By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 118)
Taped May 8, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan at Masonic Temple Theatre
Streamed May 29, 2025, 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 the usual rundown of the matches for the show, which includes a bunch of “In Action” matches…
1. Trish Adora (w/”The Infantry”) vs. La Catalina. Adora used her strength to put Catalina down a few times before Catalina grabbed a headlock. Catalina hit some arm drags, but Adora came right back with a knee lift. Catalina hit a misdirection dropkick. Catalina tried her electric chair but Adora fought out and did a neck twist in the middle of the ring. Adora locked in the Rings of Saturn variant and stomped on the upraised arm of Catalina. Adora locked in a loose Fujiwara armbar and then kicked the arm.
Adora hit an air raid crash neckbreaker for a two count. Catalina came back with a big knee strike for a double down. Catalina blocked some strike attempts and hit her own. Catalina dropped Adora into the ropes and hit double knees. Catalina hit a butterfly facebuster for a two count. Adora hit her kneeling German with a bridge for a two count. Adora hit a huge forearm and a swinging backbreaker for a two count. Adora put Catalina on the top turnbuckle, but Catalina fought her off and tried a sunset bomb, but Adora held on. Catalina hit her electric chair drop and went up top. Catalina hit a big splash from the top for the pinfall.
La Catalina defeated Trish Adora by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Adora worked a very good match, but it wasn’t heelish enough for me. By the end the crowd was clapping along, willing Adora and her hard work to a win. Adora losing to just the electric chair and top rope splash is kind of sad. I wish there was a bigger comeback.
Backstage, Taya Valkyrie said she’s all about the Pure. She said the tournament is just a casting call, and she’s the main character. She said she’s the headline…
2. Lance Archer vs. Diego Hill. No entrance for Hill. Archer used the code of honor to throw Hill to the apron. Hill tried a springboard crossbody block but got swatted out of the air. Archer was bleeding from an early kick and took out his frustration with a chop. Archer hit a short arm bossman slam. We got some close-up shots of Archer bleeding from his eyebrow. Archer hit some big running elbows in the corner, but Hill caught the 4th and tried a springboard moonsault press, and it hit Archer flush, and he no-sold it, grabbed a wheelbarrow and transitioned into an inverted cloverleaf for a tap-out victory.
Lance Archer defeated Diego Hill by submission.
After the match, Hill got hit with Blackout.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match, but man, those close-ups of Archer bleeding really made him look monstrous.
A video package aired on Athena that she narrated. Athena reintroduced herself to the audience. Lots of clips of her in action, and the announcers had some clipped talking points in there too. Athena said ROH is her show and for everyone to shut up, sit down, and enjoy. “Next time I won’t be so nice”…
Athena is coming back next week…
3. Lee Moriarty (w/ Shawn Dean) vs. Matt Mako for the ROH Pure Championship. This match was held at the Action Wrestling and ROH Dean 2 show on May 24. The event was a tribute to Dean Rassmusen. It was held outside the Desert Diamond Arena in an open courtyard with standing room only, a very interesting aesthetic. The match had a different pair of announcers who were not identified by name.
Mako hit an early spinebuster and grabbed a cross armbreaker, and Moriartiy used his first rope break very quickly. After some quick, crisp chain wrestling Mako hit a double wrist lock slam and locked in a cross armbreaker again. And again, Moriarty used the ropes to get out.
After some shoulder block attempts, Moriartary went around the world and locked in Border City Stretch, and Mako used his first rope break to get out.
Moriarty hit an arm wringer on the ropes and hit a springboard forearm. Moriarty locked in a crucifix and got a two count, and then transitioned into a submission with it, and Mako got to the ropes for his second rope break.
The announcers said there were judges in the back in case the match went to the time limit. Moriarty used open hands in the corner to hit ten punches. Moriarty hit a hip toss and got a two count. Moriarty did a bulldog to the arm of Mako. Moriarty hit some kicks to the arm, but Mako blocked one and hit a high-angle back suplex for a double down. Mako hit a combo of kicks and his Weapon X move, and then a rolling heel kick for a two count. Moriarty blocked some suplex attempts and hit a flatliner into the turnbuckle. Moriarty hit an arm held flatliner variant and locked in Border City Stretch, but Mako got to the ropes, using his last rope break.
The men fought to the top rope, and Mako hit a superplex, held on, and hit a cradled falcon arrow for a two count. Mako transitioned right to a cross armbreaker. Moriarty rolled up Mako for two, but Mako held onto the arm bar, and Moriarty had to use his last rope break to get out.
Mako rolled up Moriarty for two and tried to lock in a sleeper, but Moriarty fought out, rolled back, and caught Mako in a bridge trap pin for a two count. Moriarty rolled Mako up for a two count, and then locked in Border City Stretch for the tap-out win.
Lee Moriarty defeated Matt Mako by submission to retain the ROH Pure Rules Championship.
There was a respectful Code of Honor handshake after the match…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A nice match in a unique venue. The announcers were also a nice change of pace. Not that the normal ROH announcers are bad, but these two guys are good too.
4. Dr Cerebro, Xelhua, Averno, Euforia, and Volador Jr vs. Hologram, Neon, Valiente, Virus, and Blue Panther in an Elimination Tornado match. This match was also held at the Action Wrestling and ROH Dean 2 show on May 24. Panther hit an arm drag on Xelhua. Xelhua tried a kneebar, but Panther transitioned into some chain wrestling and got on top of him. Xelhua grabbed a rolling knee bar, but Panther reversed into a move of his own, but Xelhua hit an arm drag, and then we got a handshake and tag outs.
Virus and Dr Cerebro came in, and after some chain wrestling, Virus got a standing knee lock with a grapevine. The men traded quick holds, including an STF and a Stretch Muffler, and a couple of nearfall attempts. They picked up the pace and hit some crossbodies and quick one counts.
Euforia and Valiente came in, and Euforia caught a springboard attempt, but Valiente flipped out and hit an arm drag. Valiente hit a top rope head scissors that sent Euforia to the floor.
Neon and Volador came in, and Neon hit a top rope head scissors that sent Volador to the floor and teased a dive. Hologram tagged in, and so did Averno. Hologram used his speed to avoid Averno and hit an around the world head-scissors and a big dive to the floor. Though he hit the dive, the rudos all swarmed him with stomps, but the technicos saved him.
Averno and Euforia got outclassed by Neon, and he hit a rope walking arm drag. Xelhua hit some arm drags on Virus and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. Xelhua hit a bridging northern lights suplex for a two count. Virus got a trap pin for a two count. Virus hit a spinebuster and tied Xelhua up like a pretzel for the tap-out and elimination
Xelhua was eliminated by a pretzel hold from Virus.
Cerebro got hit with a snap powerslam, but Virus got pulled out of the ring by Volador, but he hit a kip up arm drag off the ring post. Cerebro hit a diving headbutt on Virus. Things broke down on the floor for a bit. Euforia got hit with a tip-up splash from Virus for a two count. Virus went up top, and Euforia hit him with an arm drag off the top for a two count. Euforia hit a huge powerbomb for the pinfall.
Virus was eliminated by a powerbomb from Euforia.
The rudos stomped on Panther, but he kipped up and dumped them on their faces. Panther hit Euforia with a headscissors. Panther dumped Averno to the floor with an arm drag and hit a “dive” with a cannonball to the floor. His younger partners ran and hit dives of their own. Valiente flipped over a monkey flip attempt from Volador. Valiente hit a wheelbarrow rollup for a two count on Volador. Volador hit a superkick and a Backstabber for the pinfall.
Valiente was eliminated by a backstabber from Volador Jr.
The rudos pulled Neon to the floor. Hologram ate a spinebuster from Volador and Euforia, and Averno held him for a baseball slide dropkick from Cerebro. Panther hit Volador with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a broken-up nearfall. Euforia hit Panther with a boot to send him outside. Euforia caught Hologram on a dive, but Neon put him down. Euforia snatched Neon out of the air with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and then hit Hologram with a powerbomb for a broken-up nearfall. Euforia got put on top and then Hologram hit him with a frankensteiner. Neon hit a top rope moonsault, and Hologram hit a top rope double stomp for a pinfall.
Euforia was eliminated by a top rope double stomp from Hologram.
Cererbro hit a springboard dropkick. Cerebro rolled up Panther with a crucifix for a two count. Panther locked up the legs of Cerebro and pinned him.
Dr Cerebro was eliminated by a trap pin from Blue Panther.
Neon kicked Averno in the gut and hit a fireman’s slam. Neon tried a moonsault, but Averno got the boots up, and Averno got a two count nearfall. Averno got caught standing on the ropes, and Neon hit a backflipping arm drag off the ropes for a two count. Averno got put on the top rope but hit Neon with a butterfly facebuster from the middle rope.
Neon was eliminated by a middle rope butterfly facebuster by Averno.
Panther hit a cannonball onto Averno on the floor. Hologram dove onto Volador and pushed him an easy ten feet. Back in the ring, Panther got chopped, and he fired up. Panther hit Averno with a clothesline for a two count. Averno hit a clothesline in the corner, and then he and Volador put Panther on the top. The rudos hit a double superplex and double covered him for a broken up nearfall. Hologram got hit with a rocking horse slam for a broken up nearfall. The rudos tried a double monkey flip, but Panther blocked it and Hologram covered them for a two count. Panther hit a splash off the middle turnbuckle to the floor, and Hologram hit another dive. Hologram got hit with a butterfly facebuster from the middle, and Panther got hit with a Backstabber, but they both kicked out at two. Hologram hit a head kick and did an airplane spin thunder bomb as Panther locked up Averno in his leg trap pin, and they got simultaneous pinfalls.
Volador Jr and Averno were eliminated by pinfalls from Hologram and Blue Panther.
Hologram, Neon, Valiente, Virus, and Blue Panther defeated Dr Cerebro, Xelhua, Averno, Euforia, and Volador Jr.
Robinson’s Ruminations: This was a fun, crazy lucha match. It was nice to see Hologram get a win with Panther.
A recap video aired of the Sons of Texas trying their best to win the AEW Tag Titles at Double or Nothing, but coming up short…
4. Satnam Singh vs. Facade.. No televised entrance for Facade. Facade used his speed to hit a leg kick, but he was caught quickly and hit with a headbutt. Singh hit a SHHH chop that was a gunshot, and then did it two more times. Singh threw Facade corner to corner with a Biel toss and then did it again. Facade hit a jawbreaker but tried a shoulder block and just bounced off. Singh just took one step and bowled over Facade with a shoulder block. Facade got a boot up on a charge and tried a rope walk, but got hit with a chokeslam for the pinfall.
Satnam Singh defeated Facade by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A squash match, nice work if you can get it.
Taz narrated a commercial about the AEW/ROH residency at 2300 Arena this summer…
A recap of the eight-man tag match from the Double or Nothing pre-show…
5. “Frat House” Griff Garrison and Cole Karter (w/Preston Vance, Jacked Jameson, two pledges) vs. Hologram and Rhino. During the entrance, one of the pledges dropped the flag and was beaten up by Jameson and Vance. Jameson looked shocked at just how big Rhino was. Hologram used some chain wrestling to hit an arm drag. Garrison just used a knee lift to slow him down and then hit a shoulder block. Garrison kept up on a lucha dodge exchange but got hit with an arm drag and an inside wrist lock takeover, and a dropkick. Karter tagged in and Hologram teased tagging in Rhino, but Karter jumped him. Hologram got thrown into the corner and flipped up, and kicked Garrison in the face, and avoided Karter and tagged Rhino.
Karter tried to plead his case about watching him as a kid, but slapped him in the face. Rhino blasted Karter with a shoulder block and then some gut punches in the corner. Rhino hit a shoulder block in the corner, but Karter got pulled to the floor and given a solo cup to slug. Karter charged in and got dumped to ringside. Garrison got dumped too, but Jameson got on the apron, and Vance pulled the leg of Hologram, who was teasing a dive. Back in the ring, Karter got a two count on Hologram. Karter hit a float over suplex for a two count on Hologram.
Garrison hit Hologram with a scoop slam. Jameson and Vance choked Hologram in the ropes while the ref was distracted. Frat House hit a double flapjack slam on Hologram. Hologram avoided a charge and used his speed to avoid Karter, but was blasted with a pump knee lift. Hologram hit a big spin kick and a standing Spanish Fly for a double down. Rhino got tagged in and hit some shoulder blocks. Rhino hit Garrison with a belly to belly for a broken up nearall. Hologram hit Karter with a pump kick and a half and half suplex. Hologram dove onto Karter, Jameson, and Vance at ringside. Garrison tried to hit Rhino with the pledge paddle, but Rhino avoided and hit Gore for the pinfall.
Hologram and Rhino defeated “Frat House” Griff Garrison and Cole Karter by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Fine formula tag match. Karter and Garrison are a good team, and I was happy to see Frat House get some TV time up on Dynamite the other night. Rhino still looks good after all these years. The overall show was fine, but it was a maintenance show where literally nothing was forwarded. It was action for the sake of action, and none of it was bad. My weekly ROH on HonorClub audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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