By Sam Robinson, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@altaine)
Ring of Honor on HonorClub (Episode 62)
Taped April 27, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida at Daily’s Place
Streamed May 2, 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 started with a rundown of some of the matches… Clips were shown of the feud between The Outrunners and The Infantry narrated over by Riccaboni…
1. “The Outrunners” Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum (w/Lazer Linda) vs. “The Infantry” Sean Dean and Carlie Bravo w/ Trish Adora. As The Infantry made their entrance Trish Adora hit Lariat Tubman on Lazer Linda to neutralize her. Infantry grabbed the ropes and the Outrunners missed a double dropkick and then ate a double dropkick.
The bell finally rang and Dean hit a few arm drags before tagging in Bravo for the arm wringer axe handle and then Dean did one as well. Infantry hit a double atomic drop and double hip toss. The Outrunners distracted the ref to take advantage and then tried an execution elbow drop but Dean got pulled away and Magnum landed crotch first on Floyd’s knee. Infantry hit an execution elbow of their own with a “grenade toss”.
Bravo hit a superkick on Floyd and a big right hand on Magnum, but The Outrunners were able to get momentum back. Floyd hit a backbreaker on Bravo. Bravo avoided a corner splash and pulled Magnum crotch first into the ring post. Floyd came off the apron with an axe handle on Bravo and threw him back in the ring and hit an elbow drop for a two count. Bravo got a sunset flip on Bravo for a two count.
Floyd came in and grabbed a headlock, but Bravo fought out and fought off both Outrunners briefly before getting hip tossed. The Outrunners hit a double elbow drop for a broken up two count. Bravo avoided some corner splashes and hit a slingshot stunner over the ropes and got the hot tag to Dean who came in with punches, back body drops and flying elbows in the corner.
Bravo hit an around the world DDT on Floyd and hit his big elbow drop for a broken up nearfall. Bravo came in and hit his Carlie Crossover but then ate a back suplex. As the suplex landed, Dean came off the top with a frog splash. The Outrunners isolated Dean and went for “Miami Overdrive” but Dean made Floyd hit Magnum and then Bravo slid in an Infantry hit Boot Camp for the pinfall.
“The Infantry” Sean Dean and Carlie Bravo defeated “The Outrunners” Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A fine TV tag match that is hopefully the end of this feud. Hopefully we can see The Infantry move on to bigger and better things. This match was in front of a dead quiet crowd at Daily’s Place. Looking at hard cam crowd shots from later in the show, it seems most of these folks were seat fillers, as I never saw them later.
2. Nyla Rose vs. Camron Branae. Branae jumped Rose as the bell rang, but Rose no-sold it and chopped Branae down. Rose Beal tossed Branae across the ring and fired up the crowd. Branae took advantage and drop kicked Rose to the floor. Branae followed her out and ate a clothesline on the floor. Back in the ring, Rose hit a running high knee and then Beast Bomb and got the pinfall.
Nyla Rose defeated Camron Branae by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match. Rose did a good job of getting the crowd to fire up though.
Backstage, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard and “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker cut a promo. Cool Hand said he was about to retire, and his being a new dad lit a fire in his ass. Daddy Magic said that Undisputed Kingdom are a problem and then talked about going on a trip to the “promised land”…
Robinson’s Ruminations: I assume this means they are coming for the ROH Tag Titles, but it was vague.
3. ROH Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett vs. “The Qrown” Leonis and Maximus in a Proving Ground Match. Bennett back Lenois into the Undisputed Kingdom team’s corner and then they hit some quick tandem strikes and Taven got a two count nearfall. Taven and Bennett worked over Leonis in their corner with chops and forearms. Leonis fought off both men and hit a belly to belly on Taven.
Taven and Bennett recovered and hit some quick strikes including a big boot from Taven and that got them another two count. Leonis was able to throw Taven out of the ring and back body drop Bennett and tag Maximus. Maximus hit a bunch of clotheslines and a uranage on Bennett. Taven cut him off with a disaster kick. Kingdom hit a stuff piledriver on Maximus and got the pinfall.
ROH Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett defeated “The Qrown” Leonis and Maximus by pinfall in a Proving Ground match.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A quick squash match.
Backstage, JD Drake said he’s been lost lately and it’s showing everywhere including his bowling game. He tells a story about a two dollar bill and his grandfather. His grandfather told him when life knocks you down, sometimes you have to put on your boots and kick ass. Drake said that he’s going to step up and give ROH $2 worth of ass whooping…
Robinson’s Ruminations: A nice basic rebuild yourself promo. I like Drake a lot. I’m a sucker for guys with different body types and a sucker for a southern man who likes to work hard.
4. Toa Liona vs. Jimmy Wild. Liona bowled Wild over with a shoulder block and then chopped him in the corner. Liona choked Wild on the ropes. Liona hit a belly to belly out of the corner. Wild slipped out and hit an enzuigiri and a dropkick. Wild fired up and ran into a savat kick from Liona. Liona hit a senton splash on the apron and then screamed into the ringside camera “Nana, where are you?” Liona hit a Pounce and then sat on the chest of Wild for the pinfall.
Toa Liona defeated Jimmy Wild by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Squash match. Liona is such a believable monster.
5. “Dark Order” Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds vs. Adam Priest, Zicky Dice, and Sean Maluta. Silver hit a shoulder block on Maluta and then a powerbomb. Dark Order hit a triple dropkick and Uno got a two count on Maluta. Dice got a knee up on a rope run and Uno got thrown to the floor and Dice and Priest took advantage for a moment with some punches and kicks. Back in the ring, Dice tagged in and choked Uno in the corner and hit a rolling cravat move for a two count.
Dice kept pie-facing Uno who fired up and hit his assisted neckbreaker and then got the hot tag to Reynolds. Reynolds hit the jobbers with elbows and a pop up knee. Reynolds hit a butterfly powerbomb for a broken up nearfall. Everyone hit a big move in succession until Silver hit a monkey flip destroyer and then Dark Order hit their trios finisher for the pinfall on Priest.
“Dark Order” Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds defeated Adam Priest, Zicky Dice and Sean Maluta by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A trios squash match.
Backstage, The Iron Savages said they were overlooked even though they’ve got the crowd in their hands. They said it’s time to stop playing to the crowd and start winning. But then Jacked Jameson said their catchphrases…
6. Jon Cruz vs. Aaron Solo. Cruz made a big deal about the code of honor but Solo used it to take an early advantage with a gut kick. Solo choked Cruz in the corner with his boot and then hit a vertical suplex in the middle of the ring. Cruz hit a flying head-scissors and a running clothesline as the announcer wished Tony Khan well. Cruz fired up and went to the top and missed a splash. Solo hit a belly to back suplex and then a spin kick for the pinfall.
Aaron Solo defeated John Cruz by pinfall.
Robinson’s Ruminations: Another squash match. I guess since ROH has lost so many acts to Collision lately, pushing Solo is what we’re reduced to.
7. Robyn Renegade vs. Queen Aminata. “Yas Queen” chants rang out as the match started and the women traded some arm wringers. Renegade hit a enzuigiri and a backstabber. Renegade stomped on the back of Aminata as she tried a shoulder block through the ropes. Back in the ring, Aminanta got a quick roll up for a two count. Aminanta came back with some clothesline and a running PK.
Aminata hit a nasty looking running kick through the ropes. We got a cutaway of Athena and Billie Starkz watching the match backstage. Renegade got a rollup nearfall but Aminanta came right back with a snap suplex. Renegade hit a facebuster and a shotgun dropkick for a two count. Renegade hit a twisting DVD for a two count. Aminata hit a german suplex and then a hip attack in the corner and then the face wash kick. Aminata hit a headbutt and a running air raid crash for the pinfall.
Queen Aminata defeated Robyn Renegade by pinfall.
After the match we got another cutaway of Athena and Billie Strakz walking away from the TV and I thought they might be coming out to the ring, but the show just cut off. Weird.
Robinson’s Ruminations: A fine TV filler match to give Aminata a win. The match was more competitive than it needed to be, but that’s a running criticism of AEW/ROH booking. The overall show is a big miss for me. Five squash matches out of seven. Yikes. At least we got some nice backstage promos to fill things in a bit. That’s all the silver lining I can give this one. I will have more to say about the show in my weekly ROH audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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