Two title defenses will be featured on tonight's Ring of Honor on HonorClub.
In one, ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe will defend against Blake Christian while in the other, ROH Women's Champion Athena defends against Skye Blue.
Ahead of what could be a future ROH Tag Team title challenge, ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta will face Tracy Williams & Rhett Titus.
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun, Toa Liona) will face Adam Priest, Lucky Ali & Victor Benjamin.
Ahead of his challenge of AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy Wednesday, Kyle Fletcher of Aussie Open will face former ROH TV Champion Tony Deppen.
Mark Briscoe, who was laid out by an accidental Dax Harwood piledriver Wednesday on Dynamite, will take on Shane Taylor.
The show will also feature Ninja Mack vs. Willie Mack, The Righteous in tag team action, Dark Order vs. The Trustbusters, and more.
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Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, & Nigel McGuinness were on the call for this week’s ROH television. This week saw Ring of Honor return to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.
Mark Briscoe defeated Shane Taylor
Taylor threatened to beat on Briscoe like he used to do to Mark’s brother, which fired Briscoe up. Taylor cut him off before hooking Briscoe on the ropes and hitting a hanging stunner. Briscoe sent Taylor to the floor and hit a running blockbuster. Briscoe went for the chair-assisted dive, but Taylor slid into the ring and cut him off with a comebacker lariat.
Taylor kept control, using his heavy elbows to cut off Briscoe’s comeback attempts. Briscoe finally got a useful offensive combination in, laying Taylor out with a running boot. Briscoe clubbered on Taylor in the corner before hitting a Pele kick that sent Taylor to the floor. Briscoe got the chair-assisted dive the second time around.
Briscoe hit a missile dropkick off the middle rope in the ring. Taylor cut off Briscoe and went to the second rope, but Briscoe picked him up and hit a Spicolli Driver. Briscoe followed it up with a Froggy Bow attempt, but Taylor moved out of the way and hit Welcome To The Land for a close nearfall. Taylor went to the second rope, but Briscoe moved out of the way of a splash. Briscoe came back with big strikes before landing a big uranage for a nearfall.
Taylor answered with a uranage of his own for a nearfall. Briscoe escaped a package piledriver before starting a strike battle, ending with a Briscoe lariat that took Taylor down. Briscoe muscled Taylor up for the Jay Driller to get the win.
Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta defeated Rhett Titus & Tracy Williams
The announcers made it clear that due to winning the Double Jeopardy match against Rey Fenix on Dynamite, Castagnoli could challenge for the titles with any partner of his choosing. The way they talked about it made it seem possible that Castagnoli could choose someone outside of the Blackpool Combat Club.
Williams and Yuta started off, with Williams catching Yuta in a Shoelace Roll submission that Castagnoli broke up. Castagnoli tagged in and took Williams down, but Williams caught Castagnoli in a quick rollup before tagging in Titus. Castagnoli stuffed an armdrag attempt and tagged out to Yuta, but Titus and Williams got a tag team combination in to isolate Yuta. Williams got Yuta in another submission. He cut Castagnoli off when he tried to break up the submission, but Yuta chop blocked his knee to take control.
The BCC worked over Williams, with Castagnoli scoring a nearfall with an uppercut and a leg drop. Williams dodged a charging Castagnoli, but Yuta tagged in and cut off an attempted tag. Yuta brought Williams to the ropes, but Williams hit the DDT onto the top turnbuckle before tagging out to Titus. Titus ran wild on Yuta, hitting the Belly-to-Belly suplex for a nearfall. Castagnoli came in to run interference, but Titus hit the big dropkick to send him out of the ring. Titus and Williams hit a dropkick/lariat combination for a nearfall.
Castagnoli sent Titus to the floor and ran through him with a running Uppercut. Back in the ring, Yuta sent Williams into the referee before poking him in the eyes. Castagnoli dropped Williams with a running European Uppercut before sending Yuta off the top rope with a Rocket Launcher to score the win.
ROH World Television Title Match: Samoa Joe defeated Blake Christian to retain
A competitive, smartly-wrestled squash match. Christian had a plan, Joe fought it off, and at the first sign of real danger, Joe shut Christian down with the Muscle Buster. I enjoyed this for what it was.
Christian evaded Joe early, catching him with a handspring kick. Christian tied up Joe’s leg and hit a 619 to the knee to take Joe down. Christian hit a Knee-DT before locking on a Figure Four that Joe quickly reached the ropes to break. Joe avoided a low dropkick before hitting a senton to cut Christian off. Joe stomped on Christian before hitting a big elbow for a nearfall.
Christian escaped a powerbomb and dropkicked Joe’s knee, but he ran right into the powerslam for a nearfall. Joe tried to lock on the Coquina Clutch, but Christian dropped down into a stunner. Christian rolled through a corner uranage attempt, but Joe cut Christian off on the top rope and hit a Muscle Buster to score the win. This was Joe’s 11th successful defense of the title, and Riccaboni said that this defense would almost assuredly put him over the 400-day mark as ROH TV Champion.
– Dasha was backstage with the Varsity Athletes and the Trustbusters. Yes, those are two different groups, with Ari Daivari as the connective member. Mark Sterling said that the in-fighting of the Dark Order was disruptive to his group, with Ari Daivari adding that the Dark Order could fight them instead of each other.
The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) defeated The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean)
Vincent and Dean started off, with the Infantry hitting an offensive combination on Vincent. Stu Grayson came to the stage, presumably to watch the Righteous. Maybe he has issues with Captain Shawn Dean, though.
Dutch cut off Dean with a clothesline from the apron. Dutch & Vincent worked Dean over until Dean avoided the Autumn Sunshine and tagged out to Bravo. Bravo fired up but got shoved into a Bossman Slam from Dutch. Vincent hit the Autumn Sunshine on the legal man Dean for the win. Dutch and Vincent walked up to Grayson on the stage and told him that he was one of them.
– We got a video package for next week’s The Kingdom vs. Action Andretti & Darius Martin match, which will be a Fight Without Honor.
Robyn Renegade (w/Charlette Renegade) defeated Vertvixen
Vertvixen started off quickly, taking Renegade down with a facebuster for a quick nearfall. Charlette Renegade got involved while the referee was distracted, allowing Robyn Renegade to hit a shotgun dropkick. Vertvixen came back, hitting a rolling stunner and a big boot. Vertvixen hit a flatliner for a nearfall. Renegade fought out of a Fireman’s Carry before locking Vertvixen in a Ground Cobra for the submission win.
– Dasha was backstage with Prince Nana and the Gates of Agony, who have a match with The Boys tonight. Dalton Castle entered frame, accusing them of attacking one of the Boys. Prince Nana claimed innocence until Castle left, then pulled out the mask of the fallen Boy.
Willie Mack defeated Ninja Mack
The crowd chanted “Let’s Go Mack,” making fun of the name clash. Willie used his power to take down Ninja before taking Ninja down with an armdrag. Ninja tried using his speed to his advantage, but Willie took down Ninja with a headscissors before hitting a dive to the floor. Ninja threw some strikes before Willie hit a big palm strike to take Ninja down.
Ninja moved out of the way of a Willie moonsault before hitting some heavy kicks. Ninja avoided a corner charge before hitting a twisting uppercut. Ninja hit a twisting tornado splash for a nearfall. Ninja and Willie traded superkicks before Ninja walked into a Samoan Drop from Willie. Willie kipped up and hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall.
Ninja and Willie got into a pinning predicament, trading multiple flash pin attempts before Willie caught Ninja with a powerbomb for the win. This was a lot harder to review than I thought it would be because of the name thing, but I got through it.
The Embassy (Brian Cage, Kaun & Toa Liona) (w/Prince Nana) defeated Adam Priest, Lucky Ali & Victor Benjamin
The Embassy ran through each of these guys. Kaun rocked Priest with a lariat. Cage sent Ali flying with a German suplex. Benjamin got a few impressive strikes in on Liona before getting drilled with a lariat. All three Embassy members came in, laying out all three of their opponents. Kaun and Liona finished this one off by sending Priest into Benjamin with a reverse bodyslam, with Kaun getting the pin.
Kyle Fletcher (w/Mark Davis) defeated Tony Deppen
Fletcher is usually a tag team guy, but he stood out on his own here. He's got a real physical presence, which was highlighted working against the smaller Deppen. Solid match here.
The announcers talked about Fletcher’s heavy recent schedule and his injured ribs. Fletcher overpowered Deppen to start, dropping him with a shoulder block. Deppen came back, eventually getting Fletcher down to a knee. Deppen called for the best suplex ever seen on TV, but Fletcher reversed it into a suplex of his own.
Fletcher hit a half-and-half suplex and a mafia kick for a nearfall. Deppen caught Fletcher with a stunner over the ropes before following with a dive to the floor. Deppen hit the Bayonet elbow for a nearfall. Deppen laid in the elbows before catching Fletcher in a flash pin for a nearfall. Deppen hit a jumping knee and followed it with running knees into the corner. Deppen hit a double stomp off the top rope for a nearfall.
Deppen caught Fletcher with another knee but ran right into a Michinoku Driver for the three count and the win.
AR Fox defeated Anthony Henry (w/JD Drake)
It was a bit comical the amount of damage Fox fought through to win, but Henry looked impressive and aggressive on offense.
Henry took Fox’s back, but Fox sent him to the floor and hit a pair of no-touch planchas. Henry rolled to the other side of the ring to confer with Drake, but Fox hit a dive onto both of them. Fox evaded a clothesline before hitting an Anarchist suplex for a nearfall. Henry sent Fox into the post and hit a piledriver on the apron that sent Fox to the floor.
Fox barely beat the 20 count into the ring, where Henry immediately cranked his neck. Henry hit another piledriver in the ring for a nearfall. Fox got a few weak strikes in, but Henry kicked Fox in the head and hit a brainbuster. Henry hit another brainbuster, but Fox powered Henry up for a brainbuster of his own. Fox hit a corner boot before hitting a springboard stunner for a nearfall. Fox hit a squisher before following it with a senton for a nearfall.
Henry came back with a neckbreaker and a top rope neckbreaker for another nearfall. Fox vaulted over on a Dragon Sleeper attempt and hit a running boot into the corner. Fox brought Henry up for the Lo Mein Pain, but Henry caught him in a choke. Fox fought out and pulled Henry into a cutter. Drake caught a boot from Fox when he tried to interfere. Fox ducked a Henry charge and dived onto Drake on the floor but ran back into a DDT in the ring for a nearfall. Fox caught Henry with a Lo Mein Pain before hitting the 450 Splash for the win.
After the match, the Workhorsemen jumped Fox. Shane Taylor joined the fray, beating up on Fox before FTR made the save. FTR and Fox fought off the Workhorsemen and set Henry up for a Shatter Machine before he bailed. Eddie Kingston came out and ran him back into the ring, leading to FTR hitting the Shatter Machine anyway.
The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, John Silver & Stu Grayson) defeated Josh Woods & The Trustbusters (Jeeves Kay, Slim J & Sonny Kiss) (w/Ari Daivari & Mark Sterling)
Woods started out with Evil Uno, although Uno quickly tagged out to Reynolds and Grayson. Sterling took the referee, allowing Woods to take down Silver and isolate him. Silver hit a suplex on Jeeves Kay and fought to make a tag to Grayson. Grayson ran wild with suplexes before hitting a dive to Kiss and Woods on the floor. Grayson hit a reverse F-5 on Slim J and a springboard moonsault for a nearfall.
Miscommunication between Uno and Grayson led to a Trustbusters run of offense, but the Dark Order got back involved and ran wild on them. Grayson took a kick meant for Reynolds, leading to the Dark Order hitting their big offense. Grayson and Uno hit the Fatality before Reynolds, the legal man, pushed Grayson out of the way to score the pin. Grayson looked annoyed on the outside.
ROH Women's World Title Match: Athena defeated Skye Blue to retain
This was the most competitive match of Skye Blue’s TV wrestling career, and probably the best match of her career as well. The crowd didn’t really buy Blue as a challenger despite ROH’s best attempts to heat her up over the past few months.
Athena feigned a lockup before drilling Blue with a forearm. Blue came back with strikes before cartwheeling out of a headscissors. Athena drilled Blue with a boot before sending her into the corner. Athena menaced the referee, leading to Blue scoring a rollup for a nearfall. Athena dropkicked Blue into the corner before chucking her to the floor. Athena set the ring steps up on their side, but Blue reversed Athena’s throw and sent her into the stairs.
Athena yanked Blue off of the apron to the floor before drilling her with a forearm. Athena dragged Blue up the ramp, but Blue caught Athena with an armdrag. They fought near the edge of the stage before Athena hit Blue with a superkick that sent her off the stage. Athena dragged Blue back to the ring and tied her up in a bow and arrow hold. Blue fought out before going for flash pins, leading to a pinning predicament that almost scored the win for Blue.
Blue hit a rising knee and an upkick from the apron. She followed with a high crossbody for a nearfall. Athena vaulted back to her feet and hit a heavy forearm for a nearfall. Athena went to the top rope, but Blue cut her off. Blue hit a flurry of forearms before hitting a hurricanrana off the top rope. Blue hit a superkick and a standing sliced bread for a nearfall. Blue locked Athena up for Skyfall, but Athena pushed her off and got Blue up for the Wasteland slam. Athena hit another Wasteland over the knee.
Athena talked trash to Blue, slapping her in the face before Blue slapped her back. They traded forearms before Athena hit Blue with the Skyfall – Blue’s own move – for a nearfall. Blue caught Athena with a boot before hitting the O-Face for a nearfall. Blue hit the Skyfall, but Athena kicked out. They rolled to the apron before Blue dropped Athena face-first onto the apron. Blue laid Athena on the steps and went to the ropes, but Athena caught her and powerbombed her onto the steps.
Athena hit the facebuster on the knees, but Blue kicked out at one. Blue caught Athena with a small package, but Athena kicked out and locked on the crossface. Blue rolled towards the ropes, but Athena rolled her back to the middle and transitioned into the Camel Clutch for the tapout and the win. Athena succeeded in her 9th defense of the title. After the match, Athena adhered to the Code of Honor before clotheslining Blue down and throwing her face-first into the title belt.
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