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Lance Archer vs. Beef

Beef tries to slug away to start and is promptly knocked right back down. Archer hammers him down and chokes on the ropes but Beef cartwheels away. Beef actually gets in a few shots of his own, only to get caught going up. The chokeslam gives Archer two and Beef goes up, only to get caught with the Blackout for the pin at 5:11.

Rating: C. You know all of the times where Archer has done something like this? Well this was the most recent edition and it took a bit longer. I’m not sure why that was the case as Beef may be popular, but he’s far from some kind of big star. Archer isn’t doing anything at the moment anyway though, so it’s not like the win gives him anything.

Last week in England, Athena and Billie Starkz promised to keep the Women’s Title from Mina Shirakawa, with Athena demanding respect. To prove a point, Athena beat up her opponent even more but Shirakawa made the save.

Allysin Kay vs. Taya Valkyrie

Johnny TV and the MxM Collection are here too. Kay starts fast with a neckbreaker and Valkyrie needs an early breather on the ramp. Back in and a spear lets Valkyrie hammer away but Kay manages a kick to the head. Valkyrie sweeps the leg and hits a double stomp but Kay fights up again. That’s cut off by a TV interference and Shania Pain finishes for Valkyrie at 4:12.

Rating: C. Normally this would feel like a tease of the Pure Rules Title tournament but that seems to have been scrapped (thank goodness). Neither of these have anything going on at the moment and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. They’re talented stars, but I need more than the two of them just having random matches (the story of Ring Of Honor).

Post match the Collection says that the rest of the show will be them posing but here is the Dark Order to interrupt.

MxM Collection/Johnny TV vs. Dark Order

Uno and Mansoor start things off but the villains clear the ring to pose, only for the Order to come in and pose instead. Madden cuts off Reynolds’ dive though and TV powerbombs Taya Valkyrie onto Reynolds. A catapult sends Reynolds into a bent over Madden and Valkyrie kisses TV.

Reynolds gets in a springboard clothesline for a needed breather though and it’s off to Uno to clean house. The Order sends them all throat first into the ropes for some running shots to the back. The referee gets distracted though and Mansoor low blows Uno, setting up the Centerfold for the pin at 8:32.

Rating: C+. You might as well let one of these teams go after the Six Man Tag Team Titles as it’s not like the two of them have anything else going on. The Collection and TV have already gone after the belts but that has been several months ago now so see what they can do. Or just dump the belts because they mean nothing and have barely been around in months.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Stephen Wolf/Danny Orion

Angelico takes Wolf down by the arm to start and then armdrags him down for a bonus. Serpentico comes in and we hear about the Tag Team and Six Man Tag Team Titles being vacated, with the titles being decided this week at Death Before Dishonor. Well that’s better than nothing.

A clothesline takes Serpentico down and Orion’s shot to the face gets two. Serpentico avoids a charge in the corner though and the running Downward Spiral allows the tag off to Angelico. Everything breaks down and Serpentico takes Wolf down on the floor, leaving Angelico to half crab Orion for the tap at 7:18.

Rating: C. The match was fine but you know what you’re getting with the Project. Commentary talked about the Tag Team Titles but there is no reason to believe that the Project is going to be involved in the title hunt. The Project can work well in this style and they did again here, even if it’s the same thing we’ve seen from them for months.

And now, the return of QTV, with QT Marshall saying he hasn’t been around for two years. They don’t think much of Paul Walter Hauser, who will never be one of the boys. Harley Cameron isn’t sure why she’s still around here.

We look at Xelhua vs. Lee Moriarty going to a time limit draw, setting up the title match at Death Before Dishonor.

Okamura vs. Stigma

CMLL showcase. Stigma takes him down to start but gets dropped again just as fast. Back up and Stigma sends him outside for a suicide dive, followed by another dive. Back in and Okamura catches him on top with a superplex for two and a falcon arrow gets the same. Stigma hits a quick superkick and goes up, only to get caught with a Tower Of London for the pin at 5:00.

Rating: C+. It had some nice spots, but the match came and went so fast that it didn’t have time to really stand out. At the same time, it’s a pair of wrestlers who mean nothing around here and that doesn’t help. It has nothing to do with their talent or abilities, but rather they’re outsiders who haven’t gotten a reason to stand out around here. In other words, it’s just a pair of people doing moves and that only means so much.

Death Before Dishonor rundown, with Sammy Guevara/the Von Erichs facing Shane Taylor Promotions for the Six Man Tag Team Titles and Guevara/a mystery partner facing the Outrunners for the Tag Team Titles. It makes as much sense as anything else, ignoring the insanity that is acting like the Promotions deserve a title shot.

Mistico/Mascara Dorada/Neon vs. Adam Priest/Workhorsemen

Under lucha rules. Henry shakes hands with Mistico to start but Drake gets in a cheap shot from the apron. Mistico fights back but everything breaks down and the villains clear the ring. Neon comes in and gets taken into the wrong corner, allowing Henry to hit a slingshot hilo.

Some flips let Neon get away from Priest though and Mistico and Dorada come in for a triple dive to the floor. Back in and Mistico powerslams Henry for two but Priest knocks h down and hits a frog splash for two of his own. A series of kicks send Drake out to the floor and Dorada’s shooting star press gets two on Priest. La Mistica finishes Drake at 10:41.

Rating: C+. Well of course the CMLL Trios Champions aren’t going to lose to a team who was thrown together a few weeks ago. This was a way to showcase the CMLL stars and that’s a fine way to go, but it seems like there is a better main event for the last show before the pay per view. Mistico is a major star, but I could go for more than that.

Post match Mistico thanks the fans but a masked wrestler comes in to jump him. It’s MJF, who says that if Mistico wants a shot at his title, be ready to put everything on the line.

The Bandido/Hechicero bar vignette wraps up the show.

Overall Rating: C. The wrestling was fine, but without the ads I wouldn’t have any idea that Death Before Dishonor was this week. There was very little to build up to the show, with a bunch of matches that could have taken place at any point in the year. As usual, Ring Of Honor seems to think you can just throw the Ring Of Honor name out there and expect it to sell itself. Not a terrible show here, but a pretty weak excuse for a go home show.

Results
Lance Archer b. Beef – Blackout
Taya Valkyrie b. Allysin Kay – Shania Pain
MxM Collection/Johnny TV b. Dark Order – Centerfold to Uno
Spanish Announce Project b. Danny Orion/Stephen Wolf – Half crab to Orion
Okamura b. Stigma – Tower Of London
Mistico/Mascara Dorada/Neon b. Adam Priest/Workhorsemen – La Mistica to Drake

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: August 21, 2025
Location: Berglund Center, Roanoke, Virginia
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We are eight days away from Death Before Dishonor and that means it should be time for more of the card to come together. In this case, we currently have three matches set up for the card so there are several other matches that need to be added. There is at least one match that is all but announced so maybe now we get to see it officially confirmed. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

CMLL Trios Titles: Volador Jr./Magnus/Rugido vs. Mistico/Mascara Dorada/Neon

Mistico and company are defending and the challengers aren’t up for handshakes. Neon and Rugido start things off and they exchange some armdrags. Dorada and Magnus come in with Dorada snapping off a spinning headscissors to send Magnus outside. It’s off to Volador vs. Mistico with Mistico hitting a springboard crossbody but the challengers take over, with some triple teaming in the corner.

Neon comes in and seems to be favoring his shoulder but the good guys are back in with some springboard hurricanranas. Triple dives connect as well, followed by a superkick to Magnus back inside. Mistico and Dorada use something like Private Party’s Silly String to drop Magnus again and it’s off to Rugido, who is taken down with a springboard hurricanrana. Neon hits a dropkick and a great looking springboard hurricanrana but Magnus decks him from behind.

Mistico gives Magnus a super Spanish Fly but walks into a Canadian Destroyer from Volador. We hit the parade of knockdowns until no one is left standing for a bit. Back up and we get a double rowboat spot with the four feet touching (basically making a circle), leaving Neon to roll Magnus up for two in the middle. Dorada’s shooting star press hits Volador and La Mistica retains the titles at 10:08.

Rating: B+. It was a fast paced and exciting match with the champions looking incredibly smooth (that springboard hurricanrana from Neon was one of the best I’ve ever seen). There’s a reason these guys are some of the best in the world at this style and the match went well. I could go for the Ring Of Honor versions of these titles being defended, but this was a great showcase.

Blake Christian vs. Beef

Fallout from last week when they were in a tag match and Lee Johnson is here with Christian. Beef easily wins a battle of shoulders but Christian knocks him into the corner, where Johnson gets in some choking. The strutting Old School is broken up, though Christian hits a nifty springboard dropkick to the back of the head. Beef strikes away in the corner but gets sent to the apron for a spear to the floor. Back in and a 450 stomp sets up the Vanilla Choke Zero for the win at 5:10.

Rating: C. I’ve said it before, but I’m really not sure if I’m comfortable with enjoying Blake Christian this much. There’s something about him just embracing being so….average. I get that’s what he’s going for with the vanilla deal, but dang it’s working for reasons I can’t explain. Give him the TV Title rather than Nick Wayne. My goodness I just said I want Christian to be TV Champion (the Christian Cage connection is even included in his name).

Post match Christian and Johnson lay Beef out again.

We look at Paul Walter Hauser saving QT Marshall last week.

Marshall is not happy with Hauser coming into his industry and they are set to fight at Death Before Dishonor. There’s your match that was all but set.

Video on the Outrunners.

The Beast Mortos vs. AR Fox

Dralistico is here with Mortos. Fox wastes no time in sending Mortos to the floor for a pair of big no hands dives. Back in and Mortos takes him into the corner and snaps off a powerslam for two. Fox is right back up to knock him to the apron for the flipping double stomp, followed by a big Swanton for a near fall of his own. Fox charges into a boot in the corner but kicks him in the head, setting up a Death Valley Driver. Mortos shrugs that off and hits a headbutt, followed by the spinning piledriver for the pin at 5:38.

Rating: B-. Yeah this was always going to be fine, as you have a basic formula of power vs. speed and wrestlers who know how to do that rather well. Fox hasn’t become a huge star, but it feels like he is giving it his all out there. That’s something I absolutely appreciate and it’s taken him from just someone on the card to someone reliable for me and that’s a big upgrade.

Post match Rush comes in for the big group beatdown.

Here are the Workhorsemen and Adam Priest to say that the Von Erichs’ partner is injured so just forfeit since we can’t have a six man match. Cue the Von Erichs to say not so fast my friend, because they have a replacement.

Workhorsemen/Adam Priest vs. Von Erichs/Sammy Guevara

Neither the Von Erichs nor Guevara have their belts with them. Henry headlocks Guevara to start and goes nowhere with it so Ross comes in to take over. Ross’ Stinger Splash misses Priest though and the villains take over in the corner. Drake hits a big chop but Ross fights his way out of trouble rather quickly. It’s back to Guevara to clean house but Henry kicks him down. A Shining Wizard sets up Priest’s top rope splash for two and Guevara is taken onto the ramp. That’s broken up rather quickly and it’s Marshall coming in to take over on Priest. A spinning claw slam into the claw finishes for Marshall at 7:26.

Rating: C+. This would be the logical way to go for the Six Man Tag Team Titles, though I’m not sure about the Tag Team Titles. Or they’ll just leave the titles in limbo until Dustin Rhodes gets back. Or they still don’t know because there is almost no planning in Ring Of Honor. Then again, the fact that the Workhorsemen and Priest went from not being together two weeks ago to working with the champions here, there isn’t much of a need for Six Man Tag Team Titles in the first place.

Trish Adora vs. Janai Kai

Kai shoulders her down to start and gets two off a quick kick. Adora’s comeback is cut off by more kicks and a spinning faceplant gives Kai two. Back up and Adora grabs a backbreaker for two of her own, followed by the German suplex from her knees. The Lariat Tubman finishes for Adora at 4:35.

Rating: C. This was much more about Kai, who was being given a lot of time and offense here and that’s great to see. Her striking and movement were both good, but there was pretty much no way she was going to win here. Adora did her big moves well, but it’s pretty clear that she’s not going anywhere and that isn’t changing.

The Von Erichs and Sammy Guevara seem to be ready to team together at Death Before Dishonor. I’m not wild on it, but swapping Guevara in as the other Six Man Champion is as good as anything else.

Death Before Dishonor rundown.

We get the Hechicero vs. Bandido old west video from last week.

Jay Lethal vs. Hechicero

Don Callis is here with Hechicero and butchers his Spanish entrance. Hechicero goes after the arm to start but gets punched to the floor for a suicide dive. They get back in and Hechicero kicks him in the head in the corner but Lethal grabs some rollups for two each. Callis gets caught interfering and is promptly ejected, allowing Lethal to come back with some snap jabs.

Hail To The King is blocked but Lethal blocks the block and tries the leg. Hechicero cuts that off but the Lethal Injection is countered into the headscissor driver. Lethal gets tied up in a…well he’s on top of Hechiero, who ties up Lethal’s legs and bends his neck forward for the submission at 6:31.

Rating: B-. And this is what Lethal should be used to do. He’s still a big enough name around here and certainly has the resume in Ring Of Honor to matter. Use him to put over people like Hechicero, who is involved in the upcoming World Title match and needs the rub. As usual, Hechicero does things that should not seem possible but he made it look easy.

Hechicero says he’s ready for Bandido to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The opener and main event alone made this work, and that’s about all you can ask for around here. Death Before Dishonor is likely going to get its usual card thrown together at the last minute and that’s about all it’s going to be. Just go with the bigger matches and hope for the best, as that’s pretty much as good as you’re going to get around here.

Results
Mistico/Mascara Dorada/Neon b. Volador Jr./Magnus/Rugido – La Mistica to Magnus
Blake Christian b. Beef – Vanilla Choke Zero
The Beast Mortos b. AR Fox – Spinning piledriver
Von Erichs/Sammy Guevara b. Workhorsemen/Adam Priest – Claw to Priest
Trish Adora b. Janai Kai – Lariat Tubman
Hechicero b. Jay Lethal – Full body neck crank

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Ring Of Honor
Date: August 15, 2025
Location: Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Caprice Coleman, Ian Riccaboni

This is a special edition of the show, which very well may mean that they taped too much and have to do something with all of the footage. We’re two weeks away from Death Before Dishonor and odds are that won’t have anything to do with this show. The fact that this will be overlapping with TNA Emergence is just a detail I’m sure. Let’s get to it.

Here are yesterday’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

TV Title: Willie Mack vs. Nick Wayne

Mack is challenging and Kip Sabian/Mother Wayne are here with Nick. A running shoulder puts Wayne on the floor to start and Mack gets annoyed at the idea of being chopped. They both go outside with Wayne sending him into various things and posing on the barricade. Back in and Mack knocks him silly for a needed breather, followed by some shots to the face. The swinging slam sets up the standing moonsault to give Mack two but Sabian’s distraction means he misses the frog splash. The Killswitch retains the title at

Rating: C+. Mack is an entertaining guy to watch in the ring but he’s also not going anywhere important anytime soon. Wayne is on his way to getting slaughtered by Adam Copeland and Christian Cage at Forbidden Door, making his time as TV Champion feel a bit less than important. I’m not sure who takes the title from him, as there aren’t many people who have been built up, but it might be time for him to drop the thing already if this is how he’s being used.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. AR Fox/Outrunners

The Promotions jump them from behind to start but Magnum fights back with some dropkicks. A running knee lift sets up Floyd’s backdrop for two and it’s off to Taylor. Some dropkicks put Taylor on the floor but he’s right back with the legdrop on the apron to put Magnum in trouble.

Back in and Bravo works on a chinlock but Dean has to come in to cut off a tag attempt. Taylor pulls Floyd off the apron so Magnum settles for a diving tag off to Fox. House is cleaned in a hurry and it’s Floyd coming back in for the slam on Taylor. The Outrunners drop the Infantry but Taylor breaks up the Mega Powers Elbow. Taylor is sent to the floor though and it’s the Mega Powers Elbow into Total Recall for the pin on Bravo at 10:45.

Rating: C. Somehow the Outrunners feel like they’ve lost all of their steam, as the idea is still funny enough but they’re just people out there doing things most of the time. It’s not as if they feel like they’re going anywhere, but this is about all we get from them. At the same time you have the Promotions and…ok if you really think they’re ever going to do anything important, you haven’t been paying enough attention.

Blake Christian and Lee Johnson talk nicknames but Johnson suggests they win some matches first.

Alex Zayne vs. Jay Lethal

Lethal starts fast by sending him outside for the suicide dives but Zayne slides back in. A springboard moonsault drops Lethal but he’s right back with a shot to the face. The Lethal Injection is blocked and Zayne hits his flipping Fameasser to put them both down. Zayne catches Lethal on top with a hurricanrana but the flipping side slam is blocked. Instead Lethal hits a cutter into the Lethal Injection for the fast pin at 5:40.

Rating: C+. Bringing Lethal back up the ladder a bit isn’t a bad idea, as it’s nice to see the old and the new tying together for a change. Lethal is still good enough for a completely passable match in the ring and someone can get a nice rub from beating him. That’s assuming he doesn’t just randomly lose his next match, which is always a realistic possibility.

Paul Walter Hauser is at the premiere of the Naked Gun with some AEW wrestlers.

QT Marshall vs. OXP

Aaron Solo is here with Marshall, who mocks OXP, who acted in Cobra Kai. After establishing that OXP knows Hauser, Marshall tells him to go back to Hollywood. OXP starts fast by slugging away but gets slammed down. A spinning kick to the face drops Marshall but he knocks OXP out of the air. The cutter gives Marshall the pin at 2:46.

Post match Marshall tells OXP to send Hauser this message….and Hauser is here. Well thanks for being there to help your fellow actor. Hauser lays out the heels and stands tall. At least Hauser vs. Marshall feels like a story that has been built up for a few weeks.

We get the same Mina Shirakawa promo from last night, as she challenges Athena for Death Before Dishonor.

Allysin Kay vs. Billie Starkz

Athena is here with Starkz, who tries to start fast but gets pulled out of the air. Starkz snaps Kay’s ribs over the middle rope but Kay kicks her down. A German suplex looks to set up a powerbomb but they trade running forearms instead. Starkz kicks her in the face and hits a German suplex of her own, followed by a crossface chickenwing for the tap at 4:25.

Rating: C-. It was quick and to the point, though I’m not sure why I’m supposed to be interested in Starkz. Other than her association with Athena, there isn’t much that makes her stand out. She’s only so good in the ring and her claim to fame is a single reign with the midcard title. I’m going to need a bit more than that from her and I don’t see it happening anytime soon.

The Dark Order says losing makes them who they are because it makes them want to win more. I’m not sure how much I’d brag about that.

Tom La Ruffa/Beef vs. Lee Johnson/Blake Christian

Christian suplexes Beef down to start and Johnson adds a standing moonsault. Beef gets grounded in the corner for some choking and Johnson grabs a chinlock. That’s broken up and Beef brings La Ruffa in as everything breaks down. Beef is sent outside and it’s a Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to finish La Ruffa at 4:10.

Rating: C. I guess Johnson and Christian are the next team in line to allegedly challenge for the Tag Team Titles, assuming they’re active at some point in the next few months. Granted it would have helped had they not lost last week, but there was no choice but to book them in a match against Mistico. I kind of like the team though, as it isn’t like there are all kinds of better options.

Marina Shafir vs. Marti Belle

Jon Moxley is actually in Shafir’s corner as Shafir shoves Belle down to start. Shafir takes her to the mat for the mounting but Belle escapes a cross armbreaker attempt. That’s fine with Shafir, who takes her down again and strikes away in the corner. The full nelson doesn’t last long as Belle gets more serious and tries hitting Shafir in the face. Shafir tells her to do it better and sticks her chin out, with Shafir just standing there as she gets hit. Mother’s Milk finishes Belle at 4:12.

Rating: C. Having Moxley there did make the match feel a bit more important, though Shafir is another name who is just kind of floating through the women’s division without much to do. She would be a different kind of challenger for Athena, assuming she gets by Shirakawa. The match was just a squash though, with Shafir literally standing there while Belle hit her in the face. That doesn’t exactly scream tough competition, which made Shafir look better.

Adam Priest wants some backup so here are the Workhorsemen to offer their services. JD Drake has a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt on so Priest better accept.

Adam Priest/Workhorsemen vs. Ryan Zukko/Joe Keys/Josh Fuller

I guess Priest accepted. Henry takes Keys into the corner to start and it’s off to Priest, who is powered into the wrong corner just as fast. Zukko comes in and gets jawbreakered, setting up a slingshot hilo from Drake. Fuller comes in and is taken down in a hurry, setting up Priest’s piledriver into a Downward Spiral/running kick combination to give Henry the pin at 4:02.

Rating: C+. You know all those times I’ve complained about potential challengers not getting to face champions? Well that is NOT the case with Priest and the Workhorsemen as they were announced as facing the six man champions. That’s right, the CMLL Trios Champions! They were fine as a team, though I’ll need to see more than a four minute squash to have a better idea about them.

Post match the beatdown continues but the Dark Order runs in for the save.

We run down the Death Before Dishonor card with….nothing new added!

Hechicero vs. Jordan Oliver

Somehow this is Oliver’s first time in ROH. Hechicero takes him down to start but Oliver is up for some chops. Oliver counters a leapfrog but Hechicero takes his leg down and ties it up in the ropes. Hechicero takes his straps down but puts them back up before cranking on the leg again. A sunset flip gives Oliver two but Hechicero ties up his arms for the submission at 5:28.

Rating: C+. Hechicero is very fun to watch and they’ve made him feel like a killer out there. That’s the kind of thing that can make into a threat to Bandido and that’s a good way to set up Death Before Dishonor. I don’t buy Hechicero winning the title, but it’s a match that has me intrigued and I’ll always go for that feeling.

Neon/Mascara Dorada vs. Premiere Athletes

Mark Sterling is here with the Athletes. Nese and Neon start things off with Nese going for the mask, earning himself a hurricanrana. Dorada comes in with a double superkick to Daivari but Nese pulls Dorada outside so the villains can take over. Back in and Neon gets caught in the wrong corner, allowing Nese to shout his team’s name.

Nese hammers on Neon’s mask but Neon fights up, allowing the tag off to Dorada to pick up the pace. A rolling cutter hits Nese but Sterling offers a distraction, allowing the Athletes to give Dorada a double chokeslam. Neon makes the save and superkicks Sterling down, setting up stereo flipping splashes off the top for the double pin on the Athletes at 6:55.

Rating: B-. This has been back to back weeks when CMLL stars (including Dorada both times) have beaten teams talking about coming after the Tag Team Titles. That’s not the most promising sign for the titles’ future, but the CMLL wrestlers are presented as bigger stars than most of the Ring Of Honor regulars anyway. At least Dorada and Neon are fun to watch.

We get an old west vignette showing Bandido beating up a bunch of villains in a saloon. Hechicero shows up and they have a finger gun standoff.

Overall Rating: D+. After an hour and thirty five minutes of this show, a grand total of nothing important has happened. There was nothing announced for Death Before Dishonor, no stories moved forward, and the biggest change seems to be that Adam Priest and the Workhorsemen (who got together during this show) are now going to have to deal with the Dark Order.

At least when other promotions try to counter program, they do something interesting or important. That was absolutely not the case here with a bunch of middle of the road matches that just made me more tired of watching ROH than wanting to see their pay per view. Throw in STILL no announcement on either of Dustin Rhodes’ titles and this was one of the worst uses of broadcast time I’ve seen in a very good while.

Results
Nick Wayne b. Willie Mack – Killswitch
Outrunners/AR Fox b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Total Recall to Bravo
Jay Lethal b. Alex Zayne – Lethal Injection
QT Marshall b. OXP – Cutter
Billie Starkz b. Allysin Kay – Crossface chickenwing
Lee Johnson/Blake Christian b. Tom La Ruffa/Beef – Top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to La Ruffa
Marina Shafir b. Marti Belle – Mother’s Milk
Adam Priest/Workhorsemen b. Joe Keys/Ryan Zukko/Josh Fuller – Downward Spiral/running kick combination to Fuller
Hechicero b. Jordan Oliver – Double arm crank
Neon/Mascara Dorada b. Premiere Athletes – Double pin

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: December 5, 2024
Location: MVP Arena, Albany, New York
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re just over two weeks away from Final Battle and that means it is time to set up the card. For once, that means we are going to be seeing the World Champion actually show up around here, with Chris Jericho announcing his challenger for Final Battle. That could go in a variety of directions so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

The Grizzled Young Veterans complain that the extras are eating before they get to catering. Think before you act next time.

Alex Reynolds vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Evil Uno is here with Reynolds and Shibata takes him to the mat to start without much trouble. A figure four necklock has Reynolds in trouble but a rope breaks that up rather quickly. The cross armbreaker goes to the arm again but Uno offers a distraction, allowing Reynolds to hit a boot to the face. Reynolds gets two off a DDT and grabs a neck crank. Back up and Shibata gets annoyed at being chopped so he hits a running dropkick in the corner. A Death Valley Driver into the Octopus Stretch makes Reynolds tap at 5:46.

Rating: C. This wasn’t exactly great and Shibata hasn’t been doing much lately so this was little more than him absorbing what Reynolds threw at him and then winning. It was nice to see him use something other than the PK for a change though, but there was only so much of a reason to think Reynolds would have a chance. Shibata continues to be his usual self, and I’m not sure what he might have going forward.

JD Drake/Beef vs. Waves And Curls

Beef has to get out of Jordan’s waistlock to start and it’s time to dance. Some running shoulders put Jordan down and Drake comes in for a headbutt. Brayden comes in, gets knocked down, setting up a spinebuster into the Beef Brigade for the win at 2:28. Total dominance.

Buy Outrunners merch! No you should as it seems awesome.

Jeff Jarrett and company have merch too. They’re no Outrunners, and QT Marshall comes in to brag about his success in Full Gear. Marshall offers a match with Jay Lethal but Lethal declines, saying he wants bigger fish.

Trish Adora vs. Rachael Ellering

Shane Taylor Promotions and the Infantry are here with Adora. They fight over arm control to start before an exchange of shoulders goes nowhere. Ellering takes over and chops away in the corner but Adora goes back to the arm for a breather. The arm gets stomped onto the mat but Ellering is fine enough to snap off a suplex. The backsplash connects to give Ellering two and an uppercut gets the same. Adora manages a German suplex though and Lariat Tubman finishes Ellering at 5:51.

Rating: C+. This was close to a hoss fight with both of them hitting each other rather hard. As usual, Ellering is able to make someone else look good and Adora is…well odds are she’s not going anywhere anytime soon, as almost anyone involved with Shane Taylor Promotions or the Infantry pretty much never does. At least they had a decent match here.

And now, for the first time in a good while, the Ring Of Honor World Champion is actually here, with Chris Jericho and Bryan Keith coming out for TV Time. Big Bill is off on a pilgrimage but Jericho is here to announce his challenger at Final Battle. He’s going to face someone from New York City (“The Windy City”). Maybe it’s Frank Sinatra….or maybe it’s Matt Cardona, who interrupts. Jericho: “If it isn’t Zack.” Cardona: “Zack is dead.” The title match is officially on, and Cardona knocks Jericho’s hat off to make it personal.

And this is why the weekly ROH show is the biggest waste of time in wrestling. Cardona has never appeared on that show, and yet here he is getting a World Title shot on one of the biggest events of the year. Meanwhile, in the months leading up to and in the months following Final Battle, commentary will continue talking about how wrestlers are trying to get into contention for a title shot. These title shots will never come because the challengers will either be someone from AEW or someone from out of absolutely nowhere like this. All this for a show you have to regularly pay to see.

Jon Silver is asked where he was earlier, but he’s been busy stealing the Grizzled Young Veterans’ scarves. So there’s a Final Battle pre-show match.

Griff Garrison/Preston Vance vs. Gates Of Agony

Garrison and Vance jump them to start and a delayed suplex puts Kaun down. Kaun gets choked down in the corner and a big boot gives Garrison two. Riccaboni: “We’ve seen this team of Vance and Garrison growing week after week.” This is their second match ever as a team. Anyway Vance drops an elbow and garrison pulls Kaun back into the corner. Kaun Rock Bottoms his way out of said corner and the tag brings Liona in to pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and Liona is sent into the steps, setting up a slingshot spear to Kaun. Back up and Kaun hits a quick Pedigree for the pin on Garrison at 5:49.

Rating: C. Am I supposed to cheer for the Gates Of Agony? I only ask because this match made it seem like I’m supposed to cheer for the Gates Of Agony. I’m not sure who in the world thinks that’s a good idea, but this is the same promotion that thinks Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara are the best option for the top of the tag division.

Harley Cameron interrupts Rachael Ellering and was cheering for her tonight. Cameron pulls a dog trophy from her pants, because Ellering is the top dog. They hug, with Lexi Nair in the middle. Ellering thinks there might be something to Cameron.

Billie Starkz vs. Lady Frost

Frost wins an early power off but gets pulled down into a rollup for two. Starkz misses a kick to the head and gets taken down with an anklescissors before being sent into the corner. Back up and Starkz kicks her in the face, followed by another to the head to cut Frost down again. Frost’s spinning kick misses and Starkz rolls her up for the pin at 4:05.

Rating: C+. Unless they do something quick in the next two weeks, we’re not getting Starkz vs. Athena for the Women’s Title at Final Battle, which is the only story that makes sense for the title at the moment. Odds are we’ll get some random title challenger and Starkz will be left on the sideline, which is annoying when her getting another shot at Athena has been built up. This worked well enough, though you can only do so much with four minutes and a quick ending.

Video on Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara vs. the Righteous, which is official in a bull rope match for the Tag Team Titles at Final Battle. Guevara might as well not even be part of the team given the story they’ve been telling.

From Final Battle 2008.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Nigel McGuinness vs. Naomichi Marufuji

McGuinness is defending and they go with some grappling to start. A cravate takes Marufuji down but he’s back up with an elbow to the face. The rebound lariat misses for McGuinness and they trade rollups for two each into a standoff. McGuinness catches him in the corner but Marufuji comes out with a spinning suplex. They hit the mat with Marufuji bouncing out of a headscissors and hitting a low superkick.

A running double stomp has McGuinness in more trouble and Marufuji grabs a figure our necklock. Back up and McGuinness kicks him out to the floor, where Marufuji is back with a superkick into Sliced Bread off the barricade. They get back in and McGuinness catches him on top for a hammerlock powerslam with Marufuji rolling outside. McGuinness spends too much time yelling at the fans though and gets dropkicked in the ropes, followed by a running clothesline for two.

A cobra clutch into a Backstabber gives Marufuji two but another Sliced Bread is broken up. McGuinness takes too long loading up a middle rope clothesline and gets dropkicked to the floor. Now the Sliced Bread can connect on the apron, meaning it’s a rather delayed cover for two.

Marufuji misses a Coast To Coast and the Tower Of London (or close enough) to the apron connects. Back in and one heck of a lariat gives McGuinness two as his right arm seems banged up. Another Tower Of London (traditional version) is blocked and Marufuji hits a Coast To Coast in the Tree of Woe. Some kicks to the head rock McGuinness but he comes back with the rebound lariat for the pin to retain at 18:16.

Rating: B+. As is the case with most of these classic matches, it’s a heck of a fight and they beat each other up, with Marufuji being his usual good self. At the same time, you really can see the greatness in McGuinness and he was one of the best in the world in his time. It’s no wonder WWE was interested and he looked great here, with these two beating the daylights out of each other until McGuinness hit one of his big shots for the win.

Matt Taven wants Lee Moriarty and the Pure Rules Title. The match is on for next week.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Action Andretti/Top Flight

The infantry and Trish Adora are here with the Promotions while Leila Grey is in the other corner. Riccaboni: “Of course in our retro match this week, we saw Matt Taven and Adam Cole.” No Ian, we didn’t. Andretti and Dean start things off with Andretti climbing the corner for a wristdrag. A basement dropkick gives Darius two and it’s off to Bravo, who is quickly kneed in the face.

The double backbreaker gets two on Bravo but Dean trips Andretti up on the floor for a Stunner on the apron. Taylor crushes Andretti as well and then knocks him down into the corner. Andretti fights up with a handspring elbow and Darius comes in with a kick to Dean’s head. Everything breaks down and Taylor gets triple teamed down but Bravo plants Darius for two. Boot Camp is broken up with a double superkick and Dante adds a top rope splash to pin Bravo at 5:56.

Rating: C+. Yeah remember a few weeks ago when Shane Taylor Promotions seemed to be coming after the Six Man Tag Team Titles? Ring Of Honor doesn’t seem to either. I like Andretti and Top Flight but there is no reason to believe that they’re going to get a title shot anytime soon. Granted it might be easier to believe if the titles had been defended in four months. This felt like a match that has been done over and over in some combination, which isn’t a good way to go.

Overall Rating: C+. I do appreciate that they’re actually setting up some things for Final Battle, but the show still isn’t looking overly interesting. You have Cardona getting the title shot without having wrestled in ROH before, Dustin Rhodes defending his dad’s memory or something and a random Women’s TV Title match. I need a bit more than that to make me want to watch a four hour show, and Ring Of Honor doesn’t seem interested in investing that much time in the show. Not a bad show here as it did build up the big card a bit more, but ultimately, Ring Of Honor isn’t very interesting and that needs to change.

Results
Katsuyori Shibata b. Alex Reynolds – Octopus Stretch
JD Drake/Beef b. Waves And Curls – Beef Brigade to Brayden
Trish Adora b. Rachael Ellering – Lariat Tubman
Gates Of Agony b. Griff Garrison/Preston Vance – Pedigree to Garrison
Billie Starkz b. Lady Frost – Rollup
Action Andretti/Top Flight b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Top rope splash to Bravo

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Ring Of Honor
Date: November 28, 2024
Location: MVP Arena, Albany, New York
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s Thanksgiving night and that means we are less than a month away from Final Battle. As usual at this point, we don’t have anything set for the show but we might get some of those set up this week. That should make for an interesting night, assuming that is the direction it actually takes. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Chris Jericho retaining the ROH World Title over Tomohiro Ishii last night on Dynamite.

Jericho promises to defend his title at Final Battle. And he sings.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

LeeJ vs. Anthony Gangone/Kubes

That would be Lee Johnson and EJ Nduka. Johnson and Gangone start things off with Gangone taking him down but getting punched out of the corner. Nduka comes in and sends Kubes to the floor, setting up a spinebuster/neckbreaker combination to finish Gangone at 1:44. Total squash, but LeeJ is an awful name.

Queen Aminata vs. Christina Marie

Aminata wastes no time in snapping off a suplex but Marie dropkicks her into the corner. A bulldog is shoved off though and Aminata hits a running boot in the corner. With Marie down, Aminata ties up the legs and cranks on the arm (almost an Octopus) for the tap at 1:50.

Iron Savages vs. MxM Collection

Mansoor and Bronson start things off with Mansoor’s headlock not getting him anywhere. A dropkick staggers Bronson so Boulder comes in, threatening to bite the tip off. Mason’s flying shoulder sends Boulder out to the floor and the Collection gets to pose. A hip attack drops Bronson but Mansoor gets taken into the wrong corner.

Bronson runs him over with a shoulder and a powerslam cuts off the tag attempt. The middle rope moonsault misses though and it’s Mason coming in to clean house. The Savage’s hairy chest deal goes badly and Mason grabs a chokeslam. That’s enough to set up the Centerfold to finish Boulder at 6:33.

Rating: C. You know what you’re going to get from these guys and that wasn’t a surprise. The Collection had the fans behind them and the Savages are doing the same things that they do every time they’re out there. It wasn’t a bad match, but I couldn’t get interested in the Savages no matter what they do.

Matt Taven vs. Josh Woods

Pure Rules match and Mark Sterling (with Ariya Daivari) do their usual before the match. They go to the mat to start with Woods’ armbar sending Taven over to the ropes. Back up and a dropkick puts Woods down, with Taven reminding us that he does in fact know his name. Woods sends the arm into the ropes to take over and an armbar stays on said arm. Taven elbows his way to freedom and gets two off a DDT. A doctor bomb and knee to the face give Woods two but Taven knocks him back down. Taven’s Lionsault hits knees but Woods’ suplex is reversed into a cradle for the pin at 5:40.

Rating: C. This match was a good example of what is wrong with the Pure Rules division: the rules don’t change a thing about the match. This was a run of the mill match with a single rope break, which would have been the case in any match. I’m sure this will put Taven in line for a Pure Rules Title match because that’s how the title works, which shows you how unnecessary that title happens to be.

A bunch of women argue over who will be representing Ring Of Honor at Wrestle Dynasty.

Athena promises to win the four way at Wrestle Dynasty, though she’s not sure why she has to qualify.

Righteous vs. Beef/JD Drake

The Righteous jump them before the bell but Beef and Drake fight back. Dutch takes over on Beef for the bell and Vincent takes off his belt, allowing Dutch to choke with the bull rope. Dutch’s Flip Flop and Fly has Beef in more trouble but he gets over to Drake to come in and clean house. Orange Sunshine takes Drake down though and the Bionic Elbow finishes for Dutch at 4:15.

Rating: C. Does it feel like the Righteous are feuding with Dustin Rhodes and a warm body? This whole feud has been about Dutch and that bull rope/cowbell vs. Dustin, with Sammy Guevara just kind of being there. It’s almost like Dustin and Sammy are lame champions who shouldn’t have held the titles this long in the first place.

Post match Dustin Rhodes charges out but Sammy Guevara cuts him off. Dustin wants to fight and grabs a chair but the Righteous runs off.

AR Fox vs. John Silver

The rest of the Dark Order is here with Silver. A running shoulder puts Fox down to start but he’s right back up with a neckbreaker to send Silver outside. The big no hands dive wipes Silver out but he grabs a heck of a German suplex back inside. Fox isn’t having that and hits a legdrop into a big dive on the floor, followed by a Swanton for two. Silver’s brainbuster gets two more but Fox is back with an Iconoclasm. The 450 finishes Silver at 4:58.

Rating: C+. Fox was a ball of energy here and it made for a good, fast paced match. It helps that Silver has his usual batch of charisma and they kept things moving in the limited time that they had. Fox isn’t likely going to do anything significant, but the fans like him and that’s enough around here.

Red Velvet will defend the Women’s TV Title against Leyla Hirsch at Final Battle.

From Final Battle 2009.

Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Hero

Fight Without Honor so it’s a brawl on the floor to start. Hero kicks him in the face and grabs a chain for some whipping. A whip into the barricade has Kingston in more trouble and they head inside so Hero can stomp away. Some shots to the face with the chain have Kingston busted open and a Wasteland onto the chain makes it worse. Kingston headscissors his way out of a Liger Bomb and a release Rock Bottom onto the chain has Hero in trouble for a change.

A northern lights bomb gives Kingston two but Hero knocks him down again. The shirts come off and they strike it out with Kingston looking a bit out of it. Hero brings in a piece of barricade before snapping off a belly to back suplex. The barricade is laid over the middle rope and a superbomb (almost a piledriver) drops Kingston onto the steel…for two.

Somehow Kingston is back with a German suplex and a clothesline with the chain gets two more. Hero’s lackey Shane Hagadorn offers a distraction so Kingston has to take out Sara Del Ray. A suplex drops Hero but he’s back with a low blow. The rolling elbow gives Hero two so Kingston spinning backfists him for two. Kingston steals the golden (loaded) elbow pad and hits a rolling elbow of his own for the win at 15:14.

Rating: B. As usual, something tells me this would be better with some knowledge of the backstory. Since this is just a random wild brawl added to the show, there is only so much that can be covered. Kingston was his usual fighting self and Hero could work with anyone. It was a good brawl, but the backstory would have helped a lot.

Grizzled Young Veterans/Pat Buck vs. Conglomeration

O’Reilly and Gibson trade takedowns to start until Drake goes to the eyes to take O’Reilly into the corner. That doesn’t last long as it’s off to Briscoe to take over. Romero comes in but gets kicked from the apron to slow him down. Buck comes in for a dropkick but Romero suplexes Gibson down. The Veterans take turns hammering on Romero until a quick knockdown lets Briscoe come in. A fisherman’s buster gets two on Drake and Briscoe gets in a double noggin knocker. O’Reilly cross armbreakers Buck for the win at 6:39.

Rating: C. What the heck happened to the Veterans? I get that they’re not great but they’re good enough to be more than cannon fodder for the Conglomeration. I forget that they’re around most of the time because they came in, did a quick thing with the Young Bucks and then got dropped. They’re better than this, but that doesn’t seem to matter at the moment.

Overall Rating: C-. So that’s the Thanksgiving show. A bunch of run of the mill matches, a random title match being added to Final Battle, and a classic match which was only so good in the first place and has no real reason to be here. Other than commentary talking about it, you would have no idea that the show was taking place on a holiday, making this just a dull, lifeless show. In other words, typical Ring Of Honor.

Results
LeeJ b. Anthony Gangone/Kubes – Spinebuster/neckbreaker combination to Gangone
Queen Aminata b. Christina Marie – Four limb stretch
MxM Collection b. Iron Savages – Centerfold to Boulder
Matt Taven b. Josh Woods – Cradle
Righteous b. JD Drake/Beef – Bionic Elbow to Drake
AR Fox b. John Silver – 450
Conglomeration b. Grizzled Young Veterans/Pat Buck – Cross armbreaker to Buck

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