Ring of Honor on HonorClub 7/27/2023 Episode #22

Ring of Honor on HonorClub 7/27/2023 Episode #22

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/ring-of-honor-on-honorclub-7202023.html

Death Before Dishonor is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/ring-of-honor-death-before-dishonor.html 

No Nigel McGuinness on commentary this week.

They ran down Death Before Dishonor. They showed Tony calling Shibata ichiban and played a clip of him translating a thank you message.

Eli Isom vs Josh Woods

A rope break is burned early and Eli goes up and over then hits armdrags. Eli goes for another up and over and has his hand kicked out. Woods stomps him and throws him into the post. Woods pumping knees him. Eli uses another ropebreak. Woods grabs him by the hand and they trade forearms.

Eli running forearms him in the corner then Eli hits a blue thunder for 2. Woods armbars him and Eli uses his last ropebreak. Eli hits a nice dropkick and then Woods sleepers him. Woods then does Shibata's PK and stares at him as he watches. Woods then grounded figure fours him and wins it. 

Eli looked okay as he usually does. I don't think this had the time to really be what it could have been, but at least it had a purpose and built to something.

Mark Sterling gets on the mic after. He said we should be looking at what should be the face of the ROH Pure division. He talks about him getting a bunch of wins in college and being a national champion in college. Mark then says Josh Woods is the wrestler to Shibata and said he can take his head off whenever he wants. Sterling challenges him for next week then Shibata holds his title up into Woods' face. Sterling tells Woods no fighting right now. 

Trish Adora is interviewed. She said she came up short and is asked what's next. She said she has her brothers in arms watching her back and is always down for a fight.

Trish Adora vs Vita Vonstarr

Vita doesn't do the handshake. Trish shoulders her over early then hits a big slam. Trish armwhips her into the mat then puts her in a submission upside down on her knee. Vita hits a stiff push kick to the body then does an unusual move in the corner where she foot chokes her upwards with the back of her foot. Vita suplexes her for 2.

Trish hits sledgehammer shots and crossbodies her. Trish does a nice pump kick and sentons her. Vita michinoku drivers her for 2 and Trish hits a strong lariat soon after and wins it.

It was on the shorter end and was just basically a squash win for Trish.

Mogul Embassy vs The Iron Savages and Jacked Jameson

The Savages have new headbands on and this is Jacked's ROH debut. This is also probably the most big men in a match Tony has ever had. Cage running bck elbows Bronson then Bronson spinning slams him. JJ is whipped into a splash on Cage then JJ whips Boulder into him. Kaun knees JJ in the gut then sentons him. Bronson hits shots on Kaunthen Kaun throws Bronson, but he topes Cage on his way out. Toa goes to powerbomb Bronson from the apron, Toa butt drops him then ends up taking a powerbomb on the floor.

Bronson is whipped into a stiff Kaun lariat. Toa headbutts him. Bronson takes running corner moves from his opponents then Kaun sideslams him over th etop rope. Toa sentons Bronson on the apron then Cage deadlift superplexes Bronson in for 2. Bronson butt drops Cage off a sunset flip. Boulder runs over Kaun, slams him then airplane spin throws Cage.

Boulder double flapjacks Kaun and Cage. Nana gets on the apron then Toa and Boulder stare down. Toa right hooks him then Boulder gives it back. Boulder hits some nice punches then flying shoulders Toa. Boulder spinning powerslams Kaun for 2. Boulder misses a 2nd rope moonsault then Toa running shoulders him. JJ top rope lariats Toa then Cage F-5's JJ. Bronson sky high's Cage then Kaun air raid crashes Bronson. JJ spinebusters Kaun the takes a belly to belly from Toa.

Bronson crossbodies Toa but kind of gets his knees up and Boulder goes down hard. Bronson lariats Toa out of the ring then Cage spinning lariats Bronson. JJ comes off the top and takes a belly to belly from Cage. Kaun pedigrees Bronson and wins it.

It was what you would want with 6 big dudes throwing each other around and throwing bombs. They got enough time for it and it was a real fun hoss match. JJ didn't get a ton in.

Leyla Hirsch vs B3CCA

Leyla shoulders her over to start and hits a big lariat. Leyla stomps and foot chokes her in the corner. Leyla gutwrench throws her then suplexes her. Becca fires back with forearms then shotgun dropkicks her. Becca hip attacks her in the corner then running pump kicks her. Becca comes off the 2nd rope and misses a dropkick then misses a german. Leyla hits a pumping knee that misses and wins it.

The crowd got really into B3cca. She did a decent job here and showed some personality while she was being squashed.

Athena is interviewed and asks when the announcer is going to thank her and buy her stuff. Athena says to tell the locker room to step up and tells her to give her better talent or its her.

The Renegades vs Tiara James and JC

They didn't bother telling us which jobber was which. Charlotte throws one of her opponents down then is snap suplexed. Robyn gets hit on the apron then trips her opponent. Charlotte pounds on her then the twins hit a double suplex on an opponent for 2. JC takes a double chop in the corner then gets out of a double suplex. TJ gets in and hits lariats on one of the twins. TJ flying lariats one of them then bulldogs the other. TJ has one up for a piledriver bus is pulled back via the hair. JC then takes a double superkick. The Renegades do a hard attack move and win it.

As often with ROH squashes, the squashee's stuck out more than the squashes. Tiara had a good hot tag here and looked decent.

Athena vs Christina Marie

Chris hits shots and euro uppercuts. Athena is thrown chest first into the buckles. Chris goes up and over and backflips then splashes her in the corner. Chris pulls her neck forward while she's behind her. Chris runs and jumps at Athena and is thrown. Athena forearms her and kicks her. Athena pounds on her then baseball slides her out. Athena chokes her over the middle rope and whiplashes her neck. Athena hits a bunch of clubbing forearms and kicks her hard in the side of the face. Athena then running forearms her and wins it.

As usual, it was a total squash where Athena got booked like The Terminator, just running over Christina. Christina looked good here though showing some charisma and energy.

Athena throws her out after then puts her into the rails. Athena then facekicks her. Christina took some hard real bumps for her.  

The Kingdom vs Rhett Titus and Tracy Williams

Tracy and Mike trade forearms for chops. Taven top rope dropkicks Tracy then Mike slams Tracy. Rhett gets in and short arm lariats Taven. Rhett then spins Taven around into a nice backdrop for 2. Mike lariats Rhett from the apron then Rhett takes a catapult into a kick and a Taven top rope elbow for 1.

Rhett is spinebustered but gets his knees up on Taven's moonsault. Tracy gets the hot tag in and backdrops Mike while hooking under the crotch. Tracy double arm ddt's Taven  on the top buckle and drops him on his knee. Tracy texas cloverleafs Taven and Rhett belly to belly suplexes Mike. Rhett running facekicks Taven and hits a nice dropkjick. Taven does a nice flip sell for Tracy's lariat. Rhett is thrown out and hits his face off the floor.

Mike and Tracy trade forearms and chops. Tracy and Mike put on submissions at the same time then hit each other while doing them. They give them up to trade forearms then Tracy and Mike hit stereo piledrivers. They trade more forearms and Tracy lariats Mike for 2.

Rhett hits a nice dropkick on Taven. Mike gets Rhett and hits a death valley driver then Taven running knees Rhett. Rhett takes a proton pack and Kingdom pick up the win.

The spots with Mike and Tracy watching each other nail their partners was dumb but this was good otherwise. Rhett hit some great dropkicks here and Tracy brought the fire. This was a nice, spirited match.

Samoa Joe is interviewed Stokeley Hathaway. Stoke says there will be another eliminator tournament for the ROH TV title. Lexi said Stoke is showing favoritism to Joe. Joe says Stoke makes his own decisions and Joe tells Lexi not to worry about that. Stoke tries to own this like he's the boss with Joe bullying him. Joe tells her to check himself and says he's the big boss. This was fun, but they need to come up with something better than eliminator tournaments to make challengers.

ROH TV Title Eliminator Quarterfinals - JD Drake vs Christopher Daniels

Daniels is wearing different sunglasses that wrap around his head. JD misses a chop in the corner then is armdragged. JD back elbows him then takes a leg lariat. JD body blocks him and hits slams and a falling headbutt. JD chops him against the ropes then neck cranks him.

Daniels rolls him up then hits a black hole slam for 2. JD sentons him  then they trade chops. Daniels hits a flatliner then lariats him in the back of the head. Daniels 2nd rope swinging flatliners him for 2. JD flying single leg dropkciks him then cannonballs him in the corner. JD misses a top rope moonsault then Daniels uranage's him. Daniels hits a best moonsault ever and wins it.

This was not the usual Daniels match which was nice. He actually did a few different moves here. It was short and compact and wasn't bad, though I thought it could have been better.

Big Bill and Lee Moriarty vs Garbiel Hodder and Adrien Soriano

Lee hits a border cityr stretch to start on Soriano. Lee euros him then shoulders him over. Lee stomps his ankle and basement dropkicks him. Lee hits a nice dropkick on Hodder and pounds on him. Lee takes corner spears and a corner lariat from both opponents then Hodder and Soriano pose. Big Bill poses behind them and double lariats them. Bill hits corner splashes nd facekicks Hodder. Bill black hole slams Soriano then chokeslams him. Lee hits a big tope on the outside and Bill wins with a foot on Soriano's chest.

It was a squash and nothing was wrong with this.

ROH TV Title Quarterfinal Eliminator - Tony Nese vs Cheeseburger

Nese calls people fat and says cheeseburgers are destroying the country. Nese says he will throw the cheeseburger in the trash and says we are going to do group training to burn the cheeseburgers the fans ate today. Nese has everyone stretch and asks everyone to do jumping jacks.

CB hits a shot then takes a punch flurry in the corner. CB goes over then under him and climbs his back with an armbar. Nese gutbusters CB for 2 then does crunches and hits him with boots as he hangs from tree of woe. CB suplexes him and hits a bulldog. CB superkicks him and hits a shotei for 2. CB ddt's him then Sterling distracts him on the apron. Nese hits a pumphandle fire thunder and wins it.

CB wasn't bad here but it went a little long.

ROH TV Title Quarterfinal Eliminator - Gravity vs Anthony Henry

Henry trips him then Grav flips out of an armlock and armdrags him. Grav kips up and down multiple times while in a wristlock then Henry just lets him go. Grav headflips out of an armlock and is facekicked. Grav tops him over the top and nearly trips on the top rope. Grav is backdropped on the apron and has his neck twisted. Grav jumps up and takes a death valley driver then Henry twists the neck.

Grav does his flip off the ropes armdrg then hadnspring back elbows him. Grav gorilla presses him into a double boot. Grav rolls him into a grounded octopus then is rolled into a stretch muffler. Henry does a stiff falcon arrow/michinoku driver spinning hybrid move then he ddt's him after rolling him off his shoulder. Henry hits a step up enzugiri and Grav hits a bad spinning knee and powerbomb. Grav top rope splashes him for the win.

Grav as usual was sloppy here with multiple messed up moves and brought down the match. He is just not ready for this yet and it may be a while until he is. 

ROH TV Title Quarterfinal Eliminator - Shane Taylor vs Serpentico

Serp hits a forearm and a slap then ducks shots. Serp spinning headscissors him into the buckles and hits forearms. Shane drops him with a forearm then throws him across the ring. Shane flips him with a lariat then hits a hard shot to the body. Shane pulls him up and drops him for a slam. Serp superkicks him and is caught with a top rope crossbody.

Shane headbutts him then uranage's him. Shane hits a big splash and wins it.

It went longer than it needed to given the size differences. Shane looked good as usual.

I did not review the main. You aren't going to see any Sonny Kiss matches here ever.

Overall thoughts: We had 2 good matches here with the Kingdom vs Rhett/Tracy tag and the 6 man tag with the Embassy vs The Iron Savages. Some of the squashes were okay and I suppose it was a decent show overall. As usual, lots of names were missing here. No Claudio, no Aussie Open, no Pac, no Dark Order, no Willow and no Righteous. At least we will have whoever Joe is fighting for the TV title figured out soon and we know we are getting Shibata/Woods, but that's about it storyline wise.