By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 47)
Taped January 13, 2023 in Norfolk, Virginia at Chartway Arena
Streamed January 18, 2024 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 for tonight…
A replay aired of Nyla Rose attacking Athena in her training facility, which they also aired last week…
Then we cut to Billie Starkz backstage with Lexi and she was angry they took time off and Athena got jumped. Lexi tried to calm Billie down and helped her focus on her drive to become ROH Women’s TV Championship. They hugged as the scene faded…
1. Nyla Rose vs. Erica Leigh. No entrance for Leigh, and Rose slapped away the Code of Honor. Leigh was brave and tried to chop Rose, who no-sold. Leigh got chopped down and then rolled out of the ring and shook fans hands and tried to walk away. Rose caught her and slammed her into the ring apron stomach first a few times, and then into the ring steps. Rose mocked Athena’s victory dances. Leigh ran right into a chokeslam. Rose hit a splash in the corner and then a cannonball. A Beast Bomb later and the match was over.
Nyla Rose defeated Erica Leigh by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The crowd was pretty firmly behind Rose here, so it will be interesting to see who gets cheered between her and Athena. Leigh had some good facial expressions, but that’s about all we really saw out of her in this squash.
We got a commercial about Sting’s Retirement at Revolution.
2. “Undisputed Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett vs. “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder (w/Jacked Jameson) for the ROH Tag Team Titles. The Kingdom duo worked over Bronson in their corner with strikes and quick tags. Bronson fought out and hit a back body drop on Bennett. Savages hit a splash in the corner and sidewalk slam combo for a two count. Savages went for Titty City but Bennett blocked and tossed both to the outside. Kingdom hit a flying kick and a spear on the apron and Taven got a two count on Bronson for it. Taven hit a running blockbuster and got a two count. Bennett hit a spinebuster and Taven hit a springboard moonsault for a two count.
The Kingdom backed Bronson back to their corner and started the quick tag beatdown. Bronson fought out with elbows and quick moves to get to the hot tag for Boulder. Boulder slammed both Kingdom members and hit some big running splashes in the corners. Boulder caught both members and hit a powerbomb powerslam combo and got a two count on Taven. Savages tried a double clothesline but Taven avoided. Action spilled outside and Bronson hit a suicide dive on Taven. Bronson hit a Sky High that got a broke up nearfall on Taven. Bronson tried again but Taven rolled out and hit Just the Tip. Bennett hit a DVD and Taven hit Just the Tip again and got a two count. Taven hit a barrel roll splash on Boulder on the outside and then Kingdom hit a spike piledriver on Bronson to get the three count.
“The Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett defeated “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder by pinfall to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine match, after Savages got their silly gimmicks out of the way at the beginning. Savages are a good big man team if they would just let the silly gimmicks go. Nothing new with The Kingdom other than they have Undisputed as a new first name.
Backstage, Lexi was backstage with Rachel Ellering, Leyla Hirsch, Taya Valkyrie and Robyn Renegade to talk about the eight-woman tag match tonight, and apparently this is a team. Renegade said she was out for herself tonight and walked off. Ellering tried to give a pep talk. Valkyrie said that Hirsch’s wardrobe wouldn’t do and walked off. Lexi admired the style of Valkyrie as she walked off and Ellering and Hirsch were just kind of dumbfounded…
3. Brian Keith vs. Claudio Castagnoli. The men shoved each other and Keith showed good fire even though he gives up a foot in height. Then men traded some chain wrestling and Claudio pie-faced Keith who pie-faced him back. The men traded strikes and Keith fired up when he got knocked down. Claudio put Keith down with a shoulder block and that kept Keith down. Claudi worked a cravat until Keith pushed him off and hit big boot and a few kicks to the head that dumped Claudio to ringside. Keith followed him out and kept up with the kicks this time to the legs. Claudio took over with a knee lift and sent Keith into the ring. Keith kept up the pressure with leg kicks, but Claudio hit a chokeslam and elbow drop for a two count.
Claudio kicked Keith down in the corner and Claudio stood on Keith for full count. Keith fired up and fought back with forearms but Claudio hit him with a scoop slam and leg drop for a two count. Claudio locked in a modified cravat and then threw Keith hard into the buckle. Claudio performed a gorilla press snake eyes that sent Keith to the outside. Claudio followed him out and hit a scoop slam on the outside and went back in the ring for the count out. Keith got in the ring at 9, and Claudio got a two count immediately. Claudio hit a corner splash and got another two count. Keith fought out with a big boot and elbows. Keith hit a tornado DDT for a double down. Keith low bridged Claudio to the outside and hit a baseball slide dropkick. Keith hit some kicks to the chest but then got thrown into the barricade and Claudio blasted him with a running uppercut.
Back in the ring, and Claudio went to the top, but Keith cut him off with a headbutt. Keith tried a fireman’s carry move but Claudio wiggled free and hit a lariat for a two count. Crowd all called for The Swing and Claudio shrugged, but Keith fired back with some kicks and running knee for a two count. Keith went for the fireman’s carry again, but Claudio fought out again and hit another uppercut, but Keith sat right back up. Keith hit a jumping enzuigiri and hit a DVD backbreaker move for a two count.
Keith got caught and put in The Swing to the crowd’s delight. Claudio gave them like ten swings or so and got a two count. Keith got a trap pin for a two count, and Claudio fired right back with an uppercut for a two count. Claudio was surprised by the two count. Keith screamed and Claudio hit a running double stomp. Claudio locked in a sleeper, gave Keith a few swings in the sleeper and then dropped down and grabbed some body locks to get the submission.
Claudio Castagnoli defeated Brian Keith by submission.
After the match, Keith put on his hat and gave Claudio a hat tip in place of the Code of Honor handshake…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A very good match. Riccaboni made sure to tell us that Keith lasted longer than 10 minutes. He also said that when Claudio was champion, he gave lots of Proving Ground matches and no one went to the time with him.
4. Taya Valkyrie, Robyn Renegade, Leyla Hirsch and Rachel Ellering vs. Billie Starkz, Kiera Hogan, Lady Frost and Queen Aminata. Starkz and Renegade got little more than a lock up going before Frost and Hirsch tagged in to do some chain wrestling. Frost hit a cartwheel over Hirsch and hit a dropkick. Frost tried a wheelbarrow and got dumped on her face. Ellering tagged in and hit a basement dropkick to the face. Aminata tagged in and she and Ellering traded forearms and chops in the middle. Aminata hit a snapmare and a weak running kick for a one count. Hogan tagged in and worked come chops and forearms on Ellering until Ellering just picked her up and dumped her in her corner.
Renegade tagged in and Hogan tripped her and hit a running hip attack and a step up leg drop for a two count. Renegade hit a hotshot on the ropes and a running kick to send Hogan outside. Valkyrie put the boots to Hogan as Renegade distracted the ref and tossed her back in so Renegade could get a two count. Valkyrie tagged in and hit a running basement clothesline for two. Valkyrie hit her sliding german suplex and Hirsch got a two count off of it. Hirsch hit a suplex and then Ellering hit a running senton for a two count on Hogan. Renegade tagged in and worked an arm bar and then a chin lock. Hogan fought out and hit a neckbreaker and tagged in Frost.
Valkyrie tagged in and Frost hit an wrist throw and a handspring rolling heel kick for a two count. Starkz tagged in and hit a roll through wheelbarrow slam. Things broke down and everyone hit a big move on each other one after the other. Frost hit a cartwheel air raid crash on Renegade that was really impressive. Starkz hit a big round kick on Renegade and then Star 10 on her to get the pinfall.
Billie Starkz, Kiera Hogan, Lady Frost and Queen Aminata defeated Taya Valkyrie, Robyn Renegade, Leyla Hirsch and Rachel Ellering.
After the match ended Abadon came out on the stage again and taunted the winners from the stage…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Very nice TV match. Everyone got a chance to showcase themselves and shine here.
A video package recapped Bullet Club Gold winning the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles on AEW Dynamite…
Backstage, Action Andretti was backstage eating and trying to cut a promo with a full mouth when Top Flight pulled up in a golf cart and said they had a match tonight and then drove off saying “We stay ready”…
5. The Butcher and The Blade vs. “Top Flight” Dante and Darius Martin. Blade fought off a head scissors attempt only to eat a knee lift from Dante. Darius hit a snap suplex and Dante hit a flip-in senton. Blade fought off and tagged into Butcher who hit a slow climb in splash in response. Top Fight put Butcher in their corner and Darius hit a missile dropkick. Blade tagged in and hit an atomic drop and lariat combo. Blade put Darius in a boston crab and Butcher hit a knee drop to his head. Butcher worked over Darius with strikes in the corner and then a big lariat.
Blade worked a chinlock that Darius fought out of but then ran right into a scoop powerslam for a two count. Blade locked in another chinlock and tagged in Butcher. Butcher threw Darius into the corner hard but Darius fought about with a rope walk moonsault kick. Dante and Blade tagged in but Dante forearmed Blade into the mat and hit a enzuigiri and top rope crossbody for a two count. Dante hit a jumping knee strike and a jackknife knee strike for a broken up nearfall.
Butcher bit the face of Darius and then hit a half dragon backbreaker on Dante. Butcher and Blade hit a suplex crossbody combo for a broken up nearfall. Top Flight hit an up and over tornado DDT combo move on Butcher. They hit superkicks and a slingshot flatliner on Blade. Dante hit a frog splash on Blade to get the pinfall.
“Top Fight” Dante Martin and Darius Martin defeated The Butcher and The Blade by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I guess we got a few Butcher and Blade wins to feed them to the returning Top Flight, which is just fine with me. Top Flight just have a cohesion that Darius never developed with Andretti, even though those two made a very good team.
6. Serpentico vs. Mark Briscoe. Briscoe worked a side headlock until serpentico hit a head scissors, but Briscoe locked the headlock right back in. Serpentico slid out but Briscoe hit redneck kung fu and Serpentico took a breather on the outside. Back in the ring Briscoe put Serpentico on the top turnbuckle, but Serpentico fought out with an ax-handle and an elbow drop for a one count. Briscoe hit a vertical suplex for a lazy two count. The men traded chops in the middle until Briscoe tried a back suplex.
Serpentico flipped out and hit a cutter for a two count. Serpentico locked in a one arm straight jacket hold but Briscoe fought out and the men traded running forearms. Briscoe hit a second one and a corner clothesline. Briscoe dumped Serpentico to the outside and hit a spicy dropkick. Briscoe hit a running lariat for a two count. Briscoe called for the Jay Driller but Serpentico fought out and hit a flatliner for a two count. Serpentico went up top for a flying nothing as Briscoe rolled out of the way. Briscoe hit Jay Driller for the pinfall.
Mark Briscoe defeated Serpentico by pinfall.
After the match, Serpentico tried to run away, but Briscoe chased him for the Code of Honor handshake…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A nice showcase match for Briscoe.
Backstage, Lexi asked Nyla Rose why she attacked Athena last week. Rose said she’s the new minion overlord. Rose said she crashed through the door and took an opportunity for herself. Rose said Athena should relish in the time off she gave her. Rose booped Lexi on the nose and told her to follow and screamed for Billie Starkz as she walked off. Lexi was so annoyed through the whole promo and it was great facials.
7. Diamante vs. Dream Girl Ellie. No entrance for Ellie. Diamante used the code of honor to take an early advantage with kicks and forearms. Diamante hit a basement dropkick to the face for a series of three different two counts. Ellie fought back with a jawbreaker and a dropkick. Ellie screamed and ran right into a lariat from Diamante. Diamante hit a cross roads style move for the pinfall…
Diamante defeated Dream Girl Ellie by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Quick showcase for a competitor in the Women’s TV Championship picture.
Backstage, Lexi continued to ask Johnny TV about taking a match with Dalton Castle again. TV and Valkyrie both laughed as they said no. Castle came on to the interview set and chased TV off through a mini parkour course where Castle looked pathetic chasing TV. TV went through a locked door and Castle pounded on it as Lexi caught up. They both slid down looking pathetic and tired as TV taunted Castle through the locked door…
8. Kyle Fletcher vs. Christopher Daniels for the ROH TV Title. The Code of Honor was waved off by both men and they stalled in the corners soaking in the flat crowd reaction for a moment. Daniels worked an arm hold until Fletcher grabbed a headlock takeover. Daniels rolled it over for a two count, but Fletcher kept the headlock. Daniels pushed off but Fletcher responded with a pair of shoulder blocks. Daniels hit an arm drag as the announcers talked about Fletcher not pushing into the last gear yet here in his TV championship reign yet.
Daniels continued to work arm drags and arm bars until Fletcher back him into a corner and didn’t break cleanly. Fletcher hit a spinning big boot that was right on the money and looked amazing to put Daniels down. Fletcher worked some 12-6 elbows while mounted that looked viscous. Fletcher stood on Daniels’ neck on the ropes and posed. Fletcher hit a series of ripcord scoop slams and held the wrist. The men traded forearms until Daniels hit a flatliner for a double down. Daniels hit a back suplex and an STO. Daniels hit the 10 punches in the corner. Daniels hit a jumping flatliner from the middle rope and got a two count for it.
Daniels called for Angel’s Wings but Fletcher backdropped him. Fletcher hit a roll through backdrop driver that was a deadlift and an amazing feat of strength. Fletcher hit a running kick and a brainbuster for a great nearfall. Fletcher went for his hammerlock tombstone but Daniels rolled through for a two count. Daniels hit Angel’s Wings for a two count that really fired the crowd up. The announcers told us the only other person to kick out of Angel’s Wings was Jay Briscoe. Fletcher hit a chicken wing suplex and a kick to the head. Fletcher hit his kneeling piledriver for the pinfall.
Kyle Fletcher defeated Christopher Daniels by pinfall to retain the ROH TV Championship.
After the match, Fletcher teased adhering to the Code of Honor and then flipped off a still prone Daniels…
Robinson’s Ruminations: This match was great. Fletcher is adding big moves to his offense that make him look strong but aren’t “crowd pleasing”. Daniels kept up a very nice pace here in this match, so I guess he can still go.
Backstage Lexi asked Ethan Page about his big plans for 2024. Page said vague goals bring vague results. Page said that he had a big win at Final Battle and so did Kyle Fletcher. Page said he’s coming after Fletcher and his TV Championship. Page said he respects that Fletcher has been coming to ROH solo without the Don Callis family and said he respects that, and he’ll come solo too.
9. El Hijo del Vikingo (w/ Alex Abrahantes) vs. Action Andretti for the AAA Mega Championship. Riccaboni talked about all the accomplishments and records that Vikingo has set in his Mega Championship reign during the entrances. The wrestlers traded roll up nearfalls to start, did a spin doctor stand, traded more near fall roll ups and posed. The men shook hands after and then right back at it with a ton of reversals until Vikingo hit a head scissors that sent Andretti outside. Vikingo tried to dive out but Andretti hit a kick.
Back in the ring, Andretti hit a deadlift falcon arrow for a two count. Andretti hit a running basement dropkick for a two count and locked in a headlock. Andretti hit a back elbow and an elbow drop for a two count. Vikingo got a roll through for a two count but Andretti came right back with a big boot that got a two count when Vikingo got hit fingertips on the rope. Andretti worked a chinlock and tried a suplex but Vikingo rolled out and hit a DVD out of a suplex set up for a two count. Vikingo hit a running belly to belly into the corner. Vikingo hit Sammy’s GTH and then hit a standing twisting splash off the middle of the ropes for a two count.
Vikingo worked some chops to the crowd’s delight and then the action dumped to ringside. Vikingo hit an Asai moonsault off the top turnbuckle to Andretti on the floor. Andretti got tossed in the ring but then he dove onto Vikingo on the outside. Andretti did his stupid human trick of crushing a water bottle in one second. Andretti hit a pop up dropkick. Andretti hit a springboard elbow and a running shooting star press for a two count. Vikingo got a rollup nearfall and Andretti responded with one of his own. Andretti hit a jumping enzuigiri. Vikingo hit a huracanrana roll up and got a nearfall and the men traded a few nearfalls that way until Vikingo popped up and hit a trap pin for the pinfall.
El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Action Andretti by pinfall to retain the AAA Mega Championship.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Crazy lucha match does crazy lucha match things. Vikingo is crazy and he’s always doing new things every time I see him. That twisting moonsault off the middle of the ropes was just incredible as there was no springboard, he just stood there and jumped and still went ¾ of the way across the ring.
As for the overall show, it was a pretty good edition of ROH. Some actually good matches this week interspersed with a few matches that did some showcasing. I have come to realize that the ROH “roster” as it is, is almost too big to really showcase everyone every week. That can make storytelling consistently each week difficult if you’re trying to cram everyone you’ve got in somewhere.
Wrestlers we didn’t see or even have referenced this week include, The Infantry, Shane Taylor Promotions, Lee Johnson, The Righteous, The Workhorsemen, and others. The announcers do a great job of trying to weave the stories together but they can only do so much. Garrison and Karter got mentioned during the Serpentico entrance, and that was a nice touch of trying to keep that little feud alive, but it feels like the fact they were supposed to have a match against SAP this week (I think) got forgotten by Tony Khan. My weekly ROH on HonorClub audio reviews are available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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