By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 14)
Taped in May 24, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada at MGM Grand Garden Arena
Streamed June 1, 2023 on HonorClub
Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were on commentary, and Bobby Cruise was the ring announcer…
*Unless otherwise noted, all matches began and ended with the code of honor handshake.
1. “The Infantry” Capt. Sean Dean and Carlie Bravo vs. “The Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett (w/Maria Kanellis). The Kingdom tried to kick The Infantry right after the code of honor but The Infantry saw it coming and got to work quickly with quick tags. Dean hit a powerbomb and got a two count on Taven. Bennett eventually interfered and got the ring cut off on Bravo. Bennett hit a brainbuster, tagged in Taven who hit a frog splash and got a two count when Dean broke it up. Bravo rolled up Taven and got a two count, and then hit the hot tag to Dean who went house of fire with back drops and DDTs. Maria grabbed Dean’s foot and The Kingdom took over. The Kingdom hit the proton pack for the pinfall.
“The Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett defeated “The Infantry” Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Quick easy squash for The Kingdom. My favorite team, The Infantry did get some nice offense and are continuing to show me that they are gonna have what it takes with just a little more seasoning.
2. Sky Blue vs Trish Adora. Trish Adora didn’t get an entrance, which seems to be because she’s signed up to the NJPW academy, so she’s down to Young Lion status I guess. Blue started it off, but Trish took over with some kicks and got a one count. Blue blocked a roll up and got a two count herself. Trish hit a rope hung backbreaker and rolled up Blue and got a two count. Trish hit a bridging vertical suplex and got another two count. Blue hit an inside cradle for a quick two count before Trish took back over.
Trish locked in an upside octopus stretch muffler style hold, and Blue powered out. Blue hit a head scissors, knee and big boot combo for a two count. Blue tried a wheelbarrow (but came in way low) but Trish caught her and suplexed her for a two count. The wrestlers traded forearms and Trish got the better of it and got a two count. Blue came back with some kicks and a code red for a really close two count. The ladies traded some rollups, and then Blue hit the best looking Skyfall I’ve seen her hit yet for the pinfall.
Skye Blue defeated Trish Adora by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This might have been the most competitive we’ve seen Blue be yet. This wasn’t a come behind victory, but one that Blue earned. Both ladies worked hard here.
3. “Dark Order” Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver vs. “The Righteous” Vincent, Dutch, and Stu Grayson. The announcers tried to sell us on this story during entrances, but I’m still not buying. Grayson made his entrance slightly behind The Righteous, walking to the beat of the entrance song, but still wearing Dark Order colors. Uno knocked down Vincent quickly and Vincent tagged in Grayson who didn’t hesitate to hit Uno. Silver got tagged in and Grayson took him back to his corner. Vincent tagged in, but he got taken to the Dark Order corner where Reynolds got tagged in and they hit some double team offense.
Grayson tried to get in on the action, but Reynolds blasted him, and Dutch hit a black hole slam on the outside on Reynolds. Reynolds got trapped in The Righteous corner and Grayson and Vincent hit double team offense on him. Dutch got a two count on Reynolds after a backdrop neckbreaker combo. Reynolds eventually got the tag to Uno who went house of fire on both members of The Righteous, and he got a two count on Vincent after a suplex.
Silver tagged in and he German suplexed Dutch for a two count that Grayson broke up, and the crowd booed hard. Dutch hit a flip dive to the outside on Silver and Reynolds, which left Uno and Grayson alone in the ring together. Grayson begged Uno to hit him and he clotheslined him and pummeled him in the corner with punches. Grayson kept begging Uno to finish him. Vincent broke it up and Grayson hit Nightfall on Uno and tagged in Vincent who made the pinfall.
“The Righteous” Vincent, Dutch, and Stu Grayson defeated “Dark Order” Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver.
After the match, Grayson walked away from Dark Order and followed The Righteous up the ramp.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The story was that Dark Order didn’t want to fight Grayson, and it was paid off fine down the stretch when Uno finally broke it. The story is going places, but it’s been on the announcers to tell it. I would love to hear a Grayson or Uno promo to really sell this one.
Backstage, Dasha asked Samoa Joe and Zack Sabre Jr. how it was working together. Joe said he was the reason they won. Sabre called them “The Island Boys”. They still bickered over who the better TV champion is…
4. Diamante vs. Promise Braxton. Promise didn’t get an entrance. Promise got a quick one count on a school boy early on, but Diamante made her pay for it with a shotgun dropkick in the corner for a one count. Promise hit a Northern Lights with a bridge for a two count. Diamante raked the eyes and took back over with some corner strikes. Promise took back over and hit double knees on a kneeling Diamante for a two count. Diamante locked in a straight jacket style choke and got the tap out.
Diamante defeated Promise Braxton by submission.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Nice win for Diamante, and a nice showing from Promise Braxton. Braxton will be something eventually, she shows promise (pun intended)
5. Brian Cage (w/ Prince Nana) vs Willie Mack. Announcers tried to tell us Mack has a chance because he’s got lots of wins against Cage in other companies. The men went back and forth with knockdown moves before Mack tried to go up top and Cage knocked him down and took over. Cage hit a Saito suplex and got a two count. Cage hit a snap suplex and posed. Mack fought him off and came back with a T-bone suplex. Mack hit a flipping cannonball and the crowd cheered hard.
Mack performed a Samoan drop and kipped up to even more cheers, and then hit a standing moonsault for a two count. The men traded strikes and then traded german suplexes and then a double clothesline for a double down. Mack hit a Stunner and then a frog splash from the top and got a two count because of a bad cover. Cage hit an inverted fallaway suplex and a discus lariat for the three count.
Brian Cage defeated Willie Mack by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A super fun big men who can move match. They hit hard strikes, big slams and had the crowd eating it up.
6. Zack Sabre Jr vs. Rocky Romero for the NJPW World TV Championship. The men traded some chain wrestling early before Rocky slid out of a bow and arrow and got a quick two count. A rope hung drop kick sent Sabre to the outside and Rocky hit two suicide dives, tried for a third and Sabre caught him in a cravat and then twisted Rocky’s head with his feet. Back in the ring Sabre locked Rocky back up in all kinds of holds. Sabre twisted Rocky’s head again with his feet. Sabre kept working a cravat but Rocky twisted out and hit a suplex.
Rocky tried a huracanrana but Sabre rolled through and got him in an ankle lock. Rocky got out with his Rewind kick. Rocky hit a springboard tornado DDT for a two count. The men traded strikes and Rocky hit Shur Noi for a two count. Rocky tried Shur Noi again but Sabre locked in a rear naked choke, then the men traded a bunch of roll up near falls. Rocky tried for his armbar finisher, but Sabre locked in a calf killer and then got Rocky’s head locked up too, and Rocky tapped.
Zack Sabre Jr defeated Rocky Romero by submission to retain the NJPW TV Title.
Robinson’s Ruminations: God, I wish I had more time to watch NJPW in my life. This was a super fun match. It might be because I love a submission style moveset, and Sabre personifies that to a tee.
7. “The Workhorsemen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake vs. Action Andretti and Darius Martin. The announcers wondered if Top Flight is going to become a trio because they both came out to the Top Flight entrance. Martin and Henry traded some chain wrestling mixed with strikes to start before Drake got tagged in and started running through Marin with his strength. Andretti tagged in and he hit a springboard dropkick to send Drake back to tag in Henry. Andretti hit a springboard corkscrew splash for a two count. Martin and Andretti hit some double team offense and got a two count on Henry.
Martin tried to fight off both Workhorsemen but got blasted by Drake coming off the apron and got cut off. Martin got away and tagged in Andretti who went move for move with Henry and then dove on Drake but then the Workhorsemen cut him off and hit a big double team move for a two count that Martin had to break up. Andretti and Martin hit a double team slam for the pinfall.
Action Andretti and Darius Marin defeated “The Workhorsemen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake by pinfall.
The announcers insinuated that Top Flight is going to be a trio again after the match, and that The Embassy is looking for challengers.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Nice hard working win for Andretti and Martin. The Workhorsemen continue to impress me by being exactly what they need to be in any match against any opponents. I look forward to Dante coming back and seeing where Andretti ends up when it’s all said and done.
8. Kip Sabian, The Butcher, and The Blade (w/The Bunny) vs. Shogun, Bryce Saturn, and Jakob Austin Young. Shogun, Saturn and Young did not get entrances. It broke down immediately with the heels destroying the jobbers. Sabian hit a spinning suplex on one, and The Butcher and The Blade hit their finisher on another and got the pinfall.
Kip Sabian, The Butcher, and The Blade defeated Shogun, Bryce Saturn, and Jakob Austin Young by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: That lasted less than a minute. Nothing to say. The squashiest of squashes.
9. Serpentico, Angélico, and Jack Cartwheel vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo, Komander, and Bandido. The heels made their entrances together, the luchadores came out to their own music each. Bandido got the last entrance even though Vikingo is the champion. Komander hit a head scissors on Angelico and then Bandido and Serpentico tagged in. They traded lateral presses and flip outs. Cartwheel and Vikingo tagged in. They traded quick moves until Cartwheel got a two count with a pommel horse splash. It broke down a bit after that.
The luchadores tried to do dives but all three got cut off. Cartwheel hit a round off splash to the outside. Cartwheel hit a round off splash inside, to get a two count on Komander. Komander and Cartwheel traded cartwheels while they were locked up and Komander hit a code red out of it for a two count. SAP tried to double team Bandido but Vinkingo helped him out.
The luchadores tossed them all outside and all hit their suicide dives this time. Cartwheel got hit with a pop up dropkick combo but SAP broke up the pinfall. Bandido press slammed Serpentico onto Luther on the outside and then dove on them. Komander rope walked all the way across the ring and dove on Angelico outside. Vikingo hit an avalanche Poison Rana on Cartwheel and then hit a 630+ for the pinfall.
El Hijo Del Vikingo, Komander, and Bandido defeated Serpentico, Angélico, and Jack Cartwheel.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I tried my best to keep up, but it’s a luchador match. Crazy action. Super fun. Cartwheel is very obviously a gymnast by training and brings a fun different element to the ring that I’m into. Everyone else played their parts exactly as you wanted them to.
10. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Alex Coughlin for the ROH Pure Championship. Shibata caught Coughlin in a cross arm breaker early and Coughlin had to use rope break number one. Shibata locked in a leg triangle and Coughlin had to use rope break number two in less than two minutes. Shibata locked in an arm stretch that Coughlin powered out of, but Shibata tried for the Cobra Twist, but instead locked up Coughlin’s arms, and Coughlin had to use his last rope break by biting the rope. Shibata hit a big drop kick and a suplex for a two count. Shibata locked Coughlin in a reverse death lock and Coughlin tried to sit up, but Shibata blasted him with forearms, and Shibata locked in a double wrist lock the next time he sat up.
Coughlin fought out and did his sitting to standing suplex. Coughlin hit a bridging fall away slam for a two count. Coughlin hit a deadlift gut wrench suplex for two. Coughlin tried for a cross arm breaker, but Shibata rolled through and locked in a triangle choke. Coughlin stood up and broke it with a powerbomb. Coughlin hit a big shoulder tackle and tried for a suplex, but Shibata flipped through and locked in a sleeper and then hit the PK for the three count.
Katsuyori Shibata defeated Alex Coughlin by pinfall to retain the ROH Pure Championship.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Another fun pure rules match. The story was well told of the early rope breaks and then the student coming back in the middle but getting caught in the end. I love pure rules matches, and this was a good one.
11. Athena vs Kiera Hogan for the ROH Women’s World Championship. Athena started it off by blasting Hogan with a forearm and then beat her senseless for a bit. Hogan slipped out of a backdrop attempt and got a two count rollup. Athena hit a nasty arm wrench slam and then tossed Hogan out of the ring and yelled at the ref. Athena rammed Hogan’s shoulder into the barricade and went back in the ring and made Hogan answer the count. Hogan slid in at eight, and rolled up Athena for a one count. Athena taunted Hogan by asking if she thought it was a game.
Athena hit a hammerlock suplex for a two count. Coleman praised Athena’s always different offense. Athena locked in a nasty looking arm submission with her legs behind Hogan’s head. Hogan fought out and was able to a leg drop for a two count. Hogan tried for a crossbody but got caught and Athena hit a tilt a whirl backbreaker and then locked in a Fujiwara arm bar. Hogan fought to a rope break, but Athena stayed on her. Athena lifted Hogan to the top turnbuckle, but Hogan hit a headscissors off the top. Hogan hit a very slow around the world DDT for a two count. Hogan tried for an O’connor roll but Athena sat down on her and grabbed the tights and got a three count.
Athena defeated Kiera Hogan by pinfall to retain the ROH Women’s Championship.
After the match Hogan attacked Athena and threw her into the barricade and stairs. Security grabbed a chair away from Hogan, and Athena dropkicked a security guard. Hogan superkicked another guard. Both guards got hit by moves that the other lady slipped out of. Athena tossed Hogan in the ring, but Hogan hit a drop kick and mounted her. Security came in and separated them, and we had a pull apart brawl. A ref signaled that Hogan may be hurt. Athena’s music played and she rolled out of the ring and blasted some more security guards. Athena hugged her title belt on the ramp while Hogan jawed at her from the ring to close the show.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This was the weakest win we’ve seen Athena have in a long time, and I’m wondering why they wasted it on Kiera Hogan. Hogan is fine enough in the charisma department, but she’s still a little sloppy in the ring at times. She threw some dropkicks that were short, and was a little slow moving though some of her offense. I guess we’ll be seeing this one again down the line, provided that Hogan’s shoulder is ok. That arm work from Athena was pretty nasty looking. That could be a skewed perspective as I suffered a shoulder injury while wrestling in high school, so I always cringe at arm work.
The show overall was pretty good. It had a good pace to it tonight that led up to the main events. We don’t always get that from ROH these days, since they tape in blocks. This one was taped in Vegas in front of the lively AEW Dynamite crowd. I will have more to say in my weekly ROH on HonorClub audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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