Ring Of Honor
Date: September 19, 2024
Location: Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re FINALLY out of Texas and that means it is likely time to do the same stuff this show usually does but in a different place for a change. There are only so many stories going on around here at the moment but maybe something else can start up here. Ring Of Honor could certainly use them so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Red Velvet vs. Allysin Kay

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Kay wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, she receives a future title shot. They miss charges to start but velvet snaps off a headscissors before choking in the corner. A wheelbarrow suplex puts Velvet down for two and a Samoan drop plants her again, setting up a fall away slam for two more. Kay works on the ankle lock before switching to the cross arm choke. Velvet hits a quick Stunner but walks into a spinebuster for another near fall. Back up and Velvet hits something like a jawbreaker into some running knees in the ropes. The Final Slice finishes Kay at 5:33.

Rating: C. Kay is someone who feels like she could be something if she was around for any significant amount of time. Instead she’s just kind of any other person around here, which is a bit of a stretch given her history both here and elsewhere. It isn’t like there are a ton of challengers to Velvet, but at least she got a win over something of a name.

Video on Sammy Guevara/Dustin Rhodes vs. the Dark Order.

Gates Of Agony vs. Dante Leon/Trip Jordy

Kaun backbreakers Jordy to start and it’s off to Toa for some shots to the ribs. A double slam sets up a big toss and it’s Leon coming in to get beaten against the ropes. Open The Gates finishes at 2:08. Short and to the point.

Preston Vance vs. Brandon Cutler

Before the match, Cutler mocks the idea of Vance not being able to hit him until the Code Of Honor is enforced. Vance shakes his hand and then hits him in the face to start fast. Cutler gets beaten up in the corner and a backdrop has him on the floor. A Stunner over the ropes gets Cutler out of trouble and he grabs the quickly broken chinlock. Vance comes back with a spinning belly to back slam for two but Cutler superkicks him into a pumphandle slam for the same. Vance isn’t having that and finishes with the discus lariat at 4:03.

Rating: C. Vance getting to appear again is something of a good sign for his future but beating Cutler isn’t going to get him very far. The fans weren’t really caring much for Vance, but Cutler is enough of a loudmouth that beating him is going to get something of a reaction. Not much to see here, but it’s better for Vance than not being on the show.

Last week, the Iron Savages jumped the Outrunners.

The Outrunners respect the Iron Savages’ muscles but they have no glitz to go with their glamour.

John Silver vs. KM

The much bigger KM poses so Silver does the same until KM punches him down. A clothesline puts Silver down again and KM chokes away in the corner. Silver trips him into the ropes though and hits a running boot. A German suplex into the Spin Cycle finishes KM off at 2:55. Silver is suddenly good again after being evil for a few weeks. Makes as much sense as anything else the team does.

Mark Sterling hypes up Josh Woods.

Rachael Ellering vs. Maggie Lee

Ellering takes her down by the arm to start and fires off some clotheslines. Maggie’s running knee is shrugged off and Ellering kicks her in the head. The backsplash and Boss Woman Slam finish Maggie at 2:48.

Video on Beef and Anthony Henry.

Infantry vs. Spanish Announce Project

Trish Adora is here with the Infantry. Bravo and Angelico start things off with a fight over wrist control. They both miss dropkicks so it’s a bit of dancing before Serpentico and Dean come in. Serpentico hurricanranas Dean down but a double hiptoss drops Serpentico as well. Angelico comes back in to work on Bravo’s arm before a belly to back suplex gets two. Bravo fights his way out of an armbar and brings Dean back in to pick up the pace. A Falcon Arrow hits Serpentico for two but the Project hits a Downward Spiral into a frog splash for two of their own. Back up and a quick Boot Camp finishes Serpentico at 7:19.

Rating: C+. So we spent about six months working on the Project vs. Griff Garrison and Cole Karter and after all that, the Project is right back to being the same low level tag team they’ve always been. At the same time you have the Infantry win something while feeling nowhere near close to a title shot, mainly because they aren’t two guys from Texas who were given a title match out of nowhere. Such is life in Ring Of Honor.

Anthony Ogogo vs. Kit Sackett

Ogogo poses to start and muscles him up with a pumphandle powerbomb. Some stomping in the corner has Sackett in more trouble and an overhead belly to belly cuts off the comeback attempt. The pop up right hand finishes Sackett at 2:59. Ogogo continues his matches that involve one move and nothing else of note.

Brian Cage vs. Deonn Rusman

Cage wrestles him down to start and then sends him flying to shift to the power. A clothesline and belly to back suplex has Rusman in more trouble but he hits a quick dropkick. Rusman hits a quick Rock Bottom for two but a frog splash misses. Allowing Cage to powerbomb him down. A Cloverleaf makes Rusman tap at 3:42.

Rating: C. It wasn’t quite a squash but at the same time it’s just a Brian Cage match. He does his same thing over and over and there isn’t much to be seen from it. There is no reason to believe that Cage is going to move forward in the slightest as he never really does, but the power stuff was ok enough.

Anthony Ogogo, with Shane Taylor, wants some gold.

Dark Order vs. Sammy Guevara/Dustin Rhodes

Another non-title Proving Ground match. Reynolds bails to the floor to burn some clock to start and Guevara poses on the top rope. We hear about Dustin’s start as part of the Texas Broncos in 1988 as Uno bails outside away from Dustin. Back in and a double Russian legsweep takes Uno down so the Order bails outside and the champs get to pose.

John Silver gets in a quick posting on Dustin though and they head inside with Dustin in trouble. The snap powerslam gets Dustin out of trouble but Silver’s distraction means the referee doesn’t see the tag. Uno hits a piledriver for two but Dustin dives over and brings in Guevara for the hot tag. Everything breaks down and Dustin gives Reynolds a Canadian Destroyer. The Final Reckoning into Guevara’s Swanton finishes at 7:26.

Rating: C+. This was a great example of the problem with Rhodes and Guevara as the champions: there is no real connection to them other than they’re from Texas and their chemistry is just pretty basic. Throw in the fact that they’re facing the Dark Order, who have been rather low level for a long time and there wasn’t much to see here.

Post match the Cage of Agony runs in wrecks the champs to end the show. Oh joy: the Gates of Agony being featured again.

Overall Rating: C. Well sweet goodness look what happens when you cut off about an hour of the show. It’s still not particularly good and certainly not worth watching, but it’s far less infuriating. It still felt longer than it needed to be but the matches were mostly short and they were a bit more focused this week. Far easier sit here, but that doesn’t make it interesting.

Results
Red Velvet b. Allysin Kay – Final Slice
Gates Of Agony b. Dante Leon/Trip Jordy – Open The Gates to Leon
Preston Vance b. Brandon Cutler – Discus lariat
John Silver b. KM – Spin Cycle
Rachael Ellering b. Maggie Lee – Boss Woman Slam
Infantry b. Spanish Announce Project – Boot Camp to Serpentico
Anthony Ogogo b. Kit Sackett via knockout
Brian Cage b. Deonn Rusman – Cloverleaf
Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara b. Dark Order – Swanton Bomb to Reynolds

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: September 12, 2024
Location: Esports Stadium Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

The Texas residency finally comes to an end with the last of one heck of a marathon taping. That being said, there is almost no way of knowing what to expect here as the shows do not exactly build week to week. Odds are the action will be good, if not a bit overdone though. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Atlantis Jr. vs. Peter Avalon

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Avalon wins or survives the ten minute time limit, he gets a future title shot. Avalon goes after the arm to start before Atlantis does the same to take over. Back up and they shove each other until Atlantis gets an early two off a Falcon Arrow.

Avalon seems to bang up his knee on a leapfrog attempt but appears to be goldbricking and takes Avalon down. Atlantis is right back up and hits a high crossbody, followed by a clothesline out to the floor. The big dive gets two on Avalon back inside and Avalon’s top rope moonsault press gets the same. Atlantis shrugs that off and hits a frog splash for the pin at 6:20.

Rating: C. This was the same issue that always plagues Atlantis as there is nothing about him that stands out in the slightest. He’s a perfectly adequate star but is seemingly there to boost up the relationship with CMLL. That doesn’t make for much of a championship run, especially when he doesn’t have any kind of a feud or story going on.

Billie Starkz asks Athena what is going on but Athena praises Lexi Nair instead. Maybe Nair should be Minion #1! Starkz loses it because Nair is getting all of her credit but Athena threatens violence for that kind of jealousy.

Harley Cameron vs. Queen Aminata

Aminata takes her down with a headscissors to start and shakes a bit for a bonus. A running knee to the chest gives Aminata two and they head outside where Cameron strikes away. Back in and a Russian legsweep gives Cameron two but Aminata grabs a suplex. The running hip attack misses in the corner though and Cameron hits a clothesline for two of her own. Back up and Aminata hits a headbutt for the fast pin at 7:00.

Rating: C. As usual, Aminata is only so interesting and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. She had her big run at the title and now that seems to have stopped mattering. It doesn’t help that Cameron is little more than the division’s designated jobber, which is all she was here. Not a bad match, but not something that is going to inspire much interest. In other words, it’s Ring Of Honor.

Top Flight/Action Andretti vs. Vin Parker/Dante Leon/CD Bennett

Lexi Nair is here with the good guys and for the sake of simplicity, I’ll only refer to Dante Martin as Dante. Andretti and Parker start things off with the former grabbing a hammerlock. A running kick to the chest gives Darius two but he gets taken into the wrong corner. That’s broken up with a dropkick and it’s off to Dante for a slingshot armdrag. Dante gets knocked outside for a stomping but he’s fine enough for a double hurricanrana back inside. Andretti is back in to clean house and a running shooting star press gets two on Leon. Dante’s swinging half nelson slam finishes Leon at 5:47.

Rating: C+. This was the latest match where Top Flight and Andretti looked good as a three man team, but there is no reason to believe that they are going to get a serious run at either title. We’ve been here so many times before and it hasn’t gone anywhere. The team is talented, but it doesn’t matter if the team isn’t getting in any real run at the titles. I have no idea why they don’t, but here we are again.

Rachael Ellering interrupts an annoyed Harley Cameron and mocks her for losing.

Outrunners vs. Fly Def

Erica Leigh is here with the Outunners. Fly starts in on Floyd’s arm before handing it off to Def for more of the same. Floyd fights up and hands it off to Magnum for the Paisan elbow. The Outrunners clear the ring in a hurry and Total Recall finishes Def at 2:33.

Post match Jacked Jameson and the Iron Savages jump the Outrunners because fun isn’t allowed on this show. The Infantry saves the Outrunners and we get the big handshake.

Robyn Renegade vs. Angelica Risk

The much bigger Renegade drops to her knees to even things up a bit, which earns her a slap. Risk takes her into the corner but gets dropped by a running knee. A suplex sets up an early chinlock but Renegade misses a charge into the corner. Back up and Renegade’s powerslam gets two but Risk manages a quick 619. Renegade shrugs it off and grabs a pumphandle Downward Spiral for the pin at 3:44.

Rating: C. Yes the woman who is occasionally brought in to put others over needed a win on this show. This is a great example of the kind of match that absolutely did not need to be on the show and only makes a long show even longer. The match was perfectly fine, but it’s just adding content to the show, which is rarely a good idea.

Jacoby Watts doesn’t like EJ Nduka and tells him to come find either himself or Nick Comoroto.

Righteous vs. James Blackheart/JC Valentine

Vincent hugs Blackheart to start and then runs him over in a bit of a mixed message. Valentine comes in and gets crushed by Dutch, with Blackheart getting the same. Orange Sunshine finishes Valentine at 2:41.

Ariya Daivari vs. Sammy Guevara

Daivari, with Mark Sterling, is going to beat up Guevara rather than all of Texas. Commentary says Guevara is on “the winning streak of his life”, roughly 24 hours after he lost on Dynamite. Daivari’s running shoulder has limited success to start before they fight over wrist control. Guevara dropkicks him out to the floor but spins into the pose rather than dive.

They brawl on the floor with Daivari taking over and sending him into the buckle a few times back inside. Sterling even gets in some choking before Daivari grabs a sleeper. Guevara fights up on the second arm drop and they chop it out with Guevara getting the better of things this time. Some right hands in the corner set up a delayed brainbuster to give Guevara two but it’s too early for the GTH. Instead Guevara goes up for the 630 but the Premiere Athletes break it up. Daivari’s hammerlock lariat gets two but Guevara dives onto the Athletes. A springboard cutter into the GTH gives Guevara the win at 11:03.

Rating: B-. This was the first match on the show that felt somewhat important, but it also makes me wonder why Guevara needs to be a champion. He hasn’t teamed with Dustin Rhodes as a regular team very often and is already losing on AEW TV, but he’s a Ring Of Honor champion anyway. Oh right he’s from Texas, which is all that matters in recent weeks.

Lexi Nair does not like Red Velvet but Diamante comes in to unofficially challenge for the title.

Lady Frost vs. Promise Braxton

Frost grabs a headlock to start but Braxton hits her in the back and hits something like a reverse Meteora. The chinlock doesn’t keep Frost down for long and she comes back with a running clothesline. A hurricanrana out of the corner into a cannonball gives Frost two and Frostbite finishes Braxton at 3:16.

Rating: C. More of the main theme of the show here, as someone whose main function is to make someone else look good gets a win. Again, that’s fine once in awhile but it can be rather tedious to watch a show mainly comprised of that kind of match. Frost feels like someone who could be a player, but since that isn’t going to happen, it makes matches like this feel rather tedious.

Willie Mack vs. Exodus Prime

Mack flips over him to start and grabs an armdrag before hitting a splash for two. Some chops in the corner set up a double nipple twist, with the fans approving of Mack’s actions. Exodus gets in a shot of his own and drops a knee, setting up the slingshot legdrop for two. A suplex gets Mack out of trouble and the standing moonsault gives him two. Prime’s comeback has no effect and it’s the Six Star Frog Splash to give Mack the pin at 7:20.

Rating: C+. This show is rapidly losing me as there is zero reason for a someone who hasn’t been here since February to need seven minutes to beat someone whose name sounds like a knockoff Transformer. It’s another example of this show just going and going with no reason other than because the person running it feels like it should. You can also add Mack to the list of people who are not likely going to go anywhere but needed a win anyway.

Beef interrupts Anthony Henry, who still doesn’t like him. Henry warns Beef that JD Drake is going to come back and slap Beef in the face.

Preston Vance vs. KM

Vance actually gets an insert promo, talking about how he wants to show what Brodie Lee saw in him. Vance knocks him down to start and takes it to the apron, where KM gets in a Stunner over the top. That doesn’t bother Vance, who sends him into the barricade and steps to cut off the comeback. A suplex on the ramp sets up a spinebuster back inside, followed by the discus lariat to finish KM at 3:19.

Rating: C-. I’m sure this will be the start of the big run for Vance, who has wrestled four times this year and hadn’t won a singles match in about a year and a half. It’s another thing that was added onto the show with no additional value, which has been the case with almost everything on this show. I’m going to guess that Tony Khan saw Vance in catering and put him on the show because he suddenly remembered Vance worked here, because why else would he be put on this far too long show?

Fuego del Sol/Spanish Announce Project vs. Ace Of Space Academy/Joe Alonzo

Angelico and Alonzo fight over wrist control to start, with Angelico getting the better of things and taking him into the corner. The rather large Charles comes in and is quickly dropkicked out to the floor. Back in and Serpentico gets caught in the wrong corner with an enziguri into a splash giving Charles two.

Alonzo slams him down for…nothing as Serpentico’s shoulder isn’t down. A running Downward Spiral gives Serpentico a breather and Angelico comes in to kick LSG into a small package for two. Everything breaks down and Fuego tornado DDTs Charles to the floor. Angelico grabs a Sharpshooter with an arm trap to make LSG give up at 6:03.

Rating: C. Fuego is your We’re In Texas addition to the show and the Project has to be on almost every Ring Of Honor show ever so they check a pair of boxes. Other than that, it’s more of the same on this show, as people who have nothing going on are put in a match just to add onto the card. Alonzo has looked decent in his appearances, but it’s hard to stand out in a six man tag.

AR Fox/Komander vs. Ariel Dominguez/Brilliante RB

Komander knocks Dominguez into the corner to start and hits a standing moonsault for an early two. RB comes in to float over Fox in the corner and a moonsault over him increases the frustration. Fox’s sunset flip gets two so it’s already back to Dominguez. Fox snaps off a jumping cutter to RB and hits the big flip dive to take both of them out on the floor. Komander hits his own dive and Cielito Lindo finishes RB at 4:50.

Rating: C+. They’re kidding right? The show was already pushing two hours so let’s put in another thrown together pairing of people who are on the show occasionally but never do anything. I’m sure they’ll be in the thick of the Tag Team Title hunt though, because every team who wins a match gets the same reaction, whether they are brand new or established as a team.

Lio Rush vs. Rocky Romero

Student vs. teacher. Romero armdrags him down to start and this a running basement dropkick, setting up an Eddie Guerrero dance. A shot to the face staggers Rush in the corner but he’s back with his running dodges into a dropkick. Back up and Romero kicks the leg out to send Rush face first into the buckle. A spinning backbreaker has Rush’s back in trouble and the beating continues on the floor.

Back in and Romero stomps away to set up a suplex, followed by a surfboard as the back focus keeps going. Rush jawbreaks his way to freedom but Romero pulls him right back into a chinlock. Another comeback sees Rush hit a tornado DDT and he cuts off the Forever Lariats. Romero kicks him into the corner and scores with a knee to the ribs but has to block a springboard cutter. Rush is right back with the springboard Stunner though and the Final Hour finishes at 11:23.

Rating: B-. This was the main event of the show and got the most time of any match. Here’s the problem with that: last night on Dynamite, Rush was thrown into a random TNT Title match and lost in about eight minutes while Romero has never won anything of value in either AEW or Ring Of Honor. Yes Romero mentored Rush off camera, but why in the world would that make me want to see them have a match? They’re people who have been presented as next to nothing in either promotion and that takes away the interest their behind the scenes story might have.

Overall Rating: D. This show did the worst thing a wrestling show can do: it felt like I wasted my time. Up and down the card, you had people who have either been spinning their wheels for months or doing nothing (again: Preston Vance has wrestled THREE TIMES this year but got a match here) and I’m supposed to want to watch them have matches for two hours.

This was episode 81 of the new Ring Of Honor and they have a very clear method of operation. You know what you’re going to get and you know that the people regularly presented as not often going to be elevated into the title picture. It’s a bunch of people with nothing better to do being thrown on here because of this really annoying mentality of “everyone should be presented as often as possible”.

It comes off like Tony Khan does not care about the quality of the show but rather just expects you to sit through whatever he throws out there because he knows you’ll either put up with it or he doesn’t care because you’ve already paid (BECAUSE THIS SHOW IS BEHIND A FREAKING PAYWALL!).

Normally I would say “Ring Of Honor needs to do this and this and this” but it’s not going to change anyway, so why waste even more of my time in a week where AEW already had an extra five hours of pay per view time, following another two hours of Ring Of Honor last week? Horribly put together show here and another great example of why Ring Of Honor is the biggest waste of time vanity project in wrestling today.

Results
Atlantis Jr. b. Peter Avalon – Frog splash
Queen Aminata b. Harley Cameron – Headbutt
Top Flight/Action Andretti b. Vin Parker/Dante Leon/CD Bennett – Swinging half nelson slam to Leon
Outrunners b. Fly Def – Total Recall to Def
Robyn Renegade b. Angelica Risk – Pumphandle Downward Spiral
Righteous b. James Blackheart/JC Valentine – Orange Sunshine to Valentine
Sammy Guevara b. Ariya Daivari – GTH
Lady Frost b. Promise Braxton – Frostbite
Willie Mack b. Exodus Prime – Six Star Frog Splash
Preston Vance b. KM – Discus lariat
Spanish Announce Project/Fuego del Sol b. Ace Of Space Academy/Joe Alonzo – Arm trap Sharpshooter to LSG
AR Fox/Komander b. Brilliante RB/Ariel Dominguez – Cielito Lindo to RB
Lio Rush b. Rocky Romero – Final Hour

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: September 5, 2024
Location: Esports Stadium Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

I’m not sure what to expect from this show, but there is likely going to be a long series of matches from people who pop up around here every so often without having much else to do. It doesn’t make for the most interesting wrestling show and we are still on the same tapings from a few weeks ago, meaning things are no likely to move forward. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Aaron Solo vs. Rocky Romero

This is billed as a feature match. Romero takes him down and poses a bit, with Solo already looking frustrated. Back up and Solo gets in some forearms but Romero hits a running dropkick to the side of the head. Solo unloads with right hands to the head and chokes on the ropes for two, only to get pulled into an abdominal stretch.

Solo reverses into one of his own, which is broken up with a hiptoss. A running hurricanrana sends Solo into the corner and the Forever Lariats into a brainbuster gets two. Solo kicks him in the face and hits a top rope double stomp for two but misses a charge to the floor. Romero hits a dive and grabs a top rope Sliced Bread for the pin at 6:57.

Rating: C+. This was another perfectly acceptable Romero match but it’s still hard to imagine him getting that far ahead. Romero is the definition of a good hand and you won’t see him have many bad matches, but it’s something we’ve seen before. Odds are he gets built up and then loses in a title match. That only has so much of a shelf life and seeing him beat Solo isn’t likely to change things around that much.

Lady Frost wants the Women’s TV Title.

Nick Comoroto vs. Lee Johnson

Jacoby Watts is here with Comoroto. Johnson knocks him to the floor to start, where a Watts distraction lets Comoroto get in a posting to take over. Back in and a whip into the corner has Johnson’s back in trouble and Watts adds a cheap shot. The neck crank goes on until Johnson fights up and scores with an enziguri. A suplex gives Johnson a quick two but he charges into a fireman’s carry backbreaker onto the knee. Watts gets on the apron but Comoroto accidentally runs into him, allowing Johnson to grab a rollup for the pin at 7:11.

Rating: C. Johnson is in the same place as Romero, as he has been built up multiple times before losing in the big match. Beating Comoroto is a nice way to get some momentum back for him, but there is only so much you can do without having him win something of value. Comoroto continues to be stuck with Watts, due to reasons I still can’t fathom.

Post match the beatdown is on but EJ Nduka makes the save.

Anthony Henry and Beef argue over their future as a team.

Rachael Ellering vs. Gigi Rey

Rey spins out of a wristlock to start and grabs one of her own, only to get pulled into an armbar. Back up and Rey’s running shoulder doesn’t get her anywhere but she does roll Ellering up for two. Rey is whipped into the corner but comes out with a middle rope dropkick for two more. A gutwrench suplex drops Rey and Ellering elbows her down. The backsplash gives Ellering two of her own before the Boss Woman Slam finishes Rey at 3:50.

Rating: C+. Ellering needed a win to shake off some of the recent losses. She has the size to stand out in the division, which has a lot of people who are kind of bunched together. Someone like Ellering can have a place in the division but she needs to keep up the momentum. Rey got in quite a bit here and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her getting another look.

Anthony Henry/Beef vs. Jay Lucas/Terry Yaki

Commentary makes a bunch of teriyaki jokes as Beef tags himself in to start. A running shoulder puts Lucas down but he cuts off Beef with a raised boot in the corner. Yaki comes in and gets stomped down in the corner, with Henry adding some running knees. Lucas gets caught with a Low Down and it’s back to Beef, who seems confused by Henry’s lack of approval. Yaki comes back in for a nice German suplex on Henry, who shrugs it off and drops Yaki again. Beef wants the tag though and hits a top rope splash for the pin at 5:20.

Rating: C. Beef and Henry are the latest oddball tag team and you’re only going to get so much out of a guy whose main point of interest is his weird name. Other than that, it was another basic tag match, which at least makes it stand out from the basic singles matches. Not much to see here, though Yaki’s suplex was nice enough.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Iron Savages

Jacked Jameson is here with the Savages and believe it or not, he says the same thing he says every time he’s out there. Bronson teases spinning out of Angelico’s wristlock to start before just punching him in the face instead. Boulder and Serpentico come in, with Serpentico showing off the biceps. With that not working, Serpentico gets on the middle rope for the lockup before hurricanranaing Bronson into Boulder for the crash.

Jameson’s distraction causes Serpentico to be knocked outside and some sitdown splashes to the ribs have him in trouble back inside. The chinlock goes on and brings Serpentico back up so he can hand it back to Angelico. A series of strikes have the Savages in trouble as everything breaks down. The electric chair splash misses and Serpentico hits a suicide dive to Bronson and Jameson. Back in and a leglock makes Boulder tap at 8:48.

Rating: C. Here’s the problem with so many of the stars appearing on this show: these guys have been presented as losers who can’t win a big match no matter what and are often put out there to make others look good. That doesn’t make for an interesting match, as it feels like the lowest level match imaginable. That’s fine in small doses, but we’re about fifty minutes into this show and it’s all we’ve seen so far. It makes for a show that doesn’t feel important and that makes an already long show all the longer.

Lady Frost vs. Red Velvet

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Frost wins or survives the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot. Frost snaps off some armdrags to start so Velvet grabs the rope to cut her off. Back up and Velvet gets taken down in a test of strength but she comes back with a sunset flip for two. A release fisherman’s suplex drops Velvet again and a Cannonball gets two in the corner.

We hit the chinlock but Velvet reverses into an abdominal stretch. Velvet rolls her head first into the corner and then does it again, albeit back first for a change. Velvet’s standing moonsault misses but Frost’s connects for two. Back up and something like Austin Gunn’s Quick Draw gives Velvet two more, followed by a rollup for the pin on Frost at 7:48.

Rating: B-. Definitely the best match of the night so far and a lot of that is because it actually felt more important. Velvet is the biggest star on the show thus far and that was a nice change of pace. Frost is one of the more unique stars around and stands out, but she needs to stop losing so often.

Taya Valkyrie doesn’t like Mina Shirakawa with all of the shaking. Shirakawa comes in and a match is set for tonight. Then she dances with interviewer Melissa Santos.

Righteous/Lance Archer vs. Lights Camera Faction

Vincent hugs Braxton at the bell, leaving Braxton rather confused. Braxton’s right hands don’ get him very far so Vincent rolls him up into the corner for a crash. Archer comes in and misses a charge but stomps Watson out of the corner anyway. Dutch’s swinging side slam connects as everything breaks down. Orange Sunshine sets up the Blackout for the double pin at 3:40.

Rating: C. Yeah the Righteous and Archer run people over and beat them with ease. They will then be talked about as potential title challengers in a title match that doesn’t come (save for one, back in January, on an AEW show). Then we’ll do it again over and over because that’s how Ring Of Honor works, at least until there’s a pay per view coming up and someone randomly gets a title match.

Diamante vs. Tiara James

A German suplex into a spear into a rolling cutter finishes for Diamante at 48 seconds.

Post match the beatdown stays on until Red Velvet runs in for the save. So she loses the big blowoff match with Leyla Hirsch and gets a title program. Got it.

Lee Johnson is grateful to EJ Nduka, who introduces himself to the fans.

Griff Garrison vs. Angelo Parker

Maria Kanellis is here with Garrison. Parker avoids a charge and drop toeholds him to start before hitting a leg lariat to send Garrison outside. Back in and Garrison whips him hard into the corner for two as Maria is rather pleased. Garrison’s butterfly suplex gets two but Parker is back with a running neckbreaker. The referee gets distracted though and Maria hits Parker with her boot. A torture rack bomb finishes Parker at 4:01.

Rating: C-. The match was nothing special, but why in the world is a singles match between two low level tag team guys taking place an hour and twenty minutes into a show? This is a perfect example of a match that didn’t need to be added to the show as it was already running long and added pretty much nothing. It has plagued Ring Of Honor for its entire run and odds are it isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Premiere Athletes vs. Joe Alonzo/Josiah Jean

Mark Sterling is here with the Athletes and says they want to win and get out of here as fast as possible. Nese drives Alonzo into he corner to start and the Athletes fire off right hands. A chop sends Alonzo to his knees and a double delayed suplex puts him down again. Jean is sent outside, leaving Nese to launch Alonzo into a cutter. The Magic Carpet Splash finishes for Daivari at 2:40.

John Silver vs. Fuego del Sol

Silver has the Dark Order with him. They run the ropes to start until Fuego grabs a running hurricanrana. Silver needs a breather on the floor and yells at Fuego, who has to take out the Order. The distraction lets Silver hammer away in the corner and yell at the fans a bit. A pull of the mask wakes Fuego up a bit but he gets knocked out of the corner again.

The reverse chinlock goes on, only for Fuego to fight up with an enziguri. The basement superkick gets two so Fuego shouts TORNADO DDT, allowing Silver to cut him off with a wheelbarrow suplex. The Order offers a distraction and interference though, allowing Silver to hit a torture rack bomb (second time in three matches) for the pin at 7:07.

Rating: C. What is there to say here? Silver is the most interesting member of the Order, who have fallen so low on the roster that it is almost a running joke. I’m not sure what it means that it took three people to beat Fuego but it was another match in a rather long series of them this week.

Abadon vs. Rache Chanel

Abadon sends her into the corner and hits a running knee but Chanel hits some forearms. A hiptoss attempt just annoys Abadon though and it’s a cutter to drop Chanel. Black Dahlia finishes for Abadon at 1:40.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Josh Woods

Mark Sterling is here with Woods. They both miss big kicks to start before going to the grappling instead. A fight over an armbar has Shibata in the ropes, where Woods gets in a cheap shot to send Shibata outside. Woods suplexes him on the floor and hits some running shots in the corner back inside.

Shibata reverses and hits a running dropkick in the corner before snapping off a suplex. Woods gets in a suplex of his own but Shibata catches him on top. The Anarchist Superplex gives Woods two and a backbreaker into a clothesline drops Shibata again. Not that it matters as Shibata is back up with the sleeper into the claw. The cross armbreaker makes Woods tap at 6:33.

Rating: B-. It wasn’t exactly a classic but I’ll take someone as polished as Shibata at half speed over most of what else we’ve seen here. The technical battle worked, with Woods being able to hang in there long enough. It’s one of the best things on the show so far and that was a nice change of pace.

Mina Shirakawa vs. Taya Valkyrie

Johnny TV is here with Taya. Shirakawa dances to start so Taya just kicks her into the corner for some choking. Back up and Shirakawa kicks the legs out and slams the knee into the mat. A kick to the head out of the corner gets two and a dancing shot to the knee has Taya in more trouble. The Figure Four goes on, with Taya getting straight over to the ropes. Taya ties her up in the corner for a neckbreaker and takes it to the floor, where Johnny kisses the bad knee.

Back in and Taya misses a charge, allowing Shirakawa to go after the knee again. A top rope dive takes out Taya and TV, setting up some strikes to the face back inside. Shirakawa knees her down and hits a top rope splash for two. Taya hits a spear for the same and grabs a half crab, with Shirakawa making the rope. The Road To Valhalla is reversed into the Figure Four and Taya taps at 10:35.

Rating: B-. Perfectly fine match here and it worked as a main event. The interesting thing here was having Shirakawa dominate a good chunk of the match, but it was nice to see her take out the knee throughout and then win with a Figure Four. There’s very little to complain about here, as it told a simple story and Shirakawa felt like a star.

Overall Rating: D+. This was one of the least interesting shows I’ve seen in a long time and as you can tell, most of that is due to how many nothing matches were included here. There were fourteen matches on this show and three (four at most) featured stars who have not been treated as the lowest level stars either here or in AEW. The show wasn’t interesting and made me wonder why in the world I would want to watch this again. Ring of Honor is a running joke and a lot of it is due to how terribly this show is put together week after week. I’m not sure why it’s done this way, but it needs to change in a big way.

Results
Rocky Romero b. Aaron Solo – Top rope Sliced Bread #2
Lee Johnson b. Nick Comoroto – Rollup
Rachael Ellering b. Gigi Rey – Boss Woman Slam
Anthony Henry/Beef b. Jay Lucas/Terry Yaki – Splash to Lucas
Spanish Announce Project b. Iron Savages – Leglock to Boulder
Red Velvet b. Lady Frost – Rollup
Righteous/Lance Archer b. Lights Camera Faction – Double pin
Diamante b. Tiara James – Rolling cutter
Griff Garrison b. Angelo Parker – Torture rack bomb
Premiere Athletes b. Joe Alonzo/Josiah Jean – Magic Carpet Splash to Alonzo
John Silver b. Fuego del Sol – Torture rack bomb
Abadon b. Rache Chanel – Black Dahlia
Katsuyori Shibata b. Josh Woods – Cross armbreaker
Mina Shirakawa b. Taya Valkyrie – Figure Four

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: August 8, 2024
Location: Esports Arena Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re still in Texas and the big story coming out of last week is Sammy Guevara showing up to join the other Texans because we all love Texas around here. Odds are we get some fallout from that this week as we build towards pretty much nothing for the foreseeable future. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Dark Order vs. Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara

Fallout from last week’s show closing angle. Guevara drops Silver down to start and it’s off to Dustin for a clothesline to send Reynolds outside. Everything breaks down and Guevara’s teased dive turns into a break dance into a pose. Dustin does the same and the fans are rather pleased. We settle down to Dustin getting caught in the wrong corner but he manages the powerslam, only to bang up his knee in the process. Dustin and Reynolds head outside, where Evil Uno gets in a cheap shot to give Reynolds a quick two.

Silver’s DDT on the knee gets two and the knee is wrapped around the middle rope. The Order takes turns working on the knee, including a half crab from Silver. That’s broken up and Dustin low bridges Reynolds outside, allowing the tag off to Guevara to pick up the pace. Back to back dives take out the Order but a superkick into a bridging German suplex gives Silver two. Guevara and Reynolds trade knees to the face until a DDT drops Guevara for two. Everything breaks down and Dustin’s knee is fine enough for the Canadian Destroyer. The GTH finishes Silver at 12:01.

Rating: C+. This was a completely by the book tag match and that’s perfectly fine. Dustin and Guevara fill in the Texas quota for the night while the Order has been around for so long that they’re kind of packaged into the whole thing. Hopefully this wraps up the feud though, as there isn’t much left for them (or the Von Erichs) to do here.

We look at the Women’s Title matches at Death Before Dishonor.

Athena is sick of Billie Starkz’s disappointments. Starkz’s MIT degree is revoked and she is officially Minion #400,237 ¾ in training again. Queen Aminata and Red Velvet come in and say it’s a tag match tonight because Athena and Starkz aren’t ducking them anymore. They JUST SHOWED a clip of the four of them in a pair of title matches from two weeks ago! How have Athena and Starkz been ducking them???

Taya Valkyrie vs. Hyan

Johnny TV, looking like he just finished a match, is here with Taya, who isn’t overly interested in the pre-match handshake. Hyan forearms her into the ropes to start and gets caught with a running elbow in the corner for her efforts. Taya knocks her down and cranks away on both arms before hitting a spear. Shania Pain finishes for Taya at 2:38.

Griff Garrison and Maria (minus Cole Karter) are cut off by the Spanish Announce Project. They want one more match for Serpentico’s mask, with Serpentico putting his mask on the line. This has to be it for this feud right? It has to be.

Tag Team Titles: Infantry vs. Kingdom

The Infantry, with Trish Adora, is challenging and it’s a brawl at the bell. The Kingdom tries to bail up the aisle but get pulled back to keep the brawl going at ringside. Bravo throws Taven inside to start properly and a double fist drop gets two. Bennett comes in and gets chinlocked down, followed by an armdrag into an armbar on Taven. A cheap shot from Bennett lets Taven grab a suplex and the villains take over. Bennett’s pop up right hand gets two and a Russian legsweep gives Taven the same.

Bravo fights out of a chinlock but gets dropped for two, with a grab of the rope being necessary. Back up and the diving tag brings in Dean to clean house. A frog splash gets two on Taven with Bennett making the save. The Death Valley Driver into Just The Tip gets two with Bravo making the save. The spike piledriver is broken up but so is Boot Camp. Bennett’s low blow sets up the spike piledriver to finish Dean and retain at 11:46.

Rating: B-. These teams have enough chemistry but that’s the second loss from the Infantry to the Kingdom. Normally I would say that it’s enough to end their feud but it isn’t like the tag division has that much depth. The Kingdom is more likely to lose the titles to an AEW team, as that is where they wind up spending most of their time in the first place.

Rachael Ellering vs. Brooke Havok

Ellering goes after the arm to start and powers her way out of a headlock. That’s enough for a standoff before Ellering runs her over, only to get tripped down so Havok can pose. Back up and Ellering fires off some chops in the corner but Havok takes her down and hits a basement dropkick. A neckbreaker gives Havok two but the Boss Woman Slam finishes for Ellering at 4:47.

Rating: C. Not much to this one here but Ellering matches are always going to b at least decent. That was the case again here, with Ellering needing to get a boost as she is still getting established around here. Havok was smooth enough out there and could be a nice choice for a spot like this going forward.

Respect is shown post match.

Lee Moriarty wants to face Action Andretti again and will put the Pure Rules Title on the line.

Outrunners vs. Stephen Wolf/Barrett Brown

Erica Leigh is here with the Outrunners, who shake hands with each other to start. Magnum chops the heck out of Brown in the corner to start and it’s off to Floyd to stay on the arm. An elbow drop sets up more posing and a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination finishes Wolf at 2:19.

Robbie Eagles vs. Darian Bengston

Eagles cranks away on the arm to start but Bengston takes him down and does some basketball poses. Back up and a spinwheel kick drops Bengston and a rather slow spinning toehold is broken up. Bengston’s forearms are broken up and Eagles kicks him in the leg. A 450 onto the leg sets up…something kind of leglock called the Ron Miller Special for the win at 5:21.

Rating: C+. Eagles is a star over in New Japan and looked good here, though it was little more than a squash with Bengston not being able to get very far. I could go for more of Eagles around here as the show could desperately use some more star power, but this might just be a cameo from an international star. That leglock certainly looked cool if nothing else.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tony Nese

Mark Sterling and Ariya Daivari are here with Nese. For some reason Nese tries to chop away to start and gets knocked into the corner for his efforts. Nese’s forearms don’t get him anywhere so they head outside, where Nese manages to get in a quick dive for a knockdown.

Back in and Ishii fights out of a chinlock but gets caught in the Randy Savage jumping neck snap over the top. Ishii snaps off a belly to back suplex for two, followed by one heck of a clothesline for the same. Sterling is dealt with and the brainbuster is enough to finish for Ishii at 8:23.

Rating: C+. This felt like a way to have Ishii on the show and since the Premiere Athletes are the designated jobbers in AEW and ROH at the moment, the result wasn’t quite in doubt. Ishii can still do well enough, but like many others either here or in AEW, a lot of the special feeling goes away when he’s around so often. At least this one was a singles match instead of another big tag though.

Rachael Ellering is glad to be back after her injuries. Harley Cameron interrupts and seems happy to meet Ellering, who doesn’t seem impressed.

Johnny TV vs. Fuego del Sol

Taya Valkyrie is here with TV, who gets armdragged and dropkicked to start. TV knocks him down but it’s way too early for Starship Pain, allowing TV to hit a hard knee out to the floor. The flipping neckbreaker keeps del Sol down and we hit the chinlock back inside. A spinning knee to the face gives TV two and we’re back to the chinlock.

Del Sol fights out and hits an enziguri, setting up some running dropkicks in the corner. TV is back with a seatbelt for two, followed by a jumping kick to the head op top. Del Sol is fine enough to crotch him on top for a double stomp but TV easily gets in a knockdown of his own. Starship Pain finishes del Sol at 6:22.

Rating: C+. The del Sol push comes to a halt here and that isn’t the biggest surprise. Del Sol coming back was a nice surprise and it was nice to see TV actually get a win for once. At some point his status is going to fall with all of the losses so changing the results up a bit is not a bad idea.

Red Velvet/Queen Aminata vs. Athena/Billie Starkz

Both teams have matching gear, which is impressive for a match that wasn’t set when the show started. Starkz and Aminata start things off with Aminata taking her to the mat in a front facelock. It’s quickly off to Athena, who gets hammered down into the corner. Athena fights out and starts in on Aminata’s arm, setting up a Codebreaker for two. Starkz slams the bad arm into the mat a few times and, with Velvet being drawn in, some double stomping ensues.

Aminata fights up and gets over to Velvet, who tornado DDTs Athena for a fast two. A Codebreaker/German suplex combination sets up a running knee to give Aminata two. Back up and it’s off to Athena, who fires off superkicks to stagger Aminata and Velvet. A fall away slam/Samoan drop (at the same time) sends them flying again and Athena knocks Aminata silly with the big right hand. Velvet takes Athena down and hits the Mix on Starks but Athena makes the save. Aminata won’t let Athena use the microphone but Starkz gets in a belt shot for the pin at 12:11.

Rating: B-. The ending is a nice way to get Starkz back in Athena’s good graces, which she is going to need after losing last moth, which is not something Athena will like. The cheating is certainly an Athena way to go as well and it should set up a potential title rematch. At the same time, I could go for seeing some fresh challengers to either title, though I’m not sure that is going to take place for a good while.

Overall Rating: C+. The action was fine enough, and as usual, after about an hour and forty five minutes of decent/mediocre wrestling, I’m not overly interested in most of what I’m seeing around here. The World Title still might as well not exist most of the time and we’re back to the same Tag Team Title match that we saw over Wrestlemania Weekend.

The Women’s Titles are still in the same stories they’ve been in for a few months now, making this show feel like it is running a treadmill while being lost at the same time. As usual, it’s not a bad show, but an hour and forty five minutes of this stuff wears out its welcome very fast.

Results
Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara b. Dark Order – GTH to Silver
Taya Valkyrie b. Hyan – Shania Pain
Kingdom b. Infantry – Spike piledriver
Rachael Ellering b. Brooke Havok – Boss Woman Slam
Outrunners b. Stephen Wolf/Barrett Brown – Powerbomb/neckbreaker combination to Wolf
Robbie Eagles b. Darian Bengston – Ron Miller Special
Tomohiro Ishii b. Tony Nese – Brainbuster
Johnny TV b. Fuego del Sol – Starship Pain
Athena/Billie Starkz b. Queen Aminata/Red Velvet – Belt shot to Velvet

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Death Before Dishonor 2024
Date: July 26, 2024
Location: Esports Stadium, Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s the second of three pay per views from Ring Of Honor and the show has quite the variety. First up, the World Title will be on the line as Mark Briscoe defends against Roderick Strong. Other than that we have Athena defending the Women’s Title against Queen Aminata and the Undisputed Kingdom defending the Tag Team Titles against Tomohiro Ishii and Kyle O’Reilly. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: MxM Collection vs. Spanish Announce Project

That would be Mason and Mansoor, formerly known as the Maximum Male Models in WWE. Mansoor shoulders Serpentico down to start and it’s time to strike a pose. A finger tip tag brings Mason in as we keep hearing audio from the production team. Serpentico can’t do much so it’s off to the bigger Angelico, who gets caught in the corner.

A standing legdrop gives Mason two and it’s back to Mansoor for a spinebuster. Mason’s running hip attack sends Angelico outside and more pose striking ensues. Back up and Serpentico takes over on Mansoor’s arm, with Angelico adding a middle rope elbow to the shoulder. Serpentico mocks the posing, allowing Mansoor to bring Mason back in. Mason gets low bridged to the floor but is fine enough to come back in with a spinebuster.

Everything breaks down and Mansoor is dropped back first onto the turnbuckle. Serpentico hits a big suicide dive for two but Mansoor flips back over to Mason for the tag. House is cleaned in a hurry and an assisted double underhook implant DDT (the Centerfold) finishes Serpentico at 9:08.

Rating: C+. This was all about the Collection’s charisma and it was on full display, as it should have been. They were a lot of fun and had the crowd loving what they were doing, which is a great sign for their future. At the same time, the match went longer than it should have and they could have cut out of the heat segments from the Project, as it felt like they just did the same thing twice.

Post match Maria Kanellis comes out to applaud, with the Collection seeming intrigued.

Zero Hour: Angelica Risk vs. Marina Shafir

Mother’s Milk ends Risk at 58 seconds.

Zero Hour: Infantry vs. Griff Garrison/Anthony Henry

Maria is here with Garrison and Henry, the latter of whom is a substitute for Cole Karter. Henry gets knocked into the corner to start and it’s ff to Garrison. Bravo gets sent into the wrong corner so Henry can stomp away, setting up a leg crank. The posing STF goes on for a bit, followed by the running knees in the corner for two.

Garrison chops away so Henry can get in a kick to the back. Bravo gets in a quick knockdown though and the diving tag brings in Dean to clean house. Book Camp is broken up though and a superplex into a double stomp gets two on Dean. The screaming Maria gets on the apron but gets knocked into Garrison’s arm, allowing Boot Camp to finish Henry at 9:08.

Rating: C. The problem here is it felt like a match that we’ve seen before, even if it wasn’t a regular team. The Infantry has been bouncing around the tag division for the better part of ever and never feel like they’re getting anywhere. The match was completely run of the mill as well and could have easily been dropped without adding even more content to the needlessly packed pre-show.

Zero Hour: Top Flight vs. Outrunners

Erica Lee is here with the Outrunners. Darius gets knocked into the corner to start and Floyd gets to pose a bit. Magnum comes in and gets dropkicked down, meaning it’s off to Dante for a headlock. The fans are split as Floyd gets double legtripped down but Erica grabs the foot so the Outrunners can take over.

Alternating beatings have Darius in trouble and a clothesline gets two. The sleeper is broken up though and it’s Dante coming in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Floyd is kneed to the floor, setting up stereo running shots to Magnum in the corner. Dante dives onto Floyd and what looked to be an F5 (the camera missed the setup) finishes Magnum at 8:33.

Rating: C. This was pretty boring for the most part with Top Flight’s comeback being the highlight. The Outrunners work best in short spurts or the joke starts to wear thin in a hurry. That was the case here, as you can only watch so much of the same beatdown before it stops being interesting. At least the right team won.

The opening video takes a pretty standard look at the main matches.

Komander vs. Beast Mortos

Mortos wastes no time in knocking knocking him down but Komander is back up with the kicks to the legs. A dropkick sends Mortos outside but the big running flip dive is pulled out of the air. Komander gets powerbombed into Alex Abrahantes against the barricade and they head back inside. Mortos chops the spit out of him but Komander grabs a quick rollup for two. Back up and Mortos drops him again, meaning it’s time to pull off a turnbuckle cover.

Komander gets in a quick shot for a breather but gets caught on top to cut him off again. A step up hurricanrana off the apron sends Mortos to the floor and a tornado DDT off the apron makes it worse. Komander walks the ropes to set up a big flip dive, followed by a poisonrana for two back inside. A dive hits raised feet though and one heck of a pop up Samoan drop gives Mortos two.

Komander reverses a backbreaker into a crucifix driver and then spins into a Canadian Destroyer. Mortos shrugs that off and hits a spear to leave them both down. They slowly get up and head to the same corner, where Mortos hits the super gorilla press slam. Komander is back with another Destroyer, only to miss the Cielito Lindo. The spinning piledriver gives Mortos the pin at 13:30.

Rating: B-. It was a good speed vs. power match and that made for a nice opener, though it never quite hit that next level. What mattered here was giving the fans something to get them going. Komander is a fun high flier, but there are a lo of them running around and it makes it difficult to really stand out. Mortos on the other hand always stands out, but his lack of success holds him back a bit. That being said, nice job of getting things going here.

The MxM Collection calls out FTR for Collision. These guys are great but that’s probably a loss.

We recap the Tag Team Title match, which is pretty much just an announcement.

Tag Team Titles: Kingdom vs. Tomohiro Ishii/Kyle O’Reilly

Ishii and O’Reilly, in their second match ever as a team, are challenging. Bennett and Ishii start things off and chop it out, with Ishii getting the better of things to take over. O’Reilly comes in to crank on Taven’s arm but Taven is back up with a nice dropkick. Back up and O’Reilly takes over on the arm and Ishii comes in for some cranking of his own. O’Reilly adds the abdominal stretch with the knuckles to the ribs, followed by strikes to both champions.

Bennett manages to knock Ishii into the corner, including a slap. The fans know he screwed up and Ishii fights over to O’Reilly to take over. Everything breaks down and Ishii is sent outside for a suicide dive, only to have O’Reilly hit a running knee off the apron. Back in and Bennett cuts off O’Reilly’s Rebound lariat, allowing Taven to crush him back to the floor. The champs take turns with the beating back inside and Taven adds an elbow for two.

O’Reilly finally kicks his way to freedom and it’s back to Ishii to clean house. A pair of suplexes gets two on Taven but Bennett is back in with the Hail Mary…but Ishii pops back up. Everything breaks down again and Ishii’s brainbuster sets up a top rope knee to Bennett’s back. Taven makes the save and hits the frog splash before all four are knocked down.

They all get up for the slugout with the champs getting the better of the exchange of strikes. O’Reilly is back up with some kicks of his own, setting up Ishii’s super brainbuster. Chasing The Dragon gets two with Taven having to make the save. O’Reilly and Bennett fight over a suplex but here are Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis to interrupt. The distraction lets Bennett hit a low blow to retain the titles at 19:41.

Rating: B. The biggest problem here was the lack of drama, as it was really hard to buy the idea that a new team was going to take the titles here. The Undisputed Kingdom isn’t a great team but they’ve been champions for a long time and it is going to take some time to get the titles off of them. Ishii and O’Reilly did well, but they aren’t a regular team and probably shouldn’t have gotten the shot here, as it made all of the other tag matches coming into the show feel worthless.

We recap Leyla Hirsch vs. Diamante. They hate each other, they’ve had a bunch of matches, tonight it’s a Texas Death Match.

Diamante vs. Leyla Hirsch

Texas Death Match, meaning submission or Last Man Standing rules to win (again, not a Texas Death Match but it’s what Tony Khan calls it). Diamante jumps her on the ramp to start fast and throws her off the stage and through a table for nine. They go to the ring where Diamante sends in a bunch of chairs. Hirsch is tied in the Tree of Woe and one of the chairs is dropkicked into her face.

The bloody Hirsch comes back with a chair shot of her own to take get a breather and the now bleeding Diamante is sent into a chair in the corner as well. The thumbtacks are poured out and a sunset German superplex sends Diamante crashing into them for the nasty landing. Hirsch’s moonsault only hits tacks though (geez), allowing Diamante to grab some duct tape to attach Hirsch to the rope. Diamante whips out a shoe to keep up the beating and then grabs a shoe with tacks embedded.

The tacks go into Hirsch’s head and, since she’s tied up, Diamante can set up a bunch of chairs and a barbed wire board. Diamante has to loosen her up to do anything though, allowing Hirsch to hit a Samoan drop through the board. It’s ladder time and let’s throw in a table as well. That takes WAY too long to set up but Hirsch manages to tape Diamante to the table and go up for a huge moonsault off the top of the ladder through said table for the win at 15:39.

Rating: B-. Maybe it was the fact that we just saw them have a hardcore match a few weeks ago or how long it took to set up a bunch of the spots but I couldn’t get into this one. The bleeding made things more interesting and it was certainly intense, but this missed that high level for some reason. It kind of felt like violence for violence’s sake, and when I just saw the thumbtacks and bleeding in Blood & Guts on Wednesday, this didn’t have the same impact.

We recap the Pure Rules Title match, with Lee Moriarty surviving a Proving Ground match to earn the shot. This is Wheeler Yuta’s first title defense since January.

Pure Rules Title: Wheeler Yuta vs. Lee Moriarty

Yuta is defending and they waste no time in going to the grappling. Moriarty takes him down and cranks on the arm, even throwing in a bicep pose. Yuta reverses into a leglock and Moriarty has to use his first break. A headscissors slows Moriarty down even more and Yuta switches over to a hammerlock. Moriarty reverses into a hold of his own and Yuta uses his own break to even things up.

Yuta backs him into the corner and tries to sneak in a right hand but gets caught, earning his official warning. Moriarty uses the distraction to get in a right hand of his own and since this is a Pure Rules match, it’s absolutely devastating. Yuta is back up with an armbar to make Moriarty use his second break. Back up and they slug it out with Moriarty grabbing a suplex to take over.

Moriarty catches him on top again and grabs a top rope superplex for the big crash and a double down. Back up and Moriarty punches him (official warning) into the Border City Stretch, with Yuta using his second rope break. They fight to the apron and crash out to the floor for another double breather. Back in and Moriarty faceplants him down, with Yuta’s shoulder giving him trouble.

A neck and arm crank makes Yuta use his last rope break. Yuta puts on a quick Cattle Mutilation and Moriarty burns his last break as well. Moriarty muscles him up for a crash down onto the apron and out to the floor, only to have Yuta come back in with a Fujiwara armbar. That’s reverses into a rollup with Moriarty using the ropes (legal, as they were out of rope breaks) to steal the pin and the title at 19:57.

Rating: B. They were going back and forth and it was a technical showcase, but it’s kind of hard to suddenly get interested in a title that hasn’t been defended in almost seven months. It doesn’t help that neither guy is all that interesting in the first place and it added up to a match where I was interested in some of the things that we being done but not the people doing them.

We recap Billie Starkz defending the Women’s TV Title against Red Velvet. Starkz cheated to win the title and Velvet doesn’t like it, so it’s time to come after the belt herself.

Women’s TV Title: Billie Starkz vs. Red Velvet

Starkz is defending. Velvet starts by hammering on the ribs, only to have Starkz grab her by the hair to take over. An electric chair drop onto the top turnbuckle rocks Velvet and Starkz ties her in the Tree Of Woe. After Velvet crashes back down, Starkz chops away in the corner and gets in some choking. A suplex out of the corner gives Velvet two and her belly to back gets two.

Velvet grabs a DDT for two more and there’s a running knee to the back of the head against the ropes. Starkz gets in a quick shot and goes up but a super victory roll gives Velvet two. Another knockdown lets Starkz grab a choke, followed by a brainbuster onto the knee for two more. Starkz: “I’m gonna kill you!” Riccaboni: “You’ll go to jail if you do that.” Velvet slips out and hits the Mix for two.

They go up top and Starkz is knocked to the floor, where she injures her neck again. Commentary doesn’t buy it and since it’s a real, legitimate injury, the medics put her back inside. Starkz is of course fine and hits a knee to the head to drop Velvet again. Velvet pops up and then plays dead, setting up a slam off the middle rope. The flipping faceplant (basically Natural Selection) gives Velvet the pin and the title at 14:53.

Rating: B. Thankfully they didn’t go too far with the faked injury as it would have been terrible to see Velvet fall for the obvious ruse. Velvet winning is a nice moment, though it’s hard to get around the idea of thinking of her as the woman obsessed with cooking. Athena and her Minions had to lose something though and this works as well as anything else.

We recap the Dark Order vs. Dustin Rhodes/the Von Erichs. This is for a spot in the Six Man Tag Team Title match at tomorrow’s Battle Of The Belts, which has so much wrong with it that I don’t know where to start. Other than that, it’s an established team vs. three Texans.

Dark Order vs. Dustin Rhodes/Von Erichs

The Order jumps them to start and the fight heads to the floor, with none of the six in the ring as the opening bell rings. We settle down to Ross Sling Blading Uno and it’s off to Marshall for a slam on Silver. Everything breaks down and Dustin clotheslines Reynolds to the floor. Uno uses the distraction to get in a cowbell shot to Ross and the slow beating begins.

Ross manages to flip out of a double belly to back suplex though and it’s Marshall coming back in to clean house. The villains cut him off and knocks him to the floor though, with Uno’s suplex into a front facelock keeping him in trouble. Rhodes tries to make a save but gets sent into the steps, allowing the Order to mock the cowboy hat. Back in and a piledriver gets two on Marshall but Reynolds misses a moonsault.

Marshall powerslams his way out of trouble and it’s back to Rhodes to clean house. Cross Rhodes gets two on Reynolds with Uno making the save. Everything breaks down and Marshall is sent over the barricade, leaving Dustin to get enziguried into a Stunner into a bridging German suplex for two. Rhodes slips out of a Shattered Dreams attempt and hits a Canadian Destroyer into his own Shattered Dreams. Well the attempt at least as Silver breaks it up, only to get clawed by Marshall. The Claw goes on as Rhodes hits Shattered Dreams into the Final Reckoning to finish Reynolds at 14:22.

Rating: C. Remember how I said it was hard to get interested in a hardcore match when I saw Diamante and Leyla Hirsch have a street fight a few weeks ago? Well it was even harder when I saw the Von Erichs and the Order have a match this week on the regular Ring Of Honor show. It also doesn’t help that the Von Erichs are still not that interesting and that was on full display here.

Post match Katsuyori Shibata comes out to praise the Von Erichs.

We recap the TV Title match, which is a six way elimination match without much in the way of a setup.

TV Title: Atlantis Jr. vs. Johnny TV vs. Lio Rush vs. Shane Taylor vs. Brian Cage vs. Lee Johnson

Atlantis Jr. is defending and this is under elimination rules. Rush knocks Atlantis to the floor to start and hits a big slingshot dive to take him down fast. The villains consider an alliance but it winds up with Cage and Taylor trading clotheslines and neither going down. Atlantis is back in to take over on Cage and send him outside. Rush gets caught in an inverted Gory Special but Rush slips out and hits a Stunner for two.

Johnson is back in with a neckbreaker and kick to the chest for two but TV is in to rake Johnson’s eyes. TV is back in for a superkick to Taylor, who chokebombs him for two. Back in and Rush dodges Taylor until Taylor hits a running shooting star press for two of his own. Atlantis gets back up and hits a suicide dive onto Taylor, setting up Johnson’s big running flip dive. TV adds his own big flip dive and Cage hits one of his own. Taylor’s dive is cut off and everyone goes after him for the big beatdown. Taylor cleans house but gets knocked down, setting up Rush’s frog splash to get rid of Taylor at 9:52.

Johnson avoids another frog splash and grabs the Big Shot Drop for the elimination of Rush at 11:24. TV and Cage stomp Johnson down in the corner and a double suplex gets two, despite the referee’s hand hitting the mat a third time. The beating is on in the corner again until Johnson sends TV out to the floor. Back in and a powerbomb/Flying Chuck combination gets rid of Johnson at 15:01.

TV sends Cage to the floor bu Atlantis is back up with the chops. Cage grabs the apron superplex to plant Atlantis but Taya Valkyrie comes in for a distraction. The low blow staggers Cage, who is right back with the Drill Claw to get rid of TV at 18:24. We’re down to Cage vs. Atlantis for the title and Cage nails a discus lariat. The Drill Claw is loaded up but Atlantis reverses into a cradle to retain at 19:00.

Rating: B. The action was good and there were some cool spots, but I’m still having trouble getting into Atlantis. He’s still just kind of there but happens t have a title. I could still go for Johnson to win the title and finally get somewhere, but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. Odds are someone wins it back in Mexico, but for now, just another long match on a long show full of them.

We recap Athena vs. Queen Aminata for the Women’s Title. Athena has been champion for the better part of ever but has been faking a knee injury. Aminata doesn’t like this and is coming for the title.

Women’s Title: Athena vs. Queen Aminata

Athena is defending and gets a big intro from Lexi Nair, telling a story about a legendary warrior’s destiny. They go to the mat with Aminata not being able to break Athena’s bridge. Athena sends her outside and hits the running dive and adds a ram into the barricade. The running knees only hit steps but so does Aminata’s running hip attack.

A gordbuster plants Aminata on the floor but she chops away back inside. Aminata strikes her down and hits a running boot in the ropes. A double stomp gets two on Athena, who is back up with the big right hand for two. Aminata is back up with a German suplex into the corner but a springboard spinning…I think stomp misses.

They forearm it out until Athena pulls her into a half crab, which she swaps out for a crossface. That’s broken up too so Athena throws her over the top and onto the steps. Back in and the O Face retains the title at 20:03 as the seemingly never ending reign is going to continue.

Rating: B-. I can go with Athena retaining the title over Aminata but Athena has to lose that thing sooner or later. That being said, Aminata winning the title wouldn’t have been the best fit. She is only starting to get over her pretty lame start in AEW/Ring Of Honor and having her get the huge win would seem weird. Someone is going to have to beat Athena at some point but Aminata didn’t feel like the right choice.

We recap the World Title match, with Roderick Strong winning a #1 contenders match and then attacking Mark Briscoe.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Mark Briscoe vs. Roderick Strong

Briscoe is defending and they take their time to start. Strong takes over on the mat but Briscoe slips out and it’s an early standoff. They head to the floor with Briscoe sending him into the barricade but the Froggy Bow hits raised knees back inside. Back up and Strong strikes away in the corner, only for Briscoe to fire off some chops.

A running big boot staggers Strong again and he goes outside, where Briscoe hits a running dropkick through the ropes. They fight back to the apron where Briscoe is rammed into the steel to give us some blood. Strong grabs a backbreaker into an Angle Slam into anther backbreaker. The Stronghold sends the rather bloody Briscoe over to the ropes. Briscoe makes the clothesline comeback and goes up, only to get super Angle Slammed back down for two more.

We get the required exchange of strikes with Briscoe getting the better of things. The Jay Driller is broken up and cue the Kingdom, with Mike Bennett getting in a belt shot for two. The Sick Kick gives Strong two so here is the Conglomeration to chase the Kingdom off. Briscoe fights up again and they head up top, where Strong gets knocked bard hard. The Froggy Bow retains the title at 19:30.

Rating: B. This felt as big as it could have on such short notice. There was almost no build to the match and that wasn’t going to help anything going in. While Briscoe doesn’t need to be champion and it doesn’t really add anything to him, it wouldn’t have felt right to give Strong the title either. I’m not sure if it was good enough to headline a pay per view, but it was a perfectly fine World Title match, albeit with a ton of blood.

Overall Rating: B. The theme that I kept coming back to here is the same thing that has been a problem with Ring Of Honor since its inception: so many things on here felt thrown together at the last minute. The majority of the matches either had no story or very little story (TV Title, Tag Team Titles, World Title and so on).

As is always the case: the wrestling is good because the wrestlers work hard to make the biggest shows feel important, but if you’ve watched week after week, this show felt like it was from another promotion. I would hope there was a reason to believe that is going to change, but there is nothing to indicate that is going to happen. Solid show, but not exactly the norm week to week around here.

Results
MxM Collection b. Spanish Announce Project – Centerfold to Serpentico
Marina Shafir b. Angelica Risk – Mother’s Milk
Infantry b. Griff Garrison/Anthony Henry – Boot Camp to Henry
Top Flight b. Outrunners – Faceplant to Magnum
Beast Mortos b. Komander – Spinning piledriver
Undisputed Kingdom b. Kyle O’Reilly/Tomohiro Ishii – Low blow to Ishii
Leyla Hirsch b. Diamante – Moonsault through a table
Lee Moriarty b. Wheeler Yuta – Rollup with ropes
Red Velvet b. Billie Starkz – Flipping faceplant
Dustin Rhodes/Von Erichs b. Dark Order- final Reckoning to Reynolds
Atlantis Jr. b. Shane Taylor, Johnny TV, Brian Cage, Lee Johnson and Lio Rush – Rollup to Taylor
Athena b. Queen Aminata – O Face
Mark Briscoe b. Roderick Strong – Froggy Bow

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: July 18, 2024
Location: Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We are just over a week away from Death Before Dishonor and we have three matches set, with the third being announced last week on Collision. There is a good chance that we get something announced this week, but there is always the chance that everything else is announced at the very last minute. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Roderick Strong beating Dalton Castle to become the #1 contender to the Ring Of Honor World Title. On an AEW show.

Ring Of Honor World Champion Mark Briscoe is fired up to face Strong. As he said on an AEW show.

Here are Athena, on crutches, and Billie Starkz, for a chat. Athena says she isn’t medically cleared with Starkz saying the same. Starkz outsmarted everyone to become the first Women’s TV Champion. Athena is injured but knows she can beat Queen Aminata on one foot. Next week, Lexi Nair will give Aminata five minutes of uninterrupted time. This was weird as it only seemed to announce that Aminata would have an interview next week.

Dalton Castle has a six man tag tonight but has no partners. The Outrunners come in and say they’ll be his partners, even if Castle doesn’t remember meeting them before. Some posing convinces him to say yes.

Outrunners/Dalton Castle vs. Lance Archer/Righteous

Castle powers Vincent into the corner to start and they go with some grappling. It’s off to Dutch vs. Floyd, with Dutch breaking up the posing. Magnum comes in to stat on the arm but Archer breaks that up without much trouble. Some clotheslines keep Magnum in trouble and Vincent’s backsplash gets two.

Archer comes in to stomp away before Vincent adds a basement Downward Spiral. Magnum suplexes his way out of a chinlock though and it’s back to Castle to clean house. A delayed German suplex gets two on Vincent but Archer comes in to break up the Bang A Rang. Floyd breaks out of a chokeslam, only to have Archer hit the Blackout for the win at 9:41.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine six man here and thankfully they had one of the comedy goofs take the fall over Castle. The Outrunners and Castle are not a bad pairing and probably the best that can be done with Castle now that the Boys are gone. If nothing else, it gives three charismatic people something to do and that is always fun to see.

The MxM Collection is all about the three F’s: fashion, fitness and philanthropy.

Red Velvet vs. Maya World

World is Athena’s student. Velvet takes her down with a headlock to start but World is back up to work on the arm. World sends her into the corner to strike away but Velvet is back with a Japanese armdrag. A flapjack into a not great nip up sets up something like Natural Selection to finish World at 2:54.

Here is Evil Uno in street clothes to issue an open challenge to anyone from any promotion.

Evil Uno vs. Katsuyori Shibata

They lock up to start and Uno bails to the floor early on. Shibata pulls him into a quickly broken chinlock and Uno manages to knock him outside. A whip into the barricade has Shibata in trouble for a change but some chops just annoy him back inside. Shibata kicks him in the face and, after some stomping in the corner, the running corner dropkick makes it even worse. A cross armbreaker sends Uno over to the ropes….but Uno is hurt and the match is stopped at 5:01.

Rating: C. This wasn’t exactly a great match before the sudden ending, as Shibata more or less squashed him for about four minutes. That’s all this was ever going to be as Shibata is that much of a bigger star and I can’t imagine this was going to get much more time. It felt more like a way to get Shibata back in the ring after the Learning Tree stuff and this was…well I won’t say good but it could have been worse.

Cage Of Agony vs. Rustin Mulitalo/Cappuccino Jones/Carson Hutcheson

Mulitalo tries to jump Liona from behind to start and is promptly destroyed for his efforts. Kaun comes in to hammer away and Cage adds his standing fall away slam. Hutcheson comes in and gets suplexed, setting up some running splashes in the corner. A toss jackknife gives Kaun the pin at 2:35. Total decimation.

Shane Taylor talks about sitting out a hurricane and not getting a single call from AEW or ROH. If it was one of the bigger stars, they would have gotten a call, so he’s coming for those bigger stars. Like Mark Briscoe.

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

Queen Aminata vs. Mackenzie Morgan

Aminata wastes no time in snapping off some suplexes and then drives her hard into the corner. A running Air Raid Crash finishes Morgan off at 1:43.

Diamante vs. Leyla Hirsch

Lights Out, meaning No Holds Barred. Hirsch snaps off some throws to start and they head outside. Diamante puts a trashcan over Hirsch’s head and hammers away but Hirsch is right back up and takes it into the crowd. Hirsch is sent into the barricade and crushed against it for two back inside. To mix it up a bit, Hirsch whips out a plunger and puts it onto Diamante’s face, much to the fans’ approval.

A running dropkick sends a chair into Diamante’s face in the corner and it’s time for the thumbtacks. That takes too long so Diamante gets in a suplex to put Hirsch into the tacks. They go to the apron, with Hirsch swinging away with a kendo stick. Diamante is laid on the table for a top rope moonsault through it, meaning it’s time for another table. Hirsch loads up a superplex through the table but Diamante reverses into a Code Blue to put Hirsch through the table for the pin at 12:23.

Rating: B-. It was a heck of a fight and while it might not have been as epic of a feud as Ring Of Honor seemed to present it as being, it did just fine for what they were trying to do. These two beat each other up, though Hirsch dominated such a long stretch that it was weird to see her get caught with pretty much one big move at the end. That being said, why in the world was this not at Death Before Dishonor? It was a hard hitting fight with an actual story. Why put it on this nothing show when your PPV card barely exists?

Overall Rating: C. Just like last week, this added pretty much nothing to the pay per view and gave me no reason to want to watch it. As usual, they’ll add in probably another eight or so matches with just a few days to go and then act like it’s some major event, which does not work in the slightest but it’s all you’re going to get around here. This week’s show was slightly better than last week, but other than maybe the main event, there is nothing worth seeing here.

Results
Lance Archer/Righteous b. Dalton Castle/Outrunners – Blackout to Floyd
Red Velvet b. Maya World – Flipping cutter
Katsuyori Shibata b. Evil Uno via referee stoppage
Cage Of Agony b. Rustin Mulitalo/Cappuccino Jones/Carson Hutcheson – Toss jackknife to Hutcheson
Queen Aminata b. Mackenzie Morgan – Running Air Raid Crash
Diamante b. Leyla Hirsch – Code Red through a table

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: July 4, 2024
Location: PPL Center, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re rapidly approaching Death Before Dishonor and there are a few matches you can probably guess from here, though nothing has been announced. In this case, there is a good chance that we will see some of them officially set, though some of the titles do not exactly have apparent challengers. Let’s get to it.

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

The Infantry welcomes us to the show, which they will be hosting. After confirming that this isn’t about the Will Smith movie, they send us to the opening sequence.

Opening sequence.

Dark Order vs. Bang Bang Gang

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if the Dark Order wins or survives the time limit, they get a future title shot. Oddly enough, this is the Juice Robinson/Gunns version of the team, meaning they can have a Proving Ground match but not defend the titles. Austin and Uno trade shoulders to start with Austin being taken into the Order corner. Everything breaks down and the Gang misses triple splashes in the corner, allowing the Order to hammer away.

Colten gets caught in a triple pose, with Robinson breaking it up for a distraction. That’s enough for Colten to take over on Reynolds in the corner with a snap suplex getting two. Robinson’s clothesline gets the same and we hit the chinlock. Reynolds fights up and hits a neckbreaker, allowing the tag to Uno to pick up the pace. The Gang all wind up in 619 position and get kicked in the head for two on Robinson. Reynolds kicks Robinson to the floor but walks into 3:10 to Yuma to give the Gang the pin at 7:23.

Rating: C+. That’s about the ceiling for the Dark Order and it isn’t a bad idea. They tested the champions just enough before the loss and that’s all they should have done. The Gang is better than the Dark Order and there was no reason to set up a title match. Perfectly fine stuff here and it didn’t overstay its welcome.

The Infantry talk about the rest of the card.

We look at Atlantis Jr. winning the Ring Of Honor TV Title in Arena Mexico. Fletcher wants a rematch.

Athena and the Minions have recruited Tony Deppen (not named) as their security guard. Queen Aminata and Red Velvet come in to say that Aminata is getting the Women’s Title shot against the still injured Athena at Death Before Dishonor. Billie Starkz will defend the North American Title against Velvet too. Athena wants Tony Khan. Those are the matches you knew were coming.

The Infantry talks about various places in Washington DC and plug Honor Club.

Komander/Metalik vs. Kingdom

Another Proving Ground match. Taven chops Komander to start but misses a splash in the corner. Komander strikes away but Bennett comes in for the double teaming. That’s broken up and Komander hands it off to Metalik for the rope walk dropkick and two on Bennett. Everything breaks down and Metalik hits a dive to take both of them down on the floor. Komander adds a springboard moonsault to drop the champs again as commentary is getting into this.

Back in and Metalik gets catapulted into a kick to the head from Taven as we get the five minute call (which we didn’t get in the first match). A sunset bomb gets Metalik out of trouble and it’s back to Komander to pick up the pace. Komander hits a tornado DDT to plant Taven and Cielito Lindo gets two with Bennett making the save. An assisted moonsaults the same, albeit without the save this time. Back up and Rockstar Supernova out of nowhere gives Taven the pin at 8:05.

Rating: B-. This was about as good as it was going to be as Komander and Metalik might as well have been “and here are our resident luchadors”. That is a team who can do well enough with just about anyone and it worked well enough here. The Kingdom really needs some fresh challengers though and I don’t quite see these two as those challenges.

Mason Madden and Mansoor, the MxM Collection, are coming.

The Infantry go to Mount Rushmore and hype Death Before Dishonor.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Lee Moriarty

Another Proving Ground match under Pure Rules as Ring Of Honor remembers Yuta is a thing around here. Yuta takes him down for an ankle crank to start before hitting a basement dropkick for two. Back up and Yuta cranks on a cravate but Moriarty reverses into an armbar. Moriarty even bridges back onto the arm for a rather nasty looking bend. The cross arm choke has Yuta in more trouble but he reverses into the elbows, with Moriarty needing his first rope break.

Yuta snaps off a German suplex for two but Moriarty pulls him into the Border City Stretch. That means Yuta has to use his first rope with less than three minutes to go. The Stretch goes on again and is quickly reversed into a cradle to leave them both down with under two minutes to go. They trade rollups for two each and keep going with a minute left. The reversals go on for over a minute until they slug it out as time expires at 10:00. Therefore, Moriarty gets a future title shot.

Rating: B-. This is only the second time a challenger has survived a Proving Ground match and that is a great thing to see. The concept is still overused but having it actually set up a title match, likely at the pay per view, is a good thing. At the same time though, the six month hiatus of the title which didn’t really seem to matter is a very bad sign for the whole thing. It just doesn’t feel important and that is something they might want to address. Like say by getting rid of the thing.

Post match Yuta stares Moriarty down but Shane Taylor Promotions scare him off to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Well it certainly felt somewhat more important. The show was taking place on the Fourth of July so it wasn’t like it was going to be drawing a huge audience in the first place. They set some things up for Death Before Dishonor, though not having a World Title match with three shows left before the pay per view is not a great look. They felt like they went with the easiest path this week and that makes sense given the circumstances of the holiday, plus what needed to get done.

Results
Bang Bang Gang b. Dark Order – 3:10 to Yuma to Reynolds
Kingdom b. Komander/Metalik – Rockstar Supernova to Komander
Wheeler Yuta vs. Lee Moriarty went to a time limit draw

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Rampage
Date: June 28, 2024
Location: PPL Center, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni

We are two days away from Forbidden Door and that means the card is mostly set up. While there is a chance that we could see something else for the pay per view, there is a good chance that we are going to be seeing a few minor pushes towards Sunday and little more. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Orange Cassidy vs. Outrunners

Cassidy works on Magnum’s arm to start and then mocks the double bicep pose. Floyd comes in and manages a running shoulder to drop Cassidy, meaning we get the REAL double bicep. Back up and Cassidy knocks both of them down, setting up the double dropkick. The referee almost gets hit but gets hugged instead, with the distraction causing Cassidy to get caught in a double belly to back suplex. A double slam gives the Outrunners two but Cassidy rams them into each other. Floyd is sent outside for a dive and the high crossbody hits Magnum. The Orange Punch gives Cassidy the pin on Magnum at 6:05.

Rating: C. That’s quite the odd choice to give Cassidy a win on his way into a showdown with a technical master like Zack Sabre Jr. The Outrunners are little more than a couple of comedy goofs and it isn’t a bit deal to see Cassidy beat them. Nothing much to see here and I’m not sure I get the thinking behind this one.

The Learning Tree has a new partner for the six man tag at Forbidden Door and we’ll find out who it is on Collision.

Gabe Kidd/Roderick Strong vs. Infantry

The Kingdom and Trish Adora are here too. Kidd runs Bravo over with a shoulder to start and it’s Strong coming in for some hard chops in the corner. Strong gets caught in the wrong corner but cuts Dean off with a backbreaker as we take a break. Back with Dean caught in the wrong corner but a missed double clothesline allows the diving tag to Bravo. A slingshot cutter gets two on Kidd and there’s an ax kick to put him down again. Strong breaks up Boot Camp though and Kidd hits a quick piledriver to pin Bravo at 6:27. Not enough shown to rate but it was a competitive enough match.

There is going to be a Brodie Lee commemorative shoe.

TNT Title Qualifying Match: El Phantasmo vs. AR Fox

They run the ropes to start until Phantasmo snaps off a headscissors into a dropkick. A very springboardy hurricanrana takes Fox down but he avoids a dive and knocks Phantasmo outside. The big dive connects but Phantasmo is back up with a running forearm. An atomic drop into a Russian legsweep has Fox down as Nigel notices the Bret Hart homage. Phantasmo’s Lionsault gets two but Fox enziguris him into a twisting brainbuster. Fox puts him up top but takes too long, allowing Phantasmo to come back with a middle rope Canadian Destroyer. A faceplant finishes for Phantasmo at 5:24.

Rating: B-. Nice, fast paced match here, though it’s kind of hard to get behind the idea that Fox is going to win anything of value. Phantasmo is the New Japan representative in the title match, though it’s hard to imagine that he is going to win. For now though, I’ll take a pretty good match on TV with two talented stars.

Deonna Purrazzo is ready for the Owen Hart Tournament and her first round match against Hikaru Shida.

Dalton Castle vs. Shingo Takagi

They fight over a lockup to start until Takagi runs him over and we take an early break. Back with Takagi hitting a backsplash and driving in some elbows to the head. Castle is back up with a suplex and a spinning elbow to the head, followed by a reverse Sling Blade for two. Takagi grabs a Gory Bomb into a DDT, setting up Made In Japan to finish Castle at 7:49.

Rating: C+. The more I see Castle out there doing his awesome stuff, if nothing else his entrance, the more amazed I am that he is little more than a jobber to the stars. I know his back is messed up, but how do you look at someone with his unique set of talents and have nothing better for him? It’s one of the bigger shames in AEW and while I’d love to believe that it’s going to get better, it’s hard to believe that is a realistic option.

Saraya isn’t worried about Mariah May.

Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata

They start fast with Blue missing a big boot and getting German suplexed for an early two. An exchange of rollups doesn’t go anywhere so Aminata grabs a pair of vertical suplexes. Back up and Blue hits some running knees to put Aminata outside, setting up the dive to the floor.

We take a break and come back with Aminata hitting a PK for two, followed by a heck of a running boot against the rope. Another suplex on the apron rocks Blue but the running hip attack only hits the steps. Blue suplexes her off the steps for a change of pace and a near fall back inside. Skyfall is broken up and Aminata headbutts her for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: C+. What an odd choice for a main event. There is almost nothing going on with these two, at least in AEW, and yet they get the main event slot and longest match on the show. Aminata seems likely to be in line for a Women’s Title match in Ring Of Honor, but I’m not sure why she is getting this kind of a spot on a pay per view weekend.

Aminata tries to show respect post match but gets superkicked for her efforts. Red Velvet runs in for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. In theory this was a preview for Forbidden Door with some other stuff thrown in, though Kidd isn’t on the pay per view card at the moment and Phantasmo is going to be one of a bunch of people in a ladder match. In other words, this was the usual somewhat random assortment of matches that tends to fill out Rampage. It’s not a bad show at all, but there were a few times where I was wondering why something was taking place.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Outrunners – Orange Punch to Magnum
Gabe Kidd/Roderick Strong b. Infantry – Piledriver to Bravo
El Phantasmo b. AR Fox – Faceplant
Shingo Takagi b. Dalton Castle – Made In Japan
Queen Aminata b. Skye Blue – Headbutt

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: June 20, 2024
Location: Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s time for a double title show this week as the Tag Team and TV Titles are on the line, with the latter in a 2/3 falls match. Other than that, we might want to start getting ready for the Death Before Dishonor card as the show is just over a month away. Then again it isn’t like the show is going to be announced until a week or two out so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Aaron Solo vs. Titan

They shake hands to start before Titan dropkicks him out to the floor. The threat of a dive brings Solo back in though and he strikes away. Titan is back up with a high crossbody to send Solo outside again, this time with a dive connecting. Back in and Solo slowly hammers away but Titan fights up for the chop off. A jumping kick to the head drops Solo but a top rope double stomp misses. Solo hits his own double stomp for two and nails a superkick, only to have Titan kick him in the face out of the corner. Now Titan’s top rope double stomp can finish at 6:20.

Rating: C+. This was just a step above a squash for Titan, as Solo isn’t exactly what I would consider a top star in any major promotion. It felt like another “hey here’s someone you might see at Forbidden Door” match and that works well enough as long as it isn’t overkill. Titan has done nicely in his few appearances and this continued that trend.

Anthony Henry/Griff Garrison/Cole Karter vs. Infantry/Sepentico

Maria and Trish Adora are here too. Henry gets caught in the wrong corner to start and the Infantry starts with the rapid fire double teaming. Karter comes in and takes Serpentico down with a clothesline, setting up and earl chinlock with Henry. A neck twist keep Serpentico down and Henry grabs another chinlock.

Serpentico fights up and grabs a hurricanrana out of the corner, allowing the tag off to Bravo. Everything breaks down and Garrison drops Dean, leaving Serpentico to hit a dive. Serpentico’s Swan Dive gets two and everyone is down. Back up and Serpentico knocks Henry down again, only to get chaired in the back by Garrison. A quick faceplant gives Henry the pin on Serpentico at 9:59.

Rating: C. I don’t know how to be subtle about this so I’ll just go with being blunt: the Garrison/Karter vs. Serpentico/Angelico feud is one of the lamest, least interesting things I have seen in wrestling in a very long time and for some reason IT JUST KEEPS GOING. There is little reason for them to be fighting anymore but here they are again because there is apparently nothing else for them to do but they must be on the show for some reason. This is one of the feuds that is making Ring Of Honor more and more annoying every time they’re on TV and for the life of me I do not get why.

Video on Kyle Fletcher vs. Lee Johnson tonight in a 2/3 falls match for the TV Title.

Here are Athena and Billie Starkz for an emergency meeting….and Athena is on crutches and in a walking boot. She’s looking at being out for 4-6 months due to some torn ligaments and she has decided that it is best or her to keep the title. Cue Queen Aminata and Red Velvet, with Aminata saying she’ll hurt Athena if the injury isn’t real in the first place. Maybe Athena is faking just like Starkz did to win her title. Starkz gets shoved down and lands on Athena, which is enough to clear everyone off. Things may change, but Athena not wrestling for months and retaining the title is not exactly a good idea.

Jacoby Watts vs. Brandon Cutler

Nick Comoroto is here with Watts, who does his usual speech, with Cutler cutting him off. Cutler isn’t sure where we are but knows the fans are stupid. Watts jumps him before the bell and the slugout is on, with Cutler grabbing a cutter. Cutler is back with a suplex but Watts grabs a swinging Downward Spiral. A Stunner finishes for Watts at 2:17. That was certainly a thing that happened.

Marina Shafir vs. Maggie Minerva

Shafir takes her down with a judo throw and cranks on the neck before choking in the corner. Minerva gets in a kick to the face but walks into a powerbomb. Mother’s Milk finishes Minerva at 2:06.

The Kingdom is tired of not being respected enough and is ready to beat 2.0.

Iron Savages/Jacked Jameson vs. Eric Eznite/Isaiah Harris/Jay Marston

Jameson starts with Eznite, who wants to pray to start the match. Jameson agrees and then decks him from behind. It’s off to Bronson, who sends him flying into the corner so Harris can come in. Harris slips off Boulder’s shoulders and hands it off to Marston, allowing Boulder to send multiple people flying. Marston is sent into Boulder’s chest and Bronson’s top rope splash finishes at 4:30.

Rating: D+. I cannot stand this team. I can’t stand their work, I can’t stand their talking, I can’t stand how they do THE EXACT SAME THING EVERY TIME THEY’RE OUT THERE and I can’t stand the fact that they have to be on this show or AEW so often. If “they’re muscular and strong but one guy has a hairy chest” is good comedy, then I would recommend taking up drama. Or just letting the three of them go because sitting through this nonsense over and over is infuriating.

Lance Archer vs. Deonn Rusman

Archer starts fast and knocks him to the floor, setting up a Black Hole Slam….for two. Rusman charges into a boot in the corner but manages a spear. Back up and Archer grabs a chokeslam, followed by the Blackout for the pin at 3:13.

Rating: C. It’s quite the choice to have your monster get speared down by someone the size of Rusman, though at least Archer came back and did his usual dominance for the win. Archer isn’t going to be a big star, but he’s a good choice for a midcard boss on the way to someone getting their chance at the bigger name. Keeping him strong is a fine way to go and that’s what they did here.

Atlantis Jr. wants a TV Title shot in Arena Mexico.

Diamante vs. Leyla Hirsch

Hirsch runs her over with a shoulder to start and then does it again, followed by a suplex. A running basement dropkick connects before Hirsch gets to hammer away in the corner. Diamanate’s gutbuster gets her out of trouble and she grabs an abdominal stretch. That’s broken up and Hirsch hits a knee to the ribs into a German suplex. The ribs give out though and Diamante hits a spear for two of her own. Hirsch is back up with a small package for the pin at 6:24.

Rating: C+. This was a good enough way to go and the extra time made it a bit better, though forgive me for not believing that this is going to be the win that gets Hirsch off the hamster wheel and into title contention. That’s one of the biggest problems with the women’s division, as Athena has made everyone else look like a middle of the road star. The TV Title might help, though I’ll believe Hirsch getting a big shot when I see it.

Post match Diamante drops her again.

Tag Team Titles: Kingdom vs. Angelo Parker/Matt Menard

The Kingdom is defending. Bennett headlocks Parker down to start and it’s quickly off to Menard, with his taped up ribs. Menard takes over on Taven’s arm and pulls him down, with Parker dropping a top rope elbow to the back. Parker gets sent outside so Menard goes after the champs outside. Back in and Taven kicks Menard in the face and grabs a suplex for two on Parker.

Just The Tip gets the same and Parker fights up, including a dropkick to put Bennett down. A neckbreaker cuts off the tag attempt but the Hail Mary is broken up. The hot tag brings in Menard to clean house, including a Boston crab to Bennett. Taven’s slaps can’t break it up so Bennett goes to the ropes instead. Double Snake Eyes into a double DDT get two on Bennett so Menard grabs the belt. The referee tries to take it away, allowing Bennett to roll him up and retain at 10:05.

Rating: C+. Well so much for that. They built up Parker trying to win the titles for the sake of his family as a feel good story and then he just loses his shot instead. I’m not saying the titles needed to change, but the Kingdom are little more than Roderick Strong’s lackeys anyway so the loss would hardly be some game changer. Not a bad match, but that finish was incredibly flat.

TV Title: Lee Johnson vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fletcher is defending and it’s 2/3 falls, with Johnson diving over the top onto the floor to take him down. A Blue Thunder Bomb gives Johnson two and Fletcher bails outside, with a big dive taking him out again. Back in and Fletcher manages a Stunner over the top rope to send Johnson to the floor for a breather. Johnson is sent into the barricade and the slow beating continues back inside.

A neckbreaker gives Johnson a quick two but Fletcher is right back with a hammerlock suplex. Johnson is back with a Death Valley Driver into a standing moonsault for two of his own. Fletcher knocks him hard to the floor but Johnson escapes a powerbomb and his a moonsault from the apron. They fight to the apron, with Fletcher hitting a brainbuster into a powerbomb back inside for two more. Back in and they fight over the Big Shot Drop until Fletcher hits another brainbuster for two another two, followed by a brainbuster for the first fall at 11:47.

Johnson says bring it so Fletcher kicks him in the chest. We pause for the doctor to check on Johnson but he’s good to go. The super brainbuster is broken up and Johnson grabs a rollup to even things up at 15:29 total. Back up and they slug it out, with Johnson getting two off a sunset flip. Johnson sends him to the floor for a sunset bomb (ok that was cool) for a nineteen count, with Fletcher diving back inside. Three straight frog splashes give Johnson two but the referee wants to check on Fletcher. The distraction lets Fletcher get in a low blow and another brainbuster to retain at 20:38 total.

Rating: B-. Best match on the show pretty handily, with Johnson continuing to look good against almost anyone. I’m assuming they’re saving the Fletcher loss for a bigger stage, but that impact might not be the same after watching him lose over and over again on AEW TV. This was a good, long match that probably could have been on Death Before Dishonor, but I get why you don’t want to run the same title match on back to back pay per views.

Overall Rating: C-. Now before people say “but the match ratings were good and that doesn’t add up”, (because someone will of course do that), this, again, wasn’t about the wrestling. This was a show that ran about 1:50:00 and A LOT of that could have been cut off for the sake of not dragging things out.

There were so many matches here that felt like they were being put on there to get an appearance out of wrestlers. That’s not a bad idea on paper, but Ring Of Honor has trotted out these same people for months on end with statements of “oh this person is building momentum and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were a champion soon”. This is probably true, save for the fact that titles change hands around here either on one of three nights a year or on AEW TV.

The same people come out there, win matches, and then someone with no experience around here will get the title shots on pay per view because that’s how Ring Of Honor works. I can live with that in smaller doses, but sitting through almost two hours of this for one rather good match is nowhere near good enough. I couldn’t stand a good chunk of this show and for the love of all things good and holy, do not let this be what the show is going to be again going forward.

Results
Titan b. Aaron Solo – Top rope double stomps
Anthony Henry/Griff Garrison/Cole Karter b. Infantry/Serpentico – Spinning faceplant to Serpentico
Jacoby Watts b. Brandon Cutler – Stunner
Marina Shafir b. Maggie Minerva – Mother’s Milk
Iron Savages/Jacked Jameson b. Eric Eznite/Isaiah Harris/Jay Marston – Top rope splash to Marston
Lance Archer b. Deonn Rusman – Blackout
Leyla Hirsch b. Diamante – Small package
Kingdom b. Matt Menard/Angelo Parker – Rollup to Menard
Kyle Fletcher b. Lee Johnson 2-1

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Ring Of Honor
Date: June 6, 2024
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

For the first time in far too long, we have a title match this week with Kyle Fletcher defending the TV Title against Dalton Castle. That alone feels like a major match and that is more than you usually get around here. Hopefully we get something else to balance things out a bit though you never can tell. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Queen Aminata vs. Mazzerati

They fight over a lockup to start until Aminata snaps off a suplex. A running leg attack knocks Mazzerati into the ropes and there’s a big kick to make it worse. With Mazzerati tied up in the ropes, Aminata hits a heck of a running dropkick and the Air Raid Crash finishes at 3:26.

Rating: C. Total squash here and that’s what it needed to be as Aminata seems likely for the next Women’s Title shot. Granted we might not know when that is going to be as Athena might be out of action for a bit due to her ankle. For now though, I can live with Aminata getting built up, as she still hasn’t won anything significant so far.

Dalton Castle looks rather relieved and apologizes to Lexi Nair for everything he has put her through lately. Johnny TV comes in to accuse Castle of stealing his sunglasses, but Castle says he has no qualm (or whatever the word is, as Castle isn’t sure) with TV. They argue over whose plans are bigger, with Lexi and Taya Valkyrie saying those are huge.

Marina Shafir vs. Amira

They circle each other to start until a kick to the chest drops Amira. She tries to kick Shafir away but gets a cartwheel instead. A suplex sets up a reverse sleeper to finish Amira at 1:45.

TV Title: Dalton Castle vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fletcher is defending and this is about seventeen minutes into the show, third from the start rather than the main event. They fight over a test of strength to start, with Fletcher quickly bailing out to the floor. Back in and Castle grabs a DDT, sending Fletcher bailing back to the floor. Fletcher knocks him hard off the apron for a crash to the floor, followed by chopping and taunting in the corner.

Castle fights back and takes him down by the arm for a needed breather. Some rolling throws have Fletcher in more trouble but he goes up, only to get crotched down. Castle hits a running knee and they’re back on the floor. Fletcher is fine enough to grab a half nelson slam to plant Castle for a change, followed by a brainbuster for two back inside. They fight over the piledriver and Bang A Rang until it’s an exchange of rollups for two each. Fletcher hits a superkick into the piledriver to retain at 12:20.

Rating: B. It was good and definitely felt like the biggest match Ring Of Honor has had in a long while. It’s nice to see Fletcher getting a win instead of jobbing on AEW TV over and over and he even beat someone with some status. That being said, why in the world would you put this in the early middle of the show instead of in the feature spot? I’m not sure I get that.

Infantry vs. Nick Comoroto/Jacoby Watts

Trish Adora is here with the Infantry. Comoroto backs Bravo into the corner to start but it’s a double hiptoss to take him down. Back up and Comoroto skins the cat for a nice power display but Walls still doesn’t want to tag in. Dean flips out of a belly to back suplex and hands it back to Bravo for a kick to the face in the corner. Watts does at least break up Boot Camp, earning him a knock to the floor. Comoroto hits a double clothesline but walks into a double superkick. A frog splash gives Dean the pin at 4:04.

Rating: C. At least Watts did a little something here, which seems to be the point of their entire story. Then again, I’m not sure I get why I’m supposed to be interested in Comoroto when he’s losing. Then again again though, having him fight valiantly in glorified handicap matches isn’t the best way to keep him as a villain. I’m not sure where they’re going here, but Comoroto is still looking like a potential star.

Lee Johnson challenges Kyle Fletcher for a TV Title shot. Fletcher comes in and towers over Johnson, saying he has to get to the back of the line. Johnson has lost to him twice, but he believes he can beat Fletcher 2/3 falls. The champ is on.

Billie Starkz vs. Zamaya

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning that if Zamaya (her hair is tall) wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot. Starkz takes her down for some taunting shots to the head, followed by a release German suplex. They head outside with Starkz sending her into the barricade for some hard stomping. Back in and Starkz kicks her down, setting up the Swanton for the pin at 3:29.

Rating: C. Another total squash here with Starkz getting another win on her way to a likely title showdown with Red Velvet. Starkz hasn’t been champion that long but it wouldn’t stun me to see her lose so soon. At the same time, it’s nice to see her getting a win, even if it comes at the expense of some incredible hair.

Post match Red Velvet comes in to scare Starkz off but Queen Aminata comes in to send her back inside so Velvet can get in some revenge for last week’s attack.

Griff Garrison/Cole Karter/Johnny TV vs. Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages vs. Dark Order

And this is your main event. Silver and Jameson have a pose off before the bell and Jameson jumps him for not getting the proper crowd reaction. Bronson comes in to elbow Uno in the face as commentary goes into a Who’s On First routine. Everything breaks down fast and Garrison/Karter get to pose.

We settle down to Uno getting stomped down in the corner, with Garrison/Karter mocking the Dark Order’s tagging technique. Uno finally slips over for the rather cold to Reynolds for the house cleaning. Everything breaks down again and TV helps his partners up for some staggering poses. The Savages are back up to clear things out but Reynolds dives off the top with a cutter. The Order breaks that up and hit the triple flipping slam to pin Jameson at 6:07.

Rating: C+. It was certainly energetic and the most popular team won, but this was also the latest wild match with so many people running around that almost no one got to stand out. That made things all the more of a mess, as the Savages/Jameson managed to fall again. Karter/Garrison aren’t much better, as they don’t even have Maria around to make thins better these days.

Overall Rating: C+. The TV Title match was good, but other than that, there was not exactly much t keep up the interest. They’re still building up Velvet and Aminata as title challengers but we’re pretty much ready for the title matches to happen already. Other than that, there wasn’t much going on here, though Fletcher vs. Johnson in a 2/3 falls match should be good. Just give us some more interesting stories throughout the card. It shouldn’t be that difficult.

Results
Queen Aminata b. Mazzerati – Air Raid Crash
Marina Shafir b. Amira – Reverse sleeper
Kyle Fletcher b. Dalton Castle – Piledriver
Infantry b. Nick Comoroto/Jacoby Watts – Frog splash to Comoroto
Billie Starkz b. Zamaya – Swanton Bomb
Dark Order b. Griff Garrison/Cole Karter/Johnny TV and Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages – Triple flipping slam to Jameson

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.