Ring Of Honor
Date: November 14, 2024
Location: Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, Rhode Island
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re closing in on Final Battle but since there is probably more than a month to go before the show, nothing has been announced just yet. Odds are we’ll be seeing some seeds being planted soon though and that might start this week. Last week’s show was a bit more structured than usual so hopefully the trend continues here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Card rundown.

Gates Of Agony vs. Undisputed Kingdom vs. Dark Order vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Kaun takes Taven down to start and hammers away but Taven is back up with a dropkick and the shout of his name. Bennett comes in and gets chopped down before some rapid fire chops let the Order knock Gibson down. It’s off to Drake for a step up dropkick to send Reynolds to the floor. Back in and Taven gets the tag to clean house, with Bennett’s Death Valley Driver setting up Just The Tip for two on Gibson. The Gates are back in with Open The Gates to Bennett before Silver gets to take over for a change. A quick Hail Mary gives Bennett the pin on Silver at 5:37.

Rating: C+. What are you supposed to get out of an eight man match that doesn’t even last six minutes? The Kingdom was the last team to go on a big run of offense and got the win as a result. As usual, this would have been better as a regular tag match, but it’s not like any of these teams are likely to get near the title situation anytime soon.

Post match respect is shown between the Gates and the Kingdom.

Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara vs. Shot Through The Heart

Non-title. Rhodes and Doug (as in Love Doug, because his name is Love Doug) with Rhodes shrugging off some early right hands to take over on Crawford. Guevara comes in and flips over him before hitting a dropkick to send Crawford outside. There’s the big flip dive, followed by the middle rope cutter back inside. Rhodes kicks Crawford in the face and the GTH finishes him off at 2:43. As usual, Rhodes and Guevara show absolutely nothing that makes them feel important or better than any average team.

Post match the Righteous come in and beat down Guevara and Rhodes. We get extra serious as the cowbell is used, as well as STOLEN.

We get Chris Jericho and the Learning Tree’s promo from Dynamite accepting a challenge from Tomohiro Ishii.

Preston Vance/Griff Garrison vs. Waves And Curls

Vance shoulders Jordan (of Traevon Jordan/Jaylen Brandyn) down to start and gets in another knockdown for a bonus. Brandyn comes in and lays down rather than get chopped in what might be a smart move. It’s off to Garrison to stomp away and before Vance adds a delayed vertical suplex, allowing commentary to make a Power And Glory comparison (because Power And Glory has become a great team over the years….somehow). Jordan is sent into the barricade, followed by a discus forearm into a discus lariat to give Vance the pin at 4:19.

Rating: C. Vance and Garrison aren’t exactly a great team but it’s not like either of them have anything going at the moment. I’m assuming Cole Karter is gone or something, as Vance was just thrown in there as Garrison’s new partner. It’s not a great move, but they did well enough in their first match together.

Video on the Infantry joining Shane Taylor Promotions.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Aaron Solo

Solo, Shibata’s student, jumps him before the bell and seems rather pleased as he suplexes Shibata on the floor. Shibata comes up favoring his ankle but it’s fine enough to kick Solo in the face. Shibata’s suplex drops Solo and they head inside with Shibata striking away. Some chops in the corner and a butterfly suplex drop Solo but he’s back with an exploder for two of his own. That’s not going to work for Shibata, who grabs an Octopus for the win at 4:01.

Rating: C+. They started fast here and had a physical match until Shibata crushed Solo, which is how this should have gone in the end. It’s also a match where they didn’t waste time, as there was no reason to believe that Solo was going to be able to hang in there long term. Shibata doesn’t have much going on at the moment, but he’s still far ahead of Solo.

Komander vs. Josh Woods

Mark Sterling is here with Woods and says the same thing he says every week (if not twice). Woods wrestles him to the mat to start but Komander is back up with a whip to the floor, setting up the flip dive. Another dive seems to hurt Komander’s knee so Sterling gets in some stomping of his own like a good villain is supposed to do.

Some Sterling choking (with Alex Abrahantes chasing him off) sets up a quickly broken chinlock as Komander kicks him in the head. A springboard crossbody gives Komander two but Woods knees him out of the air for two. They head outside again with Komander hitting a hurricanrana into the post. Sterling offers a distraction so Abrahantes spears him own, leaving Komander to grab a tornado DDT. Cielito Lindo finishes for Komander at 6:37.

Rating: C+. That’s your required Komander match of the week, though it’s not a great sign when the fans are reacting to the managers fighting more than the people in the match. Other than that, neither of them did anything out of their usual, which didn’t make for the most thrilling match. At least it didn’t go on far longer than it needed to, as is Komander’s custom.

MxM Collection has merch.

Abadon vs. Viva Van

Van goes with a slap rather than a handshake to start before snapping off a spinwheel kick for two. Abadon gets annoyed at the hair pull though and hits a knee to the face. An RKO plants Van and the Black Dahlia finishes Van at 3:06.

Rating: C. Not much to see here as they kept it short again, though this was longer than most of what Abadon tends to do. Abadon continues to feel like a star, though that doesn’t mean guaranteed future gold. For now, I’ll take a fairly hard hitting match which was a step more competitive than a normal squash.

Athena and Lexi Nair are waiting for Billie Starkz to apologize but she doesn’t want to do it. Leila Grey interrupts and challenges Athena, who laughs her off. A Proving Ground match is set for next week. Starkz is still in trouble though.

From March 16, 2023 and from a previous review.

Athena vs. Hyan

Another non-title Proving Ground match. Athena drops her to start and mocks the fans a bit, only to get kicked in the face for her rudeness. A swinging chokeslam cuts Hyan down again but she fights out of a chinlock. Athena catches her on top and spins into a powerbomb to the floor (ouch). Back in and the Crossface makes Hyan tap at 4:41.

Rating: C. They didn’t have time to do much here and a lot of that was spent on Athena playing to the fans. That powerbomb looked good though and Athena ran through an opponent who shouldn’t have caused her much trouble. This was little more than a showcase for Athena and in that regard, it went well.

Righteous vs. Matt Raymond/Sammy Diaz

Dutch has the cowbell from earlier. Diaz slugs away to start but gets elbowed in the face for his efforts. A Russian legsweep allows the tag off to Dutch for a Side Effect. Dutch suplexes Diaz down and it’s a Boss Man Slam into Orange Sunshine into an assisted Death Valley Driver to pin Diaz at 2:55.

Post match Vincent says they should have been the Tag Team Champions a long time ago and they’re coming for the belts. Dig what he is saying? Dutch mocks Dustin Rhodes with the cowbell because it used to belong to Dusty Rhodes. Apparently Dutch and Dusty were close and Dusty say potential in him. Everyone knows that Dustin is the weakest link in “our” family. Maniacal laughing ensues.

Women’s TV Title: Diamante vs. Red Velvet

Diamante is challenging in a street fight. The fight starts on the floor, where Diamante gets in some kendo stick shots to the back and then chokes on the ropes. The belt is hung on the ropes but Diamante misses a charge and goes head first instead. Diamante is fine enough to tie her in the Tree of Woe, and a trashcan, for a running dropkick and a near fall. Velvet is rammed head first into a chair a few times and it’s time to choke with a chain. That’s broken up and Diamante is sent into the corner as the fans want tables.

Instead they get a ladder from Velvet, which takes long enough that Diamante suplexes her onto the ladder for the crash. Diamante loads up the table but again it takes too long, allowing Velvet to get in some chair shots. Velvet takes too long (a pattern emerges) going up and a superplex sends her through the table for the big crash. The delayed cover gives Diamante two but Velvet is back with a flipping faceplant onto the belt to retain at 10:57.

Rating: B-. They beat each other up rather well here and it felt like a match that was built up over time. Velvet gets a win to make her seem like a more serious champion and that is good to see. At the same time, Diamante put in quite a nice performance of her own and it was a nice enough brawl. It wasn’t perfect though, as they spent too much time setting things up and it was a bunch of stuff that feels like it has been done a million or so times.

Overall Rating: C+. Overall, the show was a bit better as they trimmed the time down again (just shy of an hour and a half this week) but there is still a lot on here that feels like it could be trimmed of. I’m not sure why we needed to see Shibata beat Solo or a random non-title match from Athena from a year and a half ago. What matters the most is that it feels like they’re building some things up and that could help in the long run, assuming they stick with that style for a change.

Results
Undisputed Era b. Dark Order, Gates Of Agony and the Grizzled Young Veterans – Hail Mary to Silver
Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara b. Shot Through The Heart – GTH to Crawford
Preston Vance/Griff Garrison b. Waves And Curls – Discus lariat to Jordan
Katsuyori Shibata b. Aaron Solo – Octopus
Komander b. Josh Woods – Cielito Lindo
Abadon b. Viva Van – Black Dahlia
Righteous b. Matt Raymond/Sammy Diaz – Assisted Death Valley Driver to Diaz
Red Velvet b. Diamante – Flipping faceplant onto the title belt

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: November 7, 2024
Location: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re getting close to Final Battle, though it’s still far enough away that the show hasn’t been officially announced yet. Last week’s show was quite the lengthy affair at nearly three hours, with the big story being Athena escaping with the Women’s Title against Abadon. That would seem to set up an eventual showdown with Billie Starkz over the title and maybe that starts here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

We recap the Righteous coming after the Tag Team Titles last week.

Infantry vs. Tom Mitchell/Trace Parker

Shane Taylor is here with the Infantry. Bravo takes Parker into the corner to start and slugs away, with Dean getting in some choking from the apron. Bravo gives Mitchell a wind up DDT and it’s Boot Camp into a double stomp (Two To The End) for the pin at 2:24.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Shawn Donovan/LSG

Angelico and Donovan fight over wrist control to start until Serpentico comes in off the top with a stomp to the arm. Angelico hits some running clotheslines in the corner, at least until Donovan knocks him into another corner to take over. A Snow Plow gets two on Serpentico, who kicks his way out of trouble and hands it back to Angelico to pick up the pace. Angelico kicks Donovan in the head for two before grabbing an over the back stretch to make LSG tap at 5:15.

Rating: C. This is a good example of how Tony Khan’s booking style not only gets repetitive but also wastes time. Last week, the Project lost to the Infantry. Therefore, this match was designed to rehabilitate them in some way. That’s something that works well enough in theory, but the problem is rather simple: it’s the Spanish Announce Project. While they’re talented, they’re also about as low level of a team as you can get on the good side.

Winning this match doesn’t boost them up or change anything about them, as they’re still nothing but a team who have been around forever and aren’t going to move up the card in any meaningful way. This would be the equivalent of having Demolition beat the Killer Bees in 1988 and then needing to see the Bees win a match over the Brooklyn Brawler and Jose Estrada the next week. That would never happen, as it would just take up time and have no impact. That’s Ring Of Honor in a nutshell, as the show was just extended by about eight minutes and nothing was gained.

Lee Moriarty is ready to fight Matt Taven.

Preston Vance vs. Sammy Guevara

Guevara tries an early GTH but Vance slips out, only to get caught with a dropkick. With Vance on the floor, Guevara gets to spin into his pose for a bit. Vance pulls him to the floor but Guevara changes places and hits a quick dive. Another dive off the barricade is countered into a suplex, allowing Vance to send him hard into the barricade. We hit the chinlock back inside until Guevara pops up for a superkick. Some forearms against the ropes stagger Vance, who is right back with the discus lariat. Not that it matters as Guevara is right back with the GTH for the pin at 6:04.

Rating: C. So Guevara is dealing with the Righteous as they come after the Tag Team Titles so he has a fairly competitive singles match against someone who has nothing to do with the Righteous? One might think there should have been a tag match here as Guevara and Dustin Rhodes haven’t actually teamed together in over a month, but why waste time with that? Vance continues to look decent and continues to do nothing around here, as is the case for a lot of people.

Post match the lights flicker and we hear the Righteous laugh but nothing happens.

The Outrunners have merch. I think it’s going to sell.

Lee Johnson/EJ Nduka vs. The Philly Marino Experience

Johnson headlocks Marino down to start and we’re off to the early chinlock. The rather large Nduka comes in and unloads on Marino in the corner. The good guys take turns hammering away in the corner before Philly comes in. A double clothesline drops the Experience and a spinebuster plants Philly. Johnson’s frog splash finishes at 4:39.

Rating: C. Johnson and Nduka work well enough together and it was a fine way to give them some ring time without being in any danger. I’m not sure I can imagine them getting close to the title picture, but I can go with an effective squash. If nothing else, Nduka continues to look impressive so putting him in the ring in any way seems like a smart move.

We look at Athena retaining the Women’s Title in last week’s main event.

Athena has called a MEM (Minion Empowerment Meeting) for tonight and thinks it’s time to go around the world. Lexi Nair says hello in a variety of languages when Billie Starkz comes in. Athena is not impressed and leaves, with Starkz being amazed that Athena won’t apologize.

Diamante vs. Rachael Ellering

Ellering grinds away on a headlock to start and then runs her over with a shoulder. A gutwrench suplex drops Diamante but she sends Ellering into the corner for the stomping. Diamante’s running corner dropkick gets two but Ellering is back up with a running elbow. The Squish gives Ellering two, only for Diamante to go to the eyes. The rolling cutter finishes for Diamante at 4:41.

Rating: C+. Ellering continues to feel like a fine midcard gatekeper, which is all that she needs to be. On the other hand you have Diamante, who being built up for another shot at the TV Title. There is a story there and the follow up has gone rather well. Now just do the match and see where it goes from there.

Post match Red Velvet comes in to brawl with Diamante in a not so nice move.

We look at Leylah Hirsch beating Diamante in a Last Woman Standing match in July but dislocating her elbow in the process.

Leylah Hirsch vs. Tina San Antonio

Hirsch wrestles her down to start but an O’Connor roll is blocked. San Antonio gets in some shoulders to the ribs in the corner but she misses a running elbow. Hirsch’s German suplex into a running knee finishes at 2:30.

Matt Taven wants the Pure Wrestling Title.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Aaron Solo

Solo’s running shoulders have no effect as Ishii drops him with a single clothesline. Another try goes better for Solo as he drops Ishii and they trade more forearms. Ishii hits another running shoulder and a Saito suplex gets two. A German suplex plants Solo, who is right back with a superkick to put Ishii down. Solo hits a frog splash for two but Ishii’s big lariat gets the same. Ishii isn’t having this and hits the sliding lariat, setting up the brainbuster for the pin at 5:30.

Rating: C+. While Solo isn’t exactly top level competition, they had a nice competitive match with Ishii eventually getting to take him out. Ishii is getting boosted up for a big main event level run in AEW as he helps go after the Death Riders, so giving him a win here is fine. Maybe it should have been on AEW, but he’s already over enough there anyway.

The Righteous come out for a tag match but Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes jump them for the brawl.

Nick Wayne vs. Ryan Clancy

Wayne kicks away the handshake offer but Clancy spins around and takes him down without much trouble. A posing monkey flip out of the corner drops Wayne, who is fine enough to send Clancy outside to take over. Back in and a neckbreaker gives Wayne two and he grabs a neck crank. Clancy fights up and gets in a Russian legsweep for two of his own. A dropkick sends Wayne to the floor, only for Wayne to knock the referee into the ropes to crotch Clancy on top. Wayne’s World finishes at 7:28.

Rating: C+. This was a good showcase for Clancy and that’s what the idea seemed to be. Wayne isn’t someone who should be out there dominant but rather winning by cheating, with Christian Cage being able to beam with pride later. Nicer than I was expecting here, even with the extended time.

The Infantry and Shane Taylor Promotions try to find Dustin Rhodes but have to beat up security instead.

From February 21, 2021.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Mexisquad

Shane Taylor/the Soldiers of Savagery are challenging and Maria Kanellis-Bennett is on commentary. Hands are shaken but the fight is on in a hurry with everyone going to the floor. Back in and Flamita ducks Khan’s running big boot in the corner, allowing Flamita to hit a quick takeover. A dropkick puts Khan down again but he powers Flamita into the corner, allowing the tag off to Moses.

That means a big running charge takes Flamita over (commentary is rather pleased) but he’s right back up with a twisting Stunner. Shane comes in to chase Rey Horus around until a shot to Shane’s face sends us to a break. Back with Bandido getting the hot tag to come in and hammer on Shane. That’s fine with Taylor, who shoves him into the corner for the tag off to Flamita. A walk across Bandido’s shoulders sets up a running hurricanrana with the champs sending all of them outside. That means trio of dives, followed by a trio of flips to take them down again.

Back in and a 450 gets two on Shane as commentary tries to figure out if the champs winning can be an upset. Flamita flips Bandido around to take out Khan’s legs, because that’s just something he can do. One heck of a toss splash gives Flamita two on Moses with Khan making the save. Horus accidentally DDT’s Flamita and Moses nails a double clothesline to the floor. That leaves Shane to Rock Bottom Flamita into a splash for two and Welcome To The Land gives us new champions at 12:32.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t quite the level of awesome that you expect from the Mexisquad but they have been champions for so long and I don’t think that a single loss is going to change anything for them in the long run. What matters here is that we have some fresh champions, which probably needed to happen after the long layoff. Throw in Shane getting a big win before next week’s World Title match and it is a rather well put together title match.

AR Fox vs. Josh Woods

Mark Sterling and Ariya Daivari are here with Woods. An early elbow drops Fox but he pops back up to knock him outside for the big dive. Back in and Woods starts going after the knee, setting up a German suplex to drop Fox again. Sterling gets in some choking from the floor and some knees to the back give Woods two.

Fox sends him into the ropes for a running hanging DDT and the fans are getting a bit more into things. A Sling Blade into a Swanton gives Fox two and it’s time to fight over a suplex. Instead they crash out to the floor, with Fox getting up or a quick cutter. Back in and Rolling Chaos Theory is countered so Fox hits a Death Valley Driver into a 450 for the pin at 11:56.

Rating: C+. So commentary mentioned that Fox is going to be facing Nick Wayne on Collision. That’s all well and good, but how long is that match going to be? Maybe ten minutes or so? Did we really need to spend nearly twenty building both of them up on a show that is WAY less likely to be seen than Collision in the first place? That’s what I was getting at earlier: it feels like wrestling for the sake of filling time, which makes no sense when you’re on a show that has no set time limit, either high or low.

Post match Wayne comes in to lay out Fox. Again: this is all to set up a match on Collision.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. The Butcher

Butcher tries to wrestle to start and gets taken to the mat for an early leglock. With that not working, they go to the floor with Butcher hitting a clothesline and slapping on a half crab to put Shibata in trouble. The rope break gets Shibata away but the PK is cut off with a clothesline. Shibata goes with the sleeper instead and now the PK finishes Butcher at 4:29.

Rating: C. That’s quite the odd choice for a main event, as Butcher go in some offense but Shibata just got back up and won with his usual. It’s not a bad match to give Shibata a win, but he isn’t exactly doing anything at the moment so this isn’t coming off like a big step. Butcher is fine as a low level monster though and he’s done quite well for himself all things considered.

Overall Rating: C. This was probably the most well put together show they’ve done in awhile as there are clearly stories being built up. I’ll certainly take that over the seemingly random collection of matches you see a lot of the time around here, but dang they need to cut out a lot of the fat. We didn’t need twenty minutes of setting up Nick Wayne vs. AR Fox or the Spanish Announce Project being built back up. Cut out the “classic” match and the Guevara match and you’ve gt this down to a rather nice hour long show.

Results
Infantry b. Tom Mitchell/Trace Parker – Two To The End to Mitchell
Spanish Announce Project b. Shawn Donovan/LSG – Over the back stretch to LSG
Sammy Guevara b. Preston Vance – GTH
Lee Johnson/EJ Nduka b. The Philly Marino Experience – Frog splash to Collins
Diamante b. Rachael Ellering – Rolling cutter
Leylah Hirsch b. Tina San Antonio – Running knee
Tomohiro Ishii b. Aaron Solo – Brainbuster
Nick Wayne b. Ryan Clancy – Wayne’s World
AR Fox b. Josh Woods – 450
Katsuyori Shibata b. The Butcher – PK

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 31, 2024
Location: Alliant Energy PowerHouse, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s Halloween and in theory that should mean we’re getting things shaken up a bit. This is the kind of show that could include some kid of change of pace or at least some fun, even if we’re back in the Chris Jericho Era. The main event will see Abadon challenging Athena for the Women’s Title so let’s get to it.

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

Happy Halloween: this show is two hours and fifty six minutes long.

The Righteous want the Tag Team Titles and don’t think Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara are family. What happens when the snake bites Dustin? The Righteous want the titles.

We run down the card.

We look at La Faccion Ingobernable beating down JD Drake and Beef.

Peter Avalon/Preston Vance vs. JD Drake/Beef

Beef makes Vance shake his hand to start before they trade shoulders. That doesn’t go very far until Beef runs him over with a shoulder. Vance’s delayed suplex cuts him off and it’s Avalon coming in for a running corner clothesline. It’s off to Drake, who shakes pinkies with Avalon and then chops him, which is kind of a mixed message.

Drake chops him in the corner and hands it back to Beef for the same thing. Another tag brings Drake back in but he seems to hurt his leg, sending Beef back in to get taken down with a hard spinebuster. Vance’s discus lariat gets two but another one hits Avalon by mistake. Drake is back in with the spinning butterfly suplex, setting up Beef’s frog splash for the pin at 7:16.

Rating: C. So Beef and the Workhorsemen are the new Action Andretti and Top Flight yes? It’s quite the similar story and if it winds up going about the same way, it means they won’t have much of an impact. That being said, I could go for something new in the six man division, assuming you actually call that a division.

We look at Chris Jericho’s promo from Dynamite, promising to elevate Ring Of Honor.

Johnny TV vs. Deonn Rusman

This is certainly elevation. Feeling out process to start with TV driving him into the corner but stopping to pose. Some kicks to the head set up a knee to Rusman’s face but a shooting star headbutt low blow (yep) misses. Rusman stomps away but gets kicked low, allowing TV to rain down some forearms. A flipping neckbreaker choke just fires Rusman up, only for TV to kick him down for two more. Rusman connects with an AA but misses a charge in the corner. The flipping neckbreaker into Starship Pain finishes for TV at 4:58.

Rating: C. This was more about featuring Rusman a bit, as you more or less know exactly what you’re going to get from TV. Rusman has done well in some previous appearances and he did decently again here, though there is only so much you can do on defense. It wasn’t quite a squash, but TV isn’t likely to move up the ladder in any meaningful way.

The MxM Collection as a fall collection.

Gates Of Agony vs. CSJ/Dave Dutra

Kaun runs Dutra over to start and Liona hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. CSJ is sent into the barricade and some running shots in the corner crush Dutra. Open The Gates finishes at 1:40.

Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes are down to face the Righteous. I still have no idea why these two are the champions, but I have less idea why Dustin is a double champion.

Lady Frost vs. Reyna Isis

Frost anklescissors her down to start but Isis runs the corner for a wristdrag. A corkscrew dive to the floor drops Frost again but Frost is back with a moonsault off the steps. Back in and Isis works on the back in the corner, with some running knees connecting for two. Frost ducks a clothesline and hits a running elbow for two but Isis ties her in the ropes. The springboard legdrop finishes for Isis at 5:41.

Rating: C+. I could go for building up Isis as a challenger for one of the titles and two matches in, that wouldn’t be the worst idea. If nothing else, it’s nice to have her around for a bit before throwing her right into something. That’s how a build is supposed to work and if that’s what we’re getting, I’ve heard worse ideas.

We look at Abadon attacking Athena again last week.

Matt Taven vs. Aaron Solo

Pure Rules. Solo knocks him into the corner to start and kicks away but Taven is back with the big dropkick. A springboard is broken up though and Solo hammers him down on the mat. Taven kicks his way out of trouble and hits a DDT, followed by a springboard kick to the head. A choke sends Solo over to the ropes for his first break, followed by a Climax for the second break. Solo gets in a kick to the face but dives into another choke for the tap at 5:49.

Rating: C. Let me guess: this puts Taven into contention for the Pure Rules Title or makes him #1 contender because he has now spent almost six minutes wrestling a Pure match. Ignore that NOTHING in this match had anything special about it that would make you realize it was a Pure Rules of course, because the Pure Rules Title is one of the most pointless titles around. The champion either doesn’t defend it for months at a time or loses in regular matches, but it just keeps existing because it was around before and therefore it has to stay around.

Post match Lee Moriarty comes out for the staredown because THAT’S WHAT WE DO in this….it’s not a division but around this title at least.

JD Drake insists he and Beef aren’t family. They’re waiting for Anthony Henry to get back. I still have no idea what the appeal of these guys is supposed to be.

Righteous vs. Jay Marston/Solomon Tupu

Marston gets dropped, Tupu gets dropped, Orange Sunshine finishes Marston at 1:19.

Post match the Righteous crush Tupu’s leg with Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara running in for the too late save.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Josh Woods

Mark Sterling and Ariya Daivari are here with Woods and plug the Premiere Athletes’ new shirt. Woods wrestles him to the mat to start but Woods is back up with a shot to the face to send him outside. Back in and Woods knocks him into the corner as commentary talks about ear injuries. Ishii’s Saito suplex gets two and he snaps off a German suplex. Woods comes back with an exploder but gets caught on top for a delayed superplex. The big lariat gives Ishii two so he headbutts Woods down, setting up the brainbuster for the pin at 7:08.

Rating: B-. Easily the best match of the night so far as they were beating each other up pretty well. Ishii is old and can’t move nearly as well as he did before but there is still a certain intensity to him that you cannot fake. That’s what we saw here and Woods was hanging in there with him well enough.

Post match the villains beat Ishii down but Kyle O’Reilly runs in for the save.

Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara get jumped by the Righteous, with Dustin trying to protect Guevara. As they rush through probably three weeks’ worth of stuff in about an hour.

Top Flight/Action Andretti vs. Dante Leon/Jah-C/Trip Jordy

For the sake of simplicity, I’ll refer to Dante Martin as Dante and Dante Leon as Leon. Darius armdrags Leon down to start and hands it off to Dante for a dropkick. The slingshot hilo sets up a double backbreaker and an assisted moonsault gets two. Jah-C comes in and gets caught with an atomic drop into a springboard spinning Downward Spiral. Leon comes back in and gets dropkicked into a German suplex. The swinging full nelson slam finishes for Dante at 4:51.

Rating: C+. As usual, Andretti and Top Flight work well together but there is no reason to believe that it’s going to lead anywhere. It’s not like it ever has before, yet here we are watching them have another (albeit entertaining) match. At some point though, I need to have a reason to get interested in these matches, as they’ve been doing the same thing for a long, long time now.

From This Means War on October 29, 2005.

Jay Lethal vs. Curry Man

Curry Man has Allison Danger with him. We get a long pose off to start with the first lockup not taking place until nearly two minutes in. Curry armbars him down into a headscissors but a hammerlock sends Lethal over to the ropes. They trade hammerlocks and that goes nowhere so it’s another standoff so the fans can have their dueling chants. Lethal turns down the option to dance but does armdrag him down into a hip swivel.

They fight over a wristlock again and then trade leg kicks like a dance…and then we pause so the referee can dance too. Danger comes in to dance as well before Curry grabs the mic and says…I think something about how he loves dancing. Lethal wristdrags him to the floor for the suicide dive, followed by a neckbreaker for two.

Curry sends him into the corner for a splash and a back elbow sends Lethal outside, setting up a dive of his own. Fan: “YOU’RE BETTER THAN PEPPER!” The chinlock goes on back inside before Lethal flips out of a suplex and knocks him down. Lethal’s middle rope leg lariat gets two but he misses the top rope headbutt. They trade rollups for two each until Lethal grabs a dragon suplex for the pin at 22:31.

Rating: C. I’m sorry what? Why in the world was this match added to this show? It runs over twenty minutes, including dance off and mid-match promo and could have easily had about fifteen minutes dropped. They were trading decent stuff but the match didn’t build to anything as Lethal just suddenly beat him. There was no need for this to be this long or added to this already marathon show.

Billie Starkz vs. Blair Onyx

Starkz takes her down by the arm to start and slowly kicks away before hitting a spinning kick to the head. Some stomping in the corner has Onyx in trouble and Starkz yells at the referee. Onyx gets a boot up but Starkz catches her on top and hits something like a One Winged Angel for the pin at 4:08.

Rating: C. Just a squash here with Starkz running her over and showing more aggression now that she is seemingly on the outs with Athena. We’re likely coming up on Starkz vs. Athena at Final Battle so we can finally change the title, though that has felt like an obvious case for a long time now. Starkz did look a bit better than she did before, so maybe things are changing a bit.

The Infantry joins Shane Taylor Promotions. Well that’s consolidating losers for a change.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Infantry

Shane Taylor Promotions and Trish Adora are here with the Infantry. Dean shoulders and armdrags Angelico to start but it’s quickly off to Serpentico for a falling splash. The Infantry is knocked outside, where Adora sends Angelico into the steps. Back in and Bravo hammers away on Serpentico with a suplex getting two.

Dean sends him hard into the middle buckle and a middle rope knee/backbreaker combination gets two more. Serpentico kicks his way out of the corner though and hands it off to Angelico to clean house. Everything breaks down and Adora has to offer a distraction, allowing Moriarty to get in a belt shot. Boot Camp finishes Angelico at 9:23.

Rating: C-. The team turns heel, has multiple people interfering, including a belt shot, and they need nearly ten minutes to beat one of the lowest of the low tag teams in Ring Of Honor. That’s the Ring Of Honor mindset in a nutshell: change something around and then make sure that it has as little impact as possible. None of these teams feel like they are going anywhere and this match going so long somehow made it worse.

We look at Diamante screwing up and getting disqualified against Red Velvet.

Diamante vs. Aminah Belmont

Whip into the corner, running dropkick, rolling cutter, Diamante wins at 1:24.

Lexi Nair tells Billie Starkz to focus on Athena’s title defense but Starkz is taking the night off. Nair: “I can’t protect her. I’m just a fragile flower!”

Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages vs. Dark Order

Silver and Bronson start things off with the latter driving him into the corner. That’s fine with Silver, who knocks him into another corner for some chops from Uno. Reynolds, still with bad ribs, comes in and gets driven into the corner for some shoulders. Reynolds shoulders his way out of trouble and chokes away on the ropes.

Boulder comes in for some hip swiveling and a crash into the bad ribs. That’s broken up and Reynolds fights out of the corner, only to get taken down again. An electric chair splash misses and the tag brings in Uno to clean house. A DDT puts Bronson down and the Order’s strike sequence into the jackknife rollup is good for the pin at 8:24.

Rating: C. Nothing to see here, again, as we have two teams who have been established as nothing more than the bottom of the barrel. The Order got wrecked by the Blackpool Combat Club while the Savages lose to everyone. They argued once and now they had a match to determine the second lowest team around here. Why would I want to see these guys fight for eight minutes?

Komander vs. Ariya Daivari

Mark Sterling and Josh Woods are here again and does pretty much the same promo as their first time out here. Komander works on a wristlock to start but has to fight out of a headlock. An armbar puts Daivari down again as commentary reminds us to vote on Tuesday. Some strikes to the face have Daivari in more trouble but Sterling offers a distraction so he can knock Komander off the top.

The villains get in some stomping on the floor and a neckbreaker gives Daivari two. Komander fights out of a chinlock and hits a springboard crossbody into a headscissors. The very springboardy hurricanrana sets up a top rope splash for two on Daivari. A reverse layout DDT gives Daivari two of his own and a superkick puts Komander down. The Magic Carpet Splash is cut off and Daivari rolls outside, where Woods gets in a cheap shot on Komander. He’s fine enough to hit the rope walk flip dive onto the villains, setting up Cielito Lindo for the pin at 11:09.

Rating: C+. This was a perfectly nice match which came at a terrible time in a long show. Komander is the designated jobber to the stars around here and has to be given a win every so often. The problem with that is he beat one of the Premiere Athletes, who lose to everyone. Not a bad match, but this show has gone on WAY too long to make a match between these two work.

Chris Jericho previews the main event. So far, he’s the only one to make any reference to this being the Halloween show.

Women’s Title: Athena vs. Abadon

Athena, with Lexi Nair, is defending in a Ring Of Horror match, which is a Halloween themed hardcore match. Oh and they’re chained together. A forearm just annoys Abadon to start so some clotheslines in the corner have Athena in trouble. Athena hits a baseball slide to take it outside, where some chairs are set up.

That takes way too long though and Abadon gets in some kendo stick shots to take over. Things aren’t intense enough yet so Athena whips out a barbed wire baseball bat to miss some big swings. Some pumpkins are destroyed but Abadon uses the distraction to, eventually, spear Athena through a table for two. Another whip through another table has Athena in more trouble as they head back inside for the slugout.

Athena grabs a ladder, which is dropkicked back into her and they go back to the floor. Abadon gets in a dropkick with a trashcan and lays Athena onto a ladder onto the bottom rope. The ensuing backsplash connects and they’re both down. The fight goes outside again, where Athena gets in a hard knee against the steps for two. Back in and Abadon’s bite to the head doesn’t work very well as Athena gets in a powerbomb out of the corner.

Athena manages to slip out of the chain and swings a kendo stick, which bounces off the ropes and hits her in the head to give Abadon two. Abadon goes up but gets powerbombed onto the steps for two more. Nair slides in some skewers, which are driven into Abadon’s head. That’s shrugged off and Abadon pulls her head first into a chair in the corner. A swinging Rock Bottom plants Athena onto a bunch of thumbtacks on the floor for two more, leaving Abadon frustrated. Athena gets in a bottle shot to the face and the O Face onto the chairs retains the title at 19:48.

Rating: B. This worked rather well for a variety of reasons, including the effort that they put into the match on the way here. For once, it felt like this match had been built up for weeks and then they put in a heck of a performance in the match itself. It was violent and hard hitting, with Athena feeling like she survived. Good stuff here, as Athena continues to be the best thing about Ring Of Honor by a mile.

Overall Rating: D+. Oh this did not work, pretty awesome main event aside. This was WAY longer than it needed to be, as it felt like they were trying to cram in every single thing and person they could find. At what point do you look at a two and a half hour show and think “I KNOW! WE NEED A NINETEEN YEAR OLD CURRY MAN MATCH!”

There comes a point where a show just needs to end and they hit that point way before halfway through this week. It was a bunch of nothing matches featuring low level stars who felt like they were there to fill in an overly long card. Ring Of Honor has done this before and it never works, but I guess they just had to have all of this stuff on here because we only have what, five months between pay per views these days? Terribly put together show this week, as someone needs to tell Tony Khan to stop (again).

Results
JD Drake/Beef b. Peter Avalon/Preston Vance – Frog splash to Avalon
Johnny TV b. Deonn Rusman – Starship Pain
Gates Of Agony b. CSJ/Dave Dutra – Open The Gates to Dutra
Reyna Isis b. Lady Frost – Middle rope legdrop in the ropes
Matt Taven b. Aaron Solo – Choke
Righteous b. Jay Marston/Solomon Tupu – Orange Sunshine to Marston
Tomohiro Ishii b. Josh Woods – Brainbuster
Top Flight/Action Andretti b. Dante Leon/Jah-C/Trip Jordy – Swinging full nelson slam to Leon
Billie Starkz b. Blair Onyx – Electric chair flipping slam
Infantry b. Spanish Announce Project – Boot Camp to Angelico
Diamante b. Aminah Belmont – Rolling cutter
Dark Order b. Iron Savages/Jacked Jameson – Jackknife rollup to Bronson
Komander b. Ariya Daivari – Cielito Lindo
Athena b. Abadon – O Face onto chairs

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 24, 2024
Location: Adventist Health Arena, Stockton, California
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

So once again we have a new champion and once again it came on an AEW show. In this case, Chris Jericho has regained the World Title from Mark Briscoe in a ladder war, thanks to the interference of the Learning Tree. While I can’t imagine that we’ll be seeing the new champ around here in any significant role, we’re in a new era. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a quick look at Chris Jericho regaining the World Title last night on Dynamite.

We run down the card.

Gates Of Agony vs. The Infantry

Bravo works on Kaun’s wrist to start before grinding away on a headlock. Kaun powers out and it’s off to Toa for a hard clothesline. Bravo fights up and hands it off to Dean, who is promptly dropped with a superkick. Dean pops back up and takes Kaun into the corner for some choking, setting up the chinlock.

That’s broken up in short order but a neckbreaker gives Bravo two. Kaun DDTs his way to freedom though and it’s Toa coming back in to clean house. The Samoan drop/fall away slam at the same time sends the Infantry flying and everything breaks down. Open The Gates finishes Dean at 8:18.

Rating: C. So the Gates are now good guys, or at least they were wrestling like it here, as they did a comeback and then finished the Infantry off. That’s kind of a random turn, but it’s not like there is any reason to believe that this will matter in the title scene. I’m sure we’ll hear about it, but until I actually see it happen, it’s the usual ROH noise that goes nowhere.

Reyna Isis vs. Viva Van

Isis is from CMLL. Feeling out process to start with Van ducking a clothesline and dancing a bit. Isis’ running hurricanrana brings Van down and Isis hits some running knees in the corner. Back up and Van hits a running spinwheel kick before grabbing a rocking horse. Isis kicks her way out of the corner and hits a high crossbody, setting up a springboard dive to the floor. Back in and they trade rollups for two each until Van hits another spinwheel kick for two. Van misses a charge though and gets caught in the ropes, where Isis hits a middle rope legdrop for the pin at 6:38.

Rating: C+. This was the latest “here’s someone from another promotion and she’s a champion there so she must be awesome” match and as usual, it was up to the incoming star to prove themselves. That’s only going to get so far in a match that doesn’t even last seven minutes, but Isis did what she could here. I’m not sure if she’ll be sticking around, but another match or two wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Leyla Hirsch is back from injury and ready to go.

Brandon Cutler vs. Rocky Romero

Romero has the mascot of the Stockton NBA G-League team with him. Cutler says Romero can’t do anything until they shake hands, so Romero shakes his hand and grabs a headlock. Romero shoulders him down and his a middle rope springboard crossbody to start fast. A middle rope spinning crossbody connects but Cutler rakes the eyes for a needed breather.

Cutler drops a dancing elbow for two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up and Cutler misses a high crossbody to fall outside, allowing Romero to hit the dive. Back in and Cutler’s rollup with feet on the ropes is caught thanks to the mascot, allowing Romero to hit a tornado DDT. The standing Sliced Bread finishes for Romero at 4:52.

Rating: C. So the mascot for the villains (well, one of the many villain stables in AEW that is) just lost to the lackey of the stable comprised of people with no stable of their own. With a basketball mascot involved. This is a match that someone felt needed to be on a show behind a paywall. I think it’s safe to say that sums up this show as well as anything else right now.

EJ Nduka/Lee Johnson vs. Bret Haskins/Jiah Jewell

Haskins and Johnson start things off with Johnson headlocking him down as commentary talks about Jerry Lynn still being a member of the Board Of Directors. Along with Stokely Hathaway and Paul Wight (I guess?), none of whom have been around here in months. Nduka comes in and drops Jewell so it’s back to Johnson, who gets taken into the corner. A splash is shrugged off though and Nduka comes in to clean house. That includes a spinebuster/neckbreaker combination to finish Jewell at 4:40.

Rating: C. Nduka is a beast and someone who could go somewhere. Johnson feels like someone who could have been a thing but never actually won anything important, which kind of limits his impact. I’m not sure why these two are a team unless it’s meant as a way to hide Nduka while giving him something to do, but it’s better than him sitting on the sidelines even longer.

From Final Battle 2022 (and from a previous review).

Women’s Title: Mercedes Martinez vs. Athena

Martinez is defending and takes her into the corner for some early forearms to the head. Athena gets fired up and hammers Martinez down, including a backhand to the jaw. Back up and Martinez hits a spinebuster (the fans do not approve) to start the rather early comeback. That doesn’t last long as Athena shoves her off, setting up a basement superkick for two.

Martinez is right back up with some suplexes into a brainbuster for two more. A Prism Trap is broken up though and Athena plants her hard on the apron. They head outside with Athena missing some running knees into the barricade so Martinez can grab a hanging neckbreaker off the barricade. Back in and the Brass City Sleeper is broken up so Athena gets to pull the turnbuckle pad off. A shotgun dropkick sends Martinez into the exposed buckle and the O Face gives Athena the pin and the title at 12:55.

Rating: C. That was the only way to go, as Martinez has been away for a long time but while Athena is in the middle of a rather nice heel turn. Also, Athena had to win something outside of NXT at some point to make her feel more important and this is as good as anything else. Decent match, but the right call is much more important.

Here is Billie Starkz to introduce Athena, still chained to Lexi Nair for protection, for a special celebration. Nair introduces the Minions In Training dance team but Athena sends them out. Athena isn’t happy that her parents aren’t here, with her mother option to have surgery rather than come here. Where is the women’s division? She lifted them all up but can’t get any kind of attention from them?

She hasn’t lost in almost two years (in ROH at least) so where are her flowers? This party sucks and it’s ALL Starkz’s fault for being all jealous. Starkz finally snatches the microphone away and says she’s done before storming off. Nair has a surprise though: the original Women’s Title, but now IT SPINS! Abadon’s music plays and suddenly Abadon is chained to Athena instead of Nair. The Black Dahlia drops Athena and it’s a cake to the champ’s face.

After losing the World Title last night, Mark Briscoe had nothing to say.

TV Title: Komander vs. Brian Cage

Cage is defending and shrugs off Komander’s chops to start. A toss sends Komander down and Cage fires off the shoulders in the corner. The clotheslines in the corner keep Komander in trouble and Cage sends him crashing out to the floor, with Komander coming up holding his leg. Cage throws him (Atlantis according to Riccaboni) back inside where Komander flips out of a German suplex.

A hurricanrana out of the corner sends Cage outside for the running flip dive but Cage is fine enough to hit the apron superplex for two. Komander is back with a top rope Fameasser, followed by Cielito Lindo. Cage kicks out and rolls through into four straight powerbombs and the F10 to retain at 10:17.

Rating: C+. Fine enough power vs. speed match here, though there was only so much they could do to get around the idea that Komander wasn’t going to win the title. He’s one of the most prominent designated losers around here and while Cage is only a step ahead, he wasn’t going to lose the title here. Cage’s finishing sequence did look good though, as he went into beast mode to put Komander away.

Overall Rating: C-. This was another case where the wrestling wasn’t the point, but rather this show did not feel important in the slightest. What did we have here? The suddenly good Gates beating the Infantry as part of the never ending merry go round of tag matches around here, a showcase for a CMLL star, two low level people in a match involving a mascot, a tag squash, and Komander getting a title shot. Oh and a setup for the Halloween match, because we needed to spend six weeks or whatever getting that ready. This was bottom of the barrel even for this show, which doesn’t have much room to spare in the first place.

Results
Gates Of Agony b. The Infantry – Open The Gates to Dean
Reyna Isis b. Viva Van – Middle rope legdrop
Rocky Romero b. Brandon Cutler – Standing Sliced Bread
EJ Nduka/Lee Johnson b. Jiah Jewell/Bret Haskins – Spinebuster/neckbreaker combination to Jewell
Brian Cage b. Komander – F10

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 17, 2024
Location: Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re in something of a new era around here as we are now seeing a classic match every week, which is a nice change of pace but also extends shows which are already running long. As usual there is very little going on around here when it comes to long form storytelling so it’s hard to guess what we’ll be seeing here. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Joe Koff, former company executive.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

We look at Mark Briscoe beating Chris Jericho at WrestleDream, but a ladder rematch is set for next week on Dynamite.

Briscoe promises to beat up Jericho anywhere he likes, even throwing in some Green Eggs And Hams style rhyming.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Ren Jones/Derek Dillinger

Angelico and Jones start things off with the former craning on a hammerlock. Jones reverses into one of his own but gets reversed just as fast. Back up and Jones works on the arm again, which is broken up again as well. Serpentico comes in to take Jones down, setting up a running hurricanrana out of the corner.

Jones hits a quick backbreaker so the fairly large Dillinger can come in for chops and a sidewalk slam for two. A jumping Downward Spiral gets Serpentico out of trouble and he avoids a moonsault to make things worse for Dillinger. It’s back to Angelico to pick things up, with an ankle lock making Jones tap at 7:19.

Rating: C. There was a lot of arm work in this to start and that wasn’t exactly making up for the fact that the Project took over seven minutes to beat these two. The Project hasn’t felt important around here for a long time and this didn’t do them any good, but I’m sure we’re seeing them get closer to the Tag Team Titles. Like every other team who ever wins a match.

Rachael Ellering wants a title but Harley Cameron interrupts and remembers where they are. Cameron took a long look in the mirror and realized she was very attractive. She wants a hug and Ellering seems confused by everything that just happened.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Viva Van

Van actually takes her down to start and gives herself some applause, only for Sakazaki to grab a spinning rollup for two. Back up and Van slips off a springboard attempt, allowing Sakazaki to hit a running knee in the corner. A missile dropkick gets two on Van and a Blockbuster gets the same, with Van bridging up to escape. Van’s running spinwheel kick gets two and she grabs a rocking horse hold. Sakazaki is back with an arm trap spinning faceplant, setting up the Magic Girl Splash for the pin at 5:48.

Rating: C+. This was another Sakazki match and it’s about the same as everything you’ve sen from her before. In other words, she did her stuff well enough but odds are it’s going to be a few weeks before she’s back again, if not longer. It’s hard to get interested in her when she’s around so infrequently and when the only thing we hear about her is a list of titles she’s won in Japan, but that’s all she’s gotten for her time in AEW/ROH.

New TV Champion Brian Cage says this is long overdue and it is the push he needed to start the Age Of Cage.

Nick Wayne vs. Brian Cook

Wayne strikes away in the corner to start but Cook is back with some armdrags. Wayne takes him down and stomps on the arm before sending it hard into the corner. A dropkick cuts Cook off again but he makes a quick clothesline comeback. The bad arm goes into the corner again and Wayne’s World finishes at 4:56.

Rating: C-. This was a longer than necessary squash with Wayne running through him and working on the arm for the better part of five minutes. Wayne hasn’t done anything significant for a good while so he needed this kind of a win, though it could have been shorter for the same point. Now just have Wayne do something on AEW TV if he’s important enough for this kind of a match.

MxM Collection vs. Midnight Heat

Heat is Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson. Normally I wouldn’t list them but that would be the same Ricky who made an appearance on Smackdown a few weeks back as Kevin Owens’ short term partner. Mansoor works on Ricky’s arm to start as the fans certainly seem to know the latter. A dropkick lets Mansoor flip up to his feet and it’s off to Mason for a headbutt to Pearl. Mansoor walks into a hot shot though and a combination backbreaker drops him again. Mason comes back in and cleans house, including a sitout chokeslam to Ricky. The Centerfold finishes Pearl at 3:51.

Rating: C. The Collection is getting better in the ring but they’re still best known for what they do on the mic. You can tell Midnight Heat was doing well enough and you can tell they have a good bit of experience together. It made their time on offense look better and that boosted up the Collection’s win.

Jack Cartwheel vs. AR Fox

They trade flips to start and nip up for a staredown before Cartwheel is sent to the apron. A legsweep misses and Fox sends him outside, setting up the big dive. Back up and Cartwheel hits a kick, setting up a cartwheel flip dive. Fox is right back with a neckbreaker for two but Cartwheel’s crucifix driver gets the same. A jumping enziguri drops Cartwheel for two more, followed by a snap superplex (that looked cool). Fox drops a 450 for the pin at 6:43.

Rating: C+. If you like the rather choreographed looking style and two people who are incredibly athletic trading their flips and kicks, this was the perfect match. Fox has long since been a guy who is great for fun matches but he isn’t going anywhere. Cartwheel is as gimmicky as you can get and in this case, that’s perfectly fine.

Atlantis Jr. vs. Jon Cruz

Atlantis knees him down for an early two and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets the same. Back up and Cruz hammers away with right hands, followed by a sliding chinlock for a bit of flare. Atlantis fights up, hits a rolling cutter, and nails a frog splash for the pin at 3:50.

Rating: C. I’ve been watching Atlantis Jr. for about six months now and I have no idea what the appeal is supposed to be. He’s perfectly fine but there is nothing about him that makes him stand out in any meaningful way. I’m sure it’s something about keeping the ties with CMLL but there has to be someone who is a bit more exciting.

Willie Mack vs. Komander

For a TV Title shot. Mack runs him over to start and adds a running kick to the head. A double nipple twist has Komander in more trouble and he loses a battle of the chops. Komander pops up with a running hurricanrana to send him outside, setting up the running dive. Back in and Mack knocks him down but misses the frog splash, allowing Komander to come back with Cielito Lindo for the pin at 6:32.

Rating: C. The match was perfectly fine, but this is a good example of why Ring Of Honor isn’t worth watching. Coming into this match, Mack has had one singles match in Ring Of Honor this year while Komander has been treated as nothing but a jobber in AEW. Why are these two having a match for a title shot? There are several people who have been racking up wins around here and aren’t getting title chances. That’s Ring Of Honor’s title situation in a nutshell and it’s not getting any better.

We look at Chris Jericho and Mark Briscoe’s promo exchange on Dynamite, setting up their ladder match next week.

From Final Battle 2018 (and from a previous review):

Tag Team Titles: Briscoes vs. Young Bucks vs. SCU

SCU (Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian) are defending here. The Briscoes head outside and start throwing chairs inside, leaving the Bucks to slug it out with the champs. The Bucks get the better of it and start superkicking until Kazarian slingshots out into a hurricanrana on Mark, sending him into a spear on Jay. Everyone heads outside with Sky being put on a table but the Briscoes chair Matt down.

Jay hits a double stomp to put Sky through the table and the Briscoes take over with various metal shots. Kazarian is busted open and Mark puts the ladder around his neck to slam into people’s faces. Some superkicks break that up and Coleman thinks we might see some more later. Jay gets kicked to the floor and a wheelbarrow faceplant drops Sky. The Bucks hit a double dropkick on Sky before stopping for a Too Sweet.

The first ladder is set up but the champs take over on the Bucks, complete with some loud swearing from Sky. It’s too early for the titles though and the fight over getting to climb is on. Nick and Kazarian shove the ladder back and forth at each other until stereo superkicks put the champs down. The Briscoes come back in with some chairs to clean house though until Kazarian hits a chair shot to Jay’s back. Another shot takes out Kazarian’s ankle though and the Briscoes take over again.

Mark gets kicked out to the floor for a flip dive from Sky and it’s time to unleash the series of dives until Matt is suplexed through a table. The bloody Jay finds a staple gun but Kazarian breaks it up with a slingshot cutter through the table at ringside. And now, a sledgehammer from Matt has Jay begging him to swing. Since that’s a bad idea, we get another ladder instead.

After catapulting it into Sky’s face, Matt goes up but gets pulled back down into a backbreaker onto the open chair because the back injury is his thing. Nick hits the slingshot X Factor to send Jay into a chair but the also bloody Mark brings in another ladder. A springboard spear knocks Sky off the ladder so it’s time for the Meltzer Driver, with Mark diving off the ladder with a cutter for the save.

There’s a Jay Driller to Matt and everyone is down for a few seconds. Jay loads up yet another ladder and then bridges a second between the standing version and the corner. Kazarian is back in with a Styles Clash to drive Jay crotch first into a chair. That’s enough to get a hand on a belt with Nick going up for the save but being tossed WAY down and through a table on the floor. Jay climbs up as well and Mark pelts a chair up at Kazarian to knock him through another table, leaving Jay to pull down the titles for the win at 22:40.

Rating: A. Well that was great. This was the exact same idea that worked for the original TLC matches: take six guys and let them go completely insane with one spot after another until one team finally puts the others away after a big move. It was entertaining and nothing was going to follow it so this was the right call for the main event. Great stuff with the blood making it seem more intense, which is exactly what it should have been.

Lady Frost vs. Athena

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Frost wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot and Lexi Nair is here with Athena. Frost grabs some armdrags to start and they trade dropkick attempts for a standoff. A headscissors drops Athena to the floor and Frost hits a flip dive off the apron. Nair uses a chain (the one she’s been tied to Athena with for protection from Abadon) to trip Frost down though and Athena takes over on the floor.

Back in and Athena chokes in the corner before slamming Frost head first onto the mat as things slow down. Frost scores with a kick to the head but a wheelbarrow slam plants her right back down. Back up and a flip into a Cannonball connects for Frost in the corner, setting up a cartwheel into something close to an Air Raid Crash for two. Frost’s super hurricanrana is countered into a superbomb though and a crossface makes frost tap at 8:32.

Rating: C+. When she’s been champion for this long, there is only so much interest to be had in anything she does. It seems like we’re on the way to the Billie Starkz getting a shot at Athena, likely at Final Battle, and that’s the match that has been cooking for a few months now. That leaves things like this and a showdown with Abadon (it is October after all) feeling less than interesting, but what are you expecting when Athena has been champion for the better part of ever?

Post match Athena loads up the ram into the title but Abadon’s music scares her off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. That’s as quintessential Ring Of Honor as you can get these days: the women have the only thing close to a developed story, there’s a match where you remember how things used to be great, and a title shot is thrown out to the winner of a random match while a bunch of people not important enough to be involved in something in AEW have short matches. There’s nothing impressive here other than whatever Athena is doing and the classic match, because the rest is just filler until they get to a pay per view where they’ll bring in bigger names for a few weeks. Skip this show, as usual.

Results
Spanish Announce Project b. Ren Jones/Derek Dillinger – Ankle lock to Jones
Yuka Sakazaki b. Viva Van – Magic Girl Splash
Nick Wayne b. Brian Cook – Wayne’s World
MxM Collection b. Midnight Heat – Centerfold to Pearl
AR Fox b. Jack Cartwheel – 450
Atlantis Jr. b. Jon Cruz – Frog splash
Willie Mack b. Komander – Cielito Lindo

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 10, 2024
Location: Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Things were changed up a bit last week as there was a classic match throw in along with the usual offerings. That was definitely something different, though we’ll have to see if it is a regular change of pace. For now though, we are coming up on Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho for the ROH World Title, which will take place on an AEW show. Let’s get to it.

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

Lexi Nair is very enthusiastic about Athena’s celebration while Billie Starkz is less than pleased. Athena shows up and gives her a bracelet, which happens to be attached to a chain. Starkz asks what Athena has for her, but Athena says Nair is a gorgeous TV personality while Starkz is just a wrestler. That’s enough to make Starkz leave, with Lady Frost coming in to mock Athena for cuffing herself to Nair for protection from Abadon. This sets up Frost vs. Athena for next week.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

New Japan Strong Openweight Title: Anthony Henry vs. Gabe Kidd

Kidd is defending and Henry has Beef in his corner. Henry kicks him to the floor to start and hits a running dropkick against the barricade. Back in and a bridging German suplex gives Henry two but a tornado DDT is blocked. Kidd plants him down and grabs the mic, shouting about how much the fans smell and how no one in the back can touch him. A strike off goes to Kidd but he poses too long and gets chopped hard in the corner for his efforts.

Kidd goes outside and tries for a table but gets cut off by Beef. Back in and Henry gets some boots up in the corner, setting up a top rope double stomp for two. A brainbuster gets two more, followed by a kick to the head for two more. Kidd catches him on top with a superplex for two more and it’s time to slug it out. Kidd’s hard lariat gets two before a piledriver retains the title at 8:06.

Rating: B-. So remember Kidd, who wrestled once on Rampage and then again on the Forbidden Door Kickoff Show in his only AEW/ROH matches ever? Well here he is defending a title against the straight man in a comedy team. The match was fine enough, but I’m going to need a bit more of a reason to be invested in a title match and a champion than the initials on his belt.

We recap Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho for Briscoe’s ROH World Title at WrestleDream.

Brandon Cutler vs. Katsuyori Shibata

This is an open challenge from Cutler to any former or current ROH Champion. Cutler gets in a cheap shot off the Code Of Honor so Shibata chops him into the corner without much trouble. An elbow keeps Cutler in trouble and a running boot in the corner sets up the sleeper. The PK finishes for Shibata at 2:58.

Brian Cage is ready to win the TV Title. It’s nice of them to have someone in the match actually talk, or even appear on this show.

Billie Starkz vs. Ella Elizabeth

Starkz fires off some running forearms in the corner to start and offers some mocking clapping. Elizabeth gets sent outside for a running dropkick through the ropes, only for Elizabeth to come back with a German suplex for a breather. They scream at each other a lot until Starkz knocks her off the top and hits a Swanton for the pin at 3:29.

Rating: C. Other than the screaming, there wasn’t much to be seen here. Starkz is ticked off at Athena after everything that has been going on and got to blow off a bit of steam here. It’s not a particularly good match but at least it served a purpose on the way towards what should be Starkz taking the title from Athena.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Infantry

Taylor powers Bravo down to start but Bravo is back up with a shot to the face. Bravo backs him into the corner so Dean can come in but Taylor brings in Moriarty. That’s enough for Dean to be taken into the corner for the double teaming. Dean manages to send Taylor outside and dive over for the tag off to Bravo so the pace can pick up. Taylor gets knocked to the floor, but Moriarty grabs a European Clutch to pin Bravo at 6:02.

Rating: C+. I’ve lost count of the times that Shane Taylor Promotions wins a match which will absolutely be the one that gets them over the hump. They’re the definition of an act that is running on a treadmill and that isn’t going to be interesting until something drastically changes. The Infantry’s troubles continue, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them turn in the near future.

The Evil Uno want back in the Trios Titles picture when the Iron Savages and Jacked Jameson come in to say they want the same thing. A challenge is issued. Sweet goodness if this is what is supposed to be an interesting match, this place is in more trouble than I thought.

Women’s TV Title: Diamante vs. Red Velvet

Velvet is defending and takes her down by the arm to start, setting up a short armscissors. A rollup gives Velvet two and it’s back to the arm cranking. Back up and Diamante sends her into the buckle a few times before Velvet misses a charge into the corner. Diamante misses a splash in the corner but manages to suplex Velvet down for two.

A hard clothesline gives Diamante two more and she grabs the full nelson. Velvet is sent into the corner for a hard dropkick, followed by a nasty German suplex for two. Diamante kicks her outside and whips Velvet into various steel objects. The slugout goes to Diamante, who hits Velvet in the face with the belt for the DQ at 9:58.

Rating: C+. This match is what makes the rest of the show that much more frustrating. This match was built up over a few weeks, told a story in the ring, and had an ending that keeps the story going. It makes everything else seem like it’s spinning its wheels and shows just how well things can go if they are given the right kind of attention. Do more of this and his show would jump up in quality.

Post match Diamante whips her with the belt and then realizes she screwed up as she had wrecked Velvet until the DQ.

Lance Archer vs. Sam Beale

We get the handshake and Beale makes the mistake of hitting him in the face. Archer punches him down and hits a snap suplex, followed by a running elbow in the corner. The Blackout finishes Beale of at 1:45.

The Infantry know something needs to change but Shane Taylor Promotions comes in to say the Infantry needs to figure this out.

It’s time for a classic match, from Glory By Honor V on September 6, 2006 (from a previous review).

Ring Of Honor World Title: Kenta vs. Bryan Danielson

Danielson is defending has a horrible shoulder coming in. Kenta threatens him with the big kick to start and backs Danielson up against the ropes. That means a slap to the face and things are getting a bit more serious. They go to a test of strength until Danielson grabs the arm, setting up a knee to the face. Kenta goes right back to the shoulder though and Danielson needs a breather on the floor.

Back in and Danielson rocks him with a headbutt, earning himself a kick to the arm. A headlock takeover works a bit better for Danielson, whose shoulder is looking black and blue. Danielson rips at the face as we hear about how awesome his title reign has been. A wristlock doesn’t get Kenta very far as Danielson dropkicks him to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Kenta hitting a running dropkick and kicking away, setting up a springboard missile dropkick for two. Kenta grabs a short armscissors, sending Danielson over to the ropes in a hurry. Danielson is right back with a half crab and a whip into the corner, setting up a Chris Benoit throat slit (dang that was jarring to see). The superplex sets up a crossface chickenwing to keep Kenta in trouble but a foot in the ropes is good for the break. The Swan Dive only hits Kenta’s raised boots though and it’s time to slug it out. They trade suplexes and then trade discus strikes to the face for another double knockdown.

We take another break and come back again with Kenta pulling him into a Fujiwara armbar, sending Danielson right back to the ropes. Danielson goes up onto said ropes but dives into a cutter, meaning the Fujiwara armbar goes right back on. That’s broken up again and Danielson grabs a fisherman’s belly to back suplex for two.

A belly to back superplex drops Kenta again and Cattle Mutilation goes on, meaning Kenta makes the ropes AGAIN. Danielson goes up top but dives into a fireman’s carry, setting up the (original) GTS for a VERY close two as the ropes save the title again. A bridging O’Connor roll gives Danielson another crazy near fall but Kenta kicks him down.

Danielson takes him down and drives away with the elbows to the head, only to have Kenta power up for the fireman’s carry. That’s broken up as well though and it’s a tiger suplex for two on Kenta. Cattle Mutilation goes on again and, after some more elbows to the head, the hold goes on again and Kenta FINALLY taps at 27:43.

Rating: A. Oh yeah this worked and it was an awesome fight with both guys beating the tar out of each other. Danielson can do this with anyone and it was a time when Kenta got to look as good as he is often hyped up as being. I haven’t seen nearly enough of Danielson’s time in Ring of Honor but it is easy to see where he gets the reputation that he has. Awesome match here and I loved the heck out of this.

Mark Briscoe vs. Josh Woods

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Woods wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, he gets a figure title shot. The rest of the Athletes, and Mark Sterling, are here with Woods and Sterling is sick of the fans not liking the team. The fight starts fast and Briscoe is sent outside for a ram into the barricade. Briscoe fights up and hits the step up flip dive with the chair.

Back in and Woods can’t hit the rolling Chaos Theory so Briscoe knocks him down, setting up the Froggy Bow. That’s reversed into a cross armbreaker, which is broken up as well so Sterling can get in some cheap shots. Woods cranks on the arm before hammering on it for a bonus. Briscoe fights out and hits a middle rope dropkick for a breather. Woods pulls him down off the top by the arm and puts on a quickly broken cross armbreaker. They both go up top so Briscoe headbutts him down, setting up the Froggy Boy for the pin at 7:35.

Rating: B-. I appreciate having the champ out there but my goodness I could go for a long break from the Premiere Athletes. They’ve reached the point where the fans hating them is a running joke. There has to be someone else out there who can take a loss to the World Champion, but here we are with the Athletes again. Not a bad match at all, but the Athletes are just there as target practice and nothing more.

Overall Rating: C+. This show is the same thing it’s always been: a show with an engaging story or two but a bunch of people who are thrown out there for matches that don’t mean much of anything and little more than filling time on the show. I could go for something interesting week to week around here but that has long since ceased being a reasonable option. The women’s stuff is far better than the en’s counterpart, but even that takes its sweet time to get anywhere. That’s what Ring Of Honor is, and having the show go on an extra half hour for a classic match isn’t the solution.

Results
Gabe Kidd b. Anthony Henry – Piledriver
Katsuyori Shibata b. Brandon Cutler – PK
Billie Starkz b. Ella Elizabeth – Swanton Bomb
Shane Taylor Promotions b. The Infantry – European Clutch to Bravo
Red Velvet b. Diamante via DQ when Diamante used the belt
Lance Archer b. Sam Beale – Blackout
Mark Briscoe b. Josh Woods – Froggy Bow

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 3, 2024
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re coming up on WrestleDream and that is going to include Mark Briscoe defending the Ring Of Honor World Title against Chris Jericho. That’s at least what is taking place in the championship picture around here, because the World Title situation is still nutty. Other than that, it’s hard to say hat we’ll be getting here so let’s get to it.

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

We run down the card, including Mark Briscoe defending the World Title against Matt Taven in a match that was not advertised in any significant way.

Premiere Athletes/Mark Sterling vs. Dustin Rhodes/Von Erichs

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning that if the Athletes and Sterling win or last the ten minute time limit, they get a future title shot. Daivari headlocks Marshall to start before a dropkick puts Daivari down. Sterling comes in to slam Ross and hands it off to Nese, who gets double dropkicked.

Back up and Nese hits his own dropkick to knock Ross into the corner so the villains can take over. Nese splashes Sterling by mistake though and an enziguri allows the tag to Rhodes to wreck the Athletes. The Canadian Destroyer sends Nese outside but Sterling breaks up the Cross Rhodes. Stereo Claws get rid of Nese and Daivari so Shattered Dreams and the Final Reckoning can finish Sterling at 6:18.

Rating: C-. Counting the match where he won the Six Man Titles, Rhodes has been involved in matches involving the Undisputed Era five times, the Dark Order four times and the Premiere Athletes two times (some of which have been combinations of multiple teams). Some of those matches have been either title matches or Proving Ground matches for the Tag Team and Six Man Tag Team Titles.

I have no idea whatsoever why there are four teams fighting over two sets of titles, with one person holding a piece of both championships. Now though we’ve reached the point where the goofy manager is getting beaten up too. The limited interest that came with Rhodes getting one final run as a champion is already worn thin as he’s out of viable challengers and is just repeating the same low level goofs he’s already beaten. Either fix this or get rid of the titles.

During WrestleDream’s Zero Hour, Atlantis Jr. will defend the TV Title against Brian Cage. To be fair, Cage has won two singles matches over no name opponents in about six weeks so that’s good enough for a title shot. Again: give me a reason to care about what happens on this show when it comes to title matches or get rid of the stupid thing. This is another title match thrown together with no rhyme or reason and it’s been that way for months now.

Nyla Rose vs. Katie Arquette

Arquette kicks her in the ribs off the handshake and is promptly knocked down. The Cannonball into the backsplash into the Beast Bomb finishes for Rose at 1:30.

The Minions are planning a celebration for Athena but Billie Starkz isn’t happy. Athena isn’t happy and tells Starkz to admit she has a problem. Starkz says Athena is the problem for leaving her with Abadon but Athena says get over it because this is her day. That’s enough for Starkz to storm off, with Abadon popping up behind Athena and reach out for her, but Athena doesn’t notice.

Anthony Henry/Beef vs. Anthony Cantena/Wes Barkley

Henry and Barkley start things off but Beef comes in to crush Barkley in the corner. A missed charge allows the tag of to Cantena, who gets dropkicked down by Beef. It’s back to Henry, who gets caught with a quick neckbreaker but is right back with a short powerbomb to Cantena. The tag brings Beef back in and everything breaks down, with Cantena and Barkley’s stereo sunset flips being broken up. Henry’s top rope double stomp finishes Barkley at 3:55.

Rating: C. Henry and Beef are a funny enough act as the team where only one member wants to be there, but it’s hard to imagine this goes anywhere. Unless JD Drake comes back and Henry has to pick his side, there isn’t much of a reason to believe it’s going anywhere. They kept this quick here, which is the right idea for a comedy act like this one.

Infantry vs. Outrunners

Bravo and Magnum start things off and get nowhere so it’s a double tag to Dean and Floyd. They run the ropes until Floyd gets in a hiptoss into an armbar. Magnum comes back in to chop on Bravo, who punches him in the face for a breather. Some loud chops and a suplex get two on Magnum and a jumping elbow connects for the same. Dean misses a charge into the corner though and it’s Floyd coming in to clean house. A boot to the head into a DDT drops Floyd but Magnum is back in with Total Recall for the pin at 7:12.

Rating: C. Give the Outrunners the Tag Team Titles. Why not? There’s no division to speak of, Dustin Rhodes has gotten his oh so special run as a double champion and can still have his meaningless Six Man Titles and the fans actually seem to like the Outrunners. Do something with them before the hype is over.

Post match the Infantry shake hands but leave in a huff.

Beef is fired up about his team with Anthony Henry, who says they are not a team. Henry is in a team with JD Drake, so Beef asks for Drake’s number. There’s a one in a million chance, which is good enough for Beef.

Since WrestleDream is a celebration of professional wrestling (….sure), here’s a classic ROH match from October 1, 2005 (and from a previous review).

Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi

Well it was going to be this or one of the Punk matches and this makes more sense. Joe gets a pop but Kobashi gets an ovation. They shake hands to start and it’s time for some high intensity circling. The feeling out process continues until Joe hits the first chop for a loud gasp from the crowd. Kobashi takes him into the corner and shows him a real chop before a shoulder sends Kobashi outside. Joe hits the big suicide elbow into the barricade for two back inside and we take a break.

Back with Joe taking him outside for the big running boot in the chair. It worked so well the first time that Joe tries it again, only to charge into a shot to the face. Joe gets planted on the floor and they head back inside for some more hard Kobashi chops. We hit the front facelock for a bit until Joe suplexes his way to freedom. They strike it out hard with the sweat literally flying off of their chests.

Kobashi gets the better of things as we take another break and come back with Joe making the comeback and striking away even faster. Some Kawada kicks send Kobashi flying into the corner and it’s time for the facewashes. The MuscleBuster connects for two and Joe is stunned by the kickout. Another kick to the head sets up Joe’s STF, which is switched into a crossface and then something like an octopus hold on the mat as Kobashi FINALLY gets a foot on the ropes for the break.

Kobashi manages a half and half suplex and they’re both down again. Back up and Kobashi goes nuts with the rapid fire chops in the corner, leaving Joe’s chest looking rather disturbed. Another half and half suplex gets two and a sleeper suplex gives Kobashi the same. Joe tries to chop away but some spinning backfists set up a huge lariat to put him away at 24:21.

Rating: A. This is a great example of a match which was made better by the crowd’s reaction. The match felt like an event, as Kobashi is a living legend and having Joe face him in such a high profile match is the kind of thing you do not get to see very often. Joe is the biggest name in Ring of Honor history and Kobashi is far above him, but Joe hung in there and had him in real trouble in a classic. Great match, as you may have heard before.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Matt Taven vs. Mark Briscoe

Taven, with Mike Bennett, is challenging. A rollup gives Taven an early two but Briscoe is back up with a headlock. Briscoe chops him down and they slap hands, with Taven knocking him into the corner. Bennett’s distraction doesn’t work though and Briscoe is back with a Blockbuster off the apron. Back in and Briscoe misses the Froggy Bow, allowing Taven to hammer away and take over.

A neckbreaker sets up the chinlock but Taven’s Lionsault hits raised knees (which oddly gets commentary to stop talking about Chris Jericho rather than the other way around). Briscoe gets two off a high collar suplex but Taven hits Just The Tip for the same. Aurora Borealis hits Briscoe for two but a second attempt hits raised knees (again). The Froggy Boy also hits raised knees (we get the concept) so Briscoe hits a fisherman’s buster. The Jay Driller retains the title at 9:32.

Rating: B-. So to recap: Matt Taven has had one singles match since ROH relaunched under Tony Khan (defeating Darius Martin in February 2022) and has lost to Briscoe’s teams in some recent AEW tag matches. This is on the same she where there Premiere Athletes get a Proving Ground match rather than an actual title match despite losing to Dustin in multiple matches in recent weeks. At the same time, Brian Cage is getting a TV Title shot based on winning a few squash matches and possibly due to being on the winning team in a six man tag almost two months ago. Eh just give Dustin Rhodes all the titles. Should be fine.

Overall Rating: B-. I can only get so annoyed when about a third of this show was Joe vs. Kobashi (I’m assuming that was put in because two matches taped for the show ended in injuries) but geez the lack of continuity and coherence around here is astounding. I have no idea how one goes about getting a title shot around here, but I also know that none of it matters as the important stuff takes place on AEW shows anyway, making this show all the more pointless. Just make it Dark again already and drop the whole ROH thing, which sounds nice but after a year and a half, it’s not exactly seeming likely.

Results
Dustin Rhodes/Von Erichs b. Premiere Athletes/Mark Sterling – Final Reckoning to Sterling
Nyla Roe b. Katie Arquette – Beast Bomb
Anthony Henry/Beef b. Anthony Cantena/Wes Barkley – Top rope double stomp to Barkley
Outrunners b. Infantry – Total Recall to Dean
Mark Briscoe b. Matt Taven – Jay Driller

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: September 26, 2024
Location: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We are back to what should be the run of the mill version of this show, as last week’s edition was taped on the road rather than in the same place for several weeks. As a result, the show was little over an hour rather than double that and it made for a much easier watch. Hopefully that continues this week. Let’s get to it.

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

We run down the card.

Action Andretti vs. Tony Deppen

Lio Rush is here with Andretti. They trade headlocks to take over until Andretti shoulders him down. An arm trap rollup gives Deppen two but Andretti takes him down for a springboard corkscrew splash for two. Deppen hits him in the face so Andretti stomps away in the corner. Back up and Deppen fires off some clotheslines but misses a top rope double stomp. Deppen low bridges him to the floor though and hits a big flip dive. Back in and Andretti kicks away, setting up a shotgun dropkick into the corner. The split legged moonsault finishes Deppen at 5:35.

Rating: B-. Nice opener here as Deppen continues to be a good choice for a spot like this one. He can have a perfectly fine match with just about anyone and Andretti gets a nice win at the same time. They didn’t do anything revolutionary here but they started the show fairly hot and gave the fans something to cheer.

The Iron Savages and Jacked Jameson don’t like the Outrunners and are ready to slow them down.

Jacked Jameson/Boulder vs. Dark Order

Boulder drives Reynolds into the corner without much trouble to start and mocks the Dark Order pose, only to miss a splash. Jameson and Silver come in with Silver grabbing a hiptoss. Silver sends Jameson into Bounder’s chest, which earns Silver a trip to the floor and a lot of yelling.

Back in and Boulder drops down onto Silver but he slips out of a slam and sends him into the corner for some running elbows. A Black Widow has Boulder in trouble but Jameson makes a quick save. Jameson’s spinebuster gets two as everything breaks down. The Order’s run of the mill sequence sets up a jackknife rollup to pin Jameson at 5:53.

Rating: C. So the Order is just good again and can suddenly win matches, as their mini feuds against Dustin Rhodes N Pals are already turned around. That leaves us with the Savages, who are on just about every show and lose as often, so for some reason I should want to see them against the Outrunners. I’m not sure I get the logic there.

Abadon vs. Liviyah

Abadon starts with a bite to the arm but misses a charge into the corner. Liviyah’s Russian legsweep is countered into a backbreaker ad the Black Dahlia finishes for Abadon at 1:40. usual short Abadon match.

Red Velvet is ready to face Diamante, who is in her prime 15-16 years into her career. Velvet has done it in 8 though, which has Diamante ready to fight. She’s ready to take the title from Velvet and the match seems on for some point in the future.

Brian Cage vs. Alec Price

Cage runs him over with a shoulder to start and shrugs off a superkick before sending Price flying by the throat. The corner clotheslines and some beals have Price in more trouble and Cage gorilla presses him over the top. Cage throws him back inside but Price manages a quick dropkick. Some running knees in the corner rock Cage, who German suplexes Price into the corner. Three powerbombs into an F10 finishes Price at 4:42.

Rating: C. You can pretty much guarantee what you’re going to get from a Cage match and it was on full display here. Cage did his stuff, hit his big power moves and, after selling a bit, finished him off. That’s not the worst thing to see, but as is the case with so many people around here, there is little reason to believe Cage is going anywhere.

We look back at the Kingdom vs. Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara last week on Collision, because it wasn’t about to be on this show.

Athena/Billie Starkz vs. LMK/Christina Marie

Starkz and Marie start things off with the latter grabbing an armdrag into a slam but Starkz cuts that off in a hurry. Athena comes in and sends her into the barricade, followed by a suplex from Starkz back inside. Marie kicks her away though and it’s LMK coming in to kick Athena in the head. Everything breaks down and Athena hits a Big Ending/side slam to both of them at the same time. Starkz gives Marie a middle rope DDT and Athena grabs a reverse Koji Clutch to make LMK tap at 4:17.

Rating: C. It was nice to have Athena and Starkz get a win like this as they haven’t been having many matches as of late. Athena has officially set the record for the longest title reign in Ring Of Honor history, which makes me wonder how long she needs to hold the thing. There is no record left for her to break so maybe it’s time to finally go somewhere else with the title already.

Post match the beating stays on until Abadon comes in for the save. Athena leaves Billie alone and Abadon beats the daylights out of her.

Johnny TV. vs. Komander

TV strikes away to start but Komander picks up the pace. A shot to the face drops Komander rather quickly but he snaps off a wristdrag for a breather. Komander sends him outside, only to have TV come back with a running knee for two. The chinlock is broken up so TV steps on his head, followed by a series of kicks. TV grabs another chinlock but Komander fights up and fires off some kicks of his own.

That doesn’t work for TV, who pulls him into a bodyscissors to keep things slow. Komander fights up and breaks out of a superplex attempt, setting up a big springboard dive to the floor. Back in and TV hits his flipping neckbreaker but Starship Pain misses. Cielito Lindo is countered into a super Spanish Fly but Komander is back with a springboard poisonrana (doesn’t quite work). Now Cielito Lindo can give Komander the pin at 8:46.

Rating: B-. This was a way to make Komander look good after his big moment at the end of Dynamite, though one win doesn’t exactly make up for months of him being so middle of the road. As usual, TV is capable of making most people look better without losing much of his own status. That is a valuable thing to have and he made it work here.

Pure Wrestling Title: Preston Vance vs. Lee Moriarty

Moriarty, with Shane Taylor, is defending. Vance powers him down to start and then does it again to prove his point. A running shoulder drops Moriarty again but a right hand is enough to warn Vance a warning. Some corner clotheslines and a German suplex have Moriarty in trouble so Vance takes him outside for some rams into the barricade.

Back in and Moriarty manages a boot to the face, meaning it’s time for some choking in the corner (as the on-screen clock jumps forward about eight minutes for some reason). A suplex gives Moriarty two and the threat of a choke sends Vance to the ropes for the first break. Vance burns through another break a few seconds later but he breaks out of an early Border City Stretch attempt. Moriarty uses the ropes to escape the full nelson slam and goes outside. Back in and a faceplant sets up la majistral to retain the title at 7:03.

Rating: C+. And that’s what we get after two weeks of Vance wins, as he is the latest victim of the lowest level singles title around here. The Pure Title is another one that could be dropped without losing much but in theory it’s the kind of title you can put on the line here to make a show feel more important. In theory at least, as it really doesn’t work out that well.

Overall Rating: C+. It’s amazing how much easier this show is to watch when they cut it down to a manageable length. This show was just over an hour and it made things that much more enjoyable. It felt like they were a lot more focused this week, with a lot less filler and move things being set up for the future. Still not exactly a great or interesting show, but far less annoying than it had been for a stretch there.

Results
Action Andretti b. Tony Deppen – Split legged moonsault
Dark Order b. Jacked Jameson/Boulder – Jackknife rollup to Jameson
Abadon b. Liviyah – Black Dahlia
Brian Cage b. Alec Price – F10
Athena/Billie Starkz b. LMK/Christian Marie – Reverse Koji Clutch to LMK
Komander b. Johnny TV – Cielito Lindo
Lee Moriarty b. Preston Vance – La majistral

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

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AND

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Ring Of Honor
Date: 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.