By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 77)
Taped July 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas at Esports Stadium Arlington
Streamed August 15, 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 with Melissa Santos asking Paul Wight about how he’s enjoying his time with ROH so far. Wight said ROH is on fire and he’s been enjoying himself. Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie came in and said everyone is on fire and asked for a title shot against Mark Briscoe. Wight granted it immediately.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I’m not sure of Johnny TV’s win/loss record off the top of my head, but I’m pretty sure he’s lost more than he’s won. On top of that Wight was just in an untucked, wrinkly white button down. Not a great look for an authority figure.
1. Mark Briscoe vs. Johnny TV (w/Taya Valkyrie) for the ROH World Heavyweight Championship. Briscoe started things off with some arm work, but Johnny got to the ropes and when Briscoe broke, TV pushed off the ropes and picked the ankle. TV worked a side headlock but Briscoe grabbed one of his own and then did some red neck kung fu. Taya got on the apron quickly and drew Briscoe’s attention and TV took back over with a foot choke in the corner. TV pulled Briscoe onto the apron and kicked his face and then kicked him into the barricades a bit.
Johnny and Taya kissed at ringside. Back in the ring, TV locked in a chinlock and Briscoe powered out and missed a crossbody only to eat a shining wizard from Johnny for a two count. Johnny kicked Briscoe in the face a bit in the corner as the announcers talked about the wounds still on Briscoe’s face. TV put Briscoe on the top but got knocked back and Briscoe hit a missile dropkick for a double down. Briscoe hit some thrusts to the chin and a rolling elbow. Briscoe hit an exploder suplex out of the corner and TV rolled outside.
Briscoe hit his spicy dropkick but Taya pulled TV to safety before the rolling dive. The ref threw Taya out of the ringside area and Briscoe hit the blockbuster and rolled TV inside for a two count. Briscoe called for the Jay Driller but TV slid out and hit a disaster kick for a two count. TV hit the Moonlight Drive and hit Starship Pain for a two count as the announcers were shocked TV actually hit it. The men both hit clotheslines for another double down. The men traded punches and forearms in the middle until Briscoe hit a 360 forearm and nailed the Jay Driller for the pinfall.
Mark Briscoe defeated Johnny TV by pinfall in 9:00 to retain the ROH World Championship.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine TV match. Nothing wrong with anything here, but there was never any doubt about the outcome, especially considering the match was put together like 10 minutes ago.
A recap aired of Robbie Eagles’ match last week, and there was a backstage promo from him after the match. Eagles said he wants harder, more meaningful matches. He called out Atlantis Jr for the ROH TV Title…
2. Blake Christian vs. Lio Rush. Christian used the code of honor to snag a wheelbarrow rollup for a two count. Rush used his speed to grab a school boy rollup for a two count. The men tumbled outside and Rush hit an Asai moonsault and then a suicide dive in the matter of 5 seconds. “Let’s go Lio” chanted the crowd as Christian raked the eyes. Christian hit a rolling kick to the arm that sent Rush outside and Christian hit a suicide dive of his own that knocked Rush like 10 feet back. Christian grabbed a hammerlock and ran Rush into the ring and steel post to work on the arm. Rush came back with some chops and leg kicks, but when he tried an Irish whip, Christian kicked the arm again and then hit a big boot to the face.
Christian hit a cradle spinebuster for a two count. Christian pulled and kicked the arm of Rush in such a way that would dislocate the arm of a normal man. Rush hit a push kick from the floor and a spanish fly for a two count and a double down. Christian hit a rebound kick but Rush came back with a roll up kick of his own. Christian hit a superkick and went up top but missed the springboard 450 and Rush blasted him with a superkick. Rush hit a springboard Poison Rana for a two count. Rush went to the top slowly but Christian rolled to the apron and Rush hopped down. Christian hit an arm wringer on the apron. “All Heart” chanted the crowd.
After some high flying reversals, Christian hit an enzuigiri that sent Rush outside. Christian hit a flop dive but grabbed a reverse DDT scoop on the way down and picked Rush up for a tombstone on the floor. Christian hit his springboard 450 for a two count. Both men were slow to get up, showing exhaustion. Christian paint brushed Rush with some light kicks and Rush hit a clothesline. Christian hit a running boot but Rush came back with a stunner and a rollup for the pinfall.
Lio Rush defeated Blake Christian by pinfall in 9:50.
After the match, Rush tried to shake hand with Christian with his bad arm, but before he could lift it, Christian gave him the shoulder bump and walk away on the bad shoulder.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Heck of a sprint. Those two have all kinds of chemistry and it showed. That Flop into a reverse DDT grab was crazy!
A recap aired of the main event women’s tag match from last week…
Athena and Billie Starkz made an entrance and walked to the ring. Athena introduced herself and said this is a minion training session. Athena blew her whistle and Strakz started doing sit ups. Athena said she took two minions under her wing, Billie and Lexi Nair. Billie grabbed the mic and asked why Lexi wasn’t in trouble. Athena said she wasn’t in trouble because she didn’t lose “Athena’s” Women’s TV Championship.
Athena said Lexi was the reason Athena retained her title. Athena said she was moving on from Aminanta and talked about her upcoming breaking of Samoa Joe’s record reign. Athena said the locker room is afraid of her, but Abadon’s music cut her off. Athena turned to the stage, as Abadon slid in behind her. Athena got startled by Abadon, who screamed, and Athena fell out of the ring scared.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I sure hope Athena can get a good match out of Abadon. I haven’t seen a long Abadon match, and Athena really likes to go long in her title defenses. I wonder if this will be more of a story match rather than a work rate match.
Backstage with Mark Briscoe was with Tomohiro Ishii and talked up Johnny TV. He said it was an honor to wrestle him and come out on top. He then talked about losing to The Beast Mortos on Dynamite. Briscoe said he wants to face Mortos because he wants “recapitulation”…
Robinson’s Ruminations: I swear someone got Briscoe a word of the day calendar and challenged him to use it in all of promos. I’m down for another Briscoe/Mortos match.
3. Aria Daivari (w/Mark Sterling, Tony Nese) vs. Katsuyori Shibata. On the way to the ring, Sterling and Daivari cut heel promos. Daivari pushed Shibata instead of the code of honor. Shibata grabbed a double wristlock early and Daivari grabbed the ropes and then slid out of the ring for a huddle with Nese and Sterling. Nese tried a distraction but it didn’t work and Shibata locked in a figure four but Daivari got the ropes after a bit.
Daivari slid out of the ring again and complained to Nese and Sterling about his leg. Sterling was talking about “10 seconds” as the announcers made light of it that it’s actually 20 in ROH. Shibata followed him out and Daivari ran him into the ring post and barricade. Back in the ring Daivari got a two count as the fans chanted “You Suck” at the Premiere Athletes. Daivari hit some rapid punches in the corner and then locked in a chinlock.
Shibata fought out, but Daivari threw him out of the ring and distracted the ref while Sterling and Nese put the boots to Shibata for a bit. They threw him back in the ring and Daivari chopped him in the corner. Shibata just ate all of them and chopped Daivari back across the ring. Shibata hit some forearms in the corner and his corner dropkick.
Shibata hit a float over suplex and got a two count. Divarai got a hammerlock clothesline and went up to the top and hit a splash for a two count. Shibata chopped the face of Daivari and tried to run for the PK but Nese pulled the leg and the ref saw it. Shibata kicked both Nese and Sterling off the apron and Daivari rolled him up for a two count. Shibata grabbed a claw and rolled right into a cross arm breaker for the tap out.
Katsuyori Shibata defeated Aria Daivari by submission in 6:50.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Man this is the absolute hottest I’ve ever seen a crowd for ROH. They were into booing all of the heel antics here and were behind everything Shibata was doing. Fine TV match, no question about the outcome.
Backstage The MxM collection were touching tips. Mansoor said the fans they love them even though they awful. Maria and Garrison came in and introduced herself as the “First Lady of ROH”. She suggested turning the tag team into a “Ménage à trois”. They held out their tips to him but Griff grabbed them and MxM freaked out and ran off as Maria was saying “just the tip” over and over…
Robinson’s Ruminations: I’m really not sure how much of this I can take. I know it seems to be super over, but it’s such a one note gimmick that I really just can’t get into it.
4. Harley Cameron vs. Viva Van. No entrance for Van. Cameron hit a Russian leg sweep but Van slid out of a clothesline attempt and Van locked in an ankle pick submission. Cameron turned it into a body scissors but Van rolled it through into a cradle surfboard pendulum swing. Cameron pulled the hair and tried a weak cover and got a two count. Cameron did a foot choke in the ropes and then hit a weak looking back elbow for a two count.
The women traded forearms until Van missed one and got thrown into the corner. Van slid out and hit a double foot kick and a back fist. Cameron hit soul food and a backstabber for a two count. Cameron hit an ax kick through the ropes. Van hit an ugly looking spinning wheel kick for a two count. Van scooped up Cameron in an electric chair but Cameron rolled her up for two. Cameron hit a shining wizard for the pinfall.
Harley Cameron defeated Viva Van by pinfall in 5:15.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Both of these ladies were wrestling in slow motion here. They seemed a quarter step slower than everyone else in the ring.
5. Serpentico vs. Griff Garrison (w/Maria) in an unmasking match. As Garrison made his way to the ring, Serpentico hit him with a suicide dive. Serpentico threw Griff into the barricades all around ringside. Serpentico stared down Maria who was taunting him with the mask. Griff tried to slide into the ring, but Serpentico caught him and pulled him out and chopped him a few times. The ref told Serpentico to bring the match into the ring so it can start. Maria stalled Serpentico on a run and Griff hit a face plant into the stairs. Griff threw Serpentico into the stairs. Griff threw Serpentico into the ring and the match officially started.
Griff hit some mounted forearms. Griff hit a chop, asked the crowd “one more” and then poked the eyes. Griff threw Serpentico hard into the buckle for a two count. Griff hit a sit out facebuster for a two count. Griff hit a big boot and then a torture rack bomb for a two count to the amazement of Griff and the announcers, but not the crowd.
Griff hit a big running forearm for a two count. Maria was yelling at Griff to hit him again. Griff picked Serpentico up and he fell down. The ref checked on him and Serpentico used the ref to pull himself up, but Griff hit the ref with a rolling elbow. Maria threw a chair to Griff since the ref was out. Griff set up the chair in the corner as Angelico came to ringside. Maria argued with Angelico that he wasn’t supposed to be here.
Serpentico threw Griff into the corner chair and then put it in between his legs and hit it with another chair. Serpentico covered Griff and the crowd counted to 8 while the ref was out. The ref came around and counted to two before Griff kicked out. “This is awesome” weakly chanted like ⅓ of the crowd. Both men traded punches on their knees and stood up and continued the punches until Griff hit a big boot to the face. Griff tore off the mask of Serpentico but Serpentico had another one on underneath. As Griff celebrated, Serpentico stood up, hit a Flatliner, and a frog splash for the pinfall.
Serpentico defeated Griff Garrison by pinfall in 7:20.
After the match, SAP stood tall in the ring with the stolen mask finally returned…
Robinson’s Ruminations: These guys worked hard and put on a decent match. The brawl at ringside was almost enough tension to make the match seem like it was the final grudge match, but not quite. The crowd wasn’t as into this one as other matches on the show and that lack of enthusiasm hurt the match.
Backstage Melissa Santos asked Athena about her fearfulness of Abadon. Athena told Billie to go get the car because she wasn’t going to deal with Santos or “that spooky bitch”. Athena ran down all her nicknames and said she was leaving.
6. Anthony Henry and Beef vs. Vinnie Massaro and Dante Leon. No televised entrance for Massaro or Leon. Henry made Leon look silly with his chain wrestling transitions and then hit a dropkick to the knee. Massaro tagged in and ate a kick to the gut. Massaro stuffed a shoulder block attempt and Beef tagged in and blasted Massaro with some shoulder blocks. Leon tagged in and was able to hit an enzuigiri only to walk into a jumping block. Beef hit a crossbody while Leon was on the rope and another to Massaro on the floor. Henry hit a stalling, bridging german suplex for the pinfall.
Anthony Henry and Beef defeated Vinnie Massaro and Dante Leon by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Poor Anthony Henry, he’s getting completely upstaged by Beef. Beef has a ton of charisma though.
7. ROH Pure Rules Champion Lee Moriarty vs. Action Andretti in a Proving Ground match. The judges were Jerry Lynn, Paul Wight and Christopher Daniels. Moriarty started with some arm work, and Andretti used the ropes to try and flip through, but the ref called it a rope break using up Andretti’s first. Moriarty hit a back elbow and tried for the Border City Stretch and Andretti went right for the ropes again and used his second rope break. Andretti hit a flying head scissors and a drop kick for a two count. Andretti hit a springboard tornado splash for another two count.
Moriarty hit an arm wringer and some knees to the gut. Moriarty hit a hatch suplex for a two count. Moriarty worked over the fingers and slid into an abdominal stretch. Andretti walked to the ropes and grabbed them for his last rope break. Andretti got a roll up for a two count. Andretti hit a enzuigiri and some forearms. Andretti hit a back breaker neck breaker combo. Moriarty dumped Andretti to the apron and used a closed fist that the ref caught. As Moriarty went after Andretti, Andretti hit an Arabian press and then a suicide dive on him.
Back in the ring Andretti hit a top rope sliding clothesline for a two count. Andretti locked in a clover leaf and Moriarty used his first rope break to get out. Moriarty gave Andretti a hotshot and then locked in the Border City Stretch. Andretti slid towards the ropes, but Moriarty rolled them back to the middle. Andretti grabbed the rope to no avail and then tapped out.
Lee Moriarty defeated Action Andretti by submission in 6:30.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine showcase match to show off the fact Moriarty can use the rules to his advantage. I don’t know if that’s quite heelish enough for me, Moriarty needs more edge.
We got a recap of the Diamante and Leyla Hirsch match from Death Before Dishonor.
Backstage after Death Before Dishonor Leyla Hirsch said she’s more than a wrestler, she’s a fighter. Hirsch said that Diamante gave her the fight of her life. Hisrch told the locker room if they step up, she’ll show them how Legit she is.
8. Atlantis Jr vs. Robbie Eagles for the ROH Television Championship. Eagles kicked away the code of honor and the men traded some lucha reversals at the top. Atlantis hit a pop up kick to the face for a one count. Eagles fought out of a fireman’s carry and landed on the apron. Atlantis tried a baseball slide and Eagles avoided and hit a huge suicide dive. Eagles hit some chops on the outside while arguing with some Bullet Club Gold fans at ringside.
Back in the ring, Eagles hit a drop kick for a two count. Atlantis fought back with some forearms but Eagles hit a flying head scissors and a pinwheel kick. Eagles tried to untie the mask but then mounted for some punches. Eagles dropped a knee and got a two count. Eagles started working on the leg with some kicks. Atlantis hit a kick on the tip-up and hit a superkick. Atlantis hit a tombstone variant and then a wheelbarrow suplex for a two count. Atlantis went to the top and missed a frog splash. Eagles hit a springboard drop kick to the knee and then locked in the Ron Miller Special. Atlantis tried for the ropes, but Eagles pulled him back to the middle. Atlantis finally got the ropes but Eagles dropped a knee on the leg.
Eagles continued kicking at the leg but then ran into a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. The men traded forearms from their knees, stood up and continued the forearms until Eagles hit a knee to the gut. Atlantis hit a drop toe hold and a cradle roll up for a two count. Eagles hit a roll up of his own for a two count. Eagles hit a mare driver for a two count. Eagles went up to the top slowly and missed a 450 but rolled through and stood up into a superkick. Eagles tried a move, but Atlantis grabbed a Torture Rack for the submission.
Atlantis Jr defeated Robbie Eagles by submission to retain the ROH Television Title in 9:30.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine match, but nothing special. Atlantis is one of the bigger luchadors and can’t do quite as much of the high flying as you’d expect from a luchador. Eagles really took his time in the middle of this one.
Backstage Paul Wight yelled at us about Briscoe wanting to face Mortos. Wight said Mortos would get a title match next week. Tony Nese and Daivari came in complaining about title matches getting handed out willy nilly. Wight told them to win their matches. Nese complained about Sterling getting attacked because he’s a non-competitor, and Wight said he understands their grievance. He said Nese has a match against Lio Rush and if he wins then they’ll talk. Nese said he’ll be “The Giant” in that match, and Wight rolled his eyes.
9. Dustin Rhodes, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich vs. “Cage of Agony” Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona for the ROH Six-man Tag Team Titles. Ross hit a judo throw on Kaun and then tagged in Marshall who botched his drop kick and hit a knee on the face of Kaun. The Von Erichs hit a double drop kick on Toa to clear him from the ring. Marshall hit a standing moonsault on Kaun for a two count. CoA hit a triple team on Marshall and put him in their corner for some quick tags. Marshall slid out of a suplex attempt and rolled up Kaun for a one count. Ross tagged back in with some kicks and a leaping huracanrana.
Ross performed a hip toss from the corner and a PK that got the crowd going. Cage grabbed a leg but Ross fought out of it. Toa pulled the ropes for a low bridge and Ross fell hard to the floor. Gates tossed Ross high and slammed him. Toa hit a huge back elbow. CoA distracted the ref and did some heel work in their corner. Cage hit a scoop slam, did some push ups and posed. Kaun hit ross with a scoop slam and got a two count off a cocky cover. Toa cleared Marshall off the apron and then ate the top of the steel post when Ross slid out of the way.
Dustin and Cage came in and Dustin hit some punches and hit signature upthrust and bulldog. Dustin hit Kaun with a powerslam, Toa with a German suplex and Cage with CrossRhodes for a broken up nearfall. We got the breakdown where everyone hit a big move ending with Cage hitting an F5 on Marshall, and then Dustin hitting a destroyer on Cage for a two count. The faces called for The Claw but Dark Order and Undisputed Kingdom all slid into the ring to attack Dustin and The Von Erichs.
Dustin Rhodes, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich fought “Cage of Agony” Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona to a no-contest in 9:00 in an ROH Six-man Tag Team Title match.
Sammy Guevara came down to try and make the save but got eaten by the numbers. SAP and Fuego del Sol came down and evened up the sides a bit, but the heels took everyone back down. Security guards ran down and got beat up too and Gates threw the skinny one onto the big one at ringside. Dark Order hit their trio finisher on Ross. Sammy ate a DVD and Just the Tip from Kingdom. Cage hit Fuego with a Gory Flatliner. Kingdom hit Dustin with a spike piledriver. A Bunch of refs and Christopher Daniels came down to ringside to try and regain control. The show ended with refs still arguing with heels.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Um, that was an ending for sure. I’m not sure where it goes from here though. Do we have some sort of 20-man tag incoming? What a weird clusterfuck of a finish.
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