By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 37)
Taped November 4, 2023 in Wichita, Kansas at Intrust Bank Arena
Streamed November 9, 2023 on HonorClub
Ian Riccaboni and 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 opened up with a recap of last week’s main event, Athena vs. Mercedes Martinez for the ROH Women’s World Championship…
We went backstage “last week” where Lexi Nair was consoling Billie Starkz telling her it was all going to be ok. Athena came into frame and Billie said she was sorry. Billie said she was trying her best. Athena said she was going to use whatever methods she saw fit to make Billie into the minion she knows she can be. Athena said her suspension has been lifted. Lexi and Billie fist-bumped as Athena left…
The announcers ran down the card and all the matches we can expect tonight…
Tony Nese and Mark Sterling made their way to the ring. Sterling was saying they are celebrating their victories over the “fat slob” Ethan Page. Nese said Page is behind them and after the match there will be Group Training!
1. Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling) vs. Serpentico. Nese pushed Serpentico into the corner and did jumping jacks as a taunt. Nese hit a waistlock slam and flexed his biceps. Nese hit a pair of body slams and threw Serpentico hard into the corner. Nese put Serpentico in the tree of woe and hit his crunch kicks. Serpentico hit a flying head scissors and a jumping flatliner for a two count. Nese rolled through a sunset flip attempt and hit a nasty round kick to the face. Over the house mic Ethan Page could be heard and came out onto the stage in a ridiculous workout outfit and distracted Nese. Serpentico rolled up Nese and got the three count.
Serpentico defeated Tony Nese by pinfall.
Page asked Serpentico if Group Training was canceled, and he said “get it outta here!”…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Continuing the Page feud, with Page being silly to get the best of Nese. Fun stuff.
Backstage Lexi asked Action Andretti and Darius Martin about their new feud with Shane Taylor Promotions. Andretti said that he knows STP always has soldiers and he said they have some soldiers of their own. In came The Infantry and then they all got to rhyming and spitting lines (it was all good stuff)…
2. ROH Women’s World Champion Athena (w/Billie Starkz) vs. Heidi Howitzer in a Proving Ground match. Heidi stuffed an arm drag attempt and then stuffed a shoulder block. Heidi hit a big boot that sent Athena out of the ring to walk it off. Heidi tried a baseball slide that both Athena and Billie dodged. Athena powered Heidi up and slammed her at ringside and then ran her into the stairs. Back in the ring, Athena continued the beatdown with clubbing forearms to the back. Athena hit a Saito suplex and posed to the delight of the crowd. Heidi came back with a clothesline but it didn’t last long as Athena hit a springboard codebreaker and then put Heidi down with her power forearm for the pinfall.
ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defeated Heidi Howitzer in a Proving Ground match by pinfall.
After the match Athena continued the beatdown and made Heidi kiss the belt…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Heidi has a great look, almost a throwback to Luna Vachon, but she was slow and clunky in the ring. Everything seemed like it was a step slower than it should have been.
The announcers ran down a few more matches that we would see tonight. This is a nice touch that I really like.
3. Kyle Fletcher vs. Lee Johnson. As Johnson was making his entrance poses on the ropes, Fletcher pulled him down, but the ref separated them before the bell. As the men felt each other out with lock ups and pushes, Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty were shown backstage watching. Johnson got the best of an exchange and Fletcher went to ringside to walk it off. Johnson hit another arm drag and Fletcher rolled out again. Johnson chased him and avoided the ambush and hit a dropkick that sent Fletcher back out again, calling for a time out.
Johnson gave chase again but Fletcher caught him with an ambush superkick. Fletcher hit a nasty looking back suplex on the ring apron. Johnson tried to fight back and Fletcher hit a scoop slam with all kinds of hate on it. Fletcher hit a big back elbow for a two count. Johnson hit a back elbow after some reversals and they may have hit heads too, because this led to a double down. Johnson made a comeback with a few clotheslines and a neckbreaker. STP was shown backstage loving the comeback.
Johnson hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Johnson hit some corner running chops but Fletcher hit a Michinoku driver for a very close two count. The men traded superkicks and Fletcher went to the top, but Johnson cut him off. Johnson hit a huge superplex and went to the top again. Johnson hit a frog splash for a two count that the crowd was surprised by. Fletcher hit a dropkick that was very stiff looking. Fletcher hit his hammerlock tombstone and got the three count.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Lee Johnson by pinfall.
After the match STP was disappointed but said that Johnson just needs to come over here…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fletcher is embracing being a heel finally. Douchey haircut, plenty of stalling, slow methodical pace. I really like this newer attitude.
We had a quick video reminding us about Final Battle…
4. Charlette Renegade (w/ Robyn Renegade ) vs. Leyla Hirsch. Hirsch came right in with forearms and a double leg that let her walk over Charlette. Charlette came back with some mounted punches. While the ref was distracted Robyn hit Hirsch with a forearm. Charlette locked in her nasal fish hook hold and slammed her face in the mat and got a one count. Charlette hit a big boot and a bridging vertical suplex for a two count. Hirsch hit a German suplex and a pendulum dropkick for a two count. Hirsch hit a Saito suplex. Robyn got on the apron for a distraction and Charlette tried to go for a chair. Rachel Ellering came out and pulled down Robyn. Hirsch locked Charlette in a cross arm breaker and got the tap out.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Charlette Renegade by submission.
After the match, Ellering looked on as Hirsch walked away annoyed…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Ellering or Maria is the new story here. I’d love to see a Ellering and Hirsch tag team, they seem like they’d be a fun power team.
Backstage Athena was asking Lexi about her recent buddy buddy actions with Willow. Athena said Lexi is no longer Bestie. Athena said sorry isn’t just a quick fix and Billie needs to bring the violence tonight.
5. “Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder (w/Jacked Jameson) vs. Griff Garrison and Cole Karter (w/Maria Kanellis-Bennett). Bronson stuffed some shoulder blocks from Garrison and as Bronson asked for a third, Garrison just kicked him in the face. Bronson came back with a powerslam and a senton for a two count. Karter came in and got his face rubbed in the chest hair of Boulder. Boulder hit a scoop slam but missed the elbow drop. Karter hit a sliding clothesline and tried some covers, but Boulder just pressed him. Garrison came in and they both ate a double flapjack. The baby boys fled to ringside but Bronson hit a suicide dive on them.
Maria distracted Bronson by undoing her dress (she had a one piece swimsuit under it) and he ate a backdrop on the ramp from Karter. Back in the ring, Garrison got a two count on Bronson. Garrison and Karter did quick tags and hit the beat down in their corner. Karter hit a snap suplex on Bronson for a two count. Baby Boys hit some tandem offense and Garrison got a two count on Bronson. Garrison locked in an abdominal stretch and used Karter for extra leverage. Ref caught them and Bronson powered out, but it was short lived. Karter came in and stomped on Bronson and blew kisses to Maria and the other corner.
Boulder tagged in and hit scoop slams on the Baby Boys. Boulder tried to avalanche both of them but Garrison slid out. Boulder picked up and slammed both men and blew a kiss to Maria, then he covered and only got a two count. Boulder hit a springboard moonsault, but no one was home. Karter hit a 450 off the top and he and Garrison both tried to cover Boulder but Bronson broke it up. Bronson got dumped outside and Baby Boys pie faced Boulder until he got mad. Boulder hit a double cross body block on them. Savages hit their transformer splash and got the three count.
The Iron Savages defeated Griff Garrison and Cole Karter by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This was a long one, but the Savages did a good job of keeping up. The Baby Boys really kept the action going and made the big men look good. Garrison is now fully a heel and it was a fine little story to get him there.
A recap aired from Dynamite of Samoa Joe defeating Keith Lee, which was followed by Joe relinquishing the ROH TV Championship…
The announcers told viewers about more matches that would air on this episode…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Maybe it’s getting a bit tired at this point. Maybe we just have too many matches on every one of these shows.
7. Rachel Ellering vs. Billie Starkz (w/ Athena). The women jockeyed for position until Ellering locked in a wrist lock that Billie took a while to get out of. Then the women traded roll up attempts until Strakz hit a big kick to the face on a kick out. Billie celebrated as a pissed off Ellering stood up behind her. Ellering hit a slam and a senton for a two count. Ellering hit a gut wrench slam while Athena yelled at Billie to get up. Elling worked Billie over in the corner and then hit a running elbow and a cradle drive for a two count. Billie countered out of the bosswoman slam and fired back with forearms.
Ellering caught her with a bad looking clothesline and then a big forearm. Bille tried to come back with a kick but got put down with a clothesline for a double down. Starkz hit a series of big german suplexes and bridged on the third for a two count. Strakz went to the top but Ellering cut her off and hit a TKO for a two count. Ellering came up holding her neck and shoulder. Billie sent Ellering outside and dove after her. Billie threw Ellering into the barricade and slammed her on the apron. Billie went up top and hit a nasty looking swanton bomb and got the three count.
Billie Starkz defeated Rachel Ellering by pinfall.
After the match Athena told Billie that the beat down needed to continue. As it did, Leyla Hirsch came down and made the save.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Not Billie’s finest outing. There were some sloppy moments in this one. Not sure if it was all on Billie or just some miscommunication or what. Billie is now fully heel it seems, and maybe we’re getting another tag match coming up, which is what I was hoping for earlier.
We got an ad about Full Gear.
8. Josh Woods (w/Mark Sterling) vs. SK Bishop. No entrance for Bishop. Woods tried a stalling suplex but Bishop kneed him in the head. That just made Woods mad and he slammed him hard. Bishop hit a quick drop kick and went to the top. Bishop came off with something and ate a nasty looking knee to the face on the way down. Woods hit Chaos Theory for the pinfall.
Josh Woods defeated SK Bishop by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match.
9. Action Andretti, Darius Martin, and “The Infantry” Sean Dean and Carlie Bravo vs. Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, and “The Wingmen” Peter Avalon and Ryan Nemeth. The heels jumped the faces before the handshake, but the faces dumped them all to ringside. The faces all dove on the heels but Taylor caught Martin and drove him into the barricade. Back in the ring The Infantry hit some tandem offense on Moriarty and got a two count. Taylor got tagged in and tried to throw hands with Taylor but got slammed after just a few.
Taylor Stomped Bravo into the turnbuckle and got a two count. Moraitarty tagged in and locked him in a neck hold that allowed him to suplex Bravo. Avalon tagged in and got a one count. Nemeth tagged in and hit some falling punches. Nemeth hit a dropkick and got a two count. Avalon tagged in and tried to send the faces to the floor. Bravo got the tag to Andretti who went house of fire with elbows on the Wingmen. Andretti hit a handspring double back elbow on the wingmen. Andretti ducked an Avalon punch that hit Taylor and then Moriarty and Taylor laid out Avalon and left. Martin hit his slingshot faceplant and then The Infantry hit Boot Camp on Avalon for the pinfall.
The Infantry, Action Andretti, and Darius Marin defeated Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, and The Wingmen by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The crowd was into the fun crazy action before the walk away and then it was crickets for the finish. It was fine action while it lasted. I saw a finish like this coming, but didn’t expect it to fall so flat.
Backstage Lexi asked Rachel Ellering about what happened at the end of her match. Ellering said she might be getting through to Hirsch. Hirsch said don’t get confused, I don’t like owing debts, we’re done. Maria came in and said that Ellering and Hirsch should team up and then she’ll decide if she’s ready to help Hirsch…
10. Gravity vs. Dralistico (w/Jose). Dralistico put a middle finger in the face of Gravity instead of a handshake. The men traded splashes and arm drags until a standstill where Gravity did his slow motion walk. Dralistico hit a flying head scissors that sent Gravity out of the ring and then hit a flip dive on him on the outside. Dralistico ran Gravity into the stairs and the barricade. Back in the ring, Dralistico hit a running basement dropkick to the face. Dralistico hit a running superkick to the face and did the Tranquilo pose in the corner.
Gravity fought it off with open hand slaps and a dropkick that sent Dralistico outside. Gravity hit a springboard spaceman splash on the outside. Back in the ring, Gravity hit some corner clotheslines. Gravity hit a stalling handstand splash and got a two count. Dralistico hit a dropkick to the knees and then a powerbomb for a two count. The men traded chops in the middle but Dralistico no-sold them.
Dralistico hit a German suplex, but Gravity came back with a snap powerslam for a double down. Dralistico tried a springboard move, but Gravity kicked his foot out and hung him up in the ropes and hit a spaceman splash for a two count. Dralistico put Gravity on the ropes and hit a springboard huracanrana for a two count. The men traded forearms in the middle but Dralistico hit a springboard destroyer for the pinfall.
Dralistico defeated Gravity by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: That was a slower lucha match than we’re used to on ROH but it wasn’t a bad one. This was Gravity in his element working another luchador so he looked just fine. Dralistico rides the line of awesome lucha moves but not too flashy to be cheered all the time.
11. Eddie Kingston vs. Angelico for the ROH Championship. The men traded arm work before Angelico hit an arm drag. Kingston came right back with a chop and Angelico asked for more. Angelico caught the arm and transitioned into a cravat and snap mare. Angelico locked in a bridge choke move that was super cool but Kingston slid right out. Kingston came back with chops and corner chops. Kingston hit a boot wash in the corner with the crowd chanted hard for “Eddie”.
Eddie covered Angelico for a one count after a bit of stalling. Angelico locked in a front face lock, hammerlock and body scissors, but Eddie rolled them to the ropes. Eddie caught Angelico with a knee lift. Eddie worked over Angelico in the corner with punches and chops. Eddie laid Angelico out in the middle with more chops. Eddie tried a half and half suplex but Angelico slid out and hit a kick that sent Eddie to ringside. Angelico hit a flip dive on the outside. Angelico hit a running clothesline off the apron.
Back in the ring, Angelico hit a top rope cross body for a two count. Angelico hit a jack knife cover for a two count. Angelico hit another lucha roll up for a two count. Angelico hit a cradle roll up for a two count. Eddie popped up and hit his back fist for a two count! Angelico hit a pop up enzuigiri and got a two count. Eddie hit the back fist again and a scoop slam driver for the three count.
Eddie Kingston defeated Angelico by pinfall to retain the ROH Championship.
After the match, there were some mutual shows of respect…
Robinson’s Ruminations: This one was a bit of a style mismatch. Eddie seemed to get winded while trying to keep up with the lucha offense, and Angelico wasn’t used to selling for that strong style offense. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. It was a fine television title match I guess.
Backstage, Dalton Castle asked if it looked easy. He said he cares about the viewer and wants to give them everything he has. Castle said that Kingston is muddying the ROH airwaves. Castle said that Kingston is throwing away an opportunity. Castle said he hasn’t slept in weeks because Kinston is too ordinary. Castle said he put his face through a window and he’s going to put his face through Kingston’s abdomen. He vowed to become ROH World Champion…
Robinson’s Ruminations: That was an interesting way to end the show, and it was a weird deranged promo from Castle. Overall the show was pretty good, and lots of our dangling stories kept moving forward. There wasn’t any match that really stood out as must see, but I think that’s a fine thing for an ROH TV show.
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