Ring of Honor on HonorClub 8/17/2023 Episode #25
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/ring-of-honor-on-honorclub-8102023.html
Gringo Loco vs Gravity
Loco armdrags him then Grav flips up on him and gets an armdrag out of it. Grav 2nd rope hurricanrana's him then flips off the ropes into an armdrag that Loco cartwheels out of. Grav splashes him for 2 then armdrags him and kips up. Grav does his space walking taunt and is chopped over. Loco then does the space walking taunt then does a gorilla press into a nice fallway slam.
Loco kneels on his back and armlocks him. Loco chest chops him Gravs alks up the buckles and flips then does a nice powerslam in the same motion. Grav is then pushed off the buckles to the floor. Loco jumps from the 2nd to 3rd rope and moonsaults him outside. Loco then jumps from the 2nd to 3rd rope and does a nice corkscrew swanton for 2.
Grav knocks him off the apron with a forearm, rolls onto the 2nd turnbuckle then springboard hurricanrana's him on the floor. Gav handsprings into the ropes outside then splashes him. Grav handstands on the top rope and splashes him for 2. Loco hits a standing spanish fly for 2 and they botch a toyota roll into a sunset bomb. Loco goes up top and takes a step up enzugiri. They fight up there and they do some wild forward olympic slam for 2. Grav 2nd rope samoan drops him then does a splash off the top for the win.
I was with this until the top rope forward olympic slam spot kickout. That was vicious and should have ended the match. Other than that, it was a spotty match but the best Grav has looked so far. Grav still had his usual botch though.
Pure Rules Match - Silas Young vs Josh Woods
Woods and Young both miss armdrag attempts and stand off. Young trips him and Woods grabs the ropes, burning a rope break. Young taunts him and Woods takes him down on the mat. Woods slams him down and footslaps his head. Woods runs him into the buckles then rolls him backwards. They try pin attempts and Woods rolls outside while Young is hooked to him, sending him into the 2nd rope. Young is sent into the top buckle shoulder first.
Woods stomps the arm then has his throat brought down over the top rope. Woods kicks him in the arm and Young rolls him up. Young goes up and over in the corner with a rollup and does headlock takeovers. Woods uses a closed fist and is issued a warning. Woods suplexes him into the buckles and gets the win.
It was a heavy amateur wrestling style match and they did a good job of it. They kept it interesting and they definitely pushed the story of Woods using his one closed fist punch to get the win.
Maria does a promo. She said you don't have to have real power to have real power. She says sometimes power in name is not as powerful as power of influence. She said she's been homeless and fought her husband's addiction and says the business still asks for more. She says she built a kingdom and is scouting an army to defend her kingdom. She mentions Leyla Hirsch and Leyla comes in. Leyla said she did her a favor and took it. She said she has run throug hthe division since and yet Maria still scouting her. Leyla asks what she thinks she can do or give that she can't. Maria said she can give her more competition and tonight, she got her Rachel Ellering.
There were two issues with this - one, Maria is at least a foot taller than Leyla and Leyla looked like a midget against her. Two, Rachel Ellering hasn't done anything in ROH and isn't exactly top competition. Other than that, it was a good promo.
Proving Ground Match - Athena vs Brittany J
J rolls her up as Athena poses. J hits a big forearm then pulls her out, where she hits her face off the floor. J is pulled by the leg onto the floor and takes a bad bump. Athena then whips her into the rail and Athena gets up in the announcer's face and they have to sell it like they are afraid. J headscissors her and Athena cartwheels out. Athena hits a pop-up powerbomb and a forearm to win.
This was another one of those "totally safe" Athena squashes where the person facing her gets nothing in.
The Renegade Twins jump Athena after. They 2v1 her and Athena tries to fight back. Billie Starkz then runs out and makes the save. Starkz tries to help her and Athena pushes her away.
Samoa Joe and Stokely Hathaway vs The Boys
Stoke gets on the mic and says to give it up for the one of the greatest ROH TV champs of all time. He says Joe wants to send a message to Dalton. He says he could have teamed up with anyone but chose the rough rider of ROH, Big Stoke. Stoke says he will be right on the apron if Joe needs him.
The Boys jump Joe 2v1 then take a double lariat together. Stoke has moved onto the other opposite corner for some reason. Joe punch flurries Brandon and tags in Stoke. Stoke armdrags him off the casadora then misses a corner charge. Stoke takes a dropkick after going over a drop down. Stoke is suplexed then Brandon slingshot sentons him. Stoke grabs the ref and Joe lariats Brandon while he does it.
Joe is tagged in and lariats both Boys. Joe back enzugiri's both opponents. Joe grabs one of the Boys for a double team. Stoke comes off the top and Joe pulls the Boy away. Joe then chokes out to win it.
I don't know what the purpose of this was or where it's going.
Billie Starkz is interviewed. She says she doesn't know what's going on with her and Athena. She calls her a crazy woman. The Renegade Twins then come in. They say double trouble is coming her way. They said they put her down on the mat without even sweating and said Billie is next. They said they will handle her tonight.
The Gates of Agony vs Matt Sydal and Christopher Daniels
Daniels and Sydal became a team on like the 2nd or 3rd episode in February. They have teamed 5 times since in 2v2 tag matches. They are kind of a team but also not really a team.
Toa throws Daniels down off then shoulders him over. Daniels slides through Kaun's leg and trips him. Daniels slams Kaun then Sydal slams Daniels on top of him. Sydal then does a standing corkscrew moonsault. Sydal high kicks Kaun then Kaun is tripped into a baseball slide.
Daniels hits chops on Kaun. Kaun blocks an STO then Toa lariats Daniels from the apron. Daniels takes a 2v1 in the corner. Toa slamd and headbutt drops Daniels. Daniels takes a double boot in the corner then takes a codebreaker + elbow drop combo. Kaun hits shots on Daniels then chinlocks him. Kaun uranage backbreakers Daniels then Toa splashes Daniels.
Daniels bites Toa and Toa misses a corner charge. Daniels hits a flatliner and tags out. Sydal hits a top rope meteora then superkicks and jumping knees Toa. Toa misses a butt drop then Sydal running knees him. Sydal buzzsaw kicks him then takes a sandwich lariat. Daniels hits an angels wings on KAun for 2. Toa samoan drops Sydal then spinning lariats Daniels. Kaun does a fireman's carry gutbuster on Daniels to win.
This didn't help anyone. Daniels and Sydal are never really featured and nobody thought they were going to win. Toa and Kaun didn't look that impressive having such a hard time putting them down. The crowd also didn't care at all.
Madison Rayne vs Dani Mo
Dani back elbows her then back slides her. Rayne rolls her up then has her head banged off the top buckle. Dani hits strikes in the corner that get a big reaction for some reason. Dani then cartwheels into a knee. Rayne hits a step up enzugiri then neckbreakers her. Rayne northern lights suplexes her.
Dani grabs her by the hair and fakes her out with kicks before kicking her in the gut. Rayne does a cross rhodes and picks up the win.
This was basically out of nowhere and wasn't any good.
The Dark Order vs Isaiah Broner, Lord Crewe and Corey Calhoun
Alex pounds on Broner then clips him. Alex double stomps Broner then Silver running PK's him. Silver poses on him then Uno suplexes Broner. Alex knee drops Broner then Stu Grayson comes onto the ramp. Stu stares and says nothing. Corey rolls up Alex from behind then Alex pop-up knees him. crew takes a Dark Order combo that ends in a german and face kick. Corey is held up and flipped over int oa slam for the Dark Order win.
It was mostly just a match to further whatever is going on with Stu.
Silver kicks one of the jobbers after and Stu says, "that's more like it".
Claudio Castagnoli does a rare promo. He said people ask where he is and say he doesn't care. CC says he does care and is here. He says he is watching, scouting and training. He said he made Pac pay dearly and said he beat Jericho, who didn't care about ROH. He says he's good at his job and says you have to be better than him to win the title. This went too long and struggled to have a point to it.
Cole Karter vs Griff Garrison
Griff has put on weight and not the good kind. They show Maria with Cole in the graphic, though she didn't come out with him. Griff hits chops and hiptosses him. Griff htis a facekick then splashes him in the corner. Griff hits a falcon arrow for 2. Cole does a nice dropkick.
Cole chinlocks him then Griff hits forearms. Cole powerslams him then suplexes him. Cole goes for a suplexand is cradled. Griff spinning forearms him and goes for a torture rack. Cole eye pokes him, hits a knee and botches a twisting shoulder drop. Cole then tries it again and wins it.
They have Maria come out after. Maria says something to him. Cole then offers Griff a handshake. MAria and Cole walk out together.
The Maria angle really didn't work here because Cole botched his finisher. If I was scouting a guy and he did that, I'd just walk away. The match had potential but didn't fulfill it.
Charlette Renegade vs Billie Starkz
CR = Charlette Renegade
CR drops her with a forearm to start. Robyn Renegade distracts Billie outside then CR jumps off the apron onto her. CR pounds on her with forearms then does a camel clutch while grabbing her nostrils. Billie kicks her off the ropes then CR superplexes her. CR holds on but takes an oblivion over the knee. Billie goes for a top rope swanton but CR is pulled out of the way. CR hits a cradle shock for 2. Billie lariats her then does a straightjacket piledriver to win it.
Robyn immediately jumps Billie as soon as she wins this then Athena comes out. Athena spears and pounds on Robyn. Billie helps out Athena then Athena has her duck so she can nail one of the twins. Athena and Billie stare down then do topes onto the twins together.
Athena challenges her to fight after. Billie offers her a handshake and asks if they can be friends. Athena pulls away her hand and says, "come on minion, let's go". Billie is confused and Athena waits for her. Billie esistantly follows her.
The match wasn't bad with Charlette showing some aggression. The angle after was interesting and we'll have to see where it ends up going. Whatever it is, it's better than them having meaningless squashes.
Ari Daivari and Tony Nese are interviewed. Lexi asks what Tony is trying to achieve with his group training. Tony says he's not worried about making wrestling better, he's worried about making the fans better. Tony said he gets interrupted during group training every week. Tony said this week, he will finally have the floor and says if you look at the health statistics of North Carolina, these people badly need it. Tony then says Lexi badly needs group training too.
Lee Moriarty and The Workhorsemen vs Lee Johnson, Action Andretti and Darius Martin
Johnson is hit by JD from the apron then JD slingshot sentons him. JD black hole slams Johnson for 2. Morarity underhook suplexes Johnson then Henry kicks Johnson in the back. Johnson taags in AA. AA nails his opponnets on the apron and neckbreakers Johnson. AA topes Henry outside then standing spanish flies Johnson for 2. AA shotgun dropkicks Henry into a Darius german. JD single leg dropkicks AA.
AA is backdropped into a sit out powerbomb. Moriarty does a hammerlock neckbreaker on Johnson. Darius flatliners someone off the bottom rope then takes a twisting double underhook from JD. AA springboard kicks JD. Henry rolls up AA and AA bridges to pin him. The count is botched and AA pins Henry.
It was super fast paced and rushed. And it's a shame because they could have had a really good one with double the time. The announcers and myself both struggled to call the action with two people named Lee.
Lexi interviews Athena. Athena calls her bestie and grabs her. Athena then brings in Billie Starkz and grabs her too. Athena says Billie gets a minion number today and it's 400, 237 3/4ths. Billie said that's not importand and what about the Renegade Twins. Billie said they should face them in a tag match. Athena says she does all the thinking and fighting. Athena grabs Lexi and makes her agree. Athena then says she is her minion and says she has to drive her to the mall.
Trish Adora vs Lady Frost
Trish grabs a wristlock then Frost cradles her off the suplex attempt. Forst rolls her then tries a flip out of the corner but slips. Trish pulls her arm back and splits over her neck. Frost handstands on the apron to avoid a leg sweep, cannonballs her then twerks in Trish's face.
Trish hits sledgehammer shots then crossbodies her. Trish does like a bridging chest sternum breaker. Frost hits a nice corkscrew kick then does her top rope corkscrew moonsault to win it.
It wasn't good. Frost had a few botches and Trish's offense looked bad.
Lexi said Kiera Hogan was watching Frost's match. Kiera said she held her own against Athena and said when you put fire against ice, fire always comes out on top. She said she plans to "melt that b!tch in her place, period" and leaves.
Leyla Hirsch vs Rachel Ellering
RE = Rachel Ellering
Leyla kicks away RE's handhake attempt. Leyla trips her down and gator rolls her. RE slams and sentons her. RE hits a chop flurry in the corner then Leyla goes behind her back and sunset flips her. Leyla works the arm then throws her shoulder first into the buckle.
Leyla goes for the armbar then RE baseball slides her. RE flying euros her then leg cross brainbusters her. Leyla goes up and over in the corner and climbs on her back for an octopus. RE black hole slams her then Leyla armbars her for the win.
The crowd didn't care at all which brought this down. It was on the shorter end too and there wasn't a lot here.
Dalton Castle vs "Pretty" Peter Avalon
It was a quick squash where as usual, they put the guy getting squashed over as much as the guy squashing him.
Shane Taylor is interviewed. He says for 6 years, he was the man in ROH and the most dominant TV and Trios champ. He said people only wanted to talk about the old guard of ROH though, no matter what he did. He said he couldn't fight them then, but can now. He said the people and pros are hyped for his match with Samoa Joe. Shane says he's not going to try or pin or submit him and wants to knock him out. He said he will put him to sleep and take back his title. This was a good promo and it's just too bad ROH hasn't followed up more on the history of the title to really put Shane over.
Metalik vs Tony Nese
Nese said he likes to make jokes, but says the weight of people in NC is out of control and there's nok joking here. He then does his group training. Jerry Lynn then comes out and tells him he can't just go ruining matches and running money schemes with group training. He then says he as someone he is familiar with and who is from his past and it's Metalik.
Nese shoulders him over and taunts him. Nese hiptosses him into the ropes and Metal armdrags him out of it. Metal takes two steps on the top rope and armdrags him. Metal then teases diving on him but poses. Ari helps Nese trip Metal outside. Metal sunset flips him, Nese rolls back and then spin kicks him in the head. Nese then does his crunches with boots while Metal hangs in tree of woe.
Nese body scissors him then Metal hits an asai moonsault outside on Nese. Metal top rope crossbodies him then hits a slingblade style bulldog. Metal walks the 2nd rope and dropkicks him. Metal hits back elbows and is forearmed. Nese sitout powerbombs him for 2. Nese pulls down Metal into the bottom buckle then Metal hits a superkick and a cradle shock to win it.
It was an okay main but nothing real memorable.
Overall thoughts: It was a long show at 2 hours and 14 minutes. That's a few minutes shy of Raw's length without commercials. In typical AEW fashion, despite having such a long show, they had 14 matches and many of them were rushed because there wasn't enough time. They did some good things here like continuing whatever Joe is doing with Stokely, continuing the Athena/Starkz thing and continuing with the Maria/Cole Karter thing. But it was a long and boring show to sit through overall.
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