By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 60)
Taped April 13, 2024 in Highland Heights, Kentucky at Truist Arena
Streamed April 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 the announcers running down the matches, including Evil Uno and John Silver in action and a six-woman tag match…
There was a backstage promo from Collision where Mark Briscoe told House of Black that he fears no man. He said that he and his teammates are bringing the violence at Dynasty and then barked at the camera to close…
1. Aaron Solo vs. Bryan Keith. Solo slapped Keith and then got taken down with a double leg. Keith hit a shoulder tackle and a scoop slam and then a knee drop. Keith hit a stalling suplex and Solo rolled out of the ring. Keith followed him out but Solo ran him into the ring steps. Solo tried to get the ref to count faster but Keith got into the ring at 7. Keith took back over with some good sounding chops. Solo got a back elbow in and got a two count. Solo stomped Keith in the corner to the boos of the crowd. Keith caught a foot, stood up and threw some big forearms.
Keith hit a big boot in the corner and then a t-bone suplex for a two count. “BK” chanted the crowd as Solo slid out of a fireman’s carry but Keith grabbed him again and hit a fireman’s neckbreaker for a two count. Keith tried for his Tiger Driver but Solo back body dropped out of it, hit a double stomp, and then a t-bone of his own and got a two count. Solo hit a top rope double stomp and got another two count. Solo tried for a butterfly move of his own, but Keith reversed and hit an enzuigiri. Solo responded with a flying spin kick and went to the top. Keith cut him off with a headbutt and hit a flipping stunner for the three count.
Bryan Keith defeated Aaron Solo by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine showcase match. Keith is starting to look a little lighter. Solo is just a good hand jobber, nothing wrong with that.
We got a commercial for Dynasty this weekend.
2. Lance Archer and “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch vs. Jon Cruz, Savion Truitt and Damian Chambers. No entrance for the jobbers. Vincent punched Chambers in the face and then blocked a dropkick attempt from chambers and hit a running elbow. Vincent threw Chambers to his corner so he could tag out to Truitt. Vincent tagged Archer in who begged Truitt to hit him. Truitt tried a kick to the knee to slow down Archer, but then ate a shoulder block and a pair of frying pan chops. Dutch came in and hit some short arm clotheslines and then an exploder suplex. Righteous hit a tandem move set and celebrated, and Truitt tagged out to Cruz. Righteous hit orange sunshine on Chambers and Archer hit Blackout with Truitt onto Chambers for the pinfall.
Lance Archer and “The Righteous” Vincent and Dutch defeated Jon Cruz, Savion Truitt and Damian Chambers. by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match gonna squash match. Nothing to see here.
A video package aired on the Premier Athletes and was narrated by Mark Sterling, who spoke about just how good his athletes are…
There was a backstage promo with the Athletes lined up while Sterling talked about the fight camp he put them through recently and then touted their accolades again. Sterling said by the end of the year they will be champions. Phases two starts tonight…
3. JD Drake vs. Lee Johnson. Drake tossed Johnson halfway across the ring with a hip toss. Johnson tried a lockup and got arm dragged back to a corner. Drake hit a big scoop slam and brushed his hands while Johnson shook his head and then fired up. Johnson tried a hip-toss but got blocked and then hit an arm drag. Drake stuffed an arm drag but then got hit with a running one. Johnson tried a scoop slam but Drake was too big. Johnson his his dropkick and fired up some more. Johnson hit a running chop and Drake just asked for more. Johnson hit a few but Drake caught him and hit snake eyes. Drake chopped Johnson in the corner and the crowd chanted “one more time” but Drake just hit a jab to piss off the crowd.
Johnson tried a sunset flip, Drake tried to sit on him, but Johnson got out and hit a crucifix for a two count. Drake came right back with a big spinebuster for a two count. Drake hit a scoop slam and a dropping headbutt for a two count. Drake choked Johnson and then locked in a chin lock. Johnson powered up and reversed out of a suplex attempt. Johnson hit a superkick and Drake slid out of the ring, Johnson followed him out with a flip dive. Back in the ring,
Johnson hit a crunching crossbody block for a two count. Drake slid out of the ring again, and Johnson followed him out and Drake hit his rebound punch on the apron. Back in the ring, Drake missed a cannonball and Johnson went to the top. Johnson did the flying nothing and Drake pulled Johnson onto the top and Johnson hit a sunset bomb off the top and went back to the top. Johnson hit a frog splash for the pinfall.
Lee Johnson defeated JD Drake by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Another good crowd reaction for Johnson, maybe this experiment is going to work out after all. This one was in front of a good crowd too.
4. Abandon vs. Allysin Kay. No entrance for Kay. Abbadon used the code of honor to bite the arm of Kay. Abadon hit a running basement dropkick to the head, but Kay came right back with a big boot and some mounted punches for a one count. Kay hit a fireman’s senton for another one count. Kay chopped Abadon in the corner and then threw her hard into the other corner and then hit an avalanche splash. Abadon fought back with a hair pull bulldog and went to the top. Abadon hit a crossbody off the top and then hit Black Dahlia for the pinfall.
Abadon defeated Allisyn Kay by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quick little match that didn’t do anything for anyone, as it was in front of two rows of fans in a dark, empty, echoey arena.
Backstage, Lexi Nair asked Taya Valkyrie where Johnny TV was. Valkyrie said that John is recovering and rehabbing his abs. Valkyrie said she would shoulder the weight for the “TV Family”…
5. “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder (w/Jacked Jameson) vs. “The Infantry” Shawn Dean vs. Carlie Bravo. Boulder threw Bravo across the ring out of the lock up. Boulder hit an arm wringer but then ate a dropkick and stuffed it. Infantry hit a double dropkick and Bronson came in and ate a double arm drag and a wishbone. Dean hit a big elbow drop and got a two count. Savages tried to regroup outside, and Dean thought about diving, but Johnson got on the apron and offered him some Sauce. It was a distraction so Bronson could hit a suplex from behind and get a two count.
The Savages hit a stalling suplex with a shoulder block. Boulder hit some arm held headbutts in the corner. Savages tried for Titty City but Dean reversed it and sent Bronson there instead. Boulder got dumped to ringside and Bravo tagged in and hit his Carlie Crossover. Bravo hit a scissors kick on Boulder in the ropes and hit a side falcon arrow on Bronson to get a two count. Jameson on the apron again and this time he got superkicked into the arms of Boulder, Dean took them out with a dive off the top. Bronson got a rollup for a two count. Infantry hit a superkick and Boot Camp to get the pinfall.
“The Infantry” Shawn Dean vs. Carlie Bravo defeated “The Iron Savages” Bronson and Boulder by pinfall.
After the match, the Premier Athletes came down and hockey fought with The Infantry. Woods came in last and got the numbers advantage. Dalton Castle’s music rang out and the Athletes stopped what they were doing to watch. Briscoe’s music hit and he and Bryan Keith and Lee Johnson came down to clear the Athletes out of the ring…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Another match in front of nearly no one. Formula tag match, totally fine. The after the match stuff was interesting if only for the fact that the Athletes didn’t even get their heat with one beatdown before they were cut off by two of the biggest stars in ROH.
6. Taya Valkyrie, Diamante and Leila Grey vs. Leyla Hirsch, Keira Hogan, Trish Adora. Valkyrie worked over Hogan in the corner with some kicks and hit a snapmare for a one count. Hogan came back with a drop toe hold and hip attack against the ropes. Hogan hit her leg drop for a one count on Valkyrie. Diamante came in and hit a drop kick in the corner for a one count on Hogan. Diamante missed a splash and Hirsch came in and hit a gut wrench suplex. Adora came in and hit an arm wringer.
Diamante hit an around the world Russian leg sweep and mounted Adora for some punches. Grey hit a snap mare driver on Adora for a two count. The heels worked over Adora in the corner with some quick tags and strikes in the corner. Valkyrie locked in a bow and arrow arm stretch and Adora got out with an arm drag and then hit her kneeling german suplex on Valkyrie. Hogan and Diamante in and Hogan hit some elbow and hit a neckbreaker. Hogan hit a shotgun dropkick off the middle rope.
Grey in and she ate a dropkick too. Hogan hit her running dropkick in the corner for a broken up nearfall. Valkyrie in and she hit a back suplex for a broken up nearfall. Hirsch hit a back suplex on Diamante and they rolled out of the ring. Adora hit a full nelson bomb on Valkyrie for a two count. Grey came in and hit a sling blade clothesline on Adora for a two count. Hirsh hit a german on Grey for a two count. Hirsh dove at Valkyrie at ringside and Diamante dove on Hirsch, Adora put Diamante down with Lariat Tubman at ringside. In the ring, Hogan hit her fisherman’s driver on Grey for the pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine six woman tag match. Pretty formula.
Backstage, Lexi asked Maria and the Baby Boys about giving back the mask to Serpentico. Karter said “hell no”, Garrison said he knows it’s important but he doesn’t care. Garrison said no tricks needed, they’ll beat up Serpentico anytime, anywhere. Maria said she liked the confidence and that Garrison would need it for his Proving Ground match tonight…
7. Nick Comoroto vs. The Beast Mortos. Another sad entrance from the “clean” shaven Comoroto. Comroto shoved Mortos down out of the lock up and Mortos slapped him. Mortos hit a flying head-scissors and an enzuigiri in the corner. Comroto blocked an arm drag and hit a big clothesline. Comoroto stood on the head of Mortos to the boos of the two folks left in the crowd. Mortos hit a jaw jacker and tried a suplex, but Comroto turned it around and Mortos got out with a headbutt. Mortos hit a dropkick from the top rope and got a two count. Comoroto missed a splash in the corner and then Mortos hit a twisting shoulder dive from the top rope for the pinfall.
The Beast Mortos defeated Nick Comoroto by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Quick no nothing match in front of a cavernous echoey arena.
8. Lady Frost vs. Marti Belle. Frost hit a cartwheeling arm drag. Belle put Frost down with a shoulder block. Belle hit an avalanche splash in the corner. Belle hit a big chop and asked “one more?” but Frost turned it around and hit a bunch of chops of her own. Frost did a cartwheel over the back of Belle and hit a dropkick to the back for a two count. Belle choked Frost in the corner with her boot.
Belle hit a clothesline and posed and then got a two count. Frost fired up and hit some punches and knees to the gut and then a clothesline and back elbow. Frost hit a step up kick to the head in the corner and then a cannonball in the corner for a two count. Belle ducked a spin kick attempt and hit a big forearm for a two count. Belle missed a pump kick and Frost hit her spin kick. Frost went up top and hit her twisting splash to get the pinfall.
Lady Frost defeated Marti Belle by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Another match in front of the empty crowd. Belle was pretty impressive just for the fact that she just kept talking trash the whole match. Sadly, I don’t think that will translate in a place where there’s an actual crowd.
Backstage, Lexi asked Nick Comoroto how he was going to turn around his luck. Before he could answer Jaboi Watts said “turn the page”. Then he spouted some preacher stuff and closed with “praise be to me”…
9. “Dark Order” Evil Uno and John Silver vs. Zak Patterson and Frank Millano. Millano hit a big forearm to open things up. Uno came back with a shoulder tackle. Millano jumped right into an atomic drop and Uno stomped on his hands. Silver in and Dark Order hit a double shoulder block. Patterson in and he ate a running uppercut from Silver. Patterson tried a huracanrana but ate a powerbomb. Millano came in and got dumped to the floor and Patterson took advantage with a dropkick.
Millano hit a sling blade clothesline for a two count on Silver. Millano hit a splash for a two count. Patterson hit some knees to the back and hit a deadlift gut wrench suplex and then did it again. Silver fought out of the wrong corner and reversed a suplex and tagged Uno. Uno ran through both men and hit splashes in the corners on both men. Uno hit a DDT/neckbreaker combo. Dark Order hit the big combo and then Uno hit Something Evil for the pinfall.
“Dark Order” Evil Uno and John Silver defeated Zak Patterson and Frank Millano by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: It was nice to see an actual crowd, but that was cheating because it was yet another hometown match for Uno. How many hometown matches did this guy get? What dirt does he have on Tony Khan?
A rundown of the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view lineup aired…
10. ROH Champion Mark Briscoe vs. Griff Garrison (w/ Cole Karter, Maria Kanellis-Bennett) in a Proving Ground match. Garrison hit an early sunset flip but Briscoe flipped right through and grabbed a headlock. Garrison backed up out of the way of redneck kung fu. Briscoe hit a chop and a running big boot. Briscoe cleared Garrison to the outside with another running boot and then hit a diving cannonball to the outside that almost missed badly, but Garrison caught him. Briscoe hit a scoop slam on the outside and teased his cannonball, but Maria offered the distraction.
Karter and Maria got on the apron and Garrison took the advantage. Garrison distracted the ref and Karter choked Briscoe a bit. Briscoe fought back with some chops and an elbow, but Garrison put Briscoe down with a big boot for a two count. Briscoe ran into a running elbow and Garrison hit a torture rack bomb for a two count. Briscoe dumped Garrison to the outside and dove onto both Baby Boys at ringside. Briscoe chugged an energy drink off the announce table. Back in the ring, Briscoe hit a clothesline and a short arm clothesline and then Jay Driller for the pinfall.
ROH Champion Mark Briscoe defeated Griff Garrison by pinfall in a Proving Ground match.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This was a match to let a full crowd cheer for Briscoe and get in all his signature offense. Garrison held his own just fine. The announcers kept talking about the star he’s going to be one day, and I’m starting to agree. He was bumping his ass off for Briscoe and was exactly where he needed to be at all times.
The overall show was pretty bad. Lots of squash matches and formula tags in front of an empty arena. I will be back shortly with my weekly audio review of ROH on HonorClub for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
Solo is a good hand jobber? Interesting