Ring of Honor on Honor Club Debut Show 3/2/2023
This is the new AEW version of Ring of Honor's weekly TV show. It was supposed to be on TV, but they couldn't find a channel to air it and instead put it on Honor Club. I haven't heard anything about this and I do not think it was advertised well.
Mark Briscoe vs Slim J
Mark hits an uppercut chop early and J goes outside. J hits a low blow when the ref is distracted. Mark dropkicks J through the ropes then uses a chair to get a clap going. Mark lets J hit him then he hits a bunch of chops. Mark uppercuts him as he sits up top and Mark Sterling is on the apron. J does a cool corkscrew enzugiri from the top rope then J does an interesting springboard into a reverse ddt. Ari stomps on Mark outside then J hangs on Mark with an armlock as Mark is bleeding. J sideheadlocks him then Mark hits chops. Mark does a sliding dropkick then neckbreakers him.
J hits a knee out of a suplex attempt then Mark flying clotheslines him. Mark hits a razors edge for 2 then rolls through a death valley driver. Mark flips him with a facekick and hits a jaydriller to win it.
This was fun with J being obnoxious and being a good heel and Mark making his comeback.
Tony Deppen is interviewed about facing Samoa Joe next week. He pulls out a piece of paper, saying he will beat Joe with an stf or a chickenwing to win the TV title next week. He says he will be the tsar of ROH.
The Infantry (Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo) vs The Kingdom
Mike Bennett facekicks one of his opponents to start then Taven drops an elbow on the back of the neck after Mike dropkicks the knee. Taven takes a double hiptoss into a double fist drop. Mike then has his legs split. Taven hits a nice dropkick on Bravo then Taven hits a back body drop for 2. Bravo is on Mike's knees then Taven slingshot kneedrops him. Bravo neckbreakers Taven then Bravo hits a double ddt. Mike takes a flapjack then Bravo superkicks him. Bravo is kicked while up on top and takes a backpack stunner + a flying kick as the Kingdom pick up a win.
It was short and inoffensive.
Blake Christian does an interview. He said being all heart means seizing opportunities. He said he did that hwne he got asked to wrestle Colt Cabana last minute at the ROH PPV and said he would do it against Zack tonight. Zack Sabre Jr. said Blake has the chance of a lifetime and he needs to use his 15 minute time limit wisely.
NJPW World Television Title - Zack Sabre Jr. vs Blake Christian
ZSJ takes a fireman's carry early then pulls both arms back. Blake flips out of it and double armdrags him. Blake then mocks his pose. Zack stomps on his arm then arm throws him into a wristlock. Blake flips off the 2nd rope out of a wristlock and Blake rolls him up. Blake dropkicks him out and goes for a fosbury flop, but is caught in a cravate. ZSJ then then twists his neck and calls out Bryan Danielson, saying he's the best technical wrestler in the world.
ZSJ cravates him again and Blake flips out of a cravate. Blake does a 619 variation and hits a springboard crossbody for 2. ZSJ takes a catapult into the buckles then is enzugiri'd and backdropped. ZSJ butterfly suplexes him for 2 then Blake spears him on the apron. Blake then hits a fosbury flop outside.
Blake does a springboard knee then ZSJ puts him in the octopus hold and ten turns it into a dragon sleeper variation. Zack slaps him around and gets chopped then is caught a standing spanish fly. Blake brainbusters him for 2 then is caught on a springboard 450. Zack eventually does a reverse triangle and wins it.
It went on too long and got boring.
Mark Sterling was with Kosuke Takeshita and Ari Daivari. Mark told Takeshita that his his match Josh Woods wasn't happening. Mark offered him a contract with a 45/55 split in Woods' favor for cancelling it. KT then ripped up the contract.
Christopher Daniels did a promo. He said it's a new era with new owners and said the competition is still the toughest. He warned everyone on the ROH roster that there's a lot more he wants to do and to say your prayers if you stand in his way.
Rohit Raju vs Christopher Daniels
Raju stomps him in the corner and does a dropping elbow for 2. Daniels reverses a hiptoss and hits a leg lariat. Daniels goes out and gets hit by Raju's second then takes a leg sweep into a double stomp. Daniels hits a Saito Suplex for 2 then flying clotheslines him. Daniels hits an exploder then Raju jumping knees him. Raju takes a uranage and a best moonsault ever for the Daniels win.
They kept it moving here, but it wasn't anything special and it was cold with no real story going into it.
Rhett Titus and Tracy Williams are interviewed. Rhett says his path stays the same and it leads to the mountain top. Tracy said he worked his whole career to get to rOH and says it is what wrestling should be. Tracy said their goal is to get the tag titles and restore honor to ROH.
Aussie Open then walked in and said they are the best tag team in the world. They challenged them for next week and said they would shake their hands as long as they agree to shake their hands after they win.
Konoksuke Takeshita vs Josh Woods
KT hits corner punches early and hangs over the top rope. Woods gutwrench suplexes him from that position. Woods hits a knee to the gut then steps on him. Woods ties him up in the ropes and hits shots, then pulls on him while he is stuck. KT hits a flying clothesline then a running facekick. KT then gets pushed down when on the top rope and KT ddt's him on the apron. KT hits a blue thunder bomb for 2 then Woods springboard enzugiri's him.
Woods hits a doctor bomb for 2 then hits a twisting suplex from the 2nd rope. Woods hits an exploder but KT no sells it and germans him. They spinning forearm each other at the same time and KT rolls him up on his chaos theory german attempt. Woods then reverses his chaos theory attempt and Kt wheelbarrow germans him to win.
It was decent with Woods trying to power him around and KT making the comeback to win.
Claudio Castagnoli is interviewed .He siad pressure makes diamonds and he looks forward to situations like this every night. He said nothing will spoil his title defense tonight. He then started talking in German.
The Embassy vs Joe Keys, LSG and Rex Lawless
Rex goes out and gets nailed outside. Keys is thrown out and takes a hard bump, then is shouldered over on the ramp. Cage kicks LSG in the gut on his handshake attempt then spears him in the corner. LSG hits a nice dropkick but is gorilla pressed into the buckles. Kaun gets in and hits sideslam on the top buckle on LSG. Toa sentons LSG on the apron. LSG is then lifted for a Cage 2nd rope deadlift suplex. Embassy then pose. LSG takes a sandwich lariat then is thrown up into a sit out powerbomb for the Embassy win.
It was a short squash but it was exactly as it should have been and this is a nice hoss team.
They do a video for Metalik, who is up against Ari Daivari
Metalik vs Ari Daivari
Metalik side headlock takeovers him and counters a hiptoss into the ropes with an armdrag. Metalik then hits a reverse slingblade and walks the ropes into a 2nd rope dropkick. Metallik argues with Slim J outside and is hit by Daivari. J chokes Metalik on the ropes then Ari back elbows Metalik for 2. They fight up top then Metalik walks the top rope into a crossbody. Metalik backbreakers him then does a handspring back elbow. Metalik then walks up the ropes and flip drives off the top onto Ari.
Metalik does a springboard splash for 2. He then does a blind springboard and is kicked in the air. Metalik golls him up for 2 then superkicks him. Slim J gets in the ring when Mark Sterling distracts the ref and Ari accidentally nails his partner. Metalik rolls up Ari for 2 then gets pepsi twist lariated for the Ari win.
It was cruiserweight wrestling as you would expect with Metalik hitting his usual flying spots.
Madison Rayne and Skye Blue vs The Renegades
Rayne is wearing the backwards hat like Skye does. One of the twins pushes Skye and she pushes back. A twin is armdragged then armdragged again out of the wheelbarrow. Skye rolls her up for 2 then a twin in snapmared into a sliding lariat. Rayne gets beat up 2v1 in the corner then basmeent dropkicks a twin for 2. Charlotte is tripped into a Skye dropkick for 2. Skye takes a pump kick and the twins pretend to get a chant going for her.
Robyn basement dropkicks Skye then Skye does a double roll up out of a double suplex. Skye enzugiri's Robyn then Rayne gets the hot tag in. She cleans house and hits a cutter for 2. Rayne takes a cutter and a michinoku driver for 2. Rayne flatliners Robyn then Skye top rope crossbodies a twin. Rayne hits a nice spear on a twin then Charlotte takes kicks and a skyfall for the Skye and Rayne win.
It went a little long here but it was a basic face vs heel match and there wasn't much to complain about.
Dalton Castle is coming next week.
Wheeler Yuta is interviewed in the ring. He takes offense to being called a junior member of the BCC. He says he is a champion and says he didn't become a champ by accident. He said he surrounded himself with 3 of the best wrestlers of all time and said they beat him down and made him nothing then forged him in combat. He said he's free next week and challenged nayone to fight him next week.
Timothy Thatcher came out. He said he isn't a big fan of talking, but is a big fan of fights and said he accepts.
We get a video for Samoa Joe, who will be back next week.
Lady Frost vs Willow Nightingale
Lady Frost is from "somewhere cold". Willow hits her with her butt to break a waistlock and then she dances around. LF is shouldered over then Willow crossbodies her for 2. Willow hits shortarm lariats then slams her. LF flips out of the corner then does a flipping neckbreaker for 2. Frost rolls out of a clothesline then backflips into a legscissors. They high kick each other at the same time and go down. Willow chest kicks her then spinebusters her for 2.
Frost kicks her in the corner then does a top rope moonsault for 2. Willow does a doctor bomb for the win.
Frost looked good here and better than most of the girls on the AEW roster. It was fine for what it was and for being a cold match with someone nobody really knows.
Willow is interviewed after. Willow says they are here from the old regime and said she won on the last two ROH ppv's. She said she got another win here and said she thinks its time she challenges Athena for the ROH WOmen's title. Athena then comes out and says no. She said she knows Willow is just happy to be here, but she wouldn't be ROH champ if she was just happy to be here. She said she will accept her mediocre offer. She says Willow is porcelain and lucky just to be in her division. Willow was likeable here as a face.
ROH World Title - Claudio Castagnoli vs AR Fox
Both roll out of wristlocks then AR cartwheels out of a wristlock. AR trips him from the apron then rolls. Claudio euros him then AR runs up the ropes and comes down then bulldogs him. AR goes up top and gets dropkicked. Claudio tries to throw him off of it but is caught with headscissors. AR then tries to springboard and gets hit.
CC bangs AR's leg off the apron edge then hits karelin's lift for 2. CC hits a gutwrench suplex then suplexes him. CC single leg crabs him and AR hits the ropes. CC hits a euro as AR hangs over the apron then CC double stomps his back on the apron. They fight while CC is between the ropes then AR ddt's him as he is between the ropes. AR hits lariats does a kip-up into an enzugiri. AR cutters him from the bottom rope for 2. AR jumps over the top to tope CC then top rope swantons him for 2.
They trade kicks and AR kips down to avoid a punch but then is put in the big swing. CC walks the 2nd rope and hits an elbow for 2. CC then sharpshooters him. AR rolls him up out of a crossface then CC lariats him for 2. CC hits headbutts then takes a side Finlay roll. AR then 450's CC for 2. AR backslides him for 2 then goes for a springboard but takes a euro out of it for the CC win.
The match wasn't that good. AR did his flying around and CC worked his knee for a bit then forgot about it.
Eddie Kingston came out after. He "quit" AEW this week, after the show ended. Eddie said he's an independent contractor and said he promised Mox he wouldn't beat him up at AEW, but this isn't AEW and he's coming for the title. He gave CC the mix and CC walked away from it.
Overall thoughts: This was one of the worst debut shows I've ever seen. There were no big stars. There were no big matches, no big surprises and there were no big angles. They could have slapped an AEW Dark logo on this and nobody would have noticed. This is not how you get people talking about a promotion and this is not how you get subs. I have no idea how Tony got as far as he has being this incompetent. As for the wrestling parts, it was fine and maybe even good, but that's not going to cut it in 2023.
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