By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 36)
Taped October 21, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee at FedExForum
Streamed October 26, 2023 on HonorClub
Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman were on commentary, and Bobby Cruise was the ring announcer…
*Unless otherwise noted, all matches started and ended with the Code of Honor handshake.
The show started with a video package on the ROH World Title match between Angelico and Eddie Kingston where Angelico got a little worked up and had to refocus himself to remain cool when talking about how Kingston held a hold on too long against Serpentico…
1. Angelico (w/Serpentico) vs. Metalik. Things started off with some arm work but it picked up when Metalik hit a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Metalik hit a rope walking crossbody and then he tried a springboard move but got caught by a dropkick from Angelico. Angelico stomped on the arm of Metalik while it was in a hammerlock. Angelico hit a back suplex for a two count.
Angelico locked in a leg grapevine hold similar to a banana split that forced a rope break from Metalik. Metalik came back with a slingblade bulldog and a shotgun dropkick that sent Angelico outside. Metalik hit a rope walking dive to the outside and hit Angelico. Metalik hit a springboard splash and got a two count. Then men traded corner clotheslines and Angelico hit a rewind kick. Angelico locked in his Indian deathlock hold and got the tap out.
Angelico defeated Metalik by submission.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A win for Angelico to set him up for his title match. Metalik looked a little off tonight, just not as smooth on those ropes as usual.
Backstage Lexi asked Kyle Fletcher about his recent high profile losses. He said that he’s young and that those men barely beat him. He said next time will be a different story…
2. “The Infantry” Sean Dean and Carlie Bravo (w/Trish Adora) vs. Terrence Hughes and Terrell Hughes. No entrance for the Hughes brothers. No code of honor from the Hughes brothers either as they jumped The Infantry when they went for a handshake. One of them hit a huge belly to belly on Bravo but it didn’t last long as Dean got tagged in and hit a huge crossbody off the top. The Infantry hit Boot Camp for the three count.
“The Infantry” Sean Dean and Carlie Bravo defeated Terrence Hughes and Terrell Hughes by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match.
Backstage, Lexi asked Maria asked about her tag team winning last week. Maria said that they are starting to gel and she’s pretty proud of her baby boys. Leyla Hirsch waked in and asked Maria if she was happy that she lost to Athena. Maria said no. Leyla said that she’s had to struggle to get where she is, and then said that she’s willing to open up and let Maria help. Maria said everyone has struggles, and that if Leyla wants her help, she needs to earn it…
3. Anthony Henry vs. Dalton Castle (w/generic boys). Henry pie-faced Castle instead of a handshake and then retreated into the ropes. The men jockeyed around for a bit before they traded ducked punches. Henry hit a back elbow and Castle retreated to ringside. Castle came back in and snagged a single ankle pick and a take down. Henry got to the ropes, stood up and hit another back elbow that just made Castle mad.
Castle hit a couple of waistlock slams and a splash before Henry rolled to ringside. Castle ran Henry back first into the stairs and then hit a DDT on the floor. Castle got in the camera and said that the Dalton Castle show is the greatest show on earth. Castle rolled Henry into the ring and went to the top, but Henry rolled back outside. Henry hit a big leg lariat against the barricade that sent Castle into the crowd. Henry ran Castle’s head into the ring post. Henry worked over Castle in the ring with strikes and posed. The men traded chops and forearms.
Castle came back with a clothesline, knee strike and a bulldog. Castle’s nose was bleeding. Henry tried a tip-up, and had to fight off a Bangarang attempt and hit a piledriver for a two count. Castle hit some t-bone suplexes and then a deadlift german suplex over the ropes. Castle hit the Bangarang for the three count.
Dalton Castle defeated Anthony Henry by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: If I thought there was going to be anything different about Castle, I’m leaving disappointed. If there was anything different it was that he seemed to have a bit more aggression and edge but not a ton. Same old Castle, not that that’s a bad thing.
Backstage, Lexi asked Mark Sterling, Tony Nese, and Josh Woods about their recent successes. Sterling touted their successes, but then Ethan Page came into frame saying that he’s been trying to call them. Sterling said that he’s the back of the line. Page said there is no line. Nese said he beat Page and it’s over. Page asked if he did it fair and square. Woods got involved and Sterling said that next week it’ll be Page and Woods in a match.
4. Diamante and Mercedes Martinez vs. ROH Women’s World Champion Athena and Billie Starkz in a tornado tag match. It started fast and furious with punches and spilled outside fast. Athena suplexed Diamante over the time keeper’s area. Billie ran Martinez into the barricade. Back in the ring Athena tried to fight off both opponents but got hit with a suplex from Martinez that got a two count. Athena got dumped out and Billie came in and hit a cross body block on both opponents.
Martinez hit a couple of big boots and then ate a drop kick from Athena. Athena hit a tilt-a-whirl flatliner on Martinez. Diamante hit cross roads on Athena and the cover was broken up by Billie who hit a back suplex. Martinez hit a wheelbarrow driver that Billie had to break up the cover on. Martinez and Diamante worked over Billie in the corner while Athena pulled herself back to her feet. Billie and Athena hit a rolling spear on Martinez. Athena hit a German on Diamante. Athena and Billie hit a double suplex on Martinez.
Billie threw a big roundhouse kick at Martinez. Athena hit an electric chair slam on Diamante for a two count. Athena and Billie hit splashes in the corners and dumped Martinez to ringside. Athena hit a scoop slam and standing moonsault and then threw Billie off the top rope onto Diamante and went for the cover but Martinez broke it up. Martinez got dumped to the outside again. Athena and Billie tried for a double superplex but it got broken up and they hit a doomsday device blockbuster combo and got the three count on Billie.
Mercedes Martinez and Diamante defeated Athena and Billie Starkz.
After the match, Martinez held the title in Athena’s face and then tossed it back to her…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Very fun. Lots of crazy action that didn’t slow down at all. The right team won, if for nothing else just to further the story.
5. Kyle Fletcher vs. Willie Mack. Fletcher tried to shoulder block Mack but it didn’t work. He called for one more and then sucker punched Mack. Mack responded with a shoulder block of his own and then some arm drags. Mack hit a running flying head scissors and a shining wizard for a one count. Fletcher hit a big boot that sent Mack to the outside. Back in the ring Fletcher stomped on Mack. Mack blocked a suplex attempt and then hit a huge shoulder block for a double down. Mack hit a series of flying kicks and then a scoop slam and a standing moonsault for a two count. Fletcher hit a superkick and then a diving cutter from the middle rope for a two count. Fletcher hit a tombstone on Mack and got the three count.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Willie Mack by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine win for Fletcher that he needed to regain some momentum after his recent losses. He certainly looked to be Mack’s equal or better in the ring which was nice to see.
Backstage, Lexi was trying to console Billie while waiting for Athena. Athena came in and yelled at Billie. She said she sucks. Athena said she has to defend her title against Martinez and that it’s all Billie’s fault. Athena left and Lexi hugged a crying Billie.
7. Slim J vs. Gringo Loco vs. Blake Christian vs. Gravity in a Four Corner Survival match. Slim J slid outside as soon as the bell ran and drug Gravity outside with him. Christian and Loco traded roll up nearfalls. Slim J drug Loco out of the ring and ran him into the ring post. Christian hit a missile suicide dive that took Slim J out. Gravity hit a flying head scissors on Christian on the floor. Back in the ring, Gravity hit a back handspring arm drag and then an around the world head scissors. Loco hit a pop up face plant for a one count that was broken up by Slim J.
Slim J hit a rope flipping neck breaker on Loco. Christian hit an inside senton and then a top rope double stomp for a two count on Slim J. Gravity hit a rope flipping arm drag on Slim J and then hit a huge flip dive on to Slim J outside too. Loco hit a moonsault off the middle rope to the outside on Gravity and J. Christian hit a springboard 630 cannonball on the other three on the outside. Slim J hit a step up springboard spin kick on Christian back in the ring. J went up top and Loco blocked him and hit a giant slam off the top. Christian broke up that nearfall with a springboard 450, Gravity broke that cover up with his Gravity Falls finisher and got the three count on Slim J.
Gravity beat Slim J, Gringo Loco, and Blake Christian in a Four Corner Survival match.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Crazy lucha match of the week. Gravity is really coming along. Slim J is always good to be put in there to keep up and eat a loss.
8. Leyla Hirsch vs. Nyxx. No entrance for Nyxx. Hirsch used the handshake to hit a Saito suplex. Hirsch stomped all over Nyxx and then flipped off the crowd. Hirsch mounted Nyxx with forearms on the ground. Hirsch hit a german suplex and a big lariat. Hirsch locked in the cross arm breaker for the tap out.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Nyxx by submission.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match. It seems like this story is going back to square one, but in a good way.
9. Lee Moriarty (w/Shane Taylor) vs. Darius Martin. Moriarty tried a springboard move and ate an atomic drop for his trouble that sent him outside. Martin hit a small dive on him. Back in the ring there were some reversals and Moriarty got a kick on Martin’s arm that stopped his momentum. Martin came back with a sliding hotshot. Moriarty came back with a basement dropkick. Martin blocked a submission attempt and got a one count. The ref got pushed out of the way and Taylor at ringside knocked Martin out as he went through the ropes. Moriarty locked in his Border City Stretch for the ref stoppage.
Lee Moriarty defeated Darius Martin by submission.
After the match, the hold continued and Taylor talked trash until Action Andretti ran down with a chair for the save…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Nice quick match with a bad finish to set up a tag match down the line.
10. Robyn Renegade (w/ Charlette Renegade) vs. Rachael Ellering. The ladies traded chops before Ellering hit an arm ringer and a running senton. They fought on the apron a bit until Robyn hit a faceplant on the apron for a one count. Robyn choked Ellering on the ropes for a bit before locking in some fish hooks and then licking her fingers. Ellering came back with a rollup for a two count. Robyn came back with a forearm. Ellering hit a rolling elbow and a slingblade. Ellering hit her FD Collapse for a two count. Robyn hit a snapmare driver and then went up top and missed a moonsault. Ellering hit a bossman slam for the three count.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A win for Ellering. Nice. I guess the Renegades are back to being jobbers.
11. Griff Garrison and Cole Karter (w/Maria Kanellis-Bennett) vs. “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder (w/Jacked Jameson) vs. “Gates of Agony” Toa Liona and Bishop Khan (w/ Price Nana) in a three-way tag match. The Savages were looking for the Code of Honor with Gates who wanted nothing of it and they got jumped by Garrison and Karter. They hit some tandem offense on Bronson including a Karter dropkick and got a one count. Bronson hit a middle rope crossbody and tagged out to Boulder.
Boulder hit a double flapjack on Garrison and Karter and then a front powerslam on Khan. Savages went for their electric chair splash but Khan rolled out of the way. Linoa ran Boulder into the barricade outside. Karter and Garrison hit a double team move on Khan but Liona came in and made the save. Gates hit Open the Gates on Karter for the pinfall.
Gates of Agony defeated Griff Garrison and Cole Karter and The Iron Savages by pinfall in a three-way tag match.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quick match that didn’t outstay its welcome and the right team won, but I don’t think the right team lost. The Savages could have easily eaten this loss, and it didn’t have to involve Karter or Garrison. Maybe this will be one step forward, two steps back for the Baby Boys like it is for Leyla Hirsch.
This week’s show went by fast and they packed a lot in there. Nothing overstayed it’s welcome and there were quite a few good action packed matches. We got a little bit of solid storytelling with Maria and Athena who continue to be bright spots.
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