Ring of Honor on Honor Club Episode #7 4/13/2023

Ring of Honor on Honor Club Episode #7 4/13/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/ring-of-honor-on-honor-club-episode-6.html 

The show is only 90 minutes today instead of the usual 2 hours. I wonder why that is.

Ari Daivari vs Mark Briscoe

Mark Sterling did the intro for Ari, saying his bathroom is larger than most of the people's houses.

Mark shoulders him over then trips him into a facelock. Mark hits a nice overhead belly to belly then chops him in the corner. Mark hits a nice suplex the ngoes for a dive but Nese pulls him out and throws him into the rails. Ari stomps on him in the corner then flying neckbreakers him. Ari then hits a hammerlock ddt for 2. Mark takes shots from Nese and Woods outside then Ari top rope crossbodies him.

Ari goes up top and misses a splash then Mark hits chops and corner lariats him. Mark exploders him then hits a neckbreaker for 2. Mark Sterling gets on the apron and Mark Briscoe is pulled out. Mark has his head banged off the apron then the ref kicks out Woods and Nese. Mark chops both then is rolled up by Ari. Mark hits a Jay driller and wins it.

Nothing wrong with this at all. The heels were heels and Mark made his comeback off them cheating and won it.

The Varsity Athletes jump Mark after. FTR make the save for Mark, for some reason and clear off the Varsity Athletes. Mark Sterling gets stuck in the ring but the V-A's pull him out. 

Eddie Kingston does a promo. He said he has a hernia injury since September. He said he thought he could bully around Claudio but couldn't. He said he didn't follow his gameplan and just went back to fighting. Eddie said people said Claudio wasn't aggressive enough. He said he believed it like a "mark would" and was wrong. He said he thought about leaving an said he did think of quitting like Cesaro says he does. Eddie says the only time you don't learn is when you quit. Eddie says he learned and says he will move forward.

Skye Blue vs Kelly Madan

Kelly has to change her name. It sounds too much like Madden but isn't spelled that way. She has a good look and snapmares her over. She ducks Skye's superkick and sweeping kick then hits her. Kelly takes control and suplexes her for 2. Skye hits a boot in the corner then step up knees her on the ropes. Skye sweep kicks her on the mat then does a bad twisting full nelson slam and wins it.

As usual, Skye wasn't good here. Kelly maybe showed something and should return.

Mike Bennett vs Darius Martin

Darius catches Mike's foot and dropkicks him. They both hit corner chops then Mike tries to shoulder hi mbut is knocked over with  shoulder. Darius dropkicks him. They go on the floor and Mike goes into the rails. Darius crossbodies him off the rails. Darius goes up top and Taven distracts him, the Mike pulls him off the top.

They trade chops on the apron then Mike superkicks him. Mike death valley drivers him on the apron. Darius is thrown out and hits his head on the floor on the bump. Darius then does a small tope onto him outside when he gets back in. Mike hits a big punch then Darius step up enzugiri's him. Darius hits a standing spanish fly for 2. Matt Taven then just randomly jumps Darius and gets Mike DQ'd.

Mike and Taven pound on Darius then Action Andretti makes the save. The heels run and they imply they will fight next week.

The match wasn't good. The death valley driver on the apron was just not needed for any reason. Darius is getting heavier by the week.

Wheeler Yuta vs Tracy Williams

Tracy wristlocks him and takes him down. Tracy works on the ankle then slides under Yuta's leapfrog. Yuta springboards but is caught with an armbreaker. Yuta hits a german and holds on then hits sledgehammer shots to the ear. Yuta sentons him for 2.

Yuta indian deathlocks him and they trade forearms from that position. Yuta then bridges and Tracy hits the ropes. Tracy does an unusual backdrop with the leg and arm hooked then Tracy takes an enzugiri while on the 2nd rope. Tracy ddt's Yuta on the apron then brainbusters him into a crossface.

They trade forearms and Yuta bites him. Yuta backdrops him then does an olympic slam esque move. Yuta hits elbows then does a grounded dragon sleeper for the win.

It was average. Nothing wrong with it but also nothing great about it. It's just so hard to buy Yuta as some tough guy.

Darius Martin does a promo with Action Andretti. He said he is a man with a plan and put his plan into action. AA said he's been in Darius' situation and knew he had to have his back. AA said they are challenging the Kingdom next week and Darius says there's new kings in town.

Katsuyori Shibata and Alex Coughlin vs The Workhorsemen (JD Drake and Anthony Henry)

Shibata and Henry wrestle on the mat. Henry spin kicks him in the gut then Shibata catches his leg and figure fours him. JD breaks it up with a headbutt. JD and alex trade forearms and chops then Jd hits a stiff forearm. Alex does a nice double leg takedown then backdrops him. Alex takes a chest kick into a russian legsweep.

Henry spinkicks Alex in the gut then dragon screws him. JD slingshot sentons on Alex then he and Henry do Shibata's pose. Alex takes a belly to belly then JD splashes him. Alex is thrown into the bottom rope for a lariat from JD then Henry top rope double stomps Alex for 2. Henry figure fours Alex then Shibata breaks it up by stomping both of them.

Alex is seated and picks up Henry in the suplex position then suplexes him. Shibata gets the hot tag in and facekicks then forearm flurries Henry. Shibata then delay dropkicks him in the corner as Shane Taylor watches in the back. The Workhorsemen hit a neat double team on Shibata. Alex gutwrenches JD then suplexes him on the floor.

Henry gets left in the ring with Shibata and hits forearms. Shibata nearly drops him with one then does a sleeper into a PK for the win.

Nothing wrong with this at all. Simple heel work and some good looking offense by the heels, Alex got a couple of shine spots and Shibata got the hot tag in to lead to the finish.

Alex and Shibata shake hands afte rand Alex points towards the ROH TV title.

Willow Nightingale vs Little Mean Kathleen

Okay, how can you hate that name? That's something fun and unusual. Ian raps for Willow's entrance.

LMK takes a headlock then footstomps and bites her way out of it. Willow slams her then does a cartwheel. LMK does bad clubs to Willow from behind then tramples her in the corner. LMK poses and Willow gets her knees up on a vader bomb. LMK takes a hip attack in the corner then takes a facekick. Willow then does an Oklahoma stampede and wins it.

This was very shot but LMK is a likeable little face and should be brought back.

Stu Grayson vs Tony Nese

Nese backs off early then gets some shots in. Stu hurricanrana's him then hits an overhead belly to belly suplex. Nese goes to the apron then Stu slingshot swantons him on there. Stu lariats Nese over the top then tope con hilos him. Stu springboards but is thrown back into the rails in a big bump.

Stu is thrown into the rails then Nese bodyscissors him. Stu goes up top and takes a euro then Nese is thrown off the top rope. Stu sunset flips him from the top but Nese rolls through and spinkicks him as he is seated. Stu hulks up through strikes then Stu hits double throat thrusts and a springboard corkscrew moonsault for 2. Stu does a neat fireman's carry into a facebuster.

Nese jumps over the top rope and brings his throat down on the ropes. Stu gets pulled face first into the top rope for 2. Stu kips down and up into a a pele kick then Stu step kick. Stu does a torture rack into a backbreaker and wins it.

They kept this moving and Stu seemed particularly inspired here with a lot of energy. Not bad at all.

Dutch and Vincent came out after Stu's match. They did their usual clapping to the music and looked at the Dark Order.

Dutch and Vincent did a promo. Vincent said the D-O is powerful and has been here since the beginning. He said they have become a shell of themselves. Vincent said Stu left and his friends went on without him. He said he thinks Stu is trapped in a cage. Dutch said he didn't want to hurt Stu, he wants to keep him.

Proving Ground Match - Athena vs Ashley D'Amboise

Ashley armlocks her and Athena forward cartwheels out. Ashley does a cartwheel and roll out then hits a dropkick. Athena flying kicks her then basement dropkicks her a few times. Athena sits on her neck on the 2nd rope. Athena ties her leg up and pulls on her mouth. Ashley tries to roll under her out of the corner then hits some lariats. Ashley samoan drops her for 2. Ashley is thrown off the buckles onto the apron then takes a baseball slide off the apron. Athena then topes her.

Athena forearms her on the floor then sends her into the rails. Athena running knees her into the steps then Athena hits a diving cutter from the top to win.

Ashley wasn't that bad here and should probably come back to see what else she can do.

Athena throws her out after.

Ashley is interviewed by Lexi Nair in the back. She said she was expecting more honor in ROH. She said it was Ring of Anger. Athena then running forearms her and throw sher aside. Athena said she's the alpha and the gatekeeper then says Lexi is back. Athena then says, "Welcome to Ring of Honor, b!tch".

Ring of Honor Title - Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs Metallik

CC trips him and then Metal takes him over. CC shoulders him over  and later back rolls into an armdrag. Metal headscissors him from the 2nd rope. Metal cannonballs him off the apron but is caught and takes an alley oop on the apron. CC does a head an arm lock then tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. CC wristlocks him and they trade chest slaps and forearms. Metal reverses a tilt-a-whirl into a roll-up then is facekicked. CC stomps him in the corner.

CC hits knees into Metal's lower back then Metal slingshot springboards into a hurricanrana. They tie up each other's arms and Metal is pulled up, then he slingblades him. Metal then 2nd rope tope con hilo's CC on the outside.

Metal does a springboard splash for 2. Metal kicks CC in the gut, walks the 2nd rope and tries for a hurricanrana but is caught. Metal goes over him and sunset flips him for 2. Metal does a top rope moonsault but CC gets his knees up. CC then flips him with a lariat for 2. CC hits a bunch of euro then is caught on the 2nd rope. Metal  walks the top rope into a hurricanrana for 2.

Metal walks the top rope for an elbow drop but CC catches the arm and crossfaces him. CC euros him for 2 then pounds on him with elbows. CC then hits a neutralizer for the win.

It wasn't a bad match with Metal doing some flying and CC pounding on him. Metal did some stuff he hasn't been doing lately.

Overall thoughts: A good episode of ROH with a lot of decent little matches.