Ring Of Honor
Date: December 4, 2025
Location: The Pinnacle, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

it’s the night before Final Battle and we’re on the second of three Ring Of Honor shows this week. The big draw this time is that the Women’s TV Champion is actually going to be here as Mercedes Mone is going to be doing something. The pay per view can use some extra buildup so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the top of the Final Battle card.

The Beast Mortos vs. Komander

Komander does the bull pass Ole’s to start so Mortos hits him in the face. An anklescissors and headscissors take Mortos down but he cuts off the bouncy springboard hurricanrana. Mortos’ fireman’s carry backbreaker has Komander in more trouble and it’s time to choke on the rope. A neck twist keeps Komander in trouble but he gets in a quick hurricanrana for two more.

Mortos is sent outside for the big dive, though he’s fine enough to grab a pop up Samoan drop for another near fall. Komander’s crucifix bomb gets two so he goes up, where Mortos counters a hurricanrana into a powerbomb backbreaker. A poisonrana drops Mortos again and Komander goes up, only for Sammy Guevara to shove him down for the DQ at 9:40.

Rating: C. This was starting to pick up before the not so great ending. I get the idea of not wanting one of them to be pushed harder before Final Battle, but if that’s the case, why bother putting it together in the first place? Either way, at least Komander got to do his high flying stuff, which does work well most of the time.

Post match Komander gets his mask ripped off but Bandido comes out for the save. Cue Don Callis to ask about his white pants and to introduce Hechicero. The good guys are beaten down and the other three argue over the title.

Premiere Athletes vs. Philly Collins/Marino Tenaglia/Zoey Lynn

Daivari unloads on Tenaglia in the corner to start and it’s off to Denali for more of the same. Denali chokes on Lynn before it’s off to Collins, who catches Nese’s boot. Daivari breaks it up with a hammerlock lariat to Collins and Denali chokeslams Lynn for the pin at 2:53. Total destruction.

Rosario Grillo vs. Sidney Akeem

Grillo works on the arm to start as commentary talks about the World Title match. Akeem nips up and hits a running shoulder but gets taken into the corner for some elbows to the head. Akeem’s springboard is broken up with a forearm to the face but he’s back with a spinning crossbody. The backflip cutter is broken up so Akeem connects with the second attempt for the win at 4:31.

Rating: C. The flips and acrobatics were nice, but why in the world is this on the last show before Final Battle? It would be a stretch in a regular week and yet here it is, even in a week where they had another show as a bonus. It’s not like there is any required amount of content to fill and this felt like nothing more than filler for the sake of making the show longer.

Dalton Castle/The Outrunners vs. Jake Omen/Ashton Adonis/Josh Crane

Magnum poses at Omen to start and hands it off to Floyd for a running knee lift. Castle’s falling splash gets two but it’s Magnum getting caught in the wrong corner. That’s broken up in a hurry though and it’s Floyd coming back in to help clean house. It’s off to Castle for the suplexes and the Mega Powers Elbow into the Bang A Rang finishes Adonis at 4:40.

Rating: C. Dalton Castle has a match for the National Title at the biggest show of the year so he wrestles two six man tags this week. Of course he does. Even though there is a grand total of no chance that Castle wins the title at Final Battle, it shouldn’t be asking too much to have him win some squash matches while the Outrunners pose at ringside.

Post match here is Ricochet for a distraction, allowing the Gates Of Agony to jump the Outrunners. Ricochet comes in for a belt shot, plus the Spirit Gun.

Death Riders vs. Damien Reel/Damon Reel

Yuta and Damien start things off with Yuta easily taking over. It’s off to Garcia to send him into the corner for some glaring. Yuta comes back in to tie up the leg, with Garcia adding some right hands to the head. Damien fights up and brings in Damon to make a comeback, which doesn’t last long. Instead it’s a flying forearm Hart Attack into the Dragontamer for the tap at 3:53.

Rating: C. This is another match involving people who have nothing to do with Final Battle. That’s the theme of way too much of this show, as again it’s not like Yuta and Garcia are strangers. They’re people who have been well established on AEW and yet here they are again, doing the same thing they always do. Why did this need to be here?

Queen Aminata tells Deonna Purrazzo that she is injured and out of the tournament, meaning Purrazzo is in the finals. Purrazzo is understanding, as well as ready for whomever she faces tomorrow night.

Mercedes Mone vs. Little Miss Larkin

Non-title. Larkin is very excited to be here and gets pulled down by the hair to start. Statement Maker finishes at 34 seconds.

Women’s Pure Rules Title Tournament Semifinals: Billie Starkz vs. Yuka Sakazaki

They start a bit slowly until Starkz drives her into the ropes for Sakazaki’s first break. Sakazaki grabs a bodyscissors and rolls her around the ring for two and they head outside. Starkz slugs away to take over and stomps away back inside. A DDT gives Starkz two but Sakazaki fights back, forcing Starkz to use the rope. Starkz comes out with a right hand into a DDT to stay on the neck. Sakazaki uses the second rope break to get out of a chinlock and she Snowplows Starkz for two.

An ankle lock makes Starkz use her second rope break and she slams Sakazaki off the top. The Swanton misses though and Sakazaki’s top rope splash misses. Starkz grabs a kneebar but Sakazaki does the same thing, meaning they need to trade forearms for the double escape…and they both use their final rope break. They strike it out again until Starkz trips her into a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin at 10:43.

Rating: B-. And that’s how we get to the finals of the tournament. This was another case of how gimmicky can they get with the rope breaks, which is basically all the Pure Title stuff is most of the time. Starkz cheating in the end was at least something different, but my goodness I cannot bring myself to care about this tournament.

And that’s it. Seriously, that’s it. Mone, the big advertisement for this show, was out there for a 34 second squash and nothing more. That’s so lame it’s almost funny.

Overall Rating: D+. Maybe it was having the extra show earlier this week (which was completely and totally necessary), but this felt like the biggest waste of time. The wrestling was mediocre at best and a lot of it had little or nothing to do with the pay per view. This show was supposed to sell me on Final Battle and instead it sold me on wanting to go to my local library and find a nice ornamental horticulture book. Totally nothing show here, but at least we had to pay to see it.

Results
Komander b. The Beast Mortos via DQ when Sammy Guevara interfered
Premiere Athletes b. Philly Collins/Marino Tenaglia/Zoey Lynn – Chokeslam to Lynn
Sidney Akeem b. Rosario Grillo – Backflip cutter
Dalton Castle/The Outrunners b. Jake Omen/Ashton Adonis/Josh Crane – Bang A Rang to Crane
Death Riders b. Damien Reel/Damon Reel – Dragontamer to Damon
Mercedes Mone b. Little Miss Larkin – Statement Maker
Billie Starkz b. Yuka Sakazaki – Rollup with feet on the ropes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Dark Order

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

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

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

Von Erichs vs. Zack Mason/Warren Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video on Persephone vs. Athena.

Premiere Athletes vs. Carrie King/Gino/Exodus Prime

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

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

Main Man Oro/Beef vs. Swirl

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

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

We get Ricochet’s victory promo from Collision.

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

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

Mansoor vs. Komander

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dynamite
Date: October 7, 2025
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Bryan Danielson, Taz

It’s Title Tuesday and that means it’s time to get ready for WrestleDream in just over a week. As usual, this show is going to be focused on titles and there are quite a few to pick from around here. In this case, we have an open challenge for the TBS Title and a tag match which could determine a #1 contender for three different titles. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Tony Schiavone brings out Hangman Page and Samoa Joe for a face to face chat. Page talks about the various things he has done on this show over the years, from arson to dressing up as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, but he has never been as confused as he was last week when Samoa Joe lost it. That makes him think Joe is angry and he has been for a long time.

Now Joe is going to get the World Title shot and Page is making sure that he gets it because he owes Joe. That ends at WrestleDream though. Joe says everything Page has said is true and now it’s time for him to say some uncomfortable truths. The reality is that Page isn’t a real champion because he’ll give someone an opportunity of a lifetime and then face them in ten minutes to pad his stats.

That’s not going to work with Joe at WrestleDream, where he’s going to choke Page out and take his title. Page knows he’s going to take a beating at WrestleDream but he’ll hit Joe twice as much. Then Page is going to beat him once and for all and after, he hopes Joe can shake his hand and admit that Page is the World Champion. Thankfully they kept this short as they didn’t have much to say and it didn’t need to go long.

The Conglomeration is ready to win tonight and on Collision. Kyle O’Reilly better not hear one LET’S GO KYLE chant when he faces Kyle Fletcher because he can’t stand anyone else with that name. What a specific issue.

Jon Moxley vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Marina Shafir is here with Moxley. Shockingly enough, they trade strikes to start and then go outside for more forearms. Ishii gets the better of things but Shafir gets in a distraction, allowing Moxley to knock him into the barricade. We take a break and come back with Moxley hammering away in the corner again, which wakes Ishii up. A suplex drops Moxley, who is right back with a sleeper, which is reversed into a belly to back suplex.

Moxley hammers away in the corner until a powerbomb gets Ishii out of trouble. Ishii hits a running clothesline for two and they trade hard shots to the head until both of them are down. Moxley grabs a jumping cutter for two but Ishii pops up from a powerbomb. A curb stomp gives Moxley two so Ishii goes for a choke, which is countered into the Paradigm Shift. The rear naked choke finishes for Moxley at 12:41.

Rating: B-. As soon as Ishii got up from the Paradigm Shift, I was expecting Ishii to lose by submission within about fifteen seconds, which is pretty much exactly what happens. It’s a recurring pattern in AEW’s match structures, much like trading a lot of forearms in the middle of the ring. You know what you’re going to get with an Ishii match and it was on full display here.

The Young Bucks are trying to talk to Tony Khan (they need money, again) but will be there to watch the Jurassic Express later.

Video on Kris Statlander vs. Toni Storm.

We look at the Triangle Of Madness laying out Statlander and Storm on Collision.

Hurt Syndicate vs. The Demand

Street fight. They start the brawl on the ramp until Liona takes Lashley inside for a Samoan drop onto some chairs. They’re already outside with Ricochet and MVP coming inside to grapple against the ropes. A crutch to the back has Kaun in trouble and he gets inside with Benjamin. That doesn’t last long as they go outside as well, where Ricochet hits a big running flip dive to knock the pile down.

We take a break and come back with the Demand in control, including some slams on the floor. Lashley gets knocked down and a chair but gets up, where his spear is cut off with a chair to the head. The Gates send Lashley through a table and Kaun’s elbow puts him through a second. MVP and Liona crash through a barricade, leaving Benjamin to get double spinebustered for two.

Ricochet shooting stars Benjamin on a table, which doesn’t break (OUCH), so Liona and MVP crash onto Benjamin to really break the thing. Somehow Benjamin gets back up to strike away and backdrop Ricochet out to the floor. Ricochet gets back in and takes a knee from Benjamin to save Liona as Lashley is back up. The spear drops Ricochet and then Liona, followed by a spinebuster to put Kaun through a table. Back in and Benjamin gives Ricochet a GREAT release German suplex through a table for the pin at 16:36.

Rating: B. This one worked quite a bit better than the previous version, as the Demand winning before made me believe they could do it again here. That sounds minor, but it made all the difference in the matches. They also got a nice bit of time and were able to make it feel like a fight, which is what you want out of something like this. Good match, with the weapons and violence feeling more appropriate.

The Don Callis Family has some matches coming up, with Don Callis accusing Kyle O’Reilly naming himself after Kyle Fletcher. They’re ready to beat everyone they’re facing.

Jurassic Express vs. O’Ryan/KM

Perry (and it’s now Jungle Jack Perry, which is light years ahead of Jungle Boy if he’s supposed to be taken seriously) takes O’Ryan (who doesn’t even get a first name) into the corner and then hurricanranas him down. A dropkick connects as the Young Bucks are stuck sitting in the crowd with some random kids.

Luchasaurus comes in for a suplex and just drops O’Ryan in a good spot. A beach ball is thrown in and thrown back out (amen) and the Extinction finishes O’Ryan at 2:40. This was an effective squash, with Jurassic Express doing well with the big man/little man style. That can work very well for them, as long as Perry isn’t treated as too serious of a star again.

Post match the Bucks run in and beat the Express down. Well it was nice while it lasted. The Bucks challenge the Express for WrestleDream and then lay Perry out with a TK Driver.

The Death Riders, now seemingly with Pac as an official member, are outside, where they promise to take out Orange Cassidy tonight.

TNT Title: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fletcher (with Lance Archer) is defending and we’re finally at a title match almost halfway into the show. Don Callis joins commentary as O’Reilly takes Fletcher down. A kneebar sends Fletcher over to the ropes so O’Reilly goes after the arm instead. O’Reilly double legs him and hammers away to send Fletcher outside. The running knee drops Fletcher again but he’s right back with a Michinoku Driver as we take a break.

We come back with O’Reilly hitting a German suplex and going back to the arm, including a hammerlock guillotine. O’Reilly switches back to the leg, with Fletcher heading over to the rope. They strike it out on the apron until O’Reilly hits a big running dive off the apron. Back in and Fletcher can’t get a brainbuster but can lawn dart him into the buckle. They slug it out until O’Reilly grabs a reverse fisherman’s suplex for two. A Boom gives O’Reilly two more and he goes back to the ankle lock. Fletcher breaks that up and hits a brainbuster, followed by another brainbuster to retain at 13:11.

Rating: B. These two have good chemistry together and they made it work again here, with O’Reilly not being the most likely new champion but giving it a heck of a go on the way. The idea of trying to take Fletcher apart limb by limb is a good story for the match and it worked well. Fletcher is going to need a bigger challenger soon though and there are more than a few options to come for the title.

Post match Archer goes after O’Reilly but the Conglomeration comes in for the save. More of the Don Callis Family comes in so Mark Briscoe is in as well to stare Fletcher away.

Post break Fletcher is not pleased with Briscoe coming out there after a big title match. To make it worse, he has to defend against Briscoe at WrestleDream.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. ???

Mone is defending against…Lacey Lane (formerly Kayden Carter in WWE), who is from Florida as Mone requested. Mone works on the arm to start but gets rolled up for two. Lane avoids a running dropkick in the corner and gets two more on Mone, who has to bail outside. That lets Lane dance a bit, followed by a basement superkick back inside. A hanging Pedigree gives Lane two and we take a break.

We come back with Lane kicking her down but Mone grabs Three Amigos. The frog splash hits raised knees though and they trade some strikes to the face. A Codebreaker sends Lane into the corner, where the running knees miss. Lane is back with a springboard spinning legdrop for two and they trade rollups for two each. Mone manages a quick Mone Maker to retain at 9:24.

Rating: B-. It was a nice debut for Lane (which came after her debut in ROH a few weeks ago) who put in a solid first appearance. She gave Mone a good fight and while there was no reason to believe she was going to win the title, which is an issue for everyone who challenges for the title. Either way, good stuff here and far better than it could have been.

Sammy Guevara promises that The Beast Mortos will destroy Eddie Kingston on Collision.

Kingston, with Hook, will see them on Collision.

Don Callis Family vs. Bandido/Brody King

Non-title, but if either Bandido or King win they get a Unified Title shot, but if the Family win, they get a Tag Team Title shot. Kazuchika Okada’s entrance cuts off Konosuke Takeshita’s, which isn’t sitting well with the latter. Bandido, with his bad shoulder, starts with Takeshita, who is smart enough to go after the bad arm.

An armdrag sends Takeshita into the corner for a shot from King, who drops Bandido onto him for a bonus. Okada comes in and gets chopped hard in the corner before Bandido adds a dropkick. King gets sent to the apron and high/lowed to the floor, where Takeshita and Okada have a staredown as we take a break.

We come back with King belly to back suplexing his way out of trouble and hitting a double clothesline. Bandido comes back in and scores with a spinning high crossbody on Okada. A suplex gets two with Takeshita making the save King drops Okada so this time Takeshita shoves Bandido into them for the save. King is back up with a Boss Man Slam to Takeshita but Okada gets smart by going after the bad arm.

Takeshita gets in a rather impressive wheelbarrow suplex to King and he goes after the bad arm to drop Bandido again. Takeshita’s running knee hits Okada by mistake and the X Knee connects for Bandido. The arm gives out on the 21 Plex attempt though and Takeshita grabs a poisonrana. The running knee is loaded up but Okada tags himself in and hits the Rainmaker for the pin on Bandido at 12:02.

Rating: B. You had two stories taking place here at the same time and they meshed together well enough to set up the title match later on. Takeshita and Okada are still having troubles and those very well could boil over when they get to the title match. Bandido’s shoulder being banged up cost them the match and it made sense for the villains to work on it throughout. Good stuff here and the rematch should be better.

Jet Speed and Willow Nightingale aren’t worried about FTR and Penelope Ford/Megan Bayne.

Stokely Hathaway and FTR can respect Jet Speed just a bit, but they don’t think much of Willow Nightingale. Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford don’t either.

Bandido and Brody King are ready to defend the Tag Team Titles against the Don Callis Family at WrestleDream.

Orange Cassidy vs. Pac

They fight over wrist control to start before Cassidy does the lazy kicks. Pac isn’t having that and picks the leg to grind away on a headlock. A flying mare into an armbar gets Cassidy out of trouble and they head outside, where Pac gets in a suplex. We take a break and come back with Pac hitting a missile dropkick before shrugging off the lazy chops. They trade some more aggressive forearms until Pac grabs a rebound German suplex.

Cassidy knocks him right back down and we get a double breather. The fight heads outside again and Cassidy hits a Stundog Millionaire, followed by a DDT. There’s an Orange Punch onto the announcers’ table, followed by the hands in the pockets…fall? Dive? Either way, Cassidy follows it up with a tornado DDT back inside.

Cassidy goes up so Pac slowly rolls away (as Cassidy did to him once before) and they go out into the crowd. Pac Tombstones him onto a platform and Cassidy rolls down the steps…but Darby Allin pops up to tape Cassidy’s foot to a railing. Cassidy manages to get back in (What Tombstone?) and Pac dives over the top as well, only for Cassidy to roll him up for the pin at 15:39.

Rating: B. The ending was more than a bit overbooked, but that’s pretty normal for AEW> Pac losing so soon after his return is a bit of a stretch, though I’ll take it over Cassidy losing again so soon. These two have a history together and it does feel like a big enough match, so this was a good way to go for the main event.

Post match Allin yells at Pac, who gives chase but gets cut off by a taser. The rest of the Death Riders chase Allin as well and security cuts Allin off before he can….light a Molotov cocktail. Because that’s a thing. Security holds Allin down to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Yeah this was a heck of a show, ridiculously goofy ending aside. There was nothing close to bad on here and everyone was working hard throughout. They also boosted up WrestleDream, which is looking like a better card than it was coming into this week. Daily’s Place seems to bring out the best in AEW and that was certainly the case here.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Tomohiro Ishii – Rear naked choke
Hurt Syndicate b. The Demand – Release German suplex to Ricochet through a table
Jurassic Express b. O’Ryan/KM – Extinction to O’Ryan
Kyle Fletcher b. Kyle O’Reilly – Brainbuster
Mercedes Mone b. Lacey Lane – Mone Maker
Don Callis Family b. Bandido/Brody King – Rainmaker to Bandido
Orange Cassidy b. Pac – Rollup

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

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

Dynamite
Date: October 1, 2025
Location: Hard Rock Live At Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Bryan Danielson, Taz

It’s a special event as we have the sixth anniversary of Dynamite. Naturally that means the show is an extra half hour longer, because if there is one thing AEW knows how to do, it’s go long. The big draw this week is a six man tag as Kenny Omega is back, though we also need to start getting ready for WrestleDream. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We run down the card.

Earlier today, Matt Jackson had an idea for a big entrance, but Nick Jackson lost their money at a casino.

Young Bucks/Josh Alexander vs. Bandido/Brody King/Kenny Omega

The Bucks are now introduced as the Broke Bucks with an account balance of 0.00. Don Callis joins commentary as Omega and Alexander start things off. A running shoulder takes Omega down as the fans do not approve of Callis. Matt and King come in, with King getting to fire off some clotheslines. Bandido ducks a bunch of superkicks and starts to dance but the Bucks flip out of a springboard armdrag.

The Bucks’ dance is cut off with a double hurricanrana and Omega comes in for his own dancing. Omega and Bandido hit some dives before King slams various people onto Alexander. Not to be outdone, Bandido slams King onto Alexander in a nice bit. Alexander is able to come back with a needed backbreaker and the Bucks can connect with some superkicks. We go to a weird overhead camera shot as Omega fights back on the Bucks, who cut off a big dive. The Bucks are sent to the apron but catch Omega with a triple dive, including an assist from Alexander.

We take a break and come back with Omega avoiding More Bang For Your Buck and bringing King back in to clean house. Bandido comes back in off a blind tag as Callis is hiding from Omega. Everything breaks down and Omega hits a big running flip dive. Back in and a triple Tombstone gives Bandido two but Alexander starts German suplexing Omega.

The double superkicks let Alexander German suplex King and a superkick into a double Neutralizer gets two. More superkicks don’t do much as Omega is back up with the snapdragons. The poisonrana into the V Trigger hits Alexander. King hits a dive and it’s the 21 Plex into the One Winged Angel for the pin on Alexander at 15:41.

Rating: B. They basically stopped with the tagging part in the middle, making this rather perfect for a big time AEW show. The Bucks got to do a lot of their stuff, including the spamming of superkicks, but at least Omega was able to be in the ring. Like him or not, he’s one of the biggest stars AEW has ever had and it means a lot to have him around when he’s healthy enough.

Post match Omega has to be turned around for the pose at the camera. Bandido and King leave and we get the tease of a reunion with Omega and the Bucks…but Alexander breaks it up before anything can happen. The beatdown is on and the Bucks aren’t sure what to do. Cue the Jurassic Express to take the Bucks out, leaving Jack Perry and Omega to argue a lot.

Perry keeps going after the Bucks and Omega is left alone. Omega talks about the journey that it took to get here and he’s glad to have fans who have been here since the beginning or who are just starting out. He hits the catchphrase and the lights go out….and Andrade El Idolo is back to lay Omega out. And yes, of course he’s with Callis.

We look back at the last six years of Dynamite. That’s a nice touch and there have been some great highlights.

Mark Briscoe says this is a night for celebration and reflection. The last few weeks have seen his life consumed by MJF, who let Mark’s brother’s name out of his mouth. He recaps the TNT Title situation and will be happy to see Orange Cassidy win the title tonight, while MJF will still be pulling tacks out of his a**.

TNT Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Orange Cassidy

Cassidy is challenging and blocks some early brainbuster attempts. A backslide attempt doesn’t work so Cassidy just stops running on an Irish whip attempt in a funny bit. Fletcher knocks him outside but Cassidy runs back inside for a suicide dive. Cassidy gets knocked outside though and we take a break.

We come back with Fletcher kicking away but Cassidy makes a comeback, only to get kicked in the head. The lawn dart is countered into an armdrag though and Fletcher is sent into some buckles. A high crossbody is countered into a Michinoku driver to give Fletcher two but Cassidy grabs a Stundog Millionaire.

Fletcher’s powerbomb attempt is countered into a DDT for two but Cassidy’s rollup is countered into a tombstone for the same. They trade superkicks until Fletcher kicks him in the head on the top. Don Callis gets up for a distraction so here is Hologram (that is not Hologram), who chases Callis off and then crotches Cassidy on top. Fletcher brainbusters Cassidy onto the turnbuckle for the win at 14:15.

Rating: B-. This was good enough, though the “that’s Hologram” deal was straight out of the “THAT IS STING” from the Nitro days. At the same time, I’m not sure how smart it is to have Cassidy lose so soon after his return. It helps Fletcher, but maybe build up a match like this and put someone else in there instead?

Post match the beatdown is on as Hologram seems to have joined Callis as well. The Paragon runs in for the save. The rest of the Family runs in, with Hologram revealing that he is in fact the Clone.

We look back at Andrade joining the Don Callis Family. Callis has been around for almost the entire first hour of the show.

Mercedes Mone is still wanting her tenth belt but she’s willing to defend her TBS Title next week on Title Tuesday. She wants to face someone local in Florida but we’ll figure out who that will be. Mone is asked about the Women’s Tag Team Titles and needs a partner, so here is Harley Cameron, with the Mone puppet. Arguing ensues, as Mone isn’t interested in Cameron’s pitch.

Death Riders vs. Hangman Page/Samoa Joe/Powerhouse Hobbs

Castagnoli charges in at Joe to start fast and gets taken into the corner so Joe can easily slug him down. Moxley comes in and knocks Joe into the wrong corner for some knees to the face, allowing Garcia to choke on the ropes. That’s broken up and Joe backsplashes Garcia, allowing the big tag off to Page.

House is quickly cleaned and Page sends Garcia outside for a slingshot dive. Hobbs comes in and fires off the shoulders and clotheslines to drop the villains again. Moxley gets crushed in the corner and slammed onto the apron as we take a break. We come back with Hobbs in trouble and striking it out with Castagnoli. A gutwrench suplex drops Hobbs for two and Castagnoli knocks Page off the apron.

The distraction lets Hobbs get in a powerslam, allowing the tag off to Page for the comeback. Moxley slips out of a Deadeye attempt and grabs a piledriver, followed by a big running uppercut from Castagnoli. Hobbs is back in for the save and Joe knocks Garcia off the apron. A Paradigm Shift drops Joe and Castagnoli clotheslines Page for two. Page is right back up with the Deadeye into the Buckshot Lariat to pin Castagnoli at 14:32.

Rating: B. This was the kind of hard hitting brawl that you would expect, with everyone working with the effort to make it work. I’m not sure who is next for Page, but it doesn’t seem like it is going to be another member of the Death Riders. The team seems to be shifting away from Page, which is what needs to happen. On the other side…well it’s not like the Trios Titles mean anything anyway.

Post match Joe gets in Page’s face, apparently mad that he didn’t get a tag in the match. Security (and Hobbs) break it up. Joe says Page never beat him (aha) and that seems to be a WrestleDream title match.

Willow Nightingale and Jet Speed want to take out FTR and Stokely Hathaway, with a singles match coming on Collision.

Post break Hangman Page is very confused by what Samoa Joe did (which was apparently about handing him a title). Page knows it’s about the World Title and he has it partially because of what Joe did at All In. If Joe wants a title shot, we can do it at WrestleDream, but don’t come at him like that again.

Toni Storm vs. Tay Melo

Storm is in a trench coat and fedora and looking a bit shaken up. We get a handshake to start as Storm is in more regular clothes and not gear. Storm hits a running shoulder and basement dropkick to set up a backbreaker. Melo sends her outside but gets dropped onto the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Melo hitting some running boots in the corner but Storm grabs a running faceplant. They slug it out until Storm grabs a DDT, only to miss the running hip attack. Melo kicks her in the face in the corner but Storm snaps off a German suplex. The hip attack sets up the Storm Zero to pin Melo at 7:59.

Rating: C+. It’s nice to see Storm win a short match instead of going long, as she should be able to run through someone at Melo’s level. Storm is likely going to be facing Kris Statlander in a singles match for the title so boosting her up again like this is fine. Then again, you never know with Storm as she can be a bit, shall we say, out there.

Post match Storm, in black and white, says she heard a silence at All Out and it completely gobbled her up. What is she without the title? She’s not finished with Kris Statlander so she’s ready anywhere, anytime.

Sammy Guevara is ready for Eddie Kingston on Collision….to face Dralistico.

Kingston doesn’t speak Spanish but tells Dralistico to not let Guevara speak for him.

Samoa Joe isn’t surprised by Hangman Page because maybe they aren’t friends. He has been so distracted by the Death Riders so maybe it’s time to get back to what he is. Page is all about cowboy s*** but if he messes with Joe, welcome to the world of deep s***.

Gates Of Agony vs. Swirl

Ricochet is here with the Gates and sits in on commentary. Johnson slips out of Liona’s suplex to start so Kaun comes in for a rather loud chop. Christian comes in and gets caught with a fireman’s carry gutbuster as we take a break. We come back with Christian getting planted for two but he fights out and brings Johnson back in. Everything breaks down and Johnson hits a big running flip dive, with Christian adding a dropkick. The Gates are right back up to drop Christian, followed by some running shots in the corner to drop Johnson. Open The Gates finishes Johnson at 7:59.

Rating: C+. You know what you’re getting with the Gates and that’s what you got here. They beat up a team that is beneath them and didn’t have much trouble doing so. The Swirl might mean something in Ring Of Honor, but they don’t mean much of anything in AEW and that was on display here.

Post match Ricochet gives Christian a Spirit Gun but here is the Hurt Syndicate to interrupt. MVP asks if there are any Miami locals around here and then apologizes to his partners for getting pinned at All Out. Maybe he isn’t as good as he used to be, but he knows he can still fight. That’s why he wants a street fight rematch next week. Ricochet says it’s on.

Kris Statlander says she has never faced Toni Storm one on one so they can do it at WrestleDream. Harley Cameron comes in to approve, but hides Mini Mone.

Don Callis, with Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita, says the two of them will be facing Bandido/Brody King next week. They don’t seem thrilled, but Callis assures them it will be fine.

Darby Allin/Kris Statlander vs. Death Riders

Tornado Tag and Allin/Statlander jump them during their entrance to start the fight in the crowd. Statlander jumps off a wall to take Shafir down, leaving Allin to chair Yuta in the back at ringside. A big dive only hits chair though, leaving Shafir to strike away at Statlander as we take a break.

We come back with Statlander faceplanting Shafir, who is right back with a headscissor driver onto the apron. Yuta German suplexes Allin onto the pile of chairs but Allin pops up for a top rope superplex onto the pile of chairs. Back up and Yuta drops Allin onto the apron and whips out the bag of thumbtacks.

Yuta Angle Slams Statlander, who suplexes him onto the chairs. Shafir comes after Statlander but gets dropped feet first onto the tacks. Allin ducks powder from Yuta, which goes into Shafir’s eyes. That leaves Shafir to choke Yuta, leaving Statlander to hit a 450 onto both of them at once. The Coffin Drop finishes Yuta (with Statlander covering too) at around 12:30 (the bell didn’t ring to start).

Rating: B-. Good, wild main event here and it was something that had to be on the show for the sake of AEW’s history. Allin gets a win over the Death Riders (rough night for them) on the way to facing Jon Moxley at WrestleDream while Statlander gets to do more with whatever she’s doing with Yuta.

Post match Toni Storm comes out to brawl with Statlander. With the two of them gone, Allin whips Yuta with a belt but Pac runs in to beat Allin down. Moxley says Allin can’t make him quit and while he doesn’t know how he’ll do it, he’ll make Allin quit at WrestleDream.

Overall Rating: B. While I’m not sure if this needed to be a special extended show, it did a nice job of getting things ready for both next week as well as WrestleDream. The action here was mostly ok, though I could go a long time without seeing the Don Callis Family or the Death Riders. The latter seems to be on a downward trend while the Family is somehow getting even bigger. Good enough show here, though they really need some better top heels.

Results
Kenny Omega/Bandido/Brody King b. Josh Alexander/Young Bucks – One Winged Angel to Alexander
Kyle Fletcher b. Orange Cassidy – Brainbuster onto the turnbuckle
Hangman Page/Powerhouse Hobbs/Samoa Joe b. Death Riders – Buckshot Lariat to Castagnoli
Toni Storm b. Tay Melo – Storm Zero
Gates Of Agony b. Swirl – Open The Gates to Johnson
Darby Allin/Kris Statlander b. Death Riders – Coffin Drop to Yuta

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

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

Ring Of Honor
Date: September 25, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re a few months away from Final Battle but before we start the build towards the biggest show of the year, we actually have a title match with some build this week. The Tag Team Titles are on the line, as Sammy Guevara and Rush are going to be defending against the Von Erichs. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

At All Out, Bandido and Brody King talked about how much they’re willing to do to defend their titles. Their AEW titles.

Bandido vs. Dralistico

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Dralistico (with Rush) wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, he gets a future title shot. Dralistico flips him off to start and bails out to the floor, with Bandido following but getting sent into the barricade. Back in and a superkick cuts Bandido down again and Dralistico hammers away in the corner. Bandido slugs back and snaps off a running hurricanrana, followed by the gorilla press for two. Rush trips Bandido and gets tossed as a result. Well that was done quickly. Rushed even. Bandido grabs a rollup for two, followed by the X Knee for the pin at 5:20.

Rating: C+. They got in a decent amount of stuff in their limited time, but there is only so much that can be done with this kind of a match. Bandido is turning into a pretty big star in AEW as well as ROH and it’s nice to see him treated as something important on both shows. It makes this feel a bit more important, and it worked fine enough here.

Post match a masked man runs in to jump Bandido and it’s…Blake Christian, who is joined by Lee Johnson to beat him down. Hologram, with the returning Kommander, run in for the save.

Premiere Athletes vs. JD Ink/El Magnifico/Rebecca Scott

Nese wrestles Ink down to start and grabs a headlock. A legsweep and legdrop have Ink in more trouble but he flips out of a belly to back suplex. Magnifico comes in and is quickly clotheslines into the corner by Daivari. It’s off to the rather tall Denali so Scott jumps on her back for a choke. Denali kicks her down and hits a spinning kick in the corner. A chokeslam finishes Scott at 3:38.

Rating: C. This was about Denali getting to clean house and that worked well enough. The key thing here was to have Denali get in there, do her dominant stuff and then leave without being exposed. That’s exactly what they did so they couldn’t have done it much better. It’s the first interesting thing that has happened with the Athletes in probably years, likely because it has nothing to do with the two of them.

The Blue Meanie joins the Frat House by doing various frat style things. Sweet goodness can we get away from ECW country already? And the Frat House for that matter?

Viva Van vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Pure Rules, but still not a tournament match because we need to keep waiting. They go technical to start as the fans seem split. Purrazzo goes for the Fujiwara armbar and Van goes to the ropes for her first break. Back up and a rolling kick to the head lets Van take over but Purrazzo drops her in the corner with ease. Purrazzo snaps the arm and a cross armbreaker makes Van burn off her second break. A spinning backfist takes Purrazzo down but she hits Van in the face. The short cradle piledriver gives Purrazzo the pin at 3:49.

Rating: C. It’s another match that means pretty much nothing when it comes to the tournament and could have been under regular rules with no change. Once again, they felt like they are trying to put together a division after establishing a tournament and title. You know, assuming we ever actually have a champion crowned.

We look at Mina Shirakawa winning the Interim Women’s TV Title about four and a half months ago. It’s time for her first title defense.

Interim Women’s TV Title: Mina Shirakawa vs. Lacey Lane

Lane, better known as Kayden Carter in WWE, is challenging in her ROH debut (just go with it). Lane actually takes her down to start and does a bit of dancing. That’s reversed into a double leg stomp, with Shirakawa dancing as well. Back up and a kick to the head gives Lane two but Shirakawa fires off even more kicks to take over. A Russian legsweep sets up the Figure Four on Lane, who makes the rope.

Lane pops back up with more dancing into a springboard spinning legdrop. The Glamorous Driver is broken up and Lane hits a hammerlock Downward Spiral for two. Lane goes up top but gets dragon screw legwhipped back down. A top rope Sling Blade gives Shirakawa two so she strikes Lane down again. The Figure Four makes Lane give up at 6:33.

Rating: B-. Nice match as tends to be the case with Shirakawa, with Lane more than holding up her side. At the same time, there is pretty much zero reason for this title to exist. Red Velvet hasn’t defended the title since May 1 and this was the first defense of the Interim Title two and a half months into the reign. There’s another title on the way (eventually) so why does this thing need to be around?

Tag Team Titles: Rush/Sammy Guevara vs. Von Erichs

The Von Erichs are challenging and get jumped to start the brawl fast. They get inside with the Von Erichs getting splashed in the corner but Marshall manages a suplex on Guevara. Ross comes in for a Falcon Arrow but a Rush distraction lets Guevara dropkicks him out of the air.

Rush’s cocky kick connects in the corner but he misses a charge in the corner. Marshall comes in to clean house, including on the cowboy hat wearing Guevara. The Claw has Rush in trouble and the belly to back suplex gives Marshall two as Guevara makes the save. That means the Bull’s Horns can hit Marshall and Guevara’s Swanton connects to retain at 8:30.

Rating: C+. Thank goodness. The Von Erichs have become some of the weakest parts of the AEW/ROH roster, with that promo they gave a few weeks ago making them feel so pathetic. Guevara and Rush aren’t much of a tag team but they’re miles better than the Von Erichs, who have been around for years and barely improved in the slightest.

Deonna Purrazzo is proud of her win but Shane Taylor Promotions offer a distraction. Cue Trish Adora to jump her from behind. Adora promises to win the Pure Rules Title.

Women’s Pure Rules Title Tournament First Round: Olympia vs. Billie Starkz

They go with the grappling to start and fight over wrist control. That’s broken up and Olympia kicks her in the leg and goes with the top wristlock on the mat. Olympia rolls her around but Starkz grabs the rope, which counts as a break. She has to go to the ropes again to escape some forearms on the mat before things reset a bit.

Starkz knocks her to the floor but misses a dive, allowing Olympia to hit a springboard. Starkz’s leglock sends Olympia to the ropes for a break and then outside, meaning Starkz can hit a suicide dive. Olympia’s leg is wrapped around the post and Starkz cranks away back inside. A snapmare out of the corner gets two but Olympia reverses a suplex into a small package for the same.

Olympia sends her into the corner for a handstand Bronco Buster and another near fall. That works so well that she puts Starkz against the ropes for a skin the cat Bronco Buster (that looked great). Olympia ties up the legs for a standing leglock so Starkz hits her in the face for the official warning. Starkz hits a Last Shot for two and a crucifix gives her the pin at 10:46.

Rating: C+. Gah I’m not surprised by the result, but I’m not exactly thrilled. Olympia was a lot more impressive than Starkz, but Starkz is the star so she needs to advance. At the same time, this tournament was announced about five and a half months ago and we’ve had two matches. Yeah there were injury issues, but either drop the whole thing or just find some different people. It’s not that hard, but somehow we’re probably going until Final Battle in December to get the first champion. Because of course.

Overall Rating: C. This Pure Rules stuff is so uninteresting and could not feel much less important. Rather than just getting to the point with the title tournament, we have to have what are basically preview matches for the people involved. It’s stretching the whole thing out even longer and my goodness just get on with the stupid tournament already. Other than that, the Von Erichs getting beaten up is nice to see, but that’s only so helpful. Another frustrating show, as Ring Of Honor continues to feel like the least important show around.

Results
Bandido b. Dralistico – X Knee
Premiere Athletes b. JD Ink/El Magnifico/Rebecca Scott – Chokeslam to Scott
Deonna Purrazzo b. Viva Van – Short cradle piledriver
Mina Shirakawa b. Lacey Lane – Figure Four
Rush/Sammy Guevara b. Von Erichs – Swanton to Marshall
Billie Starkz b. Olympia – Crucifix

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

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

Ring Of Honor
Date: September 11, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Dylan Hales, Johnny Mosley

This is a special show produced by Ring Of Honor and Action Wrestling under the name “Action Dean 3”. This was previously done back in May and the show was fun enough, though I have no idea what to expect here. There will be a bunch of luchadors included, which could make for an interesting night. Let’s get to it.

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

Hechiero/Xelhua/Dr. Cerebro vs. Blue Panther/Virus/El Panthera

2/3 falls, submission only. Cerebro and Panthera start things off with Panthera taking him down to escape a headlock. Panther and Xelhua come in and they go to the mat for a quickly escaped headscissors. Panther goes after the legs and rides around a bit before getting us to a standoff. Virus and Hechicero come in with more grappling, including Hechicero rolling him around for a cradle but realizing that there are no pins. Hechicero is sent outside so Panther can hit a diving hurricanrana off the apron. Back in and Xelhua ties Virus (almost a reverse cross armbreaker) for the tap and the first fall at 7:35.

Panthera sends Xelhua into the corner and headscissors him down, meaning it’s off to Panther vs. Hechicero. Cerebro has to come in for a save so Panther armdrags him down. Virus dropkicks Cerebro into a frog splash from Panthera and Panthera ties Xelhua’s arms and legs up for the submission at 13:27.

Xelhua comes back in and takes Virus down with an elbow to the face but Virus ties up some limbs. Hechicero makes the save so Panther breaks that up, leaving Cerebro to armbar Panthera. That’s broken up so Hechicero comes off the top with a forearm but quickly lets go of Panthera’s leg. Panther dives onto Hechicero on the floor, leaving Panthera to crawl to the ropes. Back in and Panthera sunset flips Hechicero, which means nothing, so Hechicero ties up all four limbs to make Panthera submit for the win at 19:57.

Rating: B-. I never know what to say about a match like this because I barely know anything about it. That’s the thing with this kind of a show: I need to know a lot more about what I’m seeing and that isn’t being offered. Instead it’s just “here these people are, have fun”. That made for a good enough match, but commentary only offered so much here.

Nicole Matthews vs. Billie Starkz

Commentary points out that Starkz is reckless, even as she grabs a headscissors. Matthews isn’t having any of the mocking offers of a test of strength so Starkz gives her an Alabama Slam into the corner. With that rather scary crash out of the way, Matthews fights up with some clotheslines but Starkz hits a Death Valley Driver onto the knee. A brainbuster gets two more but Matthews misses the moonsault. Starkz kicks her in the head and hits an electric chair driver for the pin at 7:44.

Rating: C-. Starkz’s reputation for being sloppy in there is becoming her signature thing, which isn’t a good sign for anyone. This match featured two spots where Matthews’ head took a scary bump and that is far from a one off for Starkz. Either that needs to improve or Starkz shouldn’t be in the ring, because the safety thing can’t be ignored.

Sammy Guevara and Rush, with the rest of La Faccion Ingobernable, is ready for everyone.

Matt Mako vs. Wheeler Yuta

Marina Shafir is here with Yuta. Mako takes him down into a kneebar to start, with Yuta going straight to the rope. An armbar is blocked so Mako goes after him, with Yuta having to cover up. Back up and Yuta sends him outside and then knocks him off the apron, allowing Yuta to work on the arm back inside. Cattle Mutilation keeps Mako in trouble, only for him to escape into a slightly better headlock. Back up and Mako sends him into the corner, where Yuta gets a turnbuckle pad off.

We’ll get to that later as they head outside, with Mako grabbing a choke. That’s broken up so Mako tries his cross armbreaker back inside. Yuta fights out of that so Mako sits him on top for a suplex into a powerbomb for two. Mako’s kick to the face is shrugged off and Yuta German suplexes him for two. They go up top, with Mako flipping him into a cross armbreaker. Shafir offers a distraction, allowing Yuta to go to the eyes. A running knee finishes for Yuta at 11:46.

Rating: B-. Nice technical match here, as Mako has shown some skills during his limited appearances. I’m not sure if there is a place for him in AEW either long or short term, but he’s done well in the chances he has received. Yuta might be boring, but he knows how to do this kind of match rather well.

Video on the Premiere Athletes and their newest acquisition, Sori Denali.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Cheeseburger/Rhett Titus/Eli Isom

Mortos and Titus start things off but it’s Guevara coming in without any contact being made. Dralistico comes in to take him into the corner and it’s off to Mortos for a hard clothesline to Cheeseburger. A triple dropkick puts Isom down and everything breaks down, with Titus being sent into the barricade. Guevara drops the Swanton to pin Isom at 3:41.

Rating: C. Total squash here, with La Faccion getting to smash through some people. That’s nice to see after Guevara and Rush (who wasn’t wrestling here) won the Tag Team Titles, as they haven’t been around much since. It didn’t set anything up, but I’ll take something showing me that they’re at least still here.

Post match Guevara gets the mic and gets booed out of the building. Guevara talks about how great the team is and they want more titles.

Lee Johnson says Swirl is awesome and they want Blake Christian to get the next title shot against Bandido.

Demus El Demonico vs. Mad Dog Connelly

Hair vs. Hair and Connelly has a bad eye. Connelly misses some right hands to start but elbows Demus in the face. What looks like a shirt is used to choke Demus across the ropes as there are A LOT of empty seats visible. They go outside with Demus being sent into the steps but he whips Connelly in as well. Back in and a spinning middle rope crossbody gives Demus two and he goes after the eye.

Demus bites Connelly’s nipple but Connelly is back with a gutwrench suplex for two. A chair to the back has Demus in trouble but a spear only hits the open chair. Demus chairs him down for a change, only to miss a middle rope backsplash. A cradle piledriver gives Connelly two but he gets caught with a kneeling MuscleBuster for the same. Demus ties a chain around Connelly’s neck and chokes him over the ropes for the win at 10:31.

Rating: C+. I’m sure there’s a big story here but there apparently wasn’t time to tell us what that story was. Commentary mentioned a history but not exactly why they’re fighting. Then again there’s really no explanation for why we’re watching most of this so it fits in with the theme of the night. It was a nice enough power brawl, but I’m going to need a bit more of a reason to care about what I’m seeing.

Post match Demus goes to cut the hair but Connelly does it himself.

Video on the Pure Title.

Pure Title: Josh Woods vs. Lee Moriarty

Moriarty is defending. Woods takes him down by the leg to start and they trade small packages for two. Moriarty starts in on the arm and the Border City Stretch goes on. They go to the ropes, with Woods using the first break. A kneebar makes Moriarty us his first break and it’s time to trade armbars. Back up and Woods hits a release gordbuster but Moriarty uses the ropes to block a fisherman’s buster.

Woods’ gutwrench suplex is countered with a hurricanrana to the floor, followed by another armbar. Woods uses another rope break but Moriarty is right there with a springboard forearm for two more. The cross armbreaker into a triangle choke has Woods in trouble, until he powerbombs his way to freedom. That lets Woods cover him for three, but Moriarty’s foot was underneath the ropes for his final break. An exchange of rollups goes to Moriarty to retain the title at 10:10.

Rating: B. Pretty easily the best match of the night as both of them are rather good at this style. At the same time, it’s still Moriarty having the same kind of a match that he’s had for over a year as champion. It was barely built up and came and went, as Moriarty’s record setting reign continues.

Shane Taylor Promotions come out to celebrate and Shane Taylor himself wants a fight with someone from Action Wrestling.

Shane Taylor vs. AR Fox

Fox ducks away from some right hands to start and kicks Taylor in the back. Taylor is sent to the floor for some dives but he pulls one out of the air. Fox gets swung into the barricade and some hard chops give Taylor two. A hard clothesline drops Fox for two and a release Rock Bottom puts him down again.

Fox gets in some enziguris and elbows him down in the corner. The skin the cat dropkick connects but they head to the apron, with Fox being thrown onto the barricade. That just earns Taylor a jumping cutter, followed by a Swanton for two back inside. Taylor punches him out for the pin at 5:55.

Rating: B-. For a match that had very little time, they got something going here and I wanted to see Fox win. That’s a good sign for how far he’s come, but at some point he needs to win one of these featured matches. I get it as Taylor is a fresh champion, but dang it’s frustrating to see Fox lose again.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a show where it felt like I was dropped into the middle of a book and just expected and figure it out from there. Action Wrestling is hardly some big time promotion but we’re thrown into the middle of a tribute show for someone you might not know. The wrestlers aren’t exactly household names either and that made for a show where it’s rather hard to care about what I’m seeing. I’ll certainly take a break from the dull ROH show, but do a better job of telling me what I’m seeing.

Results
Hechicero/Xelhua/Dr. Cerebro b. Blue Panther/Virus/El Panthera 2-1
Billie Starkz b. Nicole Matthews – Electric chair driver
Wheeler Yuta b. Matt Mako – Running knee
La Faccion Ingobernable b. Cheeseburger/Rhett Titus/Eli Isom – Swanton to Isom
Demus El Demonico b. Mad Dog Connelly – Choke with a chain over the ropes
Lee Moriarty b. Josh Woods – Rollup
Shane Taylor b. AR Fox – Right hand

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

Death Before Dishonor 2025
Date: August 29, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re back on pay per view around here and since this is Ring Of Honor, nine matches have been added to the card in the last day and a half. This includes the Tag Team and Six Man Tag Team Titles being decided as both were recently vacated. That’s in addition to the double main event of Hechicero challenging Bandido for the World Title and Athena defending the Women’s Title against Mina Shirakawa. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Jordan Oliver vs. Jay Lethal

Feeling out process to start, with Lethal rolling away and getting in a strut. Oliver takes him into the corner for some chops, followed by something like a crossbody to counter a leapfrog (that was cool). They trade some escapes in a nice sequence until Lethal gets in a suplex. Oliver sends him into the corner for a flip out to the apron, and there’s the strut. Back in and Lethal hits a superkick but the Lethal Injection is cut off. Lethal blocks a superplex but Hail To The King is countered into a crucifix for two. Back up and the Figure Four goes on in a hurry and Oliver taps at 6:57.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine warm up match for the fans, who will recognize Oliver from his time in smaller promotions while Lethal is the established veteran trying to prove he still has it. Oliver scouting a bunch of Lethal’s moves made sense but ultimately Lethal was just too much for him. Nice stuff here, with the match lasting just about the exact amount of time.

Respect is shown post match.

Zero Hour: MxM Collection vs. Dark Order vs. Frat House

Everyone has at least one second with them. Reynolds takes over on Garrison’s arm to start and it’s quickly off to Silver, with the Order getting to pose. That doesn’t work for the House, who break it up as everything breaks down into a fight on the floor. We settle down to Silver staring up at Madden but everyone jumps Silver to start the beating. Garrison comes in for two off a snap suplex as the Frat House and Collection get into it over the House’s paddle on the floor (multiple spankings ensue).

Reynolds comes in to clean house, including a running boot to put Madden on the floor. Back in and Madden grabs a kind of spinning AA for two on Reynolds. Silver is back in with a double standing Sliced Bread on the House, followed by the Spin Doctor to Madden. The Order hits their pinfall sequence on Mansoor but Johnny TV sprays his cologne into Silver’s eyes, allowing Mansoor to get the pin at 7:42.

Rating: C+. They had a lot going on here, including a bunch of comedy on the floor, but the Collection winning makes the most sense. The Order is going to be popular no matter what they do and the House are the resident morons. That leaves the Connection to be the only slightly serious group so thankfully they split the difference here and won.

Zero Hour: Ashley Vox vs. Billie Starkz

Pure Rules. Starkz wants a test of strength to start but gets pulled into a headlock for her efforts. A leglock is broken up as Vox kicks her away but Starkz is right back to sit on Vox’s back. Something like an Octopus sends Starkz over to the ropes for her first break, leaving her able to hit a nasty running Alabama Slam into the corner. Starkz hammers away in the corner but the Swanton misses, allowing Vox to grab an anklescissors. An armbar makes Starkz use another break and she hits Vox in the face for the official warning. Back up and Starkz grabs the brainbuster onto the knee for the pin at 6:24.

Rating: C. As tends to be the case, the Pure Rules aspect meant very little here, as the match could have been done pretty much exactly the same without them. I still have no idea why this thing needs a title of its own, but this wasn’t even a tournament match as we apparently needed a preview before the real thing. On top of that, Vox isn’t even a star around here so this was somehow the best they could do, which says a lot.

Zero Hour: Dralistico vs. Adam Priest vs. AR Fox vs. Angelico

For $50,000. Priest and Dralistico bail out to the floor to start, earning themselves dropkicks through the ropes. Back in and Angelico works on Angelico works on Fox’s arm before tying up Priest’s leg in a Figure Four. That’s broken up so Priest and Dralistico get in a fight of their own, only for Fox to break it up. Fox cutters both of them for a bonus and it’s time for the rather popular dives to the floor.

That’s not enough as Fox gets a running start on the barricade and jumps for a legdrop to Angelico on the apron. Back in and Priest sunset bombs Dralistico for two but Dralistico is right back with a Swanton. Priest and Dralistico chop it out until Dralistico hits a springboard Destroyer for two on Fox. Dralistico goes up and hits a super Codebreaker to Angelico for the pin at 8:27.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of thing that will almost always work as you have a bunch of talented people out there going nuts and flying around for a nice stretch. That’s all you need in a situation like this and Dralistico is certainly a surprise winner. Good match here and main event of this kind of a show, even one as packed as this one.

And now, the show proper.

The opening video talks about war and focuses on Hechicero vs. Bandido, with Mina Shirakawa vs. Athena getting a bit of time as well.

Hologram/Tomohiro Ishii vs. Premiere Athletes

Before the match, the Hologram load screen doesn’t work for some reason. Mark Sterling handles the Athletes’ entrance and wants to pay tribute to the Extreme originals, with Nese as the Human Six Pack Machine, Daivari as the Innovator Of Finance and Sterling as the King Of Law School. Eh funnier than anything else he usually says. Ishii and Daivari start things off and neither goes anywhere off an exchange of shoulders.

For some reason Daivari pokes his finger in Ishii’s face and gets it twisted, with Nese telling Daivari that he has this. A single forearm puts Daivari down and it’s off to Hologram for the standing moonsault. Nese is back up to flip away, setting up a running headscissors. Hologram dives over him and hits a Spanish Fly for two but Sterling offers a distraction. That’s enough for Hologram to get put in the wrong corner for some double teaming, with Sterling getting in a bit of choking.

Nese ties him in the ropes for a step up legdrop but Hologram flips out and hands it back to Ishii. A Saito suplex gets two on Nese and everything breaks down, with stereo German suplexes dropping the Athletes. Hologram goes up for a high crossbody to go with Ishii’s brainbuster but Nese is right back with a pumphandle piledriver. Sterling gets up but Daivari collides into him, leaving Nese to get caught with a brainbuster/spinwheel kick combination for the pin at 12:33.

Rating: C+. As usual, good enough stuff from Hologram and Ishii, but it’s just another match that could have been on any given ROH show with a bit more time than usual. That doesn’t make it interesting as there’s no story to the match and it’s just added to the show to make it longer. Either find something for Hologram to do already or stop acting like he’s some kind of phenom, because we’ve kind of covered the idea already.

We recap the Six Man Tag Team Title match, with the focus on Dustin Rhodes’ injury resulting in the titles being vacated. The Sons Of Texas are getting their shot, with Shane Taylor Promotions getting the other spot because wins and losses don’t mean much around here. Sidenote: the video makes it sound like Rhodes died saving a basket of puppies on its way to an orphanage on Christmas morning. In other words, very Ring Of Honor of them.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Sammy Guevara/Von Erichs

For the vacant titles. Guevara charges into the wrong corner to start and the beating is on but he pops up with a leg lariat. A snap suplex gives Guevara one and Ross comes in for a running boot in the corner. The Von Erichs hit some double dropkicks and Marshall powerslams Bravo for two. Dean pulls Ross to the floor though and some triple teaming has him down, meaning the Promotions get to pose together.

Dean comes in for a Bronco Buster (which Caprice dubs the BBC) before Taylor hits a hard knee to the face. The fans start with a “F*** THE COWBOYS” chant as Bravo hits a middle rope knee. Ross finally kicks Bravo away and brings Marshall in to clean house. A moonsault gives Marshall two and everything breaks down, with Guevara (wearing a cowboy hat to lean into the heat) coming back in for the brawl.

Marshall and Dean trade shots to the face but Guevara hits a high crossbody to the Infantry. A springboard clothesline hits Bravo, though the fans tell Guevara that “YOU STILL SUCK”. Guevara gets caught with a big right hand from Taylor and a double stomp from the Infantry is good for the pin and the titles at 13:04.

Rating: C+. Ok. The Promotions have never actually won a match together as a three man team coming into this and lost as recently as the special episode from two weeks ago (all three members of the team that beat them are on the show tonight), but now they’re champions. Ok, sure. They’re holding titles that would go months without being defended and Dustin Rhodes (praise be his name) couldn’t possibly have stood on the apron while his teammates lost the titles because he’s just too important for that but they are in fact champions. Ok, sure then.

Women’s Pure Wrestling Title Tournament First Round: Taya Valkyrie vs. Queen Aminata

Because this is a thing after months of nothing being said about it. Valkyrie uses a rope break about 40 seconds in to get out of an early hammerlock and then does it again a few seconds later. Aminata pulls her into the hips to the face but Valkyrie kicks her in the head. The sliding German suplex pulls her out of the ropes and Aminata’s leg is wrapped around the post.

A Blue Thunder Bomb gives Valkyrie one and she sends Aminata face first into the steps for two. The STF sends Aminata to the ropes for the first break and she’s back with some double chops. Aminata grabs a full nelson with her legs, which has Valkyrie using her last rope break. A hammerlock has Valkyrie trying the ropes to escape but instead she sends Aminata throat first into them for a more violent way out. Aminata shrugs that off, hits the headbutt and advances at 8:15.

Rating: C. So, again, the idea is that someone burns through their rope breaks because they don’t know the rules very well (yet she’s in a tournament for the title built around these rules) and then they do their regular match. I still have no idea why this needs to be a title yet here we are with a tournament four months after it was announced. And again: this is the third active women’s title in Ring Of Honor, because that’s something this place can support.

Post match Deonna Purrazzo comes out for the staredown with Aminata.

We don’t know who Sammy Guevara’s partner is going to be.

Kingdom vs. Swirl

Swirl is Blake Christian/Lee Johnson and they’re described as being “red hot”. Naturally, this is code for “they’ve lost two of their last three matches”. Swirl jumps them to start and are clotheslined out to the floor, with Taven hitting a big dive to take them out. Bennett comes in and fires off a bunch of chops in the corner but gets sent outside. Johnson drops him onto the barricade for a splash from Christian as Jay Lethal is watching backstage.

Back in and a step up enziguri connects in the corner but Bennett gets over for the tag to Taven. The Lionsault connects for two and we get a double Proton Pack to leave everyone down. Christian hits a 450 for two and Taven’s rollup with tights gets the same. The Vanilla Choke Zero has Taven in trouble until Bennett AA’s Johnson onto them for the save.

Just The Tip connects to send Christian outside but the Doomsday Device is broken up, with Bennett being dropped on the floor. Taven fights up and hits some kicks to the face, only for Christian to hit him low. The Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp finishes Taven at 11:25.

Rating: B-. Another good match with no backstory, though the stuff about Swirl being “red hot” made me roll my eyes given their recent losses. One might wonder why a team that was “red hot” wasn’t in the match for the vacant Tag Team Titles, but I’m probably thinking about it too hard. They’re certainly pushing the Swirl as something, but I’ll believe they’re getting somewhere when I actually see it.

We recap Xelhua challenging Lee Moriarty for the TV Title. Xelhua survived the ten minute time limit in a Proving Ground match to get the shot. That’s it.

Pure Wrestling Title: Lee Moriarty vs. Xelhua

Xelhua is challenging. They lock up and go into the ropes but the referee calls it unintentional (fair) so that’s not a break. Instead Moriarty gets caught in a leglock, meaning it’s time for the first break. Moriarty’s open hand chops are blocked and Xelhua grabs an anklescissors to spin Moriarty around. Back up and they fight over a top wristlock with Moriarty getting in trouble and not knowing what to do here.

Xelhua hits him in the face for the official warning, leaving Moriarty to leapfrog the referee to hit a dropkick and take over. Moriarty starts in on the hands and Xelhua has to use his first rope break. They go outside and trade chops until Moriarty goes back to the arm. Said arm is slammed into the mat over and over until a small package gives Xelhua two. Back up and Xelhua is sent outside for a series of suicide dives, only for the third to be countered into a cross armbreaker.

That’s broken up and Moriarty snaps the arm across the top rope, followed by the Border City Stretch. Riccaboni: “This has won Moriarty dozens of matches as the Pure Champion!” No, it hasn’t. Anyway, Xelhua comes back with a suplex and a high crossbody for two, setting up a rather nasty looking headscissor armbar.

Moriarty has to use his second break but goes right back to the arm. A flapjack gives Moriarty two, with Xelhua using his final rope break. The Border City Stretch is broken up again and a hammerlock drop gives Xelhua two more. Moriarty goes to the arm again with an Octopus, followed by a Border City Stretch in the ropes (legal) to retain at 16:16.

Rating: B. This was getting into a heck of a technical exchange and that’s what can make these matches fun. When you have two people who can do this stuff, it turns into something of an art form and they were making it work here. Moriarty has been champion for over a year now and while the title could easily be dropped without losing much, he’s gotten pretty snazzy at this style.

Post match respect is shown.

We recap Paul Walter Hauser (an actor who wrestles) vs. QT Marshall. They’ve been arguing over Marshall throwing alcohol in Hauser’s (a recovering alcoholic) face and telling Hauser to stick to acting. Hauser has shown up to go after Marshall and it’s time to have a Fight Without Honor.

Paul Walter Hauser vs. QT Marshall

Fight Without Honor (basically anything goes). They stare at each other to start until Marshall grabs a front facelock. That’s reversed into a hammerlock slam as Hauser gets to show some wrestling abilities, followed by an atomic drop into a Russian legsweep. Hauser sends him outside for a flip dive, meaning it’s time to set up a table. Marshall tries to slide a chair at Hauser, who manages to duck, and suplex Marshall on the floor.

Naturally it’s time for a ladder, which is knocked back into Hauser’s face. Back in and Hauser hits a quick Flip Flop and Fly, only to get sent hard into the ladder. A catapult sends Hauser into the ladder (albeit not very hard), busting him open in the process. Marshall whips out a box full of barbed wire toys, including a baseball bat, which he rakes over Hauser’s head. The chair takes too long though and Hauser fights back, only for Aaron Solo to run in with a cheap shot for the save. The barbed wire chair to the back keeps Hauser down but he manages to backdrop Marshall to the floor.

Solo whips out some handcuffs but cue Hook to send Solo through a table. Hook chokes/drags Solo out and Hauser Regal Rolls Marshall off the apron through a ringside table. Back in and Hauser gives him a sitdown piledriver onto an open chair (that’s a new one) for two and it’s a Golden Globe to the face to drop Marshall again. The box of broken glass (because that’s a thing) is pulled out and Marshall’s Diamond Cutter attempt is countered with a toss into said glass.

An AA sends Marshall into the glass again for two and Hauser can’t believe it. Some tacks are brought in and Marshall hits a superkick, followed by a powerbomb to send him into the tacks for two more. Marshall uses a dustpan to pour glass onto another table and then grabs….a mic. Naturally the insults take too long, allowing Hauser to hit him low. Hauser goes up but gets hit low, allowing Marshall to super Diamond Cutter him through the glass covered table for the pin at 20:34.

Rating: C+. Hauser is one of the better celebrity wrestlers and he was certainly trying here, but this was more of the same stuff that has been done far too often. There’s nothing about it that stands out as the tacks, glass and barbed wire have all been done. Marshall winning is certainly odd as well, as he might be a wrestler…but he’s QT Marshall, so why would he need a win?

Post match Hauser gets the hero’s sendoff.

Tag Team Titles: Sammy Guevara/??? vs. Outrunners

For the vacant titles and Guevara’s partner is….Rush. Huh. Ok then, so I guess Guevara is a heel again. Magnum takes Guevara into the corner to start and snaps off a hiptoss so it’s off to Rush to change things up. Floyd comes in as well and we get a rather aggressive lockup, followed by an exchange of shoulders. It’s back to Magnum for a running knee lift into a belly to back suplex for two on Rush, which doesn’t sit well with him.

Guevara comes in for some double teaming of his own, allowing him to crank on Magnum’s neck in the ropes. Magnum is sent outside for a ram into the steps before Rush adds a chop so hard that makes Guevara cringe. Rush and Guevara do the Tranquilo pose and it’s Guevara coming in….as we get a WE WANT RUSH chant. Instead Guevara grabs a chinlock but Magnum suplexes his way to freedom.

Floyd gets to come in for a bunch of slams but Guevara breaks up the Mega Powers elbow. Everything breaks down and the Outrunners send them into each other, setting up the Mega Powers elbow to Rush. Total Recall hits Guevara and everyone is down again. The fans are all over Guevara again and he shoves Magnum off the top. That leaves Floyd to get caught with the Bull’s Horns into the Swanton to give Guevara the pin and the titles at 12:58.

Rating: B-. The match was ok, but it was still hard to buy the idea that the Outrunners were going to win in the first place. Even with Rush and Guevara being thrown together, they still felt like the favorites and then won the belts. At the same time, thank goodness Guevara is just a villain again, as he’s not someone who has done much in the way of good guy stuff before. Just let him be a natural jerk and go from there, which is what we’re seeing here. Oh and ACTUALLY DEFEND THE TITLES rather than just having them sit on the sidelines for such ridiculous stretches.

Post match Dralistico comes in to celebrate but the Von Erichs come in to wonder what is going on. Uh, not everyone is obsessed with Texas? The Von Erichs are quickly destroyed.

The Outrunners are depressed about their loss but Shane Taylor Promotions come in to laugh at them.

We recap Hechicero challenging Bandido for the World Title. Hechicero got the shot and has tried to unmask Bandido. And something about them fighting outside of a saloon in the old west.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Hechicero vs. Bandido

Bandido is defending and here is Don Callis for his terrible Spanish introduction (which is fairly funny). Bandido’s entrance gear is something like a half suit of armor, which is probably going far over my head. They start slowly with Bandido scoring off a quick kick to the knee. Hechicero takes him into the corner and starts in on the arm, followed by a headscissors to pull Bandido down.

Bandido is back with his own headscissors and they grapple on the mat as this is rather clean thus far. An exchange of rollups gets two each, followed by Hechicero pulling him down into a rollup. Bandido gets his own rollup for two and Hechicero bails out to the floor. Back in and Bandido flips away, only to snap off a hurricanrana. Hechicero flips out of that as well but gets sent outside, with Bandido hitting a running flipping hurricanrana.

Callis is rather nervous so Bandido flips him off, only to charge into a knee back inside. Hechicero starts going after the mask (as is required) and Bandido goes after the rather chatty Callis. That’s enough for Hechicero to get in a shot from behind and Callis is back on commentary (because we’re so lucky). Hechicero starts in on the legs and grabs a surfboard, only for Bandido to reverse into one of his own. That doesn’t last long and Bandido is knocked outside, where Hechicero sends him into the barricade.

Back in and we hit the cross armbreaker for a bit, followed by Hechicero going with straight shots to the head. Bandido pops back up with some shots of his own, followed by the spinning high crossbody. The gorilla press drops Hechicero and he goes outside for the big running dive (as the fans are VERY into this). Back in and a frog splash gives Bandido two and now it’s time to go after Hechicero’s mask.

Bandido sends him outside again but this time Hechicero is back with a ram into the apron. Naturally they climb onto the barricade with Bandido hitting a suplex and they’re both down again. They head to the apron, where Hechicero charges into a monkey flip, allowing Bandido to hit a heck of a dive from the top. Back in and Hechicero hits a top rope clothesline for two of his own so Bandido goes after the arm.

A sunset bomb to the floor is blocked so Hechicero gives him an insane spinning faceplant back to the floor (GEEZ). Back in again and Hechicero rolls him up for two but the spinning backbreaker is countered. An exchange of hard strikes to the face sets up Bandido’s poisonrana to leave both of them down.

They get up and strike it out until Bandido nails the X Knee. The 21 Plex is countered into an inverted Gory stretch, which is reversed rather quickly but Hechicero pulls him into a rocking horse. That’s broken up as well and they both fall down for a breather. The super fall away slam plants Hechicero again and the 21 Plex retains the title at 37:12.

Rating: A-. Well they certainly got some time to make this work. It was two guys beating the heck out of each other and it became a question of who was going to be able to catch the other. They weren’t so much trading near falls, but rather trying to see who was going to last longest. It’s an awesome match and they beat the fire out of each other, which made the rather long match time fly by.

We recap the main event, of Athena defending the Women’s Title. Athena is approaching 1000 days as champion and broke Shirakawa’s hand in a recent match, meaning it’s about the title and revenge.

Women’s Title: Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa

Athena, with Billie Starkz, is defending and backs Mina into the corner to start. They run the ropes until Mina drops down and dances before sending Athena out to the apron. A Russian legsweep drops Athena again and a dancing top rope knee gives Mina the same. They go outside, with Mina winning a chop off but hitting the post by mistake. Athena gets smart by crushing the hand on the steps before going after the hand back inside.

The hand is put in the corner for some rapid fire kicks. They head outside again and Athena misses a charge into the barricade, allowing Mina to come back with a backbreaker inside. Starkz offers a distraction to break up the Figure Four around the post though, only for Athena’s dive to hit Starkz by mistake. Athena is fine enough to swing Mina into the barricade but she’s fine enough to slap on a quick Figure Four back inside.

The rope gets Athena out of trouble so she snaps off a German suplex. They trade running shots for a double down before Mina wins a strike off. A big kick is reversed into a Tombstone to give Athena two, with the kickout leaving her stunned. Mina is back with a spinning DDT for two and the super Sling Blade gets the same. Athena goes to the hand to block the Glamorous Driver and grabs an Old School Expulsion of all things. The Koji Clutch is broken up and Mina grabs a spinning electric chair faceplant.

The Figure Four goes on until Athena flips it over, with Mina flipping her right back. Athena makes the rope so Mina goes up, where Athena catches her with a superplex. The leg gives out again though and Mina hits a discus forearm to the back of the head. Now the Glamorous Driver can connect for two but another attempt is countered into a cross armbreaker, allowing Athena to bite the hand. A powerbomb drops Mina again and it’s the O Face to retain the title at 26:01.

Rating: B. It’s another good match and they beat each other up with the hand vs. the leg stuff, making it a worthwhile main event. It wasn’t going to be able to hang with Bandido vs. Hechicero, but it was a very different kind of match. At the same time, I have no idea who is going to take the title from Athena, but at this point it’s hard to imagine it actually happening. That’s a good way to go, though I’m not sure it needed to go on this long. Either way, another solid match here.

Athena and Starkz are rather pleased to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. In a word, this show was frustrating. The last two matches are an outstanding one two punch and worth seeing, but the rest of the show is every Ring Of Honor problem rolled into one. You had title shots being thrown around to random people, matches being added with no stories whatsoever and a lot of stuff that could have been put on any given Ring Of Honor show.

In other words, it continues to feel like this show was booked on the back of a napkin in about five minutes with whomever happened to be available that weekend. In a week where AEW already had a six hour pay per view, having this thrown out there, with several matches having literally no build, was really tiring and I stopped caring for a good chunk of the show. Either act like Ring Of Honor matters or drop it, because this thrown together styles where wins and losses on the weekly show mean absolutely nothing is beyond annoying. As usual, the good wrestling bails them out, but that’s the extent of the positives.

Results
Jay Lethal b. Jordan Oliver – Figure Four
MxM Collection b. Dark Order and Frat House – Sunset flip to Silver
Billie Starkz b. Ashley Vox – Brainbuster onto the knee
Dralistico b. AR Fox, Angelico and Adam Priest – Top rope Codebreaker to Angelico
Hologram/Tomohiro Ishii b. Premiere Athletes – Brainbuster/spinwheel kick combination to Nese
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Sons Of Texas – Double stomp to Guevara
Queen Aminata b. Taya Valkyrie – Headbutt
Swirl b. The Kingdom – Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to Taven
Lee Moriarty b. Xelhua – Border City Stretch in the ropes
QT Marshall b. Paul Walter Hauser – Super Diamond Cutter through a glass covered table
Sammy Guevara/Rush b. Outrunners – Swanton to Floyd
Bandido b. Hechicero – 21 Plex
Athena b. Mina Shirakawa – O Face

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

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

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

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

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

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

Blake Christian vs. Beef

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

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

Post match Christian and Johnson lay Beef out again.

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

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

Video on the Outrunners.

The Beast Mortos vs. AR Fox

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

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

Post match Rush comes in for the big group beatdown.

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

Workhorsemen/Adam Priest vs. Von Erichs/Sammy Guevara

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

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

Trish Adora vs. Janai Kai

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

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

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

Death Before Dishonor rundown.

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

Jay Lethal vs. Hechicero

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All In 2025
Date: July 12, 2025
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

It’s the biggest show of the year and that should make for some special moments. The main event is all about the World Title, with Hangman Page challenging Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match. Other than that, Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland can get rid of the Young Bucks’ power, albeit while risking something of their own. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Sons Of Texas/Von Erichs

Trish Adora and Kevin Von Erich are here too. Guevara flips over Bravo to start and kicks him in the face before it’s quickly off to Marshall. Bravo gets taken into the corner and Ross comes in, only to be taken into the wrong corner. Dean comes in for the running flip dive to the floor, allowing Taylor to hit some running splashes on the floor.

Anthony Ogogo and Kevin Von Erich nearly get into it but some other members of the Rhodes family come in to scare Ogogo off. Back in and Rhodes hits Cross Rhodes but everyone else comes in for the brawl. The villains are all sent into each other though and the four way claw goes on. Ogogo comes in so Kevin claws him and it’s a quadruple submission for the win at 7:13.

Rating: C. This was the Texas special match and of course the match wasn’t about the Six Man Tag Team Titles because those things have been forgotten. Other than that, the match was completely acceptable, with the quadruple Claw being a nice way to wrap it up. The fans get a nice moment and that’s all it needed to be.

Zero Hour: Big Boom AJ/Hologram/Kyle O’Reilly/Tomohiro Ishii vs. Don Callis Family

It’s a brawl to start with the good guys striking away in the corner (everyone but Ishii does right hands, while he does chops because of course). AJ takes over on Romero for something like a Demolition Decapitator before it’s off to Hologram vs. Hechicero. That doesn’t last long as Archer throws O’Reilly to the floor before shoving Big Justice (AJ’s teenage son).

Back in and Beretta and Romero take turns hitting running strikes to put O’Reilly down again. The rebound lariat gets O’Reilly out of trouble and it’s off to Hologram to pick up the pace. Hechicero cuts him off with a Spanish Fly before Ishii comes in as well. Ishii can’t brainbuster Archer so AJ comes in to clothesline Archer to the floor. Romero gets launched over the top onto Archer as everything breaks down again. AJ’s powerbomb is broken up so Hologram hits a running rope walk flip dive to the floor. Justice comes in to spear Romero, setting up the Powerboom to give AJ the pin at 12:50.

Rating: C+. The winners were never in doubt here but it worked perfectly fine. Let the fans have a fun moment with the Costco Guys getting their stuff in and Hologram doing his thing. It’s not like Romero or Beretta are going to be hurt by another loss so just let the whole thing do what it was supposed to do.

Zero Hour: Outrunners vs. FTR

Rematch from a week or so ago when FTR won. Harwood and Magnum go to the mat to start before everything breaks down. The Outrunners clean house, with a flying headscissors taking Wheeler over. Back up and Harwood starts in on Floyd’s leg, including a quickly broken Figure Four. The chinlock goes on to keep Floyd down but he jawbreaks his way to freedom.

They crash out to the floor but Harwood is back in to take out the knee and cut off another tag. Floyd double DDTs his way out of trouble, though it’s still not enough to get over to Magnum. Wheeler tries to come in so the referee cuts him off, meaning the referee misses the tag. Said tag goes through a few moments later though and it’s Magnum coming in to fire off the corner clotheslines.

Everything breaks down and a high crossbody from Magnum sets up a jackknife rollup to give Floyd two. A sunset flip gets two more but neither team can hit a Shatter Machine. Total Recall hits Harwood but Stokley breaks up the cover. The distraction lets Harwood get a rollup (with feet on the ropes and being held) for the pin at 16:16.

Rating: B-. The match was good enough, but I’m not sure how this changes anything from where we were after their first match. FTR being better than the Outrunners isn’t a surprise, but this was another loss for the Outrunners as their status continues to dwindle. It wasn’t bad at all, but it feels like we have covered all of this before.

And now the show proper.

The opening video talks about the important moments that can define a promotion. We then shift into a look at the biggest matches on the show.

As has been the case before, the set and presentation are incredible as it looks on par with Wrestlemania.

Trios Titles: Opps vs. Death Riders

The Opps are defending and it’s a brawl to start fast. Most of them head outside, leaving Shibata and Kidd to chop it out inside. The exchange keeps going until stereo clotheslines put both of them down. Joe comes in to headlock Yuta before the corner enziguri knocks Yuta silly, allowing Hobbs to hit the delayed suplex. It’s off to Castagnoli to unload on Yuta in the corner but Joe comes in to plant Castagnoli down.

Kidd offers a distraction though and Castagnoli sends Joe outside. Back in and Castagnoli chokes on the ropes before grabbing a reverse chinlock. That’s broken up and Joe hits a backsplash, allowing the tag off to Hobbs to clean house. The spinebuster gets two on Castagnoli but Kidd offers a distraction, allowing Castagnoli to hit Swiss Death.

A Doomsday Device is countered into a powerslam to pull Yuta out of the air for a big crash. Everything breaks down again and Castagnoli swings Hobbs into the barricade. Shibata comes in and shrugs off a belly to back suplex before handing it back to Joe for the slugout. Joe’s powerslam gets two on Kidd and Hobbs breaks up the Fastball Special. Joe MuscleBusters Yuta to retain at 14:29.

Rating: B-. Bit of an odd choice for the opener but the fans are always going to respond to Joe. If nothing else, it was nice to see the designated loser of the team take the fall, as there was certainly no reason for Kidd to do it. The Trios Titles are still kind of unnecessary, but at least the champs are looking dominant.

Post match the Death Riders beat the Opps down, with Joe’s neck getting Pillmanized.

We recap the Men’s Casino Gauntlet Match, which is mainly about Mark Briscoe vs. MJF as we don’t know a bunch of the entries.

Since there will be a men’s and women’s version, here are the Casino Gauntlet rules:

• Unknown number of entrants
• Untimed entrance intervals
• First fall wins the match, meaning it could end at any time, including before everyone enters
• Winner gets a World Title shot at any time

Men’s Casino Gauntlet Match

Marc Briscoe is in at #1 and MJF is in at #2. MJF rolls him up for some early near falls before sending Briscoe face first into the buckle. Back up and Briscoe chops away but can’t get the Jay Driller as Ricochet is in at #3. Ricochet and MJF team up to beat on Briscoe in the corner before stopping to pose.

Bandido is in at #4 so MJF bails to the floor, leaving Bandido to gorilla press Ricochet. Briscoe is back up with a clothesline to Bandido and the running apron Blockbuster drops MJF. Ricochet takes Bandido to the floor as Konosuke Takeshita is in at #5. Ricochet comes back in to strike away at Takeshita before Bandido takes Ricochet’s place in a rematch from last night’s Supercard Of Honor. Back up and MJF powerbombs Bandido into a backbreaker for two before going after the mask.

Mistico is in at #6 and MJF knows this isn’t good. A handspring elbow takes MJF down and Mistico’s springboard wristdrag does the same to Takeshita. Mistico hits a big dive to the floor before grabbing La Mistica on MJF. Briscoe makes the save by grabbing his own Fujiwara armbar on MJF, which is broken up as well. Josh Alexander is in at #7 and gives Bandido a World’s Strongest Slam onto the apron. Takeshita hits a running dive and it’s Anthony Bowens in at #8.

Bowens goes right after Alexander before the reverse Angle Slam hits Ricochet. Briscoe is back up to slug it out with Bowens, who sends him out as well. Alexander and Takeshita are back up to lay Bowens out but Roderick Strong is in at #9. Strong is taken down by Alexander and Takeshita as well, with Brody King coming in at #10.

King gets to clean house for a bit, including a string of corner Cannonballs. One of them gets two on Strong before King and Bandido start double teaming Ricochet. A frog splash gets two and the returning (and clean shaven) Juice Robinson is in at #11. Robinson full nelson slams Ricochet for two but here are the Gates Of Agony to save Ricochet. The shooting star press gets two on Robinson but the Gunns are back to go after the Gates. 3:10 To Yuma drops Ricochet and Robinson gets two off a rollup, with MJF breaking it up. Kota Ibushi is in at #12 and starts firing off the kicks to clean house.

A standing moonsault gets two on Bowens and it’s the Beast Mortos in at #13. Mortos gets to wreck some people, including a big clothesline to Takeshita. Strong’s efforts to reunite with Mortos don’t work but Mistico is back in for the save. Bandido breaks up Vertigo and gives Ricochet the X Knee.

A series of knockdowns lets Strong tiger bomb Takeshita for two and Robinson suplexes King for the same. Strong’s End Of Heartache gets two on Ibushi and Bowens is sent onto the ramp…as Max Caster is in at #14. Caster takes forever to get to the ring, where Briscoe hits the Jay Driller on Strong. Not that it matters as MJF steals the pin for the title shot at 34:55.

Rating: C. The match was ok, but that’s a very long time when you could pretty easily cut an entrant or two out to save some time. A show that already has quite a few matches on the card including a nearly thirty five minute match feels like a bit much. All that being said, MJF winning is a good way to go, as he could do a lot with a contract like that. Only he and Mark Briscoe felt important and that’s all it needed to be.

Stokely Hathaway reveals that FTR will be on commentary for the Tag Team Title match. This really warranted its own segment.

We recap the TNT Title match. It was supposed to be Adam Cole defending against Kyle Fletcher but Cole is not medically cleared, meaning we’re getting a four way for the vacant title.

Here is Cole, who apologizes but says he is not medically cleared. He doesn’t want to say this is his retirement because his head isn’t clear right now but….and we pause for some tears. Cole thanks the fans for their support and for being here for AEW no matter what. The rest of the Paragon comes out for a group hug and Cole does his pose one more time. Well that’s horrible to hear and hopefully it’s nothing life threatening.

TNT Title: Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Daniel Garcia

For the vacant title and Garcia hugs Cole on the way to the ring. Rhodes and Guevara suplex Fletcher to start so he sends Rhodes outside and follows him for a breather. Garcia and Guevara have something of a dance off until Fletcher breaks it up. Rhodes is back in to go after Fletcher and Guevara gives Garcia a Spanish Fly from the apron to the floor (to no reaction, as that Cole announcement sucked the life out of the place).

Back in and Fletcher and Garcia both grab a Figure Four, both of which are turned over. Fletcher and Garcia slap it out until both holds are broken. Garcia rolls some superplexes to Guevara (as you do) before superplexing Garcia and Fletcher at the same time. Rhodes is right back with a Canadian Destroyer into the Cross Rhodes for two on Fletcher. Back up and Fletcher is tied up in Shattered Dreams position, with the other three getting to take turns kicking him low.

Garcia goes with a Boston crab to Guevara, who breaks out and hits a quick GTH, with Rhodes making the save. The Dragon Tamer is broken up and Fletcher powerbombs Guevara onto the apron but Guevara is back up with a top rope cutter. Garcia Dragon Tamers Rhodes…who reverses into a small package for the pin at 15:26, making Rhodes a triple champion.

Rating: C+. If you can figure out the need for Rhodes to get this kind of a push as a triple champion at this stage in his career, you’re way ahead of me. In theory I guess the idea here was to give the fans someone from Texas getting a big win, though I would hope that there is a better option available. Other than that, this was more about Cole’s deflating announcement, which was absolutely terrible.

Post match the rest of the Rhodes family and the Von Erichs come in to celebrate.

We recap Will Ospreay/Swerve Strickland vs. the Young Bucks. The Bucks have been abusing their authority as Executive Vice Presidents so it’s time for the good guys to fight back. In this case, that means that if the Bucks lose, they are no longer EVP’s, but if Ospreay and Strickland lose, neither can challenge for the World Title for a year.

Will Ospreay/Swerve Strickland vs. Young Bucks

Ospreay has an Assassin’s Creed themed entrance while Strickland comes out to his old Ain’t Nobody theme, as sung live by former WWE personality Jojo Offerman. The Bucks get to come in on a boat, with a proclamation talking about everything they have done with AEW. Ospreay and Nick start things off but it’s quickly off to Swerve vs. Matthew. Everything breaks down and the Bucks strike away at Strickland to take over.

Ospreay gets sent outside for a heap on the floor as commentary keeps praising the Bucks. Back in and Strickland is suckered into the ring, allowing the Bucks to stomp away. The idea here is that the Bucks are an experienced team and Ospreay/Strickland are trying to figure it out. The slingshot X Factor gets two on Ospreay but he gets in a shot of his own, allowing the needed tag off to Strickland.

Everything breaks down and stereo hurricanranas send the Bucks outside. Ospreay and Strickland hit stereo dives, followed by corkscrew dives (off the same post, one to the floor and one to the ring) for two on Matt. Back in and the Bucks score with some flip dives but Ospreay Hulks Up and hammers away, only for Matt to knock both heroes down. Matt’s Buckshot Lariat is countered, setting off a crazy fast paced series of strikes, with stereo Canadian Destroyers planting Ospreay and Strickland, who bounce back up with a Hidden Blade and House Call to leave all four down.

Back up and the Bucks take them to the top, which is reversed into a pair of Styles Clashes. A Stormbreaker/Swerve Stomp combination hits Matt but Nick superkicks Nana on the floor. Back in and a low blow drops Ospreay, followed by a TK Driver to Strickland on the outside. More Bang For Your Buck hits Ospreay for two but Strickland makes Matt kick Nick in the face.

Ospreay’s Hidden Blade hits Strickland by mistake though and the EVP Trigger gets two. The TK Driver hits Ospreay for two more so the Bucks fire off a bunch of superkicks. Strickland gets between them so he’s superkicked down, only to block the EVP Trigger. A Swerve Stomp/Tombstone combination plants Matt for two and he saves Nick after a Hidden Blade. The Hidden Blade/House Call combination finishes Matt off at 25:52.

Rating: B+. This was a very Young Bucks style match, meaning it was rather entertaining with some insane spots, many of which seem designed to make the Bucks look as good as possible. That being said, the important thing here is that the Bucks lost and they lost clean, in a high stakes match. That’s exactly what should have happened here and it happened in a very fun match, with Swerve and Ospreay working well together.

Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match

Kris Statlander is in at #1 and Megan Bayne is in at #2. They fight over a suplex to start until Bayne muscles her up with a Falcon Arrow for two. Statlander is back up with a kick to the head and her own Fate’s Descent as Willow Nightingale (to a BIG reaction) is in at #3. Nightingale avoids a kick from Statlander to start and hits a basement crossbody but a double chokeslam puts Nightingale down.

Tay Melo is in at #4 and reverses Bayne’s Fate’s Descent into the Rings Of Saturn. Penelope Ford (here with Bayne and not in the match) loads up a Doomsday Device but Harley Cameron (also not in the match but in a mask) pops up to cut her off. Thekla is in at #5 for some running boots to Nightingale but gets dropped by the Tay KO. The Babe With The Powerbomb gives Nightingale two and everyone is down as Julia Hart is in at #6.

Hart’s moonsault hits Bayne and Statlander and a Black Widow has Bayne in more trouble. That’s broken up and Thekla does her spider thing as Queen Aminata is in at #7. Aminata slugs it out with Thekla as Skye Blue (here with Hart but not in) gets in a slugout of her own. Hart and Thekla do stereo spider deals in the corner as Mina Shirakawa is in at #8. Shirakawa takes out Blue and puts her in the Figure Four for the tap…which means nothing because, you know, she’s not in the match.

Athena (big pop for the hometown girl) is in at #9 and takes out Hart and Blue in the aisle on the way to the ring. Athena gets to clean a bunch of house until Thunder Rosa (who lost to Athena last night) is in at #10. Rosa dropkicks Athena a few times and grabs a choke, with Aminata breaking it up. We get a string of running headscissors until Syuri, a very talented star from Stardom, is in at #11. Syuri strikes away (as is her custom) and stands tall for a bit until Alex Windsor is in at #12.

A hanging DDT and Angle Slam plant Syuri but she’s right back with a wheelbarrow bulldog to drop Syuri. Windsor and Syuri trade German suplexes with pretty much everyone else running in for the save. Almost everyone pairs off to slug it out before heading outside. Melo screams a lot until Statlander powerbombs Bayne onto the pile at ringside. Back in and Rosa chops away at Shirakawa, who gets up top for a Sling Blade. Shirakawa strikes away at Rosa and tries the Figure Four but Athena is in with the O Face to pin Shirakawa at 27:02.

Rating: B-. I do like the ending, as Athena winning the match is hopefully a step towards the main roster and a run on top. Her Ring Of Honor title reign is more than enough to warrant her that spot and it’s nice to see her getting to do this. The rest of the match was longer than it needed to be, as you could have easily cut out an entrant or two without missing much. Good action, but on a show that is already running really long, this would have been a logical place to trim off some time.

We recap the Tag Team Title triple threat. The Hurt Syndicate wanted competition so Jet Speed got a title shot, followed by the Patriarchy being added to make it a three way match. That was a good move, as there was no way I was buying Jet Speed as threats to win the titles on their own.

Tag Team Titles: Hurt Syndicate vs. Jet Speed vs. Patriarchy

The Syndicate, with MVP/MJF and rapped live to the ring, is defending, and FTR is on commentary. The challengers get knocked to the floor to start with the Syndicate taking over without much trouble early on. Jet Speed is sent into the barricade and Lashley stomps away on Bailey back inside. Bailey kicks away at Lashley to little avail so it’s off to Christian, with Wayne pulling him outside for a save.

Jet Speed hit stereo dives onto the champs and then double boot Wayne down for two. Back up and Benjamin sends Knight face first into the steps. Bailey does his bouncing kicks to Wayne but gets planted with a spinebuster. A release German suplex sends Bailey over the top and crashing onto a pile at ringside in a unique spot.

Back in and Benjamin slams Bailey a few times but he gets in a shot to the face. Christian comes in for a save but gets lifted by Lashley, only for Bailey to kick his leg out for the save. It’s back to Knight (yeah we’re doing tags now) to pick up the pace with Wayne before an assisted hurricanrana brings Benjamin out of the corner.

Benjamin is back up with some release German suplexes to Knight before Wayne’s World hits Bailey on the apron. Christian frog splashes Knight for two with MVP making a save before it’s back to Lashley to clean house. Jet Speed do a kind of Doomsday Device dropkick to send Wayne outside, leaving Lashley to yell at FTR. Back in and the spear to Christian retains the titles at 18:59.

Rating: C+. And here we have the first match where the length was really getting annoying. I cannot fathom a world where it should take the Hurt Syndicate nearly twenty minutes to beat these guys and it felt like they were stretching for the sake of stretching. That’s not a good feeling to have as this could have been wrapped up in about half the time to the same result.

Post match FTR gets in the ring to go after Christian but the Patriarchy gets in to break it up. Then Wayne turns on Christian and lays him out with an Unprettier, leaving even FTR stunned. The Conchairto is loaded up but Cope returns and….does his full entrance before coming to the ring for the save with the spiked 2×4. Cope cleans house and helps Christian up, telling him to go find yourself.

We recap Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Mone for the Women’s Title. Storm is one of the most successful stars in the history of the women’s division while Mone is the undefeated TBS Champion and feels unstoppable. Storm is the only person who can do something about it and that gives us a showdown.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Mone

Only Storm is defending and Mone comes to the ring with a bunch of cheerleaders. Storm on the other hand has a video featuring a variety of time pieces, from clocks to an hourglass, for a pretty basic idea. They fight over a lockup to start and shove each other away, which works so well that they do it again. Both of them head to the apron but Storm is sent back inside, where she does some dancing kicks. The Mone Statement sends Storm straight to the ropes and she knocks Mone outside.

Back in and Storm does Mone’s dance before getting on Luther’s shoulders to send Mone crashing off the apron. Mone knocks her off the apron with Luther making the catch, only for Mone to take both of them down with a running Meteora. Back in and the running knees connect in the corner, followed by a figure four necklock to keep Storm in trouble. Storm gets up and it’s a German suplex to give Mone two.

That doesn’t work for Storm, who is back with a Thesz press and right hands, followed by a fisherman’s suplex for two. Mone grabs a Fujiwara armbar but Storm escapes and hits a backbreaker. Storm blocks a cross armbreaker and catapults her throat first into the bottom rope for a nice counter. Storm Zero gets two so she grabs a crossface chickenwing. That’s broken up with a bite of the arm so they fight over a Tombstone until Mone pulls her into a kneebar.

Storm gets another escape and they slug it out until an exchange of rollups gets two each. The Mone Maker gives Mone two and Storm’s tiger driver gets the same. Mone misses the middle rope knees and Storm flips her over into a faceplant for two. Storm grabs her own Mone Statement, followed by three straight Storm Zeroes…for two more. Mone is sat in the corner for the hip attack but she reverses into a small package for another near fall. An STF has Storm in trouble but she sends Mone into the corner for the hip attack. Storm puts her on the top, gives her a kiss, and hits a super Storm Zero to retain at 24:13.

Rating: B. Well, they didn’t do it. Or I guess they did. I’m not sure which it is, but what matters the most is that Mone lost. My biggest issue with her has been that she felt unbeatable and that was corrected here, so well done. It was another good match with both of them working hard, though I could have gone without the three straight Storm Zeroes for the near fall. Other than that though, solid fight with both of them working hard.

We recap Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada, title for title. They’ve had a legendary series of matches and it’s time to do it again. The match is winner take all, with the winner getting a special title, but the titles are going to stay separate, with the Continental Classic coming again later this year.

Jim Ross is on commentary, which is nice to see after all of his health issues.

Unified Title: Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada

For the inaugural title, Kota Ibushi is here with Omega and Don Callis is here with Okada. Omega also gets a special entrance, with what appear to be druids singing his song. They take their time to start and then lock up as the fans certainly seem interested. Omega backs him into the ropes for some slaps to the chest but gets driven into the corner. Okada charges into some raised boots though and the running Fameasser sends Okada outside.

A big dive takes Okada down but Omega misses a high crossbody back inside, banging up his injured midsection. Omega fights back but his moonsault hits raised knees to put him in trouble again. Okada puts him on top for a dropkick out to the floor. Callis gets in a few cheap shots and a DDT on the announcers’ table plants Omega again. Back in and another DDT gives Okada two but Omega manages to knock him outside. That means the big running flip dive, with Callis running away in fear.

A missile dropkick gets two on Okada back inside and they go up top, with Omega muscling him up for a superplex. The abdomen is still messed up though and it’s a delayed near fall as a result. Back up and Okada snaps off a dropkick before the top rope elbow connects. Okada drops another elbow before grabbing Omega’s hand and striking away. That lets Omega fire back, including a powerbomb and V Trigger for two.

They go up top and Omega grabs a super snapdragon, with Okada turning a bit, landing partially on his face. Okada is right back up with a discus lariat for two and a German suplex gives Omega the same. Cue Rocky Romero for a distraction so Ibushi takes him out, leaving Omega to hit the One Winged Angel.

Callis pulls the referee out at two so another one comes in, with Omega hitting a V Trigger. Okada escapes another One Winged Angel and nails the Rainmaker for two. Back up and Omega hits the V Trigger, only to get caught with the dropkick. Callis teases coming in but Okada hits a powerslam, followed by the Rainmaker for the pin at 30:32.

Rating: B+. Well, it was rather good, but it wasn’t exactly the epic showdown that it was hyped up as being. That being said, they’re both a good few years older and more banged up since their original series, so it’s not like they were working under fair expectations. They had a very good match and Okada winning makes more sense, though I’m not sure what is next for Omega. Either way, the hype was certainly there and it was absolutely good, so we’ll call this enough of a win.

We recap Hangman Page challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title. Moxley has basically taken the title hostage and everyone wants to get it away from him, with Page being something of the chosen one to take it back. The match is a Texas Death Match, which in this case basically means you win by knockout or submission only and anything goes.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley is defending. Page gets played live to the ring, with a guitarist playing his old music. As a bonus, he’s wearing white so you know the blood is coming. On the other hand, Moxley and the Death Riders drive their truck into the stadium so it must be serious. They go straight to the slugout with Page getting the better of things and stomping away in the corner.

Back up and Moxley hammers down right hands in the corner but misses a fork shot. Instead Page takes it away and grabs a triangle choke to stab Moxley in the head. That doesn’t do much, as Moxley is right back to rib at Page’s head, with Marina Shafir getting in a bite. Page is busted open and Moxley plants him onto a barbed wire chair. Page gets the chair, which is booted back into his face for another knockdown.

A table is sat up at ringside and Moxley hits a cutter before pouring out a bucket of broken glass. Moxley drags Page over the glass (ouch) and then piledrives him onto it, which still isn’t enough for a ten count. Shafir throws in some more chairs and Moxley sets them up, but has to block a superplex attempt. That means scraping something over Page’s back but Page slips out and turns the chairs around, with the backs together.

A powerbomb onto the chairs has Moxley in a lot of trouble so Wheeler Yuta comes in for a chair shot to Page’s back. That earns Yuta a shot to the face so Shafir gets up. Page Death Valley Drivers her through the ringside table and the Deadeye sends Moxley into the glass. The Death Riders pull Page out and load up another table so here is Will Ospreay to try a save. That’s broken up and Ospreay is piledriven onto the floor. Ospreay’s neck is Pillmanized and he gets taken out as Moxley suplexes Page through a pair of barbed wire tables at ringside.

Back in and the slug it out until Moxley hits another piledriver into the bulldog choke. The Death Rider onto an open chair drops Page again for nine. Wheeler Yuta brings in the plastic bag but we get a video from Darby Allin, who is ready to come after Moxley. Cue a man in a mask to give Moxley a running knee and YES it is indeed Bryan Danielson. A dive takes out the Death Riders and Allin repels down from the ceiling.

Allin Coffin Drops onto the Death Riders, leaving Page to Deadeye Moxley through a table. Shafir helps Moxley up as the Young Bucks come in to EVP Trigger Page. It’s time to bring in a bed of nails (of course) and Page is Paradigm Shifted onto the bed. Naturally he gets up so Shafir goes for a chain, which is cut off by Prince Nana. Cue Swerve Strickland to chain various people down and then hand it over to Page. Some chain shots have Moxley in trouble and the Buckshot Lariat sends Moxley onto the nails. Page hangs him over the ropes with the chain and Moxley taps at 35:55.

Rating: B. To get it out of the way, what matters the most here is the fact that the title change hands. Moxley has been champion for such a long time and it has been horrible to sit through. Page taking the title is the most important part here and they got that part right. I’m not wild on how they got to that point as the violence got more than a bit ridiculous, with the bed of nails being rather stupid. The result is the important part here though and that makes up for a lot of the issues the match might have had.

Post match Page (eventually) gets the briefcase open and pulls the title out for the big celebration. Page can barely stand up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. First and foremost, it’s a rather good show. There is nothing on the main card that is bad and they gave us the big happy endings that the show show needed. That’s the important part of the show and overcomes a good many of the issues the show has. It was a good effort all around, though there wasn’t that one match that really stood out above the rest.

As usual, the biggest problem is the length, as it took me three different sittings to get through the whole thing. There are parts of the show that could have been dropped (the TNT Title match taking place elsewhere would have been nice, or cutting at least a few minutes off the Casino Gauntlets or the Tag Team Title match). That being said, the time wasn’t as big of a detriment here as it has been in the past, which is very nice to see.

Overall, this was a good show and they got the important parts right. AEW has been needing a big happy ending for a good while and we got that, plus the Bucks losing as a bonus. In short, they got the important stuff right and I’ll take that over just about anything else. Everything looked great and the fans were happy, so I can definitely call this a strong show.

Results
Sons Of Texas/Von Erichs b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Quadruple submission
Hologram/Big Boom AJ/Tomohiro Ishii/Kyle O’Reilly b. Don Callis Family – Powerbomb to Romero
FTR b. Outrunners – Rollup to Magnum with feet on the ropes
Opps b. Death Riders – MuscleBuster to Yuta
MJF won the Men’s Casino Gauntlet Match – Jay Driller to Strong
Dustin Rhodes b. Kyle Fletcher, Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia – Small package to Garcia
Will Ospreay/Swerve Strickland b. Young Bucks – Hidden Blade/House Call combination to Matt
Athena won the Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match – O Face to Shirakawa
Hurt Syndicate b. Jet Speed and the Patriarchy – Spear to Cage
Toni Storm b. Mercedes Mone – Super Storm Zero
Kazuchika Okada b. Kenny Omega – Rainmaker
Hangman Page b. Jon Moxley – Choke with a chain

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

Collision
Date: June 4, 2025
Location: Mission Ballroom, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

Now we have the second half of the show and hopefully that means they keep the momentum going from Dynamite. For some reason, AEW has a tendency to present a not so thrilling Collision when it is in a special time slot and it can be quite the disappointing presentation. It would be nice to not see that again here but we’ll have to see. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

We open with Kenny Omega in the ring after his successful title defense in the main event of Dynamite. Kazuchika Okada comes out for the big staredown and shove their belts in the other’s face. The brawl is on and Okada goes to the body to cut him down. The Rainmaker and One Winged Angel are broken up and we have a staredown.

We look back at FTR getting in an argument with CMLL’s Atlantis Jr. and Templario.

Ricochet is still searching for talent for his team.

Will Ospreay vs. Lio Rush

Action Andretti is here with Rush, who bails out to the floor to start. Rush gets back inside and picks the leg to no avail as Ospreay chases him into the corner. A springboard hurricanrana is countered into a failed Styles Clash attempt, with Rush bailing out to the floor again. This time Andretti’s distraction lets Rush hit a suicide dive as we take a break.

Back with Ospreay breaking up a sleeper and hitting a spinning torture rack bomb for two. Rush’s poisonrana into a springboard Stunner gets two but Ospreay cutters him out of the air. The Oscutter gets two and Ospreay throws Rush over the top onto Andretti. That means the big dive, followed by a Phenomenal Forearm to drop Rush back inside. Rush is back up with a DDT into the Final Hour for two as the crowd gets VERY quiet in a hurry. Rush stops to yell at the referee and walks into the Styles Clash for the pin at 9:01.

Rating: C+. It was fine enough, but I’m really not sure why Ospreay needed the better part of ten minutes to beat Rush. Ospreay is in the main event scene and is likely in a high profile match at All In, plus being tied into the World Title match. That is not a place that should require him to need so much time to beat half of a low level tag team.

Post match Andretti comes in to lay out Ospreay. Hangman Page makes the save and Ospreay leaves. Page says he appreciates Ospreay’s help but he doesn’t need help to become the World Champion. He will never take help from Swerve Strickland either, but he will roll into Texas and win the World Title. Cue Jon Moxley followed by the Death Riders but Ospreay comes in with some chairs to chase them off.

Don Callis and company want the Outrunners and Bandido, with Hechicero coming in as the newest member.

Atlantis Jr./Templario vs. FTR

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. Wheeler won’t shake Atlantis’ hand to start with Atlantis, who takes over without much trouble. The frustrated Wheeler brings in Harwood to slap Templario in the (awesome) mask, earning himself an enziguri. Now Harwood shakes his hand, earning Templario a poke in the eye. Everything breaks down and Atlantis dropkicks FTR to the floor but Wheeler takes over on Templario back inside.

We take a break and come back with Templario still in trouble and Schiavone promising a REALLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT from Tony Khan later tonight. Atlantis comes in to clean house and hits a dive to the floor. Templario’s splash off Atlantis’ shoulders gets two on Harwood but he’s back up for a Shatter Machine. Atlantis makes the save so Harwood sweeps Templario’s leg to break up a suplex and give Wheeler the pin at 13:45.

Rating: C+. I had missed the time before Forbidden Door where wrestlers are suddenly angry at people from a different promotion and now we’re getting the Grand Slam version. MJF wants to fight Mistico and FTR is battling various CMLL stars. That hasn’t been overly interesting in the years that we’ve seen before and it’s the case again here.

Post match Hathaway grabs the mic to brag about FTR’s success. And that’s it.

Video on Thekla attacking Jamie Hayter last week.

Don Callis Family vs. Bandido/Los Outrunners

Hechicero takes Bandido down by the leg to start but a spinning armdrag gets Bandido out of trouble. Everything breaks down and the Family is triple dropkicked out to the floor. Fletcher is able to send Magnum into the barricade a few times and we take a break. Back with Magnum getting up for the hot tag off to Floyd to pick up the pace. Hechicero ties Bandido up for some near falls before they trade big boots for a double down.

Takeshita comes in for the Blue Thunder Bomb on Bandido and everything breaks down. Fletcher gets suplexed into a frog splash from Bandido but he blocks the 21 Plex. Instead Fletcher hits a brainbuster but Bandido is back with a superkick. Magnum comes back in but the Family breaks up the Mega Powers handshake. The brainbuster gives Fletcher the pin on Magnum at 14:16.

Rating: B-. Another long match that didn’t need to get so much time and felt like it was just there to fill in a long portion of the show. The Ring Of Honor World Title is beneath most of the Family so they probably won’t go after it, making this mini feud feel all the less important. It wasn’t a bad match at all, but I’m going to need something more interesting than the Outrunners in masks.

Penelope Ford and Megan Bayne attack Anna Jay but Tay Melo makes her return after nearly two years for the save.

Anthony Bowens declares this the Pride Of AEW Month and challenges Kyle Fletcher for next week.

Ring Of Honor TV Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Lee Johnson vs. AR Fox vs. Nick Wayne

Wayne is defending and Ricochet is on commentary. Wayne and Johnson are sent outside to start so the other two nip up and miss stereo dropkicks for a standoff. Fox hits a big running flip dive onto Johnson before Guevara dropkicks Wayne down as well. Guevara hits his own running flip dive to the floor but Johnson hits one of his own. Fox moonsaults down onto Johnson but Johnson’s friend Blake Christian gets in a cheap shot.

We take a break and come back Wayne kneeing Guevara in the face but Guevara faceplants him for two. Johnson takes Wayne’s place and they fight out to the floor, leaving Fox to suplex Wayne. Fox hits a big flip dive off the top onto everyone else but Wayne shrugs off a Swanton. Something close to a fisherman’s buster pins Fox to retain the title at 11:07.

Rating: B-. Yeah if the Ring Of Honor World Title isn’t interesting, the TV Title isn’t much better. These are people who have been established as not being overly important so putting them all in a title match isn’t the best way to go. Wayne’s issues with Christian Cage continue to grow, but I’m not sure when it’s finally going to snap, or how much I’ll be able to care about Wayne when it does.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Thekla vs. Lady Frost

Frost drives her into the corner to start but gets shoved right back out. A running boot to the head staggers Frost and Thekla cuts her down with a spear. Thekla grabs something like an abdominal stretch with a bodyscissors for the tap at 2:30.

Post match the hold goes on again but Queen Aminata runs in for the save.

Post break Aminata says that she’s tired of people showing up here and trying to make their name off her. She’ll face Thekla anyway though.

Tony Khan’s big announcement, as made by Tony Schiavone: Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada at All In, winner take all. We really needed a special announcement to confirm that the match that has been all but announced for months now?

Paragon/Daniel Garcia vs. Don Callis Family

Strong and Romero fight over a wristlock to start before it’s off to Beretta to hammer Cole down in the corner. Cole shrugs that off and brings Beretta over to the corner for the tag to O’Reilly. A running knee to the ribs cuts Alexander down and it’s Garcia coming in for the right hands in the corner. Garcia hammers away at everyone but Archer, who chokeslams him out of the corner as we take a break.

Back with Strong and O’Reilly cleaning house before handing it back to Cole for more of the same. The Backstabber gets two on Alexander and a superkick sends Romero outside. Almost everyone heads to the floor for a string of running dives until Alexander German suplexes Cole for two back inside. The Panama Sunrise hits Alexander and Garcia’s rollup gets two with Archer making the save. We settle down to Beretta trading forearms with Cole until Beretta scores with a half and half suplex. Cole starts firing off the superkicks though and hits the Boom to finish Romero at 11:23.

Rating: B-. They were trying here and the match was the best part of the show, though that’s only so much of a hurdle to clear. If nothing else, it’s nice to see Cole finally get a win, as it feels like it’s been a bit since it happened. Good enough match, though having this at the end of a four hour marathon show was a bit much to ask.

Overall Rating: C. I know it’s not reflective of the action, but this was one of the least interesting things I’ve seen AEW do in a very long time. It felt like almost nothing on here mattered, with the big moment being an announcement of a match that was all but set a few months ago. That left a pair of Callis Family matches, an ROH TV match, Thekla winning a squash in her debut, and a few other matches. What on here was supposed to make me want to see more AEW? They really need to work on this, and I have a bad, bad feeling about what we’re going to see next week.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Lio Rush – Styles Clash
FTR b. Atlantis Jr./Templario – Crossbody to Templario
Don Callis Family b. Bandido/Los Outrunners – Brainbuster to Magnum
Nick Wayne b. Sammy Guevara, Lee Johnson and AR Fox – Fisherman’s buster to Fox
Thekla b. Lady Frost – Seated abdominal stretch
Paragon b. Don Callis Family – Boom to Romero

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