By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 76)
Taped July 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas at Esports Stadium Arlington
Streamed August 8, 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 opened with a rundown of the matches for the show…
A recap aired of the Dark Order ambush on Dustin Rhodes and the re-debut of Sammy Guevara from last week’s show…
1. “Dark Order” Alex Reynolds and John Silver (w/ Evil Uno) vs. Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara. Silver flipped off Sammy in lieu of a code of honor. Sammy backflipped over Silver and hit a dropkick. Dustin and Sammy hit a double shoulder block and double elbow drop on Silver and Reynolds rushed the ring and got dumped to ringside. Sammy teased a dive, Dark Order bailed and Sammy strutted and hit a Tranquilo pose. Dustin teased a dive, told Dark Order to suck it and hit Tranquilo too. Back in the ring, Dustin hit a bulldog but came up limping on his knee, selling the attack from last week. Outside the ring, Dustin threw both Dark Order members into barricades and hit chops. As Dustin tried to get in the ring, Evil Uno blasted his bad leg with a chair.
Sammy chased off Uno and Dark Order worked over the leg of Dustin. Sammy returned quickly and begged for a tag. Silver wrenched Dustin’s bad leg on the ropes in corner. Silver elbow dropped the bad leg and knocked Sammy off the apron. Dustin got a quick roll up on Reynolds for a two count, but Reynolds went right back to work on the leg. Silver hit a dragon screw leg whip and locked in a half crab. Dustin fought Silver off but Reynolds tagged in and stopped the tag. Dustin low-bridged Reynolds and when he got back in Dustin hit his powerslam and got the tag to Sammy. Sammy came in with a top rope cross body on Silver and dumped him outside and dove on both Silver on one side and flip dove on Reynolds on the other.
Sammy hit a Spanish Fly on Silver for a two count. Sammy went up top and landed on his feet on a shooting star attempt. Silver immediately hit a german suplex and Dark Order hit double drop kicks on Sammy on the ropes. Sammy rolled up Reynolds for a two count. Sammy hit a superkick and knee lift ot the face but got hit with a pop up knee strike. Dark Order hit a rope hung DDT double stomp combo for a broken up nearfall. Dark Order went for dual figure fours but got pushed into each other. Dustin hit Reynolds with a destroyer. Lots of knee strikes later, Sammy hit a GTH on Silver for the pinfall.
Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara defeated Dark Order by pinfall in 13:00.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fun formula tag match, but I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop with Sammy. It might not come until we’re out of Texas though.
A recap aired of the women’s championship matches from Death Before Dishonor…
Backstage, Athena said she was tired of being angry, she just used to Billie’s disappointment and said she shouldn’t have lost *her* TV championship at Death before Dishonor. Athena said she was revoking her Minion diploma and made her a Minion in Training again. Queen Aminata and Velvet came in, and Velvet said the cheating wasn’t going to happen anymore. Aminata said she talked to the board of directors and said they have a tag match for later tonight.
2. Taya Valkyrie (w/Johnny TV) vs. Hyan. No televised entrance for Hyan. Valkyrie said Hyan wasn’t TV ready and Hyan punched her in the face. Valkyrie came back with some forearms and double knees in the corner. Valkyrie hit her with some chops and more forearms. Valkyrie hit a sliding clothesline for a two count near fall. Valkyrie locked in a bow and arrow but Hyan stood up and elbowed out. Hyan hit a rolling snapmare, a knee to the face and a clothesline. Valkyrie came back with a spear and Shania Pain for the pinfall.
Taya Valkyrie defeated Hyan by pinfall in 4:00.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match. Hyan did have a nice combo with that snapmare knee lift combo.
Melissa Santos asked Maria and Griff Garrison where Cole Karter was. Before he could answer Serpentico and Angelico came in talking Spanish, and it was about the mask Maria was still holding. Maria said she was going to make it a purse. Serpentico challenged for the mask again, Maria whispered in the ear of Garrison and they said sure, but a singles match with Angelico banned from ringside. Also, it’s now a mask loss stipulation.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I don’t know that they have earned a mask loss stipulation at this point, but I also don’t expect Serpentico to lose at this point either.
3. “Undisputed Kingdom” Matt Taven and Mike Bennett vs. “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean (w/Trish Adora) for the ROH Tag Team Titles. Kingdom used the code of honor to hit gut kicks and tried corner splashes but Infantry moved and dumped them from the ring with clotheslines. Kingdom tried to leave but Infantry chased them down and brought them back to the ring. Infantry hit a double hip toss and elbow drop combo for a two count on Taven. Dean hit a stinger splash and a rollup for a two count. Taven tried a roll up of his own and got a two count. Dean hit a huge clothesline for another two count. Bennett tagged in and got hit with a bunch of forearms and Bravo got a two count out of it.
Bravo grabbed a chin lock but Bennett turned it into a sleeper only to get a jaw jacker. Bravo hit an arm drag on Taven as he came into the ring, and Dean tagged in and hit the ax handle to the arm. Bravo got the crowd going with some “Hoorahs”. Bennett got the knee up and Taven hit a vertical suplex for a two count. Bennett came in and stomped on Dean and cleared Bravo from the apron. Bennett hit a bunch of forearms in the corner on Dean. Kingdom hit the pop up Bayonet for a two count. Taven hit a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Bennett ran the ropes for 3 rotations and then poked Dean in the eyes to a chorus of boos. Taven hit a float over back suplex for a two count. Taven hit a spinning heel kick and Bennett tried for the cover but Dean was right there to grab the ropes. Dean hit a big forearm for a double down and Dean fought off both Kingdom members and almost got the tag, but Bennett knocked Bravo off the apron.
Taven tried a suplex but Dean flipped out and Bravo got the tag and came in with forearms and back body drops, and the Carlie Crossover. Bravo hit an outside in cutter on Taven for a two count. Bravo hit a scissor kick and tagged in Dean who hit a splash for a broken up nearfall. Bravo and Bennett fought on the outside with forearm bombs, as Dean hit an enzuigiri in the ring on Taven. Bennett got a blind tag and hit a DVD and Taven hit Just the Tip for a broken up nearfall. Bravo got dumped to ringside and Kingdom set up for the spike piledriver, but Dean catapulted Bennett into Taven on the top rope. Infantry hit a Magic Killer variant and tried for Bootcamp but Bravo got tripped. Bennett hit Dean below the belt with a punch and Kingdom hit a spike piledriver for the pinfall.
Matt Taven and Mike Bennett defeated “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean by pinfall in 12:00 to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Nice tag match, formula but nice. Bravo is really getting a big reaction from this Texas crowd.
4. Rachel Ellering vs. Brooke Havok. No televised entrance for Havok. The women traded some arm work at the start and then some headlocks until Ellering picked up Havok and put her on the top turnbuckle showing off her strength. Ellering reversed an Irish whip and hit a clothesline and then a shoulder block. Ellering saw the drop down and used it to get a rollup for a two count. Havok hit a drop toe hold and posed.
Ellering hit an arm wringer and a kick to the face and Havok came up with a nose bleed. Ellering chopped the wind out of Havok. Ellering hit a snapmare and a senton splash for a two count. Havok hit a knee lift in the corner and a seated dropkick for a two count. Havok hit a swinging fisherman’s for a two count. Ellering hit a huge rolling elbow and the Bossman slam for the pinfall.
Rachel Ellering defeated Brooke Havok by pinfall in 5:00.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Havok is a spunky little thing that’s got some good fire and fight in her. Well maybe she’s a decent size, but Ellering makes everyone look small.
Backstage, Lee Moriarty told Shane Taylor that he’s sick of Top Flight. Moriarty challenged Andretti for the ROH Pure Championship. Taylor said that the Top Flight trio has done nothing with their talent…
5. “The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd (w/Erica Leigh) vs. Stephen Wolf and Barrett Brown. No televised entrance for Wolf and Brown. The jobbers took away their code of honor handshake and Outrunners did the mega powers handshake. Magnum hit a huge chop on one jobber and then the other. Floyd tagged in and hulked up before hitting an elbow to the held arm. Floyd hit a scoop slam and then the Outrunners hit a double elbow drop. Floyd saved Magnum from a suplex and they hit double dropkicks on the jobbers. Outrunners hit an over the shoulder powerslam neckbreaker combo for the pinfall.
“The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd defeated Stephen Wolf and Barrett Brown by pinfall in 2:00.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The Outrunners are getting squash matches now? Oy.
6. Robbie Eagles vs. Darian Bengston. Eagles did some arm work early but Bengston came back with a float over headlock takeover. Eagles responded with a lucha wrist takeover, a flying head scissors and a spinning heel kick. Bengston hit some chops but Eagles clipped the knee with a shoulder block. Eagles locked in a knee bar but Bengston was right by the ropes. Eagles hit some flying knees while standing, a trip and more double knees for a two count.
Eagles spent a long time trying to get the crowd to “oooh” with his finger movements before he tried a leg submission and got kicked in the face. Eagles then kicked the hamstring of Bengston and got fought off again. Bengston did a flipping sunset flip and got a two count, and another roll up for a two count. Bengston hit a nice uppercut but got his leg caught on a kick attempt and flipped over and slammed. Eagles hit a 450 to the leg of Bengston and locked in the Ron Miller special for the tap out.
Robbie Eagles defeated Darian Bengston by submission in 4:30.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A showcase match for Eagles, but I was more impressed with the lucha moves of Bengston. I’m guessing the crowd actually does know the ROH talent a bit at this point, because the crowd was super quiet for this match, cause they didn’t know either man.
7. Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling, Aria Divari) vs. Tomohiro Ishii. Sterling did some heel mic work on the way to the ring complaining about The Conglomeration stealing victories. He also said The Conglomeration was banned from ringside tonight.
Ishii did not respond to a code of honor request. Nese tried to chop Ishii and he shrugged. Ishii responded with some chops of his own that pushed Nese into the corner. Ishii begged for forearms and Nese gave him some but Ishii kept walking closer. Ishii hit a forearm that knocked Nese to his ass in the corner. Nese slid out of the ring and Divari tried for a distraction but it didn’t work. Sterling got on the apron and distracted the ref and Nese dove on Ishii on the outside. Nese said “Go to break ” commenting on the WWE formula I guess.
Back in the ring, Nese got a two count cover and threw Ishii back out of the ring for a mugging by Sterling and Divari. Ishii got thrown back in the ring and Nese got another two count near fall. Ishii ate some more forearms but Nese stomped on his foot and hit a spin kick for a two count. Nese locked in a chinlock but Ishii powered out. Nese went to the throat and did his Savage slingshot but missed a moonsault attempt because Ishii rolled out of the way. Ishii worked Nese over with chops and forearms.
Ishii hit a Saito suplex for a two count. Ishii hit a clothesline that turned Nese inside out and got a two count. Ishii fired up and called for the brainbuster. Sterling got on the apron and got pulled into the ring. Divari ran in and ate a headbutt that sent him sailing. Ishii hit the brainbuster and got the pinfall.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Tony Nese by pinfall in 6:00.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I love an Ishii match, because they are so different than the normal formula.
Backstage Melissa Santos asked Ellering how it felt to be back and shine. Ellering said it was hard to be at home, but she said the time to reflect is nice. She talked about being on Collision and Dynamite. Ellering said she’s here to thrive. Holly Cameron came into frame and mocked the outfit of Ellering. Cameron said it was nice to meet you and left. Ellering and Santos seemed confused by it all…
8. Johnny TV (w/Taya Valkyrie) vs. Fuego Del Sol. TV hit a knee lift and some punches to the gut. Fuego came back with a flying head scissors and a forearm in the corner. Fuego tried the 10 punches, but TV slid out and pulled him down. TV called for Starship Pain but Fuego rolled him away from the corner. Taya held the leg of Fuego and TV hit a knee strike. TV hit Moonlight Drive on the floor and then Taya licked his face. Back in the ring TV got a two count and mounted Fuego with punches and got another two count. TV locked in a chinlock but Fuego fought out.
TV hit a cartwheel powerbomb knee and locked in the chinlock again. Fuego fought out with a chin breaker and an enzuigiri. Fuego hit a pair of corner drop kicks. Fuego hit a springboard moonsault press and superkick for a two count. The men traded some reversals and TV got a rollup for a two count. TV put Fuego on the top turnbuckle and followed him up. Fuego fought him off and crotched TV on the ropes and hit a double stomp to the back for a two count. Fuego called for the tornado DDT but TV blocked in and hit a flip through soman drop. TV hit Starship Pain for the pinfall.
Johnny TV defeated Fuego Del Sol by pinfall in 6:30.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I don’t know why you’d feed the returning Fuego to Johnny TV of all people. Fine match, Fuego still looks like he’s getting his legs back underneath him. Also not sure how many times he wrestled at that show.
9. Queen Aminata and Red Velvet vs. Billie Starkz and Athena. Aminata and Velvet came out in matching yellow gear. Lexi Nair was the ring announcer for this match. Billie and Athena had matching purple gear too, but Billie was unenthused and deflated about everything.
Athena immediately tagged in Billie and rolled to ringside to stretch and do jumping jacks. Aminata took Starkz down with a headlock. Aminata tried a cross arm breaker but Billie locked her hands. Billie picked the ankle but got pushed off. Billie rolled up Aminanta for a two count, but Aminata came back with an arm drag and PK kick to the chest. Aminanta ate the turnbuckle on a hip attack attempt and Athena tagged in. Aminata and Velvet hit a bunch of tandem kicks on Athena and Velvet got a two count out of it. Athena scrambled away from Aminata and got an arm hotshot on the ropes and tagged out. Billie worked on the arm and bit the hand of Aminata.
Athena tagged in and pulled the arm of Aminata on the ropes. Billie came in and foot choked Aminata. Athena did a judo throw with the targeted arm. Aminata fought out with forearms but Athena hit a codebreaker on the bad arm. Billie hit some knee drops on the arm and slammed it into the mat. The heels worked over Aminata in their corner again but Aminata fought out and hit a vertical suplex. Billie charged at Velvet but the ref held her back and the heels stomped on Aminata. Athena hit a big knee lift. Billie charged into the corner but Aminata fell over and Billie ate the turnbuckle. Aminata got the hot tag and hit a bunch of kicks on Athena and double knees on the ropes.
Velvet hit an around the world DDT but Athena ended up in her corner and tagged Billie. Billie and Velvet hockey fought until Biller bit her arm. Aminata and Velvet hit a codebreaker german suplex combo and then Aminata hit her big sliding kick in the ropes and got a two count. The faces tried another tag move, but Billie fought out and made them run into each other. Athena tagged in and stacked them in the corner but they got away. Athena hit a middle rope code breaker and caught both women and suplexed them both! Insane strength! Billie hit the swan dive on Velvet for a broken up nearfall.
Athena hit a big running forearm on Aminata, but Velvet hit a spinning kick on both Athena and then Bille. Velvet hit The Mix on Billie for a broken up nearfall. Athena tried to grab the mic, but Aminata grabbed it too and they fought over it. Billie grabbed a belt from Lexi as Aminata hit the headbutt on Athena. Bille blasted Velvet with the belt and got the pinfall on her.
Athena and Billie Starkz defeated Queen Aminata and Red Velvet by pinfall in 14:00
Robinson’s Ruminations: A good tag match, mostly because it didn’t seem to follow the standard tag formula of ROH tag matches. Billie getting the win is interesting, as I assumed they would give her a little losing streak, but this is interesting too. This show was full of squash matches and folks the crowd didn’t know or care about. The good tag matches at the beginning and end almost make up for it, but there’s a lot of filler in the middle. My ROH audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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