By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 103)
Taped January 31, 2025 on the Jericho Cruise
Streamed February 13, 2025 on HonorClub
Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman were on commentary, and Lexi Nair was the ring announcer…
*Unless otherwise noted, all matches started and ended with the Code of Honor handshake…
The show started with Chris Jericho saying that this show was coming to us from the Jericho Cruise (with some bad Spanish interlaced).
1. Mason Madden (w/ Mansoor) vs. Jay Lethal. MxM Collection came to the ring with one of the ROH Tag Team Title belts that they had had bedazzled. They made Lexi Nair announce them as the “ROH Tag Team Champion.” Lethal was in “Black Machismo” mode. Madden teased touching tips for the Code of Honor, but kneed Lethal in the gut instead. Madden put some boots into the gut of Lethal in the corner, but Lethal came back with some jabs and a big right to the head.
Lethal tried the 10 punches in the corner, but got picked up and carried off before delivering the last punch. Lethal hit a double axe handle from the top. Lethal went up top again but got caught with a chokeslam on the way down. Madden hit some back elbows in the corner and a standing leg lariat for a two count. Madden worked over the arm of Lethal with elbows and wringers. Lethal tried to fire back with a chop and got caught with a headbutt. After some chasing, Lethal hit a springboard crossbody for a double down.
Both wrestlers traded some punches in the middle of the ring until Madden did the Hulkster comeback with a big boot and got plenty of boos for it. Madden missed the leg drop and Lethal went up top for the elbow, Madden got a foot up, but Lethal caught it. Lethal tried for Lethal Injection but it didn’t work quite right. Lethal went up top for the elbow, nailed it and got the pinfall.
Jay Lethal defeated Mason Madden by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This match was an attempt to get the quiet crowd going, and it worked in that regard. The crowd was pretty quiet when things started, but they were into it by the end.
A video from last week where Athena was berating Billie Starkz. Athena asked her what she learned and said Starkz was no better than her country bumpkin parents. Athena yelled at Starkz to get it together and walked off…
2. Billie Starkz vs. Harley Cameron. After some feeling out with headlocks and arm bars, Billie slapped the butt of Cameron. Cameron landed a drop toe hold trip and slapped the butt of Billie. Billie got mad and after some reversals, Cameron hit a really bad dropkick to the knee. Cameron hit the ten punches in the corner, but rubbed her breasts in the face of Billie for ten. Billie hit a bad looking spin kick and then a DDT. Billie choked Cameron on the middle rope. Billie ducked a kick attempt and locked Cameron in a chinlock. Cameron fought out but Billie cut her off with a knee.
Cameron hit some clotheslines and then a hotshot bulldog on the ropes and rubbed her breasts in Billie’s face again. Cameron hit a really ugly enzuigiri for a two count. Cameron tried some sort of pump handle move and then after some reversals hit a pump handle back suplex that got a two count. Billie hit her rewind kick and then a twisting neckbreaker on her knee for a two count. Billie went up to the middle rope as the crowd chanted “Harley” and missed her swanton. Cameron rolled her up for the pinfall.
Harley Cameron defeated Billie Starkz by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: So many ugly mistimed moves from Cameron here. Also, something in the ring was squeaking like crazy and driving me bananas this whole match. Cameron is still a work in progress, but if Mone can get a good match out of her, I will be impressed.
A replay aired of a match between Konosuke Takeshita and Tommy Billington from last summer…
3. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Tommy Billington in an Eliminator match. Billington hit an early arm drag that made Takeshita mad. After some arm work from Billington, Takeshita hit a trip and tried some leg work, but Billington got out and worked over the arm some more. Billington hit a shoulder block and an O’Connor roll for a two count. Billington hit a monkey flip in the middle and Billington went to the top, but Takeshita crotched him on the top. Takeshita threw Billington across the ring.
Takeshita grabbed a plastic spoon out of his boot and put it in the face of Billington in the corner and the ref had to act clueless. Takeshita hit a suplex for a two count and then locked in a chin lock. Billington fought to his feet but ate the knee to the gut. Billington avoided a suplex and hit a huge clothesline and a back elbow. Billington hit a snap suplex and went to the top. Billington hit a shotgun dropkick off the top and posed in the corner. After some reversals Billington hit a tombstone piledriver in the middle of the ring and went to the top. Billington missed the diving headbutt from the top. Takeshita hit a big huge knee lift and then the blue thunder bomb for the pinfall.
AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defeated Tommy Billington in an Eliminator match by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Billington continues to get better in the ring, Takeshita was a nice treat all the way down here on ROH.
A recap of the main event from last week aired to set up the next match…
4. “The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd vs. “Grizzled Young Veterans” James Drake and Zack Gibson. Coleman told Riccaboni to get one of the Outrunners fanny packs because he fit his laptop in there, but then he lost it. Drake flipped out of an arm bar and pulled the hair of Magnum. Magnum hit a flying head scissor and tagged in Floyd. GYV cornered Floyd and Gibson tried a body slam but got hit with a back elbow. Outrunners hit their atomic drop combo and then they hit GYV with airplane spins. GYV then got atomic drops and then ran into each other head first.
GYV got the blind tag and hit a series of rapid fire strikes that included dropkicks for both Outrunners. Magnum tried a sunset flip and GYV made the tag and Gibson hit Magnum with an elbow to the head. Gibson choked Magnum in the corner with his boot. Drake locked in a chinlock who fought to his feet and tried to tag out but got his arm held. Magnum fought out of the corner and hit a suplex on Drake as Floyd charged up on the apron. Magnum escaped GYV and made the hot tag. Floyd hit right hands and body slams. Floyd gave GYV the noggin knocker. Floyd dumped Drake to ringside and then Hulked up on Gibson.
The Outrunners hit the “You son of a bitch” elbow drop. The Outrunners tried Total Recall, but Gibson got a thumb in the eye and rolled up Floyd for a two count. Floyd escaped a fireman’s carry and hit a Snowplow. Drake choked Floyd with a scarf behind the ref’s back and pulled him down. Gibson recovered and mounted Floyd with punches. Drake tagged in and GYV tried a Doomsday Device but Magnum pulled Floyd down, crotched Drake and then hit Total Recall on Drake for the pinfall.
“The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd defeated “Grizzled Young Veterans” Zack Gibson and James Drake by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Probably the best match I’ve seen The Outrunners have so far. It was a pretty formula, but strayed outside the formula at the end there. The Outrunners have really distilled their formula down and have it down pat.
Backstage Lexi Nair tried to interview Queen Aminata but someone unnamed interrupted and told her she needed to shake less ass and beat more of it. She challenged Aminata to a Pure Rules match in ROH. Aminata said she was ready and would be right there for the match.
5. Serpentico vs. Ricochet. All the other music was blasting like crazy, but I could barely make out Serpentico’s music which is a crime. Ricochet hit a shoulder block. After some lucha reversals Serpentico hit a flying head scissors and a dropkick and Ricochet retreated to ringside. Back in the ring, Serpentico hit some right hands but Ricochet used the ref to stop Serpentico in his tracks and then attacked Serpentico with some punches and elbow drops. Ricochet stomped on the neck of Serpentico. Ricochet sent Serpentico hard into the buckle and the damn ring squeak came back!
Ricochet bounced the head of Serpentico off the mat. Serpentico rolled up Ricochet for a one count. Ricochet hit a Thesz press and then hit a People’s moonsault for a two count. Ricochet argued with the ref and fans. Serpentico hit an elbow and superkick. Serpentico hit a flatliner for a two count. Serpentico went up top and hit the flying nothing and rolled through. Ricochet hit a wall walking backflip off of Serpentico then hit a knee lift and clothesline. Ricochet hit a running shooting star for a two count. Ricochet tried a fireman’s carry move, but Serpentico reversed it into a Destroyer for a two count. Serpentico went up top and tried a frog splash but got the knees. Ricochet hit Vertigo and then hit Spirit Gun for the pinfall.
Ricochet defeated Serpentico by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: High Flyers who know how to be heels are something I really love. Serpentico hung with the elite athlete which is nothing to sneeze at.
6. Komander vs. Nick Wayne for the ROH Television Championship. Wayne waved off the Code of Honor. “Where’s your mom?” asked the crowd as Wayne used a knuckle lock to keep Komander grounded. Komander used the knuckle lock to hit a monkey flip. Wayne tried to fire back but Komander flipped through it. Komander hit a wheelbarrow arm drag. They traded trip and dropkick attempts for the stalemate. Komander turned his back to rally the crowd chanting for him and Wayne clobbered him with a double axe handle. Komander used the ropes to avoid a clothesline and then hit a flying head scissors. Komander tried a springboard move to the ramp, but Wayne caught him with a kick to the gut and hit a DDT on the ramp.
Komander got thrown to the stage and Wayne tried for the countout, Komander made it back before ten. Wayne hit some right hands and then some kicks in the corner. Wayne dug his knuckles into the face of Komander. Wayne hit a snapmare and got a one count for it. Wayne hit some knees to the back and then a PK to the back for a two count. Wayne hit some leg drops and then a mule kick to the face. Komander rolled up Wayne for a two count. Komander fired back with some kicks and a flying wristlock takeover. Wayne threw Komander at the ropes and he dove over them and rolled onto the ramp. Wayne followed and Komander hit a springboard moonsault press.
Back in the ring, Komander hit a rope walking crossbody for a two count. Komander went up top, but got crotched and he fell down. Wayne toyed with Komander with light kicks in the corner. Komander fired back but ate a superkick and a bridging dragon suplex for a two count. Wayne hit a superkick and a fisherman’s suplex for a two count. Wayne hit a spin kick and tried Wayne’s World but got hit with a Destroyer instead. Komander hit a 619, grabbed a Captain’s hat off a fan and hit his rope walking shooting star for the pinfall.
Komander defeated Nick Wayne by pinfall to retain the ROH TV Title.
Robinson’s Ruminations: That really drug during the middle, like they were stalling for time for some reason. That could have been a much better match, and you could see sparks of the brilliance lurking underneath.
The show was pretty ho-hum. The crowd wasn’t nearly as invested as I was expecting them to be, and seemed to be almost bored and waiting for something big to happen. My weekly ROH on HonorClub audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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