By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 119)
Taped May 8, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan at Masonic Temple Theatre and May 28, 2025 in El Paso, Texas at El Paso County Coliseum
Streamed June 5, 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 a rundown of the matches for tonight. Oh boy, another lineup of “In Action” matches.
1. Leila Grey and Dulce Tormenta vs. Thunder Rosa and Persephone. Persephone did a matrix avoid and hit a superkick. Persephone hit a shotgun dropkick and then a muffed moonsault. She came up wobbly, probably a sell, and Grey low bridged her out of the ring and hit a slingblade on the floor. Back in the ring, Tormenta hit a rewind superkick on Persephone and got a two count. Grey tagged in and hit a corner running knee, a cutter, and rolled into a dragon sleeper that got broken up by a Rosa superkick. Grey kept working a side headlock until Persephone pushed her off and hit a spear. Rosa and Tormenta tagged in, and Rosa hit a flurry of back elbows, a drop toe hold, and a drop kick against the ropes. Rose hit a sloppy wheelbarrow stomp for a two count. Rosa locked in a seated cobra clutch and got the tap out.
Thunder Rosa and Persephone defeated Leila Grey and Dulce Tormenta by submission.
After the match, all four wrestlers raised arms together…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A fine, quick TV match that intermingled some stars that don’t get to work together often or at all. Good exposure to a different style for Grey, and she seemed to keep up very well.
Backstage, earlier today, Ian Riccaboni got teased and tormented by Frat House. Jackson said they watched their matches back and they didn’t appreciate all the trash that Riccaboni talks about them on commentary. Riccaboni asked what was next for them, and Vance said they were going to beat up the Dark Order some more. They gave Riccaboni a solo cup and then Vance yelled in his face. Riccaboni said on commentary afterwards that the cup was empty after all of that…
2. “Frat House” Cole Karter and Griff Garrison (w/Jacked Jameson, Preston Vance) vs. “Two Pledges” Braxton Hunter and Dale Springs. Frat House beat up the Pledges as they made their entrance to really good boos. Garrison picked up the pledge wearing plaid, made him shake his hand, then clotheslined him. Plaid pledge got a boot up in the corner and hit some punches and uppercuts. Garrison just blasted him with a big boot to take control. Frat House mugged Plaid Pledge in the corner for a bit. Karter hit a snap suplex and then choked him in the ropes. Plaid Pledge blocked another suplex and tagged in Other Pledge, who took off his Frat House shirt and then ate a Karter drop kick to the face. Plaid Pledge tried to cut off a double-team move, but ate a rolling forearm from Garrison. Other Pledge got hit with a TKO and Big Boot double team move for the pinfall.
“Frat House” Cole Karter and Griff Garrison defeated Braxton Hunter and Dale Springs by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match, but at least the two pledges showed good fire.
An AEW All In Texas commercial aired. The show is 37 days away…
Backstage, Thunder Rosa said that Persephone is her new friend. Persephone said she needed some help back home in CMLL. They’re going to team at ROH Global Wars.
3. Aaron Solo vs. Wheeler Yuta. Both men waved off the code of honor. After some arm work, Yuta hit some forearms and punches. Solo came back with a drop kick and an arm drag. Solo worked on the fingers of Yuta, who slinked away to the ropes. Yuta bit the head of Solo. Yuta hit a suplex and a middle rope elbow drop for a two count. Yuta hit a dragon screw leg whip out of the corner and then locked Sol up in a grapevine and bridged back. Solo laid back and got hit with a two count nearfall.
Yuta got too close and got punched in the face, and Solo was able to make it to the ropes to get the break. Solo hit some back elbows and then bit the head of Yuta and hit a neckbreaker. Solo went up top, took too long, and missed his double stomp. Solo avoided the running knee but got hit with a rebound German suplex. Solo hit a wrist lock slam and went up top, and then hit his double stomp for only a two count. Solo hit a superkick, but Yuta pulled the ref into the way, raked the eyes, and hit his big running knee for the pinfall.
Wheeler Yuta defeated Aaron Solo by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Yuta stealing the moves of Danielson and McGuinness would be better heat if those men were around to complain about it, because the announcers aren’t doing enough of it. The match was competently worked, but it was two heels, and the crowd only really got going for the big moves.
A video package aired on Bandido, highlighting his title win, but otherwise, it was pretty generic…
Backstage, Taya Valkyrie, Johnny TV, and “MxM Collection” Mansoor and Mason Madeen told viewers that Mansoor is getting a Proving Ground match against Bandido and talked about his history in Mexico, making love to Abuelas. Mansoor asked Taya to translate for him and then spoke some terrible Spanish. She was forced to translate and then cut a promo for him.
4.ROH Women’s Champion Athena vs. Rachel Armstrong in a Proving Ground match. Athena blasted Armstrong with a forearm, and then Biel tossed her. Athena hit a hip toss that went halfway across the ring. Armstrong rolled away from a charge and hit a forearm. Armstrong hit a wheelbarrow arm drag and a superkick. Armstrong hit a kneeling DDT. Armstrong went to the top, and Athena rolled out of the ring. Armstrong tried to dive at Athena, but Athena caught her and threw her into the barricade so hard that the LED boards stopped working. “Athena” chanted the crowd.
Athena broke the count and then threw Armstrong into the steel steps. Athena complained to the crowd that Armstrong wasn’t in her league. Back in the ring, Athena hit clubbing blows to the back. Armstrong ducked a clothesline, rolled around, and hit a huracanrana for a two count. Athena hit a back suplex that was so powerful it flipped Armstrong without her wanting it to. Athena put Armstrong in the electric chair and climbed the ropes, but Armstrong fought her off and put her on the mat. Armstrong missed her 450 attempt, and Athena hit a straight jacket sit out powerbomb for the pinfall.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena defeated Rachel Armstrong by pinfall in a Proving Ground match.
After the match, Athena mounted Armstrong and punched her before chasing the ref out of the ring. Athena set up to make Armstrong kiss the belt, but Thunder Rosa’s music hit, and she ran down and chased Athena out of the ring. Athena left one of her title belts in the ring, and Rosa picked it up with a questioning look. Athena made the ref go get it back.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A fine Athena squash win, but that’s all it was. She was really trying to show off her power, but Armstrong is so tiny that it was barely believable as strength when she struggled so much. Armstrong sold well and kept up her plucky fire even in the face of the juggernaut that is Athena, so that’s a feather in her cap.
After Riccaboni told viewers goodnight. A video package played. The Boys were in the desert searching for something. A UFO landed, Dalton Castle got out, and told the Boys it was time to go break some hearts…
Robinson’s Ruminations: There’s a three-minute version of this video package out there that I saw last night. I’m glad they only played a 30-second version of it here. Castle coming back is fine, I like him a fair bit, but he’s in that Honkey Tonk Man place, where he’s just the same act forever. I’d certainly like to see him change things up and do something different, but this video package makes me think that isn’t going to happen, because it was just the same thing again. You know, other than the UFO. Maybe his time in outer space did him some good? My weekly audio reviews of ROH on HonorClub are available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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