By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 106)
Taped February 26, 2025 in Oceanside, California at Frontwave Arena and on March 1 in Oakland, California
Streamed March 6, 2025 on HonorClub
Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman were on commentary and Justin Roberts was the ring announcer…
*Unless otherwise noted, all matches started and ended with the Code of Honor handshake…
The show started with a promo filmed after Dynamite. Renee Paquette asked The Learning Tree about the disparity in wins vs. losses in their faction. Chris Jericho said AEW is the hardest competition in the world. He told Big Bill and Bryan Keith that he hand picked them and ran down their recent losses and said they need to be better. He gave them a motivational speech but then said he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with them if they kept losing. Renee tried to ask them for comment after Jericho left, but they just stayed silent and then followed Jericho out.
1. Athena vs. La Catalina for the ROH Women’s World Championship. Athena dodged a strike attempt and teased Catalina with a bullfighter “Ole”. The women locked in a knuckle lock and teased monkey flips before Athena got a wheelbarrow rollup. Catalina came back with a misdirection dropkick. Catalina hit a shotgun dropkick that sent Athena to the outside. Catalina tried a dive, but Athena blasted her with a kick to cut it off. Athena hit a swinging uranage on the floor that put the crowd into stunned silence. Back in the ring Athena stepped on the face of Catalina and then argued with the ref. When Athena yelled at the crowd, Catalina rolled Athena up for a two count and then blasted her with a forearm.
Catalina missed a hip attack and Athena hit a superkick, a rolling DVD and then a nasty forearm for a two count. Athena locked in a variant of a bow and arrow stretch but Catalina fought out with strikes to the face. Catalina cut off a handspring move with a flying knee. Catalina went to the top and hit a shotgun dropkick off the top and then a running hip attack in the corner. Catalina hit an electric chair drop for a two count. Catalina locked in a cloverleaf variant but Athena grabbed the ropes to get out. Athena hit a popup powerbomb, got a two count, lifted Catalina up and hit a sit-out powerbomb for a two count.
Athena locked in a choke and a crossface but Catalina rolled through both for pinning attempts. Catalina hit a big huge shoulder block, a hip attack and a pedigree for a two count. The announcers did a great job of talking about the jeopardy Athena was in, but the crowd was silent. Catalina tried another electric chair but Athena hit a huracanrana and then a big forearm. Athena went up top and hit a nasty looking O-Face for the pinfall.
Athena defeated La Catalina by pinfall to retain the ROH Women’s World Championship.
After the match, Athena extended her hand and shook La Catalina’s hand and raised it. The announcers knew what was coming. Athena blasted Catalina with a forearm and ran off…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Good to very good match here, but I don’t think it cracks through to great. Just on the positive side of 4.00 stars. Hard hitting, well paced, but it didn’t quite make it to that last gear you’d like to see from a big match.
Backstage MxM held up their stolen title belt with their faces taped on it. They said people thought they lost the title in Australia but that didn’t count because Australia isn’t a real country. They told Dustin Rhodes they were going to be a thorn in his side and they are going to crash their match Sons of Texas are going to have later.
2. Satnam Singh and Jay Lethal w/ Sonjay Dutt vs. McCallion and Slade. No entrance for the McCallion and Slade, who looked like they were ripped right out of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic. Slade slapped away the code of honor. Lethal hit a pair of shoulder blocks and got a one count. Lethal hit some arm drags and a dropkick and then did a JJ strut. McCallion tagged in and hit some forearms. Jobbers got a blind tag and stuffed Lethal in their corner with a shoulder block and a step up enzuigiri. Lethal flipped out of a back suplex attempt and then tagged in Singh who hit a double shoulder block on both men. Singh hit running splashes and then beal tossed Slade across the ring. Singh hit like five kneeling chokeslams on McCallion. Slade tried to interfere, but got blasted by Lethal with a superkick. Singh hit a double chokeslam, and then body slammed one onto the other and pinned them both.
Satnam Singh and Jay Lethal defeated McCallion and Slade by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match.
3. Billie Starkz vs. Mylo. Starkz hit a back elbow and then some weak rewind kicks. Starkz kicked Mylo in the corner and then argued with the ref about the five count. Starkz raked the face of Mylo on the ropes. Mylo held onto the ropes, so Billie hit her with a chop. Mylo tried a cutter but it got stuffed. Mylo hit a knee to the chest in the corner. Mylo hit some forearm strikes and tried a monkey flip but got dumped outside the ring. Starkz hit a baseball slide dropkick. Starkz threw Mylo into the barricade and then back in the ring. Strakz went up top and hit a swan dive for the pinfall.
Billie Starkz defeated Mylo by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Strakz looked a little annoyed at how empty and quiet the crowd was for her match. I think there’s a reason though that she’s still down here in ROH. She can’t elevate lesser opponent’s up to a better level yet. She can hang with the best of the best, but when put in the ring with lesser opponents, she seems to not get the best out of them. This match had some spots where it came off like Billie wasn’t into it. She threw light kicks and did not show enough aggression.
4. ROH Tag Team Champions “The Sons of Texas” Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes vs. Jon Cruz and Olumide in a non-title match. Jon Cruz has entrance music? I’m shocked. Sammy hit some chops and forearms on Olumide and then backflipped over him and hit a dropkick. Cruz tagged in and ate an arm drag. Dustin tagged in and hit Cruz with a right hand. Cruz fired back and posed only to eat a clothesline. SoT hit a double suplex on Cruz and then Sammy hit a standing moonsault for a two count. Sammy tried a stalling suplex but Cruz raked the eyes. Sammy got put in the heel corner and some cheating behind the ref’s back happened. Olumide missed a corner splash and got blasted with a kick. Dustin hit some clotheslines and some snap powerslams. Dustin hit the Curtain Call and Sammy hit a swan dive on Olumide for the pinfall.
ROH Tag Team Champions “The Sons of Texas” Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes defeated Jon Cruz and Oluimde in a non-title match by pinfall.
After the match “MxM Collection” Mason Madden and Mansoor slithered into the ring behind SoT and started the beat down. MxM tried to hit Sammy with “their belt” but Mansoor hit Madden after a duck. Sammy set Mansoor up for Shattered Dreams and Dustin hit it. Dustin gave Sammy his stolen belt back as Mansoor complained on the stage about his kicked crotch…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match for SoT and then they get their revenge on MxM too? Not sure why SoT needed to get their belt back already, MxM was fun with it.
5. The Beast Mortos vs. Sonico. Sonico hit some chops and slid out of a snake eyes attempt and then hit a springboard shoulder block, but Mortos came back with a shoulder block that sent Sonico inside out. Mortos ripped at the mask and then hit some corner strikes and a snap powerslam for a two count. Mortos hit a grapevine leg snap for a two count. Mortos slapped Sonico twice in the face and locked in a chinlock. Mortos hit his pop up samoan drop and then his bodyslam driver for the pinfall.
The Beast Mortos defeated Sonico by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match.
6. Thunder Rosa vs. Brittnie Brooks. The crowd was actually full for this match and chanted for Rosa as the women jockeyed for position. Rosa hit some chops but Brooks came back with some arm drags. Brooks missed a corner splash and Rosa hit an uppercut and a running seated clothesline for a two count. Rosa hit a scoop slam. Brooks fought out of a suplex attempt and hit a snap suplex of her own. Brooks hit a knee to the head for a two count.
Brooks hit some strikes in the corner, but Rosa ducked a chop and hit some chops of her own. Brooks hit some strikes and tried a bulldog but Rosa stuffed it and Rosa hit her with a dropkick. Rosa blocked some punches and put Brooks down with some punches and a clothesline. Rosa hit a dropkick against the ropes and a northern lights suplex with a bridge for a two count. Brooks came back with some forearms and hit a bulldog for a two count. Brooks set up for a reverse DDT but got cut off and Rosa hit the Tijuana bomb for the pinfall.
Thunder Rosa defeated Brittnie Brooks by pinfall.
After the match, Rosa picked up Brooks and held her arm up…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Not quite a squash, as Brooks got some nice looking offense in. There was never any doubt about the winner, but this didn’t really overstay its welcome.
A recap aired of the Collision match with Bandido and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Big Bill and Brian Keith…
7. “The Infantry” Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo vs. Bandido and Gravity. Coleman gave Bandido and Gravity a great “Space Cowboys” tag team name. I hope it sticks. The Infantry slapped away the Code of Honor and then shook each other’s hands in their corner. Gravity hit an arm drag, but Dean came back with right hands. Gravity hit a sunset roll through, and then a dropkick. Bandido and Bravo tagged in and traded shoulder block attempts that Bandido got the best of. Bandido flipped out of an arm drag and hit a dropkick. Bravo blocked a double team move and Infantry got a blind tag and Bravo hit Gravity with a chop block and Dean wrapped the knee of Gravity around the ring post as the crowd booed and jeered.
The Infantry mugged Gravity two on one in the corner. Infantry hit some assisted splashes and elbows in the corner and Bravo hit a big boot for a two count. Dean hit a jumping stomp on the knee of Gravity against the ropes. Dean worked on the knee some more and then hit a butterfly bomb and immediately sat down in a half crab submission. Bravo pulled Bandido off the apron as Gravity was about to get the tag. Gravity got out of the crab with some kicks and got the hot tag to Bandido. Bandido hit some kicks and high knees. Bandido pressed Bravo with one hand and threw him onto Dean. Bandido clotheslined Infantry out of the ring and then the brothers dove onto them at ringside with suicide dives.
Back in the ring, Space Cowboys hit a double pancake move and then an assisted splash for a broken up nearfall. Bandido got blasted with a Bravo right hand and Dean crossbody off the top. Infantry hit a Magic Killer variant for a broken up nearfall. Bravo got tossed to the outside by Gravity but Dean went back on the attack to the knee. Bandido hit a tilt a whirl knee strike. Bandido hit a huge flip dive over Dean to Bravo on the outside and Gravity hit the 21-plex on Dean to get the pinfall.
Bandido and Gravity defeated “The Infantry” Carlie Bravo and Shawn Dean by pinfall.
After the match, Big Bill and Brian Keith slid into the ring and started the beatdown as Jericho strode down the ramp. Jericho hit Gravity with his title belt as Big Bill held Bandido to watch. Jericho then blasted Bandido with the belt too as his music played…
Robinson’s Ruminations: Certainly not a squash, and I’m ok with using an Infantry loss like this. Bandido is for sure a one in a million athlete. Power, speed, precision.
Backstage, Athena had two new female minions with her. Diamante came in and pulled one generic minion out of the scene and then the other fled. Diamante asked where Billie Starkz was. Athena told her to address her with her minion number. Diamante said it didn’t matter because she’s minion number one now…
Robinson’s Ruminations: I assume this means Diamante is looking for a title match, and not looking to join forces with Athena, but I’m willing to be mistaken. Either one works for me. Athena having generic minions though is something I wish we had seen more of or could see more of in the future.
8. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Bad Dude Tito and Che Cabrera vs. “Gates of Agony” Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona. TMDK jumped Gates before the bell and Che had to use a chair to stop Toa but he no-sold it. Toa got hit with a low blow and a chair to the back and tossed into the barricade. TMDK threw Kaun into the ring and the bell rang. Kaun tried to fight back but got hit with an uppercut and a big shoulder block for a two count. Tito hit some chops and tagged Che and they hit a double flap jack and Che hit a falling headbutt for a two count.
Kaun got a boot up in the corner but got hit with a powerslam for a two count. Tito hit an outside in rolling dive and then stepped on the head of Kaun. Tito hit an outside in suplex for a two count. TMDK tried a double back suplex but Kaun flipped out and blasted both men with forearms only to get hit with a double forearm blast and a double spinebuster for a two count. TMDK tried a Doomsday Device but Kaun fought out and sent Che into Tito on the top. Che got tossed outside and Kaun hit a superplex for a double down and Toa got up on the apron.
Kaun got the hot tag and Toa hit some big stiff clotheslines and chops. Toa stacked TMDK in the corner and hit them both with clotheslines. Che fell down and then Toa hit Tito with nine more but Che pulled Tito out before ten to the boos of the crowd. Toa hit them both with a rolling shoulder block. Back in the ring, Toa hit a samoan drop for a broken up two count. Kuan sent Tito out of the ring with a shotgun dropkick. Che got blasted with a Pounce and then Gates hit Open the Gates for the pinfall.
“Gates of Agony” Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Bad Dude Tito and Che Cabrera by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: That’s how you build a face monster tag team! Give them some adversity, give them other monsters to overcome. Let them show off some impressive athleticism like the rolling cannonball and the pounce!
We got a recap of the awesome Lucha action we have been graced with the last two weeks.
9. Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., and Dark Panther vs. Valiente, Gran Guerrero, and Euforia. Valiente rolled up Panther Jr but rolled through and tried an STF but Valiente grabbed a leg for a standoff as Komander was shown in the crowd. Valiente and Panther Jr traded chops. Dark Panther and Guerrero came in and traded leg stips before Dark Panther hit head scissors. Dark Panther hit Euforia with a move and then avoided one and Euforia ate the ring post. Dark Panther grabbed the leg of Valiente and Panther Sr came in and all the Panthers hit flying headbutts to him.
Guerrero came in and he got a headbutt to the gut too. Dark Panther faked out Euforia and kicked him in the junk. The rudos hit Panther Jr with a triple assisted powerbomb. Guerrero dropkicked Panther Jr off the apron. The rudos triple teamed Panther Sr in their corner as his kids regrouped on the floor. The crowd chanted “perro” at the rudos as they triple teamed Dark Panther with clotheslines in the corner. Valiente hit an iconoclasm and the other two hit dropkicks to a seated Dark Panther. Panther Sr came back in and tried to fight back but got mugged to the mat quickly.
Valiente at the corner post and Panther Jr hit tilt a whirl backbreakers on everyone. Panther Sr hit a cannonball dive on the outside as his sons hit dropkicks on the inside. The sons hit dives to the outside on some rudos at ringside. Panther Sr got a two count on Euforia as he got slid into the ring. Panther Sr hit an ugly springboard crossbody. Panther hit a head scissors on Euforia. Panther Sr hit a huracanrana off the apron. Panther Jr hit a crossbody off the top and a dropkick on
Guerrero and then dove onto him on the outside. Dark Panther tried to roll up Dark Panther but got reversed into a two count. Dark Panther hit a powerbomb on Valiente for a two count. Dark Panther dove onto Valiente on the outside with a shoulder block. Panther hit a second one and then motioned for the belt at Komander. Back in the ring, Panther Sr rolled up Euforia for the pinfall.
Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., and Dark Panther defeated Euforia, Gran Guerrero and Valiente by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This was less amazing than the past two weeks of lucha action, but this was more fun. Seeing a dad and his two sons go out there and have a good time wrestling brought a smile to my face. You could see the joy on Panther Sr’s face, and it was infectious. That said, Panther Sr had to assisted through a lot of his spots and some of them still looked kind of ugly, but he’s 64 and has been wrestling since the late 70’s, so I’ll cut him plenty of slack here.
The overall show was a bit of a comedown after the last two weeks of crazy lucha action. It was back to business though, even if some of that business left me confused and questioning what the next step in the story is going to be. My ROH on HonorClub audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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