By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Ring of Honor Wrestling TV (Episode 515)
Taped in Baltimore, Maryland at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Aired July 31, 2021 in syndication and on SBG regional sports networks, available Mondays on FITE.TV
Footage aired from the Best in the World pay-per-view of Maria Kanellis and Lenny Leonard playing up the ROH Women’s Championship tournament. Kanellis introduced Chelsea Green, who delivered a promo on the stage…
Quinn McKay checked in from the studio and said the tournament would play out on television through the first week in September and the finals would be held at the Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view on September 12. The brackets appeared on the screen and McKay pointed out that the fans voted her into the tournament. McKay thanked the fans and said she would try her best not to let the fans down. McKay spoke about the women who paved the way in ROH and then listed the three tournament matches…
A video package aired on Miranda Alize and Alex Gracia heading into their match while their in-ring highlights were shown. Alize said Gracia is one of her best friends. She said she knows Gracia’s strengths and weaknesses, and while Gracia knows her strengths too she does not know her weaknesses… [C]
Powell’s POV: They had footage from Best in the World, so we’re finally getting new content coming out of the pay-per-view. And while I’m all for spotlighting the women’s tournament, how could they not open the show with BITW updates, including Bandido winning the ROH World Championship?
The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni, Lenny Leonard, and Chelsea Green checked in while Bobby Cruise handled the introductions for the opening match. The first round matches have 20-minute time limits…
1. Miranda Alize vs. Alex Gracia in an ROH Women’s Championship tournament first round match. The wrestlers adhered to the Code of Honor. Alize took Gracia down early and then held out her hand and smiled. Gracia smiled and shook Alize’s hand.
Gracia performed a dropkick that caused Alize to duck out to ringside. Gracia went for a springboard move, but Alize moved, causing Gracia to crash and burn at ringside. Alize threw Gracia into the ringside barricade twice. Alize looked into the camera and called herself a Lucha Baddie heading into a break. [C]
Gracia came back with a backstabber inside the ring. Gracia performed a series of strikes and capped it off with a kick to the face that led to a near fall. Gracia went to the top rope and performed something that didn’t click and then covered Alize for a two count. “I don’t know what that was, but it was amazing,” Green said.
Alize came back with a knee to the head for a near fall. Alize put Gracia down with a cutter and then followed up with a running knee to the head and scored the clean pin. Afterward, Alize helped up Gracia and hugged her…
Miranda Alize defeated Alex Gracia to advance in the tournament.
The updated brackets were shown. Alize will face the winner of the next match in the second round of the tournament… [C] Ads aired for the ROH BITW replay and the ROH Week By Week online series (and the usual Ric Flair Car Shield ads that pop up in every break)…
Powell’s POV: This was a lucha style match with a lot of tumbling early on. There was a clunky moment or two and it seemed like Gracia was in the habit of looking to the crowd even though there were no fans in the venue, but it was still an entertaining match. The more experienced of the duo went over, which is the right call. That said, Gracia has a good look and has potential to be a player with more reps.
A video package aired to set up the Mazzerati vs. Nicole Savoy match. Savoy noted that she’s known as the queen of suplexes. Mazzerati said she would do anything to win. Mazzerati said that Savoy wants to step out of the shadows, but some people should stay in the shadows…
2. Mazzerati vs. Nicole Savoy in an ROH Women’s Championship tournament first round match. Caprice Coleman joined Riccaboni and Leonard on commentary. Mazzerati gave a tense handshake for the Code of Honor. Mazzerati flexed her biceps, and Savoy made it clear that she was unimpressed. Mazzerati responded by stepping on Savoy’s shoes.
Leonard noted that Savoy was once in a faction with Shayna Baszler and Mercedes Martinez. They cut to break early in the match. [C] Mazzerati performed Sole Food on the apron. Savoy came back with a fallaway slam. Mazzerati performed a Northern Light Suplex for a near fall and then showed frustration.
Mazzerati put Savoy down with a DDT for another near fall. She barked at the referee. Savoy caught Mazzerati and put her down with a TKO for a near fall of her own. Savoy also showed frustration. Mazzerati threw a kick that Savoy ducked, and then Savoy suplexed Mazzerati and bridged while getting the three count. The wrestlers shook hands afterward…
Nicole Savoy defeated Mazzerati to advance in the tournament.
Powell’s POV: A good back and forth match with a couple of convincing near falls. Savoy will face Alize in the quarterfinals. Riccaboni said the match would air roughly three weeks from now.
A graphic listed the main event, and then an ROH BITW pay-per-view replay ad was shown… [C] Brian Johnson hosted an HonorClub commercial, and McKay hyped the ROH online merch shop…
A video package set up the main event. Rok-C said she’s 19 and was dubbed The Prodigy by the fans. She said she believes in herself, but she is more than grateful. Photos of her were shown at age 10, including one with her posing with Brodie Lee. Sumie Sakai said she fights to win. Rok-C said she respects Sakai, but she would do everything she can to win the tournament…
Ring entrances for the main event took place. Riccaboni noted that Rok-C was trained by Booker T. He also recapped the Sakai was the first Women of Honor Champion. Sakai pretended to slap hands with fans…
3. Sumie Sakai vs. Rok-C in an ROH Women’s Championship tournament first round match. Sakai took Rok-C down and went for a cross arm breaker, but Rok-C reached the ropes to break the hold. Rok-C came back with a standing moonsault and drove her knees into Sakai before covering her for a two count. Rok-C hit double knees in the corner and got another two count. [C]
Sakai caught Rok-C with a diving knee and then got cocky with her cover, which resulted in just a two count. Sakai put Rok-C in cloverleaf set-up position, then dropped her back-first onto her knees. Sakai put Rok-C in a Liontamer. Rok-C crawled and was able to reach the ropes to break the hold.
Rok-C rallied and performed a Thesz Press from the ropes and then fired away with punches. Rok-C followed up with a side Russian leg sweep for a good near fall. Rok-C performed a neckbreaker and went for another, but Sakai avoided it and performed a Saito suplex.
Sakai mounted Rok-C on the ropes. Rok-C slipped unde and went for a powerbomb, but Sakai hit her with knees to the head. Rok-C threw spin kick at Sakai’s head, then joined her on the ropes and performed a huracanrana into a pin. Sakai reversed it for a two count. When they stood up, Sakai threw a spinning back elbow. Sakai performed a fisherman’s buster suplex for a near fall. A short time later, Rok-C rolled Sakai into a pin and scored the upset win…
Rok-C defeated Sumie Sakai to advance in the tournament.
The broadcast team marveled over Rok-C scoring the upset win. They noted that she would face the winner of Quinn McKay and Mandy Leon in the quarterfinals. Rok-C and Sakai shook hands and hugged…
Graphics for next week listed Bandido and Rey Horus vs. Brody King and Chris Dickinson, along with Marti Belle vs. Trish Adora and Quinn McKay and Mandy Leon in tournament matches…
Powell’s POV: I absolutely love the upset. Rok-C beating the former champion is a big feather in her cap regardless of how far she goes in the tournament. Sakai is has done really good work for ROH, but I really like the idea of going with a fresh face in the main event of the first tournament edition.
Overall, this was a good show and a strong start to the tournament. Hopefully we’ll learn more about the entrants as they move forward with more video packages. Leonard is a really nice addition for these matches, as he knows the history of the women and did a great job of sprinkling in those details without overloading viewers with too much information.
The only negative about this episode really is the lack of acknowledgement of what happened at the BITW pay-per-view. If they could work in the replay ads, then how could they not put together a video package to recap the major developments, including Bandido becoming the ROH World Champion? Perhaps I’m missing something. Either way, don’t let that stop you from watching this entertaining hour of television. My weekly ROH Wrestling audio review will be available for Dot Net Members later today.
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