By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 43)
Taped December 16, 2023 in Garland, Texas at Curtis Culwell Center
Streamed December 21, 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 started with shots of the crowd and a rundown of some of the matches…
Backstage, ROH Women’s Champion Athena cut a promo about her win while Lexi Nair did the hype man routine. Athena questioned Lexi for being slow to bring her title, gave her a hard time, and then said it was all good because she was going to get to beat up another “porcelain hussy” tonight…
The announcers ran down some of the matches for tonight including our main event and opening match…
1. “The Workhorsemen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake vs. Marshall Von Erich and Ross Von Erich (w/Kevin Von Erich). Before The Von Erichs made their entrance, Drake cut a heel promo on Texas and Texas wrestling, and alluded to the Von Erichs being trash. Drake tossed Ross around out of the lockup to start the match and posed. The men traded headlocks before Drake planted Ross with a shoulder block. Drake blocked a hip toss and hit one of his own, but walked into a pair of dropkicks and tagged out. Henry walked right into an arm drag. Marshall came in and hit a huge dropkick. Marshall put down Henry with some rolling forearms and then The Von Erichs hit a tandem dropkick.
Ross got caught and tossed out of the ring and Drake took a cheap shot with a big right hand. The Workhorsemen hit some quick tags and Drake mocked The Claw to boos. Drake went to the middle turnbuckle and tried a diving headbutt, but Ross rolled out of the way. Marshall go the hot tag and came in with punches and a pair big clothesline in the corner on Henry. Henry hit an enzuigiri but Marshall hit a big spinebuster for a two count.
Drake tagged in and performed a huge belly to belly suplex, only to then miss a Vader Bomb splash. Marshall locked in The Iron Claw, but Henry tagged in and Workhorsemen hit 9 to 5 for a two count that was broken up by Ross. The Workhorsemen hit some running knees and a cannonball in the corner. Drake went up top and missed a moonsault, and Marshall went up and hit one of his own for the pinfall.
Ross Von Erich and Marshall Von Erich defeated “The Workhorsmen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake by pinfall.
After the match, Henry came back in to try a beatdown, but Kevin locked The Iron Claw on him. The boys hit a double dropkick to send Henry running…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A pretty formula tag match. The Workhorsemen did a lot of the heavy lifting, but the Von Erichs looked good. They also look like stars from a look perspective.
A video recapped Survival of the Fittest, and Kyle Fletcher’s ROH TV Title win. from Final Battle.
2. ROH Women’s Champion Athena (w/ Billie Starkz) vs. Maya World in a Proving Ground match. Athena put World down with a shoulder block but she kipped right up. Athena hit an arm drag and kipped up too. World hit a back elbow and then an arm drag. Athena caught a kick and powerbombed World. Athena kicked World hard in the ribs while she was down. Athena did her back clubs and a knee lift to the head. Athena hit a back elbow and forearm in the corner.
Athena hit a big boot and got a two count. Athena missed a senton splash attempt and World hit a trap bridge pin for a two count. World hit a sling blade for a double down. World hit an ugly flying head scissors but then she hit a cartwheel forearm in the corner. World hit a snap falcon arrow and got a two count. World went to the top and missed a split legged moonsault when Athena rolled out of the way. Athena went to the top, but World cut her off. Athena fought World off and hit a front suplex and then the O-Face for the pinfall.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena defeated Maya World by pinfall.
After the match, Athena pulled World up to her feet and raised her hand, but then laid her out with a forearm and celebrated…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Another Athena match, another Athena win.
We cut to a different shot where Tony Khan introduced a new title – the ROH Women’s TV Championship. There was no explanation for how the first champion would be determined. Right before the next match, Riccaboni told us more details to come later…
3. Lee Johnson vs. Dante Martin. Johnson put Martin down with a waistlock slam. The men traded arm holds before they traded shoulder blocks. Johnson hit a series of arm drags and held onto the arm. Martin came back with an arm drag and hold of his own. Martin got a roll up for a two count and hit a snap superkick for another two count. Martin hit a snap suplex and floated over for another two count. Martin worked a hammer lock until Johnson powered up and hit his big dropkick. Johnson worked over Martin in the corners with chops.
Johnson hit a big suplex for a two count. Johnson locked in a chinlock until Martin broke out with a headbutt but Johnson hit a pair of clotheslines. Both men tried clotheslines and big boots at the same time for a double down. Both men made it up at 8 and Martin hit a springboard cross body that sent Johnson out to ringside. Martin hit a suicide dive and tossed Johnson in the ring. Johnson fired back with a flip dive of his own.
Back in the ring, Martin tried a springboard move and got caught with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Martin came back with a popup knee lift that got him a two count. Martin went to the top and tried a double stomp that Johnson rolled out of the way of. Johnson came right back with a flurry of offense that got him a two count. Johnson got a rollup for a two count. Martin hit a half nelson faceplant move that got him the pinfall
Dante Martin defeated Lee Johnson by pinfall.
After the match, Martin raised Johnson’s hand and they hugged…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A competitive match that served as a reintroduction for Martin.
Backstage after Final Battle, Scorpio Sky was with Ethan Page, who cut a promo regarding his win in the “I Quit” match over Tony Nese. Page said he had said he was faking it until he made it. Now he means it, he knows he’s great. Page said from now on, he’s got back up. Sky said that he’s here to back up Page so he can fulfill Page’s promise to his daughter to bring home gold. Page said good luck to anyone trying to stop them…
4. Willie Mack and Blake Christian vs. “Gates of Agony” Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona (w/ Prince Nana). Kaun tossed Christian with a waist lock and paintbrush him with his foot. Kaun waist lock tossed Christian again and posed. After some leapfrogs from both men, Christian dropped Kaun with a dropkick. Kaun got dumped to ringside and was about to dive on him before Toa got in the way. Christian tried to baseball slide through but Kaun caught him and threw him into the barricade. Toa tagged in and threw him into the other side’s barricade.
Back in the ring Gates worked over Christian in the corner and Mack only made things worse by distracting the ref. Christian fought out with a hotshot and got to the hot tag. Mack came in and body slammed Kaun all over the ring and then hit a standing moonsault for a two count. Mack hit some corner strikes including a running boot. As Mack set up for another strike, Kaun hit a huge shotgun dropkick that sent both men to the mat. Double tag, and Christian hit a springboard dropkick and put Toa on the apron and Kaun out on the outside.
Christian again tried to dive, but Toa got in his way again. Christian rethought and hit a dive through the bottom and apron on Kaun and then a fosberry flop on him too. Toa got ahold of Christian and hit him with a powerslam. The Gates went for Open the Gates but Mack broke it up. Toa then pounced Mack nearly out of the ring. Christian tried to fight them both of with chops and kicks. Christian went for a springboard dropkick but Kaun hit him out of the air with a dropkick. Gates hit “Fall from Heaven” the new name for the former Open the Gates move.
“Gates of Agony” Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Willie Mack and Blake Christian by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quality match for Gates to show off their explosive move set. Christian got to look good in defeat here too.
Backstage after Final Battle, Tony Nese and Mark Sterling were receiving medical attention when the camera caught up with them. Nese complained about all the abuse he took in the match. Sterling complained about the deck being stacked against them in the “I Quit” match and said he was going to start stacking the deck in their favor. Sterling said he has a plan…
5. Lance Archer and “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch vs. Jacked Jameson and “Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder. Jameson started the match by drinking some sauce the announcers said smelled like gasoline. Jameson hit Vincent with a crossbody and Bronson hit a senton for a two count. Bronson teased “Titty City” and Vincent fled out of the ring. As the ref was distracted with Savages, Dutch and Archer beat up Bronson. Vincent choked Bronson on the ring ropes.
The Righteous slammed Bronson in the corner and Dutch clotheslined Bronson. Archer tagged in and Bronson tried to fight back but he only got a crossways shoulder tackle for his trouble. The heels worked over Bronson in the corner. Vincent tried to knock down Boulder but it didn’t end well and Bronson got the tag to Boulder. Boulder hit a hip toss and teased “Titty City” again. Dutch cut him off, but Boulder fought him off. Dutch hit a bossman slam and Archer hit a huge high knee on Bronson who was on the turnbuckle and then gave him a big slam. It all broke down and bodies were everywhere until Righteous hit Autumn Sunshine on Jameson out of nowhere.
Lance Archer and The Righteous defeated Jacked Jameson and The Iron Savages by pinfall.
After the match, Vincent was heard shouting about the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Titles into the camera…
Robinson’s Ruminations: The heels went over as expected. The match was fine. I guess the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles would be fine for these three if they want to move Gates and Cage up to AEW.
6. Taya Valkyrie (w/Johnny TV) vs. Vertvixen. No televised entrance for Vertvixen. Vertvixen dodged a quick big boot attempt and took it to Valkyrie with punches. Valkyrie hit a shoulder block and posed, but got hit by a dropkick that sent her to the outside. Vertvixen followed and slammed Valkyrie’s head on the apron. Johnny distracted Vertvixen and Valkyrie slid out and hit an electric chair slam on the apron. Back in the ring Valkyrie only got a one count. Valkyrie chopped Vertvixen in the corner and choked her. Valkyrie hit meteora knees in the corner and got a two count.
Valkyrie stalled and taunted the fans, but Vertvixen made a comeback with some gut punches. Valkyrie slid out on the apron and slid back in and got a two count on a rollup. Valkyrie locked in an STF style hold but Vertvixen got the ropes to break it. Vertvixen fought back with a back elbow and some kicks. Vertvixen hit a springboard kick and got a two count. Vertvixen tried a suplex but got blocked and Valkyrie hit a front backpack style move and then hit her curb stomp and got the three count.
Taya Valkyrie defeated Vertvixen by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A slow match. It seemed as though that’s the way it was intended in an attempt to be to give Valkyrie heat, but it just fell on a bored crowd.
Backstage, Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty were disappointed about how Final Battle went down for them. Moriarty got fired up and said he’ll keep fighting. Taylor said everyone is on notice…
7. Charlette Renegade (w/ Robyn Renegade) vs. Rachael Ellering (w/ Layla Hirsch, Maria Kanellis-Bennett). Ellering started off with a quick pin for a one count and then worked an arm and got another quick roll up for one. Ellering grabbed a leg hold but Renegade fought out quickly. Ellering tripped Renegade on a dropdown and hit a basement face kick. Renegade rolled out of the ring and she and Robyn taunted a fan at ringside. Ellering came in and threw Renegade back in the ring. Ellering followed into the ring and walked into a double leg and some mounted punches.
Renegade threw some chops in the corner and then hit a bridging fisherman’s suplex for a two count. Renegade locked in her nasal fishhook hold and then rolled into a Muta Lock. Ellering stood up out of it and fought back with some forearms. Ellering hit a pair of spinning elbows and a sling blade. Ellering hit a senton and then her “MD Collapse” fisherman’s buster for a two count. Renegade came back with a nice spinebuster and got a two count. Robyn got on the apron but Hirsch pulled her right off. Maria grabbed Ellering’s foot but Hirsch caught her and questioned what was going on. Ellering then hit her Bosswoman Slam for the pinfall.
Rachael Ellering beat Charlette Renegade by pinfall.
After the match, Ellering, Hirsch, and Maria argued about the leg grab as they walked up the ramp…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Well, we certainly have some movement in the story now. That leg grab wasn’t “accidental” this time. Time to move this one forward. The Renegades are always great as decent heels who are going to lose, yet make their babyface opponents work for it. They’ve come a long way in ring and in their character work. They’re really owning the heel stuff.
Backstage, Lexi asked Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie about his distraction of Dalton Castle at Final Battle. TV said Castle was just a pigeon. He added that Lexi might want to get an umbrella because Castle is full of crap…
A replay was shown of said distraction at Final Battle…
Lexi asked a disheveled Castle about his rough couple of days. Castle said he hasn’t slept since because he was disappointed for ROH TV viewers. Castle said that the title was going to give him the respect he deserves. He talked about action figures and said TV ruined all his plans. Castle blew his nose and then got angry and said TV and Valkyrie were going to pay and he was going to ruin them…
8. “The Outrunners Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd vs. “The Infantry” Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo vs. Action Andretti and Daruis Martin in a three-way tag team match. At the start Magnum posed to the annoyance of everyone else in the match. Bravo hit an arm drag on Magnum. Andretti tagged Magnum out and then Floyd tagged Bravo out. Andretti and Floyd went back and forth for a bit before Andretti pulled Floyd into his corner and he and Martin double teamed Floyd. The Infantry double teamed Magnum for a bit ending with a wishbone. The faces tripped Floyd into Magnum’s lap. A back suplex got Martin a two count on Floyd. Floyd grabbed the hair to regain the advantage, but it didn’t last long as he tried to tag out to a missing Magnum.
Dean tagged in and worked over Floyd with a body slam and a big elbow drop. Dean went to the top and missed a splash as Magnum pulled Floyd out of the way. Magnum tagged in and was still holding his crotch. Outrunners hit a double bodyslam and Floyd got a two count on Dean. Magnum put Dean on the top turnbuckle and tried to back suplex him off but Dean fought off and hung Magnum on the top rope crotch first. Floyd and Bravo tagged in and Bravo hit a few running elbows and hit his wrong way punch. Bravo hit a scissor kick and got a broken up two count.
Andretti tagged in and hit a spanish fly on Bravo. Floyd came in and back suplexed Andretti but Dean came off the top with a splash and got a two count on Dean because he was the legal man now. Infantry tied for Boot Camp but Magnum broke it up. Floyd hit a sidewalk slam on Dean. Martin tagged in and hit a slingshot faceplant on Dean. Outrunners tried some double team on Martin, but he scooted out and Floyd kicked Magnum in the junk. Andretti and Marin hit tandem moves and then Martin hit a running shooting star on Floyd for the three count.
Action Andretti and Darius Martin defeated The Outrunners and The Infantry by pinfall in a three-way tag team match.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The story of this match was Magnum getting hit in the junk over and over again. Take that for what you will.
Backstage, Lexi asked Maria about what the ROH Women’s TV Title means for the division. Maria said this was the opportunity the division needs. Hirsch and Ellering came into frame and complained about the foot grab. Ellering said the ROH Women’s TV Title is a reason to celebrate so they should look past the foot grab. Hirsch said they don’t need Maria’s help anymore. Maria told her to be careful what she wished for and that her spotlight will shine brighter and walked off. Hirsch and Ellering said they wanted the other to get the ROH Women’s TV Title and then fist bumped.
9. Cole Karter and Griff Garrison and “SAP” Angelico and Serpentico (w/ Maria) vs. Gravity, Dalton Castle, and “The Boys” Brandon Tate and Brent Tate in an eight-man tag match. Karter and Garrison came out to SAP’s music, so I guess they’re getting new music soon. Castle made his entrance completely disheveled and holding a coffee and went through the motions of his entrance like a zombie. Castle couldn’t “get it up” meaning his peacock wings. The announcers speculated if Johnny TV broke Castle.
Gravity took it to Serpentico with some lucha arm drags early. The Boys tagged in and hit double Sole Food and a do-si-do straight jacket and got a two count on Serptentico. Garrison tripped a Boy so Serpentico could get in a suplex and tag out to Angelico. Angelico put arm wringers on both arms and tagged into Serpentico who hit an arm stomp. Garrison blind tagged in and continued the arm work with an arm bar as Castle and Maria argued at ringside. Karter tagged in and hit his dropkick for a two count. Karter worked some mounted punches. Garrison dropped everyone off the apron but Castle, and Castle started to get worked up. The Boy hit a wheelbarrow slam for the double down.
Castle got the hot tag and came in with punches and chops for everyone. All the heels ate a suplex and then Garrison got a second one at the end. Castle took a minute to direct traffic but it let the heels chop block Castle and then stomp all over him. Serpentico tried to powerbomb Castle but Castle tried to turn it into a Bangarang. Karter got hit in the head by Serpentico as he went around, but Angelico broke it up and the heels yelled at each other. All the faces but Castle dove on the heels at ringside. Back in the ring, Caslte ducked a back elbow from Garrison and hit Bangarang for the pinfall.
Dalton Castle, Gravity and The Boys defeated SAP, Cole Karter, and Griff Garrison by pinfall.
After the match, Castle yelled into the camera about Johnny TV and then all the babyfaces raised their hands in the ring. Castle then exited through the crowd, high-fiving everyone…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A fine match with a quick little story about Castle regaining his mojo.
A video package aired on AEW Worlds End…
10. Gringo Loco and Jack Cartwheel vs. Komander and El Hijo del Vikingo. The announcers told us that the ref is the ROH Lucha rules ref as the match got started. Vikingo and Loco did a bunch of lucha reversals ending in a pop up head scissors that Loco flipped out of. Cartwheel and Komander tagged in and Cartwheel ate a shoulder block, and then they traded lucha reversals for a bit. Cartwheel got dumped out of the ring with a head scissor, and Komander tried a dive, Cartwheel slid out of the way and Komander came down gently. Loco hit a dive on everyone at ringside. Cartwheel did his flag pole trip and shoulder roll dive for a two count. Cartwheel did a handspring back elbow and then he and Loco hit a tandem facebuster dropkick combo for a two count. Loco tried to tear the mask of Komander to plenty of boos.
Cartwheel hit a kick and a standing moonsault for a two count. Komander got away with a flipping reversal and got the hot tag to Vikingo. Vikingo sent the heels to ringside and Vikingo hit Cartwheel with a suicide dive and Komander hit an Asai moonsault on Loco. Back in the ring, Vikingo missed a frog splash and Cartwheel got a two count. Cartwheel cartwheeled out of a tombstone and hit a powerbomb for a two count on Komander. Vikingo hung Cartwheel on the ropes and hit him with a springboard leg drop for a two count. Vikingo chopped Cartwheel, but he tagged out. Loco hit Vikingo with a torture rack falcon arrow for a two count. Cartwheel hit a floor routine dive on to the outside on both luchadors. Komander hit a step off Poison Rana on Cartwheel to send him flying. Komander hit his rope walking shooting star on Loco for the pinfall.
Vikingo and Komander defeated Gringo Loco and Jack Cartwheel by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A crazy lucha match to end the night. It’s always good, but at this point the outcome is never in question. Loco is 1-13 while Vikingo is 9-0, and most of those matches were against one another in some fashion in ROH. I’m almost tired of this matchup.
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