By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 96)
Taped December 21, 2024 in New York, New York at Hammerstein Ballroom
Streamed December 26, 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…
1. Blake Christian vs. AR Fox. Christian threw a pieface instead of the code of honor. Fox fought back with some strikes and a leg lariat. Fox hit a stunner out of a tip up fight and then hit a running shooting star off the apron to the outside. Back in the ring, Christian hit a boot in the corner and a missile dropkick off the top. Christian soaked in the “oh, f— you Blake Christian” chants and then hit a 180 tope suicida. Christian tossed Fox onto the barricade and then onto the ring steps. Back in the ring, Christian hit some stomps and a knee lift.
Fox fought out of a fireman’s carry, and after some crazy reversals Fox hit a step up enzuigiri and the crowd chanted for him. Fox hit a clothesline in the corner and then skinned the cat basement dropkick. Christian caught Fox’s foot and threw him face first into the apron. Fox hit a laser pinpoint dive onto Christian who was dancing around ringside. Back in the ring, Fox hit a swanton for a two count. Christian went to the eyes and hit a running Spanish fly for a two count.
Christian went to ringside to get a chair and slid it into the ring right in front of Rick Knox who stopped him, and Fox dove over Knox for a dive and then back in the ring Fox hit a 450 for a two count. Fox saw the chair and picked it up and gave it to Knox, but Christian hit him with a low blow. Christian hit a step up stomp for the pinfall.
Blake Christian defeated AR Fox by pinfall.
After the match, Fox struggled to get to his feet as Christian argued with crowd at ringside…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Christian slowing down his offense to be a heel is good, but this might have been a touch too slow. Fun match otherwise. I love Christian’s heel persona and really want to see more of him on a big stage.
A World’s End ad focused on the main event four-way match…
2. Serpentico vs. Lee Johnson (w/EJ Nduka). The announcers recapped the maybe heel turn during the Johnson entrance and questioned if it was for real. Serpentico kicked away the code of honor and grabbed a roll up for a two count. Johnson slapped the face of Serpentico on a chain wrestling sequence. Serpentico hit his flying head scissors out of the corner and snagged another two count roll up. Johnson hit his big dropkick and posed and did some pushups. Serpentico got thrown to the outside and Nduka stood over him imposingly as Johnson came after him from behind.
Johnson hit a jumping high five before going back in the ring and getting rolled up for another two count. Johnson threw Serpentico into the ropes throat first, hit a standing moonsault and got a two count nearfall. Johnson charged into an empty corner and Serpetnico hit a superkick and a running cutter for a two count. Serpentico went to the top and flipped out of a flying nothing, only for Johnson to scoop him up for a DVD. Serpentico fought back but Johnson grabbed the ref, and Nduka chokeslammed Serpentico. Johnson hit a fisherman’s brainbuster on the knee for the pinfall.
Lee Johnson defeated Serpentico by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: The heel turn is cemented, and it looks good on Johnson. That fisherman’s brainbuster on the knee isn’t going to be usable on some of the bigger guys, but that’s where Nduka comes in.
A video package aired from Shane Taylor in his leather chair telling “you” that you’re not worth it or ready for it. Taylor said they’re coming for everything and “you’re” not ready for it…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Nothing to this promo, just a bunch of generic menacing word salad, but it was well produced and Taylor is believable as a bad man.
3. “Premier Athletes” Tony Nese and Aria Daivari (w/Mark Sterling, Josh Woods) vs. Tommy Billington and Katsuyori Shibata. Sterling did some heel mic work on the way to the ring and the crowd chanted for Shibata on his way to the ring. The Athletes mugged Billington in the corner and did their “Athletes Rule/Suck” chant. Billing hit a wicked clothesline, a dropkick and a bodyslam. Billing went to the top and hit a shotgun dropkick from the top. Shibata came in and locked in a top wrist lock on Nese and stomped on his elbow. Shibata made Nese even by stomping on his other elbow.
Billington came back in and took a knee to the back from Daivari, but he punched him off the apron, but Nese blindsided him. Billington got thrown to the outside and Sterling and Woods put some boots to him. Back in the ring, Billington got a dropkick and got the hot tag to Shibata. Shibata threw strikes and a big knee lift. Shibata hit a front suplex and a german suplex all on Daivari. Nese broke up a double suplex attempt. Billington locked in a crossface on Daivari and he tapped, but Sterling was in the face of the ref and Woods pulled Billington off of Daivari who rolled Billington up for two. Daivari hit a DDT and Nese hit a 450 off the top and they only got a two count for it.
The Athletes set up for a double team move, but got thrown into each other and Shibata tagged in and hit a huge running boot and some chops on Daivari. Shibata hit his corner dropkick and then a running boot on Sterling who was on the apron. Billington hit a diving headbutt from the top and then Shibata hit a PK for the pinfall.
Katsuyori Shibata and Tommy Billington defeated “The Premier Athletes” Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Billington still seems a little generic out there, but when he’s hitting the family offense you’re really transported 30 years back in time. We all know the risks of the diving headbutt so I hope they’ve figured out a way to make it safer over time, but I’m still worried about it.
4. Toni Storm vs. Rebecca Scott. No televised entrance for Scott, who grabbed an early sleeper. She was tossed off and then she tried for an arm submission, but the women wrestled around for a bit. Scott grabbed a headlock and Storm stuffed a shoulder block but then hit one of her own. Storm hit a small basement dropkick and hit a vertical suplex. Storm missed a hip attack in the corner and got hit with a big boot and a foot choke in the corner. Scott tried a springboard crossbody but got caught and hit with a swing out backbreaker. Storm hit a german suplex. Storm hit a hip attack in the corner and Storm Zero for the pinfall.
Toni Storm defeated Rebecca Scott by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quick showcase match for Storm. We’re still doing the “What is Toni doing?” story and I’m here for it. It’s weird and quirky, but that’s what made Storm so endearing to the fans in the first place, being quirky. Scott was pretty generic looking but she held her own just fine in the ring.
Throwback Match: Colt Cabana defeated Nigel McGuinness in a Soccer Riot match held on August 20, 2005 at “Night of Grudges II” in Morristown, New Jersey.
Robinson’s Ruminations: That was a fun brawl match. Cabana at the top yelling about how everything was legal and getting the crowd into it was a ton of fun.
5. QT Marshall and Aaron Solo vs. Rocky Romero and mystery partner of Homicide. QT grabbed a mic at ringside and mocked the crowd for chanting “Homicide” and “187”. QT grabbed a hammerlock, but Homicide tripped him and held his own in some chain wrestling. Homicide bit the ear of QT and tagged in Rocky and they hit a double shoulder tackle. QT tagged in Solo and they traded some arm work. Rocky hit a clothesline and Solo tagged out. Rocky hit QT with a flying head scissors that sent him to the outside. Rocky low bridged Solo and then set up for a dive but QT grabbed the foot.
QT and Solo did some heel work in their corner for a bit until Rocky got a boot up and hit Shurnoi for a double down. Homicide got the hot tag and hit Three Amigos on solo for a two count. Homicide hit a running belly to belly and QT broke up the nearfall. Solo and QT hit a backdrop neckbreaker combo and Rocky broke up that nearfall. Homicide tried for Cop Killer but QT broke it up. Rocky threw QT to the floor and hit him with a dive that sent him into the crowd. Homicide hit a cutter on Solo and a big lariat for the pinfall.
Rocky Romero and Homicide defeated QT Marshall and Aaron Solo by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: I’m torn on how to feel about this. Homicide coming back at the Hammerstein is a big deal, and he looked pretty good. The problem is it’s just nostalgia, which isn’t much better than the memes. Speaking of memes…
A recap of Final Battle aired with MxM Collection getting outsmarted by the returning Danhausen… A backstage promo aired from a disheveled MxM Collection, who said that Danhausen ruined their moment. Mansoor called Atlantis a nepo-baby and assumed his mom was Alanis Morissette. They argued about Danhausen’s mask/face.
6. “MxM Collection” Mansoor and Mason Madden vs. Dustin Waller and Kylon King. The enhancement duo slapped away the tip touching to big boos. Mansoor lit up Waller in the corner with chops and then hit an atomic drop and dropkick. Madden tagged in and MxM hit their combo moves and posed. Mansoor hit an atomic drop and spinebuster for a broken up nearfall. King distracted Mansoor and Waller hit a drop kick and then they both hit a bunch of standing high flying moves. Mansoor fought out of the corner with atomic drops, and escaping a tandem move set up. Madden tagged in and was still wearing his shades and hit big kicks on both opponents. Madden hit a step over leg drop and then caught King coming off the top rope and slammed him. MxM hit Centerfold for the pinfall.
“MxM Collection” Mansoor and Mason Madden defeated Dustin Waller and Kylon King by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quick little squash match.
A replay was shown of Chris Jericho’s New York Minute from Dynamite. Jericho said that he and Anthony Bowens will have a match on Friday’s Rampage…
A recap aired of the Jericho vs. Matt Cardona match from Final Battle along with the return of Bandido. Another recap aired on Athena vs. Billie Starkz from Final Battle…
A clip from the media scrum was shown with Athena stating there was going to be an expulsion from MIT, seemingly alluding to Billie Starkz…
Robinson’s Ruminations: They conveniently left out the fact that Bandido concussed himself immediately upon his return. Best of luck to Bandido and hopefully it’s a quick recovery.
Lexi Nair stood in the ring and introduced us to the first ever Minion Expulsion. She introduced the loser from Final Battle, Billie Starkz, who came out completely despondent. Nair introduced Athena with about half her catchphrases. Athena said they were here to apologetically expel a minion. Athena said they’ve had nothing but problems from Billie and that she has ignored her guidance and still sucks.
Athena told the crowd not to boo a young minion. Athena said Billie does nothing but bitch and moan while Athena is racking her brain to help her. “Shut the f— up” chanted the crowd. Athena sang the praises of Lexi Nair. After some buildup, Athena laid into Lexi about missing her penguin costume, fumbling the mic, and other things before expelling her permanently. Athena led the crowd in the goodbye song as Lexi sobbed on her way to the back.
Athena said that Lexi’s expulsion was a stepping stone for Billie and that she cares about Billie’s future. Athena said it’s her and minion forever. Athena hugged Billie who looked just wrecked about it all, as the announcers told her not to hug back…
Robinson’s Ruminations: The announcers interjecting about gaslighting the whole time was just perfection. The turn on Lexi, I honestly saw coming when I watched the media scrum last week. It just felt too convenient to expel Billie. They’ve put too much work into this story not to see it through, but they’re going to have to ramp this one up hard, because it’s falling a bit flat at the moment.
A recap aired of Komander winning the ROH TV Championship at Final Battle. A clip of Komander crying happy tears and hugging Tony Khan was shown…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Seeing Tony Khan was completely unnecessary. I understand wanting to see the happy tears, but we didn’t need to be brought out of our suspension of disbelief with Komander saying “thank you” to Khan.
7. Komander vs. Jonny TV (w/Mansoor, Mason Madden) for the ROH TV Championship. MxM had somehow made their way to a balcony where they had a sign that was shown. Komander tricked TV into posing only to kick him in the gut. Komnader hit a springboard crossbody. Komander hit a lucha arm drag and then went to the ropes but TV kicked out his legs and hit a backflipping samoan drop and a standing shooting star for a two count. Split chants from the crowd as TV had a chinlock locked in. TV hit a kick to the head for a two count. TV locked in a seated dragon sleeper but Komander stood up.
TV suplexed Komander to the apron and kicked him to the floor. TV stopped himself on a dive, and rolled out of the ring right onto a retreating Komander. TV missed an outside-in elbow drop. Komander got a boot up in the corner and then hit a superkick. Komander went to the top and hit a rope walking move that was supposed to be an arm drag but flipped out of the flub and landed on his feet on the apron. Komander then hit a springboard press and got a two count. TV went to the eyes and tried an Alabama Slam but Komander got the ropes and hit a destroyer for a two count.
TV hit a backbreaker and then a straight jacket neckbreaker for a two count. MxM disappeared off the balcony. Komander hit a series of superkicks and then a Poison Rana. Komander hit a senton splash and went for his finisher but MxM popped up and pulled TV out, and Komander recalibrated and moonsaulted onto MxM. TV threw Kmander into the apron and then tried Starship pain, but missed. Komander hit his rope walking shooting star for the pinfall.
Komander defeated Johnny TV by pinfall to retain the ROH TV Title.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This one was better than their massive flub of a match a few months back, but it was still clunky in places. MxM disappearing and reappearing like muppets was some cute camera trickery. My weekly ROH on HonorClub audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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