Ring Of Honor – July 28, 2026: More From Them. And Him. (Includes Full Show)

Ring Of Honor
Date: July 28, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Just in case you hadn’t had enough Ring Of Honor lately, we have a bonus show before Friday’s regular show! Wait wait, don’t tell me. The Premiere Athletes will be in action here! Plus something about teams trying to get in position for a shot at the Tag Team Titles. That’s the kind of cutting edge stuff that has put Ring Of Honor in the place it is in today. Let’s get to it.

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

We look at Maya World winning the TBS Title at Redemption.

Maya World vs. Janai Kai

Non-title. There are no entrances for obvious reasons but commentary says that this was signed before World won the title. So they’re really still trying to avoid saying that it’s taped in advance? The show for the most hardcore fans of the promotion designed for the smart fans? Anyway, Kai grabs a waistlock to start but gets sunset flipped for two.

World sweeps the leg out and hits a slingshot hilo, earning herself some leg trips. Back up and the tabletop suplex gives World two (so Kai is tougher than Hikaru Shida) but Kai catches her going up top. That earns her a powerbomb out of the corner and a Shining Wizard finishes Kai at 6:00.

Rating: C. This wasn’t a squash but it was a basic, easy enough win for World. She’s certainly on the rise in both promotions and that’s great to see, as she has come a long way in pretty much every area. Nice opener here, with the star who got a big win on Sunday getting a showcase here.

We look at Mike Bailey winning the ladder match to become #1 contender to the International Title.

Alan Angels vs. Nick Wayne

Angels takes him down by the arm to start but Wayne is back up with a shove and some spitting. That earns Wayne a running chop in the corner so he knocks Angels right back down. Back up and Angels superkicks him out of the air, only to have him come back with an Alabama Slam. They trade rollups for two each until Wayne’s handspring elbow is countered into a dragon suplex. Angels’ springboard moonsault gets superkicked out of the air, followed by a kick to the head to pin Angels at 8:03.

Rating: B-. This was a back and forth match with the two of them getting to trade comebacks until Wayne knocked him silly. At the same time, this was a match that got some time despite neither of them having much of anything going on. It’s a good example of a match that feels like it’s there to have people in the ring without any particular reason.

Action Andretti/The Opps vs. Landon Hale/Robert Allen/Steve Allen

There’s your weird team of the week. Hook knocks Hale down to start and then pounds away in the corner, allowing Andretti to come in with a top rope clothesline. Steve comes in and gets beaten up by Bowens, including a pop up Fameasser. Andretti hits an Asai moonsault and Bowens armbars Robert for the tap at 2:50.

Isla Dawn vs. Erica Leigh

Dawn has won her one match here and Riccaboni says she is hoping to turn it into a winning streak. Why? One win can get you a title shot around here. Dawn kicks away at the leg to start and stomps Leigh down in the corner. Back up and Leigh hits some running clotheslines in the corner but Dawn is back with a suplex. The Meteora gets two and Dawn grabs a dragon sleeper in the ropes. Leigh’s comeback is countered with a Backstabber into the dragon sleeper to make Leigh tap at 3:43.

Rating: C. This was much more in the squash territory and it was nice to see Dawn getting in there and destroying someone. Dawn has something to her and I could go for having her become one of the regulars in the division. If Maya World is on her way to the main roster full time, there is a spot open for someone and Dawn is a good option.

Post match Dawn grabs the sleeper again and Leigh is left laying.

Adam Priest vs. Kiran Grey

Grey isn’t having anything involving running shoulders so Priest goes with the right hands in the corner. Grey fights back and strikes away but gets knocked down with an uppercut. A legsweep takes Priest down and Grey chokes in the corner. Priest is right back with a running neckbreaker before slamming Grey’s knee onto the mat. Another takedown by the leg sets up a half crab to make Grey tap at 6:02.

Rating: C+. Grey is an interesting situation as he has the creepy/brooding persona but he never wins and tapped out in about six minutes. That’s not exactly the best way to go for him and it didn’t do him much good here. Priest continues to be fine in this spot, though I’m not sure I can imagine him going much higher than this level.

Isla Dawn says she’s going to keep winning until she wins gold so she wants a shot at Red Velvet.

Griff Garrison vs. Aaron Solo

Garrison forearms away to start but Solo is up with a running hurricanrana. With Garrison trying to walk off, Solo runs up to cut that off but Garrison hot shots him back inside. Some right hands have Solo in more trouble until he fights up with some running forearms. A torture rack powerbomb gives Garrison two, as does Solo’s top rope double stomp. Back up and Garrison hits a running spinning….we’ll say headbutt for the pin at 5:45.

Rating: C+. Garrison is another person who has nothing going on at the moment and that has been the case for him for a long time now. At least he won a match here so maybe they’ve got something up for him. Solo is still the usual jobber to the stars and that’s about it, but there are far worse options for that spot.

Video on Lee Moriarty vs. Angelico.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Spanish Announce Project

Angelico and Moriarty trade wrist control to start so it’s off to Serpentico. The Promotions send him to the apron though and Taylor gets in the big legdrop. Taylor gets in his usual big shots on the floor but Serpentico kicks him in the head. Angelico comes back in to clean house and hands it right back to Serpentico for two off a Swanton. Moriarty is back up with the butterfly Side Effect to pin Serpentico at 6:39.

Rating: C+. Well, at least it helped boost things up a bit for Angelico vs. Moriarty. That’s better than saying “Angelico almost beat him about two years ago” so I’ll take something over having absolutely nothing to set up the match. It’s still only so interesting, but after years of “and then this person gets a title shot”, it’s an improvement.

Red Velvet is ready for Isla Dawn.

Premiere Athletes/Swirl vs. Outrunners/Dalton Castle/Orange Cassidy

I WAS KIDDING ABOUT THE ATHLETES! And of course they’re headlining the show! The villains jump Magnum to start, with Nese doing some pushups. Floyd comes in off a tag behind Nese’s back and the Outrunners take turns raining down right hands in the corner. Cassidy’s single right hand gets two but Magnum gets caught in the wrong corner for the triple teaming.

Moriarty hammers away but Magnum is right back up for the tag off to Castle. Everything breaks down and the Swirl takes over on Castle and Magnum, only for Castle to suplex them down at the same time. Cassidy’s double hurricanrana takes them out as well and it’s time for the parade of knockdowns. Floyd gets in his string of slams but Mark Sterling breaks up the Orange Punch. Everyone but the Athletes and Cassidy brawl to the back, with Daivari forearming Nese down by mistake. The Orange Punch finishes Nese off at 10:07.

Rating: B-. Cassidy was just there to add in some star power and to avoid the Six Man Champions from having to face another three man team. In theory this was designed to get Castle and the Outrunners their win back after their completely necessary loss on Collision. That only works so well when none of them were around in the end, but this was just your usual eight man tag from ROH anyway.

Cassidy is left alone to end the show. As in the Ring Of Honor show.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m really not sure why this needed to be its own special, but at least it did set some things up, including Moriarty vs. Angelico and Dawn vs. Velvet. At the same time, there was a lot of stuff here that felt like content for the sake of content. As usual, it feels like ROH Dark, which is a fine enough idea, but it’s not something that really works when it’s also used to build things up. But if we try to figure out how things are working around here, we’ll be here far too long. Not a bad show, and it did push some stories forward, which is always appreciated.

Results
Maya World b. Janai Kai – Shining Wizard
Nick Wayne b. Alan Angels – Kick to the head
Action Andretti/The Opps b. Landon Hale/Robert Allen/Steve Allen – Armbar to Robert
Isla Dawn b. Erica Leigh – Dragon sleeper
Adam Priest b. Kiran Grey – Half crab
Griff Garrison b. Aaron Solo – Running spinning headbutt
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Spanish Announce Project – Butterfly Side Effect to Serpentico

 

 

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Ring Of Honor – June 16, 2026: That’s What I Thought (Bonus Show, Includes Full Show)

Ring Of Honor
Date: June 16, 2026
Location: Propst Arena, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Somehow this is at least partially from the Huntsville taping, which must have been one heck of a night. In this case it’s another bonus show, which hopefully is just as good as last week’s bonus show, as Ring Of Honor is somehow making two shows a week something closer to normal. Oh joy. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Women’s TV Title: Hyena Hero vs. Red Velvet

Velvet is defending and Hera is in her second match in ROH (I’ll let you guess how the first one went). Hyena licks her hand for the handshake and Velvet isn’t pleased, meaning the beating starts fast. Velvet knocks her into the corner for a shaky boot choke but Hyena is back with a Gory Bomb into the buckle. A release gordbuster and a dropkick give Hyena two but Velvet flips on top of her with a crossbody for two of her own. The running knees in the ropes have Hyena in trouble, only to have her come back with a kick to the face. Hyena tries another Gory Bomb but Velvet slips out and the spinning kick to the head retains at 5:14.

Rating: C. I still have no idea how title shots are awarded around here and unfortunately I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. Velvet beat up someone who had no momentum or anything at all really so what exactly does this get her? That’s part of the problem for these matches, as beating Hyena means nothing so what does Velvet gain here?

Video on the triple threat for the TV Title, with Lio Rush and Action Andretti challenging AR Fox, with Fox and Andretti being serious while Rush is….adjective.

Tony Nese wants the TV Title.

Lethal Twist/RPG Vice vs. Spanish Announce Project/Outrunners/Dalton Castle

Lethal shoulders Magnum over to start and gets in the strut, meaning we’re quickly off to the big staredown. Christian and Floyd come in with the former rolling through a sunset flip and hitting a dropkick. The Outrunners clear the ring and it’s off to Angelico to work on the arm. Serpentico comes in for a hurricanrana but Johnson gets in a cheap shot from the apron to take over. A sunset flip gives Serpentico two and earns him a heck of a clothesline to cut him back down.

Romero starts away in the corner but Serpentico is back up with a clothesline, as Romero continues to be so useless. It’s off to Castle to clean house and we hit the parade of missed middle rope splashes. Floyd finally connects with a splash on Christian but the Mega Powers Elbow is broken up. Christian is back up for the big running flip dive to take out the pile on the floor and a running shot to Serpentico back inside. The springboard 450 gives Christian the pin at 11:06.

Rating: C+. This was a bunch of people in one match and the big thing in the middle was the string of missed splashes. In theory this should help move the Lethal Twist into contention for a title shot though as usual, it’s kind of hard to tell given the way things work around here. At least they’re a regular team likely coming for the titles and I’ll take that for a change.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Aaron Solo

Pure Rules. Shibata easily wrestles him down to start and fires off the elbows to the head. That’s released so Shibata pulls him down into a chinlock and wins an exchange of a slugout. Solo blocks an O’Connor roll and fires off some chops, which just make Shibata mad. The running corner dropkick connects for Shibata and it’s the sleeper into the PK for the pin at 4:36.

Rating: C. Solo used his three rope breaks in there and that’s the extent of the Pure Rules aspect of this match. It’s a match with a stipulation that was just not needed but then again I have no idea why this match needed to take place whatsoever. Shibata has run through almost everyone around here and never really moves up the ladder so it was nice to confirm the status quo. I think?

The Tag Team Titles are on the line this week in CMLL with LFI defending against Los Villanos from CMLL, because that’s good enough for the first title defense in three and a half months.

Zayda Steel vs. Marina Shafir

Shafir snaps her down with a headlock to start and escapes a headscissors, leaving Steel worried. A wristdrag doesn’t get Steel anywhere so she grabs a middle rope headlock takeover to actually put Shafir down for once. Back up and Steel picks the ankle before dropkicking her to the floor.

That’s fine with Shafir, who whips her hard into the steps and stops for some pushups. Steel gets back inside and kicked in the back, setting up a bearhug. Shafir throws her down a few times and shrugs off some forearms. Steel’s standing Kofi Clutch has Shafir in trouble for a bit, only for her to swing it into Mother’s Milk for the tap at 6:21.

Rating: C+. This was another loss for Steel, who is in that annoying place of “she’s talented and fights but no, of course she can’t win because that’s not what new stars do around here”. I’m sure she’ll get to win eventually but I guess this is the usual dues paying stretch. It doesn’t make for the most thrilling matches though and that was the case again here, as it was just waiting for Shafir to crush Steel as expected, which she eventually did.

TV Title: Tony Nese vs. AR Fox

Fox is defending and Mark Sterling is here with Nese. They start fast with Nese pounding Fox down in the corner but Fox is back with a dropkick out of the corner. The threat of a cutter sends Nese bailing to the floor, where he catches Fox with a big forearm. Fox is right back in with a huge dive onto the floor and the fans certainly approve. Back in and Nese kicks him off the top and a shot to the knee gets two.

A bodyscissors stays on the ribs but Fox is back up with a Stinger Splash. The cutter out of the corner gets two but Nese sweeps the leg. A shot to the head gives Nese two as Fox makes the rope. The pumphandle piledriver gives Nese two more so Fox knocks him into the ropes. Some running boots take out Nese and Sterling, setting up the 450 to retain the title at 7:59.

Rating: C+. So the big title match is already set for Thursday but we had to get this in at the last minute because….Fox is going to lose the title isn’t he? I’m guessing that they had to get this match in before the title change on Thursday, which hopefully goes to Rush as I can’t imagine the idea of taking Andretti seriously as a champion. Why am I ignoring this match? It was Nese getting a singles title shot. What am I supposed to say about it?

Post match Action Andretti runs in to go after Fox but Lio Rush pops up in a Cru shirt to scare Andretti off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. And that was the show I was expecting last week. This was a bunch of stuff that felt thrown together with a tiny something at the end. Other than that, we had Shibata winning a squash, a totally random Women’s TV Title match, a ten man tag and Shafir vs. Steel. It wasn’t a bad show, but this was a good example of “you don’t have to tape/air everything”, as there would be nothing lost if it didn’t air.

Results
Red Velvet b. Hyena Hero – Spinning kick to the head
Lethal Twist/RPG Vice b. Spanish Announce Project/Outrunners/Dalton Castle – Springboard 450 to Serpentico
Katsuyori Shibata b. Aaron Solo – PK
Marina Shafir b. Zayda Steel – Mother’s Milk
AR Fox b. Tony Nese – 450

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – May 12, 2026: They’ve Got A Point (Includes Full Show)

Ring Of Honor
Date: May 12, 2026
Location: SoFi Center, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s a special edition of the show as we are three days from Supercard Of Honor, which will be the third show of the week. That’s not the most promising feeling as these shows tend to be pretty a bunch of stuff that doesn’t have any other spot to air. Given how much filler the weekly show involves, that’s covering a lot of ground. Let’s get to it.

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

Bustah And The Brain talk about how they have been grateful to be here thus far but now they want to be the Tag Team Champions. Therefore, they’ll be doing the same thing they do every night: plan world domination.

Bustah And The Brain vs. Spanish Announce Project

Oliver works on Angelico’s arm to start but gets pulled back into the corner. Serpentico comes in and picks up the pace, only to get clotheslined by Price. Everything breaks down and Bustah And The Brain are sent outside for a pair of big boots from Angelico. Back in and Serpentico starts in on Price’s arm, with Price escaping for the tag back to Oliver. Angelico plants Price and heads outside, where Price hits him with a suicide dive. Back in and Serpentico gets picked up for a belly to back suplex/diving reverse DDT combination for the pin at 6:21.

Rating: C+. I’m almost starting to think that Bustah And The Brain could become something around here, which would at least be an upgrade over another Sammy Guevara version of the Tag Team Champions. The titles have basically been put on ice for a bit so giving them to a team who, for now at least, is regularly around would be nice to see. Then again that’s assuming they actually get a shot, which is a big enough accomplishment in its own right.

Post match the Lethal Twist come out to beat up Serpentico, with Blake Christian putting the Bandido mask on. Christian says Bandido isn’t here again but as usual, he is. He’ll be here Friday too, when he wins the World Title.

Lance Archer vs. Trent Jordy

Archer drags him to the ring for the opening bell but Jorday actually breaks up the Blackout. The chokeslam and a swinging Rock Bottom finish Jordy at 1:43. As usual, there’s no explanation for why Archer has never gotten a title shot despite the all over the place justifications for other people getting shots.

Diamante is ready to make Deonna Purrazzo tap out and win the Women’s Pure Title.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Haven Harris

Non-title Proving Ground match under Pure Rules. Harris takes her to the mat with a headlock to start but Purrazzo reverses into an early armbar. The Fujiwara armbar makes Harris use her first rope break before she hits a spinebuster for two. Purrazzo powerbombs her right back down and the Fujiwara armbar finishes Harris at 2:41.

Evil Uno vs. Vaughn Vertigo

The bell rings and it’s time to talk about Viva Van vs. Red Velvet. Uno shoulders him into the corner to start but Vaughn hits a leg lariat for two. Uno blocks a ram into the corner though and hits some running clotheslines. A DDT gives Uno two but Vaughn’s running knee gets the same. The swanton misses though and Uno hits a kind of pumphandle Downward Spiral for the pin at 4:02.

Rating: C. Uno is someone else who just kind of sticks around without doing much of note. I’m not sure what that is going to mean for him but it’s not like he has anything going on. Granted I’ll take him wandering around on his own rather than doing something with another stable around here.

Satnam Singh vs. Dave Dutra/Nick Ruiz

The team runs into each other to start and some big chops in the corner make it worse. The double chokeslam is broken up though but for some reason they try a double suplex. Singh crossbodies both of them but gets up at one, setting up the double chokeslam for the double pin at 2:32. I’m more confused about why the announcers’ table is completely empty. Maybe move the table so it’s not clear that commentary isn’t there?

AR Fox/Mascara Dorada/Mistico/El Phantasmo/Michael Oku vs. Nick Wayne/Kip Sabian/Lethal Twist

Fox and Lethal start things off with Fox taking over and grabbing a swinging suplex. Dorada comes in to forearm away at Christian but they both flip into a standoff. It’s off to Johnson, who gets taken down with a rather springboardy armdrag. Oku comes in for the dropkick but can’t get the half crab, as it’s off to Wayne instead.

Phantasmo comes in to chop away and does a rather snazzy rope walk into a hurricanrana. It’s back to Christian to stomp away in the corner who stomp away, only for Phantasmo to get over to Mistico. House is quickly cleaned, including a springboard double crossbody. The big spinning wristdrag takes Wayne down, setting off the parade of knockdowns.

Wayne’s standing Sliced Bread drops Mistico before Lethal and Mistico dropkick Fox and Wayne to the floor. Stereo dives connect, followed by Johnson and Dorada adding dives of their own. That leaves Fox to hit a springboard imploding 450 but Christian is back in with a springboard double stomp to Oku’s back. The 21 Plex drops Oku and Wayne adds a pumphandle fisherman’s driver for the pin at 7:58.

Rating: B. This was a nice way to see Wayne get a win and cram in a bunch of people at once. I’ll take that over some random tag match between middle of the road teams who have nothing going on and it made for a good main event. Fox is set for a title shot against Wayne on Thursday so there was even a reason for some of the people to be fighting. Not bad at all.

Overall Rating: B-. There was one thing that made this show stand out: it felt like there was a purpose to the whole thing. This was a show that felt like it was all about getting fans interested in what Ring Of Honor had to offer. Like it or not, but there was a focus here and it helped quite a bit. Good enough show here, with Bustah And The Brain moving towards the Tag Team Titles and the main event working well. Nice job here and far different than the previous special editions.

Results
Bustah And The Brain b. Spanish Announce Project – Belly to back suplex/diving reverse DDT combination to Serpentico
Lance Archer b. Trent Jordy – Swinging Rock Bottom
Deonna Purrazzo b. Haven Harris – Fujiwara armbar
Evil Uno b. Vaughn Vertigo – Pumphandle Downward Spiral
Satnam Singh b. Dave Dutra/Nick Ruiz – Double pin
Nick Wayne/Kip Sabian/Lethal Twist b. AR Fox/Mascara Dorada/Mistico/El Phantasmo/Michael Oku – Pumphandle fisherman’s driver to Oku

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – May 7, 2026: Nothing Else Matters

Ring Of Honor
Date: May 7, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re eight days away from Supercard Of Honor and a good chunk of the card has already been set up. There is still a lot that needs to be done for the show though, including the build up towards the World Title match. If nothing else, it would be nice for Blake Christian to do some stuff on his own. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Eddie Kingston/Ortiz vs. Infantry

Shane Taylor is here with the Infantry. Bravo punches away at Ortiz to start and gets leg lariated down for his efforts. Ortiz gets knocked into the corner and stomped in the Tree Of Woe to make it worse. A dropkick in the corner hits Ortiz again and it’s back to Bravo for a slingshot elbow. Kingston is knocked off the apron and a Bronco Buster hits Ortiz as well.

The chinlock doesn’t last long as Ortiz fights up and brings Kingston in to clean house. A Russian legsweep/STO combination gets two on Dean but a Backstabber drops Kingston. Dean’s top rope splash gets two on Ortiz but Boot Camp is broken up. Ortiz rolls Dean up for the pin at 7:56.

Rating: C. If there is an appeal to the Ortiz/Kingston team, I’m not seeing it. Kingston feels like a star and Ortiz feels like someone who is just there because he has nothing else to do. At the same time, the Six Man Champions lose again isn’t the most appealing and it isn’t like Kingston and Ortiz are anywhere near a title match as far as you can see from here.

Post match the Infantry and Taylor get in a beatdown but Mance Warner makes the save. Let me guess: that’s now a title match.

Josh Woods vs. Beef

Pure Rules. They fight over arm control to start and Beef sends him to the apron for a right hand. That’s a warning and Beef is right back up for a series of clotheslines in the corner. Woods pulls him down into the ankle lock but can’t hit the Beast Plex. Instead he pulls Beef down into another leglock for the tap at 3:42.

Rating: C+. Woods basically shrugged off everything Beef threw at him and then got the submission. In theory all of these wins should get him a title shot at Supercard Of Honor but instead he’s set for a match which might get him a title shot in the future if he wins. In other words, it’s more of the same problem that always comes up on here and there is nothing to suggest that it’s changing anytime soon.

Deonna Purrazzo dares Diamante to use the Fujiwara armbar on her and watch what happens.

Workhorsemen vs. Bang Bang Gang

Austin and Henry fight over wrist control to start until Austin dropkicks him into the corner. Robinson and Drake come in with Robinson shouldering him down. Henry offers a distraction though and Drake scores with a spinning belly to belly. Drake holds Robinson so Henry can hit a running double stomp to the back.

A clothesline gives Drake two but he almost splashes Henry in the corner, allowing Austin to come back in. Everything breaks down and Henry gets caught in the wrong corner. Drake punches Austin on the floor though and a Shining Wizard gets two on Robinson. Drake’s moonsault gets two more as Austin makes the save. Robinson grabs the forward DDT to pin Drake at 9:48.

Rating: B-. Again, it’s another match which is fine on its own, though it feels like it could have been on any given show rather than one of the last ones on the way to Supercard Of Honor. That being said, I do like Austin quite a bit and I could go for seeing him doing something somewhere. I’d even take him going for the Tag Team Titles around here, for whatever that’s worth.

We look at Persephone getting injured, meaning she’s out of Supercard Of Honor.

Zayda Steel is ready to face Hyan for the final spot in Survival Of The Fittest next week.

Maya World gives Hyan a pep talk. They’re both ready to beat Athena and everyone else.

Action Andretti vs. Nathan Cruz

They fight over wrist control to start before running the ropes, with Andretti snapping off a headscissors. A dropkick gives Andretti two but Cruz is back with a double arm crank. That’s broken up and Andretti sends him outside for an Asai moonsault. Back up and Cruz snaps him throat first across the top, followed by a Samoan driver for two. Cruz takes way too long going up though and here is Lio Rush, looking normal, for a distraction. Andretti hits a super Spanish Fly, followed by a torture rack neckbreaker for the pin at 5:30.

Rating: C+. They were going as fast as they could here and that made for an entertaining match. At the same time, I really could go for not having to see Cru be a thing again. They weren’t exactly an interesting team and they didn’t make much of an impact, but apparently they might be back together. Granted I’ll take it over “LIO RUSH IS SO TOTALLY WEIRD!”

Bustah And The Brain vs. Frat House

The House jumps them to start fast with a running boot to the face getting two on Price. A double belly to back suplex gets two more but Price flips over them for the tag off to Oliver. Everything breaks down and the House is in trouble, only for the rest of the House to get up on the apron. Garrison takes over on Price but Oliver is back in to beat Karter down. A belly to back suplex/top rope elbow combination gives Oliver the pin at 3:44.

Rating: C+. As usual, Bustah And The Brain are a fun team but they don’t really do much that makes them stand out from others around here. That being said, at least they’re actually around on occasion, as we’re over two months removed since we last saw the Tag Team Titles defended. The House was their usual selves, meaning they were in fact there.

Colons/Spanish Announce Project vs. Better Together/Alexander Lev/Hunter James

Angelico and Gold start things off and it’s an assisted backbreaker, allowing Serpentico to grab an armbar. Orlando adds a slingshot hilo for two but Better Together gives him a double basement dropkick. Better Together get in a hug and crank on Orlando’s arms for two more. James and Eddie come in with Eddie getting in a Figure Four. That’s broken up as everything breaks down. Serpentico hits a suicide dive and Lev gets caught in a Backstabber into a frog splash for the pin at 5:22.

Rating: C. So are we moving towards eight man titles? I have no idea why we would need to see something like this in multiple weeks. It’s the kind of match that doesn’t really do much other than stretching the show out, which certainly wouldn’t surprise me either. The Colons and the Project work well enough together but….it’s the Colons and the Project.

Action Andretti isn’t sure what is going on with Lio Rush and has no answers at the moment.

Main Man Oro/Kiran Grey vs. Premiere Athletes

Daivari and Oro fight over a hammerlock to start before the Athletes take over with double teaming. Mark Sterling and Stori Denali offer a distraction though and Grey gets caught in the Tree Of Woe. That lets Nese kick away at his ribs but it’s back to Oro to clean house. Nese’s pumphandle slam is broken up but the Athletes give Oro a DDT/Big Ending combination for the pin at 4:45.

Rating: C. Hokey smoke can we please see something interesting on this show? This was just another tag match between a team who is doing nothing important and a team who was thrown out there to lose. The Athletes aren’t going to do anything and if they do, it isn’t likely going to matter, as has been the case since they debuted.

Caprice Coleman sits down with the Lethal Twist, with Jay Lethal saying that the team asked him to join them to light a fire under him. It turns out they needed him more, with Coleman asking about Lethal betraying Jeff Jarrett and company. Lethal mocks him for bringing it up and saying Blake Christian is coming for the World Title.

Coleman asks if Lethal gets the first title shot if Christian wins…and Lethal Twist leave. Christian didn’t say anything. Good grief this is actually getting worse. Bandido can’t even be bothered to show up and Christian doesn’t wrestle or talk. Either build the match or just let the Premiere Athletes and Workhorsemen go out there and do their thing for 30 minutes instead, as they seem to be more important than the World Title.

Rachael Ellering vs. Red Velvet

Non-title Proving Ground match. Ellering powers her down to start and then hits a gutwrench suplex. Back up and Velvet sends her throat first into the rope for a running crotch attack. A standing moonsault misses, allowing Ellering to hit a running backsplash. Ellering’s spinebuster gets two more and the Boss Woman Slam drops Velvet for the same. Velvet blocks another Slam though and hits a left hand, followed by the spinning kick to the head for the pin at 5:18.

Rating: C. I guess that’s a step up, though I’m almost scared to see who is going to get the random title shot against Velvet. That’s how so many of these titles tend to go and odds are it’s going to go that way again for the pay per view. Ellering got in more offense than usual here, though at the end of the day, you know what you’re going to get with her in the end.

Post match it’s announced that Velvet will be defending against…Viva Van. OH COME ON! Last week Van won her first match in Ring Of Honor in almost THREE YEARS and now she gets a title shot on pay per view. Forget everyone else who has been winning matches and building up momentum because this is the best we’ve got. Geez if you absolutely have to, send someone from AEW down here to challenge instead. It would at least make more sense. This place can be another level of dumb when the pay per views come around.

Video on Blake Christian vs. Bandido. Well that’s nice of them.

Tommy Billington/Adam Priest vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Gibson powers Billington down to start until Billington reverses into a wristlock. Drake comes in for a hard running shoulder but Billington brings Priest in for a double elbow. A double suplex puts Drake down for two and it’s a belly to back suplex into a slingshot hilo. Drake’s forearms out of the corner just annoy Priest but Gibson gets in a cheap shot to put him down. Drake puts on a sleeper so Priest suplexes his way out. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Priest is back up with a swinging neckbreaker.

Billington comes back in to wreck the Veterans, including a crossface to Drake. That’s broken up and Priest and Billington hit stereo dives to the floor. Back in and they knock each other down until Priest and Billington grab stereo submissions. Those are broken up and Gibson and Billington go to the floor. The other two clothesline each other but Gibson is back in for a Doomsday Device for two on Priest. Billington is back in to crossface Gibson, leaving Priest to roll Drake up (with trunks) for the pin at 13:43.

Rating: B. This was easily the best match on the show, though it still feels like a match between two teams who are there to fill in spots on the roster. In other words, it’s the exact same thing that has been happening up and down the show. Billington and Priest do feel a bit more important than some, but maybe give them something to do that matters? And soon?

MxM TV vs. Rascalz

Mansoor and Reed start things off with Reed shouldering him down, allowing Mansoor to, eventually, nip up. Wentz comes in for a jumping double stomp to the back and it’s off to Xavier, who gets caught in the wrong corner. That doesn’t last long as it’s back to Reed, who scores with a dropkick to the back. Reed gets sent outside though and caught in a choke, followed by TV’s chinlock back inside.

A Flying Chuck into a German suplex puts Reed down for two and the Collection hits a side slam/legdrop combination for the same. TV and Madden go high/low for two but Reed jawbreaks TV away. That and a Stundog Millionaire allow the tag to Wentz so house can be cleaned. Everything breaks down and Reed is catapulted into a swinging Boss Man Slam. Madden gets poked in the eyes and chokeslams Mansoor by mistake so a triple superkick puts him down. The Swanton into the 450 into the Spiral Tap finishes Mansoor at 9:49.

Rating: B-. This was at least somewhat different as it was a six man tag instead of yet another two on two tag match. MxM continues to be funny enough in defeat and it’s not like anyone is going to take them seriously. It would be nice to have this set up a Six Man Title match and it still may, even with no mention of it here.

Oh and if this, next week’s show and next week’s pay per view aren’t enough for you, we get a special show on Tuesday. Because MORE MEANS BETTER!

Overall Rating: C-. I do not remember the last time I was so uninterested in a show. Supercard Of Honor is next week and the majority of this show feels like it has nothing to do with the card. Most of the people on here aren’t currently set for the pay per view (two people who wrestled here currently have matches, one of which was announced after she wrestled this week) and odds are the majority of them won’t be.

This place continues to feel like there is almost no planning done in advance and my goodness it gets frustrating. If you want to me to watch the pay per view, could you just try to make me care in the slightest? As usual, the wrestling was fine, assuming you ignore it having pretty much no consequences whatsoever.

Results
Eddie Kingston/Ortiz b. Infantry – Rollup to Dean
Josh Woods b. Beef – Leglock
Bang Bang Gang b. Workhorsemen – Forward DDT to Drake
Action Andretti b. Nathan Cruz – Torture rack neckbreaker
Bustah And The Brain b. Frat House – Belly to back suplex/top rope elbow combination to Karter
Colons/Spanish Announce Project b. Better Together/Alexander Lev/Hunter Jones – Frog splash to Lev
Premiere Athletes b. Main Man Oro/Kiran Grey – Big Ending/DDT combination to Oro
Red Velvet b. Rachael Ellering – Spinning kick to the head
Tommy Billington/Adam Priest b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Rollup with trunks to Drake
Rascalz b. MxM TV – Spiral Tap to Mansoor

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – April 23, 2026: Sync Up

Ring Of Honor
Date: April 23, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Last week was a big one as we actually had some qualifying matches for Supercard Of Honor. The show is in less than a month and I’m wondering what we’re going to get on the way there. Multiple title matches are already set and that’s a bit out of the ordinary for this place. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Brandon Cutler/Angelica Risk/Terry Kid vs. Premiere Athletes

Denali and Risk start things off, with only about a foot of size difference. Risk gets pulled down with ease and forearmed in the corner, followed by the knees to the ribs. It’s quickly off to Cutler to strike away on Daivari, including a springboard crossbody. The men fight out to the floor, leaving Denali to chokeslam Risk for the pin at 2:35. Of all of the Athletes’ six person tags that I’ve seen, this was the most recent.

Mark Davis vs. Beef

Beef grabs a headlock to start and knocks Davis out to the floor with a running shoulder. Davis fires off the chops and knocks Beef off the apron, where he sits on Beef’s chest for a unique crash. Back in and Davis chops away some more but Beef scores with a dropkick. Beef strikes away, only to charge into a German suplex.

The big clothesline puts Davis down again but he catches Beef on top with a superplex. The running forearm connects in the corner for two but Beef reverses the piledriver attempt into a rollup for two of his own. Davis chops him down but still can’t hit the piledriver, allowing Beef to hit a belly to back suplex. The Swan Dive misses though and Davis hits a big clothesline for the pin at 7:22.

Rating: C+. So to recap: last night on Dynamite, Davis beat Will Ospreay, the resident AEW superhero, but here he went move for move with freaking BEEF and couldn’t even hit his finisher. Now in theory, since this show is taped in advance and this match advances nothing for either of them, one might think it could have been cut or aired at another time, but nah. Instead it NEEDED to air here because no one pays attention to this show so doing something dumb is fine.

We look at Johnny TV losing his hair in CMLL about two months ago. He’s appeared without his hair in ROH since then so….why are we seeing this?

MxM TV vs. Main Man Oro/Keagan Garland/Angel Fashion

Garland is the son of Scotty 2 Hotty. Fashion and TV start things off with the latter knocking Fashion into the corner to hammer away. Oro comes in to kick Mansoor in the head and Garland comes in to run the ropes. A Hart Attack (leg lariat version) puts Garland down, with Mansoor yelling that he just beat up Scotty’s son. An Alabama slam lets the villains pose but Fashion and Oro break it up.

Garland pounds on Madden in the corner but Madden walks out to hit a powerbomb/double chokeslam at the other two (ok that was nice). TV hits a suicide dive onto all of them but Garland ducks the Flying Chuck. The Worm almost connects but Madden cuts it off at the last second. The Glossy Centerfold finishes Garland at 3:58.

Rating: C. I was worried this was going to go even longer but this was more “hey Scotty 2 Hotty’s son is wrestling”, which was a nice little bonus. You can definitely see the resemblance and while it’s too early to tell how it’s going to go, it’s nice to see Garland getting a shot. Other than that, MxM TV is exactly what they have always been.

We look back at Lee Moriarty beating Marshall Von Erich to retain the Pure Wrestling Title last week.

Caprice Coleman sits down with Moriarty and asks him about being all honorable and then part of Shane Taylor Promotions. Moriarty says he’s the best Pure Wrestler in the world and it’s him being himself. He and Shane Taylor won’t always get along but they work well together. Moriarty is also apparently a talented painter and says it’s similar to being an artist in the ring.

On one hand, I definitely do appreciate these interviews as ANYTHING giving these people some more personality is a good idea, but my goodness maybe build up some people to take the title from him? Or just drop the title altogether because it stopped feeling important years ago?

Diamante vs. Rachael Ellering

Pure Rules. They fight over wrist continue to start and the threat of a Fujiwara armbar sends Ellering straight to the rope. An ankle lock sends Ellering to the ropes again so Diamante starts working on the leg (why Ellering being in the corner doesn’t count as a rope break isn’t clear). Another ankle lock means Ellering is out of rope breaks but she comes back with a big clothesline. Diamante is right back with a top rope double stomp to the back, setting up another ankle lock to make Ellering tap at 5:34.

Rating: C-. Yeah wow that was thrilling. Someone burned off their rope breaks and then gave up. This felt like someone playing No Mercy and wanting to get through Championship Mode while using the same hold to get a submission. That might make for a logical path and match under these rules, but dang it doesn’t make for much in the way of excitement.

Frat House vs. Colons/Spanish Announce Project

Orlando backs Garrison into the corner and it’s off to Eddie for a quick dropkick. It’s off to Karter, who gets hit with a slingshot crossbody into a backbreaker. Angelico comes in to hiptoss Serpentico onto Karter but he knocks Serpentico into the corner to take over. Garrison grabs a suplex DDT on Serpentico but misses a top rope backsplash (making him lose his hat).

Serpentico Dudley Dogs Vance and Angelico comes back in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Garrison’s torture rack powerbomb gets two. Coleman says that he’s finishes a lot of people with that move. I’d love for Coleman to name say….three. Angelico and Serpentico get stereo holds on Jameson and Vance for the double tap at 7:25.

Rating: C+. This was a very Ring Of Honor match, as it featured people who pretty much don’t work on any other shows in any meaningful ways and wrestled the same match they have almost every time they’re on this show. None of these wrestlers have moved up or down the card in months and that is likely going to be there case for the next several months. The match was perfectly acceptable wrestling but it changes nothing. The problem with Ring Of Honor is that a lot of their shows are comprised of that exact same kind of match. It can get exhausting in a hurry and that is definitely happening here.

Billie Starkz vs. Hyan

They fight over a test of strength to start and Starkz bites her hand to escape. Starkz misses a charge though and gets knocked to the floor, where she sends Hyan crashing into the barricade. Back in and Starkz strikes away in the corner, though Hyan does manage a sunset flip for two.

A belly to back suplex gets two more and Hyan takes her up top for a superplex, followed by a falcon arrow for the same. They go to a pinfall reversal sequence for two each until Starkz Alabama Slams her into the corner. The Swanton only gives Starkz two as she pulls Hyan up. Instead it’s the pancake to finish Hyan at 9:15.

Rating: B-. Hyan has come a long way since her debut around here and it’s nice to see someone developed like that. At the same time, it was nice to see Starkz get a win, even if she is still only so much of a star. Granted a lot of that is due to having Athena dominate the division for such a long time and making everyone else look secondary.

Survival Of The Fittest rundown.

Swirl vs. Adam Priest/Tommy Billington

Tornado Tag and at least this has been a feud for a good while now. It’s a brawl to start fast with Johnson getting slammed on the floor and Christian, still in his robe, getting beaten up inside. The Swirl fights back by sending Priest into the steps, allowing Christian to hit a Blockbuster off the steps.

Back in and Billington gets double teamed, including in the Tree Of Woe. Priest is knocked to the floor again and Billington gets beaten down in the corner again. A chair is brought in and a running shot to the head knocks Billington silly for two. Billington fights back though and manages to load Johnson up in a Tombstone, with Priest coming off the top to spike him down (with a sick sound) for two.

Christian’s handspring kick to the face hits Johnson for two and Priest drops Johnson with a DDT. They go to the corner for a Tower Of Doom with a super Spanish Fly off the top for an even bigger crash. The Swirl wins a chop off but Priest clotheslines both of them down. The top rope elbow only hits chair though and the top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination finishes Priest (Johnson gets the pin of course) at 12:03.

Rating: B. This was by far the best match on the show and it felt like it was the culmination of a big feud. It also boosts up the Swirl as a team, which is a good idea. Of course it isn’t as good of an idea as having Christian wrestling some singles matches (he hasn’t had one since December) to build him up for his World Title match in less than a month or talking about it or something. But insert complaints about Ring Of Honor being a disaster here.

Overall Rating: C+. While it’s hardly a big surprise, it’s becoming more and more obvious that this stuff is thrown together with the important matches being added later. That’s fine enough, but it also feels like the regular matches are made without any connection to the bigger matches. It makes these shows very frustrating as the wrestling is fine, but it feels completely disconnected from what is being talked about and promoted. In other words, PUT SOME EFFORT INTO THIS THING ALREADY!

Results
Premiere Athlete b. Brandon Cutler/Angelica Risk/Terry Kid – Chokeslam to Risk
Mark Davis b. Beef – Clothesline
MxM TV b. Main Man Oro/Keagan Garland/Angel Fashion – Glossy Centerfold to Garland
Diamante b. Rachael Ellering – Ankle lock
Colons/Spanish Announce Project b. Frat House – Double submission
Billie Starkz b. Hyan – Pancake
Swirl b. Tommy Billington/Adam Priest – Top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver to Priest

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – January 15, 2026: It’s Been A Long Time

Ring Of Honor
Date: January 15, 2026
Location: eSports Stadium Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

I’m not sure what to expect from this show because things are kinds of all over the place here, as usual. The only big story is Blake Christian coming after the World Title and now has Jay Lethal in his corner. Other than that, we have the usual assortment of people allegedly trying to get into title contention. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Angelico and Drake start things off with Drake wrenching the arm before sending Angelico into the corner. Some alternating elbows in the corner drop Angelico, who fights right back without much trouble. Serpentico comes in to work on the arm and drops a backsplash for two. The Veterans shrug that off and kick them down, with Drake working on Serpentico’s leg.

Gibson grabs a half crab, which is broken up, so Serpentico hits a quick backbreaker. Angelico comes back in to clean house with everything breaking down. Drake sends Angelico into the steps, leaving Gibson to give Serpentico the middle rope Codebreaker. Drake’s springboard dropkick finishes Serpentico off at 8:47.

Rating: C. In case you were wondering what a tag match between two teams going nowhere looks like, here you are. I’m assuming this was the way to heat the Veterans up before they get wrecked by Eddie Kingston and Ortiz, which makes me wonder about the logic when it’s in two different places. Either way, the technical stuff was fine, but these teams are so low on the totem pole that it just doesn’t matter.

Post match the Veterans promise the same for Kingston and Ortiz. Cue the two of them with chairs for the save.

Lance Archer vs. Vin Parker

Chops and a crossbody take Parker down and the Blackout finishes at 1:52. Total decimation, which will in no way get Archer closer to a title shot, even though he’s 15-0 here.

Kiran Grey vs. Shane Taylor

The rest of the Promotions are here with Taylor. Grey gets in a shot to the face and grabs a choke, which is broken up with pure power. A knee to the face rocks Grey and Taylor fires off some shoulders in the corner. Taylor’s big clothesline gets two but Grey sweeps the leg and gets two off a jumping splash. Taylor is back with a release Rock Bottom and his own big splash for two, followed by the right hand for the pin at 5:01.

Rating: C+. They pretty clearly see something in Grey and that’s not a bad thing. He certainly has something of a mystique to him and it’s interesting to see some fresh blood around here. It also helps that he got in a bit of offense and wasn’t totally squashed, so at least there was some protection here.

Frat House vs. Aaron Solo/QT Marshall/Von Erichs

Karter gets dropkicked by Ross to start and it’s off to Marshall for a dropkick of his own. Solo comes in to neckbreaker Garrison, who catches him with a slingshot powerslam. The House takes Solo into the corner for some stomping before Jameson misses a middle rope backsplash. Marshall comes in to clean house and Vance clotheslines Karter by mistake. Stereo Claws set up the cutter to give Marshall the pin at 6:25.

Rating: C. This was about what you would expect from these guys, though I did appreciate it being a bit shorter. The Von Erichs were their usual bland selves and Solo got to be the punching bag for a good chunk. The good thing is that it wasn’t long enough to get dull, making it more “well it could have been worse”, which is about the best you can hope for with these guys.

We look at Trish Adora beating Zayda Steel in last week’s mixed tag.

MxM TV vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

Rare heel vs. heel mixed tag here. Valkyrie and Adora start things off, with Valkyrie hitting a basement clothesline to take over. Madden comes in to elbow Bravo in the back, setting up a finger tip double elbow drop. Mansoor gets caught in the wrong corner though and some clubberin sets up a chinlock. A belly to back suplex gets Mansoor out of trouble and the diving tag brings Valkyrie back in.

The running knees in the corner get two on Adora and they forearm it out. They clothesline each other and it’s back to Madden to clean house as everything breaks down. Mansoor spinebusters Bravo and hits a dive but we pause for a fan to get Mansoor’s attention. Bravo gets in a cheap shot (Bravo to the fan: “BE RIGHT BACK!”) to Mansoor, followed by the double stomp for the pin at 7:04.

Rating: C+. I’m curious about the fan getting involved as it’s better than the same nothing matches that they have over and over. The Promotions are still about the same as usual, meaning they’re only so interesting, but MxM TV playing the heroes for a change made things a bit better. Just find something different for both of them to do already and things could improve.

Post match Bravo brings the fan over the barricade and she’s rather tall.

Red Velvet vs. Robyn Renegade

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Robyn can win or last the time limit, she gets a future title shot. Renegade uses the hair to pull her down to start but Velvet is right back with a short armscissors. That’s reversed into a fall away slam and Renegade throws her out to the floor. Back in and a springboard double stomp to the back gives Renegade two. They trade missed hand licking chops in the corner until Renegade grabs a sitout gordbuster for two more. Velvet gets fired up and hits a leg lariat, followed by the big left hand for the pin at 5:27.

Rating: C. There have only been so many success stories in modern Ring Of Honor but Velvet has been added to the list in recent months. Something has clicked since she returned from her injury and she feels like a star. That’s a nice thing to see and her matches are becoming one of the highlights around here.

Tony Khan announces that Ring Of Honor will be teaming up with Metro Plex Wrestling, run by Athena, on January 29. Athena is rather pleased. Eh it’s something different at least.

Dark Order vs. Swirl

Jay Lethal is here with the Swirl. Christian and Uno start things off, with Christian flipping him off in a few different ways. Uno is back with a knockdown into his own strut, allowing Reynolds to come in for a double basement dropkick. Reynolds fights out of the wrong corner but gets kneed in the face for his efforts. They go outside, with Christian using the chair for a step up forearm to the back.

The chinlock goes on back inside but Reynolds fights up and ties him in the ropes for something like a Black Widow. The tag brings in Uno to clean house, including a big boot into a DDT for two. Christian fights out of a Gory Bomb though and everything breaks down. A Lethal Injection is countered into a Gory Bomb/Codebreaker combination to drop Christian again. Johnson is back in for the save and a pair of basement superkicks knock Reynolds silly. The Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination finishes Reynolds at 7:05.

Rating: C+. The Swirl are the top heels around here, though I’m not sure where that is leading. In theory it sets up Christian getting a World Title shot, though he’s been ready for that for a rather long time now. At least they’re looking like a dominant team at the moment and I could go for seeing that continue for a while to come.

Post match the beatdown is on again until Tommy Billington and Adam Priest make the save.

Overall Rating: C. There were parts here that I liked, but one of the biggest issues was the simple fact that it featured so many of the same people that we’ve seen time after time. How many Lance Archer squashes can we see? Or Shane Taylor Promotions for that matter? Meanwhile, the Women’s Pure Title, Tag Team Titles, Six Man Titles and Women’s Title have not been on the line in about six weeks. Fix this, as it’s making for quite the annoying show.

Results
Grizzled Young Veterans b. Spanish Announce Project – Springboard missile dropkick to Serpentico
Lance Archer b. Vin Parker – Black Out
Shane Taylor b. Kiran Grey – Right hand
Aaron Solo/QT Marshall/Von Erichs b. Frat House – Cutter to Vance
Shane Taylor Promotions b. MxM TV – Double stomp to Mansoor
Red Velvet b. Robyn Renegade – Left hand
Swirl b. Dark Order – Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination to Reynolds

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – December 11, 2025: This Stupid Show

Ring Of Honor
Date: December 11, 2025
Location: Greater Columbus, Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re done with Final Battle and the big story is that Bandido retained the World Title. That means he should be a few weeks (at least) away from his next meaningful title defense so we’ll have to see what else is going on. We do at least FINALLY have a Women’s Pure Rules champion and it’s the person who was the favorite to win the whole thing the entire time. Now we begin the months long build towards the next pay per view, whenever that is. Let’s get to it.

Here is Final Battle if you need a recap.

Final Battle recap.

Opening sequence.

Here are Athena, Diamante and Billie Starkz to celebrate Athena’s three year reign as Women’s Champion. Athena brags about her success and the various women she has defeated. It’s a reason to celebrate, but Starkz didn’t win the Pure Rules Title, so the plan didn’t come out perfectly. She can make up for it in a tag match with Diamante though. I can’t believe they are still teasing Starkz taking the title. How can they drag it out this long?

Spanish Announce Project vs. LSG/Josh Crane

Angelico and Crane start things off with an exchange of wristlocks. Serpentico comes in with a top rope double stomp to the arm and a rollup gets two. It’s off to LSG to stomp Serpentico down in the corner but he rolls away for the tag off to Angelico. The rapid fire strikes have LSG in trouble and the lifting Downward Spiral gives Angelico two. Everything breaks down and the Project grabs stereo submissions for the double tap at 5:08.

Rating: C. The Project is perfectly fine in the ring, but my goodness it’s hard to care about what they’re doing. It’s the same stuff we’ve seen for months now and they never move up the totem pole at all. They pretty much have no stories and they’re just out there to fill in some time about every other week. If that’s all they’re going to do, find somewhere else for them to go, as it’s just filler.

Frat House vs. Dark Order

Silver runs Garrison over with a shoulder to start and it’s off to Uno to crush him in the corner. Vance comes in and gets stomped down in the corner as well, only for Uno to be sent outside for some rapid fire stomping. Back in and Uno tells Vance to kick him more, one such kick is sent at the referee, allowing Uno to kick Vance in the head. Everything breaks down and Garrison rolls through Reynolds’ high crossbody for two. The Order’s striking sequence into a rollup gets two on Garrison but Vance clotheslines Karter by mistake. The Order’s triple flipping slam finishes Karter at 7:18.

Rating: C+. This was another six man with one of the multiple trios who aren’t doing anything around here beating another. It isn’t like either of them are going to get a title shot soon but they certainly had time to have a run of the mill match. Perfectly watchable match but not much more than that, as is almost always the case for these teams.

Deonna Purrazzo is emotional after winning the Women’s Pure Rules Title.

Zayda Steel vs. Rachael Ellering

They fight over wrist control to start with Ellering taking her down into an armbar. Steel’s headlock doesn’t last long and she uses the ropes to flip out of a wristlock. Ellering chops her down a few times, setting up a gutwrench suplex into a backsplash for two. Steel comes back with a neckbreaker and they fight over a suplex. Ellering manages to muscle her over, followed by the Boss Woman Slam for two. Back up and Steel grabs a spinning DDT for the pin out of nowhere at 6:07.

Rating: C. This was about what you would have expected, as Ellering never wins anything and Steel needed a win after the loss in her debut. It wasn’t a bad match, but there’s only so much to get out of something like this. At least Steel won her second match and is getting off to a decent start. The division needs some fresh blood so why not see what she can do?

Post match respect is shown.

The Swirl isn’t happy about their losses at Final Battle but Blake Christian still wants the World Title.

Jay Lethal vs. Nathan Cruz

Cruz jumps him during the handshake and hammers away to start fast. Lethal is right back with a strut but it’s too early for the Figure Four. Instead, Cruz’s neckbreaker gets two and a Hennig necksnap gets the same. Lethal fights out of a chinlock and then does it again, only to get caught with a slingshot belly to back suplex for two. A missed charge in the corner lets Lethal get some rollups for two each and he dragon screw legwhips Cruz down. The Figure Four sends Cruz straight to the ropes so it’s the Lethal Injection to give Lethal the pin at 5:48.

Rating: C+. Cruz was making his debut here and he got to have a nice showcase here, as he had a good look and was fine enough to hang in there with Lethal. I could go for seeing some more from Cruz, which is a good sign his future. Lethal is still at his best when he gets the chance to give someone a rub, which was the case here.

We look back at the opening segment.

Billie Starkz/Diamante vs. Deonna Purrazzo/???

The partner is….Madison Rayne, the hometown girl. Purrazzo gets knocked out to the floor to start but Rayne takes over on Starkz in the corner. Everything breaks down in a hurry and Purrazzo is taken into the wrong corner. A basement dropkick connects on Purrazzo and Starkz is back in for a chinlock. That’s broken up and they clothesline each other down for a double breather. Rayne comes back in with a quick cutter and then a double cutter for a bonus. It’s back to Purrazzo, who Fujiwara armbars Starkz for the tap at 4:49.

Rating: C. Well that was quick, though it’s nice to have a match which feels like it might actually tie into one of the bigger stories around here. At the same time, this again feels like Starkz finally having enough of Athena and coming after the title. I would say I can’t imagine that happening, but in Ring Of Honor, it would absolutely not surprise me as we’re only three years into the story.

Red Velvet is happy with her win over Mercedes Mone and the kitchen is officially open.

Josh Woods vs. Hechicero

They go to the mat to start and neither of them can get very far. Hechicero takes over on the leg but Woods is right back with some quick rollups for two each. A front facelock doesn’t work either and we’re off to an early standoff. Hechicero grabs a DDT and starts in on the arm before twisting on the legs instead. Some shots in the corner stagger Woods, who is right back with some running forearms. Woods’ big knee to the head gets two but Hechicero gets something close to a la majistral into a Black Widow on the mat for the submission at 7:11.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of technical showcase where you knew how good it was going to be due to the people involved. They both got to showcase their skills, though it would have been nicer to have the match go a bit longer. Or for Woods to have been given a chance to be built up before he’s put into this spot. Either way, it was different in a good way here and I’ll take that.

Outrunners/Adam Priest/Tommy Billington/Dalton Castle vs. MxM TV/Premiere Athletes

The villains jump them from behind to start on the floor but the Outrunners take over on TV inside. The Mega Powers Elbow is broken up and Magnum gets taken down. Magnum avoids the frog splash though and a bunch of elbows miss too, allowing Castle to come in and snap off the suplexes. Castle is sent into Billington though and it’s back to the Outrunners for a double slam on Madden as everything breaks down. The extra villains are ejected and it’s a German suplex/clothesline combination to pin Nese at 4:30.

Rating: C. Well that was…messy. I’m not sure why they needed to have everyone involved here other than “they’re here for Final Battle so we’ll put them on this show too”. That seems to be a recurring theme this week and it’s giving us matches like this. The speedy offense was fun, but I could barely tell who was in the match most of the time, which isn’t a good sign.

Shane Taylor Promotions heard the fans cheering for them but they only care about titles and checks. Their biggest accomplishment though: making SkyFlight interesting. Now if only you could make yourselves interesting.

Red Velvet vs. Lacey Lane

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning that if Lane wins or survives the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot. Velvet takes her down by the arm to start but Lane is back with a front facelock. A backslide gives Velvet two and she knocks Lane outside for an early breather.

Back in and Lane ties her in the corner for a running dropkick, followed by a springboard legdrop for two. Velvet is back up with some running knees in the ropes but Lane grabs a Death Valley Driver into a standing legdrop (that was cool….I think). That doesn’t get her very far though as Velvet is back with a superkick into the flipping faceplant for the pin at 5:20.

Rating: C+. It makes sense to give Velvet a win after her big upset on Friday so this was a good use for her here. She needs to be reestablished after so much time away and hopefully it works, as her final Battle match was pretty awesome. Lane is another good hand who I could go for having around a bit more often, though she’ll need to get something going around here.

Death Riders vs. Willie Mack/Aaron Solo

Oh come on can we just wrap this show up already? Mack is knocked outside to start fast and Yuta drops a middle rope elbow for two on Solo. Everything breaks down and Marina Shafir offers a distraction, meaning Solo can get tied in the ring skirt for some double teaming. Mack comes back in for some hard spinebusters but Solo gets sent into the corner for the running clotheslines. The top rope splash into the Dragontamer finishes Solo at 4:48.

Rating: D+. Sweet goodness I hate this show. This was a squash from the Death Riders, who feel like they’re on every show every week and here they are again, winning a match that won’t get them anywhere closer to a title match or anything serious. But hey, at least they go to make this long show even longer in a match over two established losers. Thank goodness for that.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Komander/SkyFlight

Moriarty and Komander start things off and trade escapes for a standoff. Dante and Bravo come in, with Dante taking him into the corner by the arm. It’s off to Darius for a dropkick into an armbar before Dante flips over a charge to send Bravo outside. Taylor comes in to headbutt Dante and knock him outside, followed by the beating in the corner back inside.

Bravo’s knee drop gets two and we hit the chinlock. Dante manages to jump over Moriarty and brings Komander in to clean house. The very springboardy hurricanrana gives Komander two on Moriarty as everything breaks down. Dante drops Bravo and it’s Cielito Lindo to give Komander the pin at 9:04.

Rating: C+. The idea here was to push Komander vs. Moriarty for their title match on December 26, though there were no rope breaks here so I have no idea what it has to do with a Pure Rules match. Other than that, the Promotions have already beaten SkyFlight so there’s not much of a need for them to fight again. Then again it isn’t like the six man division is in any way of a division, so odds are it keeps going anyway.

Overall Rating: D+. This show actually got on my nerves more than once and that’s not a good sign. After a five hour show on Friday (plus the regular show on Thursday and a bonus show on Tuesday), here’s one of the longest editions of the weekly show in probably a year or two. It was a bunch of the same people who were around at Final Battle in less interesting matches that are done week after week.

While there were a few stories being moved forward, it’s not like they’re interesting in the slightest. The wrestling was decent enough, but my goodness I am absolutely sick of seeing these same people trotted out there week after week so they can do the same stuff. If this is the best booking they can have, at least cut the shows down to an hour or so at most because MY GOODNESS this felt like it went on for days.

Results
Spanish Announce Project b. LSG/Josh Crane – Double submission
Dark Order b. Frat House – Triple flipping slam to Karter
Zayda Steel b. Rachael Ellering – Spinning DDT
Jay Lethal b. Nathan Cruz – Lethal Injection
Deonna Purrazzo/Madison Rayne b. Billie Starkz/Diamante – Fujiwara armbar to Starkz
Hechicero b. Josh Woods – Black Widow
Outrunners/Adam Priest/Tommy Billington/Dalton Castle b. MxM TV/Premiere Athletes – German suplex/clothesline combination to Nese
Red Velvet b. Lacey Lane – Flipping faceplant
Death Riders b. Aaron Solo/Willie Mack – Dragontamer to Solo
Komander/SkyFlight b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Cielito Lindo to Bravo

 

 

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Ring Of Honor – November 13, 2025: One Of Those Years

Ring Of Honor
Date: November 13, 2025
Location: Bayou Music Center, Houston, Texas
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re coming up on the biggest show of the year and therefore, it’s time to keep things slow on the way here. That includes (very) slowly setting up the Women’s Pure Rules Title match, along with everything else that we don’t know for the show so far. Maybe we get something set up with four shows to go. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We actually have a recap of last week’s show.

We run down this week’s card.

Dalton Castle/Outrunners vs. Zack Mason/Warren Johnson/Savage King

Magnum and Mason (who is in incredible shape) start things off and the Outrunners take turns working on Mason’s arm. King (in a mask) comes in to take over on Magnum in the corner but Floyd is quickly in for the save. Castle comes in to suplex Johnson and there’s another to Mason. Everything breaks down and it’s the Mega Powers Elbow into the Bang A Rang to finish Johnson at 3:23.

Rating: C. Just a squash here as the Outrunners and Castle continue to look good together. That’s a nice sign and a fine example of what can happen when you take some people with nothing going on and put them on the same page. They’re one of the better things going on in Ring Of Honor at the moment and I could go for more of them, possibly with a title shot at Final Battle.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Don Callis Family

Angelico and Hechicero start things off with Hechicero taking him down by the arm. Angelico slips out, with Hechicero telling him that it was this close. An easy takedown gives Hechicero two before they trade some takedowns for two each. Serpentico comes in for a headscissors on Romero, who sends him crashing out to the floor.

Back in and Hechicero starts in on Serpentico’s leg, with Romero getting in a kick to the ribs. Romero gets in his dance but the Forever Lariats are cut off by Serpentico’s clothesline. Everything breaks down and Serpentico is hiptossed onto Hechicero, followed by a backsplash for two. Back up and Hechicero gives Serpentico a buckle bomb, setting up a cobra clutch to make Serpentico tap at 10:07.

Rating: C+. Nice enough match, even if you accept that the Spanish Announce Project only mean so much. They’re around here a lot and while the Family seems to be on the way up, beating the Project is only going to boost them so much. Maybe the Family gets put into what is likely going to be a multi team ladder match for the Tag Team Titles at Final Battle, as there is little reason to believe that the Family will be the next challengers on their own.

It’s time for QTV, with QT Marshall saying he and Big Boom AJ are partners but not friends. Also, Harley Cameron is ready to beat Athena next week and she’s taking it seriously. Yes she’s a big underdog, but she only needs three seconds.

Athena/Billie Starkz vs. Maya World/Hyan

Athena forearms World down to start fast and it’s off to Hyan for some clotheslines. Starkz is taken down so it’s back to Athena to take over. A snap suplex gives Starkz two but Hyan manages a Falcon Arrow. That earns her a beating in the corner, with Starkz being rather pleased about her choking. Hyan manages to drop Athena again though and it’s back to World to clean house. Everything breaks down and Hyan is sent into the barricade. Back in and a faceplant into the Koji Clutch makes Hyan tap at 7:08.

Rating: C+. Athena and Starkz continue to work well together, which makes me think they would have been better in the Tag Team Title tournament than Athena and Mercedes Mone. Either way, it was nice to see Hyan and World get some offense here, as the match wasn’t a squash. That was a fun surprise and the match could have been far worse.

Post match Athena takes her time letting go and says Harley Cameron is next.

Swirl vs. Vin Parker/Will Allday

Allday flips away from Johnson to start and actually knocks him down. A dropkick gets Johnson out of trouble and it’s off to a strutting Christian. Allday kicks his way out of trouble so Parker can come back in. That’s fine with the Swirl, who hiptoss him into a basement dropkick, ala Jay Lethal (and ala Wheeler Yuta ripping off Bryan Danielson’s moves). The brainbuster/handspring kick to the head combination finishes Allday at 4:04.

Rating: C. The Swirl is a rather nice heel team and would be better suited to hold the Tag Team Titles than LFI. If nothing else, they wrestle more frequently and have a better presence as a team. Instead we have Sammy Guevara as the newest member of LFI to tie the whole thing into Dustin Rhodes, because he hasn’t gotten enough of the focus this year.

Lance Archer vs. Aaron Solo

As usual, Archer jumps him from behind on the stage and keeps up the beating in the corner. Archer cuts off the comeback attempt but the chokeslam is countered with a dropkick. A hurricanrana and tornado DDT get one on Archer but Rocky Romero crotches Solo on top. The chokeslam and Blackout finish for Archer at 3:11.

Rating: C. You know how Archer does the same thing every time he has a match? Well he did it again here. I don’t know what else there is to say, but this is a very Ring Of Honor thing. There are certain people who do pretty much the same match in all of their appearances and Archer is at the top of that list.

SkyFlight vs. MxM TV

It’s probably not a good sign that there are two stables on the same show with initials and then TV as the group name. Anyway Darius gets headlocked down by Mansoor to start but comes up with some armdrags. Grey comes in with a hurricanrana before going after Valkyrie’s arm. Dante and TV come in, with Top Flight hitting a double dropkick for two.

TV seems to get in a low blow to Sky to take over before Madden’s elbow gets two more. Sky kicks his way out of trouble and Dante comes in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Grey is sent outside, with Valkyrie following for the brawl. Back in and Top Flight saves Sky from Madden, setting up the double implant DDT to pin Mansoor at 7:26.

Rating: B-. The right team won, as SkyFlight continues to look like one of the better teams going these days. It would be nice to see them getting involved in the title picture (choose which one) and odds are they’ll do something for some of those titles at Final Battle. Just maybe let them win over someone as lifeless as Shane Taylor Promotions.

Post match the Infantry runs in to jump SkyFlight.

Willie Mack vs. Lee Moriarty

Non-Title Proving Ground match under Pure Rules, meaning if Mack wins or survives the ten minute time limit, he gets a future title shot. They slowly start in with a battle over a wristlock to start until Moriarty takes him down into an armbar. That means it’s a rope break for Mack and things reset a bit. Some armdrags have Moriarty down and a Shining Wizard gives Mack two.

Back up and Moriarty starts in on the fingers, with the Border City Stretch making Mack use his second rope break. A pop up right hand gives Mack a needed breather and the reverse cannonball hits Moriarty. The swinging slam plants Moriarty again and the standing moonsault gets two. Moriarty is able to pull him into the Border City Stretch though and they roll into the middle, where Mack taps at 8:20.

Rating: B-. As usual, the match was fine, but with Moriarty already owing Komander a title shot, there was only so much in the way of drama here. The Pure Rules Title still doesn’t feel important, though they have done a good job of making Moriarty feel like the ace of the division. While that won’t do much for the next champion’s title reign, it should give them a hot start, whenever the new reign begins.

Post match Komander comes out for the staredown with Moriarty to end the show. You can probably pencil that in for Final Battle.

Overall Rating: C+. While you can probably guess a few more matches for Final Battle, we still don’t have anything set in stone (at least with actual participants). This show, with only three more before the pay per view, didn’t do much for Final battle. In other words, it’s likely going to be another rushed build, because that has worked so well thus far. Not a bad show as usual, but absolutely not worth the time to watch it.

Results
Outrunners/Dalton Castle b. Zack Mason/Warren Johnson/Savage King – Bang A Rang to Johnson
Don Callis Family b. Spanish Announce Project – Cobra Clutch to Serpentico
Athena/Billie Starkz b. Hyan/Maya World – Koji Clutch to World
Swirl b. Vin Parker/Will Allday – Brainbuster/handspring kick to the head combination to Allday
Lance Archer b. Aaron Solo – Blackout
SkyFlight b. MxM TV – Double implant DDT to Mansoor
Lee Moriarty b. Willie Mack – Border City Stretch

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – October 9, 2025: Of Course Those Are The Good Parts

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

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

Ring Of Honor World Title: Hechicero vs. Bandido

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shane Taylor vs. Beef

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

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

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

Billie Starkz vs. Viva Van

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

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

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

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

Spanish Announce Project vs. Logan Cruz/Tyshaun Perez

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

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

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

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

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

IWGP Women’s Title: Sareee vs. Alex Windsor

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

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

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

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

We get a handshake to wrap up the show.

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

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

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor – September 4, 2025: Ho And May I Add Hum

Ring Of Honor
Date: September 4, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re done with Death Before Dishonor and the big story is we have a pair of new champions, with Sammy Guevara and Rush as the new Tag Team Champions and Shane Taylor Promotions winning the Six Man Tag Team Titles. Bandido and Athena retained their titles and we have a little over three months before Final Battle. Let’s get to it.

Here is Death Before Dishonor if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down this week’s card.

Athena vs. Dayami

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Dayami wins or survives the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot. Neither gets an entrance for some reason. Dayami jumps her to start and knocks her into the corner, only for Athena to fight right back. They go outside with Athena sending her into the barricade. Back in and a Koji Clutch finishes for Athena at 2:09.

Long recap on Death Before Dishonor.

Bandido says his win is for everyone who has been down, because it proves they can come back as champions.

Swirl vs. Thomas Heim/Joe Alonzo

Johnson takes Alonzo down without much trouble to start but Alonzo is back up with a running dropkick in the corner. Everything breaks down for a bit though and a running dropkick into a belly to back suplex gets two on Alonzo. Christian misses a charge in the corner though and it’s off to Heim, who gets caught in the wrong corner as well. The double stomp/Death Valley Driver finishes Heim at 2:35.

Wheeler Yuta vs. John Silver

Yuta takes him down without much trouble to start but Silver cuts him off with a powerbomb. Back up and Yuta sends him outside for a suicide dive, with Marina Shafir getting in a slam on the floor. Cue Evil Uno to glare at Shafir and then slap the mat as Yuta grabs a chinlock.

Silver fights up with a hard clothesline and forearms but cue Jon Moxley to back Yuta. A half crab has Silver in trouble but he reverses into something like a crossface. Shafir offers a distraction but gets pulled down, leaving Uno to go after Moxley. That means Moxley goes after Uno’s mask so Silver makes the save, only to walk into the running knee to give Yuta the pin at 8:17.

Rating: C. I guess Moxley is just bored and popping up on these shows, which does at least make them feel more important. That being said, there is a firm limit to how much I can bring myself to care about Yuta and Silver having a match. While Silver has charisma, he’s only able to do so much in these spots, especially with someone as dull as Yuta in there with him.

Trish Adora accuses Deonna Purrazzo of overlooking her, with Purrazzo saying she’s overlooking everyone because she’s better than everyone. Sweet goodness this tournament could not feel less important.

Lance Archer vs. Marcus/Adam

Blackout and double pin at 1:05 in the same thing Archer has done for years now.

We look at Sammy Guevara dropping the Von Erichs and teaming up with Rush instead.

The Von Erichs can’t accept what Guevara did and he is officially in their crosshairs. Oh goodness no, anything but that. Get these guys off the show, please. They’re as boring as a sidewalk on a summer day and OH NO! SAMMY GUEVARA DOESN’T RESPECT TEXAS! Get out of here and go do anything else because you’re the least interesting wrestlers I’ve ever seen. And I just watched a Wheeler Yuta match.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Philly Collins/Marino Tenaglia

Angelico and Collins start things off with an exchange of wristlocks. It’s off to Serpentico to stomp on the arm and a splash gets two. Tenaglia comes in for a running knee in the corner and a side slam/slingshot elbow gets two. Serpentico fights out of a chinlock and grabs a double running Downward Spiral for two, allowing the tag off to Angelico. Some strikes have Collins in trouble and La Majistral gets two. Angelico pulls him into a kind of reverse Figure Four with an ankle lock for the tap at 6:36.

Rating: C. Hey did you know that the Spanish Announce Project can have a decent tag match if they’re given about six minutes? That’s what they did here and, again, it was perfectly fine. It’s the same match they’ve had for years around here and as usual, there is pretty much nothing else to say about it because it never changes.

Jordan Oliver vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Shibata easily wins a wrestling exchange to start and takes him down by the arm. A hammerlock keeps the arm in trouble but Oliver is back with a running clothesline into the corner. The bulldog back out of the corner has Shibata down but he pulls Oliver into an ankle lock to cut that off. Shibata kicks him in the corner and gets two off a suplex, followed by the PK for the win at 4:49.

Rating: C+. Shibata was fine here and it was a good showcase for him, even if that’s about all you ever get from him. It’s easy to forget that he’s part of the AEW Trios Champions as he does his own thing over here and it’s so disconnected from everything else. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s a weird way to go. Oliver is a nice addition around here as he has some size and experience, though right now he’s just kind of floating around. That’s fine for now, but if (and it’s a big if) he’s sticking around, he’ll need to be used a bit better.

Hologram/Tomohiro Ishii vs. Premiere Athletes

Nese takes Hologram over with a headlock to start and then chops away in the corner. Ishii comes in to shoulder Daivari down and hammer on Nese, allowing the tag back to Hologram. Nese takes Hologram down for the chinlock, only for Hologram to fight out and bring Ishii back in.

Everything breaks down and Ishii hits a double clothesline but Sterling offers a distraction, leaving Hologram to get crotched on top. The Flying Carpet splash gets two but Nese is back up to knock Daivari down. Sterling gets knocked off the apron and it’s a 450 to give Hologram the pin at 8:32.

Rating: C. It’s hard to get excited about a Hologram match as there is a grand total of no chance he’s losing his undefeated streak to the Premiere Athletes on Ring Of Honor. This in no way felt like a main event and while Hologram can be exciting in the ring, it’s just another match that took place. Like so many other things on here.

In case you didn’t get enough here, tomorrow there is a bonus episode of the show, featuring eleven matches.

The Premiere Athletes are mad that Mark Sterling has a torn bicep and can’t pick up his daughter. The team needs a contingency plan.

Overall Rating: C-. A colleague of mine recently pointed out something about the Ring Of Honor show and he’s absolute right: for the most part, it’s just matches. You’ll get singles matches, Proving Ground matches, Pure Rules matches and the occasional tag match, but for the most part, that’s it.

The shows don’t build towards anything, there is very little in the way of variety, and a lot of it is the same stuff week after week. How many times has Lance Archer squashed someone? Or the Athletes or the Project or Athena had a similar match? It isn’t that what we’re getting is terrible, but rather it’s the same dry stuff far too often. Last week’s PPV had 13 matches, this week’s show had 7 and tomorrow’s special will have 11.

That’s a heck of a lot in eight days and for the most part, it doesn’t stand out as different in any way. This week’s show was really hard to sit through because it was just so uninteresting, with even more of it to come tomorrow. I know nothing is going to change, but it would be nice if we got something else. Oh and far less Von Erichs because this “aw shucks, we’re just two good old boys from Texas but we’re perturbed” is horrible.

Results
Athena b. Dayami – Koji Clutch
Swirl b. Thomas Heim/Joe Alonzo – Double stomp/Death Valley Driver to Heim
Wheeler Yuta b. John Silver – Running knee
Lance Archer b. Marcus/Adam – Double pin
Spanish Announce Project b. Philly Collins/Marino Tenaglia – Ankle lock to Collins
Katsuyori Shibata b. Jordan Oliver – PK
Hologram/Tomohiro Ishii b. Premiere Athletes – 450 to Daivari

 

 

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